Brotherhood of Shades. Dawn Finch

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СКАЧАТЬ style="font-size:15px;">      “I’m sorry, sir, it’s just that you had an urgent call on seven and I couldn’t get through as you’ve disconnected.”

      “Could it not have waited?” He frowned at her. “It has been a busy morning and I have held substance since four a.m. I am exhausted.”

      “Sorry, sir, but I’m afraid it can’t wait. There’s been a fire in a homeless shelter in Birmingham, Zone Nine, terrible thing. The system’s picking up at least five not passing through and at least one is showing some destructive tendencies. It may be the spirit that started the fire in the first place and the thought of a fire starter in a heavily residential area is not . . .”

      “Yes, yes, I understand.” He sighed. “I will see who I have on for that region.”

      “Yes, sir. Is there anything I can get for you before I go?” she asked.

      “No thank you. Are you leaving soon?”

      “I have about another forty minutes of good substance, but Julie’s due here soon.”

      “Julie?” D’Scover was surprised. “Is she ready yet? I thought she was still in training?”

      “She is, sir, but this is her final month. Section Four thought she could do with some experience in the field from a more observed viewpoint first,” Emma replied.

      “Section Four? Training now think that they can meddle in my department,” D’Scover grumbled, “so they send a fresh Shade with no experience in the field to work for me?”

      “Not exactly, sir,” Emma said. “They’ve sent her to work with me actually. With respect, I’m perhaps more senior than you care to remember.” She could see concern on his face. “She was a secretary before; she already has office skills.”

      “Well, I suppose that she will have to do. Pass the information about the fire on to her when she arrives, will you? I will inform agents in the area right away, but Julie will need to know too as I intend to Disperse as soon as possible after I have dealt with this matter.”

      “Of course, sir,” she said and turned to leave his office.

      “And Emma,” he continued without looking at her, “can you please remember that the details need to be finalised for the movement of the texts from America this week? This will mean liaising with the living members of staff in both libraries. I would like you to handle this aspect of the transfer.”

      “Certainly, sir,” she said with confidence. “I’ll start right away.”

      D’Scover looked over the edge of his desk at the spilled paper and gestured for it to refill the box, which it did with a rustle, before the file rose once more and slotted back into its place. He turned back to the map and repeated the process of isolating a region once more before selecting a single red dot. Searching blinked yellow on the screen. After a few brief moments a woman’s face appeared before him and silently waited to be addressed.

      “Carol?” D’Scover said, and the woman looked up. “You are the senior agent in this area, have you felt the disruption yet?”

      “Yes, sir, a bad one. How many?” she asked.

      “At least five, with some possible poltergeist activity,” D’Scover replied. “And I will need a Level One watch for a possible fire starter. Can you handle it?”

      “Yes, I can handle it,” she confirmed. “I may need a substance boost later to watch for the fire starter. I can’t hold together for a whole night.”

      “I shall arrange it right away,” he replied. “Thank you for your efficiency. I will Hotline the details for you. Are you ready?”

      She nodded and, with a few taps on the keyboard, he raised an overlapping grey screen of information. This he reached out to with his left hand and moved the information up so that it covered her image. Holding the fingertips of his left hand over the information, he once more placed the middle finger of his right hand over the cube and took a deep breath. The screen momentarily swam with a rainbow of colours like oil on water and then restored itself with the image of the agent. He breathed out and shook his head briefly as if to clear his vision.

      “Did you get it, Carol?” he asked.

      “Yes, sir. I’ll be back in touch if there are any problems,” she replied, giving a brief nod as the screen faded to purple again.

      The display returned to the map once more before D’Scover removed the CC and replaced it in the drawer. He stood and stretched before walking to the door, opening it and leaning round it into the reception area to find Emma. She was reaching into a filing cabinet, holding a large bundle of paperwork.

      “Emma,” he called, “I want no disturbances for at least two hours – and this is a Code Red instruction.”

      “Absolutely, sir, I understand.”

      She leaned over her desk and passed her hand over a small flat panel embedded in the surface. This flicked on and began to emit a pulsating red glow. As D’Scover closed his office door behind him, it gave off a slight hiss and a sucking noise as it sealed from the outside.

      Walking back across his huge but sparsely furnished office to a blood-red couch standing against a vast expanse of window, he sat briefly. Drawing in a number of deep breaths, he closed his eyes and the room filled with a deep silence. When the silence seemed to begin to crush the air from the room, he stood and walked to the windows. One whole wall was made of glass, forming huge sliding doors leading out to a balcony, and it was towards this that he waved his hand. In silence the glass slid effortlessly open to reveal a wide and empty balcony overlooking the slate-grey mass of London in early February. This building was one of the tallest on the south bank of the Thames and from here he could see across the river and over the city and even out to the thin band of green where the countryside still tried in vain to resist the urban sprawl.

      D’Scover walked out on to the damp stone slabs of the balcony and lifted his head as the wind forced itself around him, ruffling his hair and clothes. Closing his eyes, he raised his hands, palms skyward, in front of him. He held this stance for a number of minutes before moving his arms, still extended and palms upwards, out to his sides. Expelling a long breath, he raised his hands swiftly above his head, clapping them together. In an instant the city became dark, as though a gigantic shadow had fallen across it for just a fraction of a second. On the balcony a faint image of a man held its shape momentarily before it shattered into a million tiny glistening grey particles that swirled away with the wind.

      Chapter Four – The Good Sister

      D’Scover had returned to form hours later in a whirling mist that thickened until it took on the shape of a man, gradually becoming more recognisable until he lay re-formed on the couch in his room, regulating his breathing in a slow and steady rhythm. With each intake of air he became more solid until, after another ten minutes of steady control, he looked as alive as any person in the street. With a final deep sigh he sat up and smoothed his hair back and stretched. Standing, he walked over to his huge oak desk and flicked the intercom unit.

      “Emma?” he said.

      “Emma has Dispersed, sir,” a youthful female voice replied. “It’s me, Julie. Did you have a restful Dispersal?”

      “Indeed I did. It has been СКАЧАТЬ