BOOK 4: PREPARATION / CH. 15:TARGETS
WEDNESDAY 6TH DECEMBER, 9AM
“Oh, that sounds a good idea!” the queen had agreed when Albert raised the idea of Nigel, Bella and some others scouting out the rustic retreat, and had quickly asked Maria in to discuss it. “They would need to scout the area for potential risks, if you two're serious about going there. And a mixed group going for a long hiking weekend isn't going to attract nearly as much attention as if they go in officially. Maria, do you agree?”
“Yes. I do. And I agree that a mixed skill set is ideal. Eliza, you suggested Pris?”
“Yes, but without knowing many people in Security. It was more because she was looking exhausted, last time I saw her, and this seemed like a way of getting her to take a break.”
“She's not sleeping well. I think its the aftermath of all she's been through, but she's also been doing a lot of mental work and not moving much, which isn't like her. That probably doesn't help. So, I'm going to tell her she's going. Now it's sort of hijacking the trip for other purposes, but I'm going to give Pris another reason to go. Bella, you know Dirk and Eliza, I think?”
“Yes. I know them, Eliza's smart, but Dirk's got a reputation of talking too much to live down.”
“Yes. But he's being given a warning and some odd assignments recently, so far he's been quiet about them. You could call this a test of his resolve. He's good at spotting bugs, cameras and the like, even without technology, but he'll have it since that'll be his assignment. Eliza's there so that Pris can observe her more closely with a view to her reassignment and because she's showing signs of being a good people-reader. Nigel, you're group organizer. I'm fairly sure your brother is wasted in Analysis, and I've been considering him as a field operative for a few years. So, Bella, I'd like you to see if you can find out the real reason why he's avoiding that. With that potential field role in mind, for him it's a little test to see if he can work out everyone's secondary role, and his main role is going to be assessing if there might be risks from wildlife. So, you'll all have secondary assignments as well as walking all over the area checking for risks. You're going to be busy and exhausted. I'd like to suggest, Maam, that this be a four day trip, and certainly considered as work-time.”
“Approved.” The queen said. “When?”
“Nigel, can you find out when they've got space? Tell them you've got got a group of six of you who have some time you can be there in lieu of working weekends, and it can start anytime in next week or the week after, but with the impact and things it can't be much later. Oh, and keep the weekends clear if you can, we don't want to upset anyone.”
“Certainly. I'll get right on it. I assume you'll do the assigning to this excursion, Maam?” he asked Maria.
“Once you've sent me dates, yes.”
As Maria rose to leave Eliza asked “You majesty? Could I talk to you, Maria and Bella?”
“It sounds like we're un-invited.” Albert said to Nigel.
“You can stay, Albert, just we've already discussed this.”
“Oh, in that case, I'll stay and have an opportunity to see if I still agree with you.”
“That'll be interesting.” she said with a wicked smile. “You didn't last time.”
“Good bye, your Majesty, Albert, ladies. I'll run away now.” Nigel said, making rapidly for the door.
“There's gender solidarity for you!” Albert said to the closing door.
“So, Eliza, what are you disagreeing with Albert about?” the Queen asked.
“A task Bella been given, which seems relatively insoluble.”
“Oh? Do I know about this?” the queen asked.
“If it's the task I think it is, then yes.” Maria said. “Contacting the others with the power?”
“Yes.” Eliza agreed. “Bella's been thinking, I've been thinking, but neither of us can think of a way for Bella to make contact with everyone with the power without it taking months, unless we cheat. In which case, let's cheat properly and get it over with.”
“Cheat?” the queen asked.
“Option one is that, rather than Bella shaking hands with everyone in the service, I tell her where the people who she needs to think to are eating
lunch, or having a break, and she shakes hands with everyone on that table. Hey presto, contact made with everyone necessary within a week or so.”
“I like that one.” Albert said. “It's not invasive and it saves a lot of time.”
“Option two is that I speak into the minds of the relevant people, telling them to contact Bella unless they want to pretend they can't hear me.”
“I see. Yes, that's a little more direct.”
“Personally, I prefer option three. I give you a list of names, Maria, and you give a few orders for them to meet up, under some plausible subject. You know, randomly selected panel to discuss I don't know what, a new logo for Security, no probably something more significant than that, but that sort of thing. A few people grumble and moan, but they come anyway, and no one asks too many questions.”
“I think that is overly intrusive, as it gives people no opt out, and makes their names known.” Albert said.
“What's wrong with option two?” The queen asked.
Eliza answered, “It requires an apparently unmotivated action, people could notice, and ask difficult questions. Why should they suddenly be calling Bella, or the palace?”
“You don't just want to ask them to tell you?”
“That means I listen to their thoughts, undetected, unavoidable. It's a bit borderline, ethically, without consent.”
“Hey, how about if we gave everyone a motivation to call a number, but only they had the relevant code to get them a prize?” Bella suggested.
“I don't like false offers or prizes.” The queen said.
“What about special training for getting too many answers wrong?” Albert suggested.
“I think that's going to be too embarrassing. But if their taking part is understood as acceptance, we can do something, bringing us back to the third scenario of an acceptable motive. But with a prior opt-out.”
“Except, how do people opt-in if I can't make a list of the people who I'm contacting?” Eliza asked.
“How about there's some I don't know, 'Mystery voice' competition. And to accept they have to mis-dial the number? Then hopefully there are only a few accidental mis-dials, and Eliza can tick off the people she's called?” Albert suggested.
“Subtle. And there's some prize draw for it? So that people want to take part?” Eliza asked
“Yes. Say, a ticket or two to your wedding reception? Unless there's anyone on your list who'd be there anyway?” the queen asked.
“I suppose I shouldn't answer that, if we're protecting people's privacy. But I can't actually — I didn't get anyone's names. It doesn't seem likely though.”
“OK. I'll talk to Mable and get the clever people to set up the call lines.”
Maria said, then asked “Do we want people to get through to the mystery voice if they mis-dial?”
“I don't think so,, it might get popular then. Give them a recorded message saying they've probably called the wrong number.” Eliza suggested.
“Press one if the mystery voice talked to you personally and told you to call that number. Press two for psychological examination, press three for information on eye tests?” The queen suggested, with a smile.
“Very tempting. But if someone gets there by mistake, then they'll will start playing with it if we make it funny.” Maria warned.
“So, who is the mystery voice? We can't make it impossible, or too easy.” the queen asked.
“And when do we want the competition?” Maria asked, thinking it could be Karen.
“I think I'd like it to be soon,” Eliza said thinking of mountain climbers. She'd find out if it was Nigel's brother with this method. But it would be better if Bella did too, without Eliza telling her.
“Oh? You have reasons?”
“Well, I was actually thinking that after they get back from their little excursion, It'll be Karen's wedding, then Christmas and New Year, and then we're all going to be a bit busy, I expect.”
“I agree, better Bella talks to them this week, really.” Albert said.
“Very well. But Who?”
“How about a sped up version of the prime-minister? Maybe with some distracting background instrumental music.” Suggested the queen.
“Wonderful! The boys in monitoring will have fun, I'm sure.”
“But then they won't be able to take part, which would be a bit unfair.” Albert objected. “I'll work on the recording, then monitoring can put it up in the right place.”
“Great, I'm sure they'll be in contact soon.”
“Is the competition only open to Security, or the whole civil service?”
“Everyone.” the queen decided. “But only one go per person, and Eliza, you're only contacting people from the various branches of Security for now, I guess.”
“Abroad too, or just in-country?” Asked Albert.
“Just in country, I guess. Make a note of out of country ones though, Eliza, please. In some ways they're the more important ones to know about, but they're not really going to be in a position to contact a mystery voice line.”
“OK. And we leave the military for later, too?”
“Yes. Maybe we'll need to handle them yet another way.”
“Now, what do I tell them?”
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Eliza looked at her list of names. Hmm, almost done, but those two hadn't been alone earlier. She checked where they were now and found they were in the same room — that was handy. [You're not dreaming, and I hope I'm not interrupting anything, I'm not listening for any response. By royal request, I'm calling every thought-hearer in Security, asking you to consider letting the top levels of Security know of your thought hearing abilities. There will be a meeting of thought-hearers in Security soon which will include some training in avoiding attacks from a rogue thought hearers. You might be worried about exposure, and witch-hunts. I'm authorised to tell you a class alpha state secret — that present king's father had the power also — don't pass it on. Their majesties have no desire that their relatives face a witch hunt. We have a mechanism for you to opt in without attracting attention form your colleagues; if you are willing to be called to the meeting I mentioned, call the mystery voice competition which will be announced shortly, but reverse the last two digits. The meeting will be by royal command and described as a test of civics awareness, with participants chosen at random. Genetics is random, isn't it? Bye.]
Harriet looked at Jim, who'd gone glassy eyed during the unexpected announcement.
“You heard too?” She asked.
“Someone in the royal family's got it too!”
“She didn't say that, just that the old king had it.”
“Of course not. But what do you think, the prince, maybe?”
“We'll never know, unless we get told.”
“And you're not going to dump me for him?” Jim asked, worried.
“Jim, if he's got it, then you can bet she does too, look at how quickly he decided after ignoring so many girls. And stop being paranoid, I'm going out with you, not your power.”
“So, shall we sign up?”
“I like the set up: it looks like they're being ultra careful with our privacy.”
“Ha! They don't want to give us any reason to say no.”
“But they could have just assigned us without giving us the choice. Look at what she asked: do we want to let the top levels know who we are. That means they don't. She at least is protecting our choice, and it's a real one. I'm going to sign up.”
“I wonder who she was.”
“One of the 56 of course. She wouldn't be interested in you, anyway.”
“How do you know that?”
“The 56 are all committed Christians, you idiot. You're not.”
“I believe in God.”
“Yes, but you're not exactly in regular communication with Him are you?”
“Her, not him.”
“See!”
“Look, just because we don't believe in God being male, that doesn't mean we're not Christian.”
“I've looked it up. They don't believe in God having genitals either. That was the ancient Greeks. They don't believe much of what your booklets were talking about, either. I think those booklets wouldn't really convince anyone who'd any idea about what Christians believe, just gullible people like you who don't bother checking up on things.”
“So what do you believe, Harriet?”
“I believe I'm going to look into things more, Jim.”
“Maybe I should too.”
“Good plan. So, are you going to do the mystery voice thing?”
“Depends on whether it's got my lucky number in it.”
“I like you Jim, but sometimes, you know, I think you're certifiably nuts. ”
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Eliza returned from the peace, restored and cooled. She'd been getting a bit hot towards the end, but she hadn't wanted to expose people to risk, so she'd been checking on people, rather than just shouting. Her message had grown a bit from the first version's 'transpose the last 2 digits in the mystery voice number, if you're happy to come to a meeting about the power.” But it made it much clearer. Hopefully Trevor, Nigel's brother, would come. Of course there would be other potential dates for Bella, but Eliza felt that Trevor was the most likely candidate. “Your 'cheating' looks like it took a lot out of you.” Bella said.
“It was a bit long by the end, so I checked that I wasn't going to lay all that on them while they were giving a presentation or something.”
“Hmm. So how big a room do I need to book?”
“No idea. It depends how many people respond.”
“Well, I've got a list of, hmm, fifteen names here, who responded to the mystery voice announcement in the first five minutes, and got the last two numbers wrong. There haven't been any since.”
“Fifteen?” Eliza asked.
“Yes. I though there were fourteen last count.”
“There were this count too. So least one person genuinely mis-dialed.”
“So, would you like to tell me who I'm meeting?”
Eliza looked down the list. “Cross number three off the list, you've got the full set.”
Bella looked at the names, “So... Nigel's brother was half way up a mountain in November?”
“Yes.” Eliza said.
“That's interesting. Out of interest, any idea of his age?”
“Younger that Nigel is all I know. By the way, as far as I know, Nigel doesn't know about Trevor having the power.”
“OK, I'll not mention it then. How long have you known?”
“I knew that Trevor was mountaineering at the time, that's when we heard about the dog. I didn't know he was the one in the group with the power until just now.”
“I'm going to need my best dress on then aren't I?”
“I thought you'd need to be in uniform?”
“Yes, but my smartest one.”
“Oh. Well, they say first impressions count.”
“Let's hope I don't hate him at first sight then. Or any other potential dates, for that matter. Wow. Bella heads to target rich environment! Do you know if he's a Christian?”
“Nigel said something about him trusting God to introduce him to the right woman. Remember, Bella, they're not coming to flirt, but to learn, and you're the teacher.”
“Spoilsport!” Bella replied, with a laugh.
“Seriously, though, if there is a need for further meetings, then you guys can decide it. You'll just need to come up with a clear reason, and persuade someone, probably Maria, ultimately. Otherwise you're going to just need to swap contact details. Has Maria set a date for your meeting?”
“Yes. Day after tomorrow, she doesn't hang around.”
“OK, I'd better let you work on a room and a schedule, then. I think we're going out in about forty-five minutes.”
“Oh. Thanks for the warning!”
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12.30PM
May's school gave her an hour and a half lunch break, which gave her ample time to buy dresses, except that Hilda hardly had a lunch break at all. So it was that Hilda had suggested Karen accompany May to her work — there was a dress shop with a computer scanner just next door. Karen had wanted to talk to May anyway, so accepted. “Hi May. How did it go?” Karen asked.
“The exam, or talking with Tim?”
“Both. But I didn't know you'd be taking an exam. What subject?”
“Maths. It's just a practice one. It doesn't count for anything. Scary though.”
“Scary?”
“Well, I finished it in half the time. I kept looking back and forwards to see if I'd missed questions, or made some mistake that made it too easy. I didn't find anything, though.”
“You like maths?”
“It's OK. I can do it, but it's pretty boring still. Calculus sounds fun though.”
“And your talk with Tim?”
“I'd planted it in his terminal, which was quite new. What I didn't know was that his terminal went wrong soon after and it got swapped under warranty. Bug is long gone, and he's been praying for me, and that was so wonderful.”
“What about the others?”
“At home?”
“Yes.”
“I'm not sure where they all are any more.”
“And have you squished any?”
“No. I'm putting them in a foil covered chocolate box, like when I got them. Pebbles for the five squished ones. When the box is full then I've got them all.”
“When did you get them?”
“My birth-parents' home, cousins' homes. I found the first one and found out how to use it, then started to collect them. They all work on the same system that wrist units talk to consoles over. Low power, short range. And if you look in the right place on their sticker with a microscope, you can see their access number.”
“That explains it. I expect the sticker's supposed to come off.”
“I didn't even bother collecting the ones without one.”
“So, what are you going to do with them?”
“Tim said hand them in to the police, but that'll take some explaining. It's one reason that I haven't done it. You know the other one.”
“You don't really want to.”
“Yes and no.”
“I can get them to the police, May. No problem. Why didn't the computers say hand them in?”
“I could get more. Better to solve the desire, I guess.”
“Could you get more easily?”
“Not very.”
“Did you say that to the programs?”
“I think it just asked if I'd be able to get more. Of course I could, if I visited someone under investigation.”
“And the program understood the of course, but not the second half, I bet. So it's been treating you as someone who abuses an easily obtained substance.”
“I guess so.”
“What's the best way to deal with temptations? Haven't you discussed that at youth group.”
“There's a cycle: motivation, opportunity, secrecy, excitement and reward.”
“So, the computer tried to deal with reward by real warnings, and the motivation by analysis. Did it work?”
“What do you think?”
“I think that when you started, you thought it was fully reasonable. Now you know its wrong and is going to get you into deep deep trouble.”
“Agreed.”
“So, what happens is that the enemy whispers fear into your heart, and you've got the bugs just sitting there and it's easy. Far easier than other ways of solving the fear, like you know, remembering the times your foster parents have gone the extra mile for you, to make sure you feel loved and protected, and that your birth family don't get wind of where you are.”
“You're good at this. That's not so hard is it?”
“Not very. To both bits. Do you want to give into temptation?”
“No. Not really. But.. Like you said, they're just sitting there waiting to be used.”
“Then get rid of the temptation. Tell your mum to check the number in the box is going up, not down. Even better, hand them in as you find them and replace them with pebbles. If you got rid of them, would you really get yourself more?”
“I, urm, probably not.”
“And would you be able to get rid of them?”
“I don't know.” May replied in a small voice.
“You know bugs are pretty expensive, don't you?”
“I hadn't thought of it.”
“How many are we talking about?”
“There were thirty.”
“Five squished. Now many found?”
“Fifteen so far.”
“So with the one vanished that makes nine to find?”
“I counted that as squished.”
“How about I ask if ten bugs to find and another fifteen to collect are worth someone visiting your house?”
“That's scary. I stole them, didn't I?”
“Technically yes, but you were what, ten?”
“Yes.”
“So you were little and in a terrible situation and now you're trying to return them to the government. I don't expect you'll even get an official warning.”
“Are you sure?”
“No. But I'll make sure.”
“Thanks, Karen. You know a policeman?”
“Ask no questions about who I know, and I'll tell you no lies.”
“Oh. Not a policeman then? Army?”
“Drop it, May, please.”
“OK. You're really going to buy me a dress?”
“I'm buying the other May some clothes, it only seems fair. That way if you stand wrongly you get embarrassed with something cheaper than the bridesmaids gown.”
“Oh. Makes sense.”
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The dress had been simple enough that there was no human intervention needed, and there was no queue. The robotic sewing machine at the shop whirred and thrummed, and counted down the minutes until it would be finished. The whole process didn't take long at all, and they could see the fabric being moved around “I never knew it would be this fast!” May said.
“It didn't used to be. Imagine moving that fabric by hand, with a machine which only sewed in one direction. Let alone stitching it all by hand. Made-to-measure used to take weeks,” her mother said.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“People did that?”
“They still do, in some places.” Karen said.
“I'm glad I live here then.” May said.
“Hmm. This is convenient, but I can't help feeling that a bit of hand finishing wouldn't have come amiss.” May's foster mother said, looking critically at the seams the machine had just produced.
“Something wrong?” Karen asked.
“Not wrong, just machines still don't tie knots. When I worked here, we'd have left the ends loose on the machine and at the very least tied them by hand. Now it's just done a few back stitches and left it. Fast, but not as good.”
“I never knew you worked here, Mum!”
“When I was a student. Eons ago. Lots has changed, and not all for the better, unless you need your clothes in ten minutes flat. In which case why not get off the peg, Hmm?”
“But for our purposes, this is great, Hilda. We can see if May stood properly, and the scan worked.”
“Well, she stood properly, I peeked. Go on May, there's a changing room there. See if we need to kick up a fuss.”
“Can we?” Karen asked.
“Oh yes. If the client stood properly and the scan got it wrong then they can't expect you to pay. Used to happen about once a week when I was here. A thread on the lens, a fly in the way, all sorts of things could confuse it.”
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“It's perfect, Mum!” May said, stepping out of the changing room.
“Hmm, lets see you twirl, then.” Hilda commanded. “OK, that's acceptable. Good scan, cheap pattern but we knew that.”
“Mum! It's beautiful! Stop criticising.” May protested.
“May, your bridesmaid dress is going to be beautiful. This is nice but functional. But it does fit well, very well.”
“Can I wear it to school this afternoon?”
“No, May. You wanted a weekend dress. This isn't for school, and you know it. You can wear it tonight if you like.”
“Thanks Mum! Thanks Karen!”
“Now change back, you've got to get back to school.”
“Karen, did you talk to Mum about what we were talking about?”
“No, May. It's your choice.”
“Tell her, please, while I change.” May asked.
“What's this?” Hilda queried.
“I think the computer was a bit thick.”
“Go on, surprise me. They always are.”
“It never suggested handing the bugs in, did it?”
“Not to me. I even asked about that once, and it said it was better for her to stop first.”
“It probably thought May had a ready supply. She doesn't. So why don't we get temptation out of her way? Otherwise it's like leaving a four year old in charge of a sweetshop, and telling him he'll get in trouble if he eats any.”
“Makes perfect sense to me.”
“She had thirty, five have been destroyed or are known lost, and she's found another fifteen. That leaves ten little temptations. I suggest we call in someone to find them and take them all away.”
“You know someone who can do that?”
“I know who to ask. Civil service, not some private firm. So it'd be returning them to the original owner.”
“I still don't understand how she could use them. Surely there are codes or something.”
“Someone got lazy. Planted them without removing the access code stickers.”
“And someone's too clever for her own good.”
“Well, we can debate that. It possibly kept her safer at the time.”
“I suppose so. Please do it. I guess it'd have to be evening or weekends, is that a problem?”
“I doubt it.” Karen said. “That dress did turn out pretty, didn't it.”
“She's a pretty girl.”
“And Tim's an acceptable choice? She seems pretty certain about him.”
“I think so, yes. I'm not comfortable with the idea of her declaring that she's going to marry him quite so early, but yes, he's got faith. But what his prospects are, I've no idea. He's not as self confident as her.”
“Can you imagine if he were? You know, her experience with these bugs, and all the rest of her history could be very useful in the right career.”
“What, undercover agent? She'd probably love that, but it's too dangerous. Please don't get her killed.”
“I don't want her killed, but I was thinking somewhere in the civil service, not necessarily undercover. She notices things, that's important. You know she found lots of other bugs? Just she ignored the ones with no label.”
“Smart, pretty, observant and believing. What a combination! Makes me a proud mother.”
Karen dropped her voice to a whisper. “I know it's none of my business, but may I ask? You obviously care about her deeply. Have you thought about adopting her? I just ask because of her insecurity.”
Hilda sighed “Yes. We've thought. We even tried it two or three years ago, but her natural parents are alive, so it's not possible unless they relinquish their rights.”
“But they've not tried to get in contact?”
“No. Not for years. Actually, I need to check again. There might be some kind of automatic rule which kicks in. You know, like legal death.”
“What's like legal death?” May asked, having changed.
Hilda looked at Karen, who nodded encouragement.
“I was just saying that maybe after your birth parents haven't tried to get in contact with you from jail for some years, their rights to you might suffer legal death. Which would mean we could try and adopt you again, May.”
“I love you, Mum!” May threw herself into her mother's arms. Then she drew back her head and asked “Again?”
“We thought we would, a few years ago. But we got our wrist slapped: you can't do that while your birth parents have parental rights.”
“They lapse after five years of silence, Mum. I checked.” May said. “And last contact was on my birthday five and a half years ago. I never even heard you discussing it.”
“We were careful. Didn't want to give you false hopes and have them dashed.”
“I love you, Mum.” tears started to flow. “One of the reasons for the bugs was I hoped I'd hear you talking about it.”
“You never said! Of course, you couldn't, could you? Fear of rejection.”
“No more bugs, Mum. Karen send your friend's friend or I'm going to squish them myself. They don't work.”
“Not in the way you want them to. No.” Karen said.
“Karen,” Hilda asked, “I should really get back to work and May's going to be late to school unless she takes a transport. Could you accompany her?”
“I could take one alone, Mum. Other kids do.”
“They don't have criminal relatives who might want to wreak our chances of adopting you, May. It's an old bit of advice from social services, but its still safer if you don't travel alone.”
“I'd always thought it was you didn't really trust me.” May said quietly, “Sorry mum “.
“I'll go with her, Hilda. And I'll make sure it doesn't route us through gang territory.”
“Thanks, Karen. May, take care, and talk to us about your worries. We love you a lot.”
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Karen named the school to the transport, then added “Show routing options.”
“Customer override may significantly increase travel times. Please confirm.”
“Confirmed.”
Karen looked. As Hilda had suspected, the route suggested was along the edge of an area known for gang activity. Karen decided to go one better and checked the skin of the city for May's criminal relatives. Two of them in the high street, which was the second route the computer offered. None in the gang-prone area; typical. “Time estimate for route three.”
“Estimated travel time for route ten minutes. Suggested route five minutes.”
Karen checked the time. It'd be close. “OK May? It avoids the high street too, just in case someone's there.”
“You think that's necessary?”
“In the circumstances, yes.”
“OK. I can sprint.”
“Select route three. Begin.”
May looked at Karen. “What circumstances, Karen?”
“High street at lunchtime? Who knows who's going to be there?”
“God, for instance. People he trusts with knowing that sort of thing. I mean, I know George has the power, so surely you must too.”
“How do you 'know' George has the power?”
“I couldn't ever beat George at hand slapping. He didn't like playing, but no one could. He ducked in time to avoid head slaps too. The only way they ever managed to hit him at all was when they'd pinned him down first. I remember hearing someone say that Gran could know what you were thinking. It sounded like one of those stories to scare the kids, but it all fits.”
“Ever ask him about it?”
“No. But he does, doesn't he?”
“You're observant. Don't tell anyone.”
“Of course not. So, do you?”
“What, have the power?”
“Yes.”
“Yes I do, but you shouldn't ask.”
“And the gift?”
“You really shouldn't ask that one, May. I know some people with it. If you have a need to know, then you'll be told if someone has it.”
“I just noticed your eyes stared at nothing for a bit, and then you said we needed to avoid the high street. Very useful ability. Did you use it on me?”
“What, you think I was rifling through your thoughts when we were talking about temptations? No, I was most certainly not. That's a very serious accusation young lady.”
“Sorry.”
“I forgive you, May. But really! I wouldn't even use the power on you like that, May. That's called thought-stealing where I grew up. It'd be a breach of privacy, and of the ethics code they're going to make law.”
“Oh. I didn't realise.”
“You should have. It's like bugging people's brains. Accidentally hearing someone is one thing, but deliberately spying?”
“Who'd know?”
“God, for instance, and your conscience. If you repeat what you heard either accidentally or deliberately as gossip, then the people you talk about when they hear what they thought but didn't say. And it's a terrible invasion of privacy.”
“When I heard about the gift, you know, I thought how nice it would be, not needing to use bugs. Then I thought that if it's wrong to use bugs, that would be wrong too. But why did God give some people the ability to do that if it's wrong?”
“Because what's wrong when done secretly for private purposes can be very useful if done for the right reasons, or openly like helping someone work out what's going wrong in their thinking.”
“But you wouldn't do it to help someone who had something wrong in their thinking without them knowing it?”
“Full, informed consent, or a life threatening situation.”
“I dropped a 'you' in there and you didn't correct me.”
“I noticed, but decided not to make a fuss. I've told you not to ask, May, it's prying, and you don't stop bugging people to take up another sort of prying.”
“Sorry, Karen.”
“I forgive you. Just stop. OK?”
“OK.... Karen, I do want to say thank you for the dress.”
“My pleasure. It proves that with that scan you won't look too silly in your bridesmaid's dress.”
“And Karen, thank for everything else. I'm sort of on a high, I think. I can't really believe Mum and Dad have been wanting to adopt me for years. That's awesome fantastic.”
“I'll ask for someone to come and hunt the bugs. It might even be tonight. You see how many you can find first, though, once you're home from school.”
“I will.” Then the transport arrived at the school, May said “God bless you, Karen.”
“And you, May. Bye.”
May jumped out and sprinted into the school just as the bell rang. Karen also got out of the transit, deciding she'd walk to the university. She was surprised to be stopped by a policeman.
“Excuse me, Miss. Routine check. Are you a relative of that schoolgirl?”
“Not yet. She's my fiancé's cousin.”
“I'm going to need some proof of identity.”
“Could you tell me what the issue is?”
“It's very simple, Miss. The school has rules about people meeting students during school hours. It needs to be close relatives or someone that's been nominated as such. No one was nominated.”
“Oh? Her foster-mother asked that I accompany her to meet her at a dress shop. She's going to be my bridesmaid.”
“I understand, miss, but I'm going to need to see some I.D.”
“Very well, officer, but I'd like to verify yours first.”
“Miss, that's not how it works.”
“Really? I was under the impression that an officer of the law should always show his warrant card when asking for an I.D. check.”
Karen heard him decide to lie, and was glad her panic button was in her pocket. She pressed it as he spoke the lie he'd just made up.
“That's for an arrest, miss, not for a routine check like this.”
[George. Imposter, I think.]
“Is that a new rule then?”
“Yes miss. Now, can I please see your I.D?”
“You see, officer, that new rule isn't one I've heard of, so it doesn't fill me with a lot of confidence, and I much prefer the old one. Could I see your warrant card now, please.”
“If you'll accompany me to the police vehicle, Miss?”
“Then what?”
“Then I'll show you my warrant card and arrest you for wasting police time.”
“Oh, I think you can do that in the school office, instead, sir.” Karen said as calmly as she could.
[Don't go near the van, Karen.] George advised. [Three men inside, waiting for the grab.]
“Why should I go to the school office, miss? Once I arrest you there, then you'll need to come to the police car with me, so I can take you to the station.”
“I think, sir, that you'll find my details a little slow to process, and of course it's always good to have a witness statement, from the institution. And it's rather cold, so shall we step into to the school office?” He made half-hearted grab for her wrist, and she stepped away, another step towards the school office.
“Now don't start resisting arrest, it'd be a shame to add that to your record.”
“Oh, I'm not sir. I'm simply suggesting that rather than waiting here once you arrest me, that the school office is a better place to wait. After all, you're here at the request of the school.”
“We won't be waiting.” he said and lunged at her. Unexpectedly, from his point of view, he missed. What she'd learned in self defence classes came back and as she sidestepped his lunge, Karen gave him an extra shove and sprinted into the office. Slamming the door behind her. He wasn't far behind her, and she held onto the handle with a strength she didn't remember having.
“Imposter.” she panted, more from fear than the twenty steps and looked for the lock. “No warrant card.”
The secretary had seen his lunge and so wasn't totally surprised. “I've locked it. You can let go of the handle.” Karen did and sprung away from the door as he slammed into it.
“I don't think he'll get through. It's supposed to be a security door. I hit the school panic button.”
“I pressed mine as soon as he said he wouldn't show me his warrant card.” She said it as much for the police as for the secretary; as well as transmitting location information, a panic button put neighbouring wrist units into transmit mode.
“Police should be here soon then. There's a station just round the corner.”
The man rammed the door again. Karen looked uncertainly at the cracks forming in the plaster around it.
“He's persistent. Is there another lockable door we can be behind?” she asked.
“Urm. The head's office. There's been a staff meeting and now lessons have started, so I'm the only staff member here.”
“I don't know what he's thinking, but I have a feeling that we don't want to be here if he gets through that door.”
“I agree. This door.”
The imposter didn't continue his attacks. Through the bars on the window, which stopped balls far more often than criminals, they saw an unmarked van stop, someone yelled something, and the false policeman jumped in.
“He's gone.”
A familiar sound caused Karen to look up. A reasonably sized drone was flying after the van. Probably an interceptor. A bit too late to sleep gas the man, if she'd been grabbed, Karen thought.
“Did you hear what they shouted?” Karen asked.
“No.”
“Me neither. When the police do show up, I'm going to want to check their warrant cards. I'd appreciate it if you don't unlock the door until I have.”
“In case he's got friends?”
“Exactly.”
“You think they were after you?”
“It's possible. Someone's tried to kidnap me before, in early summer. But why here, of all places?”
“You arrived with May Kray. But you're a friend? You don't have a child here, I presume.”
“Me? No. May's my fiancé's cousin who's soon to be my bridesmaid. Oh no! I'm an idiot! I told that to the fake policeman. If they've been tailing me then she's probably been photographed too.”
“You think she's at risk? We'll have to warn her parents.”
“I will, and probably the police will too.” [George, he's gone, we need to warn Hilda and Ray.]
[I was listening. I agree. It'd be good to know if they were after you because of her, or might be after her now because of you.]
[Does it make much difference?]
[Not really, no. Actually, I guess it does. If I was the target, she might become the lever. But if I was going to be the lever, then they already know her location and everything, and I was just convenient, and anyone she knows might be next.]
“Do you want to use the school phone?”
“Let's wait. The drone should have caught them. It could have just been intended as a random grab attack. He wanted me to get near the van. My guess is that he was just the lure, and the others had better snatch skills.”
“The others?”
“In the van. Did you see? It's an approach I've heard of. Someone lures you to a van where suddenly two or three grab you and next thing you know you're inside the van.”
“Nasty.”
“Yes.” Karen agreed.
“I'd have thought the police would be here soon.”
“Maybe they tried to scatter when they saw the drone, and the police need to pick up them up from all over the road. The drone looked like it'd be big enough to shoot sleep gas, anyway.”
“I wouldn't know.” the secretary said, looking at Karen curiously.
“Didn't you see on the news about those two snipers gassed a few weeks ago?”
“That was by a rocket, wasn't it?”
“Rocket assisted drone. The channel I saw it on said something about the drone being a metre long, I think. I think this one could be the same size.”
“Oh, I didn't see that one. I saw a follow-up, trying to work out who was in the convoy.”
“I don't know why they bother. It's all speculation.”
“I don't know, there were some witnesses who saw a convoy pulling up outside the department store. They noticed that security woman in a wheel-chair, the one who testified against Underwood.”
“I can imagine they wouldn't want her getting killed.”
“Actually, I was one of them. It's a small world, isn't it?” the secretary said.
“Sorry, why do you say that?” getting the hint, but acting puzzled. “Oh, by the way, your wrist unit's probably still transmitting.”
“I guess they don't need it to any more, do they?”
“No threats here any more.”
The secretary, turned hers off. “Except that I've got a ridiculously good memory for faces.”
“That must be helpful in this job.”
“It is. So, what was going on at the department store with all those vehicles?”
“It must have been a high level meeting concerning which gloves met with the civil service's standards.” Karen said.
“I don't believe that, one instant. What was going on? I know you were there.”
“I can't tell you. Sorry. Nor can I comment on my presence at it. If you think there was some kind of top secret meeting in soft furnishings, then by definition it was secret, and the people present or not present would probably also be an official secret.”
“Do you work for security?”
“Me? No, I'm just a student.”
“But you've almost been kidnapped twice in six months.”
“I guess I'm lucky. I'd much rather almost get kidnapped twice that actually get kidnapped once.”
“Most people don't get either.”
“Well, God never promised me an easy life, so I'm not going to complain. Here come the cavalry.” Karen said, spotting two cars. One was a police car, the other was plain, probably security. Oh, Karen realised, it was Eliza, and a man Karen didn't recognise.
“Cavalry?”
“Police then, if you want to be pedantic, and the smartly dressed young woman is from Security.”
“You know her?”
“Yes. Do you recognise her face?”
“I don't think so. She looks familiar though.”
“I'm still going to verify the policemen's warrants.”
“Can you show me how?”
“Oh, it's easy. Take a photo of it with your wrist unit, and select verify official I.D. You try it.”
“O.K.”
“Officers, please allow us to confirm your warrant cards!” Karen shouted through the window.
They smiled “Of course Miss, no problem.”
It took the secretary longer than it would have taken Karen, but they were patient.
“It says you're both real.”
“What about them?” the policemen asked. “We're not vouching for them.” he indicated Eliza and the unknown man.
“I'll vouch for my colleague here; we went through training together.” Eliza said.
The secretary opened the door.
“Hello, you. Can't you keep out of trouble?”
“Hi, Eliza. I can't introduce you to the school secretary properly, since we've not actually swapped names, but I'm seriously thinking of recommending she switch to something in Security. She's very good at recognising faces.”
“Hello. I'm Polly. I don't think I recognise you, unless you've drastically changed you hair. But you look really like a photo I saw of the red-head the prince wasn't actually going out with.”
Eliza looked in shock at Polly. “Hello, Polly. It was a wig.”
“See what I mean?” Karen said.
“Polly, I'm going to put my recommendation down on file. I can't guarantee anything, but I expect that with a memory like that Security or police would be very interested in offering you a job, any time you get bored of giving shelter to members of the public and weeding out messages from children pretending to be their parents from the real thing.”
The more senior officer, detective Victor Dewhurst, according to his I.D card, asked “You're really the one they called the 'prince's redhead'?”
“Yes. Coincidentally called Eliza, just to add to the confusion. But, I believe you two gentlemen have some statements to take.”
“I rather thought you'd be taking over.” he replied.
“Oh no. I've got a much more interesting task. It looks like I'm going to go back to university.”
“Oh,” Karen acknowledged reluctantly. “I suppose it's necessary. So, didn't the drone get them?”
“It did. When they wake up then maybe they'll be talkative. At the moment we've got a delivery van which looked to me like it was set up to be a nice little mobile surveillance centre, one of the occupants is in a stolen police uniform and there were some hard copy photos in the van which I expect the officers here would like you to look at.”
“I guess that counts as my cue.” Victor said. “Would you be able to give us a statement now, miss, or would you like a friend, relative or legal representative here?”
“I'll give a statement now. Are you recording?”
“I will be.” He answered Karen, then asked Polly, “may we use an office?”
“Of course.” Polly pointed down the corridor. “If you take the third door on the left, that one's unused at the moment.”
Eliza's colleague who'd appointed himself as guard, stayed with Polly, and the rest followed her directions. Once they'd all trooped in, and the door was shut, Victor said: “I'm starting the recording. Please stick to the facts, avoid speculation, and please try to mention any details which may be relevant.”
“Very well. One of the students here, May Kray, is due to be my bridesmaid. She is my fiancé's cousin. Since I have less demands on my time than her foster mother, I walked with May to her foster mothers place of work, where we ate a sandwich lunch and then went next door to a dress shop so that she could be scanned so that her bridesmaid dress could be made to measure. To test the scan I bought her a much cheaper dress, which turned out well. Since time was getting late, her foster mother asked me to take her by transport, but to override the routing to avoid known gang areas. This is old advice from social services. I also avoided the high street, as that seemed like a place where gang members might be at lunchtime. We arrived here without incident en-route, but after May had run into the school and I started to walk towards the university I was approached by a man dressed in police uniform which did not fit him very well. He asked me about my relationship to May, which I answered, and he stated that the school had a policy that only close family members should pick up students and he would need to do an ID check. As I was answering that I'd been taking her to her foster mother it struck me as odd that I had not been stopped when I met her, but only when I brought her back. I asked to see his warrant card, and he stated that I would only see it if he arrested me. Knowing this was not normal police procedure, and given the other reasons I had to doubt him, I pressed my panic button. I insisted on seeing his warrant card and he said that I should accompany him to the vehicle. I asked why and he stated that there he would show me his warrant card and arrest me for wasting police time. I presume that the rest of our conversation was intercepted after I pressed my panic button. I delayed as much as I could, suggesting that it would be warmer in the school office, and he would have a witness to everything if we went there. I said that I thought it would take a long time to process my ID check, which although true, was probably a mistake to say. He tried to grab me and I managed to sidestep him and run to the office here, where Polly, who I believe to be the school secretary, locked the door against him. After he'd had several goes at breaking down the door, the van arrived, something was shouted, and they left in a hurry. We then saw the drone following them.”
“You state that your ID would take a long time to verify. Why?”
Karen glanced at Eliza, who nodded.
“During the preparation phase for a previous kidnapping attempt, my ID was stolen. My biometrics are now double encoded, with a second person in the loop and I need to give verbal agreement to the signing process. In the circumstances I would have given a duress code, and they'd have replied that it'd take a while to verify the code.”
Sergeant Darren Jones, Victor's younger colleague whistled his amazement. “I thought that level of security was only for ...” then he stopped himself “Kray, you said? As in...”
“Yes, as in the crime-wave and now the gang. May and George my fiancé being the good apples rescued from that bad barrel.” Karen affirmed.
Victor paused the recording and stuck his head out of the door. He asked Polly, “Could you please verify that Miss Kray is indeed in her assigned class?”
“Should I call her out?” Polly asked.
“No. I don't think we want to attract any more attention to her.”
“OK, I'll check where she should be.” She busied herself with the records and the surveillance system.
Victor turned back to Karen “Is it likely that your previous kidnapping experience was at all related to Miss Kray?”
Eliza answered “No. We know who planned that, and they're now in detention.”
Polly knocked on the door, and reported. “May Kray's in her class.”
“Thank you, Polly.” Eliza replied.
Victor continued the interview: “Could you look at these photos? They're obviously people the people in the van were looking for.”
“Of course.” Karen agreed.
Karen looked at the photos; someone had been busy. Photographs of May with Tim, and with her foster parents, May with George, George with Karen, entering the department store. Karen walking along a road that she knew led towards the institute, and on roughly the same patch of road, some of the people who she was fairly sure were the institute's neighbours, along with Ivan, Pete, Tereasa and Kate.
“I see a lot of faces I know, and I think this might put me in quite a difficult position.” Karen said.
“How?”
“I see a common thread which I don't think I'm allowed to report on.” Karen said, looking at Eliza.
“All of these?” Eliza asked, looking at the pile.
“Not all. No.”
Eliza smiled, “Then I think I can work round it. Officers, without any comment on the people photographed, I'd like to inform you that whoever took these photographs has been breaking a globally ratified law under a certain United Nations resolution. Would you like me to look up which one exactly?”
“I believe we can guess.” Victor said, “would it be one concerning reporting about the Institute for the Human Mind?”
“Yes, it would. I therefore think that this investigation is eventually going to come under Internal Security's jurisdiction, but certainly we don't want to discuss some of the people in those photographs.”
“Let me discuss some of the safe ones.” Karen said. “I am not certain about all of them, but I believe the ones I don't know are neighbours to the institute. Otherwise, this is May and her boyfriend, Tim. He was given shelter at the Institute from gang members. You might have seen the video of them going splat against the forcefield glass. One of those going splat was May's brother. These are her foster parents, this is my fiancé, May's cousin.”
Victor asked “So, this all circles around non-criminal Kray relatives?”
“And the institute.” Eliza added.
“Who are also in the Kray gang's cross-hairs.” Victor agreed. “Except the surveillance equipment seems a little sophisticated for them.”
“Sir, we know that not all of Underwood's network went down with him. There's sophistication with gang contacts.” Darren pointed out.
“And we know that he had some kind of leverage over the gangs to get them all out and attacking people, but we don't know what hold he had over them or what he'd offered them.” Karen added. “It surely can't have been that he offered them all free drugs for a year or something, he'd wasn't that rich.”
“Hey, I'm the detective, you're the witness!” Victor said to Karen, with a pained look on his face.
“Sorry, I've been trying to work out what he might have offered them to get them to take that much risk. Five gangs, each with explicit targets, following the list in order and to the letter. It must have been pretty good, otherwise they'd have never agreed, surely.”
“Miss, how do you know about those lists? It wasn't reported.” Detective Dewhurst asked.
Karen gave a shudder, “I wish I didn't, Detective. I could probably recite them to you, if I cared to rake up those memories. I had a summer job at the institute; I was there that day.”
“The institute?” Darren asked, confused. “It was a Security operation, wasn't it?” he asked Eliza.
“Sergent, there was a lot of information flowing out of the institute that day. I didn't have a need to know at the time, but I can guess where it was coming from now.”
“There was too much information, too little time.” Karen said. “One of the gifted was listing the targets and their tortures. Another two were locating them. I was asked to relay the information to security.”
“You knew who to contact because of your previous kidnapping attempt?” Darren asked.
“Eliza here had been assigned to guard me, which she was doing from the front lobby. I was in contact with one of her superiors.” Karen said, not exactly answering the question, as Darren might eventually realise.
“Let's get back to today, please.” Victor said “No wonder you're not particularly phased by what happened. I had been wondering. But you don't know what they said when the van picked up the imposter?”
“I didn't hear it clearly through the window, but what I thought I heard made no sense. I thought I heard them say 'Dispatched!'. It doesn't make much sense to me, but it made him stop part way on his run-up, and turn around.”
“Thank you, miss. I don't have any further questions at the moment. Could you please state your full name for the witness statement?”
Eliza stepped in. “I don't think that's necessary, Detective. I know who she is, and given what she's told you about her connections, I'm afraid to say that you not only do not have a need to know, you have a need to not know, at least for a while. It will save you from reporting on staff at the Institute, for instance.”
“I need a witness name and ID on the statement, or the system won't accept it.”
“I'll sign it. On her behalf.” Eliza said.
“That invalidates the statement, Maam.”
“Not at all. Are you ready to record?”
“yes.”
“I, Eliza Smythe, officer of the crown and assigned bodyguard to the witness, certify that the witness is known to me, and that her identity is protected under law. The witness should be aware that there are severe penalties under law for swearing falsely to an officer of the crown; will the witness swear that her testimony is true to the best of her knowledge? You may answer 'I so swear,' or you may withdraw all or part of your statement.”
“I so swear.” Karen said.
“I hereby verify this was spoken and sworn before me, and recorded by Detective Victor Dewhurst.” Eliza said formally, and presented her I.D. to the slightly astonished detective.
“Boss, could we do that sort of thing?” Darren asked Victor.
“You know, Darren, before you joined the force, you had the choice of signing up to start work after a year of training which included short tests and no major exams until you wanted to study for a promotion, or going through the same material in three months, taking a three hour exam at the end of every month and carrying on like that for another two years with all sorts of physical training, sleep deprivation, loyalty tests and the like thrown in?”
“Yes, sir. It sounded scary.”
“The workload did lighten up after the first six months.” Eliza chipped in.
“Yes, well. If you'd decided to go the scary way, Darren, then you'd maybe be entitled to do that sort of thing. As it is, we get to solve crimes too mundane for the likes of our agent, here.”
“I don't think its about mundane and exotic, really. It's more about what or who they involve. I mean, murder is murder, it's just that if there are official secrets, foreign dignitaries or undercover work in places with funny names, then it's our job.” Eliza said. “But that doesn't mean I'd look the other way if I saw a crime being committed.”
“Even if it were some drunken idiot with a knife?” Darren asked.
“Ah, well, I've got a lot of respect for people who pluck knives from drunken idiots' hands every Friday night, but I didn't get a very high score on unarmed combat. I think I'd much prefer to persuade the idiot to drop his knife and arrest him after that.”
“I thought you could throw your big brother around any day?” Karen asked.
“That's different. He almost got the lowest grade in combat that he could and still be a field agent. Officers, I'd love to stand around discussing this kidnapping attempt and the differences between our two branches of law and order, but if you're finished with my charge here, I think she would be safer leaving the area.”
“Of course, Maam.” Victor said.
“Could we continue our conversation sometime when it doesn't get in the way of duty?” Darren asked, thinking that it wasn't every day he met someone like Eliza.
“I think transfer is possible. If you've questions, you could address them to recruitment.” Eliza said, misunderstanding his thought.
“Thank you. I was rather more wondering...” his voice trailed off as he felt the heat rising in his cheeks.
“I think he wanted to ask you out, Eliza.” Karen supplied, as Eliza pondered.
“I'll think about it, Darren and get back to you.” Eliza said.
“This is where you ask for her contact details, Darren.” Victor helpfully offered, with a huge grin.
“I will get back to you Darren.” Eliza promised. “One way or another.”
“Thank you, Eliza.” Darren said.
“And if Eliza, an officer of the crown, breaks a promise made before witnesses, then she gets in deep deep trouble.” Karen pointed out, before Victor could stir any more.
“Come on, trouble.” Eliza said to Karen, in mock ferocity, “Stop pointing out the obvious, and let's go. Gentlemen, I'm sure there's going to be some Security interest in this case, but I'm not at all sure we'll be taking over.”
----------------------------------------
About an hour later, Eliza was waiting for Karen's lecture to finish, when she saw Pris approaching.
“Eliza,” Pris said, getting straight to the point, “I'm taking you off protecting Karen, Sorry, I know you get on well, but you're going to have some other duties. Easiest is to go and get May Kray's mum, pick up May from school, and introduce them to your brother, who's going to do some bug detecting at their house. Karen can brief you, it'd probably be good to get her to introduce you too, less threatening. Next, you're going to be talking the family through their options available until this case is over. Thirdly, next week, starting on Monday, you, Dirk, and I are going to be part of an advance team checking up on a rustic holiday location. Four nights, reporting back on Friday afternoon. It's all Karen and George's fault apparently, they talked about it to another couple of almost-weds, so now we've got to make sure it'll be safe for them. Again, get details from Karen and pass what's relevant on to Dirk, please. And to me, come to think of it. Warm clothes and hiking gear is all I've been told so far. Fourthly, you're going to be liaising with the police in this case where they almost grabbed Karen and had that lovely collection of pictures.”
“That last will probably make police sergeant Darren Jones happy.” Eliza said, with a slightly sour taste in her mouth.
“Are you being sarcastic, or serious?”
“I've picked up an admirer. I'm not at all sure I want him.”
“Because he's unsuitable, repulsive, or you're after someone else?” Pris asked.
“Not eminently suitable and I'm self-centred enough to want someone I can look up to. Not someone who was too scared of training to even try joining Security. He asked me out, I said I'd think about it and let him know.”
“I see, well, maybe you'll find out he has some good points. Right now though, the official advice is not to complicate your assignment with romance. Tell him that you've been assigned to keep lines of communication open, not to muddy them with emotions.”
“In other words, you don't want me to refuse him yet either?”
“You can tell him 'probably not, but I'll see', if you like, but I'd recommend you tell him you're not going to think about answering until after the assignment's over, and if he can't accept that then your supervisor — that's me now, by the way — will be having an official word with someone about three people up his chain of command, and if that doesn't have the desired effect then the head of operations will start making the chief of police's life uncomfortable.”
“Really?”
“Eliza, don't play dumb. You know who Karen is. If Maria doesn't get results because your sergeant can't keep his mind on the job, then she's going to use every lever she has to help him concentrate.”
“What level of liaison?”
“When other duties allow, you're there, in on the interviews, explaining to the culprits about why they don't want to be charged under the anti-terrorist legislation, and so on.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“It isn't really, I mean, they probably won't believe you and they probably have a lawyer who'll be contradicting you. If that does happen too much, you know what to do?”
“Tell him or her to stop interfering with my duty?”
“Exactly. He or she needs to let you speak. And of course if they end up contradicting the letter of the law then you've got them.”
“Professional misconduct?”
“Yes. Time to put your high scores it this stuff to work.”
“Thank you for this opportunity to serve, Maam.” Eliza said.
“Don't worry, there'll be plenty more. Now, I reckon your afternoon looks like this: Karen, May's Mum, alert Dirk, then police, then pick up May, meet Dirk, back to the police and then the family chat.”
Eliza thought about the different tasks “Do I talk to Karen about next week?”
“Well, that probably depends on how soon her new detail arrives. Police will be putting a uniformed officer at the school, by the way.
“Good. And the kids and parents will be alerted?”
“Yes. Routine 'a member of the public blah blah kidnap attempt foiled because of panic button blah blah be alert for strangers near the school, and keep your panic button handy.', sort of thing.”
“Do the police do the special warning for May's boyfriend, and his parents or do we?”
“Ooh, good question. Discuss with police please, and let me know.”
“OK.”