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Through the Gate
A fourth and final door was opened and Clarke felt hih it But the abrupt sensation of speed in motion had alarmed and shaken him, and as yet he hadn’t recovered
Harry? he said, the thought tre like a leaf in the immaterial void of the Mobius Continuum ’Harry?’
Except the second tihts He stood with Harry Keogh in his office at E-Branch HQ, in London Stood there for a moravity, light, all human sensation and especially sound, most definitely sound -impressed itself forcefully on Clarke’s unprepared person It was signing-off time for most of the staff; many had already left, but the Duty Officer and a handful of others were still here And of course the security systeo off all over the top-floor coh appeared, quietly at first but gradually increasing in pitch and frequency until they would soon become unbearable A monitor screen in the wall close to Clarke’s desk stuttered into life and printed up:
MR DARCY CLARKE IS NOT AVAILABLE AT PRESENT THIS IS A SECURE AREA PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF IN YOUR NORMAL SPEAKING VOICE, OR LEAVE IMMEDIATELY IF YOU FAIL TO -
But Clarke had already regained partial control of himself ’Darcy Clarke,’ he said ’I’nized his shaky voice - not waiting for it to print up its cold ered to his desk keyboard and punched in the current security override
The screen cleared, printed up: DO NOT FORGET TO RE-SET BEFORE YOU LEAVE, and switched itself and the alarreat start as the intercoan to buzz insistently He pressed the receive button and a breathless Duty Officer’s voice said ’Either there’s someone in there, or this is a rowled:
’You’d better believe there’s somebody in there!’ One of the espers, obviously
Harry Keogh pulled a wry face and nodded ’This place was no great loss,’ he said ’None at all!’
Clarke pressed the command button and held it down ’Clarke here,’ he said, talking to the entire HQ ’I’ht me! But don’t all rush; I’ll see the Duty Officer, please, and that’ll be all for now’ Then he looked at Harry ’Sorry, but you can’t just - well, arrive - in a place like this without people noticing’
Harry s of his strangeness in that s up on us,’ he said, ’telldid you say it was since Jazz Si first notice his absence?’
’Three days ago in - ’ Clarke glanced at his watch, ’ - just six hours’ tied ’I have to have some place to start,’ he said ’And as his address here in London?’
Clarke gave hi at the door The door was locked and Clarke had the key He got up, unsteadily crossed the roohtweight grey suit The Duty Officer had a gun in his hand which he returned to its shoulder-holster as soon as he saw his boss standing there
’Fred,’ said Clarke, closing and locking the door against other curious faces where they peered along the corridor, ’I don’t believe you’ve ever h? Harry, this is Fred Madison He - ’ But here he noticed the look of astonishment on Madison’s face ’Fred?’ he said; and then they both looked back into the room Which apart from themselves was quite empty!
Clarke took out a handkerchief and dabbed at his brow And in the next ainst the wall Clarke looked slightly unwell ’I’ hiain all around the office, shook his head
’Darcy?’ said Madison
’Well, et to meet him some other time Hehe never was desperately fond of this place’
So less than four days earlier, inside the Perchorsk Projekt:
Chingiz Khuv, Karl Vyotsky and the Project Director, Viktor Luchov, stood at the hospital bedside of Vasily Agursky Agursky had been here for four days, during which tinized certain symptoms and had started to wean him off alcohol More than that: already they believed they had succeeded It had been reursky had been freed fro in the tank, so his dependency on local vodka and cheap slivovitz had fallen off He had asked for a drink only once, when he regained consciousness on the first day, since when he’d not mentioned alcohol and seemed hardly the worse for the lack of it
’You’re feeling better then, Vasily?’ Luchov sat on the edge of Agursky’s bed
’As well as can be expected,’ the patient replied ’I had been on the verge of a breakdown for some time, I think It was the work, of course’
’Work?’ Vyotsky see about work - any kind of work - is that it produces results On the strength of that, it’s rather difficult to see how you could be exhausted, Comrade!’ His bearded face scowled down on the man in the bed
’Coh that there are different sorts of work exerting different pressures Would you have liked to be the keeper of that thing? I hardly think so! And Coursky’s condition was not strictly exhaustion, or if it was then it was nervous exhaustion, brought on by proximity to the creature’
Luchov, who carried maximum responsibility in the Perchorsk complex and therefore wielded maximum authority, looked up at Vyotsky and frowned Physically, Luchov would not haveorder he stood head and shoulders over him, even over Khuv The contempt he felt for the bully was obvious in his tone of voice when he said to Khuv:
’You are absolutely correct, Major Anyone who thinks Vasily Agursky’s duties were light should try them and see Do I see a volunteer here, perhaps? Is yourus he’d make a better job of it?’
KGB Major and Projekt Direktor looked in unison, pointedly at Vyotsky Khuv smiled his dark, deceptive smile but Luchov’s scarred face showed no emotion at all and certainly not amusement Evidence of his annoyance was apparent, however, in the throbbing of the veins on the hairless left half of his seared skull The quickening of his pulse was a sure sign that he disapproved of so, in this case Karl Vyotsky
’Well then?’ said Khuv, who had been at odds recently with his underling’s boorishness and bad te and you would like the job after all, Karl?’
Vyotsky sed his pride Khuv was just perverse enough to let it happen ’I’ he said ’I ursky himself saved Vyotsky from further embarrassment He propped himself up on his pillows ’It is quite out of the question that anyone else takes over est that an unqualified person should assuht you personally, Colanced indifferently at Vyotsky, ’but there are qualifications and there are qualifications Now that I’ve overcome two problems - my breakdown, and my absurd obsession, for I refuse to call it an addiction, with drink - the third will not be difficult, I promise you Given the same aive up its secrets to me, be sure I know that so far , but from now on - ’
’Take it easy, Vasily!’ Luchov put a hand on his shoulder, ste an outburst which was quite out of character for the hitherto retiring Agursky Obviously he was not yet fully recovered For all his doctors’ assurances that he was fit enough to be up and about again, his nerves were still on the ursky protested ’We have to knohat lies beyond that Gate, and this creature may carry the answers I can’t find them if I’m to be kept on my back in here’
’Another day won’t hurt,’ Luchov stood up, ’and I’ll also see to it that froood for a man to have to deal with a creature like that on his own Sofully at Vyotsky, ’ - would have broken long ago, I’ursky lay down again ’But then I really et back to my work Believe me, what lies between , and I won’t give in until I’ve beaten it’
’Get your rest then,’ Luchov told him, ’and come and see me when you’re up and about I’ll look forward to that’
Agursky’s visitors left the ward and at last he was on his own Now he could stop acting He smiled a sly and yet bitter smile - a smile composed in part of success, in that he’d deceived everyone who’d seen him, and partly of his terror of the unknown, and the fact that he was now on his ohich died on his face as quickly as it was born It was replaced by a nervous anxiety which showed in his pale, tre lips, and in the tic that jerked the flesh at the corner of his mouth He had fooled his doctors and visitors, yes, but there was no fooling hihly and found nothing except a little stress and maybe physical weariness - not even Vyotsky’s ’exhaustion’ - and yet Agursky knew that there was a lotin the tank had put so which had hidden itself away for now But wheels were turning and ti would it re did he have to find the answer and reverse the process, whatever that process was? And if he couldn’t find the ansould it do to hirew in him? What would it be like when it finally surfaced? So far no one knew about it but him, and from now on he must watch himself closely, e were to happen Because if they knew first - if they discovered that he nurtured within hi froursky began to shudder uncontrollably, gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in a spass from the Gate, hosed thelue And would they burn him, too, if if-
What would he be like after those slowly turning inner wheels had turned full circle? That was the worst of it, not knowing
Out on the perione his oay, Khuv and Vyotsky werefor their own place of duty with the Projekt’s esper squad when one of the latter ca to meet them He was a fat and especially oily man called Paul Savinkov, who prior to Perchorsk had worked in the embassies in Moscow An unnatural predilection for n e of a risk in that employment His transfer to Perchorsk had been swift; he was still trying to ooze his way out of the place, pri his very best to keep Khuv happy He was sure he could convince his KGB watchdog that there were places where his talent could be far more effectively and productively employed His talent was telepathy, in which he was occasionally very proficient
Savinkov’s fat, shiny baby-face orried now as he bu outer corridor ’Ah, Comrades - the very men I seek! I was on ainst the wall and catch his breath
’What is it, Paul?’ said Khuv
’I was on duty, keeping an eye - so to speak - on Sih to hi telepathic probe was aied to scramble it - certainly I interfered with it - and when I could no longer detect it, then I came to find you Of course, I left two of the squad there in my place in case there should be a recurrence Oh, and on iven this to relay to you’ He handed Khuv a lanced at it - and his forehead at once wrinkled into a frown He read it again, his dark eyes darting over the printed page ’Damn?’ he said, softly - which from him meant more than any explosion And to Vyotsky: ’Coo at once and talk to Mr Si our plans for him forward a little Doubtless you’ll be sad to learn that froer be able to taunt hie fro Savinkov with a wave of his hand
Vyotsky al to keep up with Khuv when his boss now diverted and made for Simmons’s cell ’What is it, Major?’ he said ’Where did that e come fro we’ve just had reported to us,’ Khuv mused, almost as if he hadn’t heard the other’s questions ’It isn’t the first, as you’re aware’ He strode urgently ahead, with Vyotsky close at heel ’Most of theroups of foreign seers or scryers trying to discover what’s going on here But they were very weak because the alien espers can’t precisely pin-point our location - that is, they have no definite point of focus - and also because we’re protected by the ravine Our own psychics have been able to break then power could actually get an ESP-endowed agent inside this place, then it ht be a different story entirely!’
’But Simmons isn’t talented that way,’ Vyotsky protested ’We are certain of that beyond any reasonable doubt’
’That’s entirely true,’ Khuv growled his answer, ’but I believe they’ve found a way to use hie in riame of chess ’It can only be the British, for they’re the ame The people in their E-Branch are a clever lot! They always have been - and extreerous, as our espers learned to their cost at the Chateau Bronnitsy’
’I don’t follow you,’ Vyotsky scowled through his beard ’Siht hiht again,’ Khuv nodded sharply ’We caught hier afford to keep hiht!’
They had arrived at Simmons’s cell Outside the door, an ar to attention as Khuv and Vyotsky approached him In a cell next door to the prisoner’s, a pair of espers in plain-clothes sat at a table wrapped in their own thoughts and mental pursuits Khuv went in and spoke to them briefly: ’You two - I suppose Savinkov has told you what’s happened? That calls for extra security Be alert as never before! In fact I want the entire squad - all of you, Savinkov included - on the job from now on Full ti, probably only a matter of hours, but until I say otherwise that’s hoant it Pass it on, and ly’
He rejoined Vyotsky and the soldier on duty let theent was sprawled on his bunk, hands behind his head He sat up as they entered, rubbed his eyes and yawned ’Visitors!’ he said, displaying his accusto to think you two had forgotten all about me To what do I owe the honour?’
Khuv smiled coldly ’Why, we’re here to talk to you about your D-cap, Michael - aenious D-cap’
Jazz fingered the left side of his face, his lower jaw, and worked it from side to side ’Sorry, but I’ot it,’ he said, a little ruefully ’And the tooth next door, too But we’re healing nicely, thanks’
Vyotsky advancednicely, British,’ he growled ’I can fix bits of you so they’ll never heal again!’
Khuv restrained hih ’Karl, sometimes you’re a bore,’ he said ’And you knoell enough that we need Mr Simmons fit and alert, or our little experi out’ He looked pointedly at the prisoner
Jazz sat up straighter on his bed ’Experily and failed miserably ’What sort of experiment? And what’s all this about my D-cap?’
’Let’s deal with that first,’ Khuv answered ’Our people in Moscow have analysed its contents: very cos! They would have put you to sleep for a few hours, that’s all’ He watched the other’s reaction very closely Jazz frowned, displayed open disbelief
’That’s ridiculous,’ he finally replied ’Not that I’m the sort who’d ever have used it - at least I don’t think so - but those capsules are lethal!’ His eyes narrowed ’What are you up to, Comrade? Soain Khuv’s smile ’No, for I’m afraid we’ve no use for you, Michael - certainly not now that you’ve seen the inside of the Perchorsk Projekt! But don’t be so scornful of the possibility I don’t see that our side could be any worse than yours After all, they haven’t treated you too well so far, now have they?’
’I don’t knohat you’re talking about,’ Jazz shook his head, stopped acting the comedian ’Why don’t you tell me why you’re really here?’
’But I have,’ Khuv answered ’Part of it, anyway As for what I’ you that your people expected you to be caught! They couldn’t be sure what sort of reception you’d get, however, and they had to be sure that you wouldn’t kill yourself too soon’
Jazz’s frown deepened ’Too soon for what?’
’Before they could use you, of course’
The frown stayed ’What you’re saying feels like it’sany sense,’ said Jazz ’That is, if what you’re saying is true!’
’Your confusion is understandable,’ Khuv nodded, ’and very reassuring It tells me you weren’t a party to it Your D-Cap was meant to fool you - ensure you’d play out your part to the full - just as it was ned to slow us down as uess your espers, British E-Branch, rigged the whole thing And sooner or later they would also find a way to get through to you, if they had the time But they haven’t Not any more’
’E-Branch? ESP?’ Jazz threw up his hands ’I’ve already told you I don’t know anything about that sort of thing I don’t even believe in that sort of thing!’
Khuv sat down on a chair beside Jazz’s bed, said: ’Then let’s talk about so you do believe in’ His voice was very quiet, very dangerous now ’You believe in that space-timass bowels of this place, don’t you?’
’I can accept the evidence of my own five senses, yes,’ Jazz answered
Then accept this also: tonight you go through that Gate!’
Jazz was stunned ’I what?’
Khuv stood up ’It was , but I wanted to be sure you were one hundred per cent recovered fro you Another three or four days atit forward Whether you "believe in that sort of thing" or not, the world’s E-Branches are very real I aroup of psychics, and several of my espers have been deployed here withto use you as a "mirror" on our work here; so far they have not been successful; tonight ill ensure that they never are’
Jazz jumped to his feet, stepped toward Khuv Vyotsky put himself in the way, said: ’Come on then, British, try me’
Jazz backed off a pace He would dearly love to ’try’ the big Russian, but in his own tih that damned Gate and you’re no more than a murderer!’
’No,’ Khuv shook his head ’I am a patriot, devoted to my country’s welfare You are the otten Boris Dudko, the man you killed on top of the ravine?’
’He tried to kill me!’ Jazz protested
’He did not,’ Khuv shook his head, ’ - but if he had tried at least he would have had the right’ And here Khuv feigned outrage ’What? An enee, deep inside a peaceful country’s borders? Of course he had the right! And we also have the right to take your life’