Harriet Walsh 01: Peace Force

by Simon Haynes

  She didn't need to say any more, since Harriet could fill in the blanks: the uncle's ship sold off by creditors, Alice put into care. She'd probably run away as soon as she was old enough, and from there it was only a couple of steps to get back into space.

  They ate the rest of the meal in silence, and afterwards Alice helped her clear up. "What were you doing at the spaceport?" she asked suddenly. "Were you on a case?"

  "Sort of. Bernie got me to follow a guy."

  "A suspect? Did he do something bad?"

  "No, it was just a training mission. I was supposed to chat with him on the flight, then follow him from the spaceport. I would have done, but …" Harriet gestured at Alice. "Well, you pulled your little party trick, and that was that."

  "Sorry."

  "It's fine, no harm done. I heard him book lunch tomorrow, and Bernie's getting me a table nearby. I'm supposed to snoop on him and take pics of the guys he's meeting."

  "All this, and you just signed up today?" said Alice, in surprise.

  "Yeah, it does seem a bit sudden. Hey, at least I'll get a nice lunch out of it."

  "You'll have to wear a disguise."

  "No chance."

  "Oh, go on. At least a scarf and some big sunglasses. I mean, if the guy recognises you, you're toast."

  Harriet thought about it. "I guess a scarf wouldn't hurt. I don't have any of those really big sunglasses though."

  "And a straw hat. A huge one with a bunch of flowers on."

  "Yes, I don't think you've quite got the hang of surveillance, have you."

  "Hey, if he's looking at the hat, he's not looking at your face. Am I right?"

  "I guess so." Harriet imagined herself entering the restaurant in some ridiculous getup. She'd drift in, head back and one arm held high, and put on such a posh accent that everyone in the place would laugh and laugh until they choked on their food. "Just the sunglasses, maybe. Definitely not the hat."

  "Awesome." Alice yawned suddenly. "Hell, I'm tired. Can I sleep now?"

  "Yeah, of course. I'll get you a couple of blankets."

  She showed Alice to her room, handed her the blankets and bid her goodnight. "Hope you sleep well."

  Alice nodded, then looked embarrassed suddenly. "Sorry about that chocolate bar. In the shop, I mean."

  "It's okay."

  "No, I mean it. I want to do better."

  Harriet smiled at her. "You've got the rest of your life ahead of you. There's plenty of time to turn things around. Think of this brush with the law as a temporary setback."

  "You'd never have caught me if it wasn't for that dead end." Alice sniffed. "You're still fast, though."

  "We should go for a run sometime." Harriet thought for a minute. "Have you thought about training properly? Running for real?"

  "I'm not good enough."

  "Dismolle's a retirement planet. How strong can the competition be?"

  They both laughed at that, and then Alice looked down at her feet. "You know," she said quietly, "if I had a big sister … I'd want her to be someone like you."

  Harriet stared at her. Then she said good night again and pulled the door to.

  In the bathroom, brushing her teeth, she wondered whether she was being played. Alice was no angel, and the sudden switch from streetwise criminal to 'bestest friends evah' was a bit too good to be true. Or maybe the girl was just showing her gratitude, and Birch was a hard-bitten old copper who saw the worst in everyone.

  Then Harriet found herself toying with a crazy idea. Could the Peace Force use a second trainee? Bernie told her that fifteen-year-olds were the ideal age for a new recruit, and if she took Alice on … well, maybe Harriet could take that job with Canitt after all?

  Deep in thought, Harriet finished with the bathroom and went to bed.

  Chapter 13

  Harriet opened her eyes slowly. She felt incredibly groggy, and she groaned as she realised her morning alarm was hours off yet. Something had woken her! Cursing under her breath, she rolled over … and saw a shadow standing next to her bed. It was Auntie, waking her up for school.

  "Five more minutes," murmured Harriet.

  "You've slept for hours," said Auntie. "Come on, it's time to get up. We'll get that run you promised."

  Walsh was only half awake, but even she knew her Aunt didn't go in for jogging. Slowly, she turned back over, and that's when she realised it was Alice standing next to the bed. She was dressed in old gym shorts and a T-shirt, and Harriet recognised them as her old PhysEd uniform. Harriet stared at the girl stupidly, then swallowed once or twice until she could speak. "What's the … what's time is it?"

  "Its after five," said Alice brightly. "How about that run?"

  "Are you kidding me?" murmured Harriet, and she rolled over, hauling the blankets up around her ears. "Let me sleep."

  "I knew you didn't mean it," muttered Alice.

  Harriet didn't hear her: she was already fast asleep.

  * * *

  When Harriet woke up a couple of hours later, she discovered the apartment was empty. There were a few items missing from the fridge, but only enough for a single breakfast. She assumed Alice had fed herself before slipping away. Harriet suspected Bernie would not be too disappointed. After all, their paperwork worries had just walked away. Harriet just hoped Alice would —

  "Oh crap!"

  A memory came back to her, that of being woken early by Alice. The girl had been so eager for a run she'd even dug out some of Harriet's old training gear. And what was Harriet's response? She told her to get lost!

  Harriet groaned and poured herself a second mug of coffee. As she sipped the potent brew she found herself wishing she was more of a morning person. Would it have killed her to go for an early morning run? Okay, yes it would, but it would have been worth it. Now she had an angry teen roaming the streets, getting up to who knew what. More paperwork, that's for sure.

  Her train of thought was interrupted by a knock on the front door. Great, she thought, the Peace Force is here to question me about a fifteen year old mugger who's been terrorising the neighbourhood. Then she rolled her eyes. She was the Peace Force.

  She opened the door, and to her surprise she saw Alice standing outside. She was still wearing the PE gear, and her face was flushed from running. "Oh, you're up at last," she said, and pushed past to get to the kitchen.

  "I thought you'd left," said Harriet, following her in.

  "Don't be daft. You've got food, a nice bed and a shower. I'd be a fool to give this up." Alice glanced at her. "Sorry I woke you this morning."

  "It's fine," said Harriet. "Going for a run was a good idea, just maybe … after work, not before."

  Alice nodded, then reached into her pocket. "Got you these," she said, holding out a pair of sunglasses. They had dark brown frames and huge lenses. "Thought they'd be good as a disguise."

  Harriet looked at them. They were perfect, but … where had they come from?

  "I didn't steal them," said Alice quickly. "I paid for them. Here, I got a receipt."

  "I really appreciate it, but you didn't have to spend your money on me."

  "Oh, it wasn't my money."

  Harriet suppressed a groan. "Whose —"

  "There were a couple of guys in the park. I bet them twenty creds they couldn't beat me in a foot race." Alice grinned. "They didn't."

  "What if they had?"

  "I'd have run away."

  Harriet didn't point out the flaw in Alice's plan. Instead, she thanked her again and tried the glasses on. Immediately, Alice hooted with laughter. "You look like someone's mum!"

  "You think this is bad, wait until I find a scarf." Harriet ran to the bedroom, where her Auntie's dresser stood. She hadn't touched it for weeks, and she hesitated before opening the top drawer. Then she shrugged, and rummaged around until she found a flowery scarf. She pulled it over her hair and tied it loosely under her chin, then returned to the kitchen. Alice nearly died laughing, scarcely able to breathe. Eventually she managed to point a shakin
g finger, and she mouthed the word 'grandma' before she was off again, howling with laughter until tears ran down her cheeks.

  "I thought it was quite chic," said Harriet, somewhat put out.

  "The only cheek you'll get is from just about everyone who sees you."

  "Yes, well, there's no time for this now. I have to get to work." Harriet whipped off the scarf and tucked the sunglasses in her pocket. "Help yourself to the food in the fridge, and don't answer the door to anyone. It's pretty safe around here, but you never know."

  "I'm not staying here on my own," declared Alice.

  "What am I supposed to do with you?"

  "Take me to work. I'll find something to do."

  Despite her reservations, Harriet agreed. At the Station, Bernie could keep an eye on the girl while she, Harriet, was out spying on Canitt and his associates. And … maybe she could put in a word with Bernie, and talk the robot into offering Alice a Peace Force traineeship.

  * * *

  "I notice your prisoner is conspicuously absent this morning," said Bernie, with what sounded suspiciously like a knowing sniff.

  "Yes, she's —"

  "That was not an invitation for you to talk," said Bernie sharply. "I wish to demonstrate one of the many advanced crime-fighting devices we have at our disposal. To whit, an item called a tracker, which is used to determine the whereabouts of a fugitive."

  "Yes, but —"

  "No talking, please!" Bernie was now in full flow. "You'll recall I gave the prisoner a bracelet? Well, that bracelet was not an item from lost property, as I claimed, but a locator beacon disguised as an item of jewellery." Bernie gestured at the terminal. "With this software, and using a series of antennae, including one located on the roof of this building, I can track the pickpocket's location anywhere on Dismolle."

  By now, Harriet wouldn't have interrupted the robot for all the money in the universe, because she couldn't wait to see how this demonstration panned out.

  "By entering a passcode known only to myself, the bracelet will activate remotely. After that, it will pulse every five seconds until the charge runs out … or until I send a deactivation code. Each pulse will be triangulated by the aforementioned antenna on the roof, and two others located within a ten kilometre range. Outside the range of the local antennae, I can use satellite tracking."

  "Sounds awesome. She'll never get away."

  "Hush please. The demonstration is about to begin."

  Harriet leaned closer. Not to see the screen, but to find out just how much surprise the robot's face would register when her complicated equipment located Alice … in the Station's bathroom. That's where she'd gone when they arrived, but Bernie hadn't let Harriet get a word in edgeways and so she was happy to give the robot a ton of rope.

  "Chasing down fugitives is a vital task we must perform as Officers," continued Bernie. "Apprehending your criminal is not always the end of our job. Sometimes, through nefarious means, they will manage to escape custody. Hence, this demonstration." So saying, she pressed a key with her big forefinger, and the screen was immediately criss-crossed with red lines.

  "We shall start with the ten kilometre scan. If she's closer than that, we will zoom in until we find her." The lines converged, and the screen flickered. "Note how the map is updating to display larger and larger scale." Bernie looked closer. "Indeed, it seems the fugitive is in the general area. Clearly she did not have the wits to flee further afield. I shall now zoom in further, until … we see … our very own … Peace Force Station?" Her voice slowed as she realised something wasn't quite right, and then with absolutely perfect timing …

  "Morning Bernie!" called Alice, as she emerged from the canteen.

  The effect was electric. The big robot's head turned from side to side like a sideshow clown. She looked from the screen, to Alice, then back to the screen and finally back again. Her jaw dropped like a stone, and Harriet could have popped any number of ping-pong balls in the huge 'O' that was her mouth.

  Bernie recovered quickly. Without turning round, she reached behind herself and cleared the screen, tracking lines, map and all.

  "Thus ends the demonstration?" said Harriet, trying to hold in another laughing fit.

  "You might have said something, Trainee Walsh."

  "I tried, but you kept shutting me up."

  Bernie grunted. "Let us move on to the next item. Canitt will be meeting his associates in under three hours, and you must be ready."

  "We will be," said Alice. "She's got a disguise and everything."

  Bernie and Harriet both stared at her. "A disguise?" said Bernie faintly.

  And, simultaneously: "What do you mean, 'We'?" demanded Harriet.

  Alice addressed Harriet first. "You can't sit down and eat by yourself. Some guy will hit on you, for sure."

  Bernie and Harriet exchanged a glance. Neither had thought of that.

  "And don't worry about the disguise, Bernie," continued Alice. "It's just big sunnies and a scarf. Everyone will think she's my mum."

  Harriet frowned. "Big sister."

  "Or my feeble old Granny," said Alice, with a laugh.

  "It seems you have already thought this through," said Bernie, looking from one to the other. "However, I am not enamoured with the idea of sending Alice on a Peace Force mission."

  Harriet gestured. "Don't worry about it. We'll have lunch, chat a bit, then head back here afterwards. No sweat."

  "If you are certain?"

  "Of course."

  "Excellent," said Bernie. "And now that everything has been organised so quickly, it leaves even more time for dusting."

  "What?"

  "The station desperate needs a clean, and of course, with my large hands I cannot hold a duster. Therefore, I am putting the pair of you in charge of the operation. You'll find cleaning materials in a cupboard at the back of the locker room. Meanwhile, I will recharge myself."

  "This is payback, isn't it?" demanded Harriet. "You're getting me back for that thing with the tracker."

  "I have no idea what you are talking about," said the robot innocently. "Now hurry up, you should be able to do most of it before you leave for lunch."

  "Why me?" said Alice. "I don't even work for the Peace Force!"

  "Oh." Bernie looked at her. "Are you paying for your own lunch, then?"

  "I'll just grab a mop," said Alice. "Enjoy your recharge, Bernie."

  "Yeah, don't fall down the stairs," muttered Harriet.

  Chapter 14

  It was three hours later, and Harriet was sitting in the restaurant with Alice. Their booth backed onto Canitt's, but they could only hear a word or two over the background music, the buzz of conversation and the sounds of dining that surrounded them. Harriet's makeshift disguise wasn't required, because the booths were in near darkness and nobody could have identified them - or even realised they were there - without a powerful torch.

  Harriet pointed her commset at a gap in the screen separating the booths, hiding her hand behind a menu card as she took a load of pictures and tried to record the audio. Then she discovered the camera lens was on the other side of the commset, and realised she'd just sent Bernie forty pictures of the dessert menu.

  Still, the surveillance operation wasn't a dead loss, because the food was pretty good.

  "More lobster?" she asked Alice, gesturing at the heaped serving platter sitting on the table between them. Other plates contained a selection of canapes, roast chicken pinchos in hot chili and truffle sauce, thinly sliced fillet steak with mushrooms and, to one side, a token bowl of steamed rice.

  "We should come here more often," said Alice, through a mouthful of food. "Like, every day."

  Harriet agreed whole-heartedly. When they entered the restaurant and saw the snowy white tablecloths and gold-plated cutlery, she thought they'd be lucky if they could afford a glass of water. Then she'd spotted a sign over the waiter's shoulder: All you can eat, twenty-five credits per person.

  So, they'd really gone to town, ordering a select
ion of dishes, some of which Harriet had never heard of, and all of which were new to Alice. Each had been more delicious than the last, until the two of them were stuffed to bursting.

  "They're paying their bill," said Alice suddenly, pointing over Harriet's shoulder.

  "I didn't think they were eating for free."

  "No, but they're going to leave. We should follow them!"

  "Why? I've got Canitt's business card. I know where he works."

  "Yeah, but they might meet other people on the way. Bernie would love a few more suspects."

  "I'm too full to move," complained Harriet.

  "Oh, come on! Following them would be great practice!"

  "Alice, they're just going to walk to the end of the mall and catch a cab. We'll be tailing them for a hundred metres, tops."

  "Then we'll get a cab, too. And if they step on it, we'll have a real car chase!"

  "Not on Dismolle," said Harriet, with a laugh. "The cabs only do about twenty."

  "Oh, stop being so negative!" snapped Alice. "If you won't follow them, I'll do it myself."

  Harriet really couldn't see the point, but she finally gave in. She gestured to their waiter, who rolled over on smooth rubber wheels. "Would you like to order another dessert, ma'am?"

  "No thanks, we're done. Can I have the bill please?"

  "Of course, ma'am."

  The robot opened its mouth, and a long strip of paper spooled out with a loud chattering sound. Then it tore the strip off and handed it to her.

  "Harriet, they're going!"

  She glanced round and, through the filmy curtains in the front windows, saw the men standing outside the restaurant. She already had the fifty credits ready, so she plonked it down in front of the robot and stood up.

  "And the rest, ma'am?"

  That's when Harriet noticed a couple of facts, as good officers were trained to do. First, the bill totalled over three hundred credits. And second, the sign which she'd spotted over the robot's shoulder had another line at the bottom, which was visible now the waiter was no longer standing in front of it. The line said 'Wednesdays only'.