B00DW1DUQA EBOK, page 37
Finn glanced at Diane, who met his look with troubled eyes. She still had doubts about Connor, he knew. She’d come because he’d asked her to, perhaps for no other reason.
Shireen saw the uncertainty between them. ‘You’re not convinced about him, are you, Diane? We have to be absolutely sure before we make a move. There will be no going back, no second chance. Connor is an important man now. One word from him and it will be the end for all of us.’
Finn sighed, rehearsing in his mind all the arguments he’d had with himself about his boyhood friend. All the episodes from their life he’d run through in his mind again and again. Sometimes he found himself asking questions of Connor, the younger Connor in his mind, seeking reassurances. Going over details. Just like Nathaniel in a strange way.
‘I believe in him,’ said Finn. ‘I do. Look what I’ve been through. Despite all that I still believe in him. We were friends and we agreed to destroy Engn. I’m sure that is still his intention.’
Shireen stared into his eyes, as if trying to gauge the truth of his words. ‘And if he’s changed? Grown up, become part of the machine?’
Finn shrugged. ‘I don’t believe it. But if he has then it was all meaningless anyway. Everything that’s happened. None of it will matter.’
Shireen stood up and walked across the room to the little window. She stared out, deep in thought. Did he really have such confidence in his old friend? It sounded so convincing when he said it out loud. In his mind it was nowhere near so simple. What must it be like for Diane, who barely knew Connor, and Shireen, who had most to lose and who’d never even spoken to him?
‘You don’t have to be involved, Shireen,’ said Finn. ‘I understand. Help us find him and we’ll do the rest.’
She turned and smiled at his words. ‘Ah, Finn, I’ve missed you so much. You were always a serious little boy. If you made a solemn promise to do something you did it, even if it took you all day. In some ways you haven’t changed a bit.’
‘So what are you going to do?’ he asked.
Shireen looked at Diane. ‘What do you think? You’re somewhere between us in all this. You have the perspective of distance. Is this childish madness? You two could escape, slip back down the tunnel and I could go back to my life. With a bit of luck we might all survive into old age.’
Diane glanced between them. Finn could see the replies forming in her mind, all her doubts and hopes. This was the turning-point. If Diane said no now they would have to leave, have to try and survive outside Engn. Everything would go back to how it was. He didn’t speak, didn’t want to say anything that might encourage or discourage her.
Diane sighed. ‘I came this far. This may be the only chance anyone will ever get. I don’t really trust Connor, it’s true. I don’t know him, not now. But I do trust Finn and we did make a promise. I’m with him.’
‘Very well,’ said Shireen. ‘Then so am I.’
Finn realised he’d been holding his breath. He exhaled, looking at both of them. He wanted to hug them both.
‘We must still be very careful,’ said Shireen. ‘Nathaniel may seem easy-going but anything out of place will make him suspicious. He thinks you’re harmless and deluded. If he thought you were a threat things would be very different. You must carry on as before until it’s time to act. Do you understand?’
‘Can’t you talk to him?’ asked Diane. ‘I’m sure he has feelings for you, too. Can’t you make him see the truth?’
‘I’ve wanted to, often,’ said Shireen. ‘Believe me. And he would listen to me, I know. But I don’t want to give him that dilemma. Of having to treat me or banish me.’
‘Do you know where Connor might be?’ asked Diane. ‘Can you get us to him?’
‘I think I do,’ said Shireen. ‘That’s part of the reason I haven’t been here. I’ve been looking around and listening.’
‘And?’
‘The whispers are quite clear. He was a master of the Inner Wheel before the Director himself recruited him as his apprentice.’
‘So Connor is in the one place he can really organize things, change things. That must have been his plan all along. Be like them, be one of them.’
‘I hope so,’ said Shireen.
‘How do we find him?’ asked Diane.
‘In the middle of the Directory is a square stone building. They say that’s where the Director operates.’
‘OK. So Connor must be in there,’ said Finn.
‘The problem is, the building has no doors or windows. No-one knows how he comes and goes. Secret tunnels, I suppose. I’ll try and find out.’
‘But if you’re caught,’ said Finn.
‘There’s no other way. It seems the point of everything has been to get the two of you to Connor.’
‘So what should we do?’ asked Diane.
‘What you’ve been doing. Don’t attract suspicion and I’ll find out what I can. OK?’
‘OK.’
At the door, Finn and his sister hugged each other again.
‘Be careful,’ said Finn.
‘And you.’
Shireen didn’t return the next evening, and once again they began to worry things had gone wrong. Diane became more and more subdued. They ambled through the familiar daily routine, trying not to look anxious or alarmed.
The following day, strong winds sent heavy rain slashing diagonally across the world outside. They sat with the windows shut, raindrops dashing against the glass like handfuls of rice. Nathaniel seemed subdued, too. Worried about something. He fidgeted constantly with the stud in his ear.
‘Now,’ he said, ‘you told me you had a sister back in your former home, Finn.’ He leafed back through his notes. ‘Shireen. Is that correct?’
‘Yes.’ Alarm thudded through Finn. He tried to look relaxed. He didn’t dare glance across at Diane.
‘Can you tell me what happened to her?’ asked Nathaniel. ‘You didn’t mention her in any of your later adventures.’
He thought about what he should say. He didn’t know how much Nathaniel already knew. He could only think to tell the truth. ‘She was taken, too. When I was very small. The Ironclads came for her and took her to Engn.’
‘That must have been very upsetting.’
‘I suppose. I was very young.’
‘And, of course, she never returned to the valley. Do you know what became of her?’
‘No,’ said Finn. ‘I’ve never seen her. I don’t think I’d recognize her now.’
He regretted saying that even as he spoke. It sounded too much like an attempt to justify his lie. He felt his face redden slightly. Nathaniel paused for a moment, regarding Finn, then began to scribble away.
‘But she must still be here somewhere?’ he said when he’d finished writing.
‘I suppose so.’
‘Perhaps we should try and track her down. See … what she remembers of those old days, back outside.’
‘Yes. We could try.’
‘If I may say so, Finn, you seem very reluctant about this. I would have thought you’d jump at the chance.’
‘Yes. I would. It’s just, if she is still alive, she might not even remember me.’
‘Ah. Perhaps so.’ Nathaniel scribbled again, several long sentences. Finn waited, anxiety fizzing within him. Did Nathaniel know Shireen’s true identity?
‘And tell me,’ said Nathaniel at last. ‘Was anyone else from your old home brought here? Apart from yourself, Shireen and Diane?’
Finn tried to recall what he’d said in their previous sessions. Had he ever even mentioned Connor? He had to be careful. Nathaniel could spot inconsistencies by checking back on his notes.
‘No-one I can think of,’ said Finn.
‘No-one at all?’
‘No.’
‘I see.’
More scribbling. Nathaniel turned the sheet over and continued to write. Finn glanced at Diane. Her face was taut with worry. Nathaniel finished writing, looked back up at them and smiled. ‘Very well. Interesting, interesting. I think that’s enough for today, yes? We’ll resume tomorrow.’
Nathaniel stood to lead them to the dining hall. This time, two cowled figures accompanied them. They stood guard by the doors as Finn and Diane ate in silence.
Back in their rooms they whispered through the grilles.
‘He knows, doesn’t he?’ whispered Finn. ‘About Shireen. I know he does.’
‘Perhaps he was just seeing how much you’d make up,’ said Diane. ‘I mean, he can’t know everything since he doesn’t believe there is a valley outside Engn.’
‘No. But he might know Shireen is my sister. What’s he going to do, question her? He might uncover all her delusions then.’
‘If he is in love with her he won’t want to. Won’t want to put her through it. That may protect her.’
They were silent for a time, both lost in their thoughts. The light faded as, somewhere over the Directory walls, the sun sank behind the mountains. All colour, all detail leeched out of the room. Finn could hear nothing apart from the deep, ever-present hum of the machinery.
‘I think we should get out of here,’ said Diane.
‘Now?’
‘Now. If Shireen doesn’t come tonight then I think it means they’ve caught her. What do you think?’
‘I think you’re right,’ said Finn. ‘But where do we go? What do we do?’
‘Find this Director’s building. Try and get to Connor. I wonder though …’ she trailed off, lost in thought.
‘What?’
‘I wonder if she has tried to contact us but couldn’t. Maybe she knew someone was onto her and sent us a message.’
‘But we haven’t had a message. How could she?’
‘What would you do if you were her and you needed to tell us something?’
‘I don’t know. Write a note and hide it in one of our rooms I suppose.’
‘No good. Anyone could find it then.’
‘Then where?’
‘If I were her I’d leave a note at the top of that ladder. No-one else goes up there and only we know about it. If she had time she could have gone up before they came for her.’
‘If they did come for her.’
‘OK, yes. But it’s worth checking.’
‘We need to get out of our rooms then. They’re always locked.’
‘Not always,’ said Diane. ‘Haven’t you noticed? When the other woman – Matilda – brings us our sleeping medicine she opens your door, gives it to you, opens my door, gives it to me and then locks both doors.’
‘So if I sneak in behind her while she’s in your room…’
‘Exactly. Hit her over the head, knock her out and we can lock her in while we escape.’
Finn didn’t reply.
‘Can you do this, Finn?’
Could he? He wouldn’t have been able to, once. But his years in Engn had changed him.
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I have to.’
‘Good. Try and get her before I drink. And try not to take yours, too. We don’t want to be falling asleep up there.’
‘OK.’
‘Get something ready to hit her with. She’ll be coming round soon.’
‘What?’
‘A chair leg,’ she said. ‘See if you can work one loose. It’s heavy enough.’
Finn turned one of his chairs upside down and tried each of the legs. Even as he worked he heard the jangle of keys, the clink of beakers. He leapt back onto his bed as his door swung open and lights flicked on. A cowled figure stood in his doorway. If it was Shireen everything would be well. Perhaps it would be her after all.
But it was Matilda’s dry, unfriendly voice that greeted him. ‘Here’s your draught. Now drink up.’
Finn, trying to remember what he normally did, sat up on his bed and waited while she poured the liquid into the little beaker. He threw back his head and gulped it down, put the cup back on the tray and nodded.
‘Very good,’ said Matilda.
Finn lay back on his bed as if preparing to sleep while she crossed back to his door. When she disappeared around the corner Finn leapt up and ran to his sink to spit out his medicine. He crept to the door, unlocked and slightly ajar, and peered out. Matilda was in Diane’s room. Picking up the entire chair, Finn stepped after her.
Peering through the open door, he could see Matilda with her back to him. Diane seemed to be stalling, complaining about something. He had to do it now. He stepped forward into the room, desperate not to make a single sound.
‘Come on now, drink up, there’s a good girl.’
‘But it smells funny tonight.’
Two more steps and he was there. Matilda had heard nothing. He lifted the wooden chair up over his shoulder to get in a good swing. His arms flinched, the start of a swing. Diane tried not to look at him. He swung for real, clattering the wooden chair against the back of Matilda’s skull.
He thought that was all he’d have to do. She would crumple neatly and silently to the ground. Instead she screamed and span around to face him. He hadn’t swung hard enough. He took a step backwards, raising the chair again. This time he would have to swing at her face. He was about to do it when there was a hollow clunk sound and Matilda’s eyes shut. She collapsed to the floor. Diane stood behind her, a chair-leg in her hand.
‘That’s how you do it,’ she said.
Finn smiled, mostly out of relief. ‘I weakened her. You just finished her off.’
‘The question is, what do we do with her now?’
‘Tie her up. Lock her in.’
‘You know what we should do.’
‘What?’ asked Finn.
‘Whatever we do she’ll get out sooner or later, make herself heard.’
‘You’re saying we should finish her off? Kill her so she can’t raise the alarm?’
‘It’s the sensible thing to do.’
They both looked at the prone body on the floor, a heap of red cloth with, comically, two white shins sticking out from one end.
‘How would we do it?’ said Finn.
‘Suffocate her I suppose. That’s the quietest way.’
‘I don’t think I can.’
Diane looked up at him, then back down at Matilda. The cut on the back of her head was clear, glistening blood in her matted hair.
‘No. OK then. Let’s just tie her up. Maybe no-one will hear her up here anyway.’
They took Matilda’s keys and bound her wrists together with the cord from her own cloak. She still breathed: shallow, almost peaceful.
‘Come on,’ he said. ‘We need to hurry.’
They ran from the room, locked both their doors and sped away, up the stairs, leaping three at a time to reach the top landing.
Finn, who was slightly taller, went first. He shook as he strained upwards with his fingertips to reach the hatch. Diane, anchoring herself against the banister, held him around the hips to stop him falling backwards.
‘I can’t reach,’ he called down.
‘Shireen managed it and you’re taller. Just do it.’
‘I’m trying.’
‘Stand on my shoulders.’
The extra height allowed him to haul himself up through the hatch. He marvelled at the fact Shireen had done it by herself. He lowered the rope down for Diane to climb up. When they were both inside they shut the hatch and began to climb the ladder.
‘Do you see anything?’ Diane called up when Finn, climbing first, reached the top. ‘Any note?’
‘Nothing. Wait. There’s something here, written on the wall. It’s very faint.’
‘Was it there before?’
‘I don’t remember it.’
‘What does it say?’
‘There’s an arrow pointing at the window below it. Something about the building with no doors.’
Diane arrived at the top of the ladder and knelt beside him to examine the hurried, scribbled writing. ‘The Director’s building, then. Can you see it?’
Finn peered through. He had to rest one cheek on the dusty floor. Down between two metal spires with wires criss-crossing between them he could see, in the middle of an open square, a single, low building, squat and square. ‘I think so. I still don’t see how we get inside if there are no doors.’
‘There’s more written here. I can’t quite make it out. Something about going underground.’
‘We knew we’d have to do that,’ said Finn.
‘Shh. Also something about clocks. Fellow, no, Follow the clock-winder. What does that mean? There’s a time too.’
‘The clock-winder. Of course.’
‘Of course what?’ asked Diane.
‘I told you about him, remember? He goes everywhere in Engn setting all the clocks. He has keys for all the doors. He must have a key for the Director’s building too. If we can find him perhaps we can follow him inside.’
‘It must take him months to go all round Engn. The chances of coming across him now are tiny.
‘Shireen must have known that. Maybe she knew he’d be here soon and left us the note.’
‘Or maybe she expected us to come up yesterday and we’ve already missed him.’
Finn crouched next to Diane and examined the scribbled writing again.
’Does that time look like 34:00 to you?’
‘Yeah. I think so. But it doesn’t say which day. It could be tonight or tomorrow or yesterday. I don’t see how it helps us.’
‘I suppose she didn’t have time to complete the message. Still, it doesn’t matter. It’s our only chance. We can’t just go back to our rooms can we?’
‘Come on then.’
Back on the landing they peered over the banister at the stone staircase falling away beneath them. No-one was in sight. The Sanatorium was as deserted as ever.
‘We could go and take her cloak,’ said Diane as they descended.
‘Whose?’
‘Matilda’s. If one of us wears it we might not get stopped if anyone sees us.’
‘She might have woken up by now.’
‘I don’t hear her shouting.’
‘Perhaps she’s … you know.’
‘Let’s go and see. We should have thought to take it when we could.’
‘OK.’
Finn listened at Diane’s door but could hear nothing. Perhaps Matilda had gone; perhaps everyone was searching for them even now. He peered through the grille. The woman lay there in the middle of the room, just where they’d left her.
