bl.necroscope2-第88部分

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dered　how　it　could　possibly　have　slipped　so　far　to　the　back　of　his　mind。　The　M？bius　strip　couldn't　claim　him；　not　yet；　anyway；　because　〃he　had　a　future。　Hadn't　he　seen　it　for　himself？
　He　could　even　witness　it　again　if　he　wished；　by　simply　finding　a　future…time　door。　Or　perhaps　this　time　it　wouldn't　be　so　simple。　What　if　the　M？bius　continuum　should　claim　him　while　he　traversed　time？　That　was　an　unbearable　thought：　to　hurtle　into　the　future　forever！　But　no　need　to　take　the　risk；　for　Harry　could　remember　it　well　enough：
　The　scarlet　life…line　drifting　closer；　angling　in　towards　his　own　and　Harry　junior's　blue　threads。　Yulian　Bodescu；　surely？
　And　then　the　infant's　life…thread　abruptly　veering　away　from　his　father's；　racing　off　at　a　tangent。　That　must　have　been　his　escape　from　the　vampire；　the　moment　when　he'd　first　used　the　M？bius　continuum　in　his　own　right。　After　that…then　there'd　been　that　impossible　collision：
　That　strange　blue　life…thread；　dimming；　crumbling；　disintegrating；　converging　with　Harry's　own　thread　out　of　nowhere。　The　two　had　seemed　to　bend　towards　each　other　as　by　some　mutual　attraction；　before　slamming　together　in　a　neon　blaze　and　speeding　on　as　one　thread。　Briefly　Harry　had　felt　the　presence…or　the　faint；　fading　echo…of　another　mind：　but　then　it　was　gone；　extinct；　and　his　thread　rushing　on　alone。
　Yes；　and　he　had　recognised　that　dying　echo　of　a　mind！　Now　he　knew　for　sure　where　he　must　go；　who　he　must　seek　out。　And　with　something　less　than　his　usual　dexterity；　he　found　his　way　to　INTESP　HO　in　London。
　
　The　top　floor…self…contained　suites　of　offices；　labs；　private　quarters　and　a　munal　recreation　room…which　prised　INTESP　HO　were　in　turmoil。　Fifteen　minutes　ago　something　had　occurred　which；　despite　the　nature　of　the　HO　and　the　various　talents　of　its　personnel；　was　pletely　beyond　all　previous　experience。　There　had　been　no　warning；　the　thing　had　not　telegraphed　itself　to　INTESP's　telepaths；　precogs　or　other　psychic　sensitives；　it　had　simply　〃happened〃；　and　left　the　espers　running　round　in　circles　like　ants　in　a　disturbed　nest。
　〃It〃　had　been　the　arrival　of　Harry　Keogh　Jnr　and　his　mother。
　The　first　INTESP　had　known　of　it　was　when　all　the　security　alarms　went　off　simultaneously。　Indicators　had　shown　that　the　intruder　was　in　the　top　office；　Alec　Kyle's　control　room。　No　one　but　John　Grieve　had　been　in　that　room　since　Kyle　flew　to　Italy；　and　the　place　was　now　secured。　There　couldn't　possibly　be　anybody　in　there。
　It　could　be　a　fault　in　the　alarm　system；　of　course；　but　and　then　had　e　the　first　real　intimations　of　what　was　happening。　All　of　INTESP's　espers　had　felt　it　at　the　same　time：　a　powerful　presence；　a　mental　giant　in　their　midst；　here　at　HO。　Harry　Keogh？
　Finally　they'd　got　the　door　to　Kyle's　office　open…and　found　mother　and　child　curled　up　together　in　the　middle　of　the　office　carpet。　Nothing　physical　had　ever　manifested　itself　in　this　way　before；　not　here　at　INTESP；　anyway。　When　Keogh　himself　had　visited　Kyle　here；　he　had　been　incorporeal；　without　substance；　a　mere　impression　of　the　man　Keogh　had　been。　But　these　people　were　real；　solid；　alive　and　breathing。　They　had　been　teleported　here。
　The　〃why〃　of　it　was　obvious：　to　escape　Bodescu。　As　for　the　〃how〃；　that　would　have　to　wait。　Mother　and　child　…and　therefore　INTESP　itself…were　safe；　and　that　was　the　main　thing。
　At　first　it　had　been　thought　that　Brenda　Keogh　was　simply　asleep；　but　when　Grieve　carefully　examined　her　he　found　the　large　soft　lump　at　the　back　of　her　head　and　guessed　she　was　concussed。　As　for　the　baby：　he　had　looked　around；　alert　and　wide…eyed；　appeared　a　little　startled　but　not　unduly　afraid；　lying　in　his　mother's　relaxed　arms　sucking　his　thumb！　Not　much　wrong　with　him。
　With　the　greatest　care　and　attention　to　their　task；　the　espers　had　then　carried　the　pair　to　staff　acmodation　and　put　them　to　bed；　and　a　doctor　had　been　summoned。　Then　INTESP's　buzzing　members　had　concentrated　themselves　in　the　ops　room　to　talk　it　over。　Which　was　when　Harry　came　on　the　scene。
　While　his　ing　was　startling；　if　anything　it　was　less　of　a　shock　and　more　of　an　anticlimax；　the　previous　materialisation　had　prepared　them　for　it。　It　might　even　be　said　that　he　was　expected。　John　Grieve　had　just　taken　the　ops　room　podium　and　turned　the　lights　down　a　little　when　Harry　appeared。　He　came　in　the　form　all　of　the　espers　had　heard　about　but　which　few　of　them；　and　none　present；　had　ever　seen：　a　faint　mesh　of　luminous　blue　filaments　…almost　a　hologram…in　the　image　of　a　man。　And　again　that　psychic　shock…wave　went　out；　telling　them　all　that　they　were　in　the　presence　of　a　metaphysical　Power。
　
　John　Grieve　felt　it；　too；　but　he　was　the　last　of　them　to　actually　see　Harry；　for　he'd　appeared　on　the　podium's　platform　slightly　to　Grieve's　rear。　Then　the　permanent　Duty　Officer　heard　the　concerted　gasp　that　went　up　from　his　small　audience　where　they'd　taken　their　seats；　and　he　turned　his　head。
　〃My　God！〃　he　said；　staggering　a　little。
　No；　said　Harry；　just　Harry　Keogh。　Are　you　all　right？〃
　Grieve　had　almost　fallen　from　the　podium；　only　finding　his　balance　at　the　last　moment。　He　steadied　himself；　said；　〃Yes；　I　think　so；〃　then　he　held　up　his　hand　to　quiet　the　buzz　of　excited；　expectant　conversation。　〃What's　happening；　Harry？〃　He　got　down　off　the　podium　and　backed　away。
　Try　not　to　be　frightened；　Harry　told　them　all。　This　was　a　ritual　he　was　getting　used　to。　I'm　one　of　you；　remember？
　〃We're　not　frightened；　Harry；〃　Ken　Layard　found　his　voice。　〃Just。。。　cautious。〃
　I'm　looking　for　Alec　Kyle；　said　Harry。　Is　he　back　yet？
　〃No；〃　Grieve　shook　his　head；　turned　his　face　away　a　little。　〃And　he　probably　won't　be。　But　your　wife　and　son　got　here　OK。〃
　The　Keogh　manifestation　sighed；　visibly　relaxed。　This　told　him　the　extent　of　the　baby's　delving　into　his　mind。　Good！　he　said；…about　Brenda　and　the　baby；　I　mean。　I　knew　they'd　be　somewhere　safe；　but　this　place　has　to　be　the　safest。
　The　handful　of　espers　were　now　on　their　feet；　had　e　forward　to　the　base　of　the　raised　platform。　〃But　didn't　you；　er；　send　them　here？〃　Grieve　was　puzzled。
　Harry　shook　his　neon　head。　That　was　the　baby's　doing。　He　brought　them　both　here；　through　the　M？bius　continuum。　You'd　better　look　after　that　one；　for　he's　going　to　be　a　hell　of　an　asset！　Listen；　there　are　things　that　can't　wait；　so　explanations　will　have　to。　Tell　me　about　Alec。
　
　Grieve　did；　and　Layard　added；　〃I　know　he's　there；　at　the　Chateau；　but　I　read　him　like。。。　well；　like　he's　dead。〃
　That　hit　Harry　hard。　That　strange　blue　life…thread；　dimming；　crumbling；　disintegrating。　Alec　Kyle！
　There　are　things　you'll　want　to　know；　he　told　them；　apparently　in　a　hurry　now。　Things　you　have　every　right　to　know。　First；　Yulian　Bodescu　is　dead。
　Someone　whistled　his　appreciation；　and　Layard　cried；　〃Christ；　that's　wonderful！〃
　It　was　Harry's　turn　to　avert　his　face。　Guy　Roberts　is　dead；　too；　he　said。
　For　a　moment　there　was　silence；　then　someone　asked；　〃Darcy　Clarke？〃
　He's　fine；　Harry　answered；　as　far　as　I　know。　Listen；　everything　else　will　have　to　wait。　I've　got　to　go　now。　But　I've　a　feeling　I'll　be　seeing　all　of　you　again。
　He　collapsed　in　upon　himself　to　a　single　point　of　radiant　blue　light；　and　disappeared。
　
　Harry　knew　the　route　to　the　Chateau　Bronnitsy　well　enough；　but　the　M？bius　continuum　fought　him　all　the　way；。　It　fought　to　retain　him；　to　keep　him　to　itself。　The　longer　he　remained　unbodied；　the　worse　it　would　bee；　until　finally　he'd　be　trapped　in　the　endless　night　of　an　alien　dimension。　But　not　yet。
　Alec　Kyle　was　not　dead　and　Harry　knew　it；　if　he　had　been　then　Harry　could　simply　reach　out　his　mind　and　talk　to　him；　as　he　talked　to　all　the　dead。　But　though　he　tried　…however　tentatively　at　first；　cringingly…mercifully　there　was　no　contact。　This　made　him　bolder；　he　tried　harder；　putting　every　effort　into　contacting　Kyle's　mind；　while　yet　hoping　that　he'd　fail。　But　this　time…Harry　felt　horror　wash　over　him　as　indeed　he　picked　up　the　faint；　failing　echo　of　the　man　h~　had　known。　An　echo；　yes：　a　de…pairing；　fading　cry　tailing　off　into　nothing。
　
　But　it　was　all　the　beacon　Harry　needed；　and　he　homed　in　on　it　in　a　moment。
　Then。。。　it　was　as　if　he　were　caught　in　a　maelstrom！　It　was　Harry　Jnr　all　over　again；　but　ten　times　worse；　and　this　time　there　was　no　resisting　it。　Harry　did　not　have　to　fight　free　of　the　M？bius　continuum　but　was　ripped　out　of　it　intact。　Torn　from　it　and　inserted　…Elsewhere！
　
　It　hadn't　been　easy　but　Zek　F？ener　had　eventually　fallen　asleep；　only　to　toss　and　turn　for　hours　in　the　throes　of　sheerest　nightmare。　Finally　she'd　started　awake　in　the　small　hours　of　the　morning　and　looked　all　about　in　the　darkness　of　her　spartan　room。　For　the　first　time　since　ing　to　the　Chateau　Bronnitsy　the　place　seemed　alien　to　her；　her　job　here　was　empty　now；　it　offered　neither　reward　nor　satisfaction。　Indeed　it　was　evil。　It　was　evil　because　the　people　she　worked　for　were　evil。　Under　Felix　Krakovitch　things　had　been　different；　but　under　Ivan　Gerenko。。。　his　very　name　had　bee　a　bad　taste　in　Zek's　mouth。　Her　life　would　be　impossible　if　he　took　control　here。　And　as　for　that　squat；　murderous　toad　Theo　Dolgikh。
　Zek　had　got　up；　splashed　cold　water　in　her　face；　made　her　way　down　to　the　cellars　which　housed　the　Chateau's　various　exper