Page 4 of The Lost Zone (Dark Water #3)

“No, it’s not that. Look, Elsie, I’m about to do something that will put me in the firing line – and if I go down, they’ll come for you next.”

She put her hand on his arm. “Joe, you’re scaring me, and I don’t scare easily. What is it you’re about to do?”

“My job,” Josiah said grimly.

“You’ve always done that. What’s different about this job? Is this about him?” She waved her hand at Alex. “Has he turned your head so much that you’d give up everything you and Peter built together?”

Josiah saw the flash of misery in Alex’s eyes and decided to change tack. “There’s another reason why I’m here today, and why I brought Alex. Elsie, do you remember all those times we wondered what happened to Ben, that kid who was with me in the car on the night Peter died?”

Alex looked up anxiously, and Josiah reassured him with a smile.

“Yes, that poor boy has haunted me ever since,” Elsie replied, frowning. “Why? What has this to do with Alex, or your decision to shut down the Line?”

“It’s all the same thing. You see, I know what happened to Ben, Elsie. I found out last night.”

“Did he make it to safety? Did he get out of the country?” she asked eagerly.

“No.” Josiah leaned forward and took her hands in his. “He was caught and sent back to a very bad situation. He’s suffered a great deal since that night, and now I have the chance to do something to help him. I have to take that chance. I owe him that.”

“How do you know all this about Ben?” she demanded. “Did he escape again? Does he need us to get him out? If so, why are you shutting us down right when he needs us most? Where is he, Joe?”

“He’s right here, Elsie,” Josiah told her gently.

She looked bewildered. Josiah stood up and put his hand on Alex’s shoulder.

“You asked if he’s good enough for me. Well, it was Alex who was in the car with me the night Peter died; it was Alex who helped me fight off Lars Driessen; and it was Alex who called the ambulance.

It was his chance to escape, and he lost it.

Forget what the papers say – they don’t know who he really is.

Alexander Lytton gave up everything to help Peter.

He could have run away the minute Driessen took out his knife, but he didn’t.

He stayed to help and risked his life in the process.

Elsie, Alex is Ben. Does that make him good enough for me? ”

Elsie’s hand went to her mouth in shock, and Alex had to rescue the cup of tea from her lap before it fell.

“You’re Ben?” she whispered.

“Yes,” he said gently, putting her cup and saucer on the table and kneeling in front of her.

“I was for that week, anyway. When I first called you, I was hiding under a picnic table in a park café. I lied about my name. I’m sorry about that, Elsie.

You were a lifeline to me that night, and the memory of your friendly voice kept me going for the whole week. ”

“Ben.” She took hold of his face and gazed into his eyes. “You’re sure?” she asked Josiah.

“I’m sure. He knew the song that was playing in the car that night. No other living person knows that except me; I’ve never told anyone.”

Elsie sat there, still holding Alex’s face in her hands, looking dazed.

“I’m glad you’re safe, Ben… Alex. We talked about you many times, hoping you’d got out.

I’m sad that you didn’t, love. I’m so sorry that you were sent back to face your houder.

I’m sure that was bad for you, my dear.” She smoothed Alex’s hair gently away from his face and then leaned forward and kissed his forehead.

Alex gave a little sigh and wrapped his arms around her.

She encased him in one of her warm hugs, holding him tight and rocking him.

He rested his head on her shoulder, his eyes closed, as he hugged her.

Josiah smiled. Sometimes, it was so easy to see the boy who’d lost his mother. Finally, Elsie released him, and Alex sat back, his eyes glowing.

“So, that’s why you’re closing the Kathleen Line.” Elsie glanced at Josiah. “You have a new cause now.”

“Oh, I think it’s the same cause, really,” Josiah told her wryly. “I’m still taking on the IS system, Elsie, just in a different way. I’m going after someone at the top of the establishment, and he won’t go down without a fight.”

“You’re going to make yourself a target,” Elsie guessed. “I knew you’d do something like this, one day. Working in secret was never your style. Peter loved it, but you never did. So, who is this person you’re going after?”

Josiah hesitated.

Elsie raised an eyebrow. “No secrets, Joe, not even to protect me. I want to know.”

Josiah sighed. “It’s George Tyler.”

Elsie let out a low whistle. “Well, you aim high, I’ll say that. Tyler’s rich and powerful – you’re right that he won’t go down without a fight.”

“He was Alex’s houder for several years. He’s the one Alex tried to escape from that night. Tyler got him back, beat him half to death, and killed the woman who helped him escape. Alex wants justice for her.”

“And you want justice for Alex,” she said quietly. Elsie was used to the many sad stories of the indies they rescued, but even so, there was a soul-weary look in her eyes.

“There isn’t much time,” Josiah said. “We must shut down the Kathleen Line and get all our people out. They can’t stay in the UK – if Tyler starts digging into my life, then he’ll find them. We planned for this, and now I need you to put that plan into action.”

“What about you?” she asked.

Josiah shrugged. “I don’t know what’s going to happen to me. You might see things about me on the news in the coming weeks – some of them might even be true. None of it changes anything. I’m still who I’ve always been. However bad it gets, please remember that.”

“Oh, Joe.” She touched his knee. “Sweetheart, I know who you are, and all the people you’ve saved over the years know who you are, too.

There’s only a handful of indies in the UK pipeline right now, and we have the resources to get them all out today if we act fast. We can get all our volunteers to safety, as well – those who will agree to leave, anyway.

Just give me the code word, and I’ll make it happen.

” She drew herself up and gathered her shawl around her.

Alex sat back and watched her, a look of admiration in his eyes.

“Go on, Joe. Say the word and it’s done. ”

It wasn’t too late. He could turn a blind eye to Solange’s murder. He could refuse to take on George Tyler, Martin Bagshaw, Jake Harper, and the entire corrupt establishment that supported the IS system. He could, but he knew he wouldn’t.

“Hattie,” he told Elsie. “Operation Hattie starts now. Get all our people out safely in the next twenty-four hours and shut down the Kathleen Line.”

She let out a sad sigh. “So, the time has come at last.”

He gently touched her silver hair. “It’s past time, I think. I should have let you rest a long time ago, Elsie.”

“Put me out to grass, you mean. Not bloody likely. Now, get out of here, both of you. Go on. Shoo!”

Josiah helped her to her feet, and she pulled him down and wrapped him in another big hug. “You’ll go to Liz’s house, like we agreed?” he asked into her shoulder.

“Yup. It’s been a couple of years since I last saw those kids. It’s time I went back for a visit.”

“It might never be safe to return,” he warned.

“Then I’ll stay with Liz. She says my cooking makes her fat, but I notice that doesn’t stop her stuffing her face all the same.”

“You should leave soon. I doubt it’ll be long before Tyler comes knocking on your door.”

“I’ll leave tomorrow. We’ve had this plan in place for years.

I always have a bag packed, just like you.

Now go. I have work to do.” She marched them to the door.

“Take care of him for me,” she hissed fiercely to Alex as she shooed them out.

“You brought him back to life, so he’s your responsibility now. Promise me.”

“I promise,” Alex replied in such a heartfelt tone that it took Josiah by surprise.

“I don’t know when I’ll see you again, Elsie,” he said softly, reaching down to put his arms around her one last time.

“You know where Liz’s place is. One day, when all this is over, if it’s safe, come visit. Those kids adore you. This is not goodbye forever, Josiah Raine. I won’t have that!”

“No, not forever.” He dropped a kiss on her hair, crossing his fingers behind her back.

He walked away from Elsie’s flat in a daze.

He’d just ended years of dedication with two words and said goodbye to his closest friend.

Then he felt Alex’s hand slip silently into his.

It was against his cardinal rule about how Alex should behave in public, but he didn’t care.

He held on tightly all the way back to the duck.

They were silent on the drive to Inquisitus, although Josiah was aware of Alex glancing at him anxiously every few minutes.

“You know… one thing’s been bothering me,” Josiah said finally as they approached the huge Old London lost zone just outside Streatham. “Why did Tyler risk selling you to Dacre, knowing what you know?”

“It’s a good question.” Alex chewed on his bottom lip.

“Even if he bought your act that you were a reformed character when you came back from Belvedere, it’s still one hell of a risk.”

“I agree. Although he held on to me for three years after Belvedere, so it wasn’t a decision he made quickly, or, I would presume, lightly. Perhaps, after all that time, he didn’t think I was a danger to him anymore.”

“Maybe.”

“Solange wasn’t important to him. He probably seriously doubted anyone would care to look into her disappearance on the word of an IS like me. Just look at all the trouble you’ve had convincing Esther and Reed that I’m worth listening to.”

“Good point.” Josiah grunted. “Still… I wonder what the motivation was for selling you. Did he need the money? That might be an explanation.”

“I don’t know.” Alex gazed out of the window, and Josiah knew he’d get nothing more from him.

He wasn’t sure he believed Alex, but what more could he possibly be hiding?

It was puzzling, but surely Tyler was too wily an operator to risk letting Alex out of his clutches with all he knew?

Something else was at play here, he just wasn’t sure what.

Or why Alex was so reluctant to talk about it.

He was interrupted in this train of thought by Reed calling to update him.

“I’ve got that info you wanted. There was a Theodore Burgis on Tyler Tech’s IS roster. His contract finished in 2090. His leaving address was a place in Wembley, but get this: it’s registered in Tyler’s name. George Tyler bought him a place to live after he left his service. Bit weird, isn’t it?”

“Maybe Tyler was particularly grateful to him for something.” Josiah glanced at Alex. “Send the address to my holopad. I want to talk to Ted Burgis.” He swung the duck around and began driving towards Wembley.