There was a grunt from Adika.
“Now let’s return to Massen for a moment,” said Lucas. “Cador has just sent me a list of Massen’s recent calls. He was an unpopular man, so was only involved in two calls during the last week. The first was Cador calling him yesterday evening to say we’d be coming to question him this morning. Massen knew we’d bring a nosy with us, and find out he’d been setting traps, so he decided to go into hiding.”
Lucas sighed. “Massen’s obvious move would have been to head in the direction of the mine and stay in one of the old dwellings, but several thousand people from the sea farm had already faded into the countryside. Massen knew he’d be struggling to find anywhere remotely habitable that didn’t have residents already, so he decided to head in the opposite direction and go to High Fold. He’d probably done some work there and knew there was a stone building near the reservoir.”
The Admiral’s holo head nodded. “I know the building you mean. It’s one of the shepherd’s huts we have dotted around High Fold as refuges for people caught on the hills in bad weather.”
“Massen had left his home in a hurry and on foot,” said Lucas. “He’d brought food, and some spare clothes, but only one blanket, and it was bitterly cold in that shepherd’s hut at night. There was a store of wood, but Massen daren’t light a fire. Smoke and sparks would be seen from a long distance and attract attention. He decided to ask someone for help and called Treeve’s dataview.”
Adika opened his mouth to say something, but Melisande was already asking a question. “Why would Massen call a dead man’s dataview to ask for help?”
“Because Massen either knew or guessed that Treeve’s murderer had the dataview. I believe Treeve had told Massen the identity of our third target. Like Treeve, Massen hadn’t dared to go to Sea Farm Security with the information, because he had too much to hide. Now Massen was desperate, so he called Treeve’s dataview, spoke to his murderer, and threatened them with betrayal if they didn’t bring him a heat sack.”
“It seems incredibly foolish to threaten a murderer and then arrange to meet them in an isolated location,” said Melisande.
“I agree,” said Lucas. “Massen was a powerfully built man. He must have believed the murderer couldn’t pose a physical threat to him, but he was wrong. The murderer arranged to meet Massen on the reservoir wall last night, managed to catch him off guard while handing him the sleep sack, and pushed him over the low safety rail into the gorge. The murderer then went down to Massen’s body, put Treeve’s dataview in Massen’s coat pocket, and left the pieces of a random drone control box on the rocks nearby. I expect the murderer tried looking for the sleep sack to remove it, but it had blown away down the gorge, and was hard to find in the dark.”
“I assume that Treeve’s dataview was put in Massen’s pocket to make it appear that he’d been the one who murdered Treeve,” said Melisande. “The third target is attempting to cover up their own involvement in the deaths.”
“Precisely,” said Lucas. “The third target must have been very busy last night. They had to get a heat sack and drone control box from somewhere, go to meet Massen, kill him, carefully arrange the death scene, and then return home. They couldn’t risk being seen by anyone, so they had to do their travelling on foot. This morning, they used the illegal drone to set fire to Hazel’s house, before flying it up here to the reservoir, and positioning it on a ledge on the reservoir wall.”
He sighed. “This third target is highly intelligent. Their attempt to frighten us into leaving had failed. They decided to take this chance to both dispose of Massen and pin the guilt for all the more recent problems at the sea farm on him. Just as the stolen dataview was left in Massen’s pocket to link him to Treeve’s murder, the illegal drone was used to burn down Hazel’s house and left at the reservoir as evidence Massen had been using it to commit his crimes. The really clever touch was the positioning of the drone on a ledge in the side of the reservoir wall. The intention was to make it look as if Massen had lost control of it due to a black spot in the hills, and fallen to his death attempting to retrieve it.”
Lucas grimaced. “The third target didn’t expect Massen’s body to be found for a day or two, by which time the arrangement would look completely convincing. The idea was that I’d accept Treeve was responsible for the first series of traps and Hazel’s murder. Massen was responsible for the second series of traps, Treeve’s murder, and the poisoning of the mattress. With both of them dead, I’d close the case, take my nosies back to the Hive, and the third target would be left perfectly safe.”
Lucas shrugged. “I don’t think I’d have been satisfied by such an unnaturally tidy solution, but the fact we followed the drone up here after Massen was dead made it clear that a third target is involved.”
“Tactical Commander Lucas, what is your plan for determining the identity of the third target?” asked Melisande.
“My plan is to lure the third target into an ambush.” Lucas glanced at the holo image of the Admiral’s head. “Admiral, I assume you’ve now had time to talk to Aster and explain that her husband was involved in setting the first traps.”
The Admiral sighed. “Yes.”
“Then I’d like you to announce to the sea farm population that the traps were set by Treeve and Massen. Crucially, you have to pretend that Massen was found alive at the bottom of the reservoir wall. We know our target went to Massen’s body after the fall to put Treeve’s dataview in his pocket, but it will have been dark and cold. Even if the target checked the body for signs of life, I’m hoping they’ll believe they missed the faint pulse of a man barely clinging to life.”
Lucas paused. “So the Admiral announces Massen sustained critical injuries and is currently undergoing urgent surgery to save his life. He’s expected to recover consciousness in three days’ time, after which a nosy will read his mind and discover the full truth about the events at the sea farm.”
“Your plan is that the remaining target will try to kill Massen before he regains consciousness, and walk into the hands of your Strike team,” said Melisande. “Tactical Commander Lucas, do you intend to set up this ambush in the Haven medical centre?”
“I’m concerned that using the medical centre could put innocent bystanders at risk. If possible, I’d like to borrow a flying hospital and park it in the Haven aircraft hangar. We can use the severity of Massen’s injuries as an excuse to shut down the hangar and evacuate its staff.”
“A flying hospital is a cramped space packed with delicate medical equipment, so a highly unsuitable place for your men to wait in ambush and apprehend a target,” said Melisande. “I suggest that Aerial one is left parked nearby. Your men can then wait on board that and intervene when the target approaches the flying hospital.”
Lucas nodded. “We also have to consider the problem of the Haven surveillance cameras. I don’t want the whole of Sea Farm Security watching us set up our ambush.”
The Admiral smiled. “I’ll deal with the surveillance cameras before you arrive at the aircraft hangar. I’ll tell Cador I’m furious about him revealing information to Massen, and insist all the images from surveillance cameras in the Haven are routed directly to your unit.”
“It’s essential the whole sea farm population believes Massen is alive and undergoing surgery,” said Melisande. “When Juniper was injured, a flying hospital was sent with Atticus on board to stabilize her before taking her to the Hive. If we involve Atticus again this time, the hangar staff will recognize him as Juniper’s surgeon, making our pretence utterly convincing.”
I blinked at the mention of Atticus’s name.
“As soon as the hangar staff have gone,” added Melisande, “you should take Atticus to the safety of your base corridors. I don’t want the Hive to lose one of its finest surgeons.”
“Believe me, Gold Commander, I am fully aware of the importance of protecting Atticus,” said Lucas.
“Once the ambush arrangements are complete,” said Melisande, “Adm
iral Tregereth can make his announcement to the sea farm people, including the detail of the aircraft hangar being temporarily shut down. The idea of the flying hospital being in a deserted hangar, with only Atticus and his patient on board, should be irresistibly tempting for our murderer.”
“What should I do about the sea farm lockdown though?” asked the Admiral. “Can I tell my people it’s safe for them to go out again now? Massen obviously isn’t a threat to them any longer, but what about this third target?”
“It should be perfectly safe for people to go out again,” said Lucas. “From the moment you announce Massen is still alive, the third target will be totally focused on reaching the flying hospital and killing him.”
“Are there any further issues to resolve, Tactical Commander Lucas?” asked Melisande.
“I think we’ve covered everything,” said Lucas.
“Then Atticus and the flying hospital will arrive shortly to collect Massen’s body, and then fly in company with your aircraft to the Haven.” Melisande’s holo vanished.
“And I’ll be waiting in the aircraft hangar when you arrive.” The Admiral’s holo vanished too.
I sat down on a convenient lump of rock, and watched the seagulls on the reservoir. Eventually, I heard the sound of aircraft engines, and a bulky white aircraft appeared from behind the hill, its sides marked with huge red crosses. It banked to fly across the gorge, and hovered in mid air for a moment before landing next to Aerial one.
Atticus had arrived. I thought back to our days on Teen Level, when Atticus feared the hunter of souls as much as Morton, while I was even more terrified of the Truesun. Now, incredibly, we were about to meet Outside on a windy sea farm hillside.
Chapter Thirty-six
I didn’t meet Atticus Outside after all. I had overcome my old fear of the Truesun, but Atticus was still as scared of the hunter of souls as on Teen Level. The pilot of the flying hospital explained the standard arrangement was for him to help load patients into the aircraft triage area, while Atticus hid in the tiny staff accommodation room until the aircraft door was safely closed again.
In this case, there was no need to take the patient inside the flying hospital at all, since no amount of treatment could help a man who was already dead. The pilot gave the Strike team instructions on loading Massen’s body into what he described as the mortuary box under the back end of the flying hospital, and then our two aircraft flew to the Haven aircraft hangar.
Once the hangar doors had closed, Atticus finally emerged from the flying hospital, and we acted out a discussion of Massen’s critical condition for the benefit of the hangar staff. They evacuated the hangar, Ralston and the pilot of the flying hospital went off to stay in the sea farm guest quarters, and the Admiral headed to his command centre to make his announcement to the sea farm population.
Juniper gazed after them for a moment before turning to Lucas. “Will we be taking the inside route to return to your base corridors, sir?”
“Yes,” said Lucas. “I think Atticus would prefer that.”
Atticus nodded his head urgently.
“I don’t want to go through your base corridors to reach corridor 5 because there’s a risk of meeting unmasked nosies,” said Juniper anxiously. “I’ll go down the hillside path and use the observatory entrance instead.”
Lucas frowned. “I think the third target is highly unlikely to attack you at this point, Juniper, but we’d better send one of the Strike team to escort you anyway.”
“I’ll escort Juniper,” volunteered Eli.
The two of them went off through a side door, and Lucas shook his head. “I’m a bit worried about Juniper and Eli. They seem to be getting extremely close, and a relationship between someone from the sea farm and someone at the main Hive is likely to end badly.”
I was reminded of Morton and Celandine. “A relationship between someone from the sea farm and someone at the main Hive could end disastrously,” I said, “but there’s no need to worry about Juniper and Eli. What’s drawing them together is their shared experiences of injury, and there’s absolutely no chance of it turning into a relationship. Juniper’s got too many other things on her mind to think about romance, and Eli …”
I hesitated, trying to work out how to phrase this without betraying anything private that I’d seen in Eli’s mind, and Adika finished the explanation for me with his usual lack of subtlety.
“Juniper is a slim little thing, and Eli likes girls with ample curves.”
“I see.” Lucas rapidly changed the subject. “We’ll leave Rothan and half the Alpha Strike team on guard duty in Aerial one, while the rest of us go down to our base corridors.”
“Shouldn’t I be staying in Aerial one as well?” I asked.
“We need to have a group of guards in Aerial one at all times, and a couple of Liaison team members watching the surveillance camera images in case of unexpected developments,” said Lucas. “I don’t believe our target will try to attack the flying hospital for at least another day though. The Admiral is currently telling the whole sea farm population that Massen suffered critical injuries and is undergoing surgery to save his life. Our target is intelligent enough to wait until tomorrow to see if Massen dies of his injuries before risking an attempt to kill him.”
“I suppose that’s true,” I said doubtfully.
“Tomorrow morning, I’ll get the Admiral to give the sea farm population an update on Massen’s condition,” said Lucas. “The Admiral will announce that Massen’s surgery was successful, his condition has stabilized, and he’s expected to regain consciousness in another day or two.”
Adika nodded. “So that will push our target into trying to kill Massen tomorrow.”
“Yes,” said Lucas. “There’ll be a lot of people working in the offices on the top level of the Haven during the day, so our target will probably make their attack late tomorrow night when everything is quiet. Amber and I will be waiting for them in Aerial one with Adika and the full Alpha team.”
Adika glowered his disapproval at Lucas. “You shouldn’t be in Aerial one with us during the ambush, Lucas, but calling tactics from our operations room on Level 10.”
Lucas laughed. “I’ve been publicly leading all our runs at the sea farm, Adika, and I insist on being present when we arrest this target as well. Console yourself with the thought that we’ll go back to using normal methods when we return to the Hive.”
Rothan and half the Alpha team went back into Aerial one, and the rest of us headed for the lifts. When we arrived on Level 10 of the Haven, Atticus gasped at the sight of the filthy, dilapidated corridors.
“You’re really living down here?” he asked incredulously.
“Yes, but don’t worry,” I said hastily. “Our base corridors are much better than these.”
“I wouldn’t say our base corridors are better, but they are a bit cleaner,” commented Adika. “Everyone should put their wristset lights on now, and stay close together in defensive formation.”
I fumbled in my pockets and was relieved to find my light. I turned it on, and tugged the strap into place on my wrist.
“Are we expecting to be attacked?” asked Atticus nervously.
“It’s my job to be prepared for all possibilities,” said Adika grimly. “Half the population of the sea farm will have seen Aerial one and the flying hospital arrive at the Haven aircraft hangar.”
He shrugged. “Our target will hopefully have listened to the Admiral’s announcement, and be busy planning an attack on the flying hospital. However, it’s conceivable that they’ll guess we’ll be heading back through Level 10 to reach our base corridors by the beach exit, and be tempted into attacking us instead. It would be horribly easy for someone to sabotage the lights down here and then attack us in the dark.”
Like most people used to the constantly lit corridors of the Hive, Atticus was afraid of the dark. He made a faint, squeaking noise at the thought of being plunged into darkness in this strange place.
“I
t’s highly unlikely that we’ll be attacked,” said Lucas, in a soothing voice, “but Adika is correct to take precautions. We’re planning to ambush our target. It would be embarrassing to have our target ambush us instead.”
We walked on through the grimy corridors, with Adika switching lights on and off as we moved from one area to another. When we finally arrived at our base corridors, I heard Atticus give a deep sigh of relief.
Forge had been understandably silent on our way here, but I expected him to take off his nosy mask and take charge of entertaining Atticus at this point. I was puzzled to see Forge hurry off down the corridor instead, then realized he didn’t want Atticus to find out he’d been playing the part of a nosy and start teasing him about it.
“Do we have an apartment ready for Atticus yet?” I asked, on the crystal comms.
“It’s still being cleaned,” said Megan’s voice. “Hannah says that they need to be especially thorough because something died in the shower.”
It seemed a bad idea to ask what had died in the shower when Atticus was listening to me. I took my crystal unit out of my ear, and put it in my pocket.
“Your apartment is still being cleaned, Atticus,” I said. “I should warn you that the apartments are a bit basic here. In fact, they’re more like rooms on Teen Level than real apartments. Don’t you agree, Lucas?”
Lucas didn’t say anything. I suspected he was having one of his attacks of insecurity, linked to his thoughts, and found I was right. Lucas had been perfectly happy talking to Atticus about professional issues, but was panicking about holding a social conversation with him.
… should be making casual conversation, but what can I say that doesn’t emphasize the fact that he knew Amber long before I did and …?
Hurricane (Hive Mind Book 3) Page 33
