A Child Of Our Time (The Veil Book 2) (11 page)

INVITATION

Special Agent Deborah Landelle gazes up at the abstract sculpture before her, all sticks, rings, and bright colors. The work of a famous American artist, she can’t make head nor tail of it, but she understands its purpose, the reason for it being
here
.

The happy, giggly laughter of a little girl as she rushes by—Landelle’s head is quick to turn and track her progress across the atrium’s expanse. Small in stature—perhaps seven. Short, black hair. Her joyful parents are not far away.

Landelle returns her attention back to the sculpture—to find Dr. Rain, having quietly arrived at her side. His eyes too return from the child’s progress, to find Landelle’s.

“Ready?” he asks her, a calm gentleness to his voice.

Landelle silently and solemnly acknowledges that she is.

* * *

Rain has Lucius’s holographic projection unit set up throughout his consulting suite. Under its twinkling diamond lights JoJo and Eleanor sit patiently, but are quick to stand when Rain ushers Landelle into the reception area. Both are visibly anxious, Eleanor the more so.

“Thank you for coming, Agent Landelle. We have been so worried,” she says.

A polite nod from Landelle. She is entirely uncertain how to act under these very difficult circumstances. Rain has some final words for her.

“It is important to remember that although you have been invited, it is fact a privilege that you are being granted. Do nothing, say nothing, unless engaged to do so directly. It may take some time.”

He opens a door to a therapy room and waves Landelle in.

The lights are a little dimmer than the reception area. Macy is there—lying in the middle of the floor with a puzzle book. She looks up to greet Landelle with a happy smile. Rain gently closes the door and motions Landelle to a solitary chair set against the wall. He seats himself in a similar chair positioned a little distance away.

At the far end of the room is a privacy screen.

* * *

Justice Garr and Veronica Moule watch on from an observation room, through a one-way mirror window, Moule wearing a dark expression, Garr pale and drawn.

Moule’s demeanor is cold and insensitive to Garr’s loss.

“It killed.”

Garr counters the accusation through a veil of grief.

“An act of mercy. Compassion. An admiral human quality.”

“Assisted dying is illegal in the state of New York.”

“Don’t you see what Lucius did?” Garr says, rounding on Moule. “He protected Lucy by forcing us to ask some very difficult questions. About what Lucy is, what she did and why.”

This draws only a scoff from Moule.

“It did what it was designed to do. Find the best outcome. Killing him deprived Korin of the ones means to control her…it.”

Garr makes a point of raising her eyebrows at Moule’s Freudian slip, returning her gaze to the therapy room.

“For my part, each gave the other the greatest gift imaginable.”

* * *

Lucy rushes out from behind the privacy screen holding her Jemima rag doll up high, a happy smile on her face. She sees Landelle and stops short, lowering the rag doll to her side, her expression evaporating to neutral.

Landelle tenses up, unable to hide the guilt on her face.

Lucy trots to a halt before her. Landelle remains seated, her hands in her lap as Lucy looks up at her with a simple, polite smile.

“Hello again, Special Agent Landelle.”

“Hello Lucy. Thank you for inviting me here today.”

Lucy reaches out with her hand.

“I haven’t any real hands to tug with, so you will have to pretend.”

Landelle looks to Rain for advice. A gentle tilt of his head affirms.

She takes Lucy’s projection hand and Lucy leads her to Macy. There, Landelle awkwardly crouches down to join Macy and Lucy in play.

Lucy’s eyes dart from one subject of interest to the next, the movement precise and emotionless. Her gaze fixes on something. It is unwavering and unblinking.

Lucy giggles with delight.

ABOUT THIS BOOK

A Child Of Our Time
is the second in the
Veil
series, all three of which can be read independently of each other as standalone stories in their own right. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have writing them.

William Bowden

Wraxall, England 2015

Seen And Not Seen

AChild Of Our Time

The Veil

Details at

williambowden.com