But no. He remembered a conversation with Asif. The guy was a tech whiz who’d been building his own computing arrays from childhood. Technology, Asif had told him, was a simple thing that everyone had convinced themselves was complex. It was fallible, but everyone believed it to be faultless. People had delegated their better judgement – and the evidence of their own senses – to the power of technology. If you could fool the tech, you needn’t worry about fooling the people.
So their uniforms and ID cuffs saw them through a second manned door, and then a third verification point. Here they had to press the bands against a panel set into the wall. The last stage was the entrance to the high-security wing.
‘You lot are keen,’ said the guard there, as he took out a set of old-fashioned keys. They unlocked two sets of double-bolted barred doors, like wild animal cages. ‘Only got the final say-so ten minutes ago. So where’s the lord and master – waiting back at the MADhouse with your boss, eh? Guess he decided doing it here wasn’t to his liking. Too near the common folk, eh? At least using his Skill he won’t have to worry about getting blood on her carpet. Though I daresay Daddy Jardine’s got enough money to pay for a new one.’
Thankfully the guy was bent over the locks as he spoke, because even Jackson’s composure slipped. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he tried to make sense of what had just been said.
Luke’s brain was whirring, too. The name ‘Jardine’ had been distracting, making Luke think of Kyneston and his family, but one thing was clear from the guard’s words and the Doc’s reaction. They weren’t the only ones coming for Oz.
The open-barred cells beyond didn’t contain the stench. It was a rancid blend of everything revolting that could come out of a human body. At first Luke strained to make out the huddled shape of Oz on the floor. When he did, he really wished he hadn’t. The guard aimed a torch so bright it was effectively weaponized light straight at Oz’s face. The only small mercy was that his eyes were swollen completely shut. Oz couldn’t have opened them into that blinding glare even if he’d wanted to.
‘Up you get,’ said the guard, poking Oz with his baton. ‘The Overseer and Heir Gavar Jardine request the honour of your company at a party for one. And you’ve not bothered to dress for it. Tut tut.’
Luke’s fists clenched. Oz didn’t move.
‘Dunno if he can stand,’ said the guard. ‘Reckon you might have to drag him.’
‘I’ll deal with this,’ said Jackson, stepping forward.
He crouched down by Oz. Could their friend even recognize him? Oz gave no sign. But he yielded up a sudden, almighty moan and rolled onto all fours. The Doc must have jabbed him with a shot of adrenaline.
‘Get up,’ Jackson said, making his voice hard and indifferent. Then to Luke: ‘Get him moving.’
Luke grabbed Oz by the back of his boilersuit and hauled. Oz came up slowly, but at least partly under his own strength. Thank goodness. Nothing broken, then.
Apart from his nose, perhaps. Probably a cheekbone. Maybe an eye socket. There was no way Jessica could have coped with seeing him like this, in here.
‘We’ll be going,’ Jackson told the guard. ‘Don’t want to keep our betters waiting.’
The cell guard shrugged. ‘Good riddance to that one. He kept quiet in interrogations – daresay he fancies himself a tough guy. But when he was by himself you’d hear him crying like a girl. Hope your boss gets more out of him than the lads here managed.’
Fortunately, both of Luke’s hands were clenched in Oz’s overalls, the fabric stiff and sticky, because everything in him ached to give this scumbag a pasting.
Once back out through the barred doors, Jackson and Luke supported Oz through the corridors. Oz had somehow cracked one eyelid open, and a tiny black pupil swimming in bloodshot sclera peered out at them, like the eye of a deep-sea creature fathoms down. Could he see clearly enough to recognize them? Luke hoped so.
Jackson’s earpiece hissed in a different pitch than before. Renie, must be.
‘Keep walking,’ said the Doc, when the sound stopped, ‘and don’t hesitate. On the other side of the second checkpoint, we’re going to meet some people. Ignore them. You know the pickup point. We’ll take Oz straight there. If I get caught up in anything, you keep going. Don’t wait for me. Get him in that vehicle and away.’
A fist-sized lump of dread lodged itself in Luke’s throat, but he swallowed it down. He let his gaze fall slightly out of focus, in that dead-eyed way Security often had. He was Security. He had the ID to prove it.
At the second checkpoint Luke said nothing as he held out the cuff. Didn’t let himself wince when Oz groaned as the guard grabbed his arm to run the chip-sensing device over it.
‘You got the alert?’ the Doc asked as he submitted his wrist. ‘I think news travels faster across our network than it does on general comms. Because you really don’t want to miss it. Screw up and they’d put you in this one’s old cell.’
Jackson gave Oz a nudge that made him stumble, and laughed nastily.