Steeple 9780575118614 by Jon Wallace

Author:Jon Wallace [Wallace, Jon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780575118614
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group
Published: 2015-03-26T00:00:00+00:00

Weeks pass. I consider punching my way out the cell, but Control told me to wait, so I wait.

I observe my guard. I believe he is being punished too: his human comforts, desk, chair, kettle and teabags, have been removed. All he has is a newspaper, but he only reads the sports pages and is through them by nine. After that he passes some time by whistling, kicking the wall and pacing.

Then he picks up the newspaper for the fifteenth time, draws a ballpoint pen from his pocket, and licks the tip with his tongue. He holds the pen up in a fist, says something to himself.

I stand, approach the glass, tap on it. He grabs his rifle and leaps to his feet.

‘Step away from the glass,’ he says.

‘The answer is Gustav Eiffel.’

He cocks the weapon and presses it to the bullet-proof barrier, which is something of a redundant gesture.

‘I said step away!’

‘The answer to the clue was Gustav Eiffel.’

He glances over his shoulder.

‘Eh?’

‘French engineer, famed for contribution to 1889 Paris Universal Exposition. That is what you said.’

‘What. You can read my lips?’

His eyes narrow, activity grinding behind. Probably wondering what else I have seen him say. Quite a bit, as it happens.

‘Stop staring at me,’ he hollers.

‘You have never attempted a crossword puzzle before,’ I say. ‘Why do so today?’

His jaw slips to one side. He sighs, lifts his chin from the rifle stock and lowers the weapon slightly.

‘It’s your fault.’

‘Why?’

‘Cos I told you and big Bree about the site, didn’t I? Bloom says I’ll stay down here with you until I learn to keep my mouth shut.’

‘Why should you be punished? Miss Bree gave me clearance. You had no cause to stop me.’

He sighs, turns, sits back at his desk.

‘Well, Bloom doesn’t see it that way. I’m locked down here with nothing for entertainment but your charmless mug and this depressing paper.’

I am curious.

‘What do you find depressing about the news?’

He stares at me. Waves the paper.

‘Are you serious? This is a real life horror mag. Worse every day. Half the world’s starving and the other half’s trying to get in here. And our only plan seems to be to lock up half the country. It makes you feel so bloody helpless.’

‘That is why we have Control.’

He tosses the paper, runs a hand over his eyes.

‘Maybe Control is keeping the lights on, but it won’t keep us safe. Have you read what Lay says about you and Control? He says he’s going to wipe Brixton off the map.’

‘Unlikely.’

‘Don’t you know what he did to Detroit? To Chicago? You think he’ll have scruples about London? Take it from me, the American business is the worst threat of all.’

He shakes his head.

‘I knew it was bad when they stopped making films.’

He is agitated. His knee jogs and his fists clench. Control is right. Emotion makes his kind sick. I tap the barrier, indicating the crossword.

‘What is the next clue?’

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