Reality Hack (16 page)

Nisa was looking up at the emblem trying to work out the symbology beyond the whole ‘eternal flame’ thing when someone spoke.

‘The dragons represent order and chaos. The flame is said to keep the two in balance.’

Nisa turned and found herself looking at the pretty blonde from the alley. She was dressed in the same skirt and coat outfit she had been wearing then, and she looked just as attractive now as before. In fact… Was she pushing her chest out a little?

‘Sergeant Harper?’ the woman asked. ‘It’s nice to put a name to the face. I am Alaina Peters, High Grand Master Maxim’s personal assistant. I’ll take you to him now, if you’re ready.’

Nisa blinked, pushing aside the spell of Alaina’s body. ‘Uh, yes. I’m ready.’

‘Then please follow me.’ Alaina turned and walked out of the room. Nisa fought the urge to stay behind her so that she could watch the woman’s hips move, and won, stepping up beside her. ‘That outfit suits you better than the jeans and T-shirt I last saw you in,’ the PA said as they walked back through the foyer and into a long, vaulted hallway.

‘Thanks. I needed something… more business-like. I wish I could get away with something like that. I don’t think my bosses would approve, but it looks gorgeous… on you.’

Alaina flicked a glance at Nisa and then quickly averted her eyes, smiling. ‘Thank you. The High Grand Master likes me to look my best.’

They turned off to the right where a staircase led up from an alcove which was hard to spot unless you knew it was there. The architecture in the building seemed to have been designed to confuse as much as to look imposing.

‘How do you find your way around this place?’ Nisa asked.

‘You get used to the little tricks they used building it. After a while, the hidden stairs and obscure doors just don’t seem quite so hard to locate.’ She gave a tiny giggle. ‘I got lost half a dozen times the first two weeks I was here.’

‘And they teach magic here?’

‘Practical in the cellars and there’s a lecture theatre at the back. Most of the aboveground structure is offices, and the library. We have the best arcane library in the world.’

Two floors up they walked down a corridor a few yards and then in through a solid oak door. The office within looked too modern for the rest of the building with its filing cabinets and functional desk with a dual-screen computer system on it. Alaina walked to a second, inner door, knocked twice, and then pushed it open.

‘Sergeant Harper to see you, sir,’ she said.

‘Thank you, Alaina.’ The voice had a strongly masculine timbre and, when Nisa walked past Alaina into Maxim’s office, the man himself matched the voice. He was tall, Kellog’s height, and a good three inches over Nisa’s five-eight. He stood up to greet her and she got the impression of firm muscle, though not of someone who worked out extensively. She figured he was active, but not an exercise freak. His face was square, with a firm jaw and thin lips. His hair was black and a little messy, though with a hint of careful crafting, and his eyes were dark, almost black. Blue would have lightened the look considerably. The one feature that marred the handsome face was a high-bridged nose which made him look a little like a boxer. He was dressed in a three-piece suit, grey, with a bright red tie to give some colour. It was too old for the face which was, almost, too youthful for the power this man had.

He had a firm handshake which he held for just the right amount of time. Maxim was a man with a lot of skill in putting people at their ease and using that youthful charm he obviously exuded.

‘Sergeant Harper,’ he said, waving her to a chair before returning to his own. ‘I am, as I’m sure you’re aware, Alexander Maxim. I carry the unfortunate title of High Grand Master of the Hermetic Order of the Eternal Flame. Don’t let that fool you. I’m just a glorified administrator.’

Nisa gave him a smile. ‘I think you’re more than that, sir.’

He shrugged. ‘How can I help the Metropolitan Police?’

Straight to business then. ‘We have a woman in our HQ who has had her soul ripped out by a demon. It seems that someone, a wizard, sold his own soul and is trying to buy off the debt.’

‘And, obviously, that puts one of our people in your sights.’ Maxim nodded. ‘I can understand that, but we take something of a dim view of our wizards making soul pacts with demons. Just ask your DI Kellog… How is Brandon?’

‘Uh… He’s well. We think the original pact was made before you took over as head of the Order. As I understand it, the demon would not need to be summoned to collect on it…’

Another nod. ‘True… You’re new to all this. The magic, I mean.’

‘I’ve only recently discovered magic was anything other than a legend, yes. I joined Exceptional Circumstances in June.’

‘And already tracking down demons. While I can’t believe one of ours
is
responsible, I’ll make some enquiries. I’m afraid I can’t have the Met digging into our affairs without some solid evidence of wrongdoing, but I can point you at a culprit if I can find one.’

‘Thank you, sir,’ Nisa replied, giving him another smile. This seemed to be going far too easily.

‘As I said, we take a dim view of such activities. And if someone is performing forbidden rituals to avoid the repercussions of past misdeeds… It’s just compounding one evil with another. You can be assured that I’ll make this a priority. Alaina will be in touch if we discover anything.’ He smiled. He had a nice smile. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get this underway, as well as dealing with all the more mundane tasks required of me.’

‘Of course,’ Nisa said, getting to her feet. ‘It was a pleasure meeting you, sir.’

Another smile. ‘The pleasure was all mine, Sergeant.’

Westminster.

‘You think he’s actually going to do as he says?’ Hanson asked.

Nisa thought a bit of visible consideration was required, though she already knew what her answer was going to be. ‘I think so. He seemed… He seemed sure he’d find nothing, but I don’t think he wants the problems associated with us discovering it
was
one of the Order. If it is, and he can find the man, he’ll hand him over.’

Kellog gave a grunt, which might have been disagreement or disbelief, or acceptance of the assessment.

‘What did you think of the High Grand Master?’ Hanson said, making the title sound more like an insult.

‘Charming. Political. He’d do well in politics if he wanted to go that way. I can see how he managed to get the position.’

‘Did you like him?’

‘I didn’t dislike him. I think he was on his best behaviour. Playing the “I’m a very important person” card.’

‘Didn’t make a pass at you then?’ Kellog put in.

‘No, and Faline said he had a reputation.’ Nisa decided that mentioning Alaina’s apparent interest was outside the scope of the conversation, unless someone actually asked.

‘Well, until we hear something,’ Hanson said, ‘
if
we hear something, we do it the hard way. We only have a few days. We go through the list of independents, track them down, and check them out.’

Kellog gave a grunt, this time a resigned one. ‘I’m not hopeful. Something like this… It
needs
the protection of the Order to make it work.’

‘I know. Try Gleeforth first.’

‘There is no way Gleeforth is involved in this.’

‘No, but he may have heard something, and it gives Nisa an opportunity to meet him.’

Kellog got to his feet. ‘It’s worth a shot.’ He beckoned to Nisa. ‘Come on, you’ll love Gleeforth.’

~~~

Gleeforth’s Rare Books was a tiny little shop hidden away in a back alley which bore the name Bedford Court, not far from Covent Garden, the old one, and well within walking distance of the Rabbit Hole. The only indication that there was actually a shop there was a small sign beside the door which was so faded that it was barely readable.

‘He can’t get much passing trade,’ Nisa commented as they walked up to the black-painted door.

‘If Gleeforth had his way, no one would ever come here,’ Kellog replied and pushed the door open. A bell rang. There was actually a small bell mounted over the door.

The front room was a confused jumble of random volumes on shelves and tables. It seemed to Nisa that it had been designed as a sort of fortress. This was the first line of defence. The books here did not look especially rare, though they did look old.

‘I’m going to guess he’s not big on e-books.’

‘Actually, he says they’re the way forward. You don’t have to go outside to buy them. He’s agoraphobic.’

Kellog made his way through the twisting path between the tables, between a pair of tall bookshelves, and through into the back of the shop. Here it opened out a bit and the books looked more… esoteric. There were leather-bound volumes, some of them looking like sets, and there was one cabinet with a glass front, which appeared to contain even older tomes and one scroll case.

And sitting at a small desk, half obscured by a shelf, was a man who looked to be in his mid-fifties, but aging badly. His hair was solidly grey and there were lines on his round face that made him look like a badly scarred moon. He had a hooked nose and watery, blue eyes, and the high-waisted trousers and thick sweater did not help the look.

‘Detective,’ Gleeforth said, ‘what’re you bothering me for this time?’ He had a slight burr in his voice, a hint of a Scottish accent.

‘Just some information, Gleeforth,’ Kellog replied.

‘Who’s the girl?’ The last word came out with a rolling ‘r’ sound which set Nisa’s teeth on edge for some reason.

‘Sergeant Harper is our newest recruit.’

‘Oh, she’s that’n. There’ve been a few rumours about someone replacing Xavier.’

Nisa felt Kellog stiffen more than saw it. The detective pressed on. ‘Demons, Gleeforth. Demons collecting on soul debts. What do you know?’

‘I’m assuming it’s not a general query. I’ve heard you’re looking into something. If anyone knows who the wizard is, they haven’t said anything to me. Rumour is it’s an old pact, money not power, and with one of the big names. That’s why he’s being lenient. Souls to burn.’

‘You don’t know the name?’

‘If I did, I’d tell you. You know that.’

‘You hear anything, you call. We want this one nailed to a wall.’ Kellog turned to leave.

‘Girl,’ Gleeforth said, reaching for something above him, hidden by the shelves. Nisa stopped and took a step closer, and he handed her a thin, hardback book. ‘You’ll be needing that,’ he said.

‘What did he give you?’ Kellog asked when they were outside.

Nisa looked at the book and had to open it to find the title. ‘
Common Charms and Wards
,’ she read aloud.

‘Old bastard,’ Kellog muttered. ‘John Xavier, my last partner. He wasn’t a magician, but he had some psychic talents. Psychometry mostly. Useful, especially on murder cases. We were hunting a vampire, cornered him, but he got away. Then he came back and got into John’s house.’

‘Oh,’ Nisa said. ‘And these wards could stop that?’

‘Done right, yes. It’s the basis for the myth that vampires can’t enter a house uninvited. Doesn’t stop them getting you when you walk out the door though. How’s your pistol practice going?’

‘Okay, I guess.’

‘Good. We’ll put you through the tests on Friday.’

August 22
^nd
.

Nisa looked at the group of three bullet holes in her target and gave a relieved smile. The target was all of five yards away, which she thought was
way
too close, but that was the requirement she had been given and Kellog and Hanson were nodding.

She popped the magazine and cleared the chamber, and laid everything down on the shelf set aside for it, and then took off her ear defenders and the glasses Kellog insisted that she wore. Then she turned to receive the verdict.

‘Good enough,’ Kellog stated.

‘I’ve got the paperwork ready in my office,’ Hanson added.

‘Okay,’ Nisa said, ‘and I don’t want to ruin the moment, but isn’t the target a bit close? I mean, my accuracy is way worse at ten yards.’

‘Eighty per cent of police actions involving firearms take place at less than seven yards,’ Kellog told her. ‘Fifty per cent are under
two
yards. Next week I’ll start drilling you on point shooting. For now, the important thing is that you’re allowed to carry a pistol.’

‘And use it,’ Hanson stated. ‘Are you prepared to use it, Nisa?’

Nisa frowned. ‘I… don’t know. I don’t think I’ll really know until I have to.’

‘Good answer, but give it some thought. Shooting someone,
killing
someone, tends to be a traumatic experience. I’ve seen it destroy men who think they’re up to it.’

‘I’ll… give it some thought,’ Nisa agreed.

Poplar.

‘New bag,’ Jenna asked, vaguely indicating the leather shoulder bag Nisa was toting around.

‘Uh-huh. Decided I needed something for… stuff.’ In truth, Nisa had spent a couple of hours finding a bag with a large enough, zip-up interior pocket that the Glock would fit in. She figured that if she had to get to the weapon fast enough that the zip was a problem, she was probably dead anyway.

‘Bags,’ Jenna said, lifting her own, ‘are an essential component of a woman’s wardrobe.’

‘Agreed,’ Lena added.

‘And a man’s,’ Spike said. ‘At least they are if you lug around all the kit I do. How’s the statistics coming along?’ Wallace rolled his eyes.

‘Slowly,’ Nisa told him. ‘There’s a lot of data to work on, especially if you include all the external stuff. Finding patterns and correspondences in all that is not trivial.’

‘I know, but it could be really useful so stick at it.’

Nisa nodded. The statistics research was coming along slowly because she was getting less time to work on it than she would have liked. The last week she had not touched it since they had been spending a lot of time running between known hangouts of independent wizards and finding absolutely nothing. Everyone said the same thing: Kellog was right; it needed political protection to get away with summoning a demon to form a pact. No one outside the Order would have got away with it for this long. No one knew who had taken Emily.