‘I don’t like what HiberTech do with them,’ said Toccata. ‘Pull them apart, stick them back together, hope for the best, use them as mindless drones. It’s not dignified, even for a deadhead. What else happened? Leave out nothing.’
I considered my oath carefully. Aurora had specifically told me not to tell anyone. I wasn’t sure, but was an oath made to one of them binding on both? Probably not. But since my oath to Aurora began the moment we tied our walkers to her truck outside the Siddons, anything before this was knowledge I could share.
‘She gave me some advice about early rising,’ I said, feeling uncomfortable under Toccata’s baleful monogaze, ‘eat lots, keep warm, watch out for walkers, avoid Jim Treacle and the drowsies, that kind of stuff – then we parted outside the Siddons.’
‘That’s it?’
‘That’s it.’
She stared at me in silence for a few moments.
‘I dislike many things, but do you know what I dislike most of all?’
‘No, ma’am.’
‘Gaps. I loathe gaps. Gaps in doors, gaps in windows, gaps in bathroom tiles, long gaps between sequels to books. But you know which gaps I hate the most?’
‘No, ma’am.’
‘Gaps in my knowledge. You left the Siddons at 10.30 in Aurora’s command car and met up with Jonesy at midday.’
She tapped her head.
‘I don’t like secrets and I don’t like Aurora. I was going to get married, start a family. Aurora stuck her oar in and Logan hightailed it out of the Sector. That wasn’t enough for her and next thing I know she’s killed him – protecting your useless bony arse. So when a Deputy who has newly arrived in more-than-fishy circumstances has a time gap of ninety minutes, I get seriously pissed off. So let’s start again: what did you two talk about?’
‘We didn’t.’
‘So you said nothing at all over a cosy coffee and sandwich in the Wincarnis?’
My heart sank. The denials meant nothing. She knew – through ShamBob, most likely, or anyone from the Scrabble club. I was a fool to think that there could be any secrets in Sector Twelve. Our meeting had probably already been around the Open Telephone Network. Twice.
‘Just … stuff,’ I stammered, ‘gossip, advice.’
‘Oh, wait,’ she said, ‘so you did speak to her. Just a second ago you said you didn’t. You’re a lying little bedshit, Worthing. Do you know the penalty for lying to a Sector Chief?’
I’d grown hot and sweaty by now. A prickly heat was dancing down my back and I could feel beads of sweat on my brow. I’d never had a grilling like this before. I could even see Jonesy beginning to look around, wishing herself out of the office.
‘Dismissal,’ I said.
‘I’m sorry, I can’t hear you.’
‘Dismissal.’
‘No, it’s a punch in the eye, then dismissal. Strictly speaking it’s dismissal only, the punch in the eye I added strictly for my own pleasure. Now, let’s start again. What did you talk about?’
I stared at Toccata, then at Jonesy.
‘You’re going to have to tell her,’ said Jonesy.
I sat there, feeling hot and wretched and with a pained expression on my face.
‘Frozen Gronk’s piss in a handbag,’ said Toccata, ‘did she oath you?’
‘No,’ I said, thinking quickly. During the sleepstate, loyalty was often all there was, and I certainly wasn’t going to break a pledge to someone who had saved my pulse twice. But then, I had a thought. If Toccata saw me as wonky on both sides, Aurora must see me as pleasingly physiotypical. Maybe that was why she kissed me at the Wincarnis. She’d found me attractive. I had an idea. Daring, true, but an idea.
‘I didn’t know she was you—’
Toccata thumped her fists on the desk, then rose to her feet.
‘She’s not me. Never assume that she’s anything even like me!’
‘Sorry, I didn’t know you and she … didn’t get along. If I had, we wouldn’t have …’
‘Wouldn’t have what?’
‘Wouldn’t have … bundled.’
Jonesy coughed almost explosively into her coffee, spilling it all over the carpet, while Toccata merely laughed.
‘We both know that never happened,’ said Toccata. ‘Aurora’s never been fussy over the who and what, but she always goes for lookers. Believe me, you ain’t one of them. I want the truth, or you’ll be mopping toilets until Springrise. With no teeth and broken fingers,’ she added, in case the option sounded in any way attractive.
I stared at her for a moment, then at Jonesy. Oddly, taunts over my appearance always gave me clarity, and renewed confidence.
‘She likes the snow but not the Winter,’ I said, recalling Birgitta’s impassioned description of her husband, ‘values the climb greater than the view from the summit. She doesn’t smile much, but when she does the world smiles with her. She wears Ludlow scent,’ I added in a quiet voice, ‘and has a birthmark the shape of Guernsey right here.’
I touched my fingertip to my chest. There was silence in the room. Toccata glared at me dangerously.
‘I realise it was a huge mistake,’ I said, ‘but an opportunity like that had never come my way before. I was … flattered.’
Toccata stared at me, then at Jonesy, then back at me.
‘I had no idea it would anger you. It won’t happen again, I promise.’
‘It had better not or your tongue’s coming out – and not in the painless way.’
Toccata stared at me for a moment, trying to figure, I think, the best course of action. ‘Okay,’ she said, ‘couple of things: when you see Foulnap again you come and see me and me first and – are you listening to this bit?’
‘Yes.’
‘I want to know what Aurora’s up to. You’re not telling me the whole story – I’m not sure you even know the whole story – but I need to know more. Why she’s interested in you. And spoiler alert: it’s not your charm or your looks. She’s a user, and you’re either being used or are about to be.’
‘You want me to spy on her?’
‘Very astute of you. Oh, and double-cross me and you’ll be carrion for the hiburnals come the morning. Welcome to the Douzey. What’s our mission statement again?’
‘That we are to uphold the sanctity of the sleepstate, and ensure the most favourable outcome is enjoyed by the majority.’
‘Good. Might learn something over the Winter. Might have some fun; shit, you might even survive. But treat us like fools, follow a private agenda or undermine us in any way, and I’ll be down on you like a ton of grade “A” glyptodon shit. Do you think I’m speaking metaphorically?’
‘No, ma’am.’
‘Good. Now piss off.’
I stood up, saluted, and walked out of her office. I was sodden with nervous sweat. I found the changing rooms, took off my jacket and leaned against the cold lockers, heart thumping.
HiberTech
* * *
‘… Winter bondsman was an occupation that wasn’t universally liked, for obvious reasons. Incautious agreement born of desperation to an overly stringent Winterloan was the number-one cause of personal bankruptcy. Most people call it Coldsharking but bondsmen referred to their trade as “an invaluable service to the wakeratti” …’
– Handbook of Winterology, 4th edition, Hodder & Stoughton
‘I should have told you they were the same person,’ said Jonesy when she found me sitting in the staff rec room, head in hands, ‘sorry about that.’
I looked up. She was trying to hide a smile and not doing it very well.
‘To be honest,’ she added, ‘your face was pretty funny when you saw her. Like that time we were at Glastonbury together and Piano Keyes fell off the stage. Remember?’
‘No.’
‘It wasn’t funny when he fell off the stage, or not funny your face, or no, you don’t remember the time we were at Glastonbury?’
‘Some, all, I don’t know. Well, okay, sort of funny,’ I added, giving her a half-smile to at le
ast pretend I was being a good sport. But it wasn’t funny right now. Far from it. And we were never at Glastonbury together, with or without Piano Keyes. She was making up nostalgia, and wasn’t particularly good at it.
‘Can I ask a question?’ I said.
‘Shoot.’
‘How can Toccata be a Chief Consul with a split consciousness?’
‘One could ask just as easily how Aurora can be the Head of HiberTech Security with the same problem. It’s Winter Best Practice to deal with Aurora or Toccata, but not both. I guess you’ve figured the good eye switches depending on who’s at home. Right is Aurora, left is Toccata.’
‘I’ll remember that.’
‘It could save your life.’
I paused.
‘Why does Toccata want me to spy on Aurora and HiberTech?’
‘With those two, nothing is ever clear-cut. I heartily recommend you just say nothing and follow orders.’
‘Yes,’ I replied soberly, ‘it’s probably the most important thing I’ve learned from the Logan fiasco.’
‘Now you’re getting it. Oh, and some advice: if Aurora does want you to be her dumbundle, you should try to be more discreet.’
‘I was hoping the term “bundlechum” would be more appropriate.’
‘No,’ she said after a moment’s thought, I think “dumbundle” suits the circumstances better.’ She pointed behind me. ‘You’ve met Fodder?’
The colossus of Sector Twelve was standing behind us. He looked about the same as when I’d seen him last, just wearing warmer clothes and appearing even taller and more powerful.
‘Hullo, Wonky,’ he said.
‘Can we please drop the whole Wonky thing?’ I asked. ‘It’s not really doing much for me.’
‘Jim Treacle would kill for a nickname,’ said Fodder.
‘He’s been dropping hints we could call him “Sticky” for three seasons,’ said Jonesy, ‘but we won’t give him the honour.’
‘What have I done that honours me with a nickname?’
‘You went back to get Mrs Tiffen.’
‘True – but Logan died because of it.’
‘It was the unforeseen outcome of courageous motivation and adherence to duty,’ said Fodder in a quiet voice. ‘Despite everything that happened afterwards, you have grit. You concur, Jonesy?’
‘I do,’ said Jonesy.
‘Then accept the honour, Wonky. Cherish the accolade, never complain again.’
And he pulled me into a Winter embrace. He smelled of woodsmoke, musty clothes and spent thermalites, and held me for quite a long time, and far harder than was comfortable, and kissed me softly on the ear, twice.
‘So, Wonky,’ he said once he’d let me go, ‘is that coffee any good?’
‘It’s the worst I’ve ever tasted.’
‘Excellent – after twelve years of wintering I can’t drink anything else. Pour me one, would you?’
So I did while he stared at me with his dark empty eyes.
‘What’s that worthless bag of shit’s nickname again?’ came Toccata’s voice from the other side of the office.
‘Wonky,’ said Fodder and Jonesy in unison.
‘Thanks for that,’ I said in a quiet voice.
‘Wonky?’ shouted Toccata. ‘Out the front in five.’
‘What do you think she wants?’ I asked, jumping to my feet.
‘Don’t know,’ said Fodder. ‘Perhaps she wants to have you for lunch.’
‘Very funny.’
‘You can drive,’ said Toccata, climbing into the passenger seat of Aurora’s four-wheel drive, now without the nightwalkers tied to the back.
‘Isn’t this Aurora’s transport?’ I asked, starting the vehicle anyway.
‘Like I give a shit,’ said Toccata. ‘We’re going up to HiberTech to see Aurora.’
‘Okay,’ I said, wondering how that was possible. ‘For what reason?’
‘Pantry resupply mainly, but also to find out why you were marooned. I want to see how they react to you, too. Keep your eyes and ears open and report back everything you hear. Especially any details about Project Lazarus. Let’s see how good that memory of yours actually is.’
I reversed out of the parking lot and drove down into the town square, past Howell Harris and the lorry still stuck fast on the bridge. Toccata stared at me the whole time, then reached out a hand and tweaked my bony forearm.
‘You’re very skinny,’ she said. ‘Did you do any dreaming on your four-week sojourn to the dark side?’
‘No, ma’am.’
‘Good,’ she said. ‘The one thing I loathe more than winsomniacs is dreamers. Feet on the ground, head out of the clouds. Agree?’
‘Yes, ma’am.’
‘I don’t like subordinates always agreeing,’ she said. ‘Sycophants have no place in my department. You’re to speak your mind when the opportunity calls for it.’
‘How will I know when that is?’
‘I shall inform you. Park over there.’
We’d arrived at the HiberTech facility, which looked a little cheerier in the daylight, but not by much.
We were buzzed in as before and Josh was still at the receptionist desk, only with four more ‘Employee of the Week’ pictures behind him. The golf-cart driver, Dave, I noted, had been replaced by another rewired nightwalker, this time a woman. Her hair had been given the buzzcut usually associated with any nightwalker who had been redeployed, and she blinked occasionally while she stared at the floor, but was otherwise utterly vacant.
Josh nodded a nervous greeting to us both and Toccata said she wanted to see Aurora.
‘What, now?’
‘Yes, now.’
‘I don’t think she’s in.’
‘Why don’t you check?’
‘Okay.’
Toccata went and sat on one of the benches while Josh picked up the phone.
‘Dave the driver deployed elsewhere?’ I said to Josh.
‘Simpler duties,’ he replied, ‘currently employed as a thermostat in F-Block. Recognise his replacement?’
It was only when Josh mentioned it I realised it was Mrs Tiffen. I took a step forward to greet her, but then stopped myself. She wouldn’t know who I was, and from the look of her, she had lost the ability to play the bouzouki, too. I think I preferred her when she could, no matter how annoying that might have been. I turned back to Josh, who was looking at me with a concerned expression on his face.
‘I don’t like it here,’ he said in a low voice. ‘What’s happening, what’s going to happen. With Project Lazarus, I mean.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Walls have ears,’ he said nervously. ‘But look, just supposing I knew someone who wanted to get in touch with RealSleep, would you be able to make contact?’
‘No,’ I said, wondering if this request was genuine, or part of a HiberTech plot to check me out, ‘and I’m not sure you should be asking.’
‘Fair enough,’ he said, ‘but here’s something: if you can get out of Sector Twelve in any way, shape or form, then do it.’
‘That’s not particularly original advice.’
‘No,’ said Josh with a sigh, ‘and I wish I’d heeded it when I first heard it.’
He pointed a pencil at Toccata.
‘You do know they’re the same person?’
‘I found out the hard way.’
‘Has she threatened to pull out your tongue if you step out of line?’
‘Yes, and not in the painless way.’
‘As far as we know it’s a bluff,’ said Josh, ‘but it’s hard to say. Does that make you feel any better?’
‘Not much.’
He made the call, then handed us our visitor badges and walked around to instruct one of the redeployed on the golf carts. Not Mrs Tiffen, though, the one with the badge denoting him as ‘Chas’. Josh helped us on board, showed the redeployed the map, and we were off, just not quite as dangerously as before.
‘The other redeployed golf-cart driver was Mrs
Tiffen,’ I said to Toccata, ‘the woman I brought over here four weeks ago.’
‘That’s quick work,’ she replied. ‘Do you know how much money they make from the redeployed?’
‘No.’
‘Lots,’ she said, not sounding as if she knew either, ‘but they’ll make a shitload more if Vacants can be made skilled, although the unions won’t be happy. Peppermint?’ She held out a small white bag. ‘Take two. Shit, take the whole bag.’
I thought of what Jonesy had told me, about how Toccata fed nightwalkers peppermint to make them more palatable.
‘No, thanks.’
‘Go on,’ she said, ‘you look like you need feeding up.’
‘Maybe later,’ I said, but took the bag anyway.
We were driven down several corridors, took a left turn and stopped outside two large double doors where Mr Hooke was waiting for us.
‘I-will-wait-for-you-here,’ said the golf-cart driver, and I looked at him, intending to say thank you, and found myself staring. His badge still described him as Chas, but he was, in fact, Charles, whose likeness decorated my dream – albeit retrospectively, agreed – and was also on the missing persons flier I had in my back pocket. He had a beard and cropped hair, but it was the same person. If he’d vanished in Sector Twelve, he hadn’t gone very far, nor for that long.
‘Well, well,’ said Toccata as Mr Hooke approached us, ‘the return of the living dead. Eaten any babies today?’
‘Unfunny as usual,’ said Hooke in an even tone, ignoring me entirely. ‘Would you like to come in?’
He opened the door to their offices and we entered a wood-panelled room about the size of a gymnasium. The staff had their heads down and were either working or speaking on the telephone in low voices. One, near the back, was typing on a telex machine.
‘I’d like to see Aurora,’ said Toccata as we walked towards the side offices.
‘That’s not possible,’ said Hooke.
‘Every single time she does this,’ said Toccata in an exasperated tone. ‘She can’t hide from me for ever.’
Actually, I thought, yes, she probably could.
‘Whilst Aurora is otherwise engaged,’ said Hooke, who looked as though he had been through this many, many times, ‘I assume all her duties, and the position of Head of Security. So how can I help you?’
Early Riser_The new standalone novel from the Number One bestselling author Page 23
