Avatara

The next time Grace looked out the window there was a car with its hazard lights flashing. She strained a closer look to check the colour. It was a red taxi but with a white stripe running horizontally across the doors. It must be the right taxi? She thought. She checked the time. It had been thirty minutes since she was dropped off by Brian, possessed by the spirit of Yi. Down the stairs and then out the main door, Grace got the sudden feeling that maybe she had not locked her door properly. But the thought of going back up several flights, felt like a hike up a steep hill. In any case, the person in the red car must be able to see her. It was on the other pavement by the park.

It was very dark now and apart from the odd avatara in the sky, there was not much activity. Still it was important to be careful when you leave your house as you never know if you'd bump into someone using Avatara for evil purposes. The hysteria around it meant that most people got home early and did not allow their children to play on the street, or at the park.

Grace crossed the small road to approach the left rear car door. She hesitated before opening it and crouched to look in. There was just one man in there, in the front seat by the steering wheel. He had a thick nose, with a heavy moustache and wore a black flat cap. He looked middle aged and Middle Eastern. The car interior around the handbrake area was cluttered with paraphernalia and news was playing on the radio in a language she did not understand.

"Hi," Grace said.

The man was expressionless. "Your name?" he said.

"Grace."

"Ok. Come in," he said.

Grace sat in the left back seat but did not put on the seatbelt. After closing the door behind her the driver started the car. It had a push start ignition system, this car was not self-driving. He released the hand brake and looked over his left shoulder to check his blind spot. Electric cars sound so gentle when they drive, none of that growling and grunting you get from petrol or diesel engines, flexing their muscles, showing off to prove their strength. Just a gentle hiss, like the sound a gas oven makes.

"So you are a friend of Yi the monk?" Grace said.

"Who?" said the driver. "Lady, I don't know who you are talking about. But whatever. I bring you where I am told to bring you." He did not look at her, his eyes were steely focused on the road ahead.

The car was going at forty miles an hour. Come to think of it, the driver didn't even offer to change the radio station or clarify the route to wherever it was. Grace slunked back in her seat. She got that sinking feeling again.

***

Brian Burnside was confused and not in a good mood. He found himself sleeping in his own car by the riverside of the London Docks. He stepped out of the car to find himself looking at Tower Bridge down the river. How the hell did I get here? He thought. Did I really see a kid surrounded with light like a Buddha? Then he experienced a deep boring pain in his head, forcing him to clutch his forehead.

He punched an address into his navigation system and the car took him away. To Old Broad Street. That idiot Walker and his bloody girlfriend, he thought. Getting in the way of his plan. His money. If he wasn't there he would have got the codes out of that girl, with no problem. All the camaraderie and professionalism at work was just performance, screw Walker and his principles. This was business. Get the codes for them and get paid. But the girl said there were no block codes? What's going on?

The car stopped beside the pavement at the nearest point, outside Sheldrake Enterprises.

At the main door, there was a guard who on seeing him opened the door.

"How are you doing?" said Brian. The guard did not reply and his stone faced expression did not change. Brian kept his poise but inside himself, he squirmed, a nauseating feeling in his stomach took over. A feeling that he would not be able to put into words. A realisation, that Spector and his people may not show him much mercy in spite of his police officer status.

The guard quickly frisked Brian from top to bottom, to make sure he had no weapons. Then he nodded for Brian to come in. In complete darkness, they both went down to the bas.e.m.e.nt.