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by Chris Gladstone

  "Yes, Jack." She unfolded her arms and placed her hands in her lap.

  "Okay." He let his mind time travel backwards to when he was seven.

  Flashback to 2024

  He heard a thump, followed by the drawn-out scrabbling of his dad trying to get his key into the front door lock.

  Jack was helping his mum by doing the drying up. His mother sighed, dumped the frying pan into the sink, and snapped off her gloves. He heard the sound of the front door opening and his dad's footsteps thump––thumping, down the hall.

  "You'd better get to bed, Jack, before…" His mum muttered something under her breath, just as his father lurched through the door.

  "Where's my tea, woman?" His dad growled, staggering over to the table and wobbling into the chair.

  "It's coming, Malcolm, I'll just get it out of the oven. I won't be a tick."

  She always sounded so nice. He'd never heard her be nasty or shout at his dad.

  "What's he still doing up?" His dad jerked his head in his direction. He looked really annoyed. He wondered what he'd done wrong now. His dad always seem to be angry with him for some reason.

  "I was helping Mum by doing the drying up."

  "I was helping Mum," he mimicked, glaring at his mum. "Boys don't help their mums with domestic stuff, Jack. Drying up is a woman's job, not yours."

  "Why, Dad?" Jack heard his mum suck in her breath, like she had something too hot in her mouth.

  She'd just opened the oven and had pulled out the plate of tea she'd dished up for his dad, earlier. As she turned, his dad thumped the table and it made his knife and fork jump up and down. Almost in slow motion, Jack watched as the hot plate of food leapt from his startled mum's hands. The plate clattered onto the tiled floor and smashed into pieces. Broken pieces of plate and his dad's food went flying all over the kitchen.

  With a roar, his dad lurched up from the table and launched himself at his mum.

  His fist connected with thin air because his mother had skipped out of his reach. It would have been funny, except Jack saw the familiar frightened look in his mum's eyes. His dad swayed towards her, but Jack darted in front of him.

  "No, Jack. Go to bed." His mum's voice had that funny tight sound she often got when his dad was around.

  He didn't move. A sob caught in his throat but he stood his ground.

  "How dare you, you little shit," his dad spat at him. His father's large, hairy hands grabbed both shoulders, whirled him around, and threw him towards the oven. There was a crack as his head connected with the oven door, followed by darkness.

  When he opened his eyes, his mum's troubled face was hovering over him. He could see she'd been crying. His head hurt; a lot. She was holding something on top of his forehead. He shivered with the cold of it. To one side of her he could see his dad's legs. He shifted his head and saw his dad, flat on his face, partly under the table.

  "Are you alright, Mum?"

  "Yeah, I'm okay. How about you, my little hero?"

  He grinned up at her. "What happened to Dad?"

  "I clobbered him with the frying pan, Jack."

  "Wow!" He'd never seen his mum fight back before. His dad hadn't stirred. "You haven't killed him, have you?"

  "Nah, more's the pity. He'll have a big headache when he wakes up, though." She lifted the tea towel full of ice away from his forehead. "You'll have a bit of a bump there Jack, but at least it's not bleeding. Right!" She got up off her knees and stood up. "You just keep holding the ice against your head, Jack. I'm going to go and pack us a few things, and then we'll get out of here. I'm not going to wait around for him to wake up. I'm going to make damn sure, he never touches either of us again."

  From the doorway, she said, "If he starts to wake up, Jack, give me a yell."

  His head started to throb. He could hear his mum rummaging around at the back of the house. A little while later, he saw her trundle two small suitcases past the kitchen door. Then he heard her talking on the phone.

  She came back into the kitchen and gave his dad the once over.

  "Well, the bastard's still breathing. Right, let's go."

  She stepped over to him and pulled him up. After she dumped the ice blocks onto the floor, she led him into the hall. When the taxi arrived, she threw the keys down the hall, pulled him outside and slammed the door.

  Jack never forgot the expression on his mum's face as they drove away that night. Her face had glowed like she'd just won lotto. It was in the taxi he decided he would never drink. He was the man of the family now, and he was going to make sure no one ever hurt his mum ever again. It was the last time he saw his dad, and he didn't care one little bit.

  Year 2041

  "So, you never saw him again, ever?" Kiera asked.

  "No. He never contacted my mum either. You're probably wondering what this has got to do with you. I've asked around about your dad, Kiera," he lied. "My sources tell me he's an outstanding policeman who goes out on a limb to help young people who've got into trouble—to turn their lives around. He's well-respected and regarded as an honest, and decent person who always treats people fairly." At least that part wasn't a lie. "According to Constable Harrington, he moved heaven and earth to get your charges suspended. He's really cut up by the whole situation. The constable told me your dad loves you dearly, Kiera. He's devastated you won't speak to him."

  Kiera exploded. He'd expected it sooner.

  "He had an affair, Jack, with someone twenty years younger than him. My mum was shattered. Every time I ring her she bawls her eyes out," she yelled, balling her fists up. She thumped her fist on the desk. "Is that a decent, honest man? Is it, Jack? Is it?"

  "Did he beat your mum up, Kiera? Did you dread him coming home? Did he fail to provide for you and your mum? Did you live in fear every second he was in your house?"

  "He made a terrible mistake, Kiera, which according to Constable Harrington, he deeply regrets. At least you have a dad." The last part sort of slipped out, and he realised he'd raised his voice.

  Kiera stared at him for a moment before a single tear trickled down her face, followed by another, and another. "I'm so sorry, Jack. It must've been horrible having a dad like yours." She grabbed a tissue and wiped her eyes.

  Jack swallowed. He couldn't think of anything to say. His last comment had even surprised him.

  "I'm ready to talk now, Jack."

  "Good girl." He opened his notebook and picked up his pen.

  Chapter 18

  Year 2055

  Luke paced up and down until he heard Kiera at the door, then stood ready to confront her.

  "What the Zark is going on between you two, and what were you and Jack really doing last night?" He stood in front of her with his hands on his hips.

  Kiera pushed past him as she stepped inside and closed the door. She brushed water from her sleeves and the front of her jumper, before turning to face him. "I've already told you. We were collating the information I've gathered about Williamson. I'll discuss it with you when I get the edited material back from Jack. He's sending it through tonight. Now that's it Luke. I don't want to hear anything more about it.”

  He wasn't going to be fobbed off. "Why did you lie about what happened to Jack?" he shouted. "I want the truth Kiera, and I want it now." He felt himself shaking.

  "All right," Kiera yelled. "I lied because I felt ashamed, Luke. We discovered something last night that pushed me over the edge. I lost it and took it out on Jack—that's how he fell over and got hurt."

  "Did he hurt you? I'll kill him if he hurt you." He clenched his fists.

  "No Luke, Jack would never hurt me." There were tears in her eyes.

  "I saw the way he looked at you, Kiera."

  "Don’t be ridiculous, Luke. We’re friends. That’s all. I know you're angry, and I'm sorry if I've hurt you. I'm still trying to process what we discovered. I'll show you tonight. I think you'll understand after you've seen it." Kiera gave a deep sigh.

  "Now, we need to get a move on or we'll
be late for work. I'm going to go and have a quick shower, I presume you’ve already had yours?" She regarded him, her face sullen.

  He was being dismissed. "You've gone behind my back, Kiera. It makes me feel that you don't trust me. Why would you do that?" He blinked away tears.

  "Oh, Luke." She wrapped her arms around him. "Of course, I trust you. It was just something Jack and I had to do on our own. It was risky, and I wanted to keep you safe." She reached up and took his face in her hands. "I love you so much, and I didn't want anything to happen to you."

  "Kiera, how do you think I would have felt if something had happened to you? We're a team, Kiera. I don't need protecting. Please, please don't ever do anything like that again without telling me." He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight, and for a moment, they stood together in silence. As she let go of him, he held her at arm's length and said, "No more secrets—promise?"

  She wiped the tears from her face. "Promise. Now I need to go have my shower."

  She disappeared into the bedroom, and after a few minutes, Luke heard running water. His breathing had become ragged and his fists were still clenched. He sat down at the kitchen table and took some deep breaths to reclaim his racing brain.

  He’d managed to calm himself by the time Kiera reappeared, dressed and ready to go. He still needed answers about where Kiera and Jack had been last night. They certainly hadn't been sifting through papers in Kiera's apartment.

  Kiera grabbed her bag, hoisted it over her shoulder and moved to the door, one hand on her hip. "Okay, are we going?" she said, smiling at him.

  He picked up his bag and followed her out. He'd ask more questions tonight. Jack had allowed his guard to drop a few times this morning. The way he'd looked at Kiera was unsettling. It wasn't that he didn't trust Kiera. Perhaps it was more that he didn't trust Jack. And what did he mean by what he'd said to him when Kiera had gone to the toilet? He hadn't been quite sure how to take that. Because Kiera obviously thought the sun, moon and stars shone from him, the less he said about it the better, so he'd sit on it for the time being.

  #

  At lunchtime, he knocked on Kiera's door. Without waiting for an answer, he opened it and peered in, relieved when Kiera greeted him with a smile.

  "Shall we go and get some lunch in the cafeteria?" Luke asked.

  "How can you be hungry after such an enormous breakfast?" Kiera raised her eyebrows.

  "I've been working on a difficult problem all morning. I've used kilojoules of brainpower, and I've got hollow legs." He laughed.

  "Okay, I'm feeling a bit peckish myself, it must be all the energy I expended last night. You go ahead. I'll be with you in a minute." She smiled up at him.

  Thank the Universe, she was back to her usual self. He'd become accustomed to the fact that Kiera's anger, although fiery and intense, dissipated rapidly. In the cafeteria, he joined the short queue, not realising Melanie was directly in front of him. She turned before he could escape.

  "Luke, how nice to bump into you, would you like to join me for lunch?" She batted her eyelids and flicked her hand through her blonde hair.

  "No thanks, Kiera is joining me shortly." He hoped like hell Kiera didn't suddenly materialise and misconstrue this exchange. He didn't think he could cope with another flare up. He moved away from Melanie slightly and shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

  "We could share a table," Melanie persisted.

  "Kiera and I have got some things to discuss, so no thanks." Kiera where the hell are you?

  "Oh Luke, all work and no play makes Luke a dull boy. I like to live a little dangerously myself." She closed the distance between them and gazed into his eyes.

  At that moment he saw Kiera come through the door, so he peeled off the queue and went to join her. She gave him a quizzical look.

  "Don't ask," he said, "You've just rescued me."

  To his surprise, Kiera leaned across and kissed him on the lips. Standing back and taking his hand she flashed Melanie a smile.

  Melanie blushed before looking away.

  He and Kiera re-joined the queue and were soon devouring ham and salad rolls at their usual table in the corner.

  "Okay Luke, here's my plan. But first, do you trust me?" She gazed at him with an open earnest expression.

  "Yes, of course. Surely you don't doubt that?" He focused on his plate and used his fingers to pick up some tomato that had fallen out of his roll. He slipped the piece into his mouth.

  "I wasn't too sure after this morning and the thing with Jack." Kiera frowned.

  "As long as tonight you tell me exactly what you and Jack were doing and where you were last night."

  "I've already said I'll explain everything, okay?"

  "Okay, Kiera."

  Kiera took a quick look around the tea room before she leant over and whispered, "We are going to have to leave the company."

  "Why? What the hell's happened?" Luke whispered back. A wave of shock hit him, followed by anger. He pushed his plate away.

  "It is complicated. I'll explain tonight. I've brought my laptop so when we get home, we can look at the edited files, Jack's sending through to me." Kiera sniffed.

  "I assume you mean at my place?" Luke shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

  "Absolutely, I'm going to feign a migraine. I'll go home now to get the process started, but you'll need to go back to work, otherwise Williamson will get suspicious. When is he expecting an answer about your move to Sydney?"

  "By the end of the week, which I had intended to be Friday. He probably won't be expecting me to front up tomorrow morning. Why do we have to leave?" he asked, in a low voice.

  "Later." Kiera got up, put her hand on her forehead and grimaced as though in pain. Luke watched as she deliberately staggered to the door, opened it and disappeared.

  #

  Kiera maintained her act as she went into her office and packed up. Once she'd left the building, out of sight of cameras, she picked up the pace. She took a trans-car to the Perth Central Police Hub to meet with Detective Inspector John Harrington, head of the Special Crimes Unit. While there, the police would take a statement from her about the pheromone lab incident. Up until now she'd only spoken to Detective Harrington on the phone, after being put into contact with him by her father. Detective Harrington, in charge of coordinating tomorrow's raids on Sentioids Inc., Williamson's apartment and her work place, had already organised the appropriate warrants. The tall, thin man in his forties had a thick unruly mop of grey-flecked, black hair—and a friendly, vaguely familiar face.

  "Hello Kiera, it's been a while."

  She shook his hand, convinced she knew his face from somewhere. "Have we met before?" As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she remembered. "Oh my God, you were the young constable that arrested me when I was sixteen, weren't you?"

  "That's right." He smiled. "You look a bit different to the way you presented then, Kiera. You've turned into a fine young lady."

  Kiera blushed. "I didn't know you knew my father so well, Detective Harrington."

  "Please, call me John, Kiera. Your dad was my mentor. Just about everything I know, I learned from him. In fact, he's held in high esteem by everybody that knew or worked with him."

  Kiera nodded, taken by surprise by his warmth and candour.

  "Right, Kiera, let's get down to business. I'll take you down to one of our interview rooms and a constable will take a statement. Follow me."

  Once her statement had been taken, John took her up to his office and outlined the plans for the following day. When he'd finished, he escorted her down to the equipment section.

  "I'll leave you with Constable Johnson. She'll fix you up with a TD."

  Kiera stared at him. "Sorry, what's a TD?"

  "Police jargon for transmission device." He headed to the door, but before he left he said, "Come up to my office when you've finished here, Kiera. There's something I need to tell you."

  Constable Johnson demonstrated the various places she co
uld hide the TD. She opted to put it inside her bra. Constable Johnson also gave her the memory stick containing the link that would upload to Williamson's computer when she plugged it in. After being shown how to operate the TD, she headed up to John Harrington's office. She wondered what he wanted to tell her. She tapped on his door and went in.

  "All set?" John indicated the chair in front of his desk.

  "Yes, as much as I can be." She sniffed. "What did you want to tell me, John?"

  "I wanted to tell you about Jack, because I didn't want you to find out somewhere down the track." He pushed the file he'd been looking at to one side.

  "Oh?"

  "What I'm about to tell you, Kiera, is strictly confidential. Jack has been on our payroll for around six years now." He sat back and paused.

  For a moment she was speechless. "Jack? Jack works for you? I had no idea."

  "It's not something he would broadcast, Kiera. He raised it with me because he was concerned for you. He wanted to make sure that what you did last night wasn't going to compromise you, or his contract with us. Jack wanted to tell you himself, but I thought it was better coming from me. He's employed as a consultant, but in this particular instance, he's acting as an undercover operative. He's going to facilitate us entering Sentioids Inc. and the hidden prototype vault. He is one of our most valued and trustworthy operatives. He's helped us gain many convictions in cybercrime and other computer related matters."

  "Wow!"

  "Now, I guess I don't need to tell you not to repeat what I've just told you to anyone else."

  "No, of course not, but can I tell Luke?"

  "I'm afraid not, Kiera."

  Oh God, she'd just promised Luke there wouldn't be any more secrets. She bit her lip. It couldn't be helped.

  "Right. Now I need your reassurance that you and Luke are able to perform your tasks tomorrow. If you're in anyway doubtful, now is the time to say so." He locked eyes with her.

  "I can guarantee Luke and I are up to tomorrow's assignment. We won't go all wobbly on you."