Fire and Steel

by Gavin Magson

  Chapter 16

  The sirens were closing in and had been for the last few minutes. Rex was surprised that it had taken this long for the police to show an interest in the deaths, which made him more curious when he thought of Angelica’s decaying corpse.

  Rex heard the airbrakes of a hover outside of the guesthouse and leant the shotgun against the wall to keep it out of sight before opening the door. The street was filled with people jostling to get a better view of the house, with a single police hover parked up just off to his right. He left this pistol sticking butt up in his right pocket, ready for him if this turned hostile.

  He expected the officers to step out with guns drawn, alert to what they had been called for, and shouting for him to walk out of the house with his arms held high. Rex was taken off guard as the two officers stepped out of the hover, conversing with each other as if oblivious of the crowd they waded through to reach the guesthouse. Rex noticed that the male officer was resting his hand on his holstered gun, but Rex had every confidence that he could draw his weapon first, if it came to that.

  “Is there anything I can do you for, officers?” asked Rex, keeping his hands in plain view.

  “We have had reports of gunfire, citizen, and four deaths from our Recyc department. Can you explain what happened here?” asked the female officer.

  Rex took a deep breath as he considered his words. His limited experience with the police force of Konar had not been a pleasant one, and he did not wish to revisit their interrogation rooms.

  “My colleague and I returned to the guesthouse earlier today to check in, but found four squatters had imprisoned the guesthouse’s owners, one of which is sadly dead, and claimed this as their own. We were able to overpower them and, unfortunately, had no choice but to kill three of the squatters whilst the fourth was gunned down by the man we later killed on the first floor.”

  The female officer turned to her colleague, who was busy studying Rex’s face. After a few moments he turned to her and simply nodded.

  “That would explain the fifth body; we were only able to keep that alert silent for so long. Despite the special treatment this guesthouse receives we have to be seen to police Six, if we want this sector to return to how it once was. I trust that you and your colleague are both guests here on its benefactors wishes?”

  “Are you talking about Rine? If so, then yes.”

  The male officer chuckled at Rex’s lack of tack, shaking his head as the female officer grew visibly irritated.

  “Your boss’ money only goes so far, so watch how easily you spread his name in Six. A Recyc will be along within ten minutes, if you don’t want either of us investigating the events I’d suggest that you bring the bodies outside. Try to keep them covered, it helps to prevent spooking the citizens.”

  Rex nodded at the officer and disappeared back inside of the guesthouse. He stripped the bedding from several rooms on the first floor and used it to individually wrap the bodies before bringing them outside one by one. Rex knew it best to leave Angelica’s body until last, so he sent Miles a message to explain what would soon happen with her corpse.

  The officers had placed a temporary cordon around the guesthouses entrance and the row of bodies that had now formed outside. Rex found it amusing that there was even a need to erect the electrified barrier, since none of the residents of Six seemed all too surprised by the sight or interested in getting any closer. Even after the police had shown up Rex noted that the crowd had not shifted position.

  Rex turned as he heard heavy footfalls on the stairs. Miles came into view, supporting Katherine as she, slowly, descended the stairs next to him. Now that there was more light to see by Rex could not help but observe the cuts and bruises on Katherine’s arms, nor the thinness of her skin showing muscle fibres underneath.

  “Katherine would like to see her sister, before Angelica is…gone.” Miles was lost for a better word, but he knew Katherine was paying him no attention.

  Rex had left Angelica’s body beside the doorway, out of sight of the gathered crowd. He knelt and began untying the sheet but stopped before uncovering her face.

  “Are you sure this is the best thing for Kathy?” asked Rex.

  “It is what she wants, and right now it’s necessary to begin to process what has happened.”

  Despite his reservations Rex pulled back the sheet, stopping just below Angelica’s chin. A short gasp escaped Katherine’s lips, and when he turned to her Rex was drawn to her eyes, flared wide in shock. The sight before Katherine was not pleasant, Angelica’s face was barely recognisable after the congealing of blood and decaying of flesh. What was distinguishable was the pain on her face, frozen from her final moments; the tears ran freely from Katherine as her body began to quake uncontrollably.

  Rex took her turning away as his cue to coverup Angelica once more.

  “What happens next?” asked Katherine through gasps of air and raking sobs.

  “I was told to bring the bodies outside for the Recyclers to process; Angelica’s is the final one. After that I do not know how long it’ll take for her implant to be sent to you, but it’ll be your choice as to what to do with it.” answered Rex.

  Katherine nodded, but no more words escaped her mouth. Rex scooped up the body, a far easier task than the previous four thanks to the weight loss, and carried Angelica outside. He laid her down separate to the bloodied bodies, for what the gesture would be worth to her sister.

  Rex stepped to one side as Miles half helped, half encouraged Katherine to walk out into the street. They watched on in silence as the crowd parted and the cordon was dropped to allow a Recycler through.

  The autonomous Recycler was a familiar sight in Konar City, so common were they that most inhabitants barely registered the sight of one. Recyclers had been in use for several decades, invented at a time when the city was young. They collected and deconstructed any form of waste material, returning the matter to great processing plants that could turn it into a variety of useful materials.

  Konar City, it eventually transpired, was not as ideally located as first thought, its placement leaving it many miles from the resources needed to continue the city’s expansion when its population expanded. Thus, the need for Recyclers came about, machines that could facilitate the production of the building materials required to expand the city. Once Konar City was complete the Recyclers were repurposed towards refuse and, since burial was reserved solely for the wealthy that could afford near permanent leases of land, they soon were processing the deceased as well.

  Recycler Six East Seventy-Four, as was printed on the silver cab that towed the long trailer, pulled up close to the bodies before coming to a halt. The cab bore numerous scars from the hostility within the slums, scorched by flames, gouged by ricocheting bullets. The lower front of the cab retracted upwards, exposing a complicated mess of brushes, pipework, and serrated implements. Just as Katherine turned away the vehicle lurched forward, moving noisily over the bodies and, eventually, leaving only soapy bubbles and murky water in its wake.

  “What happens next, with her implant?” asked Rex of the police officer.

  “All waste undergoes processing at Six’s central hub. Once her implant has been recovered, along with her personal details and next of kin, a letter and the implant will be sent to her closest living family member, or previous address if one is not found. Normally it takes two or three days for an implant to be returned.” answered the officer.

  Katherine turned back around, now that the noise of the Recyclers tracks had subsided. The police removed their cordon and with it what little interest the populace seemed to express disappeared. Katherine expected questions, but instead both officers crossed the street to their hover and made a quick exit from the area. The background noise of people living out their lives was quick to return, as if nothing had happened here at all.

  “So that is it? She’s gone and not a soul care?” her voice was quiet, flat, devoid of the emotions she had displayed moments ago.<
br />
  “I don’t know what to say, Kathy, save that we all care. Let’s go back inside and get you some warm food. Come here.” Miles wrapped an arm around her shoulders and steered Katherine back inside the guesthouse. She did not resist, nor could she if Katherine wished to.

  The meal had barely been touched by Katherine, which Miles had been quick to blame on Rex’s poor cooking to give her good reason to avoid it. Both men knew that the weeks of malnourishment, coupled with the loss of her sister, had undoubtedly had an impact on Katherine’s appetite, yet neither voiced it.

  The men talked for a while about Rose and her son, the conversation seemingly unnoticed by Katherine. Only once the food was long cold, and the men had exhausted their conversation, did she stir.

  “She’s gone, all of them are. I’m alone now.”

  The words were quiet, little more than whispers, and she did not raise her head from staring at the brown-grey mush that Rex called food in front of her.

  “Was Angelica your only remaining family?” asked Miles.

  “Yes. My parents and brother have been dead for years, I had an aunt, but she passed last winter. It’s just me that’s left.”

  “Katherine, neither of us are equipped to properly help you with this, but we will do our best to help as best we can. Once Jerry arrives we can help get this place tidied up and try to return it to something a little more comfortable for you.”

  “Thanks, Miles, your help means a lot to me. And to think I had written the three of you off as cold-hearted killers incapable of human emotion. Actually, those might have been Gel’s words, but she had a good point. Is Ajax with Jerry or has he seen sense and declined your company?”

  Rex glanced across at Miles, who seemed lost for the words that neither of them wanted to say to her.

  “Katherine, Ajax did not survive Sector Seven. We don’t truly know what happened, as we were holed up in a building with when an explosion nearby reduced a street to rubble. The reason we never came back here is because the three of us were ambushed trying to find sign of Ajax and have been recovering for most of the winter because of that.” Rex went to continue, but the lack of reaction caused him to lapse into silence.

  It surprised him that Katherine did not burst into tears, but then she had cried so much up to now it was entirely possible she had none left in her. Instead Katherine raised her head and stare at Rex, mulling over his words. In the end she let out a soft chuckle, devoid of humour or joy.

  “I don’t know why I laughed then; there’s just so much shit in the world. Gel and I went through hell because of those scum and, solely because of them, she is dead. Ajax was a good man, as far as I knew him, but he was just another gun contributing to the death and destruction that has ravaged the slums. I can’t find any tears for him, not with my sister taken from me.”

  “We understand, Katherine. She was a good woman, strong, proud, and fierce; Angelica would want you to keep on fighting, and not to let her death unravel who you are.

  “I wish that we had arrived in time to save you both, but that was not meant to be. I know that you are still hurting, and will for a long time yet, but Miles and I came here in search of a woman. Her name is Rose, and she should have had a young lad with her called Ward. Did they come by here at any stage?” asked Rex.

  “They did, weeks before those squatters showed up. She asked for Miles and when I told her that I had not seen any of you she left an address, no more than that.”

  “Could you show me the address on my tablet’s map?” asked Miles.

  Jerry accepted the steaming mug of dubiously coloured liquid without grimace, silently hoping that its flavour had improved since Katherine last brewed it for him. Without an explanation for all the damage, detritus, and Katherines haunted expression, he had only his instincts to go on; now was not the time for him to be asking questions.

  “Katherine, Jerry needs to brief me on his task and it’s probably in your best interest that you weren’t present during this exchange. Could I encourage you to take Rex with you to the market to restock the pantry? I’ll make sure that he has funds to pay for whatever you need.”

  Miles expected a few words from her, but the silent resignation and a short nod worried him to no end. He knew that Katherine was hurting, that would be painfully obvious to even the brain dead, but he had no time to try and comfort her yet.

  Katherine headed up the stairs, lifeless eyes staring at the ground but not truly seeing. Once she was out of earshot Miles turned to Rex and kept his voice low.

  “Don’t ask too much of her; Katherine is barely staying with us right now. See if you can find your way to the address Rose gave you and, if she is still there, do your best to convince her to bring enough possessions to move into here for a while. If you have to sweeten the deal I’m happy to let Rose in on more of the cut, but don’t get excessive.”

  “Understood, sir; she’ll be safe with me.”

  Rex followed Katherine up the basement steps, his heavy boots clumping against the thick wooden steps. Soon the two men heard the front door, or what was left of it, close heavily. Miles waited a few moments, to ensure neither returned.

  “I know you’ve bitten your lip to avoid asking why Katherine is all but comatose. If you haven’t figured it out yet Angelica is dead; she and Katherine were held captive for weeks by squatters and Angelica was forced to take her own life. You’ve never been known for your tact, so avoid bringing up her sister whilst we are here.

  “Now, on to business; what did you see whilst in Sector Three, and do you have any suggestions as to what, or whom, we need to exploit in order to access that data centre?” asked Miles.

  “No tact? You aren’t wrong, I’ll avoid the subject as best I can. As for my assignment I’ve found the perfect mark. Aiko supplied a list of high-level access users that work at the data centre, seems Rine has been keeping tabs on several employees that his organisation deems susceptible to blackmail or coercion. I was able to follow one of them home, and confirmed the intel was correct that he has no wife or children, but that this Douglas does have a highly valuable, and illegal, Oukaru growing in an outbuilding. Possession of its seeds are enough for at least a double digit’s prison term, so maybe we take a single leaf and, when he leaves at noon for his lunch, present him with it; the guy would fold instantly if he knew we had that kind of knowledge.”

  “I’m impressed, I really am; you did good work today. I’m starting to wonder just how good Rine’s network of informants are that they knew so much about our mark, especially something only an idiot would not take the highest measures to keep a secret.”

  “Who do you think sold it to him?”

  Miles couldn’t help but laugh at the grin on Jerry’s scarred face.

  Chapter 17

  Douglas placed his left hand within a slot beside the grey reinforced door and allowed his mind to wander. Seven years of repeating the same routine, where his implant and a fresh blood sample were checked against his security profile to confirm his access rights, had still not prepared Douglas for the sharp pain as a needle pierced the skin of his palm.

  A green go light was his reward, followed by the twin bolts that secured the door withdrawing into the walls either side. Douglas pushed the door open and, once through to the next room, turned back to see the frustration on Meredith’s face as she awaited the door to close so that she would be allowed to step forward for the security check.

  Those employees assigned to the central core of Three’s data centre were allotted extra time for their lunch, due to the increased security measures for ingress and egress. It had been Douglas’s fortune that he had beaten the majority of his colleagues to the checkpoint, meaning he should have enough time to visit the jeweller he had commissioned to make a brooch that Douglas intended to give to Meredith for her birthday in two weeks’ time.

  The door opened once more and Meredith stepped through, her raven black hair billowing briefly as she stepped out of the path of an air vent. Once she
had managed to tame her loose hair she walked over to Douglas, the frustration gone as a smile eased away her worry lines.

  “Are you joining us for lunch today, Douglas, or are you going back home today?” she asked.

  “Actually I need to see my biomech engineer today, I’m suffering some rejection with this new liver and want it to be one hundred percent functional before I take it for a test ride.”

  Meredith laughed at Douglas’s lack of care over having ruined such an important organ in thirty-three years but having known him since he first started work at the data centre this came as little surprise.

  “If you aren’t careful you’ll find yourself having to regularly replace that artificial liver, and I know from seeing those hefty deductions from your payslip that they are far from cheap. Just take care, okay?”

  Meredith gripped his left shoulder gently and gave him a smile of concern. Douglas was lost for what to say, leaving him but to watch as she walked over to a group of four others waiting in the foyer. Once she joined the group they headed towards the nearest canteen, without a backwards glance to him.

  Douglas headed for the East employee entrance and exit, navigating the short maze of corridors until he was once more presented with a checkpoint, this time with a bank of turnstiles to line up at. There were only two other personnel leaving the centre, which meant he could step straight up to a vacant turnstile, present his implant to a reader, and step through to a reception area once cleared.

  Douglas paced across the hardwood floor, his boots clumping with each step and echoing in the quiet room. People waited in silence to be called up by those working behind the tall counters, either applying to purchase a tablet, or send one for repair.

  Douglas thanked a woman in front of him as she held the door open after herself; he was so distracted by her dazzling smile that he stepped straight into a figure that let out a sharp grunt of pain. Douglas stepped back swiftly, all the while hurriedly muttering his apologies, and was left terrified when he saw the sheer size of the man he had careened into. What distracted him from the scarred arms and bulging biceps were the broken pair of sunglasses cradled carefully between two calloused hands.