Harry nodded. ‘I didn’t mean to put you down. What you’ve done is wonderful. It’s worked out perfectly – so far. But now I want to find out something about this man’s background, like why he’s the way he is. Such knowledge might be of use, that’s all. If not to me, to E-Branch after I’ve gone. Also, I’m curious about his name. You said something about Dragosani also being a foundling? Well, maybe there’s more to that than you thought or intended. So … I have one or two things to learn about this Johnny Found. And, of course, I want to get to him before the police. He’d be charged with murder, I know, but what he’s done and would still do is worth a lot more than that. He came on very cruel. And that’s how he should go out.’ The Necroscope’s voice as he finished speaking was a deep growl, sinking deeper all the time. Jordan was happy to keep out of his mind, but he couldn’t help thinking to himself: Mr Johnny Found – who or whatever, or why ever you are – I wouldn’t be in your shoes for all the gold in Fort Knox!
Ben Trask had called his briefing for 2:00 p.m. and all available E-Branch operatives were present. The Minister Responsible was there, too, accompanied by Geoffrey Paxton, whom Trask really hadn’t expected to see. But he made no fuss about it; it had dawned on him that the job was too important to let personalities interfere. It just struck him as incongruous that while a low-life specimen such as Paxton was safe and legitimate, the good stuff such as Harry Keogh had crashed foul of fate and was about to become a victim of his own methods. Sure, for it had been Harry who showed the Branch how to do this sort of thing. How to set it up, what weapons to use – the stake, the sword, the fire – and how to strike. In order to kill vampires.
When everyone was present Trask wasted no time but got right down to it. ‘By now all of you know what Harry Keogh has become,’ he began. ‘Which is to say, he’s the most dangerous creature who ever lived . . . partly because he carries this plague of vampirism, which could consume all of us and for which there’s no cure. Well, there have been others before Harry and they all succumbed – usually to the Necroscope himself! And that’s the rest of what makes him so dangerous: he knows all about it, about us, about . . . just about everything. Now don’t get me wrong: he isn’t a superman and never has been, but he is the next best thing. Which was great when he was on our side but isn’t quite so hot right now. Oh, yes, and unlike the other vampires the Branch has dealt with, Harry will know we’re after him.’
He let that sink in, then continued: ‘Some other things that make him dangerous. He’s become a telepath, so from now on all you thought-thieves keep a close watch on your minds. If not, Harry will be in there. And if he knows what we’re doing as we’re doing it, then he won’t be waiting around for it to happen, right? He’s a teleport, too, and uses something called the Möbius Continuum to come and go as he pleases. He can be literally anywhere he wants to be, instantaneously! Think about that . . .
‘Last but not least – that we know of, anyway – Harry is now a necromancer no less than Dragosani was; no, more than Dragosani was. Because Dragosani only examined his victims. Harry on the other hand can bring them back from the dead, even from their ashes – as vampires, we think. And as such, obviously they’d be working for him. So, what I’m saying is that everything he’s previously achieved has now been totally reversed: he is our target! Harry, and anyone who works with him.
‘A lot of you will be wondering about Darcy Clarke, so let me put you in the picture. Darcy died … by accident.’ Trask at once held up a restraining hand, because he’d seen faces beginning to tighten and mouths opening questioningly. ‘It was an accident of sorts,’ he repeated, ‘and in its way understandable if not entirely acceptable. Now, I’ve had to do a lot of soul-searching myself in order to come to terms with this, and so I can readily understand your confusion. But Darcy had been changed. He must have been, else we couldn’t have killed him. That’s right, I said “we”, the Branch. If he’d lived he would have been our weakest link, and sooner or later we’d be obliged to deal with him anyway. But he isn’t alive and can’t be brought back or … interfered with, not where he is now. For we’ve had him cremated – already, yes – and even now his ashes are being scattered. If he was one of Harry’s people, which it has to be said seems likely, then he isn’t any more.