It could be a fault in the alarm system, of course, but and then had come 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 accommodation 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 coming 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 come 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 Möbius 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.