The Psychonaut - Book 1 Read online

  “This may be a vain hope,” Merrick said, “but I think we’re still hidden to him. Anyhow, it can’t harm to be vigilant.”

  By the time they reached their jeep, the sun was high in the sky and beat down without relent. Merrick called ahead to Mike and filled him in. He also told him to be ready for a war council of sorts. As they neared the capital, Albany applied his genetic manipulation and they resumed their alter-egos.

  Back at the house, Rovach had prepared a meal. They ate while conducting their meeting, each party sharing their significant news.

  If Merrick’s party had the more fantastical elements to report, then Mike had the most encouraging.

  “I’ve not been idle while you were gone,” he said. “In fact, I think I’ve had a bit of a breakthrough.”

  “You have?” Merrick said. “Well, spill the beans, mate.”

  Mike obliged. “I made contact with the Outcast’s network. These guys were next to invisible, but once I had the identity of one cell leader, I accessed his home PC and tracked his connections to the others. It involved hacking systems, cracking passwords and surfing the dark net, but the end result is a list of names and addresses.” He handed the list to Arun, who took it with barely repressed fascination.

  “You are now at liberty to applaud,” Mike said and leaned back in his chair.

  “This is good news indeed,” Arun said. “This one, here,” he pointed to the third name down, “lives in the city. These others have spread themselves between Turkmenistan, Iran and Afghanistan. There will be more—I am sure of it, but we must be cautious. The Outcasts guard their identities obsessively. It is their key to survival. If we go blundering in, they’ll vanish like the morning mist.”

  “Okay,” Merrick said. “It seems we have many priorities here. Needless to say my greatest concern is Lotus. But bringing Shamon down, or at least disabling him, is a close second.” He looked round the table. Every one of the group gave him their attention. It was both fascinating and frightening that, despite his novice status, they had come to look towards him for leadership. He didn’t know when or how the shift had taken place but, just like a rising tide, the fact he was leading them was unquestionable.

  “The problems we face are many. Shamon is on his home territory with a formidable organisation, we might even call it an army. We can only guess at its size. We don’t know if, or to what extent he has accessed the gateways, and to top it all off, he has leverage with Lotus’ abduction.”

  “We’re also having to look over our shoulders for the Hierophants, now Jason knows we’re in town,” Albany said.

  “So now to our strengths. We know we can access the gateways and our ability to do so is instant. We’ve got the chance of hooking up with other Outcasts, and from what Arun tells me, there’s a rich vein of talent we can tap into.”

  “Don’t forget—they will be well motivated,” Arun said. “There’s nothing to galvanise the rebellious more than the prospect of revenge. They just need leadership.”

  Merrick finished his last mouthful and took a sip of water. “As far as I know, we have the advantage of surprise. If Shamon doesn’t know we’re here, then his guard might be down.”

  “There’s a couple of if’s in there,” Albany said.

  “Balance of probabilities, mate. We’ve got to act on our best instincts. Otherwise indecision will leave us paralysed.”

  The others were nodding or grunting their agreement.

  “So, here’s the proposal.” Merrick stood and laid out Kemran’s map on the table. “First, we check out the Archmenid site to see if it’s where the Ukurum are holed up. Celestia, we’ll rely on you to detect their presence.”

  “I’ll need to be close,” she said. “The Ukurum have their own far-seers and they’ll be throwing up static for concealment. I’ll also have my work cut out concealing our approach.”

  “Can you do it?”

  “C’est bon. As long as the party is small.”

  “Great. I’m going to limit it to three. You, me and Arun.”

  “Are you sure that’s enough?” Albany asked. “There’s strength in numbers.”

  “We have to be realistic,” Merrick said. “If we know they’re at the site then our best bet is a quick in and out operation. If we can spirit Lotus away then it will accomplish more than an all-out assault. Besides, we don’t have the numbers—not yet.”

  “It’s risky,” Mike said, “But, as you pointed out, you have the advantage of surprise. What do you want the rest of us to do?”

  “We need to make contact with the other Outcasts. I’d like you, Albany and Rovach to engage with the one Arun recognised—what’s his name?”

  “It’s a she, and it’s Yuliana Ogulnazik,” Arun said.

  “Okay. Be discrete. Let’s hope her English is better than your Turkmen, Albany. Otherwise it’ll be down to sign language and a translation book.”

  “Tell her you know me,” put in Arun “and give her this.” He passed Albany a polished amber fragment. Inside, perfectly preserved, was a blue-winged moth. “It will reassure her that I sent you.”

  “Good,” resumed Merrick. “We need to thrash out some details but I think we’ve got the basis of a plan. After that, we get some sleep and move out at dusk.”

  After each party had discussed tactics, they retired en masse to their beds. Merrick made to turn in but found Celestia had held back.

  “Is everything all right?” he asked.

  She circled her finger round a knot of wood on the table surface. “We’re taking a step into the unknown and there are no guarantees that we’ll find Shamon, let alone rescue Lotus. You do understand this, don’t you?”

  “There are no guarantees of anything, but I have to act. I’ve been sitting on my thumbs for months and now I’ve got a chance to move forward. Besides, I’m more confident with my abilities. Shamon’s not dealing with a novice anymore.”

  “That’s not what I mean. Shamon has a way of getting into your brain—just ask Albany. There’s no telling what Lotus’ state of mind is.”

  “What exactly are you saying, Celestia?”

  Her eyes met his questioning gaze with compassion. “Don’t expect her to be the same Lotus you knew.”

  ~~~

  They arrived at the site just as the last remains of day-light faintly streaked the western sky. Albany had offered to disguise them again but Merrick had declined. He’d had enough face-twisting and, besides, the Ukurum would recognise their mind signatures at close range, just like Jason had.

  “There’s a lot of interference here,” Celestia whispered.

  “The Ukurum?” Merrick asked.

  “There is no signature. But the fact that static is present tells me something wants to stay hidden.”

  Merrick’s eyes dwelt on her in the half light. He hadn’t noticed before, but she had a mole on her neck, just below an elfin ear decorated with silver-bar piercing. She wore a jasmine-laced perfume that was almost as alluring as the scent of her psyche. She looked back at him and he withdrew mentally, mindful of his uninvited encroachment.

  “Everything all right?” she asked.

  “Hunky-dory,” he said as his eyes slid off her.

  Get a grip, Whyte.

  “I’d like to look closer at that crypt,” Arun said. He was pointing at a square of crumbled, parmesian-coloured masonry. It enclosed a shaft or possibly a cellar; the spidery shadows made it difficult to tell.

  “Let’s keep close to the shrub-line,” Merrick said, “it’ll limit the time of exposure.”

  Arun looked left and right. “You feel it too?”

  “Watchful eyes? Yes.”

  “I can’t sense anything down there,” Celestia said.

  “I’m not looking for anything sentient,” Arun replied. “Let me go alone. I’ll give you a signal once I’ve checked it out.”

  With that, the Vietnamese flitted like a panther through the undergrowth, then disappeared. He
emerged again as a shadow, separating himself from the darker umbra cast by the temple ruin. Moments after descending into the chamber, a beckoning arm appeared giving the all-clear.

  They found Arun at the bottom of a shallow well, his torch-beam flicking back and forth . The steps leading down had fallen away, requiring them to drop down the final two metres. They landed in silence and looked at the rectangular block occupying his attention. He swept a hand across the dusty surface. There, illuminated in the torch-glow was a cuneiform character.

  “I recognise this mark,” he said. “They’re inscribed on many of the Ukurum vaults in England.”

  “What does it mean?” Merrick asked.

  “It means we’ve found them.”

  Merrick couldn’t help a flicker of pleasure spread across his face. “Is there an entrance somewhere?”

  “Yes. Beneath the block. But it’s protected by a sequence of charms.”

  “Can we disable them?”

  “I know the keys. They change every day, so initiates must learn each individual one. Let us hope they have not changed.”

  Arun gestured with his fingers and uttered three words in rapid succession. “It is done.”

  “What?” said Merrick. “No sliding door or rolling stone?”

  “The Ukurum have no sophistication. We’ll have to lift it.”

  They couldn’t avoid the grating of the slab as they dragged it across the plinth. Looking down into the gloom, they saw another staircase.

  “What now?” Celestia said.

  “We’re going underground,” Arun replied.

  “A song by the Jam?” said Merrick.

  Arun gave him a baffled look.

  “Never mind. I’m more of a Dio fan than a mod,” Merrick said. “Celestia, can you sense anything?”

  She shook her head. “There’s a passage beyond the door at the bottom. Beyond that, more static.”

  “Can you still shield us?”

  “Ce n’est pas un problème.”

  They crept down the stairway and pulled the door open. A breath of warm, sulfurous air greeted them. Though Merrick breathed only through his mouth, the pungency stung his sinuses.

  “This way,” Arun said and led them along a rocky pavement. Although they had torches, the darkness oppressed them, threatening to eat the feeble light their beams afforded.

  The passage ended with a crawl space, about three feet high in the wall. Arun froze. Beyond the aperture they heard the movement of something large and bestial, snorting and shuffling about.

  “A guardian,” Arun said under his breath.

  A chill, sliver of fear inserted itself into the fissure of Merrick’s mind. “Can we find another way?”

  “There’ll be ones like this protecting every entrance to Shamon’s lair. Don’t worry, I can handle it.” He got down on all fours and slinked through the hole. After a while, Merrick heard a mournful groaning. He looked at Celestia in alarm.

  “C’est bon,” she said. “I’ve seen this trick done before.”

  Arun’s head poked through the hole. “I have pacified it. Come.”

  When Merrick stood up on the other side, he saw they were in a large cavern. Another aperture on the far wall cast an orange lambency over them. It illuminated a slumbering beast, curled up on the floor. Scarlet and charcoal-grey hide covered a bipedal form. It had a hammer-shaped head, as if it had been forged by a diabolical blacksmith. Its vicious-looking mouthparts curved downward, while nostrils exhaled condensed vapour into the cold cavern air.

  “Fucking hell,” Merrick said. “He’s an ugly bugger.”

  “Actually, it’s a she,” Arun said. “The male of the species is far too passive for a guard. Now we must move with haste, it will not stay under the stupor of my charm for long.”

  Once through the hole on the far side, they came out on a smooth-floored passageway, its surface polished to a dull sheen. Recessed lights bathed the rock corridor with a greenish hue, removing the need for torches.

  “I have full cognisance,” Celestia said. “Mon dieu, there are thousands of them here. This complex is the size of the Vatican.”

  “Can you locate the Dark Pontiff?” Merrick asked.

  “His emanations are like a beacon. He’s just north of here. Lotus is with him.”

  “Can we stay hidden?” he said. The eagerness on his face hard to conceal.

  “Unlikely. His chambers are annexed to a dozen ante-rooms, each occupied by personnel.”

  “We could have done with Rovach,” Merrick said, thinking for a moment. “It’s a long-shot, but we could create a diversion, draw some of his people away and approach from another direction.”

  Arun looked at Celestia, who shrugged. “I have a couple of thunder-flashes in my belt. They might work,” he said.

  “It’s all we’ve got,” she replied.

  It only took a minute to settle on a strategy. Arun was to circle round to the west, while Celestia and Merrick took the opposite path. Relying on Celestia’s far sight, they calculated that eight minutes was all they needed to take up positions. Arun could then set off the thunder-flashes and do his best to disappear into the western quadrant. It was up to Celestia and Merrick to then close in on Shamon.

  “If we manage to take Lotus back. How do we get out?” Celestia asked.

  “I say we head east,” Arun said. “We’ll have to hope there’s an exit on the far side.”

  Celestia’s eyes narrowed. “There’s a lot that could go wrong. We might be better retreating to make a better plan, then come back with the others.”

  “No,” Arun said. “The guardian I put to sleep will tell of our incursion. Even if I kill it, Shamon’s guard will be up. Our best option is to take advantage of surprise. That means acting now.”

  Merrick concurred. He also felt the surge of his expectation driving away any patience he had left. He was so close to Lotus now. “Let’s do it,” he said, “are you both clear on the plan?”

  They nodded, and Arun immediately crept off down the passageway. Celestia led them both in the opposite direction, hugging the walls every time they heard footsteps or reached a corner. Merrick tried to remember every twist and turn they took, but he couldn’t know what was up ahead. Celestia’s far sight was invaluable in this respect.

  Their progress slowed down as they encountered increasing Ukurum traffic in the passages. They passed through chambers, store rooms and alchemical laboratories, avoiding any obvious congregation points. Merrick saw humans, humanoids and beasts; even more bizarre than at Paraganet House. He marveled at the beauty and the grotesquerie, for there was equal measure of both.

  They still hadn’t made enough progress before they heard a muffled detonation in the distance.

  “Shit,” Merrick said. “We’ll have to close in now, whatever. Our priority is haste rather concealment.”

  Rounding another corner, Merrick saw a stream of warriors moving away at a rapid pace. They were gaunt and sinewy, at least seven feet tall, and lumbered along with a momentum defying their size. “I don’t fancy taking any of them on,” he said.

  “They are Necrolytes; Shamon’s personal guard. Formidable beasts indeed.”

  “If they think, then they’re vulnerable to me,” he said, confidence rising within him, along with something he knew he ought to repress. Bloodlust—an emotion previously alien to him. Yet the threat to Lotus, and revulsion of Shamon’s horde brought it boiling to the surface.

  They ran through a library and then an antechamber. Beyond this, they encountered a woman, terrified and clinging to a wall.

  “Please, do not strike me,” she whimpered. “I only wanted to see what the commotion was.

  “Get back to your room,” Celestia said in a commanding voice. “The master will hear of this.”

  Once she had scuttled out of sight, they resumed their ingress.

  “Nice one,” he said.

  “Act as if you belong. It works most of t
he time. Now hold—we are close.”

  They passed through a small chamber, warmed by a log fire. Ahead, was an oaken door.

  “It’s not locked,” Celestia said.

  Merrick didn’t hesitate. He grabbed the handle and pushed into the room beyond.

  Shamon was on a low bed with Lotus. Both wore ornate robes, designed for ostentation rather than comfort. Lotus had her hair up, patrician style—Aphrodite couldn’t have looked more sublime. Merrick tried to deny it, but he detected a post-coital atmosphere and it gave him no small satisfaction to see Shamon’s eyes widen with surprise. He made a quick recovery, however, as his expression turned feral. Merrick released a mind bolt, which Shamon just managed to parry. Merrick felt the force of Shamon’s mind retaliate and threw up his own shield. They remained deadlocked in this manner, neither gaining the upper hand.

  “I see the woodlouse has crawled out from underneath his stone,” Shamon said.

  Merrick ignored him, “Lotus, step over here, this motherfucker isn’t going to be a problem anymore. We’ve come to take you back.”

  Lotus didn’t move, her expression was stone. The effort of maintaining Merrick’s magickal assault was starting to show. “Lotus, snap out of it,” he said, with greater force this time.

  She tilted her head, mouth curling in an arch smile. “Poor Merrick. You came all this way to rescue me? How thoughtful.” She glanced at Shamon then fixed Merrick with her eyes. “It must be a great shock to you, so how can I put this tactfully? I don’t want to leave. This is where I belong.

  ~~~

  Chapter 24

  Faces in the window

  What have you done to her, you bastard?” Merrick said to Shamon.

  “Cease your assault and I might tell you,” Shamon replied.

  “Do you think I’m an idiot?”

  “Not at all. See here, I relax my defence.”

  There was a sense of dissipation and Merrick reduced his mind-force in response. He was ready to increase it again should Shamon renew the attack. But it didn’t come. The two combatants relaxed what remained of their mind force—a psychic sheathing of swords.