Zabulon’s face was a sight.
The dark wings didn’t disappear, but they stopped growing and flapped hesitantly, as if the magician was thinking about flying away, but couldn’t quite make up his mind.
‘Wind up this operation, Zabulon,’ the boss said. ‘If you withdraw immediately from this building and from Svetlana’s house, we won’t lodge an official protest.’
The Dark Magician didn’t hesitate.
‘We’ll withdraw.’
The boss nodded, as if he’d never expected any other answer. Just for a moment I thought … He lowered the wand, and the barrier between me and Zabulon disappeared.
‘I’ll remember the part you played in this …’ the Dark Magician murmured. ‘For ever.’
‘Do,’ I said. ‘It’s good to remember.’
Zabulon brought his hands together – the mighty wings flapped, and the magician disappeared. But before he went, he glanced at the witch – and she nodded.
I didn’t like that at all. A spiteful parting gesture may not be fatal, but it’s never pleasant.
Alisa came over to me, walking with a light, dancing step completely out of keeping with her bloody face and dangling, dislocated left arm.
‘You must leave too,’ said the boss.
‘Of course, I’ll be only too delighted,’ replied the witch. ‘But before I do, I have one small, very small, debt to collect. Isn’t that right, Anton?’
‘Yes,’ I send quietly. ‘A seventh-degree intervention.’
Who would she strike her blow at? Not the boss, the idea was ludicrous. Tiger Cub, Bear, Semyon … that would be stupid. Egor? What suggestion could she implant in him at the very weakest level of intervention?
‘Open yourself,’ said the witch. ‘Open yourself to me, Anton. A seventh-degree intervention. The head of the Night Watch is a witness: I won’t overstep the mark.’
Semyon groaned, squeezing my shoulder so tight it hurt.
‘She has the right,’ I said. ‘Boris Ignatievich …’
‘Whatever you say,’ the boss answered softly. ‘I’m watching.’
I sighed and laid myself open to the witch. There was nothing she could do. Nothing. A seventh-degree intervention – she could never turn me to the Dark with that. The idea was simply ridiculous.
‘Anton,’ the witch said gently. ‘Tell your boss what you wanted to say. Tell the truth. Act honestly and correctly. The way you ought to act.’
‘Minimal intervention …’ the boss confirmed. If there was any pain in his voice, it was so deeply hidden that I couldn’t hear it.
‘A complex manoeuvre,’ I said, glancing at Boris Ignatievich. ‘From both sides. The Day Watch sacrifices its pawns, and the Night Watch does the same. For the great goal. In order to win over to their side a sorceress of immense, unprecedented power. A young vampire who is longing for love may die. A young kid with undetermined powers may disappear for ever in the Twilight. Operatives may be hurt. But there’s an end that justifies the means. Two great magicians who have opposed each other for hundreds of years cook up another little war. And the Light Magician is in the toughest spot … he has to stake everything. And for him to lose would be more than an inconvenience, it’s a step into the Twilight, into the Twilight for all time. But still he stakes everyone’s lives. His own side’s and the other’s. Right, Boris Ignatievich?’
‘Right,’ replied the boss.
Alisa laughed and walked towards the trapdoor. The witch was in no shape to fly. Tiger Cub had given her quite a mauling. But even after that she was feeling cheerful.
I looked at Semyon and he turned his eyes away. Tiger Cub slowly transformed back into a girl … also trying not to look me in the eye. Bear gave a short, sharp howl and trudged towards the trapdoor without changing his form. It was toughest of all for him. He was too uncompromising. Bear, the great warrior and opponent of all compromise …
‘You’re all bastards,’ said Egor. He stood up, moving awkwardly – not just because he was tired, the boss was feeding his reserves now, I could see the fine thread of power running through the air – but because at first it’s always hard to tear yourself out of your shadow.
I was the next out. It wasn’t difficult, during the last quarter of an hour so much energy had been splashed into the Twilight that it had lost its usual aggressive clamminess.
Almost immediately I heard an unpleasant soft thud: the warlock had fallen off the roof, hitting the tarmac below.
Then the others started to appear. An attractive, black-haired girl with a bruise under her left eye and a broken jaw; an imperturbable, stocky little man; a calm-looking businessman in an oriental robe … Bear had already gone. I knew what he’d be doing in his apartment – his ‘lair’. Drinking surgical spirit and reading poetry. Probably out loud. And watching the happily babbling TV.
The vampire was there too. She was in really bad shape. She mumbled something, shaking her head and trying to reattach a hand that had been bitten off. The hand was making feeble efforts to grow back. Everything around her was spattered with blood – not hers, of course, it was the blood of her latest victim …
‘Time to go,’ I said, lifting the heavy pistol. My hand trembled treacherously.
The bullet smacked into the dead flesh, and a ragged wound appeared in the girl’s side. She groaned and squeezed it shut with her one good hand. The other was dangling on a few threadlike tendons.
‘Don’t,’ Semyon said softly. ‘Don’t, Anton …’
I continued, taking aim at her head. But at that moment a huge black shadow swooped down out of the sky, a bat grown to the size of a condor. It spread its wings, shielding the girl vampire and convulsing as it transformed.
‘She’s entitled to a trial!’
I couldn’t fire at Kostya. I stood there, looking at the young vampire who lived in the apartment above me. The vampire’s eyes were trained directly on me. How long had you been sneaking around after me, my friend and enemy? And what for – to save your fellow vampire or to prevent me from taking a step that would make me your mortal enemy?
I shrugged and stuck the pistol into my belt. You were right, Olga. All this equipment is pointless.
‘She is,’ the boss confirmed. ‘Semyon, Tiger Cub, escort her.’
‘All right,’ said Tiger Cub. She gave me a glance, more of understanding than sympathy, and approached the vampires with a spring in her step.
‘Even so, she’s for the high jump,’ Semyon whispered and followed her.
That was how they left the roof: Kostya carrying the groaning vampire, who had no idea what was going on, with Semyon and Tiger Cub silently walking behind him.
I was left alone with Egor and the boss.
‘Son, you do have some powers,’ the boss said gently. ‘Not great ones, but then most don’t even have what you have. I’d be happy for you to be my pupil …’
The boy was crying silently, struggling in vain to hold back the tears.
One little seventh-degree intervention, and he’d feel better. He’d understand that to fight the Dark, the Light has to use every possible weapon.
I looked up at the sombre sky and opened my mouth to catch the cold snowflakes. I wanted to freeze. To freeze solid. Not like in the Twilight. To become ice, not fog; not snow, but slush; to freeze, solidify and never melt again …
‘Egor, come on, I’ll see you home,’ I offered.
‘It’s not far, I’ll be okay …’ the kid said.
I went on standing there for a long time, gulping down snow and wind, and I didn’t see him leave. I heard the boss ask: ‘Will you be able to wake your parents on your own?’ but I didn’t hear the answer.