Chapter 13. Prophesy
The Functionary called the Seer and reported the incident in the hotel:
“The Stranger had accomplices, a man and a woman, who helped him to escape. One of our employees was severely wounded.”
“That’s too sad. Specify the account details of the injured I’ll pay compensation.”
“I don’t mean that,” the Functionary waved his hand. “They are to blame, that haven’t recognized the Soldier in his new dress-up, rose to the woman. We have lost three agents during the day. These are very serious incidents. I won’t be able to control field agents if they decide to avenge their comrades. And then, we really need a solid basis for detention of the people, otherwise, we might be involved in a scandal.”
“Three injured agents are not grounds for detention?” The Seer’s mood was rapidly fading.
“No. We can’t make this incident public, journalists learn about this and we’ll be in trouble. And what if we have interfered with the operation of our colleagues from another agency?”
“I see,” the Seer said gloomily. “Thank you for everything. Sorry for bothering you. All the best.”
“Wait,” the Functionary hurried to say. “There is another way.”
“Speak up.”
“You can go to private agencies. But it is not going to be cheap,” the Functionary breathed out.
“Ok. Thank you for your advice. I’ll think about it,” the Seer said dismissively and hung up.
He did not doubt that the woman the Functionary mentioned was the Medium. He was displeased that she had disobeyed, had not followed his advice and, more than that, she helped the person who was a potential threat to people like her. The Seer understood that many people were a danger but was it a sufficient reason to attack? A seeing person can tell a real threat from an imaginary one and should take preventive measures only in case of a real danger.
But his decisiveness was limited by the boundaries he would not cross. The Seer did not think twice and rejected the idea of hiring private detectives as he feared their non-professional actions would harm the Stranger. What then? Will his good intentions bring death to the Stranger? Will they add agony to hardships?
The Seer was trying to visualize what would happen when the Stranger would come in the City, but in vain. He still felt the urge to do something. First thing, he decided to separate his friend from the Stranger. It is not banal jealousy, rather fear: if the anomalous abilities of the Medium provoke the Stranger, the consequences of an energy blow can be disastrous. The Seer understood that and started to act without a twinge of conscience and even enthusiastically. He sat down in the armchair and concentrated. He rarely made people to act against their will. But this is a special case and requires special measures …
A taxi drove the companions from the dangerous place. The Stranger asked to halt near the park. He liked to walk along the alleys, feel leaves, and freshly mown grass. The passengers got out of the car, walked around the garden, came up to a small pond emitting freshness and easily found an empty bench in the shadow of a shaggy oak.
“I will go to the railway alone to see what is going on,” the Soldier suggested.
“We’ll go together. I think there is no threat at the railway,” the Stranger said.
“Why? Aren’t you are wanted?” the Medium asked.
“They are probably looking for us but I can’t feel danger,” the Stranger answered.
“However strange that may sound, me either, and I am also used to trust my feelings,” the Soldier was thoughtful. “But agents never forgive insults and always repay debts. We do the same not to take revenge but to teach others so that it does not become a habit.”
“You may be right but do not forget: they are intelligence acting against us and if they want, they will catch you in any other place in the City if not at the railway,” the Medium said in an indifferent and exhausted voice.
“Quite probable,” the Soldier supported her version. “To keep a seizure group at the railway station is expensive, the more so that they don’t know when we are going to show up. The group must consist of at least six people. The easiest way is to have two observers, one will watch the ticket office and the other will be at the railway platform, and take pictures of everything suspicious. These images will be analyzed and checked with special software. If they are identical, an armed agent group will be sent to detain us as soon as we leave the rail car. 24-hour survey security cameras can also be installed. Then these cameras will be everywhere, even in the can. We don’t know about the scope of the operation but I think the agents did not take it seriously and sent few people to detain us. It’s sad. No cordon, amateurship …”
“Calm down,” the Stranger interrupted him mildly. “They are not police. They are security. I think they don’t take us for criminals. Although these people are manically distrustful, they are no fools. The Seer probably asked his friend to detain us and that is why the operation scope is limited.”
“You are right,” the Medium interfered. “It is the Seer who wants to detain you. He believes that your energy will show up in the City and will be a threat to City residents. Moreover the agent in the hotel showed around your photograph only,” the woman looked up and down the skinny Stranger. “And three people are too many to detain you. I don’t know what the right way to choose is. Understand me; the Seer is a very intelligent and far-sighted man. He knows what he is doing...”
Suddenly the woman’s eyes sparkled and perspiration showed on her forehead. The Stranger looked into her eyes, felt something, and listened attentively, while she continued:
“Don’t go to the City. Your power is free to destroy,” the Medium seemed to have lost control of her, she was breathing heavily, and falteringly. “You will be our judge. Who will resist your spirit, who will be able to fight? I know who you are. He has sent you and who is able to withstand the arrival of your Prince? Who will survive when he appears?” the Medium was in a trance, her countenance sharpened, she had a slightly croaky voice, and her pupils widened.
The Stranger got up from the bench. He felt the Wind. He felt how the skin on his head was getting numb impacted by that power, as if needles pierced his head, or to the contrary, protruded from it. Human consciousness was going away… The Wind took hold of the Stranger’s will.
“Do not speak,” he commanded. “Do not speak. I prohibit you to do this,” the Stranger put one of his hands on the woman’s nape and the second on the forehead and uttered slowly: “do not worry her anymore.”
The Medium shuddered from head to toes, her hands were shaking, and she became very pale. She was nauseated.
“I feel bad, very bad… Let me go.”
“That’s fine. It’s better like this. You will feel better,” the Stranger said, caressing her black hair. At the last movement he saw how the Power was breaking the woman. Some more time and it would crush her. So, he let the power go. The Medium pressed against his chest and wept.
The Soldier turned away, took out a cigarette from a pack, looked at it, crumpled it, and threw away. Tears welled in his eyes. The Soldier was rejoicing as a kid. He believed that he faced miracle again: the Stranger won from the Seer, drove a demon out of the Medium. Now he is on the right side, among the warriors of the light. No one will be able to stop him now.