Metak Fatigue Part 15

"No. He's simply better than I am - and I'd like to 4 Martin the best of luck. He's going to need it." O'Dell looked uncomfortable, but said nothing. "What I will say is this: I may not have caught the but I know who the killer is." The reaction was instantaneous. Chappel and O'Dell startled; DeKurzak was caught speechless, openMT., "You what?" Wiggs gasped, turning a mottled shade purple. "The killer is a type of berserker," Roads said, "one ve never seen before. A later model, if you like, and [email protected] as dangerous." Before he lost the upper hand, he F1 Ml- a everything known about Cati: the history of siv development, the general nature of his extreme offkamitos and the significance of the control code. "Cati was built to do only two things: to kill and to With no morals, no opinions and no conscience to in the way, he is the perfect a.s.sa.s.sin for anyone in a position to command him."

1. Wiggs' high colour gradually ebbed, but he remained flushed in the cheeks.

"They really had such things?" "Yes. You'll find an incomplete description in, the States datapool. I suggest you dig it out and look for the control frequency. If we can trace the source of the transmissions, we might be able to find out who's controlling him: the person or persons who want to stop the Rea.s.similation.' "He can't be working on his own?" "No. He's designed to follow orders, not to be independent. Cut the chain of command, and he'll be t h d. Disarmed." "Okay." Chappel turned to O'Dell. "Can you find that data for us, Martin?" "Of course. It won't take long.""I wouldn't bother, if I were you," said DeKurzak. "What? Why not?" The young captain turned in puzzlement to the MSA liaison officer. "Because there's no point." DeKurzak chuckled softly. "Nice try, Roads, but it won't work."

Roads felt his face turn red. "I'm sorry?" "You can't make yourself look better by conjuring up some demon from the past." "I'm telling you the truth.

The file is there. You can check it yourself." "Of course it is. Are we to a.s.sume that this is something else you chose to omit from your reports?" "No, I only realised this morning -".

"How convenient. Something that has eluded homicide for six weeks just comes to you in a flash. Next you'll be telling us that this ... freak ... was responsible for the deaths last night." "No. As far as I know, he wasn't even there." "So you admit it? You killed them in cold blood?" "Me?" This time Roads was taken off guard. If that's what the rumours were saying, then he was in deeper trouble than he realised. "It was the Mole."

DeKurzak laughed openly, shaking his head as though in pity.

O'Dell had turned grey. "What makes you suspect the Mole?" "I saw him, that's what." Roads look at Chappel. "You don't really think it was me, do you?"

"What we think doesn't come into it," interrupted DeKurzak. "A board of inquiry will be called to decide whether you used an excess of force." "This is crazy." "Is it? Any crazier than the theory you've proposed?" DeKurzak also turned to Chappel. "A mythical, mentally disadvantaged combat soldier who has hidden in Kennedy for an unknown number of years discovers politics and begins killing again to ',4;, a point - "It's not him. It's whoever's controlling him "Let me finish, Roads. We all agree that the killer has to information not available to the general public:, it has to come from someone reasonably high up in 11;@- government. Why not you, Roads? You're biomodi- you'd know exactly who to kill; you have contacts the underworld; and you're in a prime position to 3 NORW investigations away from you. All we have this theory is your word plus a ridiculous to shift the blame elsewhere."

Roads managed to break in. -Why would I possibly to do this?" "I can think of a number of reasons. There may be another government interested in Kennedy, apart from the Reunited States; you may be plotting with them to foil the Rea.s.similation. You might even be behind the Mole as well, stealing information for the benefit of your superiors. Or you could simply be looking after yourself; keeping the Reunited States away in order to ensure your own personal power. Perhaps you're jjust a born Judas; you did, after all, betray your own com- manding officers before coming here "That's it." Roads fought a sudden urge to grab the liaison officer by the throat. "I've had enough of this s.h.i.t. Make your decision, Margaret, before I kill him." "Are you threatening me?"

DeKurzak stood, fists clenched. "Sit down, Antoni." She glanced at her watch.

"We're almost out of time. We'll have to continue this discussion after Rea.s.similation."

DeKurzak didn't back down. "If you're suggesting that we leave Roads in charge until then -""I'm not. I'm transferring the cases, as the Mayor advised. a.s.suming you and Martin can work together, it'll be your baby from now on." "Good." DeKurzak looked partially satisfied; slowly, he moved away. "And what about me?" Roads held his breath. "Consider yourself relieved of all duties until we can look more closely at the situation. You can keep the ID, but the gun will have to stay here." Her regret was obvious, but the cold feeling rising in Roads' gut wouldn't let him sympathise with her. "It's the best I can do, Phil. I'm sorry,"

DeKurzak wasn't pleased either. "I hardly feel enough has been done to -"

"Shut up, DeKurzak." Roads stood and faced the liaison officer. "You've got what you wanted." "What I want is what's best for this city, which is to Rea.s.similate as smoothly as possible. If seeing you brought to justice will help that process, then that's what has to happen. And if you don't see it that way, then that's your problem."

Roads ignored him. O'Dell looked like he had something he wanted to say, but obviously thought better of it. Wiggs stared at his shoes, keeping carefully neutral. Only Margaret braved the moment with a slight shake of lif e .r head that told him there was nothing more she could do.

He understood instantly what she meant: not even the Director of RSD could block an inquiry once evidence of bioniodification became widespread. just delaying the response must have cost her plenty. If she fought too hard to defend him now, suspicion would be cast upon her as well. And any last chance RSD had of weathering the storm might vanish as a result.

Roads left the room breathing heavily through his 'Only when the door was safely slammed behind K he dare vent his frustration by hitting a wall.

#Tn hid behind the reception desk as he stormed @11, 44, the elevator, nursing his fist.

ai; way down, he opened the cyberlink to Barney. kvim- me in my office, p.r.o.nto."

s the matter? Didn't it go well?" The concern #-T was obvious, even through the subvocal 4 voice "What happened, Phil?" "They took me off the case - that's what happened. if DeKurzak gets his way I'll be up before a Court this time next week. The sonofab.i.t.c.h me." ."Christ. I'll be there as soon as I [email protected] He ignored Marion's cheerful h.e.l.lo when he reached [email protected] floor and headed straight for his office. Opening the [email protected], drawer of his desk, he emptied out the net of ;rsno Fm- electrodes and put it in his pocket. When he to the terminal to transfer his files onto data fiche, he noticed that it had already been activated.

The screen displayed an excerpt from the Mayor'sJetter, a single paragraph with one sentence highlighted: "Acting on reports submitted by both Antoni DeKurzak and Captain O'Dell, I have no choice but to recommend that Senior Officer Roads be suspended 'from uty unti suc time as his circ.u.mstances can be adequately re-evaluated."

Roads stared at the screen. .. and Captain O'Dell ... He collapsed into the chair and rubbed at his brow. The message was obviously from Chappel; she was the only one with both the authority to override his terminal and access to the Mayor's memo. The question waswhether she had intended it as a warning to be discovered prior to the event or as an explanation afterward. Either way, she'd truly had no choice. In the face of two negative reports, not just DeKurzak's, any action apart from suspending him would definitely have put her in the firing line with him.

Kennedy law imposed the same penalties on both the biomodified and the people who harboured them.

Barney stormed in, her lips pursed with anger. "That f.u.c.king little low-life.

What's he playing at?"

Roads looked up. "Hi, Barney. Thanks for coming." "What choice did I have? We have to do something about this, before it's too late." "There's nothing we can do. I'm out, and Martin's in. It's as simple as that." "But what about DeKurzak? He's going to get all the credit for finding Cati! " "Maybe. I don't know. As far as he's concerned, Carl's just a myth." "What? But it makes sense "He thinks I'm involved, that I'm trying to cover up." "Of all the . . . "

Barney gesticulated her frustration, lost for words.

Roads understood the way she was feeling. "DeKurzak wants three things: one, to discredit me to make himself look better; two, to set me up to take the fall for either the Mole or the killer, or both; and three, to weaken RSD's hold on law enforcement in Kennedy. The last in particular. I wouldn't be surprised if that's been his mission for the MSA all along: to infiltrate us, and thereby catch us with our pants down." He switched off the terminal with a flick of his finger. "He was out to get me before I even walked in the door, despite what he said yesterday. And I can't fight him. Not when he has everything on his side."

"M you can't just give up either."

4.

''I Uss not going to. The Reunited States' convoy vi*W'[email protected] in four hours. If Cati strikes again, it'll be tonight sure, before the treaty's signed. And he'll be after big this time - bigger than the Mayoralty." "The General?" Her eyes grew wide as she realised in- he meant. "Cati's going to a.s.sa.s.sinate General _qj "With Stedman out of the way, the balance might in favour of the conservatives." "Oh my G.o.d. I hadn't thought A knock at the open door cut her off. Both of them to face Martin O'Dell. "I didn't mean to interrupt," he said. The RUSAMC eits hovered in the doorway, looking distinctly 0 01 "1 just came by to say I'm sorry. I had no choice."

Roads pretended to be busy clearing his desk. Barney looked from one to the other, clearly sensing the tension between them. "If it makes any difference,"

continued O'Dell undeterred, "I only wanted the case, not the inquiry into your conduct. I'd like you to know that if worse comes to worst you're welcome in Philadelphia. You don't have to stay here. Quite apart from your past involvement, -we can always use good people, and there's certainly more opportunity back home to -"

"Thanks, Martin. You cae spare me the campaign speech."

O'Dell looked pained. "I'm only trying to do my job, okay) " "I know.- Roads looked up. "But what the h.e.l.l is your job, exactly? You're a soldier, not a cop." "I'm both." O'Dell hesitated in the doorway. "I have my orders. Remember that, if nothing else.""How can I forget?" The RUSAMC captain left. Roads sighed and put his hands on the desk, tired of petty politics getting in the way of the things he had to do.

Barney came to him and put her arms around his shoulders. "You can go back to my place, if you want to." "No. I haven't got time." He squeezed her hand, grateful for her sympathy even as he rejected it. "I need two favours.

"Anything." "Are you sure?" Roads looked her in the eye. "I can't go to Margaret for this - or anything - while RSD is at risk. But I don't want to drag you down instead."

ic If I was worried about that, would I be here now?" Barney returned his stare. "Tell me what you want, and I'll see what I can do. @ "A bike, first of all, if you can get hold of one; and a schedule for the next twenty-four hours. Security plans of Mayor's House would be good, but I don't want to push my luck."

She leaned away. "You're going after Caei, aren't you?" "I have to. If we're right and he is the killer, then someone has to stop him." "Unarmed?" Her eyes were filled with concern. "Don't, Phil, please. I can talk DeKurzak into it."

"He won't have the time to listen to you until tomorrow - and by then it'll be too late." "But Margaret -"

"It has to be me. I'm sorry."

She put her head on his shoulder. "You stupid sonofab.i.t.c.h." "Senile, actually.

I'll be ninety-five next month."

Barney pulled a face. "Don't put it that way. It sounds 15 so_ rek That's exactly how I feel when I look at O'Dell DeKurzak." "No. Serious."

Her hands tightened. "But remind me IMOV., you a party, if you're still around." "Thanks," he said. "I think I'll need it."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

12:30 p.m.

The threat of rain had pa.s.sed by the time Roads managed to escape HQ on a bicycle Barney had borrowed from the RSD pool. The streets and sidewalks of the inner suburbs were busy with people.

General Stedman's convoy was still some hours away, but the reclamation and reprocessing factories had already shut down. Regardless of political persuasion - for, against, or even indifferent - everyone in Kennedy Polis seemed to be taking advantage of the first public holiday in over a year. Parties had begun in parks, Rosette stations, and little-used intersections. Bands played on roof gardens, sending s.n.a.t.c.hes of melody aloft on the wind. The smell of freshly-cooked food drifted at random through the streets.

There was always a sense of guilty pleasure in taking time off, however. The struggle to maintain viability had been so long and desperate during the Dissolution that an egalitarian lifestyle and obsessive work ethic had become indelible parts of the city's culture. Not working had connotations far worse than simple laziness: it hurt everyone in the long-run.

A measure of anti-Rea.s.similation sentiment found its source in this guilt - as though a slight lapse in concen- tration on internal issues would result in the collapse of the fragile bubble that was Kennedy. Roads could understand that, and even felt a measure of it himself: old habits, forged when survival seemed most unlikely, were always the hardest to break. The fight for the city was won on many levels, not just by keeping possible threats Outside.

A splash of red, white and blue caught Roads' eye, distracting him temporarily from his thoughts. One daring person had unearthed an old flag and raised it above a converted post office. The Stars and Stripes, for so long forbidden, was an unusual sight, and an evocative one.

As he furiously pedalled along the streets, Roads wondered whether the flag was a gesture of celebration or of warning. Was the arrival of the RUSAMC a threat or an opportunity? Only time would tell.

Of only one thing was he completely certain: that Cati's controller would strike again. Anyone so antiRea.s.similation as to kill in the past would not stop once Stedman was in the city. And what more tempting target could there possibly be? Certainly far more relevant than Councillors or aides who had supported the bill before it became reality.

He steered the bike past a pile of recently fallen masonry that had spilled onto the road, and called up the PolNet systems. The menus reappeared superimposed upon the street ahead, like neon hallucinations more real than reality itself. He searched through them, found the access number he was after, and dialled.

Morrow's bodiless head appeared in the depths of his vision, always a fixed distance ahead of him. "No im? said the Head, "and a simulated voice.

This can 6ni y mean one thing." "That's right." Roads smiled despite himself.

"I've succ.u.mbed to temptation.""Good for you, Phil. It was only a matter of time. Welcome back to the electronic fold, my boy, where you belong." "Not by choice, I'm afraid."

"Shame." Morrow sniffed. "Please bear in mind that I'm here when you need me.

If you take the fall, I'll be there to catch you. DeKurzak doesn't frighten me in the slightest." "How much do you know about that?" "Probably more than you." "I hope so. I was set up and I want to know why.15 "Start asking questions, then, and I'll tell what-I can." "Right, the a.s.sa.s.sination first.

Who hired Danny Chong, and why?" "Pa.s.s." Morrow's face displayed sincere regret. "Okay. Where did Chong get the explosives, then? I haven't seen anything that powerful in twenty years." "From me, of course. You should have known." "I guessed, but needed to know for sure. That makes them imports. From the same place as the EPA44210s? The Reunited States?" "Perhaps. Do change the subject, dear boy."

Roads pedalled steadily onward, glad that one guess had proved correct. "Back to DeKurzak. What can you tell me about him?" "He's an orphan, like your a.s.sistant. Both his parents were killed by a beiserker in '57." "Interesting, Keith, but hardly relevant." "Perhaps not. He's certainly driven by something, and regarded as a golden boy by his allies. He worked his way up the MSA in record time while Packard was head. If he continues at this rate, he'll be running the entire city within a couple of decades." "Is that fast enough, do you think?" "Not for him, certainly. For me, I could wait forever."

"What do you know about his a.n.a.lysis of Blindeye, and the Mole?" "Only what he's told the Mayor in his report. He Wants you strung up as an example, just in case any of the Old Guard think of trying anything silly." Morrow tut-tutted. "The boy is paranoid, but quite sincere, it would seem. And he makes a convincing case.

The Mayor seems quite won over by his enthusiasm, even though the Mayor himself would be a possible suspect." "I know. O'Dell, too? Does he agree with DeKurzak?" "Doubtful. His report carefully avoids the matter, as though he is trying not to commit himself. His only recommendation is that he should take over the Mole case in place of you, and his reasoning there is inconclusive." "Did he mention my biomods?" "NO."

Roads paused while he took a corner, pondering DeKurzak's actions. The recent change in the MSA was at the core of them, he was sure. As the necessity to maintain external vigilance had gradually ebbed, so too had he number of people required to patrol the Wall. The active staff numbers of the MSA had therefore atrophied, with personnel drifting into other areas such as security and administration. Still, a position in the MSA automatically commanded respect and admiration, out of respect for the organisation's past. To be part of the MSA meant that one was actively involved in the defence of the city, unlike RSD, which defended the city from itself.

Rea.s.similation, however, would nullify the reason for the existence of the MSA, and increase the need for internal policing. DeKurzak's actions made more sensewhen this was taken into account: by breaking up RSD and absorbing the pieces, he could give the MSA an entirely new portfolio, and thus a reason to exist.

O'Dell's motives, however, were far from clear. The streets became less crowded the further Roads went from the city centre. Patriot Bridge appeared briefly from behind a building, then vanished again. He consulted a street map in the RSD datapool and realised that he was closer to his destination than he had thought. "One more question, Keith. I'm trying to track down an old CATI soldier. It looks like one made it to Kennedy during the Dissolution and is now being used by whoever wants to derail the Rea.s.similation. Do you know anything about him, or where he might be hiding?" "'It', you mean." Morrow's face remained stonily blank. "I took the liberty of browsing through the files of your lovely a.s.sistant last night, and learned of your discovery that way.

It seems obvious to me that the Mole is entirely unconnected with this CATI operative. You should return to your original search immediately. You'll be wasting your time, otherwise."

Roads detected more than a faint warning in the Head's tone of voice, but ignored it. "I don't think so.

There's a connection here somewhere. All I have to do is find it." , "Perhaps.

But you are treading a dangerous path that might, eventually, lead nowhere."

"That's a chance I'll just have to take." "Very well." Morrow sighed. "Was there anything else?" "Just one more favour. A big one, this time. I need a security pa.s.s to Mayor's House for tonight. I don't think I'll be able to get in otherwise, and I can't afford to miss any of the action."

8tsideov.! pondered the request. "It'll be tricky, but I do it. I'll call you later with a rendezvous." "Thanks, Keith." That Morrow could deliver wasn't d oubt. Being an artificial intelligence, he had Itno access to more cognitive resources than any Had it not been for the War, he might have been t, the entire country, not just a few shady in an isolated city. Roads turned another corner, and realised that he had ON It at last. He glided slowly to a halt and balanced two wheels and one leg in the middle of the street. "I have to go.." "Already? Must our conversations always be so brief)" "F in afraid so. You're a 'criminal element', remember?"

Morrow didn't smile. "Ah, yes. I do keep forgetting."

Old North Street was empty as far as his eyes could see.

One hundred and fourteen was still sealed with RSD Major Crime tape, and looked deserted. He had no doubt that, if he ventured down into the concealed cellar, he would find that empty as well.

Opening the cyberlink to Barney, he softly called her name. Her reply was instantaneous. "s.h.i.t! Sorry, Phil. You startled me. Where are you?" "Old North Street. Any news from the lookout?" "None since I last called." "Good." He leaned the bike against the wall of number 113, inside which the stake-out was hidden. There was no response from within the building, but he knew the bike would be watched along with the building across the road. " How're things at your end?" "Slow. I'm down by the Wall, and the crowds are fairly quiet. The heat's making everyone docile, I guess.""That won't last. Any protests?" "One group tried to string an anti-Rea.s.similation banner across the road, but we got rid of them easily enough. There've been a couple of scuffles, nothing too exciting. Some of the lads are hoping for a minor revolution in our vicinity, to relieve the boredom, but I don't think that's likely."

Roads lit a cigarette. "Anything from the bosses yet?" "The Mantis made a speech not long ago, to explain that we will be co-operating closely with the MSA and the States in future. No specifics, and she's been quiet since then.

There's a bit of gossip going around, some of it concerning you, but I'm keeping on top of it." "That's my girl. You'll let me know when the fun starts, won't you?" "The parade? Sure. I finish my shift at seven, if you want to meet me somewhere then." "Maybe. We'll see how I go." "Call me." "I will."

He cut the line. While he finished his cigarette, he ran through everything that Morrow had told him.

The Head was obviously smuggling RUSA products into the city - hence the crates arriving at 114 Old North Street in the dead of the night and Morrow's possession of the batteries - although exactly how he had obtained them was still a mystery. That ruled out one possibility: that the explosives Danny Chong had used to blow up his house had been supplied by the people who had ordered his a.s.sa.s.sination - i.e. the RUSAMC itself, or a faction within it.

So the RUSAMC hadn't tried to kill him. That was some relief, but it still left him short of an actual suspect.

He had had a half-formed idea that the a.s.sa.s.sination attempt might have been a set-up: that Chong and co.

Vbeen deliberately killed in order to incriminate him.

made the Mole, as Chong's killer, the source of the But he doubted it; it was too complex a plan, 4 I.V-on too many variables. Why would the Mole go 4-ri much trouble when it would be easier to kill Roads r and be done with it? No. The Mole had nothing to do with Chong's 11W*M04.1 His a.s.sumption of the previous day had been 'A therefore: he was close to catching Cati, not the M T e hat meant Cati's controller had been behind the to a.s.sa.s.sinate Roads. He or she - or even they - Mm_ have used Chong to throw him off the scent, on off-chance that the attempt to kill him would fail.

2N DeKurzak still professed a belief in a member of the ro Guard being behind the killings, and had tied up of homicide looking for evidence to support his *11114 O'Dell did not seem to have allied himself with -eKurzak in this instance, however, and that difference of opinion was worth noting. Not that it helped Roads terribly much. Whether Cati was investigated or not, Roads felt safe a.s.suming that he was close to solving, if not actually dealing with that half of the problem. All that remained was the thief.

Suddenly, a new thought occurred to him: in six weeks of random thievery, the Mole had killed no-one.

Then, during Blindeye, he had struck Roads a blow that might have killed an ordinary man. The following night he had killed fourteen people. What had changed in the thief's situation to warrant such violence? Or had the situation changed at all?

On the one hand, the Mole had tried to kill him. Then' after weeks of eluding him, spying on him, doing everything he could to confound the man he had impersonated - he had actually saved his life. Why the inconsistency?An answer came instantly, more from intuition than thought: just as Morrow wanted him to catch the Mole, so too did the Mole want Roads to catch Cati.

But that didn't make sense. Two nights ago, he had known nothing about the killer, apart from a photo or two; hardly enough to make him suspect anything specific. Not until the search through the datapool had found the old CATI file did he guess the truth, and even then he had kept it quiet for several hours. Whoever had decided that Roads knew the truth had made a very' large a.s.sumption - or had access to his data.

The cigarette had died some time ago. Throwing the b.u.t.t illegally into a gutter, he crossed the road and mounted the steps of 116 Old North Street. He straightened his clothing in the reflection cast by a shadowed window; despite the fact that he rarely wore full uniform, plain-clothes felt awkward. He still had his ID, however - the subtle distinction between "holidays" and suspension having allowed him to keep that, if not his gun.

Two other things DeKurzak's attack had left him with were time and freedom to pursue the case fully. He knew he would need both if he was to succeed.

General Stedman would be in Kennedy Polis within a handful of hours, and Carl would try to kill him. Roads felt safe a.s.suming this, although he lacked the evidence to prove it. The only way to stop the killer was to neutralise the person controlling him, so that's exactly what Roads planned to do.