Truthseer

by Jay Aspen

  ‘No. I don’t bother with names. Avarit changes its franchise representatives so often I just call them by their products. Annoys them intensely. Gives me more control.’

  ‘Had you thought of having an elected cabinet instead?’

  ‘Simpler this way. Wastes a lot less time than the ridiculous charade we had before. The franchises like to have government to hide behind when unpopular directives are enforced. I get blamed for everything. Price of power I suppose.’

  Parry said nothing. The president’s considerable power was even more dependent on furthering the Avarit agenda than he’d thought. He pushed open the door to the pearl-glass panelled stateroom and stepped back to allow Moris through ahead of him.

  They sat down in the two vacant chairs next to First Minister Aldim. Parry quickly took in the other seven people ranged either side of the table, their ‘products’, as Moris had derisively called them, marked on small metallic plaques on the polished surface in front of them.

  He read the titles of Food, Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Education and media, Roads and transport, Energy and building, Banking, and Private Security, which he knew included weapons manufacture and maintenance. His own place was marked ‘Homeland Security’, its role to enforce the economic sefet directives and then buy in services from the Avarit-owned commercial sector to run interrogation, jails, and the military. The arrangement was cosmetic. He was as much owned as the officially commercial branches.

  Moris ran a hand across his pallid face and waited until all eyes were on him.

  ‘Good morning everyone. We’ve a lot to get through today. First item on the agenda appears to be an internal dispute about whether a new food product ready to be released should belong to the healthcare sector. So we listen to both sides; Food?’

  Parry watched the flicker of annoyance on the face of ‘Food’ as she flicked orange-painted fingernails through glue-sprayed ringlets and began her prepared statement.

  ‘We invested a total of ten million credits on research and development for this product––’

  Moris interrupted. ‘Thank you. Healthcare?’

  The smartly dressed young man sporting a hideous pink tie was obviously as new to this arena as Parry, fumbling with his notes for a moment before speaking. Parry watched the sly pleasure on the president’s face at the discomfort he was inflicting on people he ultimately had little control over. He forced himself to concentrate on what ‘Healthcare’ was saying.

  ‘...Food is claiming the product makes people healthier so it should come under our jurisdiction.’

  Moris ignored the sharp intake of breath from Food. ‘This is, as I mentioned, an internal dispute. You are both Avarit subdivisions so you can both apply to head office to sort this one out. If they decide to transfer the product they will also decide how much of the R and D costs to reimburse.’ He watched their faces, enjoying their dislike of the idea. It would endanger their positions far more than if they could blame government regulations. He continued blandly, ‘And that, I believe, also applies to items three, four, six and eight on the agenda, which will save us a lot of time. So, item two. Food again?’

  She glared at him. ‘We need more enforcement to remove these illegal food banks from the city. It undermines profits––’

  This time it was Healthcare who interrupted. ‘And, I might add, that also applies to the illegal free health clinics. There’s always a delay––’

  Moris cut in. ‘Yes of course. I’m sure our new head of security has duly noted the need to speed up arrests. Next? Energy?

  ‘Energy’ was in his late fifties, plump and white haired with a genial smile that overlaid a rock-hard determination to push his own agenda. His speech was mercifully short, demonstrating that he’d learned how to avoid the ritual humiliation Moris liked to inflict on anyone who strayed beyond one or two sentences.

  ‘Outlanders are producing their own electric, losing us fifty million credits per year in profits and the enforcers are doing nothing about bringing them to justice. Food seems to be having a similar problem.’ He looked across at his counterpart. She opened her mouth to speak but Moris cut her off again.

  ‘I’m aware of the situation and I’ve brought our new head of security to discuss the issue with you directly. But first I should point out the obvious. We all know outlanders couldn’t afford to live in the forest if they had to commute to the city to earn enough to actually pay for all their food and electric.’

  ‘So?’ Energy wasn’t going to back down. ‘They’re breaking the law. Fine them and put them to work in the agri-zone insolvency hostels doing something productive.’

  Moris eyed him steadily. ‘If the ban on home production is fully enforced it will depopulate the forest. Then two things will happen. First, there will be no outlanders clearing forest underbrush so they can hunt for food and that will lead to the kind of forest fires we used to have. The ones nobody wanted to pay to have put out.’ He fixed his gaze on each face in turn, giving them time to take it in.

  ‘Second, if there are no outlanders repairing the roads then either Transport will have to pay for the upkeep or we allow the roads to become unusable. With present conditions that will happen in a couple of years unless the storms become milder which is unlikely.’

  The lanky, ginger-haired fellow representing Transport was right on cue with his protest. ‘There are insufficient users to recoup costs from tolls. Government would have to pay us to do it.’

  Moris must have had an answer ready for this one, because he hardly drew breath before responding. ‘You all know how much income from automated taxes comes to government. Insufficient to cover a twentieth of the roads.’

  Banking leaned forward. The only other long-time member of the cabinet aside from Energy, he was a large man in his late forties with small black eyes that missed nothing.

  ‘We could extend another loan.’

  Moris shrugged. ‘You’ve seen the figures. There’s only enough government revenue to cover existing repayments. Unless everyone increases wages. It all comes down to which Avarit department is going to win or to lose.’

  Banking wasn’t going to be silenced easily. ‘You’ve avoided the obvious. Increase taxes without raising wages. Then everything falls into place.’

  ‘I’ll let our head of security explain the problems with that option.’

  Parry knew what he was supposed to say but the sense of being surrounded by sharks in a feeding frenzy was making it difficult to concentrate. He cleared his throat and kept his voice deadpan.

  ‘The number of citizens absconding from their registered positions in the city has been increasing steadily year on year. The most common reason is that they can’t earn a basic living. They go into debt until they can no longer service the loan. Then they run.’

  Banking was unimpressed. ‘We know this already. These defections damaged profits. We tightened up on loans to potential defaulters. Then if lazy and unproductive people want to exercise customer choice, they can leave.’

  Parry chose his words carefully. ‘It’s more complicated than that. Some join the paramilitaries and their terror attacks in the city. Others go under the wire and disappear.’

  Food frowned. ‘You mean you don’t know where they go?’

  ‘Some cross the jetstream barrier where it’s too difficult and costly to follow them. The roads are destroyed by frost and we can’t risk our few remaining planes in those winds.’

  ‘And the others?’

  ‘Somewhere in the western forest. A huge area, and if the roads get any worse, impossible to patrol.’

  The president looked at each in turn. ‘Of course unproductive citizens are welcome to remove themselves before they become a liability. Unless they then cause problems to our security, our way of life.’

  Food flicked her hair coils again. ‘Well, make sure they don’t.’

  ‘I intend to. We take out the catalyst that turns them from useless refugees into a potential threat. An outlaw who calls hims
elf Pendrac.’ Moris watched their faces. ‘So it’s in everyone’s interest to remove this threat. A gold-plated investment. Contribute to the security budget to remove this criminal and his so-called Resistance.’

  Banking was brief and to the point again. ‘How much?’

  ‘Fifty million credits each, to begin with?’

  ‘Done.’ Brief and to the point. Everyone nodded assent.

  Moris’ lips formed a thin smile. ‘Thank you everyone. I suggest we allow our head of security to prepare a plan for removing Pendrac and the rest of this Resistance rabble. He waved Parry towards the door.

  Parry walked out of the room and into the long corridor seething with anger.

  Why didn’t I see that coming? Too much time with that idiot Burton. Moris is a very different animal. Cunning. Plans everything. And I fell right into the trap. All he needed was a scapegoat to be publicly held responsible for taking down Resistance food banks and free clinics...

  As he walked back to his office in the security building he considered the irony of how delighted Burton would have been at the increased budget.

  Captain Ted Rankin was waiting outside his door. His recent promotion hadn’t done much to increase his self-confidence and he took a step back when he saw Parry’s face.

  ‘Maybe not a good time?’

  Parry made no effort to hide his irritation. ‘Good as it’s likely to get.’ He walked in and sat down, waving the young captain brusquely to a chair. ‘I’ve just come from the Dome. Let myself get manoeuvred into chasing outlaws in the mountains instead of dealing with bomb attacks in the city.’

  ‘Does that mean this new elite unit you wanted is on hold?’

  ‘No. We need it more than ever. And Moris let me increase numbers to four hundred so you’re going to be busy finding additional suitable recruits.’ Parry glanced impatiently at the wall screen map of the northern forest and the Lakeland fells. ‘I have to go north for a few days.’

  Ted seemed unfazed by the extra work. ‘Fine. I’ve prepared the training schedule for you to check. I put the focus on anti-corruption and citizen rights as you asked. And...’ He hesitated.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Not sure if I should express personal opinions, but I’m glad you’re doing this, sir. It’s good to feel part of something I can be proud of.’

  Parry kept his face impassive. It was too soon to hope that kind of enthusiasm might spread through the ranks of disillusioned and corrupt enforcers.

  ‘Let’s hope the rest of your recruits feel the same, or we’re in trouble.’

  30

  Jac caught up with Fin as the overgrown road started to climb. The forested hillsides were alive with the scent of pine and wild rose in the spring sunshine and a cool breeze under the trees helped calm the tangle of conflicting thoughts crowding her head.

  ‘Fin, I’ve gone over all the stages like you said. I know now that I could do the same kind of healing again if anyone needs it––but I really feel it would be a bad idea. I need some answers. I was happy in my relationship with Raine. I liked no longer being attracted to other men, even if they happen to be as good looking as Kit. I enjoyed spending time with Kit as a friend and I really don’t want it all mixed up again. That’s how my life was back home and the only way I could deal with it was to immerse myself in my work.’

  ‘You get used to it.’

  ‘Hasn’t happened with all the other things I’ve been told I’ll get used to.’

  Getting shot at. Snake venom. Defoliant residues. And now this...

  Fin was reassuring. ‘It will when you get the chance to train in a larger group––that’s how people usually learn deep-communication. Sure, they often get into all kinds of crazy relationships in the first few weeks, but part of the training is learning how to focus all that additional energy. And how to tell the difference between that aliveness that connects you to everyone, and real love, caring for someone close, long-term, wanting them to be happy.’

  Jac thought back to the morning’s events. ‘That’s why Bel was more concerned for me to save Kit than trying to have him all to herself?’

  ‘Exactly. What you decide to do about that is up to you.’

  *

  Raine tried to focus on patrol schedules and overdue messages but after a few hours the restlessness got the better of him. His impatient pacing took him outside, yearning to be back in action again instead of constrained to one place as anchor for others in the field.

  He rested against the cool rock of the stone seat, watching the play of sunlight on the grey-green bark of the trees, hoping a precious flash of insight would resolve the conflict in his mind.

  Of course Cass was right––his responsibility was to the rangers protecting thousands of civilians living precariously at the country’s margins, but he still felt he’d betrayed the four people who were being hunted. He knew their chances of escape were slim. If only he knew where they were. He was missing Jac more than he could let on to Cass, knowing it would undermine confidence in his leadership if she knew how distracted he’d become.

  His handset buzzed. The hive icon flashed and Beau’s image appeared on the screen. He was a smaller version of his younger brother, with more scars on his hands from his work as a repair mechanic than Razz had from his frequent fights.

  ‘Good to see you back in post, Beau. Did you get the legals sorted?’

  Beau shrugged resignedly. ‘No. Had a meeting with the pro bono lawyer and tried everything she told me to try but Avarit has the odds all worked out in its favour. There’s no way to engage with the warrant unless you’ve got the fees to go to court. Ten times the amount of the mortgage payment they grabbed, so no chance.’

  ‘Did you find somewhere for your team to live? The foreclosure’s next week isn’t it?’

  ‘Kind of irrelevant since we were put under close surveillance. If the archives are anything to go by, that address has more cameras pointed at it than celebs did before the chaos. Everyone already got out, fast, before they were photographed. The only reason I’m not on the staz list is because the camera time-stamp was glitched and I’m on record making the application at the city court right then. Perfect alibi. I’ve been sleeping on the hive floor the last few days. As for our five newly-minted outlaws, they’re going underground. Literally. And staying there.’ Beau moved aside a little to reveal the scene beyond his chair.

  Raine took in the buzz of activity in the hive as equipment was packed up and moved out. ‘What’s going on? Looks like a mass exodus.’

  ‘We’re moving the hive. Parry’s been given three hundred and fifty million to hunt down you and Pen and anyone connected, so he’s reorganizing his systems and there was a break in the surveillance. No spooks tailing people this morning so it’s probably our best chance to move everything.’

  ‘Did Parry ask for the money, or was it pushed on him?’

  ‘Moris was on TV, commenting on short clips from the cabinet meeting. It gave the impression Parry asked for it. An all-out campaign to get results. Shock and awe, I think Moris called it.’

  Raine pushed aside the wave of disappointment the news brought him, kept his response practical. ‘We need contingency plans. Review our protection for city operations. How’s it looking for Lizzie and the food banks and clinics?’

  ‘Not good. Parry intends to close them down. Those angel sisters will be short on protection till we train new recruits. We’re missing that visit of yours a few weeks ago when they grabbed you at the safe house.’

  ‘You can train them. Go for it.’

  ‘It’s not that, Raine. It’s just better if people know they’re part of something bigger that’s not aiming for civil war. Especially now F2 are actively recruiting for exactly that. They’re really mad at us since Moris went on TV publicly blaming us for their bomb. They think we’re after their territory and now they’re hunting the five in my team who got photographed at the market.’

  ‘How would F2 know who they are?’

  �
��Moris had the vid edited for TV so it shows our faces but not showing we were trying to get people out. Going underground is as much to get away from F2. They’re worse than staz. If that’s possible.’

  Razz leaned in front of his brother, waving a wrench. ‘Gotta go. We have to dismantle transmission.’ He cut the connection.

  Raine sat for a while, going over possibilities. Cass had returned to the Tarn, in charge of the sixty people there. Thirty more had gone for training with Pen in the mountains. Only fifty had returned to the Warren, reinstating patrols to find refugees and protect outlanders––but staying out in the forest for longer than before. His preparations to find and feed the increasing numbers of refugees were going to fall apart under pressure of this new manhunt...

  Would they be safer if I turn myself in as Parry wants? Would the hunt cease?

  Even as the thought came to him, he knew Moris wouldn’t stop until they were all dead or captured and there would be nothing Parry could do to prevent it even if he tried.

  And a trial will have only one outcome since they re-introduced the death penalty.

  Leaving the Resistance and the thousands of refugees under their protection with no leader. He knew he’d been pushing Kit and Bel too hard already. Brilliant as they were at so many things, they were not ready to take over from him. Not something this size. Not yet.

  We just need more time...

  A baby wren on its maiden flight crash-landed on his handset. It sat there for a few moments, cautiously lifting one foot then another, trying to figure out whether this was the kind of surface it was supposed to be sitting on. It decided it wasn’t and hopped onto Raine’s hand. They regarded each other solemnly for a few moments before the bird fluttered into the trees.

  Raine walked back to the house, the feeling that he’d betrayed Jac still haunting his footsteps.

  31

  ‘How did that happen?’ Jac stared at the crumbling remains of the shattered motorway bridge that had once spanned the river. The near side was forty feet higher than the jagged edge of concrete beyond the water.