Clone City

As Ord journeyed toward the glade, the Emergency Meeting was breaking up. Everyone was reeling with shock at the news of Valchek’s murder. Darvin was as white as a sheet and his eyes had taken on a woebegone look. O and Arron were trying to assure him that everything would be alright and there was no need to worry. Q’zar was explaining to Gorvik how they planned to ensure the Tower was safe before combing the city for the murderer. Sovran was trying to comfort Lara who was dabbing her cheeks with a handkerchief. As she did so, she kept shooting glances in the direction of Q’zar. She needed to speak to him. She guided Lara to the door and asked a secretary to see her back to her apartment. As she turned back, she nodded to Gorvik who was on the way out. She went and joined the others who were listening to Q’zar.

‘We’ll start from the top and work down. We have to be absolutely sure the thing is not inside. We’ll search every square centimetre. I’ll need more personnel. Arron, Sovran can either of you help? Gorvik’s promised fifty today and a hundred tomorrow.’

‘Yes, of course,’ replied Arron. ‘I can let you have thirty immediately. But for Code’s sake, don’t have them searching people’s rooms! Get them to search the utility rooms of each floor… But what am I going to tell them?’

’Tell them it’s only a temporary duty, a ‘special task’ and they’ll be back at their desks soon enough. We don’t want rumours flying around about a beast on the loose. It’d cause a panic. But I’m going to need more than that. Could you let me have double that number and more tomorrow if we haven’t found it?’

‘I’ll do my best,’ said Arron. ‘Look, why don’t we get the entire population involved? Get something out on the news, Sovran. Not the truth, of course. But say a child has been lost, pluck everybody’s heartstrings, get News Talk to appeal for everyone’s help – even the clones – to search everywhere. But don’t forget to add that if they do come across anything unusual to report it immediately.’

‘No problem. Leave it to me. I may change the line. Jewels might be better. Oh, and I’ll need to interview Laia Drovny. Can you let the guard know? I’ll do that first. Then I’ll send some people over to your section.’

‘Thank you,’ replied Q’zar, wondering why in the Codes, Sovran wanted to interview Drovny. He was on the point of asking, but checked himself. If he denied her access, she would refuse him personnel. ‘I’ll inform the guard, but be careful what you write. We need to contain this. If we don’t, we’ll be involved in a damage limitation exercise and that’s the last thing we need.’

‘You can rely on me,’ Sovran lied.

‘Now, about personnel, how many can you spare…?’ Q’zar asked Sovran.

As Q’zar and Sovran continued to talk, O had drawn Darvin to one side. Standing together in profile, they looked rather similar. Neither was tall and both plump. But in dress, they could not have been more dissimilar. Darvin was wearing a formal suit and O a light tweed jacket with brown corduroy trousers.

‘Of course, it must be a state funeral,’ O was saying. ‘Sad, very sad business. My father knew his father very well. Often spoke of him with the greatest admiration.’

‘We’ve lost a brave man today,’ said Darvin, feeling his stomach ache with all the food and drink he’d consumed at the banquet. ‘Worse thing to happen in Joypolis for a long, long time. Never anything like this. A noble!’ he groaned.

O laid a comforting hand on Darvin’s arm. ‘Don’t you worry. Q’zar’ll get to the bottom of this. Once we know what it is and where it’s hiding, we’ll kill it or drive it back to the wild,’ he said, trying to rally Darvin’s spirits. ‘Something you could think about is who is going to replace him. And, oh yes, what about the funeral? Who’s going to sort out the details?’

These practical questions helped to focus Darvin’s mind. ‘Yes, yes, of course, the funeral. I’ll speak to Zuriko about that. She’s rather good at that sort of thing, you know. A lot of the things you saw at the banquet were her doing. She’s a dab hand at that sort of thing. And yet, so modest. Never expects any credit for what she does.’ A thought suddenly made Darvin’s blood run cold. ‘Thank the Founders it wasn’t her,’ he gasped. ‘But, don’t misunderstand me, I’m not suggesting…’

‘Of course not,’ O replied reassuringly and, taking him by the elbow, guided him toward the door. He continued to nod his head as Darvin went on about possible replacements and how, once Zuriko had put forward some ideas for the funeral, it would be necessary to call a meeting to sort out details. O even promised to attend the meeting as Darvin told him how much they had all missed him and demanded to know where he had been hiding.

After reaching an agreement on the number of personnel she could release, Sovran decided to leave since Arron seemed impatient to talk to Q’zar in private.

‘Well, that’s about all for the moment. Thank you, Arron. You’ve been a great help. I must go, but I’ll keep you informed.’

‘Just a moment,’ said Arron, placing a hand on Q’zar’s forearm. ‘What about Laia Drovny? I mean, surely you can release her from house arrest? Even I can’t get past that confounded guard you’ve stuck outside her door!’

‘I’m sorry. But believe me, when this wretched business is over, I’ll not only lift the order for her house arrest, I will personally commend her for bravery and nominate her for the Exceptional Citizen’s Award. Please understand,’ said Q’zar, squeezing his arm in a gesture of camaraderie, ‘security must come first. If she said as much as one word about this to anyone, we’d have mayhem on our hands. And,’ Q’zar said, raising a hand to silence Arron’s objection, ‘don’t forget, if they start clamouring for the facts, it will, as you well know, unsettle the clones. I don’t have to tell you of all people, clone conditioning only works against a controlled background and it’s the citizens that act as tokens of that background. Gorvik will tell you the same. We can’t risk it.’ Seeing Arron’s crestfallen expression, Q’zar added, ‘But I give you my solemn word that when this is over, she’ll be hailed as a heroine.’

‘All right,’ Arron sighed reluctantly. ‘But, please, at the earliest possible moment, and not a jot later, lift this odious order.’

‘I will,’ Q’zar replied squarely. ‘Now, Arron, I must go. Please let me have those extra hands as soon as possible.’

‘I’ll see to it now,’ Arron replied, despondently.

Zuriko snapped her telecom shut. Darvin had told her everything. Murdered, O says… O! Where did he suddenly pop up from? O thinks it’s not human, but something from the Outside. Watchers combing the city. Q’zar says they’ll find it by dawn. Ideas for a funeral. Great Codes! She closed her eyes.

She remained like this for a few moments, letting it sink in. Then, getting up from the sofa, she walked to the window and looked down. It was quiet. After the banquet few would be out and about. Most would be at home recounting, time and again, the excitement and beauty of that night. Nothing seemed different. Yet, somewhere, she thought with morbid fascination, a murderer is hiding or even walking about, his chest stuck out, cocksure he’s covered his tracks... Stalking his next victim even.

Recently, she had been thinking a lot about murder. Soon, it must be soon, she thought. Perhaps, he, it, whatever, is driven by the same voices as me. Closing her eyes, she began to sway slightly. She let herself slip-slide down inside, deeper and deeper, until she felt as distant as a tiny star. She listened to her breathing sigh like tiny waves upon an unseen shore. Purple shapes floated through orange light until an image of herself hunched over an egg appeared. Her forehead clunked against the glass of the window. The egg cracked and oily fluid poured out. A blade-like fin shone as it cut its way through the smooth black surface. Her eyes opened. ‘A knife,’ she murmured. ‘But when?’ she asked.

She went and poured herself a drink. After sipping it, she flipped her telecom open.

‘Is that you, Warton?’

‘What’s up?’ he said, recognizing her voice.

‘All right to speak now, is it?’

‘Better be quick. We’re up to our ears.’

‘Oh, I know. Valchek murdered! And on the night of the ball! Awful!’

The silence that followed told her that Warton had not been informed.

‘Look, we’re real busy, I’m going to have to ring off…’ Warton said, taken aback.

‘No, listen. I wanted to tell you about that girl. You know, the one you said you wanted. Laia Drovny’s her name…’

‘What about her?’

‘Well, now’s your chance. She’s under house arrest, you know that of course, but I hear they’re going to release her soon. I’ll arrange a time for you.’ Breaking the silence, Zuriko teased, ‘You don’t want to miss out, now do you?’

‘Okay,’ Warton replied, his eyes narrowing.