Newton’s Fire

THIRTY-FIVE
I

It had been a shock for Luke to see Jay first talking with their captors, then intervening on his and Rachel’s behalf. He’d tried to resist the implication that his old friend not only knew these people but was working with them, had been working with them from the start. But the inference became inescapable. He glanced at Rachel. Her eyes were closed and her head was bowed slightly forwards, as if in prayer. She’d recovered some of her colour since her ordeal on the balcony, but she still looked shattered. And he didn’t feel so good himself, though he tried not to let it show. He wanted to give her confidence, make her think he had a plan. Yet his only plan involved using Jay somehow, and the thought of that sickened him, for Jay had sold them out.

The bruiser was on sentry duty across the room, playing games on a tablet. He grew bored, went to the door to talk to whoever was on guard outside. Luke glanced across at Jay and jerked his head in summons.

‘What is it?’ asked Jay, coming across.

‘You know these people,’ murmured Luke. ‘How do you know these people?’

‘My uncle,’ said Jay, glancing at the door, clearly nervous of overstepping some obscure line. ‘This is his project. That’s how come I can protect you, because tonight won’t happen without him.’

‘Tonight?’ asked Luke. ‘What’s tonight?’

Jay shook his head. ‘I can’t tell you that. But everything’s going to be okay. Trust me.’

‘Trust you?’ scowled Luke. ‘You’ve been working with them all along. You gave us to them.’

‘I tried to keep you out of it,’ said Jay. ‘I swear I did. That’s why I sent you to the Monument.’

‘Oi!’ said the bruiser. ‘Shut it, you two.’

Luke ignored him. ‘You got these people to hire me in the first place, didn’t you? To find the Newton papers, I mean.’

Jay looked anguished. ‘You said you needed work. I thought I’d be helping.’

‘But why?’ asked Luke. ‘Why not do it yourself?’

‘I hate that kind of thing,’ said Jay. ‘Dealing with strangers. I’m no good at it. And, anyway, I was too busy double-checking all Newton’s other manuscripts.’

‘Enough,’ said the bruiser. He strode across and pressed the taser against Luke’s throat. ‘Or maybe you’d rather have a taste?’

‘No,’ said Luke. ‘I’ll be good.’