Read Online Nightside 09 - Just Another Judgement Day by Simon R. Green - Free Book Online
Authors: Simon R. Green
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sacrificed to the greater good.
“My boys, my fine boys . . . are strangers to me now. You’re all I’ve got, John. The only son of my oldest friend. I’d forgotten how much that time meant to me, until I met your father again during the Lilith War. Those happy days of our youth . . . We thought we were going to change the world; and unfortunately we did. Now your father is gone, again, and you’re all I’ve got left, John. Perhaps the nearest thing to a real son I’ll ever have. The only son who could ever hope to understand me.”
“How many times have you tried to kill me?” I said. “Directly, or indirectly?”
“That’s family for you,” said Walker. “In the Nightside.”
I looked at him for a long time.
“Don’t listen to him,” said Suzie. “You can’t believe him. It’s Walker.”
“The words manipulative and emotional blackmail do spring to mind,” I said. “This is all so sudden, Walker.”
“I know,” he said calmly. “I put it all down to midlife crisis myself.”
“And where does all this leave us?” I said.
“Exactly where we were before,” said Walker. “We’ll still probably end up having to kill each other, someday. For what will no doubt seem like perfectly good reasons at the time. But it means . . . I’m allowed to be concerned. About you, and Suzie. And no, you don’t get a say in the matter.”
“We’re doing fine,” said Suzie. “We’re making progress.”
She let one arm rest casually across my shoulders. And I hope only I could tell what the effort cost her.
“Let us talk about the Walking Man,” I said. Everything else could wait till later, after I’d had more time to think about it. “He’s never come here before. So, why now?”
“In the past, the Nightside’s unique nature kept out all direct agents of Heaven and Hell,” said Walker. “But since Lilith was banished again, it appears a subtle change has come over the Nightside, and many things that were not possible before are cropping up now with regrettable regularity.”
“So all kinds of agents for the Good could be turning up here?” I said.
“Or agents of Evil,” said Suzie.
“Well, quite,” murmured Walker. “As if things weren’t complicated enough . . .”
“Still,” I said, “what’s bringing the Walking Man here now ?”
“It would appear he disapproves of the new Authorities,” said Walker. “The group whose interests I now represent.”
“That’s why you’re here!” I said. “Because if they’re in danger, so are you!”
Walker smiled and said nothing.
“Who are they?” said Suzie. “These new Authorities? The old bunch were nothing more than faceless businessmen who ran things because they owned most of the Nightside. So, are we talking about their families? The next generation? Meet the new boss, same as the old boss, don’t get screwed again?”
“The inheritors?” said Walker, with something very like a sniff. “They wish. We saw them off. One quick glimpse of what actually goes on here, and they couldn’t sell their holdings fast enough. No . . . Certain personages in the Nightside have come together to represent the main interests in this place. Essentially, the Nightside is now determined to run itself.”
“Who, exactly?” I said. “Who are these brand-new self-appointed Authorities? Do I know them?”
“Some of them, certainly,” said Walker. “They all know you. That’s why I’m here.”
“How can you serve people from the Nightside?” I said, honestly curious. “You’ve never made any secret about your feelings for us. You always said the best thing to do would be to nuke the place and wipe out the whole damned freak show once and for all.”
“I’ve mellowed,” said Walker. “Just possibly, these new Authorities can bring about real change, from within. I would like to see that, before I die. Now, come with me and meet the new Authorities. Hear what they have to say; learn what they mean to do. Before the
“My boys, my fine boys . . . are strangers to me now. You’re all I’ve got, John. The only son of my oldest friend. I’d forgotten how much that time meant to me, until I met your father again during the Lilith War. Those happy days of our youth . . . We thought we were going to change the world; and unfortunately we did. Now your father is gone, again, and you’re all I’ve got left, John. Perhaps the nearest thing to a real son I’ll ever have. The only son who could ever hope to understand me.”
“How many times have you tried to kill me?” I said. “Directly, or indirectly?”
“That’s family for you,” said Walker. “In the Nightside.”
I looked at him for a long time.
“Don’t listen to him,” said Suzie. “You can’t believe him. It’s Walker.”
“The words manipulative and emotional blackmail do spring to mind,” I said. “This is all so sudden, Walker.”
“I know,” he said calmly. “I put it all down to midlife crisis myself.”
“And where does all this leave us?” I said.
“Exactly where we were before,” said Walker. “We’ll still probably end up having to kill each other, someday. For what will no doubt seem like perfectly good reasons at the time. But it means . . . I’m allowed to be concerned. About you, and Suzie. And no, you don’t get a say in the matter.”
“We’re doing fine,” said Suzie. “We’re making progress.”
She let one arm rest casually across my shoulders. And I hope only I could tell what the effort cost her.
“Let us talk about the Walking Man,” I said. Everything else could wait till later, after I’d had more time to think about it. “He’s never come here before. So, why now?”
“In the past, the Nightside’s unique nature kept out all direct agents of Heaven and Hell,” said Walker. “But since Lilith was banished again, it appears a subtle change has come over the Nightside, and many things that were not possible before are cropping up now with regrettable regularity.”
“So all kinds of agents for the Good could be turning up here?” I said.
“Or agents of Evil,” said Suzie.
“Well, quite,” murmured Walker. “As if things weren’t complicated enough . . .”
“Still,” I said, “what’s bringing the Walking Man here now ?”
“It would appear he disapproves of the new Authorities,” said Walker. “The group whose interests I now represent.”
“That’s why you’re here!” I said. “Because if they’re in danger, so are you!”
Walker smiled and said nothing.
“Who are they?” said Suzie. “These new Authorities? The old bunch were nothing more than faceless businessmen who ran things because they owned most of the Nightside. So, are we talking about their families? The next generation? Meet the new boss, same as the old boss, don’t get screwed again?”
“The inheritors?” said Walker, with something very like a sniff. “They wish. We saw them off. One quick glimpse of what actually goes on here, and they couldn’t sell their holdings fast enough. No . . . Certain personages in the Nightside have come together to represent the main interests in this place. Essentially, the Nightside is now determined to run itself.”
“Who, exactly?” I said. “Who are these brand-new self-appointed Authorities? Do I know them?”
“Some of them, certainly,” said Walker. “They all know you. That’s why I’m here.”
“How can you serve people from the Nightside?” I said, honestly curious. “You’ve never made any secret about your feelings for us. You always said the best thing to do would be to nuke the place and wipe out the whole damned freak show once and for all.”
“I’ve mellowed,” said Walker. “Just possibly, these new Authorities can bring about real change, from within. I would like to see that, before I die. Now, come with me and meet the new Authorities. Hear what they have to say; learn what they mean to do. Before the
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