Chapter Twenty
‘It was a weird conversation.’ Thaler, clumsily, tried to pick up a bunch of noodles with a pair of chopsticks, ‘We didn’t tell each other what we thought, and what we did say we didn’t actually think. But, I’ve got the instructions and a very helpful gadget to make our hopeless mission a little bit more cheerful.’ He put the sticks aside. ‘I think I’ll ask for a fork.’
They were sitting in a noodle bar in the middle of the departures area.
‘Can you finally tell me about your plan? Just to make me more useful.’ Ashley who wielded her chopsticks with great dexterity glanced at Thaler. ‘In reward, I could teach you how to cope with those,’ she nodded at Thaler’s.
Thaler looked around. Apart from a few drowsy individuals, the restaurant was almost empty.
‘Redding ordered me to put you in the team,’ Thaler looked down pathetically at his plate of rice decorated with an elaborate array of seafood.
‘Wow, that’s great news!’ Ashley perked up. ‘I’m not a housemaid anymore, uh?’
‘No, you aren’t,’ chuckled Thaler. ‘I’ll tell you more — you’ll get your own mission.’
‘Awesome!’ Ashley put down her sticks. ‘Redding’s a cool guy! I’m really sorry I said those stupid things about him. But . . . Does he know me?’
‘Of course he does,’ Thaler grinned. ‘All personal records of new recruits pass through his hands. He likes to pretend to be senile but actually, in our musty old guild, he’s a kingmaker.’
‘Great! What is the mission?’ Ashley looked ready for action. Thaler stooped forward. ‘You have to watch my arse,’ he said in a low voice. ‘That’s his order.’
Ashley recoiled and, laughing, shook her red mane.
‘You and your boss are awful,’ she said buoyantly. ‘Besides, I’ve already seen it. I just had to give it a quick look before healing your wounds.’
‘I’m sure he meant something different,’ Thaler said thoughtfully, fiddling with the chopsticks. ‘I think he just meant you have to cover me.’
‘All right, all right, you’re a witty guy, “no pun intended”, etcetera,’ Ashley waved her hands at him impatiently. ‘I’ll cover you, you’ll cover me — we’ll have fun. But what’s the plan anyway?’
‘It’s simple,’ Thaler stared into her eyes; this time he looked serious. ‘I’m gonna meet Lord Wittslock and exchange the old man’s soul for this,’ Thaler briefly lifted the leather bundle out of his inside pocket.
Suddenly, all the people who were sitting in their vicinity turned their heads towards them.
‘Safe place?’ Ashley looked at Thaler quizzically. ‘We’re sitting ducks here. What is it?’
‘They won’t harm us; at least not now,’ Thaler said quietly. ‘It’s a splinter; a small fragment of the black box.’ He pushed the bundle back into his pocket. As he did so, the people around seemed to lose interest in him. ’Even if the smallest part of the black box is missing, the box won’t function,’ Thaler explained. ‘I’m pretty sure the demons stole the box again, but without this little piece of wood it’s pretty useless. I can’t imagine how desperate they are to get it back,’ He sniggered. ‘You know, for ages we believed the black box was a solid object that couldn’t be broken. There was very little evidence but, apparently, anyone who tried to damage its integrity disappeared,’ he said quietly.
‘What do you mean?’ Ashley shifted in her seat.
‘Everyone who tried to destroy the box or even just to break off a little souvenir of it, as well as anyone who witnessed those attempts, went missing and their bodies were never found,’ said Thaler.
‘But how did you manage to get away with it?’
‘I don’t know,’ Thaler shrugged. ‘I found that little piece of wood stuck to my leather coat later when we left the box.’
‘It couldn’t be a random accident, could it?’
‘Of course, not,’ Thaler murmured, ‘apparently, the box wanted to warn us about something.’
‘For example?’ Ashley whispered.
‘Now, it can be taken apart,’ Thaler grinned at a man who was sitting idly at a table with no food a few yards from them. ‘But if we know it, our sworn friends will have got that news too.’
‘So?’
‘We are not alone here, Ashley,’ Thaler murmured. ‘I’m sorry for telling you that again and again, but I have to keep a lid on it. We’re gonna go through a very dangerous mission. You must be vigilant and never lose control. You’re doing it well, but you’re a little bit impatient. Don’t let them confound you,’ Thaler looked sideways at a young woman and her companion who were sitting nearby, pretending to be a couple. ‘For now, though, only one thing is true — I really need you. You have to watch my back, whichever way it turns.’
Ashley sat for a while mulling over Thaler’s words.
‘I understand,’ she said. ‘I’ll keep my eyes open.’
‘Good,’ Thaler gave her a gentle smile.
Ashley smiled back. ’As soon as we pass them that piece of wood they’ll kill us,’ she said.
‘It’s true,’ Thaler said calmly. ‘That’s why I asked Redding’s permission to take his mogloc.’ Thaler patted the lapel of his coat. ‘As you know, the mogloc has a reciprocal connection with its owner — for example, you can accumulate your spiritual powers in it and use them when you need. For a daemon-hunter it works like a powerbank for a tablet from the good old days. For the demons, though, Redding’s chain will be akin to a barrel of insecticide to a swarm of flies — even for such a big one like Lord Wittslock,’ Thaler chuckled. ‘I just want to believe Redding didn’t forget to put some charge in it.’
‘Let’s try it right here,’ Ashley said with a mischievous smile. ‘You’ve got a lot of targets.’
‘It wouldn’t be a good idea,’ said Thaler. ‘I have to preserve every bit of the chain’s power. Also, I’d be arrested for throwing fireballs in a public place.’
Ashley tittered.
‘Do you think,’ she asked, ‘your plan is safe?’
‘“Safe?”’ Thaler grinned. ‘This beast’s never been seen in our domain. In my current position, that’s the only thing I can rely on. It won’t take them too long to figure out that I’m acting out of the Order; “no pun intended,”’ he added.
‘Maybe you’ll try to contact the Order nobs anyway?’ Ashley asked.
‘Out of the question,’ Thaler said bluntly. ‘They’ll confiscate the splinter immediately and send me to jail.’
‘I see,’ Ashley propped her chin on her hand.
‘I need your phone,’ said Thaler. ‘I’m gonna talk to Lord Wittslock.’
‘Vincent, dear! Is it you calling me, my esteemed friend?’ Lord Wittslock’s voice was bubbling with joy, ‘or am I just dreaming?’
‘As you will, Lord Wittslock,’ replied Thaler, ‘to make conversation we can go either way.’
‘It’s a genuine pleasure for me to talk to such a clever person like you,’ said the lord. ‘It never ceases to amaze me how far the human race managed to progress, using that modest Bronze-age wisdom.’
‘The pleasure is all mine, Lord Wittslock,’ Thaler said courteously. ‘All my humble talents would be easily eclipsed by your dignity. If it existed,’ he added.
‘You might be surprised, my fine fellow, how much of it I possess,’ countered Lord Wittslock. ‘Why don’t you visit me and see for yourself, rather than rely on dirty rumours spread by my numerous detractors.’
‘It would be an honour for me,’ replied Thaler, ‘but I can’t think of a reason to pay you such a visit.’
‘Oh, maybe I can assist you,’ said Lord Wittslock heartily. ‘Your close friend, Mister Irvin, left us a little something. It is an entity so ephemeral that many people even deny its very existence. We’re keeping it safe and, so far, well taken care of. Why don’t you call in and pay it a visit?’
‘I’d be glad to, Lord Wittslock,’ replied Thaler. ‘But I’m afraid, I can’t leave it in your possession. Rather, I have to return it to its owner.’
‘Very fair thing to say, my young friend, very fair thing!’ said Lord Wittslock cheerfully. ‘As you know, I’m a generous person, but when it comes to profit, I always drive a hard bargain.’
‘Good for you,’ said Thaler. ‘I never come to visit empty-handed. I’ve got a small item which, I suppose, would interest you. Just a small piece of wood that stuck to my back when I was lying in that cosy box.’
‘Oh, I remember — two men in such a tiny place! That was an embarrassing moment!’ Lord Wittslock laughed condescendingly. ’I think we can strike this deal, my friend. Moreover, I may have something else to pique your interest. Would you be interested in knowing the whereabouts of your chain?’
‘It’s in the same place you keep the box’s lid,’ replied Thaler calmly. ‘Maybe you didn’t know, but the mogloc can work as a location beacon.’
‘Thank you very much for letting me know this curious fact, Mister Thaler,’ said Lord Wittslock coldly. ‘ I think I’ve just learnt something. And, therefore, I’d prefer to exercise caution and move those valuables to a different location.’
‘Thank you, Lord Wittslock, for giving away that the lid is in your hands. I had my doubts about that,’ said Thaler impassively.
There was dead silence at the far end of the line.
‘Well,’ said Lord Wittslock grimly, ‘I see, I have to be more cautious with you. But, never mind.’ He sniffed scornfully. ‘I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow evening at eight o’clock at our temple. My people will meet you at the airport.’
‘It seems they’ve already met me,’ Thaler looked around. ‘I hope your thugs won’t dog me on my way home.’
‘You shouldn’t worry about that, Thaler,’ Lord Wittslock said impatiently. ‘With all due respect, you’re just a pawn in this game. I’d prefer to let you go and see you later on the rack in the Inquisition committee rather than trifle with you now.’
‘So kind of you, Lord Wittslock,’ said Thaler. ‘But I’d prefer to rely upon my own precautionary measures rather than your generosity.’
‘What measures, may I ask?’ Lord Wittslock grumbled.
‘I’ll wear Redding’s mogloc,’ Thaler answered.
‘I see no need for such a precaution,’ Lord Wittslock said with exasperation. ‘You can rely upon my word.’
‘You, yourself, just said that I’m not stupid,’ Thaler said. ‘And why does it bother you?’
‘Because it stinks!’ Lord Wittslock lost his temper, ‘like a thousand dead pigs! It carries his foetid smell and reminds me of my near defeat at his hands!’
‘It seems like I’m on the right path,’ said Thaler. ‘Please, be sure, if I see any threat I’ll use it immediately.’
For some time Thaler heard nothing but Lord Wittslock’s hateful breath.
‘All right,’ the lord said finally. ‘Do whatever you want, just give me the splinter. And don’t bring an army of crusaders with you. My men and I have total control of the situation!’
‘I’ll come with my girlfriend,’ said Thaler calmly. ‘She’s cute and silly, and very jealous,’ he got a kick under the table. ‘You won’t be scared of her anyway.’
‘You’re doing it at your peril,’ said Lord Wittslock in an ice-cold voice, ‘It was a kind of pleasure to talk to you, Thaler.’
‘The peril is all mine,’ said Thaler and rang off.
Chapter Twenty One
‘It seems we’ve slept through something,’ Thaler looked around the arrivals hall and started to pat his pockets before giving up almost instantly — the phone he was searching for had died under Tom’s boot in a sewer. Ashley pulled out hers and scrolled through the news.
‘Looks like the end of the world at its very beginning,’ she murmured and passed her phone to Thaler. He looked at the screen and sniggered.
‘Lord Wittslock in all his vile glory,’ Thaler passed the phone back to Ashley. ‘Imagine an old octopus squirting its rancid ink around its underwater den.’
‘You ought to have been a poet,’ Ashley raised her brow.
‘Your father has said the same thing,’ Thaler remarked.
‘Any changes in our plan?’ Ashley hid the phone in her pocket.
‘None,’ Thaler stepped off the moving walkway and strode towards the exit.
The airport arrivals, ordinarily the busiest place in the world, looked forsaken and silent. A sparse crowd at the giant sliding doors looked like a flock of sheep that had caught the smell of a predator. There were no warm greetings or bubbling emotions. The passengers were meeting their loved ones and disappearing silently behind FlyMag Railway Express doors. No one went to the parking area.
‘All the main roads are blocked,’ said Thaler. ‘Let’s hop on the train.’ They headed to the boarding area.
‘Welcome back, Mister Thaler,’ a tall blond man with a swagger stick under his arm got in their way. He was dressed all in leather — a peak-cap, a military-style overcoat and high laced boots. ’Lord Wittslock is waiting for you, sir. Please, follow me,’ said the man and pointed towards the VIP parking gate with the stick. Ashley and Thaler walked there silently with the leather man marching behind.
‘What a gesture,’ said Thaler when they reached the parking lot and approached a shiny black limousine standing all alone on the deserted level. A couple of stocky bodyguards in black glasses and grey suits were around the vehicle. The blond man made a sign with his stick and one of the guards opened the car door.
‘Good luck, Mister Thaler,’ the blond man saluted them with his stick, turned around in a soldier-like manner and, along with his escort, disappeared behind the automatic doors.
The back-seat compartment, where Thaler and Ashley settled, was separated from the driver by a solid wall covered with a large flat screen. There was also a bar with a selection of inviting glasses and a fridge below. As the limousine pulled away, its tinted windows blackened leaving them isolated from the outside world.
‘Hello, Mister Thaler,’ a hideous voice said from the hidden speakers. ‘Because of a transportation collapse in the city we have to drive through some places which you aren’t supposed to see. If you want, you can enjoy yourself with the refreshments in the bar in front of you. Have a nice trip.’
‘I’m thirsty. I hope they have some soda in the fridge,’ Ashley stretched her hand towards the handle. The door fell open suddenly. She screamed and sprang back: the bar was full of jars containing malformed freaks of nature floating in a sallow liquid. Thaler hugged her gently and pushed the lid closed with his foot. Malevolent laughter burst out of the speakers.
‘You can’t expect anything else from these bastards,’ Thaler said. ‘Don’t keep it in your mind. Forget it,’ he hugged her tighter, turned her face towards him and smiled at her. ‘It’s only human.’
‘“Cute and silly?”’ Ashley smiled back at him.
‘You are always cute,’ Thaler said calmly. ‘You can be silly too; if you make an effort,’ he added.
Ashley relaxed and made herself comfortable in his arms.
‘There is an ancient chant,’ said Thaler in a low voice. ‘The chant of a warrior. Once upon a time, when the Celtic tribes were still heading from the heart of Europe to the sea and Romus was still babbling in his wicker cradle, the men of war used to sing this song before battle. I’m sure it will make you feel better.’
‘I’m a warrior,’ Thaler began and Ashley repeated,
‘And this empty field is my home.
I have nothing left behind,
No wife, no mother, no little ones.
No house, no tribe, no origin.
I have to crush my enemy,
It is the only reason,
Why I exist.’
‘You are right — I can’t feel sorry for myself.’ Ashley muttered. ‘At least, not at this moment. A very good song. I have to remember it.’
‘Oh, yes,’ said Thaler. ‘It gave them strength and courage. But for better effect they also took some mushrooms.’
Ashley laughed and gripped Thaler’s hand.
The noise outside was muffled and repetitive, as though they were driving through a narrow tunnel. The car slowed down, rocked from side to side, as if it had passed over a speed bumps and then stood still. They heard a growing high-pitched sound and were pressed into their seats by the force of acceleration.
After a while, the high-pitched sound faded out. The car pulled off and drove swiftly along a rising serpentine route, pushing them from side to side and back into their seat. Then, the motion evened out and the car’s drive became smooth. The car windows regained their transparency and Thaler and Ashley saw the empty streets of Londrum.
The city was immersed in darkness. There were very few cars on the road. Mainly, they were old gasoline vehicles — ambulances and fire engines — rushing along the streets with angry rattling sounds. Their headlights and wailing sirens were almost the only sources of light on the streets.
Thousands of people were moving around the city on foot. Human streams flowed in darkness along the pavements, spilling occasionally onto the roads. There was tension but no panic. The sky was empty of the flying machines that usually swarmed over the city and low thick clouds illuminated by scattered fires were cruising unencumbered over the megalopolis.
The car swerved from the main street into a narrow driveway. Thaler remembered the place. The limousine stopped directly in front of the familiar semi-circular stairway and its door silently opened.
The building’s facade was still covered in canvas, but its entrance bore no signs of the previous incursion. A new door, opened a crack, was in its proper place and the frame had been carefully repaired. Thaler and Ashley passed two heavily armed hulks, who showed less emotion on their faces than a wooden mallet, and headed upstairs to the main hall.
‘What a clever thing. This time they put a watch outside,’ Thaler remarked.
The passage on the ground floor was lit by two parallel rows of torches hung along the walls. Their flickering flames exuded heat and the smell of burning resin. There were no signs of the previous havoc inside.
As they had walked up the stairway and approached the main hall, they saw Lord Wittslock himself standing at the entrance surrounded by a gang of uniformed goons armed with short rifles.
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