Nature of Ash, The (23 page)

‘Dad’s gone and dead, Ashy,’ Mikey whispers. ‘Can’t fix him. Not coming back.’ He rocks me in his stubby arms. ‘Mikey’s here. Mikey’s here.’

The damn kid just keeps holding me until my well of tears runs dry. The heat of his body slowly thaws me, his voice working its way into my numb, exhausted mind. When my heart has slowed so I can breathe again I hug him back. Kiss his downy cheek. Thank the arsehole deity who’s screwed our bloody lives over that I’ve been left with this awesome kid. I blow out one long breath. Close my eyes and listen to his beating heart.

‘Love you, Ashy,’ he whispers.

‘Love you too, mate.’ I feel his body relax. ‘Love you too.’

‘You hungry now?’

‘Are you?’

He lets me go. Rolls over and sits up. ‘Hungry, hungry, hungry!’

‘Go out and eat,’ I say. ‘I’d better clean up my mess.’

‘You sure?’ He’s already getting up.

‘Positive. Tell Jiao I’ll be out in a bit.’

‘Okay.’

Once I’m alone I curl myself into a ball, arms wrapped around my knees. Try to hold on to the calm and begin picking a way through the tangle of decisions to be made. I can hear Mikey and Jiao talking and the clatter of forks on plates. The distant rumble of a plane. The hypnotic ticking of Grandma’s antique wall clock. Outside, the day is slipping towards night.

Bit by bit things start to separate out into their distinct parts. When I finally think I can start to see the makings of an overall design, I straighten and get to my feet. By the time I’ve tidied the mess, Jiao and Mikey have finished eating and are sitting side by side on the sofa, watching shit TV.

‘Where’s Lucinda?’ I ask.

‘She had to leave before the curfew,’ she says. ‘Are you okay?’

I nod. ‘Sorry. Put it down to loony genes.’

‘Very funny.’ She doesn’t look amused. ‘Your dinner’s in the oven.’

‘Thanks. I’ll leave it for later. I want to get over to check up on Trav.’

‘But it’s after seven. There’s a curfew — didn’t you hear what I just said?’

‘Yeah, I know. But I can’t afford to wait until the morning. I’ll be okay.’ I ruffle Mikey’s hair. ‘Can you look after Jiao for me till I get back? I need to know she’s safe and you’re the best man for the job.’

He nods his head solemnly. ‘Okay.’
Another mission
for Super Mikey.

Jiao follows me to the door. Speaks fast and furious under her breath. ‘This is crazy. What if you’re caught?’

‘Then I’ll call Jeannie to get me out. Remember I still hold some cards.’

‘But it could be dangerous. We don’t know what’s been going on. There have been riots …’

‘Thanks for your concern. But I made you a promise and I’m fucked if I’ll wait around till morning—’

‘I don’t want to be responsible for you getting hurt.’

‘Good. Then I absolve you of all responsibility. All right?’ I lean over and brush a kiss on to the worry line between her eyes. ‘Have a bath. I can’t pay the bloody water or electricity bills anyway, so fill it deep! Mikey too. I’ll be back as soon as I can.’

I head down to the waterfront, relying on the fact I know this area like the back of my hand. The streetlights are out and it’s freakishly quiet, only the sparrows and the pigeons settling down for the night in their usual haunts. Down past the wreck of the station there are cop cars and army Humvees cruising the streets. I slink into the shadows and hold my breath each time one passes near.

By the time I reach the wharf, the tension’s ramped right up. Foot patrols are doing the rounds, each group of half a dozen soldiers decked out in goggles and all the gears. It’s like waking up inside an RPG, my avatar so low on points I have no powers at all. Except that I know where to hide, and how to slip below the wharf. I grit my teeth and lower myself into the water, careful not to make a splash. It stinks down here: all the crap that spews out from the ships collects in big oil-slicked pools, scummy foam and rubbish swilling with the tide.

I breaststroke with my head held high, clamping my lips shut. The piles under the wharf rise up like columns to a roof, bearded mussels and limpets clinging to the greasy wood. I’ve swum down here before but never at night. The shadows thrust and parry as they’re disturbed by the movement of the water, and I daren’t imagine what might be lurking below. Five minutes in, I stop and clutch hold of a strut to catch my breath. Footsteps thud overhead, marching in time.

Around by Frank Kitts Park, some bastard nearly pisses on my head. Further along, by the old theatre, I swim right into the middle of a colony of rats. They rise up on their hind legs and scream, teeth glinting in the scraps of light. It’s so surreal I almost expect them to draw out tiny swords and start to talk. I detour round them, swimming briefly out in open water before I slip back under the walkway that leads to Oriental Bay.

I haul myself out beside the Port Nic boat sheds and wring my clothes as best I can. Run low to the ground until I reach the bastard steps up to Mount Vic, then jog along under the cover of the green belt, setting off the odd barking dog but nothing worse. One long slog later, I’m up behind the hospital, totally poked. I squat to catch my breath. My clothes are still clingy and damp, and stink of all the waterborne crap, but I’m buzzed to have made it here without a hitch.

When I can breathe again without my chest stinging, I work my way down through the maze of buildings till I’m outside the Emergency Department. It’s busy here, despite the curfew, the perfect place to slip in unobserved. Once I’m inside, it’s safer — after all, I could have been here all day.

The nurse at the main desk tells me where I can find Travis. He’s on the fifth floor in a ward so full that beds are lined two deep along the corridors. I wait until the duty nurse is distracted, then slip down to Trav’s cubicle. He’s over by the window — but there’s someone in the chair beside his bed.
Fuck, it’s Jeannie
. Her back’s turned, and she looks like she’s talking earnestly to him, but Trav’s gaze is roaming the room. His eyes widen in surprise when he sees me. He flicks his glance to Jeannie and then back to me. Gives me the tiniest of nods. Lifts his hand, as though he’s stretching it, and spreads his fingers.
Five
. I nod, and slip into a toilet, counting off five minutes in my head. When I can no longer bear it, I sneak back out.
Yep. Jeannie’s gone.

Trav looks a hundred times better than when I saw him last, even if he is still hooked up to several machines. ‘Dumb question, but how’s it going?’

‘Fine,’ he says. ‘Apart from the fact they removed all my piercings — and the lectures from Mum!’ He rolls his eyes. ‘Though whatever you said has really got to her — she actually apologised for stopping me from acting.’

‘At least something good’s come out of it. I’m really sorry I blew your cover, eh? It never even occurred to me there might be three of them inside the truck.’

‘Bugger off! From the sound of it, you saved my life. How mental is
your
mum, huh?’

‘Have you told anyone where she and Ray hide out?’

Trav shakes his head. ‘To be honest I’m only just back with it. I lost a lot of blood — it kind of wipes you out.’

‘You reckon you could keep it quiet for now? I have the makings of a plan.’

‘No worries, bro. Are Jiao and Mikey okay?’

‘Yeah, I guess, though you wouldn’t fucking believe what that bitch did to him. And then I nearly killed us in the car.’

‘No shit?’

‘Wrote it off. I tell you, it was a bloody psycho day. I’ll fill you in on the full story later but, look, I’ve gotta go. We’ll all come tomorrow if we can. Just remember, don’t say anything to anyone about Ray and Mum’s whereabouts. You don’t know a thing!’

‘Cool.’

I turn to walk away.

‘Hey, Ash?’

‘Yeah?’

‘Be careful, eh?’

‘Cheers.’

I’ve a smile on my face as I leave him. Feel like something’s changed and now we’re really mates, not just two losers pushed together by his mum.

My next stop is Grandma’s rest home, only a few blocks from the hospital but harder to get to than I’d thought. Despite the curfew there’s a heap of people gathering in Newtown’s main street. Angry dudes in balaclavas. Pinch-faced girls. Kids who look as if they haven’t had a decent feed for weeks. They’re evil-eyeing the two carloads of cops who are watching, and the mood is ugly — if I was one of them right now, I’d be shitting bloody bricks. Somewhere in the distance comes the sound of breaking glass, and the crowd surges towards it. I slip past, cutting through a back alley till I’m outside the rest-home doors.

One of the staff comes to let me in, though she tells me off for being out at night. I ignore her of course — who
the hell is
she
to tell me what to do? — and make my way to Grandma’s room. She’s propped up in her bed, watching TV — a doco on the origins of the universe. She used to love this stuff.

‘Hey, Grandma.’ I lean over and kiss her thin white hair.

She smiles up at me. ‘Oh Archie, love. I knew you’d come today.’

I drag one of her chairs over and take her bony hand. ‘I’ve seen Grace,’ I say, watching for any impact.

‘My Gracie?’ Her smile drops away. She starts to pick at her bedcover. ‘No, no.’

‘She’s not well, that Gracie, is she, Grandma?’ I try to keep my voice light and teasing so she won’t freak out.

‘Not well at all. Archie says she’s naughty but the doctor thinks the things … the little bits of … the place where everything—’

‘Her mental health?’

‘Now that’s the thing. Not healthy at all.’ She dabs a drop of spit off her bottom lip with the sleeve of her nightie. ‘My sister was just the same.’
Jeezus. It
is
a family thing.
Now she scrabbles for my hand and squeezes it way harder than I thought she could. ‘Don’t let them torture her like Ginny, will you, love?’

‘No, Grandma. It’s all okay.’ I’ve churned her up — and me as well. ‘Would you like me to read you something?’

‘Oh Shaun, you know I love it when you do.’

I pick up the book on her bedside table. The Holy Bible. Who the hell would’ve given her that? I go over to her bookshelf and pull out the de la Mare in a tribute to Jiao. Turn off the TV and help Grandma settle in the
bed. Choose a calming poem or two so she can sleep.
‘Peace in thy hands, peace in thine eyes …’

It takes about twenty minutes before she finally drifts off. I tuck the duvet up around her and turn off the light. If she has to come live with me, I guess I’ll cope, so long as I can keep her calm. Though god knows how I’ll ever get to leave the house.

Out on the streets of Newtown, all hell has broken loose. There are sirens wailing, angry raised voices, flames lapping at the ancient wooden buildings. I skirt around the edges, careful not to get too close. Behind me someone fires a gun, followed by a scream so terrible it worms into my brain. I start to run, desperate to get the hell away. Head down Hanson Street. Cut over into Tory. Dash from one darkened doorway to the next, all my senses working overtime to outsmart the patrols. Twice I nearly run right into them, the second time only escaping when three little thugs bowl up and start to fire rocks.

When I’m finally under the wharf beside the old museum again I’m so buggered I can hardly breathe. It’s all very well playing these games online, where if you’re caught you only lose the points you’ve clocked. Here in real life this kind of superhero crap’s so intensely terrifying it drains you completely. I can barely breaststroke back around the waterfront, and by the time I dredge myself out of the harbour my whole body screams.

But the journey’s been worth it. Somehow it has cleared the blockage in my head. I know what I must do now. Know I have no other choice. First thing tomorrow morning I’m going to make The Call.

I SIT BEHIND DAD’S DESK
and take a few seconds to get the words straight in my head. Jeannie and Lucinda are listening intently.

‘Here’s the deal,’ I say. ‘I’ll take you to Muru’s hideout as soon as the government negotiates the release of Jiao’s parents from the farm. No parents, no information. It’s as simple as that.’

‘Do you have any idea what you’re asking?’ Jeannie says.

‘Damn right. And that’s not all. They have to sign in writing that they’ll take Mum alive and get her proper treatment or I’m going to the media. I reckon they’d be pretty interested to know the authorities fed them a crock of shit. And if that doesn’t worry them, tell them I’ll also leak it to the UPR.
And
the UN.’

‘Wow,’ Lucinda says. ‘I’m impressed. You’re a chip
off the old block, for sure.’

Jeannie is less flattering. ‘You’re asking the impossible. They’ll never agree.’

‘Fine then. I’ll go to the media right away. As Dad would say,
If you’ve gotta feed the vultures, why not choose the menu?’

‘Come on, Ashley, think it through. How the hell are the police going to negotiate a deal to release two nobodies in the middle of escalating chaos?’

‘I don’t care,’ I say. ‘That’s
your
job, not mine. But those people out rioting are going to be pretty damn pissed off when they hear they’ve been taken for a ride. I reckon, given the choice of full-scale civil war, grovelling a bit to the UPR is worth the price.’ I look at Lucinda. ‘I’m figuring your friend Simon could be a real help there.’

She nods and turns to Jeannie. ‘Simon Chan’s already in negotiations with both Niún
i and N
ifěn Farms. He’s definitely your man.’

‘Even if they
did
agree,’ Jeannie says, ‘it’ll take weeks to pull it all together.’

‘Two days, Jeannie, that’s all you have. Jiao’s parents could be shipped home or turned into human shields any day — and I’m not going to wait here like a sitting duck if Mum’s inclined to come after us.’

Jeannie shakes her head. ‘But don’t you see? They’ll just wait till she comes to you, then take her out — and there’s no guarantee she won’t get to you first.’

‘Then we’ll go into hiding and they’ll be answering to the world’s media. Besides, wouldn’t they like a bit of positive publicity? Think how good they’ll look if they take the initiative and bag Mum and Ray. Surely that’s
what you guys have been wanting all along?’

Jeannie’s silent now, obviously thinking this through. I feel a weird sense of calm. I’m pretty sure they’ll go for it, if only to cover up the blood already on their hands. She sighs. ‘Okay, I’ll take your offer to them now.’

‘I want the deal signed by tonight or else it’s off,’ I say. ‘Lucinda, would you be prepared to do the paperwork to make sure they don’t screw me round?’

She grins. ‘I think I can manage that!’

Jeannie jots down notes as I explain about the rendezvous with Mum. I tell her how last night I phoned Monica’s and spoke with Ana. It took a whole lot of grovelling to talk her round, plus a promise that the cops won’t shoot Ray. But in the end she said she’d pass on my request to meet with Mum sometime in the next two days. I also asked her to tell Mum I’m beginning to understand what’s going on — just that and nothing more.
Let her make of it what she will.
By the end of today Ana should, all going well, hear back with instructions for a time and place. But I’m not a fool. If I reveal the location to Jeannie now, the cops will go straight there.

‘I’ll tell you where we’re heading closer to the time,’ I say.

Jeannie rises to her feet. ‘Okay, but just be careful, Ashley. There are one or two police at the top I have serious doubts about. Be careful who you trust.’

‘I know that.’ I stand and walk around the desk. ‘And I know you did your best for us. I get that now. It’s unfair to hold you responsible for what’s happened.’ I reach out and give her a hug. At least she
tried
to help.

She squeezes me so hard it hurts.

‘One more question,’ Lucinda says, as Jeannie makes for the door. ‘Are there any more forms of surveillance here or on the phone?’

Shit, I didn’t even think of that.

‘The phone,’ she says. ‘Mobiles and internet too, though that’s irrelevant for now.’

I’m about to explode all over again, but Lucinda wraps a restraining arm around my shoulder. ‘Good. Just so we know.’ She waits for Jeannie to leave, then lets me go. ‘Keep that in mind when you talk with Ana again — it may be worth using a public phone or even one of the neighbours’ phones to call her back. That’s if there are any neighbours still around.’

‘I can’t believe I’ve been so thick. I’ll be much more careful from now on. But tell me, honestly, what do you reckon are the chances of making this thing work?’

She taps my nose. ‘You’re a clever little bugger, that’s for sure. The police will try all right. And there’s no way the PM will want to be caught out. But whether they can actually get Jiao’s parents out is quite another story — I have no idea.’

I blow out a tired breath. ‘I saw Grandma last night.’ She opens her mouth to tell me off. ‘I know … but I hate the fact she’s there alone. Dad used to drop in twice a week.’

‘He felt he owed her quite a debt. She stepped into the breach when Grace shot through.’

‘I know. I’m going to bring her home, okay? There’s no way I’ll let her go to one of those crappy state-run homes.’

‘Are you sure? It’ll take over your life.’

I shrug. ‘What life? Uni’s already down the tubes.’

‘Well, I’ll help you all I can,’ she says. ‘Meanwhile, be
extra vigilant. Until we know exactly who’s calling the shots in all this, you’re at risk.’

‘Tell me something I
don’t
know.’

The rest of the day goes past in a haze of nervous anticipation. Jiao does her best to keep Mikey entertained, and I work my way from room to room, collecting up a pile of things to take down to the pawn shop to convert to cash. The fact is, there’s not much: a vintage music collection, a couple of original paintings by Dad’s friends, four first-edition books from back last century, some of the jewellery Grandma gave to Dad. I’m pretty sure if she was well she’d understand me hocking it. Shit, I have no choice. Most of our stuff’s already second- or third-hand and worth bugger-all. After hours of sorting I head off to the shop, making less than a hundred bucks all up. The guy doesn’t even bother writing out a chit — no one ever has the cash to buy things back. Rumours are he flogs all our treasures to rich pricks overseas.

For the rest of the day the three of us just blob out on the sofa. It’s almost peaceful, after everything we’ve been through — so long as I don’t think ahead. But by five o’clock I’m growing jittery. By six I’m so churned up I can’t eat. It’s not till after nine I finally get the call.

‘They’ve agreed to try,’ Jeannie says. ‘They’ll have a copy of the deal to Lucinda by eight-thirty tomorrow morning. Will that do?’

‘They’ll get Jiao’s parents out?’

‘They’ll try. Simon Chan is up there at the moment and says he’ll help.’

‘Thanks, Jeannie. I hope this hasn’t got you further in the shit.’

She laughs. ‘Too late for that.’

We agree to meet at Lucinda’s in the morning, then I use the spare key good old Mr Ferris left with us and sneak into his flat. He left in such a hurry, his phone is still connected, thank god. I ring through to Ana.

‘Grace says she’ll meet you at the old farmhouse — apparently you know the one. She’ll be there from six o’clock tomorrow night, and says if you don’t turn up by 3 a.m. the following morning you’ll have blown your chance.’

This seems way too straightforward. ‘You reckon she believed you?’

‘You’d be bloody stupid if you thought she did.’

‘Yeah, you’re probably right. Hey, thanks so much for this — I know how risky it is for you.’

‘Probably not nearly as risky as it is for you.’ I hear her sigh. ‘Okay, good luck.’

After this reassuring little chat there’s no way I can sleep.
Have I just signed my own death warrant?
Mum and Ray are much too cunning to take the bait without thinking through all the consequences. I’ll have to insist Jiao’s parents are rescued first, then make damn sure I stay super-alert to what’s going on around me.

Mikey keeps waking with nightmares and in between he bloody snores. I lie here in the dark and wonder how Dad felt about seeing Mum after all those years.
Why didn’t he say?
That bullshit in his letter about a photo on the phone was obviously a cover. Poor Dad. I wish he’d trusted me and talked. I have a pretty good idea how much it must’ve bloody hurt.

The thought of facing Mum again freaks me right out. I struggled long and hard last night, thinking
through the handing over, knowing there’s a damn good chance the cops’ll try to mow her down. Or she’ll shoot me. Or she’ll not show. But somewhere deep down I know Dad and Grandma would want to see Mum getting help. Who knows? Maybe if she’s given treatment she’ll come right. Surely she still has some good buried inside?

In the morning, I force down some of last night’s cold dinner and walk to Lucinda’s office to read over the deal the cops couriered her first thing. She seems to think it’s sound, though warns me they’ll still try to weasel out.

‘Then I’ll be on the phone to every media outlet who’ll take my call.’

She smiles a little sadly. ‘Your father would be proud.’

I know she means it as a compliment but it really hurts. When I was young I used to help Dad with his campaigns all the time, but in the last few years I backed right off. It got too much, too damn depressing. All I wanted was to get away, and I started to resent his support of people from the UPR. They took up so much of his time — and that meant I was stuck with Mikey. Talk about self-absorbed. I feel ashamed. It’s not as if Dad didn’t warn me all the time:
Play the issue, mate, never the person
…

Jeannie arrives with two of her bosses and a police lawyer in tow. I let Lucinda do the talking, chipping in only when they make moves to take control — and then I just remind them that I’ll follow through with my threats. It seems to work. In less than an hour we’re signed into a pact.

When I get home round ten, I sprint up the stairs two at a time, keen to let Jiao know it’s all signed up
and under way. But it’s clear that something’s wrong. Jiao’s sitting on the sofa sniffing back tears while Mikey hovers over her, not knowing what to do. The TV’s on, but muted. It’s the news.

‘What’s up?’

‘There’s been an explosion at the farm.’

‘You’re shitting me. You think it’s Mum?’

She shakes her head. ‘Don’t know. But someone fired a missile into the main administration building. So far it looks like at least a dozen people have been killed.’

The TV has live coverage of a building engulfed in flames. I turn up the sound:
‘
…
have been contacted, though there’s still some confusion over whether emergency services will be allowed in to help. Currently the management refuse to respond to requests for information, other than to say this latest development has all the hallmarks of offensive action by the Western Alliance. The government, on the other hand, has hinted that it may well be the work of anti-Asian separatists Muru …’

‘I bet the psycho bitch did it as a fuck-you to me.’

‘So far they won’t let anybody in to tend the wounded,’ Jiao says. ‘If Ma and Ba are there—’

‘Don’t even
think
it,’ I say. ‘We have to stand firm — not let the cops see we’re thrown or they’ll screw us over faster than you can blink.’

‘But it could all be for nothing …’

‘They’re going to be okay, you wait and see.’ I try to inject some certainty into my voice but I sound about as believable as a sleazy TV evangelist promising instant redemption in exchange for cash.

‘But what if they’re already dead?’

‘What if they’re not? Come on. Take a few deep breaths.’

With a massive show of willpower, Jiao breathes her way back to calm. She wipes her nose on her arm. ‘I’m sorry. I’m just so frightened.’

‘I know. But how likely is it that your parents would be in that building? I thought they worked out on the farm.’