just down the road and waited for them. Michael had booked a table for six o’clock so they could get to the theater in Shaftsbury Avenue in plenty of time for
Nobody’s Freedom
at seven thirty.
I had my phone out, pretending to read it so I didn’t seem suspicious. There were a lot of people in Chinatown. I didn’t see Michael and Jyoti at first.
Then Vladimir walked past me. I gasped.
And then The Worst thing happened. He stopped and slowly looked around. Vladimir McCann was staring right at me. He frowned, like he was dragging up the memory of who I was from some deep place in his brain.
Does he know I’m Big Russell?
I ran. I was scared. I had to get clear. My soul is immortal, but my Julian body certainly isn’t. I didn’t want to die! I didn’t care that I was banging into people. I knocked into Jyoti as I went. Her face only registered when I was past. I glanced back and saw Michael giving me an angry glance as he steadied her. Behind him, Vladimir was still frowning at me, but he was turning now, trying to avoid being seen by his stalking targets.
Just for a moment Michael and I were looking right at each other, but I didn’t stop running. I was frightened what Vladimir would do.
After all, Michael remembered coming out of the office just after twelve thirty.
It’s going to be a short lunch; the bank’s base interest rise this morning has caught everyone by surprise. The stock market is going wild, and the rise is throwing a dozen deals we’ve got in the pipeline. They all have to be reviewed, and there is no time. There never is in this business. And it just has to be now, after last night and Jyoti telling me she’s pregnant. It’s damn hard to concentrate on anything right now.
I’m on the steps outside the building’s main entrance when I hear a siren in the distance—police or ambulance, I can never tell. Behind me, Nancy the door warden calls out: “Hey, you! Yes, you. I know you. What are you doing?” Then she’s yelling in shock. Something heavy thuds onto the ground. I turn around. Vladimir McCann is standing two yards behind me. His arm is held out, a revolver in his hand, pointing at my head.
I freeze.
He snarls in fury. Lurches. Fires.
The muzzle flash is as bright as the sun. Pain stabs into me. Then there is only blackness—
Chapter 18
The End Paradox
I was shivering when I got back to the flat. Remembering Michael’s death had lowered my body temperature to ice.
Dad came out of the bedroom, tying his dressing gown belt. “You’re back early.” Then he took one look at me and said: “What’s happened, Jules?”
“Nothing.” I shook my head. “I’m fine.”
Rachel appeared, a concerned expression on her face. She was in her dressing gown as well. “You look terrible. Was it those kids again?”
“No. I’m fine.”
“Sit here,” Dad said.
I didn’t argue. I didn’t have any strength left. I sat on the lounge settee.
“It was those kids, wasn’t it?” Dad said angrily. He was examining my clothes, trying to find evidence of me being mugged.
Rachel put the Braun electric thermometer in my ear.
“Did you change the sleeve?” I asked anxiously. Used sleeves have lots of bacteria; they can cause serious ear infections.
“Yes.” She smiled. “Not too bad, then.”
The thermometer bleeped.
“What is it?” I asked.
Rachel read the display and pursed her lips. “Slightly high.”
That surprised me. I was so cold. “I’m okay, really.”
“What rating was the film?” Dad asked.
“Twelve A,” I told him.
“Was there something bad in it?”
I shrugged. “Somebody died. A lot of people actually.”
“Oh, Jules.” He gave me a hug. “Maybe James Bond wasn’t the right thing for you to go and see, not right now. Too soon, huh.”
“You poor thing,” Rachel said sympathetically.
“I’m all right.”
“Have you had anything to eat?”
“I think I just want to go to bed now, thanks.”
“You have to eat something. Your
Nobody’s Freedom
at seven thirty.
I had my phone out, pretending to read it so I didn’t seem suspicious. There were a lot of people in Chinatown. I didn’t see Michael and Jyoti at first.
Then Vladimir walked past me. I gasped.
And then The Worst thing happened. He stopped and slowly looked around. Vladimir McCann was staring right at me. He frowned, like he was dragging up the memory of who I was from some deep place in his brain.
Does he know I’m Big Russell?
I ran. I was scared. I had to get clear. My soul is immortal, but my Julian body certainly isn’t. I didn’t want to die! I didn’t care that I was banging into people. I knocked into Jyoti as I went. Her face only registered when I was past. I glanced back and saw Michael giving me an angry glance as he steadied her. Behind him, Vladimir was still frowning at me, but he was turning now, trying to avoid being seen by his stalking targets.
Just for a moment Michael and I were looking right at each other, but I didn’t stop running. I was frightened what Vladimir would do.
After all, Michael remembered coming out of the office just after twelve thirty.
It’s going to be a short lunch; the bank’s base interest rise this morning has caught everyone by surprise. The stock market is going wild, and the rise is throwing a dozen deals we’ve got in the pipeline. They all have to be reviewed, and there is no time. There never is in this business. And it just has to be now, after last night and Jyoti telling me she’s pregnant. It’s damn hard to concentrate on anything right now.
I’m on the steps outside the building’s main entrance when I hear a siren in the distance—police or ambulance, I can never tell. Behind me, Nancy the door warden calls out: “Hey, you! Yes, you. I know you. What are you doing?” Then she’s yelling in shock. Something heavy thuds onto the ground. I turn around. Vladimir McCann is standing two yards behind me. His arm is held out, a revolver in his hand, pointing at my head.
I freeze.
He snarls in fury. Lurches. Fires.
The muzzle flash is as bright as the sun. Pain stabs into me. Then there is only blackness—
Chapter 18
The End Paradox
I was shivering when I got back to the flat. Remembering Michael’s death had lowered my body temperature to ice.
Dad came out of the bedroom, tying his dressing gown belt. “You’re back early.” Then he took one look at me and said: “What’s happened, Jules?”
“Nothing.” I shook my head. “I’m fine.”
Rachel appeared, a concerned expression on her face. She was in her dressing gown as well. “You look terrible. Was it those kids again?”
“No. I’m fine.”
“Sit here,” Dad said.
I didn’t argue. I didn’t have any strength left. I sat on the lounge settee.
“It was those kids, wasn’t it?” Dad said angrily. He was examining my clothes, trying to find evidence of me being mugged.
Rachel put the Braun electric thermometer in my ear.
“Did you change the sleeve?” I asked anxiously. Used sleeves have lots of bacteria; they can cause serious ear infections.
“Yes.” She smiled. “Not too bad, then.”
The thermometer bleeped.
“What is it?” I asked.
Rachel read the display and pursed her lips. “Slightly high.”
That surprised me. I was so cold. “I’m okay, really.”
“What rating was the film?” Dad asked.
“Twelve A,” I told him.
“Was there something bad in it?”
I shrugged. “Somebody died. A lot of people actually.”
“Oh, Jules.” He gave me a hug. “Maybe James Bond wasn’t the right thing for you to go and see, not right now. Too soon, huh.”
“You poor thing,” Rachel said sympathetically.
“I’m all right.”
“Have you had anything to eat?”
“I think I just want to go to bed now, thanks.”
“You have to eat something. Your
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