Part 15 (1/2)

”No. He's simply better than I am - and I'd like to 4 Martin the best of luck. He's going to need it.” O'Dell looked uncomfortable, but said nothing. ”What I will say is this: I may not have caught the but I know who the killer is.” The reaction was instantaneous. Chappel and O'Dell startled; DeKurzak was caught speechless, openMT., ”You what?” Wiggs gasped, turning a mottled shade purple. ”The killer is a type of berserker,” Roads said, ”one ve never seen before. A later model, if you like, and [email protected] as dangerous.” Before he lost the upper hand, he F1 Ml- a everything known about Cati: the history of siv development, the general nature of his extreme offkamitos and the significance of the control code. ”Cati was built to do only two things: to kill and to With no morals, no opinions and no conscience to in the way, he is the perfect a.s.sa.s.sin for anyone in a position to command him.”

1. Wiggs' high colour gradually ebbed, but he remained flushed in the cheeks.

”They really had such things?” ”Yes. You'll find an incomplete description in, the States datapool. I suggest you dig it out and look for the control frequency. If we can trace the source of the transmissions, we might be able to find out who's controlling him: the person or persons who want to stop the Rea.s.similation.' ”He can't be working on his own?” ”No. He's designed to follow orders, not to be independent. Cut the chain of command, and he'll be t h d. Disarmed.” ”Okay.” Chappel turned to O'Dell. ”Can you find that data for us, Martin?” ”Of course. It won't take long.””I wouldn't bother, if I were you,” said DeKurzak. ”What? Why not?” The young captain turned in puzzlement to the MSA liaison officer. ”Because there's no point.” DeKurzak chuckled softly. ”Nice try, Roads, but it won't work.”

Roads felt his face turn red. ”I'm sorry?” ”You can't make yourself look better by conjuring up some demon from the past.” ”I'm telling you the truth.

The file is there. You can check it yourself.” ”Of course it is. Are we to a.s.sume that this is something else you chose to omit from your reports?” ”No, I only realised this morning -”.

”How convenient. Something that has eluded homicide for six weeks just comes to you in a flash. Next you'll be telling us that this ... freak ... was responsible for the deaths last night.” ”No. As far as I know, he wasn't even there.” ”So you admit it? You killed them in cold blood?” ”Me?” This time Roads was taken off guard. If that's what the rumours were saying, then he was in deeper trouble than he realised. ”It was the Mole.”

DeKurzak laughed openly, shaking his head as though in pity.

O'Dell had turned grey. ”What makes you suspect the Mole?” ”I saw him, that's what.” Roads look at Chappel. ”You don't really think it was me, do you?”

”What we think doesn't come into it,” interrupted DeKurzak. ”A board of inquiry will be called to decide whether you used an excess of force.” ”This is crazy.” ”Is it? Any crazier than the theory you've proposed?” DeKurzak also turned to Chappel. ”A mythical, mentally disadvantaged combat soldier who has hidden in Kennedy for an unknown number of years discovers politics and begins killing again to ',4;, a point - ”It's not him. It's whoever's controlling him ”Let me finish, Roads. We all agree that the killer has to information not available to the general public:, it has to come from someone reasonably high up in 11;@- government. Why not you, Roads? You're biomodi- you'd know exactly who to kill; you have contacts the underworld; and you're in a prime position to 3 NORW investigations away from you. All we have this theory is your word plus a ridiculous to s.h.i.+ft the blame elsewhere.”

Roads managed to break in. -Why would I possibly to do this?” ”I can think of a number of reasons. There may be another government interested in Kennedy, apart from the Reunited States; you may be plotting with them to foil the Rea.s.similation. You might even be behind the Mole as well, stealing information for the benefit of your superiors. Or you could simply be looking after yourself; keeping the Reunited States away in order to ensure your own personal power. Perhaps you're jjust a born Judas; you did, after all, betray your own com- manding officers before coming here ”That's it.” Roads fought a sudden urge to grab the liaison officer by the throat. ”I've had enough of this s.h.i.+t. Make your decision, Margaret, before I kill him.” ”Are you threatening me?”

DeKurzak stood, fists clenched. ”Sit down, Antoni.” She glanced at her watch.

”We're almost out of time. We'll have to continue this discussion after Rea.s.similation.”

DeKurzak didn't back down. ”If you're suggesting that we leave Roads in charge until then -””I'm not. I'm transferring the cases, as the Mayor advised. a.s.suming you and Martin can work together, it'll be your baby from now on.” ”Good.” DeKurzak looked partially satisfied; slowly, he moved away. ”And what about me?” Roads held his breath. ”Consider yourself relieved of all duties until we can look more closely at the situation. You can keep the ID, but the gun will have to stay here.” Her regret was obvious, but the cold feeling rising in Roads' gut wouldn't let him sympathise with her. ”It's the best I can do, Phil. I'm sorry,”

DeKurzak wasn't pleased either. ”I hardly feel enough has been done to -”

”Shut up, DeKurzak.” Roads stood and faced the liaison officer. ”You've got what you wanted.” ”What I want is what's best for this city, which is to Rea.s.similate as smoothly as possible. If seeing you brought to justice will help that process, then that's what has to happen. And if you don't see it that way, then that's your problem.”

Roads ignored him. O'Dell looked like he had something he wanted to say, but obviously thought better of it. Wiggs stared at his shoes, keeping carefully neutral. Only Margaret braved the moment with a slight shake of lif e .r head that told him there was nothing more she could do.

He understood instantly what she meant: not even the Director of RSD could block an inquiry once evidence of bioniodification became widespread. just delaying the response must have cost her plenty. If she fought too hard to defend him now, suspicion would be cast upon her as well. And any last chance RSD had of weathering the storm might vanish as a result.

Roads left the room breathing heavily through his 'Only when the door was safely slammed behind K he dare vent his frustration by hitting a wall.

#Tn hid behind the reception desk as he stormed @11, 44, the elevator, nursing his fist.

ai; way down, he opened the cyberlink to Barney. kvim- me in my office, p.r.o.nto.”

s the matter? Didn't it go well?” The concern #-T was obvious, even through the subvocal 4 voice ”What happened, Phil?” ”They took me off the case - that's what happened. if DeKurzak gets his way I'll be up before a Court this time next week. The sonofab.i.t.c.h me.” .”Christ. I'll be there as soon as I [email protected] He ignored Marion's cheerful h.e.l.lo when he reached [email protected] floor and headed straight for his office. Opening the [email protected], drawer of his desk, he emptied out the net of ;rsno Fm- electrodes and put it in his pocket. When he to the terminal to transfer his files onto data fiche, he noticed that it had already been activated.

The screen displayed an excerpt from the Mayor'sJetter, a single paragraph with one sentence highlighted: ”Acting on reports submitted by both Antoni DeKurzak and Captain O'Dell, I have no choice but to recommend that Senior Officer Roads be suspended 'from uty unti suc time as his circ.u.mstances can be adequately re-evaluated.”

Roads stared at the screen. .. and Captain O'Dell ... He collapsed into the chair and rubbed at his brow. The message was obviously from Chappel; she was the only one with both the authority to override his terminal and access to the Mayor's memo. The question waswhether she had intended it as a warning to be discovered prior to the event or as an explanation afterward. Either way, she'd truly had no choice. In the face of two negative reports, not just DeKurzak's, any action apart from suspending him would definitely have put her in the firing line with him.

Kennedy law imposed the same penalties on both the biomodified and the people who harboured them.

Barney stormed in, her lips pursed with anger. ”That f.u.c.king little low-life.

What's he playing at?”

Roads looked up. ”Hi, Barney. Thanks for coming.” ”What choice did I have? We have to do something about this, before it's too late.” ”There's nothing we can do. I'm out, and Martin's in. It's as simple as that.” ”But what about DeKurzak? He's going to get all the credit for finding Cati! ” ”Maybe. I don't know. As far as he's concerned, Carl's just a myth.” ”What? But it makes sense ”He thinks I'm involved, that I'm trying to cover up.” ”Of all the . . . ”

Barney gesticulated her frustration, lost for words.

Roads understood the way she was feeling. ”DeKurzak wants three things: one, to discredit me to make himself look better; two, to set me up to take the fall for either the Mole or the killer, or both; and three, to weaken RSD's hold on law enforcement in Kennedy. The last in particular. I wouldn't be surprised if that's been his mission for the MSA all along: to infiltrate us, and thereby catch us with our pants down.” He switched off the terminal with a flick of his finger. ”He was out to get me before I even walked in the door, despite what he said yesterday. And I can't fight him. Not when he has everything on his side.”

”M you can't just give up either.”

4.

''I Uss not going to. The Reunited States' convoy vi*W'[email protected] in four hours. If Cati strikes again, it'll be tonight sure, before the treaty's signed. And he'll be after big this time - bigger than the Mayoralty.” ”The General?” Her eyes grew wide as she realised in- he meant. ”Cati's going to a.s.sa.s.sinate General _qj ”With Stedman out of the way, the balance might in favour of the conservatives.” ”Oh my G.o.d. I hadn't thought A knock at the open door cut her off. Both of them to face Martin O'Dell. ”I didn't mean to interrupt,” he said. The RUSAMC eits hovered in the doorway, looking distinctly 0 01 ”1 just came by to say I'm sorry. I had no choice.”

Roads pretended to be busy clearing his desk. Barney looked from one to the other, clearly sensing the tension between them. ”If it makes any difference,”

continued O'Dell undeterred, ”I only wanted the case, not the inquiry into your conduct. I'd like you to know that if worse comes to worst you're welcome in Philadelphia. You don't have to stay here. Quite apart from your past involvement, -we can always use good people, and there's certainly more opportunity back home to -”

”Thanks, Martin. You cae spare me the campaign speech.”

O'Dell looked pained. ”I'm only trying to do my job, okay) ” ”I know.- Roads looked up. ”But what the h.e.l.l is your job, exactly? You're a soldier, not a cop.” ”I'm both.” O'Dell hesitated in the doorway. ”I have my orders. Remember that, if nothing else.””How can I forget?” The RUSAMC captain left. Roads sighed and put his hands on the desk, tired of petty politics getting in the way of the things he had to do.

Barney came to him and put her arms around his shoulders. ”You can go back to my place, if you want to.” ”No. I haven't got time.” He squeezed her hand, grateful for her sympathy even as he rejected it. ”I need two favours.

”Anything.” ”Are you sure?” Roads looked her in the eye. ”I can't go to Margaret for this - or anything - while RSD is at risk. But I don't want to drag you down instead.”

ic If I was worried about that, would I be here now?” Barney returned his stare. ”Tell me what you want, and I'll see what I can do. @ ”A bike, first of all, if you can get hold of one; and a schedule for the next twenty-four hours. Security plans of Mayor's House would be good, but I don't want to push my luck.”

She leaned away. ”You're going after Caei, aren't you?” ”I have to. If we're right and he is the killer, then someone has to stop him.” ”Unarmed?” Her eyes were filled with concern. ”Don't, Phil, please. I can talk DeKurzak into it.”

”He won't have the time to listen to you until tomorrow - and by then it'll be too late.” ”But Margaret -”

”It has to be me. I'm sorry.”

She put her head on his shoulder. ”You stupid sonofab.i.t.c.h.” ”Senile, actually.

I'll be ninety-five next month.”

Barney pulled a face. ”Don't put it that way. It sounds 15 so_ rek That's exactly how I feel when I look at O'Dell DeKurzak.” ”No. Serious.”

Her hands tightened. ”But remind me IMOV., you a party, if you're still around.” ”Thanks,” he said. ”I think I'll need it.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

12:30 p.m.