Balance of Probabilities: Chapter 26

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Balance of Probabilities: Chapter 26

Scales of justice and DNA.

'Mrs McDonald?' Grant looked at the middle-aged woman at the door, not what she was expecting for a new mother. Maybe an aunt?

'I'm Agent Grant, we're here to see a Mrs Linda McDonald?'

'I'm Linda McDonald, what can I do for you, Agent Grant?'

Despite the woman's outward friendliness, Grant had the impression she was nervous.

'Linda McDonald, by the Authority of the Dishonesty, Deviance and Violence Laws, we have determined this subject to be capable of Violence Against Citizenry, and, as such, the child is to be sent for processing. You have one minute to hand the subject into our custody, or lethal force will be employed. Please bring the infant out to us.'

The woman actually laughed, pointing at the one roomed apartment, she obviously lived alone, no paraphernalia to indicate a new-born.

'I think you may have the wrong address, Agent Grant. As you can see, there are no babies here, way too long in the tooth for that!'

Puzzled, Grant checked her screen, confirming the target address, mother's details, father (deceased) and the EB….

'Your son, Andrew Stuart McDonald?' She left the question in the air between them, sure this woman was hiding something.

'Andy hasn't lived with me since he was twenty odd, he's thirty next month, lives over in Eight, hardly see him 'cepting birthdays and holidays, busy life of his own!'

'I'm sorry to trouble you, Mrs MacDonald, must be a glitch in the database, please accept the Agency's apologies, this has never happened before, I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of the problem. Goodnight, ma'am.'

'Have a peaceful night, folks,' Linda smiled, the worry behind her eyes, unseen by the Squad, but obvious to Grant.

On the bureau, several family prints. A small figurine of Mother, smiling kindly and holding out the moon and stars, standard CoDE religious paraphernalia.

Grant picked up a framed image of a young man.

'Andrew? You must be very proud….'

'Oh, Mother, no! That's Robert, Andy's Pa, rest his soul.'

Grant went to put the frame down, eyes drawn to the small rectangle of paper on the bureau. Shocked recognition at the three words scrawled on it.

'You know, Linda? I'm off duty in five,' She made a point of checking her coms, 'What say I send these boys home and we have a coffee together, tell me more about your family?'

She nodded for the Squad to leave, saw Linda's features pale.

As the door closed, Linda picked up a pair of scissors from the table, shaking as she challenged Grant.

'I don't want no trouble….'

Emma's hands shot out, encircling Linda's wrist, twisting and pulling downwards. Locking her joints, the pain forcing Linda to drop her improvised weapon.

'Linda, please! Please, no more like that, I promise you, I just want to talk. I'll let you go now, be cool, yes?'

Linda nodded, rubbing her wrist and dreading what was to come.

She bent down to pick up the small golden thistle, the charm coming off her bracelet, during the brief struggle.

Grant reassured her with one word: 'Renée?'

While the coffee brewed Linda told Emma her all too familiar story.

Thirty years she'd lived with that awful secret, hiding, and lying her way through Andrew's childhood, always looking for signs something wasn't right with him.

Little, odd things he did that may have given her suspicion he was capable of doing something dreadful.

But nothing had happened.

OK, Andy had taken a comic book without paying after school once, but, other than that, he was a happy kind boy, now a husband and father himself (and yes, her granddaughter was perfectly normal on her 180).

That darned 180!

One of Robert's workmates had given him the name of someone who could tell them about the results prior to 180 days.

Linda had had a difficult pregnancy, her mental health suffering and, to ease any further burden, Rob had contacted Doc Renée…..if he was indeed a doctor, dirty slug of a man!…their worst fears were realised, she was carrying a baby who was doomed before she'd even brought it into the world.

Then Renée had suggested a way out, expensive, more than they could actually afford, but a way out, nevertheless.

Robert had agreed, without telling his wife the crippling financial details.

The baby was born, such a beautiful wee boy, and Robert had used every credit they had to pay off Renée before the 180 test was due.

It worked! Andy was saved. At first they were so grateful to Renée, believing he was a saviour to their little family. (She felt a little blasphemous, even thinking like that, Mother forgive her!)

Then, just before Andy was ten, yes, about a week previous, yes, the week before it was, they'd gotten one of those dreadful paper notes. His name, a time, and 'tomorrow' was all it ever read.

Renée demanded more credits, threatened to expose Andrew, reverse the data hack, report her and her husband to the Agency.

They honestly didn't know where to turn but were determined to save their son.

They'd sold their apartment and used the credits to pay off the scumbag blackmailer, thinking that'd be an end to it! Damn him!

Linda had suffered, her mental state deteriorating, even the Church gave her little solace, the only sleep she got was chemically induced, Rob patiently injecting her each night, the potent tranquillisers offering a brief, numb respite from worry.

Robert had passed a few years later, Mother rest his soul, worked his way into an early grave, paying off Renée and also trying to save enough to get them a better place, always felt guilty with the three of them living in that tiny, cramped box.

'Bless him, lovely man, didn't deserve a life of trouble. Worked all hours, Rob did, to pay what we needed, but it was never enough, the only thing I have left of him is that little thistle charm, from the Highlands of his ancestors, never would allow me to sell that, even though the chain's dodgy, always said he'd earn enough one day to get it fixed properly, such a dedicated husband….'

Grant allowed Linda a pause, poured a fresh drink, letting her dry her eyes, before gently coaxing her back to her tale….

'......Anyway, last week I get that (pointing at the note, a look of loathing on her face).

I went to see that wretched man, he demanded twenty thousand, twenty! Where was I supposed to get my hands on that much?

He didn't care. Said if I didn't pay, on the eve of Andrew’s 30th, today, he'd enter a code and Andy's true 180 score would alert the Agency, you.

I must admit, I've been waiting all day, told Andy to stay away, begged him to go camping, get out of the City, he doesn't know what any of this is about, he's never known!

So now you're here, please, take me, I've no fear of death, long to be with Rob again if I'm perfectly honest, but please Agent Grant, please don't take my boy, don't rob his wife and child of their family too!'

'You know as well as I do, Linda, there's nowhere Andrew can run.

I promise I'll do my best to report this as an error, but I've no doubt some Tech will check the database, find the truth, and when that eventually happens….'

She left Linda, adding one last thought.

'I think Doc Renée deserves a visit, I wouldn't worry about getting any more notes after tonight, take care Linda, hope everything works out for you all.'

Emma was furious as she climbed into her vehicle, angrily punching in the location of Renée's premises, as the vehicle took off, she sat back, checking her sidearm was loaded and ready.

One way or another, this ends tonight!

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