Chapter 4

Pressure Wave

No one gave Ed a second look as he followed Dr Wright across the car lot and along the pathway towards the entrance of the administration building. The sun was bright, and apart from the throng of people who were gawking at the mess, there were others going about their business as usual. He felt more aware than ever of the normality of life going on around him, people walking and talking, snippets of half-heard conversation as they passed, the smell of dust and grass. The sunlight felt warm on his face and the breeze was light and ruffled his hair as he walked.

Under different circumstances, he would have tried to talk to his companion, not just because he was gregarious in nature, but he was still working and there were always questions that needed answering and insights to be gleaned. However, it was obvious from the woman's posture that she had nothing to say to him, and after a difficult morning of disagreements and nearly being killed, he couldn't quite be bothered making the effort at small talk just to be rebuffed.

The campus itself wasn't large, so it didn't take long to get to their destination. Once inside the main offices, Ed showed his badge to the receptionist and was politely directed through to the back of the building. Dr Wright guided him to a small records room tucked away in one corner.

He looked around and gave a quiet sigh. Maybe this wasn't the great idea he'd thought it was when he'd first suggested it. The room might have felt small, but that was most likely because it was filled with filing cabinets, drawers, shelves and boxes, all containing information about students, past and present who had been part of the university over the previous year.

After a cursory glance at the index, he could see there was no clear order to how this information had been stored. Maybe no one had thought that it would be needed at any point in the future, and so had just left it for someone else to sort out. It might have held information about current students, but he would need to spend days wading through paperwork to get to it, and that was something he dreaded. He felt an uneasy impatience for this kind of methodical police work today. His recent brush with the eternal notwithstanding, his instincts were telling him that he had to do something quickly to find the mystery girl; that she was important and she needed his help.

Again, Ed looked around the room, feeling overcome with something that verged on hopelessness. How was he supposed to help anyone from in here? He moved to the table and sat down on the seat next to it. There was a quiet noise from the door that made him jerk round in surprise. Dr Wright was still standing there, her arms crossed, watching what he was doing. He looked back at her, and she returned his gaze expectantly.

Ed looked away first. He wasn't going to let her distract him from his work. He started with the index and began to look through the newest batch of student records as methodically as he could. But after ten minutes of silent and fruitless searching, Ed was getting increasingly annoyed. He could feel Dr Wright staring at him, watching his every movement with intense interest.

It was as if she was deliberately trying to get a reaction out of him. He struggled on for longer than he would have normally, not wanting to give in. But after another five minutes he'd had enough and he looked up, meeting her gaze again. She didn't look away, or appear in any way embarrassed that he'd caught her staring.

'Am I keeping you from something?' Ed asked, as politely as he could manage in the circumstances. Standing around staring at him like that had gone beyond uncomfortable, and was verging on infuriating.

'No.' Her accent was from the other coast, not New York but somewhere close by. It was difficult to tell with just one word.

'Really?'

'Yes.'

Ed shifted uneasily at the unexpected response, disliking the way she was looking at him. He enjoyed the attention of the opposite sex, he enjoyed cultivating it and admiring them in return. But under the watchful eye of this particular woman he felt more like a lab rat than a person.

As if the exchange had been an invitation to stay, she moved from her position by the door to sit on the table next to him. He stopped himself checking her out, wondering how to get her to leave without making an issue of it. She gave a deliberate blink and looked at him, not making eye contact but searching his face as if for more information. Then she reached out, catching his chin with the tips of her warm fingers, tilting his head to the side. A thumb ran over the side of his cheek. Ed was so caught off-guard by the intimacy of the gesture that for a few moments he didn't respond.

'And you walked away?' she murmured.

A flash of hot anger passed through Ed, making him jerked his head back, though he regretted the sudden movement when a wave of dizziness made the room lurch like he was on a boat. This was not a conversation he wanted to have. He wanted to get on with his job, not be oo'ed and ah'ed over by someone he had taken a firm dislike to. He didn't reply.

'I'm right,' she said, leaning forward. 'And you just got up and walked out.'

'Yes,' he replied shortly, forcing the word out in the forlorn hope she would leave him alone.

'I see,' she murmured, continuing to stare as if examining a specimen in a test tube. 'Lucky you weren't any closer.'

Ed drew a slow breath, trying to keep his cool, more uncomfortable with the way the conversation had turned than with being stared at. Yes, he'd had a very lucky escape, but he was growing increasingly tired of people reminding him of that fact at every turn. And in surviving he had also failed, the girl he'd seen had vanished and he felt like he was getting nowhere, just suffocating under old paperwork and everyone else's curiosity.

'And just why are you looking through the personal files of the students?' she asked in a casual tone. Ed narrowed his eyes. He might have been nearly blown up earlier, but he wasn't going to fall for that one today.

'Just being thorough,' he said warily.

'No other reason?'

'I do what my boss tells me.'

'I see,' she said. It was the first time she had looked anything but coolly detached. 'And your boss is?'

Ed fixed his most sober and serious expression on his face.

'Chief Ironside.'

'Oh…' That was not the answer she'd wanted, and once again, Ed offered up thanks for Ironside's mighty reputation, though why that would have been needed for a member of the university staff, he didn't know. She gave a thin smile that was as unconvincing as her act, then shifted slightly closer. 'I just wondered, because if you were looking for someone in particular, for some reason, maybe I could help.'

It was an odd thing to say, in the circumstances. His instincts might have been a little dulled by the difficulties of the day; no sleep, nearly dying, the painkillers from the hospital and the deeply unpleasant conversation with the Chief, but that didn't mean he couldn't see where this was leading. She wanted information.

'The Chief just likes everything checked,' he said firmly, looking back at her and mirroring her expression. For a moment she said nothing, looking at him in that same cold, aloof way, then she flicked her hand in his vague direction and stood up, heading straight out of the door without even a goodbye. The door closed behind her with a firm thud and he heard the sound of her footsteps fade away.

Finally alone, Ed gave a loud sigh of relief, gently shaking his head. What was her problem? He glanced to the papers in front of him, the files and the record cards, then he sat back in the seat and looked out of the window.

This wasn't working. This was not the way to find the missing girl. With no pictures and only scant personal details in the files, he would just end up having to talk to every person on campus. There had to be a better way. He shook his head again, more slowly than before. Fran had the right idea in just asking around and seeing who wasn't where they should have been. He'd known it at the time when she'd suggested it, but hadn't felt able to agree without making Ironside wonder about his competence. What was more, Fran was in a much better position to do the asking than he was. He felt too much like a slogging policeman today, needing straight answers to direct questions, and not in the mood to be patient or clever.

The Chief had let him do what he'd wanted, but now he should go back and admit he'd been wrong. He looked back to his notes. This was a waste of time. His head still hurt, he was starting to ache all over. What am I doing here? he wondered.

Ed rubbed his hand over his eyes, feeling a wave of unexpected tiredness. There was something else as well, he still felt slightly sick, the back of his nose hurt as if he'd inhaled vinegar and his eyes still stung from the dust. It was hard to think straight at the moment, the images were all jumbled and indistinct, he despaired of ever figuring it all out. Even the conversation with the Chief earlier on was beginning to lose its clarity in his memory. A few details stood out, but most of it was just a collection of random fragments. What was going on?

He stared out of the window, letting his mind drift, not dwelling on any one thought in particular, enjoying the peace away from the noise of the city and the people. He had no idea how long he spent like that, just gazing out to the buildings and the blue sky. But eventually, with a heavy sigh, Ed forced himself to get up off the chair and weaved his way slowly through the corridors, heading to the exit.

Once outside, the mild nausea lessened, but the sunlight made his eyes hurt more. The aches through his body were becoming more pronounced, and he suspected the painkillers he'd been given at the hospital were wearing off. He gave a gentle stretch, feeling his shoulders and back ache. He knew that a rest would help, and could feel exhaustion creeping up on him. But the drive inside wouldn't let him stop, not yet, not when there were so many unanswered questions, not least what had actually happened this morning and what had happened to that girl.

He tried to think back, to focus on the details, but once again it was all blurry and infuriatingly just out of reach. He tried to imagine the look of the rooms, the look of the hallways, but instead of memories all he could think of were the broken remains that he'd seen earlier.

Resigned, Ed started toward the van. He could see the Chief in his wheelchair just beside the back door, Mark next to him, and Fran as well. It was obvious they were having an animated discussion, one that stopped as soon as they noticed him. He walked towards the group, round the rubble and past his squashed car.

'Are you alright, man?' Mark asked as he approached. Ed bit back a cynical reply. He was getting so sick of being asked that today. Why couldn't they find something else to ask?

'Any success?' Mark continued. Ed shook him head, faintly annoyed that the Chief hadn't asked him, but then, at least the Chief hadn't made him admit his mistake.

'Just fifteen minutes feeling like a lab rat,' he said. 'As if Dr Wright had nothing better to do than stare at me.'

Mark grinned and looked like he was about to make some sort of smart comment, so Ed carried on talking, changing the subject.

'What about you?' he asked, forcing himself to sound calm. The expressions on their faces did not inspire any sort of calm.

'We're not sure,' said the Chief, though from the way he glanced at Mark, and the way Mark looked back, Ed was sure that statement was a barefaced lie.

'But Fran's found a couple of leads,' said Ironside quickly. 'So you could look into those. Ask about and see who you can find.'

That was exactly what he didn't feel like doing at the moment, asking insightful questions, or having to speak to people at all. This was a terrible idea. But what was he going to say to the Chief? Ironside would have had him back to the office, or worse back home, in a heartbeat if he thought Ed couldn't do the job. Home was the last place Ed wanted to be just now. Well, except for back in the hospital.

'Sure,' he said stiffly.

'Go with Fran and make…'

'With Fran?' he hissed, suddenly and irrationally annoyed at the thought. 'I don't need help to ask questions!'

'That's a nice way to treat your colleague,' Fran retorted, glaring at Ed.

'Sergeant Brown!' snapped Ironside in a tone that would countenance no argument. 'You are only here with my goodwill.'

Ed pursed his lips and looked to the ground, knowing that the Chief was right and ashamed of the uncharacteristic outburst. How could he explain that he didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment, let alone try and be nice to someone who acted as if she hated his guts. He rubbed his hand over his eyes. Of course she was annoyed, he'd have reacted in exactly the same way if someone had just been that rude to him. He was being unfair, and it was a stupid and petty thing to say. What was wrong with him today?

'Yes, Chief,' he said. He looked at Fran, forcing himself to make eye contact with her. 'I'm sorry, Fran. I didn't mean that. It was uncalled for.'

She didn't reply, just crossed her arms, and Ed felt worse.

'In any case,' said the Chief, 'you will do as I say, Sergeant Brown.'

He looked at Fran.

'Follow up on those leads,' he said. 'Quickly as you can.'

'Yes, Chief,' she said.

Ed noticed the look Fran gave the Chief as she walked off. Once again he sped up to walk next to her as they headed to the student buildings nearby. He mentally shook his head. What was it about Fran that managed to keep bringing out the worst in him? He didn't like the little voice in the back of his mind that answered the question: She isn't Eve.

Ed was silent as they knocked on doors and spoke to people, and the time passed in something of a haze. He let Fran do almost all of the talking as most of his energy was used up in keeping his temper under control and ignoring the increasingly frequent amazed looks and the whispers that followed him everywhere. He was barely even listening as they worked, no one had anything to add, either they didn't know or they weren't going to say. It crossed Ed's mind that him glowering at everyone was probably not the most helpful way of getting information, but at least Fran didn't complain about it.

By the time they reached the third-to-last name on the list, Ed had lost all hope of making any progress. They were in the second building, one of the older parts of the campus, with narrow corridors and high ceilings. The students had tried to brighten up the place with paintings and pictures, but there was an old, oppressive feeling that seeped up out of the floorboards. He and Fran spent a number of minutes walking along the maze of hallways, until they finally reached the correct room. Fran knocked and the door was opened by a pretty, blonde-haired young woman, who let them inside once she'd seen Fran's badge.

Ed slowly looked around the room, not listening as Fran asked who she was and started to explain why they were there, the same thing she had repeated at each previous room. A picture on one of the tables attracted Ed's attention, and he went over to look at it, picking it up. He stared, finding it difficult to breathe.

It was her. It was the woman. They'd found her.

The name on Fran's list was Katie Marshall. The missing girl had a name. The full and terrible understanding hit him so hard he almost fell. He knew what the others thought. He had wondered as well; he could have imagined the whole thing and that this was a pointless search and a waste of time, and that he would have to go back to his boss and admit he must have been wrong, that it was just his imagination.

The picture in his hand proved him right. It had really happened. He had seen her in the doomed Kingston Building minutes, or even seconds, before the front had blown off. Where was she? Was she still alive? What had gone wrong? A different emotion swept through him. What if she was dead? Another woman he'd failed to help? It was going to happen all over again…

'Ed?' Fran asked, her question breaking into his thoughts 'Ed, are you ok?'

'That's her,' he said, his voice unexpectedly weak. 'I'm certain.'

'What do you want with Katie,' the roommate asked, looking between them. 'What's happened? What's she done this time?'

'We just want to make sure she'd alright,' Fran replied lightly. 'We're checking everyone who wasn't signed in. Has she been back here?'

The roommate shook her head.

'I don't see much of her, she's often, um, with friends, out…' The roommate frowned. 'She's out most of the time. She likes being out.'

Fran glanced at Ed.

'Can you give us any names? Who she might be with?' asked Fran. The roommate shook her head firmly, crossing her arms in that self-righteous, argumentative, teenage way.

'Can I take this?' Ed asked indicating the photograph.

'Well, yeah, I suppose,' the roommate said warily. 'Look, is Katie alright? You'd tell me if she was in trouble again, wouldn't you?'

'We don't know,' said Fran, smiling reassuringly at the girl. 'We just need to find her.'

The girl still looked anxious, she was staring at Ed. Then an expression of understand spread over her face.

'I thought they'd made it up,' she said, staring with wide eyes. 'It's all over the campus that someone was in there. And someone survived.' Her voice took on a hushed tone. 'That was you?'

It took most of Ed's self-control not to make a snide comment. He forced himself to nod, not trusting himself to speak.

'Wild!' she said, looking him up and down. 'Just wild!'

That was too much.

'Look,' Ed snapped. 'We need to find this girl, so instead of staring at me, it would be helpful if you can tell us who she might be with.'

'Gee, sorry!' she replied, her cheeks flushing. 'But I don't know. You could ask Tim, Timothy Montgomery. He's her ex, but he might know. He should be in the labs at the Kingston, but I guess he'll be at home. He's in the next block. Room 238.'

Ed didn't wait for anything else. He started out of the door, leaving Fran to deal with the rest. She caught up with him on the stairs down, grabbing his arm and pulling him to a stop.

'Look,' Fran said angrily. 'Just what have I done wrong this time?'

'Nothing,' he replied. It was the truth. It wasn't Fran's fault he was finding it difficult. He looked at her, acutely aware of the difference between her and Eve. He didn't mean to compare them, it wasn't fair to expect her to be someone she wasn't. But just at this moment in time he missed Eve's experience, and her steady friendship. He could have talked to Eve. They could have had a conversation not an argument.

Fran crossed her arms.

'I know what you're thinking,' she said, not trying to hide her anger and frustration. 'You don't have to make it so obvious. You don't have to make me feel so bad.' Ed frowned as she continued. 'I know I'm new. I know I'm not as good as she was.' Her expression changed, and the next words were bitter. 'But you don't have to stick the knife in.'

Whatever Ed was going to say vanished in the flood of emotions that passed through him when she said those words. He recoiled from her as if she'd slapped him, and he felt the blood draining from his face. After everything today, he didn't need to be reminded of that.

For Fran's part, she must have realised she'd said something wrong. Ed didn't hear what she tried to say as he fought down the surge of unwanted memories. A moment later his cold glare stopped the sentence half-said. They stared at each other in silence.

'We have a job to do,' he managed to say at last, the emotions making his voice sound thick and heavy. 'So let's do it.'

Forcing himself forward, he marched off in the direction of the other block. Fran followed, but they didn't walk together, for which Ed was very grateful. He found it hard to focus now, acutely aware of the tiredness and the growing headache. He just wanted this over with.

A few minutes later they were at the correct door and Ed knocked, more loudly than he'd meant to.

The door was yanked open by a dark-haired, disdainful young man, who stood in the doorway with his hands on his hips. Even before the man opened his mouth Ed knew the interview was not going to go well.

'You don't have to break it down,' he said, his southern drawl dripping with sarcasm. Ed had a fleeting urge to be sarcastic back, and he swallowed the unhelpful comment before he ruined the conversation before it had even started. He was here for a reason. And he had to get this over with quickly before anything else went wrong, or he lost control again.

'Timothy Montgomery?' he asked. The boy nodded warily.

'It's because of the explosion, isn't it?' Tim asked immediately he saw Ed's badge. 'I knew it! I knew it! I knew they were up to something.' He gave Ed a nasty glare. 'You're not getting any names out of me, I know my rights, pig!'

Ed was used to the insult, but today it rankled more than usual. He took a step forward, towering over the young man by at least six inches.

'We're looking for Katie Marshall,' Fran said quickly. 'Do you know…?'

'You tried her room?' Tim replied, a little sneer on his face. 'Just a suggestion.'

Again, Ed forced down the sudden urge to lash out.

'Her roommate said to ask you,' he said.

Tim gave an unpleasant, sneering laugh.

'Why am I not surprised? Poppy is just that sort of girl, getting me to do the dirty deed.'

'What dirty deed?' demanded Ed. 'What do you mean?'

'Don't play games with me, pig. You want me to grass on them.'

A snarl suddenly appeared on Ed's face, and he couldn't stop the rush of anger as it swept through his chest.

'Call me that again and I'll put you through the wall,' he growled.

'Ed!'

Shaking, he turned to glare at Fran and then back at Tim, who was looking at him, his mouth slightly open. As they looked at each other, Tim took a small step back.

'Man, far out! What is with you?' Tim asked in a loud, strained voice.

'We're looking for Katie Marshall,' Fran said, her own anger clear in her voice.

Ed pulled the photograph of the missing girl out of his pocket and shoved it towards the other man.

'I saw this girl in the Kingston Building this morning,' he said, his voice deliberately harsh. 'And I have to find her.'

Tim looked blankly at him, then and expression of amazement and confusion spread slowly over his face.

'You? This morning? That means you were there too?'

Ed felt his anger rising once more. The novelty had worn off and it was getting harder to respond politely every time it was mentioned.

'So?'

'Surviving somethi-' Tim started to say quietly.

Ed's breath caught in his chest, an overwhelming rush of adrenaline made his head feel light. It took every ounce of his willpower to stop himself lashing out. He had to get away. Before Tim could make another sound, or Fran could react, Ed turned on his heel, and walked off, unable to resist slamming the hallway door on his way out.