Chung Kuo - The Marriage Of The Living Dark Part 17

DeVore nodded, then, shrugging off her arms, climbed from bed and went through to the bathroom, switching on the shower.

She went across and stood in the doorway, watching him. "What do you think it means?"

"It means nothing," he answered, annoyed that she should ask "If s just a dream, that1 s all."

"But you've had it several times now."

"So?" He switched the water off and turned to face her. "Karr's light-years from here. Literally. We'll never see him again. So the dream means nothing." "Dreams always mean something," she persisted.

"b.o.l.l.o.c.ks!"

As he came to the doorway he stopped, staring angrily at her, his face pressed close to hers. "Just leave it, okay? If s a dream, and only a dream. If it worries you, I'll have the surgeon purge it, all right?" She nodded, averting her eyes as he continued to stare aggressively at her. "Good," he said finally. "Besides, if there's anyone who's going to be smas.h.i.+ng skulls, if s me. I'm good at smas.h.i.+ng skulls. I've smashed a whole f.u.c.king mountain of them in my time!"

And with that he turned away.

"Yes," she said softly, almost inaudibly, watching him walk over to the wardrobe and begin to dress. "You're the best The very best, my love."

Daniel jerked awake. He was wearing only his breech-cloth, but for a moment he had thought he was still in full armour. He had been sweating profusely and his limbs felt like they were encased.

Sitting up, he looked about him at the tiny dormitory. On every side the boys slept on, their faces innocent in sleep, their soft snores filling the half dark.

Something had woken him. Something ...

He went very still, realising what it had been. The answer. He had the answer suddenly.

For a moment longer he sat there, letting his pulse return to normal, his breathing slow, then he slipped back beneath the thin cloth blanket Horacek. Horacek was the key.

A single huge arc lamp illuminated the yard, throwing its bright glare over the entrance to the barn. Both of the ma.s.sive doors were thrown back, and as the big cart lumbered into the yard men came out from the darkness within to help unload.

As the cart ground to a halt, Horacek jumped down, immediately organising the men, gesturing and shouting in his strange, high-pitched voice. At once they began their gruesome task, taking the bodies from the cart and stacking them inside, men to the right, women to the left, children and those too disfigured to make such distinctions, in the darkness at the far end of the barn.

It was still warm despite the hour, and as Horacek stood watching, he fanned himself, using the clipboard on which were written the latest figures. It was going well. At long last, his campaign against the southern villages was having its effect They knew now. If they sheltered even a single rebel, they would pay the price.

The probes were the key to it, of course. Since he'd been using them to spy upon the villagers, his success rate had rocketed. He had been able to go among them and, rounding them up, show them the unarguable evidence of their duplicity. But he had been careful to kill only a number of them. One in six. The rest were spared deliberately - so that word of what had happened would spread through the southlands.

Even so, there were still those who took the risk and defied him. And so he continued to go amongst them, like a vengeful G.o.d exacting justice. As the last few bodies were carried inside, Horacek wandered over to the two white-coated men who were standing by the gates, looking on. "Fresh tonight," he said, grinning his hideous, lop-sided grin. "Good," one of them said, turning to him. "But you ought to think about refrigeration. On nights like this ..."

" You think about it," Horacek answered him curtly. "I do my bit you do yours.

Besides, if s only for the camps."

The two men looked to each other, exchanging a glance that Horacek didn't quite understand. Were they providing meat for other markets now? If so, maybe he should up what he was charging?

"Here," the second of them said, as if reading his mind, quickly handing him a bag of coin. "Silver. As we agreed."

Horacek held the bag up in one hand, as if calculating its weight, then nodded.

"Good," he said. "Tomorrow, then."

"Tomorrow."

He turned and walked away, past the cart and out of the yard, his six bodyguards falling in about him as he walked down through the empty streets towards the centre of the town. His men would see to the cart He had what he'd come for. It wouldn't do, of course, to be too greedy. But no one would miss a few bodies. And if they all did well out of it, then why should anyone care if he made a profit or not, least of all The Man. After all, DeVore had more than he needed. Indeed, sometimes he thought DeVore had no interest in money at all, except in so far as it allowed him to continue his campaigns. Horacek looked about him at his men. For once he felt like sharing his good fortune.

"Okay," he said, "you've worked hard for me today. If s time we had some fun.

Lef s go to Ti Yu, neh? On me."

There were broad grins and nods of grat.i.tude Ti Yul It was well beyond their reach. This was unlooked-for generosity!

Horacek smiled. If you treated your men well then they looked after you. And little treats like this helped But not too often. It wouldn't do to have them expect this kind of thing all the time.

No. Just now and then. When they'd done particularly well. Grinning now, the heavy coin bag swinging back and forth in the pocket of his tunic, Horacek led them on down the empty,lamplit street, towards the glistening line of the river, and towards the great dungeon-like cellars of the Ti Yu club, where, if you had the money, you could buy anything. Anything at all.

A great cheer went up from all around the exercise yard as Daniel marched his patrol towards the gate, boys crowding the mouths of the tunnels and hanging from the windows just to get a sight of him.

His own boys were grinning, their visors up, pleased to bask in his reflected glory - part of Daniel's team - and as they pa.s.sed out under the gate, more than one of them raised an arm to acknowledge the cheers and whistles. And then they were outside again, on the road that led down through Abendorf itself and out into open country.

Daniel turned, looking back at the camp. The land dipped here, going down into the valley before it climbed again, so they would be in sight of the camp for two, maybe three, kilometres. After that, however, thick woodland obscured the view from the camp walls. There he would leave the road and head east, because he wasn't going straight back. First he would pay Horacek a visit They walked briskly, keeping up a business-like pace while the sun was low and it was less than thirty minutes before they reached the point, deep within the cover of the woods, where he wanted to leave the road. "Okay," he said, turning to face them. "I didn't want to say anything before now, but we're on a special mission."

Daniel saw how their eyes lit at that and felt a twinge of guilt, knowing they would believe anything he said.

"I had to keep quiet about this, but now Til tell you. We're heading east, to meet up with Marshal Horacek."

That news, he saw, was less pleasing. None of them liked Horacek. And for good reason. They had seen his methods at close hand, when he'd visited the camp. "And don't worry," he added, looking from one to another. "I shall be dealing with the Marshal. You have only to get me there."Relief, and new determination. "Okay," he said, smiling now. "So our brief is simple. We move quickly and try not to be seen. We rendezvous with Horacek and then we go back to the camp. If all goes well, no one will know about our little detour. Right?" "Right!"

"Good. Then lef s go. We've eight kilometres to make."

One of the golden-eyed, standing just back from the shadowed window of the ruined hut, saw them as they pa.s.sed, moving quickly, silently along the gully that cut between the trees. Eight boys in heavy armour, the sunlight, filtering down through the branches, glinting off the hard edges of their suits. Taking a step forward, he rested his hands against the cool stone of the window ledge, and as he did, he felt a strange yet familiar sensation grip him. There was a flash of pure vision. The trees, the gully, the boys - all vanished. All, that was, but the largest of the boys, who now strode along alone on a gra.s.sy slope. And as he walked he appeared and then disappeared, time and again, his progress across the slope like a sequence of intercut films. There was laughter just out of vision and the dapping of hands. And then the boy turned and smiled.

Abruptly the vision faded and was gone.

Below him the gully was empty now. Only the faintest sound of booted feet on leaves came back to him, and in an instant that too was gone. Daniel. The boy had been called Daniel.

He frowned, then turned, looking back into the room, wondering what the vision meant.

Daniel crouched by the wall, the boys spread out in a line to either side of him, waiting for him to give the order. Two big container vehicles - half-tracks with refrigeration units - were at the end of the lane, some two hundred metres distant Beyond them men in bright green one-pieces were moving to and fro between the compound and the lane, loading the second of the vehicles.

Daniel ducked down, then unfolded the map and studied it again. According to the map, there was nothing here. Nothing, that was, except an old ruined barn. So why the vehicles? Why the armed guards?

The vehicles belonged to SimFic, the entertainments company. At least, they had the double helix logo on the side. But what in the G.o.ds' names were SimFic doing out here at the edge of town?

Time was pressing, and he knew he really ought to be moving on if he was to see Horacek and get back. But this was intriguing. This was the kind of thing the patrols had been designed to observe.

If SimFic were working with the rebels, then maybe someone ought to know?

Or maybe not.

Daniel looked down, frowning. Before yesterday, he wouldn't even have thought about it, but now he couldn't think of anything else. What was he fighting for? To cleanse the world of rebels? To bring about that "New World" they had all been told so much about? But what kind of "New World" was it that had no compa.s.sion? And what kind of creatures were being bred to live in it?

Daniel looked along the line, giving the signal to hold position. At once the boys relaxed, turning to slump against the wall, taking the opportunity to rest, their weapons propped between their knees.

They were good lads, and in another world they might have made fine adults. But not in this world. Not in a world modelled upon Horacek and his like. There was the sound of huge doors slamming shut, then a call. Boots clanged against the metal sides of the vehicles as men climbed up. Then, the two engines started up, sputtering into life, then giving a deep, throaty roar. There was a strong smell of diesel, the crunch of gears being engaged, and then the first vehicle started away.

He waited until it was silent in the lane once more, then waited a little longer, listening. Only then, when he was quite sure that no one had stayed on, did he poke his head up and look.

The lane was empty, the gate to the compound closed.

"Come on," he said, straightening up, "lef s go and have a look."

At first he thought the barn was empty. There were dark stains on the bare earth floor, which, on closer inspection, might have been blood, but without a.n.a.lysis it was hard to tell. Then, in the shadows at the far end of the barn, they made their discovery.

At first glance Daniel thought that they were sacks of some kind. They were certainly stacked like sacks. But, s.h.i.+ning a torch on them, he saw at once what they were.

One of the boys helped him carry one of the tiny bodies across and lay it down in the light Daniel raised his visor, then knelt, examining the corpse. The girl was five, maybe six years old. She had been killed by a single bullet to the side of the head. Her hands were still bound behind her back and there were bruises on her forearms. Her feet too were bound, at the ankles, and one of her fingers had been broken.

Daniel swallowed, strangely moved by the sight of her. Her long blonde hair was caked with blood and it was impossible to tell whether she had been pretty or not, so much of her face had been blown away, but he could imagine how she'd been. Could imagine her playing; could see her running, laughing in the sunlight Executed, he thought. But why?

They carried others across and examined them. They were all the same. All of them had been bound hand and foot, then killed by a single shot to the head. Detaching himself from what he was doing, Daniel began to search the bodies, looking for papers. Almost at once he found an ID card.The girl was from Lorrach, near Basel. One of the southern villages, bordering the Wilds. He quickly searched the other bodies. Not all of them had papers, but those who did were all from the southern villages.

So what was going on? And what was SimFic's involvement?

He thought back to what he had seen in the lane and nodded to himself. There had been shortages for years now. Indeed, he was hard put to think of a time when there had not been shortages, and not just in the camps. But if this was systematic, then things had worsened considerably. Supposition, he told himself. Maybe they're taking them off to bury them. Then why not bury them here? Why bother with the trucks, the guards and all? Why get SimFic involved in what was clearly a security matter? Another thought struck him. If they'd left these then the trucks must have been full. There must have been no room for them. Or maybe they were coming back for them. Maybe ...

He understood. This wasn't a one-off. This was systematic.

Business as usual.

"Okay," he said, "lef s put them back."

"Can't we ...?"

Daniel turned. Robbie was standing there, his gun hanging limply from his right hand as he stared at the tiny bodies.

"Can't we what?"

The boy turned, looking to Daniel. "They're just kids, Daniel. Can't we ... well, bury them?"

Kids. And what were they?

"No," he said sternly. "We stack them back where we found them, and then we forget we ever came here, right?"

There was no answer.

"Right?' he insisted, looking about him..

"Right!" But the enthusiasm was rote, not real. This had touched them, disturbed them, the same way he himself had been touched. He was glad that was so. Was glad that they saw what he saw. But it made things difficult"Come on now! Move!"

Daniel watched, pained by the looks they gave him, steeling himself against them. Personally, he wanted to burn the place down - to take the flamer and destroy all trace of it. But then questions would be asked. And if anyone was going to ask questions, it was going to be him. "Come on!" he barked, angry now. "Lef s stack them and get out of here!" Children. The b.a.s.t.a.r.ds were killing little children now. Tying them up and shooting them.

Yes, he thought. But then, what's new?

Horacek yawned and stretched, then sat behind his desk, staring at Daniel, who stood there at ease, his legs apart, his hands clasped behind his back. It was a cold, predatory stare that seemed to have nothing human in it whatsoever, and, facing it again, Daniel thought it strange that he had not understood things sooner than he did. It was not simply Horacek's physical appearance, which - after his experience in the furnace - was ghastly enough, it was the essence of the man.

Evil. This little b.a.s.t.a.r.d was evil incarnate.

To Horacek's left, suspended from the ceiling of the room, hung a view screen. On it, like a scene from h.e.l.l itself, two naked men were laughing as they s.a.d.i.s.tically tortured a young boy, hurting him even as they used him to pleasure themselves.

"You'll excuse me, Daniel," Horacek said, yawning again, "but we had a long night" He gestured towards the screen. "Ti Yu ... They let you take a tape of it away."

Daniel gave the slightest nod, as if all was normal. "But anyway," Horacek continued, pus.h.i.+ng back from the desk, "why are you here, Daniel? I thought you were meant to be out on patrol?" "I am," he answered. "But I had to see you."

"Yes?" Horacek looked intrigued. "I can't see why. Or if you did, why not go through normal channels?"

"Because I don't think either of us would welcome that"Horacek's golden eyes flickered momentarily. He was clearly trying to work out what this was - threat or offer - and it was just as clear that he couldn't figure it "I'd like to give you something."

"Give me something?" Horacek's face stretched in the parody of a smile. Then he laughed. "What on earth could you give me, Daniel?" "What does he want... more than anything else?" "To end the blockade?"

"Aside from that."

Horacek shrugged.

"The Woman," Daniel said. "Alive."

Horacek sat forward, suddenly alert "How?"

"I go in and get her. And bring her out"

"And then?"

"I give her to you. And you... you give her to The Man. As a present" Horacek's mask-like face split in a smile. "Only one problem with that. How do we control her?"

"We wire her. In fact, if you'll teach me how, I'll do it for you before I bring her back."

Horacek thought about it then shook his head again. 'Too risky. If something went wrong ..."

"Have you lost your nerve, Marshal?"

Horacek stood, his whole body bristling with anger, his voice cold with threat "What do you mean?"

Daniel faced him out. "I thought you were a man who liked taking risks. I thought..."

"You thought what?"

"I thought..." Daniel steeled himself inwardly, then said it "I thought we might make a good team, you and I."

Horacek stared at him a long while, a smile slowly forming on his black and rigid lips. "You know, I think we just might. Why, with my intelligence and your talent for killing..." He stopped, then sat again, steepling his fingers before him as he looked at Daniel. "I've been watching you a long time now. Studying you. And you know what? You're the perfect weapon, Daniel Smart, great instincts, but...""But?"

"But you need ... directing."