His uncle paced back and forth across the room. “Luckily, a close friend forewarned me. He cut out my chip.” He rubbed at his left bicep as if it still pained him. “I’ve been moving from place to place since then, usually at night. I would have contacted you sooner, but…”
Noah’s brain raced to make connections, to make this make sense. “What sort of disagreements? What did you do?”
“Jesus, Noah,” his uncle snapped, taking a step back to look out of the window. “Has Murphy really got you so conditioned you can’t even entertain the idea that I might not be in the wrong here?”
“Just tell me what’s going on and let me make my own judgement on it then.”
“I threatened to leak several documents unless we made them public. Statistic reports detailing type-related deaths spiking in the last six months. Attempted typeB border breaches. Data predictions of food supplies running dry by midwinter. Papers detailing the army’s updated crisis response protocols.”
“But… why? There’s good reasons not to do that. London already has massive rebellion problems without inciting further mass panic.” Noah’s voice was loud enough for Zeke and Frankie to hear in the hallway, but he didn’t care.
“Because civilians have a right to know!” His uncle’s nostrils flared as red patches flared to life on his cheeks. “Because they have a right to choose. Tolive!”
“But—”
“I heard what happened a few weeks ago. I’m sorry about Cameron King. Splat was an exemplary officer.”
Noah flinched at the abrupt change in conversation. He imagined Splat’s reaction to being called an ‘exemplary officer’ and almost smiled.
“I also heard about what your squadron found out there. With the wire? A team went out to investigate it the next day. What was left of the wire anyway, the part that stretched into the trees. I’ve read the report. It’s a remarkable manifestation of the type’s evolving intelligence and coordination. It represents a significant leap in their ability to communicate and strategise. It wasnine hundred metreslong, Noah. Their set up utilised specially designed hooks and clamps that securely fastened the wire to the trees.”
“How did it actually help them communicate, though?” Noah found himself irresistibly compelled to engage in the conversation, his thoughts consumed by the wire that had lingered in his mind ever since he first laid eyes upon it.
“The scientists say it was designed to emit low-frequency subsonic pulsations when tugged. Infrasonic vibrations or something like that.”
Noah’s mind reeled. What was next? Types building bombs? Digging tunnels underground?
“What did Murphy tell you about it?” his uncle asked. “And has she asked about me?”
Noah crossed his arms. “Is that why you wanted to meet me? For information? I’m surprised you didn’t just send Leonie Voigt again. I’m not following her bullshit secret plan to record things for you, by the way.”
“I wanted to see you, Noah, because this is likely my last opportunity. But please, consider Leonie’s request. We wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t important. If we can get all the information out to the public now, before our infrastructure collapses, we’ll be in a better place to save more lives.” His uncle’s wristband vibrated, and his uncle glanced at it. It was not the standardised army-issued band he usually wore. “We’re out of time. Someone is coming to transport me to my next safehouse.” He stepped forward to grip Noah’s shoulders. “My sources say it could be a matter of weeks before everything falls apart. You need to make a plan. Does everything in the package make sense?”
The package. The one now hidden behind his skirting board. “I haven’t opened it.”
His uncle made a garbled sound halfway between a scream and a sigh before grabbing his arms to shake Noah. “It was a fluke of luck that got us out of Rotterdam. You won’t get that lucky twice. Especially now I’m a wanted man.” His hands fell to his sides. His eyes squeezed shut. “I’m sorry about that.”
Another stream of vibrations from his uncle’s wristband interrupted them.
“I have to go. Open the package. Make a plan.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny data chip. “Here. Here’s a copy of all the documents. I’ll try to send a message to you a few days before it gets leaked.”
His uncle attempted to put the chip in Noah’s hand, but he threw his hands up in the air, away from him. “No. I don’t want any part of this. They’ve already interrogated me about you. I’m surprised they even let me into London today. They’ll probably search me at the gate.”
Why on earth did he allow Frankie and Zeke to accompany him here? He couldn’t ask them to lie for him. Should he go straight to Murphy and tell her about meeting him today? Why had Uncle Nathaniel put him in this position?
His uncle shook his head. Reaching back into his pocket, he took out a piece of paper similar to the one the boy on the scooter gave Noah earlier. “You’ll be able to reach me on this number for a short time. Memorise it or rewrite it using a cipher.” His uncle stepped towards the door.
“Wait!” Noah cried, stepping in front of him to block the way. Words failed him again, so he stood open-mouthed, staring at the man who’d helped raise him for potentially the last time.
His uncle clasped his head with two hands before kissing him on the top of his head, as he’d done when he was a child. “You’ll be fine, Noah. You have a loyal squad behind you.” He brushed his finger over the glass on Noah’s watch. “Your father would be so proud of the man you’ve become.”
Noah blinked, fighting back hot tears.
“Jeg elsker dig,”his uncle said.“I’ll pray to my lucky stars that we see each other again.”
Uncle Nathan kissed his head once more, then left the room without looking back.
Noah’s day went from bad to worse, to truly abysmal, when Habib confronted him at the fire pit that evening.
