Sons of the Crystal Mind (Diamond Roads Book 1) (27 page)

41

Makeup covers the bruising on my face as I stand outside Mum and Dad’s house, which is no longer shielded. Through a downstairs window I see a corner of the sofa and some cupboards against a wall. At the end of the garden our little island hangs in the air, unchanged and sweet as a childhood memory.

Around me, Centria goes about its business. Jaeger and the New Form Enterprise arrived six hours ago in time for the 11am deadline. They came silently, in small groups without their orange uniforms. There have been no battles, no pronouncements; no soldiers imposing a new order.

I should enter the house but hesitate. Ursula will have told Mum everything. What if my Blankness repulses her, however much she might not want it to? What if she thinks I was too harsh with Ursula?

Harlan remains a source of profound confusion; I don’t know if I really mean anything to him or not. After we walked into Centria we reached a junction where Mum and Dad’s was in one direction and Harlan’s unknown destination was in another. After an awkward pause he smiled sadly as if he wanted to kiss me and then we walked away from each other although he moved first. I told myself I was fine.

I go to knock on the door, then just push it open and walk in. Mum and Ursula sit beside each other on the sofa. Mum jumps up when she sees me while Ursula’s gaze drops to the floor. She stays where she is, hands folded in her lap. Part-healed burns redden her neck and arms.

Mum was unconscious for so long I forgot how fast she can move. She is on me in a second, her expression weird and intense as she lifts me off the floor. I get my arms around her and grip tight as she makes a keening sound into my hair.

“My baby, my little girl,” Mum says, over and over.

Oh, to feel her move again! Her coma and our banishment are like an eerie alternative world now, its presence like the aches in my flesh, resonant but growing weaker. Eventually, I’m lowered to the ground as Mum unhooks herself from my shoulder and looks into my eyes. She has always been so controlled but now her face is wet with tears and almost hysterical. I touch her cheek.

“I missed you,” I manage to say.

I feel another presence beside me. Without looking I grab Ursula around the waist and pull the three of us together. I bury my head between the two of them and lose myself in a strange triumphant grief that rocks me on my feet. My mother and sister hold me firmly as gravity seems to recede. No one moves except me and even then I can’t be sure.

Finally, they guide me to the sofa and my legs buckle as I sit, drained and breathless. I close my eyes and feel their gaze on me. More time passes, during which they stroke my arms and hands and hair. Eventually I open my eyes again and look up at Mum.

“You know, then?”

“Yes,” she says, “Ursula told me a lot of it and the rest I’ve gleaned from the Aer. What you’ve achieved is incredible.”

“I killed people Mum.”

“They were trying to kill you Charity. It was self-defence.”

“It doesn’t feel right.”

“I’m glad it doesn’t darling. It’s never felt right to me or your father either, but that is the nature of this place.”

“Have you heard from Dad?”

“No,” she says sadly, “and I don’t expect to. Any contact could be enough for the Velossin to trace him.”

“We have to deal with that Velossin,” I say.

“Yes,” Ursula says.

“We’ll think of a way,” Mum says.

There is a pause. Mum and I smile again. Ursula doesn’t.

“Charity,” she says.

“Yes Ursula?”

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I’m sorry I did that stupid thing. I was so angry and in so much pain and… still am but that’s no excuse. Sometimes though you do something and it’s wrong but when you realise you see… you see a bigger world.”

I watch her.

“Thank you for saving me,” she says. “And thank you for saying what you did; it would have been worse if you hadn’t said it. I know how much you loved me; it’s enormous, your love. I’ve never told you what that meant, how it’s helped.”

Her voice is clear and her face almost without expression as tears trickle down it.

“You’ve always had my back, but things have changed, forever I think. I’ve got your back now; whatever you need. I hope you love me still.”

I take her beautiful, ridiculous face in my hands and kiss her. The softness of her lips is a world that blossoms and then sweetly fades. We part like a gentle exhalation.

“Of course I love you,” I say. “You’re my sister.”

“Really? Even now?”

“Always.”

“Oh,” Mum says, her voice catching.

“Don’t you start,” Ursula says.

The three of us sit and hold hands for a while.

“What was the deal you did with the New Form Enterprise?” Mum says.

“I let them in,” I say.

Mum goes white.

“Eh?” Ursula says.

“There have been five hundred of them in Centria for the past six hours,” I say.

Mum looks out of the window.

“What are they doing?” she whispers.

“Looking for a mythical kilo source,” I say. “It’s what caused the Ruby War.”

Mum turns back to me, her face set in its usual reserve.

“I lost friends in that war Charity.”

“Should I have let Ursula die Mum?” I say.

Mum looks at Ursula and then looks at me.

“No,” she says.

“That’s good then,” Ursula says to Mum pointedly.

“There’s something else,” I say. “I own a horrible company called Fulcrus, which has been blackmailing Centria for the past year.”

“Blackmailing Centria about what?” Mum says.

“Centria is bankrupt.”

“How?” Mum and Ursula say simultaneously.

“Loren Descarreaux tricked Gethen into gambling all our kilos away.”

“Loren?” Mum says.

“Loren is an ex. She was in love with Gethen but Ellery made him throw her out. VIA stands for ‘Vengeance Is All’. You were about to find out so she put you in a coma and sent the Velossin after Dad.”

Mum looks sick.

“If we’d worked it out sooner…” she says.

“It wouldn’t have made any difference,” I say.

“At least you didn’t put her gimp son in charge of Security,” Ursula tells Mum.

“Balatar’s role just became vacant,” I say. “It’s yours Mum. Anton would have wanted that.”

Mum frowns as she thinks about every aspect of the proposal.

“All right,” she says.

“Better give Ursula a job,” I say. “She likes thumping people.”

“I do actually,” Ursula says. “That and-”

“Not now darling,” Mum says.

I send Gethen a message:

Make Julie Freestone Director of Security

There is a pause.

“Huh!” Mum says.

“Got it?” I say.

“Yes. I’ve accepted.”

Mum looks at me, impressed.

“I don’t know how you did it but thank you,” she says. “And well done.”

This is my best ever moment. If only Dad was here it would be perfect-

Gethen Karkarridan appears in holographic form, looking scared.

“You need to come to Security Control,” he says.

42

The elevator is a stubby cylinder on its side whose floor stays level as we rise up the enclave’s curved inner wall. We pass the last buildings jutting away from us towards the scintillating hoop assembly and for a while we are in clear air. I gaze down at Centria, whose diamond buildings resemble the frozen beams of a restless, flashing star.

We pass into soothing clouds but the coloured light pulses here too like a mysterious visual language. We emerge from the whiteness to spend a few moments sandwiched between its puffy upper surface and the ceiling, where the menacing dark slots thin to indistinct lines as we ascend. A second later we pass through the structural layer and see its interior: a silent, apparently motionless piece of technology whose only miracle is its existence.

We emerge at the flat base of the broad shallow dome and travel up the side of it. Our height reveals training camps and ships spread across the floor, which looks like a strangely decorated plate that slowly angles towards us. The central pillar with its bright upper band enlarges as we approach.

Soon we join it, sliding down the outside to a stop. I tap my gun finger on my thigh as the doors open and we walk out side by side. In the middle, Mum strides with natural authority. On her left, Ursula is all poise and coiled anger. As for me, I will kill anyone who tries to hurt either of them.

We reach the central surveillance chamber and walk in, staring around at the huge, empty space. Centria is unwatched, possibly for the first time.

The chamber is occupied, however. As the floor moves us towards them I see Jaeger and Harlan, Gethen and Ellery and Balatar Descarreaux.

Bal’s back is pressed against a central column and Harlan leans casually beside him. Although they are the same height, Bal seems much smaller. He tries not to cower as blood from a wound in his forehead trickles down his face.

Jaeger stands further towards the far wall with his arms crossed, his unnerving gaze fixed on us. He and Harlan share an energy that makes them a potent double force.

Ellery stands further back again. As we approach she starts to walk towards us and then stops, uncertain. She rubs at the spot between her chest and left shoulder where the squad leader shot her.

Gethen paces and looks at the floor, his fearsome energy directed inwards now. He shakes his head, mutters and glances at Ellery, who ignores him. The love of a hundred years looks like it has come to an end.

The floor stops at the centre of the group. I meet Harlan’s gaze briefly and then look at Bal. The wound is between his eyes; someone has ripped out his seed so he can’t send any messages. He straightens to glare at me haughtily but swallows and looks down when he sees Ursula at my side.

“Jaeger,” Mum says.

I turn away from Bal.

“Julie,” Jaeger says.

“Why are you here?”

“There is something in Centria I must have,” Jaeger says.

“What is that?”

“Keris Veitch,” Jaeger says.

Gethen stops pacing and looks at Jaeger. Gethen’s expression is strange. It’s more than fear or even awe and I wonder how much of our current dilemma is the result of Gethen’s unconscious desire just to see Jaeger again.

“You did have her,” Ellery mutters to Jaeger. “You left.”

“I had to go,” Jaeger says. “I had to find a path. But I can’t do it without her, not without what she knows.”

“Why are we here Jaeger?” I ask.

“Julie is now Director of Security,” Jaeger says. “She is infinitely more capable than Balatar here.”

“Fuck you,” Bal says.

Harlan looks at Bal, who cringes.

“Keris is somewhere in Centria,” Jaeger says. “Julie will help me find her.”

“No,” Mum says, “I won’t.”

“I think you will Julie,” Jaeger says. “There are five hundred of my people in Centria now, enough to cause significant damage should I wish it. I don’t wish it but I must have Keris. Find her please.”

“Keris is our leader Jaeger,” Mum says. “You of all people should know-”

“Is she your leader Julie?” Jaeger says. “Are her decisions the right ones?”

His quiet, soft voice sounds as dangerous as the Sons of the Crystal Mind in their rage, perhaps more so.

“Who are you to question decisions Jaeger?” I ask. “You’re a soldier.”

Something deadly flickers in his eyes. Mum notices too.

“All right Jaeger,” Mum says, “I’ll check.”

Mum closes her eyes, which makes her too vulnerable for my liking. I glance at Harlan, who looks worried. Gethen seems ill, as if the strain he’s been carrying has finally bloomed in his flesh like a bruise. Beside him, Ellery generates a field of skittish, neurotic energy I can feel from here.

Mum opens her eyes.

“Keris is not in Centria,” she says. “There is also no word from any of our associates.”

“I fucking told you,” Bal says.

“She must be here,” Jaeger says. “She would never leave Centria.”

“Look for yourself,” Mum says. “I can give you access for up to five minutes.”

“Do it please,” Jaeger says, his politeness far more terrifying than Bal’s aggression.

He shuts his eyes. Unlike Mum Jaeger doesn’t look vulnerable, as if he can still see us. Frustration emanates from him; after less than a minute his eyes open and rage makes them impossible to meet.

“To complete our mission we need Keris Veitch,” he says, his voice even quieter. “Why is she not here?” He turns to Bal. “Did you tell her?”

“No!” Bal says. He tries to slither away with his back still pressed against the column. “I-I didn’t. I wouldn’t. I mean, maybe, before Gethen came in and sold everything from under me one of the guards might have noticed something but not me, not me.”

Bal is lying. He would have done as much damage as he could before they threw him out. Jaeger walks towards him.

“Now listen,” Bal says, “I-I may have sent a small message, to-to see if there was something she could do about- Oh, look, I didn’t know you were after her. I just wanted to do a good job, to serve her, to serve you, anyone really-”

He falls and Jaeger looms over him. I don’t see Jaeger’s expression but Bal does; he screams and gibbers and then suddenly calms down.

“I know how you can find Keris!” he says.

He points at me.

“Charity,” he says.

I get my gun up to shoot Bal on level 1 but before I can fire Jaeger sees, turns and darts behind me almost too fast to see. He pins my arms against my sides in a grip that is part restraint, part embrace. His body feels like hot diamond. Mum and Ursula step forward but their movements compared to Jaeger’s are ponderous and slow.

“I’m not going to hurt Charity,” Jaeger says to Mum. “I just want to stop her shooting Bal. Stay where you are.”

Mum stops but Ursula doesn’t so Mum puts her arms around Ursula and yanks her back. Ursula gasps at the pressure on her tender skin as Bal scrambles to his feet.

“You,” he says to Jaeger, “you,” he points at Gethen, “you” he looks at Ellery, “Keris and eight others are a super race called the Guidance. You were meant to save us but you failed and we all ended up down here two hundred years ago.

“You can’t breed but the scientist found a way to-to combine you, your DNA or something to make Charity in the floor. She’s a Blank you see, which is why the Sons of the Crystal Mind wanted to burn the interfering little bitch.”

Mum and Ursula stare at me open-mouthed, which makes them look almost identical. I feel my cheek twitch up in an embarrassed little smile.

Gethen falls to his knees, hands extended as if to reach for me and ward me off at the same time. Ellery turns on him.

“You threw her out,” she screams and starts to hit Gethen. “You would have let her die!”

Gethen makes no move to defend himself and when blood soaks the shoulders of his grey jacket Ellery stops. For a moment Gethen stares at nothing and then he puts his battered face in his hands and sobs.

Jaeger gently turns me.

“Oh,” he says, “oh…”

He looks down at me in wonder and runs his hands over my arms, shoulders and face. Tenderness is strange in him.

Harlan stares at me too, but he smiles. Not just any Blank indeed Mr Akintan.

Suddenly, Jaeger holds a fuze; I see it fire and hear Bal fall. When I look over, his dead body is already in the floor.

“Best we keep this to ourselves,” Jaeger says.

I stare at him in shock. Loren will unleash all her forces to avenge Bal. VIA Holdings encircles Centria almost completely now…

“Keris,” Jaeger says almost to himself.

I turn and Keris is there. Her hologram is slightly brighter in the dim light but otherwise she could be standing before us. She wears rich robes of scarlet and gold and her hair is a glimmering cascade.

“Hello Jaeger,” she says. “You’ve got our girl I see.”

“Mine,” Mum says.

Keris and Jaeger ignore her. I notice then that Harlan is very tense and Gethen has stopped sobbing to stare at us. Ellery edges closer.

Jaeger’s arms are back around me.

“Tell me what I want to know,” he says.

“You know I won’t do that.”

“Not even now?” Jaeger says.

“There is so much more at stake than you and me or even Charity,” Keris says.

“Quite,” Jaeger says.

“I know you won’t hurt her Jaeger.”

“Won’t I?”

Jaeger’s hands are light on me but I know I wouldn’t be able to struggle free before he snapped my neck.

Keris smiles.

“Jaeger, at the end of the Ruby War I stood in front of you and put a gun to my head,” she says. “I told you I would pull the trigger unless you retreated and you went because you know we cannot destroy each other.”

“Things have changed since then,” Jaeger says.

“They haven’t,” Keris says.

“That’s the problem Keris,” Jaeger says, his voice rising. “You always stay the same! Despite everything, you will not let us evolve out of this!”

“Let Charity go Jaeger,” Keris says.

I feel Jaeger’s fuze at my head.

“Tell me,” he says to Keris.

LIGHT-! Blinding

Burns- N-gunfire…

I am still alive. The pressures of Jaeger’s arms and Jaeger’s fuze have gone. I’m thrown sideways and land on my side.

“Run Charity!” Harlan’s voice.

So I do. I don’t think about anything except getting my legs to go as fast as they can, stretching my stride to make every push off the floor count. I remember Mum and Ursula and stop to look back just in time to see Jaeger rip Harlan’s n-gun finger clean off. Harlan head butts Jaeger; Jaeger staggers back and Harlan jumps on top of him.

Behind them, Mum and Ursula run in the opposite direction and disappear through a door into an elevator. The hologram of Keris looks at me and then she is gone.

Jaeger kicks Harlan away despite Harlan’s greater size. Gethen throws himself at Jaeger and clings to him. Jaeger, unfazed by the additional weight, pulls Gethen off and punches him in the mouth. Gethen staggers back. Harlan attacks from the other side and knocks Jaeger over. As Jaeger skids across the floor, Gethen rushes forward and stamps on his head.

Harlan looks up and sees me.

“RUN!” he roars.

I turn and sprint away from them.

Reaching the lobby I rush into the elevator and nearly hit the wall as I spin around. The doors close; I shiver as the elevator starts and imagine Jaeger scrabbling up behind me in pursuit. Soon Security Control is just a band of light in the distance again although I keep my wary gaze fixed on it until I’m down through the floor and into the main body of Centria.