Read The Hunt for Pierre Jnr for Free Online Page A

on, or regarding, Pierre since his disappearance. An archive of ‘sightings’, blackouts and abnormalities that bore no actual evidence of Pierre Jnr’s involvement but were connected by the fact that Pierre was a possible cause. A wealth of junk information.
     
    You see that, Pete? Ask and ye shall receive.
     
    ‘So, you’re our weapon?’ Pete concluded.
     
    ‘I guess I am.’ She smiled benignly. ‘Where do we start?’
     
    ‘The islands,’ Pinter answered. ‘Interviews have been arranged.’
     
    Tamsin shuddered. ‘I hate the islands. I think I’ll take a bath.’  You want to scrub my back for me, Pete?
     
    Pete stared at her incredulously until she shrugged and walked toward the diner doors. Geof was the only one not watching her stalk away, too busy sorting through the datastream.
     
    ‘The midlands,’ Geof concluded out loud, eyes gazing elsewhere. ‘We have to go to the midlands.’
     
    ‘How’s that?’ Pete asked, still gazing in the direction of Tamsin’s exit.
     
    ‘From the pattern I’m seeing, if he isn’t there, then something just as bad is.’
     
    ‘Keep looking,’ Pinter added. ‘They don’t think you have it yet. The data may point at the midlands but nothing narrower. We need more specifics.’
     
    ~ * ~
     
    When they returned to the hangar, Tamsin was nowhere in sight.
     
    Geof sat in the makeshift lounge to digest data. The Colonel had a servitor carry his leather armchair to join him and was soon asleep. Pete went to his own room and lay down, letting his mind amble outward around the complex. As far as he could see, there was only the Colonel, Geof, Tamsin and himself — no other sentience within reach. Beyond the walls was only a soft susurrus of sound passing by, with few distinguishable thoughts.
     
    Pete?
     
    He didn’t respond.
     
    Peter? I know you’re there. You can’t hide from me, so you may as well talk to me.
     
    He sighed.
     
    Do you want to know what I’m doing, Pete?
     
    Not really.
     
    I’m having a bath. Just like I said I would.
     
    That’s nice.
     
    It is nice. I like the water on my skin, just like you.
     
    I like the ocean.
     
    Would you like to go swimming with me, Pete? I’m not a very good swimmer, but you could teach me.
     
    How can you be how you are?
     
    That’s very philosophical, Pete. I thought we were just playing. Nobody knows that we’re talking. I’m having a long bath, as I’m known to do, and you’re having some quiet time. We’ve already shown them, that we don’t get on, so nobody will suspect that we are having a conversation.
     
    You’ve been acting this way intentionally?
     
    What way? I am what I am and you are what you are. Was there ever a possibility we could be other than how we are?
     
    Now who’s being philosophical?
     
    I’m trying to make you understand, Peter. I know more than you about how Services works. You’ve spent your life running, but I’ve been in it. Don’t think you know about choices. You chose to turn yourself in. You know what I call you?
     
    What?
     
    An idiot.
     
    Well, that’s your opinion.
     
    You escaped in the early days, after the project was shut down. Services has improved since then. Earlier spotting. Mechanical traps. Weavers. Conditioning.
     
    That’s good to hear.
     
    You need to know that the advantages that psis have are not as big as they often think. Telepathy doesn’t make you smart; it just gives you inside information. And using that information for your own benefit is the biggest giveaway that leads us to awakening psis. We often know before they do if they’re about to go psionic.
     
    You must be so proud.
     
    Why should I be? I got picked up in the first sweep, but I wasn’t smart enough to get free.
     
    Maybe you didn’t want to.
     
    Well, I’ll let you wonder about that.
     
    I don’t understand you.
     
    Tell me something, Pete. How long is your reach?
     
    What do you mean?
     
    How far away do people have to be until