按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
'Military？ Secular？' I asked。
Ravenor shrugged。 'We could source them to likely manufacturers； but they likely supply all arms of the Imperium。'
Aemos's augmetic optics clicked and turned as he peered down at the objects on the cloth。 'The farcoders；' he began； 'similarly
advanced。 It takes singular skill to patch one of these successfully into a comm…node。'
'It takes singular skill to break in like they did；' I countered。
'They have no maker markings； but they're clearly refined models from the Amplox series。 Much more refined than the heavy…duty
units the military use。 It's just conjecture； but I'd say this was beyond the Ministorum too。 They're notoriously behind when it comes to
tech advancements。'
'Who then？' I asked。
'The Adeptus Mechanicus？' he ventured。 I scowled。
He shrugged； smiling。 'Or at least a body with the power and influence to secure such advanced devices from the Adeptus
Mechanicus。'
'Like？'
'The Officio Assassinorum？'
'Who would break in to kill； not listen。'
'Noted。 Then a powerful Imperial house； one with clout in the Senatorum Imperialis。'
'Possible…' I admitted。
'Or…' he said。
'Or？'
'Or the one Imperial institution that regularly employs such devices and has the prestige and determination to make sure it is using the
best available equipment。'
'That being？'
Aemos looked at me as if I was stupid。
'The Inquisition； of course。'
I SLEPT BADLY； fitfully。 Three hours before the end of the night cycle； I sat up in my bed； suddenly； coldly awake。
Dressed only in the sheet I had wrapped around me； I stalked out into the hall； my grip firm on the matt…grey snub pistol that lived in a
holster secured behind my headboard。
Dim blue light filtered through the hallway； softening the edges of everything。 I crept forward。
I was not mistaken。 Someone was moving about down below； in the lower foyer。
I edged down the stairs； gun braced； willing my eyes to accustomise to the gloom。
I thought to hit a vox and alert Kircher and his staff； but if someone was inside； skillful enough to get past the alarms； then I wanted to
capture him； not scare him off with a full blown alert。 In the few hours since I had arrived back at the Ocean House； a nasty taste of
treachery had seeped into my world。 It might be largely paranoia； but I wanted an end to it。
A beam of white light stabbed across the foyer floor from the half open kitchen doors。 I heard movement again。
I sidled to the doorframe； checked the safety was off； and slid； weapon first； through the gap in the doors。
The outer kitchen； a realm of marble…topped workbays and scrubbed aluminium ranges； was empty。 Metal pots and utensils hung
silently from ceiling racks。 There was a smell of garlic and cooked herbs in the still air。 The light was on in the inner pantry； near the
cold store； and the illuminated backwash filled the room。
Two steps； three； four。 The kitchen's stone floor was numbingly cold under my bare feet。 I reached the door to the inner pantry。 There
was movement inside。
I kicked the door open and leapt inside； aiming the compact sidearm。
Medea Betancore； clad only in a long； ex…military undershirt； roared out in surprise and dropped the tray of leftover ketelfish she had
been gorging on。 The tray clattered on the tiled floor in front of the open larder。
'Great gods alive； Eisenhorn！' she wailed in outrage； jumping up and down on the spot。 'Don't do that！'
I was angry。 I didn't immediately lower my aim。 'What are you doing？'
'Eating？ Hello？' She sneered at me。 'Feel like I've been asleep for a week。 I'm famished。'
I began to lower the gun。 A sense of embarrassment began to filter into my wired state。
'I'm sorry。 Sorry。 You should… maybe… get dressed before you come down to raid the larder。' It sounded stupid even as I said it。 I
didn't realise how stupid until a moment later。 I was too painfully aware of her long； dark legs and the way the singlet top was curved
around the proud swell of her bust。
'You should take your own advice… Gregor；' she said； raising one eyebrow。
I looked down。 I had lost the sheet kicking open the door。 I was what Midas Betancore used to call ''very naked''。
Except； of course； for the loaded gun。
'Damn。 My apologies。' I turned to scrabble for the fallen sheet。
'Don't stand on my account；' she sniggered。
I froze； stooped。 The muzzle of a Tronsvasse parabellum was pointing directly at my head from the darkness behind me。
It lowered。 Harlon Nayl looked me up and down for a moment in frank dismay and then raised a warning finger to his lips。 He was
fully clothed； damn him。
I retrieved my sheet。
'What？' I hissed。
'Someone's in。 I can feel it；' he whispered。 'The noise you two were making； I thought it was the intruder。 Didn't know you were so
keen on Medea。'
'Shut up。'
The two of us fanned out back through the outer kitchen。 Nayl pulled up the hood of his vulcanised black bodyglove to cover his pale；
shaved head。 He was a big man； a head taller than me； but he melted away into the darkness。 I watched carefully for his signals。
Nayl waved me left down the hall。 I trusted his judgment completely。 He had stalked the galaxy's most innovative and able scum for
three decades。 If there were intruders； he'd find them。
I entered the Ocean House's main hall； and saw the front entry was ajar。 The code display on the main lock was blinking a default of
zeros。
I swung round as a gun roared behind me。 I heard Nayl cry out and sprinted back into the inner foyer。 Nayl was on the floor； grappling
with an unidentifiable man。
'Get up！ Get up！ I'm armed！' I shouted。
In reply； the unknown intruder smacked Nayl's head back against the floor so hard he knocked him out； and then threw Nayl's heavy
sidearm at me。
I fired； once； and blew a hole in the wall。 The spinning gun clipped my temple and knocked me over。
I heard a series of fleshy cracks and impacts； a guttural gasp and then Medea Betancore's voice shouting； 'Lights up！'
I rose。 She was standing astride the intruder； one hand braced in a fierce fist； the other pulling down her undershirt for modesty。
'I got him；' she said； glancing round at me。
The dazed intruder was clad in black from head to foot。 I wrenched off his hood。
It was Titus Endor。
'Gregor；' he lisped through a bloody mouth。 'You did say you were home。'
FOUR
BETWEEN FRIENDS。
AN INTERVIEW WITH LORD RORKEN。
THE APOTROPAIC CONGRESS。
'GRAIN JOILIQ； WITH shaved ice； and a sliver of citrus。'
Seated in my sanctum chamber； Endor took the proffered drink and grinned at me。 'You remembered。'
'Many were the nights； in those fine old days。 Titus； I've mixed your drink of choice too many times to count。'
'Hah！ I know。 What was that place； the one off Zansiple Street？ Where the host used to drink the profits？'
'The Thirsty Eagle；' I replied。 He knew full well。 It was as if he was testing me。
'The Thirsty Eagle； that's it！ Many were the nights； as you say。'
He held up his tumbler of clear； iced spirits。
'Raise 'em and sink 'em and let's have another！'
I echoed the old toast and clinked my lead…crystal of vintage amasec against his glass。
For a moment； it was indeed like the fine old days。 Both of us； nineteen years old； full of piss and promethium； newly promoted
interrogators ready to take on the whole damn galaxy； students of old Inquisitor Hapshant。 Five years later； almost simultaneously； we
would both be elected full inquisitors； and our individual careers would begin in earnest。
Nineteen years old； drunk on our feet； carousing in an armpit of a bar off Zansiple Street after hours； mocking our illustrious mentor
and bonding for life； bonding with that unquestioning exuberance that seems to me now only possible in youth。
It was like regarding a different life； so far away； almost unrecoverable。 I was not that Gregor Eisenhorn。 And this man； with his long；
braided grey hair and scarred face； sitting in my sanctum dressed in a body…heat masking stealth suit； was not that Titus Endor。
'You could have called；' I began。
'I did。'
I shrugged。 'You could have joined us for dinner tonight。 Jarat excelled herself again。'
'I know。 But then…' he paused； and rattled the ice around in his drink thoughtfully。 'But then； it might have become known that
Inquisitor Endor had vis