The Hunt for Pierre Jnr Read Online Free PDF

milkshakes for them both. ‘Natural-born psionic, son of a Services Sergeant ... lived without confirmed suspicion until the age of thirteen. When did  you  start questioning?’
     
    ‘When I was eight. I kept hearing others’ suspicions about me, in my head. Eventually I had to wonder if they were right.’
     
    ‘So you were in limbo for over four years?’
     
    ‘What do you mean?’
     
    ‘That’s what we call the time between when Services suspect a Citizen and when the subjects themselves suspect. You were on your own there for a fair while.’  What changed between you and the world in that time?
     
    ‘How long do most last?’
     
    ‘Hours mostly. They start giving themselves away pretty quickly.’
     
    ‘Are we ...?’ Pete paused, a little reluctant to ask. ‘Are we talking about what I think we’re talking about?’
     
    ‘You’re the psychic.’
     
    Pete leafed through the pages of Geof’s mind, watching story after story of boys and girls caught out receiving extra desserts without asking, and beneficial, sometimes harmless, accidents befalling those around them. ‘This is how you catch us? Hunt us down? I don’t know how you live with yourself.’
     
    You know exactly how I live with myself.  ’I’m not the one who brings them in at least. You can look forward to that one.’  She’s a humdinger.
     
    ‘Great.’
     
    ‘Who did you think they’d send, Pete? If you thought you’d get the Flies With Honey Brigade, you should have thought harder. Services is amuck, my friend. Normally you’d be botbolted and dropped on the islands. The fact that you’re not says they’re willing to accept help, even from you.’
     
    Of their third team member, who was finishing up her current assignment in Omskya, STOC, Pete gathered little information. His symb revealed no record of her, Pinter knew her only as  the top anti-psi operative and Geof had only ever worked with her by proxy.
     
    ‘I’ve run for her a few times. She’s the best on the ground I’ve been teamed with.’ What Geof didn’t say aloud was that he found her cold and abrupt. ‘If you need any more reassurance that Services consider Pierre Jnr a threat, putting her on the job carries some weight.’  She’s ruthless, Pete. She hunts you guys down for sport.
     
    ~ * ~
     
    A week passed with Geof and Pete working in close consultation for the majority of their waking hours. They discussed at length the problem of finding and tracking their target, and Geof trained Pete to work with his symbiot, beginning with the most basic call and response exercises.
     
    Geof: Pete. Pete. Pete.
     
    ‘I think I’m hearing that. It’s not like hearing it though.’
     
    ‘I know the difference, Pete. Try responding.’
     
    ‘Did that work?’
     
    Geof: No.
     
    ‘No?’
     
    ‘No,’ Geof confirmed. ‘I wouldn’t lie to you. Any setback would be more annoying for me than for you.’ Pete had already felt the mild frustration Geof felt, but suppressed, with those of lesser tech proficiency. ‘Let’s try a little call and response. I’ll send “tick”, to which you respond “tock”. Okay?’
     
    ‘I’m ready.’
     
    Geof: Tick ... Tick.
     
    ‘I’m trying.’
     
    Geof: Tick.
     
    Pete: Tock.
     
    Geof: Tick.
     
    Pete: Tock.
     
    ‘At last! Let’s eat to celebrate.’
     
    ~ * ~
     
    Tamsin Grey arrived on a Sunday and the hunt began in earnest.
     
    There were few other patrons in their usual diner that day. A pair of youths sat at the window, plugged in and blind. They barely moved, aside from lifting squeeze-pack drinks to their lips. Two servitors rolled back and forth from the prep room. There was an older man at the back, and a woman of thirty whose table Pete, Geof and Pinter had sat near. She wore all darks with a strapped-in corset and was quite fetching. Geof had subconsciously chosen to sit where he could idly view her eating. The Colonel and Pete sat opposite and watched the entrance. Pete