Skyfall (31 page)

‘That's impossible.'

‘Not at all, I'm afraid to say. We know for a fact that Ratz is completely informed as to the existence of subject 45698F, and of her containment at DGAP. More alarmingly, he knows the nature of and reasons behind your …
investigations
.'

‘Ratz?' Lari asked. Jenx turned to him.

‘Forgive me, Larinan. I forgot that during our last chat you claimed not to know of him. Gregor Kravanratz, or simply “Ratz” as he's known in the underworld. A political agitator, terrorist and former DGAP field agent. Current whereabouts unknown. We believe he's the leader of a movement calling themselves “the Underground”. We know for a fact that this group was responsible for the deaths of one hundred and twenty-three citizens in the Port North Central explosions, and we suspect their involvement in at least twelve other acts of sabotage and vandalism. Are you still certain you don't know the name, Larinan?'

Lari's face prickled as blood drained from it. ‘No.'

‘Are you all right? You look pale all of a sudden.' The security man's eyes bored into Lari.

‘I'm … fine. Could I have some water, please?'

‘Of course. In fact, I'm sure we could all use some refreshments.' The Prelate touched a button on her armrest and almost immediately the door through which Jenx had emerged slid aside and a man entered bearing a tray with a jug and glasses. He deposited this on the table and left without a word.

‘Help yourself, Larinan.' The Prelate turned back to her security chief. ‘Mr Jenx, continue.'

‘The bottom line is that Ratz knows about the girl and he knows about the entropy scenario, and the Underground are using that information to promote civil unrest. They're provoking uprisings among the shifties and rioting throughout the lower levels. Ironically, Janil, he's using his knowledge of your report on your mother's entropy scenario to accelerate its progress. Just as you predicted.'

‘How did he find out?' Janil asked. ‘DGAP is a secure facility and this program is protected by the highest level management protocols we have. How could this happen?'

Jenx threw just the tiniest glance at Lari before answering. ‘The same way these things always happen, Janil. Somebody talked.'

‘Then we need to find out who.'

‘Naturally, we're investigating. But in the meantime, to answer your original question, Doctor Mann, this information has several significant impacts upon your project.'

‘Such as?'

‘We all need to keep in mind that the very existence of that girl and all that she represents is the catalyst Ratz is using to provoke civil unrest.'

Something in the tone of Jenx's voice, in the careful way that he was selecting his words, sent a shiver of dread up Lari's spine.

‘As long as she is here, as long as she is a prisoner in DGAP—'

‘She's not a prisoner.'

‘Let's not hide behind euphemisms, Larinan. That's exactly what she is. She's our prisoner, a prisoner of the city administration, and as long as she remains so, Ratz has ammunition to continue underming the fabric of our society.'

‘Don't you feel you're overstating the case somewhat?' Dernan Mann suggested.

‘Not at all. That girl is more than just a subject now, she's become a symbol. A symbol of everything corrupt about the decaying world that we've locked ourselves inside. She's a symbol of impossible freedom. She's a symbol of hope, or the lack of it. And, as a symbol, she's become infinitely more important to a lot of people and groups, including the Underground, than she ever was as a scientific artefact.'

‘Don't talk about her that way!'

The vehemence in Lari's tone took the four adults by surprise. They stared at him.

‘Like what, Larinan?' his father asked.

‘As a “subject” or an “artefact”. She's just a girl. A human, the same as us.'

‘Or not, as Janil so succinctly pointed out a few minutes ago.' Jenx's expression was smug. ‘And if you care about her so much, Larinan, then perhaps you should be a little more guarded about who you talk to.'

‘What are you implying?' his father snapped.

‘Nothing at all, Doctor Mann. In any case, it's a moot point now.'

‘Why?'

‘As there seems little likelihood of your research into this subject actually achieving anything in the near future, and as her presence here in Port is proving to be a destabilising and dangerous influence on an already volatile population, I have recommended to the Prelate that your “project” be wound up and that the subject be … removed from the sphere of influence.'

Dernan Mann stared at the security chief. ‘Are you suggesting we—'

‘There really is no other choice, Doctor. The only conceivable reason for allowing the subject to remain in the custody of DGAP would be if there was a possibility that your scientific team might be able to determine the appropriate genetic adaptations to enable us to formulate a viable population colony outside the city. Your son pointed out earlier, and you agreed with him, that the chance of that happening in the time available to us is almost nil—'

‘Almost, but not entirely.'

‘… and therefore keeping her here simply adds further instability to an already dangerous situation. The only solution is the termination of both subject and project.'

Dernan Mann stood abruptly and turned to the Prelate.

‘I cannot accept this, Madam Prelate. I must insist—'

‘You must
what,
Doctor Mann? Please do not forget your place.'

Lari's father took a deep breath. ‘We're talking about the extinction of the human race here. You admit that the entropy scenario is a reality—'

‘Becoming
a reality,' interrupted Jenx.

‘And yet at the same time you're willing to allow Jenx to throw away the one shred of hope that we have to thwart that fate? For the sake of what? Stability? Don't you think getting rid of the girl now will only add fuel to Ratz's fire?'

‘Without the girl, without her presence and all that it implies, Ratz's position is severely weakened. As long as there is the possibility that he might get his hands on her and use her to—'

‘She's being kept in the most secure room of one of the most secure buildings in the city. There's no way he could—'

‘As long as she is in the city there's always the possibility, however slim, that Ratz will release her. He's already proved more dangerous and resourceful than we've given him credit for in the past. If we remove her and wind up DGAP, however, then it doesn't matter. We prevent Ratz gaining further influence in the underworld, and we buy ourselves a little more time in which to search for other alternatives to extinction.'

‘You've read my son's report. There
are
no alternatives.'

‘There are always alternatives, Doctor Mann,' the Prelate said. ‘We just have to find them.'

‘Please, Madam Prelate, I implore you …'

‘Don't beg, Doctor Mann. It's unseemly.'

‘I agree.' Janil spoke softly, but his words seemed to echo. Dernan Mann stared at his son.

‘What! Janil …'

‘No, Father. They're right. Jenx summed it up perfectly. She's become more of a liability than a benefit to us.'

Lari watched his father's face closely, trying to read it. Dernan Mann shook his head.

‘You of all people, Janil. This is about Larinan, isn't it?'

‘No, Father. It's about logic. It's about facing up to what's in front of us and dealing with it accordingly.'

Father and son stared at one another, both angry, both daring the other to say something, anything. Then Dernan Mann turned back to the Prelate.

‘At least give us a little more time. Surely this decision doesn't need to be implemented immediately. Every hour you allow us increases the possibility that we'll find something – anything – in that girl's genes which we might be able to use to our advantage.'

The Prelate considered this for a moment, before turning to Jenx.

‘Mr Jenx, for how long can you keep a lid on the Underground?'

Jenx made a non-committal gesture. ‘Hard to say. Possibly a week, possibly a day. They might launch another bombing attack tomorrow, or just stick to stirring up the shifties and undermining productivity. Ratz is cunning, he doesn't allow—'

‘How
long,
Mr Jenx?'

The security chief shrugged. ‘Say a week. That's as likely as any other guess I could make.'

The Prelate turned to Janil. ‘Janil, do you believe that you might discover something significant in a week?'

‘Probably not, but it couldn't hurt. There's always a slim possibility. Father is right about that.'

‘Very well.' The city leader turned back to Dernan Mann. ‘Doctor, you and your sons have a week. No more. Unless you achieve some kind of breakthrough in the meantime, you are to report back to me here in seven days and we will organise the …
disbanding
of the project. And of course, if anything significant happens in the underworld in that time, I reserve the right to change this decision at a moment's notice. Is that understood?'

‘Of course, Madam Prelate.' Dernan Mann looked a broken man.

‘Good, then. In that case, thank you for coming, gentlemen. That will be all.'

As they moved towards the door, the Prelate spoke again. ‘Janil, would you mind staying for a minute longer. I'd like a quick word with you alone.'

Ignoring the look his father gave him, Janil came back to the couch, and Lari and Dernan Mann followed Jenx out into the foyer.

‘Well, that's that, then.' The chief of security walked towards the hub with them. ‘Looks like I'll see you in a week, Doctor Mann.' Outside, to the west, the sea gleamed in the afternoon sun, the horizon startlingly low without the field of domes to blur and raise it. ‘Oh, and Larinan?'

‘Yeah?'

‘I'll organise for your mag ban to be lifted this evening. As long as the Prelate seems happy to trust you, then I will, too.'

‘What about Kes?'

‘Your girlfriend?'

‘My
former
girlfriend.'

‘I see no harm in lifting her ban, too. I'll let you give her the good news yourself.'

Behind them the door to the Quarter Room opened and Janil emerged, joining them at the hub without a word. A long look passed between him and his father, but neither spoke. They scanned in and the lift was there instantly. As they stepped inside, Jenx spoke again.

‘I'll see all of you next week. At the latest.'

Without another word he turned on his heel and marched back into the Quarter Room.

‘So what do we do?' Lari asked, as soon as the doors had closed and the lift dropped into the long downwards shaft.

His father's voice was hard. ‘We get back to work, Larinan.'

He hasn't come today.

It's the first time in many, many days that Nightperson Lari hasn't appeared, slipping out of the dark gap in the wall, asking her name, talking about nothing and everything.

She wonders where he is.

Slowly she climbs down from the padded mat on its podium and crosses to the place in the wall where she knows the door is: the place where Nightperson Lari always emerges. She runs her fingers across the smooth surface, searching for a gap, a slit, even the tiniest chink in that hard, cold whiteness.

There's nothing, though. She's not surprised. She's done this many times since she woke up here.

Saria walks a complete lap of the room, trailing her fingertips across the cold white wall

It's strange, him not appearing as usual It makes her feel odd … unsettled.

‘What's your name?' he always asks.

She still hasn't told him.

She hasn't told him anything.

Her stomach growls. She wishes they'd give her some food. But they don't. They make her sleep sometimes, whether she wants to or not, and when she wakes up she's no longer hungry, but her stomach never feels full, ever.

Perhaps he's given up? Perhaps he's not coming ever again.

She pushes the idea away. It is uncomfortable to realise that the thought of him not coming scares her.

She hates him.

He's cold. Nothing. Empty. She can't reach him. She can't reach anything in here, except for the skyfire, which hurts her.

She hates him more than she's ever hated anything, ever. More than Baanti, more than Slander.

But still, she hopes he'll come …