another fruitless attempt at possession.
The tall inspector hissed, then stepped back flicking a look at the Enforcer who responded like a trained elephant. He tramped forward and raised a hobnailed boot over Tommy's midsection. A quick nod from his short superior and the boot whipped down and up in a single pile driving action. Tommy was suddenly on the floor trying to throw his guts up on the rug. His chest heaved like it was wrapped in iron bands. Muscle stood in cords along his neck.
'Shit,' he spat, mouth full of vomit. 'Shit.'
Elmo had been standing by the door. He now started inching his way toward the inner office. As Tommy wretched, I attempted possession again; but ran into a wall of nausea and anger. He was mad, not close to one of his blind rages, but he was angry. I could hardly blame him. I continued to try to take over.
The Enforcer made a noose of his gloved hand and jerked Tommy to his feet with it. The clown was held out as the tall man approached.
'I'm Inspector Hale, Authority CrimDiv Squad. Inspector Cane and I would like to question you concerning a fire at the Morocco Building-Downings District-Saturday night. Witnesses put you at the scene.'
'Tell this, tell this ape to back off!' Tommy gasped, struggling in the Enforcer's iron grip. The Enforcer grunted, surprised by Tommy's strength.
'Sergeant Dimitria, allow Mr. Wildclown to relax, please,' Hale breathed nonchalantly. Dimitria threw Tommy onto the couch with a flex of a thick arm.
I watched the clown's hand grasping along his belt. He didn't have his gun because I'd put it away for him. Elmo continued to inch his way along the wall unnoticed. I hoped he wasn't going to do anything stupid. It was a well-regarded rumor that Authority had special rules for dealing with the dead.
I again attempted possession and failed. If pushed far enough anger gripped Tommy's entire being-soul, bones and all. He became anger at such times. I had to gain control fast. He was going to get himself killed and I'd be stuck doing swamp gas impressions. I had to calm him down.
Inspector Cane's face had a glutted roundness to it that inspired revulsion. He licked his lips with a thick gray tongue, dragging the thing over tombstone teeth. Cane had a nervous tick beside that-grinning spastically as he talked. It gave me the feeling he had a hunger he could not satisfy. Most power freaks do.
'What were you doing there?' he hissed, licked his lips and grinned.
Tommy sat for a moment with his hands clasped over his battered stomach. 'I was working a case you fucking swine.' He spat the words like new forged nails. 'Fascist!'
'Tough guy…' Cane shook his head. 'Ever had your legs beaten to pulp? It sounds impossible, but it isn't. It's really something to watch.'
Tommy laughed like a drunken hyena. 'You'd be doing me a favor.' His face contorted with rage. 'You Authority shits got your nerve-you'll never regain control of this ruptured world with this Rue Morgue stuff…only complete redemption will save it. The Lord works in mysterious ways, but he doesn't blackjack people. You bastards will learn…'
It was Cane's turn to laugh. 'Shit, you are insane. Your record says so, and here you are.' He looked to his partner then back to Tommy. 'What case were you working on?'
'A baby crying…' Tommy absently licked his fingernails. 'Like you don't know.'
Both inspectors guffawed. 'Jesus,' panted Cane. 'Down on your luck are you, Wildclown?' I noticed a forced tone to his humor. 'Working for one of those newspapers?'
'I've been offered a grand to prove the phantom baby exists!' He leaned back, then with strange new confidence, pulled a cigarette out and lit it. He burped painfully.
'Who hired you for that one?' Hale snarled.
'Why all the artifice?' the clown sneered. 'I know what Authority's doing. I know what you've been doing all along. You must have enough on tape to hang me or you wouldn't be here. And you know I can't divulge the name of my client even if I wanted to.'
Cane started silently pacing the length of the room.
I spent those few moments in shock. Tommy's lie had caught me by surprise. Baby? I tried to piece it in. Where had he picked that up?
'Let's say you were doing what you say you were doing. Why the fire?' Hale leaned over him.
'I didn't light it. It was just a coincidence that I was there. Probably a couple fucking self-righteous Sons of the Firebuggers from the Sungod Savior Order. It could have been Grannies for Armageddon, for all I know. If any of your witnesses told you, I didn't exactly walk out of the building. I've come to believe that I'm insane, but I wouldn't torch a building without a way out. I'm into masturbation, not suicide. You god-damned authority types, all muscle…no brain!' Tommy fumed, crossing his arms and muttering. 'Like you don't know.'
Cane's face drew near, puzzled. His jaws worked like he was physically shaping the words between his teeth. 'All right, Wildclown. Your record speaks for itself. You're an asshole but you've given Authority a hand before. Frankly, I don't care if a building burns in the Downings-just another Zombie hotel if you ask me…' He jerked his eyes around. 'Hey, where's the raw meat?'
He had finally missed Elmo. The dead man peeked through the office door. 'Here sir!' His teeth chattered.
'Leave my wife out of it!' Tommy commanded as he crossed and uncrossed his legs. 'You're talking to me.'
'Take my advice,' Cane said as he signaled the others to leave. The Enforcer's bulk swallowed the light in the hall, and then he was gone. 'There's a lot of shit going down in that district and if you have an ounce of brains you'll keep out of it. If I were you, I'd take a long vacation.' He got close. 'Keep joking about babies, Clusterfuck, and I can guarantee you'll get more than a warning next time. There is an Authority investigation under way. Stay out of it! Or next time your license is up for renewal you might find yourself changing careers.' He just about turned away, when a strange twist of his features turned his eyes back on Tommy. 'If you're stupid enough to ignore my warning, you'll be smart to let me know about any developments. If I don't know where you are, you might get caught in a crossfire.' He grinned, licked his lips. 'Yeah, you can bet on it!'
Tommy said nothing. He didn't look at Cane, just stared at the floor between his feet.
Cane followed Hale out.
Tommy started fondling his groin. He muttered something about fascists, then curled up on the couch. 'You see that Elmo? You see that? It's all part of it. That's what happens in the world that man built. They got their nerve. I can see it, but no one else can.' He looked over his shoulder at the door. 'Like they don't know.'
Elmo said, 'Sure Boss,' then crossed the room to lock up. As he returned to his seat in the office I saw the dull weight of the. 44 in his jacket pocket.
I began to think. There was something strange about Tommy. Apparently, during the last possession he had been more aware than I thought he could be. Was he referring to the baby Billings had heard? Had it set him off? Or was it random madness. When he went into a manic phase, he spewed information faster than he could understand. Phantom baby! Everyone knew there were no such things as babies. Below me, Tommy sighed. I had the distinct feeling that our relationship had changed.
Chapter 13
I entered the clown's body while he was still groggy with sleep. It was the easiest time to do so because his mind was full of naked pictures from an active dream life. Yesterday's injuries made the body unpleasant to put on at first, like a tight suit, but a few stretches and yawns loosened it up enough to wear. The sleep had done it a world of good. There was even a bit of bounce in its step as I wandered down the hall to the washroom to perform my morning ablutions and again as I returned to the office. I made Soya-eggs, plankton-sausage and a pot of coffee on the hot plate I kept in the filing cabinet and ate it at a small table and chairs I kept in the outer office for that purpose. It was spectacular. Breakfast can be like a wet kiss from God to the disembodied. There was simply nothing like having a tongue to taste food with. Even if the exigencies of the Change had made the meat parts of the meal synthetic.
The Change had been far reaching in its effects when it started all those fifty years ago. The same force that
