Alex Palmer - Blood Redemption

‘Lookee here,’ Louise said, as he appeared, ‘this is the promised land.

It’s so pretty. This girl has so much talent, it’s a waste.’

The screen displayed a green slope of flowering trees leading down to a honey-coloured rock looking out over a wild forest. Small streams flowed down to become clear waterfalls over the rock, blue and white flowers grew in carpets underneath the trees. At the summit of the hill there was a small, glittering, turreted castle with wide doors and windows. Birds flew across the blue sky behind it.

‘I know that place,’ Grace said, ‘but it doesn’t look like that now.’

‘Where is it?’ Louise asked.

‘It’s her home,’ Trevor replied for Grace. ‘She’s tarted it up.’

‘It’s endgame, Lou,’ Grace added quietly.

Harrigan had pulled up a chair beside Louise. ‘Where’s she coming from?’ he asked.

Louise shook her head. ‘I’ve got a trace out but nothing so far. She’s just downloaded this. I don’t know what she’s doing now.’

‘She got a phone from somewhere,’ Ian said.

‘She’s met with the preacher,’ Harrigan replied. ‘He’s supplied her with one and who knows what else. At least she’s still alive to tell the tale.’

‘You put money on that, did you, Boss?’ Trevor asked with a grin.

‘No, mate, I didn’t think it was a very good bet at the time.’

‘She’s online,’ Grace said suddenly. She acknowledged Harrigan for the first time since he had come into the room: ‘But she’s not looking for me, she’s looking for your son. Will he be online now?’

‘I’m sure he is.’

He came and looked over her shoulder with everyone else.

Turtle, are you out there? Do you still want to talk to me? I’d like to talk to you.

Hi Lucy I’m here U are talking 2 me after all I’ve been waiting 2

hear from u I was hoping u would talk 2 me You know who I am now. You don’t have to call me the Firewall any more.

Want me 2???

No, I like you calling me Lucy. I’m still going to call you Turtle though. Do you mind? Will you forgive me for getting so angry with you? I’m sorry, Turtle, I felt so lost.

That’s ok I just wanna talk 2 u Where are u? Don’t tell me if u don’twant 2 Are u ok???

I’m all right. I’m really, really hungry. I haven’t eaten since yesterday.

That’s no good U have 2 eat soon

I’ve gone hungry before, I know what it feels like. My father died yesterday morning, Turtle. I was there when it happened. I saw him die and I didn’t feel a thing.

U don’t have 2 feel for him

But that’s it. I wish I could. I know what you’d feel if your father died.

That’s different That’s way different

I know that. That’s what I want to ask you about. Didn’t you tell me once he taught you how to talk?

‘Mate,’ Trevor spoke quietly to Harrigan, ‘is this okay with you?

We can do this more privately.’

‘This is work, Trev,’ Harrigan replied. ‘Just keep watching.’

He didn’t teach me 2 talk because I can’t really talk. I learned whatwords were from him. He always kept talking 2 me when I was ababy and he kept the radio on. He took me to see Auntie Ronnie andLyn all the time and they never do anything but talk. He just kepttalking words at me so I’d know what they were Why did he do that?

Coz they said I couldn’t have a mind. Because of the way I was.

He said, fuck u, I’ll show u he does. He got people to teach me toread, there’s special ways u can do that. Why?

Grace looked towards Harrigan, wondering how he could bear seeing this on the screen. He was watching her but it was impossible to know what was in his head. Her sense of loss was too strong for disguise. She turned away.

I just have to know, that’s all. Do you ever meet anyone he works with?

Sometimes Why????

What are they like? Are they like everybody else?

Just people Why????

I missed you, Turtle.

Me 2

Nothing was typed. The computer room was silent as everyone waited.

Do you think your father is watching us talk?

Probably. He wants to find u, Lucy. He’s going to do that. Why???

Wotzup?

I’ve done something else, Turtle. I have to tell people about it.

‘Here we go,’ Trevor said.

Lucy u haven’t killed someone?? Please tell m u didn’t No. Not yet anyway. This is something else. In about twenty minutes, this building is going up in smoke. I was doing it because someone who mattered to me killed himself and I couldn’t cry for him either. I wanted people to know what happened to him. But I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. But someone said to me, what if the other buildings around it go up as well and people do get hurt? I don’t want that to happen. All I want is for everything to be cleaned away so we can start again. Why can’t I just make that happen, Turtle? What do I do now?

Where is it?? U tell me

‘Yeah,’ Harrigan said to the silent room, ‘where is it? Tell me.’

Randwick.

Call the police Call them now

Harrigan pointed to Trev. ‘Fire Brigade. Now. I’ll call the top brass.

Lou, email my son. Tell him we know. You stay here and keep me informed. The rest of you, go now.’

In the release of activity the office was cleared and, in a shorter time than Harrigan had hoped for, every available officer was heading in the same direction, speeding through the streets of Surry Hills on dangerously slippery roads. They came down Anzac Parade in convoy behind the fire engines and the emergency services, sirens sounding in a stretched linear movement. Close to one of Harrigan’s most loved places on earth, Royal Randwick, Trevor was about to say, ‘We’re there,’ when, near the corner of the block on the other side of the road, a white brick building began to produce in a manner almost surreal flickers of fire out of its roof and, smashing outwards through the windows, sheets of red and yellow flame.

‘Fuck,’ Harrigan said. Far away so close. For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, she had been one step ahead of him.

What do I do now, Turtle?

U call them

They know already. They were watching, I know they were. No, I meant about everything else. You have choices, don’t you? Don’t you think, Turtle?

Everyone can choose Lucy, wot do u mean???

It’s just the choice I’ve got to make. What do I do now?

Whatever u do don’t hurt anyone Including yourself I’ve gone too far for that. I haven’t got that sort of choice now. It’s one way or the other, that’s what I’ve got to pick.

Wot are u going 2 do??

I think I’m going to go away. Far, far away. I’ve got to say goodbye to everyone I care about first. That’s almost just you now.

U don’t have 2 say goodbye 2 me We can talk If I went away, I would have to say goodbye to you.

I don’t understand Wherever u go everything is the same U arestill u I’m still me that doesn’t change Wot u did won’t change Wotabout those people u shot Have u forgotten them??

No, I haven’t forgotten them. I’m never going to forget them. You know what I think is one of the worse things?

Wot???

That woman couldn’t see me when I shot her because I had my face covered. She didn’t know who I was. She had a right to know. I should have had the courage to look her in the face. You shouldn’t do what I did to her if you don’t have the courage to look someone in the face.

Lucy No no no no no u don’t do it simple I said 2 u its wrong It’s wrong if you don’t face up to what you’ve done.