The Doomsday Code

CHAPTER 19

2001, New York

Liam climbed up the creaking ladder behind Bob and Becks. Bob was the first into the displacement tube with a hefty splash of water.

‘Why the big water tube?’ asked Adam.

Maddy was busy at the computer table discussing portal coordinates with computer-Bob, so Sal answered for her. ‘It’s filled with a mixture of water and disinfectant so they won’t be carrying back any of those bugs on your skin.’

‘Oh, right.’

‘And it’s also a buoyancy device, so we send back them and the water, and nothing else.’ She pointed to the small yard-wide crater in the middle of the archway’s floor. ‘We’ve had to open a portal not using the tube a couple of times. And that’s the result: we end up sending a chunk of floor back too. Which is not good.’

Becks splashed into the water beside Bob, kicking her legs to stay afloat and holding a plastic bag stuffed with clothes in one hand.

Maddy finished finalizing the coordinates and activated the countdown. She joined Sal and Adam standing round the bottom of the tube.

‘All right, then, five minutes until launch.’

‘Right-o,’ said Liam, sitting atop the ladder and letting his bare feet dangle into the cold water.

‘Just remember, guys … it’s January 1194. Dark times.’ Her voice reverberated around the archway.

Adam nodded. ‘King Richard’s been away for four years, crusading in the Holy Land. In the absence of the king, England’s become a lawless place. The king’s brother, John, is struggling to maintain order and failing badly. So you need to be careful, all right? This is bandit country.’

Liam cocked a mischievous eyebrow. ‘Not like in the flickers, then?’

Adam shook his head. ‘Sorry. No. Nothing at all like the films, I’m afraid. No men in tights, or maidens with golden locks waiting to be rescued from Disney-like castles. It’s a dark and brutal time. Warring factions, barons vying for power, roaming bands of bandits, mercenaries and murderers.’

‘Be careful,’ said Maddy. ‘All you’re doing is looking for this Kirklees place and find this Cabot guy. Sound him out, but be discreet, Liam, OK? Be very — ’

Liam’s face straightened. Time to be serious. ‘Hey, Mads … I know, I know. Discreet.’

‘Bob and Becks have been uploaded with French, which you may need,’ she added.

‘It’s spoken by much of the aristocracy,’ added Adam. ‘The merchants and low-born of the time, on the other hand, speak a primitive form of English. Just bear in mind the pronunciation of words we use today will be very different.’

‘Anyway,’ said Maddy, ‘the support units can do the talking if you’re struggling. You can use them as translators if it’s too difficult to understand what’s being said.’

‘Right.’

Maddy realized she was fussing and clucking like an over-protective mother. She turned and glanced at one of the screens behind her. ‘So … three minutes and twenty seconds.’

‘You’ve got winter clothes,’ said Sal. ‘It’s going to be very cold, I think. Wrap up tight when you get there.’

Liam raised the Ziploc plastic bag he was holding in his left hand. ‘Is this not going to cause a contamination? You know? The plastic?’

‘Bio-degradable,’ replied Maddy. ‘Bury the bags quite deep. They’ll break down over a few years.’ She shrugged. ‘Well, they should break down if the eco-label’s kosher.’ She checked the clock again. ‘You should probably get in the water now, Liam.’

He nodded and eased himself down into the cold water. ‘Aghh! Hate this bit!’

Maddy climbed the ladder to the top and squatted down beside their bobbing heads. ‘All right, so … I’ve set a return window at the same location you arrive in. It will open, as normal, for only a couple of minutes. There’ll be one set to open an hour after your arrival. A second window for twenty-four hours after. A third window set for a week after. And then, of course, the emergency six-month window. Is that clear?’

Liam, Bob and Becks all nodded silently.

‘Two minutes!’ called Sal.

Maddy reached a hand down to Liam’s bare shoulder and tapped it gently. ‘Please, don’t go missing again. I’m not sure my nerves can take another freakin’ crisis.’

‘We’ll be f-fine,’ said Liam, through chattering teeth. ‘A quick look-see, a q-quick chat with this Mr Cabot about this Voynik thing, and then b-back home in time f-for tea.’

‘Is there any way we can communicate with them?’ Adam called up. ‘You know, while they’re back in the past?’

‘Yes,’ she replied over her shoulder, ‘we can beam a signal to them. But they can’t talk back.’

‘Could I–I not use this V-voynik b-book?’ said Liam.

‘Information: it is pronounced Voynich,’ corrected Becks.

Maddy shook her head. ‘No. Hopefully this’ll be a quick in-and-out and no need, like last time, to leave any fossils lying around.’

‘Right.’ Liam nodded. ‘S-see you s-soon, then.’

She rested her hand on his, feeling a growing sense of guilt at sending him back through time. Was it really necessary this time? How much damage was this particular journey going to do to his body?

Maddy, get a grip.

She squeezed his knuckles gently. ‘See you soon, Liam.’ She looked at Bob. ‘You keep him safe, all right?’

‘Affirmative. Liam O’Connor is the operative.’ There seemed to be a note of affection somewhere in that deep growl.

And to Becks. ‘You clear on the mission parameters?’

Becks nodded calmly. ‘Affirmative.’

‘Maddy!’ called Sal. ‘You need to get down now, twenty seconds left!’

She clambered down the ladder and took a couple of steps back from the bottom of the tube as Sal counted out the last ten seconds.

Adam was gazing with unconcealed wonder at the workings of the displacement machine: a rack of circuitry and looped wires. The arch filled with the increasing hum of suppressed energy building up and eager to be unleashed.

‘Is that buzzing noise normal?’ he asked, but his voice was all but lost against the increasing electrical hum.

‘Seven … Six …’ continued Sal.

Maddy fought a growing urge to yell out an abort. Maybe this was one mission that wasn’t theirs to worry about. Maybe she should have consulted with Foster first. Maybe she should have sent a message forward to the future to check if anyone else was handling it. There were probably a dozen or more ‘maybes’ she could come up with.

‘Four … Three …’

Fact is, Sal spotted a small time wave and they were duty-bound not to walk away from that. Fact is, there was a man standing here in their archway who really shouldn’t be. Who really shouldn’t know about them and what they were up to.

And yes, fact is, I need to know what Pandora is. What does it mean? Who wants me to know about it?

‘Two … One!’

Too late for second thoughts now, Maddy.

Energy pulsed out of the machinery beside the tube and, with a loud, echoing thud of flexing perspex, Liam, the two support units and several dozen gallons of water were instantly gone.

Adam filled the silence with his own whispered voice.

‘Absolutely … in-cred-i-ble!’