MetaWars: Fight For The Future

Chapter 40

Jonah scowled at Granger. ‘I don’t see what’s so funny,’ he said.

Granger wiped his eyes on his sleeve. ‘A child,’ he said. ‘All this time, I’ve been chasing a child around the world?’

‘I’m not a child,’ said Jonah.

‘No,’ said Granger, ‘of course you aren’t. A child could never have come this far. You filtered your father’s avatar, I assume?’

A soft night breeze played around Jonah’s shoulders. The world was silent but for his own breathing and Matthew Granger’s voice. They were perfectly alone up here, on the top of Ayers Rock, beneath the shattered solar panels.

‘More than just his avatar, though,’ said Granger. ‘For you to have found this place, the Southern Corner, you must have accessed Jason’s knowledge too.’

Jonah didn’t say anything. He was nervous and exhausted, and beginning to fear he had said too much already.

‘So,’ said Granger, ‘it was you who wore your father’s avatar to the Icarus, with the City Tower in London as your RWL. It was you who met the Guardians in Dover.’

‘I’ve told them everything,’ Jonah lied. ‘The Guardians know where all the Four Corners are, so killing me won’t do you any good.’

‘I don’t intend to kill you, Jonah,’ said Granger. ‘It is Jonah, isn’t it? Little Jonah Delacroix... Jason used to talk about you all the time. He was so proud.’

‘Don’t talk about him like that,’ snapped Jonah. ‘As if you were friends.’

‘As far as I knew,’ said Granger, ‘we were friends.’ ‘Dad worked for you, that’s all, and only because—’ ‘Because the Guardians asked him to. Yes, Jonah,

I am aware of that fact now. At the time, however, your father played his part well. Perhaps too well.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Jason was my pilot for almost a decade,’ said Granger. ‘I trusted him – I had to trust him – and, believe me, Jonah, my trust cannot be bought cheaply.’

‘So?’

‘So, I had your father investigated, quite thoroughly.’ ‘Yeah. I bet you did.’

‘I sent agents into that new gift shop of his, and the Icarus – even, on occasion, into your family home. For ten years, Jason hardly took a step that I didn’t know about.’

‘He still managed to fool you.’

‘Yes,’ said Granger. ‘Yes, Jonah, he did. Jason fooled us both. It must have come as a great shock to you too, to finally learn the truth about him.’

‘I don’t know what you—’

‘I had agents in your schools too. You never gave the slightest hint of your father’s true sympathies. Your loyalty towards me was quite...inspiring.’

‘That...that was because...’

‘It’s all right, Jonah.’ Granger smiled. ‘I understand.’ ‘My dad wouldn’t have... I know he wouldn’t have lied to me unless...’

‘I believe you,’ said Granger. ‘One thing I do know about your father, one thing I still trust, is that he was a good man. He did what he thought was right.’

Jonah couldn’t quite believe he was having this conversation. This was the man who killed his mother, and who had tried, repeatedly, to kill him.

Many times, since his mother’s death, he had imagined confronting her killer. It had never been like this. In Jonah’s daydreams, Granger had been a ranting monster, boastful and unrepentant. Not calm like this. Not thoughtful. Not reasonable. Not quite so... persuasive...