Read Online Department 19: Battle Lines by Will Hill - Free Book Online Page B

accusations of agenda, they were taking the Operators in computer-randomised order; the first of them, Lieutenant Stephen Marshall, looked up as Kate and Turner entered the interview room. The pads and wires were already attached to his body, and his face bore an expression of outright contempt as they took their seats opposite him.
    “Lieutenant Marshall,” said Paul Turner. “Do you need anything before we begin?”
    Marshall’s face curdled with disgust. “Just get on with it,” he spat.
    “As you wish,” replied Turner, and glanced over at Kate. She nodded, then opened her folder of questions to the first page.
    “This is ISAT interview 012,” she said. “Conducted by Lieutenant Kate Randall, NS303, 78-J in the presence of Major Paul Turner, NS303, 36-A. State your name, please.”
    “Lieutenant Stephen Marshall.”
    Kate looked down at the table; set into its surface was a small screen, angled in such a way that it could not be seen by the interviewee. Two grey boxes filled it; these displayed the results of the two sets of monitoring equipment that were humming quietly away on either side of Lieutenant Marshall’s chair. After a millisecond or two, both boxes turned bright green. She nodded.
    “Please answer the following
incorrectly
,” said Kate. “State your gender.”
    Marshall smiled, slightly. “Female.”
    Both grey boxes turned red.
    “OK,” said Kate. “Let’s get started. Are you a member of Department 19?”
    “Yes.”
    Green.
    “Do you currently hold the rank of Lieutenant?”
    “Yes.”
    Green.
    “Are you currently assigned to the Surveillance Division of said Department?”
    “Yes.”
    Green.
    “Do you understand that your position involves the acquisition and analysis of data that is classified above Top Secret?”
    “Yes.”
    Green.
    “Have you ever used your position for any purpose other than directly specified in your orders?”
    Marshall tensed with anger. “No,” he said.
    Red.
    “I would ask you to think very carefully about your last answer,” said Paul Turner. “Lieutenant Randall is going to ask you the question again.”
    Marshall’s face began to colour a deep crimson. “This is absolutely—”
    “Lieutenant Marshall,” interrupted Kate. “Have you ever used your position for any purpose other than directly specified in your orders?”
    “Yes,” spat Marshall. “You obviously know I have.”
    Green.
    “Please explain the circumstances that led to your last answer,” said Kate.
    “My girlfriend and I were having problems,” said Marshall, his face burning red, his voice like ice. “She was acting weird, being secretive, lying about stuff. So I listened in on a couple of her phone calls.”
    Green.
    “When did this incident take place?” asked Turner, taking over the questioning as Kate sat back in her chair. Marshall stared at her with eyes full of hatred, then turned his attention to the Security Officer.
    The first interview,
thought Kate.
The very first one and I’ve already made an enemy. Jamie told me they were going to want my head if I did this.
    She had no idea how right he was.

6
CIVILISED MEN
CHÂTEAU DAUNCY AQUITAINE, SOUTH-WESTERN FRANCE
    “More wine?” The voice was smooth and full of quiet authority.
    Admiral Henry Seward nodded, raising his glass with one slightly trembling hand. A servant in immaculate black and white eveningwear, his eyes glowing a faint, respectful red, appeared beside him and filled his glass with wine that was a purple so dark it was almost black. The chateau’s cellar contained treasures that would have widened the eyes of even the most experienced sommelier, and bottle after stunning bottle was brought up and decanted every evening in anticipation of dinner, even though the diners never numbered more than three, and usually only two.
    Such was again the case this evening.
    Henry Seward sat at one end of a long table that could easily have seated twenty, while his dinner companion sat at the other. A