Read Online robert Charrette - Arthur 02 - A King Beneath the Mountain by Robert N. Charrette - Free Book Online
Authors: Robert N. Charrette
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least in part, from his sojourn in the otherworld. Given his history, I am told that such a reaction is understandable."
She knew Kun's history, too, and she'd seen how he'd taken facing it in the otherworld. These bastards had done something to him. They must have. Given him Pentatell, at least. He'd have taken it if they'd asked him to; he was a good soldier. Her respect for Magnus's leadership was faltering.
Well, Kun might be a good little soldier, but Spae wasn't any kind of soldier, good or otherwise.
"I'm not taking any drugs."
"Consider our position, Doctor." Magnus sounded reasonable. Spae wasn't interested in being reasonable if it meant having chemicals pumped into her system. "We can't force you—"
"Damned right!"
"—but I wish you would consider the bigger picture. We need corroboration and have limited sources to rely upon. Mr. Kun offered his full cooperation, but his condition was a problem. You yourself admit to experiencing unusual and surreal phenomena. Consider the possibility that you may be a victim of delayed trauma yourself. The effects of transport to the otherworld are unknown. Even setting aside the possible effects of the concussion you received during the firefight with the Mitsutomo operatives, your memories are suspect. We need verification."
"We need facts," Dagastino cut in.
"Consider our situation, Dr. Spae. Only you and Mr. Kun seem to have survived your trip—"
"Alleged trip," Dagastino interrupted.
Magnus resumed his speech after the barest of hesitations. "You are one of two visitors to the otherworld to whom we have access. Mr. Kun's unfortunate condition has rendered him nearly useless as a source of information. As to the rest of your traveling party, they are all dead or missing. This Bennett, the elf-—"
"Alleged elf." Dagastino again.
Magnus cleared his throat. "Bennett remained in the other-world. Harold Black is dead. We have no information on the whereabouts of the sleeper. John Reddy, who you say accompanied you to the otherworld and survived, is listed as dead, killed in the awakening of the sleeper."
All old news. "I explained that. It was even in the prelim report. The body wasn't his."
"Then whose body was it, Dr. Spae?" L'Hereaux asked. "Computer records map the physical characteristics of the corpse exactly to those listed in John Reddy's profile."
"The body was a mundane," Dr. Essenbach said. "There was no indication of any connection with the supernatural other than the cause of death. Didn't you say that Reddy claimed to be the son of an elf lord?"
"Bennett claimed that," she corrected.
"Bennett? The elf?" L'Hereaux's suspicious tone all but accused her of lying.
"Yes, the damn elf!"
"Reddy did not claim such a heritage, then?"
"He believed what Bennett said."
"But you do not?"
Did she believe it? Reddy hadn't looked like an elf, but there had been an aura of magic around him. "I don't know. It's a possibility."
"Couldn't you read his aura?" Dagastino asked maliciously.
L'Hereaux didn't let her get a word in. "Do you consider yourself on good terms with this Mr. Bennett?"
"After what happened? I don't think so."
"Then you have lost the Department a contact with a lord of the otherworld."
"I didn't lose anything." "Oh, no? Who else was there? You were our specialist on the spot, Doctor. Who else had responsibility? Where is the sleeper? Where is Reddy?"
Why was L'Hereaux being such a badger? She had answered all these questions before. "I don't know."
"Don't know or are not willing to tell?"
Lord, the man wouldn't let go. "I said I don't know."
"Do you know who else is involved in this affair? Do you have connections with outside interests, Doctor?"
So they were back to that. "Are you referring to Mitsu-tomo?"
"I asked you the question, Doctor," L'Hereaux said harshly. "What role is Mitsutomo taking in this affair?"
"How should I know? I'm not on their payroll. If anything, I'd say that they seem to be antagonistic toward
She knew Kun's history, too, and she'd seen how he'd taken facing it in the otherworld. These bastards had done something to him. They must have. Given him Pentatell, at least. He'd have taken it if they'd asked him to; he was a good soldier. Her respect for Magnus's leadership was faltering.
Well, Kun might be a good little soldier, but Spae wasn't any kind of soldier, good or otherwise.
"I'm not taking any drugs."
"Consider our position, Doctor." Magnus sounded reasonable. Spae wasn't interested in being reasonable if it meant having chemicals pumped into her system. "We can't force you—"
"Damned right!"
"—but I wish you would consider the bigger picture. We need corroboration and have limited sources to rely upon. Mr. Kun offered his full cooperation, but his condition was a problem. You yourself admit to experiencing unusual and surreal phenomena. Consider the possibility that you may be a victim of delayed trauma yourself. The effects of transport to the otherworld are unknown. Even setting aside the possible effects of the concussion you received during the firefight with the Mitsutomo operatives, your memories are suspect. We need verification."
"We need facts," Dagastino cut in.
"Consider our situation, Dr. Spae. Only you and Mr. Kun seem to have survived your trip—"
"Alleged trip," Dagastino interrupted.
Magnus resumed his speech after the barest of hesitations. "You are one of two visitors to the otherworld to whom we have access. Mr. Kun's unfortunate condition has rendered him nearly useless as a source of information. As to the rest of your traveling party, they are all dead or missing. This Bennett, the elf-—"
"Alleged elf." Dagastino again.
Magnus cleared his throat. "Bennett remained in the other-world. Harold Black is dead. We have no information on the whereabouts of the sleeper. John Reddy, who you say accompanied you to the otherworld and survived, is listed as dead, killed in the awakening of the sleeper."
All old news. "I explained that. It was even in the prelim report. The body wasn't his."
"Then whose body was it, Dr. Spae?" L'Hereaux asked. "Computer records map the physical characteristics of the corpse exactly to those listed in John Reddy's profile."
"The body was a mundane," Dr. Essenbach said. "There was no indication of any connection with the supernatural other than the cause of death. Didn't you say that Reddy claimed to be the son of an elf lord?"
"Bennett claimed that," she corrected.
"Bennett? The elf?" L'Hereaux's suspicious tone all but accused her of lying.
"Yes, the damn elf!"
"Reddy did not claim such a heritage, then?"
"He believed what Bennett said."
"But you do not?"
Did she believe it? Reddy hadn't looked like an elf, but there had been an aura of magic around him. "I don't know. It's a possibility."
"Couldn't you read his aura?" Dagastino asked maliciously.
L'Hereaux didn't let her get a word in. "Do you consider yourself on good terms with this Mr. Bennett?"
"After what happened? I don't think so."
"Then you have lost the Department a contact with a lord of the otherworld."
"I didn't lose anything." "Oh, no? Who else was there? You were our specialist on the spot, Doctor. Who else had responsibility? Where is the sleeper? Where is Reddy?"
Why was L'Hereaux being such a badger? She had answered all these questions before. "I don't know."
"Don't know or are not willing to tell?"
Lord, the man wouldn't let go. "I said I don't know."
"Do you know who else is involved in this affair? Do you have connections with outside interests, Doctor?"
So they were back to that. "Are you referring to Mitsu-tomo?"
"I asked you the question, Doctor," L'Hereaux said harshly. "What role is Mitsutomo taking in this affair?"
"How should I know? I'm not on their payroll. If anything, I'd say that they seem to be antagonistic toward
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