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“Some Walking Men have killed kings,” said Walker. “Some have overturned countries and changed the fate of the world. Others have followed more personal paths, clearing the world of evil one death at a time. Some stick to the shadows, some lead armies; and now one has come to the Nightside.”
“If some of them have been so important, why don’t I know their names?” I said.
“You probably do, if you think about it,” said Julien.
“Ah,” I said. “Like that, is it?”
“Mostly,” said Julien. “There have never been that many, down the centuries. Perhaps because no normal man would take such a deal, giving up love and friends and everything that makes life worth living.”
“They’re killers,” said Larry. “Cold-blooded, cold-hearted killers. Judge and jury and executioner. No mercy, no compassion, no pity.”
“And only he gets to decide what’s evil and what isn’t,” said Count Video. “He doesn’t care what the law has to say. He doesn’t have to. He answers to a higher power.”
“No shades of grey for the Walking Man,” said A
“So as far as he’s concerned, just by being here we’re all guilty,” I said. “I can see why you thought you needed me.” I considered the matter for a while. “What do we know about the current Walking Man?”
“Nothing,” said Larry Oblivion. “Not even his real name. He’s invulnerable to all forms of remote viewing. We’ve tried science and sorcery, seers and oracles, and computers, gone cap in hand begging answers from important personages on all sides, and no-one knows anything. No-one wants to know anything. They’re all afraid of being . . . noticed. All we know for sure is that he’s on his way here. Hell, he could be here right now, walking our streets, and we wouldn’t know it till the bodies started piling up.”
“He punishes the guilty,” Jessica Sorrow said quietly. “And so many here are guilty of something.”
“But . . . if no-one can see him, what makes you so sure he’s coming?” I said.
“Because he told us,” said A
“Sent me a very nice handwritten letter,” said Julien. “In my capacity as editor of the Night Times. Advising us of his purpose and intentions, and that he would be here within twenty-four hours. Which time is almost up. He wanted me to publish his letter, so everyone would know he was on his way and could put their affairs in order before he got here. Very considerate of him, I thought.”
“Yes,” I said. “You would. Are you going to publish his letter?”
“Of course!” said Julien. “It’s news! But... not just yet. We don’t need a panic. Or people taking advantage of the situation to settle old scores. We’re hoping you can . . . do something, before matters get out of hand.”
I looked around the table. “What, exactly, do you want me to do?”
“I would have thought it was obvious,” said Julien. “We want you to find the Walking Man and stop him from bringing death and destruction to the Nightside in general, and us in particular. He was quite clear in his letter that he intends to kill the new Authorities to send a message to the rest of the Nightside.”
“How am I supposed to stop the wrath of God?” I said. Not unreasonably, I felt.
Larry Oblivion smiled. “That’s your gift. We’re confident you’ll . . . find a way.”
I suppose I asked for that. “What’s the fee?” I said.
“One million pounds,” said Julien. “And...we’ll owe you.”
I nodded. “Sounds about right.” I looked from face to face. “You’re all powerful people. And you know even more powerful people. Some of them so powerful they aren’t people at all. So why put your faith in me?”
“Walker recommended you,” said Julien. “And you do have a reputation for wi
“You of all people should know better than to believe everything you read in the papers,” I said. I sighed, heavily. “All right. But let us be very clear about this. What exactly do you mean, when you say you want me to stop him? Do you mean reason with him, overpower him, or kill him?”
“You are authorised to use any and all means necessary,” Julien said carefully.
“Hell, you can try bribing him if you think it’ll do any good,” said A
“Love to,” said Suzie, and we all looked at her.
“I’m still worried about the whole unstoppable, invulnerable, wrath of God bit,” I said.
“This from a man who’s fought angels from Above and Below,” said Larry. “At least, according to him.”
“I know my limits,” I said, matching him stare for stare. “I can find the Walking Man. I can talk to him. I can use all kinds of tricks to confuse and divert him . . . but after that, your guess is as good as mine. We’re in unknown territory here.”
“Scared?” said Count Video.
“Bloody right I’m scared!” I said. “When the angels came here to fight their war over the Unholy Grail, their powers were strictly limited by the nature of the Nightside, and they still killed thousands of people and wrecked the place! And now Walker tells me the Nightside’s nature has changed, and we don’t even have that protection any more. If I had any sense, I’d go home and hide under the bed until this is all over. As it is . . . Look, when we talk about the wrath of God, we should be bearing in mind what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah, two cities destroyed by God for the sinfulness of their inhabitants. And I’ll bet good money they weren’t up to half the stuff that happens here on a regular basis, half price at weekends.”
“He’s still just a man,” said King of Skin. His voice was deep and rich and irredeemably sleazy. “Every man has his weaknesses.”
“I’ll be sure to mention that to him,” I said. “From a safe distance. Come on, I’m good, people, but even I can’t go up against the direct will of God. Just saying that out loud is enough to make me nervous of a plague of boils on my nether regions.”
“You do have a Biblical background,” Julien said carefully. “Your mother was Lilith, first wife to Adam.”
“Yeah, right—the one who rebelled against God’s authority, got kicked out of Eden, went down to Hell and slept with demons, and gave birth to monsters,” I said. “Really don’t plan on mentioning that co
“It’s only a parable anyway,” said Suzie, unexpectedly. “A simple way to comprehend a much more complex reality.”
We all looked at her for a moment. Suzie can always surprise you.
“Jessica Sorrow,” I said. “The Unbeliever...It seems to me that you’re the only one here with a strength of belief, or rather unbelief, to match the Walking Man. Maybe if we put the two of you together, you’d . . . equal out.”
“That was then,” said Jessica, fixing me with her deep, dark, unblinking eyes. “I’m much better now.”
There was a certain amount of uncomfortable shifting about in the room, as everyone disagreed vehemently without actually saying anything.
“We’re saving Jessica as our last resort,” said Julien. “Our most dangerous weapon.”
“Damn,” said Suzie. “I thought that was me.”
Julien flashed her a sympathetic smile, then gave me his best grave and concerned look. “It has to be you, John. You’re the only one we can trust to do this.”
“You keep saying that,” I said. “I’m still not convinced.”
“I still don’t get this,” Suzie said stubbornly. “I mean, God’s wrath, fast and strong, yes, get all that. But what does he actually do?”
“Anything he wants,” said Walker. “He’s as strong as he needs to be, and as fast. He can kill with any weapon, or with his bare hands. No door can keep him out, no argument can turn him aside, and nothing in science or magic can protect you from him.”