Frank Schätzing - Limit

‘Doesn’t the thing in Vancouver remind you of Quyu?’

The paleness of defeat had retreated from their features. Red wine and fighting spirit were conjuring up fresh sparkle in their eyes.

‘I don’t think that was Xin,’ he said.

‘But the process is similar. The Guardians, Greenwatch, and in both cases information was spread virulently through the net. Containing that spread is practically impossible. So you don’t attempt a surgically precise operation, but instead immediately destroy the entire infrastructure and kill everyone that comes into question as a knowledge carrier. And even that doesn’t give you any guarantees, but you can delay the spread. That’s exactly what Kenny’s doing. I’m telling you, he’d blow up this very building if he could be sure that it would buy him some time.’

‘Because the operation is about to take place.’

‘And we can’t do a damn thing about it.’ Yoyo slammed her fist into the palm of her other hand. ‘Time’s working against us. He’s going to win, Owen, that piece of shit is going to win.’

Jericho walked up next to her and looked out into the London night.

‘We have to find out who’s pulling the strings. Before they can carry out the attack.’

‘But how?’ snorted Yoyo. ‘We only ever find Xin.’

‘And MI6 have homed in on the Chinese. The MI5, Norrington, Shaw—’

‘Well.’ She shrugged. ‘We thought it was them almost the whole time too, right?’

Jericho sighed. She was right, of course. They were the ones who had ignited the China theory smoke bomb.

‘On the other hand, as you’ve already said: the Moon crisis doesn’t fit. Why would China unleash an argument over mining zones at a time when the last thing it needs is international attention?’

‘Norrington thinks it’s a distraction tactic.’

‘Great distraction tactic. It led to Beijing being accused of putting weapons on the Moon! Not exactly trust-inspiring if a bomb does end up going off. And besides, Owen, why didn’t they just send a Chinese assassin up in a Chinese rocket?’

‘Because, according to Norrington, a member of the tour group had better access to the Gaia.’

‘Nonsense, what kind of access? To set off an atomic bomb? You don’t need access for that, you just chuck it down outside the door, make a run for it and blow the thing sky high. Remember what Vogelaar said. It was Zheng he didn’t trust, not Beijing.’

‘And what would Zheng get from killing Orley and destroying his hotel? Would that help him to build better space elevators? Better fusion reactors?’

‘Hmm.’ Yoyo sucked on her index finger. ‘Unless Orley’s death would turn the balance of power in the company upside down to Zheng’s advantage.’

‘Vogelaar had another theory.’

‘That someone’s trying to turn the Moon powers against one another?’

‘Well, it wouldn’t have to go to extremes right away. They wouldn’t unleash world war that quickly. But a few things would change.’

‘One of them would be weakened—’

‘And the third party strengthened, secretly laughing all the while.’ Jericho hit the palm of his hand against the windowpane. ‘Do you see, that’s what strikes me about the whole thing. It’s all so obvious! It seems so – staged!’

‘Okay, fine, let’s leave China aside for a moment. Who else would benefit from Orley’s downfall?’

‘A bullet would be enough for just him. You don’t need a nuclear bomb for that.’ Jericho turned away. ‘You know what, before we drive ourselves crazy going over it all, we should ask Aunt Jennifer.’

‘MI6 loves the China theory,’ said Shaw a few minutes later, ‘and so does MI5. Andrew Norrington even wants to call in the Chinese ambassador.’

‘And you?’

‘I’m torn. The theory doesn’t seem to make sense to me, but then it doesn’t necessarily make much sense to a dog when his master puts the dog food on the top shelf. We have to put China as the focus of our mistrust. And as far as Julian is concerned, there are whole armies who would rather see him dead than alive.’

‘There’s a rumour that he wants to make his patent accessible to the world.’

‘That’s possible,’ Shaw conceded.

‘Could that be in Zheng’s interest?’

‘It definitely wouldn’t be in America’s. A change at the top of our organisation would be very useful to Washington right now. The chemistry is a little off at the moment, as you know.’

Jericho hesitated. The branch of a new thought was appearing in his mind and developing lively side shoots.

‘Are there individuals in the Orley enterprise who don’t agree with Julian?’ he asked. ‘Who represent Washington’s position?’

Shaw smiled grimly.

‘What do you think? That we hold hands? Just the fact that Julian is considering freeing himself from American monogamy is considered by many to be tantamount to sacrilege. Except, as long as the boss has the say, they just grumble over their beers and keep their traps shut. You would like Julian, Owen, he’s the kind of man you can have fun with. Meanwhile you quickly forget that he’ll fight to get what he wants with despotic energy, if that’s what it takes. Creatives and strategists have all the freedom they want with him, as long as they sing from his hymn sheet. Palace revolutionaries should just be happy that the guillotine was done away with.’

‘Isn’t his daughter the second in command in the company? What does she think about the patent thing?’

‘Exactly the same as her father. I know what you’re getting at. You can’t corrode Orley Enterprises from the inside.’

‘Unless—’

‘Over Julian’s dead body.’

‘There you go,’ said Yoyo, unmoved. ‘There may be forces in the company that want him dead, but can’t do anything by themselves. Who would they collaborate with?’

‘The CIA,’ said Shaw, without hesitation.

‘Oh.’

‘I know that for a fact. The CIA are developing scenarios of what form a partnership without Julian might take. They’re thinking about everything. The Americans are worried about their national security.’

‘It’s a known fact that the State can withdraw patents if national security is at risk’ said Jericho.

‘Yes, but Julian is British, not American. And the Brits have no issues with him, quite the opposite in fact. With the taxes he pays, the prime minister himself would personally take a bullet for him. And besides, it’s about economy, not war. Julian isn’t endangering anyone’s national security, just their profits.’

‘The only way of controlling the company from the outside would be to get rid of him.’

‘Correct.’

‘Could Zheng Pang-Wang—?’

‘No. After all, Zheng’s hopes rest entirely on Julian, and the possibility that he may at least talk him into a joint venture one day. As soon as other people are running Orley, Zheng would be completely out of the picture. That reminds me, Edda put together the data you asked for.’

‘Yes, it’s about—’

‘Vic Thorn, I know. Interesting idea. Excuse me, Owen, I’m just getting a call from our control centre in the Isla de las Estrellas. We’ll put the data on your computer.’

‘The CIA,’ ruminated Yoyo. ‘That’s a new one.’

‘Yet another theory.’ Jericho rested his head in his hands. It suddenly felt as heavy as lead. ‘Getting rid of their own business partner and putting the blame on the Chinese.’

‘Plausible?’

‘Of course it is!’

They sat there silently for a while. An icon had appeared on Diane’s monitor, VICTHORN, but Jericho was overcome by the paralysis of mental overload. He needed a jump start to get going. Some insignificant little victory.