Page 19 (1/2)

There&039;s a kind ofpeople&039;s lives You find yourself running the figures without even realizing it, like a medic on a battlefield This patient has no chance of surviving That one does, but only if you let a third die

For me, the equation broke down into fairly sie, would cohost would only remember those who had been there, whom it had focused on in those last moments That ets Michael had a chance of protecting hi - hell, maybe a better chance than ot on the phone to Murphy&039;s place No answer I called the office, and she answered with a fatigue-blurred, "Murphy"

"Murph," I said "Look, I need you to trustdown there and I&039;ll be there in about twenty er Stay where you are and stay awake until I get to you"

"Harry?" Murphy asked I could hear her starting to scowl "You tellingto be late?"

"Late? No, daht?"

"I do not appreciate this crap, Dresden," Murphy growled "I haven&039;t slept in two days You told me you&039;d be here in ten minutes, and I told you I&039;d wait"

"Twenty I said twenty lare over the phone "Don&039;t be an asshole, Harry That&039;s not what you said five o If this is some kind of joke, I a settled into htmare had torn out of led to calm down before the connection went out "Wait, Murphy Are you saying you talked to o?"

"I a that pissesup onup the phone and dialed Murphy&039;s nu had talked to Murphy and convinced her she was talking to s that could put on so, but the probabilities were limited: either another supernatural beastie had wandered onto the stage or, I gulped, the Nighth bite ofcharade

Ghosts could take material form, after all - if they had the power to form a new shape out of h with the shape The Nightic It had the power it needed And it had the familiarity it needed

Hell&039;s bells, it was pretending to beup the phone and tore around the house frantically, collecting car keys and putting together an improvised exorcism kit from stuff in my kitchen: Salt, a wooden spoon, a table knife, a couple of storm candles and matches, and a coffee cup I stuffed theht, reached into a bag of sand that I keep in the kitchen closet for Mister&039;s litter box, and tossed a handful into a plastic bag I added the scorched staff and blasting rod to the accu pile of junk in my arh Then went to the phone and dialed Michael&039;s nu over the rotary It was also busy I let out a shriek of purest frustration, slammed down the phone, and ran out the door to the Blue Beetle

It was late Traffic could have been worse I got there in less than the twenty minutes I&039;d promised Murphy and parked the car in one of the visitor&039;s parking spaces

The district station Murphy worked in crouched down as that surrounded it, solid and square and a bit battered, like a tough old sergeant a recruits I ran up the stairs, takingrod with ht hand

The grizzled old sergeant behind the desk blinked at h the doorway "Dresden?"

"Hi," I panted "Which way did I go?"

He blinked "What?"

"Did I corey moustache twitched in nervous little motions He took a look at his clipboard "Yeah You went up to see Lieutenant Murphy just a o"

"Great," I said "I need to see her again Buzz h?"

He peered at h "What&039;s going on here, Mr Dresden?"

"Believe me," I said, "As soon as I work that out, I&039;ll be sure to tell you" I opened the door and headed through, up the stairs, and toward the SI offices on the fourth floor I pounded through the doors and sprinted down the rows of desks toward Murphy&039;s office Stallings and Rudolph both started up fro as I went past

"What the hell?" Rudy blurted, his eyes widening

"Where&039;s Murphy?" I shouted

"In her office," Stallings stammered, "with you"

Murphy&039;s office stood at the back of the rooenuine metallic nameplate with her name and title on it I leaned back and drove my heel at the doorknob The cheap door splintered, but I had to kick it again to send it swinging open

Murphy sat at her desk, still wearing the clothes I&039;d last seen her in She&039;d taken her hat off, and her short blonde hair was mussed The circles beneath her eyes were al forith her blue eyes set in an expression of horror

I stood behind her, all in black - the saht we&039;d stopped Kravos and his dehtmare looked like ertips on her temples - except that they had, soh skin and bone as though gentlydown a bit toward her, head canted as though listening toan expression like that - serene and

I stared for a second in sheer horror at the weirdness of the sight Then blurted, "Get the hell off of her!"

The Night with a cold, calence It lifted its lips away from its teeth in an abrupt snarl "Be thou silent, wizard," it murmured, steel and razor blades in its words "Else I will tear thee apart, as I already have this night"

A little gibbering shriek of terror started soive it a voice I heard Rudy and Stallings co rod and leveled it at the Nightet off of her"

The Nightmare&039;s mouth twisted into a sers just sliding out of her skin as though fro thou hast forgotten, wizard"

"Yeah?" I asked "What&039;s that?"

"I have partaken of thee I ahtmare whispered He flicked his wrists toward me "Ventas servitas"

Wind roared up in a sudden fury and hurled me from my feet, back into the air I collided with Rudolph and Stallings as they ran forward We all went down in a heap upon the ground

I lay there stunned for a htmare walk out It just walked past us, footsteps calether slowly, sitting up

"What the hell?" Rudolph said