pass muster?”
“And then some.” Tony dropped down into a chair. He waited until Kaslov had taken his customary spot behind the desk before adding, “Miss Raines looked especially attractive today.”
“You’re blind, remember?”
“I’d have to be to not ask her out. What’s your excuse?”
Kaslov sat back and studied his friend. “Why are you here, Anthony? It’s not like you to make a social call.”
“You and I have worked together on enough cases that I feel comfortable coming to you with this but I wouldn’t admit to it to anybody else.”
“I’m flattered.”
“You should be. I had a vision last night.”
The Russian leaned forward with interest. It wasn’t like Tony to speak of spiritual or supernatural matters. “Tell me about it.”
Tony did, leaving out no detail. As a trained lawyer, he was a master at remembering and delivering testimony. When he was finished, he waited for Kaslov to digest all that he’d shared.
“You’re not alone,” Kaslov answered. “I was reading through a series of newspaper clippings last evening. Psychics the world over are reporting such things. In fact, I’ve heard rumors that the rash of suicides in Sovereign might even be related.”
“Do you think this could be the end of the world?”
“Only if we don’t take the warning to heart and do something about it.” Kaslov opened a drawer of his desk and took out an atlas. Several pages within were marked by strips of paper that stuck out the top of the book. “I was planning to journey to South America, actually. According to what my contacts are telling me, a series of Aztec statues have come to life and are terrorizing the populace of several small towns. It’s probably not related to the central threat that your visions referenced but I think we’re seeing an upsurge in supernatural events as a side-effect.”
“Maybe you should abandon that trip and head to Sovereign instead.”
Kaslov considered it. “No matter what, those poor souls down in South America need help. With your permission, I’d like to send a full write-up of your vision to Doc Daye. He’s already in Sovereign and is probably well equipped to handle something like this.”
“He’s out of town. I checked.”
“In that case, Assistance Unlimited seems like a good option. I haven’t worked with Lazarus Gray before but from all accounts, he’s a good man.” Kaslov glanced at Tony and asked, “I assume that you’re not going to Sovereign yourself?”
“I can’t. The Gilbert murder case begins today.”
Kaslov nodded. He wasn’t going to mention it to Tony, but he’d heard from others with similar stories: Ascott Keane and Ravenwood had both sent him warnings that something unusual was occurring. “I appreciate you coming to me with this. When all is said and done, we should get together and compare notes.”
“Assuming the world isn’t about to go down in flames,” Tony muttered. “That man I saw, the one with a skeleton face… he was insane. Utterly. I believe he’d kill every man, woman and child on earth if he could.”
Kaslov stood up, his handsome face set with stony determination. “Then let’s make sure that doesn’t happen. I’ll make sure that Assistance Unlimited knows that if push comes to shove, you and I will do everything we can to help. Is that all right?”
“You know it is,” Tony replied. “I hate to sound pessimistic, it’s really not in my nature. It’s just that what I saw… I’ve never had an experience like that. I’m not even sure why I would. I’m no mystic!”
“Your natural senses are greatly enhanced,” Kaslov countered. “It could mean that the so-called ‘Sixth Sense’ exists in a slightly evolved state for you, as well.”
“Let’s hope it’s a one-time thing, then. I’m not sure I could stand having those things on a regular basis. I think it’d drive a man insane.”
* * *
Bob Benton wasn’t quite human.
Oh, it wasn’t just the enhanced
“And then some.” Tony dropped down into a chair. He waited until Kaslov had taken his customary spot behind the desk before adding, “Miss Raines looked especially attractive today.”
“You’re blind, remember?”
“I’d have to be to not ask her out. What’s your excuse?”
Kaslov sat back and studied his friend. “Why are you here, Anthony? It’s not like you to make a social call.”
“You and I have worked together on enough cases that I feel comfortable coming to you with this but I wouldn’t admit to it to anybody else.”
“I’m flattered.”
“You should be. I had a vision last night.”
The Russian leaned forward with interest. It wasn’t like Tony to speak of spiritual or supernatural matters. “Tell me about it.”
Tony did, leaving out no detail. As a trained lawyer, he was a master at remembering and delivering testimony. When he was finished, he waited for Kaslov to digest all that he’d shared.
“You’re not alone,” Kaslov answered. “I was reading through a series of newspaper clippings last evening. Psychics the world over are reporting such things. In fact, I’ve heard rumors that the rash of suicides in Sovereign might even be related.”
“Do you think this could be the end of the world?”
“Only if we don’t take the warning to heart and do something about it.” Kaslov opened a drawer of his desk and took out an atlas. Several pages within were marked by strips of paper that stuck out the top of the book. “I was planning to journey to South America, actually. According to what my contacts are telling me, a series of Aztec statues have come to life and are terrorizing the populace of several small towns. It’s probably not related to the central threat that your visions referenced but I think we’re seeing an upsurge in supernatural events as a side-effect.”
“Maybe you should abandon that trip and head to Sovereign instead.”
Kaslov considered it. “No matter what, those poor souls down in South America need help. With your permission, I’d like to send a full write-up of your vision to Doc Daye. He’s already in Sovereign and is probably well equipped to handle something like this.”
“He’s out of town. I checked.”
“In that case, Assistance Unlimited seems like a good option. I haven’t worked with Lazarus Gray before but from all accounts, he’s a good man.” Kaslov glanced at Tony and asked, “I assume that you’re not going to Sovereign yourself?”
“I can’t. The Gilbert murder case begins today.”
Kaslov nodded. He wasn’t going to mention it to Tony, but he’d heard from others with similar stories: Ascott Keane and Ravenwood had both sent him warnings that something unusual was occurring. “I appreciate you coming to me with this. When all is said and done, we should get together and compare notes.”
“Assuming the world isn’t about to go down in flames,” Tony muttered. “That man I saw, the one with a skeleton face… he was insane. Utterly. I believe he’d kill every man, woman and child on earth if he could.”
Kaslov stood up, his handsome face set with stony determination. “Then let’s make sure that doesn’t happen. I’ll make sure that Assistance Unlimited knows that if push comes to shove, you and I will do everything we can to help. Is that all right?”
“You know it is,” Tony replied. “I hate to sound pessimistic, it’s really not in my nature. It’s just that what I saw… I’ve never had an experience like that. I’m not even sure why I would. I’m no mystic!”
“Your natural senses are greatly enhanced,” Kaslov countered. “It could mean that the so-called ‘Sixth Sense’ exists in a slightly evolved state for you, as well.”
“Let’s hope it’s a one-time thing, then. I’m not sure I could stand having those things on a regular basis. I think it’d drive a man insane.”
* * *
Bob Benton wasn’t quite human.
Oh, it wasn’t just the enhanced
Similar Books
