Rebecca nodded.
‘Good. Take a friend. I’m transferring some money to your bank account and you can go wherever you want. In two days’ time this will all be resolved, but I’d feel happier knowing you were safe and out of the way. Do you fancy Hawaii?’
She muttered into her watch and then smiled at Rebecca. ‘Please check your bank account.’
Rebecca pulled out her phone, and after a few clicks she gasped at the screen.
‘Good,’ said Neith, ‘that’s enough money for you and a friend to have a lovely all-expenses paid holiday in Hawaii. Or wherever you want to go. Your friend can travel with you now or join you later, but I need you on a plane as soon as possible. Do you agree?’
Rebecca just stared at her. ‘Julius, what is all this? Are you safe?’
Julius smiled back. She was a nice person and didn’t deserve all this drama.
‘Rebecca, I’m so sorry. I really didn’t want you caught up in this. I hardly know how I’m caught up in it all myself. It’s something that Charlie was involved in. But I think they’re right, I think a holiday would be a good idea.’
‘But Charlie was murdered. What are you mixed up in?’
Julius sighed. ‘Honestly, I have no idea, but I feel sick that you’ve been pulled into it.’
Neith spoke into her wrist piece and Clio walked into the café.
‘Miss Greene. This is Special Agent Masoud. She’s going to take you home to pack and will then drive you to Stanstead Airport. If you tell her your final destination, she will get all the tickets and reservations sorted for you whilst you pack.’
Neith wondered where Clio had got the sunglasses from and liked the way she kept touching her ear. Every gesture portrayed her as a special agent and bodyguard.
Julius watched as Rebecca gradually started to calm down. ‘I think you’re right, I think a holiday is a good idea.’ Turning to Julius, she looked at him with regret. ‘And I also think you and I are over. I didn’t sign up for this sort of thing at all. Good luck with your new friends.’
Pushing back her chair, she almost fled out of the café, causing nearby diners to stare curiously as Clio followed after her.
‘I think we need to go as well,’ said Neith. ‘We’re attracting too much attention.
‘Is she going to be okay? Surely now that Paul has what he wants he won’t go after her?’
Neith stared at him in horror. ‘What do you mean Paul has what he wants?’
Julius squeezed his face between his hands, trying to release some of the tension that was still coursing through his body. ‘The postcard. Charlie sent me a postcard with a cryptic message on the back. And now Paul has it. Your rogue operative has the only piece of evidence to the egg’s location.’
#32 Sam – Alpha Earth
Chancellor Soliman flung the doors open and strode into the Step field control gantry. All heads turned to watch him, and Sam could swear that he could visibly see Soliman swell up just a little bit more. He wasn’t certain that it was possible to be any more pompous or inflated, but there it was. Sam wandered in quietly behind him. An unkind person might have said sidled, but they wouldn’t say it twice. The thing was, Sam knew how to enter a room and watch it working without anyone noticing. Pomp and circumstances were all very well, but they made it very hard to see what was going on. And Sam always liked to know exactly what was going on. Which, at this precise moment, was absolutely nothing, as all the technicians had stopped what they were doing and waiting to see what their boss-on-high had to say.
‘Back to work everyone, pretend I’m not here. I’ve just come down to muck in with the troops.’
Turning back to Sam, he invited him to walk around the troops with him to “improve morale, show a steady hand”.
Get completely in their way and slow them down, he thought.
As Soliman was asking one of the technicians how she managed to hold all those numbers in her head, it was all Sam could do to not roll his eyes. At least as he walked around with Soliman going from desk to desk, he knew who to apologise to later.
‘Sir!’
The gate started flashing and everyone took a quantum pill from their pocket or desk. Sam always carried his on him but assumed Soliman didn’t, and offered him one of his.
‘What’s happening?’
‘The gate is opening and someone’s coming through. Quick, Sir. The pill, it helps prevent nausea.’
Soliman surveyed the room. Everyone had taken their pills and were now getting into position. Conversation had dropped to a minimum and everyone was bracing themselves. Given that they were uncertain if the Q Field was in perfect working order, they were preparing for anything.
‘No thanks Sam, it’s always important for the troops to see their leaders showing a bit of backbone. Did I tell you I once sailed single-handedly from the Red Sea to the tip of India? Didn’t feed the fish once! I tell you...’
He stopped talking as the far wall started shimmering, and he threw up all over the desk in front of him, showing the troops exactly what he was made of and what he’d had for breakfast.
Engineers ran towards the wall with guns at the ready. Sam left the chancellor to it as he grabbed one of the spare guns and ran down the steps onto the main apron, standing ready to act with the others. He couldn’t help himself. He missed the good old days of being down where the action was.
The Q Field engaged and the world suddenly dissolved into memories of candyfloss and snow, of stars and pyramids. He was flying, he was drowning, he was laughing, and just as soon as it had started it stopped, and two people stepped through the gate
