The Shadow Setters Book 1: Prominence

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

David stood slouched over the kitchen worktop as he waited for the kettle to boil. His body language was indicative to his appearance. David was unshaven and gaunt; worry haunted the sunken dark rings around his eyes that aged him significantly, and his two day stubble was not doing him any favours either. 

He made his tea laboriously, spilling sugar and making a mess without any inclination or care that he had just done so or that he had any intention that he was going to clean up after himself. David shuffled past the back door, sporting a limp received from the vicious attack from his employer barely two days ago, halting and straightening up painfully as he looked out with fearful eyes into the wall of black beyond, contemplating what was looking back, watching him. After a few seconds he moved forward and double checked the lock, sighed deeply and walked over to the kitchen table, slumping heavily into the first available chair.  

The table top was strewn with folders and paperwork. Hardly any of the varnished surface was visible under the swathes of schematics and diagrams, papers on chemical compounds and compositions, the list went on and the subject matter deepened under sedimentary layers built up in piles. David drained his mug in silence. He kept his eyes on the mug and paid no attention to his work spread out all around him, nor did he offer up a glance to the outside world again, he was deep in thought about the discovery that had changed everything. 

Knowing that Jason had copied the files on his works laptop had shaken him. He had mixed emotions about the discovery. Not only did he feel overwhelming anger towards his son's deception but also an underlying fear of what he could find out if he was to examine them in detail. All of those emotions stirred his rational thinking on the subject without addressing the single most disturbing factor of the whole episode. Vauss.  

If Dr. Vauss found out that all of his files had been copied by his son then after the other night's outburst and his threat towards Jason and his friends would be carried out without hesitation, he knew that all too well. The only reason that he had shown compassion was the fact that Vauss still needed David's expertise. Would he still want him after he was no longer useful? The thought made David shudder but opened his mind up to a new way of thinking directed at the doctor. Never before had he associated his own safety and the safety of his son at risk from Vauss and his men. Now facing just such a situation, he knew now how clear the danger was to the both of them as anyone else that had knowledge of the programme 

The thought crossed David's mind to tell Jason of the danger he was in. If he was to tell him then he could hide and evade capture giving him the upper hand when and if it came to bargaining with Dr. Vauss. As the idea ran across his mind he knew deep down that it would only be a temporary solution. Vauss had agents out there that he had no knowledge of. It would not be long before they tracked down the boy. The potential of the doctor's anger after being defied in such a way would be unfathomable, for both of them. 

David rubbed his temples franticly, trying to stimulate his thoughts into giving him the answers he needed to clear this situation up. He was a clever man, and a resourceful one so there had to be a logical solution to the problem. One of the key issues was that he had been informed of the copying by LA 1. He had cursed himself for not giving Jason enough credit when it came down to the boy's intelligence and he had paid the price for it. He did not want to tackle his son about the files straight away because he was also told by his contact that the exact location of the memory stick was unknown at present. It had lead to David pleading to LA 1 to keep this matter to themselves for the time being whilst he conducted a thorough check of the house in an attempt to find the memory stick if it had been concealed somewhere around the property, potentially minimising damage limitation for everyone involved.  

After two full days of turning Jason's room upside down and searching every conceivable hiding place, David was staring defeat in the face. LA 1 was still in the employ of Dr. Vauss and for the sake of loyalty and common sense, would not cross his path and risk their own safety. Time had run out for an internal solution. David knew that if he told LA 1 the truth, then it would lead to Vauss being told via that source. If he did so himself then he could put his side across and hope for a lenient reprisal when it came to Jason and himself. David knew deep down that for the time being, he and his son were safe. Maybe within time, David could be open with his son and tell him all that he wanted, and to a point, needed to know, though if he went down that road, then he would endanger losing his son in a way that to him could nearly be as painful as losing him physically. Would it even be worse? Vauss still needed David to complete the work assigned to him and that he would not do so if the doctor killed his son. The doctor was not that stupid, though now it was only a matter of time for both of the Conroy's to seemingly share a predictable fate. 

David placed his mug down and searched the table top for his mobile phone, finding the unread text from Jason concerning his exam on Monday. Such was the intense hunt for the stick; David had not slept for two days and had completely ignored the phone apart from phoning the base to tell them that he was working from home. He wished that London was the safer place for his son to be but knowing that LA 1 was so close to him and out of his control, there would be no real safe place until things panned out, compromises were made and even deals done. David flicked through his contacts and paused as the number of Vauss stared at him. No, he was out of time. There were no options left open to him. He had to deal with Vauss himself and hope to negotiate for his and Jason's lives. 

'Dr. Vauss. Yes it's David. Yes I'm ok thank you. The reason for my call? Yes it is important. I have come into some information and I need to discuss the matter with you urgently. Ok. Yes sir, thank you. Tomorrow night is the earliest that you can make it? Very well, seven o'clock tomorrow night.'

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