Gemsigns

by Stephanie Saulter

  Now the burden of leadership was his. The preacher had understood perfectly, had felt the shift and bowed to the inevitability of God’s plan.

  ‘You are an active man, Mac,’ he’d said. ‘An active man, and this is a time for action. Cometh the hour. You don’t need me any more.’

  ‘Where will you go, Preacher?’

  ‘To another group whose eyes are not yet fully opened. To where the Lord can put me to use. My work here is done.’

  Mac had bowed his head in humility. It was a big responsibility, but he felt up to it. He had been anointed, kneeling in the rain on the blood-soaked pavement with the weapon of God in his strong right hand, he had been granted a divine inspiration and they had all sensed it.

  He looked around and saw more members emerging from the lifts. Two of his stalwarts were checking them in, and two more were stationed at the doors that led into the building to guard against entry from that quarter. Although the streams they used were private, you couldn’t be too careful. He was relieved to recognise all the faces. It was much earlier than the regular meeting, too early for the police to send any spies or random passers-by to think of wandering up to eat a frozen lunch in the bitter wind of the terrace. Only the most dedicated had been granted word of this gathering: ones he knew already were, or were ready to become, warriors of faith.

  The crowd was building. It looked like there would be two or three dozen in all. More than he’d dared hope. He knew he would have to start by putting right some of the lies, the Beast-witch’s poison whisper of an alliance with the very cultivators of evil. It was such a ridiculous, such an offensive idea. It was hard to believe anyone could actually take it seriously. Proof, as if any were needed, that the Beast was insidious, and powerful. But there had to be a weakness, a chink in the armour, somewhere; and he would find it, the inspiration would fall on him again, and on that day the whole world would see the Truth, and the Light.

  He had his sermon. The Lord had once more blessed his newest lieutenant, and he muttered a prayer of thanks before he turned to go. He would stand in the spot where the preacher had always stood. His gaze swept across the icy viewing platform with its clear Perspex barrier and metal railings, the city spreading away beneath, the grey sky and the black tower. This was a good place, high and clear and close to God. A place for faith to be transformed into action. A place for miracles.

  *

  The call from Eli Walker came in while she was with Felix.

  ‘Dr Walker. I’m surprised to hear from you this early, given the lateness of your night.’

  ‘Miss Klist. I gather my professional conduct continues to meet with your disapproval.’

  ‘You were conducting research at a murder scene?’

  ‘I’m an anthropologist. The study of humanity is my business, including, sadly, where it is most lacking.’

  She pursed her lips. ‘A truly terrible event. We’re all very shocked. It does appear that a backlash is taking hold.’

  ‘It’s certainly being encouraged.’

  ‘That is an astonishing development. Difficult to credit.’

  ‘Strange that you would think so. Given that the discovery was made by a gem formerly of Bel’Natur.’

  ‘It does point to the unquestionable value of our research and engineering divisions,’ she said smoothly. ‘Although I am no less conscious of our failings. Have your further enquiries been fruitful?’

  ‘In a manner of speaking. I’ve been advised, as you suspected, that no other gemtechs reported incidents of a similar nature. And the independent review I’ve had done also can find no genetic basis to explain what happened.’

  ‘So you agree with our risk assessment.’

  ‘Not entirely, although it has led me to revise some of the final text of our report. I have obviously shared the material with various collaborators, on whose expertise I rely. And I’ve raised your concerns with the police and social service departments. I thought you’d like to know.’

  She fought to keep a smile away. ‘I’m very relieved. As I said to you before, we are committed to doing whatever is necessary to eliminate any danger to the public.’

  ‘I suspect that will prove beyond your powers, and mine as well. If the events of the past two days demonstrate anything, it’s that gems do not have a monopoly on senseless acts of appalling violence.’

  ‘Of course.’ The infuriating man. Even as he conceded, he was unable to resist a counterpoint. She no longer felt like smiling. ‘I meant to the extent that we can.’

  He nodded. ‘Until tomorrow then. The report will be part of the delegate links when you register your tablet on arrival.’

  ‘I look forward to it.’

  She killed the connection and turned back to Felix. ‘Well, that was a lot of worry for nothing.’

  ‘Zavcka, you don’t actually know what he’s going to say. And as for a backlash, it’s happening in the wrong direction. Have you seen the streams today?’

  ‘Yes, I have. And you are being far too pessimistic. People haven’t become rabidly pro-gem, they’re just saying they don’t like the idea of gangs of savages roaming the streets. Which is exactly what we want. They want gems to be safe, but they are equally worried about having to pay for it. Again, what we want.’

  ‘I thought we wanted – no, expected – a lot more of them in handcuffs by now. Some serious, undeniable threat verification. What happened to that part of the plan? Because instead what I see is two clowns with dyed hair being rumbled by one of our own products! Who the hell thought that up?’

  Me, she thought. Fuck off, Felix. Who could have known they’d grab the one guy in the whole city with a hidden vidcam? Or that the runaway Provis bitch would see it before broadcast? And be able to tell the hair was wrong? I’m not a bloody fortune-teller.

  She said, ‘The reason we haven’t seen retaliation on the scale we expected is down to Aryel Morningstar. She’s been drumming it into them – for a while now – not to do anything that could erode public support. The message is to run away if they can, defend themselves if they have to, but stop as soon as they’re safe. She’s allied herself with the UC, who both reinforce the message and provide logistical support. Which reduces the opportunities for friction, shall we say. I will admit I didn’t expect it to be so effective, but it just proves the point I keep making to you. Don’t ignore her.’

  ‘I should be so lucky. She’s all over the streams.’

  ‘That is because she knows how to work the media. It’s not an accident, Felix. She’s got her own campaign going. You notice how she never mentions being deformed? She doesn’t have to. She works it without saying a word. She keeps her gemsign covered up so no one can actually see anything to be disgusted by, under this black shroud-thing which makes it look bigger than it probably is. And makes you notice her face more than you would otherwise. You think any of that is coincidence? It’s not. It’s about generating sympathy.’

  For once Felix did not respond with a stock dismissal of gem capability. He seemed to be properly considering what she’d said. Then he sighed.

  ‘I don’t suppose we could just get rid of her?’

  ‘No we could not.’ Honestly. He was worse than Eli Walker. ‘Can you imagine what the reaction would be if anything happened to Aryel Morningstar? Now? No, Felix. We have to be cleverer than that.

  ‘And we can be. I’ve got some more news for you, Felix. Something you’ll like.’ She did smile, finally. ‘I’ve found the prototype.’

  17

  Gaela was adamant that Gabriel was not to go near the Maryam House community room, the leisure centre, or anywhere else that people were likely to be gathered. Nor were any of them to leave the Squats. The police had set up a command post next to reception, and stationed two officers on site. One was out on patrol with a couple of residents, checking outlying buildings in particular for new and unregistered occupants. The other officer was on hand to help with coordination and reassurance, communicate with his colleague out in the field
, and cast awestruck looks in Gaela’s direction.

  She doubted that the impostors who had attacked George would have risked actually staying in the area, especially now that their pictures had been enhanced and distributed to the streams. They would likely be far away, their heads recoloured or shaved, lying as low as they possibly could. Still, it was worth confirming whether anyone had slipped inside the Squats unnoticed, for safety or more nefarious purposes.

  The checks also served to ensure that Mikal’s list of available, secure and clean accommodation was up to date. One of her tasks was to casually glance at the city’s refugees as they arrived and were assigned a place to stay. So far all of the jewel-coloured hair had been genuine, and she expected it to stay that way. Whoever was behind the botched deception would not make the same mistake again.

  She was relieved that no one had asked her if it was a disguise she’d seen before.

  Her main assignment at the moment was to review the police database of known godgang members to see if she could spot the two that she alone had been able to make out from George’s vid. The dim images had proved impossible to enhance enough for a machine scan. Even for her it was difficult. The database itself was disappointingly thin, and many of its images were of not much better quality.

  Mac had, however, been identified: delusional loner with his own god complex, Christian fundamentalist, no family or steady job. He was anti-gem and anti-gemtech, and had a history of harassment against both. His current flat had been raided and his accounts frozen. Neither showed signs of recent activity. Masoud thought he might have gone underground several days before, which would imply that the others had probably done the same. Of the gloved man with the tablet there was no trace.

  ‘It doesn’t mean he’s not a regular,’ Masoud had said. ‘It’s very difficult to get a handle on groups like this. The cells trade members and ideology but there’s no real central structure. The meeting places change; they’re promoted on private streams and by word of mouth so it’s hard to follow a trail. And even when we do find a location, a lot of them are very savvy about camouflage. Lots of hats and scarves and reflective sun visors go into those meetings. I’ve even heard of masks and prosthetic make-up.’

  ‘So, no leads then.’ They’d been speaking via tablet, early in the morning. Masoud was bleary-eyed; she suspected he had not been to bed. She and Bal had, eventually, but the night had been just as sleepless for them.

  ‘I wouldn’t say that. We started questioning the ringleaders we have on file yesterday in connection with the attack on Callan, and we’ve been hauling them in again overnight. No one’s admitted to knowing anything but the detectives tell me there’s definitely a vibe. At least some of them knew something was up.’

  ‘No regrets, I suppose.’

  ‘No. Although we’re not sure they anticipated quite this level of violence. But there’s no sense they want it to stop – or that they expect it to.’

  ‘Commander, I hope you weren’t calling to offer comfort and reassurance.’

  He had managed a smile that was mostly grimace.

  ‘I wanted to ask if you’d be available to work with us over the next few days.’

  ‘On what?’

  ‘Suspect identification, threat assessment, Conference security. The list of things you could help us with is enormous.’ He shook his head. ‘Please don’t be offended, but I’m surprised the gemtechs never marketed your ability to us. Didn’t they see the applications to police work?’

  ‘I’m sure they did. I worked security at a number of private events. Since we’re being blunt, I suspect they might not have wanted someone like you to be fully aware of what someone like me is capable of. The other reason you wouldn’t have heard is because I was a prototype. A not entirely successful one.’

  ‘You seem pretty successful to me.’

  ‘That’s because you haven’t met me when I have a headache.’ She sighed. ‘Look, there’s something you should know before you decide whether you really want me assisting the police. You seem like a decent guy, so I’m going to trust that you’ll take it on board without expecting me to go into details. Which I won’t.’

  A pause. ‘I’m listening.’

  ‘I escaped and went underground several years before the Declaration. This was when the retrieval squads were still active, so finding work was difficult. I sometimes engaged in activities which you would not, as a police officer, approve of. I tell you this now so you can decide whether you’re prepared to risk being embarrassed by it later.’

  ‘I see.’ He thought. ‘Were you ever arrested?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Did anyone get hurt?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘These activities. I assume your knowledge of security systems from your prior assignments would have been … helpful?’

  ‘That’s a fair assumption.’

  ‘And since the Declaration?’

  ‘All clear from before then. Once forced retrieval was banned I had other choices.’

  ‘Well, you sound rehabilitated to me, and no one can spot crime like a criminal. Welcome to the Met.’

  It sounded like a job offer. She decided not to pursue specifics just then. If she proved her worth over the next few days; and her family managed to safely negotiate the meeting with Eli Walker; and the Conference did not go against them, then it would be time enough to find out exactly what Masoud had in mind.

  *

  Eli had also called early, again expecting to be told that it was not, after all, a good time. He was again surprised, and pleased, when Gaela said that it was still fine for him to come if he was prepared for a few adjustments.

  ‘It’s going to be a very tense day around here. We’re trying to keep Gabe away from the turmoil as much as we can, and frankly having a visitor will help distract him. As long as you don’t mind him being around while we talk.’

  ‘Not at all. I’d love to be able to chat with him.’ She chuckled. ‘You say that now. You may well wish he’d shut up.’

  He rang off, almost convinced that he and Sally Trieve had got it completely wrong. He put a call in to her, and to Aryel, and again studied the results that his team in Edinburgh and elsewhere had sent through in the wee hours. Then he called Rob to tell him that the final version of the report would not be ready for secure upload to the Conference datastream until late that night. Then he had spoken to Zavcka Klist, wondering all the while what Donal would have made of his end of the conversation.

  *

  He arrived at the Squats a little before noon, to find the young gem himself helping Mikal in reception.

  ‘Blooady hell. Three days in a row. Mik,’ making a show of checking the list on the tablet in front of him, ‘we should fin’ him a flat.’

  Eli laughed. ‘You know, I think I would like that. If I end up spending a lot of time in London I might take you up on it. Assuming it’d be allowed.’

  ‘It wouldn’t be us who had a problem with it, but would you really want to?’ asked Mikal, as they executed a complicated triplethumbed handshake. ‘Live in the middle of a bunch of gems?’

  ‘Why not? The meeting last night was a remarkable experience. As was the day before,’ nodding to Donal, ‘with yourself and the others.’

  ‘Well, we could do wi’ havin’ a less remarkable day fer a change. If you doan’ mind. It’s a good thing we’re no’ a superstitious bunch, we migh’ think you’re bad luck.’

  ‘Be hard to blame you. How’s the community coping?’

  ‘Coping’s something gems know how to do,’ replied Mikal quietly. ‘But pretty devastated all the same. People can’t help wondering who’ll be next.’

  ‘The police are putting a ring of steel around this place. I spoke to Rob – Dr Trench – earlier, he reckons the Squats will be just about the safest place in the city tonight.’

  ‘We’ll see,’ said Donal sceptically. ‘Who’s blowin’ yer mind today then?’

  ‘Me.’ That was Gaela, emerging from a door off
the foyer. ‘Not just yet though. Sorry, I heard you come in but I was on a call.’

  ‘Not a problem. Shall I wait?’

  ‘I was going to suggest you go ahead. Bal and Gabe are on the top of our building scrounging some stuff for lunch. If Don doesn’t mind letting you in, I should be done here in fifteen, twenty minutes.’

  So it was that he found himself escorted into the heart of the Squats by one of its most acerbic residents. The events of the past forty-eight hours had reinforced Donal’s belief in widespread and interlocking conspiracies. Eli wished he felt able to calm some of the other man’s wilder suspicions, but given all that had happened since Zavcka Klist had sat down opposite him on the train three days before, he was beginning to think Don might not be so far off the mark after all.

  The spine of the Squats was a small high street that ran behind the leisure centre, parallel to the boulevard. A series of narrow alleys and side roads connected the two. On the other side of the high street these byways became irregular in width, frequency and direction. They would suddenly narrow, turn sharp corners and dead-end, or curve around on themselves to dump the unwary visitor back onto the high street, a confused couple of blocks away from where they had just left it. Although he had seen plans of the area, Eli was grateful to have a guide.

  They had exited the leisure centre through a rear door that dropped them onto a small open plaza. It was almost deserted in the December chill, and after last night’s rain the shaded patches were still icy underfoot. A few gems were out, mostly gillungs and heavy-labour types like Bal who were less troubled by the cold. He recognised faces from the night before, exchanged nods as they crossed the street. Most of the storefronts along it were boarded, but three or four had been repaired and opened up. One was a pub, another appeared to be a shop of some kind. The UC transport was parked in front of a third. Eli looked at it and raised an eyebrow at Donal.