The Burning Man

2

‘It’s a big city. How are we supposed to find the Second Key before Veitch?’ Church stood outside McSorley’s looking uptown. ‘He could already have him.’

‘I think we would know,’ Tom replied. ‘Probably from the hell-fire raining all around.’

‘No luck with the ring?’

Tom twisted the gold ring around his finger, bitterness darkening his expression. ‘Next to useless here. I think it’s because we’re not exactly sure what our heart’s desire is,’ he added pointedly. ‘Is it me or is it cold?’

‘It’s you. You’re old.’

Shavi returned from the alley where he had been attempting to meditate. His frustrated expression gave away his failure. ‘This is the most unspiritual city on Earth. Even with the power of the Blue Fire at its height, I am finding it near-impossible to tap into anything.’

‘We’re lucky it didn’t spit us out of the Blue on the city limits,’ Church said, enjoying the feeling of being slightly drunk.

‘We could always petition whatever gods we have awakened in this Great Dominion,’ Shavi said.

‘I’d steer clear of that lot wherever possible,’ Tom warned.

Not too far away, the police sirens had congregated. The drone made Church’s head ache. ‘I wish this Mundane Spell would shatter once and for all.’

‘It’s the disguise the Void wears,’ Tom said. ‘It’ll hold on to it until there’s no hope of maintaining the illusion.’

‘And then?’

‘Then the Army of the Ten Billion Spiders will come out and take everything apart so they can start all over again.’

Shavi tugged on Church’s sleeve. ‘Look at that.’

Amongst the tall buildings, the Morvren swooped as if with one mind.

‘A portent,’ Church said. ‘Bad times ahead. As if we didn’t know.’

‘No,’ Shavi insisted. ‘They are moving differently this time. Do you see?’

The birds always appeared to have an eerie intelligence, but now they were acting with an out-of-character singular purpose. Fleeting shapes appeared in the apparently random pattern of their flight. After a moment, Church began to see them more clearly.

‘Is that a key?’ Shavi said.

‘And an arrow,’ Tom added.

‘They are trying to guide us,’ Shavi exclaimed.

‘I don’t get it,’ Church said. ‘They’ve never done anything like this before. Why now?’

Despite his doubts, Church allowed himself to be persuaded by Shavi and Tom, who both argued that they had no other lead. They made their way towards the Bowery. The police sirens had died but there was still activity all around, cars driving too fast, people running, glancing over their shoulders, others talking intensely into mobile phones.

High above the cityscape, Church got a fleeting impression of a burning figure in the sky, but it was lost to the lights and the looming buildings. Before he had time to consider what he had seen, tyres screeched as a Lexus swerved across the road and mounted the kerb next to them. Two men in casual suits were out before the engine had died. Both had guns. One held out a police badge. He had an acne-pitted face and thin ginger hair.

‘Stay where you are.’ He identified Church as the main threat. ‘These the ones?’ he asked his partner.

An African-American, almost too tall to fit in the car, checked his BlackBerry, glancing up and down a couple of times before grunting, ‘Sure looks like it.’

‘Whatever you think we’ve done-’ Church began.

‘You just opened your mouth,’ the ginger-haired one said with faux incredulity. ‘I wouldn’t do it again. Turn around.’

As handcuffs were snapped on, the other detective radioed for support and ended his conversation with a hearty, ‘No shit!’

Turning to his partner, he said, ‘Eddie, you are not going to believe this.’

‘I believe everything you say, Detective Brinks. You’re my mom, my priest and Superman, all rolled into one.’

‘Deakins ran their faces through SEISINT. Got a match with Homeland Security. Two of these squirrels-’ he indicated Church and Shavi ‘-are on Global Red Status from British Intelligence.’

Eddie looked Church up and down. ‘Now isn’t that something. They’re going to have to build a whole new wing to keep you guys safe. Terrorists and cannibals.’