Among You Secret Children

by Jeff Kamen

  ‘Ah, a while. Since we were caught. There was a vid, Lütt, they came in and —’

  ‘Wait, I’ll get some water.’ Lütt-Ebbins let Stoeckl’s head hang to the side, then he went to the desk. He returned with a couple of cartons and pulled up a chair and sat. ‘Keep yourself hydrated,’ he said, splitting a carton top before holding it at Moth’s lips.

  He sucked at the water noisily, then nudged the carton away. ‘Thanks,’ he panted.

  Lütt-Ebbins regarded him with a smile. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘here we are.’

  ‘Ah, yes.’

  ‘Moth the Bomber,’ Lütt-Ebbins chuckled. ‘I should have known.’

  ‘Ah, ah, and Stoeckl,’ Moth said happily, feeling a wondrous new light break across his life. ‘Don’t forget Stoeckl. She said he sent the note. Imagine it ... Stoeckl the Sender.’

  Lutt-Ebbins continued chuckling, shaking his head. ‘Crazy, isn’t it?’ he said, offering more water. Moth finished the carton and sat back, wincing in discomfort.

  ‘I haven’t got a key,’ Lütt-Ebbins said apologetically. ‘We’ll have to wait til Vonal gets back. Don’t let your arms get too stiff, try to move them a bit. Keep the blood flowing.’

  ‘Ah, okay. And thank you, Lütt. It’s so good to see you again.’

  ‘And you, Moth. And you.’

  ‘Really, it’s, ah, it’s been terrible.’

  ‘I know. It’s been a confusing time for all of us.’

  ‘Yes. It-it has.’

  There was a short silence as Lütt-Ebbins opened a second carton, then set it on the floor, his long face cast in shadow. Then, spreading his hands, he said, ‘I expect you’re wondering why I’m here.’

  ‘Well, I, ah … what happened to you?’

  ‘Lots of things. That note, for example.’

  The image of a horned vessel reared in Moth’s mind and quivered there alarmingly. ‘Yes, ah … Tilsen showed it to everyone. So, what happened to that thing we saw? What did your … what did those people say?’

  ‘Right, yes, that thing. We’ve still got no idea really. My guess is it came from Ostgrenze, but we won’t know more unless, well, unless things change.’

  Moth looked down, uncomfortable with the memory.

  ‘Anyway, that note got me into plenty of trouble — as you can see. I needed a place to go, and Vonal was the only one who could keep me safe after I’d been arrested.’

  ‘But … but isn’t he with the police?’

  Lütt-Ebbins removed his spectacles and held them while he took out a handkerchief. Then with a quiet chuckle he began to wipe the lenses.

  ‘What are you laughing at?’

  Lütt-Ebbins regarded him a moment, bare eyes glistening. ‘Nothing, really. Just the situation. Yes, Vonal’s with the police. He’s a high-ranking officer. It was actually Vonal who ordered the room searches to buy us some time. We thought it’d be better if he was seen taking the lead against the new enemy, all that stuff. We made sure our friends knew in advance, so they could clear their quarters of anything suspicious. That was a few days before he gave the order. We’d have warned you, too, only we didn’t know you had anything to hide.’

  Moth blushed. ‘Oh, that. She made a mistake … or-or they planted something. I only had a couple of things there.’

  Lütt-Ebbins held the lenses up to inspect them, then continued wiping. ‘She mentioned something about provisions. What would you need provisions for?’

  ‘Yes, I …’ Moth began, smiling uneasily. ‘I-I don’t know. Sometimes I get hungry, ah, after the canteen closes. It’s silly, really. I don’t know why I hid them.’

  Lütt-Ebbins refitted the spectacles and pocketed the handkerchief. Moth felt a fresh pain in his arms, a new tension burning through like wires, the more so when Lütt-Ebbins spoke again, for his voice had an edge to it that made him look up sharply: ‘I think it’s time we stopped avoiding things, don’t you? Hmm? Let’s be honest with each other. We’re in this together now.’

  ‘Ah, h-how do you mean?’

  ‘I want to know who you’re working for.’

  ‘W-Working for? I’m not working for anyone.’

  ‘Moth, I heard her. They found the pack you’d hidden, they found fingerprints. She said you’d caused an explosion.’

  ‘But I didn’t, Lütt. I-I didn’t do anything.’

  ‘Please, don’t make this difficult. Just tell me. Who are you working for, and what are their aims?’

  ‘But I don’t know what you mean, I don’t —’

  ‘Are they based in the City? How many of you?’

  ‘There aren’t any people. There’s no one, Lütt. You have to believe me.’

  ‘Moth, I’m not stupid. You’re working with or for somebody, and my guess is they want the same things that we do.’

  ‘But I’m not. Really, I’m not.’

  Lütt-Ebbins exhaled in frustration. ‘Look, I don’t care, isn’t that obvious? Can’t you see we’re getting in each other’s way? It’s dangerous, people are going to get hurt. Maybe killed.’

  ‘But I’m not working for anyone! I’m just me, Lütt, I haven’t done anything wrong!’

  ‘Oh, cut the crap, will you? I thought we were friends. I thought we trusted each other.’

  ‘But I do trust you. I do. It’s, ah … it’s not what you think.’

  Lütt-Ebbins sat back in his chair, studying him. ‘Well, that’s a small admission, at least. Look, I don’t understand why you’re covering up like this. It doesn’t make sense — we’ve got a common problem and a common solution is the best thing we can aim for.’ He crossed a long leg. ‘Right now, I just need some answers. Why were you hacking into the network? Using a false name? What was the point of it?

  ‘I, ah …’

  ‘I heard them mention security cams. Systems feeds. What was it all for? What were you trying to achieve?’

  Moth slumped a little, sickened by the lies he had to tell. With all his heart he wanted to bellow out the truth at last, and yet his duty lay elsewhere ... elsewhere ... in a precious realm above ... ‘I don’t know,’ he croaked. ‘I-I wasn’t thinking. I wasn’t …’

  ‘Wasn’t thinking about what? Just answer me. It’s all over now, you’ve been caught — so why pretend?’

  ‘I’m not pretending.’

  ‘Just talk, damn it! Can’t you see I’m trying to help you? I might be the last chance you’ve got. Anywhere.’ Lütt-Ebbins motioned briskly round the room. ‘Look where you are.’

  Moth looked.

  ‘You’re a prisoner now, and the only help available is through me or Vonal, and I don’t think he’s going to return in a forgiving mood.’

  ‘Wh-what? Why?’

  ‘Because you’ve brought a huge spotlight down on us, that’s why. I’m warning you — carry on like this and he might decide your best use is as a sacrifice, a decoy, maybe even a drone. Something harmless to draw the heat away.’

  ‘A sacrifice? But why? I’ve done nothing wrong, Lütt, I’m innocent. Ah, and Stoeckl, too. We both are. All we did was watch that-that film. The one with the kissing, the wires. Stoeckl said it was yours … he said it was your vid, Lütt. S-So it’s you who’s got us in trouble. You.’

  Lütt-Ebbins buried his face in his hands. Then eventually he took a breath. ‘Right,’ he said tiredly, ‘let’s say you don’t know anything, you were just unlucky. In that case, answer me one thing. What were you doing launching metsats? I’m not accusing you of anything, I just want to know. What was the point of it?’

  ‘I … I just wanted to check the O2 levels out there. I wanted to see if they were telling the truth about it. That we’d die out there.’

  ‘And that’s all?’

  Moth nodded miserably.

  ‘Okay. I believe you.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes. Why not? It’s natural.’

  ‘Ah, it is?’

  ‘Of course it is. You wanted to know the truth, and you saw that you had to find it for yourself. I think that’s
good. Commendable.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Of course. Instead of arresting you, they should be using you as example for Academy students. Only they won’t.’

  ‘Ah, no. I don’t suppose they will.’

  ‘No.’

  ‘I know. It’s not fair.’

  ‘On that we agree. The problem is, the outcome’s just the same. You’re in deep trouble.’

  ‘But I didn’t do anything.’

  ‘Moth, listen. It doesn’t matter either way. Tilsen’s been keeping watch on you. On all of us. They think you’re an enemy of Nassgrube.’

  ‘But … but what can I do?’

  ‘Nothing. It’s all over. You’re like me — you don’t exist any more.’

  ‘But why? I mean, why did they arrest you? You … you haven’t done anything either.’

  Lütt-Ebbins watched him gravely.

  ‘ … Have you?’

  Lütt-Ebbins reached inside his jacket. He pulled out a leaflet and unfolded it.

  ‘Lütt? It’s not … it’s not true, is it? She said you …’

  ‘I’m sorry, Moth.’

  ‘But you aren’t … you can’t be .... you mean you’re a …’

  ‘Terrorist is her word for what I do, not mine. A terrorist spreads fear. GRIP spreads information. A terrorist has one goal. GRIP has no fixed agenda.’ He smoothed the leaflet flat. ‘You see, we’re sick of being controlled. Lied to. Exploited. We want a free and equal society. Free voting, free expression ... the right to have children with whom we like. Tilsen’s more of a terrorist as far as I’m concerned.’

  Moth stared at him. ‘So … so what are you going to do to me?’

  ‘That’s somewhat up to you. You’re going to have to make a choice.’

  ‘What kind of choice?’

  Lütt-Ebbins held out the leaflet. ‘Read it,’ he said.

  To The People of Van Hagens

  “And at first I did not believe it, for there seemed so many faces. And at first I was not believed, for I had so many faces. But you must hear me, hear me now: there walk among you secret children.”

  Fellow workers, these are old words, but, shockingly, they contain new truths. We read them first at school, and now I urge to read them again, together with the words of this notice, on a day of confrontation — between yourselves and your shared destiny. For years we have devoted our labours to the task of securing an Overland future for our families. We believed in this time that MeisterCell was working for us, not against us. We believed the building of Van Hagens to be a step up, a mark of progress, for the entire population, not just a secretive few. However, it turns out we have merely conspired in our own downfall. We have ...

  He swallowed uneasily, reading stories of kidnap and murder. Hideous experiments. Plots against the masses on a scale he could scarcely imagine — until, phrase by phrase he was reminded of the warnings issued by his parents, and by so many of that earlier generation of free thinkers and rebels.

  ... safeguarding a prison in which our masters will watch us perish as an underclass — half-breeds to them — undeserving of a future. For years, we have been led without our consent by an elite corps who have dictated ...

  His eyes skittered over the text. Words like slave laboratories, betrayal, destroy, lay burning in their ink, proof of the existence of another world, some parallel lair of horrors his friend was dragging him into whether he wished to go or not.

  ... worst suspicions will confirm these words, or when the first of you attempt to win your freedom and you hear the cries outside your door. But be warned: the time to act is running out — many fine men and women have already been hunted down. If you knew Heinrich Mier, Jan Mautner, Elena Zecher, Uta Haas, Mihael Lütt-Ebbins, Juli Holt, and many others like them, then you already know the truth. Join us. Act with us now. Help us reclaim our lives.

  Join GRIP

  ‘No …’ he whispered, ‘it can’t be. It’s not possible, when did you ... but how did you —’

  ‘Listen,’ Lutt-Ebbins cut in, ‘people have risked their lives for this — people working for our freedom. It’s the truth, and we’ve got to act on it.’ He tucked the leaflet away. ‘Now, I put this to you as a friend. You can either help us take control or sit it out on the sidelines. Neither option’s going to be easy. If you join us you’ll be on the run. You’ll be living in the shadows, never knowing when you’ll eat or sleep. You’ll never know who to trust. The alternative ... well, it might be a little easier on you, but only to start with. For one thing, we’d be forced to hand you back to Tilsen.’

  ‘Back to her? But why?’

  ‘Because we can’t keep covering up like this. These people aren’t stupid, they’re on our scent now. Vonal’s already under suspicion as it is.’

  ‘But it’s … it’s not fair.’

  ‘Fair? You’re worried about fair? Don’t you get it? Sooner or later they’re going to wonder where all these so-called terrorists have gone to. What’s Vonal supposed to do? He can’t keep pretending they’ve been taken away. There’ll be questions to answer — more and more of them. Sooner or later they’ll stop believing him.’

  ‘But what ... what if they torture me? What if they make me say something?’

  Lütt-Ebbins scraped back a hanging strand of hair. ‘There are plenty of ways around pain,’ he said calmly. ‘Tablets ... chemicals ... plenty of things. You cover us, we’ll cover you.’

  ‘Don’t, Lütt. Please. I don’t like it.’

  ‘No one likes it, that’s the point. We’ve been put into this position against our will.’ He glanced at Stoeckl as the blond man started twitching, breathing heavily, then went on, ‘One thing you should bear in mind — crime or no crime, you’re seen as a conspirator in a plot to destroy all they have. It won’t matter if you’re innocent or not, they’ve got you already. In fact, I’d advise you to play along with them. The more you tell them you’re innocent, the harder they’ll work you.’

  ‘But I told you, Lütt. I didn’t do anything.’

  ‘Then join us.’

  Moth felt his eyes brimming again. His clap-claps hurting so bad, so bad … mummy daddy gone and no one to help him any more, not even his friends.

  He was croaking a reply when a loud clang resounded, coming from the opposite side of the room to the hidden door. Someone hissed at them. Lütt-Ebbins searched about in confusion. Then came a scrabbling noise from a vent and a hand slid through it. It jerked a thumb in the air, then withdrew.

  Moth turned to Lütt-Ebbins for an answer but he was leaping away, and in a few moments was at a desk drawer, rummaging furiously.

  ‘Lütt?’ he pleaded, but his friend was running to the vent with a screwdriver, where he fell straight to opening the grille. Long bolts came away and clinked on the ground. He hauled the grille aside and stood it against the wall, making way for a figure in a dark jacket who scrambled into the room. It was Vonal.

  Moth called across to them, but both men ignored him, Vonal slapping the dirt from his clothes as they stood muttering together. After a minute, they appeared to reach an agreement.

  ‘It’s your call, Lütt,’ Vonal said doubtfully, then went to the desk while Lütt-Ebbins returned to the prisoners. Using Vonal’s keys, he freed Moth’s hands and left him to rub them while he freed Stoeckl.

  ‘Please, Lütt. What’s happening?’

  ‘It’s decision time. Are you with us or not?’

  ‘I, ah … I don’t know.’

  ‘This is your last chance. Yes or no?’

  Moth looked at him pleadingly, then nodded.

  ‘Good. But I warn you, once you’re with us, you go all the way. If you double-cross us, or screw things up, I won’t be responsible for what happens. Is that clear?’

  ‘I-I said I’d do it. I will. I’ll join you.’

  ‘Get moving,’ Vonal snapped, ‘they’ll be here any minute.’ He’d gone to a cabinet at the far end of the room and was stuffing items into a satchel. In went a baton, a crowbar, a
roll of documents.

  Lütt-Ebbins was wrestling Stoeckl upright. ‘Help me,’ he said. Moth wrapped an arm around Stoeckl’s waist and did what he could to support him, grimacing at the pain in his arms. Once they had him upright, Lütt-Ebbins slung Stoeckl’s arm around his shoulder. The blond man was groaning now, moving like a drunken bear. Moth gritted his teeth as he and Lütt-Ebbins walked him towards the vent, the pair of them cowering as a deafening volley of shots tore around the room. He turned to see Vonal firing into his computer with a handgun. Vonal fired again, urging them to continue to the vent. By the time they’d shoved Stoeckl inside the opening, there was black smoke mushrooming up at the ceiling. With a huge effort they pushed Stoeckl’s body further inside, then as soon as Moth had climbed in after him, Lütt-Ebbins withdrew. ‘Go,’ he said. ‘Go, just take him. We’ll catch you up.’

  Moth stared at him, and in those brief and awful moments of hesitation, he watched Lütt-Ebbins stuffing leaflets and cartons and other supplies into a bag. It was the last thing he saw before Vonal shot the lights out. After that there was nothing to do but shunt Stoeckl further along, and this he did with a new strength born of fear, straining his bruised limbs.

  A short way up, the shaft widened. He crawled past the body and managed to turn himself around so that he could drag Stoeckl by the ankles. Then torchlight was blasting into his eyes and he was aware of movements at the opening. He saw Lütt-Ebbins’ lanky form jerking strangely in the light like some great advancing spider. His friend was saying something to Vonal and then there was a clunk and a second clunk and the sound of the grille being pulled into place.

  Vonal’s voice rose hoarsely: ‘Go straight ahead,’ he said, and his words drifted on cold and hollow.

  Biting on the pain, Moth got to work, dragging Stoeckl’s body after him in silence, venturing deeper and deeper into the shaft.

  Chapter 21 — Inside The Shaft

  With his legs hanging in the darkness he listened as Lütt-Ebbins led Stoeckl through the main issues again, pointing out with practised dedication the many injustices they’d suffered at the hands of the leadership, and describing to him how things had changed for the worse, subtly in many cases, invidiously, highlighting the steady erosion of freedoms over the years, the gradual lowering of aspirations once shared by all.