The Eyre Affair_ A Novel - Jasper Fforde [20]
I took another sip of water and looked at the assembled faces. They were following my every word, but the hardest part of it was yet to come.
“I reloaded, then pulled open the driver’s door of the upturned car. I had expected Acheron to tumble out in a heap, but Hades, not for the first time that night, had failed to live up to expectations. The car was empty.”
“Did you see him escape?”
“No. I was just pondering this when I heard a familiar voice behind me. It was Buckett. He had returned.
“ ‘Where is he?’ ” Buckett yelled.
“ ‘I don’t know,’ I stammered in reply, checking the back of the car. ‘He was here!—’
“ ‘Stay here!’ shouted Buckett. ‘I’m going to check around the front!’
“I was glad to be given orders and spared the burden of initiative. But as Buckett turned to leave he shimmered slightly and I knew something was wrong. Without hesitating, I shot Buckett in the back three times. He collapsed in a heap—”
“You shot another operative?” said one of the SO-1 crowd with an incredulous tone. “In the back?” I ignored her.
“—only it wasn’t Buckett, of course. The figure that picked itself up from the road to face me was Acheron. He rubbed his back where I had hit him and smiled benignly.
“ ‘That wasn’t very sporting!’ he said with a smile.
“ ‘I’m not here for the sport,’ I assured him.”
One of the SO-1 officers interrupted me.
“You seem to shoot a lot of people in the back, Next. Point-blank range with fluted slugs and he survived? I’m sorry, this is quite impossible!”
“It happened.”
“She’s lying!—” he said indignantly. “I’ve had just about enough of this!—”
But Flanker laid a hand on his arm to quieten him.
“Carry on, Miss Next.”
I did.
“ ‘Hello, Thursday,’ Hades said.
“ ‘Acheron,’ I replied.
“He smiled.
“ ‘Tamworth’s blood is getting cold on the concrete upstairs and it’s all your fault. Just give me your gun and we can finish this all up and go home.’
“Hades reached out his hand and I felt a strong impulse to give him my weapon. But I had turned him down before when he was using more persuasive methods—when I was a student and he was a lecturer. Perhaps Tamworth knew I was strong enough to resist him; perhaps this was another reason he wanted me on his team. I don’t know. Hades realized this and said instead in a genial manner:
“ ‘It’s been a long time. Fifteen years, isn’t it?’
“ ‘Summer of ’69,’ I replied grimly. I had little time for his games.
“ ‘Sixty-nine?’ he asked, having thought about it for a moment. ‘Sixteen years, then. I seem to remember we were quite chummy.’
“ ‘You were a brilliant teacher, Acheron. I’ve not met an intellect to compare with yours. Why all this?’
“ ‘I could say the same about you,’ returned Acheron with a smile. ‘You were the only student of mine whom I could ever describe as brilliant, yet here you are, working as a glorified plod; a LiteraTec; a lackey for the Network. What brought you to SO-5?’
“ ‘Fate.’
“There was a pause. Acheron smiled.
“ ‘I always liked you, Thursday. You turned me down and, as we all know, there is nothing more seductive than resistance. I often wondered what I’d do if we met again. My star pupil, my protégée. We were nearly lovers.’
“ ‘I was never your protégée, Hades.’
“He smiled again.
“ ‘Have you ever wanted a new car?’ he asked me quite suddenly.
“I did, of course, and said so.
“ ‘How about a large house? How about two large houses? In the country. With grounds. And a Rembrandt.’
“I saw what he was up to.
“ ‘If you want to buy my compliance, Acheron, you have to choose the right currency.’
“Acheron’s face fell.
“ ‘You are strong, Thursday. Avarice works on most people.’
“I was angry now.
“‘What do you want with the Chuzzlewit manuscript, Acheron? To sell it?’
“ ‘Stealing and selling? How common,’ he sneered. ‘I’m sorry about your two friends. Hollow-points make quite a mess, don’t they?’
“We stood there facing one another. It wouldn’t be long before SO-14 were