‘Shut them down. Gather the inmates together, by force if necessary.’
She got no further, though. Kendred, his face white with fury, spoke once more. ‘Stop this now.’
‘I know what I’m doing.’
‘We must talk. Now.’
He all but dragged her from the room. Oldmanter did not move to stop them, but nodded to one of the guards.
‘Watch them. If either makes any dangerous moves, then shoot them both.’
Then he turned to Hanslip, who was still standing in the corner, watching in shock. ‘Oh, take him away,’ he said. ‘I can’t stand to look at him.’
The room was empty except for Jack and Oldmanter, who sat there and hummed to himself for a while.
Eventually, though, he spoke. ‘Are you surprised, Mr More?’
‘By you allowing them to leave the room, or by what she just said?’
‘The second. It is obviously safer if it is handed over voluntarily. As she said, it is unwise to risk damage to the text. If I have to use force, then I will. But I would prefer not to.’
‘I did not expect it.’
‘Nor I. She is an interesting young woman. But each must use such advantages as they have, and what loyalty does she owe to any of us? Can anyone offer her a better price than I can, do you think? It is sensible to sell the information to the highest bidder, although I must admit I assumed the stupid principles of these people would get in the way. They always seem to prefer suffering and self-sacrifice to common sense.’
Oldmanter moved slightly in his chair and Jack saw again how very old and frail this man really was. ‘I was impressed by your behaviour,’ Oldmanter continued. ‘You must have known I might have ordered your execution for disobeying me just now.’
‘I gave my loyalty to Dr Hanslip,’ Jack said. ‘I was bound until it was clear the tie was dissolved.’
‘And now it is. So what will you do?’
‘Look for another job, I suppose. Unless you plan to have me locked up.’
‘I do not punish loyalty. Besides, I can think of a better use for you. You will continue in your present employment, but obedient to me directly. Do you accept?’
‘Of course.’ Jack spoke without hesitation.
‘That is settled then.’
‘What will you do with Emily?’
‘Are you worried for her? Don’t be. I will give her everything she wants. I imagine her demands will be limited.’
‘Why would she trust you?’
‘Because I am a man of my word,’ he said in a slightly hurt tone. ‘It is my pleasure to be so. I do not win by cheating. Where is the achievement in that?’
‘Hanslip said this technology is too dangerous to use.’
Oldmanter laughed. ‘A remarkable change of mind, don’t you think?’
‘You think he was lying?’
‘I know he was. There were very advanced plans to use that machine lying in his desk when we took control of his institute, and we have not found a shred of evidence to suggest it is dangerous. Besides, we have analysed the problem ourselves. I put the matter to a committee of the most senior figures in physics. We will not take undue risks, I assure you. It is in good hands; rather better than it was before.’
Emily was expressionless as she led Kendred back into the room.
‘Have you persuaded your associate?’ Oldmanter asked.
‘You may have the document.’
‘The trouble with that,’ Oldmanter said, ‘is that once you have done so, you will have no way of ensuring that I keep my side of any bargain. Mr More here pointed that out, which was quite offensive of him, but it has a measure of truth to it.’
‘I know. But you will.’
‘Why do you think that?’
‘Because my price will accomplish your greatest desires, provide you with an interesting experiment and gain you worldwide applause,’ she said.
‘You are very attentive to my needs. Go ahead.’
‘I want a universe.’
Oldmanter paused, genuinely caught on the hop for the first time in decades. ‘How splendid!’ he said. ‘That is what you meant by a modest demand, eh?’
‘As fast as is reasonable,’ Emily went on, ‘you will make your machines operational. You will then transmit those members of Retreats who wish to depart. You will announce the discovery and, as a way of demonstrating its power, announce also that you are financing a programme to rid the world of all subversive, non-productive influences like us. The acclaim will be considerable. Then you can get on with whatever you have in mind.’
Oldmanter was impressed. Jack, standing to one side, could see that he was following her train of thought as fast as she was laying it out; the two of them were in step. It was an extraordinary thing to witness.
‘Now that, young lady, is a proposal worth listening to. I am inclined to agree just because of the scale of your nerve.’
‘Think of the new data you will gather, the organisational expertise. Think of the gratitude as well. You will recoup the cost in no time, and most will be research expenses you would incur anyway.’
‘What a shame,’ Oldmanter said appreciatively, ‘that you are a renegade. If only my employees had half your imagination. I don’t suppose I could tempt you...’
‘No.’
‘Ah well.’
‘Ah well, indeed,’ Emily said. ‘That’s the deal. Accept and you can have the data. Refuse and you can’t.’
Oldmanter was not a man to hesitate. His success had been built on seeing an opportunity and grabbing it wholeheartedly.
‘Obviously I accept. As you say, it is greatly to my advantage.’
‘Good.’
He nodded. ‘We will go to Mull, set up and calibrate. As long as there has been no substantial damage and my people haven’t gone overboard and razed the place, it will take a couple of weeks. Then we will have to test it with a few volunteers to make sure it is functioning properly. We will construct a bigger machine, building in what we have learned. Then perhaps five thousand a day, working up to ten thousand as more machines come on stream. This will continue until all volunteers have gone.’
‘Then you will leave us alone.’
‘Oh, certainly. We will switch to a different universe for our purposes. You may have a life of rustic bliss festering in primitivism until the day every single one of you dies.’
‘One more thing. I would like that poor man to have the chance of coming too. Hanslip.’
‘Why?’
‘Just a pointless act of kindness.’
‘If you want him, you can have him. We can say he died in captivity. Suicide or something. It may be as good as suicide anyway. You know that, don’t you?’
‘I am quite aware of the risks.’
Emily walked over and gave him the Devil’s Handwriting, hesitating for only a fraction of a second before putting it into his hand. ‘We have established, by the way, that it is of very recent vintage. It looks old and was evidently meant to convince people it is old. It defeats most tests, but it is quite definitely a fake. Don’t believe anyone who tells you differently; we are experts in this field.’ She gave Kendred a severe look as she turned away again.
Oldmanter flicked through its pages with deep interest for several minutes, then let out a sigh of satisfaction. ‘We will leave for Mull in an hour.’
For Oldmanter, having the girl voluntarily give him the manuscript was yet another extraordinary piece of good fortune. A more sentimental man would have wondered if fate wanted him to have this technology.
He could most definitely afford to appear generous, not least because no generosity was involved. He would dispose of the renegades and they would make the task easier by rushing to volunteer. They would herd themselves into the transportation device, beg to be dispatched. If anything demonstrated their unfitness to live, that was it.