The Titan Code

20. The Town Crier

His mouth remains open in surprise the whole time I quickly tell him about Docker; the stuff about Elaine Smith isn't useful right now in this limited time frame.

After absorbing it he nods in understanding.

"We'll keep an eye out for him. I'm listening out for the technical side of things. When I've looked into this building company  James Larson Developments there's been loads of complaints and issues with the locals wherever they've been. Each council has debated over their plans but I did more digging."

His eyes sparkle with animation so much so that I feel almost giddy being this close to him. His drive is so contagious.

"What did you find?" I say in an almost whisper, enraptured by the mystery.

"Somewhere in each committee minutes the same name cropped up on the list of councillors present: Eric Smith."

"Seriously? As in our guy?" I jab my thumb towards the stage where he's busying everyone along to their seats. Alex nods in some sort of triumph but this throws more confusion into the mix.

"Take your seats, everyone, we're ready to begin," the Chairman says from the podium and there's a noisy scuffle to find seats and standing spaces.

We both try to look about for any stocky Yorkshire kidnappers but it's so busy we can't see much.

"You made it!" A voice beside me whispers and I jump in fright.

It's the toothless gift shop owner from last week, the one who's pro-development and who told us to come and speak at the meeting. Well, I say us but it was all aimed at Alex. She's looking past me at my "partner" and grinning like some benevolent hag from a fantasy film.

"Yes, we wanted to see what's happening," I tell her tersely and she looks away towards the front. As Alex rolls his eyes at me and smirks it sends a wave of something exciting throughout me.

"We're here to discuss the controversy surrounding the proposal of development at the old Rothwell Factory site," Mayor Smith says from the podium. He has a strong Essex accent and a very white smile.

"This meeting is mainly to answer the main issues people have, as well as open the floor to a few-" he stresses this emphatically, "-public questions. Along with our Hetfield councillors we also have a representative from James Larson Developments, Mr. David Close, who will discuss the company's plans."

I catch a glance at Alex and he's listening intently, a little crease in the centre of his forehead, his fist resting against the neat beard.

It still seems like such an incompatible juxtaposition of mythology and town council bloody community meetings, but I guess that's real life. I can't do anything about the insane Titan genetic programming that's made me the way I am but I can deal with the little things in my world.

"...obviously one of the main issues here is that the development may displace the track record of drug users from the site," Smith is saying from the front and I snap back to focus, "and Mr. Close has confirmed that the company will fund a mobile suport unit close by to help any users to have a safe place to recuperate."

There's a smattering of applause and some murmurs of approval from the group.

"Once completed," the smooth Smith continues, "the development also will work to actively promote rehabilitation which will ultimately reduce the problem in as little as six months."

A loud clap erupts from the Yes camp  including Toothless next to me, followed by a bit of heckling and chatter.

"What about the proven increase in crimes surrounding your sites?" someone shouts from the back.