High-Opp

Chapter 19

“The ruthless side was certain to come out,” said O’Brien. He stood by the window of his office, looking out at the river. “Newton was a threat. Ergo: stamp on Newton. Those other three were a threat. Ergo: dump them out a window.” O’Brien turned and looked at Quilliam London where the angular man stood looking at Movius’ chart.

“I see his decision index still goes up.”

O’Brien crossed to his side. “Up and up. The logical brilliance of the man is uncanny.”

“He once told me he doesn’t use logic,” said London. “The right answer just occurs to him.”

“You told me.”

“So I did. Up he goes. I take it this line contains the decisions of the past few days, including the one which may have smoked out our relationship.”

“Yes.”

“Either way the decision index must go up,” said London. “If he actually has seduced my daughter and made her pregnant, that was an excellent tactical move. If it was fabrication, it shows tremendous insight.”

“You talk about it coldly enough,” said O’Brien.

“I shall take a great deal of pleasure in pulling the trigger myself,” said London.

“Unless you happen to fall out a window first.”

London nodded his angular grey head, the hunter eyes going speculative. “You were going to bring me up to date. This running around in disguise has its drawbacks. I seldom know what’s really going on until I get up here with you.”

O’Brien returned to his chair across the table, sat down. “Movius got Janus Peterson to ferret out the names of Newton’s crowd in Bu-Trans. The list didn’t coincide with one the late Tyle Cotton gave him and…”

“The late Tyle Cotton? In Roper’s name, what happened to her? Did she go out a window, too?”

“Sorry, I keep forgetting you’re out of touch with things.”

“That is an understatement.”

“Hmmmm.” O’Brien pursed his lips. “Tyle tried to buy her way out of Bu-Trans and into Bu-Con with a fake list of Newton’s friends. She was way out of her depth. Movius anticipated her, took the list Janus gave him and copied it in her handwriting. He posted that list on the door of CR-14. Eighty-one Bu-Trans employees failed to show for work and Tyle’s body was found floating in the river.”

London eased himself into a chair. “Does her sister know yet?”

O’Brien tipped his head to one side while he tugged at an ear lobe. “I told Marie. All she’d say was that it was long overdue.”

“No love lost there.”

“None at all, evidently.”

“How did Janus get that list?”

“I gave it to him.”

“And the eighty-one on the list?”

O’Brien shrugged. “They’ll be reported as evading work order.”

“They’re probably already working in Bu-Con.”

“Certainly.” O’Brien shook his head. “But look at the beauty of the way Movius operates.”

London assumed a sour expression. “How much of this deviousness is aimed at us? What’s he doing today?”

“He’s out with Janus. I don’t quite get the significance of it. Janus called in shortly before you arrived. Movius has been picking up electronics techs, talking with them in the rear of the Bu-Trans van while Janus drives around. One of the men he’s met is an old friend from Comp Section named Phil Henry. We don’t have a single line on this Henry. An apparently insignificant person.”

“Did you alert Janus to the fact he may have to knock off Movius?”

“Yes. That was really why I had him call.”

London sat back in his chair, staring out from under his heavy brows at O’Brien. “you’re been saving some little morsel, Nathan. I know the signs.”

O’Brien smiled. “I’ve a report from Cecelia Lang. Glass is ready to make a deal with Gerard in return for Movius’ hide. Glass is really frightened.”

“What if Gerard goes along with it?” London became thoughtful, answered his own question. “That would save us the trouble, give us a martyr. Martyrs have been valuable to other revolts—Nathan Hale… Juarez… Lenin…”