Part 14 (2/2)

School was three years back for Danny, although it seemed about a century. Three years since he was expelled for dabbling in the occult or was given what the headmaster called 'early career benefit opportunities'. Danny's father was more concise with his condemnation. The school did its d.a.m.nedest to avoid the publicity. Even so, the Brigadier had argued strongly and surprisingly in Danny's support. It had been of little avail, but in return, Danny had inwardly promised to be eternally grateful.

His parents had sent him here to New World as a last resort.

A course in Virtual Studies. His father thought the university sounded 'just the job'. His mother didn't have a say. Danny thought it was a right-wing holiday camp. It was the last place he expected to re-encounter the Brigadier.

The image on the screen had begun to flicker, forcing Danny to screw up his eyes against the glare. The screen suddenly flared to a blinding white a white that crackled out at him like a bolt of indoor lightning. He tumbled back in his chair s.h.i.+elding his eyes.

The light was howling at him like a trapped beast. Behind it he could hear a shrill repet.i.tive bleeping. Through the gaps between his fingers, he saw that the monitor screen was turning slowly back and forth on its pivot like a deadly eye searching for a victim. He began to edge the chair backwards as twice the 'eye' pa.s.sed over him. It seemed to be blind.

Something clouded his vision. With a gasp of revulsion, he saw that the fingers on his left hand, the hand closer to the monitor, were covered in strands of sticky web.

He sent the chair clattering as he hurled himself across the room and out through the door.

9.

Flight arah sat in her chair bemused by the sudden effect of the Salarm on her interrogators. She seemed to have been all but forgotten. It might have been a good opportunity to escape, but she was fascinated and the ca.s.sette hidden in her briefcase still had twenty minutes' record time left.

'Someone in the secure system,' muttered Christopher.

Miss Waterfield seemed to be staring into the middle distance, a look of rapt concentration on her face. 'Daniel Hinton,' she p.r.o.nounced.

Christopher smirked. 'That devious little...' He reached down and reverently lifted the bleeping sphere from its box.

The Vice Chancellor watched him apprehensively as he started towards the door. 'I don't want him hurt, Christopher.'

'Of course,' he smiled, and went.

On the desk, the ivory pyramid was still pulsing with light.

Somewhere an alarm was sounding. Victoria Waterfield, now abandoned by her accomplice, sat staring at her monitor screen.

Sarah, determined not to waste this opportunity, moved quickly in on her subject. 'What is New World University?'

she asked urgently. 'You don't have lectures. You don't even have tutors.'

Miss Waterfield turned slowly and regarded her with a look that was defensive and surprisingly vulnerable. She looked very small in the huge winged chair. 'All the tuition is conducted by the mainframe a personalized syllabus for every student.'

'Since when did computers get personal?' complained Sarah. 'Come on, what are the Chillys really for? Some sort of fascist hippy cult?'

Miss Waterfield shook her head gently. She began to remind Sarah more of a nun than a Vice Chancellor all very laudable, but totally impractical. 'The wicked world is full of lost children: the aimless, the lonely. We follow the Det-sen disciplines that our Chancellor shares with us. We really really do care.' do care.'

This compa.s.sion was very persuasive. Sarah did her best to resist. 'Where is he then?' she said. 'Why can't I see him?'

'The Chancellor sees sees no one. He has taken the Path of Truth.' The light of the pyramid was catching in her eyes. no one. He has taken the Path of Truth.' The light of the pyramid was catching in her eyes.

Sarah thought back to the doc.u.ments she had brought with her. In the context of her present situation, one name stood out. 'Victoria Waterfield,' she said. 'That's you on the list, isn't it? At the London Event?'

The result was immediate. The Vice Chancellor was plainly startled.

'You must have been very young then,' Sarah added.

Victoria nodded. She had recovered her composure startlingly quickly. A teasing smile spread over her face.

'Considering I was born over a hundred and forty years ago.'

Sarah half laughed. 'Peanuts, I used to know someone.. She cut herself short, embarra.s.sed and confused. 'No. Sorry, I mean... you don't look a day over...' She mugged and saw to her relief that Victoria was giggling too.

'But I don't feel feel a day over...' She mimicked Sarah's grimace and they both burst out laughing together. They regarded each other for several moments, caught in a sudden unfathomable rapport, even affection. Sarah wanted to ask her to ring for some tea, then they could talk properly. a day over...' She mimicked Sarah's grimace and they both burst out laughing together. They regarded each other for several moments, caught in a sudden unfathomable rapport, even affection. Sarah wanted to ask her to ring for some tea, then they could talk properly.

Victoria's smile suddenly faded. Her eyes were drawn back to the screen.

Sarah followed and saw that the text was endlessly printing: Find the Locus Find the Locus Find the Locus Find the Locus To the side was the image of the Brigadier.

Victoria's hand gave a little reflex jump. Her fingers seemed to reach out of their own volition to touch Sarah's face.

Sarah jumped back with a gasp. The air was suddenly cold.

Victoria's voice had become cracked and hard as if someone or something else was using it. 'We all have pain to face, Sarah. But the Revelation will be soon.'

Startled by the sudden change, Sarah began to edge away from the desk. She picked up her bag and left the office.

Victoria shuddered. The voice in her throat croaked out again, reiterating its demand: 'Find the Locus.'

Victoria clutched at the sides of her desk. She gasped for air, her head pus.h.i.+ng up to stare at nothing at all or something she saw in the ether. Her own voice, no longer usurped, whispered in fear. 'Daniel!'

The whole corridor pumped with the beat. It was pounding into Danny's head as he ran. His legs were going in time with it. He tried to stumble, tried to break the rhythm. Time was slowing up. He was nearly flying already.

Anthony, that's who he had to reach. The DJ would listen.

He'd been complaining in the cafeteria the other day. He'd been there a month and he wanted to know what was going on.

Danny had listened to him then, now he could listen back. He had contacts. He wasn't sucked into the system yet. He'd know how to reach the Brigadier.

' You're jacked into N Treble U from New World. The You're jacked into N Treble U from New World. The people with the solution. people with the solution. ' '

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