Chapter 5 is the continuation of the story of Josiah begun in chapters 1 and 2. But you might meet some characters you recognise from Jos' storyline...
What is the Square?
A geometrical object. Neat and precise, two-dimensional and utterly regular. Existing nowhere, if not in the mind.
Josiah had come to realise that it was also a place, a group of people, an ideal. And more than that - for many souls who had lost their faith it was home.
For Josiah however, it was an opportunity, a door opening before him. He could almost taste the success of his time machine, as he sipped on a black coffee and relaxed in a chair of real brown leather. The smell of cured animal skins was a real pleasure, as was the feeling of the chair beneath his fingers. Without a doubt, this was the most comfortable chair in the room - and there had been no shortage of choice.
Josiah had to admit that the Square was both exactly what he had hoped for and more, but also very, very different. The lounge of the Elegant Head summed it up completely.
The first thing you noticed upon entering the Elegant Head, as Josiah had noticed not a week earlier, was the sheer number of chairs - chairs of all varieties. There were sofas and armchairs, rocking-chairs and stools, fold-out chairs and inflatable chairs. Chairs made of wood and iron, of green plastic and animal fur, a chair made entirely out of human bones. The only thing there wasn’t, was a chair made of steel.
And that was the second thing that Josiah had noticed. He had been so accustomed to seeing them, he felt their absence as something palpable - there were no fists of steel on the wall, no boxes for Church offerings. Even the Provider was free from iconography - the sheer blasphemy still thrilled him as he drank his unblessed coffee.
After that, the details of the room came thick and fast, broke across his mind like waves across a boat, too much for your mind to quite take everything in.
The sheer vastness of the chamber, open to the sky above, with the bright light of the sun shining down upon you like summer. But between the Square and the sky were many metres of concrete. This was a false sky, reading off the ambient emotion of the room and setting itself accordingly.
Set into the regular walls, at irregular intervals, were small shaded alcoves, capable of being curtained and soundproofed off for private conferences and meetings. And other forms of experimentation. Sound could not escape but odours lingered in the red, velvet curtains.
The cooling remnants of coffee, cups of tea and smashed liquor glasses dwelt on some of the tables scattered about the room, alongside well-worn books on higher mathematics, spectral physics and biochemistry. There were books everywhere. They seemed to grow organically from the walls and were spreading towards the rather plain Provider in a menacing fashion.
And no matter the time of day or night, you would find the scientists. Some sat silently, reading huge volumes, sipping from whiskey glasses. Others smoked long brown sticks and paraded on the chairs, weeping softly. Josiah had even seen a grown woman dance into the room naked, screaming ‘Eureka’. No one batted an eyelid, and Josiah was trying to learn not to respond to anything he saw.
The sky was growing overcast as Josiah sipped his coffee, planning for the future. He had not yet been granted a full laboratory but Amber assured him that it was simply a matter of time before someone took notice of him and found a suitable space. The arms of the Square reached out for kilometres through the deep, claiming cellars, elevator shafts and abandoned shops as they went. There were laboratories under Primrose Hill and Chalk Farm, libraries in what was once Euston station. Once inside, there were many who never left the Square.
Obviously, his main priority was to finish work on his time machine but that simply required finding a power source. Shouldn’t take him that long. Or at least, it wasn’t an activity that would fill much of his time.
Meanwhile there were some other activities that interested him. A major industry in the Deep was, unsurprisingly, weapon-tech. Although Josiah had had some doubts initially over using his skills to create weapons, Amber had reassured him. These people would kill each other anyway, whether they used this gun or that gun was only of financial interest. His background in time technology could prove to be a real asset. A bullet that slipped beyond the stream of time could not be stopped. I wonder...
Josiah’s reverie was interrupted by a not unwelcome sound, as Amber called to him from across the room.
“Merlin,” she called, and Josiah had just about got used to the idea that this was now his name. “Merlin, I have some people here whom you simply must meet.”
A huge mountain of a man threw himself into a large pink, fluffy chair, and let out a loud sigh of relief. He wiped his large, round face carefully with a handkerchief and then shook Josiah’s hand vigourously.
“The name’s Deucalion, my friend, though please call me Duke. Everyone else does.”
Josiah smiled politely.
“Oh! Don’t you just look adorable? So nice to meet you Mr. Merlin, although I suppose I should probably just call you Merlin, right?”
This was from a rather small woman with unkempt dyed-blonde hair, and a long white glove covering her left arm.
“Please do,” answered Josiah.
“That’s Theano,” Amber said.
“Silly me,” Theano exclaimed, “didn’t I say my name? I’d forget my own head, and sometimes I do.” She laughed nervously. “But call me Thee, it’s so much easier, I’m sure you’ll agree.”
Theano perched on a wooden stool, so Josiah could turn to the third member of the party. He was a small, grey man, thin and wiry, with intensely blue eyes that seemed just a little too big for his face. He said nothing and simply stared at Josiah.
“And this is Lovecraft, our pre-eminent astrologer,” said Amber, when she realised that Lovecraft wasn’t going to introduce himself.
“Nice to meet you,” ventured Josiah, offering his hand.
“Charmed, I’m sure,” Lovecraft replied, not taking it.
Amber settled in a wicker chair, smiling delightedly, as Duke burst into a loud, raucous laugh.
“Don’t mind Lovecraft,” he shouted, “the man spends too long with his eyes glued to the heavens.”
Lovecraft nodded, his gaze still fixed at Josiah, who thought he could see gears turning inside Lovecraft’s too large eyes. Mechanical implants, perhaps.
“Ah, yes” Josiah said, hoping to engage this small man in conversation, “Amber mentioned something of the sort. What is it exactly that you are studying?”
“My main project is to discover the secrets behind the Magellanic clouds and the globular nebulae.”
“And in the mean time he makes spying devices for the Piranhas,” Duke cut in smiling.
“Doesn’t that bother you?” Josiah asked all of them, nervous at the thought of Piranhas with Square technology.
“Why should it bother us?” Thee asked, puzzled, “we make sure they can’t see in here of course, and beyond that, who cares? But for me, I can’t bear any of this practical stuff, all too real for me as I once told my uncle when he sat me on his lap and tried to explain Newton’s Laws of Motion.”
“And what is it that does interest you?” Josiah asked politely, who found the movement of Theano’s lips up and down to be almost entrancing.
“Well, for me it’s sentient equations and higher order group theory - once you get past numbers it’s all plain-sailing. I always thought that numbers just slow a mathematician down, and if you ask me, which I notice that no one did, I would just throw the lot of them back to the stone age where they belong.”
“We do still need to count things, you know Thee,” Amber cut in.
“Yes, yes, I suppose we do. Shame really.”
“How are you liking the Square, Merlin?” Duke asked gleefully.
“It’s…” Josiah began, searching for the word, “…liberating.”
This seemed to please Deucalion, who let out a hearty yelp of agreement.
“Liberating, yes that’s the word for it. Freedom from oppressive religion. Freedom from tyranny. Do you want to know what it is that I seek?”
“Tell me,” Josiah answered.
“Why, I am searching for the only thing that really matters - eternal life! When I conjure the philosopher’s stone in my laboratory, not only will I have the power to transmute lead into gold, but I will gain the sacred elixir of life, the secret of eternal youth. Now wouldn’t that be something!”
“And what is it that you seek?” asked Lovecraft, still standing.
“Well, I thought I could do some work in weapon-tech while I’m here, but that’s just a side project, I guess. My real project is to build a time machine.”
Duke laughed again, Theano opened and shut her wide mouth a couple of times, while Amber looked oddly proud. Lovecraft was unmoved.
“And how is it going?” Lovecraft asked him.
“Well, it was all going well up until recently. I’ve built the prototype but I just need something to power it.”
“Have you tried tapping into the Providers?” asked Amber.
“That was my first thought, to use the National Grid, but the amount of power I would need would blackout more than just London. I don’t think it can be done.”
“Have you thought about using nuclear power?” asked Theano, “though I suppose you probably have, since you’ve spent more time thinking about this than I have.”
Josiah smiled indulgently, “I thought about it but it’s too unstable. The temporal field needs constant adjustment, very close control.”
“Then how about a Plasma Inducer,” thundered Duke, obviously pleased with himself.
Josiah was about to reply when he realised that he hadn’t considered it. How could he have overlooked it? Sparks began to fly through his brain, as he whirred through instant calculations and thought experiments.
“Ha! I thought that might help. Always glad to be of assistance.”
Josiah wasn’t really listening, he was lost in thoughts of circuits and plasma. This could be what he was looking for - the key to the future. But a Plasma Inducer was rare and expensive. There was one in the Cathedral of course, locked in the sanctum, but that would be no help to him. It was practically lost tech.
“You’re wondering where to find a Plasma Inducer, aren’t you?” Amber asked, studying him.
“Yes. Apart from the Circle, of course, I don’t know of one.” A sudden thought flashed through his mind. “Can we get one in the market?”
“Could be,” said Duke, stroking his enormous chin, “could be. Such things have been known to turn up. From time to time.”
Amber smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. “Let’s go shopping.”
* * *
Camden Market was busy, choking with people. But for once, Josiah didn’t care.
He was buzzing and felt as if electricity was running through his whole body. Barely able to contain himself, he practically danced through the stalls, glancing here and there, keeping his eyes open for the smallest hint of a Plasma Inducer. This was the break he’d been waiting for, it had to be here, somewhere.
To his side was Amber who, whenever Josiah looked in her direction, seemed to be eyeing him with dry amusement. She had never seen him so excited. Behind him came the imposing figure of Deucalion, who had joined the shopping expedition. He stood nearly two metres in height and was at least half as wide as he was tall. He was dressed head to toe in black combat gear, with his large pale face looking like the moon in the night sky. His knives glittered in the flickering electric lights from their positions on his belt. No one recognised Josiah but they would have known Duke from a mile away, and gave the scientists a wide berth.
“Over there!” Josiah cried, darting between narrow stalls in his haste to reach a barrow full of electronics.
He picked up a piece and examined it before tossing it back as junk and picking up another. Amplifier, hair dryer, temporal recorder, coat hanger - all either broken or breaking. A nice battery unit caught his eye.
“How much for this?” he asked.
“Ten dollars,” spat the stall owner, who seemed to be almost entirely uninterested in the proceedings.
Josiah was already fumbling for the money when Duke shook his head.
“For this piece of crap?” he intoned, “we’ll give you three.”
“Done.”
Josiah smiled at Duke and took the unit - it looked promising for the gun he’d been planning, the right shape and charge. Useless for a time machine, and no Plasma Inducer but Josiah was undaunted. He had a feeling that he would find one somewhere around - it had the inevitability of destiny.
He skipped on.
Several people offered him drugs. At least he thought that they had offered him drugs, though they could just have been discussing drugs with their friends. Or even discussing cars. It was so hard to tell and Josiah was far too engrossed in his search to pay any attention. Besides, Duke was there to see him through any trouble.
Jarring, vibrant colours leapt out at them from the stalls, from hats, capes and corsets. The heady smell of incense, tobacco and hash filled Josiah’s nostrils. Before he had hated this smell but now it seemed right - it belonged in this place. And maybe Josiah did too. Here was freedom. Breathing the air here felt like a release, and Josiah breathed deeply.
“That man has been watching us for the last five or six minutes,” said Amber quietly, interrupting Josiah’s thoughts and gesturing to a stooping figure off to their right.
“Circle?” asked Duke quietly.
Josiah had noticed others watching their little expedition. At least one more person had watched him longer than usual, a man with a grinning demonic face all over his shirt. He hadn’t made a fuss over that and wasn’t going to now - like the other one, this was probably nothing. Perhaps the direct approach was called for. He smirked mischievously, and bounded up to figure. The man didn’t move.
“My friends and I couldn’t help but notice that you seem to be watching us,” Josiah said still smiling, “can I help you?”
“Help me?” the man asked, his small eyes jerking back and forth as he spoke. “No help for me, but maybe it is I that can help you.”
By then Deucalion and Amber had caught up. Neither looked amused.
“What are you selling?” Duke demanded.
“What are you buying?” the man replied, glowing with pleasure at his own cunning.
“A plasma inducer,” Josiah answered, before Duke or Amber had the chance to say anything else. “Do you know where I can find one?”
“Aha, what a coincidence this is, a fine coincidence.”
“Do you have one for sale or are you just wasting our time?” Amber asked pointedly.
“Not one for sale, no, not exactly, no. But could be I know a place you can find one.”
“Do you or do you not?” asked Amber once more.
“Such eminent scientists, such honourable scientists as yourselves must understand. There is always doubt, yes? But I will show you where you might find one. Through the Lock and down the tunnel. Come, follow me.”
The man turned and scuttled away, keeping his head down and sometimes muttering quietly to himself.
They followed, Duke watching him warily and Amber keeping an eye out behind them.
“I don’t trust him,” said Duke.
“Do you know where he’s taking us?” asked Josiah.
“I know the area. Should be safe enough, or we wouldn’t be going with him. Can’t trust anyone down here.”
Josiah nodded in agreement but for the first time a twinge of unease crept into his stomach. Something wasn’t right here. Something was... out of place.
The man led them down a narrow tunnel, its intricate fluorescent walls at odds with his shambolic grey clothes.
“This way, this way.”
The garish colours soon gave way to a vast chamber, whose walls were dull and metallic but could barely be seen behind the dark mass of crates piled up on all sides. Anyone could be hiding in here, thought Josiah unbidden, and we would never know until it was too late. It was deathly quiet.
The little man scurried towards the centre of the room. “Over here, yes, over here,” he shouted back to the scientists as they walked forwards. He threw open a vast container and a snowstorm of polystyrene packing fountained out in all directions. Something was terribly wrong.
Before Josiah really knew what was happening, his gun was in his hands and he was diving for cover. The silence had been torn apart by gunfire, the darkness pierced with bullets.
When the polystyrene snowstorm settled, the small man had vanished. It had been an obvious trap and they’d fallen for it. They were pinned down and vastly outgunned. Josiah had lost sight of Amber and Duke when he had leapt behind an upturned crate. As gunshots poured out of the shadows, he searched for friendly shapes. He saw Amber first, ducking behind a tower of barrels, taking shots with a small pistol. From the way she held her gun, Josiah could see that she was injured. Dark fluid gushed down her left arm, flowing like a waterfall. She’d been shot! Was she alright? At least she was alive, that was something at least. Where was Duke?
A shriek of pain caught his attention. He turned towards the sound. From behind him, not far away. He turned forever as the scream rose louder and higher.
Duke was there. Illuminated by the flashes of gunfire. His hand moved up to his chest as a bullet passed clean through it, exploding in vivid red out the other side. Like a red geyser, Duke’s blood gushed from his body. He toppled to the ground, his cry of agony dwindling away to nothing.
This wasn’t right. None of it was right.
The world began to move again and a hailstorm of lead exploded above Josiah’s hiding place. An Inferno Shell! Red hot shrapnel sprayed across the room like an indoor firework. Somehow, he escaped unharmed.
He now knew whom they faced. This was Circle Security, used in assassinations and commercial raids. Only Circle Security had access to weapons like Inferno Shells. They were brutal and methodical, unfailingly loyal to the Circle. They had been betrayed.
Firing his gun towards where he hoped Security were hiding, Josiah risked emerging from cover. One shot, two shots. He hardly registered the recoil before ducking back into cover. Three shots, four shots. Back into cover. A fifth shot.
A thud from nearby stopped him. A stray shot hit the tower of barrels behind which lay Amber. She looked up, all too late, and raised her hands to shield her face. All too slowly. The titanium crates toppled gracefully - the light refracted off them in a brilliant display of colour. Then they plummeted to earth and fell on Amber with a loud crack.
This was all wrong. It shouldn’t be like this, thought Josiah desperately. It hadn’t happened like this, not at all like this.
The gunfire stopped. A dozen cloaked figures emerged from behind the crates, shouldering elegant rifles, steel fists boldly emblazoned on their chests. Josiah raised his gun and fired. Nothing. He was out of bullets.
They laughed at him, long and loud. They came closer, surrounding Josiah where he lay huddled behind his cover. One of them drew a pistol. Josiah stared down the black hole of the muzzle.
This had to be a dream.
‘Wake up,’ he thought, pinching himself.
Nothing happened.
“Wake up!” he shouted.
And then he did.
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