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Synopsis
From the bestselling author of THE CHRONICLES OF ST MARY'S.
Life is good for Team Weird, now heroes and fully fledged Time Police officers. Luke can't wait to bear arms. Jane has a date. And Matthew still hasn't had his hair cut.
But Time waits for no one and neither do criminal masterminds. A major threat to the Timeline is looming, one far deadlier than mere idiots who want to change history. And when a familiar face becomes a Very Important Lead, will conflicting family loyalties spell trouble for Team Weird?
One missing. One guilt-ridden. And one facing the end of their Time Police career before it's even begun. Not so good then, after all.
FOR FANS OF DOCTOR WHO, THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB AND JASPER FFORDE.
Readers love the Time Police:
'This got five stars only because I couldn't give it six!'
'I don't think I've ever laughed out loud so much reading a book'
'I am always gutted when I finish a Jodi Taylor book as I know I will have to wait for the next one'
'Joyous, breakneck-speed adventures'
'Lots more in this series please'
'This book is BRILLIANT'
'Brilliantly conceived and flawlessly written'
(P)2021 Headline Publishing Group Ltd
Release date: October 14, 2021
Publisher: Headline
Print pages: 352
* BingeBooks earns revenue from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate as well as from other retail partners.
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Saving Time
Jodi Taylor
Roll Call
Time Police Personnel
Commander Hay
Commander of the Time Police. Beset on all sides. Her face takes a bit of a bashing again.
Captain Farenden
Her adjutant. Tasked with looking on the bright side. No matter what the personal risk.
Major Ellis
Former leader of Team 236 and yet, somehow, unable to shake them off. Like head lice.
Major Callen
Second in charge of the Time Police. Head of the Hunter Division. The jury’s still out on him.
Lt Chigozie
Lt Fanboten
Lt Dal
All nice, normal TP officers. Well, normal,
Lt Grayling
anyway. Well, officers, anyway.
Officer Curtis
Officer Rockmeyer
Senior Mech
Very sound on radhaz threat symbols. Which is just as well.
The doctor
Amateur matchmaker and quite enjoying himself. Which makes a change.
Lt Filbert
Senior security officer.
Officer Varma
Member of security team. Brighter than most.
Officer North
New briefing officer. Her first briefing session is a sensation. Everyone is eagerly awaiting her second.
TEAM 171
Looking to cause trouble.
Lt Sawney
Officer Hooke
Officer Maru
Officer Scrape
TEAM 235
Lt Grint
About to embark on the petal-strewn path of romance. This should be interesting.
Officer Hansen
Officer Kohl (Socko)
Officer Rossi
TEAM 236 – TEAM WEIRD
Things are not getting any better.
Officer Farrell
Officer Lockland
Officer Parrish
Various other officers
Not assigned speaking roles and too numerous to mention, but always rumbling away in the background.
ST MARY’S PERSONNEL
The temporal equivalent of Mad Aunty Edna who has to be invited to family occasions because she’ll come anyway and is always discovered in the bar singing and showing her knickers for a Guinness
Dr Maxwell
Matthew’s mum.
Chief Technical Officer Farrell
Matthew’s dad.
Mikey
Matthew’s special girl.
Adrian
Matthew’s special girl’s brother.
Dr Bairstow
Director of St Mary’s. No relation to Matthew.
Mr Evans
One of Matthew’s many uncles.
Miss Lingoss
One of Matthew’s many aunts.
Professor Rapson
Matthew’s special girl’s supervisor.
Mr Swanson
Another of Matthew’s uncles. In charge of the Poison Cabinet. Short-sighted. All right – practically blind but no serious incidents so far.
Prologue
Voice communication from Commander Hay, officer commanding Time Police HQ, to Captain Farenden
Time: 0908 UTC
Date: Redacted
Charlie, what the bloody hell’s going on with Team 236? Are they in or out? Are their Form D12s completed yet? How can one small team make such a business of deciding which department to grace with their presence? Put a rocket up someone’s backside and get it sorted.
Electronic communication from Captain Farenden to Major Ellis, officer i/c Team 236
Time: 0915 UTC
Date: Redacted
Matthew, has your bunch of shambling misfits completed their training yet? Any idea which unfortunate department(s) will be bearing the brunt of them in future?
Voice communication to all members of Team 236 from Major Ellis
Time: 0916 UTC
Date: Redacted
Have you lot sorted yourselves out yet? You qualify in a week’s time. Department heads want to know which, if any of you, they can expect to welcome. As does Commander Hay. As do I. Get on it. Now.
Voice communication from Major Ellis to Captain Farenden
Time: 1421 UTC
Date: Redacted
My compliments to Commander Hay. Team 236 are still considering their options.
Voice communication from Commander Hay to Captain Farenden across her desk
Time: 1422 UTC
Date: Redacted
Options? What do they mean, options? My compliments to Major Ellis and tell him to tell his team they’re in the Time Police now. Not some fire-trucking holiday camp.
Electronic communication from Captain Farenden to Major Ellis
Time: 1423 UTC
Date: Redacted
For God’s sake, Matthew – get your team sorted out. She’s reaching for her paper knife again.
Electronic communication from Major Ellis to Captain Farenden
Time: 1427 UTC
Date: Redacted
Just hide the bloody thing, Charlie, and we’ll all be fine.
Voice communication from Captain Farenden to Major Ellis
Time: 1428 UTC
Date: Redacted
Get your team’s Form D12s on my desk by Friday or I swear I will go off sick and leave you to handle this by yourself.
Electronic communication from Major Ellis to Captain Farenden
Time: 1428 UTC
Date: Redacted
Being shot has not improved your temper much, has it?
Electronic communication from Captain Farenden to Major Ellis
Time: 1428 UTC
Date: Redacted
Shooting your fire-trucking team would go a long way towards improving everyone’s temper. Never have I more longed for the good old days when Parrish, Lockland and Farrell would certainly have been blasted into fiery oblivion by the first real Time Police officer whose path they crossed.
Electronic communication from Captain Farenden to Major Ellis
Time: 1627 UTC
Date: Redacted
I haven’t heard from you. Did you get my message?
Electronic communication from Major Ellis to Captain Farenden
Time: 1628 UTC
Date: Redacted
Yes. Did you get my hurt silence?
Voice communication from Commander Hay to Captain Farenden conveyed through her office intercom
Time: 1650 UTC
Date: Redacted
What the fire truck is happening with those idiots in 236, Charlie? Give them one week and then shoot the lot of them and we’ll start again.
Electronic communication from Captain Farenden to Major Ellis
Time: 1650 UTC
Date: Redacted
Matthew – be warned. She’s warming up the firing squad.
Electronic communication from Major Ellis to Commander Hay
Time: 1651 UTC
Date: Redacted
Subject: Team 236 – Trainees Farrell, Lockland and Parrish
Ma’am,
I have the honour to inform you Team 236 have officially completed their training period and, with effect from next week, will be available for assignment as fully qualified Time Police officers.
Form D12s have yet to materialise but are, I am convinced, imminent.
Electronic communication from Commander Hay to Major Ellis
Time: 1652 UTC
Date: Redacted
Don’t give me that crap. Find out what they’re doing and advise soonest. Don’t make me come down there, Major.
Automatic Reply from the desk of Major Ellis
Time: 1652 UTC
Date: Redacted
Major Ellis is not currently available. For urgent matters, contact Captain Farenden, who is providing cover until his return.
1
Commander Hay settled herself at her desk, opened up her scratchpad, picked up her coffee and gazed expectantly at her adjutant.
‘You’re wearing your bad news face, Charlie.’
‘A whole shedload for you this morning, ma’am.’
‘Oh – you’re going to come straight out with it, are you? Normally there’s a bit of banter and obfuscation as you slip me the details of our latest debacle and hope I won’t notice.’
‘Not today, ma’am. I’m not even going to try.’
She sighed. ‘Go on, then. Let’s have it all over with at once. Rip the plaster off, Charlie, but don’t blame me if I scream.’
He sighed. ‘Well, in no particular order: Imogen Farnborough’s appeal has failed. The date of her execution is yet to be determined, but certainly within the next twenty-eight days.’
‘Well, that’s no surprise, is it? She was lucky to escape the consequences of her first offence – there was no chance of escaping her second.’ She thought for a moment. ‘Make a note to ask Ellis to keep an eye on Parrish, will you? He and Farnborough used to know each other well – I’m not sure how he will react.’
‘She tried to have him killed, ma’am.’
‘Very true, but given their former relationship and the possible involvement of his father at Site X, I still think his reactions should be closely monitored. What about our other prisoner – the ghastly Mr Geoffrey?’
‘The oil-slick Geoffrey sang like the proverbial cassowary, ma’am. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t know as much as he thought he did, and a lot of his supposedly valuable intel turned out to be . . . shall we say, considerably enhanced, and didn’t really tell us any more than we knew already. Yes, we picked up a lot of their lower- and mid-level people, but those at the very top appear to have slipped through our net. Geoffrey was promised his death sentence would be commuted, however, so it’ll be life for him. I don’t suppose it matters because he’s not the type to thrive in our prison system. I believe bets are being laid on how long he’ll last. A projected lifespan of about six months appears to be the most optimistic estimate.’
‘Put me down for seven weeks and two days, Charlie. What’s next on your list?’
‘The word on the street is that Farnborough’s mother, the Right Honourable Patricia, will resign from the government any day now.’
Commander Hay sighed. ‘Damn. Go on.’
‘Site X is being dismantled. The components manufactured by Parrish Industries are generic and not, according to Parrish Industries’ legal eagles, manufactured for a specific client or purpose. Their legal department wishes to point out that Parrish Industries abhors the use to which their product has been put, but they take no responsibility for said use once their product has left the factory. They regret they are unable to assist further with our enquiries.’
She sighed. ‘And the worst news?’
Captain Farenden stared out of the window. The air lanes were thick with rush-hour traffic. The Belfast shuttle chugged past on its way to Croydon. He was conscious of a wish that he was on it.
Taking a deep breath, he said, ‘Eric Portman, Farnborough’s boyfriend – the one who got her into all this – got off. We didn’t have enough to hold him. Forty-five people are willing to swear he was with them at the times in question. Including two MPs. Not that their word counts for much. The official explanation is that an imposter has been taking the Portman name in vain.’
Commander Hay’s face in no way registered her intense frustration at this news, but to be fair, her face rarely registered any expression at all. In her youth, during a particularly bloody chapter of the Time Wars, there had been an accident. The door had blown off her pod in mid-jump. The results had not been pretty. Lt Marietta Hay had been the only survivor, and when they’d eventually managed to get her out, half of her face was considerably older than the other half. It had been some time before she had been able to accept her survival for the miracle she was continually being told it was.
Taking a deep breath, she said, ‘Are Portman’s lawyers actually suggesting Imogen Farnborough didn’t know who she was dating? They went out for three months, for heaven’s sake.’
‘His team did an excellent job of discrediting her evidence. They argued that her obvious mental instability rendered it unreliable and referred to the fact that, at her trial, even her own defence team had tried to claim she wasn’t fit to plead. That defence failed, as we know, but it did allow the Portmans’ legal team to highlight her unreliability and throw massive doubt on her statement. They followed that up with lots of outraged innocence from the Portman family themselves, who made a few minor endowments to worthy causes to show the world what nice people they are, together with a couple of massive donations to those who matter, and that was the end of it. I suspect he’s celebrating in a bar at this very moment.’
‘Damn and blast, Charlie.’
‘Indeed, ma’am.’
Hay pushed her chair back and began to pace. ‘We had them. We had their people, their pods, we had Shoreditch, we had Site X, we had what they were doing to those poor sods in the Stone Age. And still the top dogs got away from us. I’d happily return Imogen Farnborough to the wild if we could have got just one of them.’
‘Well, looking on the bright side, ma’am, which as your adjutant I am required to do no matter what the personal risk, we have dismantled Site X. No more experimentation on Neanders. Big Pharma has retired back to its lair, muttering. A large and sophisticated Temporal Tourism operation has been shut down before it did any real harm. Fifty-six arrests and five pods impounded. And, with luck, Eric Portman looking over his shoulder every moment of every day for the rest of his life.’
‘We lost Nuñez and Klein. We nearly lost Lockland and Parrish, as well. Parrish lost two fingers.’
‘Well, as to that, ma’am, yes – Nuñez and Klein were unfortunate but they were buried with full honours, if that makes a difference. And their sacrifice ultimately led us to Site X. Lockland and Parrish survived their ordeal in the snow. Yes, Parrish lost two fingers to frostbite but he now struts the corridors with a dramatic black glove on his left hand, threatening to hire a redhead to cut up his meat for him.’
She blinked. ‘Why a redhead?’
‘Apparently he already has a blonde and a brunette and requires a redhead to complete the set.’
She sat back down again. ‘How is he even still alive?’
‘I don’t believe losing a few fingers is generally fatal, ma’am.’
‘It wasn’t his missing fingers I was referring to.’
‘Oh. Well, much as it pains me to admit ignorance in the face of my commanding officer, I don’t know. I suspect if I tried even half the things he seems to get away with, I’d be floating face down in the Thames by now while the entire female population of London lined the banks and cheered. He just . . . gets away with it, ma’am.’
Hay sighed again.
Captain Farenden tapped his scratchpad. ‘Major Callen has requested a slot for his monthly meeting, ma’am.’ He waited.
‘I want you present, Charlie. Nothing formal. Just tuck yourself away in a corner and take notes. In fact, I don’t ever want to find myself alone with him, however briefly. Make sure you’re always there.’
‘Yes, ma’am.’
He waited but nothing more was forthcoming. ‘Moving on, ma’am, I do have one final piece of news you may or may not regard as good.’
‘Go on, Charlie, hit me with it.’
‘It’s taken a while, ma’am. About two months longer than . . .’ He stopped, apparently groping for a word.
‘Than what?’
‘I’m struggling to construct a sentence that doesn’t contain the word “normal”, ma’am. Ah, I have it. It’s only taken about two months longer than more conventional teams, ma’am, but, believe it or not – Team Two-Three-Six graduate tomorrow.’
‘Only two months longer? From where I’m sitting it’s seemed endless.’
‘A fact I hope you won’t mention at their formal swearing-in tomorrow afternoon, ma’am.’
‘No. Wheel them up here. They can retake the oath. I’ll hand them their flashes and give them my famous Welcome to the Time Police speech. You hand them details of their Death in Service benefits and we both wish them good luck for the future.’
‘And following that, ma’am, I suppose we step back and let them get on with it.’
‘Well, there’s the mandatory one month’s hands-off supervision – I expect Ellis and North will split that between them – and then off they go. Out into the wild blue yonder.’
Farenden grinned. ‘It’s going to be interesting to watch their progress, ma’am. On a slightly related matter, Officer North has requested an appointment this morning.’
She sighed. ‘After what Lt Grint and his team did to her . . .’
‘Indeed, ma’am, but you will remember the expected fallout over that unfortunate incident failed to materialise.’
‘I believe that has been mainly due to the mature attitude adopted by North herself. There was a great deal of support for her at the time and at one point I feared we’d be blocking the walls with our Time Police dead. That there weren’t more casualties was entirely due to her intelligent handling of the situation.’
‘Yes, she would have had a spectacular career with us.’
‘She still can – if we can persuade her to stay.’
‘I’ve pencilled her in for 1100 hours.’
‘Was she clutching her resignation?’
‘Not that I was aware, ma’am, but she made the appointment via her com link so it was difficult for me to tell.’
‘I’m not going to let her go, Charlie, even if I have to nail her to a desk.’
‘An innovative solution to our staffing difficulties, ma’am, and, simultaneously, a warning to the rest of us.’
Hay’s hand drifted towards her paper knife.
‘I’m so sorry, ma’am – did I say warning? Obviously, I meant inspiration.’
Hay’s hand drifted away from her paper knife. ‘I thought you did.’
An hour later, Captain Farenden ushered Officer North into Commander Hay’s office. The commander, who had spent much of the intervening time marshalling her arguments against Officer North leaving the Time Police, was cheered to see her carrying a file under one arm.
‘Good morning, Officer North.’
‘Good morning, ma’am. Thank you for seeing me.’
‘I believe you had something to discuss.’
‘Ma’am, arising out of the unfortunate incident at Versailles when, perhaps, some officers paid less attention to the briefing than they could have done, I’ve put together a recommendation that all teams be provided with historical context before they embark on a jump. It shouldn’t be over-detailed – we’re not St Mary’s – but it would give a background and perspective for each individual mission that may prevent similar incidents occurring in future.’
She passed over the folder and sat staring out of the window as the commander read it through.
‘And this would be provided by you?’
‘My opinion is that I would be the best person for the job. I have the background knowledge.’
‘You think they would listen to you?’
‘Yes. I believe I have hit on an innovative way of gaining and retaining their attention, ma’am. And I do think the more perceptive among them will recognise the value of attending.’
‘And the less perceptive?’
‘May not be around long enough to regret not listening to the historical background and perspective that might have saved their lives. A striking example of Darwinism in action. However, I hope to make clear the wisdom of attending briefings which have been tailored to their team’s individual requirements.’
‘What will you do if no one attends?’
‘Without actually saying so, ma’am, I shall endeavour to give the impression that anyone failing to take advantage of this useful and possibly life-saving opportunity has slightly fewer brain cells than testicles.’
The words ‘Lt Grint’ were not spoken.
‘So, it is only male officers from whom you expect to encounter difficulties?’
‘Frankly, ma’am, yes, but the insult works even better for our few female officers.’
‘Is your continuing presence in the Time Police contingent upon my consent and approval?’
North hesitated. ‘I don’t want to leave the Time Police, but now that I’m no longer a Hunter, I have to find another role for myself. I have discussed this with Major Ellis who was very encouraging.’
If Commander Hay considered Major Ellis had his own reasons for North-related encouragement and none of them had anything to do with providing historical perspectives, she did not say so.
‘In addition, ma’am, Team Two-Three-Six will soon be qualified . . .’ She tailed away.
‘I am always very reluctant to lose a good officer.’ Commander Hay closed the file. ‘Shall we say a trial period of three months? I’ll leave it up to you to decide the depth and detail of your briefings and the form they will take. This will be your project, Officer North. At the end of three months, I will be requesting evaluation reports from my senior officers as to the success of your initiative. And from you too.’
North nodded. ‘Yes, ma’am.’
‘In theory, I think this might work very well. You are aware your former boss – Dr Maxwell – once provided something very similar during her mercifully short secondment here.’
‘I am aware, ma’am, and I believe they were quite successful.’
‘Well, no one died, which is always my criteria for a successful initiative. Keep me informed, Officer North, and good luck.’
‘Thank you, ma’am.’
2
At that precise moment, Team 236 were assembled in Luke’s room, peering at the Graduation Countdown Calendar pinned to the back of his door.
‘Ta-dah!’ cried Luke, crossing through the last day with a flourish.
‘Ta-dah!’ cried Jane and Matthew, dutifully watching him cross through the last day with a flourish.
‘That’s it, people. We’ve done it. Who’d have thought? A quick handshake with Commander Hay and then Jane sews on our flashes because she’s the only girl on the team, and away we go.’
‘Happy to,’ said Jane, ‘and I know exactly to which appendage I shall be attaching them.’
‘The flashes are woven on,’ said Matthew, in a placatory tone. ‘They’ll just give us new kit.’
‘So, what does Hay give us tomorrow?’
‘Sympathy regarding our life choices, presumably,’ said Luke, gloomily.
‘Ceremonial flashes to signify our new status,’ said Matthew.
Jane sighed. ‘Shame. I was looking forward to wielding a bodkin.’
Luke shook his head. ‘Jane, I have to say, being in the Time Police has certainly brought out the worst in you. You used to be such a sweet little thing. How you’ve changed.’
‘I have,’ said Jane complacently. ‘You, on the other hand, are as big an arsehole as you’ve always been.’
Matthew nodded his agreement.
The three of them grinned at each other. Yes, all right, they’d taken the long way round – and some of it had been a little dodgy – but now, here they were, fully qualified Time Police officers. Almost.
‘We can bear arms,’ said Luke. ‘I can’t wait.’
‘Weapons training first,’ said Matthew.
‘What – point and press?’ said Luke scornfully. ‘It’s not rocket science. Otherwise, half the people here couldn’t do it.’
‘Blasters are a little more wayward than you might think,’ said Matthew, the only member of the team to have fired one so far. Yes, he’d successfully played his part in fighting off the enemy when TPHQ had come under attack, but there was an ex-flowering tree at the front of the building that would never be the same again. Or its decorative planter. Matthew and his blaster had truly embraced the scorched earth policy.
Back out in the corridor they were joined by their former fellow trainees – Team 235.
‘All right, mate?’ said Kohl, who was known, for reasons that were never disclosed, as Socko.
‘Yeah,’ said Luke in surprise. ‘Why do you ask?’
Socko shuffled. ‘Well . . . you know.’
‘Ah, got it. You’re just being nice to me because of my fingers.’
‘Well, of course we are,’ said Hansen. ‘No one here can stand you, but we feel sorry for you so we’re making the effort. The least you can do is reciprocate.’
‘Sorry,’ said Luke. ‘I hadn’t realised. Can we organise some sort of hand signal so I know when you’re trying to be nice? Otherwise, I’m afraid the world is none the wiser.’
Socko grinned. ‘How about we thump you half a dozen times? Would that be enough for you to get the message?’
‘Not you, Jane,’ said Rossi, hastily. ‘We’ve all seen the legendary Lockland knee in action.’ He indicated Matthew and Luke. ‘Just these two.’
There was some good-natured shoving. Jane glowed. This was what it was like to be accepted. She was one of them. She could hold her own. She was a Time Police officer. Now all she had to do was make sure she was a good one.
Rossi was talking about the graduation ceremony.
‘It’s not huge – not like when you smart arses got your medals for bringing down Site X. Just Hay shaking you by the hand, congratulating you on having lived this long, conspicuously not promising you’ll still be alive this time next week and handing you your flashes. Have you been allocated your office yet?’
‘Same corridor as you but further down,’ said Jane.
‘Can you see the river?’
Luke nodded. ‘We can. If Jane stands on my shoulders and leans eighty-five degrees to the left, then yes, our new office has a fine view of the river.’
Team 236 did indeed have a tiny space to call their own. As Luke said, all right, it wasn’t huge, but as long as none of them put on any weight they’d be fine. And it was their very own. Somewhere in which to work, write their reports, take a snooze after lunch and so forth.
And, as qualified officers, they could bear arms. Their first training session was booked for the day after graduation. They would start with the small blasters and then work up to the larger ones. Luke could hardly wait, although Jane couldn’t see herself getting much past the little ones. The ones that would happily nestle on her rip-grip patches. Eventually, if they wished – and it was apparent that Luke did – they could graduate to everything up to and including the building-smashers.
There would also be a small pay rise. As Luke said – nothing but good times ahead.
They split up at the end of the corridor. Team 235 went to find their team leader, Lt Grint; Matthew disappeared in the direction of the Time Map and Luke and Jane went to inspect the damaged front of the building, still under repair from the recent attack.
They stood for some time, looking at the craters, the shattered gardens, and the boarded-up windows, and then went down to watch the river flow past.
‘You’re very quiet, Jane. What are you thinking about?’
‘Well, actually – and don’t read anything into this – I was thinking how much I enjoyed living further downriver. You know – when we were in your apartment. I think I could get used to being rich.’
‘That’s a shame. You’re not ever likely to be rich in the Time Police.’
‘No.’ She hesitated a moment and then said, ‘Luke – when you wrote out your report – did you mention Parrish Industries at all?’
‘I did. How could I not? The Parrish Industries logo was there in plain sight.’ He paused. ‘I’m going to go and talk to my father about it. See what he has to say.’
She nodded. ‘All right. Can I play devil’s advocate here?’
‘Why would you need to?’
‘Well, I think you need to decide whether you’re going as a Time Police officer or Raymond Parrish’s son.’
‘Obviously I’m both.’
‘I’m not sure you can be. Which is the most important to you?’
Luke stared out across the river. The cold wind rippled the water and made him shiver. At least, he assumed it was the cold wind. ‘I don’t know.’
‘Have you thought that by going to see him you could be making things worse?’
‘He knows all about our investigation into Site X. He probably knows more than I do, and I was actually there.’
‘Then why go to see him?’
‘I want to hear his explanation.’
‘But we’ve heard it. Parrish Industries manufactures generic components. They’re not responsible for the use to which those components are put.’
‘Not good enough, Jane. I want to see his face when he says that.’
‘Again – will you go as Officer Parrish or Luke Parrish?’
‘It won’t be an official visit.’
She turned to face him. ‘Do you want me to come too? I don’t think you should go alone.’
He smiled down at her. ‘That’s kind, Jane. Can I let you know?’
‘Of course. When are you going?’
‘Soon, I hope. I submitted my application for a twenty-four-hour pass this morning.’
His com bleeped. The read-out said Ellis.
‘What do you bet that’s what he wants to talk to me about?’
‘Good luck.’
He left her watching the river flow past.
Major Ellis – soon to be the former officer in charge of Team 236 – was in his office.
‘Come in, Parrish, sit down. How’s the hand?’
Luke flourished his dramatically black-gloved hand. ‘I wouldn’t have thought I could possibly be any more appealing to the female sex, but apparently I was wrong. I’m fighting them off with one complete and one three-fingered hand.’
‘Two fingers and a thumb,’ said Ellis, automatically.
‘That’s what Jane keeps saying, but you have to admit Three-Fingered Luke sounds much better than Two-Fingers-and-a-Thumb Luke.’ He stared down at his gloved left hand.
‘I’m sure you’re right,’ said Ellis, ‘but with your permission – and even without it – I shall continue to refer to you as Trainee soon-to-be Officer Parrish.’
Luke shrugged. ‘I’ve been called worse. And in this very building, too.’
‘Does your injury interfere at all with your ability to do your job?’
‘Surprisingly, no. Except for typing, of course, but I usually get Jane to do that for me anyway. You know – because she’s a girl.’
Ellis sat back in his chair. ‘You’re still angry, aren’t you?’
Luke shrugged.
‘You can dictate your reports. As you’ve always done. As everyone else does.’
‘I’m sorry,’ said Luke. ‘I thought I’d embrace traditional Time Police culture and disparage women at every opportunity.’
‘I so look forward to seeing you attempt that with every female officer here.’
‘Why don’t we call one in and I’ll give it a go?’
‘I know you’re angry but stop pushing me, Parrish. It’s not going to work.’
Luke shrugged again.
Ellis regarded him briefly and then brought up a data stack. ‘I’ve been reading your report on your adventures at
Time Police Personnel
Commander Hay
Commander of the Time Police. Beset on all sides. Her face takes a bit of a bashing again.
Captain Farenden
Her adjutant. Tasked with looking on the bright side. No matter what the personal risk.
Major Ellis
Former leader of Team 236 and yet, somehow, unable to shake them off. Like head lice.
Major Callen
Second in charge of the Time Police. Head of the Hunter Division. The jury’s still out on him.
Lt Chigozie
Lt Fanboten
Lt Dal
All nice, normal TP officers. Well, normal,
Lt Grayling
anyway. Well, officers, anyway.
Officer Curtis
Officer Rockmeyer
Senior Mech
Very sound on radhaz threat symbols. Which is just as well.
The doctor
Amateur matchmaker and quite enjoying himself. Which makes a change.
Lt Filbert
Senior security officer.
Officer Varma
Member of security team. Brighter than most.
Officer North
New briefing officer. Her first briefing session is a sensation. Everyone is eagerly awaiting her second.
TEAM 171
Looking to cause trouble.
Lt Sawney
Officer Hooke
Officer Maru
Officer Scrape
TEAM 235
Lt Grint
About to embark on the petal-strewn path of romance. This should be interesting.
Officer Hansen
Officer Kohl (Socko)
Officer Rossi
TEAM 236 – TEAM WEIRD
Things are not getting any better.
Officer Farrell
Officer Lockland
Officer Parrish
Various other officers
Not assigned speaking roles and too numerous to mention, but always rumbling away in the background.
ST MARY’S PERSONNEL
The temporal equivalent of Mad Aunty Edna who has to be invited to family occasions because she’ll come anyway and is always discovered in the bar singing and showing her knickers for a Guinness
Dr Maxwell
Matthew’s mum.
Chief Technical Officer Farrell
Matthew’s dad.
Mikey
Matthew’s special girl.
Adrian
Matthew’s special girl’s brother.
Dr Bairstow
Director of St Mary’s. No relation to Matthew.
Mr Evans
One of Matthew’s many uncles.
Miss Lingoss
One of Matthew’s many aunts.
Professor Rapson
Matthew’s special girl’s supervisor.
Mr Swanson
Another of Matthew’s uncles. In charge of the Poison Cabinet. Short-sighted. All right – practically blind but no serious incidents so far.
Prologue
Voice communication from Commander Hay, officer commanding Time Police HQ, to Captain Farenden
Time: 0908 UTC
Date: Redacted
Charlie, what the bloody hell’s going on with Team 236? Are they in or out? Are their Form D12s completed yet? How can one small team make such a business of deciding which department to grace with their presence? Put a rocket up someone’s backside and get it sorted.
Electronic communication from Captain Farenden to Major Ellis, officer i/c Team 236
Time: 0915 UTC
Date: Redacted
Matthew, has your bunch of shambling misfits completed their training yet? Any idea which unfortunate department(s) will be bearing the brunt of them in future?
Voice communication to all members of Team 236 from Major Ellis
Time: 0916 UTC
Date: Redacted
Have you lot sorted yourselves out yet? You qualify in a week’s time. Department heads want to know which, if any of you, they can expect to welcome. As does Commander Hay. As do I. Get on it. Now.
Voice communication from Major Ellis to Captain Farenden
Time: 1421 UTC
Date: Redacted
My compliments to Commander Hay. Team 236 are still considering their options.
Voice communication from Commander Hay to Captain Farenden across her desk
Time: 1422 UTC
Date: Redacted
Options? What do they mean, options? My compliments to Major Ellis and tell him to tell his team they’re in the Time Police now. Not some fire-trucking holiday camp.
Electronic communication from Captain Farenden to Major Ellis
Time: 1423 UTC
Date: Redacted
For God’s sake, Matthew – get your team sorted out. She’s reaching for her paper knife again.
Electronic communication from Major Ellis to Captain Farenden
Time: 1427 UTC
Date: Redacted
Just hide the bloody thing, Charlie, and we’ll all be fine.
Voice communication from Captain Farenden to Major Ellis
Time: 1428 UTC
Date: Redacted
Get your team’s Form D12s on my desk by Friday or I swear I will go off sick and leave you to handle this by yourself.
Electronic communication from Major Ellis to Captain Farenden
Time: 1428 UTC
Date: Redacted
Being shot has not improved your temper much, has it?
Electronic communication from Captain Farenden to Major Ellis
Time: 1428 UTC
Date: Redacted
Shooting your fire-trucking team would go a long way towards improving everyone’s temper. Never have I more longed for the good old days when Parrish, Lockland and Farrell would certainly have been blasted into fiery oblivion by the first real Time Police officer whose path they crossed.
Electronic communication from Captain Farenden to Major Ellis
Time: 1627 UTC
Date: Redacted
I haven’t heard from you. Did you get my message?
Electronic communication from Major Ellis to Captain Farenden
Time: 1628 UTC
Date: Redacted
Yes. Did you get my hurt silence?
Voice communication from Commander Hay to Captain Farenden conveyed through her office intercom
Time: 1650 UTC
Date: Redacted
What the fire truck is happening with those idiots in 236, Charlie? Give them one week and then shoot the lot of them and we’ll start again.
Electronic communication from Captain Farenden to Major Ellis
Time: 1650 UTC
Date: Redacted
Matthew – be warned. She’s warming up the firing squad.
Electronic communication from Major Ellis to Commander Hay
Time: 1651 UTC
Date: Redacted
Subject: Team 236 – Trainees Farrell, Lockland and Parrish
Ma’am,
I have the honour to inform you Team 236 have officially completed their training period and, with effect from next week, will be available for assignment as fully qualified Time Police officers.
Form D12s have yet to materialise but are, I am convinced, imminent.
Electronic communication from Commander Hay to Major Ellis
Time: 1652 UTC
Date: Redacted
Don’t give me that crap. Find out what they’re doing and advise soonest. Don’t make me come down there, Major.
Automatic Reply from the desk of Major Ellis
Time: 1652 UTC
Date: Redacted
Major Ellis is not currently available. For urgent matters, contact Captain Farenden, who is providing cover until his return.
1
Commander Hay settled herself at her desk, opened up her scratchpad, picked up her coffee and gazed expectantly at her adjutant.
‘You’re wearing your bad news face, Charlie.’
‘A whole shedload for you this morning, ma’am.’
‘Oh – you’re going to come straight out with it, are you? Normally there’s a bit of banter and obfuscation as you slip me the details of our latest debacle and hope I won’t notice.’
‘Not today, ma’am. I’m not even going to try.’
She sighed. ‘Go on, then. Let’s have it all over with at once. Rip the plaster off, Charlie, but don’t blame me if I scream.’
He sighed. ‘Well, in no particular order: Imogen Farnborough’s appeal has failed. The date of her execution is yet to be determined, but certainly within the next twenty-eight days.’
‘Well, that’s no surprise, is it? She was lucky to escape the consequences of her first offence – there was no chance of escaping her second.’ She thought for a moment. ‘Make a note to ask Ellis to keep an eye on Parrish, will you? He and Farnborough used to know each other well – I’m not sure how he will react.’
‘She tried to have him killed, ma’am.’
‘Very true, but given their former relationship and the possible involvement of his father at Site X, I still think his reactions should be closely monitored. What about our other prisoner – the ghastly Mr Geoffrey?’
‘The oil-slick Geoffrey sang like the proverbial cassowary, ma’am. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t know as much as he thought he did, and a lot of his supposedly valuable intel turned out to be . . . shall we say, considerably enhanced, and didn’t really tell us any more than we knew already. Yes, we picked up a lot of their lower- and mid-level people, but those at the very top appear to have slipped through our net. Geoffrey was promised his death sentence would be commuted, however, so it’ll be life for him. I don’t suppose it matters because he’s not the type to thrive in our prison system. I believe bets are being laid on how long he’ll last. A projected lifespan of about six months appears to be the most optimistic estimate.’
‘Put me down for seven weeks and two days, Charlie. What’s next on your list?’
‘The word on the street is that Farnborough’s mother, the Right Honourable Patricia, will resign from the government any day now.’
Commander Hay sighed. ‘Damn. Go on.’
‘Site X is being dismantled. The components manufactured by Parrish Industries are generic and not, according to Parrish Industries’ legal eagles, manufactured for a specific client or purpose. Their legal department wishes to point out that Parrish Industries abhors the use to which their product has been put, but they take no responsibility for said use once their product has left the factory. They regret they are unable to assist further with our enquiries.’
She sighed. ‘And the worst news?’
Captain Farenden stared out of the window. The air lanes were thick with rush-hour traffic. The Belfast shuttle chugged past on its way to Croydon. He was conscious of a wish that he was on it.
Taking a deep breath, he said, ‘Eric Portman, Farnborough’s boyfriend – the one who got her into all this – got off. We didn’t have enough to hold him. Forty-five people are willing to swear he was with them at the times in question. Including two MPs. Not that their word counts for much. The official explanation is that an imposter has been taking the Portman name in vain.’
Commander Hay’s face in no way registered her intense frustration at this news, but to be fair, her face rarely registered any expression at all. In her youth, during a particularly bloody chapter of the Time Wars, there had been an accident. The door had blown off her pod in mid-jump. The results had not been pretty. Lt Marietta Hay had been the only survivor, and when they’d eventually managed to get her out, half of her face was considerably older than the other half. It had been some time before she had been able to accept her survival for the miracle she was continually being told it was.
Taking a deep breath, she said, ‘Are Portman’s lawyers actually suggesting Imogen Farnborough didn’t know who she was dating? They went out for three months, for heaven’s sake.’
‘His team did an excellent job of discrediting her evidence. They argued that her obvious mental instability rendered it unreliable and referred to the fact that, at her trial, even her own defence team had tried to claim she wasn’t fit to plead. That defence failed, as we know, but it did allow the Portmans’ legal team to highlight her unreliability and throw massive doubt on her statement. They followed that up with lots of outraged innocence from the Portman family themselves, who made a few minor endowments to worthy causes to show the world what nice people they are, together with a couple of massive donations to those who matter, and that was the end of it. I suspect he’s celebrating in a bar at this very moment.’
‘Damn and blast, Charlie.’
‘Indeed, ma’am.’
Hay pushed her chair back and began to pace. ‘We had them. We had their people, their pods, we had Shoreditch, we had Site X, we had what they were doing to those poor sods in the Stone Age. And still the top dogs got away from us. I’d happily return Imogen Farnborough to the wild if we could have got just one of them.’
‘Well, looking on the bright side, ma’am, which as your adjutant I am required to do no matter what the personal risk, we have dismantled Site X. No more experimentation on Neanders. Big Pharma has retired back to its lair, muttering. A large and sophisticated Temporal Tourism operation has been shut down before it did any real harm. Fifty-six arrests and five pods impounded. And, with luck, Eric Portman looking over his shoulder every moment of every day for the rest of his life.’
‘We lost Nuñez and Klein. We nearly lost Lockland and Parrish, as well. Parrish lost two fingers.’
‘Well, as to that, ma’am, yes – Nuñez and Klein were unfortunate but they were buried with full honours, if that makes a difference. And their sacrifice ultimately led us to Site X. Lockland and Parrish survived their ordeal in the snow. Yes, Parrish lost two fingers to frostbite but he now struts the corridors with a dramatic black glove on his left hand, threatening to hire a redhead to cut up his meat for him.’
She blinked. ‘Why a redhead?’
‘Apparently he already has a blonde and a brunette and requires a redhead to complete the set.’
She sat back down again. ‘How is he even still alive?’
‘I don’t believe losing a few fingers is generally fatal, ma’am.’
‘It wasn’t his missing fingers I was referring to.’
‘Oh. Well, much as it pains me to admit ignorance in the face of my commanding officer, I don’t know. I suspect if I tried even half the things he seems to get away with, I’d be floating face down in the Thames by now while the entire female population of London lined the banks and cheered. He just . . . gets away with it, ma’am.’
Hay sighed again.
Captain Farenden tapped his scratchpad. ‘Major Callen has requested a slot for his monthly meeting, ma’am.’ He waited.
‘I want you present, Charlie. Nothing formal. Just tuck yourself away in a corner and take notes. In fact, I don’t ever want to find myself alone with him, however briefly. Make sure you’re always there.’
‘Yes, ma’am.’
He waited but nothing more was forthcoming. ‘Moving on, ma’am, I do have one final piece of news you may or may not regard as good.’
‘Go on, Charlie, hit me with it.’
‘It’s taken a while, ma’am. About two months longer than . . .’ He stopped, apparently groping for a word.
‘Than what?’
‘I’m struggling to construct a sentence that doesn’t contain the word “normal”, ma’am. Ah, I have it. It’s only taken about two months longer than more conventional teams, ma’am, but, believe it or not – Team Two-Three-Six graduate tomorrow.’
‘Only two months longer? From where I’m sitting it’s seemed endless.’
‘A fact I hope you won’t mention at their formal swearing-in tomorrow afternoon, ma’am.’
‘No. Wheel them up here. They can retake the oath. I’ll hand them their flashes and give them my famous Welcome to the Time Police speech. You hand them details of their Death in Service benefits and we both wish them good luck for the future.’
‘And following that, ma’am, I suppose we step back and let them get on with it.’
‘Well, there’s the mandatory one month’s hands-off supervision – I expect Ellis and North will split that between them – and then off they go. Out into the wild blue yonder.’
Farenden grinned. ‘It’s going to be interesting to watch their progress, ma’am. On a slightly related matter, Officer North has requested an appointment this morning.’
She sighed. ‘After what Lt Grint and his team did to her . . .’
‘Indeed, ma’am, but you will remember the expected fallout over that unfortunate incident failed to materialise.’
‘I believe that has been mainly due to the mature attitude adopted by North herself. There was a great deal of support for her at the time and at one point I feared we’d be blocking the walls with our Time Police dead. That there weren’t more casualties was entirely due to her intelligent handling of the situation.’
‘Yes, she would have had a spectacular career with us.’
‘She still can – if we can persuade her to stay.’
‘I’ve pencilled her in for 1100 hours.’
‘Was she clutching her resignation?’
‘Not that I was aware, ma’am, but she made the appointment via her com link so it was difficult for me to tell.’
‘I’m not going to let her go, Charlie, even if I have to nail her to a desk.’
‘An innovative solution to our staffing difficulties, ma’am, and, simultaneously, a warning to the rest of us.’
Hay’s hand drifted towards her paper knife.
‘I’m so sorry, ma’am – did I say warning? Obviously, I meant inspiration.’
Hay’s hand drifted away from her paper knife. ‘I thought you did.’
An hour later, Captain Farenden ushered Officer North into Commander Hay’s office. The commander, who had spent much of the intervening time marshalling her arguments against Officer North leaving the Time Police, was cheered to see her carrying a file under one arm.
‘Good morning, Officer North.’
‘Good morning, ma’am. Thank you for seeing me.’
‘I believe you had something to discuss.’
‘Ma’am, arising out of the unfortunate incident at Versailles when, perhaps, some officers paid less attention to the briefing than they could have done, I’ve put together a recommendation that all teams be provided with historical context before they embark on a jump. It shouldn’t be over-detailed – we’re not St Mary’s – but it would give a background and perspective for each individual mission that may prevent similar incidents occurring in future.’
She passed over the folder and sat staring out of the window as the commander read it through.
‘And this would be provided by you?’
‘My opinion is that I would be the best person for the job. I have the background knowledge.’
‘You think they would listen to you?’
‘Yes. I believe I have hit on an innovative way of gaining and retaining their attention, ma’am. And I do think the more perceptive among them will recognise the value of attending.’
‘And the less perceptive?’
‘May not be around long enough to regret not listening to the historical background and perspective that might have saved their lives. A striking example of Darwinism in action. However, I hope to make clear the wisdom of attending briefings which have been tailored to their team’s individual requirements.’
‘What will you do if no one attends?’
‘Without actually saying so, ma’am, I shall endeavour to give the impression that anyone failing to take advantage of this useful and possibly life-saving opportunity has slightly fewer brain cells than testicles.’
The words ‘Lt Grint’ were not spoken.
‘So, it is only male officers from whom you expect to encounter difficulties?’
‘Frankly, ma’am, yes, but the insult works even better for our few female officers.’
‘Is your continuing presence in the Time Police contingent upon my consent and approval?’
North hesitated. ‘I don’t want to leave the Time Police, but now that I’m no longer a Hunter, I have to find another role for myself. I have discussed this with Major Ellis who was very encouraging.’
If Commander Hay considered Major Ellis had his own reasons for North-related encouragement and none of them had anything to do with providing historical perspectives, she did not say so.
‘In addition, ma’am, Team Two-Three-Six will soon be qualified . . .’ She tailed away.
‘I am always very reluctant to lose a good officer.’ Commander Hay closed the file. ‘Shall we say a trial period of three months? I’ll leave it up to you to decide the depth and detail of your briefings and the form they will take. This will be your project, Officer North. At the end of three months, I will be requesting evaluation reports from my senior officers as to the success of your initiative. And from you too.’
North nodded. ‘Yes, ma’am.’
‘In theory, I think this might work very well. You are aware your former boss – Dr Maxwell – once provided something very similar during her mercifully short secondment here.’
‘I am aware, ma’am, and I believe they were quite successful.’
‘Well, no one died, which is always my criteria for a successful initiative. Keep me informed, Officer North, and good luck.’
‘Thank you, ma’am.’
2
At that precise moment, Team 236 were assembled in Luke’s room, peering at the Graduation Countdown Calendar pinned to the back of his door.
‘Ta-dah!’ cried Luke, crossing through the last day with a flourish.
‘Ta-dah!’ cried Jane and Matthew, dutifully watching him cross through the last day with a flourish.
‘That’s it, people. We’ve done it. Who’d have thought? A quick handshake with Commander Hay and then Jane sews on our flashes because she’s the only girl on the team, and away we go.’
‘Happy to,’ said Jane, ‘and I know exactly to which appendage I shall be attaching them.’
‘The flashes are woven on,’ said Matthew, in a placatory tone. ‘They’ll just give us new kit.’
‘So, what does Hay give us tomorrow?’
‘Sympathy regarding our life choices, presumably,’ said Luke, gloomily.
‘Ceremonial flashes to signify our new status,’ said Matthew.
Jane sighed. ‘Shame. I was looking forward to wielding a bodkin.’
Luke shook his head. ‘Jane, I have to say, being in the Time Police has certainly brought out the worst in you. You used to be such a sweet little thing. How you’ve changed.’
‘I have,’ said Jane complacently. ‘You, on the other hand, are as big an arsehole as you’ve always been.’
Matthew nodded his agreement.
The three of them grinned at each other. Yes, all right, they’d taken the long way round – and some of it had been a little dodgy – but now, here they were, fully qualified Time Police officers. Almost.
‘We can bear arms,’ said Luke. ‘I can’t wait.’
‘Weapons training first,’ said Matthew.
‘What – point and press?’ said Luke scornfully. ‘It’s not rocket science. Otherwise, half the people here couldn’t do it.’
‘Blasters are a little more wayward than you might think,’ said Matthew, the only member of the team to have fired one so far. Yes, he’d successfully played his part in fighting off the enemy when TPHQ had come under attack, but there was an ex-flowering tree at the front of the building that would never be the same again. Or its decorative planter. Matthew and his blaster had truly embraced the scorched earth policy.
Back out in the corridor they were joined by their former fellow trainees – Team 235.
‘All right, mate?’ said Kohl, who was known, for reasons that were never disclosed, as Socko.
‘Yeah,’ said Luke in surprise. ‘Why do you ask?’
Socko shuffled. ‘Well . . . you know.’
‘Ah, got it. You’re just being nice to me because of my fingers.’
‘Well, of course we are,’ said Hansen. ‘No one here can stand you, but we feel sorry for you so we’re making the effort. The least you can do is reciprocate.’
‘Sorry,’ said Luke. ‘I hadn’t realised. Can we organise some sort of hand signal so I know when you’re trying to be nice? Otherwise, I’m afraid the world is none the wiser.’
Socko grinned. ‘How about we thump you half a dozen times? Would that be enough for you to get the message?’
‘Not you, Jane,’ said Rossi, hastily. ‘We’ve all seen the legendary Lockland knee in action.’ He indicated Matthew and Luke. ‘Just these two.’
There was some good-natured shoving. Jane glowed. This was what it was like to be accepted. She was one of them. She could hold her own. She was a Time Police officer. Now all she had to do was make sure she was a good one.
Rossi was talking about the graduation ceremony.
‘It’s not huge – not like when you smart arses got your medals for bringing down Site X. Just Hay shaking you by the hand, congratulating you on having lived this long, conspicuously not promising you’ll still be alive this time next week and handing you your flashes. Have you been allocated your office yet?’
‘Same corridor as you but further down,’ said Jane.
‘Can you see the river?’
Luke nodded. ‘We can. If Jane stands on my shoulders and leans eighty-five degrees to the left, then yes, our new office has a fine view of the river.’
Team 236 did indeed have a tiny space to call their own. As Luke said, all right, it wasn’t huge, but as long as none of them put on any weight they’d be fine. And it was their very own. Somewhere in which to work, write their reports, take a snooze after lunch and so forth.
And, as qualified officers, they could bear arms. Their first training session was booked for the day after graduation. They would start with the small blasters and then work up to the larger ones. Luke could hardly wait, although Jane couldn’t see herself getting much past the little ones. The ones that would happily nestle on her rip-grip patches. Eventually, if they wished – and it was apparent that Luke did – they could graduate to everything up to and including the building-smashers.
There would also be a small pay rise. As Luke said – nothing but good times ahead.
They split up at the end of the corridor. Team 235 went to find their team leader, Lt Grint; Matthew disappeared in the direction of the Time Map and Luke and Jane went to inspect the damaged front of the building, still under repair from the recent attack.
They stood for some time, looking at the craters, the shattered gardens, and the boarded-up windows, and then went down to watch the river flow past.
‘You’re very quiet, Jane. What are you thinking about?’
‘Well, actually – and don’t read anything into this – I was thinking how much I enjoyed living further downriver. You know – when we were in your apartment. I think I could get used to being rich.’
‘That’s a shame. You’re not ever likely to be rich in the Time Police.’
‘No.’ She hesitated a moment and then said, ‘Luke – when you wrote out your report – did you mention Parrish Industries at all?’
‘I did. How could I not? The Parrish Industries logo was there in plain sight.’ He paused. ‘I’m going to go and talk to my father about it. See what he has to say.’
She nodded. ‘All right. Can I play devil’s advocate here?’
‘Why would you need to?’
‘Well, I think you need to decide whether you’re going as a Time Police officer or Raymond Parrish’s son.’
‘Obviously I’m both.’
‘I’m not sure you can be. Which is the most important to you?’
Luke stared out across the river. The cold wind rippled the water and made him shiver. At least, he assumed it was the cold wind. ‘I don’t know.’
‘Have you thought that by going to see him you could be making things worse?’
‘He knows all about our investigation into Site X. He probably knows more than I do, and I was actually there.’
‘Then why go to see him?’
‘I want to hear his explanation.’
‘But we’ve heard it. Parrish Industries manufactures generic components. They’re not responsible for the use to which those components are put.’
‘Not good enough, Jane. I want to see his face when he says that.’
‘Again – will you go as Officer Parrish or Luke Parrish?’
‘It won’t be an official visit.’
She turned to face him. ‘Do you want me to come too? I don’t think you should go alone.’
He smiled down at her. ‘That’s kind, Jane. Can I let you know?’
‘Of course. When are you going?’
‘Soon, I hope. I submitted my application for a twenty-four-hour pass this morning.’
His com bleeped. The read-out said Ellis.
‘What do you bet that’s what he wants to talk to me about?’
‘Good luck.’
He left her watching the river flow past.
Major Ellis – soon to be the former officer in charge of Team 236 – was in his office.
‘Come in, Parrish, sit down. How’s the hand?’
Luke flourished his dramatically black-gloved hand. ‘I wouldn’t have thought I could possibly be any more appealing to the female sex, but apparently I was wrong. I’m fighting them off with one complete and one three-fingered hand.’
‘Two fingers and a thumb,’ said Ellis, automatically.
‘That’s what Jane keeps saying, but you have to admit Three-Fingered Luke sounds much better than Two-Fingers-and-a-Thumb Luke.’ He stared down at his gloved left hand.
‘I’m sure you’re right,’ said Ellis, ‘but with your permission – and even without it – I shall continue to refer to you as Trainee soon-to-be Officer Parrish.’
Luke shrugged. ‘I’ve been called worse. And in this very building, too.’
‘Does your injury interfere at all with your ability to do your job?’
‘Surprisingly, no. Except for typing, of course, but I usually get Jane to do that for me anyway. You know – because she’s a girl.’
Ellis sat back in his chair. ‘You’re still angry, aren’t you?’
Luke shrugged.
‘You can dictate your reports. As you’ve always done. As everyone else does.’
‘I’m sorry,’ said Luke. ‘I thought I’d embrace traditional Time Police culture and disparage women at every opportunity.’
‘I so look forward to seeing you attempt that with every female officer here.’
‘Why don’t we call one in and I’ll give it a go?’
‘I know you’re angry but stop pushing me, Parrish. It’s not going to work.’
Luke shrugged again.
Ellis regarded him briefly and then brought up a data stack. ‘I’ve been reading your report on your adventures at
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