by R T Green
Miles was nodding, realizing where his partner was going, but Zana was frowning. ‘I don’t understand, Coop.’
He grinned. ‘That’s because you’re new to human emotions, kid. And the fact that very often the ones that consume us most are the ones that trip us up.’
‘I still don’t…’
He knelt down in front of her, took her hand. ‘You’re probably not going to like this Zana, but the only damn thing we’ve got in our weapons cabinet is Tiri’s envy. Because of Madeline, she’s got a second agenda here in London. If we can use her obsessive jealousy against her, it might just lead us to all the others.’
Chapter 143
I did what every cornered gazelle would do. I bolted.
Ok, I instinctively turned and headed for the exit door, until Scott’s firm hand on my arm stopped me from going any further.
‘Sit down and talk with her,’ he said quietly.
There was no choice. For a second I had a vision of making it the outside doors, only for an iron portcullis to come crashing down and well and truly stop me from ever leaving. Another dose of insane fantasy maybe, but it made its point.
So just sit down and do what every Brit does when things get tough.
Have a cup of tea.
My smiling executioner was pouring a thin stream of brown liquid into the cups as I ever-so-slowly sank my butt onto the other sofa, and tried to smile.
‘Sugar?’ she asked.
I shook my head, the lump in my throat far bigger than the two Mrs. Mitchell dropped into her tea. ‘I’m afraid I do, my dear. One vice I never quite seemed to kick!’
She handed me the porcelain cup and saucer, took a sip of hers. ‘Ahhh… nothing quite like tea to help solve a problem, don’t you think?’
Problem? Is that what I am?
I glanced around, expecting Duncan Scott to take a seat too. He was nowhere to be seen.
My cowardly boss had fled, leaving me to face my fate alone.
Grace leant forward, peering at me in an unnerving kind of way. She was a small woman, looked frail, and yet her eyes seemed to sparkle. I got the feeling her mind was just as sharp as it had always been.
‘You are very pretty, my dear,’ she said, dragging my consciousness away from her bright eyes.
‘Thank you,’ I mumbled back, amazed I could actually speak.
‘But I understand time is short, so we must get down to business. Tell me why you killed my grandson, Madeline. All of it mind… and the absolute truth.’
Oh hell. Suddenly I could see a shadowy figure on the far side of the room, expertly tying a knot in a very thick rope.
Maybe it was just my freaked-out imagination.
‘We… we were at the top of Dawson’s Hill. Oh, we being an alien girl and me. She’d… come to realize what she and her people were going to do was wrong, so she’d made a weapon to destroy the ship. As it passed over us, she couldn’t fire it… kill all her people I mean, so I did it instead. I had to lie on the ground to set it off. The ship passed over us, began to disintegrate. The alien girl…’
‘Zana…’ Grace smiled.
‘I… I think Carl must have reached us just as she was standing next to me, holding out her hand to help me to my feet. He didn’t know she was a good guy, he… he thought he saw a fellow agent in danger…’
‘Did he shout out, caution her?’
I hesitated. She’d lost her grandson, it wasn’t right to tell her he hadn’t followed the rules. ‘I… I think so. It all happened so fast…’
‘Did he? Tell me the truth, my dear.’
There was no fooling this switched-on lady. I made a mental note to remember that. ‘No. He was terrified, understandably. He panicked, fired. Zana died.’
‘Except she didn’t, did she?’
‘She died in my arms… even Coop… the agent who arrived a minute later, thought she was dead. She came back to life later that night, back at HQ.’
‘But you didn’t know.’
I shook my head, running out of words. Grace stared at me, her face expressionless, impossible to read. It felt like forever until she spoke again.
‘But you still haven’t told me why you killed Carl.’
Oh hell upon hell. There was no getting away from it, this lady was determined to get to the truth.
‘Mrs. Mitchell…’
‘It’s Grace, my dear.’
‘Grace… the reason I murdered Carl was blind rage. It had been the most terrifying and traumatic night of my life, and then he… he killed Zana, just when she’d saved us all.’ I could feel the tears welling up, the recall still too hard to bear, wiped them away with the back of my hand in a very unfeminine way. When I found my voice again, the words were half-sobbed, half-shouted out.
‘I lost control, Grace… ended your grandson’s life without even realizing what I was doing, or the consequences of it…’
She took the cup and saucer out of my shaking hand, smiled to me. ‘Please don’t upset yourself, Madeline. I don’t wish to see you in distress. Have another cup of tea.’
I sniffed loudly and nodded gratefully, she refilled the cup and handed it back to me, sighed deeply. ‘Carl was always an excitable boy. Even from a young child he would do something naughty and only think about his actions afterwards. But there is something I do not understand. Blind rage is an extreme emotion, triggered by something much more than the death of an alien girl you hardly knew. Am I missing something?’
Oh Grace, you certainly are. And given your age and obvious traditional values, you’re not going to like it one bit. But I have to tell you, because you have kind eyes and you deserve the absolute truth.
Even though I’m getting the feeling you already know it.
‘I knew Zana… quite well. We had fallen in love.’
‘Ah.’
Ah? Perhaps she didn’t already know that bit. The shadowy guy in the corner had finished the noose, was just putting a black hood over his head…
Grace sat back, her eyes glazing over like she’d suddenly gone somewhere else. She spoke quietly, wistfully.
‘I had a lesbian relationship once.’
Chapter 144
Rendered speechless again. This time by a woman in her nineties. Could this get any more surreal?
Quite likely.
Grace saw the look on my face. ‘Does that surprise you, my dear?’
‘Just… just a bit.’
‘Same sex relationships are hardly a product of the twenty-first century, Madeline. But back when I was young, they had to be a closely-guarded secret. I was a free spirit, and pretty, like you. And, perhaps also like you, it happened without me realizing it.’ She smiled, recalling what was clearly a nice time in her life. ‘It lasted quite a while, but things being what they were back then, there was no future in it. Eventually I married… a man. But I don’t regret a moment of it.’ She let out a little chuckle. ‘She wasn’t an alien though!’
Suddenly I felt closer to this amazing woman. I had to force myself to remember the hangman was still lurking impatiently in the corner, awaiting further instructions. And Grace hadn’t finished with the questions.
‘So how did you feel after you’d killed my grandson?’
Back to my uncertain reality. ‘I ran. Got out of there, breaking my heart because Zana was dead, beating myself to hell because I’d killed a man who didn’t deserve to die.’
‘It wasn’t quite as simple as that though, was it?’
Ok, now I know for sure my new friend is more clued-up than she’s letting on. But how could I tell her the truth without dropping Coop in the shit?
Then I realized. Duncan Scott must already be aware he’d broken the rules. It was the only way Grace would know.
‘The other agent on the hill that night… Ryland Cooper, he was kind of my immediate boss. I told him to cuff me, take me in. He said I’d just helped save the world, told me to run. So I did.’
‘I see.’
‘But you already knew that, did
n’t you Grace?’
She smiled warmly, realizing she’d been rumbled. ‘Yes, I did. I just wanted to hear it in your own words, see how much you would tell me.’
‘So have I told you what you needed to hear?’
‘Almost. Since that night, how has what happened affected you?’
‘I think about Carl every day. It… kind of haunts me. I fled to Tobago, to my father’s. Spent most of the time beating myself up because of what I did to Carl, and heartbroken because Zana was dead. Became a waste of space, pissed out of my skull most of the time. I wasn’t a pretty sight.’
‘And yet now you are back, ready to fight the new alien threat.’
Those damn tears were welling up again. ‘I’m about to be slung in the Tower for my crimes, Grace. If it wasn’t for that I would fight them with everything I’ve got.’
She sat back, her eyes glazing over again. ‘Yes my dear, I believe you would.’
The room was silent. Deafening. Grace sat quietly, churning over thoughts she was keeping to herself. The hangman in the corner kept glancing at his watch, wondering how much longer he’d have to stand there. And finally, my curiosity got too much.
‘Grace, can I ask you a question?’
‘Of course, my dear.’
‘Why am I here?’
‘Because Mr. Scott chickened out of deciding what to do with you, so passed the buck to me.’
‘But…’
‘I think I have kept you in suspense for long enough. I should explain why I am your judge and jury.’
‘Please do.’
‘My husband and I only had one son, who grew up, married, and also had just one son. Carl. Twelve years ago my son and daughter-in-law lost their lives in a road accident, leaving me as Carl’s only family. Now he is dead, the Mitchell family tree ceases when I pass away. As Carl’s only living relative, Mr. Scott wished for me to have the final say regarding your punishment.’
‘But I committed murder… I have to pay for that.’
‘Indeed you do. But before I sentence you, I have one final question. Why did Zana turn against her own people?’
‘She was on Earth a few months before the ship arrived. I think in that time she discovered humanity wasn’t so bad after all, had a change of heart.’
She narrowed her eyes. ‘Hmm… I think you are not doing yourself justice, my dear.’
‘Grace, I was a cold unfeeling bitch. Somehow Zana found the remnants of a beating heart buried inside me, and then she… she showed me it was there. It… kind of changed me.’
‘And because of that, you changed her.’
‘I suppose so.’
‘That is all I needed to hear.’ She picked up a small square box like a pager, pressed the button. One minute later, Duncan Scott appeared. Grace stood up, fixed a stare into him. ‘You have made me late for my chess game, Duncan. So please go away, and take this brave woman with you. Your team has work to do, and from what I can gather, rather a lot of it.’
And as the hangman in the corner threw his hands in the air in disgust and disappeared in a puff of smoke, he gave her a hug, said quietly, ‘Thank you, Grace.’ Then she came to me, hugged me too. ‘I cannot condone the killing of my grandson Madeline, but I understand what made you do it. Now your country needs you.’ She gave me a cheeky smile. ‘And anyway, when I fell in love with a woman, she changed me too… turned me into a soppy old romantic! So go and be the hero I know you are, and use your love and your beating heart to save us all. And don’t let me down now!’
I walked through the foyer and into the waiting car wiping away the tears. But as Duncan Scott dropped into the seat beside me, I couldn’t resist a little dig.
‘Grace tells me you wimped out on deciding my fate.’
He smiled. ‘Aren’t you glad I did?’
I couldn’t find the words to argue with that. And as we drove away from the most gracious woman I’d ever met, I knew I had to keep my promise.
Bring it on, Tiri. I’m ready for you.
And I won’t let you down, Grace.
Chapter 145
Duncan Scott’s self-named council of war took place in his office, while the glaziers took care of the mess Tiri’s dramatic entrance had made.
The meeting was notable for one thing. A lack of ideas. Coop outlined his initial thought that we could maybe use the Calanduran queen’s jealousy against her, and then told us he didn’t have a clue how we could actually do that.
I agreed with him it was a good idea in principal. My newly-confirmed freedom had fired up the spirit in me, and I was chomping at the bit to get my hands around her neck. But as Scott pointed out, right then she held all the cards, and so far had only put the first hand on the table.
Like the rest of our alien visitors, we had no idea where she was. But we did know why she was back in London. Her male colleagues had an insidious role to play, and as their leader she would be making sure they carried out their hateful task with enthusiasm.
And of course, she wanted her pet poodle back too.
As the afternoon wore on, it became clear there was little we could do until the dealer placed her next card into play. We just had to be ready to react when she did. Jane the detective called to tell us every cop in London had been briefed to be on the lookout for our new arrival, as well as searching for the eight others. The army was being drafted in too, so pretty soon the city would look like a war zone.
And then at four o’clock, the call came from Westminster. Scott put the phone down, threw us a rueful grin. ‘Well, that was hardly a surprise. The PM wants me to attend an emergency meeting at the House. I may be gone some time.’
He stood up, opened the tall cupboard door and pulled out his long black coat. ‘There is little more we can do until tomorrow, and you four have had a long and fraught day. Miles, go spend the evening with your family; it may be the best chance you have for the next few days. Coop, go rest… and get your brain around how we can tackle Tiri. And you two…’ He pierced a stare into us. ‘I want you to stay together, at all times. Do you understand?’
That was a given, from my perspective. Zana didn’t look too thrilled by the prospect though. But I wasn’t going to give her a choice. ‘We’ll stay at my place, sir.’
She looked up in horror. ‘But they know where you live… and there’s a great big hole in the wall!’
‘No, Zana… Tiri doesn’t know my address. Only where I was…’
Scott explained what I was struggling to. ‘The apartment close to yours was rented by us, Zana. So Madeline was in close proximity while you were… getting to know each other.’
Her eyes dropped to the floor. ‘Oh. I see.’ Then she looked up, still frowning. ‘But she’ll find you, like she did before. She knows your name.’
Oh dear. I guess it had to come out sometime. ‘Zana, I am… was, a shadow assassin. Being invisible has been my first priority for some time. Madeline is my real name, but as far as the rest of the world knows, I’m officially someone else. Passport, plastic, even my national insurance number is in a different name. That way, anyone I majorly piss off in my work will only know me as Madeline, but can never find me through any internet search.’
‘So… so what is your manufactured name?’
‘Sarah Connor.’
Miles grinned. ‘That’s ironic.’
‘Tell me about it.’
Still Zana didn’t look too happy. ‘I can stay on my shuttle,’ she said flatly.
‘I’ve got two bedrooms,’ I half-growled, trying to keep the anger and frustration out of my voice but failing dismally.
The boss wasn’t having it anyway. ‘It’s impossible for you to go back and forth to Battersea without being spotted, Zana. And as I’ve said, I need you and Madeline to stay together, for your safety. Her apartment is the best bet, so please do as I ask.’
‘Sir, do I still have the car?’
He shook his head, reached into a desk drawer and handed me the key card. ‘It’s been repaired, so i
s no longer three inches shorter than it should be.’
I couldn’t stop a smile. ‘Sorry about that, boss. White van man seemed to think I was driving too slowly.’
‘Hmm…’ He headed to the door. ‘We’ll reconvene here in the morning. In the meantime get some rest. You’ll very likely need it.’
He was gone. Coop pulled me aside, his eyes narrowed with concern. ‘You two going to be ok?’
I shrugged weary shoulders. ‘God only knows, Coop.’
‘Hell girl, think he’s long since left this place.’
Chapter 146
The BMW purred its way through the city streets, the inside of the beautiful car virtually devoid of any road or engine noise.
And totally devoid of any conversation.
Zana didn’t want to talk to me, and I couldn’t seem to find any words either. Not any that would put a smile on her face. I knew she was scared, traumatized by her sister’s fearless bravado, upset by the depths her own people could sink to. And all of that piled on top of what she’d already been through was plenty enough for a body to cope with.
Being less than talkative, withdrawn even, that was understandable. But even though I was new to the love and togetherness thing, I still knew that when things get tough, you turn to those you love for comfort and strength.
Maybe that’s different with non-humans.
Finally she spoke. A flat, emotionless voice, like she was talking to Scott. ‘I am still concerned how my sister knew where I was. My shuttle is off-grid, my pendant is powered down.’
Glad even that she’d said something, I tried to reassure her. ‘Maybe it was me she latched onto? She’s intelligent enough to know I work for the government, that we’d be rushing back to London, and the one place I’d most likely be heading for as soon as we got there. Just a lucky guess.’