Doctor Who_ Cat's Cradle_ Warhead - Andrew Cartmel [7]
O’Hara knew it was just a hologram, but he found himself drawing his legs up close to his chest in a quick involuntary move. He was cowering among the cushions as the figure strode back and forth on the carpet, as close to the couch as his chosen viewing distance would allow it to get.
Jack Blood stood leering at him in the half‐light. The big misshapen pumpkin that formed his head nodded forward and twisted, as though watching O’Hara. His greasy black undertaker’s suit flapped around his thin scarecrow body. The long black twigs of his fingers were wrapped around the handles of two long‐bladed butcher’s knives which Jack stropped together slowly. There was no sound as the blades met. That was because O’Hara’s young son had sampled the image, copying it from his favourite television programme, but the Bang & Olufsen hadn’t let him tamper with the sound.
‘News interpretation,’ said Jack, the voice coming out of his crudely carved Jack‐o’‐lantern mouth. ‘Selection taken according to the profile set on August tenth, this year.’ The voice was soft, cultured, with a slight European accent. It belonged to the attractive grey‐haired woman who usually presented the news interpretation on the B&O. O’Hara sighed, straightening out on the couch and relaxing again. Now he would have to read the damned manual and find out how to return the image to its factory setting.
‘International news summary,’ said Jack Blood, a small worm crawling out of one empty, deep‐carved eye socket. The pumpkin‐headed mass murderer was a modern phenomenon. Sociologists wrote books about his universal appeal. His television creators were engagingly modest about the whole thing; they’d just set out to create a good Saturday morning show.
O’Hara moved on the couch so he wouldn’t have to watch the worm’s progress. Jack moved his head in synchronization, tracking inexorably, offering O’Hara the best presentation of image to go along with the lifelike stereo sound. ‘Increasing instability in weather patterns –
‘Skip,’ said O’Hara.
‘Fighting in Indonesia –’
‘Skip,’ said O’Hara.
‘Analysis of sea water in the –’
‘Skip.’
‘A report on environmental –’
‘Skip.’
‘An article describing telekinetic –’
‘Skip. No, wait a minute,’ said O’Hara. ‘Repeat the last item.’
‘From the London Sunday Times, Science and Technology section, seventh of this month. Headline: “Bloody Strange!” Main text of feature as follows: “The Sunday Times Insight team has learned that biochemistry boffins are baffled by an article written by Shreela Govindia. A highly respected scientific journalist, dusky beauty Shreela is –”’
‘Just summarize,’ said O’Hara.
‘The article goes on to describe how certain blood proteins may indicate the presence of “strange mental powers” in human beings.’
‘Explain,’ said O’Hara. ‘What kind of powers?’
‘No more information available. “Strange metal powers”,’ repeated the pumpkin‐headed horror.
‘Okay, hold it,’ said O’Hara. He thought for a moment. ‘Link with the office computer.’
‘Link established,’ said Jack, waving his sticky‐bladed knives.
‘Cross‐reference with that news item. Find out the location of the scientific journalist and ask her to fly out to New York. Book a company apartment at the King Building.’
‘Reference. Govindia, Shreela. Journalist. Deceased.’
‘When and how,’ said O’Hara.
‘Died this morning, death recorded 11.30 a.m. local time, Hammersmith Hospital, London, England. Cause of death auto immune disease.’
‘Okay,’ said O’Hara. ‘Memo to all departments, special attention Social and Biological Stock Acquisition. Attach copies of the article and get a hard copy for me.’
‘Contents of memo?’ prompted Jack Blood politely, waving his knives, dancing impatiently as near to the couch as he could get. Straining like a guard dog on a leash.
‘Enclose a memo with the article requesting that everyone keeps their eyes open for any signs of unusual…’
‘Waiting,’ prompted Jack after a moment.
‘Blood tests,’ said O’Hara. ‘All blood tests conducted by Biostock Acquisitions.