Read Online Voices From Beyond (A Ghost Finders Novel) by Simon R. Green - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Simon R. Green
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in these uncertain times?” he said, carefully. “When you know absolutely anyone in the Carnacki Institute could be a traitor or a double agent, or a servant of the Flesh Undying? Who can you rely on to have your back? Old friends, perhaps?”
“In our business, you learn never to rely on friends,” said Catherine. “They’re the ones you have to keep an eye on. You always know where you are with your enemies.”
“I don’t think I ever want to learn to think that way,” said JC.
“I used to feel the same, once upon a time,” said Catherine, surprisingly. “But it comes with the job, and the territory.”
She turned to face JC and considered him thoughtfully. And then, quite suddenly, her eyes blazed with a fierce, golden glow. A very familiar golden light, much like the one that issued from JC’s eyes when they weren’t hidden behind very dark sunglasses. The glare was only there for a moment, then the golden light snapped off, leaving Catherine Latimer regarding JC with her usual cool grey gaze. JC realised his mouth was hanging open and closed it abruptly. He swallowed hard, his mind trying to race off in a dozen different directions at once. A quick glance around was enough to confirm none of the people hurrying by had seen anything out of the ordinary. The golden glare had been meant for him alone.
“But . . . You . . . What the hell?” said JC.
“I learned long ago how to conceal my altered gaze,” said Catherine. “You will, too. You can’t go around in sunglasses all the time. It draws far too much attention. Suppressing the glare is quite a simple discipline. Even you could master it.”
“When were you touched by forces from Outside?” said JC, honestly shocked.
“That is a story for another time,” said Catherine.
“How many are there?” said JC. “I mean, how many, like us?”
“More than you’d think,” said Catherine. “Scattered across the world, in all kinds of organisations. The forces from Outside do so love to meddle. They hang around outside our reality like drunks outside a wine lodge. Drawn to Humanity like moths to a flame. Except we’re the ones who get burned.”
“Why did you want to speak to just me?” JC said suddenly. “And not the rest of my team? Don’t you trust them? Am I supposed to keep this from them?”
“You can tell your associates as much as you feel is safe,” said Catherine. “I’m sure you already keep some secrets from them, and vice versa. You are here, Mr. Chance, because since you have been touched and altered by Outside forces, certain others will find it harder to get inside your head and see what’s there. So I can tell you things, in the certainty that they are unlikely to go any further. Like my true nature. That puts you on a very short short list. You should feel honoured.”
“Oh, I do,” said JC. “Really. You have no idea how honoured. And more scared and less safe than I did before I entered this park to talk with you.”
“Good,” said Catherine, approvingly. “You see, you’re learning. It’s not that I don’t trust Miss Chambers and Mr. Palmer, or at least I don’t distrust them any more than anyone else who works for me; it’s that I can’t be as sure of their personal security as I can be with you.” She stopped, and her mouth pursed in a brief moue of distaste, as though she’d thought of something unpleasant. “The telepath—is he still . . .”
“Yes,” said JC. “Even more than before. I did think he was getting better; but apparently that was wishful thinking on my part.”
“Drugs are no substitute for proper mental discipline,” said Catherine. “He must learn to control himself or the drugs will control him. You do realise, the path he has chosen will not lead him anywhere good.”
“There’s nothing I can do!” JC protested. “I can see what the damned pills are doing to him. I’m not blind. But . . . he can’t function without them.”
“We all have the right to go to
“In our business, you learn never to rely on friends,” said Catherine. “They’re the ones you have to keep an eye on. You always know where you are with your enemies.”
“I don’t think I ever want to learn to think that way,” said JC.
“I used to feel the same, once upon a time,” said Catherine, surprisingly. “But it comes with the job, and the territory.”
She turned to face JC and considered him thoughtfully. And then, quite suddenly, her eyes blazed with a fierce, golden glow. A very familiar golden light, much like the one that issued from JC’s eyes when they weren’t hidden behind very dark sunglasses. The glare was only there for a moment, then the golden light snapped off, leaving Catherine Latimer regarding JC with her usual cool grey gaze. JC realised his mouth was hanging open and closed it abruptly. He swallowed hard, his mind trying to race off in a dozen different directions at once. A quick glance around was enough to confirm none of the people hurrying by had seen anything out of the ordinary. The golden glare had been meant for him alone.
“But . . . You . . . What the hell?” said JC.
“I learned long ago how to conceal my altered gaze,” said Catherine. “You will, too. You can’t go around in sunglasses all the time. It draws far too much attention. Suppressing the glare is quite a simple discipline. Even you could master it.”
“When were you touched by forces from Outside?” said JC, honestly shocked.
“That is a story for another time,” said Catherine.
“How many are there?” said JC. “I mean, how many, like us?”
“More than you’d think,” said Catherine. “Scattered across the world, in all kinds of organisations. The forces from Outside do so love to meddle. They hang around outside our reality like drunks outside a wine lodge. Drawn to Humanity like moths to a flame. Except we’re the ones who get burned.”
“Why did you want to speak to just me?” JC said suddenly. “And not the rest of my team? Don’t you trust them? Am I supposed to keep this from them?”
“You can tell your associates as much as you feel is safe,” said Catherine. “I’m sure you already keep some secrets from them, and vice versa. You are here, Mr. Chance, because since you have been touched and altered by Outside forces, certain others will find it harder to get inside your head and see what’s there. So I can tell you things, in the certainty that they are unlikely to go any further. Like my true nature. That puts you on a very short short list. You should feel honoured.”
“Oh, I do,” said JC. “Really. You have no idea how honoured. And more scared and less safe than I did before I entered this park to talk with you.”
“Good,” said Catherine, approvingly. “You see, you’re learning. It’s not that I don’t trust Miss Chambers and Mr. Palmer, or at least I don’t distrust them any more than anyone else who works for me; it’s that I can’t be as sure of their personal security as I can be with you.” She stopped, and her mouth pursed in a brief moue of distaste, as though she’d thought of something unpleasant. “The telepath—is he still . . .”
“Yes,” said JC. “Even more than before. I did think he was getting better; but apparently that was wishful thinking on my part.”
“Drugs are no substitute for proper mental discipline,” said Catherine. “He must learn to control himself or the drugs will control him. You do realise, the path he has chosen will not lead him anywhere good.”
“There’s nothing I can do!” JC protested. “I can see what the damned pills are doing to him. I’m not blind. But . . . he can’t function without them.”
“We all have the right to go to
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