The World Walker by Ian W. Sainsbury

Author:Ian W. Sainsbury [Sainsbury, Ian W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2016-03-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 24

Walt was already sat behind his desk, studying a screen.

“I’ve set wheels in motion to get some information on our attacker,” he said. “She wasn’t trying to kill you, she was aiming for me. And I don’t think I would have come back from being a human kebab the way you did.”

“She wanted me alive,” said Seb, “but drugged.”

“Casino Security has been interviewing her friends,” said Walt. “They have an array of impressive injuries—well done—and they’re being treated for them. There’s a very luxurious suite in the top northwest corner of the building. It’s completely secure. We’ll keep them there until we get some answers. The medical guy with them is in a coma and seems likely to stay that way for weeks, if not months. Whatever they were planning to inject you with was intended to keep you down for a while. She knew you were powerful, but she thought a huge hit of anesthetic would stop you for a few hours. Would it?”

Seb thought back to whatever it was Westlake had sprayed in his face. It had been incredibly fast-acting, although his Manna-enhanced metabolism had brought him out of it within minutes. But if he had been injected with something more powerful while unconscious, would he have been able to pull the same trick?

“I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe.”

Walt finished reading, clicked the mouse and swiveled the display around so Seb could see. The woman from the casino’s classically beautiful features filled the screen.

“Sonia Svetlana,” said Walt. “It’s her real name. She doesn’t consider there’s any reason to hide it. She’s recently risen to the top of an organization no one’s ever taken seriously - Acolytes of Satan, they call themselves. Laughable, in some ways, but brutal and, it would seem, more of a threat than we thought.”

“We?” said Seb.

“Like I said, there’s a bunch of Manna users that look out for each other,” said Walt. “Nothing sinister, nothing you’d even call a organization. We just want to keep our abilities out of the public eye and be left alone. Other groups using Manna have agendas. The Order is religious, they usually keep themselves to themselves. There are plenty of small groups who use rituals and think they’re channelling real magic - they often call themselves shamans, witches or druids. The Acolytes believe in the existence of demons and their rituals often end with the physical summoning of creatures that convince everyone attending. You and I know it’s an illusion, but the thousands of believers see what they want to see. And they are prepared to fund their leaders’ extravagant lifestyles. It’s a pretty neat con, you’ve got to hand it to them.”

“So what have they got against me?” said Seb.

“Well, you’re not going to like it,” said Walt. “These idiots have worked on their mythology for hundreds of years. They believe Satan, not God, created the world, which explains why it’s such a mess. And their regular rituals, as well as being fund-raisers, are also designed to help bring about their ultimate aim.

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