Information Cloud: Science fiction and fantasy series (Tales of Cinnamon City Book 1)

by Peter James West

  'Was that you, Lisa?'

  Lisa smiled and shook her head.

  'Do you have a torch under the covers?'

  'No, silly.'

  Annie lifted the bed sheets and looked underneath. Lisa's thin legs extended just beyond the hem of her night dress. She held Puggles in her arms. There was no sign of any torch. Annie pulled the bed sheet back into place. Sometimes strange things happened around Lisa. She tried not to think about them too much.

  'Annie...'

  'Yes, honey.'

  'Mommy will come to my birthday party, won't she?'

  'Yes, of course she will.'

  'Promise?'

  'I hope she will, Lisa. I know she had to work for your last birthday, but I'm sure she'll be able to come this time. She has a difficult job, that's all. Sometimes Central Command need your mommy at short notice.'

  Lisa frowned, 'Will daddy come too?'

  'I don't know, honey. You'll have to ask your mummy about that.'

  'He's making me a flower.'

  'That's nice, dear.'

  'I want daddy to come.'

  'I know, honey. We'll see what we can do.'

  The bedroom's thick blinds couldn't block the bright lights of Security Forces as they banged around outside. Rain drummed against the windows with a persistent rhythm. Annie strained her ears, trying to listen to the events below. Cage Carriers came and went every few minutes but she couldn't work out what was happening outside. She wanted to get up and peer out of the window again, but it would only make Lisa worry. Maybe she should try to sleep again? She just wished she could get through to Rachel on the comms unit.

  Jane from the apartment next door had said that all communication channels had been shut down as part of a combat operation that was in progress at the Mekinet News building. Jane always seemed to know what was going on, even though Annie was the one with friends in the Security Forces.

  Annie's eyelids grew heavy as she listened to the rain and watched the shapes dancing across the ceiling. There wasn't much else that she could do.

  Coming Home

  Cinnamon City appeared on the horizon. The White Spear stood proud at the centre of Central Command with the six black towers circling around it. The black towers were only two-thirds of the White Spear's height, but together the towers dominated the skyline.

  Central Command was still far away. Rachel wanted to see Lisa before she reported back to Admiral Gail Thompson. She had a feeling she might not get a chance to speak to her daughter afterwards.

  As she approached the south side of the city, the Nimbus jump-pad passed over the Old Quarter. Rachel could see the jumbled mismatch of multicoloured box cabins below. Yellow light shone between the slats of their shuttered windows. The small stone buildings were home to the majority of Cinnamon City's civilian population. They were full of families, and merchants, as well as members of the various guilds. The box cabins had never been very spacious, but they did offer affordable housing for the masses.

  Rachel gazed down at the rooftops as the Nimbus jump-pad flew overhead. It hadn't been a very comfortable flight. Her head was aching, and she felt cold through to the bone. The heating system didn't work anymore. The jump-pad was full of bullet holes. She hadn't noticed them at first, but now the wind blew straight through the punctured outer armour, and rain dripped down from the cracked composite ceiling above. Whoever had used it last must have taken a lot of hostile fire. Rachel just hoped she would reach her destination before she froze to death.

  The jump-pad flew high over the city, sweeping anti-clockwise around the edge of the Old Quarter, heading just west of Central Command.

  Rachel tried calling her father but there was no answer. She had no doubt that he could take care of himself. His zest for business was second only to his power of self preservation. If there was trouble in the city, her father would be the one on top of the situation. It wasn't unusual for him to be away from home. She had already decided to send Lisa and Annie to her father's house. It would be safe there, on the outskirts of the city, far away from Trent and anything that he might be planning.

  The jump-pad shook, its small propulsion system rattling as it struggled against headwinds and swirling rain. Rachel pushed on towards Bennet Hill. In the distance, she could just make out the distinctive Mekinet News building with its huge, red logo emblazoned across the night sky. Her apartment was just across the street from it. Lisa would be there with Annie right now. Rachel checked how long she had been flying. Gail Thompson would be waiting for her. Maybe she would just have to wait a little longer.

  Unexpected Visitors

  The silent black shuttle car sped up the drive, turning towards the side of the house. It powered down its engines, coming to rest on its soft, buffered feet. When the rear hatch popped open, Timothy Raisson stepped out onto the crunchy gravel driveway in his designer suit. His jacket was a perfect fit for his well-toned body. He smiled, inhaling the cool night air as he stared up at the dark sky above. He didn't look at all out of place next to such an impressive mansion.

  The big white house towered above him, wooden shutters framing the windows on the upper level. Raisson jogged towards the back door of the house. An overhanging ledge provided shelter from the rain, allowing him to wipe a few small water droplets from his expensive suit using a white handkerchief that he pulled from his pocket.

  Once his suit was dry, he wiped his feet carefully on the doormat and glanced through a small window beside the door. The lights were on but he couldn't see any obvious shadows to indicate that anyone was inside. Turning the door handle, he pulled it towards him and found that the door wasn't locked. It swung open revealing an empty boot room inside. Houses with domestic staff often had poor security. People always thought they were safe as long as someone else was around. Raisson shook his head and smiled.

  Stepping inside, he passed through the boot room and walked down a narrow hallway that led to a vast hall beyond. Raisson lifted his head, taking a moment to appreciate the full splendour of a wide spiral staircase that led to the upper landing. The owner was clearly a man of exquisite taste. The house was silent except for the sounds of cooking at the far end of the hallway. The kitchen was at least twenty metres away but the aromas of fresh home cooking were still strong and clear. This was a house that didn't have a food synthesizer. The owner clearly had the wealth and influence to obtain fresh produce on demand.

  Raisson tilted his head to one side. The hall's wood-panelled walls were hung with an array of fine portrait paintings. On another day he might have paused to admire them one-by-one, but not today. Crossing the hall, he climbed the wide, curving staircase that led to the upper landing. Each step was deep enough for the longest of feet and covered in a thick red carpet that felt soft beneath his polished black shoes.

  A series of wooden doors led off from the landing to each side. Raisson paused at the top of the stairs before walking towards the nearest door. When he pushed it open and peered inside, he found that it was a rest room. He took the opportunity to relieve himself. The cold rain had that affect on him sometimes. He urinated against the side of the bowl, making sure not to make any splashing sounds, and then left the toilet unflushed. Feeling much relieved, he washed his hands in the small washbasin behind the door and returned to the landing outside.

  A small round window at the end of the upper landing flashed with lightning. A moment later, thunder rumbled through the house. It was a glorious night to attend to business.

  Raisson walked along the landing until he came to the next door. He tried the handle but it was locked. Shunting it inwards with one short barge of his shoulder, he split the door frame with the minimum of noise and let the door swing open. The hinge creaked until he stopped the door's motion with one hand.

  Inside, he found a spacious room with a wide mahogany bureau occupying the middle of the floor. It looked like an office, the kind of office that an important gentleman might have. The furniture was expensive. The carpet was thick and pl
ush. Raisson stepped over to the bureau and examined the drawers, forcing them open when necessary using a thin strip of metal that he pulled from his pocket. He rummaged through the drawers, pulling out any documents and giving them a cursory glance before tossing them onto the floor.

  Turning his head, he noticed a set of bookshelves against the wall. The shelves were ornate, made from a dark wood that he hadn't seen before. Stepping across the office, he examined each book in turn, flicking through its pages before tipping it onto the floor with the growing heap of paper behind him.

  'What are you doing?' It was a woman's voice. She sounded concerned.

  Raisson turned to face her with a smile. 'And you might be?'

  'I'm the housekeeper. Does Mr Neech know you're here?'

  The plump old woman looked at the splintered door frame with fresh concern in her eyes, and then glanced down at the pile of paper and books on the floor. She decided not to wait for an answer and sped out of the room, faster than Raisson had expected. He darted across the room and ran out onto the landing behind her. She was already halfway down the staircase, trotting in a wide arc towards the hallway below when Raisson pulled a silenced stun gun from his pocket and fired it across the intervening space.

  Twin darts embedded themselves in the housekeeper's back. She lost her footing as her muscles went into spasm. Raisson watched as her legs buckled, and she collapsed onto her stomach, her body undulating down the stairs until her head smashed into a marble post at the bottom. Her blood was only just visible on the thick red carpet, a darker hue of scarlet seeping outwards from a wound on her head.

  Nodding to himself, Raisson slipped the gun back in his pocket, and headed back towards Neech's office.

  Grandfather's House

  Rachel landed the Nimbus jump-pad a few streets away from her apartment building where it would be less noticeable by the Security Forces she had seen gathered around the Mekinet News building. It landed with a gentle thud on the dirt road, coming to a rest after its long journey. Rachel was please to be on the ground again, even if it was still raining. She jumped out of the side hatch and wiped her face and jacket with a cloth. She wanted to make herself a little more respectable for her daughter. It wouldn't go well if she turned up with blood on her jacket again. When she was sure she was all cleaned up, she set off walking at a brisk pace towards her apartment building.

  'Rachel! What's happening over the street?' Annie said as soon as she stepped into her apartment. 'Why are there so many soldiers outside?'

  Annie's words hung in the air as Rachel sped past her and lifted her sleepy daughter into her arms. She was getting heavy for a six-year-old, but not yet too heavy to hug.

  'Mommy!'

  'Hello, you. Are you okay?'

  'Yes, mommy. Annie let me stay in her bed. It's lumpy.'

  'Well, I'm sure you don't mind a few lumps,' Rachel lifted Lisa onto her hip and turned to face Annie who was looking through the steamed-up window down at the street below.

  'I didn't know you were coming,' Annie said.

  'Sorry, Annie. I would have told you sooner if I'd known what I was doing myself. Work has been difficult, as usual. I just decided at the last minute.'

  'What's happening out there? Is it something to do with the protesters? There was a crowd outside your father's building making a lot of noise a little while ago. They were causing a lot of trouble too. I think they've moved on now.'

  Rachel shook her head. She scrunched up her face, gesturing that she didn't want to talk about it in front of Lisa.

  Annie nodded, but her eyes said that she wanted to know more.

  Lisa twisted her Rachel's arms. 'Are those men your friends, mommy?'

  'Kind of. The ones in uniform work for the same organisation that I do. I need you to do something for me now, okay?'

  Lisa curled her sandy hair around her finger in contemplation.

  'I need you to go and get dressed. We're going on a trip.'

  Annie raised an eyebrow and checked her watch. It was close to eleven o'clock. Rain drummed against the window with renewed vigour. It was raining so hard that they would get soaked as soon as they left the apartment.

  'What's happening with the rain?' Annie said. 'I've never seen it like this.'

  Rachel shook her head. 'Something's gone wrong somewhere.'

  Lisa was staring with her mouth open, her arms hanging around Rachel's neck.

  'Run along now,' Rachel said. 'Get some of your toys. We'll be staying at grandpa's for a couple of days.'

  'Are the men coming too?'

  'No, honey. Just you and Annie.'

  'Are you coming, mommy?'

  'Soon, dear. I have to do something first.'

  Lisa started crying.

  'Annie, can you get her ready please. We have to leave in five minutes.'

  'So soon?'

  'Yes, I'm afraid so. I'll explain later.' Rachel passed the sobbing girl into Annie's outstretched arms. Lisa hugged her tight as the two of them went into the next room. Lisa got on well with Annie. Rachel was thankful for that. She couldn't be around much herself these days. Poor Lisa had to manage with nannies and grandparents far too often. At least she was loved. She knew that. Didn't she?

  Through the open window, she could hear raised voices arguing in the street below. Peering through the blind, she could just make out a man waving his arms in frustration. He was trying to get into the Mekinet News building but the soldiers wouldn't let him inside. All the windows were dark. It looked like the Security Forces had cut off the power. Rachel wondered what was going on over there. What was Thompson doing to her father's office building? Shutting down the power seemed like an overreaction if she just wanted to deal with a few delinquent droids.

  Annie came back into the room wearing a thick red coat that was unbuttoned to the waist. She carried a yellow rucksack in her left hand. Lisa followed in a thick coat of her own, more blue than grey. She was carrying a tiny blue crystal that glittered as she turned it in her hand. Her moist eyes admired it with glee. Remembering something important, she said, 'Puggles is coming too!'

  Rachel looked at Annie with a puzzled expression.

  'Puggles,' Annie said, as though that was all the explanation that was necessary.

  Rachel watched her daughter hurry into the adjoining bedroom. When she returned a moment later, she held what looked like a cloth doll with long ears.

  Lisa held it up for her mum to see. 'Puggles!'

  'Oh, Puggles,' Rachel said. 'What happened to his eye?'

  'It fell off.'

  'Oh dear. Is it a boy? It has a funny looking face.'

  'Nooooooo. Donkey!'

  'Oh.'

  Lisa pushed Puggles inside her coat and stood with her arms by her sides, 'Will grandpa be in bed?'

  Annie laughed.

  Rachel smiled and guided them both towards the door. 'I don't know, honey. He might be. I called earlier and he wasn't there. He might be working late too.'

  'He might be working very late indeed,' Lisa said. She jumped on the spot, and lifted both hands up to her face, making spectacles with her fingers by curling them into circles.

  'Come on,' Annie said, leading Lisa out into the hallway outside. She held her hand so that she wouldn't run near the stairs.

  Puggles was back in Lisa's hand as they made their way down in the lift. The yellow light on the wall blinked from six, to five, then all the way down to G for the ground level. A happy ping announced the opening of the doors as it reached the lobby. The desk clerk was arguing with somebody on the phone, but he managed a half-civil nod as they passed by.

  'Annie, take my shuttle.' Rachel said. 'It's in the basement parking bay. Press the blue button on the dashboard to open it. It will close again automatically after you've driven out.'

  'Where am I going?' Annie said.

  'Take Lisa to her grandfather's house. You know the way. We went there last month, remember?'

  'Solomans Road?'

  Rachel nodded, passing
Annie a small piece of paper that she had picked up from the apartment. 'These are the access codes for the shuttle, and these are the access codes for the house. Let yourself in and use the guest rooms in the east wing.'

  'What if your father is there? Will he be expecting us?'

  'No, but it doesn't matter. Just tell him I sent you and I'll be over later to explain. He would never turn away his favourite granddaughter.'

  'Where are you going?' Annie said.

  'I've been recalled to Central Command. Gail Thompson wants to see me.'

  'There's something you're not telling me.'

  Rachel shook her head.

  Lisa was looking at her with a frown upon her face. Her eyes seemed to shine yellow, reflecting the lights overhead. Rachel told herself it was just a trick of the light. Lisa had the strangest of expressions sometimes.

  'I'll come and see you soon, okay. Go with Aunty Annie now.'

  'Goodnight, mommy,' Lisa reached up on her tip toes for a kiss. Rachel bent down and hugged her before hurrying them on their way.

  As they left, Rachel whispered to Annie, 'Don't come back to Cinnamon City until I call to say it's safe.'

  Annie looked at her with concern, but said nothing.

  The Walstone Report

  There was nothing of use in the office. Raisson glanced out of the window to check that nobody was going to disturb him again. The driveway was empty apart from his own shuttle parked beside a hedge. Satisfied that he was now alone, he turned and continued searching the other rooms.

  There were many doors leading off from the upper landing. Raisson found four double bedrooms, a large bathroom and a small study. He paused in the study long enough to find a cabinet built into the wall. The drawers were locked, but the cabinet was made from thin wood that was more ornate than strong. It looked like an expensive piece of furniture, built by a master craftsman.

  Raisson smashed the front of the cabinet with the heel of his shoe. He kicked it twice more and it broke easily. The bottom drawer collapsed and the one above sagged down at an angle. Tugging the lower drawer open, he found a small box of papers inside. The papers had been separated into cardboard folders and labelled with small black tags. Raisson hummed a cheerful tune as he flicked through the folders one-by-one. It wasn't long before he found what he was looking for.