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Angel slides the paper showing the properties built to the left, lining it up with the original plans for an easier comparison. “So, it says here there should have been twenty-four houses in total.”

  “That’s always been the rumour. Why we only got numbers twenty-one to twenty-four is anyone’s guess, but until today, I can’t say I ever believed it was anything more than a weird numbering quirk.”

  “What do you make of the note here?”

  “That work was halted due to issues with the foundations? I don’t buy it. If that were the case, there would have been more concerns about the four houses that were built. On top of that, according to this, the power lines are active. Why do that if you weren’t going to make the rest of the street?”

  “Exactly. So, here’s something. Look at the basic plans for houses one to twenty. Tell me if you notice anything about the rooms.”

  I start looking over the papers, comparing the different would-be properties. Initially, nothing springs out at me. It’s not until I start placing the plans one on top of the other that it starts to make sense. “All the houses are identical in design, but these four are completely different sizes. The original plans show all of the houses as the same size though.”

  “The layout is odd too. They’re single-floor plans for multi-floor houses and have things like kitchens attached to bedrooms. There’s no way this is right. Which means they’re the plans we need.”

  I scratch my head and start laying them out next to each other in order. “Given what Sunglasses said, we know there’s something under Jonah’s house. He outright described it as a complex. And look at this. If the houses are set out in this order—twenty, seventeen, nine, five—then the front and back doors line up, despite being in odd places. Except five which doesn’t have a back door.”

  Angel rotates the plans for the houses to the right, making them start at Jonah’s house and then move north rather than follow back along the street. “And if you lay it right next to twenty-three like this, the front door on twenty lines up with the point where the power lines connect.”

  “The property notes show that, other than Jonah, the Lambert Drive property owners are security staff for the GMO and LGKB. Seems like a pretty upmarket area for a security job wage. Fake?”

  “Only in terms of where they work. My guess is they’re security and key personnel for whatever this place is.”

  “So, if it is an underground complex, what room do we need to hit?”

  “That’s a good question.” Angel turns away and walks over to her laptop. She calls up a map on the screen and sits staring at it in silence.

  Okay, so let’s think about this. The smaller rooms could be offices or server rooms. If Angel wants to disrupt the city monitoring, they could be viable targets. If not, it’ll be one of the bigger ones we need to hit. “It would really help if you told me what you want us to do down there. I might be able to at least guess at which room we’re looking for then.”

  “We’re going to talk to those in power. And I think I know how to find out where they’ll be.”

  “Okay, how?”

  “Dean Hollister and Jonah Burrell both bought land before the city was built. If we assume they were the first to do so, then we can take that as significant. Ethan said I’m aiming for the heart, which is true in a way. Taking it literally, though, where in your chest is the heart?”

  “Less than an inch to the left of the middle of your chest.”

  “If I’m right about the placing of those properties, the third house up sits at the midpoint between Hollister and Jonah’s homes. The middle of those plans and slightly to the left…here.”

  She places a finger on one room in the house. It’s not the largest room, nor one of the smaller ones. “That’s as good a guess as we’re gonna get, eh?”

  “I think so. I want to be certain of a few things before we make a move though.”

  “Such as?”

  “I know at least one dealer tunnel comes out close to Lambert Drive. I want to see how close, so we can see if that’s viable as an entrance point. I also want to find some definite evidence we aren’t being sent on a wild goose chase.”

  “Makes sense given the risks. How do you propose we get that?”

  “We’re going back to Jonah’s. Tonight. Don’t worry, we’re going to stay back and watch from afar. Good old-fashioned surveillance.”

  “Is that wise? After our break-in, Jonah could have bumped up security.”

  “I’ll make sure we have some Sweepers at our disposal, just in case. So, go rest or do whatever you would normally, and meet me back here at seven. It should be dark by then.”

  *

  I was glad to see Angel had obtained another car for us to use, rather than stick with mine. If nothing else, I don’t want the police to spot me and come knocking just yet. I’m still nervous though. I’m not entirely certain I can trust everyone in the King’s Guard. And Angel? I’m not certain she even trusts me fully.

  The little metal box Angel has on the dashboard crackles and a voice comes through. “Coming up now.”

  We both turn to the West of Lambert Drive, watching through infrared goggles. Sure enough, three human shapes appear from the ground, just behind a house one street over. Angel presses down on a button on top of the box and replies, “We’ve got you. Spread out, check for security, and pay attention to anyone who enters the house. One of you check the power usage too.”

  “Roger.”

  Angel relaxes back into her seat and lets out a sigh. “I told you before I wanted to instigate change, but I wasn’t sure how much yet. I think I know now.”

  I nod. “That’s good. I know I’d rather walk towards potential death with a clear idea of what I was dying for.”

  She laughs. “I know I’ll have to deal with Casille. That’ll be interesting. It’ll be the closing of a chapter for me too. He’s the easy part of all of this. I knew New Hopeland had secrets, but with everything we’ve uncovered, I’m not stupid enough to believe I can take over.”

  She waves her hand vaguely in the direction of Jonah’s house and continues, “This is way too big for me. When you really think about it, there’s only one reason the city is being run the way it is. Crime is out of control, so the government are taking back control without the criminals knowing. They’re letting them all live in ignorance; unaware their lives are not what they think they are. So, why do it just here?”

  I sit back now too and stare up at the stars. It’s a clear night. “It’s a test. New Hopeland was built as a living trial.”

  “Exactly. People like me? Our days are numbered. I’m pretty sure California will be one of the next targets. I want to change that. I want to show them I’m too much trouble to tackle directly, and then use my knowledge as leverage for negotiating.”

  “No, that’s not right. You may not have told me everything you’ve been thinking, but you’ve tackled this aggressively when it’s come to direct threats. You want us to break into a secret government complex and find the people in charge. That’s a physical confrontation, not a negotiation.”

  She shrugs. “Confrontation is the only way in. This system they’re running is set up that way. Besides, I’m sure Casille wants to close things off with me too. He’ll enjoy our meeting. It’ll be cathartic for him. Aside from that, I’m hoping simply showing them what I’m capable of will be enough. And if not? At least I’ll go out in a blaze of glory. That seems fitting.”

  “And how exactly is that supposed to leave me in a better position than I started in?”

  Angel reaches out and pulls a small disc out from somewhere on the steering wheel. “I know you’ve been secretly transmitting things to the King’s Guard for a while now. I was running security and caught one of the signals coming from Bert. This is a scrambler. The light goes red when it’s blocking a transmission. It has been green all night. Given your gargoyle is on the roof of the car, that can on
ly mean one thing. You removed the transmitter from Bert, didn’t you?”

  “I destroyed it.”

  “Part of me expected to have to win you over tonight. But then I noticed you didn’t bring Bert with you when we started researching the housing boom or checking the plans. That means you have solid doubts over whether the way the city is run is right. That’s why telling you about my aim for negotiation is risky.”

  “Because it means you’re embracing this to an extent.”

  “Exactly. I’m not so foolish as to not see the advantages, even if my choice is born from a corner I’ve been unexpectedly backed into. So, let me make you an offer. Once this is done, you can join me in California. You’ll still be a PI, still fight the good fight, and still have a direct link to the criminal in charge. The difference is, I’ll give you more control over the relationship. I won’t play games like Casille does or make veiled threats. Of course, I’ll expect you to take particular cases for my benefit, but in return, I will deal with those who were too careful to allow your methods to be effective. Give and take: you scratch my back, I scratch yours. Simple. Lori can come too; there’s a huge Tech Shifter community in California.”

  “You’re trying to sell me the same corruption I’m struggling with now.”

  “No, I’m asking you to accept corruption to a lesser extent.”

  “I’ll be honest with you, Angel. At this point, I don’t know who to trust. If this was an attempt to win me over with the truth, you’ve made a misstep.”

  She looks at me and smiles, far more gently than I’ve seen her do before. “Catch-22. If I don’t tell you, you don’t trust me. If I do, it means trying to get you on board with something you’ll hate.”

  “Honesty is still better. Tell me this then. If you knew I was transmitting to the King’s Guard, why didn’t you block the communication before?”

  “I needed them to think they had an advantage. They needed to believe they had someone on the inside. Really, they did. You wouldn’t have gone to them if you were always on my side in this. That’s part of why I was cagey around you. They got snippets, but not everything, and will have been left with an incomplete picture. The potential that I was on to them, and the belief they still have an asset who’s close enough to me to be useful. If I blocked the transmission tonight, it would give them confirmation I found the transmitter, and I’m getting ready to come in, nothing more. Winning you over was important overall because pulling the safety net out from under them will be key.”

  “You had a lot of faith in getting me on board with your thinking, didn’t you?”

  “I was more confident when I thought a takeover was viable, but yes. In a way, you started all of this, you know.”

  I turn my head to look right at her and frown. “How do you figure that?”

  “Some of the things Eddie Redwood’s software pulled from Hollister’s records made it onto the net. I only noticed because, by then, Gary Locke’s ideas had started to leak out in the wake of his trial. I was already interested in New Hopeland from a purely business standpoint, but what he said made me think there was more going on than I realised. I’ve been in contact with him on and off since then. Were it not for Gary Locke, I would never have learned that Malcolm Castleford had uncovered something, and so would not have come here quite so soon or in the manner in which I did. Gary Locke was sent down because of you, Cassie. Malcolm Castleford too. You are the one constant in the chain reaction that lead to me making a move.”

  “I’m not sure that makes me feel any better. Locke and Castleford were important too, and they’re both dead.”

  “Fair point. Look at this like a game of chess. Me and Casille, we’re kings. We both need other pieces around us, because you can’t play with a king alone. Gary Locke and Malcolm Castleford were pawns. They moved slowly and in set patterns. You, though, you’re more like a knight. You’re difficult to control, but you have a much more diverse mode of attack. That being the case, I’d be far more reluctant to use you as a sacrifice.”

  “Reluctant, eh? That’s not the same as guaranteeing not to put me in danger.”

  “There are things I’m certain about, Cassie. I trust the way you act enough to be sure you’ll make the decisions I think you will, for example. But in the end, there’s only one guarantee I can make with absolutely no doubts. When this is done, I will get what I want. That’s all there is to it.”

  The communicator box crackles, and a voice comes through again. “Jonah just opened the front door and let someone out.”

  “His wife or kid?”

  “No, a male.”

  “Infrared showed only Jonah and his family inside,” I reply.

  “Agreed,” the Sweeper says. “We’ve also been watching. He appeared inside the basement.”

  “I’ve finished with the power consumption check too,” says another Sweeper. “Those cables are hefting a lot of power. Far too much for one house of that size.”

  “Okay,” Angel says. “That’s all I needed. Sit tight and wait for further instructions.” She takes her finger off the button and turns to me again. “I’m going to get one of the Sweepers to take me back. You take this car and leave it in the car lot where we picked it up from. After that, I recommend you talk to your girlfriend, just in case this all goes wrong. I’ll send you your instructions when I have everything locked down. Tomorrow, we move.”

  *

  The front door to Lori’s bungalow clicks and opens, leaving a slightly surprised Lori to greet me. “Cassie? I wasn’t expecting you tonight.”

  “Sorry. I know. Can I come in?” I hold my sports bag up to show her. “I have clothes for the chest of drawers.”

  “Someone’s eager.” She giggles. “Sure, come in. Go on through, I’ll put the kettle on.”

  I nod and follow her in, shutting the door behind me. Lori branches off into the living room so she can get to the kitchen, and I make my way to the bedroom. A quick look around shows I was remembering correctly; there are no cameras here. Or none I can see. I’m still playing this safe. It took me a while to get here tonight. As well as dropping Bert home and packing the clothes, I needed to get a lot of stuff noted down.

  “So, come on, what really brings you here tonight?” Lori asks, entering the room. She walks up behind me and leans around me, spotting the little note I’ve placed on one of my shirts:

  Don’t react, just keep talking. Read the note on the NHC Blend.

  I pick the shirt up, revealing the phone, and start gathering similar items. “What can I say? I figured you’d be missing me already, so thought I’d drop by.”

  Chapter Eight

  I’m in a darkened room, sitting at what appears to be my worktable. Sitting opposite me in the void is someone I could really do with talking to right now. He smiles that Chow Yun-Fat smile of his and greets me the way he always did ever since I was little. “Hey, Cass.”

  “Hi, Dad.”

  “Good day?”

  I smile and shake my head. “Not really, no. What about you?”

  He looks around at the never-ending darkness and replies, “Can’t complain, all things considered.”

  A tear runs down my cheek. “I miss you.”

  “I know. Things are getting tough, aren’t they?”

  I let out a little laugh and wipe my eyes. “I can’t complain too much; this all my fault. Some things never change, eh?”

  “Even if you can lay the blame at your own feet, your intent is always the right one. Remember that.”

  “I do, it’s just…I’ve always thought no matter how far into the darkness I go, I’m always heading towards the light. Where I’m at right now, I’m not sure there is a light anymore. No matter how I look at it I’m backed into a corner, and the only way out that doesn’t guarantee everything coming to an end is to side with the biggest manipulator I’ve ever met.”

  “Hmm, that is a tough one.” Dad sits back
in his chair and crosses his arms. “You asked me once why I stuck with the PD when it was so corrupt. Do you remember what I told you?”

  “That sometimes, the only way to instigate change is from within.”

  He nods. “And if you can’t change the things that are wrong, then being on the inside is the only way to keep things under control. There are times when the only thing good people can do is perform damage control.”

  “These days, I’m better at damage creation, I think.”

  “To be fair, you always were. I liked to look at it less as destruction, and more moving things out of the way.”

  “Maybe I should have worked in the construction industry.”

  Dad laughs and gets to his feet. He beckons me to do the same and then turns me to face away from him and places his hands on my shoulders. Ahead of us are two open doors. One leads to a hallway bathed in a bright white light and the other is in complete darkness. “It’s time to make a choice, Cass.”

  “How do I know which is which?”

  “You already told me the answer. Trust your instincts.”

  I take a deep breath and exhale. “Okay. Okay. And Dad? Thank you. This helped.”

  He loosens his grip on my shoulders and steps back. “No matter what happens, remember this: I’m proud of you, Cass.”

  Without looking back, I step forward and walk through into the darkened hallway.

  *

  I slept well and woke up resolved in my course of action. I know it wasn’t really my Dad, but he was right. I already knew what choice I had to make. What choice I’d already made.

  The day went by in a blur and only seemed to slow when Charlie came to my door. “You ready?”

  “As I’ll ever be,” I reply, stepping out of my apartment. “Angel hasn’t told me the plan yet though.”

  Charlie looks around to make sure nobody is obviously listening in and says, “Wait until we’re below ground and I’ll explain.”

  We walk in silence until we reach the dealer tunnels she guided us through before. Then, she explains. “She was certain you’d join us but knew there was still a little bit of doubt. She didn’t want to give you your instructions via message just in case you decided to side with Casille and let him know what was going on.”