Sixth Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

nodded.
    â€œAt breakfast, Nadya told me she had three bodyguards. From both of the Watches and the Inquisition. Only, my wife and I couldn’t spot the Inquisitor,” I said. “And when Svetlana was accompanying Nadya to school, she noticed two Dark Ones and a Light One.”
    â€œYou decided it was that female vampire,” said Gesar.
    â€œYes, that’s what we decided,” said Svetlana, nodding.
    â€œAfter that it’s all very simple,” I went on. “We dashed to the school . . .”
    â€œWhy didn’t you open a portal?” Zabulon asked.
    â€œPortals are blocked on the territory of the school,” Gesar said morosely. “They’re allowed on the way out, but not going in. I personally removed the block for you and me, Zabulon.”
    â€œBut why didn’t you run through the Twilight?” asked Zabulon, continuing his interrogation. “You would have saved time.”
    â€œEntry via the Twilight is closed off too,” I said. “The most we could have done was run as far as the school fence. Which is like switching on a siren as you pull up.”
    â€œFair enough,” Zabulon agreed.
    â€œThe Inquisitor was lying dead in the yard. We thought the vampire had done it.”
    â€œHow could a vampire have inflicted wounds like that . . .” Gesar muttered. Fortunately, it wasn’t a question. He’d probably decided to put our stupidity down to parental panic.
    â€œWe ran into the school, saw the wounded guard and the sleeping children . . . And dashed upstairs.”
    â€œThat’s enough, we saw everything from then on,” Zabulon said politely.
    What a creep. Our desperate battle had been fought out right in front of his eyes.
    â€œNadya, what do you remember?” asked Gesar.
    Nadya sighed.
    â€œAlmost nothing. The lesson was going on. And then . . . there was a burst of Power out in the yard. A very powerful one. I even decided to take cover in a Sphere of Inattention and go out to take a look . . . Oh, Mum, what’s wrong with that? It was a special situation . . .”
    â€œCarry on,” said Gesar.
    â€œBut this . . . wave ran through the Twilight,” Nadya said after thinking for a moment. “A wave. Something was moving closer. I couldn’t see it, I only sensed danger. I set up the Sphere, got up, and dashed for the window. I thought I ought to jump out and levitate . . . And that’s all. The next moment Dad woke me up and shouted that Mum needed help.”
    â€œWe’re simply wallowing in information,” Zabulon declared gleefully. “We should celebrate. Does anyone object to coffee? Cigars? Perhaps some cognac?”
    Silence hung in the air for a few seconds. And then Gesar asked:
    â€œZabulon, when I called, you weren’t abusing any psychedelic substances, were you?”
    â€œWhat?” Zabulon exclaimed, outraged.
    â€œYou weren’t drinking whisky at a tasting in London? Guzzling pills at a party in Thailand? Or sniffing cocaine in Las Vegas?”
    â€œI was working on some papers,” the Dark One said resentfully. “I’m snowed under with bureaucratic red tape. I’m simply happy to have escaped from that miserable paper shuffling . . . I’m sorry, Gesar, but you’re insulting me!”
    The heads of the Night and Day Watches stared daggers at each other. Both of them were leaving something unsaid. Both of them were being cunning. Both of them were playing the fool—only each in his own way.
    The usual thing, basically.
    â€œAnd now I want to hear what you have to say,” I said. “And if I get the impression that you . . . it doesn’t matter which one of you . . . isn’t telling us everything, I’ll take my wife and daughter and clear out of here.”
    â€œWhere to?” Zabulon asked.
    I gave him a broad smile.
    â€œA place where no one will find us,” Svetlana said in a cool voice.