City of Halves

by Lucy Inglis

  He straightened up and turned towards the power station, taking a deep breath and looking down. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t faced bad odds a thousand times before. But not quite these odds.

  Behind him came a noise. A white van approached from the direction of Battersea Bridge Road, sloshing through the underpass beneath the railway, headlights bouncing through the icy puddles of the derelict ground. The lights flicked off as it pulled to a halt. Marsden Always Delivers was emblazoned on the side. Micky jumped out of the driver’s seat, Joey from the passenger side.

  ‘So you’re in a spot of bother, mucker?’ Micky smiled.

  Regan took a deep breath just as an ancient Fairway cab heaved across the open ground, the doors already opening. Stanley lurched out of it, dragging an enormous sledgehammer after him, followed by Felix and then Lilith, who was dressed from head to toe in skin-tight red leather and red stiletto thigh-high boots, carrying a coiled bullwhip. Jake emerged behind her, a pair of swords crossed behind his shoulders, his long black hair tied back. Regan laughed.

  Lilith looked down at herself. ‘Is it too much, darling? I’ve been looking for an opportunity to wear it for simply ages.’

  He looked down, swallowing. ‘Us against . . . I don’t know how many.’

  Micky rubbed his hands together, palms igniting in the cold air. ‘Sounds like good odds to me.’

  Stanley swung the hammer on to his palm. ‘Just show me where.’

  Gupta Singh emerged from the scrappy dawn light, carrying a spear and a leather doctor’s bag. His face was daubed with paint and he was wrapped in warrior’s robes, the belt bristling with knives. Three more daggers poked out of his turban. With him, from the shadows beneath the railway bridge, from the deep dark of the waste ground and the edges of the power station, slipped dozens of young, upright Sikh warriors. They moved without noise, wearing red skirts low on their hips, bands of dark red cloth crossed over their chests and round their waists. Each carried a spear and observed the group with iridescent, reptilian eyes.

  ‘I’m starting to like these odds,’ Stanley said. ‘Wot’s in the bag, Gupta?’

  ‘Mona’s kit.’ Gupta Singh let it gape open briefly, revealing a long length of chain with a heavy spiked ball at each end, a pair of short swords with braided handles on a belt filled with throwing stars. He snapped the bag shut.

  Stanley looked at him with new respect. ‘Capable piece, your Mona.’

  ‘You have no idea.’ Gupta took a proud breath, staring at the power station. ‘Is there a plan?’

  Regan turned his face to the gulls wheeling overhead, and laughed.

  Fifteen minutes later, he had outlined his strategy on the scrubby dirt. ‘It’s not much, but remember – whatever happens to me, it doesn’t matter. Wait for the signal. Micky?’

  ‘Electronics. Seek and destroy.’ Micky held up his flaming hands.

  Regan turned to Stanley. ‘Stanley, I’m relying on you to spring me if they manage to get me in a bind.’

  ‘Wot, ain’t you strong enough?’ Stanley smiled.

  Regan smiled back. ‘Don’t worry about that. And you know what to do about Lily?’

  ‘Flower’s comin’ wiv me, an’ no arguments about it.’

  Regan nodded. ‘I think she engineered the agent making physical contact with her, so that I would see where she was, but all I saw was the inside of what looked like a cross between a medical facility and a military base, which could be anywhere inside this building. The only way to stop them is to go in and find it.’

  Lilith pouted. ‘Darling, I’m not convinced by this lion’s-den idea. I saw how that ended in the original, remember?’

  ‘Believe me, if I could think of another way, we’d be doing it.’

  ‘For a little human thing?’

  ‘For all of us.’ There was a silence. He looked around at them. ‘But yes. For her.’

  Lilith sighed, her hands on her hips. ‘Men. So sentimental. It’s a good job you’re one of us, Regan, or I’d have to put you out of your misery.’

  He smiled. ‘Remember, whatever happens to me—’

  ‘Yeah, yeah,’ Jake said, ‘whatever. We’ll make sure she’s fine. All of us. You know there’s people who would pay good money for your pelt? They bind books in it, all sorts of kinky stuff. Can I have first dibs?’

  Lilith raised an eyebrow. ‘Dibs? Jake, I was born four thousand years ago and even I know no one says “dibs” any more.’

  ‘What sort of nonce binds books in people-skin?’ Stanley looked at Jake, horrified.

  Colonel Amanvir cleared his throat. Regan gestured towards the wire fence. They filed through the hole. The Thames was already lapping over the open ground, encroaching on the factory. The word on the water was that the River God had woken.

  The others went to their positions and Amanvir’s guard disappeared again into the dark as silently as they had come, leaving Regan standing on the open ground with Felix. The Cleaner adjusted his sunglasses. They stood in silence for a while.

  ‘Why you naw come an’ acks Felix for he help?’

  Regan frowned. ‘I didn’t want to drag you into this. You could get hurt.’

  Felix tutted in disgust.

  ‘I think if we can stop this, now, then perhaps we can still reset the balance, perhaps the—’

  ‘Is too late, boy. Dey will do as dey please now. Tings has gone too far.’

  Regan exhaled. ‘If you say so, I believe you. I’m sorry.’

  ‘Sorry dat de end of days is upon us? Or sorry dat you so rude to ol’ Felix all dese years?’

  ‘Both.’

  Felix rocked back on his heels. ‘Diss prophecy . . .’

  ‘Yes.’ Regan pushed his hands into his pockets. ‘It’s okay. If that’s what’s meant to be.’

  Felix clapped a hand to Regan’s shoulder and looked at the power station. ‘An’ you say dey de people who kill you sweet madda and you fine daddy?’ He surveyed the huge building, sucking his teeth.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘An’ you acks me what I tink?’

  ‘Tell me.’

  Felix grinned, gold tooth glowing in the early sun. ‘I tink we gon’ take us out some righteous trash.’

  Lily pressed her hand to her side as hard as she could, but her strength was starting to give out. ‘Here,’ said Vicky, and took over. Lily flinched.

  ‘We have to get you out,’ Vicky said.

  ‘No, we have to wait,’ Lily ground out. ‘He’ll come for us.’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Regan. Ellis’s brother.’

  None of the others spoke.

  ‘And the others,’ Lily managed with a slight cough. ‘They’re coming too.’

  ‘Gupta Singh?’ Mona hissed softly.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And Ellis’s brother. We can trust him?’ Vicky asked.

  Lily nodded in the dark. ‘He’s saved my life. A few times.’

  ‘Someone needs to save it again now,’ she muttered.

  Mona said nothing.

  There were voices outside. Agents.

  ‘Any sign?’

  ‘Nothing, sir.’

  ‘Keep looking – they can’t have got far. They’re probably still in the building somewhere. Did you check the exit from the main lab?’

  ‘Yes, sir. Not there.’

  ‘Fine. Then go back to the holding pen and search there. Report to me in fifteen minutes.’

  ‘Sir.’

  The girls waited in silence until the sound of the agents’ footsteps died away. Vicky’s hand touched Lily’s hair. ‘How are you feeling?’

  Lily grunted. ‘I’ve been better. If they’ve already searched the lab, we should go and try to get my mother. She’s in there.’

  ‘But we don’t know who else is in there, do we?’

  She struggled to sit up. ‘No, but we’ve got Mona now. Come on, help me up.’

  Lily kept her hand pressed to her side, but walking was painful and her head had begun to swim. They followed the corr
idor that led back to the main laboratory. The strip lighting had now been restored. Her arm was around Vicky’s neck as she trudged, one foot in front of the other.

  ‘Mona, I don’t know exactly where my mother is, but she’s resting somewhere in the lab – if Ellis hasn’t moved her.’

  ‘There’s accommodation near the kitchen block. I saw it when I first arrived. If she’s resting, she’ll most likely be there.’

  ‘Could you go? Find her for me?’

  Mona’s eyes were blank. ‘Why?’

  ‘Because she’s my mother!’

  ‘She started all this.’ Mona gestured around them.

  ‘Yes. And now we’re going to finish it. But not without her!’

  Then, from the corridor, agents spilled into the lab. Guns were trained upon the girls instantly. They shifted to the left, further into the room, keeping a row of benches between them and the men with the guns. Ellis was the last through the door at the end of the huge room and immediately saw the bloody patch on Lily’s side.

  He swore. ‘Let me help her.’

  Lily’s legs gave out. It took all Vicky’s strength to hold her up.

  ‘You stay where you are.’ Regan walked through the door from the holding pen, followed by Lilith, Gupta, Jake, Stanley, Felix and the warriors of the Serpent King. The bodyguard instantly ranged themselves around the vast room. The air they carried with them stank of burning plastic, and suddenly Micky appeared, rubbing his hands together.

  Regan didn’t look behind him. ‘Micky?’

  ‘All done, matey. There’ll be nothing recoverable from that little lot.’

  ‘You idiots.’ Ellis was scornful. ‘All our work is stored remotely. Doesn’t matter what you destroy here.’

  One of the agents stepped forward towards Jake. Lilith uncoiled her bullwhip. ‘No, darling, I don’t think so. There’s a good chap.’

  Lily leant heavily on Vicky.

  Regan didn’t take his eyes from his brother. ‘What’s wrong with her?’ he called over to the girls.

  Vicky turned Lily slightly so that Regan could see the huge bloody patch covering her clothing all down her right side. ‘She got hurt.’

  Regan’s eyes flicked to the bloody shard in Mona’s hand. His jaw tightened. ‘We’re leaving here. Now. All of us.’

  ‘“All of us” means my mother too.’ Lily struggled with the words.

  ‘I don’t think so.’ An agent stepped into the room from the opposite doorway, training a gun on Regan.

  Regan raised an eyebrow. ‘Guns – really? That’s all you’ve got? Against us?’

  ‘No!’ Lily shouted, her voice breaking. ‘Stop it. All of you. I want you to bring my mother.’

  ‘I’m here,’ a quiet voice said.

  Caitlin Hilyard was sitting in a wheelchair, looking exhausted from the effort of propelling it herself.

  Ellis ran to her.

  The agent fired.

  Regan dodged, then vaulted a bench, closing the gap between them. The others closed in on him. As more agents spilled through the door, Lilith, Mona, Gupta and Stanley swung into action and the bodyguard of the Serpent King flooded the room. Mona and Gupta were fighting back-to-back as Lily collapsed to the floor, dragging Vicky with her.

  Suddenly Ellis appeared and pushed Vicky aside. Amidst the mayhem, he pulled up Lily’s top and examined the long, thin wound, which was pumping blood steadily. He glanced over his shoulder at Caitlin.

  ‘If we don’t stop this, she’ll die. She’s nicked an artery, by the looks of it.’

  Lily shook her head. ‘Regan will help me. It’s okay, he knows how.’

  Caitlin shook her head, her breathing unsteady. ‘Ellis should do it. We have the blood here. It’s all ready.’

  ‘No,’ Lily pushed Ellis away weakly.

  ‘Don’t fight him, Lily.’ Caitlin was gasping, struggling to pull out the small portable oxygen cylinder from the side of the wheelchair.

  Ellis caught Lily’s face in his hands. ‘Let me help you.’

  ‘Stop!’ Caitlin shouted above the noise. ‘Please stop.’

  Her voice was lost in the din of the fighting, but Regan and the others, along with Amanvir’s men were rapidly overwhelming the agents. Ellis propped Lily against the wall as the combat began to cease. Only moments later, the bodyguard held their spears to the throats of the remaining agents. It was over.

  ‘My daughter is dying. Please . . .’ Caitlin’s voice ran out.

  Ellis ran to a huge glass-fronted refrigerator, pressed his palm against the front and hauled it open, sorting through the blood bags stacked inside.

  ‘The 215 trial,’ Caitlin said, breathless.

  ‘I know!’ Ellis said over his shoulder.

  Lily yelped as something cold pressed against her chest.

  ‘Ellis,’ hissed the snake-eyed agent, who had avoided capture with the others, and reappeared at Lily’s side.

  Ellis turned.

  ‘I want it. The mythical 215. That’s your trial, yes? We’ve all heard about it. Faster, stronger, better. The best strain yet. Enhances every other quality.’

  Shaking his head, Ellis looked at the agent, the bag of plasma in his hands. ‘It’s not ready.’

  ‘But you’re going to give it to her.’

  ‘Because we know it’s compatible with her.’

  ‘I want it.’

  ‘I know, but you can’t have it.’

  The muzzle of the gun pressed harder into Lily’s chest. She winced.

  ‘Now, or I kill her. And all your precious work is for nothing.’ The hand that held the gun over Lily’s heart surged and faded with mottled scales, the patterns washing back and forth, as unstable as the agent’s mind.

  Two of the bodyguards shifted, sliding along the edge of the laboratory. ‘Any closer and she dies!’ he yelled.

  Lily lifted her head just in time to see Ellis hurl the bag of blood high into the air and launch himself at the snake-eyed agent. But he wasn’t fast enough. The agent pulled the trigger. There was a bang and Lily heard, rather than felt her heart pop. It exploded messily, flooding her lungs with blood. Her knees buckled and she dropped to the floor like a stone, blood smearing the wall behind her. As Regan caught the bag in mid-air, Ellis tackled the agent, flooring him and as they fought mayhem broke out again as the others saw their chance. Regan sprinted to Lily. He grabbed a syringe kit. Skidding to his knees beside her he shoved the syringe straight into the plastic of the bag and filled it.

  ‘It’s too late,’ said Lilith, crouching, her fingers bloody from checking the pulse in Lily’s throat.

  ‘Not yet, it isn’t,’ Regan snarled, pulling the syringe from the bag. Lifting it, he used his left hand to find a space between Lily’s ribs. ‘Just a spark left, that’s all there needs to be. One spark of life and the will to live.’ He stabbed down, hard, and pushed the plunger.

  Caitlin fell forward from the chair and hauled herself over to them, cradling her daughter. She pulled Lily’s head on to her chest, their fair hair mingling. The little group crouched together as, on the other side of the vast room, the guard began to despatch the last of the agents without mercy. Tears ran down Caitlin’s face as she fought for breath, her thin hand stroking Lily’s bloodless cheek. Nothing happened.

  ‘I’m so sorry, Lily, so sorry. This was never meant to happen. We were going to take such good care of you.’ Her voice was little more than a choking whisper, tears dripping from her chin on to her daughter’s still form. Regan and Lilith watched as Caitlin’s soft words weakened and faded, any will to carry on defeated by the reality of her daughter’s body in her arms.

  Ellis came over to them, breathing hard. Behind him lay the body of the snake-eyed agent. ‘Isn’t it working?’

  Suddenly, there was a commotion as one of the last agents broke free from the guard and ran for the exit, his enhanced reflexes making him so fast he caught them all by surprise.

  ‘Stop him!’ Ellis bellowed to the guard, pushing to his feet. He looked back
at his brother. ‘Get them out. He’s going for the fall-back plan. This whole place is rigged, but the power outage means it has to be done manually in the control room. Get them out now!’ Then, he was gone, racing through the door after the guard.

  Everything was quiet and dark. For just a while, the agony stopped. Then Lily was catapulted back into pain.

  Her hands knitted into knots. She gasped a huge breath as Regan put her down, very gently, on the ground by Micky’s van. The river was encroaching on them, the puddles joining up as the water slopped over the embanking walls. Stanley loomed behind him, Lilith hovering nearby.

  Regan caught her face. ‘Don’t talk.’

  Lily’s eyes closed again. Please stop spinning. The spinning stopped. She frowned, opening her eyes and looking into Regan’s grey-and-gold ones.

  ‘Am I dying?’

  ‘Not yet.’ He smiled. She lifted her fingers to his face and he took her hand, kissing her palm briefly. ‘And I’d rather you didn’t. Here, drink this. It’ll speed up the healing.’ He unscrewed the cap on the bag labelled with Ellis’s name and handed it to her, pushing to his feet.

  Lily took it and sucked cautiously. The thick salty liquid filled her mouth, but there was no urge to gag. She drank quickly, squeezing the bag to speed the process. It leaked from the needlehole, spilling down the inside of her pale wrist. She pulled it away, blood spilling over her chin, teeth red. ‘Where are you going?’

  ‘Back. I have to get Ellis out.’ He grinned. ‘I’ll be back. Don’t worry about me.’ He sprinted back into the seemingly derelict power station, and into the laboratory deep inside it.

  Lily pushed to her feet, sick and dizzy. Joey got out of the van and stood by a frozen puddle, hands in the pockets of his hoodie. Lilith checked her hair in the side mirror of the van.