Doctor Who_ History 101 - Mags L. Halliday [73]
‘Ah, you are Sasha today, my friend,’ Sabbath remarked.
‘And have been for several weeks. I’m looking forward to getting these lenses out.’
Alicia brought over the coffees and retreated. Sabbath noted that, unlike the last time they had met, she did not bother to sashay away from his agent this time. Far too scruffy, in all likelihood. Sasha did look tired, the sort of bone-weariness that made all his movements lethargic. When he sipped the thick black coffee, his eyes opened slightly more. Sabbath sat back and waited for the other man to finish his drink, let his shoulders ease down.
‘So. A progress report.’ Sabbath folded his hands together across his girth, sitting back, at ease.
‘I admit, events have not gone exactly according to the original plan –’
‘Not exactly according to plan? One of the key players has completely vanished and things are not going “exactly according to plan”? Did you find the Absolute?’
‘Oh yes, quite quickly.’
‘And?’
‘Well, I lost him. It was as if as soon as I saw him, he changed. That wasn’t in your initial brief so I had to improvise a solution. I’ve been trying to find him by looking for anomalies, things out of place.’
Sabbath nodded. At least the lad showed initiative when events went wrong. He had wondered what would happen when the Absolute was itself observed, had predicted that it would change. That the change would ripple through the System itself, a tiny packet of altered history that would throw the whole record into doubt. At best, the System would collapse taking with it all the little secrets Sabbath didn’t want others to know about him, such as just what had happened to free him from the shackles. At the worst, it would make the records unreliable, untrustworthy. A good magician should not only never reveal his tricks, he should ensure others cannot either. ‘And you’ve found...?’
‘The Doctor.’
Sabbath started to laugh, a chuckle rolling out steadily. He should have known the Doctor would pop up here. He seemed determined to find revolutions to get entangled with. Doubtless he’d already picked a side and was setting about helping them. He laughed louder: he did hope the Doctor had not got confused and automatically joined with the rebels. For once, it was the government that fitted more with the other traveller’s concepts of right. He gave his agent a wry smile. ‘You’re going to use him?’
‘I hope so. It took me several weeks to find him.’
‘Like vampires, we travellers don’t have reflections. We don’t leave surface ripples, don’t appear in time’s camera.’
‘Very comforting. Actually, I found him via one of his friends. Just spent ten days with the guy, sticking by him until he met back up with the Doctor. Seemed the easiest way.’
‘Is that why you smell the way you do?’
Sasha shifted in his seat, the first real sign of discomfort. ‘So now, dear boy, what do you plan to do, having found your Doctor?’
‘I was wondering if I could get a lift back a few months.’
* * *
* * *
Part Three
Theories and Conclusions
‘The Spanish Civil War is probably the most convincing reminder that the last word on history is impossible. The absolute truth about such a politically passionate subject can never be known, because no one can discard prejudice sufficiently.’
– Antony Beevor
* * *
Chapter Nine
Pistoles En El Sostre
Anji smothered a yawn as she walked down the stairs into the main foyer of the Hotel Continental. Eileen hadn’t had any news: no notes, no letters, no calls. McNair had been doing his best but was hampered by being too busy with his legitimate work to spare much time to look for Blair. The ILP and the POUM had been jumpy for days, since the rumours of a move against them had started. Last week Roldán Cortada had been found murdered and now the whole city felt edgy. The Doctor had