Lucy seemed to have shrunk in her wheelchair, defenceless. She was partly proud of her daughter’s brilliance, but also fearful of the consequences.
“Now,” Amelia went on. “We need help, so…”
“Stop! Stop!” cried her mother, suddenly losing her composure. Tears began to run down her face. “Please,” she begged. “I can’t do this anymore,” and she sank her face into her hands.
Amelia leapt to her mother’s side and took her in her arms. “Shh Mum. It’s all right. Really it is.” Amelia knew she could not afford to weaken. She had to be gentler. Her insides were trembling as she continued, as delicately as she could.
“I know that whatever you’ve had to do it’s because you had no choice. I also know that, whatever it is, it’s all been for me. I love you so much, Mum. I won’t let anyone hurt us. I promise.” Her voice was soothing, but she maintained her self-assurance. “I want you to do one thing for me, please Mum.” Lucy’s crying eased off as she made an attempt to pull herself together.
“Yes, my love. Whatever you want.” She was submissive, defeated.
“I want you to go to whoever’s in charge of Chimera and tell them I know how to find the location. Will you do that for me, please?”
Her mother looked at her in amazement. “My God, Amelia. Have you any idea what you are messing with?”
“No Mum, but I think that has a lot to do with Chimera’s efforts,” Amelia answered. “Now, be careful. Galileo have someone on the inside. They mustn’t find out. Okay?” she warned.
“We wondered, but… oh, never mind.” Lucy suddenly looked as if a great weight had been lifted from her and she rallied. “Could I have another cup of tea, please, Amelia? Strong and very sweet. Then could you find George and tell him I need to see him. Oh, and please, be very careful, my love. Even more so, now.” She had regained her ‘parent’ role and Amelia was only too willing to allow her that dignity.
“Molly’s in now,” continued Amelia. “So sort yourself out and I’ll go and find George, or Stephen, or Billy, or whatever his name is.”
Lucy stared at her daughter. She was astounded at the sudden maturity she was showing and how much the girls had progressed.
“Well, we all seemed to have vastly underestimated you,” she said with a wry grin. “Still, I did warn them this could happen. But for all that, I’m sure Chimera knows what it’s doing.”
“That may be so, Mum, but they don’t know what I know. Incidentally, I’m not even going to ask what you’re talking about. You probably can’t tell me, anyway. But be careful, Rayn and I may figure it out on our own.” She grinned her warning.
***
She found George in his garage workshop. She was thankful to get away. It’s very hard when you finally stand up to the authority of your family, and Amelia didn’t like what she was doing.
George’s feet were sticking out from under a large, heavy-duty 4X4, which looked brand new.
“George,” she called. “Can I speak to you for a moment?”
“I’m busy right now. Can you come back later?” came the muffled reply.
“Okay, then,” she said. Here we go again, she thought. What a day. “By the way,” she continued. “Is your real name Stephen, or Billy?” She waited, ready to run if she had to. She was still living her dream and the punch in the face. She knew she wasn’t afraid of him now, but she didn’t fancy another fat lip. The last one was still sore, but she also knew she could out run him.
George’s little handmade trolley rolled into sight and he stood up. “What did you want, Amelia? I really am very busy.” He had chosen to ignore her question so she decided to play the game. She ran her hand over the smooth, shiny surface of the vehicle.
“That’s so beautiful,” she said casually. “I can’t wait to learn to drive.” George’s face didn’t change. He stared at her, not smiling.
“Amelia,” he repeated. “What do you want?”
“Oh yes, sorry. Mum needs to speak to you, urgently,” she told him.
“Do you know what it’s about?”
“Oh yes,” she smiled. “Got to go now. I’ll see you later, I expect,” and she ducked out the door, leaving him looking perplexed.
Standing on the garage forecourt, she was thinking that she hadn’t heard from Claire about their current problem, but the sisters were at school and wouldn’t be home till later. The thought of them made her smile as she remembered their reaction to her and Rayn’s school ‘disadventure’, embellished by Rayn’s vivid description of the escapade they were amazed, envious, jealous and proud, all at the same time,
Amelia was worried about mixing things up too much but she had to admit, it was nice being the catalyst instead of the victim. Making her way to the almost empty burger bar she sat down,
“Hello Amelia. Coffee?” enquired Joe.
“Yes please,” she replied.
“Did you want it the same as last time?” he said ruefully.
“If it’s no trouble?”
“Would you like me to slice it so that you can drink it with a fork?” he grinned.
Amelia laughed for what seemed the first time for ages.
“As it comes Joe, as it comes,” she reassured him.
He returned in a few minutes and placed the coffee in front of her. “What’s all this I hear about you turning into an uncontrollable wildcat?” he asked.
“What?” she said, surprised. “What do you mean, a wildcat?”
Joe laughed and told her. “Well, I heard you and your friend smashed up a classroom, attacked a teacher, stole a load of stuff and are now on the run.” He laughed again. “So what really happened?”
“How do you know it’s not true?” responded Amelia, with faked indignation.”
“Well, first of all it’s not you. And if it was, you wouldn’t be sitting here.”
“That’s true,” answered Amelia. “I just took charge of an awkward situation.”
“That makes sense. It’s been my experience that when you challenge authority they tend to huddled together then looked for a scapegoat. You’ve certainly upset someone.”
“You can say that again. All those lies. It’s horrifying. I don’t know what to do.”
“Yes you do,” said Joe, offering encouragement. “You took charge. You made things happen. Proactive is better than reactive. Sign of a good leader. They’ll try and neutralise the threat by suppressing the truth and exploiting the fear. All you have to do is resist.”
“That’s an interesting idea, Joe. Where did you get that?” She was alarmed.
“It’s quite common. It’s democracy’s worst enemy. You just keep looking till you find the truth. Remember, ‘evil triumphs when good men do nothing’,” quoted Joe.
“We need you in politics, I think!”
“No thanks,” said Joe, laughing again. “They’d chop me up and serve me up to the newspapers. No, there’s only ever been one man in parliament who knew what this country needed.”
“Really? Who was that?”
“Guy Fawkes,” said Joe, and they both laughed.
“I wonder how things would have turned out if the Gunpowder Plot had succeeded.” Amelia ruminated.
“Not much,” suggested Joe. “They went for the jugular and missed. His people should have gone for the nervous system. That would have made some real changes.”
“I like your metaphor Joe, but what do you mean?”
“Well as I see it, if you cut off the head to kill the body, there are always too many heads waiting to take over. What makes an enemy powerful is his organisational skills. Disrupt and confuse that and it’ll fall to pieces. Break up the coordination and they’ll turn on their own leaders, and bingo! You’ve won.”
Amelia said nothing, intrigued by Joe’s wisdom.
“If you want to destroy something, start from the bottom and work up,” he advised. “Get the ones on the shop floor at each other’s throats and the management crumbles, that’s how the workers unions did it after the Second World War, than
kfully the nearest we came to a revolution was the hippy ‘Flower Power’ movement of the nineteen sixties, but things certainly changed for a few decades. Only the future will tell us if it was a step forward or a step back. Personally I think it was the latter, but that’s just an opinion.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
After a particularly long workout in the gym, Amelia told Rayn about the day’s developments concerning her mother and George. She became a little concerned when Rayn started jumping around, shouting and punching the air.
“Yes, yes, yeeees!” She raced down the gym to do a perfect double somersault. Amelia reminded her that they shouldn’t do that without Nigel.
“Now what do we do? That must have stirred them up a bit!” She was exhilarated.
“We wait,” said Amelia, soberly.
“Yeah, let’s see what they come up with next,” said Rayn.
They waited, and waited, and nothing happened. Everything stayed exactly the same. Conversations, attitudes – it was as if the girls had not said anything to anyone about their observations. Any attempts to force the issue were met with silence or an obvious diversion.
The school backed off and Lucy explained that Dr. Barrenborn had a formidable battery of legal experts when she needed them.
Their next Sunday barbecue was a bit strained. There were no real conversations going on, Amelia noticed. There were bursts of laughter, but no real humour. Molly caught up with Amelia as she was collecting up arrows and asked her.
“What’s going on, Amelia? There’s a definite air of tension.” Amelia thought fast.
“Mum and I had a row. Our very first.”
“Is she okay? And what’s with Bridie and Rayn?” said Molly.
“Oh, it was me and Rayn against them. A good old knockdown, drag-out screamer. It’s over now, but you know how long these things take to settle,” Amelia lied.
“What was it about then?” Molly wouldn’t let it go, but Amelia knew she wasn’t prying. It was just her way of seeing if she could help.
“Oh, the usual, I suppose. The hubris of youth strikes again.” Her mind was working overtime trying to keep up with a story she hadn’t yet manufactured.
“What does hubris mean?” asked Molly.
“Arrogance, rebellion. Rayn and I are teenagers remember. We know everything, apparently,” Amelia explained.
“Don’t remind me. I’d hate to go through that again,” Molly replied. “Oh no!” she suddenly cried.”
The twins were up on the roof of the caravan, sword fighting. Rayn was the only one who could get them down, she’d been up there many times and knew the stress points. The incident gave a kick-start to the day. Differing opinions on whether the boys were courageous or stupid stimulated animated discussion and everyone seemed to shake off the blues. The laughter returned.
When Rayn and Claire wandered off, Amelia followed them, much to their surprise. She filled Rayn in on her story to Molly, in case it came up again. Claire reported that she was having no luck with the pentagram and blamed the restrictions imposed on her.
“I need to do a diagram and play around with it,” she complained. “I’ll be careful, but I won’t if you say no.”
“You go ahead and do what you have to,” relented Amelia. “We have to know what it all means.”
By the middle of the week, Rayn was showing the strain. “Maybe they’re smarter than we thought,” she said, when they were back in Amelia’s room again.
“Well, at least we’re not in jail.” Sighed Amelia.
“Yeah, that’s true. But if something doesn’t happen soon they’ll be dragging us off to the funny farm,” wailed Rayn.
“You never know,” Amelia smiled, as she tried to wind her friend up. “That may be the idea.” She was forced to change the subject after Rayn started mumbling about ‘padded cells for two’.
“What’s up with Lorraine these days,” she asked brightly. “She doesn’t smile much. Girl trouble?”
“No,” replied Rayn, seizing the lifeline. “She’s been offered a live-in job at the Hall. Assistant house keeper.”
“And that’s bad?”
“She doesn’t know whether to take it. She’s afraid she might lose touch with the gang, as she calls us,” Rayn explained.
Amelia was silent for a moment, mulling over this new development. “Tell her to take it,” she said suddenly.
“I can’t tell her what to do, Amelia. Give me a break.”
“It’s important, I think. Tell her I said she has to take the job,” insisted Amelia.
“Okay,” said Rayn. “But do you think she’ll take any notice?”
“Yes,” replied Amelia emphatically. “I’m certain of it. Tell her I said so.”
Rayn crossed the bedroom and gave her friend a hug. “See, I told you so. You’re getting there,” she whispered.
Amelia had come to trust Rayn’s instincts. The trouble was, where was ‘there’?
***
Saturday saw Amelia working in the shop. Her mother was in the greenhouse where she was spending a lot of time recently. Lucy had asked George to put some high powered halogen lights in and Amelia worried about the increased temperature she was working in, but had learned long ago not to interfere in her mother’s work.
Bridie and Rayn were down at the campsite. Horace wasn’t well and they were anxiously waiting for the vet, who couldn’t give them a specific time.
Molly and Nigel were in Grabsum Moore with the boys, buying them new shoes. They were growing so fast it was a job keeping up with them, Molly had said.
Amelia was waiting to close up, reflecting on how quiet the day had been. It was as if the world was waiting, gathering its strength for the traditional battle between consumer and retailer during the annual Easter uprising. With all that money sloshing around it’s no wonder the church had lost out to chocolate rabbits eggs, she thought.
She was in the kitchen peeling potatoes thinking of closing a little early when she heard the door go.
As she entered the shop her usual professional smile froze on her face. A man and a woman stood there. They were so unusual her brain was trying, without success, to find a reference.
They were tall and wearing identical clothes, almost like twins. They wore black single-breasted, expensive suits with the jackets open to reveal white polo-necked sweaters. The woman wore a gold pendant on a chain. Their soft, black leather shoes made no sound as they moved. Again, it was their looks that made them appear so different. Dusky Arabian skin with highly articulated features and jet-black hair. The man, though he had a longer nose and a more angular jaw line, had the same hairstyle as the woman. Although hers was longer and fuller, they both had it pulled back into a tight ponytail, the man revealing a single gold earring. Their eyes were matching pairs. Bright, penetrating and highly intelligent. His were warm and friendly, while hers showed some disdain for her surroundings.
They were both so beautiful that they had no need to make an effort to impress. They just did.
“Will you tell Dr Jaxson we are here?” the woman said in almost perfect English. Just the hint of an unidentifiable accent.
That was no request, thought Amelia. No please or thank you, no greeting, just an order. Amelia’s guard went up as the man stepped forward..
“If you would be so kind.” He had a rich, strong voice with the same accent. “I am Mykl, and this is my sister Ryxyl. We’ve brought Dr Barrenborn’s tree for her to look at.”
Amelia met his gaze. The eyes and voice engulfed her as if she were immersed in some warm mercurial substance.
“We are in a hurry,” Ryxyl cut in. Direct and impatient.
Amelia forced her way back to solid ground, fighting off thoughts that were uncomfortably pleasant and beyond her years. She went to get her mother, not trusting herself to speak.
Lucy was well experienced at dealing with awkward customers and soon had the aloof Ryxyl responding to her. Mykl was pleasant and engaging and the spectacular little tree was
placed on a small table in front of Lucy’s chair.
Amelia stood there, trying to reassemble her self-confidence, which had been cut down by these two magnificent creatures. While she could hardly take her eyes off Mykl, she noticed a similar reaction from her mother when she looked at Ryxyl.
Strange, she thought. What’s going on here then? She wished desperately that Rayn was here to do her ‘party piece’.
They were getting ready to leave and Ryxyl bent down to gently caress the plant. Mykl spoke to her and Ryxyl looked up to answer him. Lucy was on a level with Ryxyl’s right shoulder and she saw the woman in profile, looking up. The sound of a cello crashed into Amelia’s head.
Controlling her breathing to counteract the fear that invaded her, she stood perfectly still while they left. Lucy said her goodbyes in a weak, disembodied voice.
Amelia closed the door behind them and put the closed sign up. When she turned her mother had gone. The beautiful miniature tree remained sitting on the table.
“What do you want me to do with the tree, Mum?” Amelia called.
Lucy’s voice came back almost hysterical. “I don’t care. Burn it!” and Amelia heard the greenhouse door slam so hard she was astonished that it didn’t break.
Amelia stood looking at the elegantly sculptured living plant. Her self-assurance had taken such a battering on meeting Mykl that she realised she didn’t know what to do. The only, and rather inane thing she could think of was to make a cup of tea. She felt as if she were six years old again and a cup of tea cured all ills.
The cello faded as she put the kettle on. She needed Rayn desperately to give her some support and encouragement. She needed that inner strength the girl had and she’d never, until now, been aware of how much she depended on her.
It was then she heard the scream. High-pitched, it was a combination of anguish and absolute terror. One word, over and over.
“No! No! Nooooo.” Amelia almost vomited on the spot at the sound of that indescribable, heart-rending scream from the greenhouse. She couldn’t move. Helpless, inadequate, lost and frightened. Her legs wouldn’t obey her. The screaming changed to one long, hideous shriek, the crash of something falling and the sound choked off into a guilt-ridden wailing, like a child, completely uninhibited.
The Chrysalid Conspiracy Page 34