The Electric Church Part 16

"We don't go easy, do we?" he said.

I nodded. "Like roaches. How'd our shopping go?"

Canny nodded. "Mr. Materiel came through on all our items."

Milton and Tanner gestured over their shoulders at a large shape next to our hover, covered by a canvas sheet. "The Vid hover as requested," Milton said sourly. "Was a b.i.t.c.h to get a hold of, by the way. And it's hot-won't stay stolen for long, if you ask me."

Beside her, her twin mimicked her grim nod perfectly.

"Doesn't matter," I said, looking at Ty. "We won't need it long. Mr. Kieth?"

He smiled. "Success, Mr. Cates. We're in business."

I sighed. "All right. I'm going to get cleaned up. Don't go anywhere. We're moving tomorrow, so it's time for a briefing."

There was a rustle of commotion at this. As I turned for the kitchen area, Orel's manicured hand snaked out and slowed me.

"Can I accompany you?"

I shrugged. He fell in beside me and walked with his hands in his pockets, head bowed, studying the floor.

"I am impressed, Mr. Cates, with the fact that you returned alive this evening. I distinctly recall at least two System Police breaking from the rest and pursuing you."

"Three," I said, wincing every time I put weight on my left knee. I hesitated for a second. "Whoever you really are, were you really a member of the Dunmharu? Without answering either way about your actual actual ident.i.ty." ident.i.ty."

"Without answering either way, either way," he said without looking at me, "yes, I was."

The Dunmharu; if the organization had still existed, I had no doubt that they would have been on d.i.c.k Marin's short list. I was no starf.u.c.ker, but there was a thrill to the thought that I was so close to something like that.

This was just a preamble. In the kitchen, I peeled off my sweaty, ruined coat and s.h.i.+rt. I let some brown water run from the spigot and began splas.h.i.+ng it everywhere, trying to scrub the grime off. The endless number of cuts and sc.r.a.pes and abrasions stung, several reopening and oozing blood.

"What's on your mind, Mr. Orel?"

I heard him pull himself up onto the large crate and imagined him sitting there, legs crossed, the perfect gentleman, complete with faux-English accent on top of his Philly brogue. I was acutely aware of having turned my back on someone who might have been trained by Cainnic Orel himself.

For a moment, he sat there and said nothing.

"I am a tired man, Mr. Cates," he finally said. "I do not enjoy this life-I do not enjoy fighting for every breath, or living in a world without rules. Those are the choices we're given-live under the boot of the System, or live in a world where every other man is trying to kill you. I would have it otherwise." He looked up at me. "That is why I chose to deal with you, as a man, instead of simply eliminating you."

I raised an eyebrow. "It wouldn't have been that easy."

He smiled, apparently amused. "No, I now believe it might not have been. You're a man of honor, Mr. Cates. You live with rules. I respect that. I envy it, because I long ago realized how impractical such thoughts are. I wish I could live by your rules. But I am an old man, now, and I have seen more than you. Rules are only as good as the people who obey them. If no one else is playing by your rules, no matter how good they are, what are they worth?"

I shook my head. "Just because we live in s.h.i.+t doesn't mean we have to act like it." I concentrated on scrubbing, a knot of anxiety forming in my stomach. "You're leading up to something, old man. Just get on with it."

There were a few seconds of silence.

"The Harper woman," he said slowly. "What do you plan to do with her?"

I shrugged, digging gla.s.s out of a deep cut on my elbow, the brown water in the stained and cracked sink turning purple. "I'm not planning to marry her, if that's what you're worried about."

There was a long delay before he spoke. "She can't walk out of here."

I kept scrubbing. "f.u.c.k you."

"Cates, you know I'm right. She knows far too much-she's seen the Monk, she knows Gatz is a psionic. She can't live."

I saw no reason to tell him the SSF already knew about both. "f.u.c.k that. I didn't bring her here. You You made that happen. Once this is over, it won't matter anymore. We can hang on to her for that long." made that happen. Once this is over, it won't matter anymore. We can hang on to her for that long."

"It won't matter matter anymore?" He laughed. "Come now, Mr. Cates. That's bulls.h.i.+t and you know it." anymore?" He laughed. "Come now, Mr. Cates. That's bulls.h.i.+t and you know it."

I shut the spigot off and turned to him, dripping pink water. "There's a lot you don't know. About me, about this job. About our patron."

He nodded. "Educate me, Mr. Cates. I will not have her out there, with my face, face, with my involvement in this. This is not some Tin Man, who, if it did send a scan of my face to Mother Church for OFR, would discover that my name is Terrance Nynes and that I've been dead for six years. This is not some piece of s.h.i.+t like yourself, this is someone with money, with a face on the Vids. With the power to cause me trouble. Understand? You people do not exist anyway. No one outside of this room and your debt-circle gives a s.h.i.+t whether you live or die. No one will avenge you. Her, she has people. She has money. She has social standing-the SSF would actually investigate. with my involvement in this. This is not some Tin Man, who, if it did send a scan of my face to Mother Church for OFR, would discover that my name is Terrance Nynes and that I've been dead for six years. This is not some piece of s.h.i.+t like yourself, this is someone with money, with a face on the Vids. With the power to cause me trouble. Understand? You people do not exist anyway. No one outside of this room and your debt-circle gives a s.h.i.+t whether you live or die. No one will avenge you. Her, she has people. She has money. She has social standing-the SSF would actually investigate. She cannot walk out of here alive. She cannot walk out of here alive."

We stared at each other for a moment. I heard the sound of water dripping, the distant murmur of everyone discussing their lot in life in the a.s.sembly Room. His lined face was expressionless, his eyes flat. I stood half-naked in front of him with my hands balled into fists.

"No, Dunmharu," I said slowly, biting off each word. "We may be a lot of things, but we need to have rules. rules. She hasn't done either of us wrong." I reached for my s.h.i.+rt and began drying off, leaving almost as much dirt on me as I'd just washed off. "This f.u.c.king world, this System-it's brought us all low. But you can plant your feet, Mr. Orel. At the last rung of the ladder you can refuse to take that last step." She hasn't done either of us wrong." I reached for my s.h.i.+rt and began drying off, leaving almost as much dirt on me as I'd just washed off. "This f.u.c.king world, this System-it's brought us all low. But you can plant your feet, Mr. Orel. At the last rung of the ladder you can refuse to take that last step."

We stared at each other for another moment, and then he smiled, a smooth ripple across his face. He laughed and slid off the crate, clapping me on a damp shoulder. "Ah, Mr. Cates-you forget. I remember the world before Unification better than you. I remember it well." He started back toward the a.s.sembly Room. "And it was not what you imagine it to have been."

"All right," I said. "Shut the f.u.c.k up and listen."

I looked around at everyone. I hardly knew them, as people. As criminals, they were talented. Ty Kieth sat with his back against one of his black boxes, absorbing its radiation and looking peaceful, his round head starting to grow a light fuzz of stubble. Milton and Tanner sat back to back, supporting each other, grizzled and sinewy, the least feminine women I'd ever met. Canny Orel sat near Ty Kieth, arms crossed, looking comfortable and inscrutable. Kev Gatz sat on the floor, facing the Monk, his gla.s.ses in place and looking asleep-as usual. Brother West was in stasis.

Marilyn Harper stared at me unblinkingly, pale and disheveled. It looked like the thick black tape we'd used on her mouth was going to be a b.i.t.c.h to get off. Milton and Tanner had b.i.t.c.hed loudly that she should be sequestered, so she couldn't hear anything that might be used against us. But I knew that if I hid her away somewhere we'd find her dead soon enough, with Orel walking around whistling, hands in pockets, looking innocent, and I knew that it didn't matter what she might do after after we did this. We would either all be dead, or we'd be rich and our records expunged by the King Worm. I was betting on the former, but it all equaled not worrying about Marilyn Harper. we did this. We would either all be dead, or we'd be rich and our records expunged by the King Worm. I was betting on the former, but it all equaled not worrying about Marilyn Harper.

"We're a go for tomorrow. Mr. Gatz and I have developed a plan for penetrating the Electric Church compound at Westminster Abbey. Once inside you all have support roles. I will locate the target and terminate him. The rest of you will handle security response and keep our escape route clear. Pay attention here. Being able to execute this plan will be the difference between collecting the money I promised you and getting killed."

I waited, but no one said anything. Trying not to think about the real possibility that I didn't know what I was doing, I could hear the Droids humming this way and that, on whatever errands Kieth had programmed them for.

I nodded and clicked a small remote control, and a three-dimensional building plan appeared in the air next to me, a crumbling facade wall shooting up from the ground, one tower and one broken stump, no other walls. Everything was underground, sinking deep below.

"Westminster Abbey," I said. "Whatever the f.u.c.k it was, was, it's now the headquarters of the Electric Church. All local conversions take place here, and administration of the Church worldwide is centered here. Dennis Squalor, founder and high priest of the Church, resides here. Security is very tight. Long story short, only Monks and converts get through the front entrance. All the converts who go through that gate are already dead." it's now the headquarters of the Electric Church. All local conversions take place here, and administration of the Church worldwide is centered here. Dennis Squalor, founder and high priest of the Church, resides here. Security is very tight. Long story short, only Monks and converts get through the front entrance. All the converts who go through that gate are already dead."

I let them chew on that for a second and then clicked the remote, and a small room inside the Abbey lit up.

"The front entrance is officially the only way into the Abbey. But it isn't the only only way in. These building plans are black market info. No one is supposed to have them." I pointed to the red square. "This is the Press Room, where the EC holds its press conferences. Squalor himself appears there once in a while to smile and answer a few softball questions inbetween quoting the f.u.c.king way in. These building plans are black market info. No one is supposed to have them." I pointed to the red square. "This is the Press Room, where the EC holds its press conferences. Squalor himself appears there once in a while to smile and answer a few softball questions inbetween quoting the f.u.c.king Mulqer Codex Mulqer Codex. The Monks get in in to the press room, friends, so there must be a way into the complex proper to the press room, friends, so there must be a way into the complex proper from from the Press Room. And intense scrutiny reveals that there is." the Press Room. And intense scrutiny reveals that there is."

The whole place was quiet. They were all professionals, and they were soaking up the details. They all knew they'd need them later. I cleared my throat.

"It won't be quite that easy. If we just force our way in through the Press Room, they send in the cops-and not the Crushers, either, but the officers and the Stormers-and pin us down, and it's just a fight. We're not going to fight our way through the whole f.u.c.king complex; it goes down pretty deep underground. At least a dozen levels below ground, covering much more square footage than the aboveground component.

"So," I finished, "we're going to employ a two-p.r.o.nged attack. Kieth and I have established that only a Monk can get through the front entrance. You've all seen what Mr. Gatz can do when he puts his mind to it. All Monks are controlled by the EC through a behavioral modification chip-the chip that captures his independent thought and keeps the crazies at bay-and we've found we can't replicate and replace the chip in time, and we may need some flexibility, so Mr. Gatz is going to Push Brother West, acting as a subst.i.tute for that chip. Brother West will be coherent and independent for a short while after that-longer than most because he will be a volunteer. Brother West will bring me in through the front entrance, quietly, as a convert.

"Simultaneously, the rest of you will be in the Press Room, posing as Vid reporters. The Vids are always in there filming for the features they do on the Church, so it won't seem out of place. We have all the equipment necessary. Mr. Kieth will make some modifications to the Vid equipment to make it more useful than mere props for us, and I've identified a weak spot in that room that should allow you to enter the complex proper." I indicated a spot on the plans.

Tanner squinted at me. "So if we can just get in through the Press Room, why bother slipping you in the side?"

"We have one shot at this. If we rely entirely on infiltration and I am discovered, that's it-I can't possibly fight off every Monk in the place, not to mention whatever automated defenses they have. So we're not even going to bother with stealth. Your role will be as diversion. Cause a ruckus. Draw their attention. While their response is concentrated on you, I will be sneaking in-un.o.bserved, I hope. I will complete the job, from the other end-with me coming in with the converts, and you making noise, they won't think to look for anything else. You make noise, and when you get the word or can't hold out any longer, you extract yourselves."

No one seemed pleased with this.

They absorbed this. Kieth studied the Monk serenely. Gatz was staring at me from behind his dark gla.s.ses, and it made me nervous. Milton and Tanner huddled close, whispering. Canny Orel continued to just smile softly at me, and as I looked he raised both hands and mimed applause.

Marilyn Harper just stared at me, nostrils flaring, somehow expressing rage without moving more than her nose.

"Wait a f.u.c.king second," Milton suddenly shouted, turning back to me. "You're going in with the Tin Man as a convert?"

I nodded.

"Aren't all the converts dead dead?"

I nodded again. "Yes."

XXVII.

Hurry up Now, It's Time

00001.

It was bright and dry outside for the first time since I'd arrived in London, a beautiful day of light and breezes. I hadn't slept the night before, as much from nerves as the million stinging cuts I'd inflicted on myself while crawling through the ruins of old London. It wouldn't have been wise to go outside, since I was temporarily the most famous criminal in the System, so I just rattled around the huge abandoned factory all night, alternately trying to sleep and cleaning my gun, getting to know its action and heft. When morning came, cheerful and clear, I didn't feel tired at all. My entire existence had changed in a span of days, and it was all coming down to one evening.

I'd known for a while now that I'd somehow exceeded my allotted time, lived too long. I was part of a dead generation, people born before Unification. Nothing made sense to us, even if we couldn't quite remember the Earth before. It was genetic memory, or something subconscious. Unification hadn't been our choice, and a lot of us struggled against it. We knew everything was wrong.

Kids, they didn't know. They'd been brought up in this bulls.h.i.+t, and they thought it was natural, normal. And they'd taken over the world, because most of the people my age were dead.

There was no coffee, and precious little food aside from the Nutrition Tabs Milton and Tanner had stolen from poor f.u.c.kers coming off the Dole Line. They kept you going, but in the first light of morning there was no physical joy in swallowing a tablet. I chewed mine thoughtfully, trying to make it contemplative. It didn't work. I wandered into the a.s.sembly Room with an extra tab and a cup of dirty water.

I paused in front of Brother West, who just stood there staring. I wondered what he thought while just standing there in stasis, if he tried suicide by mental command, or just chewed over his lot. His steady, digital voice still rang in my ears: Kill me . . . it is all I wish. Kill me . . . it is all I wish. Gatz sat in front of the Monk, slump-shouldered, staring up steadily. I hadn't said a word to Kev. I didn't know what to say. Gatz sat in front of the Monk, slump-shouldered, staring up steadily. I hadn't said a word to Kev. I didn't know what to say.

After a moment I turned to Marilyn Harper. She looked bleary and wrinkled, her hands and bare feet white and cold from her bonds. I knelt in front of her and set the cup on the floor. For a moment I just studied her, her watery eyes staring back at me defiantly. Then I leaned forward, took hold of an edge of the black tape, and tore it off in one sudden motion, slapping my free hand over her raw lips immediately to cut off the scream.

"No talking," I said as she convulsed, trying to pull away from my hand. "Harper? Ms. Harper, look at me. Look at me."

She calmed and stared at me, nostrils flaring. I wagged a finger in front of her. "No talking, okay? You say a word, I'll make sure you don't get to speak again for a very, very long time. We understand each other?"

She nodded slightly. I pulled my hand from her face. An angry red square remained where the tape had been. She breathed heavily through her nose, staring at me in a combination of anger and terror. I held up the Nutrition Tab. "Breakfast. You're probably starving. It isn't poison, it isn't drugs. You don't want it, just shake your head. But I doubt anyone else is going to bring you anything."

She stared at me.

"Listen, if I wanted to rape you, I would have. You're an inconvenience. We'd much rather cut you loose, and we will in a day or two. So don't eat if you don't want to. I don't care. I'll let you think on it for five seconds."

I sat there holding the tablet and stared at her. I counted five in my head, and then pushed the tablet at her mouth. She opened up and I popped it in without ceremony. She swallowed it whole. Then I held up the cup of water.

"Wh-" she started to say, and I whipped my hand up again.

"No talking, right? Nod that you understand."

She nodded. I took my hand away. I pushed the cup toward her.

"You can live for three days without water, Ms. Harper," I said. "But I wouldn't advise it. This is nasty s.h.i.+t, especially for someone who's used to filtered. I'd drink it, though, because we're all leaving in a bit, and you're going to be on your own for a while. I doubt anyone else is going to help you."

I held the cup up to her lips and tipped it. More ran down her chin than got into her mouth, but she greedily gulped what she could. When it was gone she lay there panting and licking the last dirty drops from her lips. I nodded.

"Okay. You'll live a little longer, then." I got up.

"Wait!" she croaked, her voice sounding rusty and deep. I turned back to her suddenly, bringing my arm back, and she leaned away from me in shocked panic, eyes widening.

"Please! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

I stood there, poised, but didn't bring my arm down. I stared down at her, and then knelt back down, leaning in close. I could smell her sweat, her fear.

"Don't," I said slowly, "speak."

Eyes wide, she nodded dumbly.

I started to get back up, but paused. "Listen, Ms. Harper-I'm a civilized man, okay? I promise you're going to be fine, if you just shut your mouth and relax. Okay?"

I didn't know why I'd said that. I wanted her to believe it, though. I was was a civilized man. If I'd been given a chance, if I'd been born ten years sooner, if I'd been rich, I would have . . . done something. Anything. I looked at her until she nodded again, faintly, afraid to move too much and set me off again. When a hand fell on my shoulder, I almost grabbed it and flipped the motherf.u.c.ker over my shoulder, but let the urge pa.s.s through like a ripple of potential energy. a civilized man. If I'd been given a chance, if I'd been born ten years sooner, if I'd been rich, I would have . . . done something. Anything. I looked at her until she nodded again, faintly, afraid to move too much and set me off again. When a hand fell on my shoulder, I almost grabbed it and flipped the motherf.u.c.ker over my shoulder, but let the urge pa.s.s through like a ripple of potential energy.

"C'mon, Cates," Tanner said cheerfully. I wasn't sure how I'd come to tell them apart, but it had become suddenly easy. "You ready to die?"

Turning away from Harper, I made a mental note to replace the tape on her mouth, not because anyone was going to hear her, but because if she started shouting I didn't doubt that someone, maybe even Gatz, would shut her up.

"We've got to strap you down. When the toxin hits your nervous system, there's probably going to be some convulsing."

I stared at Kieth, who had somehow found the time and materials to shave his head smooth again. His scalp gleamed in the sickly light of the kitchen. I was sitting on the big crate, with Kieth, Milton, and Tanner standing around me, each of them holding a length of synthetic rope. Orel leaned against a wall, smoking a cigarette, disdaining to do any actual work. For a second, my b.a.l.l.s crawled up into my gut and my tongue shriveled to a stump. I was going to entrust my entire existence to these people. If they weren't incompetent, they wouldn't shed tears if I never made it back-unless of course I was bearing buckets full of yen at the time.

The moment pa.s.sed. It didn't matter: I wasn't going to live through the week, anyway. I'd killed System Cops, I'd taken on the job of a.s.sa.s.sinating the leader of the Electric Church, there were hits out on me. me. I could feel the struggle falling away, and calm took its place. I was just waiting for the impact, and the few seconds before were blissful, peaceful-empty. I could feel the struggle falling away, and calm took its place. I was just waiting for the impact, and the few seconds before were blissful, peaceful-empty.

I nodded. "Let's do it."

Kieth nodded. "I just want to make sure you understand what's about to happen to you. Administered correctly, this solution will induce a deathlike state. This means that while you may-or may not-retain perception, you will certainly lose all conscious control. Your breathing and heartbeat will slow to almost undetectable levels. To most examinations, you will appear deceased. If you do retain perception, it will be . . . most uncomfortable."

I let Milton take my arm and begin tying a rubber tube around my forearm. "If I retain perception?" I retain perception?"

Kieth shrugged. "Not many people survive this. There just isn't much information available."

This struck me as funny, and I burst out laughing. Kieth and Milton shared a look, but didn't say anything. I listened to the rest of Kieth's speech with tearing eyes as I struggled to regain my composure, but the laughter kept dribbling out of me. This was cla.s.sic. This was appropriate. This was how the Gweat and Tewwible Avery Cates was going go out, after all the fighting and scrabbling and suffering. He was going to just lie back and get executed.