Doctor Who_ Warlock - Andrew Cartmel [151]
‘Even then warlock had begun to mutate. It seemed to be changing into something new. Or going in a certain direction. And I wanted to keep an eye on it.’
‘You believe that warlock is a living thing?’
‘The way that a stream or maybe a tree is, sure. It changes. It grows. And like a stream I can swim along it. And like a tree I can climb it. To get where I’m going.’ The old Texan nodded at Creed. ‘I can feel it taking effect, son. We can get started soon.’
‘You weren’t kidding when you said you wanted to hand everything over to me.’
‘That’s right, Creed boy. I want you to take over as the boss of IDEA. I’ve left instructions to that effect, for when I have my fatal heart attack.’ The old man took out a syringe and set it on the counter. He pushed it towards Creed. ‘You can do the honours, son. Or rather, I’ll do the honours with your hands. As soon as I take up residence we’ll burn the old edifice down.’ He touched himself on the chest with one big wrinkled, age‐discoloured hand.
‘And then the new me will take over IDEA. That organization needs a firm leader. I don’t want to see it slip.’ His eyes were clouded with proud nostalgia. ‘It was all my creation, you know. The International Drug Enforcement Agency. Drug busting for the government was fun, it was educational, and by God it was well funded. But I realized that the gravy train couldn’t go on forever. No matter how stupid people are, they’re eventually going to realize that drugs are basically a public health problem and they’ll decriminalize them.’
‘So you had to implement your idea,’ said the Doctor.
‘Sure,’ said the old Texan, ‘My idea. IDEA. A high‐profile agency to give the media great footage and keep the public gung‐ho about the war on drugs. Yep, folks,’ Harrigan beamed at them. ‘IDEA supposedly originated as a pooling of resources by Interpol and the FBI. But it’s basically a propaganda exercise, designed to keep drugs illegal.’
‘That’s cynical and deplorable.’
‘Sure. The Drugs War is like the Cold War. Basically they’re both massive fictions. Manipulation of prejudice. But don’t knock ’em, Doctor.’ The old Texan’s eyes twinkled. ‘They earned a few clever guys a lot of money over the years.’
‘Including yourself.’
‘Oh, my interest wasn’t solely commercial. I knew that warlock was something special.’
‘Yes, any drug that cures mortality might justifiably be defined as special.’
‘The fountain of youth,’ said the old Texan. The liquorice smell was rising off him like a powerful musk. Set deep in their nests of wrinkled skin his eyes were wide, intoxicated.
‘What a ludicrously oversimplified view of a very interesting drug,’ said Mrs Woodcott.
‘Well, I’m too much of a gentleman to contradict a lady,’ said Harrigan, tipping the brim of his cowboy hat towards Mrs Woodcott.
‘Don’t give us that loathsome longhorn charm,’ she said. ‘You have a dangerously narrow view of warlock.’
‘Warlock is a means to an end for me.’
‘And where will I be when you take over my body?’ said Creed.
‘Why, you’ll still be there, son. In some sense. Like a lurking thought. A thought I won’t quite remember but I’ll never quite forget. And now and then one of your memories will burst through. And I’ll remember it for you. Some deep powerful memory. Like the first girl you ever kissed. Maybe one day she’ll come to me in one of your memories and I’ll be able to enjoy that kiss on your behalf.’ Harrigan seemed excited now. ‘It’s starting, son. I can feel old warlock taking off in my head.’
‘You’re making a bad mistake,’ said Mrs Woodcott. ‘“Old warlock” is not a servant you can bend to your will.’
‘Well, I’ve done this trick before and it worked pretty good.’
‘You don’t understand, you fool. Warlock is a living thing.’
‘She’s right, Harrigan,’ said the Doctor. ‘Warlock is a living organism. And intelligent.’
‘If you