Son of Heaven by David Wingrove

Author:David Wingrove
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781848875258
Publisher: Atlantic Books, Ltd
Published: 2011-03-02T10:00:00+00:00

Chris arrived twenty minutes later. He seemed breathless.

‘It’s a madhouse out there,’ he said, throwing off his coat, then striding through into the bedroom. ‘I don’t know what’s going on, but there are big queues at all the gates, and you can’t hire a hopper for love nor money.’

Hugo looked to Jake. ‘It’s like you said,’ he said quietly.

Jake got up and walked through to where Chris was busy opening drawers and taking out clothes to pack.

‘You’re getting out, then?’

Chris glanced at him. ‘Till things get better, yeah. You want to come with us, Jake? We’ve plenty of room at the cottage.’

‘I don’t know, Chris…’ Hugo said, from where he stood in the doorway. ‘I think I might stay. I mean, I can’t see how anywhere is going to be any safer than this. If the bombs start falling, I don’t think any of us’ll have much of a chance.’

Chris turned, surprised. ‘Come on, Hu… We can’t stay here. If it all kicks off… well… this place’ll be ashes.’

‘Maybe… but I’d rather die like that, suddenly, in a blaze of light and heat, than have my flesh rot over the months that follow. Nowhere’s going to be safe, Chris. Nowhere.’

Jake wasn’t so sure. ‘I dunno… if I’m right…’

Hugo shook his head. ‘Do you really think the US will hold back, Jake, after what you’ve told me the Chinese have been doing? No. This is what some of those Pentagon boys have been wet-dreaming of these past fifty years!’

Jake turned back, looking to the older man. ‘Chris… you’ve not heard anything from Kate, have you?’

Chris looked across at him and smiled. ‘As a matter of fact, I have. She was asking if I’d seen you or spoken to you. Said she couldn’t get any kind of response from your apartment.’

‘No… it’s gone. The AI – Trish – has packed up. I don’t know why, but…’

‘They targeted Jake,’ Hugo said, stepping past him. ‘They shot down his hopper and erased all his files.’

Chris turned, aghast. ‘They did what?’

Jake shrugged. ‘It’s been a tough day. But look… do you mind if I try to reach her from here?’

‘No… go on,’ Hugo said. But his attention was taken by Chris, who was still busy packing his bag.

Jake went through into the living room again, then spoke to the air, addressing Hugo’s AI. ‘Hal… it’s Jake… get me Kate…’

There was a ten-second delay and then Kate appeared on the wall screen, twice life size.

‘Jake… thank god… I was so worried.’

‘Hi, sweetheart, I’m at Hugo’s. Chris gave me your message.’

‘Where’ve you been? I’ve been frantic. I contacted Hinton, but no one there seemed to know what was going on.’

‘No, I don’t suppose they did. But look… can you get over here? We’re going to go with Chris… and Hugo, I guess… down to their cottage. Until things blow over.’

Kate looked round at that. ‘I don’t know… I’m at my parents. They’re really anxious about things. My sister’s coming here… maybe you could…?’

‘You want me to come to you? Sure.

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