But Four and Five hung on to Nine, hauling her bit by bit from the hell hole, eventually dragging her clear of the abyss. The wind and the wailing rose to a deafening and deadly crescendo, as if the black hole was enraged by their escape from its clutches.
And then it all stopped. The sucking wind ceased and silence fell on them like a welcome blanket. The black hole shrank to its original size and everything became calm once more.
‘Thanks,’ said Nine as the three of them lay on the deck, panting with exhaustion. ‘You saved my life.’
‘All part of the service,’ said Four with a grin.
‘You’re stuck with us whether you like it or not,’ Five added.
As soon as he said this, his Battle Watch gave a warning beep and Professor Perdu’s face appeared on the dial. She was white with worry.
‘At last,’ she gasped. ‘I’ve been trying to contact you for ages.’
‘What is it, Prof?’
‘Exit immediately. Immediately!’
‘But we haven’t worked out what these black spots are yet.’
‘Forget about that. Skin has already uploaded enough data. Just do as I say. Get out at once.’
As she spoke an Exit Beam was activated only metres away from the squad. At the same time Skin sent out a warning beep.
‘Danger levels extreme and rising. Repeat: Extreme and —’
Before Skin could finish, a hideous growl erupted from the black hole and it began trembling again.
‘Okay,’ said Four. ‘Got the message. Time to split.’
He and Five grabbed Nine by the arms, tossed her into the Exit Beam and followed right behind.
* * *
Alpha Agent One lay in the cramped air-conditioning shaft, barely breathing, his Battle Watch pressed against the tiny vent, recording the conversation taking place on the other side of the grate.
‘Everything is falling into place according to plan.’
‘So you have located the Stone?’
‘We have. Battle Book 3, Temple of Zeus. Obtaining it will involve a simple Battle Book mission.’
‘Sigma Squad?’
‘Vandakrol assures us that they are ready.’
‘And the reactor?’
‘Prepared and primed. All that’s needed is the catalyst.’
‘What about Omega Squad?’
‘They are proving more resilient than we expected. But their moves are being monitored as we speak. They will be dealt with appropriately. By tomorrow they won’t exist.’
‘Perdu?’
‘Her expulsion papers have been issued. Her fate is sealed.’
‘Excellent. You’ve done well. You will be suitably rewarded.’
‘Our ascendancy is ample reward. To the Future!’
‘The Future!’
Alpha One pressed the stop button on his Battle Watch and closed his eyes, breathing a well-earned sigh of relief. At last he had proof, confirmation of what he’d suspected for ages. No, in fact it was worse than expected. Crazier, more bizarre, more unbelievable than even he had let himself contemplate. They were mad, simple as that. And yet unless they were stopped their madness would become a terrifying reality.
‘Our ascendancy is ample reward. To the Future.’
Those words sent a chill through Alpha One. He carefully ejected the DataBlok from his Battle Watch, slid another of the little recording chips into place and made a copy of the recording. Then he eased himself away from the vent and began the slow passage back along the shaft to the streets above.
SIX
‘It’s high-tech body snatching.’
Omega Squad had returned from their mission and were gathered around Professor Perdu. She’d analysed the data sent back by Skin and was explaining the situation.
‘It sounds incredible, I know, but it’s the only explanation that makes sense. Someone has been hacking into Battle Books like 174 and stealing key figures from history – kings, queens, princes, chiefs, generals, and so on.’
‘How?’ the three Battle Agents exclaimed together in amazement.
‘The idea is simple, even if the technology isn’t. They’re using a kind of Battle Edit Kit to pause a battle at a scene where they have clear access to the historical figure they plan to steal. They then outline that person, crop them from the scene and upload them to their database.’
‘But that only gives them a digital blueprint of the historical person,’ said BA004.
‘You’re right. But they already have enough DNA material to recreate the person if they really wanted to.’
‘Are you saying they’re stealing great warriors from the past and making them real?’
‘They’re stealing them, yes. What they’re doing after that I don’t know for sure yet. But body re-creation is certainly a possibility. It was a path I explored in my early research. Add organic energy and DNA to the mix, implement substance conversion of the digital blueprint and, presto, a past person becomes present – in theory, anyway. I’ve never heard of it being done successfully, but maybe these people have perfected the technique. The technology is moving so fast. Who knows?’
‘So what other things could they be doing with the body blueprints?’ said Nine.
‘There are several possibilities and we may need to explore those. But we don’t have time for that right now. Our main concern at the moment is to locate our stolen historical figures and return them to their proper Battle Books. If we don’t, we could have a crisis on our hands.’
‘Crisis? What do you mean?’ asked 004.
‘The Battle Books that have been raided are already unstable and will become more so the longer they’re left. You see, the black holes are draining the Battle Books of their energy, sucking it out of them bit by bit. But that can only go on for so long. The energy in those black holes is building up and up and being compressed all the time. It will eventually reach a spike where the pressure will be too much. When that happens we could have an almighty explosion. And that’s just from Book 174.’
‘How many other Battle Books have been body hacked?’
‘I did a thorough check of the Special Reading Room, and twelve books have been hacked like this one, “bodies” snatched from them. I’ve located sixteen black spots in the various Battle Books. That’s sixteen historical figures we have to find and return to their proper places.’
‘Anyone we know on the list?’ asked Nine.
‘Obviously Queen Cleopatra is one. Attila the Hun is another. Joseph Stalin, Charlemagne. The main point is that we find the figures and put them back where they belong.’
‘But how do we find them? Where do we start looking?’
‘We look in front of our noses, 009,’ said the professor. ‘I’ve carried out Digital Radar Scans right across Futura, and they all point to the same part of the city, a place you three know well.’
‘The Time Store,’ said BA004.
‘Exactly. As I suspected, there’s a lot more going on there than Horace Horologe admitted.’
‘What are we waiting for, then?’ said BA005. ‘Let’s get over there and sort this out.’
The squad members leapt to their feet, but Professor Perdu held up her hands.
‘Not so fast.’ She stiffened. ‘We have a prior engagement, I’m sorry to say.’
Nine screwed up her face. ‘I thought you said this was a crisis.’
‘It is but the engagement I refer to is also a Priority 1 affair, but with additional AAA rating. We have been summonsed.’ The professor gritted her teeth, hissing that final word.
‘Summonsed?’ said 005. ‘By who?’
‘Upstairs,’ Professor Perdu muttered. ‘While you were in Battle Book 174, Dr Vandakrol called, ordering me to attend an urgent meeting. He particularly wanted Omega Squad to be present.’
‘You mean we’re in trouble?’ said 004.
‘Oh, yes, we’re certainly in trouble. Vandakrol’s tone was so cold it made me shiver, especially when he said that significant others would be present
.’
‘Significant others?’ said 005. ‘Who are they?’
‘I suspect that they’re Minders.’ Professor Perdu rose and walked towards the door. ‘We are like lambs to the slaughter.’ She opened the door. ‘Let’s get it over with.’
* * *
‘Here it is.’
Alpha One held out the spare DataBlok. He gasped, trying to catch his breath. He’d been running through alleys and lanes, the guards never far behind. Someone must have tipped them off. Guards had set upon him as soon as he emerged from the air-conditioning shaft. He could hear them yelling now, hot on his trail, their andogs barking.
‘Take it.’
A shadowy figure reached from the recesses of a darkened doorway. ‘You want me to keep it safe?’
‘Yes. If we need it one of us will come looking.’
‘No matter where I am? For they may catch me and send me back.’
‘No matter. We’ll find you if we have to.’ Alpha One glanced over his shoulder. The guards were perilously near. ‘Just one more thing. There is a chance that you might come upon the other one in the city streets.’
‘The younger one I saw the other day?’
‘Yes, Battle Agent 005. On his way home he often passes the square where you speak.’
‘And if he passes that way again?’
‘Give this to him. He’ll know what to do with it.’ Alpha One pressed the DataBlok into the man’s hand. ‘And thanks for everything you’ve done.’
‘Think nothing of it,’ the man replied. ‘It’s your future. God speed!’
Alpha One turned and ran. The hand withdrew into the dark.
Moments later a group of guards thundered past.
* * *
‘How much longer will they keep us waiting?’
Nine paced back and forth in the cold antechamber where they’d been taken to await their interview. Almost half an hour had elapsed while officials clutching files and folders came and went, all avoiding eye contact with the professor and her team.
‘It’s like we don’t exist,’ Nine hissed. ‘Don’t they realise we have much more important things to do?’
‘Try to relax, 009,’ said Professor Perdu. ‘It will be stressful enough once we’re in there without working ourselves up out here. Above all, we need to keep a cool head with these people.’
Just then an official appeared and beckoned. ‘This way.’
Professor Perdu and the squad were ushered into a long high-ceilinged room, at the far end of which sat three men behind an imposingly large table.
‘Dr Vandakrol and the significant others,’ whispered the professor as she and her agents walked the length of the room, their footsteps echoing around them.
Not once did the men look up; they were engaged in paperwork. Even when the professor and her team reached the table, the men continued scribbling, ticking, reading and ruminating.
Dr Vandakrol sat to one side of the table, slightly apart from the others. A small man, neatly dressed in a dark suit and tie, he seemed particularly engrossed in his papers. The other two were mirror images of each other – pale men in grey suits, with forgettable faces.
Professor Perdu had no doubt that these two were Minders, the ones who made it their business to mind everyone else’s business. She’d met Minders before and, although fully aware of their power, did not care for them one bit. She cleared her throat loudly to let them know that she and the squad had been kept waiting quite long enough.
‘Aha, Professor Perdu,’ said one of the Minders, eventually glancing up. ‘Sorry to keep you waiting.’ He smiled mechanically and pointed to a lone chair in front of the table. ‘Do be seated.’
‘I’ll stand, thank you.’
‘But I insist,’ he said, still smiling. ‘Please. Sit.’
‘And I also insist,’ the professor replied, holding the man’s gaze. ‘I can hardly accept your offer and leave the members of Omega Squad standing. They’ve had a most challenging day, you understand.’
The Minder’s smile stiffened and he began rubbing his hands together as if washing them.
‘Of course,’ he said, his voice several degrees colder. ‘In that case we’ll get down to business.’ He turned to his partner. ‘My colleague will explain.’
Minder 2 was also smiling in the same perfunctory way and washing his hands, as if the pair were a kind of double act.
‘How nice to see you, Professor,’ he said in a syrupy voice. ‘There are three main matters we need to raise with you. All involve the breakage of rules.’
The squad members noticed the professor pull back her shoulders. ‘I can explain,’ she said. But Minder 2 cut her off at once.
‘Rules!’ he shouted, banging his fist on the table. ‘All involve the breakage of rules!’ he repeated.
His smile still hung in place but now there was also a nervous quiver at the edge of his lips.
The three Battle Agents glanced furtively at each other. This was serious.
SEVEN
After a short pause, Minder 2 continued.
‘To begin with, our records show that Battle Agent 009 was driven home last night by Battle Agent 004.’
‘As I attempted to say, I can explain that,’ said the professor.
‘I haven’t finished,’ Minder 2 continued, his smile tightening. ‘Our records also show that Agent 005 was driven home by Agent 004 as well.’
‘Yes, but you see —’
‘Rule 35,’ Minder 1 interrupted. ‘No fraternising between Battle Agents outside the CIS.’
And before Professor Perdu could reply, Minder 2 spoke again.
‘Secondly, we have evidence that Battle Agent 005 was wearing his Simulation Skin in public this morning – a clear breach of Rule 17 – and that he made use of both Boot Booster and HoverVest facilities in a wholly recreational manner.’
‘Okay, yes. He did, and I’ve reprimanded him. But the behaviour of your men was —’
‘Our men?’ Minder 1 cut in. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘Your men. The ones who were tailing BA005 in a van, and then almost ran him down.’
‘Impossible,’ Minder 2 insisted. ‘There must be some mistake.’
‘We have their faces.’ Professor Perdu held up a small DataBlok. ‘If you care to check. The images are close-up and very identifiable. I’m sure you’ll recognise them.’
The two grey men were barely able to hide their annoyance at this. They kept smiling, but Minder 1 also developed a nervous tick and his colleague began drumming his fingers on the table.
‘Thank you, Professor,’ Minder 1 said, reaching for the DataBlok. ‘We will certainly look into the matter. I’m sure there is a simple explanation.’
‘I hope so,’ the professor said as she handed over the tiny data device. ‘And I have a copy, of course.’
‘Of course,’ Minder 1 replied, the tick becoming more pronounced. ‘But you must realise that this inquiry is about you and your squad, Professor, no-one else.’
‘And on that note,’ said Minder 2, ‘it is the third breach of rules that we find especially disturbing.’ He stopped drumming his fingers. ‘Yesterday Omega Squad travelled across Futura in an unauthorised vehicle, driven by an unauthorised driver – flagrant contravention of Rules 17, 35 and 42, and possible infringement of 71.’
‘I authorised that,’ said the professor. ‘We had a potential disaster on our hands. We could have lost Battle Agent 004. I could not leave my control panel. The squad had—’
‘Rules 17, 35 and 42, Professor!’ the Minder raised his voice. ‘Plus possible —’
‘Yes, I know. Plus possible infringement of 71,’ the professor snapped back, her face reddening. ‘But this was an emergency. Arguably, a matter of life and death.’
‘Life and death, Professor? Isn’t that a little melodramatic?’
‘No. Yesterday Battle Agents 005 and 009 took matters into their own hands because there was no alternative. Yes, they broke the rules. But the situation dic
tated it. I’m convinced that what they did saved the life of Battle Agent 004. If a few rules had to be broken to achieve that, then it was worth it!’
The Minders stared at the professor as though she had just uttered a blasphemy. Then they glanced at each other and allowed themselves the faintest flicker of triumph. They had more than enough; the professor had not only admitted the guilt of her squad but had also effectively incriminated herself. They scribbled a few notes, and nodded to Dr Vandakrol.
The doctor stood and clapped slowly.
‘Your enthusiasm and dedication is commendable, Professor Perdu,’ he said. ‘But do be careful. Excessive enthusiasm and blind dedication can lead to errors of judgement. And we feel that that is exactly what has happened here. You and your squad have made several serious errors of judgement.’
‘I disagree, Dr Van —’
‘Quiet please! We know that you have been working long hours, Professor Perdu. Clearly this is impacting negatively on your decision making.’
‘Nonsense. I —’
‘Add to that the disappointing performance of your Time Troopers.’
‘What!’
‘Which you have tried to conceal from us.’
‘Now just hang on a minute.’
‘And taking all that into account, I must inform you that we have no choice but to suspend Omega Squad from further Master Mission duties.’
‘You can’t do that, Dr Vandakrol.’
‘We can and we have,’ the doctor added as the Minders nodded.
‘My squad do not deserve to be suspended,’ said the professor. ‘And there’s something much more important at stake. Only this morning we discovered a major security breach – history hackers have been stealing —’
‘Yes, Professor, we know all about the body snatching.’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘We’ve known for a while.’
‘You have? Why wasn’t I informed?’
‘Security reasons, of course. Something this major had to be kept under wraps. And, as I said, your string of performance lapses, combined with those of your squad, meant that we had to leave you out of the loop, so to speak. The risk was too great.’
History Hackers Page 3