John Hawks - The Dark River

Michael waited for an answer, but his father remained silent. Turning away from the body, Michael left the room and returned to the balcony. Mrs. Brewster was still giving her speech.

“All of you are true idealists,” Mrs. Brewster said. “And I salute you for your strength and wisdom. You have rejected the foolish slogans of those who advocate the so-called ‘virtue’ of freedom. And freedom for whom? For criminals and terrorists? The decent hardworking people in this world want order, not rhetoric. They are desperate for strong leadership. I thank God that all of you are ready to answer this challenge. During the next year, a European country will take the first step toward an orderly control of their population. The success of this program will inspire governments everywhere.”

Mrs. Brewster raised her wineglass. “I offer a toast to peace and stability.”

There was a respectful murmur from the crowd. All over the rose garden, other glasses flashed in the sunlight.

Leaving Alice on the island with the nuns, Hollis and Mother Blessing returned to London. Hollis had been in the city for only twenty-four hours, but he had already come up with a plan. One of the Free Runners, a college student named Sebastian, had fled to his parents’ house in South England, but Jugger and Roland weren’t going anywhere. Jugger spent an hour pacing around a two-room apartment in Chiswick making speeches against the Tabula and waving his hands. Roland sat on a wooden stool, hunched forward with his hands on his knees. When Hollis asked what he was thinking, the Yorkshireman spoke in a low, menacing voice. “They’re gonna pay for what they did.”

At six, Hollis went back to the drum shop to guard Gabriel. Jugger showed up four hours later and wandered around the cluttered room inspecting the African statues and tapping his fingers on the drums.

“This place is something,” he said. “Like a bloody trip to the Congo.”

As it got close to midnight the Free Runner began to get nervous. He kept eating chocolate bars and his head jerked around whenever he heard a noise.

“Do they know I’m coming?”

“No,” Hollis said.

“Why not?”

“There’s no reason to be frightened. Just tell them what you told me.”

“I’m not frightened.” Jugger stood up straight and sucked in his stomach. “I just don’t like that Irishwoman. She’d kill you if you coughed on her.”

The dead-bolt lock clicked softly, then Linden and Mother Blessing were in the shop. Neither Harlequin seemed pleased to see Jugger. Instinctively, Mother Blessing crossed the room and guarded the entrance to the hidden apartment where Gabriel’s body lay in the darkness.

“It appears that you have a new friend in London, Mr. Wilson. But I don’t recall making the introduction,” Mother Blessing said.

“Maya saved Jugger and his friends when she came back to London. She told me where they were hiding. As you know, Gabriel gave a speech to the Free Runners. He asked them to find out what the Tabula were planning.”

“And that’s why those men tried to kill us,” Jugger said. “I guess people talked too much on their mobiles or sent some gossip through the Internet. But we got some crucial information before they burned down the house.”

Mother Blessing looked skeptical. “I doubt that someone like you knows anything crucial.”

“The Tabula have a public face called the Evergreen Foundation,” Jugger said. “They do genetic research and bring foreign policemen here to England so they can learn how to track people on the Internet.”

“We know all about the Young World Leaders Program,” Mother Blessing said. “It’s been going on for several years.”

Jugger stepped between a zebra-skin drum and a wooden statue of a rain god. “Our friends in Berlin say that the Evergreen Foundation has been testing a beta version of a computer program called Shadow. They use data from RFID chips and surveillance cameras to track every person in the city. If it works in Berlin, they’re going to roll it out to all of Germany and then the rest of Europe.”

Linden glanced at Mother Blessing. “Berlin is a good location for them. That’s where they currently have their computer center.”

“And we know where the center is,” Jugger said. “A Free Runner named Tristan found the building. It’s in an area that used to be the dead zone for the Berlin Wall.”

“That’s all we need to know at this point. Thanks for coming tonight, Jugger.” Hollis opened the entrance door to the shop. “I’ll be in touch with you.”

“You know where to find me.” Jugger sauntered over to the doorway. “There’s just one thing I want to know-is Gabriel all right?”

“No need to worry,” Linden said. “He’s being protected.”

“I don’t doubt that. Just be aware that the Free Runners are still talking about him. He made us feel that there was a little bit of hope.”

Jugger left the shop and the three of them were alone together. Mother Blessing shifted her sword case and crossed the room. “He might tell his friends about this place. That means we have to move the Traveler.”

“Is that all you’re going to say?” Hollis asked. “Aren’t we going to do anything about his information?”

“What happens in Berlin is not our concern.”

“If the Shadow Program works, every government in the world is going to end up using it.”

“The technology is inevitable,” Mother Blessing said.

Hollis concentrated on the silver locket hanging from his neck and an ice-cold anger changed the tone of his voice. “You can think whatever you want-run around the world with your goddamn sword-but I’m not going to let the Tabula win.”

“I want obedience from you, Mr. Wilson. Not initiative. Blind obedience and mindless bravery.”

“Is that why you brought me to see Vicki’s body?” Hollis asked. “You wanted to turn me into a perfect little soldier?”

Mother Blessing smiled coldly. “I guess it didn’t work.”

“I want to destroy the people who killed Vicki. But I’ve got my own way of doing things.”

“You don’t know the history of the Tabula and the Harlequins. This conflict has been going on for thousands of years.”

“And look what’s happened. You Harlequins are so wrapped up in the past-all your little traditions-that you’ve lost the war.”

Linden sat down on a bench. “I don’t think we’re entirely defeated. But we are at a turning point. It’s time we did something.”

Mother Blessing spun around and faced the other Harlequin. Although her face was a rigid mask, her dark green eyes were intense and focused. “So now you’re on Mr. Wilson’s side?”

“I’m not on anyone’s side, but it’s time to face the enemy. The Tabula don’t fear us anymore, madam. We’ve been hiding for a long time.”

Mother Blessing touched her sword case as she moved around the cluttered room. Hollis felt as if she wanted to kill someone just to prove that she was alive. “Do you have a proposal?” she asked Hollis.

“I want to travel to Berlin, contact the Free Runners there, and destroy the Shadow Program.”

“And you’re going to do this alone?”

“Looks that way.”

“You’ll fail completely-unless a Harlequin is with you. Any successful plan will require my participation.”

“And what if I don’t want you to come along?” Hollis asked.

“You don’t have a choice, Mr. Wilson. What you’re telling us is that you want to be an ally, not a mercenary. All right, I’ll accept that change of status. But even allies require supervision.”

Hollis let a few seconds pass, and then he nodded his head. Mother Blessing relaxed slightly and smiled at Linden. “I can’t imagine why Mr. Wilson wouldn’t want to go to Berlin with me. I’m just a pleasant middle-aged Irishwoman…”