‘I think we’re even, Major.’
‘Even? You need to snap out of your dream world, man. Do you even have a plan?’ He turned his attention to the stubby gun barrel, pointing to the light and peering down it. ‘Did you think we were going to have a teary farewell at the station and then go our separate ways?’
‘No. Not exactly. But I need to conclude my business and return to exile,’ Wheeler said, taking his glass to the kitchen. ‘As you said, Major, I am dead to the people of London. My presence will not be welcomed, it will garner unwanted media attention and elicit awkward questions in Parliament.’
Helix pursed his lips. ‘And we wouldn’t want that, would we?’ he muttered, taking a long thin brush from the cleaning kit. He applied a few drops of cleaner to the inside of the gun barrel and worked the brush down its length. ‘So, let me ask you again. What’s your plan?’
Wheeler stood in the doorway, brandy bottle in hand. ‘I hate to admit it, but that’s where I need your help.’ he said, tilting the bottle towards Helix.
‘Call the BBC, a politician, sorry ex-politician, admits to not having a scooby-do.’ He shook his head. ‘I got you to London. That was what we agreed.’
Wheeler shrugged. ‘You’ve hardly touched your tea, Gabrielle. Are you sure I can’t tempt you with a snifter?’
Sofi shook her head and took a sip of tea. Helix paused his cleaning and glanced at her. What did she do with it after she swallowed it? Was there a warning light that came on when the tank was full? He attached a small white cleaning patch to the end of a rod.
Wheeler returned to the sofa and charged his glass. ‘Why is Gabrielle here, Helix?’ he asked, returning the top to the bottle. ‘After all, Julia Ormandy agreed to call off her pursuit before we left the castle. You insisted that we were coming to London.’
Helix pushed the rod through the barrel and examined the stained patch. Wheeler was a prat but he wasn’t stupid. He turned the patch over and repeated the process. He held his hand up as Wheeler drew breath. ‘I heard you.’ He pulled the recoil spring from its guide and inspected it. ‘We both have our reasons for being here. I needed Ormandy off my back as much as you.’
Wheeler cleared his throat. ‘But surely with your resources… Why would you need me? And that still doesn’t—’
Helix slammed his hand down. ‘She’s here because I need her here.’
Wheeler nosed his brandy. ‘There’s always more to it,’ he said, more to himself than the room.
‘Meaning?’ Helix snapped. He wasn’t interested in the answer. He rubbed his hand across his mouth, the cleaning solvent making his nose tingle. Wiping the recoil guide, he applied a dot of lubricant. ‘The letter that Ormandy claimed to have from Gabrielle…’ He leaned back in the chair. ‘It’s genuine.’
Wheeler’s eyes widened. He shot a stare at Sofi. ‘Oh my God. You killed—’
‘I had no choice,’ she said, folding her arms. ‘He was insane, Justin. And he was going to start a bloody war.’
‘He was more than just a political donor, he was my friend.’
‘Friend?’ Sofi sprung up from the chair. ‘What about Miriam? What about Rachel? What about Lauren? Like I said, they were my friends. Lauren’s an orphan because—’
‘The video from Lytkin’s apartment isn’t real,’ Helix said, poking his finger into a recess in the pistol’s frame.
‘So, where did it come from?’ Wheeler said.
Helix glanced at Sofi. ‘It’s impressive. Way better than anything we could have come up with. But still not real.’
‘The clothes are wrong,’ Sofi sniffed. ‘That wasn’t what I was wearing.’
‘Ethan searched everywhere for surveillance in Lytkin’s apartment,’ Helix added. ‘There was nothing. No cameras so no video.’ He put down the gun and fixed his eyes on Wheeler.
Wheeler shrugged. ‘Where did it come from?’
Helix frowned. ‘Ulyana Lytkin.’
30
18 Hours
Wheeler’s pacing up and down was grating on Helix. As he’d summarised what had happened to himself and Ethan and Lytkin’s demands, the colour had drained from the former politician’s face. Was Wheeler’s reaction genuine or an act? If it was the latter, he should forget politics and take up the theatre. ‘So, you’re saying that Valerian didn’t even know his sister was alive?’ Helix said, reassembling his gun.
Wheeler slopped more brandy into his glass. ‘If he did, he never said a word to—’
‘But you were his friend.’
‘Well. Yes. But he hardly ever mentioned her,’ Wheeler said, spinning around to face Sofi. ‘What about you, Gabrielle? You were close. Did he—’
‘No,’ the AI replied. ‘He just said that she disappeared as they fled Ukraine.’
Helix needed to cut off this line of questioning. Sofi had limited knowledge of Gabrielle’s past life apart from what she’d told Helix when they’d first met.
‘But he must have—’ Wheeler persisted.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Helix said, taking the brandy bottle from him. ‘Whether he did or didn’t, it’s irrelevant. She’s real. She’s in London and she’s holding my brother.’
Wheeler slumped onto the sofa, running his fingers down his cheeks. ‘What are you going to do?’ he said, switching his hands to his thighs. ‘She’s been able to stay hidden all these years. What’s she like?’
Helix frowned. ‘If I was being kind, I’d say unhinged. I didn’t get to meet the real Ulyana Lytkin. She’s a bit twitchy about her identity given that she presented herself as four or five different people during our short meeting.’
‘I imagine that
