Bubble(39)
Who?
Manga shrugged.
Does it matter? Anyway, you soon got in touch yourself, when you wanted the trojan. You told me about ArgosEye. That put me in one hell of a difficult position. Should I help you directly, or check with the Game Master first?
Manga twisted his hands in his lap.
You called the Game Master …
HP thought for a moment:
So that was why I couldnt find any information about the Game. You designed the spy program so that it only leaked information that wasnt about them.
Manga shook his head.
I did actually suggest that to the Game Master, but he said it wasnt necessary. I was instructed to help you as much as I could. It took a while for me to realize …
HP opened his mouth to speak, but it took a while for him find the right words.
Okay, hang on … S-so, you mean ArgosEye …
… was never actually hiding any of the Games secrets … Manga concluded.
B-but … they were the Games partners? PayTag was going to buy them out, and …
Manga shook his head.
Think about it, HP. Who told you about the PayTag buyout? I bet it wasnt Philip Argos or anyone else working there, was it?
HPs mind drifted aimlessly and it took him a while to find the right thread.
Er, no. It was Monika, Anna Argoss sister, she told me out on Lidingö. She said Anna had opposed the sale and that was why they had her killed …
Okay, Manga nodded, let me explain …
He exchanged another glance with Nora, looked at his watch, then leaned closer to HP.
PayTag was never interested in ArgosEye. Theyd already bought another company in roughly the same line of business for peanuts, and they were in the process of putting together a decent management team. What Philip Argos was planning was a perfectly ordinary stock-market flotation. If it had been a success, then PayTag would have had unwelcome competition …
HP flinched.
What, you mean Monika Argos lied to me? Pretending that the flotation was actually a buyout? Why the hell would she have done that?
Two fairly simple reasons, in fact … First and foremost, because you were in position and leapt at the chance to help her sabotage Philip Argoss plans …
HP nodded wearily.
And the other reason … ?
Well, ask yourself, whose idea was it? Who was likely to get a kick out of the idea that Philip Argos was paying you way over the odds for the shares? It was a real bonus when the trojan actually sank Philips ship and he ended up with a ruined reputation and no financial backing …
Manga looked at HP as if he were expecting an instant answer. But HPs brain was way, way behind.
Think, HP … Manga said, more slowly. Who hated Philip Argos enough to cook up one hell of an advanced way to get revenge?
He pulled out a shiny metal phone with a glass screen and HP flinched involuntarily.
On the screen was a picture of a woman with dark hair cut in a bob, sitting at a restaurant table. She was holding a glass of wine in her hand and seemed to be drinking a toast with a man who had his back to the camera.
The woman looked vaguely familiar, but he couldnt quite place her.
Take a closer look, and ignore the colour of her hair, Manga said.
HP did as he was asked. And suddenly he saw something. Her posture, the way she was looking at the man. But it was unthinkable. Impossible!
Forget Monika, Manga went on. Were talking about a seriously cold person. Someone who would literally step over dead bodies to get what she wanted. Even her own … ?
He brought up a fresh picture on the phone and this time the man was more visible. It was Mark Black. But HP could not immediately take this in.
She calls herself Anthea Ravel these days, Manga continued patiently. Shes working for PayTag, in fact shes here, getting their new business up and running. Ravel. A fitting surname in a lot of respects, actually. A Janus word …
What the fuck are you talking about, HP grunted distractedly as he sat there with his eyes glued to the screen.
A Janus word can mean its own opposite. Like screen, which can mean both to conceal and to show. Janus, after the Roman god with two faces …
Manga held the phone even closer to the end of HPs nose.
Two faces, get it?
Anna Argos, HP muttered, unable to quite believe what he was saying.
You must be careful, Rebecca, promise me that, Tage Sammer said as the car pulled up beside the pavement and the chauffeur got out to open the door for her.
Not just when you go to the bank. The Game has eyes and ears everywhere, and Magnus Sandström is an extremely dangerous person. You cant trust anything hes told you. In all likelihood hes been cultivating the pair of you. Planting stories, arranging meetings …
She shook her head.
I just cant believe it. Weve known each other since we were kids. Manga was nice, a good lad.
Of course, I appreciate that its hard to take in. But Sandström has been working for the Game for a long time, a very long time. These days he has a senior position, possibly even the most senior. Henrik has already slipped out of our hands, and now Im afraid that Sandström is using him and is well on his way to turning our own weapons against us. We would dearly love to get hold of them both before the wedding, before history repeats itself …
The car door opened and he stopped abruptly.
Promise youll take care of yourself, my dear Rebecca. If you hear from your brother you must call me at once. Ill try to help you both as best I can, but until Henrik is in safe custody Im afraid we cant have any further direct contact.
She nodded.
I understand.
Good. I really am sorry that its come to this, Rebecca, from the bottom of my heart. Some of the responsibility for this falls on me, I know. If I was going to use unorthodox tactics I should have made sure Stigsson left HP alone, but I had hoped to make him see sense. Now you have to deal with all this. I wouldnt have wished this sort of trial on anyone, least of all you. Truly, I hope that you can forgive me.
She didnt answer, but leaned over instead and gave him a peck on the cheek.
The car door closed behind her and a few moments later she was standing alone on her street.
Bingo! Manga smiled. Not a bad package deal, is it? Anna Argos gets revenge, PayTag gets rid of a competitor and the Game Master gets paid. All that was needed to seal the deal was a suitable Player and a way of motivating him into going back into the hornets nest. And suddenly your early retirement was over …
HP was shaking his head in disbelief. What Manga was saying obviously sounded completely mad. A conspiracy theory of the first order …
But, on the other hand, the boundaries of logic were so far behind him now that there was no point even trying to work out where they were.
Anna Argos, still alive …
In which case the fucking bitch had got him locked up and tortured on suspicion of murdering her, then deported, and all to wind him up to the point where hed want to get his own revenge. And the whole time she was living a life of luxury on a beach somewhere with a new name while she waited for the plastic surgery scars on her face to heal.
So the whole business of bringing down ArgosEye was pointless … ? he mumbled.
No, no, absolutely not!
Manga shook his head with exaggerated vigour.
Philip Argos may not have been a killer, but he was still a fully paid-up bad guy. Just think about what they did to you. And what they were doing with the business really did stink …
But now PayTag and Anna Argos are doing the same thing, just under a different name …
Unfortunately it looks that way, which takes us back to what I was saying about the Game Masters wobbly moral compass … Manga pulled a face.
Whats PayTags new company called?
Sentry Security …
His brain made the connection between the right synapses almost immediately this time.
Sentry? Shit, thats where …
… Rebecca works. Exactly. Are you starting to see how it all fits together?
Manga checked the time for what must be the tenth time.
Sorry, but we have to leave soon. Kents fixed a place where you can lie low until were ready to get going. Youll have to …
Listen, right now Im about a millimetre away from having a massive stroke, so dont tell me what I have to do! As you probably realize, your credibility really isnt that fucking high right now. Give me one reason why I shouldnt just go and crawl into a hole until this has all blown over.
Because we need you, HP!
Manga held out his hands.
I get it, I can see why youre sceptical. I cant deny that Ive deceived you really badly. No question! But everything Ive done has been to help you and Becca, I swear!
The door opened and Jeff looked in.
Someone just used their passcard upstairs, he hissed. The lifts on its way down, so we have to go, now!
Manga and Nora stood up at once.
But HP didnt move.
Come on, HP, we have to leave! Ill explain more on the way. If they find us down here were finished …
Not until you tell me who they are …
Local transport staff, the cops – who cares? Jeff snapped. Get a fucking move on or Ill carry …
Manga raised his hand and Jeff stopped instantly.
Ill tell you more later, HP, I promise. But right now we have to go. I know its a lot to ask, but you have to trust me. If the cops get hold of you, were fucked …
HP looked hard into Mangas face for a few seconds before reluctantly getting up.