Haven: Book Seven of "The Liminality"

Chapter 13 - Tim

Jan got up first for a change and went into the kitchen to fill his water glass. He paused at the threshold, hair disheveled, looking very confused.

"Why is there a strange man on our floor?"

Urszula rolled over in bed.

"He was there last night. Were you too drunk to remember?"

"I need some Paracetamol."

"I have it here," she said, retrieving a bottle from the end table. She tossed it to him.

"The man seems to have wet his pants."

"I will deal with him. Give me a minute."

Jan made his way around the obstruction and filled the glass of water. He looked down and grimaced.

"Is he even alive?"

"He was last night."

She rolled to a seated position on the bed and shook her head to clear some of the cobwebs.

"Oh! His eyes are open!" said Jan, jumping. "He twitched!"

Urszula got up and peered into the kitchen. The man lay exactly where he had been, his head still propped on the towel. His eyes were bright and calm.

"So where are these friends you said would be rushing to help you?"

The man smiled. "I am here, aren't I?"

"How long have you been conscious?"

"Several hours," he said. "I did not wish to disturb you."

Something about his voice sounded different. He looked the same, but his accent had changed. He now sounded like someone from the rougher side of London.

"You are not the man I was speaking to yesterday? Where is Lothar?"

"Helmut's soul has been relieved. My name is Tim. Tim Dwyer. How do you do?"

"Who the fuck are you?"

"You might say, I am a manager, an overseer in the program to which Helmut belongs. When complications occur, I handle them personally. The man you spoke to is not actually Lothar. That was Helmut. This body has been commandeered."

"So where is the real Lothar?"

"Well curated, I assure you. He can have his body back when we're done. If there's anything left of it. You guys seem pretty rough."

"I don't like spies."

"Information gathering has an important role in any enterprise. I like to think of us as reporters."

"Well, I don't like being watched."

"It is only because of your association with certain Mr. Moody. I'm actually here to offer you a proposition that would put an end to our interest in you."

"How so? Do you want us to drop dead?"

"I am serious. You would get an exemption for full freedom of movement in this realm without observation. Your partner gets to live out his life. You get to live twice. It is quite a deal."

"And what do you want from us?"

"We simply want you to help us maneuver Mr. Moody into a place where he can be safely detained. We understand that he does communicate with you quite regularly, through this thing they call the Sea of Souls."

"It's been a while. A month or so."

"He always checks in on his friends. We know this. We have our own tentacles into the Sing. Next time he does, we want you to put out a distress call. We have prepared a special enclave in the living realm where his skills would be negated. You will tell him that you've been kidnapped. He is a good and loyal friend, and he will come to help. Our Centurions will neutralize him. And you can have your freedom. Forever."