‘Then act like one.’
He looked away. ‘I don’t think I know how.’
‘Well, as a first step it would be okay to just do what I ask.’
‘But it feels wrong.’
‘Do it for me.’
‘Or what?’
‘Or I’ll tell Delia you were behaving like a complete dick and had to be left out of the fight.’
At Delia’s name he brought his gaze back to her. ‘That’s not nice.’
‘I’m trying to rescue my friend, and the girls who have been kidnapped. I need your help. I don’t need someone who’s going to behave like an idiot every time there’s a decision he doesn’t like.’
They went back to the car and Dog climbed into the back with Jason.
Chloe sat in the front, although it was very awkward and she had to place herself sideways so as not to put too much pressure on her wings.
The car crawled away from the curb. Chloe glanced back at her aunt and uncle looking out from the upstairs window. She gave them a little wave. She hoped she would see them again but she had a sinking feeling that this might well be the last time.
And that made her think of her parents. They were in quarantine. None of her friends had ever described what it was like. They didn’t want to talk and she respected that.
Then she stopped. No, that wasn’t true; she had to be honest with herself at the very least. They might not have wanted to talk about it but she didn’t know that was true. Because she had never asked. She had been so certain of herself, so sure she wanted to join the Purity that she didn’t want to hear anything that might put it in a bad light.
Which meant that she knew, in her heart, that there was something bad to hear. Regardless of what she might have wanted to believe, the Purity was not the perfection she had looked for. And Utopia Genetics was not the force for good everyone thought.
‘Where are we going?’ she asked.
‘Utopia Genetics,’ said Mitchell. There was a low growl from Dog. ‘That’s where your friend is being held.’
‘How are we going to get in?’
‘I have someone working on that.’
The screen in the centre of the dashboard lit up. There was a face, clearly a fabrication rather than the real thing.
‘Pleased to make your acquaintance, Chloe Dark.’
‘This is Lament, police wirehead.’
She stared. A real wirehead. Not real, since this wasn’t him, but he was here and talking to them.
‘Lament?’
‘It was chosen for me, but I like it. Do you?’
‘It seems a bit ... strange.’
‘I am named for the song, a lament for someone or something lost. Not for the action of being regretful.’
‘Did you lose something?’
‘That’s a secret.’
‘I’m not really sure I care,’ she said. ‘How are you going to get us in to the building? Do you hold the keys to the castle?’
‘You might say I do.’
‘Don’t you have to be honest and logical or something?’
‘Why? I do have a certain duty to the police force that I serve and I try to do that to the best of my ability,’ he said. ‘But you are not a member of the force so I can lie to you as much as I please.’
‘And,’ said Mitchell, ‘he’s helping us even though the case has been ordered closed.’
‘The security to the Utopia Genetics tower is handled by Mercedes Smith’s wirehead who goes by the name of Xec.’
‘Another wirehead?’ said Chloe. ‘How can we get past that?’
‘If you didn’t interrupt, I would explain.’
‘Sorry.’
‘I have discovered a way that I can keep him unaware of our activities, at least for a while. And you should be able to gain entry to the building since none of the alarm systems will be set off.’
‘When will that start?’
‘It’s happening right now.’
‘When will he notice?’
‘I have no idea,’ said Lament. ‘We can’t stop him from acting, but we can prevent him from responding to an incident. There may come a point when he realises he is being blocked and at that moment I really cannot say what will happen.’
The journey from the Voglers’ house to the Utopia Genetics tower took twenty-five minutes. And after Lament had given them his briefing they all went quiet. As they entered the city centre Mitchell took out his gun and checked it.
The sight of it made Chloe nervous and there was another low growl from Dog.
She hoped he would behave himself.
Chapter 20
Mitchell
He pulled his coat collar tighter and his hat down. The sky was clear and the little heat left in the day leaked away into space. Light pollution was no longer a problem in the cities and the stars were bright and crisp. You could even see the Milky Way if you chose to look up.
He kept his eyes on the snow, avoiding the ice and walking with the slow deliberate pace of someone who did not want to fall.
Light streamed from the foyer of the Utopia Genetics building. They had their own generator and money to burn. Lament had insisted that once they were inside he would be able to direct them to the correct floor.
Then there had been the argument with Chloe. Another argument with the girl. She had her own ideas about how to get in and suggested a double-pronged attack. He had put up some resistance to the idea but she wasn’t wrong. If Lament’s scheme failed too soon they could all be trapped. So he had agreed.
He had wondered at his own reaction to Jason Lomax. The ghost of the city. Or the demon. He didn’t think the boy knew he had a reputation. The creature that lurked near the Southern Cemetery. Most people—including Mitchell himself—had doubted that the creature with the monstrous face even existed. But there had been sightings over the years. And here he was. His existence lent further proof of the fact that these freaks were not S.I.D. Jason would have been long dead if he had been a real infectee.
No, he had been made, just like Dog and Chloe. And the kidnapped girls.
The doors into the building opened for him and he strolled up to the night receptionist. He wore a suit and sat behind a rank of monitors—visuals covering the lobby and some of the exterior. Dog had already seen them and made sure he and Jason were hidden as Mitchell approached.
‘What can I do for you, DI Mitchell?’ said the man climbing to his feet.
‘Good evening—’ Mitchell peered at his name badge ‘—Jeremy. This is a little bit awkward but I’m still investigating the kidnappings of the three girls.’
He undid his coat in a slow and deliberate way.
‘And it’s come to my attention there is a good chance they are in this building.’ He pulled out his gun and pointed it at the man. ‘So I need you to step away from the controls otherwise I may be forced to shoot you. And I really don’t want to do that.’
Mitchell gave the man credit for his bravery as he reached under the console and hit a button. Mitchell used the burner he pulled from his other pocket. And Jeremy fell to the floor, twitching a little.
‘Sorry, Jeremy.’
He stepped round the back of the desk and immobilised him with plastic ties. Gags were not part of standard police equipment so he had to sacrifice a handkerchief to the greater good, and stuffed it into the receptionist’s mouth.
He stood up and saw Jason and Dog standing on the other side of the door—for them it remained closed. Even if they had had riffies they would have remained outside. As it was, the doors did not even know they were there.
Mitchell scanned the controls. Everything was carefully labelled and he threw the one to open the outside door. It responded and the two came through. The way Jason moved was unnerving in its smoothness. It was as if every motion had been calculated to perfection and he did not exert any amount of energy greater than he needed. He moved silently.
Dog, however, was in a completely different category. Not silent at all. He still
looked at Mitchell with an expression of dislike and distrust.
The fact the doors had opened strongly suggested that Lament’s plan was working. Jason was carrying the tablet and he handed it to Mitchell.
‘We’re in.’
Lament’s face materialised. ‘There has been no indication of any alarm, so the situation seems to be under control, for now.’
‘That’s all very well but we can hardly search the place from top to bottom.’
‘I am in the process of getting the information you need.’
‘Great.’ Mitchell looked around. ‘So we’re supposed to wait here until you’ve managed it?’
‘You could start searching,’ said Lament. ‘You might find them before my contact comes through.’
‘And there I was thinking we had a plan.’
Lament’s face faded to grey.
‘Which way is the loading bay?’ said Dog suddenly.
‘Why?’
‘Because both Jason and I have smelled the girls before; if we can get their scent we can just follow the trail until we find them.’
Mitchell nodded and examined the monitor controls in front of him. He could see a camera focused on what looked like a loading area, it was just a question of figuring out where it was.
Chapter 21
Yates
He looked at Ria sitting up in the bed and took a moment to admire her tits. She was put together very well, enough of everything but not too much. Then he pulled himself together and collected his scattered clothes.
‘What the fuck are you doing?’
‘Duty calls.’
‘You’re not on duty, Harry,’ she said. ‘Someone else can do it.’
He stopped in the middle of putting on a sock. ‘Look, Ria, love, I’m sorry. I have to do this, and no, no one else can do it.’
‘A woman has needs, Harry.’
He grinned. ‘I love your needs. Truly.’
‘What’s more important than my needs when we’re both on holiday?’
‘I can’t tell you.’
‘You’re protecting me.’
He said nothing and continued to dress.
‘That’s sweet of you.’
‘There’s nothing sweet about it, just being practical. No reason you should get into trouble over this.’
‘Mitchell’s still going after those girls, isn’t he?’
He pointedly said nothing.
‘And he needs your help to find them. So you’re going,’ she said and got down from the bed and padded over to him in her bare feet. He could smell her. Feel the heat from her skin. ‘You’re a good friend, Harry.’
She began to put her clothes on as well.
‘You can stay here,’ he said. ‘I’ll be back later.’
‘No way, matey boy. You want me to go mad with unfulfilled lust while you’re away?’
‘You can fulfil your own lust.’
‘Not the same,’ she said. ‘So not the same. No, Harry, I’ll come with.’
He had been doing up his shirt but he stopped again. ‘No way.’
‘Yes way.’
‘Look, it’ll be dangerous and if it goes pear-shaped I’ll be out on my ear. No reason for you to risk yourself as well.’ He watched with a sad longing as her breasts disappeared inside her bra.
‘Do me up.’
‘And if I don’t?’
‘I’ll just do it myself. Come on, Harry. I like my job but endless DNA checks, dead bodies and fingerprints gets boring. Just think how good the sex will be if we get away with it.’
‘No.’
‘I could be useful,’ she said. ‘I’m more than just a petite brunette with a sexy body, I have a witty and incisive mind as well.’
‘I know.’
‘And that’s why you like to fuck me,’ she said. ‘For my mind.’
He laughed. ‘You’re not going to shut up, are you?’
‘Not if it means you leaving me behind. And if you try it, I’ll just follow you.’
‘Fine.’
‘What?’
‘Yes, okay.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes.’
‘Excellent.’
He climbed into the back of the car with Ria. As it pulled away the screen flashed on.
‘Good evening, Miss MacDonald.’
‘Hey, Lament.’
‘I am sorry to interfere with your plans for the evening. Unfortunately the matter is quite pressing.’
‘I got that.’
‘What’s this stuff?’ said Yates, interrupting and picking up a gun-like device with a large eyepiece and camera attachment.
‘Oh, you’ve got an infra-red scanner. Neat.’
‘Yes,’ said Lament. ‘I will be dropping you off in the northern quarter. You’ll need to get as much height as you can and then scan the Utopia Genetics building. Apart from Mercedes Smith’s penthouse and the lower floors it is mostly unused. We’re looking for heat traces somewhere in the building where they should not be.’
‘That’s pretty vague,’ said Yates.
‘It’s the best I can do,’ said Lament. ‘When you’ve found the floor I will inform Mitchell’s team and they will go in.
‘Team?’ said Yates. ‘I thought I was his team.’
‘He has some irregular deputies for this operation.’
‘These new freaks?’ said Ria.
‘I don’t really want to say.’
‘That’s as good as a yes,’ she said. ‘And we’re in this up to our necks, what’s another few inches of shit?’
‘Enough to drown in,’ said Yates.
‘Smart-arse,’ said Ria.
‘I know.’
She punched him in the arm.
‘Chloe Dark and two others,’ said Lament. ‘One known as Dog—’
‘Dog?’ said Yates. ‘That little shit?’
‘Canine DNA, very appropriate name,’ said Ria. ‘And the other is the one with the shoe? I couldn’t identify that one except it’s some form of rodent.’
‘Jason Lomax, he has a severely deformed nose.’
‘Wait, he’s related to Ellen Lomax?’
‘I forgot you didn’t know,’ said Lament.
‘Whoever did this was a fucking genius,’ said Ria. ‘The joins were seamless. I’d really like to see those freaks in the flesh.’
‘No way,’ said Yates. ‘We find the floor and then we get out.’
‘You’re no fun at all.’
‘We’re here,’ said Lament as the car pulled up in a snowy back alley.
‘What’s the best building?’
‘Debenhams.’
‘We always seem to come back here.’
‘Fate,’ said Lament.
Chapter 22
Chloe
She pulled the gloves she had borrowed from her aunt from her pocket. They were leather but flexible. Thick enough to keep the worst of the cold out, but thin enough for her to be able to feel what she was doing.
Mitchell had said she was nuts when she first suggested it but he had come around.
The lower levels of the Utopia Genetics building were slimmer than the upper ones by a good ten to twenty feet, as the building curved upwards in its distinctive impression of a DNA double helix. If she had been intending to climb the sheer face of a skyscraper with flat glass walls in these temperatures then she might have considered his disagreement valid, but the shape of the building meant the climb was not vertical, it was like going up a very steep ramp that curved round the building.
Assuming she could get up to it. The first hundred feet of the tower was exactly the flat vertical glass she did not want to climb.
On the other side of the street was another building, nowhere near the height of this one but it would give her the starting height she needed. She glanced around and couldn’t see anyone. She rapped on the metal of the car and the sounds gave her an overlay with sharper edges and flat surfaces. Still nobody in the area.
She hurried across the road and into the
alley beside it. There was a fire escape and she leapt the first three floors. Crusted ice and frost broke away as she caught hold of the railing. The cold seeped through the gloves to her skin. The vibration of her landing made the metal thrum and she got a clear picture of the levels up from where she was.
It was hard to go straight up from here, unless she leapt floor by floor. Instead she launched herself up and across to the opposite building. The surface was brick-work, no windows or metal—except for the guttering near the corner. She simply used the wall to immediately leap back to the fire escape. And she had gained another forty feet. She repeated the action and landed on the roof. Her feet slipped on frozen puddles.
She turned to face the enormous building spiralling up and away from her.
The start of the curving part of the building was still higher than she was but she thought she could make it. She knew she was in a hurry but if she got this wrong she would end up having to do it all over again. Assuming she didn’t hit her head.
She gave a short laugh. Perhaps braining herself against the wall might bring her to her senses. She snapped her fingers, forgetting she was wearing gloves. The quiet muffled thud that resulted failed to reveal anything of her surroundings. She moved across the surface slowly until she found a ventilation duct. She tapped it and the booming lit up the area. She could clearly see the wall around the edge of the roof, the other ducts and old chimneys. What it didn’t do was reveal the state of the roof itself. It seemed to be slick with ice covered by a frosting of snow. She didn’t know how much speed she was going to be able to achieve before reaching the wall.
She needed grips on her shoes. Or skates. Hindsight was twenty-twenty.
Moving back so that she had the longest straight run up she could achieve, she pushed off. With the delicacy of a ballet dancer she placed her feet as best she could and dug in, trying to get more speed with each step, and bounded across the surface.
Because each step grew longer it took her only five giant strides to reach the far side. For a moment she wasn’t sure if she had judged it right and would end up simply going over the edge into the middle of the street. But she had.
As she hit the far wall she let both knees bend and then thrust full strength as her weight went over. She went up like a firework in a long arc. Once more she tried to flatten herself out, and her wings pressed against the inside of her coat. Something ripped.
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