Chapter Eighteen
Ashley stood near the stove, all her attention focused on her phone screen.
‘I just talked to my mother,’ she said in a strained voice. ‘Dad is in hospital. He fell into a coma. She said the doctors are checking him.’ She gazed at Thaler. ‘Do you think he was safe?’
Thaler drew near her. ‘I instructed him and gave him my mogloc. That’s all I could do at that moment. I had to leave; I had to be with you.’
She nodded, looking down and scrolling through the messages.
‘Did they find the chain on him?’ he asked.
‘I don’t know. I’ll ask her now.’ Ashley sent a message. Then she put the phone on the marble and bounced a curled knuckle against her mouth, pondering.
‘I’m going to Londrum now,’ she said decisively and switched off the stove. Then, she pulled a thermal bag out of the drawer, opened the fridge, squatted down and started to stuff the bag with food. ‘We can snack on the way to the airport, right?’ she said. Thaler stood still, looking at her. She stopped and turned to him. ‘We . . . we’re going to Londrum.’ Her words sounded part-question, part-statement.
Thaler didn’t move.
‘There must be something behind that,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘Before I go back, I have to see my mentor, Christopher Redding.’
‘Redding?’ Ashley stood up. ‘Why? He is a lame duck. He is not in our business anymore.’
‘A lame duck?’ Thaler retorted. ‘Well, probably. So am I. Anyway, we’ve got something common to quack about.’ He snorted. ‘You’d better not listen to all that nonsense our toffs are talking about him. They know to put on their old doublets and rapiers at annual meetings, but none of them has done more for the Order than he has.’
‘I’m sorry.’ Ashley lifted the thermal bag with its strap and dropped it aimlessly to the floor. ‘I shouldn’t say that. You are right — that’s what our guys say about him. I’ll keep my mouth shut. But, I can’t just sit back and wait while my father’s lying helpless in hospital.’
‘I’m not holding you back,’ said Thaler, irritation still lingering in his voice. ‘You can do whatever you want, but we must be clever and outsmart our enemies: Forewarned is forearmed. If we rush ahead, we’ll fail,’ Thaler continued. ‘Your father isn’t all alone now, and there’s very little we can do for him if we just turn-up with tons of sorrow.’ He pondered. ‘I suppose the demons snatched his capsid — that thin ephemeral layer that connects body and soul. Without it, any human being is stuck between life and death. They call it a vegetative state. Where did they find him?’
‘In the bathroom,’ said Ashley curtly.
‘Right,’ said Thaler. ‘Probably they got him when he took off the mogloc.’
‘Does it change anything?’ she asked bitterly. Her phone beeped a few times. ‘My mum wrote there was nothing around that looked like a silver chain.’ Ashely flicked through the messages.
‘So, they stole the chain, too.’ Thaler narrowed his eyes. ‘I think I’ve got a little spy amongst them now.’ He rubbed his hands and turned his head as if he were trying to catch a distant sound. A cunning smile appeared on his face. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘the mogloc’s talking to me.’
Ashley stared at him for a while. Then she filled two glasses with water and placed one on the table near Thaler while the detective was immersed in a distant conversation.
‘It’s given me some important but pretty scary news,’ said Thaler resuming the conversation. The communication session was over. He relaxed, noticed the glass and took it.
‘What news?’ Ashley whispered.
Thaler switched his gaze to the glass of water and made a concerned face.
‘I’m sorry. I can’t tell you,’ Thaler said.
‘What?’ she asked, bewildered.
‘I can’t tell you the details,’ he murmured. ‘Your memory should stay away from it.’
Ashley scowled at him. Thaler took an uneasy sip. ‘Oh, nice,’ she said. ‘What a great precaution. I thought we were a team.’
‘We are a team,’ said Thaler hastily. ‘But–’
‘Yes, indeed.’ Ashley, in a huff, drifted to the opposite side of the kitchen.
‘Ashley, please, don’t be angry with me.’ Thaler held up his hands. ‘The things that surround us have their own memory, you know that; we remember the road, and the road remembers us. I have something in my mind that shouldn’t be heard. We’re sailing in an egg shell on a very rough sea, and any leak may sink us.’
‘I have no idea what are you talking about.’ Ashley shrugged and walked up to the thermal bag. ‘It sounds like you are telling me to mind my own business. All right then, let’s go and visit your boss.’
‘I have to go alone,’ Thaler murmured.
‘How do you like that!’ Ashley glared at him. ‘You don’t want to tell me what this is all about. You don’t want me to go to my father. You don’t want me to follow you. I’m trying to help you, but it seems you’ve got your own plan, and I’m not in it! Thank you very much, General Melchett!’
‘Ashley, I’m very sorry, but we can’t solve this puzzle if we keep involving our personal feelings,’ said Thaler. ‘You’re absolutely right, but there’s some information I have to put a lid on. I can’t repeat the same mistake I made with your father. I should have kept my mouth shut, and I want to see him safe and sound more than anyone.’
Ashley fell into a thunderous silence.
‘All right.’ Thaler said. ‘I’ll tell you something. I have an artefact, a special object in my hands that would make the demons fetch a stick and dance on their hind legs if I wanted them to. I could’ve passed that thing to the Order, got my personal statue in the Hall of Fame and called it a day; instead, I kept it with me secretly, playing against the rules, again. I had to have something I could haggle with in case old Gregg got in trouble. And, here it is.’
He glanced at her and got a reserved look.
‘I’m gonna give it to our enemies to bring back your father. It’s not a simple decision, Ashley. So, please, give me some trust and indulge me.’
‘Well,’ Ashley uttered. ‘We’ll follow your plan. What shall I do?’
‘Ashley—,’ Thaler began.
‘It’s done,’ she cut him short. ‘I don’t need any further explanations — just instructions.’
Thaler sighed.
‘All right then,’ he said. ‘You shall drive to the airport and wait for me there. In the current situation, it’s the safest place. I’m going to Redding. All in all, it’ll take about five hours. Then we’ll jump on the plane and go to Londrum, together. Agreed?’
‘Agreed.’ Ashley picked up the bag with food from the floor. ‘Don’t you want a lift?’
‘No, thanks,’ Thaler replied. ‘I’ve hired a MobiStay car — you know, that crossbreed between a self-nav delivery car and a capsule hotel.’
Ashley shrugged. ‘Can I do anything else for you?’
She looked at him as if she were talking to him over a high fence.
‘I’m gonna visit Redding and ask him for help,’ said Thaler. ‘He’s not a man who will pinch your cheek, call you teeny-weeny and give you some candy from his buffet. People like him are crushers. They try to break you before you can get anything from them. But, overall, he’s a good man. So, wish me luck.’
‘Good luck, ducky, and watch where’re you going.’ Ashley softened up a bit. She came up to him and patted him on his shoulder, exactly like her father would do. ‘Take it with you, just in case you or the boss are peckish.’ She handed the food box to Thaler.
Chapter Nineteen
A synthesised voice, apparently designed to delight robotic ears, announced that the journey was over and they had reached the target. Thaler woke up and got out of his berth. Two hours of deep sleep had worked wonders — he felt like a new man. While he was washing and dressing himself, the voice told him the weather forecast and the current state of the market, gossiped about celebrities’ private lives and confirmed that the capsule would be waiting for him as long as he needed it. Thaler wished the voice a pleasant morning and encouraged it to enjoy refreshment from the solar array; then, he stepped outside.
The country road came to an abrupt end in the middle of a large glade, overgrown with wildflowers and surrounded by tall straight pine trees. It was a late sunny morning, and a myriad of tiny creatures were humming around the place, looking for food and trying to flirt with their miniature beauties. Above their cheerful buzz, Thaler recognised the soft crooning of the pine canopies.
Thaler stared at his car, which looked like a giant toaster on wheels, and grinned. This piece of machinery looked awkward in the secluded place. Even so, it had everything necessary for a long and comfortable stay in the bosom of nature. Next time, probably. Thaler took a long, deep breath and walked resolutely along a narrow footpath, barely visible in the tall grass. It took him a quarter of an hour to reach the place.
A dull, mossy, ten-foot-high wall ran around Redding’s premises, and Thaler had to wade through the dry grass to reach a small gate carved into it. He pushed a dusty doorbell. After a short delay, the lock snapped, and the door opened a crack. The territory behind the wall was completely free of any kind of vegetation and covered with grey-brown gravel.
The house itself looked like nothing but a happy marriage of a Second World War French bunker and a Mayan pyramid with stepped walls and narrow barred slots carved in thick concrete. It looked impregnable, but some young trees had succeeded in taking positions on its ragged ledges. A massive steel entrance door was already open. When he walked in, it closed itself behind him immediately with a heavy grinding sound.
He stalked along a dimly-lit narrow corridor and finally reached Redding’s den. The master of the house was waiting for him, standing behind a massive writing desk.
‘It is a great honour for me to see you, Obermaster Redding.’ Thaler took a half-step back and bowed ceremonially.
‘It’s a great pleasure for me to have you here.’ Redding leant over the desk and stretched out his massive hand.
Redding was a gigantic man. He looked like Henry VIII in his later years — tall, square and corpulent. He had almost the same round face as the king, the same barrel-shaped chest and, despite his gargantuan look, the same straight back and almost military bearing. His gaze was quick and sharp and his movements were well-measured like those of a man who prefers to conceal his power. Next to him, Thaler looked like a twig.
The dim room was spacious but clogged up with books and old scientific instruments made of wood and brass. It might have belonged to a medieval alchemist or Doctor Faustus himself.
‘Take a seat.’ Redding pointed at an ascetic armchair in front of his desk and sat down. ‘Did you have any trouble finding my place?’
‘I got lost once,’ said Thaler, ‘but I asked a couple of squirrels the way, and then things went swimmingly.’
Redding cracked a smile under his lips.
They looked at each other, eye to eye. Being top officers of the Supreme Order, they didn’t need any words — their minds could communicate directly. Thaler’s expression was polite and concentrated, Redding’s benevolent and curious.
However, as their speechless conversation progressed, the face of the Obermaster became more and more concerned. He leaned forward as if he were afraid to miss something important in what his guest was transmitting to him. After a long period of silence, their tension eased. They reclined in their chairs and began to look more relaxed, as if they had reached a satisfying conclusion.
‘I wish you the best of luck, Thaler,’ Redding said under his breath. ‘I don’t need to tell you what risk you’re taking.’
Thaler nodded.
Then, they both held up their right hands with their palms facing each other in their ancient ritual farewell.
Then, Redding’s behaviour inexplicably changed. He sprawled in his armchair and stared at Thaler with a grimace of poorly concealed annoyance.
‘So, what can I do for you, Master Thaler?’ He said aloud, like an amateur actor.
‘I came to ask for your help, Obermaster,’ said Thaler in the same stilted manner.
‘Well, it would be a major surprise if you asked me for my blessing before the wedding.’ Redding grinned. ‘What exactly?’
‘Recently, I’ve launched quite a risky operation,’ said Thaler, ‘and now I’m going through a very delicate phase.’
‘I already know that. We call this phase “saving your own hide”, Master.’ Redding snorted. ‘But, I still can’t understand why should I be bothered about that.’
‘It’s not my own hide, Obermaster,’ said Thaler.
‘Let’s suppose, it’s somebody else’s hide,’ Redding said grumpily. ‘I’m a retired man, and I stay away from the Order’s affairs. What do you want from me? Please, speak briefly. I’m too old to listen to ballads.’
‘I need your mogloc,’ Thaler said.
Redding twisted his lips.
‘No less,’ he chortled. ‘Shall I tell you how personal this thing is? Where’s yours, by the way?’
‘I lost it, trying to save my close friend,’ said Thaler.
‘Very well.’ Redding made himself comfortable in his seat. ‘You’ve lost your steed, your army and your banner but stayed a loyal fellow. That’s very nice of you, indeed, Master Thaler.’
‘Thank you for your appreciation, Obermaster,’ said Thaler coldly.
‘My pleasure, Master Thaler,’ said Redding with mocking heartiness. Then, his jaw tightened and he glared at Thaler. ‘Save your irony for somebody else, and don’t let your mind outwit you,’ he growled. ‘Perhaps you’re thinking: “I’ll pay lip-service to this old git, and I’ll get what I want.” Don’t bet on it, young man!’
‘That’s not what I think of you, Obermaster,’ Thaler objected.
‘Then what, I wonder?’
‘May I speak frankly, Obermaster?’ asked Thaler.
‘Go on,’ Redding waved his hand.
‘Since I started my service as an Order officer, you have been my personal hero, a man I wanted to follow.’ Thaler was choosing his words carefully. ‘I don’t need to tell you about my achievements — you know them all. You can take credit for each of them. Your example inspired me. You taught us, young recruits, to be clever and resourceful but to obey orders; to be bold and ambitious but never to leave a friend behind; to follow the rules but, if necessary, to break them all and seize the prize — and, if not, to take responsibility for failure.’
Redding listened carefully, his face impenetrable.
‘Yes, I need your sword,’ Thaler continued. ‘Mine is too short for those beasts — you know that. I want to rescue my friend and restore the status quo between the demons and the Order. I’ll be punished for what I’m gonna do, I know. I bit off more than I could chew. It’s my mistake, but I want to fix things — that’s why I’m here. “No guts, no glory” — that’s what you would tell us. Do you remember?’
‘Yes, I do.’ Redding smiled sadly. ‘A lot of guts and so few glories now.’ He sniggered and patted himself on his belly. Then he delved into a drawer and pulled out a dusty bottle and two stumpy glasses.
‘You know why I’m locked up here, Thaler?’ He put the glasses in the middle of the table. ‘When I was in trouble, they didn’t bother to rescue me,’ he murmured. ‘They sacrificed me for what they call “politics.”’ He chortled. ‘But, I survived. Then, they put me out of sight, those whores.’ He prepared to pour whiskey into the glasses.
‘Thank you, Obermaster. I have to stay sober,’ said Thaler.
‘Right.’ Redding gave an approving nod, stretched his giant hand over the desk and poured the liquor into his glass up to the brim. His sleeve slid back, revealing terrible burn scars that covered his whole arm. He caught Thaler’s embarrassed gaze and sneered.
‘You know that story,’ he said. ‘You’ll have a good chance to have these rewards, too, and, like me, end up in a bunker. You can’t play with fire without getting burned, especially if you play with someone who is fire itself.’ He picked up a short, crooked knife and a lemon that were hidden among the books on the table.
‘These days, people don’t visit me to pay respect,’ he said. ‘They need something, so they come. You aren’t any better, but at least you found some words to praise my past.’ He checked the blade with his finger. ‘Don’t get me wrong — I don’t want company. My friends are always here.’ He made a generous gesture towards the bookshelves. ‘Whiskey and books — that’s all I need for the rest of my life.’ He cut a thin slice off the lemon. ‘Sometimes I wonder why people still want to serve the Order. I was in love with the powers it gave me; but at the same time I was an idealist. I was fighting for a better future for all people. Today, that sounds ridiculous. Selfishness is everywhere. It’s such an odd spectacle — a crowd of lonely people standing on the platform at rush hour. It’s not that our enemies are strong; it’s that we are weak.’ He sighed and raised his glass. ‘To the past and its glory.’ He drank it in one go and snacked on the lemon slice.
‘There’s nothing in this world like whiskey with lemon,’ said Redding authoritatively, as if it were the main thing Thaler had to know. ‘This malt is as old as I am. We’re friends.’ Redding smiled warmly, took the tinted bottle and looked through it. It was almost empty. ‘Don’t worry, Thaler,’ Redding laughed, ‘just in case you do. It’s not the end. I’ve got the whole barrel down in the cellar.’ He looked at Thaler cunningly. ‘It doesn’t matter if you go for a bottle or a battle — always keep your reserves hidden.’ He squinted. ‘Something that can surprise your drinking buddies or your enemy.’
‘Yes, I was bold; I was ruthless,’ Redding said it with some sort of nostalgia. ‘But you . . .’ He shook his head. ‘You went far beyond what I did. Honestly, I wouldn’t put my best friend at risk using him as bait.’
Thaler’s face blushed. He sprung to his feet.
‘It’s not true!’ he retorted.
‘Easy, Thaler, easy.’ Redding held up his arms in a soothing gesture. ‘Of course, it isn’t. You and I are just human beings, a scoop of flesh and a splash of blood, gingered up with a pinch of ambition. Our human nature yells and screams when it comes to our personal feelings. But, besides that, you and I are servants of the Supreme Order. Even in your current position, you are just an instrument in its hands, whether you like it or not. And, probably, your failure is just a twist in the road.’
‘Who knows?’ murmured Thaler.
‘You know,’ Redding said it gloatingly. ‘But to know and to feel isn’t the same thing.’
‘I’ll take it into account, Obermaster,’ said Thaler.
‘Please, do.’ Redding filled another glass and drank it without saying a word. ‘Now, let me see it.’ Redding stretched his hand towards Thaler.
Thaler pulled out a tight, five-inch-long leather bundle and passed it to Redding. He rolled it out on the table. There was a wooden splinter the size of a pencil inside it. Redding picked up its sharp ends with his two forefingers and lifted it carefully in front of him. ‘The bastards will give everything for this rotten piece of wood,’ he murmured, ‘but you want to sell it dirt cheap.’
‘I have to, Obermaster,’ Thaler said. ‘I’m obliged to save my friend and I haven’t got anything else to bargain with.’
‘The Order’s nobs will be furious when they hear about your trick.’ Redding laughed quietly. ‘You won’t get away with it. But, honestly, I don’t care.’
Suddenly, the splinter jerked in his hands and fell to the desk.
‘Clumsy old ass!’ Redding clutched his right forefinger with his left hand and squeezed it. A tiny trickle of blood ran out of his fingertip where the end of the splinter had pierced the skin. ‘I should’ve known!’ He brought the injured finger closer to his eyes. ‘The last thing I need now!’ He outstretched his arm to the side, took the glass with whiskey and poured it out on the wound. His movements were nervous. Thaler, however, showed no interest in the accident and looked pensively at the bookshelves that ran alongside the wall.
‘I hope it’ll stop the infection. How could I have done that?’ Redding examined his finger again. ‘I hope the spirit of the barrel will forgive me for spilling its liquor.’ He heaved a long sigh.
In barely a moment, Redding had turned into an old grumpy man. ‘I need rest,’ he mumbled. ‘I didn’t sleep well last night.’ He rubbed his eyes and stared at Thaler as if he had just remembered his presence. ‘Ah, you . . .’ He grimaced. ‘Wait a minute.’
Redding stood up heavily and hobbled towards an unobtrusive niche in the right corner of the room. His left leg hardly served him. Thaler rolled the bundle back and hid it in his breast pocket. Soon, Redding was back with a metal chain heaped in his left hand.
‘That’s what you want, isn’t it?’ he said gruffly and threw the chain to the desk. ‘I hope this trinket hasn’t fizzled out yet,’ he added. ‘You can take it. Do whatever you want, but, under no circumstances should my name be involved. Now I have to be forgiven.’ He sank wearily into his armchair, closed his eyes and put his bearish hand on his face.
Thaler carefully took the chain off the desk and stood up.
‘Thank you very much, Obermaster Redding,’ he said and bowed to Redding, who didn’t even look at him. ‘I really appreciate your generous help and advice.’ He moved towards the door.
‘Thaler,’ Redding called him. Thaler stopped and turned back. ‘Take her with you,’ Redding said in an aged voice. ‘She’ll watch your back; and a smart thing below it.’
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