“We don’t have to approach along the walkway,” said Adika. “I could sneak up to beside wave tank 291, and shoot Irwin on stun. Then my men could come along the walkway to collect him and the girl.”
“Have you actually seen the wave machinery maintenance walkway yet, Adika?” asked Lucas.
“No. I ordered my men to stay well back so there’d be no risk of Irwin seeing us, and I’m currently with Eli at the wave machinery control bank.”
“Then I suggest you move to where you can see the start of this walkway before we continue our conversation,” said Lucas.
There was a short pause before Adika spoke in a startled voice. “Waste it! That walkway isn’t designed for people but seagulls.”
“It’s certainly minimalist,” said Lucas, “but I suppose that solid sides would make it harder for the maintenance workers to reach down to the tank controls.”
“Our information on the walkways says they have anti-slip grating underfoot,” said Nicole. “Wave machinery maintenance workers are also chosen for their good dexterity and balance.”
“Irwin isn’t going to have good dexterity and balance if we stun him,” said Lucas. “He’d be bound to fall off the walkway into a wave tank. If possible, we want to capture the man, not drown him. Besides, he’d have a second or two while the stun took effect to stab the girl. Where’s Irwin’s knife now, Amber?”
“It’s not truly a knife,” I said. “It’s a multi-purpose maintenance tool, which includes a knife head for clearing limpets from the wave tank mechanisms. The tool is folded up in Irwin’s pocket, but he doesn’t need it to harm the girl. The single safety rail guarding each side of the walkway is at Irwin’s waist height. He could easily push the girl under it, and once she falls into a wave tank …”
I winced. “Well, it’s a maelstrom in those tanks. Every few seconds, the water gets dumped down a chute into the sea on the Level 67 beach, and the girl would be swept down with it.”
“We can’t let that happen,” said Eli urgently. “Being dumped into the sea would be just like when we were chasing that target Outside the Hive, and I fell down a waterfall. I was knocked unconscious, and my leg was smashed to pieces. If Forge and Adika had been a second later pulling me out of the river, I’d have drowned. The girl wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“No, she wouldn’t,” said Lucas grimly. “We mustn’t do anything to alarm Irwin while he’s got the girl on that walkway. The problem is that he isn’t going to take her anywhere else.”
Lucas groaned. “Irwin’s last happy hours with his daughter didn’t end with the two of them walking back out of the wave machinery area, but with Irwin’s supervisor coming in and shouting at them. Irwin is going to stay on that walkway with the girl until something happens to break his fantasy of her being his daughter. Then he’ll see her as being part of the conspiracy against him, and there’s every chance he’ll try to kill her.”
“We could try the tactic of sneaking up to wave tank 291, but not shoot Irwin,” said Adika. “The thick walls between the wave tanks are obviously designed to allow maintenance workers to clamber along the top. If I took a couple of men with me, we could get across the top of one of the walls, and grab Irwin. He won’t hear us coming from behind him when it’s so noisy in the wave machinery area.”
“But if Irwin turned around at the wrong moment, then the girl could die,” said Lucas.
“And it’s far too dangerous for anyone to try getting across the wave tanks when they’re working,” I said anxiously. “Irwin has been telling the girl all about how he maintains those tanks. The maintenance workers do sometimes crawl along the top of the walls of a wave tank to repair something, but they always shut down that tank and the neighbouring ones first as a safety precaution. The tank walls are constantly wet from spray, so even the specially designed handholds can get slippery with algae.”
“There has to be a better solution than sending men clambering over the death trap of those tanks while they’re operating,” said Lucas. “I understand what’s happening in Irwin’s head now, but I need to know more about the girl.”
I left Irwin’s mind, returned to the thoughts of the girl, and finally discovered her name.
“The girl just remembered the words her mother said this morning,” I said. “‘Happy Freedom Day, Glenna.’”
“The name and the birth date should give us the girl’s identity,” said Nicole. “Yes. She’s confirmed as Glenna 2522-1218-929. She lives in Purple Zone.”
“Good,” said Lucas. “Please send me Glenna’s school records.”
“Can you send them to me too?” My counsellor, Buzz, unexpectedly spoke on the crystal comms. “My parents are both school teachers. They spend a lot of time complaining about the troublemakers in their classes, so I can explain the undertones hidden in the polite, official comments.”
“Those records are held on the dedicated school system,” said Nicole, “so retrieving them will take a minute or two.”
“We’ve got some key information about Glenna’s personality already,” said Lucas. “Today is her Freedom Day. For the first time in her life, she could move around the Hive without parents or hasties checking her location, and explore areas previously forbidden as too dangerous for her to visit alone. Children are trained in school to be loyal and dutiful members of the Hive, perfectly content with their local area. Most of them don’t do anything more daring on their Freedom Day than go to a neighbouring area and explore a different park than usual.”
I was startled and then embarrassed. That was precisely what I’d done on my Freedom Day.
“Glenna didn’t go to the next area or even the next zone,” said Lucas. “She rode the express belt all the way from Purple Zone to Green Zone to visit the Level 67 beach. Glenna is a very adventurous child.”
“She’s brave too,” I said. “Glenna isn’t frightened standing on that walkway, just interested in Irwin’s explanation of how the wave tanks work.”
“The tradition of Freedom Day is encouraged by the Hive,” said Lucas. “It marks the start of the three-year transition period between a child being totally dependent on their parents and moving to live alone in a room on Teen Level. What a child does on their Freedom Day also provides the first indicators for their Lottery result. Virtually everyone imprinted as a Strike team member will have crossed at least four zone bulkheads on their Freedom Day.”
“That can’t be true, Lucas,” said Forge. “I only crossed one zone bulkhead. Well, two if you count my return journey.”
“I was the same,” said Adika.
“And I didn’t cross any zone bulkheads at all,” said Rothan.
“Travelling a long distance on your Freedom Day is an indicator for being imprinted as a Strike team member,” said Lucas. “You three are imprinted as Strike team leaders. It’s statistically likely that you crossed far more significant boundaries on your Freedom Day than just the physical ones between zones. What exactly did you do?”
“I went to the beach,” said Forge. “Mind you, I grew up on Level 14, and I went trespassing on the Level 1 beach. Everyone wears casual clothes on a beach, so nobody noticed I was out of place until I made the mistake of trying to sign up for my first cliff-climbing lesson. My identity code gave away the fact I’d no business on Level 1, and I was firmly escorted back to Level 14.”
“I managed to get into the waste system on my Freedom Day,” said Adika, in a reminiscent tone. “I got filthy, tried to clean myself up in a shopping area fountain, and was arrested by a team of hasties. When I explained I was on my Freedom Day, the hasties let me off with a warning, and escorted me home to my appalled parents. I’m still not sure whether it was the way I smelt, or having a team of hasties at their door, that upset my parents the most.”
“I went to a park,” said Rothan. “I admit I took a lift up to one of the Hive exits, and visited one of the Outside parks rather than a park inside the Hive, but that wasn’t nearly as boundary-breaking as it sounds. My family be
longed to the Hive Ramblers Association, so I’d been going Outside all through my childhood.”
“I’d argue it was just as boundary-breaking as it sounds, Rothan,” said Lucas. “You’d been through all the standard social conditioning in school that was designed to make you into an ideal citizen. You’d been trained to recite the Hive Obligations and sing the Hive Duty songs. You’d heard all the fearsome stories about Outside, with the blinding Truesun that rules the day and the hunter of souls who roams the night.”
Rothan sighed. “It was difficult to sit quietly while the teachers told those ridiculous Halloween stories as if they were genuine facts.”
“Of course it was,” said Lucas. “You’d been Outside yourself and knew the truth. On your Freedom Day, you defied your teachers and demonstrated your commitment to what’s technically a subversive organization by going Outside.”
“I don’t understand how these things can be used as an indicator for Lottery results,” I said. “How can anyone know what a child does on their Freedom Day when they aren’t wearing a tracking bracelet?”
“Teachers spy on what the child says at school the next day,” said Buzz darkly.
“And more serious rule breaches, like those Forge and Adika committed, would be reported anyway,” added Nicole.
“We all know Strike team members are born rule breakers,” said Adika. “Why are we discussing our past crimes now?”
“Because Glenna has shown similar boundary-breaking tendencies,” said Lucas. “She crossed four zone boundaries to reach the Level 67 beach. If we successfully rescue her, then she’ll cross four more boundaries getting home.”
“I’ve got Glenna’s school records now,” said Nicole. “Sending them to Lucas and Buzz.”
There was a brief silence before Lucas spoke again. “There’s an interesting comment about Glenna being a resilient girl. What does that mean, Buzz?”
“There’s a type of school teacher who imposes authority on their class by publicly ridiculing any child who questions them.” Buzz’s voice had an edge of bitterness.
“My school teacher ridiculed me when I tried saying the stories about the Truesun were wrong,” said Rothan. “I kept quiet after that.”
“Glenna didn’t keep quiet,” said Buzz. “Describing a child as resilient is the teachers’ code for them not being intimidated into silence by ridicule. There are a few other code words in these records too. Glenna’s teachers hate her. They admit she’s highly adept physically, and appears totally loyal to the Hive, but she’s also intelligent enough to spot any inconsistencies in what they say, and rebellious enough to point them out to the rest of the class.”
“Glenna is strong-willed and displays boundary-breaking tendencies,” said Lucas, “but she’s also intelligent, physically adept, and loyal to the Hive. If she doesn’t suffer confidence-destroying experiences before she goes through Lottery, there’s a high chance she’ll be imprinted for a risk-taking profession such as Strike team or one of the Hive Defence combat roles.”
He was silent for a moment. “My Tactical team agree with me about Glenna’s character assessment. If she discovers Irwin is dangerous, she won’t freeze in panic like the average child. She’ll either run or fight. Running is good, but fighting could get her killed. We need to find a way to decoy Irwin away from Glenna, quickly communicate the fact he’s dangerous to her, and get her to run towards the Strike team for protection.”
Lucas paused. “Amber said that Glenna thinks this place is weirdly dreamlike. We might be able to use that. Buzz, can you tell if Glenna believes in the Halloween myths or not?”
“Glenna’s school record rates her acceptance of basic tenets as standard plus two,” said Buzz. “That means Glenna believes in the Halloween myths to the same extent as the average child two years older than her. As children age, their understanding of the Halloween myths gradually matures to reach the normal adult conscious acceptance in them being just stories, while the subconscious retains an ingrained belief in the danger of leaving the Hive and …”
“My imprint covers maturing myth comprehension.” Lucas’s voice was decisive now. “Nicole, we had a run at Halloween where everyone was dressed in costume. Sofia took some images and used them as the basis of her wall painting near the unit gym. I need you to get the image of Adika dressed as justice standing next to Amber dressed as the light angel. Process it for holo projection, and send it to Adika’s dataview.”
“Arranging that now,” said Nicole.
“Amber, you mentioned maintenance workers shutting down individual wave tanks. How do they do that?”
“They usually set the main wave machinery controls to do a controlled shutdown of specific tanks, but there are also red emergency shutdown levers on the tanks themselves.”
“Emili, I want to make Irwin move to wave tank 306,” said Lucas. “Find out how we set the main wave machinery controls to shut down that tank. We’ll also need to know how to shut down all the wave tanks.”
“Calling the supervisor now,” said Emili.
“Adika, I want you positioned as close to the start of that walkway as possible without Irwin seeing you.”
“I’m already there.”
“Is Eli still at the wave machinery control bank?” asked Lucas.
“Yes,” said Eli.
“Good. The plan is that Emili will talk Eli through using the wave machinery controls to shut down wave tank 306,” said Lucas. “Irwin has been working on wave tank maintenance for eighteen years. He should notice tank 306 stop working and instinctively respond by heading further along the walkway to investigate the problem. Once Irwin’s clear of Glenna, Adika will project the holo image of justice and the light angel above the start of the walkway, and then play a recording of Amber’s voice.”
I was confused. “What recording of my voice?”
“We’ll make it now,” said Lucas. “Amber, I need you to shout these words. ‘Glenna, run to us! That man is the hunter of souls.’”
“Glenna, run to us!” I repeated. “That man is the hunter of souls.”
“Try it again, and shout louder,” said Lucas.
“Is it safe for me to shout?” I asked. “Won’t Irwin hear me?”
“You and Irwin are on opposite sides of a very solid wall, Amber. There’s no risk of him hearing anything over the noise of the wave machinery.”
“Glenna, run to us!” I shouted. “That man is the hunter of souls.”
“One more time,” said Lucas. “Glenna’s life depends on her obeying you instantly. Your tone needs to be one of urgent, imperative command.”
“Glenna, run to us! That man is the hunter of souls.”
“Perfect,” said Lucas. “Adika will display the holo image, and play the recording at deafening volume so Glenna hears it above the sound of the wave machinery. She already feels this place is weird and dreamlike. Every Halloween story hammers home the danger of the hunter of souls, and there are several where he disguises himself as an ordinary person to lure the unwary out of the Hive.”
Lucas paused. “Every child knows the rules of Halloween. When the hunter of souls and his demon pack are pursuing you through their territory, the light angel is the only hope of escaping them. She protects those who are loyal to the Hive, and will either fight the forces of darkness to defend them herself or call on justice to aid her.”
“So Glenna will start running along the walkway towards the image of the light angel and justice,” said Adika. “Irwin is bound to chase after her though, and may catch her before she reaches the end of the walkway.”
“Yes,” said Lucas. “You’ll have to run to meet Glenna and protect her.”
“But if I frighten Glenna then she may turn back towards Irwin.”
“Glenna won’t be frightened of you, Adika. Justice isn’t a person, but a universal force, so there’s no reason why he can’t be both standing next to the light angel and running towards Glenna at the same time.”
Adika made a doubtful nois
e. “Glenna may not realize I’m the same person as in the holo image. The holo shows me in costume as justice, and I’m wearing ordinary clothes now.”
“The costume for justice is always unrelieved black, and he carries a sword on his back. You’re wearing black clothes now, and you’ll be running towards Glenna so she won’t be able to see you don’t have a sword.”
“I suppose it might work.”
Adika still sounded doubtful, so I joined in the debate. “Glenna will definitely recognize you as justice, Adika. You’re a quite unmistakable figure. Lucas, will you want me reading Irwin’s mind during this?”
“Yes. As soon as Adika is in position to protect Glenna, I’ll call the full strike. At that point, Eli shuts down all the wave tanks. Amber should then change to running circuits on the Chase team while they move in to apprehend Irwin.”
“What should we do with Glenna during the strike?” asked Adika.
“I’d like you to get her sedated and out of the danger zone as fast as possible. Irwin is likely to become violent, and I don’t want Glenna to see anything too nasty.”
“Glenna’s only ten years old,” said Adika. “We’ll have to be very cautious about the dose of sedatives we give her.”
“It doesn’t matter whether Glenna is completely unconscious or not,” said Lucas, “so long as we limit her awareness of what’s happening during the strike. Adika, get your men to their final positions now. Amber, what’s Glenna thinking about?”
I spent a minute roaming through different thought levels. “She’s getting unhappy. The strangeness of the wave machinery area, combined with Irwin calling her Christie, is starting to worry her. The feelings are coming from her subconscious and drifting up through the conscious levels of her mind.”
“We need to act quickly, or Glenna will take action herself,” said Lucas. “Adika, are all your team in place yet?”
“I’ve still got a few men heading for the more distant wave tanks,” said Adika. “They have to move slowly and carefully to avoid being seen.”
Hurricane (Hive Mind Book 3) Page 4
