Manifestations (43 page)

‘Do you have any suggestions on how we do that?’

Pinter breathed in and out, opened his mouth as if to speak then closed it again. He stood up and paced two steps before turning. ‘They have the advantage.’

‘We are the World Union.’

‘And they know more about us than we do of them. Both of the enemies, the psis and Kronos, have goals that elude us and act in a way we are unable to predict. Actually, there are three enemies, if we remind ourselves of Pierre Jnr.’ He twisted back to look at the Prime. ‘You might have been right that they are all connected.’

‘Small comfort.’

‘Indeed, and yet we have learnt that there is a connection between Shen Li, Morritz Kay and the psis; a connection to the release of Kronos is a logical possibility,’ Pinter admitted.

‘Another distraction?’

‘Or just a shadow.’ Pinter ordered himself another drink and then a Scorpion which he put in front of Ryu. ‘Have you ever wondered why it was so easy to find Pierre? It only took us two weeks to track him down after eight years.’

‘Peter Lazarus was working with him,’ Ryu said.

‘That, or ... Pierre simply wasn’t hiding.’ Pinter looked out over the darkening sky and the lightening city. ‘I’m not sure what that says about his intentions, but I’d now presume that Pierre Jnr doesn’t fear us and he isn’t hunting us. Hunters hide.’

‘Maybe he has struck already and we just don’t recognise it?’ Ryu speculated. ‘It’s all him. I’m sure of it. The rebellion. Kronos. You’ve seen the convocation. He’s going to trigger a collapse.’

‘A collapse may be imminent, but that doesn’t mean —’

‘Colonel ... we can’t give up.’ Ryu lowered his head.

‘I know.’ Pinter bent down to look into the other man’s eyes. ‘The truth is, the choice might not be ours to make. Do you understand?’

‘No.’

‘It is the reality we may have to face.’

‘The Will expects us to find a way.’ In the background it was happening, the balance of the hierarchy was shifting. Soon Pinter’s rank would eclipse his own. He felt a cold, familiar resolve. Did he smile? He didn’t mean to smile. He hoped the Colonel hadn’t seen him smile. ‘What will you do when you are Prime?’

This time without hesitation Pinter had an answer. ‘The first thing I’ll do is replace Zim’s strategy-matrix with my own. We must not provoke the psis any further. Then I will ask Representative Betts to begin talks to establish a psi-controlled territory.’

‘If you support that motion, her position will be strongly bolstered.’

‘If that is the Will.’ Pinter shrugged.

‘But what if it isn’t the Will? What if the Will is being manipulated?’ Ryu asked.

‘For such an accusation as that you would first need to provide the evidence. You must accept the possibility that the Will may not wish a war with the psis.’

‘And if the Will is mistaken?’

‘How can the Will be mistaken?’

‘If its action will lead to its own destruction.’

‘You don’t know that will happen. Your fear is creating assumptions.’

‘Perhaps you have been infected, Colonel. You have been exposed to a known psi who has had direct contact with Pierre Jnr.’

‘Is that the line you will take? After your own household was compromised?’ Pinter raised his eyebrows.

‘You wouldn’t strike back with that.’

‘I wouldn’t have to.’ No, he wouldn’t. The Weave would do it for him. ‘Ryu, we can work together. I see you as a man of honour and ability. With Zim demoted I will need you to control the psi rebellion.’

‘But you will still send in Representative Betts?’

‘Yes. She is the voice of peace from the WU and she’ll also be second in status. It has to be her.’

‘And what if she is being controlled?’

‘Ryu. I advise that you take a few days to rest. Nine cycles of knockout and then come back on duty. If you do that, I would like you to take up Zim’s responsibilities.’

‘I suppose I should thank you for that. What about the Kronos situation?’

‘We have to find a way to contain it. We must shut down the Weave.’

‘But the Will ...’ said Ryu.

‘We must. Kronos cannot be allowed to seed any more eggs.’

‘The Union will collapse.’

‘It will be temporary,’ Pinter said.

‘And until it is, you will stay Prime?’

‘We will fight him together.’

‘There must be another way ...’ Ryu looked down at the dossier Geof had left him with.

‘Then this is your last chance to find it.’ Pinter raised his voice, ‘You still have at least two more hours as Prime. And then I will close the Weave.’

The thought was horrific. He may not like the Will all of the time, but it was the culmination of the thoughts of every Citizen on Earth. It was the cornerstone of their civilisation ...

‘Then let’s see if we can find Pierre Jnr.’

~ * ~

Risom flew straight at the barricade. It was fully formed and thicker than when he had come through. On the horizon it looked as if all the birds in the world had organised to swarm along that particular demarcation.

Wind blew his hair back. He was riding on the top of the squib, his metal hand jammed into its skin, crouched low, ready to leap off. He steered the pilot inside the cockpit, making him fly where he wanted. Now he wanted him to go lower. As low as they could go, so as they came within range of the tanks he would be hidden by the hills.

His other arm was clenched over a bulging canvas satchel. It was double-strapped to him, but he held it close. A bag of magic beans that would help him grow his kingdom.

Three dark squibs flew in from above. They saw him on the top and drew back to fire. Risom turned his squib around and flew in a sharp curve and then zigzagged closer to them. He felt in his pocket and found a few small stones. He might not be close enough to control them, or damage them directly, but he could knock them down like a boy before a giant.

They scattered, each banking in a different direction, forcing him to choose which one to follow. He threw a stone at the centre one and then braked quickly to chase left, before it could flank him. His stone hit but it didn’t do any damage, just bored a hole through the skin. The third squib came up behind and fired its beams into his ride.

His squib sputtered, gobbits of fluid squirting from the holes. Risom swore under his breath. ‘I know how to deal with you.’ He pulled the squib vertical, using the last of its momentum to fly straight up into the sky. The Services squibs followed and he let go.

He dropped fast. Risom couldn’t fly as such, but he could use his kinetics to guide his descent. They were chasing the vehicle and didn’t react in time. Risom landed on the foremost and dug his metal arm in like a hook, and his mind speared into the Serviceman inside. He managed to fire one shot at the other squibs before the command came down to shut it off.

He pulled the bauble from the thong around his neck and pitched it towards the other squib, embedding it into its hull. Now he could reach it. This one he cut through, two halves suddenly hearing the call of gravity, and then he leapt again. There was one more to deal with and he just managed to catch hold of it.
Take me home, norm. Full speed.

The command would come down. They’d either change to remote piloting or set it to self-destruct, but by that time he would be on the ground, speeding his way through the confusion in rapid and sudden jumps. He saw his original ride crash and flash into flame and he laughed.

This was how it was meant to be.

He patted the satchel at his side.

~ * ~

He persuaded a transport driver on one of the farms to take him all the way to the rebellion buildings. They passed through the classy and the dilapidated, driving slowly through the norms and drools who were wandering the streets. Atlantic looked more of a wreck than he remembered.

The rebellion was in some of the old concretes next to the coast, washed out, rotten and empty when he got there. A group was still clearing away decades of rubbish to a nearby pit.

Risom stood behind a crowd of norms watching the building construct itself. Bricks flew up, mortar was laid, joists straightened into place. A lot of heavy lifting had been done while he was away.

Risom saw a man directing the activity of the workers and he went over to him.

‘Are you in charge here?’

‘Today I am. Name’s Ben.’ The man held out his hand.

‘Don’t worry, I know who you are. Do you know where Tamsin Grey is?’

‘Probably back at the hotel, they —’

There is no need for you to speak, bender.

He was happy with how the other psis stopped to stare at him and he smiled all the way into the hotel and skipped down the steps to the subterranean levels.

Tamsin was at her desk while two children, Piri and another girl who was younger and plumper, played by the door.

‘Risom, you made it back,’ she said, standing up to greet him.

‘Are you surprised or disappointed?’ he asked.

‘I am very happy. We heard some of the reports and feared the worst.’

‘And have I pleased you, Tamsin?’

Tamsin stopped where she was and looked at him. ‘Could you take your block down, Risom? You’re worrying me,’ she said.

‘Why would I do that?’ he asked in return.

‘I’d like to know what you’re thinking.’

‘I’d prefer to just tell you.’ He patted the satchel he was carrying. ‘I’m thinking there are going to be a lot of changes around here.’

‘What’s in the bag?’

Risom loosened the drawstring and took out two silver baubles, freshly replicated and identical.

‘These are a gift from Pierre Jnr.’ Risom held one of them up between his fingers for Tamsin to see. ‘He gave them to me.’

‘You saw him?’ Tamsin asked.

Risom blinked, his fantasising was carrying him away. ‘I knew he was with me,’ he said.

‘May I look at it?’

Risom thought this over then tossed one to her. ‘You can have this one for nothing. My gift to you.’

Tamsin caught it and her eyes immediately bulged. ‘Oh my. That’s ...’ She was stunned. It was like she was ten times her real size. Her mind could feel the people on the surface, five floors above.

‘Yes, it’s quite something, isn’t it.’

Piri and her friend went to stand by Tamsin, who had felt the need to take a seat. She held the bauble in her hands and stared at it.

‘What is it, Mum? Can I hold it?’ Piri’s fingers went to grab for it, but Tamsin closed her hand and pulled away.

‘No, not you, Piri.’

‘But, Mum!’

‘No. It is too dangerous.’ Tamsin looked back at Risom. She noticed the way he was standing, tall and strutting. ‘Much too dangerous.’

‘This place won’t do, Tamsin. It’s all rotten.’

‘We are making progress on a new headquarters.’

‘So I have seen. Why don’t you just claim one of the blocks that is already working?’

‘You know why. We have to build for ourselves. We can’t just take everything.’

‘Why not? With these we can do anything.’ He patted the satchel. ‘All I have to do is get one of these baubles to Chiggy and I can control him. Tamsin, we can win.’

‘Not that way.’

‘I have been with Pierre Jnr. I know his way now.’

That is not his way, Risom.
She was disgusted with him.

Do you think I should be ashamed
?
You should be ashamed. We have all the power we need and still you haven’t struck back at Services. What are you waiting for
?
You’ve seen what Chiggy can do.

We cannot kill them all.

No. Just enough so they won’t dare strike us again.

We have a plan.

So do I. I’m joining Chiggy.

He won’t let you.

He won’t have a choice.

Risom had his real hand in the satchel, prowling back and forth.
These change everything.

Tamsin looked up at him, rolling the orb between her palms.

Now it is your thoughts that betray you.
Risom smiled. ‘I saw Peter Lazarus,’ he said.

‘Did you hurt him?’

‘I was interrupted.’

‘He isn’t our enemy,’ she said.

‘He isn’t on our side either, Tamsin. Though he did try to tell me he was.’

‘What did he say?’

‘He said he wants you to rescue him.’

‘And you didn’t help him?’

Risom shrugged, he didn’t care. ‘I had other things to do. I couldn’t have taken him with me anyway. He was locked.’
You believe him, don’t you?

Yes.

He hates Pierre Jnr. Did you know that?

That is only his fear of him.

He should be afraid of Pierre. All the traitors will be killed.

We can’t win that way, Risom. We must stick to La Gréle’s plan.