Insanitus

P. Thomson William

Description

Make it to resemble a man Sans emotions of any kind Ignorant of pain and pleasure Cold: bereft of heart and soul One to kill at my command. From 'PANDORA'

Informations

• Publié par: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Date de parution: 29 mars 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528964654
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Insanitus
William P. Thomson
Austin Macauley Publishers
2019-03-29
Insanitus About the Author Dedication Copyright Information Blood Aftermath Close Blood Soliloquy from a Madman BROTHERMIND I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX VALEDICTION MINDHORIZON Prologue The Setting The First Principals That Room The Secondary Characters The Man Who Wasn’t There Mind’s flight Mind Horizon A Journey Host Absent Norman I Creation Why? II Morphia A Briefing Brave New World Morphea III Country Undiscovered Pandora A Briefing Madness Sunset Sunrise
About the Author
Now 75, writing most of his life, mainly short horror stories. In the ‘70s some were broadcast on the old Capital Radio, and also on a popular radio station in Israel. Strange to tell, his first two published books (through AUSTIN MACAULEY) were Medico Science Faction (about the world’s first attempt at a living, human brain transplant), and a Children’s story about a dog called ’GEORGE’. This is his third book.
Dedication
DIONNE JUDE
My friend and mentor for many a year.
Copyright Information
Copyright © William P. Thomson (2019)
The right of William P. Thomson to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781528926331 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781528926348 (Hardback)
ISBN 9781528926355 (kindle e-book)
ISBN 9781528964654 (ePub e-book)
www.austinmacauley.com
First Published (2019)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ
Blood
Sunday was followed by Monday, accompanied by Hell

Aftermath
Of my death, think not ill of me. Rather that I was ill served by He that gave me life.
It was a short journey as journeys go. Plain, average, but in a souped-up, unmarked police vehicle. In the back, two plain-clothed policemen: Commander James Llaw and Det. Sergeant Sidney “Animal” Parker. The former tall, well-set, smart, softly spoken and exceedingly articulate, but miserly with his wordage. Whilst one had the look of someone who could look after himself in a tight situation, there could be no doubt the other could steamroller just about anything, and enjoy the opportunity. Whilst Llaw moved with the fluid grace of an athlete, “Animal” moved with the true East-Ender walk – not swagger, but latent confidence and strength. Chalk and Cheese.
Whilst the attributes of high intellect, ability, rank and command was obvious to see in Llaw, Parker’s attributes could only be seen in the physical aspect, and such did not convey his other qualities. “Animal” was possessed of high natural intelligence, a wonderfully dry, cutting East-End humour, courage in spades and a loyalty that had to be earned, as he did not freely bestow it. He loved good old plain, English food, his beer (not forgetting a good wine), dogs and kids. He never intentionally started an affray, but most often, if so involved, came out as “the last man standing”. These two men, so different in so many ways, fitted perfectly, hand-in-glove; the former in kid-leather, the latter in thick woollen mittens.
The two men came together through the Army; Llaw in Military Intelligence, Parker by way of the Military Police. At some point, their paths crossed. A major drugs smuggling episode. MI and MP (Military Intelligence and Military Police) came together in a major barracks bust. Legalised violence ensued. Llaw gave a good account of himself, whilst “Animal” removed many a bolshie rank and filer from the barracks that night, via the shortest route, and so kept the glaziers in work for many a week!
After the bish and bash followed the whys, wherefores and where of the top villains, not to mention the possibility of breached security. This, in turn, had meant further foot slogging investigation, some five-knuckle persuasion and enough paperwork to sink the Titanic – on land! Captain Llaw, by then promoted to Major, needed a not-so-little special help, so seconded a Corporal, upped his rank to Sergeant and continued, as he put it, “onwards and upwards!”
A few years after that, a truly major bust, with more than a few top brass being exposed as nothing more than “little Caesars”, with too much scrambled egg on their shoulders. Such success caused embarrassment, and consequences. The short telling of it being that Major Llaw departed the Military and joined the Metropolitan Police, as did a demoted and demobbed Sergeant Parker, not so long after. He went through the mill at Hendon and from thence into an East End station.
Almost before he’d indulged in a beer and a few bouts of fisticuffs, he’d found himself seconded once more. Into the MIU, the Metropolitan Intelligence Unit, to “act as wingman” to a fast rising star, one newly promoted commander by the name of James Llaw. So, same author, different plays and stage.
This time around, it was to be a “favour” to their immediate “Guv’nor”, a middle-order Deputy Assistant Commissioner, who in turn was “doing a little favour” for another higher up in the rankings food chain. Llaw and “Animal” didn’t even know the name of the destination, a somewhat exclusive hotel, somewhere in Central London.
As the car continued on, Llaw gazed out of the window to his right, still amazed by it all. How, after a major storm of howling winds, lashing rain and lightning, everything thereafter seemed somehow fresher, cleaner. The streets, the very air. And they’d endured three days of such a storm. It finally died out early Sunday evening. At the twilight of the day, they were gifted by seeing a stunning, fire-red, golden sunset, which did, indeed, foretell of a beautiful day to follow.
The journey was done; they’d arrived. Per instruction, the car had stopped at the head of a cul-de-sac. Llaw and his erstwhile Sergeant decanted from the car and walked to the far end. How odd. The hotel seemed to be deliberately hiding within the folds of the great city. In fact, it didn’t even look like a hotel. A large, black smoked-glass revolving set of doors the only entrance.
Llaw led, “Animal” followed. Neither had spoken for the entire, relatively brief journey. Such was frequently their way. Nothing untoward, just mutual understanding, respect.
Through the doors and into some other world of thick, shag-piled, carpeted, sound-muted, guarded, luxurious privacy; and secrets, perhaps?
There was a long walk forward to the large, but discreet, reception desk, where Llaw had been informed his contact would be waiting: the senior house manager, so titled, with the ludicrous name of Philpott Samson.
The commander was soon to realise the man’s appearance and manner more than matched his name. Short, rotund, with pumped up pomposity to boot. Llaw had already made his own assessment of the man on sight: a puffed up puffin penguin. Even so, the annoying man had, as was soon to prove, two saving graces. He did not seem too fazed by the situation of the moment, and he spoke with a conciseness and economy of words the commander much appreciated. A sort of kindred spirit, in an exaggerated manner of speaking.
Little time was given to the courtesy of introductions, sufficient only to meet the need. Llaw requested to be taken to the “problem” immediately. Samson, a master key in hand, obliged, leading the commander and his sergeant to the nearest lift and an upward journey. A rapid Q&A session followed along the way, pistol sharp and fast. Samson’s answers were likewise, although the senior house manager soon realised that next to the commander, he was strictly second division, not to mention the fact that he felt his authority was somehow under siege. Whatever. Even before the lift had reached the required floor, the essential details had been obtained.
It appeared the problem centred solely round a single guest. He was dead. Also, the member of the cleaning staff who discovered the body when she went forth to clean the man’s suite was taken to her room in a somewhat distraught state. This, in part, because it had not at all been a neat, clean departure from life present to life eternal. There was blood. A great deal of it. All seemed to be in the worse possible state; not in keeping with the standards required of the guests.
The room had been booked over the phone some days previously, and the requirements of the guest-to-be made clearly and simply. That he’d arrive late on the Friday night and stay until midday on the Monday. That he was not to be disturbed for any reason whatsoever. His voice had been a little hoarse, his wordage economical. Also, his speech had been somewhat laboured, as if he lacked a certain strength for the purpose, rather than breathing as such. Even so, there was something about it.
As an afterthought, the house manager, for only he kept employing the “senior” bit, made mention of something he thought rather odd. The man had closed his requirements by guaranteeing he would be there at the appointed day and hour, no matter what the weather.
Then Samson had gone on to explain the late evening in question, in his almost staccato mode of speech.
The man had appeared, so to speak, from the teeth and darkness of the storm-ravaged night. That, and his appearance, presented to Samson and his night staff a somewhat fearsome sight. Abnormally tall, physically sparse, although hard to be sure because of the ankle-length black coat he wore, matching his black fedora, which he had pulled down over his eyes.
As on first contact over the phone, his voice in person had been slightly h