all that was left in the Ordo Templi Aryanis account, is now safely resting in the account of Vanka Maykov. When you’ve paid Louverture the second tranche that’ll leave five million guineas for you. How does it feel to be a multi- millionaire, Vanka?’
‘Great,’ said Vanka testily. ‘Can we go now?’
‘In a moment,’ said Ella as the screen churned again.
ANOTHER SERVICE?
With a shrug, Ella typed in her question.
WHAT SERVICES AVAILABLE?
The answer that rolled around on the screen left her numb.
ELLA THOMAS YOUR SECURITY CLEARANCE IS SUCH THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THE DEMI- MONDE® IM MANUAL
‘What’s an IM Manual?’ asked Vanka. ‘I’ve never heard of anyone accessing an IM Manual before.’
‘I’m not sure,’ said Ella as she worked the keyboard again.
IM MANUAL?
The answer came back immediately.
THE INTERFACE MANIPULATION MANUAL FOR THE DEMIMONDE®
Ella’s fingers danced over the keyboard.
ACCESS DEMI-MONDE IM MANUAL.
The response was instantaneous.
PLEASE BE ADVISED ELLA THOMAS THAT YOU HAVE GRADE 8 (CAPTAIN OR ABOVE) STATUS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROTOCOL 57 THIS ALLOWS SUCH INDIVIDUALS, WHEN DEPLOYED IN THE DEMI-MONDE® AND FACED BY MORTAL DANGER, TO MAKE EMERGENCY ONE-HOUR CHANGES TO THE DEMI-MONDE’S CYBER-MILIEU. IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE DUPES’ PERCEPTION OF THE LOGICALITY OF THE DEMI-MONDE® SUCH CHANGES MAY NOT VIOLATE THE NATURAL LAWS PREVAILING IN THE DEMIMONDE. ALSO NOTE THAT BEFORE SUCH CHANGES ARE MADE PERMANENT THEY MUST BE RATIFIED BY THE DEMI-MONDE® STEERING COMMITTEE. IF SUCH RATIFICATION IS NOT RECEIVED BEFORE ONE HOUR HAS ELAPSED THE AMENDMENT TO THE CYBER-MILIEU WILL BE ANNULLED. PLEASE ENTER ‘YES’ IF THESE CONDITIONS ARE UNDERSTOOD AND ACCEPTED.
Ella stood staring at the screen for several indecisive seconds.
She could get into ABBA!
She could alter the Demi-Monde!
Taking a deep breath, she brought her finger over the ‘Y’ button and pressed.
THE DEMI-MONDE® IM MANUAL
OPTIONS:
1. LOCATE DUPE
2. ADD DUPE
3. DELETE DUPE
4. AMEND DUPE CHARACTERISTICS
5. AMEND DUPE PERCEPTIONS
6. AMEND CYBER-MILIEU CHARACTERISTICS
Eureka!
She swallowed hard, her mind buzzing with possibilities. Using the IM Manual she could find out if Norma Williams was still alive and she could help the people of Warsaw. If she could manipulate the Demi-Monde there was no end to the possibilities of what she could do.
‘We’ve got to go, Ella,’ she heard Vanka whisper urgently in her ear.
‘Just a few seconds more.’
‘No… now!’ He pulled her around so that she was facing back towards the hall.
What she saw chilled her blood. There on the floor of the Bank were four black-uniformed SS troopers pointing up towards them.
‘That bastard Louverture has sold us out,’ snarled Vanka. ‘I should have known better than to have trusted a Blood Brother. Come on, we’ve got to run for it.’
Ella barely had time to stab a finger on the keyboard’s ‘CANCEL’ button before he dragged her away from the booth and was racing her back along the walkway.
They nearly made it.
That there were only four SS officers and miles of interlinked walkway to run along made escape almost too easy. It was like a life-or-death version of snakes and ladders, with Vanka and Ella running up and down between the levels, dodging among the press of customers, while the SS officers scurried after them shouting and yelling and all the time trying to anticipate which way the fugitives would go.
They were out-thought by Vanka. He managed to get himself and Ella to a walkway only ten feet or so above the floor of the Bank and then, grabbing Ella by the hand, jumped to the floor below. The manoeuvre was so unexpected that just for an instant the SS were flummoxed, and an instant was all that Vanka needed. He hauled Ella to her feet and together they raced to the Bank’s exit.
Vanka’s smile of triumph was short-lived: the pair of them ran straight into two large SS troopers who were standing guard at the door. Even as Vanka turned to yell a warning to Ella, he was felled by a savage smack from a blackjack.
‘Up you get, Comrade Maykov, an’ you an’ the Shade move nice an’ easy towards that black steamer parked over there by the pavement. His Holiness Comrade Crowley would like a word.’
With a quick look to Ella, Vanka climbed painfully off the floor, rubbed the bump on his head and then the pair of them were pushed and shoved into the steamer. The SS sergeant clambered in after them and shut the door firmly behind him, the black-tinted windows and the heavy steel body of the steamer sealing them away from the outside world.
A sour-faced Crowley was seated waiting for them. He used the revolver he was holding to wave them into the seat opposite his. ‘Have they been searched?’ he asked.
‘Yes, Your Holiness: we frisked both of them. They’re clean.’
And you enjoyed every second you were doing it, you pervert, added Ella silently. But fortunately you weren’t perverted enough.
Crowley relaxed. ‘So I finally manage to track down the elusive Vanka Maykov and his mysterious PsyChick, Mademoiselle Laveau. I cannot tell you how happy I am to have found you. At last we have an opportunity to resume the acquaintanceship that was so abruptly interrupted by your disappearance from Dashwood Manor. You should know, Maykov, that your abduction of the Daemon has caused me some considerable embarrassment: I was heavily criticised by the Leader for not recognising you for the villain you are.’ He took a long suck on his cheroot and then blew smoke into Vanka’s face. ‘Yes, capturing you and Mademoiselle Laveau will be quite a feather in my cap. The Leader is very anxious to meet her again.’
‘How did you find me?’ asked Vanka.
‘A little bird whispered in my ear; a little bird who is very anxious that Mademoiselle Laveau stops dabbling in the Dark Arts. But really, Maykov, I’m not here to answer your questions, you’re here to answer mine. Firstly: what were you doing conniving with that black wretch Louverture? And please don’t dissemble: Karl, the doorman of the Resi, is a loyal Party member.’
‘I was trying to buy blood.’
‘I suspected as much. I have had you investigated, Maykov, so I know you are a reprobate with a history of blood trafficking.’ Crowley flicked ash from his cigarette over Vanka’s knees. ‘Unfortunately for you this is one deal which will remain unconsummated. By tonight Louverture and the rest of the black trash performing at the Resi will have been declared personae non gratae and thrown out of the ForthRight. But a question arises: what were you doing in the Bank?’
Now this, Ella realised, was a bloody difficult question to answer. That the money to pay for the blood had come from the coffers of the Ordo Templi Aryanis was not, she guessed, an answer that would be popular with His Holiness. Vanka seemed to be stumped for an alternative and believable answer and therefore opted to stay silent. It was a silence that provoked Crowley: he slashed the barrel of his revolver across Vanka’s face.
‘Answer me!’ he snarled as he raised his hand for a second strike.
