Ho stood in silence for a long while. He was becoming acutely aware that despite all the years at the temple, there were many things that he still needed to learn, Suddenly a thought struck him. He looked hard at the Wanderer.
‘How did you know my name? I didn’t tell it to you.’
The Wanderer grinned and tapped the side of lis nose with his forefinger.
‘There’s a lot I know.’
Jeb Stuart Ho nodded solemnly.
‘I’m beginning to realize that.’
He walked slowly away from the car. The doubts were becoming serious. There was so much that he didn’t understand. He stood staring at the river. He took a grip on himself. He shouldn’t be thinking this way. He only had one purpose in this place. He had to complete his task. He had to kill A.A. Catto. He walked quickly back to the Wanderer and the still unconscious Minstrel Boy. The Wanderer looked up at him and grinned.
‘Itchy to get on with the killing, Jeb Stuart Ho?’
‘Sometimes I think you can read my thoughts.’
‘You don’t think a poor old man like me could do anything like that, do you?’
‘The fox does not lead the hunter straight to his lair, neither does the little rabbit …’
The Wanderer quickly interrupted him.
‘Don’t give me that fortune cookie stuff. It’s something I’ve always hated about your bunch.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘I doubt that it’s your fault.’
‘I’m anxious to get on with my task.’
The Wanderer nodded.
‘So I see.’
He nodded towards the Minstrel Boy.
‘What about this poor boy?’
There was an awkward pause as the Wanderer got to his feet.
‘You weren’t thinking of leaving him here?’
‘You wouldn’t consider looking after him?’
‘Have you considered that he might not want to stay in this place?’
‘He has the ground car.’
‘Not for long, he hasn’t.’
‘What do you mean?’
The Wanderer grinned.
‘That’s something else you’ve forgotten.’
‘What?’
‘The globes.’
‘The cybernetic guards that destroy machines?’
‘Right.’
‘They’ll destroy the car?’
‘Of course they will.’
Jeb Stuart Ho looked round.
‘They haven’t come yet.’
‘They will, and when they do, don’t try and resist. They’re quite liable to fry all three of us.’
Jeb Stuart Ho stared out across the river. Sure enough, just as the Wanderer had predicted, five objects were floating towards them. They hung in the air a short distance above the surface of the water. As they came nearer, he could see that they were smooth grey steel with a black disc set in the side nearest to him.
The globes swept across the meadow towards them. They emitted a high-pitched hum. The Wanderer moved close to Jeb Stuart Ho.
‘Remember, don’t try anything. Just go along with what they want. If you don’t, they’ll wipe us all out.’
The globes moved round until they’d surrounded the car and the three men.
‘ You-will-stay-exactly-as-you-are!’
Neither Ho nor the Wanderer replied. Jeb Stuart Ho was aware the spheres were somehow draining off his willpower. He tried to analyse how they were doing this. It was something he had no experience of. The effort proved to much for him, and he found himself standing blankly.
‘It-is-necessary-that-we-search-you.’
The tentacles curled out from the base of the globes, and their tips ran over the Wanderer’s and Jeb Stuart Ho’s bodies. They took away Ho’s gun and his stasis generator. They left him with the rest of his weapons and equipment. They found nothing on the Wanderer, and turned their attention to the Minstrel Boy.
‘Has-this-one-ceased-to-live?’
The Wanderer shook his head dully.
‘He’s still alive, but he’s unconscious.’
The globes made no comment. They just ran their tentacles over the Minstrel Boy’s inert body. They took his stasis generator, and a couple of trinkets from his pocket. They placed them on top of the car, along with the things they’d taken from Jeb Stuart Ho.
‘These-objects-are-proscribed-in-this-area. The-vehicle-is-proscribed-in-this-area. It-is-necessary-that-we-destroy-them.’
The globes rose and floated above the car. Thin beams of bright blue light stabbed down from their bases, and played over the car. Jeb Stuart Ho retreated from the heat that was generated as the car smoked and melted. When it was reduced to a twisted, blackened hulk, the globes silently retreated back across the river and vanished. Jeb Stuart Ho slowly shook his head.
‘I have never seen machines like that before.’
The Wanderer nodded.
‘It’s amazing what you can get from Stuff Central.’
They both stood looking at the charred wreck. The Wanderer grinned.
‘Looks like we’re walking from here on in.’
Jeb Stuart Ho was about to answer when the Minstrel Boy made a noise. Both men turned and looked at him. He was weakly trying to sit up. His face was still very pale. Jeb Stuart Ho dropped on one knee beside him.
‘Are you all right?’
‘No. I feel half dead. My head hurts.’
Jeb Stuart Ho avoided the Minstrel Boy’s eyes.
‘I suppose you blame me for it.’
The Minstrel Boy struggled into a sitting position. Anger seemed to give him strength.
‘Who the hell do you expect me to blame? You’re the fucker that’s responsible.’
He caught sight of the Wanderer.
‘You! What the fuck are you doing here?’
The Wanderer grinned.
‘I just came along for the ride.’
The Minstrel Boy groaned, and looked around.
‘Where are we, anyway?’
Jeb Stuart Ho looked at him in surprise.
‘You mean you don’t know? You brought us here.’
‘You don’t expect me to remember any of that, do you?’
‘We’re in Quahal.’
The Minstrel Boy collapsed back on the grass.
‘Quahal! Oh no, I don’t believe it.’
‘You don’t like it?’
‘Of course I don’t like it. It’s a hideous, unbelievable place.’
He sat up again, and noticed the wreckage of the car for the first time.
‘I suppose the globes did that.’
The Wanderer nodded.
‘That’s right.’
‘So we can’t get out of here.’
‘Not until someone comes up with something.’
The Minstrel Boy looked bitterly at Jeb Stuart Ho.
‘Why did I ever get involved with you?’
‘You had no choice.’
‘You can say that again.’
The Minstrel Boy continued to sit on the grass. The Wanderer seemed content to stand patiently and say nothing. Jeb Stuart Ho began to feel that his time was being wasted. He looked from one to the other.
‘We ought really to begin to move on.’
The Wanderer said nothing. The Minstrel Bof savagely ripped up a clump of grass.
‘I ain’t going nowhere else with you.’
Jeb Stuart Ho attempted to be reasonable.
‘You can’t remain here for the rest of time.’
The Minstrel Boy glanced up with a sneer.
‘Can’t I? You just watch me.’
Jeb Stuart Ho continued to be reasonable.
‘Surely if you come with us, at least to the nearest habitation, you may find the means to get out of this area.’
The Minstrel Boy sat in stubborn silence. The Wanderer decided it was time to intervene.
‘He’s right, you know. You might as well come as far as the ziggurat.’
The Minstrel Boy glared at him.
‘Who asked you?’
‘I’m only telling you the truth.’