Provenance I - Flee The Bonds (40 page)

Steve’s eyes flicked back to Morton. ‘What do you want?’

Morton’s angular jaw creased into a smile. ‘Good, I do so hate confrontation. We want you to correct the Sequence Break Code, and in return we will release your friends.’

‘Deactivate the black Prefects first,
and
all the SIS AHs in CONSEC.’

Morton’s head pitched down, a few seconds later his imperiousness returned. ‘Done.’

‘Will you release everyone else? Allow them to return to Earth?’

Morton sighed. ‘Yes, but not everyone will want to leave.’

Steve huffed and swung his head to the svelte female pilot with tied-back blonde hair and stereotypical beauty. ‘You’re a TYPE 7.’

There was no smile, only a self-assured stare. ‘No, I’m an Exemplar.’

07:41 SUN 05:11:2119

Bureau 03-12-01, Provenance, LEO

CONSEC Command was located two decks below the bridge. An AH dressed in the glossy jet-black and indigo-blue uniform of an SIS Prosecutor pressed the door panel and ushered Steve in.

A similarly uniformed Morton reclined in a high backed chair at the apex of a crescent shaped black table. Above, multiple lines of spotlights beamed onto the table’s glossy contours and filled the room with a clinical sheen. Choo sat on Morton’s left. He failed to meet Steve’s glare.

Viewscreens lined the stone coloured walls. The one behind Morton showed Alex’s room. Penny and Dobriana sat on the edge of the bed. Dee sat on the settee next to Alex, opposite Kacee.

Morton leant back, in his raised hands light glinted off the two dolphins.

‘Your parents are, were, very clever. The dolphins hold the correction algorithm in a nanodevice matrix that only your biofield can activate.’ He glanced down at the desk display, ‘Why did you save Alex? You knew he was no longer needed. Was it a token of contrition for your brother?’

Steve ignored the polymer smirk. Advocate’s ascetic conditioning had its uses. ‘Have you started the evacuation?’

Morton rocked forward, his fists struck the table. ‘You really are impudent, aren’t you? Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to force you to activate the sequence. However, I have no doubt your doting parents would have thought of that.’ His head tilted, ‘We wouldn’t want to agitate their little boy’s bio photons.’ Morton laid the dolphins on the desk and folded his arms. ‘Yes, the evacuation has begun.’

‘And Citadel?’

‘Yes, and Citadel, but it will take at least an hour to defrost some of them.’

Unlike Morton, Steve remained straight-faced. ‘And Admiral Choo, together with anybody else being held against their will.’

Morton’s head snapped to the downcast Choo. ‘Do you wish to leave us, Admiral?’

‘Yes.’

‘Then go!’

Choo jerked upright. He rose and shuffled towards the door. Steve caught his silent apology and nodded. They both knew SIS wouldn’t let anyone leave Provenance alive.

When the doors closed, Morton’s head returned to the centre. ‘You should join us. There is nothing for you down there; you can even bring the Drone along, or perhaps Kacee?’ Morton tutted. ‘Oh come now, Steve, at least try and be sociable.’

‘Why did you create the black Prefects?’

Morton placed his palms on the table and smiled. ‘That’s better. I’m assuming you asked me why because you know
what
they were built for? — Of course you do. The why is quite simple, when we reach our destination we will establish a new race and the last thing we want is for an advanced human civilisation to come looking for us, seeking vengeance.’

‘Why would we come after you?’

‘Because vengeance is inbred in humans; you of all people should know that.’ Morton’s eyes narrowed. ‘Your species failed because it put self-interest above its own salvation. Even when faced with extinction it couldn’t put aside its internecine conflict. We cannot risk infecting a new world with the plague of humanity.’

‘Take the black Prefects with you.’

Morton shook his head. ‘We do not have time. There are a number of sophisticated weapon systems on Earth, and we would prefer to be far away before the Resistance point them in our direction.’ He nodded at Steve’s holster. ‘Besides, you have the means to destroy them.’

Morton’s gaze dropped to his bleeping desk. ‘The ships are fuelled; they will be loading soon. It is time for you to complete your side of the bargain.’

‘You don’t need me or Alex to be aboard. I can activate the sequence downstairs.’

‘No, it must be now. It will take us at least an hour to charge the drive, and, for reasons already stated, the sooner we leave orbit the better. Besides, I want to see the look on Alex’s face when he betrays his. . . your parents. Oh, don’t look like that, Steve. You have to admit, the facial similarity was a rather self-indulgent oversight. They never talked, you know.’

Steve swallowed his boiling emotions. Morton had taken the bait. ‘When did you discover Colossus wasn’t going to impact Earth?’

Morton shrugged. ‘We didn’t, the Council did, about twenty years ago. Apparently, your esteemed scientists miscalculated. Travel far enough from Earth and a millionth of a degree becomes the width of a galaxy.

‘Then why continue with the charade?’

Morton sighed. ‘Your loyalty to your species is injudicious. The Council knew the Drones would revolt if they discovered the truth. They were simply exercising their right to self-preservation. It also suited our purposes, so we encouraged it.’

‘And CONSEC Command?’

Morton stood. ‘They were never told. The Council couldn’t risk the truth being discovered by a compassionate soul like you. Now you must go, I will join you shortly.’

‘Lacusta knew.’

Morton smiled. ‘Of course he did, artificial humans are part of the Network. They are free to divulge that information to whomever they wish, providing they terminate the recipient immediately afterwards.’

Steve gazed at the viewer above Morton’s head. Alex hadn’t killed him because he was MAA 21-40-02-98. Matthew Alexander Arrowsbury, born 12
^th
of April 2089.

08:23 SUN 05:11:2119

Cabin 42-18-3125, Provenance, LEO

Steve sniffed. Alex’s apartment had lost its sterility, the smell of clean linen replaced by the reek of fear and exhaustion. Penny rose from the bed and wrapped her arms around his dusty protector suit. ‘I’m sorry.’

He took hold of her upper arms and stepped back. Her eyes were clear, her cheeks flushed; the nanobytes had gone. ‘So am I.’

‘I want to go home.’

Steve lowered his head, and kissed her matted hair. ‘Soon.’ He released her and walked towards the settees, Alex and Dee stood, their expressions and shoulders sagged.

Steve’s gaze shifted to the downcast Kacee. ‘Why’s she here?’

‘It’s okay, Steve.’ Penny stepped forward. ‘Kacee saved my life — twice. I understand now.’

Steve stared at Kacee’s bowed head.
He also understood. She’d suffered agonising pain to earn her redemption. He might have to die to earn his.

Dee broke the fraught silence, ‘Whatta we gonna do, Steve?’

Steve’s tired eyes focused on the picture window. Earth filled the screen; he felt he could almost touch it. ‘We wait.’ He sat down on the bed and took hold of Penny’s hand. ‘It’s going to be okay, Pen, trust me.’ His only consolation was that she was unaware Colossus would miss Earth. If he failed, she might never know.

The hexagonal white table shuddered and cracked under Dee’s stamp. ‘You know SIS ain’t gonna let anyone off this ship alive. We gotta do something now!’

Steve glared up. ‘I am going to do something. Now sit down and keep quiet!’

Dee slumped down into the settee, while a forlorn looking Alex attempted to reattach one of the table’s spindly legs.

Steve’s head jerked towards the swish. Francois stumbled through the doors and grimaced. ‘Morton has betrayed us.’

Steve stood. ‘He and a few others. Are you hurt?’

‘I do not think so, I was fortunate.’

Steve nodded at Francois’s empty holster. ‘Where’s your Cogent?’

‘Morton has taken it.’

Dee thumped the armrest, his snarl grinding up his face, ‘Taken it or was given it?’

Francois took a step forward, his face no less fierce, ‘Remember who you talk to,
Captain
.’

Steve unclipped his Cogent, snatched hold of Francois’s chest plate, and jerked him forward. ‘You’re misguided collaboration has endangered millions. Did you really believe SIS wouldn’t betray you? All they needed was an army, and
you’ve
given them one.’

Francois’s eyes widened. ‘You are mad.’ His head swung to Dee. ‘Do something, he will kill us all.’

Dee sank back and folded his arms.
‘
Il ne pointe pas un Cogent à moi.
’

Steve winked at an open-mouthed Alex. ‘Take a seat, Alex.’ He switched off his congeniality and focused his enmity on Francois. ‘What’s a UFO, Dee?’

‘Undercover field operative — a spy.’

Francois struggled. ‘Release me, you don’t understand!’

Steve pulled him closer and lowered his head. ‘If you
had
been an Advocate, you would have known INC record all update commands to Prefects, including yours at RS 26. I wonder why SIS didn’t tell you that?’

Dee leapt up; his eyes flamed at Francois. ‘You killed Bo!’

Steve slanted his head, ‘Sit down, Dee.’ He pressed the tip of the Cogent into Francois’s cheek. ‘You also killed Jason.’

Francois’s struggling intensified; his voice faltered. ‘It was not me, it was SIS!’

Steve pushed the Cogent tip deeper. ‘You couldn’t access INC’s labs so you cloned your staffs’ identities into an AH-74 and used the chateau’s shielding to stop EAGLE-EYE detecting duplicates. Unfortunately for Collette and Martine, once their identities had been recorded you killed them.’

Dee sat forward, ‘If the Resistance were after Provenance, why attack downstairs?’

‘Credibility. The Resistance had to believe this was an assault against the Council and the Council had to believe Provenance was under threat so SIS could bring Francois’s army aboard.’

Steve returned his ferocity to Francois. ‘Gerhard told you about MP 14 and you blackmailed his sister. That’s the only way she could have known he was alive.’

Francois’s chest plate creaked under Steve’s twisting grip, ‘You killed Jannae when you took the SIS HPU and Gerhard when he recognised your voice.’

Dee stared from beneath arched eyebrows. ‘Why’d ya kill Bo?’

‘He thought it was you.’ Steve swung his head towards the opening doors.

Morton strode in. ‘Release him.’

Francois’s face became brittle. ‘At least I did it for my country; you have condemned us all for a woman.’

Steve sent Francois sprawling. ‘Time will tell.’

Morton cut off Francois’s rebuke. ‘I’m afraid, Steve; time is the one thing you don’t have. The Resistance have infiltrated Sector 2’s missile command.’ He beckoned Alex, who responded by ambling around the lopsided table.

With no apparent effort, Morton ripped apart Alex’s suit. When Alex’s placid eyes made contact, Steve answered with a slow headshake.
Not yet.

Morton retrieved the dolphins from his top pocket and placed them into the shallow housing in Alex’s chest. He stepped back and turned his patronising smile to Steve. ‘Your magic touch is required.’

When his fingers touched the cool mirrored surfaces, a tingle flowed up Steve’s arm and into the back of his neck. In unison, the dolphins’ deep blue eyes glowed; sapphires sparkled into diamonds. He blinked; it was as if someone had turned up the lights.

Alex looked at him, ‘I have it.’

Steve smiled into hopeful green eyes. ‘Jan—’ He choked, Morton’s grip around his throat tightened.

Morton snatched Steve’s holstered Cogent, ‘Did you really believe I wouldn’t suspect treachery? What was it, a codeword?’

Steve didn’t reply; he couldn’t. His neck pulsed beneath his bloated face. Penny leapt towards Morton, her valiant effort coming to an abrupt end when he jabbed her forehead with the tip of Cogent’s barrel.

Morton’s eyebrows arched. ‘Sit down, little woman. I do not intend to kill your boyfriend. At least not here.’ He released his grip on Steve’s throat and stepped backwards towards Francois. The Cogent remained pointed at Penny, his eyes at Steve. ‘If your mouth opens, your girlfriend dies.’ His stare hardened. ‘I know you care more about her life than your own. That is your weakness.’

Steve tried to swallow. Morton was too far away to risk an attack.

Dee stood and snarled. ‘Look around, tin head, you’re outnumbered. You might be quick but you ain’t that quick.’

Morton sighed. ‘Outnumbered? Maybe, maybe not.’

The apartment doors swished apart and a black Prefect lowered into view, its saucer like eye glinting in the cabin’s glare.

It spoke in Morton’s synthesized voice, ‘Sit down,
Captain Brandleson.’

Morton’s head swung to Alex, ‘Remove your interface plug. Thibeauchet, take his tooth and deactivate him.’ Morton smiled. ‘Don’t look so surprised, Alex. I am quite aware that without the tooth you cannot process commands directed at your core. Now I suggest you say goodbye to your
brother
. When we next meet he will be dead and you will have no memory of ever having one.’

Steve watched Francois comply with Morton’s order. Alex glanced across, his compressed lips forming a heartrending smile before his eyes closed and his head lolled.

Francois offered the tooth to Morton who responded with a headshake. ‘You keep it for now. I wouldn’t want it to fall out of my pocket. Take this Cogent; you will assume command until I return. Don’t disappoint me.’

Morton turned back to Steve and gestured at the bed, ‘Please sit down, Steve. You may speak if you wish, however I suggest you conserve your energy.’

Steve was glad to sit. Since touching the dolphins he’d felt strange, detached. He sat on the bed next to Penny and held her hand. The Cogent barrel had branded her forehead with an angry circular welt. He kissed her on the lips. ‘I love you.’ There was nothing else he could say. Hope had died with Alex.

Morton flicked his hand at the Prefect, ‘Wait outside.’ When the doors had closed he turned back to Steve. ‘Yesterday you told me we would have a reckoning, well that day has arrived. You will fight me in unarmed combat.’