BOOK 3: DISCLOSURE / CH. 9:THE PROBLEM OF LEASES
MONDAY, OCT 16TH
Teresa rang Kate's number. “Kate, it's taken weeks, but I've finally got all the results back for that property search. I know you said lowest priority, but I really didn't expect the archive search would take this long, sorry.”
“Property search? Oh, those leases the institute inherited?”
“Yes. Apparently lowest priority search means opportunistic piggy-backing on someone else's archive requests. No wonder the cost dropped so much.”
“Someone else's archive request? I'm confused. Surely we're not talking of paper storage are we?”
“Not quite that ancient. Well, actually it looks like they had paper originals and then scanned them. But really ancient stuff they still store offline. It saves power and means the data-crystals last longer, apparently. Your leases date back far enough that the crystals are only put on line every six months unless someone pays for faster processing.”
“'Our leases'? You're telling me they're still owned by us?”
“Yes, Kate. And I'm not quite sure why, but they almost all have different renewal periods.”
“Trying to avoid glutting the market, or something?”
“Maybe. But the important thing is, they're valid, still running, and you know about them. Presumably the house owners do too, but I'm not very convinced.”
“Oh?”
“It was during the age of chaos, Kate. Record checks were a bit patchy then, and it's easy to imagine that at least some houses were sold without proper checks.”
“But there should be copies of the lease in people's deeds?”
“Yes. There were some requests to buy off the freeholds around a hundred years ago, I guess it was fashionable, but the institute wasn't interested for any price, of course.”
“But people might want to now?”
“Certainly, but now the renewal date is so close on some of them that unless you want me to immediately contact the tennant/owners then it'll be hard to arrange a sale before the lease is up for renewal. If you're not willing to sell then you'll need to decide on the right price. But either way, it's going to be close.”
“How close? You haven't said Teresa.”
“Oh, sorry. The first one is up for renewal in December after that it's roughly one per month. You know there are more than a hundred of them?”
“Wow. I had no idea, Teresa, we just found out that the institute owned them from reading an old publication. What would the renewal price be?”
“It depends, Kate. If you want to stand on your rights as land owner, something like half the value of the land would be reasonable for one-off payment on a long lease with a 'peppercorn rent', like they should be paying now. I presume they're not paying up, if you know nothing about it. Otherwise, you could charge a more normal rental. On this subject, the original sums charged look like they were bargain level. I don't know why they were so low.”
“From what we read, bad legal advice. But what's a peppercorn rent?”
“Annual rent of something insignificant, in your case, it's some bedding plants, I believe. What was the bad advice?”
“The formerly rich guy was running out of cash and decided to sell them quickly, so he sold them dirt cheap. He then got sued for crashing the property market.”
“OK, so it wasn't gifts to friends or family, it was just foolish. We don't need to repeat that, but....”
“People might expect us to?”
“Leasehold law is really old, Kate. Even feudal, in parts. You can still lease land for half of the crops produced on it if you like, or one sheep per month, or in your case a dozen geraniums or equivalent every year. But I'm not really an expert in it. I'll consult with my colleagues to see if there's anything to watch out for.”
“OK, presume that we don't want to sell. Was there something about no digging?”
“Yes: no wells, or boreholes, no constructions over three stories or eleven metres tall, no excavation deeper than three metres.”
“I think we want those still.”
“The tunnels are real then? I saw they were in a line and looked it up.”
“I think I'd like to talk to you about that face to face, Teresa.”
“Of course, Kate.”
“What would a typical rent be if we wanted a normal rent?”
“Well, some of them are prime properties, Kate. I'll make enquiries, but for those, it should be lots. And if the current tennants aren't expecting anything, then it's going to come as a nasty shock to them. Let's be realistic, Kate, for the past hundred and seventy five plus years they've had a lease which cost them practically no rent. They may think they've got freehold. If you suddenly demand commercial rates then we'll be fought tooth and nail, sudden claims of that much would mean the end for some business, I expect.”
“And if we don't demand commercial rates then we're undercutting the market and damaging our neighbours property values again?”
“Yes, I expect so.”
“I'll let you talk to your colleagues, and then could you come and talk about options some time in the next few days? ”
“Of course Kate. Shall we say at ten on Thursday morning?”
“That sounds good.”
“See you then, then.”
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“Sarah, can you find anything in your pet's memory about those leases?”
“I'll have a look. Why, wasn't Teresa going to look them up?”
“She says they're still valid from what she's found, but I was wondering if someone had left any notes or letters about them. Teresa's coming on Thursday morning, but she's getting advice, so if you find anything it'd be good to forward it to her”
“OK. I'll look into it.”
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THURSDAY 19TH OCT, 10AM
“Hi Teresa, no trouble getting in, I hope?”
“You mean past the angry crowds waving agricultural implements? No, just one old woman wondering how the metalwork gets put up so quickly, since it wasn't there when she left home this morning, and she's never seen the lorry delivering it and taking it down.”
“Did you enlighten her?”
“Yes. I hope that's no breach of security.”
“I don't think so. How did she react.”
“I think it was 'Oh yes, that explains it. But how do they put the flowers back?' Or something along those lines.”
“Ah, clearly a most dangerous spy then.” Kate surmised.
“She might have been joking, Kate. We could easily discover that she helped install the things in her youth.” Sarah suggested.
“Thanks for those letters, Sarah. They're really useful. None of the tenants should be surprised that they are tenants. You've seen them, Kate?”
“Yes. I wish someone had told me that the computer was sending them every five years.”
It had been set up as an automatic system. The letter politely requested that they remember to pay their rent of one dozen annual bedding plants, to be delivered to the head gardener on the first day of spring each year. It also reminded the tenants of the other conditions of the lease. Furthermore, it added that the institute currently had no plans to increase the rent to longstanding tenants when their lease came up for renewal. Kate added “I think it would be good to honour them, but do they tie our hands at all for everyone?”
“Not really. And you can change policy if you like.”
“I think I'd like to keep it. It'd look bad to send out reassuring letters for a hundred and sixty five years and then say, nope, we've changed our mind, give us lots of money. Could you check how many current tenants are 'longstanding', according to the letter, Teresa?”
“Of course. And what about the others?”
Kate looked at the list of current tenants Teresa had provided “I can't believe that all of these in-fashion-now shops have been there thirty or more years. They don't normally last that long. In fact, I don't remember any of these being around when I was a student.”
“No, it doesn't seem likely. For them, I think you could easily start charging commercial rates. Their accountants must love the idea of twelve bedding plants per year for rent. They're paying up?”
“Yes, almost all of them, I checked. What about the small businesses?” Kate asked.
“Tricky. I think we should negotiate, and make the period shorter. Fifty years your note said?”
“Yes. That was the advice from my colleague. With regular reviews of the rental amount. Also, we can tie the lease to the company or individual, so if they sell up then the ground rent needs re-negotiating.”
“Wouldn't that make selling harder?”
“Of course. Any lease on the ground should make it harder to sell. But on the other hand, I'd assume you don't want to make it preferable for the big name to buy out the local business next door to get the lower rent.”
“No, We don't, you're right.” Kate agreed.
“So really, I can't understand why no one has been knocking at your door for a renegotiation of the lease period. And what do you want to do about that four story restaurant they're building here?” Teresa tapped the map in front of them.
“They're on track to break the lease conditions. What can we do?”
“If they build higher, or dig deeper, you can reclaim the land. They possibly have the right to the buildings, but if they want them then they'd need to take them off your land.”
“But it's not automatic?” Kate queried.
“No. You'd need to go to court to evict them. Either they're ignoring advice or someone didn't check the land deeds carefully, I don't know who, but I'm glad to say it wasn't a colleague of mine. It'd be an expensive case of professional misconduct.”
“What are the other options?” Sarah asked.
Teresa ticked them off on her fingers: “I tell them they're not going to put the fourth story on, they renegotiate the lease, or buy the freehold. Not acting might be interpreted as waiving those conditions on everyone's lease. So, is there a tunnel under there, Kate? Pulling down their building is not going to make friends.”
“I don't actually know. Sarah, I should have asked ages ago, can you check your pet? Teresa, there might be a tunnel on this branch” she indicated on the map “but we don't yet know how to get into it if there is. But we certainly don't want people building enormous things on the other branch. There is one there, getting quite a lot of use at the moment.”
“Oh. So, no selling the land freehold, and no turning a blind eye?” Teresa asked. Kate nodded. “So Kate, do you want me to start with a gentle reminder, or threats?”
“Oh, a gentle reminder and if they don't respond, say, after twenty-four hours, then you can start making them wish they had.”
“OK.” Teresa grinned in anticipation. She did enjoy court work. It wasn't every day she got to rip someone's expansion plans to shreds, but there was no defense for ignoring that lease.
“Sarah, have you found anything on the tunnels in your pet?” Kate asked, hopefully. “Yes Kate, it seems there is. We really should have looked earlier. I think we've got the entire history, engineering plans, everything.”
“Wow. So, is there another tunnel?”
“Yes, there is. I think. Look here.”
She pulled the site plan she'd been looking at onto the main display. “It comes up in the courtyard. That's near the green house, isn't it?”
Kate looked and laughed. “No wonder we don't know about it. That's where the compost heap is, Sarah.”
“Oh. Lovely. I wonder if the tunnel's usable.”
“So do I. Does it go to the same destination?”
“No, Kate. I'm not sure where it goes. It seems to stop short. Did he have a house in that area?”
“Not that I know of. So, something might exist Teresa, we're not sure where it goes or why, and we'd presumably need to get an engineer to see if its safe, I guess.”
“And it could be filled with two centuries of mouldy leaves, or worse, if it does exist.” Teresa added.
“But we certainly don't want anyone collapsing it, if its real. Assuming it goes somewhere it would be nice to have a second emergency exit.” Kate added.
“So, why don't you two just use your gift and think up the answer?” Teresa asked.
“Because we're not in a rush, and we don't want to use this gift if we can find out in more normal ways, Teresa. Let's allow someone to do some exploring.” Kate replied.
“Thank you, Kate. Good reasoning. Sarah's thought earlier makes me wonder, though. Might retired staff know anything? I presume that some people stop working here because of getting old rather than dying.”
“Now that's a very good idea, Teresa. I hadn't thought of that. Some even stop for family reasons.” Kate answered “That could be our better bet actually. The men generally can't seem to persuade themselves to leave until they're at death's door. But there are a few ladies I know who might love to come in for a natter about old times. I'll have to check their security status.”
“Or invite them to the owners' lounge?” Sarah suggested.
“A lovely idea, Sarah, but I think I'll do both. Meet the staff in the lounge, then a trip round the institute for those that want to. I'm sure Mable will want to see what Horrace is getting up to now.”
“His old boss?”
“Yes. She apparently used to call him her trainee replacement.”
“She must be getting on a bit then.” Sarah said after a few quick sums.
“Oh, she's not a hundred yet, Sarah. It might have been her that you talked to coming in today, Teresa. She did always have a wicked sense of humour and lives quite close.”
“And I'm sure with the recent publicity, ex-staff members are keen to meet the first confirmed case.” Teresa added.
“Speaking of publicity, how are you and Tony getting on?” Kate asked.
“O.K. but...” Teresa didn't finish her answer.
“But?” Prompted Kate.
“But I'm still not sure. He's nice, he's trustworthy, I like him well enough, he's head over heals in love with me, but I'm just not sure we've got enough in common, and I'm not sure if I'm pleased we're going out because I want us to or because he does so much.”
“That's not really a very happy place to be. Sorry to hear that.” Kate said. “I'll be praying for you; for both of you.”
“I don't want to give up on him yet, it's only been a fortnight, and he's nice to be with. Plus, it's going to be really hard on him if I ever do dump him, I can see that, and I don't want to hurt him like that. But, it's just, I keep wondering if it'll really work, and I wonder my feelings for him are genuine or a reflection of his for me.”
“It sounds like you need to do some other things together.” Sarah offered “You've talked quite a lot, I think, but what have you done together except eat?”
“Maybe that's it. We either talk together or eat together. He's busy with the wedding photography on Saturdays, I'm busy mid-week, plus several evenings, we haven't had many chances to spend more than a couple of hours together.”
“So, why don't you go with him to weddings on Saturdays, or spend Sunday together, and go a long walk after Church? or go bird-watching so he can find some legitimate targets for his long lens.” Sarah suggested.
“I know nothing about bird-watching, Sarah.”
“Then perhaps you should give it a try. See if he can get you enthusiastic about it. And then see what he thinks about your hobbies.” Kate chipped in.
“Worth a try, I suppose. I've no idea if he's ever been caving though.”
“You're a caver? I never knew!” Kate asked.
“Well, I can't go very often. Not many caves to explore nearby.”
Sarah thought to Kate [except under the compost heap.]
“But you've got all the stuff? And you like exploring dank, dark, dangerous places underground?” Kate probed further.
“Urm, yes. Why so interested, Kate? No, you're not about to suggest you'd let me explore your lost tunnel are you? You said it'd need an engineer.”
“Not alone, no.” said Kate the matchmaker. “But I'm sure you can recognise a dangerous crack in the roof, Teresa. I don't expect there will be as much squeezing through narrow places as you're used to, and there won't be much geology, I expect.”
“I wouldn't go alone, Kate. Have no fear. It's risky going as a pair, even. I don't suppose anyone else would be interested in joining in?”
“Well, I did a bit of underground research. You don't get so many crowds underground. ” Sarah admitted. “If you need another couple then I'm sure I can persuade John.”
“Threats?”
“No, I'll just tell him he's going to have a chance to meet Tony.”
“You can meet him any time, Sarah. I'm sure he's keen to meet you both.”
“Yes. Well. As long as it's understood this isn't an interview, so much as a double date, then I'm fine. When are we going, and from where can we borrow hard hats and so on?”
“I'll check if Tony's up for it first, I don't even know that he's not afraid of being underground.”
“Then, on that note, Teresa, we'll let you go and spread fear and despondency amongst that restaurant's management structure, I'll sort out a staff reunion and we'll see where that gets us. Let us know what Tony thinks. I think I'd actually like to hear what the ex-staff say about it before anyone goes down that other tunnel, by the way. I think I'll get John to draft a letter to each of our different categories of tenant, then we'll let you put in the legalese, Teresa.”
“Sounds good to me.”
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“So John, there you have it. One letter to each category. Individuals get a twenty year lease, subject the same rent and conditions as before, or if they want longer one we can increase their lease length in return for a lump sum or rent. Long term established commercial properties get fifty years, and they keep their current rate for the next ten years, becoming commercial rate if they sell up, and warn them it'll progressively head towards commercial rates after that. Multinationals get a fifty year lease at commercial rates, unless they're long term tenants in which case they can double their rent to twenty four bedding plants, same increase as before. Does that cover everyone?”
“What about recent, non-multinational commercial?”
“Let them know what the commercial rent would be, aren't they glad for the last X years of peppercorn rents they've been paying, and invite them to discuss what their rent should be. If they do come, I want to see their last few years registered accounts, to know how many staff they have, and so on. I do not want to have our people here worried about job cuts if our tenants are rolling in cash because of our generosity, but nor do I want to put anyone out of business.”
“Got it. Caring, but not naïve.”
“Yes.”
“And I guess we invite them here, not the owners's lounge?”
“Oh here! No question. That place reaks of old money. Small conference room. Functional, but with budget furniture.”
“I take it we don't show off the interesting things in the lab, either.”
“No, John. Nor do we let Ivan or Horrace near them.”
“Kate, there are some things I don't need telling!”
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THURSDAY EVENING
“Tony, are you busy again on Saturday?”
“Yes, sorry. Three weddings.”
“Well, it keeps the cash coming in. A friend of mine suggested that weddings are public events and you might just like an assistant. I'll be on my very best behaivior, honest!”
“I don't think I've ever seen you behaving badly. Of course I'd love you to be there. There's always boring times and then things to carry around, if you don't mind. It'd be good if you could help arrange people too.”
“Good. And then afterwards you can try and demonstrate the delights of birdwatching or another hobby of your choosing.”
“Urm, OK. I didn't think you liked it.”
“I don't know if I like it, I've never done it. Have you ever been caving?”
“You mean, in a dark wet cave with lights on your head? No. Why?”
“Because you might get the opportunity to try it out in return. Tony,
I'm trying to work out if we can develop common hobbies. Things we both enjoy, at least a little, for the sake of the other. Otherwise, I don't know we're going to last.”
“Thank you, Teresa. You're wise.”
“Just my and other people's experience, Tony.”
“So the theory goes that we need to find things we enjoy doing together?”
“Yes. Tony, don't you think that's important?”
“Sounds sensible. What have you enjoyed doing this week?”
“At work, or out of work? At work I issued a nicely worded declaration of war today, does that count?”
“I presume you mean that metaphorically?”
“Sort of. I told a restaurant chain that although they had planning permission to build their restaurant twice as high as it had been, they'd forgotten the little step of asking their landlord.”
“How on earth did they do that?” Tony was surprised.
“Quite possibly didn't know they had one. Peppercorn rent hadn't been paid for a while before they bought the building, and they've not been paying it. But that doesn't mean the land is theirs, or that they can ignore other terms in the lease.”
“Oops. So their lawyer probably didn't do their job properly?”
“Exactly. Fortunately it doesn't look like I'm going to ruin his career, just his peace of mind in retirement.”
“Oh. So you know who it was?”
“Not by name, I got a reply back saying they were shocked to hear that, and that their legal advisor would contact me soon, but the one who'd done the purchase had retired.”
“So, what happens now?”
“They either decide to move, leaving my client with a building site, or they put the roof on instead of a fourth floor. ”
“Can't they renegotiate that part of the lease for a large chunk of money?”
“Not really. Apparently it's not good to have a high building above a possibly-there tunnel.”
“A possibly-there tunnel? The institute?”
“Yes. Covered under reporting ban though.”
“And that's where we might go for a date, finding out if the tunnel exists?”
“There you go again, leaping to conclusions. Yes.”
“So it's not so much squeezing through interesting geology in the bowels of the earth as looking to see if a tunnel has got a cracked roof or not?”
“Not to mention where it goes, if anywhere. There shouldn't be too many places where we go crawling on our stomachs, unfortunately, but roughly speaking, that would be the plan. Not this week though.”
“I wonder if my grandad knows anything.”
“Worth asking. Kate's going to ask the institute's ex-staff. Oh, we won't be going alone, by the way, it would be too risky.”
“I imagine wrist units won't connect down there.”
“Probably not, they don't usually. But you're not scared of the idea?”
“No. Should I be?”
“I think it'll be moderatly fun. Not as much fun as a real cave of course.”
“Teresa, I really can't imagine you getting mud in your hair and calling it fun.”
“Ah well, that proves how little you know me then doesn't it?”
“I guess so. So you don't mind the idea of wandering through a muddy forest trying to get closer to a bird you can hear but not see? I thought you were always so well presented that you'd never risk your manicure. That's why I never suggested it, you seemed too refined to go getting muddy.”
“Tony Randle! Can I tell you that you're a first class idiot?”
“Urm. Yes. Can I know why?”
“Because, by shutting me off from the non-work parts of your life and not asking about mine, you've made me think we have very little in common. This -” she indicated her immaculate outfit “- this is just work clothes, because you met me from work, remember? Posh restaurants demand posh clothes, and it shows respect if you're smart at church. None of that is my leisure wear, but you assume I'd never get my hands dirty!”
“I'm sorry. Teresa. So, can we do something in leisure wear after work tomorrow?”
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
“Yes. Let's go for a walk, and have a picnic in the woods you were up that tree in. Bring good walking shoes, and something to drink and I'll plan the rest. OK?”
“It's a deal. Now, there always seems to have been a reason it didn't happen before, but.... may I walk you home, Teresa?”
“You may, Tony. In fact, I'd like you to.”
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9 AM, FRIDAY 20TH OCT
Teresa was in the middle of a phonecall. “Yes, I understand that your position is that it was an honest mistake, but there was nevertheless negligence. And wilfull negligence at that. A letter was sent to your client within about a month of them taking possession of the property, stating the terms and remaining duration of the lease. I'm sorry that your predecessor didn't leave any record, but the fact is that it was sent, it was received. The administrators of the company bear the responsibility under law for what has happened. I'm under instructions to uphold the conditions of the lease, or if they are breached any further to begin proceedings to evict.”
“I'm sure that your client is open to negotiation on renewal and terms, surely a new agreement could be reached which doesn't include such crazy conditions, you must appreciate the investment my client has made in this project.”
“Yes, we're aware of the investment, and presumably your client is not planning on abandoning the improvements they have made in the site. As for the ridiculous provisions, yes the flowers will not appear in any new contract, you may assure your client that my client will be seeking a more reasonable rent for the site. The limitation on building works will remain, to avoid damage to the original investment and development of the site.” Teresa was having fun.
“I'm sorry, what original investment in the site? I wasn't calling the flowers crazy, but the development restrictions.”
“It is public knowledge. The previous owner, who left the Institute the property as a legacy, envisaged an extensive network of tunnels. With the United Nations reporting restrictions in place, of course you will understand that it is now impossible for me to comment on whether the tunnels are in use or not. However those 'crazy restrictions' as you call them were put in place by the engineers involved in that project. It would be most foolhardy to ignore them. They are non-negotiable, and should our surveyors find that your client has ignored them then we will immediately begin repossession proceedings to prevent destruction of property. You should perhaps remind your client that they have failed to pay the rent specified in the lease and we are therefore at liberty to terminate their possession of the site at will. Given the nature of the stipulated rent, payment at this time of the year would hardly be appropriate.”
There was a spluttering at the other end of the connection, so Teresa tried to be helpful “In your position I expect I would strongly recommend your client immediately ceases excavation work, I believe they are very close to breaching the non-negotiable provisions, and that they amend their plans such that the structure does not exceed the maximum height or number of floors.”
“They'll have kittens if I tell them that.” said the man on the other end of the line. Teresa smiled to herself, glad it wasn't a video call.
“But they'll keep the site. In the circumstances, I am sure that my client will consider your clients speed to react to this unfortunate situation when setting the level of rent under the next lease, and so a speedy reaction might avoid full market rates.”
“Can I quote you on that?”
“You're not recording? I had assumed that you were.”
Technically, legally, he should have asked if he was. So Teresa had just handed him a length of rope to hang himself with. She wondered if he would accept it.
“I'm not in the habit of recording calls without prior consent.” so, he wasn't that naïve, Teresa decided. That was too bad. Probably no courtcase then.
She decided it was time to end the call. “I don't know there's any more to discuss, so I'll leave you to discuss things with your client. But do get in touch if there are more queries.”
“Thankyou. I think you've made the Institute's position very clear. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.” Teresa noted down what she'd told them and the time, and went to make herself a cup of tea. Quite a good conversation really.
In the restaurant chain's office, the mood was a little different.
“She didn't move a micron did she.” commented James, the manager, who'd been listening in.
“Well, you could count not getting charged full commercial rates next year as a little bit of motion. But whatever you decide, James, call the site now and make sure they don't start that borehole drill.”
“She didn't say anything about that.” protested James.
“She didn't need to. Look James, they've got us over a barrel right from the start, you really shouldn't have ignored Henry's advice on this, you know. She was careful, but she got as close as she could to telling us that the institute's got an exit tunnel under the site. They've got good justification for those rules and I really doubt you'll find an engineer who'll tell you it's safe to ignore them. You heard her, those rules were laid down by the guys that built it. You've lost the top floor. If you go drilling through their escape tunnel, then you're going to lose the whole site. No compensation, nothing. You keep digging the cellar, you lose the site. You build too high, you lose the site. You be a good boy for once, and they'll let you open ahead of schedule and pay them a discounted rent. The law's on her side, the only question is whether you accept her warning and keep the site, break those terms and lose it, or get fined for damages too.”
James shook his head in disbelief “I'm not paying you to give in like this. Fight her, can't you?”
“I'll fight if you want, but you've lost. And if you don't stop excavation and drilling and something gets broken, then I'm going to have to tell the court that knowing the landlord had underground structures you did not inform the construction workers and allowed them to damage them. As your legal advisor, my warning to you is that the court might then decide you are personally liable for the repair bill and an unfit manager, and the shareholders will probably hold you responsible for this whole fiasco. They could sue you for the cost of the site, not to mention that they'll maybe notice you used company money to buy the site from yourself at freehold prices, when with only four years of lease left the true value of the site was peanuts. James, you can't win. The only question is how much you lose by.”
“Fine! I'll call the site manager. You stay and listen in as a witness.”
“Anything you say, James.” the lawyer said, “anything you say. Just don't forget to pay me. I'm going to be asking for cash as usual, and you won't mind me asking you to settle up weekly instead of monthly I'm sure, just while there's so much uncertainty in the air.”
James didn't reply. It was safer that way. This lawyer knew too much to alienate with angry words.
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TUESDAY, 24TH OCTOBER, 9AM
“How was the little reunion, Kate?” Teresa asked.
“Lots of fun sharing old memories, Sarah amazed them all, and the conclusion about that second tunnel is no-one knew where it went, but Mabel knew it existed.”
“Oh. Did she say how she knew?” Teresa asked.
“Told about it when she joined up. Apparently it went something like 'Oh, there's another tunnel starting under the compost heap. No good to anyone now.”
“I looked at an old map last night, Kate. I think I've got the answer.” Sarah offered.
“Oh?”
“What happened about a hundred years ago that changed the way people move around the city?”
“Urm, a hundred years ago? Start of the population decline?” Kate guessed.
“No, want another guess?” Sarah asked.
“Pool transport?” Teresa offered.
“Exactly. People don't need to go to a certain place to wait ten minutes catch a train or bus to get around the city. Waiting time is reduced, so even at busy places instead of a massive surge of people every fifteen minutes you get a constant stream. But, when our tunnel was built, there were still underground railways to the central railway hubs and all the rest. Our second tunnel stops just beside one of those, according to the plans.”
“Of course! That makes good sense. If he were travelling far, he'd be able to get to the station in safety, get lost in the crowd, and then on to an airport or whatever.” Kate agreed.
“The computer has the plans for a third tunnel too, between the rail terminus and the store, and of course we've got leases there too. I don't have any records about it being built though.” Sarah added.
“So, there probably is a tunnel, and it probably goes to the underground rail network, and while it hasn't been used for a hundred years it would be useful for you to know it exists?” Teresa asked.
“Yes.” Kate agreed. “For instance, if it's at all usable then it would be an alternative route for Karen's security detail to know about. And also, it should be incorporated into the security system.”
“I thought Karen would stop working here once term restarted.” Teresa said, confused.
“Well, yes, so did she.” Kate answered “But there are still experiments she's happy to take part in, George is still here until next week's trial, and she's happy to have the extra book money. So, she's here most evenings anyway and we've convinced her to do an hour's work for us when she comes.”
“I wonder if she should be involved in the exploration.” Sarah thought aloud.
“I don't know... We don't want her breaking her leg again.” Teresa said.
“No, but she's got extra reasons to fear the dark now. You're right Sarah, it might be good to give her some exposure to a dark tunnel which doesn't end up with pain and suffering. I'll ask her, George too.”
“OK, I'll borrow enough gear for six of us.” Teresa said, then added “But if there are any more people wanting to come then that's going to be a separate group, OK?”
“That's fine Teresa. You're the expert. When were you thinking of going?”
“I'm free tonight, Tony is too, otherwise it'll be Friday, I think. Sarah?”
“We're free tonight too. But not on Friday.”
“I'll try and convince George.” Kate decided. “There's no point talking to Karen if he's not convinced.”
----------------------------------------
TUESDAY 6.30PM.
Karen arrived, dropped off by Dirk and Eliza, and held George's hand. [OK, George, what's the surprise that needs me to bring gardening clothes, and why are Sarah and John still here? And what's Teresa doing here in that outfit, other than looking really relaxed and happy... And maybe excited? I don't think I've seen her excited before or this relaxed. I presume that man's Tony?] [Yes that's him. Teresa's relaxed because apparently she doesn't like dressing up lawyer fashion and making sure she stays spotless all the time, I guess the strain shows. And she's happy and somewhat excited because the evening's entertainment is her favourite pastime.]
[And looking at what she's wearing, I'm guessing it's not actual gardening, is it? I mean, those knee and elbow protectors look like serious bit of metalwork and that yellow's really bright.]
[It is, isn't it? You should have seen Tony's eyes when he got here and saw her in it. No. Not gardening, but the first step is to move the compost heap. Karen, there's no pressure on you, but Kate thought it might help your long term healing. If you want us to stay here we can, but we're invited too. They're going to go exploring the second tunnel.]
[Another tunnel? Where does it go?]
[Some guesses, no one's sure. No one knows if it's still usable or caved in or what. Sarah thinks it links to an underground portion of an old rail terminus.]
[And from there to where I broke my leg?]
[Possibly. Yes.]
[And as a disused tunnel, there may or may not be lights?]
[I think Teresa would be very very disappointed if there were. She's got lights for us all.]
[And I wouldn't be alone, and I wouldn't be lost. And it would be good to have a nice memory of a dark tunnel?]
[Exactly. And you might have noticed that we're all couples. Kate said the idea came up partly for Tony and Teresa's sake. She wasn't sure they really had much in common, so this is a way of introducing him to her hobby.]
[And let them focus on each other?]
[Without being too obvious about it, yes.}
[I'm sure we can do that.]
[You're coming?]
[Yes, of course George. It's not exactly a walk in the park, but I like walking with you.]
[Heads up, guys,] Sarah sent [Tony's coming to say hello.]
Karen looked round. “Hello, I'm Karen, you must be Tony. How's life as a full time reporter?”
“Not as bad as it might be, but ... Teresa was right. I'm junior boy in the office, and I get the jobs no one else wants. Except... I'd like to talk to you some time about a trip they want me to make. Bob has nominated me as his deputy when it comes to reporting about the power in far flung places. His Doctor has warned him to avoid long flights.”
“Yes he warned me you'd like to chat sometime. Did you have any particular questions?”
“Well, there's the issue of how I meet a... what was the term.. Truthspeaker?”
“Truth-sayer.” Karen corrected.
“Thank you. I presume you can't just look them up in the phone-book.”
“Urm, I'm not sure. You might be able to. Probably more so now that the president has one with him publicly. There was a period when educated people there treated it as a myth, but the country people knew better. Now, well our little paper has proven that the villagers were right and I dare say there are a few advertising their services in the towns too. In the villages, well, people know how to get hold of one when necessary.”
“That's interesting. Am I going to be able to find one who speaks English?”
“Trickier. You might need to use an interpreter. But can we step back a bit? What are you looking for, really? What can you learn there that you couldn't here?”
“I guess.. questions like what attitudes people show to them, those sorts of things.”
“So you want to interview several, young, old, and so on?”
“Yes. And some members of the general public too.”
“That's quite a list. If you want them all to speak good English, then you're really going to restrict yourself to the university-educated. So, I'd recommend an interpreter. Would you be interested in interviewing any particular people otherwise?”
“Well, I'd read that the President's just nominated his truth-sayer as his successor, so it'd be wonderful if I could interview her. But I'd expect that's out of the question.”
“It doesn't hurt to ask. Do you know much about the culture there?”
“Not really. But I know that it helps to know people there, far more than here. I don't suppose you know someone who knows her do you?”
Karen smiled. “Correct question at last, Tony. I can't help much with the rest of your wish list, but I just happen to have spent the best part of a night chatting and praying with Deborah a few weeks ago. So yes, I can ask her if she'd be able to talk.”
“You were praying with her? She's a Christian?”
“Yes. And no, I won't tell you why we were praying late into the night. She might choose to, but, if she does, you should not publish my name, position or anything about my family OK? You may describe me in a publication as 'a young woman from our country' and if you need to specify a location it was a spare room at my home. Got it?”
“Urm yes. I think so.”
“Sorry to be so official secrets about this, but she's going to have enough problems with some elements of the population there for being a woman, a Christian and a truth-sayer. If you say she was up late praying at our embassy with the ambassadors daughter, then that gives them all the more reason to attack her, as — I don't know — a tool of the imperialists or something, but it wasn't like that at all. She just needed a friend to pray with and somewhere safe to stay for a while, and other friends weren't around at the time. OK?”
“Her life was in danger?”
“I can't tell you more without asking her permission, Tony.”
“I understand. Thank you. But you think she'll talk to me?”
“Her betrothed speaks English. I expect he'll translate for you. It wouldn't be proper for her to talk to you without someone there with her. Remember that by the way. Don't seek to talk to any woman under about eighty alone. Always stay in public and in sight of someone, or make her have a male relative with her. Otherwise you're heading to a shotgun wedding if she's not married, or a shallow grave if she is. Neither of those would make Teresa happy, I think.”
“What wouldn't make me happy, Karen?”
“Tony was just telling me that he's maybe going to interview people where I grew up. I'm just telling him how interviewing an unmarried woman in private could turn into a shotgun wedding by nightfall.”
“I'm not that happy at the idea of him abandoning me for a fortnight, Karen, please don't give me nightmares.”
“I warned him to keep him safe for you, Teresa. Should we go and move some compost?”
“You're coming?”
“Of course. I think your outfit's bright enough that even if every light fails then we'll still see.”
“Nice thought, but unfortunately untrue.”
“George was saying that you'd be really disappointed if there were working light fixtures down there.”
“I'd look a bit silly in my caving gear if there were, wouldn't I?”
“Perhaps well prepared is a better description. Shall we go?”
“Yes, let's. I hope someone has the tool-shed keys. Sarah, was that going to be your job, or John's?”
“John's, but I reminded him just on time, so I want at least half the credit.”
“I'd hang my head in shame.” John said, “Except I'd actually got them already, and what I went to get was this for my beloved wife.” and reaching down behind his chair, he brought out a bunch of flowers, “Happy anniversary, Sarah.”
Sarah thought back in time. “Of what?”
“Pseudo pizza, red box and blue box, four months today.”
“And happy anniversary, Karen.” George said, bringing out another bunch of flowers. “Three months since you rescued me.”
Accepting the flowers, Karen reached into her bag for a box, which she presented to George. “Happy anniversary, George! And thank you for remembering. You can share my flowers if I can share your chocolates.”
Both gifted couples kissed briefly, with their thoughts hidden to avoid feedback. “Teresa, should I take the chocolates down into the tunnel as emergency rations?” George asked.
“Only if you share them, otherwise we'll have to eat your leg. No, actually, I've got emergency food, water, and medical stuff in my bag there, just in case. So it's probably best if you keep your hands free. You don't want to have to carry stuff if there's any tight spots to get through.”
“OK. So, lets leave all the gifts here until we're back.” John suggested.
Once they'd cleared the compost heap, which didn't really take that long, they clustered round the area they'd cleared.
Teresa was the first to speak. “Urm, I don't suppose anyone knows exactly how we should open it, do you? It looks like just another concrete slab to me.”
“This can't be right.” Sarah said. “There must be some kind of release or something, even if it's well camouflaged.”
“I don't suppose the blocks could be new, could they?” John asked.
“This could be my shortest caving trip ever.” Teresa offered.
“I'll just ask Kate.” Karen offered, and rang her wrist unit. “Kate, we've just cleared the compost and found a concrete slab just like the rest of the concrete slabs in this part of the site. It hasn't been covered over in the last century has it?”
“I don't think so. Urm, look for something like the light-fitting in the cupboard. That's all I can suggest.”
“Thanks. Kate, bye” She ended the call and asked “Anything like the broom-cupboard release anywhere?”
“What about that light there?” Sarah asked, pointing at one just beside where the heap had been. It was too high for most people to reach.
“Give me a lift up please George.” Karen said, and with his help gave the fitting a tug. It moved a bit.
“How about if no one stood on it?” suggested Sarah, noticing that George had one foot on the suspected entrance and Tony was on it too.
“Oops. Sorry.”
Karen tried again, and this time it moved more freely, and the block moved, a little. Then the block and the fitting stuck.
“I wonder if there's some grot in the workings.” Sarah suggested. “What did it feel like, Karen?”
“Like it had a lot of inertia, and I guess it's counter balanced. There's no leverage though. I get the feeling that a matchstick could stop me from moving it.”
“There was a pressure washer in the toolshed.” John said. “Shall we try giving it a good clean around the edges?”
“Yes, let's” Sarah agreed “It must be waterproof after all.”
It didn't take very long, and Teresa enthusiastically brushed the grot out of the way.
“Teresa, you're getting soaked!” Tony warned her.
She laughed, “It's not proper caving if you're not a bit damp, Tony. Karen's threatened me with lamps. For all I know, there could be carpet down there too. Let me have some fun, can't you?”
“Of course, love. I just didn't realise you liked getting dirty so much.”
“Well, now you do.” Turning to Karen, she reported “I can't see anything else to clean out Karen, do you want to try again, or shall we see if Tony can lift me?”
“I'm happy either way.” she responded. “Tony, any history of a bad back?”
“No, if you don't mind Teresa?”
“I suggested it, remember? You could squat against the wall and I'll tread on your knees if you like, then your back stays out of it.”
“I think I'd prefer to lift you.”
“Then we'll do it like this.” And she explained how he should hold her and lift her up. “Is that from caving?”
“No, from dancing.”
“Interesting dance.”
“My wild youth. hopefully with that lift you should be able to get me nice and high and hold me a while. I'm not sure I need to be that high, of course, so we can go back to the living step ladder if you prefer. That one is one I learned when caving.”
“Let's try.”
Teresa jumped, Tony lifted, and Teresa went up. Higher than George had lifted Karen.
She pulled on the light fitting and as it went down the slab pivoted up until it was at forty-five degrees. There were steps down, and no carpet. A bucket at the bottom of the stairs held an old fashioned metal battery operated light, sticking out of the water which reached to the brim.
“I don't think the doorway's waterproof, Sarah.” Teresa said, as Tony let her down. “And I don't think that the supplied lighting equipment is going to work very well either.”
“Well, there's a drain, so that's almost as good as waterproof.” Sarah said.
“Putting that bucket there wasn't the best idea though. Look, a miniature stalactite right above it.” Teresa said with a grin. She'd seen the tell-tale signs in the mud on the floor that at least sometimes the drain hadn't coped with the rainfall. It looked like she was going to do something pretty close to real caving. She looked up. The sky was clear, and she knew the forecast had said no rain. “OK friends, shall we boldly go where no one has been for something like a hundred years? If so, then you guys put the tools away and I'll get my bag.”
It was an old old safety measure, but that didn't make it any less important. Taking a white piece of board from her bag she wrote on it with a wax marker, the date, time, six people descended here, not returned. She also wrote Kate's number on it, and called her. “Kate, just so you know, we're about to go down, there's signs that at least sometimes water gets in at the doorway, and I'm not sure how the door opens from the inside. From the outside there's a light fitting you need to pull. You'll need a step ladder to go up, or a hook to pull it with. A hoe ought to do, but it was more fun getting Tony to lift me. The block lifts so make sure you're not on it. Does that all make sense?”
“Yes, and don't forget you've got four people with you who can call me for help, if need be.”
“I know Kate. But I'm just telling you this in case they can't. I've got a bad air detector and all the rest, but accidents still happen, and it doesn't hurt to be prepared, does it? If you do happen to get a lot of rain, then please do let us know. I don't have scuba stuff.”
“You think the tunnel might flood?”
“I don't know Kate. There's a floor drain, but there is also sighs of water going into the tunnel. For all I know there could be a blockage and all the rain-water from the institute's roof, or even the whole street, could come gushing up through that drain. Just because it was OK when it was built, It doesn't mean it is now. Something might have changed. Oh, I'll also leave a compressed air horn by the entrance. It should penetrate quite a way down the tunnel if someone needs to warn us of a problem.”
“You've tried to think of everything, haven't you? Thank you.”
“I'm treating it like a real caving trip, Kate. Those water marks make it look real enough to me.”
“OK, have a lovely time Teresa,”
“I expect to, Kate. I expect to. Bye.”
Turning to her friends as she ended the call, Teresa said “Did you hear that? We don't take chances with rain and caves. I'd rather fly a kite near a thunderstorm than be down in a cave when it's raining. Everyone strap on a helmet, in a real cave I'd say that you will hit your head at least once, down here I don't know, but it's got your light on it so don't take it off anyway.”
She explained how to adjust the helmets, and other safety rules. “And the most important rule of all is: make sure you can find your way out. So we have a nice visible thread to follow, and we have chalk to mark walls. Since we think we're in a corridor, we'll just tie the string here and let it pay out behind us. Otherwise we'd be marking the walls every so often so we could retrace our steps without the thread. Oh, and enjoy yourselves, it's an adventure. If anyone finds something interesting, tell me, I've got a camera in my helmet. Any questions?”
“Who leads?” Sarah asked.
“Tony and me, then Karen and George, then you and John, since you've done this sort of thing before and Karen maybe has reasons to get nervous.”
“I don't think I will panic with all these precautions, but yes, the dark can get worrying, thank you. Should we be making a map?”
“Oh, thanks, I forgot to turn it on.” She fiddled with a little box clipped to her belt. “Miniature inertial tracker. It won't be incredibly accurate, but it sure beats estimating.”
“How accurate is it?” Sarah asked, curious.
“About a metre in a kilometre for normal walking, more like one metre in fifty if I end up inching along on my elbows.”
“Sounds a wonderful tool.” Karen said. “Could it give directions out if we got lost?”
“Not on its own, but you can get a track from it on a wrist-unit. But I wouldn't trust it not to take me down a wrong turning. The thread and marks are much more reliable in that respect and don't flatten their batteries in six hours.”
“Good point.”
“Now one question I need to ask before we leave... Since bushes are going to be rare down there, has everyone used the little boy's or girls' room?”
Red faced, George said “oops” and headed in the appropriate direction. Karen decided she'd go too.
Teresa wasn't surprised. In fact it was often her sneaking off with a red face. There was always so much to do and check that mundane things slipped the mind. Eventually everyone and everything was ready. Down they went. As caving trips went, this one scored about zero out of ten for difficulty, Teresa was just deciding. It had been mostly level after the second lot of steps, just a gentle slope down really, and almost perfectly straight. Then they reached a bend, where the tunnel actually bent down as well as round. After the corner there was a slope down, quite a bit steeper. She couldn't see anything in the distance because of another corner, but she thought she heard something that sounded like water dripping. She stopped and motioned for silence. There it was again. Plink. “OK, people, did you hear that?”
“Water?” asked John.
“Yes. It could just be a puddle, but I've been seeing water trails on the floor. That wouldn't worry me, much, but I've just heard a drip from above. Therefore, I'm going to check my map. You may think up reasons while I do.”
“It could be a leak from a drain, or a pond or something.” Sarah guessed.
“Or some kind of old river that someone built over ages ago.” suggested Karen.
“But it means some kind of crack in the tunnel, surely.” John said.
“Is there a hint in what this tunnel is doing?” asked Tony.
“Yes” muttered Teresa, still looking at her wrist unit. “Sarah, You've looked at the plans. What's this deviation for? My guess is they were aiming to go under something but missed.”
“Urm. Hold on, I put a copy of everything on my wrist unit.”
“Good thinking. We're about fifteen hundred metres from the institute, by the way.”
“Here it is. Hazard thirty five. I've got the excavation log here too. Four metre diameter rail tunnel crossing ideal path, officially at ten metres below ground. Path deepened to avoid intersect. Located concrete at fifteen metres depth. Back-filled and descended four metres, off course, to edge of property. No sign of concrete on resuming course.”
“So they guessed that it was the rail tunnel and went under it?”
“I guess so. But Karen's right too. There is an underground stream marked on my map. I was confused because the rail is marked following the same path here.”
“So we're about to go under a stream, with a leaky roof above us? Is that a problem? “Tony asked.
“Probably not, but the water might be interestingly deep. Let's go and see. Anyone sees any cracks in the wall, tell me, please.”
“How deep is interesting?” John asked.
“Oh, your leg?” Teresa asked
“All the electronics are supposed to be waterproof, but I've never actually had it in anything deeper than a bath. I'm going to get nervous much beyond knee high.”
“Well, I'm dressed for it, so I'll go first whatever, and we've got ropes, so if we can't see the bottom really clearly, or there's any flow at all, we'll use those. Just in case.”
“Are you worried, Teresa?” Tony asked
“No, excited. But I trust natural rock better than concrete. Especially concrete which has a stream of unknown proportions above it and is dripping. I wonder how much of the stream's concrete they chewed off when they ran into it.”
“I don't really want to find out from down here Teresa.” Karen said, starting to feel nervous.
“Sorry, Karen. Lets go and see how big this puddle is.” They went down the slope and round the corner. Their lights played on the surface of the water, which stretched off into the distance. Overhead were rows of small stalactites, each with its drip of water.
They seemed to be where the concrete blocks joined. There were no signs of any cracks in the walls or ceilings. The water itself started very shallow, of course “Well, here goes! I hope you don't mind wet feet, everyone.”
George looked at Karen's footwear. Canvas shoes, suitable for weeding on a dry day. “Karen, those shoes would get ruined... you know I can carry you.”
“Yes, George.” she said, then switched to thought for better privacy.
[You're not worried about feedback?]
[As long as we don't touch...]
“I don't really want these shoes ruined, but I was thinking I'd go barefoot.”
“There could be sharp stones and things. Not wise.” [I'll carry you, my love.] George answered in thought and word.
[Thank you, George.]
Tony noticed the way their conversation had quiet gaps in it. It was obvious they were thinking together, which was only reasonable, he supposed, since he knew they could. But it did remind him that he and Teresa were among a select group.
“Is it deliberate that there are four people with the gift down here?”
“Urm, not really Tony. It's deliberate that there are in pairs, it was Teresa's limit on more than two and not more than six, else Ivan and Janet would be here too. I think Kate decided that adventure was better served second hand.”
“OK. Well, thanks for including me. I'd love to be able to do a write up about this journey.”
“Keep it as a story for your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.” Karen suggested.
“OK. I thought as much.”
“That reminds me, Teresa, how's Arnold doing?”
“I don't really know. They're keeping him under pretty close guard. I do understand that they're letting him run every day, which almost certainly helps.”
“Yes. It would. Shame they didn't before he went AWOL.”
“Yes. Oh, he said that Henry had been talking to him, and you'd be pleased to know that Burt and Mutt had obviously been paying close attention to what you and Henry'd said, too.”
“Praise God!” Karen said, echoed by George, Sarah and John.
“Am I allowed to know what that's about?” Tony asked.
“I feel a bit of a fraud, but I talked to them about pain, suffering and what was really important while they were rescuing me. Henry turned to Christ there in the tunnel, I guess I just confirmed what his wife and children had said. It sounds like the other two are listening to the gospel too, maybe even obeying it.”
“Oh!” Teresa said “I didn't realise that's what he was talking about. That's wonderful.”
“Why do you feel like a fraud, Karen?” Tony asked.
“Because while being carried along with a broken leg bone I told them how trivial pain was compared to Christ's suffering, but I was high on the peace at the time.”
“Urm, is 'the peace' some kind of drug?” Tony asked.
“Sorry, no. Much, much better than that.” Karen smiled in memory.
John felt Tony needed a far better answer than that. “It's part of the gift, Tony. We can focus our thoughts on the peace of God, and when we focus fully on it then it's almost like we are in a real place, but the rules are different. I guess it's a place where what you probably think of as Christian metaphors take on a semi-physical form, and you realise the truth of them. You can feel the burden of worries you're carrying and let them go, and the current washes them away. Pain is numbed, tears are wiped away. I was once taught that God's strong peace is the reason that the early martyrs endured burning with a hymn. Now, having had this taste of it, I'm convinced of it. Understandably, someone's first experience of it can be overwhelming. But, Karen, just because your mind was so aware of those spiritual realities, it doesn't make you a fraud. The truth has always been there in Scripture, after all. You didn't lie.”
“No, I didn't lie, but it wasn't my usual experience of the Christian walk either, I guess that's what I meant.”
“When Daniel's friends were in the furnace, that wasn't most people's normal Christian walk either.” Tony responded. “But that doesn't alter the reality of what God did for them. God revealed to you a spiritual reality, and you told them something you learned through that. That sounds like a valid testimony to me. And even if you didn't tell them the source, I'm pretty sure they guessed that you'd just had some kind of religious experience.”
“Their first guess was drugs or endorphins actually, but yes, I guess so. Have you talked to Arnold about your renewed faith Teresa?” Karen asked, moving the conversation away from herself .
“Urm, it hasn't ever seemed to be the right time. I only get a few minutes of visiting time per visit. But I do want to, and soon. And about Tony too.”
“I don't suppose they'd let me interview him about rescuing you, would they?”
Karen could answer that one “I'm an official secret, Tony. Well, my location on the planet and what I'm studying are. I've featured in various official photographs with my parents, that sort of thing, but never anywhere near where I'm lodging. Sorry. Kidnap and assassination risks.”
“Oh. I understand.”
“So, rather than standing around telling Tony things he can't publish, shall we get our toes wet?” Teresa asked, “Or shall we try and come back with some kind of a pump and big water-tank or several kilometres of hose?”
“I think we'll get our feet wet” Tony said. And they did. Teresa strode into the shallow water and thus became the one who found out how slippery the mud under the water was. “Ow! No steel plates there.” she said as Tony helped her up.
“Are you OK?”
“Hurt pride and a sore tail bone. Let that be a lesson to you. Don't rush, the ground is slippery. So go carefully George if you're really going to carry Karen.”
“I will, Teresa.”
[Karen, George, I don't know if we've ever told you.] Sarah said [You can pull back and focus lightly on the Peace. It takes a bit of concentration, but if you do then you don't need to turn off fully from the physical world. And it blocks the Pain, probably feedback too. Also if one of you watches the other's thoughts, then feedback doesn't happen either. Lessons from the thoughtful chicken incident, before we met you.]
[Thanks Sarah, I don't think I'll be touching George.] Karen said.
[You might find you don't need touch with that much contact. It probably depends on how you're feeling. Better to be safe in the Peace than George needing to drop you.] warned John.
Karen tried focussing lightly on the peace, didn't manage to do it lightly enough and almost fell over. George automatically grabbed her bare hand. There was a bit of feedback when she let go of the peace, so George hid.
“Thanks, George.” Karen said. “Shall we see if you can carry me?”
“Yes, Karen. Up you go!”
Karen focussed on peace, just lightly. John was right it was harder. She whispered “OK George, I'm slightly out of things for a bit. Out of the mud for you, and into the water.”
[We got feedback for a bit then John, just me steadying her. Just how much worse does it get?] George asked John as they followed Teresa into the water.
[I don't really know how to measure it, but there'd naturally be an emotional reaction in both of you when you stop her from falling. By about two weeks before the wedding we certainly couldn't have done the experiments you've done. By the day itself, well, hormones being what they are, every accidental touch wants to turn into a caress. That's just a mixture of excitement and biochemistry. You can imagine that feedback works similarly.]
[And now? I see you two holding hands now and again.]
[Yes. Now, feedback from hand contact isn't quite as strong, or maybe we're just used to getting the full scale version.]
[Oh.] George was glad of the darkness as he felt a blush rising.
[Not like that.] John noticed or guessed. [We'd actually almost been there with the thoughtful chicken. It's a bit like thinking together, but more emotional — feeling together I guess. Full emotional synchronisation, I guess. It's very intimate, but not quite what we expected.]
[So, our impression that unrestrained feedback leads to stripping each others clothes off and leaping into bed is wrong?]
[Urm, not very. But it encourages patience once you're there.] [Thank you for sharing that, John.] George thought. Just then, Teresa called a halt. She'd seen what looked like some water movement, and pointed it out. The tell-tale ripples at the side of the water, and the way that the silt they'd stirred up was slowly moving ahead of them.
“Maybe I'm just being overly cautious, given how shallow the water is here and the fact this tunnel is man-made, but in caves you can get sudden pools, or even sink holes where the water's rushing down a tube but you can't see much unusual on the surface, but the suction can pull you in. That... that wouldn't be nice. So, we're going to rope together. Sorry for the wasted effort George, sorry for your shoes Karen, but that means you're going to need to walk.”
“Oh well. I can try washing these shoes when I get home, and they weren't very expensive.”
“If you need to replace them, put the claim in to Kate, Karen.” John said. “She thought it'd be better to not let you have a long time to worry.”
“She was right, I think.” Karen affirmed. “Put me down George. It's not like I can't walk now.”
Once they'd roped themselves together, They proceeded on for another hundred metres, and then stopped in shock. Instead of the smooth surface of the tunnel roof and walls they were used to seeing, there was ragged hole in the roof, about a third of the way from one wall. It was roughly circular and about thirty centimetres diameter. Underneath it, there was another hole, with debris lying around — broken concrete and twisted reinforcing steel.
The water in the tunnel was swirling down the hole in the floor and they could see on the walls that the level of water had been higher once. As they looked, something like grey porridge dripped down from the hole in the ceiling. “Fresh cement.” George said. “Someone's drilled through the tunnel and is now trying to hide what they've done by cementing over the top.”
“I agree.” Teresa said. She checked where they were, according to her inertial navigation device, and tried her wrist unit. There was no signal. “Could one of you please tell Kate what we've found. I'll take photos but I think we need an engineer down here quickly, get whatever he needs for a report before this cement sets. We're under the restaurant, tell her.”
“Of course!” Sarah said.
[Kate, we're under the restaurant. There's a hole in the roof and in the floor, and there's fresh cement dripping from above. Teresa would like an engineer down here to inspect, assess, etc, before the cement dries.]
[Urm, does she know one?]
[Not sure.] “Teresa, Kate asks if you know one?”
“Not personally but if Kate doesn't then get her to call my partner, and ask who to call for an urgent damage assessment of a tunnel. Also I'd like to get the perpetrators of this mess questioned under oath.”
“We're considering this as an emergency exit for the institute, aren't we?” Karen asked.
“Yes.” Sarah agreed.
“Then tell her to ring Security, and explain the situation.”