“Oh sweet Jesus. That’s just as bad.”
“Yeah,” he said bitterly. “Who wants to rule the world when it means making those kind of choices. And they do have to be
made, unfortunately; we can’t jump ship now.”
______
After the mild euphoria of yesterday, when they’d finally reached a genuine safe haven, however unorthodox, Charlie’s news
left the sisters despondent again. They spent the morning in the drawing room, watching a big AV projection pillar to find
out what was happening.
At first they switched between London’s news shows, then Louise found the house’s processors allowed her to access the security
sensors studding the Westminster Dome’s geodesic framework. She was also able to superimpose the police tactical display grid
over their peerless view of the streets and parks. They could follow events in real time, without the intrusive commentary
and speculation from reporters. Not that there was much to see. An occasional running figure. Pulses of bright white light
flaring behind closed windows. Police cars converging on a building, heavily armed officers moving inside. Sometimes they
came out, hauling possessed off to zero-tau pods. Sometimes they didn’t, leaving a circle of empty cars blocking off the surrounding
streets, their strobe lights flashing red and blue in futile distress. Local council offices and precinct stations would burst
into flames without warning. No fire appliances came to their rescue. When the government facility concerned had been consumed,
the flames mysteriously died away, leaving a blackened husk of crumbling masonry trapped between two unblemished buildings.
Reports from dwindling police patrols and the AI’s monitor programs indicated that small bands of the possessed were moving
round by using the tube lines and utility service tunnels. As they infiltrated themselves across the arcology, electrical
supplies failed in several districts. Then corresponding sections of the communication net went dead. More and more street-level
cameras were targeted, showing a snatched glance of impacting white fire before dying. Rover reporters began to go off-air
in mid-sensevise. Police datavises also fell, faster than possessed assaults against them could statistically account for.
GISD estimated the desertion rate to be reaching forty per cent.
There was still a curfew operating across London, but Govcentral was no longer enforcing it.
Servitor chimps ambled into the drawing room around mid-morning and began packing away the ancient silverware and vases. Their
preparations emphasised how desperate the situation was becoming, despite the physical distance between the house and London.
Louise caught sight of Charlie through one of the open patio doors; he was taking his two Labradors for a walk across the
lawn. She and Gen hurried out after him.
He stopped at a gate in the row of yew trees, waiting for them to catch up. “I just wanted to give the dogs one last walk,”
he said. “We’ll probably leave tomorrow morning. You’ll have to start packing again, I’m afraid.”
Gen knelt down and stroked the golden Labrador. “You’re not leaving them here, are you?”
“No. They’ll be put in zero-tau; I’m definitely taking them with me. And a great deal more, of course. I’ve spent centuries
building up my little collection of knickknacks.
One does become dreadfully sentimental about the stupidest things. I own four domes like this in various parts of the world,
each with a different climate. There’s a lot of occupation invested in them. Still, look on the bright side, I can literally
take the memories with me.”
“Where are you going to go?” Louise asked.
“I’m not sure, to be honest,” Charlie said. “I’ll need a developed world as a base if I want to retain control of my industrial
assets. Kulu is hardly going to welcome me, the Saldanas are very territorial. New Washington, possibly, I have influence
there. Or I might germinate an independent habitat somewhere.”
“But it’s only going to be temporary, isn’t it?” Louise urged. “Just until we find an answer to all this.”
“Yes. Assuming Dexter doesn’t come gunning for all of us. He’s quite a remarkable person in his own repellent way, at least
as competent as Capone. I didn’t expect him to consolidate his hold over London quite so quickly. One more mistake added to
a depressingly long list.”
“What will you do? The President isn’t going to order the SD strike, is he? The news said the senate has gone into closed
session.”
“No, he won’t fire today. London’s safe from him, at least. Unless he sees red clouds hovering over the domes, he doesn’t
consider the possessed capable of endangering the rest of the world.”
“That’s it then, we just leave?”
“I am doing my best, Louise. I’m still trying to locate Dexter’s actual position. There’s still a chance I can use the anti-memory
against him. I’m convinced he’s somewhere in the centre of the old city, that’s where he’s concentrated his blackout procedures.
If I can just get someone close enough to him, he can be eliminated. We’ve built a projector that uses bitek processors, it
should work long enough even with the possessed ability to glitch electronics.”
“The possessed can sense the thoughts of anyone hostile to them. Nobody dangerous would get near to him.”
“Ordinarily, yes. But we do have one ally. Calls himself the friend of Carter McBride. A possessed who hates Dexter, and has
the courage to oppose him. And I know he’s in London; he could probably get close enough. The problem is, he’s as elusive
as Dexter.”
“Fletcher could have helped,” Gen said. “He really hated Dexter. And he wasn’t afraid of him, either.”
“I know,” Charlie said. “I’m considering if I should ask him.”
Louise gave him a blank look, sure she’d misheard. “You mean Fletcher is still here?”
“Well yes,” Charlie said, as if surprised at her surprise. “He’s been kept in GISD’s secure holding facility up in the Halo,
helping our science team research the physics of possession. They haven’t made much progress, I’m afraid.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Louise asked weakly. It was the most wonderful news, even though it was accompanied by guilt for
the man whose body Fletcher was possessing. There was also the knowledge she’d have to mourn all over again eventually. But…
he was still with them. That made all the complications bearable.
“I thought it best not to. You’d both managed to put him behind you. I’m sorry.”
“Then why tell us now?” she asked, angry and suspicious.
“Desperate times,” Charlie replied levelly.
“Oh.” Louise slumped as understanding arrived. She began to wonder just how deep his manipulation went. “I’ll ask him for
you.”
“Thank you, Louise.”
“On one condition. Genevieve is taken to Tranquillity. Today.”
“Louise!” Gen yelped.
“Not negotiable,” Louise said.
“Of course,” Charlie said. “It will be done.”
Gen put her hands on her hips. “I won’t go.”
“You have to, darling. You’ll be safe there. Really safe, not like this planet.”
“Good. Then you come, too.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?” The little girl was fighting tears. “Fletcher wants you to be safe. You know he does.”
“I know. But I’m the guarantee that he’ll do as he’s asked.”
“
Of course
he’ll kill Dexter. He hates him, you know he does. How can you even think anything else. That’s awful of you, Louise.”
“I don’t think badly of Fletcher. But other people do.”
“Charlie doesn’t. Do you, Charlie?”
“I certainly don’t. But the other members of B7 will need assurances.”
“I hate you!” Gen screamed. “I hate all of you. And I won’t go to Tranquillity.” She ran off back over the lawns towards the
house.
“Dear me,” Charlie said. “I do hope she’ll be all right.”
“Oh shut up,” Louise snapped. “At least have the courage to acknowledge what you are. Or is that something else you’ve lost
along with the rest of your humanity?”
Just for an instant, she caught sight of his true self in a flickering expression of annoyance. A centuries-old consciousness
regarding her dispassionately through its youthful doll. His body was an illusion more skilful than any reality dysfunction
the possessed had achieved. Everything he did, every emotion shown, was simply a mental state he switched on when it became
appropriate. Five hundred years of life had reduced him to a bundle of near-automatic responses to his environment. Very clever
responses, but they weren’t rooted in anything she could recognize as human. Wisdom had evolved him far beyond his origin.
She hurried off after Gen.
______
The link to the Halo was organized to go through a big holo-screen in one of the house’s lounges. Louise sat on a sofa opposite,
with Gen cuddled up at her side. The younger girl was all cried out, and the battle of wills had been won. After this, she’d
be packed off to Tranquillity. That didn’t make Louise feel much better.
Blue lines rippled away from the front of the holoscreen, then a picture swivelled into focus. Fletcher was sitting at some
metallic desk, dressed in his full English Navy uniform. He blinked, peering forwards, then smiled.
“My dear ladies. I cannot tell you how gladdened I am to see you safe.”
“Hello, Fletcher,” Louise said. “Are you all right?” Gen was all sunny smiled, waving furiously at his image.
“It would appear so, my Lady Louise. The scholars of this age have kept me busy indeed, testing and prodding my poor bones
with their machines. Much good it has done them. They freely admit Our Lord guards the mysteries of his universe jealously.”
“I know,” Louise said. “Nobody down here has a clue what to do.”
“And you, Lady Louise. How are you and the little one faring?”
“I’m okay,” Genevieve blurted spryly. “We’ve met a policeman called Charlie, who’s a dictator. I don’t like him much, but
he did get us out of London before things got too bad.”
Louise laid a hand on Gen’s arm, silencing her. “Fletcher, Quinn Dexter is down here. He’s running loose in London. I’m supposed
to ask, will you help track him down?”
“My lady, that fiend has bested me before. We escaped by God’s grace and a fortuitous quantity of luck. I fear I would be
of little use against him.”
“Charlie has a weapon that might work if we can get it close enough to him. It has to be a possessed carrying it, no one else
stands a chance. Fletcher, it’s going to get really bad down here if he isn’t stopped. The only alternative the authorities
have is to kill lots of people. Millions possibly.”
“Aye lady, I already hear the souls stirring in anticipation of what is to come. Many many bodies are being made available
for their occupation, with promises of more. I fear the time of reckoning draws nigh. All men will soon have to choose where
their hearts lie.”
“Will you come down, then?”
“Of course, my dear lady. How could I ever refuse your request?”
“I’ll meet you in London, then. Charlie has made all the arrangements. Genevieve won’t be there, she’s going to Tranquillity.”
“Ah. I believe I understand. Treachery lurks under every stone along the path we tread.”
“He’s doing what he thinks he has to.”
“The excuse of many a tyrant,” he said sadly. “Little one? I want you to promise me you will cause your sister no distress
as you leave for this magical flying castle. She loves you dearly and wishes no harm to befall you.”
Genevieve clutched at Louise’s arm, trying hard not to blub. “I won’t. But I don’t want to leave either of you. I don’t want
to be left alone.”
“I know, little one, but Our Lord tells us that only the virtuous can be brave. Show courage for me, be safe even if it means
forgoing those who love you. We will be reunited after victory.”
Right from the start, Al knew it was going to be a bad day.
First it was the body. Al was hardly a stranger to blood, he’d seen and been responsible for enough slaughter in his time,
but this was turning his stomach. It had been a while before anyone noticed poor old Bernhard Allsop was missing. Who was
going to care that the little weasel wasn’t getting underfoot like usual? It was only when he skipped a couple of duty details
that Leroy finally got round to asking where he was. Even then, it wasn’t an urgent request. Bernhard’s processor block didn’t
respond to datavises, so everyone assumed he was goofing off. A couple of guys were asked to keep an eye out. After another
day, Leroy was concerned enough to bring it up at a meeting of senior lieutenants. A search was organized.
The security cameras found him eventually. At least, they located the mess. Confirming first what, then who it was had to
be done in person.
There was a quite extraordinary amount of blood smearing the floor, walls, and ceiling. So much so, Al figured that more than
one person had been whacked. But Emmet Mordden said the quantity was about right for a single adult male.
Al lit a cigar, puffing heavily. Not for pleasure; the smoke covered the smell of decaying flesh. Patricia’s face was creased
up in dismay as they stood around the corpse. Emmet held a handkerchief over his nose as he examined the remains.
The face was recognisably Bernhard. Though even now Al remained slightly doubtful. It was as though the skin had been roughly
rearranged into Bernhard’s features. A caricature rather than a natural face. Al had seen doctored photos before, this was
the body equivalent.
“You’re sure?” Al asked Emmet, who was prodding the blood-drenched clothing with a long stylus.
“Pretty much, Al. These are his clothes. That’s his processor block. And you can’t expect his face to be a close match, we
only see illusions of each other, remember. His body’s face was becoming him, but it takes time.”
Al grunted, and took another look. The skin had shrunk to wrap tightly round the skull and jaw; a lot of capillaries had ruptured,
and the eyeballs had burst. He turned away. “Yeah, okay.”
Emmet plucked the processor block from Bernhard’s rigid, clawed fingers, and gestured a couple of non-possessed medical orderlies
to take over. They manoeuvred the desiccated corpse into a body bag. Both of them were sweating badly, struggling against
nausea.