‘Oh yes.’
The TrueShield building was a four-storey white box, set in a round lake. The corners of the building touched the edge of the lake, creating a crescent before each façade. Spotlights angled down into the crescents, their light bouncing off the water and then dancing up and over the white walls and black windows of the building. Most of the internal lights had been turned off. A small bridge led to reception, which blazed confidently into the night. Squinting, Jack could just see a blue-shirted security guard sat at the front desk.
‘He’ll be easy enough,’ said Fist.
‘If you don’t balls it up,’ cut in Harry. ‘Which you have done before.’
‘Says the dead man. Who got himself shot by opening a file.’
‘One of these days you’ll appreciate your betters.’
‘One of these days you’ll kiss my wooden arse.’
‘Gods’ sake, you two,’ snapped Jack. ‘Stop bickering. We’ve got a job to do.’ He turned to Harry. ‘How many left in there?’
‘Eight, including Yamata,’ Harry told him.
‘Know anything about them?’
‘Mostly medical people.’
‘Odd. But not dangerous.’
‘I went digging through some civic management databases. Found a floor plan.’ Harry touched Jack’s arm, and the building’s walls became transparent. Jack pulled away, shocked. ‘Don’t take me onweave, Harry. For gods’ sake.’
‘You’re not onweave. I’m accessing your implants directly.’
‘You shouldn’t be able to do that.’
‘I told you. InSec tech.’ Harry winked at Jack. ‘Backdoors everywhere, if you know where to find them. So stop worrying, and let me show you …’ He took Jack’s arm. Once again, the building became an x-ray of itself.
[ He’s in you. But he’s not in me. So that’s OK,] Fist told Jack.
Red dots speckled the building. Each represented a weave presence moving through the building’s virtual spaces.
[ It’s all one hundred per cent accurate,] said Fist sulkily.
[Glad to hear it.]
Harry rubbed his hands together. ‘Right. we’ve got a break-in to plan.’
Fist probed TrueShield. Its security systems were Pantheon protected, but the security guard’s weren’t. He worked for a subcontractor who’d skimped on some of the basics. So Fist was able to walk into the guard’s weave presence, spin down the link he’d established with the reception desk and drop an appointment into TrueShield’s corporate diary for a Mr Ricker, arriving in about ten minutes.
‘I hate to say it, Jack, but when he’s good, he’s not bad at all,’ said Harry grudgingly.
‘Flattery will get you nowhere,’ Fist replied.
‘Worth a try. You won’t let me get in there through you, once you’re inside?’
‘No.’
‘If you get into trouble, you’ll need my help.’
‘We won’t run into anything I can’t handle.’
‘Let’s go,’ said Jack. ‘We’ve got an appointment to keep.’
As it turned out, Mr Ricker looked very much like Jack. ‘Bit late for a visit, sir,’ said the security guard as he invoked a guest tag.
‘It’s quieter in the evening. And my business is very personal.’
‘Ah.’ The guard didn’t ask any more questions, but there was a lightly conspiratorial tone in his voice. The tag appeared in his hand. ‘Here you go.’ It skipped off his chubby finger and on to Jack’s arm, running up his shoulder to sit by his ear. Its dove-white wings rustled as it went. It nestled down comfortably, until – running its own security checks – it brushed against Jack’s weave presence. There was a tiny, shrill scream and it threw itself into the air, pointing at Jack, a look of fear on its face. Its little wings were now the brightest, most unmistakable red.
The security guard looked apologetic.
‘It says that you’re not called Alois Ricker. That you’ve masked yourself.’
‘As I said – discretion.’ Jack let the word roll off his tongue. He sounded calm, but inside he was furious.
[ Fucking hell, Fist, you’re meant to have covered all of this off.]
[ It’s just a detail. You’ll charm your way out of it.]
[ I don’t like using the Eastware on innocents. It’s too unpredictable.]
‘I’m sorry, sir. I’m going to have to confirm your appointment.’
He prodded at the air in front of him.
‘I’m afraid I don’t have a record of who you’re here to see.’
[Divert him, Fist.]
[ I can fry the sprite. But the guard’s suspicious already, if he notices he’ll get really paranoid. You’ve got to charm him too. Fuck’s sake Jack, it’s easy enough, just don’t turn it up to full.]
The guard was moving from sympathetic to lightly hostile.
‘I’m sorry sir, I do need a full name.’
[ Fuck it,] said Jack. [ Fuck. OK, sort out the sprite. I want it on our side.]
He tugged lightly at his Eastware. A smile spread across his face like a neon sun rising. The guard was just running through the security code that would allow him to trigger the desk’s emergency alert systems.
‘Do you know, I can’t remember,’ Jack told him. ‘But I don’t think it really matters, does it?’
‘Sir, I’ve been very specifically briefed …’ stammered the guard. A light sweat shimmered across his forehead. Jack was glad that the desk covered his lower half.
‘Briefed? To ask for a name? You don’t trust me?’
‘Oh no, sir. Not at all. No, I wouldn’t say that,’ said the guard. There was a desperate eagerness to please in his voice.
[ That’s more like it!] said Fist. [ He’s working for us now.]
‘Well then, wouldn’t it be a good idea to let me into the office?’ said Jack.
‘Oh, yes. Yes!’
The guard was already halfway out from behind the desk. The bottom button of his shirt had come undone. A soft, rounded slab of belly peaked out from behind it, black hairs straggling across it like cracks. ‘Anything you say, sir,’ he gabbled. Jack was appalled by the effect he’d achieved. The guard chose not to see. ‘I’ll just let you in now, sir.’
[ How long do you think the effects last when you’re not around?]
[ Not long, I hope.]
[ Then turn it up! Make sure he stays onside for good.]
[ No. And no more carelessness.]
The guard made a very precise series of gestures. An internal door hummed open, revealing a short, bland corridor with another door at its end.
‘There you go, sir. Have a good evening, sir.’
Jack thanked him, then asked: [ How’s the sprite?]
[ Reprogrammed. It’ll lead us to their server room, and make sure we don’t run into anyone on the way. It thinks it’s taking us to a meeting room on the other side of the building.]
[ You’re sure?]
[Of course I’m bloody sure.]
[Good.]
The little creature buzzed into the air between them, wings moving so fast they became a shadow hanging from its back. It had tiny compound eyes set in a hard bone face that was almost human. Its sharp-edged body was dressed in brilliant rags. There was a scarf wrapped round its waist. It was red, silver and green, the TrueShield corporate colours. ‘Can I conduct you to your destination, fair gentles?’ it said, its voice a piping squeak.
[ I’ve seen this sort of thing onweave. It’s very fashionable.] Fist’s voice was full of contempt.
[As long as it takes us where we need to be,] replied Jack, [ I really don’t care.]
The sprite was hovering impatiently by the door at the end of the corridor. It beckoned to Jack. ‘Follow me, follow me – but don’t step from the path,’ it shrilled. The door opened and Jack stepped forward. ‘Wait, wait, good gentle! First I must cast my net around you.’
[ I get it,] said Fist. [ If anyone breaks in, it irritates them to death.]
The creature fluttered around them both, singing a half-whispered, half-roared little song. A net-shaped shimmer wrapped itself around Jack. Fist swore under his breath. Terms and conditions for TrueShield access flashed up, more quickly than Jack could read. He nodded acceptance. The little flying creature smiled, showing teeth that looked like a bone hacksaw blade. Spotting them, Fist nodded appreciatively.