Instinctively, everyone glanced over at them. Evan had pulled himself into a sitting position and was holding his head. Knox was staring intently at his hands. I wondered if, even now, he expected Fate to intervene on his behalf. I remembered all the people, good people, who had died defending St Mary’s – present and future – and hardened my heart.
Pinkie stepped aside with her Head of Security and they talked for a while. Orders were issued. Knox and Evan were bundled back into the pod. The Director returned. ‘You are invited to attend – as witnesses. Everyone must know what happens today.’
Silently, we nodded. I really wasn’t looking forward to this, but you can’t condemn someone to death and then disown the consequences. I stood beside Farrell as we jumped. No one looked at anyone else.
The door opened onto a bleak, empty landscape. It was cold, but not Arctic. I stepped outside, my breath puffing ahead of me. There was a light dusting of snow, like talcum powder. The other pod was a few yards away. Evan and Knox were already standing alone, looking around. The sun was rising on a day neither of them would get to see.
It was only as the six security guards lined up that they realised what was going to happen to them. Incredibly, they must have thought we would just release them into the wild. For future rescue, they hoped. Now that last hope had been dashed and they panicked. Both stared frantically around, seeking a hiding place; any sort of hiding place, but the windblown grass was the tallest thing around. There was nowhere to run.
‘You can’t do this,’ screamed Knox into the wind. ‘It’s not legal!’
Neither he nor Evan seemed able to comprehend what was happening. People sometimes think St Mary’s is just a charmingly eccentric bunch of amiable history nuts. And we are. But make no mistake, St Mary’s has teeth. And when we have to – we bite.
The Director was saying something. It was hard to hear over the wind and the screams. I moved closer. She was reciting a list of names. Tears stood on her cheeks. In my head, I added my own list.
They were both screaming themselves hoarse by now. I heard the order given and made myself look. I was part of this – part of the responsibility was mine.
I’ve seen death before, but this was an execution. Another one. The nightmare came back. I saw Barclay lying at my feet, wasting the last precious seconds of her life in hatred. I had to get through this. And live with the consequences afterwards. I stood next to Farrell. He grasped my cold hand, squeezing tightly. I squeezed gratefully back.
A very quick succession of short sharp cracks – so quick they almost sounded like one single, ragged shot – and it was done. The Head of Security walked toward them.
Farrell said quickly, ‘Wait for me in the pod.’
For once, I didn’t argue.
I heard two more shots and then it was finished.
Chapter Fourteen
We didn’t hang around. We wanted to get back to our St Mary’s as quickly as possible. Pinkie escorted us to our pod. All around us, the mood was sombre. No one had taken any pleasure from the day’s events, but they would recover. It was finally over. Time to go home.
Farrell took his pod and went first. I entered an unfamiliar Number Seven and took it home.
Farrell had alerted Hawking to the return of our final lost pod. A token security force awaited my return. I was out of the pod as soon as the decon light was finished and raced to the exit. At the door, I stood and looked back down the hangar. For the first time I could remember, every plinth was occupied. We had our pods back. It was a moment that demanded more respect than I was giving it.
I set off for the main building. There was no sign of Chief Farrell.
I looked at my watch. I had twenty minutes before my appointment with the Boss. Just time to wash my face, comb my hair, grab a mug of something hot and sweet, and get to his office.
I got all that done and scooped up Schiller and Van Owen on the way. I was stressed, breathless, and disoriented. My boots and the legs of my jumpsuit were still wet from the snow. I could still see two dark shapes on the ground and those patches of crimson snow. I could still hear the shots, crisp in the frosty air …
I took a deep breath outside Mrs Partridge’s door and entered quietly. The Boss was waiting in his office doorway. His face was grave. Over his shoulder, I could see Chief Farrell sitting in one of the two chairs put ready, a pool of print-out at his feet.
The Boss said, ‘Dr Maxwell, would you go straight in, please. Miss Van Owen, Miss Schiller, thank you for coming. We won’t keep you a moment.’
I followed him in. Chief Farrell turned his head as I entered. He didn’t look good at all and I suspected I looked worse. The Boss seated himself.
‘Which one of you will begin?’
Chief Farrell had seniority and I was happy to leave it to him.
He made a better job of it than I could have, and at the end, the Boss got up and looked out of the window.
‘Definitely dead?’ he asked.
‘Definitely dead,’ confirmed the Chief. ‘I checked myself. They were both dead.’
I nodded, even though the Boss couldn’t see me. He was quiet for a very long time.