Making a big effort he forced himself to review the progress of the mission to date. So what did he know? Relatives of these students were making bent decisions of global importance. If it wasn’t stopped, one of these decisions would cause a catastrophe. Their job as agents of the YDA was to choke it off at the source; it was the only hope of diverting disaster down the road.
He had quickly latched on to the fact that the majority of these people had children whose behaviour had noticeably changed; the most likely cause was the courses they attended at the manor. Some kind of extreme pressure had to have been applied to make such rapid character alterations in the pupils. The word ‘brainwashing’ was dancing around in his mind. But why? With the correlation between parent and child behaviour, it couldn’t just be to benefit the school by giving them more obedient pupils. There had to be a link back to the parents’ actions, some payback.
Not all the missing students had returned yet but there had been no protest on the school’s database from the parents for their prolonged absence, no phone calls or angry emails. What conclusions could be drawn from that? Either the parents didn’t know the truth about what was happening to their offspring, happy with the explanations they had been given, or they were complicit. What had the pupils at the school been told? He would have to ask Raven. She had been in the dark about Gina but maybe there had been excuses given for the others who had gone missing for longer.
Sunshine pouring down on him, Kieran took a moment to enjoy the sense that he was assembling a case point by point. It was of sufficient complexity to be a challenge; he wouldn’t have liked it if the answer was too obvious, his talents wasted. He had, for example, searched through the decisions of the relatives, but he could find no clear link between the things they had done, no single person or entity benefitting. How, for example, did granting a diamond concession in Sierra Leone to a mining company ahead of their more respected competitors link to the promotion of a junior state department official to a more senior rank? And those blueprints for a new palm print-activated gun for the US military that had got into the hands of the Chinese: who had been at either end of that deal? It had the stench of major corruption, favouritism granted without a clear connection between the parties, like someone was bartering favours: you do X in return for Y then Z will do A.
Kieran let the idea run through his mind like an equation but the result was not understandable in arithmetic terms. There had to be an unknown in the mix, something integrating it all.
A clearing house. The solution came to him once he thought of the favours like currency. Was the school—not just this one but the whole network of the Union of International Schools—acting as the central bank with its various branches managing the flow of favours? If so, it was a clever system as the links were so tenuous no one could claim that diplomat A or businessman B had any reason to privilege the other, having no known relationship. There was next to no chance of a charge under international anti-bribery legislation that a backhander had been passed, as nothing was visible.
The clearing house was a good working hypothesis. What Kieran could not yet see was where the mind-altered students fitted in this scheme and what the people behind the school got out of it. They would be the next two elements to puzzle out.
After lunch, Joe and Kieran returned to their room to work on their assignments. Kieran was also running a scan of Westron’s communications with parents, looking for key terms, another on an analysis of links between diamond mining and trustees sitting on the school’s board, and two little personal ones, tracking NASA’s Mars programme and the CERN’s hunt for the Higgs. The space left over in his brain was devoted to writing an essay on Pride and Prejudice for English.
Joe pressed print on his French assignment. ‘You know, Key, you never did explain about those bluebottles. What case was it?’
‘A Victorian one in the old papers—murder in the greenhouse. The solution hinged on how long the body had been lying there next to the carnivorous plants.’
‘Gruesome. I like it.’
‘They found flies decomposing in the plants but the little greenhouse had been sealed from the outside and carbon monoxide pumped in. I was looking at how long it took the plants to attract the flies in a confined space, timing each species, and then noted how long the bodies take to be digested. I have established a range for the carnivorous plants available to a Victorian collector and my preliminary data suggests they hanged the wrong man. It couldn’t have been the gardener. Someone else had been in there later, which also fits the most likely time of death as well as they could fix that in those days. My money’s on the brother who inherited.’
‘Tell me again why you are doing this?’ Joe rolled his eyes.
‘Because no one else has. It is a puzzle to be solved. An injustice to be righted.’ An itch he had to scratch, but he didn’t add that last. Joe already knew that he was attracted to mysteries like a bear to a picnic basket.
The computer screen pinged as Isaac’s number came up. Joe clicked the answer button.
‘Hey, Isaac, we weren’t expecting you to check in. Everything OK?’
Clearly not, as Isaac’s expression was icy. ‘Is Kieran with you?’
‘Yes.’ Kieran moved so the webcam caught him.
‘Are you all right?’
‘Er, yes. I think so.’ He glanced at Joe.
‘Kieran, the school rang me.’
‘Uh-oh,’ murmured Joe.
‘They said you had left a lesson yesterday without seeing the teacher first and had refused offers to go to the nurse about your illness. They implied you were either skiving—which I know is impossible for you, Kieran, where learning is involved—or that you were hiding your symptoms. They were concerned, seeing you are new to the school.’
Kieran winced. He wished that particular incident could now be filed in the category of finished business. ‘I’m fine now, thanks. Back on track.’
‘What really interested me was that they said the lesson in question was Dance. I thought they were joking. They were surprised when I laughed. Did I not even know what subjects my godson was taking? I had to admit I did not—which was a major humiliation. Consider my shock when I discovered that you were doing Dance, Art, Drama, and English.’
‘It was a shock to me too.’
Isaac did not respond to Kieran’s drily amused tone. ‘I then followed back the paper trail and realized that certain of your friends had taken care of that part of your enrolment. Joe, have you anything to say?’
‘Damn,’ Joe said in a low voice. ‘I’m sorry, Isaac.’
‘Why?’ Isaac was curt, a sign he was really angry. Isaac’s fury was like a sandstorm—searing and gritty. Anyone with any sense took cover.
‘We thought it would be a laugh. You know how good Kieran is at everything else. This mission was judged low risk and isn’t due to take long; a few weeks of arts were supposed to be a new experience for him, I guess.’
‘I put aside what you’ve done to your partner for the moment, but I can’t understand why you’ve jeopardized the job to have … what? A joke at Kieran’s expense?’
‘Isaac, I’m really sorry. We were jerks.’
Isaac leant forward on his desk. ‘More than jerks. Unprofessional. I don’t think you yet grasp the gravity of your offence. You have put your mission and your personal safety at risk by throwing in an unstable element. That I cannot accept.’
Kieran wanted to protest that he wasn’t unstable, but Isaac was on a roll. ‘Disciplinary action will be taken, Masters. If you wish to graduate from the YDA and earn your scholarship to university, you cannot afford to have something like this on your record. This was explained to you when you signed on.’
Kieran fiddled with his phone, disliking intensely that he was present for Joe’s reprimand. He hadn’t appreciated the joke but he didn’t consider it a matter worth fouling up Joe’s future.
‘Kieran was supposed to fit in. You could have slipped him into some science clas
ses with no one noticing anything but an extremely gifted pupil. Instead you chose to dump him somewhere he was most likely to do something, well, Kieranish. Do I make myself clear?’
Since when had ‘Kieranish’ become an English word?
‘Yes, Isaac.’ Joe sounded chastened.
‘I don’t suppose you’ll tell me who else was in on this little joke of yours?’
Joe shook his head.
‘At least you don’t add snitch to jerk. I can guess. I’ll be having words with Nat and Daimon. I think you can all three safely count on being recalled and put on probation.’
Kieran had had enough. He really did not want his best friends at the YDA to end up on report because he had failed to handle their joke well. Before he could express this thought, Isaac turned to him.
‘Kieran, are you really OK with Dance? I can ask the school to change your option if you think your idiotic friends have tossed you such a curve ball that you won’t be able to bat this one out.’
‘No, Isaac, I’m fine.’
‘Really?’
Kieran arched a brow. ‘Do you doubt me?’
‘Of course not. OK, then I’ll send in another of our students to assist you in the completion of this mission, someone who will help and not hinder. Masters, pack your bag.’
Out of sight of the webcam, Joe kicked the rubbish bin.
No, no, no, this couldn’t happen, not to Joe. Wrong result.
Kieran knew he had to do something but it meant forfeiting some of his pride. He never talked to Isaac or his other mentors on subjects other than strict mission business. He didn’t do emotional appeals. ‘Isaac, can I butt in here?’
‘You want to report on your progress?’
‘Yes, but that wasn’t what I wanted to talk about first. I wanted to ask you to let Joe off this time.’
He heard his friend stop moving about the room. No one ever got Isaac to change his mind: he was famous for his ruthless verdicts on his students. Tough love, he called it, saying it was better to fail them than take them into a career to which they were not suited. Kieran wasn’t encouraged by Isaac’s stony expression. He had to give it a whirl anyway. He mentally sacrificed his pride on the altar of friendship.
‘I was mad at Joe at first when I found out what I was studying, but after reflection on my skill set, I decided he could have a point.’
‘A point? What kind of point?’
Kieran looked down at the worn patch on his jeans. ‘I need to be able to handle arts as well as sciences to be a better investigator. With the greatest respect, you and the other mentors were allowing me to duck the issue.’
‘You actually want to do arts now?’ Isaac was clearly unconvinced.
‘I’m finding my own way through. English I can manage as I am extremely well read.’
Isaac smiled wryly. ‘I know. I wasn’t concerned about that. You killed my team at the last quiz evening on the Dickens round.’
Kieran carried on, piling up the evidence in the case for the defence. ‘In Art, the teacher said she found my levels of craftsmanship and restrained expression very promising. She thinks I draw like Leonardo da Vinci.’ Which wasn’t surprising as he had studied the master in great depth. ‘In Drama, I am taking options for light and sound design where possible. With so many performers, someone who likes the backstage work is welcome. I’ve already sorted out a glitch in the PA system in the auditorium.’
‘Yeah, I saw a note from Mr Partington on your file that you are an asset to the class. But what about Dance?’
Kieran refused to look at Joe, who he knew was hanging on his every word. ‘I admit that that class is my biggest challenge.’ Well, actually she was only five foot three. ‘I’m finding a way through that too.’
‘What sort of way?’
‘His classmate is being very helpful,’ Joe chipped in, some of his usual ebullience restored. ‘A certain Miss Raven Stone is taking good care of him.’
‘Yes, well,’ muttered Kieran, adding a clip to his tower.
‘Kieran, are you embarrassed?’ Isaac’s voice defrosted a little.
Kieran ignored that. ‘My dance partner is being of assistance both with the subject and to our enquiry.’
‘I see.’ Isaac arched his fingers together. ‘And you think your teachers here at the YDA were remiss in letting this part of your training slide?’
‘Frankly, yes.’
‘I see. That’s a lot to take in.’ Isaac glanced off camera. Kieran realized that their boss wasn’t alone in the room. ‘What do you think?’
Kieran couldn’t hear the answer of the unseen person. He deduced it was the mentor for A stream, Dr Waterburn, brought in on the emergency consultation.
‘Yes, I agree. Kieran’s blending better than I expected. Exposure to arts subjects won’t kill him.’ Isaac turned back to them. ‘OK, Joe, for taking unapproved chances with a mission, you lose a life but you’re not out of the game yet. No more second chances.’
‘Actually, Isaac, that doesn’t make sense because logically another chance would be a third chance, wouldn’t it?’ Kieran argued reasonably. He had to correct such unscientific figures of speech; they rubbed him up the wrong way.
Joe hit him round the back of the head with a rolled-up essay.
Isaac looked to Joe, his ice age rapidly thawing. ‘OK, we get why you did it, Joe.’
Joe snorted. ‘I’m trying to wean him off saying stuff like that but it’s tough.’
‘I’ll not let it affect the job, I promise,’ said Kieran.
‘You don’t have to excel, just fit in so no one starts asking questions about you.’
‘I understand.’ Though he had never done anything but excel at any subject he had taken in the past and had no intention of not doing so here. ‘I have a new theory to send you, Isaac.’
Isaac rubbed his hands. ‘Excellent. I didn’t think you’d let me down, Kieran.’
‘It is only a theory,’ he cautioned. ‘Something that might start to link what’s going on at the school with the bigger picture.’
‘Yeah, but a theory from you is worth gold. Joe, consider your butt well and truly kicked and we’ll put this away. Agreed?’
Joe sat down beside Kieran. ‘Thanks, Isaac.’
‘But it is your last warning. Anything like this again and you’ll find yourself out of the YDA.’
‘Understood.’
‘I’ll see you both at the exeat weekend coming up. I’ll send a car to bring you home. Over and out.’
The connection closed.
‘Phew.’ Joe bumped shoulders with Kieran. ‘Thanks. I owe you big time.’
Kieran returned to Pride and Prejudice. ‘Yes, you do. Don’t expect me to make a habit of it.’
Joe grabbed the book and scrambled out of reach as Kieran tried to get it back. ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged … ’ He jumped over the bed, knocking over a pitcher plant. Kieran dived and saved it just in time. ‘That a single guy in possession of a dangerous sense of humour … ’ Kieran feinted right then rugby tackled Joe to the ground, pinning his legs down. Joe threw the book over to the other side of the room. It fell in the bin with a clang. ‘Must be in want of a friend who can blag him out of trouble. The end.’
Kieran flopped sideways to lie on his back beside Joe. He began to laugh, everything so much funnier thanks to relief that Isaac had not ended their partnership. His mood was infectious. Joe caught it and lay shaking next to him.
‘Stop laughing!’ gasped Kieran.
‘Can’t.’
There came a soft tap on the door. Raven peeked in.
‘Are you two OK? I heard … um … noises.’
‘No,’ groaned Joe. ‘He’s killing me—with laughter. Arrest him.’
She gave a weak smile. ‘Oh. I see.’
Raven was distressed about something. The thought sobered Kieran quickly. He sat up. ‘You can come in, Raven. What’s the matter?’
‘Oh, nothing.’ She stepped into the room, twisting the ti
e on her jacket uneasily. ‘Just dropping round the CD for Dance. So you can rehearse.’ She glanced over her shoulder.
‘Don’t give us that. Something’s upset you.’ Like Kieran, Joe was quick to sense all was not well. He stood up and closed the door behind her. ‘You can tell us.’
She clenched her fists then dropped them by her sides in despair. ‘It’s just that I’ve been called before Mrs Bain for stealing. Granddad too. I don’t care about me—I don’t even like it here—but I think they’re trying to get him sacked.’
Kieran wanted to give her a hug but was rooted to the spot. Joe gave him a significant look as if to say ‘go on’ and, when he didn’t move, took over.
‘Hey, hey.’ Joe wrapped his arms around Raven so easily. Why could he not do that? ‘They won’t fire him or kick you out. There’s no evidence.’
‘That’s not true. Gina said she saw the gold watch in our room the night she returned—the one that belonged to Adewale. It turned up with the other stolen stuff in reception so now it’s all linked to me. But I didn’t take any of it—I didn’t. I keep telling everyone but it’s like … like I’m just mouthing the words with no one hearing. And people are sending me horrible letters just to twist the knife. I’m so angry but I don’t know what to do.’
OK. Enough. Kieran wasn’t going to let his friend do his job. He tapped Joe on the shoulder. With a pointed look, Joe handed Raven over. Ah, that felt better immediately. She nestled against his chest, a hot bundle of hurt feelings. His arms were at first stiff, and then he relaxed, rocking her gently.
‘We’ll sort it out, Raven,’ he promised, letting his face drop to the crown of her head, catching the scent that was hers alone.
‘But everyone hates me now.’ Her voice was lost against his shirt buttons.
Hardly. He wouldn’t describe what he was feeling for her anywhere near that end of the emotional spectrum. ‘We don’t—and I’m sure lots of your other friends feel the same.’
‘Yeah, Raven, just because Gina’s setting you up, don’t mean it’s gonna work out the way she thinks,’ added Joe.
‘Setting me up?’ squeaked Raven.
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