Page 52 of No Man's Land

“We’re not on terms,” he said. “Not since the start of the war.” Which was all he intended to say on the matter.

Alex didn’t press, simply nodded. “Very well. When we get back, you can write a note to the Cohens. The boy can take it and bring back any reply.”

“Oh, so it’s all right for a boy on a bike to be making his way through London during an air raid, but not me?”

“For one thing, the air raid’s over,” Alex pointed out, lifting a finger to count. “For a second, the boy hasn’t beenattacked, grilled by The Society, and nearly blasted to Kingdom Come this evening. And for a third—I tip exceptionally well.”

“Even so, I could easily—”

“For God’s sake!” Alex snapped. “Can’t you just let me—?” He gritted his teeth, glancing around them and then lowering his voice. “You nearly died today. Twice. Don’t you think you might need a little…care tonight?”

Josef swallowed at the strange crack in Alex’s voice. “That’s not what—” After a moment, he rephrased, “I’m used to getting by on my own.”

“Yes, I realise that.” Alex ran a hand through his dishevelled hair, a disarmingly frustrated gesture. “I’m also aware that your perception of the world has been radically altered in the last few days, and that I may be able to help you…adjust. If, that is, you trust me enough.”

Josef held his gaze, trying to see into the heart of the man. “That’s the question, isn’t it?CanI trust you?”

“If I meant you harm,” Alex said, “I’d have let harm come to you.”

That was true, as far as it went, but Josef hadn’t survived as long as he had in the world by trusting easily. “I suppose you do keep saving my life,” he conceded.

Alex’s lips twitched into his wry half-smile. “Only because you keep putting it in danger.” He inclined his head in the general direction of St. James’s Park. “Come back with me and we’ll talk. I’m too tired to save your life again tonight.”

Josef made a show of considering, but in truth his decision had already been made. “Idohave a lot of questions,” he admitted. “And no other bugger is going to give me any answers.”

Chapter Sixteen

Alex’s flat was as luxurious as Josef remembered, brightly lit and warm.

Tonight, its elevation and distance from the streets where danger lurked came as an unexpected comfort. Even if, from the window, Josef could see the fires from the night’s air raid turning the sky ruddy. Just like at the front.

He wondered how many had died tonight.

As he walked closer to the window, Josef was aware of Alex behind him—lighting lamps, setting the fire. Meanwhile, far below them, teemed a frightened population. Spooks and ghouls aside, it was horrors of man’s invention that stalked the streets tonight.

“You’d think,” he said into the room’s quiet, “that having bombs dropped on you from aeroplanes would turn people against this bloody war. But it just makes them more gung-ho to ‘stick it to the Hun’.”

“It makes them afraid,” Alex said from the fireplace. “Anger is a potent salve for fear.” He rose and joined Josef at the window. “It’s why we keep our work secret. Over the years, many of us have fallen victim to fear and anger.”

Josef glanced at him, at his strong, serious profile and felt that peculiar shifting in his chest again. Carefully, feeling his way, he said, “Because people fear what they don’t understand.”

Turning his head, Alex met his eyes. “Naturally.”

“Don’t you think, in this modern era of scientific curiosity, there’s scope for more understanding? Why hoard all this secret information to some hereditary society? It’s the twentieth century, for God’s sake. Share your knowledge with the people.”

Alex gave a contained smile. “I don’t entirely disagree. But look what happened when I tried to tell you the truth, and you’d seen evidence with your own eyes.”

Josef had to concede the point.

“Besides, it’s too dangerous to be more open.” He gave a peculiar little nod, as if convincing himself. “It’s worked like this for a thousand years, and it can work for a thousand more.”

“Except now you have ghouls running around London.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed. “Thatis not our fault. This damned war is waking too many things best left sleeping.”

“And do you think this war will be the last, or the worst? For God’s sake, we’re dropping bombs out of aeroplanes onto people’s homes.” He shook his head, staring out over the burning city. “It’s only going to get worse from here—God knows what we’ll disturb. And then what will you and your merry band of toffs do? Will there even be enough of you to deal with it?”

Alex didn’t answer, but he looked troubled, and Josef suspected he’d hit a nerve. Good. Some nerves needed to be hit. After a moment’s consideration, he said, “Let me publish the story. Let me tell people about the ghoul, about how the war is bringing evil into the world.”

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