The Broken Sun (22 page)

The airship came in to land a small distance from the castle. A police sergeant by
the name of Brock appeared and told them to wait while he and his men did a sweep.
Several minutes later, he returned.

‘The castle appears to be empty,' he said. ‘But one of my men reported seeing a black
airship heading towards the mainland.'

‘They must have left around the far side of the island as we arrived,' Mr Doyle said.
‘Are you sure there's no-one at the castle?'

‘What about downstairs?' Scarlet asked. ‘In the basement?'

‘We found a room filled with cells,' Brock said. ‘But all the doors were open and
the cells empty.'

‘So Darrow has escaped,' Mr Doyle said. ‘And he's taken Phillip and the other men
with him.'

They made their way to the castle where they met with Inspector Greystoke from Scotland
Yard.

‘What have you found so far?' Mr Doyle asked.

‘Very little,' the inspector said. ‘I think this is only one of Darrow's bases. There
are notes about two other sites in England.'

‘So you've found nothing?'

‘There
was
evidence of illegal Darwinist experiments in the basement.'

‘What sort of experiments?'

The inspector shuddered. ‘Hideous things. Snake-rats. Dogs with double rows of teeth.
Some had to be put down immediately because of their deformities.'

‘Was there any machinery?' Scarlet asked. ‘The men on the island wore exoskeletons.'

‘We've seen nothing like that. That research must have occurred elsewhere.' He paused,
studying Mr Doyle. ‘You may wish to sit this one out, Ignatius.'

‘What do you mean?'

‘We've found a room where the men were brainwashed. It's…unpleasant.'

Mr Doyle took a deep breath. ‘I need to see what my son endured,' he said. ‘I have
to know.'

It was a dungeon at the other end of the castle, with walls covered in photographs
taken from the battlefield: images of men lying dead and wounded in muddy trenches.

A phonograph player and a pile of records were positioned at the front with a chair
fitted to restrain arms and legs. A slide projector, the same used at magic lantern
shows at the theatre, sat in the middle of the room.

Inspector Greystoke played a record. It crackled before George Darrow spoke loud
and clear from the bell-shaped horn:

The government is our enemy. It must be made to pay. Revenge must be taken for the
crimes against our people. Only through attacking the people responsible…

Greystoke turned it off.

‘People have experimented with mind control for years,' Mr Doyle said, slumping into
a chair. ‘Rarely has it succeeded.'

‘We think Darrow may have been drugging the men as well,' the inspector said. ‘There
are empty vials of medication in a rubbish bin. Darrow's family has been involved
in the pharmaceutical industry for years.'

‘My dear son…' Mr Doyle's chin quivered as he drew on an inner strength. ‘But I must
stay focused. Show me the cells where the men were kept.'

A few minutes later, Jack and Scarlet found
themselves back in the chamber where
they had so recently been guests. Mr Doyle took them to one side. ‘I must ask you
once more,' he said. ‘Are you sure it was Phillip?'

Jack and Scarlet nodded, then took turns describing the man in the cell, doing their
best to be positive about his condition.

‘Do either of you have any idea where Darrow may have gone? The involvement of Scotland
Yard will likely force his hand.'

‘One of the mercenaries made a rather strange comment,' Scarlet said.

Jack agreed. ‘He said about the machine men being able to destroy two houses.'

‘Two houses?' Mr Doyle said.

‘No,' Scarlet said. ‘He referred to them as
both
houses.'

Mr Doyle stroked his chin. ‘Today the British Parliament—Westminster—is holding
a special session to celebrate the King's birthday.'

Jack was confused. ‘What does that have to do with people's homes?' he asked.

‘Not people's homes,' Mr Doyle said. ‘Houses. The British Parliament is comprised
of two of them—the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Legislation must pass
both houses before it comes into law.'

Inspector Greystoke joined them. ‘It would be the ideal opportunity for Darrow to
strike at the heart of the British government.' He turned to Mr Doyle. ‘How
deadly
are these machine men?'

‘Extremely. One alone is equal to a battalion of men. They are fast and efficient.
It was only because we were able to scatter and hide that we escaped.'

‘I'm privy to some of the security arrangements for this afternoon,' Greystoke said.
‘I know the guard has been doubled because of the King's attendance.'

‘They'll need more than that,' Jack said. ‘Much more. A dozen machine men would be
unstoppable.'

‘When does the session begin?' Mr Doyle asked.

‘Five o'clock.' Greystoke glanced at his watch. ‘We've got a little over four hours.'

They returned to the
Enforcer
. As they flew towards the coast, one of the Scotland
Yard men rustled up some cold beef sandwiches.

‘I've been thinking about the machine men,' Scarlet said. ‘They would appear to be
quite indestructible, but I know how to bring them down.'

‘What do you have in mind?' Jack asked.

‘We need to appeal to their human side.'

‘If you say so.'

Mr Doyle was nodding. ‘I believe you're right, my dear,' he said. ‘Darrow may have
done his best to reduce these men to unthinking machines, but they are still men.
Human. Fallible. They are still
free
men. His techniques must have been only partly
successful, because he wanted the secrets of the living machine from New Atlantis.'

‘Why does Darrow hate England so much?' Jack asked.

The detective sighed. ‘For some people the war never ends. Living the peace is just
as difficult as fighting the war.'

They didn't speak again until London came into view. The airship joined a line of
vessels entering the city, peeling off as they came within view of the Houses of
Parliament.

The area was under lockdown. Twenty airships crisscrossed the sky. Most of them were
police vessels, but several were military.

Soon the information of the threat was being relayed to the whole fleet. One airship
broke formation and made its way to them. The vessels descended to the roof of an
administration suite.

Inspector Greystoke met with an officer of the other ship. ‘That was Warren Timms
from the Parliamentary Guard,' he explained on his return. ‘He's contacting the relevant
government representatives to inform them of the situation.'

‘And what are they doing?' Mr Doyle asked.

‘Nothing, so far.'

‘Surely the event can be cancelled.'

‘Not without evidence that an attack is imminent.'

‘But can't—'

‘Threats are made against the government every day,' the inspector pointed out. ‘This
is just one of many.'

‘Can my team and I be allowed into the building?'

Greystoke promised to arrange access. The airship then took everyone to a parking
lot west of the new House of Commons. Old warehouses lined the opposite
bank of the
Thames. Jack glanced at the names: the Midas Building, Old Oak Industries, Crane
Manufacturing. There were crowds of onlookers too, eager to catch a glimpse of the
King.

Greystoke returned with security cards that gave them access to the whole building.
Then he reboarded the airship.

‘We have an issue,' Mr Doyle said as the vessel rose back into the sky. ‘The new
Parliament has hundreds of rooms and miles of corridors. Do either of you have any
idea how we should conduct such a search?'

‘Uh, very quickly?' Jack suggested.

‘I would suggest you both start at the lower levels and work your way up. The kitchen
is down there. I will start at the top and work my way down.'

‘Mr Doyle,' Scarlet said, ‘that will take days.'

‘We must try.' The detective frowned. ‘Don't forget: alert the authorities if you
see anything suspicious. And don't split up!'

Jack and Scarlet made their way to the elevators. Security guards were everywhere.
It was impossible to travel fifty feet without a soldier or officer from Scotland
Yard checking their credentials.

They reached the kitchen. It was the largest Jack had ever seen, with benches, ovens
and cooking equipment stretching as far as the eye could see. Hundreds of people
were busy preparing meals.

Jack led Scarlet through the melee of people chopping and cutting and yelling orders
until they reached a quieter
corner. A girl, her name badge identifying her as Betty,
was pouring cream into a multitude of white jugs.

‘I'm with security,' Jack said, trying to sound important. ‘Er, have you seen anything
strange?'

‘Strange?' She glanced up at him, but continued to pour. ‘In what way?'

Jack wasn't sure how he could describe a dozen machine men.

‘Just odd,' he said lamely.

‘I
have
seen something strange.'

‘Really?' Scarlet said. ‘What?'

‘You two.' Betty, frowned at them. ‘You're the only people here not working.'

They took the hint and kept moving. Jack continued to scan the kitchen. At first,
the place had appeared completely chaotic, but now he realised that everyone was
simply busy; they knew what they had to do and were doing it.

Then an older blonde woman passed by a shelf at the end of the chamber and disappeared
through a rear door. Jack only saw her for a second, but his heart gave a lurch.

That's not possible
, he thought.
She's dead.

But he was sure it was her.

Sandra Clegg.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

‘Bazookas,' Jack said. ‘That was Sandra Clegg!'

‘Are you sure?' Scarlet asked.

Was it really her?
Or had he mistaken one of the cooks for Clegg? It had been an
exhausting few days. He described the woman to Scarlet. ‘I'm not positive,' he said.
‘But it looked like her.'

‘She's doing very well for a dead woman,' Scarlet said. ‘She has a new job and a
flashy hairstyle.'

‘Now you're the one being silly. If you'd—'

The building shook. The kitchen staff stopped almost as one. Someone dropped a stack
of plates and they shattered. Two security guards appeared, charging past Jack and
Scarlet.

‘It sounds like an attack on the upper levels,' one said to the other. ‘Lock down
the elevators and keep them secure.'

Jack was inclined to follow, but remembered Sandra. His stomach churned. Whatever
was happening on the upper floors could be a diversion. Maybe the real action was
about to happen
under
Parliament.

One of the chefs yelled for work to continue. Jack turned around, almost knocked
over a man with a plate of small pies, and went to the doorway where the woman had
disappeared.

‘Where are you going?' Scarlet asked.

‘I'm not sure.'

Jack grabbed the arm of a young boy carrying a box.

‘Where does that corridor lead?' Jack asked.

‘Nowhere. It used to be dry storage, but they had a problem with rising damp.'

The boy headed off and Scarlet turned to Jack. ‘So we're chasing a ghost?' she asked.
‘Shouldn't we go upstairs?'

‘They've got plenty of people upstairs. This may be important.'

Leaving the noisy kitchen, Scarlet followed him down the corridor. The silence closed
in around them. They were underground, and it was cold. Water stains discoloured
the walls.

‘Moisture must be seeping in from the Thames,' Scarlet said.

The corridor wound about to stairs leading down.
A lamp set into the wall at the
bottom cast a feeble glow.

‘I hate to say it,' Scarlet said, ‘but this reminds me of a Brinkie Buckeridge novel.'

‘There's one for all occasions, isn't there?'

‘It's
The Adventure of the Drinking Nose
.'

‘I won't even ask how that's possible.'

‘She goes down a flight of stairs with her Peruvian guide. When they get to the bottom,
the door at the top closes behind them and a beehive drops from the ceiling, releasing
thousands of killer bees.'

‘And what happens?'

‘Brinkie survives.'

‘And the Peruvian guide?'

‘Uh…well.'

At the bottom was a padlock on the door. Secured. Sandra—if that was who she was—could
not have come this way.

‘I think I've led us on a wild goose chase.'

‘Or a wild cook chase, except…'

Scarlet gripped the lock and shook it. It was secure, but a lock was only as effective
as the screws holding it in place and
these were gone.
Open mouthed, Scarlet pulled
the hinge back and pushed the door open to reveal a gloomy interior.

The smell of mould was strong, almost overpowering. Empty shelves lined both walls.
The boy from the kitchen had been correct in saying the storage room was no longer
used. Stepping into the murky chamber, they started down the aisle.

Suddenly, a gun was rammed into the back of Jack's head.

‘I'd advise you not to move,' a voice said. ‘I don't want to kill you, but I will
if I must.'

‘Sandra?' Scarlet said.

The woman rounded on them with the weapon in her hand. ‘This is quite a surprise,'
she said. ‘You two have more lives than a cat.'

‘We might say the same thing about you.'