First Horseman, The by Clem Chambers Page A

across.
    Jim studied the move. He was in trouble again: what he had thought was a strong position had been split deftly in two. ‘Bugger,’ he said.
    ‘No,’ said Cardini. ‘Buggered, I believe, would be more accurate.’ He took a little bottle from his inside pocket, unscrewed the cap and had a sip. He watched Jim watching him take his medicine. ‘This will be a trying few days,’ he said, ‘cause for a little support, I fear.’ He held out the bottle to Jim. ‘Would you like to sample the effect?’
    Jim looked at the little vial. ‘Of course,’ he said, ‘but you know how it is. Just say, “No” – right?’
    ‘It’s a mild tincture,’ said Cardini. ‘No more than a tonic, really, in comparison to a treatment. I would recommend it.’ Cardini’s hand was most of the way across the table, holding the vial out to him.
    Jim looked at the little bottle. It held a watery, slightly opaque liquid. His nose caught the perfume of pears. Appetising. He took the bottle.
    ‘Only a drop on the tip of the tongue,’ said Cardini.
    Jim poured a little into his mouth. It tasted like pear-flavoured olive oil.
    Cardini took the vial from him and replaced the cap, watching Jim’s expression.
    A wave of heat rolled down Jim’s throat and the flavour, in a sudden rush, seemed to shoot along hidden nerve pathways to his brain. He closed his eyes tightly: he had never tasted anything inside his brain before, only on his tongue. If was as if his mind had suddenly become part of his mouth. ‘This is crazy,’ he gasped. ‘It’s like someone’s baking a cake in my head.’
    ‘That will soon pass,’ said Cardini.
    ‘Pity.’ He opened his eyes as the delicious fumes started to die away. He looked down at the board. ‘Ha.’ He laughed. Cardini was screwed. He moved a pawn forward. ‘I think that’s serious “ownage” on your king’s side,’ he said.
    Cardini grinned. ‘Yes, of course,’ he said. ‘Now I have clarity I can see how that has been a risk for some time.’ He laid his king down in defeat.
    ‘Wait,’ said Jim. ‘What are you doing?’
    ‘Checkmate in eight moves,’ said Cardini.
    Jim sat up straight. ‘Really?’
    ‘I’m afraid I’ve been too generous. Mental acceleration is a side effect of the tincture.’ He handed the vial to Jim. ‘You may keep this,’ he said.
    ‘Thanks.’
    ‘I will, of course, invoice you for ten million.’
    ‘Dollars?’ asked Jim, looking at the tiny bottle.
    ‘Pounds. You are British, are you not?’ Cardini burst into thunderous laughter.
    ‘OK,’ said Jim, ‘fair play.’ His whole body seemed to be warmed from within, as if an internal oven was heating him to the perfect temperature.
    ‘So, Jim,’ said Cardini, ‘tell me how you came by the rather charismatic scar across the crown of your head.’
    Jim put his hand to it. ‘This?’ he said.
    Cardini nodded.
    ‘North Korean ninjas attacked me.’
    ‘Really?’ said Cardini, jovially. ‘And where was that?’
    ‘On the Strand,’ said Jim, grinning widely. He laughed a little.
    ‘The Strand in London?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘And what were they doing there?’ asked Cardini, beaming.
    ‘Trying to steal the Japanese Crown Jewels.’
    ‘Really?’ said Cardini, like an indulgent grandfather to a little kid. ‘And what had you to do with the Japanese Crown Jewels?’
    ‘I’d bought them by accident,’ said Jim, chuckling. He was finding his own story quite funny.
    Cardini sat back. He’d never experienced hallucinations or delusions when taking the serum, and neither had McCloud. The effect on Evans was intriguing. Perhaps it was his age; perhaps it was a normal reaction that the few subjects of the treatment hadn’t experienced.
    Jim held his right side. There was an intense heat there. ‘This is getting into all the right places,’ he said.
    ‘You have an injury there?’ enquired Cardini.
    ‘Just a few,’ said Jim. ‘Fragmentation grenade. I nearly died. Got a pretty nasty hospital