‘It’s very exciting. Be careful, Charlie. You know you can call me if you need anything. I’ll always be a friend first and an employee of HiberTech second.’

And she gave me a hug, waved goodbye and hurried off down the corridor just as the door to the HiberTech offices opened and Toccata walked out.

‘Wanker,’ said Toccata, joining me in the golf cart. ‘I’d poison him quite happily and dance on his grave given half a chance. A compliant toady, acquiescing to Aurora at every level.’

She told Charles to return us to reception, which he did, without word, complaint or delay.

‘Have a nice Winter,’ said Josh as he saw us off. ‘May the Spring embrace you.’

‘And embrace you, too.’

*   *   *

‘That was interesting,’ said Toccata once we had retrieved our weapons and were walking back to the command car outside.

‘What was?’

‘That they all seemed quite uninterested.’

‘Uninterested in what?’

‘In you. HiberTech regard every unusual face as someone who is a potential RealSleep member, ne’er-do-well or loser. They paid you no heed and even allowed you to wander off – where did you go?’

‘The loo.’

‘Right – which makes me suspicious that they’ve been told to leave you alone. Why is this?’

‘I’m not sure being ignored is grounds for suspicion,’ I said.

‘You don’t know them like I do. Speak to anyone about Project Lazarus?’

I told her I knew someone there – an old friend from the Pool, and she had said that it would be a game changer.

‘In what way?’

‘Universal availability of Morphenox-B, apparently. That’s good, right?’

‘So everyone says,’ she said, ‘and it will triple the number of nightwalkers to redeploy. Greater survivability, sure, but lots of cheap labour. I’ve always been suspicious of game changers,’ she added. ‘Sometimes the game doesn’t need changing – or no one has a clear idea of which game will be changed, and for what and how much.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘No,’ she said, ‘neither do I.’

I thought for a moment, then said: ‘Something odd happened.’

‘What?’

‘The Notable Goodnight wandered past.’

‘And?’

‘She knew my name. She met me once, four weeks ago. Is she good with names?’

‘She barely knows mine,’ said Toccata, ‘why would she remember you? Make an impression?’

‘Not in the least.’

‘As I said,’ murmured Toccata, ‘something about you has interested HiberTech. It’ll be an opportunistic exploitation, or my name’s not Toccata.’

We climbed into the command car and drove slowly back down towards the town. I was in Sector Twelve only because of Aurora. First by letting the train go, then finding me an apartment on the ninth floor of the Siddons, then not checking back or telling anyone I was there. The meeting in the Siddons basement that morning might have been contrived, too, in order for her to come over all chummy and helpful.

‘Permission to speak, ma’am?’

‘Go on.’