Metak Fatigue Part 4

s took a deep breath, suddenly conscious of the Fheavily. at he was sweating urzak looked surprised; Roads' outburst had startled him, too. "What exactly are you driving er Roads?" at it's not me, you son Of a b.i.t.c.h. I'm not the nyone." or the a.s.sa.s.sin, and I'm not protecting a t Wiggs might be." his head e's not. Jesus. Roads felt like banging steering wheel. "We're just trying to do our jobs." nd no-one's stopping you." The liaison officer ned the fine work red away. "No-one's questio :@ve done for RSD over the years. That's not the issue What is at stake is this case, at this moment, and we're going to solve it.

Given that it's not a simple unit, and that there's no keeping politics out Of it, have to consider every possibility.oads bristled at the 'we', but kept his mouth in little longer, DeKurzak. k this time. ,Just give me a n't believe in the uncatchable thief. ter of fact. "Neither do 1, as a mat DeKurzak smiled.

we've only got three days left before General Ut dman arrives."

appeared, and @,-,',The turn-off for Old North Street Ak, "

ful for the toads swung the wheel to follow it, grate the scene of the break-in approached, istraction. As urzak broke the brief, tense silence. "I'm only doing my job, too, Phil.

Remember that, [email protected] our relationship will be a little less strained."

"Vith daylight had come the spectators. A couple of 31-dozen had settled in shaded doorways and windows for 64the morning, curious to see what had happened. Most were young parents with small children in tow, looking for entertainment. Although loitering was technically illegal, being a waste of human resources, none of the attending officers bothered to move the crowd along.

Barney was asleep in the van, stretched across the rear seat with her coat bunched up against the window, acting as a pillow. He felt like a b.a.s.t.a.r.d for waking her. "What -?" She opened her eyes and rubbed her forehead. " Oh, it's you." "Sleeping on the job?" "Yes and no. HQ sent Rashid to relieve me not long after you left, but I thought I'd wait for you to come back." She glanced at her watch. "I only lay down ten minutes ago." "This fanatical devotion to duty will get you places." "That's a relief." She struggled upright and tugged at her clothes. The rear of the car was suffocatingly hot and her uniform damp with sweat as a result. "Are we going now?" "Not yet. We have a visitor."

"Who?" "The MSA have sent someone to watch over our shoulder. He's standing just over there and answers to the name 'DeKurzak'. "Watch us why?"

Roads filled her in on the meeting that morning, content to let the MSA liaison officer wait a few minutes longer. By the time he finished, Barney had recovered a semblance of alertness. "So they're giving us a deadline?" "Seems that way." "b.a.s.t.a.r.ds." She groaned as he helped her out of the van. "Okay, I guess I'm ready. As if I haven't already done enough for one day."

presume you went through this lot for eye- " Roads said, indicating the crowd with a nod.

h, not a one. Door-knocked, too." Barney raised 'd to point. "This is 114, right? One hundred and 113 and 115 are empty offices, haven't had for at least ten years and haven't been converted commodation because no-one really wants to live -this area. One hundred and twelve and 116 are antable, but unoccupied. City records don't mention one ever inoving in, so they've been empty since the f - just like '114 itself, supposedly." They walked to where DeKurzak was standing, watchthe squad move in and out of the house. Roads made introductions. DeKurzak shook Barney's hand with an ratiating smile, then suggested they move inside. The cellar was cool but crowded, and considerably ore ordered than when Roads had last seen it. The 2 iles of components had been returned to their respeclive boxes; all the cupboards were closed.

[email protected] replacement was talking earnestly with .11 @Raoul over one of the terminals. A short, dark-haired :man, he had a ]a rge smallpox scar on his left check that V-i Kennedy's utilitarian approach to medical care had not allowed to be removed. He looked up as Roads and Company approached. "Good morning, Phil." "That depends. Have you got anything for me?" "I'm not sure.

We have the security check on the d ata -system. ,[email protected] "And?" "It looks like nothing was stolen."

Roads raised his eyebrows. "Run that by me again?" "As he said," said Raoul, his dark skin dusty. He wiped his hands on a rag as he approached. "It's as clean as a preacher's p.r.i.c.k down here."

46DeKurzak looked curiously at the new arrival, and Roads explained as briefly he could: "Raoul ran this Place. He can tell us what's been stolen." "Which is nothing," Raoul repeated. "But that's inconsistent," Barney said. "Why would the Mole go to the trouble of breaking in and then not take anything?" "To prove he can?" DeKurzak suggested, obviously dissatisfied with remaining an observer. "We already know he can." "Then maybe he was scared off."

Roads shook his head. "The building was empty until Raoul arrived. Right, Raoul?" "That's correct. He set off the alarm as he left. He must have finished what he came to do." "Exactly. But what the h.e.l.l was that?" Roads rubbed thoughtfully at his moustache. "How's the list of hardware coming?"

"Finished. We're about to check for discrepancies." "Good. That might tell us something." "Do you really think so?" asked DeKurzak, peering curiously into an open box nearby. "Of course." Roads fought yet another explosive response, already sick of justifying himself to the liaison officer. "This is the first time the Mole hasn't lifted data in six weeks. If he took hardware instead, then that must mean something. And if he didn't, same again. Any break in the pattern, no matter how slight, is significant." "I guess you're right."

DeKurzak looked suitably chastised. "I wasn't thinking."

Roads, slightly mollified, turned away. "Rashid, this is Antoni DeKurzak of the MSA. When he's finished looking around, have one of the squad take him to see Wiggs at the scene of last night's homicide. HQ will give you the address."

id mock-saluted. "Yessir."

while, I'm going to get some steep. Have someme if you find something." I do, boss." y. Ciao." ey climbed the stairs, Roads felt DeKurzak's e at his back.

The liaison officer knew he'd been . but Roads wasn't going to let that bother him. Is keen, at least," said Barney. es, but a little on the paranoid side, too, if I'm any of character." Ain't that dandy."

o, not really." They exited the building. The ing crowd watched them walk down the steps to sidewalk with mild interest. ,-Rey had' hardly gone more than a few steps towards @car, however, when Barney stopped and squinted ugh the sunlight. "Hang on." @[email protected]'What?" Roads followed the direction of her gaze. the second floor of one of the neighbouring build- half-visible through a curtained window, somemoved. "Th at's strange," Barney said. "I checked 116 myself." "Did you actually search every floor?" .-No. I just knocked where I couldn't get in, and left it that." She squinted to see better, but the movement n't return. "Do you want to check it out?"

5,.

[email protected]@ " @"Do we have to?"

[email protected] "NO." For once, he was glad to play devil's advocate. @!Maybe it's time we called it a night." "Well and truly." She didn't move on, however. "But I suppose we'd better have a look. f.u.c.k."

Roads followed her past the van and through the to the address next door. The building wasnarrow, two storeys high, and had obviously been much better-kept in years gone by; its stonework was now chipped and scarred, its gla.s.s for the most part broken. Like 114, it had a small yard and fence, with a flight of steps leading to its front door. From the street, its interior looked abandoned, and didn't welcome potential visitors.

Barney knocked once on the door, waited a second, then shouldered it open.

Dusty silence greeted them, but both sensed the presence of an occupant, somewhere in the building. "Squatters?" proposed Roads. Individual property ownership had been abolished in the first decade of the Dissolution, with housing dispensation resting in the hands of the Mayoralty. After the difficult years, however, the number of houses had gradually exceeded the number of tenants and the rules had been relaxed. Squatters presently had the right to move into any building, provided only that the building was officially listed as unoccupied. It was entirely possible that someone had moved into the house next door to 114 without registering the move with the Mayoralty.

Barney shrugged in answer to Roads' question. "Could be. Doesn't explain why they didn't respond when I came here earlier, though." "I don't know. You can be fairly intimidating when you're short of sleep." Roads ignored the look she cast at him, and indicated the stairs. "Shall we?"

The first floor was empty. Roads' shout of "h.e.l.lo?" echoed dully from stained walls and ceilings. He was about to suggest that they try the second floor when the sound of stealthy movement came from the stairwell.

He and Barney took positions out of sight on either side of the stairs, pistols at the ready. The slight sound became the creaking of steps as someone descended ,:into view. Roads peered at the indistinct form, in both height and by the shadows: small ost probably female, hair long and in curls; dark-coloured and loose-fitting. Her hands to be empty. silhouette of the woman stopped on the last step.

ne there she called, softly. "is someo iding place. She As nodded to Barney in her h ed her pistol and stepped into view. "h.e.l.lo," she 4MY name is officer Daniels. I'm with RSD."

4 ibly started at Barney's appearance.

woman vis ? I haven't done anything." do you want otioned 'No-one is suggesting You have." Barney in Y: woman to come down the. stairs meone else here with @,,,,ok her head. "There's so A n; I saw ma him. Where is he?" ads stepped forward. "We're investigating an nt that occurred next door,- he said. -Part of that o, neighbours for possible tigation includes checking itnesses. I don't suppose you saw [email protected] The woman glanced between them before asking: @-*Vhen3-"

Last night, early this [email protected] Shc shook her head. -I wasn't here then."

r,"""But you live here?

came up here for the view." ?"

y esitated. "Because I was curious." She The woman h better light, pped down from the stairs. In slightly Id finally make out the details of her face- She adscou sted, maybe early s older than her slight figure sugge rties. Her dark brown hair and eyes, full lips and cestry. The ggested a distilled European an i)., live skin su hind her betrayed ,',y1,-.,,V.ay her hand gripped the bannister be her tension."Will you tell me what happened?" she asked. "Next door, I mean. What sort of 'incident'?"

Roads met her stare evenly. "If I tell you, will you tell me why you want to know?"

The woman hesitated again, but only slightly. "You first."

Roads pa.s.sed the buck to Barney, who explained: "Someone broke into the building next door. 'No-one was hurt; we're not even sure if anything was taken. There's nothing to be concerned about, if you do live in the area."

The woman looked sceptical. "So why all the fuss?" she asked. "Houses are broken into every day." "We're still looking into it," Barney explained, "but we believe this break-in to be the work of the Mole." 'The who?" "The Mole,"

Roads echoed. "There have been notices on the b-boards. You've never heard of him?"

The woman shook her head. "I don't really follow the news very much." "Maybe you should." Roads quickly outlined the history of the serial thief as it had been presented to the public, all the while watching the woman's reaction. As she absorbed the information, her face remained appropriately serious, but a slight look of relief was evident in her eyes. "I'll keep an eye out," she said when he had finished.

"Thank you." "And that makes it your turn, I think." Roads kept his voice firm. "Why did you want to know?"

She shrugged. "It's kind of stupid, really. I live with someone, you see, and he didn't come home last night. I thought ... I don't know what I thought. I was worried. "Does he do this often?"

t much at all these days) and @@"'He doesn't go ou does he's always home by dawn."

curfew ends?" "woman's eyes shifted. "No, after. He'd never rfew, I,m sure of that." re does he go, then)" Roads pressed. n9t know. He can look after himself, but I still She paused, looked embarra.s.sed. ,when I saw ol cars on the street, I thought there might have me sort of accident." . .t 11 e broke in on Roads' automatic curiosi Y. I'm III be okay," she said. -He,II come home when ady." " The woman smiled weakly. "I'm sorry for guess.

your time." :yingly in return, at's okay." Roads sm iled encourag [email protected] hers, and Barney s sympathy, he was sure it @1,r thing, though, utn ...

take. "One more "Katiya." 'Thanks, Katiya. I don't suppose You know what on next door, do you?" He pointed at the building, might hear things ber 114. "If you tive nearby, you sionally, or see things ... he shook her head definitely. -1 doWt know anything that." ,'@-'"That's okay. just thought I'd ask." Roads pulled out thing "If ever you do see any ard and gave it to her. iof the ordinary, I'd appreciate You giving me a ca then tucked it into ""May d at the card be." She glance Pocket. "You don't mind if I keep watching, officer ds? --Of course not-"

smiled half-heartedly and began to "Thanks." Katiya he second floor, stopping imb the stairs back up to t leaving. nly once to see if they were 72"You shameless opportunist," said Barney when they were out of earshot. 'It's worth a try. You have to admit that." He grinned wearily. "Besides, I'll have Rashid send someone over in an hour or so, to pull her in if she's still there. Ten to one says she won't be." "If she ever does call you, it'll be man trouble again for sure." "And if it is, I'll threaten to book him with curfew violations. What else can I do?" He squinted as the daylight hit them. "Let's get you home."

Barney sagged against his shoulder. "Please, before something else happens."

They drove in silence. Barney and Roads both lived between B and C rings, within fifteen minutes' walk of RSD headquarters and not far from each other.

Roads often dropped her home at the end of a shift, when they had access to a vehicle, rather than leave her to make her own way home from the office. He pulled the car to halt out the front of her building, certain that she had fallen asleep on the way. "Hey, Barney," he whispered, nudging her shoulder.

"I'm awake." She opened her eyes, stirred sluggishly. "Do you want to come in?

I'll make you breakfast, if you like."

He hesitated. The offer was tempting, but . . . "I)d better not, Barney. I've got work waiting at the office. Besides, people might talk." "I don't give a s.h.i.t about talk." "I know." He winked. "Another time, perhaps." "Okay." She smiled. "Make sure you get some sleep." "I will."

He waited until she had unlocked her door before driving away. Only then did he realise that she had left 74.

s data fiche sitting on the pa.s.senger seat.

- -her to himself, he slipped the plastic card into IT4 and kept going.

CHAPTER FIVE.

1:00 P.m.

Roads' office was small. All it contained was a desk and terminal, two chairs and one filing cabinet. S pa.r.s.e and spotlessly clean, except for a dirty ashtray in the bottom drawer of the desk, it gave the impression that its owner was rarely present - which was, in fact, quite true. When not on the road, he preferred to work from the office pool one floor down, where Barney had her desk, or from home. The city's optical fibre network was still intact, and allowed someone with the correct facilities to telecommute; the fact that few people did any more was yet another indictment of the state of the city's hardware.

Perversely, the only item in his office to which Roads felt even remotely attached was the terminal. Externally., it had been his since his first day in administration, although now - many years and several overhauls later most of its boards and chips had been replaced with others scavenged from broken machines or those made by the city's small cottage electronics industry. It was a battered but determined survivor - just like him.

The first thing he did when he logged in was check the bulletin boards.

Everyone in Kennedy was theoretically connected to the city's information and entertainnient networks; in practice computer terminals were limited by supply to those who needed them most.

76.

@who didn't have access to a terminal could 'a neighbour's or friend's, or join a neighbour- llective designed to share such scarce techno- uries. Data-input and processing for the news were performed by a small team of professionals s in the Mayoralty. Roads couldn't remember a n there had been so much to report - not in the ty years, anyway. headlines were mainly of Yhoman's a.s.sa.s.siboth the act and its possible ramifications.

Councillor Norris had issued a statement to the that he would not allow terrorism to interfere A e planned Rea.s.similation. Known anti-RUSA ts, had responded by decrying the violence, but ing that it reflected a genuine mood in the corn- The imminent arrival of General Stedman and dominated the rest of the bulletin's ing pages.

ther story told him anything he didn't already There was no mention of Martin O'Dell, the MC captain a.s.signed to the cases RSD was ling with. Obviously that development was being quiet for the time being, possibly along with other tive details he was unaware of. @51-he Old North Street robbery warranted a brief n on the second page, below a feature article ut a grey timber wolf that had been sighted several .s on the streets of Kennedy. The species had been ught extinct in the area for many years, and the er of the article was taking its reappearance as a itive omen. Roads, having glimpsed the animal a Uple of times himself, wasn't so sure, but saved the cle out of interest before settling in to work. His report of the events of the previous twelve hours k an hour to write. In accordance with his agreementwith Morrow, he made no mention of the meeting at the warehouse bar, nor of his guesses regarding the nature of the Old North Street operation. When he had finished, he mailed one copy of the file to Barney's home computer.

Then he shut down his terminal, rebooted, and loaded another program. He physically unplugged the leads at the back of the terminal and locked the door to his office. When he was sure that he would not he disturbed, he removed a web of contact electrodes from a drawer and placed them in position around the nape of his neck.

He closed his eyes, leaned back and concentrated. Slightly morethan a minute later, he opened his eyes.

On the screen in front of him was a two-dimensional image of the unknown man he had chased from Old North Street - blurred and in vaguely unreal colour, but useful nonetheless.

The man was frozen in the act of turning to glance over his shoulder. He was wearing a large, grey overcoat and a wide-brimmed hat of the same colour. Dark gla.s.ses obscured most of his face, apart from a stra. ht Ig nose and a wide chin - not enough detail even to run a comparison against the mug shots in RSD's files. The only distinguishing feature was the man's size. He was buge.

Roads had never seen anyone that large in his life. if he had, he would have remembered, There were four other tags in the file he had transferred. The first was the best. He printed two hard copies and added one of them to his report. The second he pocketed to await further consideration. Even if it was relevant, it wasn't terribly informative.

Then he Inserted Morrow's data fiche into a card drive he had requisitioned from RSD supplies. The main

78.

sted twelve dates. Each described a break-in ed by the Mole: approximate times, the nature eft, and the results of any subsequent investiSimilar to Kennedy's experience, the Mole had given away by operating systems that automatirecorded when and which particular files had been sed; in Morrow's case, however, the intrusions were d sooner, due to the Head's more frequent checks darapools. ere were no addresses on the disk, and no rmation as to the purpose of the individual estab- crits. Otherwise the information was complete. As row had -;aid, the thefts seemed to be of minor data, 1), inventories. That of the Old North Street ence wa% the only one explicitly identified; the Mole obra'ned its address from another database three ks before the actual break-in. This fact seemed ificant, but Roads was too tired to think it through t then. Morrow's fiche also contained a ten-minute video file. rious, Roads loaded a video editor and settled back watch. .-The video showed a man walking along a hallway. e was dressed in grey garments from neck to foot with nly a narrow-brimmed hat obscuring his features. Even nail had been wearing a balaclava Roads would the I have recognised him. It was himself. .i [email protected] But, as he had never been in that particular hallway At any, lioint in his life, he had to a.s.sume that he was .,watching the Mole in action. 'File [1101.1ght sent an involuntary shiver down his .,'.Apine. ,%part from identikit pictures pieced together from F-Iragmcntary security footage, he had never seen a true 4'. '.Amage of his adversary. The Mole, in six weeks, had not n captured in full by an RSD camera.Morrow's facilities were considerably better-equipp The picture was colour, and came complete with sound., The Mole took a left turn and encountered a [email protected] door. The angle shifted as the video switched to anothw camera. Roads watched as the Mole manipulated simple lock for a second or two, opened the door an4l continued deeper into the house. The entrance to at.i.t expansive study was protected by a mesh of invisible, laser beams, revealed only by the presence of tiny photo-!

voltaic detectors lining the frame. The occasional mote I of dust twinkled as it pa.s.sed through the beams. The Mole walked through the doorway without hesitating.

Roads waited for the sound of alarms, but none came. The beams had not been deflected. "Shee-it."

The Mole walked behind an enormous mahogany desk, took a small painting off its hook and placed it gently on the floor. Behind it was - predictably enough -.

a combination lock. The Mole placed a palm upon the dial and went absolutely still.

The camera angle shifted to one hidden on the other side of the wall. After a moment, the lock clicked open. The camera angle shifted back to cover the study agai .n.

The Mole hadn't moved a muscle.

Roads replayed that scene, but remained just as dumbfounded the second time.

The thief came to life and pushed the wall open, revealing a hidden room on the other side. It contained a workshop similar to that on Old North Street, but smaller. The Mole sat in front of a terminal and began to tap at the keys, blindingly fast.

The video jumped, obviously edited in order to protect the guilty. When it continued, the thief had finished his work at the terminal, and deactivated it with a cursory flick of the switch.

the room, locked the wall behind him Then he retraced his footsteps painting. the laser beams and along the hallway.

rid as the image Xg on the screen became lu ed, except for lintra-red.

The Mole vanish n elongated pentagon where ots of light in a Someone had @Aipples and hips had been e he man as h in f provided an outline of tst track of hi wise Roads would have to back through the visible, and shifted as a flickering Mote appeared briefly like a poorly-tuned television microwave, ble then even the dots vanished. Back to visi pse of the thief, then the video one last glim breath and dialled a number on took a deep roughout the e sentence th uttered only On eo*. the h.e.l.l does he do that?" d that she should s said nothing, gestured instea d finished,'he V"- ding ha atching. When the recor r the best answer he could.

11, the trick with the lock probably involves a @y but feasible c love of some sort. Not ea,,@ 0 10 ed doubtful And the rest"' "it s don't know." He leaned back in his chair. bad "than simple biomodification, which would be k he's a berserker?- Chappet o you don't thin Y too methodical, fit the mould; he's @No, he doesn't hing else - biomodified, rampant. The Mole is sOmetyes, but armed with stuff I've never seen before. Either he has a means of making himself invisible that works on all frequencies of light outside the visible spectrum "Which doesn't make sense. Or?" "Or he's a ghost," said Roads. "Unlikely."

He raised an eyebrow at her response. "Not impossible?" "I'm getting so desperate I'll believe anything." "That makes two of us."