‘I, uh…’
‘So, you flicked the switch. Then what happened?’
‘I think I saw the barrier disappear. Things get a little fuzzy around then. I think the barrier went down and there was nothing inside it. The next thing I remember is waking up with my face crushed against a wall in my house.’ Lambert flashed a look at Kyle and then looked away.
‘Right.’ The problem was that Lambert really did not seem to be lying. Not this time. And there were those discrepancies Mitsuko had mentioned in a message. Courtney had the distinct impression that Mitsuko had not come up with the list on her own. Nava, and possibly Melissa and Rochester, were involved. Melissa was part of the student council, but the other two should not have been involved. Well, there was one thing Mitsuko had mentioned which was interesting. ‘Professor,’ she began.
‘I don’t like using that title,’ Lambert said. ‘Mister is quite good enough.’
Courtney sighed. ‘So I’ve been told. Kyle, could you ask if Mercia Reynell is ready?’
Lambert blinked as Kyle turned and tapped on the door to be allowed out. ‘Mercia?’ Lambert asked. ‘She’s–’
‘She’s helping with the treatment of your wife. We’re going to have her look you over too, if you’re okay with that.’
For a brief second, Lambert looked a little afraid. Then he straightened his back and nodded. ‘If that’s the only way you’ll believe me, then I’ll do whatever is needed.’
~~~
Mercia Reynell was a small woman. Petite and slim, her black hair was cut into a tight pageboy cut which framed a face full of delicate features. Her eyes gave more away about her than her size; some people had described them as ‘cold as the darkest parts of space.’ She was actually a very compassionate woman, but she had a reputation. She was a brilliant psychologist and a powerful sorceress. Her speciality was magic dealing with the mind and, aside from working as the school’s head counsellor, she taught her speciality to the senior students. She had not had a date in five years, despite being objectively beautiful, because men in particular found her immensely intimidating.
She was, no matter what rumours suggested, human. As a result of that and having just come from interviewing Candide Stenger, Lambert had been treated to the full weight of Mercia’s bottomless black eyes when she had entered the room ten minutes earlier. Now…
‘He’s telling the truth,’ Mercia said. ‘He’s not repressing memories or plain lying. He has absolutely no memory of what happened after he opened the artefact. Nothing until he woke up at home.’ There was an undeniable note of pity in her voice and her eyes had softened.
‘How is Candide?’ Lambert asked before Courtney or Kyle could comment on Mercia’s assessment.
‘Physically, she’s fine. No lasting effects of… what happened.’ There was a slight pause as Mercia assessed what else she should say and how. ‘Mentally is a different matter. I can now tell her that her husband did not torture her for hours, but it will take time for her to believe it.’ Another pause. ‘If she ever does.’
‘O-oh.’
‘Alright,’ Courtney said. ‘We can now drop the charges against Lambert Stenger, but that leaves us with a mind controller on the loose who–’
‘No,’ Mercia said.
‘I’m sorry? You just cleared him of, well, everything. Someone had to be controlling him and that person–’
‘No, this was not simple mind control. Mind control is controlling the mind. It’s in the name. The mind has to be conscious, aware of what’s happening, in order for someone using any form of mental coercion to manipulate it. Lambert Stenger was entirely unaware for the duration. This was not done with mind control magic. I’m not immediately aware of any magic which works this way, but I’ll do some research.’
Reaching up, Courtney squeezed the bridge of her nose. ‘Great. So we have someone using an entirely unknown spell to commit crimes.’
‘Someone or something,’ Mercia said.
‘What makes you say that?’
‘Lambert Stenger’s memories end approximately three seconds after he moved that switch inside the artefact. If it had been immediately, perhaps the connection would be clearer, but the coincidence shouldn’t be ignored.’
‘The central part of the artefact was hidden inside a barrier,’ Lambert said. ‘I’m sure I saw that vanish when I moved the switch.’
‘You did,’ Mercia agreed. ‘And you were correct in your statement that there appeared to be nothing inside it. However…’
‘Why would you build what seems like a containment vessel,’ Courtney said, ‘without something to contain? Lambert Stenger, I’m officially releasing you from custody. I suggest you take the remainder of today to rest and I’d imagine the meditechs will agree with me. Tomorrow, I want you to begin trying to piece that artefact together’
‘I’ve virtually no chance of getting it working again.’
‘I understand that, but maybe if you can work out exactly what it was doing, we might be able to work out what, if anything, was inside it.’
~~~
‘If this is SSF business, what are we doing here?’
Courtney stared at Nava for a long second before answering, but Nava was just the kind of person who would not break, even under the deepest of intimidating stares. ‘Let’s just say that I don’t think Suki came up with all those comments about my report to her about Lambert Stenger. I’d rather cut out the middleman.’
Nava shrugged. ‘Fair enough.’ She walked over and settled down beside Mitsuko, but she did not look entirely happy. They had convened the impromptu meeting in Mitsuko’s apartment after dinner. Technically, this was nothing to do with Nava or Rochester. Melissa might have been involved due to her position on the student council, but they were keeping it all unofficial to avoid any difficult questions, most likely from Darius Miller. No one was taking minutes.
Assuming centre stage in front of the entertainment screen, Courtney began. ‘We’ve established that Lambert Stenger was not responsible for what happened in his lab or his home. The charges against him have been dropped.’
‘I knew he
