by Tony Batton
"Even so, did he not consider that it was a two-way street? An interface is two things coming together and affecting each other. But Marron just seems interested in Tom controlling the computer. Did he – did you – ever stop to think how it might affect him?"
Lentz sighed. "I never chose him for this."
"But it was always going to be someone. Going down this path made it inevitable."
Lentz shrugged. "Speaking of inevitability..."
They stared at the counter. It was approaching fourteen minutes.
ONE HUNDRED
MARRON MARCHED INTO HIS LEVEL 88 command centre, closing the door after Alex had followed him in.
"You're actually going to leave them up there?" she said. "With the bomb? I didn't think you really would."
"Going soft on me?"
Alex scowled. "Lentz might have some uses, especially now our scientists are dropping like flies."
"We can replace them."
"Not with people like Lentz."
"In most ways that's a good thing." Marron scratched his nose. "She would never have been our scientist. Now we need to get out of here."
Alex picked at a fingernail. "I promised the journalist I would kill her."
"Oh she's going to die. But so will we if we don't get further away." Marron walked over to a section of wall and typed a long string of numbers into a control panel. The panel hissed and swung out, revealing a large wire-frame cradle-cage. "Your chariot."
Alex walked forward and looked down. "Have you actually tested it?"
"No time like the present."
◇ ◇ ◇
Marron and Alex's cage dropped in near free-fall down the fitted tracks, far faster than the turbo lifts and considerably less comfortably. As it dropped below ground level it slowed, curving sideways until it was travelling horizontally along a tunnel no longer shown on any plans.
Finally, the cage glided to a halt in a small dimly-lit room. The floor dropped away just beyond the tracks, water glinting darkly a few feet below. Marron and Alex released their harnesses and started putting on wetsuits and scuba-gear from a box by the end of the tracks. They placed their electronics in watertight containers and sealed them shut.
Marron turned to the two small submersibles docked just below where they were standing. "Ready to get out of here?" He reached into his bag and withdrew a control board. They climbed into the narrow confines of the submersible on the left and Marron plugged the control board into the dash. With a surge, the motor started and Marron directed the craft into a long metal tunnel leading out into the Thames. From there they turned east and, staying close to the river-bottom, they chugged towards the ocean. As getaway vehicles went it was pretty slow, but it did the job.
"You left the other sub?" asked Alex.
"It will be destroyed when the Tower comes down," replied Marron.
"Can we tell when the bomb goes off?" asked Alex.
"We'll miss the fireworks down here. On the off-chance that the military are minded to start sweeping the area, I've gone dark with almost every instrument."
"Shame."
"Be patient. We can watch a recording at our destination."
"You checked the Thames Barrier is open?"
Marron smiled. "Do you honestly think I didn't plan for that?"
They leaned back in their seats as the craft methodically made its way out to sea. They stopped just once to make one essential call on the radio: a tight, point-to-point, beam transmission with a maximum potential audience of one.
Twenty kilometres out in the English Channel, a luxury yacht received a call for assistance.
ONE HUNDRED ONE
"I HAVE AN IDEA," KATE said suddenly. "We need to get a signal to the other helicopter: the one that shot down Leskov."
"I'm sure they'll turn up here – though maybe not quickly enough."
"Someone must be monitoring this roof." Kate stretched forwards and kicked the side panelling of the lift. It boomed loudly. "Let's just make some noise. Know Morse code? All I know is SOS."
"Anything wrong with SOS?"
"I was thinking something more specific, from your MI5 days."
Lentz smiled. "Good point." She started kicking.
◇ ◇ ◇
The helicopter landed three minutes later. Six armed figures clad in black emerged, weapons drawn. The first shone a torch at Lentz and Kate.
"Who the hell are you?" he demanded. "Identify."
"Former Security Service agent Dominique Lentz," shouted Lentz. "Identify yourself."
"Special Air Service Commander Jonas."
"Well Commander Jonas, there's an explosive device on a timer just over there."
Jonas turned and stared at the display. It read eleven minutes remaining. "Do you have the code?"
"The only person who did was in the helicopter that you just shot down."
"Untie them." Jonas tapped his earpiece and turned away, speaking in clipped tones. One of the other men cut through the ties on Lentz and Kate and they stood, stretching stiffly. Jonas cleared his throat. "We're to evacuate."
"We're not going to try to defuse it?" Kate asked.
"No time for our specialist to get here. Now get on board."
The pilot called out. "The building is asking for a code?"
"What do you mean the building?"
"An automated system has tapped into my comms. It says I have ten seconds to respond."
"Or what?" Jonas turned to Lentz. "What is going on?"
"This is a highly-computerised facility," Lentz replied. "It may have systems that supervise the use of the helipad."
"Time's up," the pilot called.
A series of rods emerged from the rooftop and rose smoothly in a circle around the helicopter, rising inside the rotors' turning radius. The pilot leaped out and began pushing at one of the rods. "Reinforced steel. I can't take off with this here."
"Then we'll cut through it."
"Not enough time."
"How big is the bomb?" asked Jonas. "Any idea of its yield?"
Lentz frowned. "Leskov said it would take out a couple of floors, but the building's structure will hold."
"Actually I think the explosion will be bigger than that," Kate said. She pointed at one of the grey drums.
Lentz walked over and stared at it. She frowned and sniffed deeply. "It's TNT. How did you know?"
"I studied chemistry. But why would someone store TNT on the roof of an office building?"
"Because they knew there'd be a bomb here and wanted to massively increase the yield of the explosion. It'll still only take out the top third of the building," Lentz said. "But the collapse will take the remaining two thirds with it."
"Can we move the drums?"
"I should think they weigh at least 250kg each and there are perhaps fifty of them. We don't have enough time."
"Do we have any chance of disarming it?"
"The code had more than 15 digits, so we can forget trying to guess it. And I expect the device will have a number of anti-tamper measures."
"Can we move it?"
"Movement sensors would be among the most likely anti-tamper measures."
Jonas looked around. "Where is Marron now? Perhaps we can make him talk."
"He left the roof several minutes ago. He may no longer be in the building."
Jonas stared at the display. It now read 9:28. There was a sudden squawk from his radio. He tapped his earpiece and spoke quickly, then he turned to the group, his eyes bright. "We have ground forces in the vicinity. They just intercepted a man landing a parachute in the building forecourt - his name is Tom Faraday and he says he needs to get back to this rooftop to input a certain code."
◇ ◇ ◇
Five minutes later a small helicopter hovered awkwardly at the edge of the roof, while Tom slid down a rope. His eyes locked on the digital countdown and he swallowed.
4:22...
"Why didn't they take anyone away?" asked Lentz, glaring at Jonas as she gestured
towards the new helicopter.
The Commander put his hands on his hips. "It's a support chopper, so there's no hoist or winch on board. Getting people up would be hazardous. Anyway, it can only take two passengers and there are eight of us." He nodded at Tom. "Nine now."
"Better two of us live than none."
"I'm hoping everyone gets to live," Tom said, as he dropped to his knees next to the bomb. Kate ran to his side and he felt her hands on his arm and shoulder.
"I can't believe you're still alive," she said.
"I'm not quite sure I believe it either." He felt an odd tingling as one of her fingertips brushed his neck. "Are you OK? What did Marron do to you?" He glared at the bomb.
"What are you waiting for?" Lentz hissed. "Put in the code."
"I don't know it."
"What?" Jonas demanded.
"Ssh. I need to listen." He brushed his fingers slowly over each key in turn. Each emitted a beep with a slightly different tone. "I heard Leskov punching in the code," Tom explained.
"And you're going to remember all fifteen digits like that? You'll blow us all to kingdom come unless you've got some sort of eidetic memory," Jonas said.
"It's 20 digits, actually," Tom corrected him. He opened his eyes and started pressing buttons before Jonas could reply. He finished the sequence and waited.
Nothing happened.
Tom turned to Lentz, eyes wide. "I got it right. I know I did."
She knelt down and examined the keypad. "There's what looks like an 'enter' button." She pressed it. There was no sound. "That's why you didn't recall it."
The counter paused on three minutes then the numbers vanished.
A line of text scrolled across the screen.
ARMING CODE RE-ENTERED. TWO MINUTES REMOVED FROM COUNTDOWN.
The text blinked then vanished and the counter reappeared, set at one minute. It flashed then continued counting down.
"Oh crap," Kate said, gritting her teeth. "Maybe don't do that again."
Tom hit his head with his open palms. "How could I be so stupid? To assume that the same code would disarm it." He looked up at the night sky. To fail now simply was not acceptable.
"Tom. You're not wearing the collar," Lentz said.
"Marron took it away from me."
"But how did you remember the code?"
"I never needed the collar to remember stuff. It was when I wanted to connect that..." He trailed off, remembering the ejector seat, the parachute and the electronic release. He had somehow activated them. He moved his head next to the box, staring at the numbers, trying to reach out. It wasn't like when he had the collar and was plugged into the network; then, the building system was effectively a supercomputer, whereas now he was trying to interface with something that had the processing power of a pocket calculator. But he could still do it. He had to do it. He wasn't going to let them all down.
His mind reached out. He felt the circuits in the device. He could almost see the code flowing through them. This thing had rules. This thing had laws. He could understand how it operated: how he might bend its rules to his advantage. He looked at the steady countdown. And he began talking to the bomb.
Stop. Now.
The device bleeped. The numbers stuck on 0:05 then vanished. A message scrolled across the screen.
DEVICE DISARMED.
There were cheers and shrieks of delight from all around him, but Tom was only vaguely aware of it all as exhaustion took him.
ONE HUNDRED TWO
TOM WOKE FEELING DIFFERENT. HE was lying on a hospital bed, but in a room that looked like a science lab. Lentz was looking down at him, concern on her face.
"I'm hungry," he said.
Lentz snorted. "Not the first words I expected you to say, but I guess it means you're doing OK." She pulled a chocolate bar from her pocket.
He took it from her, tearing off the wrapper. "How long have I been out?"
"Just an hour. We're still at the Tower." She glanced over her shoulder at two SAS guards standing either side of the door. "The big problem is that the SAS saw you defuse the bomb. They know that you either used the interface to stop it or you already knew the code. Both possibilities have set them thinking."
"They know about the interface?"
"So it seems."
Tom frowned. "Where's Kate?"
"She's being accommodated on the floor below. She's... been through a lot."
"I want to see her."
"I know, but there are government people here rather keen to talk to you."
"To thank me for saving everyone?"
"Not exactly." She leaned closer, dropping her voice to a whisper. "I don't think they know whether they should arrest you or give you a medal."
"Arrest me?" He sat up in bed. "Why?"
"As I said, your diffusing the bomb has got them thinking. Which is a problem." She looked down at her phone. "I ran a quick scan. The nanites have spread throughout your body. They're not just in your blood: they're everywhere. Heck, if you spat they'd be in your saliva."
Tom swung his legs off the bed. "What difference does that make?"
"Once they begin studying you and see what's in your head, what's in your body – not to mention what you can do – they're never going to stop. They might decide to disappear you to some laboratory."
There was a cough from the doorway. Jonas stood there. "If Tom is awake, the Director would like a word."
"She's actually here? In person?" Lentz looked at Tom. "Are you up to this?"
Tom nodded. "Let's get it over with."
ONE HUNDRED THREE
TOM AND LENTZ WALKED INTO CERUS's Level 90 boardroom. A severe-looking woman in an immaculate grey suit sat flanked by bodyguards. Two other agents stood in the corners of the room.
Lentz folded her arms. "Stephanie. It's been a while."
The woman did not smile. "You're looking well, Dominique. Particularly since you're dead."
"You know each other?" Tom asked.
"We worked together in another life," Lentz said. "This is Stephanie Reems. When I last knew her, she was one of the youngest ops managers in MI5 history. Now, she's the Director."
"We can catch up on our careers later. How did Tom deactivate the bomb?"
Tom smiled. "I got lucky."
"That's lucky enough to win three consecutive lottery jackpots, even before we consider that the black ops team said the device did not respond to the code you entered."
"How about focusing on the actual bad guy," Tom said. "Peter Marron."
Reems' left eye flickered. "We'll have him and his daughter soon. This building is a finite area."
"Actually," Tom said, "it's a finite volume, but Marron believed the Tower was going to blow up. He'll be long gone."
Reems placed her hands on the table. "We have the entire building cordoned off and locked down. Stop worrying about Marron and focus on your own situation." She leaned forwards. "Dominique, you know how this works. You help us, we help you. Both of you. We want your unqualified cooperation. We need to understand Tantalus."
"And what if," Tom said, "we don't cooperate?"
"Don't underestimate the importance of this project to the British Government."
Tom leaned forward. "I'm confused. Don't you normally shut down CERUS projects?"
"There's a lot I can do in the name of national security. I have leeway to circumvent usual legal process." Her gaze became more intense. "Most of those involved in the development of this technology have died in the last few days. Those who remain are expected to be forthcoming."
Lentz frowned. "You don't have the data, do you? What did Marron do? Hide everything?"
"You," Reems said, "clearly know where it is."
"If I did, why would I want to give it to you?" She paused. "If I did."
Tom looked at Lentz and said pointedly, "There's no reason not to cooperate: we're on the same side here. We have to trust them, just like I trusted you the very first time I met you."
Lentz's e
yes flickered. "All I'm concerned about is your well-being. It's up to you Tom. You have to do what you think is best."
Tom turned to Reems. "I know where CERUS keeps the project data. I can show it to you."
ONE HUNDRED FOUR
BERN'S YACHT WAS HOLDING POSITION in the English Channel. Now known as the Phoenix, it looked very different from when it had been docked in Monaco. Along with a different name, it had completely changed its external livery and internal colour scheme. Instead of an ostentatious rich-man's play thing, it was now a floating command centre.
Marron and Alex's underwater cruiser docked quietly at the rear of the craft and they climbed out, greeted by the yacht's crew. They changed out of their wetsuits and into casual clothes. On the top deck, Marron opened a bottle of champagne and poured two glasses, handing one to Alex. "To evolution," he said.
"To winning," she replied.
"Did you record the explosion?" he asked one of the crewmen.
"Explosion, Sir?"
"On the television. The CERUS Tower explosion."
The crewman looked at him blankly. "I'm sorry, Sir, I don't understand."
Marron's eyes narrowed and he put down his glass. "Get me a computer." He tuned through every major news channel. There was nothing. "It should have happened thirty minutes ago. The whole world should know by now. Somehow they stopped the bomb."
"Could it have been a fault?" asked Alex.
Marron shook his head. "With Leskov? Unlikely in the extreme."
"Then someone entered the disarm code."
Marron swore. "Dammit, I have to see." He typed in a long sequence of numbers and a grainy image appeared on the screen. CERUS Tower was lit up against the night sky.
"Where's that coming from?" asked Alex.
"Live feed from one of my CCTV cameras on the building opposite." Marron closed his eyes, rubbing his fingers over his forehead. "I'm sure they're busy at the Tower, looking for answers, but I'd rather not take chances. He'd better get here soon."