Read Metal Fatigue for Free Online
Authors: Sean Williams
stop him being more than human — and if he had broken the Humanity Laws, then it was her duty to turn him in. That they needed his help to gain information about the Mole only made her more uneasy.
And then there was Raoul, with his artificial eyes — tangible, clear evidence of biomodification. Who knew how deep his inhumanity ran, or what dark motives his appearance concealed?
"I don't think Keith felt threatened by us, so we can probably take everything he said to be the truth."
Barney looked up at Roads. "But what about what he didn't say?"
"Yeah, I don't know."
She tapped the heel of one boot to the toes of the other. She hated that she had no choice but to go along with the situation. It was wrong in principle, if not in the details as well. Maybe later, when things were back to normal, she could reconsider and take appropriate action.
"What are you going to tell Margaret?" she eventually asked.
"I'm not sure yet." Roads grimaced. "An anonymous tip-off, probably."
"Well, let me know so our stories'll match."
"I will."
The radio crackled and Roads pulled his receiver from his pocket.
"Roads."
"Sir?" It was Komalski. "Something just went by us, but we're not sure what. It looked like it was heading your way."
Roads was instantly alert. "Where was it?"
"Corner of North-East and Murdoch Lane. Barker and Stilson saw something pass over their heads. They think it might have been someone on the rooftops."
"Okay, we'll keep an eye out. Thanks for the warning."
Giving the receiver to Barney, Roads signalled to the three officers in the van and relayed the information. The five of them spread out in an expanding circle from the car.
Barney touched the reassuring weight of her side-arm and studied the darkened street. Windows stared blindly back at her; narrow alleyways gaped like open pits.
Behind her and to her left, Roads turned slowly in a full circle, peering into every shadow. The seconds ticked by, until Roads suddenly froze.
"There!" he hissed, pointing.
Barney caught a flicker of movement in an alley twenty metres away. Roads took off toward it, and she followed him, the other officers not far behind. Fumbling for the radio, Barney shouted orders while she ran.
Roads was halfway up the alley before she even reached it.
"Shit." Nuggets of fallen concrete threatened to trip her. "Phil — wait!"
But Roads had already turned left at the end of the alley and disappeared.
When she reached the intersection, he was gone altogether. Even the sound of his footsteps had faded.
The three officers burst from the alley behind her.
"Split up," she told them, and picked a side street at random. She could see no-one, nor anything to suggest that Roads had been that way recently. The streets, still damp after the rain, were empty.
Reinforcement arrived, in the form of Komalski and two other men, and the search widened. Barney chose another side street and followed it to its end. Apart from a feral cat looking for food scraps in the gutters, she found nothing. Stony-faced houses stared solemnly back at her, any one of them potential harbour for a fugitive. The clicking of her soles echoed on cracked pavement as she followed another lane back to Old North Street. The flashing light of a second RSD van strobed the area in blue: more back-up had arrived. She thought of Raoul's cold eyes reflecting the blue from the safety of 114, and repressed a shiver.
Heading back into the maze, she recalled the officers assisting her.
"Anything?" she asked when they had regrouped.
"Not a trace," said Komalski. The heavy-set cop was sweating. "Of Roads, or anyone. Any idea who he was after?"
"No, I only caught a glimpse." She glanced nervously at her watch. "Where the hell is he?"
"Should we buzz HQ, get another squad? If we quarter the area — "
"No, let's give him a little longer. He'll have to come back this way. Four of you, go back to the house and keep an eye out. Komalski, Vince, stay here with me."
"Yes,
And then there was Raoul, with his artificial eyes — tangible, clear evidence of biomodification. Who knew how deep his inhumanity ran, or what dark motives his appearance concealed?
"I don't think Keith felt threatened by us, so we can probably take everything he said to be the truth."
Barney looked up at Roads. "But what about what he didn't say?"
"Yeah, I don't know."
She tapped the heel of one boot to the toes of the other. She hated that she had no choice but to go along with the situation. It was wrong in principle, if not in the details as well. Maybe later, when things were back to normal, she could reconsider and take appropriate action.
"What are you going to tell Margaret?" she eventually asked.
"I'm not sure yet." Roads grimaced. "An anonymous tip-off, probably."
"Well, let me know so our stories'll match."
"I will."
The radio crackled and Roads pulled his receiver from his pocket.
"Roads."
"Sir?" It was Komalski. "Something just went by us, but we're not sure what. It looked like it was heading your way."
Roads was instantly alert. "Where was it?"
"Corner of North-East and Murdoch Lane. Barker and Stilson saw something pass over their heads. They think it might have been someone on the rooftops."
"Okay, we'll keep an eye out. Thanks for the warning."
Giving the receiver to Barney, Roads signalled to the three officers in the van and relayed the information. The five of them spread out in an expanding circle from the car.
Barney touched the reassuring weight of her side-arm and studied the darkened street. Windows stared blindly back at her; narrow alleyways gaped like open pits.
Behind her and to her left, Roads turned slowly in a full circle, peering into every shadow. The seconds ticked by, until Roads suddenly froze.
"There!" he hissed, pointing.
Barney caught a flicker of movement in an alley twenty metres away. Roads took off toward it, and she followed him, the other officers not far behind. Fumbling for the radio, Barney shouted orders while she ran.
Roads was halfway up the alley before she even reached it.
"Shit." Nuggets of fallen concrete threatened to trip her. "Phil — wait!"
But Roads had already turned left at the end of the alley and disappeared.
When she reached the intersection, he was gone altogether. Even the sound of his footsteps had faded.
The three officers burst from the alley behind her.
"Split up," she told them, and picked a side street at random. She could see no-one, nor anything to suggest that Roads had been that way recently. The streets, still damp after the rain, were empty.
Reinforcement arrived, in the form of Komalski and two other men, and the search widened. Barney chose another side street and followed it to its end. Apart from a feral cat looking for food scraps in the gutters, she found nothing. Stony-faced houses stared solemnly back at her, any one of them potential harbour for a fugitive. The clicking of her soles echoed on cracked pavement as she followed another lane back to Old North Street. The flashing light of a second RSD van strobed the area in blue: more back-up had arrived. She thought of Raoul's cold eyes reflecting the blue from the safety of 114, and repressed a shiver.
Heading back into the maze, she recalled the officers assisting her.
"Anything?" she asked when they had regrouped.
"Not a trace," said Komalski. The heavy-set cop was sweating. "Of Roads, or anyone. Any idea who he was after?"
"No, I only caught a glimpse." She glanced nervously at her watch. "Where the hell is he?"
"Should we buzz HQ, get another squad? If we quarter the area — "
"No, let's give him a little longer. He'll have to come back this way. Four of you, go back to the house and keep an eye out. Komalski, Vince, stay here with me."
"Yes,
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