Department 19, The Rising, and Battle Lines by Will Hill

Author:Will Hill [Will Hill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2013-11-09T05:00:00+00:00

37

FROM PILLAR TO POST

If anyone had asked, Jamie Carpenter would have been unable to describe exactly what he was feeling as he stood in front of Admiral Seward’s desk. The slow, almost reluctant nod of the Director’s head had turned the world around him to nothing and the ground beneath his feet to quicksand. He felt as though his body was about to dissolve and drift away, such was the ferocity of the hope that had ignited in his chest; it threatened to engulf him and everything around him.

“It’s no more than a possibility,” said Admiral Seward, his voice thick and distant, as though it was coming from underwater. “A remote one at that. But I didn’t feel right, keeping it from you.”

Jamie fought for equilibrium, like a swimmer who has found himself too far out and realises that unless he kicks for shore now, he might not be able to make it back.

Focus, he told himself. Focus, for God’s sake. You can’t help him if you’re catatonic.

“We have to find him,” he heard himself say. “We have to start looking now.”

“We are,” replied Seward. “I’ve scrambled a Field Investigation Team to depart for Bamburgh this afternoon. If there’s anything to find, they’ll find it.”

“I want to go with them, sir,” said Jamie, firmly.

“Out of the question,” said Seward, instantly. Jamie opened his mouth to protest, but the Director didn’t give him the chance. “The interrogation of Valentin Rusmanov is still ongoing, Jamie, and the presence of all Zero Hour Task Force members remains mandatory. No exceptions.”

“Sir, this is far more important,” protested Jamie.

“It is to you, Jamie,” replied Seward. “For personal reasons, which I assure you I do understand, and sympathise with. But from my perspective, there is nothing more important right now than the work of the Zero Hour Task Force, of which you are a member, whether you like it or not. I’m devoting every appropriate resource to investigate the possibility that Colonel Frankenstein is still alive, but I’m afraid that does not include letting you tag along. I’m sorry, Jamie.”

Anger surged through Jamie’s body, and he fought his hardest to keep it at bay, to stop it erupting in Admiral Seward’s direction. Because the equation was simple: the one man in the world who had never failed him, never betrayed him or let him down, who had readily offered up his life in exchange for Jamie’s, might be out there somewhere, and he wasn’t being allowed to help bring him home.

Admiral Seward saw colour rising in the teenager’s face, and moved to extinguish it. “I told you because I believed you could handle it, Jamie,” he said. “Don’t make me regret that decision. There is more at stake here than even you understand.”

With a Herculean effort, Jamie forced himself towards calm.

“I can handle it, sir,” he said, slowly. “But I think I could be useful to the Field Team, sir.”

“You’re useful right here,” replied Seward. “You have a rapport with Valentin that no one else has. Right now, and for as long as we continue to question him, I need you here.

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