Evilution

By Hylton Smith

Evilution is comprised of The Sacred Protocol, Divine Extinction and The Ice Wars of Dominia. The first is an alternate history, scifi thriller. Two pivotal events in history lead to the collapse of the internet. It becomes a race against time to prevent global implications of meltdown. Divine Extinction takes the story on. The threat of extinction is back, then total war looms in book three.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hylton Smith
• Release date: Aug 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465773586

Hylton Smith

Born in the Northeast of England, I graduated from Newcastle University in Chemistry. My entire career has been in the manufacturing industry, first in research, then general management. After a number of years as the chief executive of a UK division of an American multinational corporation, I set up my own company, and in less than five years I was able to retire and turn to a boyhood yearning to write science fiction stories. This has gradually expanded to other genres such as alternate history and crime fiction.

Book preview

Part One: The Sacred Protocol

Chapter 1

The peasants toiling on the Cornish coast were buoyed by the fantastic July weather, making their burden lighter in their imagination. Jonas Goodbody was first to intrude with a sour sentiment. He had watched the horizon deliver an ever-increasing number of ships from the haze. His panic-driven bleating was at first rebuked by his supervisor, who then quickly grasped the significance of Goodbody’s clarion call. This was no summer maritime gathering whose intention was to relax and imbibe the ambience of a green and pleasant land. It had been predicted, but information was sketchy at best among peasantry. It was indeed the most feared realisation of the Spanish Armada. The prepared beacons were lit, and as practiced, the information reached London and Plymouth quickly. The response was also well rehearsed. Elizabeth insisted on travelling to the coast to witness Sir Francis Drake deal this Catholic invasion force a dose of typical English tactical pragmatism. All did not however go to plan.

Lady Luck played a curious role in defeat being snatched from the jaws of victory. Philip II of Spain believed he had no alternative to crushing Elizabeth I. He already controlled the Spanish Netherlands which were often referred to as the low country; however Protestant influence was spreading as a direct consequence of sponsorship from the virgin Queen. With England also under his control he could rule the English Channel. He believed that Scotia and Hibernia would at the very least assume neutral status, more because of their hatred of the English than any love for Iberia. There was also much Catholic support in these bordering domains. There was, in addition, the small matter of Sir Francis Drake’s attack the previous year on the harbour of Cadiz, where many ships destined for the Armada were being built. Considerable losses were sustained in sea power and naval personnel. This home defeat rankled with Philip to the point of obsession. Even when the fleet was, in his opinion up to strength again in 1588, he made quite an incredible decision by filling the position left by the loss of Admiral Santa Cruz, who died in 1586. Medina Sidonia, a very accomplished army heavyweight and nobleman, was bestowed with the dubious honour.

Exactly what the rank and file crews made of this is not well documented, but the entire plan seemed to be sinking in terms of credibility. A key part of the strategy was to navigate the Channel and pick up soldiers currently occupying the Spanish Netherlands.

They had however underestimated Sidonia, and even Philip confessed, but only to himself, that it was an inadvertent stroke of genius to appoint the army man as Admiral of the fleet. One of the first things he did was to abandon the plan to pick up the land forces and risk losing them aboard sinking vessels. He did not however disclose this intention to anyone. He knew that there was no port in these Netherlands deep enough to conduct such an operation safely even without Drake breathing down his neck. The solution he had inherited was to march the army to Normandie. He knew it would be a bitter debate to try to countermand Philip’s death trap, so he apparently went along with it, and crucially so did all of the spies who would report such stupidity back to Elizabeth. In a clandestine agreement with Danish noblemen he decided to feign flight from Drake’s fleet into what would be realised too late as a trap. The renowned Drake ‘floating bomb’ tactic of sending flaming vessels into collision with the Spanish galleons never got off the ground. These ‘Hell Burners’ depended on the enemy being sluggish or clustered without much room for manoeuvre. Sidonia’s crescent formation allowed speed and defensive protection. When Drake eventually felt the Spanish were cornered in some God-forsaken Nordic harbour, the entire naval manpower of both sides was exhausted. The English spirit however was briefly rekindled when their prey was apparently in a predicament worse than the anticipated location in France. The Danish mercenaries, who had no religious leaning, were brimming with energy, spoiling for a fight, and well equipped with vessels designed specifically for the tidal turmoil in the region. The crowning factor was the short, deep but narrow strait access to the inner calm of the real harbour. Only two ships at a time could traverse this channel, and of his 130 vessels, Sidonia sent his 22 galleons through first to then volte-face and fire upon the eager pursuers. The last four Spanish ships in the channel were halted and offered as sacrificial gambits as their crew took to the rescue boats awaiting them. With the channel effectively blocked, the Danes closing in from behind, Sidonia taking aim from calm water, and the appearance of catapults despatching fireballs from both banks of the channel, Drake’s fate was sealed. His temporary upsurge in morale had been replaced by the sudden realisation that his navy would be totally eradicated. And so it was. After resting with his co-conspirators, Sidonia sailed back to Normandie to collect a fresh, well preserved land invasion force. This had been his thinking all along. Unless the transfer of his army could be achieved with little or no loss, the naval battle would have been of little relevance.

Elizabeth was back in London when the news came, but unfortunately, Scotia and Hibernia were already in receipt of her plight. The three pronged converging forces brought England to its knees in bitter but short campaigns. She was herself publicly beheaded in the style so often employed by her father.

With appropriate concessions to the acolytes of Scotia and Hibernia, the genesis of the new Iberian Empire was set in motion. July 19, 1588 was accorded the status of one of the most significant turning points in history. The astonishing pace at which the fledgling Catholic alliance flourished to the worthy upgrade of empire was underpinned by Philip’s considerable skill as a forward thinking politician. He excelled in this trait as much as he appalled in military strategy. Lady Luck had indeed delivered his platform.

He had kept his fascination with the ancient Egyptian philosophy of ‘victory by cultural absorption’ to himself. It would have been considered regressive by the Church, especially when compared to the rationale of the Inquisition. It worked wonderfully well with the Nordic peoples. France was gradually but acutely aware of all of its neighbours being seduced to come under the Iberian flag in some form or another. Its national identity was eroded from the west, north and south. Philip also accommodated the Basque language, the oldest in what had up until now been known as Europe, in a restructuring of Spanish to Iberian. His next challenge was considerably more subtle than what seemed in hindsight to be the routine purging of England. Germany was a key facet of his master plan. Timing was everything – and so it was necessary to ingest but not digest France prior to rolling out his Lutheran cleansing.

Although Martin Luther died in 1546, his ideology had a firm grip on the German psyche. Apart from being the initiator of the Protestant reformation he had promoted apparently tolerant ‘celibate marriages’ for the priesthood. Philip seized upon the later anti-Semitic preaching of this professor of tolerance, and coupled with his quasi-Egyptian alternative, he effectively nullified the threat of war. He was able to quote all of the previous bloodless harmonisation of cultural advantage, including the latest and most unlikely example of France. He insisted that the French were accorded a policy of non-interference in domestic affairs, local laws and even their grossly indulgent obsession with those powerful anarchical taboos of art and literature. He was gambling on France and Germany each watching the other, and the fence sitting gave him time to sneak in the avenue of religious tolerance. The minds of the populace had to be won, not driven. What he really meant was given time to reflect on Papal adoption or the extreme poverty of Lutheran obstinacy. His patience paid off, and in less than two decades of stabilisation he was musing over the next two conundrums. Namely – his succession and the East.

The East predominated largely due to the situation in the New World being simplified by the recent ascent of Iberian identity. In addition, he already controlled Portugal, Naples and Sicily. Following Columbus’ discovery in 1492, the main protagonists harboured ambitions to dominate both the northern and southern Americas. Now the way was clear for their re-naming – North and South Iberiana. All members would share from the common gain. The original purpose of Columbus was to find an alternate route to the Indies, as Islam had cut off the overland route through Egypt and Suez in mid-seventh century. The demand for spices, incense, herbs, opium and other drugs ensured a solution had to be found. Arabs took over this trade with Europe until the Ottoman Turks cut the route again in 1453, and this consolidated the need for a maritime route, which was partially satisfied by Vasco de Gama declaring the Cape of Good Hope as the answer. Philip had become known as Philip the Prudent, and he was not going to settle for this arduous journey in the long term.

When German Iberia was announced he saw an opportunity to move forward on the question of the East. He brokered the future marriage of his son to Margaret of Austria – sister of Ferdinand II, and was, like her future husband, a member of the House of Habsburg. His expansionist plans did not go unnoticed by Russians, Slavs and Turks. He also knew the dangerous routes through these, in his view, relatively uncivilised territories, was not an option. He offered something they all had in common – a desire to curb the growing problem of Islam. When they realised he meant elimination, other doors opened. Technology became currency for passage. Gradual strangulation of the Arab economy created cracks in the hegemony and exploitation presented itself, with many Islamic dignitaries taking residence in the southern Iberian Peninsula. The leaders benefitted from generous estates in return for strategic assistance and fighting men in bringing down their common enemies. Religious tolerance was once again on offer, with the caveat that there was no room for protest against the majority.

In a way this long, systematic decomposition of the indigenous Arab world would become the grooming background for his son to become Philip III. He didn’t have the charismatic presence of his father but he could be moulded to a caretaker’s role until his own heir, another Habsburg, could revive the former momentum. It was the best option in the semi-hiatus which was accompanied by the approaching death of Philip the Prudent, which duly arrived in 1598.

Chapter 2

Konrad Salina had been thorough in preparing for his act of martyrdom. He only made the mobile video contact with the local Londonis police precinct when all other items had been checked off the list. The recorder was running and his message, including the details of his security vault had been tattooed on his back, in code, some weeks ago. The call was onward directed to Elle Butragueno, who was hurriedly gorging on takeaway tapas at five minutes to eight in the evening. It was actually her lunch. Butragueno.

Please listen very carefully. The camera panned around the apartment and settled on the balcony where she could make out a crudely constructed gallows. Not another jumper, she moaned, I’m going to tra…

No you aren’t. This isn’t a threat or cry for help. You can’t save me, and that is why you must get here as soon as possible after I am dead. There is no such thing as a secure line now. You will know the importance once you are here. The address was flashed up and Butragueno ran to her vehicle while yelling to the desk to inform her superior Maxi Duarte.

It was a short drive, culminating in a sharp shock as she looked up to the eighth floor, to see the black outline of the corpse swaying in a ferocious wind. Jesus. It was all she could muster as she believed she was, at least at present, the only person to know of the suicide. It was a desirable, tree-lined street, not the kind of place where these things happened. A strange thought almost percolated to verbal as she ran up the stairs instead of using the elevator. ‘Funny, it will be me telling the Medical Examiner the time of death. Twenty two minutes past eight, August 8, 2022. I need a new career.’

She had managed to keep onlookers out of the incident area until the Lightbox brigade arrived, fractionally ahead of her boss – Maxi Duarte. She mumbled under her breath, ‘Oh no, that’s all I need – no sleep tonight’. Duarte exercised patience until the new forensic team had their shot at the corpse and his apartment. This arm of investigation was new and extremely helpful in creating an incorruptible record. By installing the volume parameters involved and locking the photonic capture of the scene, and subsequent flooding of the image in the lab with fluorescent x-rays, many things were revealed. The routine forensics team could then pursue their task. The Lightbox scans were compared against database item references such as fibres, semen, narcotics, shards, etc. – and this almost instant feedback was very helpful in guiding the regular forensic checks.

Fill me in Butragueno; this doesn’t make a lot of sense to me right now. Duarte was a tired, soon to retire, old school Chief Inspector. He wanted out, but at the same time had no idea what he would do on the first day, month or even year of being surplus to requirement.

Elle showed him the video of the entire incident, including the deceased’s call to her. The tattoo was obviously a starting point, but didn’t offer immediate clues as to the information it was supposed to reveal. Great, said Duarte, in exasperated concession to getting both profilers and code breakers involved, I get the feeling we won’t be on this case too long – it stinks of political motive. Do we know anything at all about him – work, girlfriends, memberships of organisations, hobbies? Butragueno winced. It might be worse than you think Sir. His father owns this expensive apartment, lives in Madrid and is a big wig in the Central Security Division.

How do we know that already?

Well Sir, there’s a photograph in the hallway, of his parents at some CSD award ceremony and it was turned to the wall, which seemed unusual. I looked behind and it is obviously a special edition as it had the date, venue and official seal on it. I checked with Madrid and they knew of this address, but wouldn’t say more until they talked with Snr. Salina himself.

Well D.I. Butragueno, it’s pretty certain that you’ve poked the first stick into the hornet’s nest. I know it’s frowned upon to have gut feelings in today’s policing practice, but my ulcer is screaming disappointed parents and wayward offspring.

He was right about the case being hijacked, but it happened sooner than he allowed for, and consequently he reacted uncharacteristically angrily. Ricardo Pierze entered the apartment while barking out instructions to his ‘underlings’. He was the antithesis to Duarte in just about every conceivable respect. He was tall, handsome, clean in appearance and exuded an air of being in control without having to be explicit. His sharp dark eyes didn’t dart about; they were always focussed on the person he addressed, usually with the intention of disarming them. He would soon get frustrated with Maxi Duarte, whose overweight frame was always draped in food-stained, ill-fitting attire. Personal hygiene had little priority in his short list of lifestyle objectives. The remaining crescent of wispy grey hair which circled his sweat-beaded dome was particularly annoying to Pierze, as it was matted, and always retained the influence of his pillow until he showered or looked into a mirror, whichever came first.

Senor whoever you are, I believe, until I’m contradicted, that suicide is still a crime even though we cannot arrest the perpetrator. It is a technicality but we are duty bound to determine if this is clearly and only suicide. The reply was paper thin in its sincerity.

Pierze. He flashed his ID, I would very much appreciate you according proper formality to our cooperation Chief Inspector. Please, at least look at my accreditation, you need to be careful. There are aspects of this incident which we have anticipated for some time now and we will require you to respect boundaries which are crucial to the security of the Republic.

Duarte glanced at the pretentious ID wallet. It was quite ornate and shouted ‘Director of Operations – International Communications Corruption Bureau’. So you aren’t really police, or even a force. I just know that you’re going to acquaint me with your leverage on high-flying people who are. He also wondered how and therefore why he was there so quickly. Pierze responded with a rare olive branch, although it didn’t seem to be anything but confrontational. Your choice Duarte, join the team or be replaced.

Butragueno interceded, Sir, I would like to hear what the Director means by his anticipation of Konrad Salina doing something like this – it will surely help all of us to understand anything we can about his activities leading up to the suicide. Duarte was silent for a full minute while he satisfied himself that she was right. He nodded and gestured for Pierze to continue.

He did so by summoning a subordinate to activate a portable video transmission. It displayed footage from CCTV in several prominent cities in the Republic. One type of protest banner kept cropping up, and the zoom revealed similar faces at all of the locations. Konrad Salina was amongst them. Before Duarte could challenge the relevance of this he was given a short refresher course in recent history.

Pierze was very deliberate in structuring his précis to exclude any conclusions at this stage. We all remember vividly the total and instant collapse of the internet in 2016. Equally, the development of a new safe global network was a landmark event. The paralysis of institutions such as banks, government, manufacturing, and air travel threatened a rapid slide into dystopian culture. The perpetrators were never identified even though their infection, which cascaded like no other, achieved its objective with unstoppable momentum. Because of the miraculous timescale in which a new, apparently bulletproof system was available, the scenario became one of rectifiable disaster rather than Armageddon. What you do know is that the system we have today has satisfied all of the aforementioned institutions. What you do not know is how it came about so quickly and that it may not be as impregnable as first thought. My remit does not allow me to flesh this out, but your cooperation with the method of investigation of the suicide is paramount. We need it to look like that is all it is. That is why the boundaries will be required. You may have observed that the protests were against something they refer to as ‘Overlord’. That is their suggested name for the organisation itself, which has paradoxically attracted cult status amongst the majority of young people, and yet it is the target for the perceived protest action – which is not yet fully understood. The real protest is against the increasing dependency and licensing of SACRED. You no doubt recollect that the system which ‘saved’ our society in 2017 was indeed hailed under that acronym. In case you have forgotten it stands for ‘Signal Amplification, Correction, Revision, Encryption and Distribution’. There is no evidence from any of the key players who were hit by the internet collapse, that the system is anything but perfect. That is why it is so surprising that it has fostered such antagonism from certain youth groups while the rest are obsessed with it. I hope you see that we must conduct our investigation undercover, and your team may proceed separately unless we find something which requires us to ask you to alter or delay your conclusions. I will be back tomorrow for the daily briefing you will present to me. I trust you will sleep on this tonight and let me know in the morning whether or not I need to replace you.

He mentioned on departing that if Duarte decided to cooperate he would need to smarten up his desk, which was almost invisible due to the mountain of paperwork it supported. Amongst the clutter at the top of one pile was a note, to remind himself of his son’s football match – kick-off 19.30, and a half-eaten prawn Panini which obscured the scribbled venue. The smile on Pierze’s face betrayed his utter disgust. Butragueno fixed her eyes on the floor until he had gone, then fled to the toilet before her control gave way and she sat there convulsing with laughter. Thankfully Pierze had left when she returned. She still had not regained full composure and it didn’t help that Duarte had swept everything into a box; he looked up and asked, Any ideas on where I can stash this for a couple of days?

Leave it there; I’ll get someone from records to put it into files. You need to look as if you are working on something. I don’t think Pierze is a clean desk man.

He nodded wistfully, and switched back to Pierze’s monologue. What do you make of this SACRED stuff? I can only recall that it’s something to do with the Moon.

Yes, but it’s a hell of a lot more complicated than that. I remember thinking at the time that it was quite a convenient blessing to recover our ability to plug the world back into the mains again so quickly, until I read more about the guys who designed it.

"You need to bring me up to date with that in under an hour Butragueno; my boy will never forgive me if I miss the game.

Chapter 3

The grooming which Philip II had in mind for his son was not what it outwardly appeared. He knew that the only true successor which would endure long enough to allow the empire he had in mind to flourish was not a person, but a republic. He also recognised that it would take up to a century for this to be implemented, and in any event his son was not capable of such subtlety. Philip III did become monarch upon his father’s death, but it was his father’s inherited prescription to which he clung - as his encyclopaedia to govern. His father had foreseen trends in his acquired states which convinced him that the self-serving nobility could not survive very far into continually advancing technology. He didn’t personally embrace all such scientific conclusions without reservation, yet he wanted to optimise the future for both his family and Iberia.

Giving a stake in this future to plebiscites would be resisted by those who protected and coveted his son’s position. Therefore the formula he advocated was to use the Church to mediate at every contentious phase. It did require a change of religious leadership philosophy, and this was precisely the time for such orchestrated effort to plant the foundation stone. Royalty, apparently being subordinate to the Holy Roman hierarchy was what the Church had been fighting for over many centuries. The Nobility saw it as an opportunity too. The stake offered to the populous had to be managed in concert with their representatives’ ability to pledge and demonstrate total and absolute piety in every aspect of life, even the call to future wars. It did indeed take several decades to gather real momentum, and Philip III did not live to see the seeds of the republic turn to a swathe of manageable green grass. This strategy however prepared Iberia much better than any other society for the advent of the Industrial Revolution.

In the East - Russia and the Balkans moved away from the increasing power of the Orient and Indian sub-continent. They were however, nervous about the Iberian expansion, which had not only spread its tentacles to absorb the Arab world, but promoted its republican philosophy to the Africanas. Such preoccupation was the price paid for China discovering and claiming the Antipodes and naming it Sea Garden, presumably as the coastal areas were the only hospitable zones. The relentless Iberian entreaties to Russia eventually succeeded and their revolution was bloodless. Trade and technology were the catalysts. The Balkans had nowhere to go except follow suit.

The effect of early arrival of the might of industrial technology increased world travel and introduced widespread industrial espionage. One result of the fear of being left behind was the curious alignment of Asian societies in a very short space of time. This bloc consisted of the oriental nations, dominated by China and India, part of the seceded Russian steppe, the volcanic islands of the near Orient, and of course Sea Garden. Everything else flew the Iberian colours as fully subscribed members of the Republic, a protectorate, or simply a commonwealth of cultural partnership. Significantly, the Church would still have a bearing on further alignment. Orient had many more religious differences to iron out, whereas Iberia’s tolerance actually promoted Catholicism at a digestible rate. This would become a bigger issue during the era of science and technology especially with respect to medicine.

As the perceived wealth gap widened another problem arose. The society with by far the highest population density also had by far the least land, and there were uprisings in Orient. Disparate religious belief in such overcrowded life, while looking over the shoulder at a successful alternative, turned envy into self-harm. This became an indirect problem for Iberia as there was no prepared structure to cope with mass refugee migration. Hurriedly installed law brought tension and polarisation within the Iberian culture. Orient also outlawed ‘defection’ and the success of many hundreds of thousands of escapees blurred the deaths of millions of unsuccessful individuals. A stand-off was sought and agreed. It was based on Iberia revoking sanctions and once again forging a ‘technology for trade licence’. This worked quite well until the electronics age and the lure of space travel. Both of these developments took place earlier than they may have done if there had been prolonged nationalism from mediaeval times through to the industrial revolution. Electronics became part of everyday life by mid-twentieth century. The absence of global conflict, which had looked likely, but was avoided by the trade/technology pact, helped oversee more space exploration. The first human to set foot on the Moon was a Catalan. Rodrigo Mondragon planted Iberian colours there in 1956. As consumer advertising mutated from ancillary status to multi-billion peseta industry, there was less investment in pioneering technology. Satellites invaded the orbit by the hundreds and global communication grew into the monster which demanded instant everything. By 1969 there were unmistakable signs that population growth would force draconian measures for the entire planet, but it was the Orient which had the most acute problem, and they took the decision to block the altar of worship to consumerism and invest more of their GDP in getting to another planet. It wrong-footed Iberia for almost two decades, and culminated in their own Moon landing. They were reminded that the Moon was Iberian sovereign territory and the squabble dragged the trade/technology agreement into sharp focus. A formula was born out of anger, whereby Iberia compensated Orient by financing the next step toward a lunar colony, and an unconventional lease which favoured Iberian veto of excessive emigration rates by either society. This was considered relatively conventional in the Republic, but seen as being sold down the river by the people of the totalitarian regime. The governing Orient body was ousted, replaced and the lease revoked. And so the apartheid world came into being.

Orient was now a closed society, able to infiltrate and spy on a quite unprepared and porous dominion with borders of almost infinite length. The lunar colony would be upgraded in timescale and the sole proprietors of any gain would be Iberia. They knew that they could not halt the espionage drain and called time on the trade/technology licence, which fuelled talk of war. Within a year the internet changed everything as it grew into an activity which was difficult to monitor, and it thankfully took the talk of conflict to a lower shade of alert. By the millennium trade barriers had evaporated and consumer society had once more dulled the appetite for space travel. Harmony was fragile but was actually being restored.

Out of the blue, three men who had made obscene amounts of money in different areas of internet business, met to evaluate the vulnerability of their private wealth generation, specifically its possible collapse. They were all Iberian.

Chapter 4

Butragueno summarised the reams of data she had on the reclusive trio. Sorin Gretz was apparently the intellectual driving force, recognising the trend toward more pernicious computer viruses. He predicted that the internet would flat-line earlier than it did, so his thinking on what happens next was outlined well ahead of it being needed. He had cleverly moved significant proportions of his trillions of annual peseta profit to his brainchild SACRED. He is of Swiss-Iberian descent and still lives in Basela. Andreas Verdasco and Constantin Boniek brought other influence to the table. Verdasco made his fortune from software which replaced open search engines with personally coded link interface enquiry.

Hosting with maximum privacy spawned such demand that capacity had to be rationed until new methods of data exchange became available. Terrestrial fibre-optic transmission was replaced by huge satellite chains around the globe. Boniek was invited to the party because of his supply of all manner of support equipment to the Iberian financed lunar colonisation project, which had by then run out of favour. The mothballing decision left the perfect premises for SACRED to evolve from embryonic status to ‘premature birth’. It all dovetailed perfectly – a remote location which precluded physical invasion, the orbiting relay girdle with which Boniek’s lunar equipment had previously specified compatibility, Gretz’ and Verdasco’s software integration, and the plight of Iberia’s financially crippling colonisation disaster. The three wise men took this burden from the Iberian government within a suspiciously short period after the internet collapse threatened to seriously mutate to perennial fiscal and social nuclear winter.

Duarte’s stoic expression remained while he verbalised how this was of minimal interest to him right now. Very interesting, if you get off on conspiracy theory, but as Pierze said – we have boundaries to observe. A suicide investigation is our only remit until the evidence itself leads us on to his patch. I really have to get to the game. I’m sorry to dump this in your lap Butragueno, but I’d appreciate you getting preliminary forensic information and any progress on Salina’s tattoo decode to me in the morning. He had often indulged in this kind of temporary disconnect from the loop, but this was courting further confrontation with a powerful adversary who had already threatened to end his career. Butragueno wondered if he was finally ready to quit. The thought was dismissed as suddenly as it arose – Duarte’s sheer doggedness was something Pierze was about to experience. She resigned herself to a night without sleep and a long day to follow.

The code which Salina had devised was pretty straightforward for the breaker group and simply revealed the entry details for his deposit box. Armed with this, Butragueno obtained the necessary paperwork to compel the bank to allow access. The contents consisted of photographs, names and family contact data plus the cause of death of at least twenty of his personal friends. There was also a message that implied more could have occurred recently that he did not know of. In a dirty brown envelope he had put together reasons why he was convinced his friends were murdered. He also hinted – no more than that – of a wider strategy of the perpetrators, namely to cause and accelerate Iberia falling from within. He concluded the note by explaining that he would be on this list, and faced such elimination himself. His dilemma was whether to inform the authorities (who would have considered him delusional), or accept that he may have to die and make those same authorities think hard on his claims.

When Butragueno delivered this to Duarte he sat in silence for over five minutes, waving away her intrusions, before he said at a barely audible volume, Keep this between us for now. If there is any substance to Salina’s claims we may be shut out of consequent murder investigations by our friend Pierze. What about forensics?

No real evidence of anyone else’s direct involvement in the actual suicide act, but the Lightbox has highlighted many prints which will have to be checked out, and there is something lodged in one of the wall cavities without any obvious means of getting to it. Their best guess at the moment is some kind of capsule. They’ll carefully cut out access through the plaster and extract it after consultation with explosive device expertise.

He nodded and then astonished her by an abrupt change of subject. The boy played so well it looks like he may be offered trials with a couple of top teams. This could fit neatly with my retirement if he makes it as a pro. Let’s have some coffee and get out of here before Pierze gets to us. She reminded him she had been up all night and was going home to recharge her batteries. Duarte acknowledged this and headed for a breakfast bar in town.

*

Pierze was furious when he arrived to an empty office and was even more frustrated when Duarte’s mobile communicator was unobtainable. He did get Butragueno and was unsympathetic to her lack of sleep, which prompted an uncharacteristic response. Snr. Pierze, I report to Maxi Duarte and he authorised my absence for at least four hours. Take it up with him. Goodbye. He was not used to such flagrant insubordination and simmered while he contemplated what to do next. Just as he decided to report Duarte to the regional Chief of Police, one of his entourage whispered in his ear, Sir, we have just been informed that Salina senior and his wife are on their way here with legal representation. They are expected within the hour.

Shit, that is all we need. Do they know we are here? His subordinate shrugged his shoulders.

Well who the hell has just informed you of their arrival?

The reply was cautious. He said he was acting legal counsel for Salina.

Pierze was exasperated. Right, and did he ask who he was speaking to?

His subordinate recovered a little confidence. Oh, I see what you mean. Yes, I said it was Duarte’s office and before I could elaborate he cut me off and said they would be here shortly. They would have assumed I was one of Duarte’s people.

Pierze smiled. Good, then we will receive them and not enlighten them as to who we are until we hear what they have to say. They will be more open if they think we are simply detectives and when we correct their misconception Salina will torpedo Duarte for us. We then have leverage on both Salina and Duarte.

When the party arrived Salina stayed silent while his legal eagle disclosed their horror at having already been to the apartment and taken in the suicide scene with its multiplicity of forensic markers. Senora Salina was extremely distressed that her son’s last act was so graphically enhanced with seemingly emotionless script and references, including the crude mechanism of the scaffold. We expected to see police presence there, but as we already had keys we entered and I must say it was a shock to find the place ‘abandoned’.

Pierze pretended to squirm a little and sympathised with their traumatic experience. He went on to explain the procedure with the Lightbox team and how this allowed the police to work from that image first in order to cut out poorly targeted and lengthy testing. You should have been warned to stay out of there until this phase was complete. I apologise. You may have already complicated the scene inadvertently. That would be a great pity.

Salina could not maintain his silence. We sent you our travel plans and you didn’t acknowledge the message, so we could only assume you were too busy with the investigation. You could have lessened this awful experience by the explanation you have now given us. I’m not impressed, and in fact I will be....His legal man interjected quickly, We’ll come to that in due course, make no mistake, but for now we must alert you to certain aspects of Konrad’s recent difficulties, and some possible background to his demise. You may have begun to concentrate on the ‘overwhelming’ evidence of suicide; however there are certain exchanges with his family that may cast doubt on that.

Pierze delayed the harpooning of Duarte; this disclosure may prove much more important. Oh, it seems another apology is warranted, certain items have been removed from the apartment. Please continue with your suspicion that Konrad’s death was not entirely self-determined.

The legal man beckoned Salina to his side and whispered a short reminder that it was prudent to limit information to that which could be substantiated; the speculative elements must be allowed to ferment in the minds of the police. Salina nodded impatiently and proceeded to deliver a précis of the emergence of SACRED. He was interrupted by Pierze stating that they knew all about this. No you don’t, scowled Salina angrily, let me finish. Pierze didn’t swallow this direct rebuke in front of his sycophantic team at all well, but managed to stay in control. Salina continued. The concept was one of staggering dimension and technical achievement. It also changed the modus operandi of large corporations and individual social habits alike. It apparently overcame the threat of any kind of hijacking by any kind of adversary. The entire setup, from the impregnable lunar location, the halo of orbital relays and the lynchpin of dedicated licensed booths with on-screen recognition technology could not be faulted. In order to be accepted for membership it was necessary to suffer a long waiting list until DNA samples, facial replication vectors, and retina links were all embedded into the log-on sequence. This was probably the identity theft protection appeal which saw personal computer ownership diminish to obscurity.

Pierze’s supporting cast was nervously awaiting their boss walking out of the room. They all knew this story; it had been world news for a couple of years. Salina eventually got their attention when he declared that there was a particular threat which had been underestimated if not discounted. We never seem to learn that the weakness in any system dependent on humans, even for the most mundane tasks, is destined to be corrupted. It is only a matter of how.

Pierze was now totally transfixed. He sat down. Salina cleared his throat just as Duarte breezed into the room and threw his ‘pork pie’ hat onto his neatly arranged desk in a territorial challenge to Pierze. He did not of course realise how important this moment would become in the investigation. Pierze swore under his breath while trying to think on his feet. He quickly decided to introduce Duarte.

The legal man stuttered, Then who the hell are you?

The reply was accusatory. You never really gave me a chance earlier; I am Ricardo Pierze, Director of.....

Salina was furious with himself. The identity of all heads of covert global snooping organisations was always protected. He immediately grasped that he would not actually be who he claimed to be, but officially authorised to parade as such on a single mission. This was his simulation for promotion. He was grateful that Duarte had inadvertently saved the day. I think you had better leave Pierze so you can report back to Snr. X, the real director of your organisation. The legal man was bemused; Duarte was verging on silent orgasm as Pierze & Co feigned contorted smiles while shuffling into a single file exit.

It got worse for Pierze, Salina was correct in his snapshot assessment of the simulation aspect. Not all of Pierze’s entourage was subordinate level personnel, one was an observer, and he was blatantly unimpressed. In order to prevent termination of his involvement in this case Pierze needed significant progress, and quickly. The observer pulled him to one side and stated the obvious. We, or rather you, have missed out on something important which will now be divulged to that cretin Duarte, and to make matters worse Salina will stir up a plague of red tape around our own investigation. Not a good start to the day.

However, Salina did not warm to the apparition of the burger-chomping Duarte any more than Pierze had. He went on the offensive again. What have you learned so far from this Lightbox? There must also be clues in the apartment of his recent activities, and we need his personal effects to begin closure, as I’m sure you understand. You do know who I am?

The legal man intruded. May I introduce Senor and Senora Salina? Apart from being Konrad’s parents, Snr. Salina is head of Central Security for Iberia. I am his legal counsel; and my name is Jose-Maria Olmeda. So as you may appreciate there is both a personal and professional nature to our presence here. His eye contact with Salina screamed ‘cool it’.

Duarte scratched at some of the flaky skin amongst the sparse remnants of his hair and filled the immediate conversational radius with onion flavoured relish. I see. As a matter of fact I do know who you are Snr. Salina, there was a photograph of you and your good lady on the wall at the apartment. We still have much work to get through with second sweep forensics, and you’re absolutely correct about the other evidence of his recent activity – we are on to it. Personal effects, well it’s rather difficult to be precise at present, but maybe we can release some of them in a couple of days. He didn’t want to disclose either the implications of the tattoo or the hidden object in the wall cavity at this stage.

Once more Olmeda cut off his boss, We are staying at the Riu Principal. I’m sure that you appreciate Inspector Du.... He was sarcastically corrected. Chief Inspector Duarte. I’m entirely at your service, as I guess you were just about to remind me of your requirement that I cooperate with your own investigation. I know you’ll understand that the police must first and foremost be satisfied that we are definitely dealing with an uncomplicated suicide. That’s routine and I assure you that we’ll release all we can to you when our jurisdiction issues are complete. I do sympathise deeply with this awful tragedy inflicted upon you as parents, and you can rely on our further support if and when you need our continued involvement.

After a brief silence Olmeda and Salina conferred and the former, once more, assumed his role as spokesman. We appreciate your candour Chief Inspector. Do you have any particular reason to doubt suicide?

Duarte stalled. Not the suicide itself. It’s already clear that the act of ending his own life was Konrad’s and his alone. I think it would be best if you get through the unpleasant formalities first. His body has to be identified. Once that is out of the way I can show you how we know that he did indeed commit unassisted suicide.

Senora Salina could not hold back – she wept, and Duarte noted that the other two did not try to console her. Another exchange between Salina and Olmeda produced the question Duarte was angling for. Do you therefore have any reason to delay declaration of straightforward suicide?

Duarte responded in an empathetic way which gained him a modicum of respect from Salina. No suicide can be straightforward. It can be from a police point of view, categorised as uncomplicated in terms of the act, but that’s only the beginning of the story - as to why? As a parent I can’t think of anything worse happening in my life, and I want to keep that in mind when briefing you on all aspects of our findings.

The maternal voice at last entered the conversation. Thank you Chief Inspector. We do need your help in coming to terms with the emotional devastation in which we are suspended.

Duarte replaced his hat; it was one of the few elements of attire which could possibly have made him appear even less like a policeman. Then I respectfully suggest we go to the morgue. They followed him to his car, the condition of which was likely to nullify any newly gained respect he had unintentionally acquired.

Butragueno was refreshed enough to re-engage with the task at hand. She had a sixth sense about the list of names in Konrad’s deposit box. The standard route would be through the police database and personnel, especially as some were in distant parts of the Republic. She wondered about contacting next of kin or relatives. She knew she should check this out with Duarte and called his mobile. His travelling companions stared at one another incredulously as a police officer calmly drove with one hand while having discussion with what was obviously another officer. He told her to go ahead with her hunch.

Chapter 5

The incident hit the media – it had to, Salina was a very high profile Iberian officer in President Sanchez’ organisation. It troubled Gretz, Verdasco and Boniek, not so much that another protest campaigner had been eliminated, but that this one would trigger the chain reaction they had worked so hard to avoid. Until now they had managed the P.R. in a ‘responsibly detached’ way. This would be different. Instead of the plausible association of the previously alleged deaths with ad hoc anarchical pressure groups, an investigation would be coming their way. Gretz pointed to the need for their collective muscle being employed to get to the truth first. Knowing the result before others affords the critical space to manage perception. We need our own investigation. Verdasco saw the merit and was keen to discuss the method. Boniek was not convinced. He firmly believed that it was a political matter and it was important to be seen to be absolutely neutral. It would be extremely risky for us to be exposed in this way, and anyway I can’t really see what it is we have to fear.

Gretz argued that rather than worry about being exposed they should grasp the high ground and actually announce that they wanted to cooperate with the various authorities to help in any investigation into the previous deaths of demonstrators, as well as the suicide of Konrad Salina. I sense that we will be expected to react because this is a suicide rather than a suspicious death. We will also be expected to have a position on an apparent act of martyrdom by the son of one of the highest ranking government officials, whose remit is precisely that of keeping the lid on trends such as anarchy. After all we are selling absolute security on a global scale – to the anarchists as well as the institutions.

Without feeling comfortable about it Boniek saw that Gretz had a point. The principle was agreed. The mechanics would be crucial and there was a need for housekeeping to run ahead of window dressing. They all accepted that the investigation had to X-ray their own organisation to eliminate any cause for concern. They needed a candidate to head up this project who wouldn’t only exude integrity but be publicly perceived as keeping the authorities on their toes. Gretz declared, There is one obvious choice, and I’m mindful of the risk, but we could benefit from the certain controversy it would add to the cocktail.

Verdasco and Boniek were silent with anticipation. Gretz turned and switched on the giant video screen and input the search criteria. Eventually a list of names appeared. They were headed by Manuel Salina.

Jesus Christ. Verdasco recalled the historical animosity between Konrad’s older brother and their father. Boniek remained silent. Gretz drew their attention to a couple of salient points. He will undoubtedly be attending the funeral and he works as an investigative journalist for the Montevideo Independiente. He is therefore qualified, and being of Iberiana jurisdiction, he is not unduly influenced by Iberia Central. He will also have a unique position to divide the Salina family if that becomes necessary. There’s no smoke without fire. They agreed to approach him personally.

The solemn process of identifying Konrad’s body precipitated a need for his parents to have some time to themselves. It therefore afforded the opportunity to Duarte to ask Olmeda a little more about the showdown with Pierze. The legal man replied, It is pretty normal for this to happen. Pierze will be who he says he is, but not what he says he is. He should not however have allowed us to believe he was you.

The response was philosophical. Yeah, I had kind of figured that out, but Salina was apparently in the process of explaining something when I walked into the office. He never returned to the subject after Pierze left.

Olmeda suggested it was down to his grief. I suspect he was about to lecture you on his favourite theory of the rise and fall of anarchy within society. He firmly believes that in either Iberian democracy or Orient totalitarian doctrine, anarchy will flourish then recede, but for different reasons. The distribution of wealth – he believes – could not be more uneven, but whilst democracy allows peaceful protest and totalitarianism does not, they will lead to the same result. He suggests that relative affluence breeds higher aspiration and therefore challenge to government. Real poverty breeds seething discontent which eventually ferments to anarchy. He goes on to profess even the poorest cannot survive a diet of constant anarchy and that similarly, freedom alone does not feed the family. The same is true of the high-principled affluent society. So in his mind the fluctuating presence of anarchical trend becomes a constant in the equation of governing, albeit with a flexible value. The true constant, he insists, is corruption, and its lifeblood - temptation. He was about to say to you that whether or not your verdict was uncomplicated suicide, this should not cloud the near certainty that some of his son’s claims are true, and critically, SACRED is not as secure as we believe. At best it is another ‘big brother’, not too dissimilar to his own organisation. Sorry Chief Inspector, but you did ask.

Duarte smiled at Olmeda and commented, I guess both Salina and I agree that this is just the beginning of the story.

His phone rang. Duarte.

Pierze here. I have had further thoughts on the case. I think we should meet. As he still wanted to know how and why El Schmuck had been so quick to the scene, Duarte agreed. Very well I should be free within a couple of hours, come to the office. Pierze struggled to remain polite. Chief Inspector, what I have to say would be better communicated elsewhere. Can we have dinner?

Duarte was tired. As long as I don’t have to go home and change that would be acceptable. The picture of Duarte stripping to his underwear caused Pierze to wince. I will meet you at La Cucina, I am sure you know it – two blocks from your office.

He conceded. Ok, make it around seven. I don’t sleep well after late supper.

*

Butragueno was about to start on the list of Konrad’s friends but she kept eyeing the brown envelope. She studied the contents again, and was intrigued by his assertion that if he was right about his friends being murdered, it was part of some greater plan. She mused – ‘to bring Iberia down from within’ – it all sounded rather preposterous and yet he was prepared to give his life in order to be taken seriously. Her thought pattern was interrupted by an incoming message from Duarte. He wanted her to look after Senora Salina, while he showed the initial video call from Konrad, and the subsequent recording of his final act, to Olmeda and Konrad’s father. The message said this had been advised by Olmeda, and anyway it was a good opportunity to get the lady to talk about her son. She was annoyed at the haphazard methodology of Duarte, having just settled down to one task to be spirited away to nanny duty. As she got up to comply she glanced in the mirror and was horrified; she felt she was becoming more like him every day, worst of all she was losing her dress sense. True, she did not need feminine attire for the tracking down of Konrad’s friends’ families, but it was an option. Now she felt she should change before meeting Senora Salina, whose elegance cleverly masked her age. Butragueno had no man in her life, and a mentor who was ridiculed by the very people who would determine her future. Things had to change. She showered, put her hair up and donned a very smart dark green trouser suit she had not worn for a couple of years. It was a tight squeeze – she needed to get back in shape – but it made her feel different. She was a tall woman with almost feline movement, especially when she walked. On the slender side, she had perfectly proportioned curves in the right places. On the way she diverted to her hairdresser and booked a weekend appointment to have a re-style and subtle highlights in her auburn tresses.

*

Duarte forewarned the audience of two, that the message Konrad would refer to, would stress the importance of the tattoo. Before they could accuse him of withholding information he said, I wanted you to see this for yourself, after you had seen the body. I needed to know if you knew about this tattoo previously, it is after all a unique identifying mark. Salina respected this on a professional level. They asked for the footage to be re-run in slow mode, with a few stops and zooms. Duarte studied their faces continually for any signs of recognition or anxiety. Salina asked for a still of the tattoo as he neither knew of its presence, time of origin, or any connection it may have to the protest group to which his son had belonged.

Presumably you have begun decoding? enquired Olmeda.

Duarte beamed, Better than that, we have retrieved the contents of the safety deposit box. The code was quite primitive. He noted what seemed to be an adrenaline surge in Salina. He continued. You may now appreciate why I said we would discuss release of Konrad’s personal effects as soon as we could. I want you to see the contents of this lock-up first. He obviously felt they were important enough to protect, and ultimately die for, so we owe it to him to proceed with caution as well as diligence. Both men, in their different ways felt they had been prematurely dismissive of Duarte’s acumen, as he had disguised it well, both in appearance and a seemingly scatter-brained approach.

*

Butragueno found Senora Salina in the lounge at their hotel. It was just as well she had changed, even so the opulence of this place made her slightly nervous. Good afternoon, I’m Elle Butragueno – I report to Chief Inspector Duarte. This is not an interview; my boss felt you might appreciate some company while the others get through the rest of the unpleasant tasks. We’re all touched by the unusual circumstances of what happened, but I can assure you we will try to respect your family privacy while we complete our routine checks.

She was welcomed. Please sit down – may I call you Elle? I have to deal with formality in all of my husband’s activities. I have no informality now that Konrad is gone. Manuel is alive of course, but we never hear from him or see him anymore. I’m sorry, would you like a drink or are you on duty?

Butragueno softened further. Of course you may address me as Elle; no one else seems to now. And yes, I’ll have – let me see – a glass of Chenin Blanc. She almost fainted at the price displayed on the menu. As Senora Salina waved a waiter to the table Butragueno inquired, Manuel, I’m sorry I don’t....

The interruption was well timed. Oh yes, Konrad’s older brother. There was only two years between them but they were so different. Manuel left for Southern Iberiana as soon as he graduated. It haunts my husband Antonio because he feels that in retrospect he was too controlling with the children. It comes with the territory when you are so much in the public eye, and he didn’t want the boys to be exploited. This is the price we have paid. I don’t even know if he would allow me to contact him to tell him what has happened, he refuses our calls.

Butragueno sympathised with this lady’s plight and had one ear tuned to whether the brothers stayed in contact. Where exactly in Iberiana is he?

The lady’s reply was somewhat vague. As far as we know he is still employed by a newspaper in Uruguay. Konrad would have known but we aren’t allowed access to his personal effects as yet. Butragueno comforted her and promised to help get a search underway for any means of direct contact with Manuel. The gesture was appreciated. They talked their way through a second drink before the grief-stricken mother said she needed to lie down, even though she wouldn’t sleep.

*

Duarte took the duo to Butragueno’s desk and Salina remarked that it housed an appreciating antique in the form of a desktop PC. Exactly, quipped Duarte, as yet untouched by SACRED – it is not connected to anything other than a printer, it is truly archaic and stand-alone. We sometimes have need for isolating stored data from anyone but ourselves. The others looked at the screen then one another, but were not surprised at the claims Konrad had made, in either the list of names or his insinuation of a wider agenda. It disappointed Duarte, as he felt sure it would have registered concern or an attempt to play it down.

It was Salina who explained. "Chief Inspector Duarte, I congratulate you on having this information completely isolated. I urge you to keep it that way. Konrad and I did not see eye to eye on most things but just over a year ago he brought this to my attention. There were only seven names with crosses against them, denoting their demise. The others have now joined them. I promised to look into his concerns and this had to be done with great care, but we uncovered nothing. Two weeks ago he called me and asked angrily what the hell the Security Division is supposed to do if they couldn’t fathom something like this. He accused me of failing him again and I will never forget his last words to me. ‘I’ll be next father; that may get you out of your reclining chair.’