Jason, meanwhile, was feeling more than just angry with himself. Mainly because he knew he had no one to blame for the financial mess he was in other than himself. Like most people he preferred to lay the onus for his troubles on someone else’s shoulders if at all possible, but this time there simply was no one else. What the shen would Vidal think of him? He paled at the very idea. No, Vidal must never find out what a shenning fool his partner had been. That much humiliation he could save himself. With a sigh he pushed the unpleasant thoughts to the back of his mind.
Almost at once he began to wonder how Vidal and Jordan were getting along. Over a week had now passed, and he had not heard anything from either of them thus far. He could, therefore, only assume that they had nothing to report. No news was good news, or so they said.
Laurence Knight had been in touch briefly, but only to tell him that he, too, had nothing concrete to report.
Jason jumped to his feet in frustration and walked quickly up and down the long room as he tried to calm his agitated mind without success. What the shen was this mission about anyway? How long was he expected to just sit here and await events? It simply wasn’t his style. Vidal knew that, didn’t he? Of course he did, he answered his own question.
Stopping at the large picture window he stared out at the spectacular view. I might as well enjoy it he thought cynically, I’m paying enough for it! His mind swung back again to his partner. I bet he’s sitting in his shenning penthouse thinking about how safe I am away from all the action. This is entirely his fault. If I know him, and I do, he probably planned this whole thing!
Suddenly he laughed out loud as he realised where his train of thought was leading him. Of course it wasn’t Vidal’s fault that he was stuck here doing nothing nor he had to concede, anyone else’s either. Jason ran his fingers through his chestnut hair. He had to get out of here for a while, at least, or go crazy. He was not the sort of person to just sit and await events, no matter how luxurious his surroundings.
Ten minutes later he exited the apartment building and breathed in the warm night air of the City. Where should be go? He didn’t feel particularly hungry, which ruled out restaurants, so as he tried to decide on a destination, he continued walking aimlessly along the street.
After nearly half an hour he found himself outside the Orion Bar. Quickly making up his mind to enter, he walked down the narrow stairway. At the bottom he slid his credit card into the machine and moments later, entered the darkened establishment.
A guitar player was entertaining the handful of people who were sitting around. It was early evening and trade had obviously not built up yet. Jason ordered a drink, and for a few minutes listened to the music before he decided the guitarist was quite good, and wished that he had not left his own instrument behind in their apartment. At least it would have helped to pass the time.
Drawing his note pad from his pocket he switched it on and began to feed figures into it. Moments later he switched it off again and returned it to his pocket. It was no good. He simply couldn’t make his salary stretch to cover all his outgoings, plus the cost of the apartment. Of course he knew he could get some of it back from the TIB, but how much? That was the crux of the matter.
In the past he had always left their finances, at least as far as the TIB were concerned, up to Vidal. He had little doubt but that they were more than generous in their allowances for accommodations, at least while their agents were on assignments. If they weren’t, then quite obviously he, at least, could never have paid the rent for some of the places where they stayed. Although, he readily conceded, that it would not have been quite such a problem for Vidal; who was, after all, Maxwell Trent’s son.
He would have to find out from the Accounts Department what the allowances for accommodations were, and then he could… He paused and shut the thought off abruptly. How could he do that when Vidal handled everything connected to TIB finance? He would have to tell him that this time he wanted to handle his own expenses. What would Vidal think then? That he didn’t trust him? Yet, he could hardly explain why could he? Shen it all, the more he thought about it, the worse it got.
Swallowing the last of his drink, he ordered another, as he tried to remember the name of the tune the guitarist was now playing, without success.
An hour passed slowly by and the bar was starting to fill up, and he was starting to feel hungry. Another decision was upon him, should he eat first and then go back home, or should he save money and eat at the apartment? No, he would compromise and get a takeaway to eat back there. At least it would be cheaper than eating out, he thought consolingly as he got to his feet; realising that yet another exciting, fun packed evening, loomed ahead of him.
A short time later he entered Ravenscourt Place only to find that the Gen Clerk now on duty at the reception desk did a double take as he saw the takeaway bag hanging from his wrist, but then, as though well used to the idiosyncrasies of the wealthy, he looked quickly away again. Jason merely smiled as he walked quickly past, and made for the elevator.
Stepping out on the top floor, Jason entered his apartment and made straight for the well fitted kitchen to search for plates and cutlery. Having found what he required, he poured himself a glass of pilah juice, and piled the whole lot onto a tray to be carried into the sitting room.
A large dining room with a twenty foot long table was, of course, at his disposal. Somehow he felt that it was just a little too ostentatious for him to sit in isolated splendour at one end, to eat his takeaway.
Minutes later he settled down on a white couch with the tray on the low table in front of him; and having chosen a selection of music to listen to, he began to relax.
Suddenly the hairs on both his arms and the back of his neck stood on end. After years of experience he knew instinctively that he was not alone in the apartment.
Moving as quickly as he could without appearing to hurry, he moved across to pick up his small weapon that he had placed on the escritoire before he entered the kitchen. Turning towards the partly opened door that led to his bedroom he said clearly, ‘Whoever you are, come out with your hands on your head.’
His eyes opened wide as the door slowly opened even further and a slim Sime walked out into the light, his hands knitted on his head, tentacles sheathed.
‘Hello again, Jason. Hope I didn’t scare you.’ The Sime’s sky blue eyes twinkled as he drank in the effect he was having on the Gen.
Jason meanwhile stared open mouthed at the well known figure, his blonde hair though still short now lay in tight curls across his head.
‘What the shen are you doing here?’
‘Can I put my hands down? After all, if I’d wanted to do you harm, I’d already have done it.’ He pointed out logically.
Jason could not dispute the accuracy of the assertion, as he knew this particular Sime rather well. Yet, even knowing him as he did, he also knew that on his own planet he sailed very close to the wind, at least as far as the law was concerned.
‘Okay Neil you can put them down. But you still haven’t told me what you’re doing here, or how you got into my apartment.’
‘Calm down my friend, and I’ll tell you all.’ The Sime promised with a grin.
Jason slowly lowered the weapon, his eyes not leaving his uninvited guest.
Neil glanced down at the meal on the table, ‘Sit down and eat before it gets cold,’ he instructed the Gen, as he moved to sit on the other couch facing him.
After a moment or two Jason, too, sat down as he asked, ‘Have you eaten? There’s plenty here if you’d like some.’ Now why had he suggested that?
‘No, thanks. I ate earlier in the day.’
Jason very much doubted if he had. He knew Simes very well, and most skipped more meals than they ate, unless made to do so.
‘Where’s Vidal?’
The Gen continued chewing as he tried to decide what if anything he could safely tell the Sime. ‘I’ll have to leave that for the moment,’ he finally admitted.
‘Ah, so he’s on an assignment I take it. Why aren’t you with him?’
Jason smiled despite himself as he ignored the Sime’s questions and went on, ‘How about you answer my questions first?’ Then not waiting for a reply he asked the question uppermost in his mind, ‘And how the shen did you get to Earth? If they had caught you…’
‘I know better than you what would have happened to me if I had been caught – but I wasn’t. As to how I achieved it. I’m not prepared to go into too many details. After all, I have to get away from here at some time in the future. I don’t want the authorities knowing how I intend to go about doing it.’ Neil said bluntly.
‘You don’t trust me.’
‘About as much as you trust me.’
Touche! Jason thought, as he ignored the Sime to ask instead, ‘So how did you know I was staying in this apartment?’
‘I didn’t. It was pure luck. I was walking down the street earlier this evening and saw you come out of the entrance. I followed you.’
‘You followed me? Did you also see me go into the Orion Bar?’
The Sime nodded. ‘I almost came over to speak to you, but decided against it. For all I knew, you were working on an assignment and might be meeting someone. I didn’t want to mess it up for you.’
Neil looked down at Jason’s glass of pilah juice, ‘Do you mind if I make myself a glass of trin?’
‘Help yourself. You’ll find everything in the kitchen.’
Several minutes later, Neil returned carrying a steaming glass of tea and sat down again.
‘So come on Neil, tell me, if you weren’t looking for Vidal and me, what’re you doing here?’
‘Okay. First I don’t mind you telling Vidal that I’m here. Apart from him, none of what I am about to say goes beyond you and these four walls, agreed?’
‘Fair enough.’
‘Warren sent me undercover. The Organisation has sent a number of Simes and Gens to assassinate the negotiating team.’
‘We know that. Warren told us. But it still doesn’t explain why he sent you here as well.’
‘That’s easy. I happen to know some of them, not personally, but by sight. Warren was worried that they would carry out their task before the TIB could even locate them. Remember, a large number of the negotiators are either related to him directly or belong to Rior. It’s only natural that he’d be worried.’
‘You’re walking a fine line, Neil, quite apart from putting your freedom at risk. If the Organisation doesn’t get you, Zeor or the Tecton might!’
‘Perhaps,’ the Sime grinned broadly, ‘But neither option is for certain. Besides I’ve already accepted the odds.’ He watched as the Gen swallowed the last of his food before he went on, ‘What’s the use of life without a little excitement to spice it up?’
Jason just had to grin back. He knew the feeling well.
‘So come on, I’ve levelled with you. Now you tell me what you and Vidal are up to?’
For a few brief moments, Jason was uncertain whether he should do so or not. Then he remembered all the help that Neil had given them on Damos Two, and decided to take a chance. After all, if Neil was telling the truth and he really was here to find the assassins, then they could help each other.
He told the Sime all he knew.
At the end Neil swallowed the last of his trin before he said. ‘Vidal and Jordan may well find some members of the Organisation stirring up trouble amongst the Runzi, as may this Laurence Knight among Gens First. However, I’m fairly certain they will not find assassins in either camp.’ Neil paused briefly, and then said softly, ‘That’s why I’m here.’
For several minutes both men sat in silence till Neil said slowly. ‘To be honest with you, Jason, doesn’t your job here seem just a tad superfluous? Why don’t you get someone else to act as go-between, or whatever you call it, and come with me? I could use the help.’
‘Let me think about it.’
The Sime nodded as he took a good look around the room for the first time. ‘I didn’t know the TIB let their operatives live in such high fashion.’ he observed, his head cocked to one side as he zlinned the Gen.
Jason moved uneasily as he listened to the words, and the Sime looked at him even more speculatively, ‘I’m not a Channel so correct me if I’m wrong, but am I sensing – embarrassment?’
‘No you aren’t sensing embarrassment or anything else! Besides which Vidal interferes enough with my privacy, without you joining in as well. So back off!’ He snapped testily.
‘My apologies,’ the Sime said at once, although he was still grinning at the Gen’s obvious discomfort. ‘As I said before, I’m not a Channel, so I could be reading the ambient all wrong.’
‘In this instance you are!’ Jason picked up his tray and stomped out to the kitchen calling over his shoulder. ‘Where are you staying?’
‘I’ve taken a room in a house situated on the outskirts of the City. The address was given to me as a safe place to stay before I left Damos Two.’
Jason glanced up at the chronometer on the wall before he said, ‘There’s still time for you to fetch your things and move in here. Apart from my bedroom, there are plenty of others for you to choose from.’
‘Are you sure about that?’
‘Of course. I could certainly use the company, I’m fed up with rattling around here on my own.’ He confessed wryly.
The Sime considered the offer for a moment or two and then replied, ‘I’ll take you up on that.’
The Gen picked up a spare entrance pass and handed it to Neil as he said, ‘I don’t know how you got in here tonight, but I’d prefer you to use this next time.’
‘Certainly,’ The Sime took the card with two tentacles, ‘Beats climbing down from the roof to your balcony every time.’
Jason ignored the remark as he said, ‘I may be asleep when you get back. Don’t make too much noise banging around the place will you?’ Jason knew he was being totally unfair, because Simes were nothing, if not silent, when they moved about. Gens seemed to fall over everything in their path. But he simply wasn’t feeling in a good enough mood tonight to please anyone. Besides this was his place, so if Neil didn’t like it he could do the other!
Neil’s grin grew even wider as he walked towards the door. ‘Sleep well.’
‘I usually do.’ There, he’d had the last word.
A short while later Jason climbed into bed and lay there going over, yet again, what Neil Heyer had told him, till finally he fell headlong into the arms of Morpheus.
The weak autumn Sun was already shining through the window when Jason crawled out of bed the next morning and made his way to the shower.
Twenty minutes later when he entered the kitchen clean and dressed, he was surprised to find that the Sime had prepared breakfast.
‘Good morning. I was just coming to wake you.’ Neil said as he indicated the breakfast bar.
‘Thanks.’ Jason picked up the glass of fruit juice and drank it straight down before he sat on the stool.
‘Have you made a decision?’
‘Yes. I’m going to ring my Controller at the TIB, and see if I can get him to send someone else down here to act as liaison.’
‘Why not cut through the red tape and talk directly to Vidal?’
‘Because it was agreed, before we began this mission, that they would contact me. I would make no attempt to contact any of them, unless it’s a matter of life or death.’
‘And this isn’t?’
‘No, it isn’t. Not yet.’ Jason assured him at once. ‘Trust me. Vidal would throw a fit if I tried to contact him over something like this. Besides, he’d only say no.’ He smiled conspiratorially at the Sime before he went on, ‘And what he doesn’t know can’t worry him.’
‘Ah, I now understand your reasoning,’ Neil said, returning the grin.
It took Jason an hour to reach Sam Betjeman who had apparently been tied up in a meeting. It took the best part of another hour to convince him that he should send someone else down here to take over as liaison; while not telling him Neil’s name, who he was, or even where he came from.
‘You do realise what you are asking me to do, and I might add without informing Vidal, who is your partner, for shen’s sake?’
‘We’re not off world N’vet. If anything happened to me, which it won’t,’ he added quickly, ‘Then Vidal will have easy access to the Tecton.’
The Sime snorted derisively as he said, ‘You do realise that you haven’t even told me who your source is, or anything else about him?’
‘He stipulated that proviso, N’vet, not me.’ Jason stated quickly. ‘He’s worried about my giving his name or any other details over this connection.’
‘This is a secure line, Jason.’
‘I know that N’vet, but he doesn’t.’
‘So, you want to go racing off to God knows where with God knows who – and you expect me to sanction this?’
‘I know I’m asking a lot. But if you really want us to nail these assassins, then this is the best chance we’ve got. Besides,’ he said more quietly, ‘if I don’t go with him, he’ll definitely go on his own. Do you really want a "loose cannon" roaming the planet without supervision of any kind?’
‘Is he a "loose cannon"?’ Betjeman snapped.
‘It’s just a figure of speech, N’vet.’ Jason assured him quickly.
Betjeman sighed, ‘Very well. Against my better judgment I’ll sanction a replacement for you. I’ll agree, under duress, to your going off with this Sime. Let’s hope it’s not some wild goose chase. Shen knows what Vidal and Jordan will think about all this. But be that as it may, I want you to remember that I am taking all this on trust. Don’t let me down.’ He said ominously.
‘Of course not, N’vet, and thank you.’ Jason let out the breath he had been holding and uncrossed his fingers and toes.
He could hear Betjman moving something on his desk before he said, ‘I’ll be sending Greg Reeves down to take over from you. You’ve met him before, I believe?’
Jason searched his memory quickly before he said, ‘Yes. I have.’
‘Good. I want you to stay there until he arrives, so that you can brief him. I won’t have the time.’
‘When will he get here?’ Jason demanded to know.
‘Have a little patience. I’m getting right on it. He should be with you by late afternoon, before then, if we’re lucky,’ Betjeman said brusquely, and closed the connection.
***
‘We’d better let Jason know that we haven’t yet got any leads,’ Jordan said as the two Channels arrived back at their penthouse after that night’s visit to the Runzi HQ.
Vidal glanced across at him. ‘Good idea.’
‘Are you going to contact him now, or later?’ Jordan asked.
‘I’d rather you spoke to him.’ Vidal said after a moment’s thought.
‘Why?’
‘Because we’ll only argue, you know that. He’ll probably be bored stiff by now.’ The Channel confessed honestly, and shrugged tiredly.
‘Not talking to each other will achieve nothing, and will probably make matters worse between you, not better.’ The Sectuib warned him bluntly.
‘I know that, and I will talk to him next time. But this time…’ Vidal looked at his friend almost beseechingly.
Jordan took a deep breath as he nodded his capitulation. While Vidal went to make a pot of trin, he went to contact Jason.
For a brief moment Jordan thought he had the wrong connection as a strange voice hit his ears. ‘What’s happened? Where’s Jason?’ He demanded, ‘You’re who? Greg Reeves, did you say? I don’t understand…’
Vidal, meanwhile, had replaced the steaming kettle and had moved quickly back into the room. ‘What’s going on?’ He began, but then fell silent as Jordan held up a tentacle.
Seconds later he interrupted again as he asked, ‘What’s happened? Is Jason not there?’
‘Shh, Vidal. He’s trying to explain.’
‘Who’s trying to explain what? And if Jason’s not there, where the shen is he?’
Jordan ignored him as he moved over to the window carrying his communicator with him. Several minutes later he said ‘Good bye’ and turned to face his friend who was now standing in the middle of the room, his tentacles and fingers clenched tight with strain. Immediately the Sectuib worked the fields as he tried to calm the other Channel.
‘Come. Let us go and finish making the tea,’ he insisted, ignoring the worry that Vidal was broadcasting into the ambient.
Still looking decidedly upset, the Channel followed Jordan back into the kitchen. Moments later they were both sitting down with a glass of trin in front of them.
Quickly the Sectuib got his thoughts into order as he began the difficult task of telling Vidal what he had learned.
‘Apparently Sam Betjeman has sent Greg Reeves to relieve Jason as liaison. I believe you know him?’
‘Yes I do. But why would Sam send him to relieve Jason? It doesn’t make any sense, unless he’s had an accident or has been taken ill.’ Vidal pushed the glass to one side almost sloshing the trin over the side and onto the breakfast bar, a measure of his agitation as he jumped to his feet.
‘Sit down Vidal. Nothing has happened to Jason.’ The Sectuib said at once. ‘Let me explain.’
‘Get on with it then!’ The Channel snapped before he could stop himself, and just as quickly waved two tentacles in the air by way of apology.
‘As far as I understand it, Jason asked to be relieved of duty. No. Please, Vidal, let me finish before you ask any more questions,’ he begged. As his friend closed his mouth he went on, ‘Greg says he only knows what Sam and Jason told him, which isn’t all that much. Apparently a Sime friend turned up and asked Jason to help him out…’
‘Sime friend? What Sime friend for shen and shay?’
‘Greg wasn’t told his name, nor was he introduced to him. In fact, he never even saw him in the apartment. However…’
‘However what?’
‘However,’ Jordan said once again almost scowling at his friend’s interruption, ‘It seems that Greg was as curious as you. So he looked through the window when Jason left, and although it was a considerable way down he actually saw Jason exit the building with a Sime.’
‘What did he look like?’
‘Slight build, short, very blonde hair with tight curls. It was so light that Greg said it could have been dyed,’ Jordan raised an eyebrow at his friend, ‘Not much to go on, I know, but doesn’t that remind you of someone?
‘No…Yes… Neil Heyer!’
‘That was the first name to spring to my mind too. Of course we could both be wrong. It’s very little to go on, and Neil didn’t have tight curls the last time we saw him.’ He reminded Vidal, before he went on. ‘There is one other thing, too, for us to take into account. Neil knows what will happen to him, if he gets caught by either Zeor or the Tecton authorities while he’s on Earth. Would he be fool enough to take that chance? Especially knowing that he has to take transfer from someone during his visit? And more important than that, if it is him, what the shen is he doing here in the first place?’
‘Well you know Neil better than I do, Jordan. After all you treated him for five years. Personally speaking, I’d say that he does tend to live for the excitement of the moment, wouldn’t you? Besides, we both know that it wouldn’t be hard for someone like him to find an alternative to the Tecton for transfer while he’s here on Earth. He is after all, first and foremost, a Sime on the run.’ Vidal reminded him. ‘No, what worries me more is how he knew where Jason was staying. Even we don’t know that! It could mean there’s been a leak somewhere along the line. Could Neil now be working for the Organisation do you think? If so, then Jason is in grave danger.’
The two Simes looked at each other for several seconds, before Vidal asked, ‘Did Greg say anything more?’
‘No, but he did see them get into a Citicab together. We could find out where they went to from the company. I know it probably won’t tell us their final destination, but it might well give us a starting point.’
‘Did Greg tell you what time it was when they actually left the building to get into the Citicab?’
‘Yes, and he also told me where the address of Jason’s apartment.’ Jordan said triumphantly; ‘Enough information for the Citicab people to be able to tell us where they took them.’
‘So, what are you waiting for?’ Vidal demanded, and watched as Jordan began the first of many calls they would both make in the next hour.
Finally, Jordan looked across at the other Channel, ‘The Citicab people say they were taken to a comcab hire depot,’ he said as he placed a call to the depot.
A short while later, he sighed with satisfaction. ‘They hired a self drive comcab and told the manager at the depot that they were making for Bletchly to pick up a passenger train going north. The manager didn’t know their final destination for sure. I reckon they must be making for Great Holm.’
‘Are you certain?’
‘As much as anyone can be. If Great Holm itself is not their final destination, then it’s got to be close by. You know what that means.’ The Sectuib stated quietly as he looked at his friend.
‘Eaglestone!’ Vidal said triumphantly.
‘My thought exactly. Eaglestone, it must be. However, we can’t just abandon this assignment to go rushing off in pursuit of Jason. I don’t mean to sound hard Vidal, but you know I’m right about this.’ He watched as his friend stood deep in thought.
Finally Vidal said. ‘I’ll speak to Sam.’
‘Greg said that Betjeman didn’t know any more than he did.’
‘I can’t believe that. You know how Sam likes to keep his cards close to his chest. He’d never agree to one of Jason’s harebrained schemes without wanting to know a hell of a lot more than what we’ve been told so far!’ He said with conviction.
Over two hours later he looked across at Jordan who was sitting in a comfortable chair his eyes closed as though asleep. Vidal knew that he wasn’t.
It was, however, the Sectuib who spoke first, but without opening his eyes. ‘So what did Sam have to say?’ He paused and went on before his friend could reply, ‘You don’t seem exactly pleased,’ and he zlinned him closely.
‘Sam says that Jason simply told him he had been contacted by a Sime friend.’
‘We knew that already.’
‘Yes. But we didn’t know that the Sime had been sent to Earth by Warren.’
‘So it could be Neil?’
‘It could. But listen, Jason also told him that the Sime apparently knows several of the Organisation’s assassins by sight; which is why Sam agreed to relieve Jason and gave him permission to go with the Sime. After all it’s the first real lead we’ve had.’
‘Did you tell Sam that we believe they’re both heading for Eaglestone by train. Did he say what we’re to do about it?’
‘Yes, and we’re to do precisely nothing.’
‘Nothing?’ The Sectuib looked at his friend in genuine surprise, for he fully expected him to be jumping up and down after receiving such an order.
‘Sam said we’re both to stay here, or as he put it, and I quote – "Don’t you dare go racing off across the country after that partner of yours! I want both you and Jordan to carry on with what you’re doing. For all we know the Runzi might be planning to carry out some mischief at Eaglestone. If so, it’s your job to find out what. Jason has orders to keep in touch. I promise, if I believe at some time in the future that you can be of any help to him, I’ll let you know," end quote. ’ Vidal’s face and demeanour gave all the appearance of tranquillity, but he could not stop his friend from reading the almost angry exasperation in his field.
‘He’s right Vidal. There’s very little you and I can do. In fact we might well do more harm than good if we go crashing into something we really know very little about.’
After a short while Vidal gave a loud sigh as he said softly, ‘Do you think I don’t know that?’ He paused for a moment more and then said, ‘That’s why I’m staying here.’
Jordan stood up and walked across to touch him briefly on the shoulder by way of support. ‘I know how hard it is for you. If it’s any consolation at all, I’m sure you’re doing the right thing.’
Vidal gave a weak smile, ‘Strange as it may seem, so do I.’
The Sectuib nodded as he went on consolingly, ‘Jason is not a complete fool you know. He will take care.’
‘I agree. It’s not Jason on his own that I’m so worried about. You know what Neil is like. And the two of them together!’ He gave a brief shudder.
‘I know Neil can be a little reckless, but…’
‘You always were the master of understatement,’ Vidal snapped back.
The Sectuib decided to ignore the last remark as he asked, ‘Am I to take it that we’re still going to the Runzi HQ tonight?’
‘Unfortunately, it would seem so.’
***
At long last Laurence was finally contacted. He was told to go to the Gens First Meeting Hall that night, where he would be met.
As soon as he put the communicator down Laurie contacted Jason; only to find that he had been replaced by Greg Reeves. He was given no explanation as to why. However, he had little time to dwell on what the significance of this might be, before he had to leave for his promised appointment.
In his eagerness, he arrived at the Meeting Hall before either the restaurant or the bar had opened for the night. Laurie sat for nearly an hour, by himself, looking up each time someone walked in, anxious to see if they were coming over to him, only to find that they were not.
Indeed, he began to wonder if the mysterious woman who had contacted him, was, in actual fact, playing a joke on him. But no sooner had this unpleasant thought taken root in his mind, then a short beefy Gen with a mop of bright ginger hair appeared from nowhere, to sit down beside him.
‘I hear you’re interested in the Runzi.’ He said without ceremony.
Laurie studied him closely. ‘You’re very direct. I like that. However I’m afraid you have it all wrong. I’m not really all that interested in the Runzi. I’m worried about them.’
Small, intelligent eyes stared back at him for several seconds through the red curtain of his hair before the Gen began to smile. ‘You’ll do. I’m Gene Rey.’ He held out a chubby hand.
‘Laurence Knight – Laurie,’ he said as he accepted the proferred hand.
The room that Gene took him to was small, but even so, two or three dozen Gens had squeezed themselves into it. Rey made a general introduction to the room at large, merely giving them Laurie’s first name, and leaving each of them to introduce themselves later.
Several Gens sitting on a couch against one wall moved up closer together, and made room for Laurie to sit down. Rey went to sit in a chair that had obviously been kept vacant for him, and faced the rest of the room.
Every eye was turned on the plump Gen as he cleared his throat and opened the proceedings.
‘Ah, Marti, was your contact able to find out anything more about what we discussed last week?’
Laurie saw a young Gen who was leaning against the wall at the far side of the room almost jump to attention as the question was asked. At the same time he nodded his head vigorously up and down as he said with a bad stutter. ‘She h...heard some of them t...talking about going up North t…to help with a d…d…d...’
‘Calm down Marti, you’re among friends. You know that,’ Gene reminded him, ‘To help with what?’
‘T…to help with a…diversion, if necessary.’ He said with obvious jubilation at his success.
‘What sort of diversion,’ someone called out from the other side of the room, asking the question that was on Laurie’s lips.
‘She d...doesn’t know.’
‘Can’t she find out?’ Someone else asked.
‘She s...said she’d t...try.’
‘Trying isn’t good enough!’ Another voice shouted, ‘We have to know.’
‘She’s d…doing her b…b…best,’ Marti was obviously starting to get flustered by the reaction of the audience.
‘I’m sure she is Marti,’ Gene soothed quickly, ‘Just you tell her that it’s very important. Will you do that for me Marti?’
‘Y...yes I’ll do that, Gene.’
‘Good boy.’ Rey nodded his satisfaction, and then turned to another young Gen sitting close beside him. ‘I think you have some information for us, Arthur?’
‘I work for George’s Hire Company as most of you know. We’ve been approached by a Sime on behalf of…’ he paused for
effect before he went on with a rush, ‘The Runzi!’
Murmurs broke out around the room, and Rey quickly brought them to order as he said, ‘Go on, Arthur.’
‘The Manager told me that they want to hire two of our largest flyers to take a group of Simes up to Great Holm.’ Arthur looked around the gathered Gens watching their reaction to his news.
They did not disappoint him. Even more talking broke out.
Gene looked across at his co-conspirators as they all assessed this vital piece of information.
As Gene Rey called for quiet, Laurie said, ‘I trust I’m not talking out of turn, Gene, but don’t you think if the Runzi are sending a group of their people up north that at least one of us should go up there, too? So we can find out first hand, exactly what’s going on?’
The ginger head moved up and down in agreement as Gene said, ‘I was just about to suggest that.’
Later than night Laurie dutifully contacted Greg and passed on what he had learned from the meeting at Gens First. Saying also that he had spoken to Gene Rey afterwards, and had offered himself as one of those willing to go up to Great Holm.
He had explained to Rey that as he had only recently moved back to Earth he was still on vacation, and would, therefore, find it no great hardship to undertake the task.
Gene said he would get back to him and let him know what he had decided in a day or so.
Laurie did not tell the ginger haired Gen that he fully intended to make the trip up North with, or without, his blessing.
Read Chapter 5
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