； they formed barbs； hooked themselves into Dragosani's flesh。 One of the tentacles found his chest cavity； it thickened rapidly to the diameter of a man's wrist； the rest dissolved their barbs； released their holds； withdrew and followed the main branch into him。 With a final sucking plop the entire organism drew itself down into Dragosani's body。 His trunk began to heave and throb where it lay in the cabinet。
While all of this occurred； so Gulharov had danced away and clambered up onto the desk。 He was mouthing half…inarticulate obscenities； shrieking like a woman。 And he was pointing at something。 Krakovitch； almost numb with shock and horror； saw the leech…creature's flat cobra head vibrating on the floor； flipping and flopping like a stranded flatfish。 He gave a cry of loathing； began to panic； then gripped himself tight and drove the panic out。 Finally he slammed the cabinet door shut and shot the bolt。
He grabbed a metal drawer from the cabinet's scattered guts； yelled： 〃Well； help me！〃
Gulharov got down off the desk。 He still had the stake； was hanging on to it like grim death。 Prodding the flopping head； and cursing all the time under his breath； finally he juggled the thing into Krakovitch's drawer。 Krakovitch slammed a section of shelving down on top of it； and Gulharov brought a pair of heavy ledgers to put on top of that。 Both cabinet and drawer shuddered and shook for a few seconds more； then were still。
Like a pair of ghosts Krakovitch and Gulharov faced each other； both of them panting； white as sheets and round…eyed。 Then Krakovitch snarled； reached out and slapped the other's face。 〃Bodyguard？〃 he shouted。 〃Bloody bodyguard？〃 He slapped him again； hard。 〃Bloody hell！
〃I。。。 I'm sorry。 I didn't know what to。。。〃 Gulharov was trembling like a leaf； looked like he was going to faint。
Krakovitch calmed down。 He could hardly blame him。 〃It's all right；〃 he said。 〃It's all right。 Now listen： we'll burn the head up here。 We'll do that first； right now。 Go quickly； fetch Avgas。〃
Staggering a little； Gulharov went。
He was back in record time； carrying a jerrycan。 They slid the shelving over the drawer open a crack； poured Avgas。 There was no movement from inside the drawer。 〃Enough！〃 said Krakovitch。 〃Any more and there'll be one hell of an explosion。 Now then； help me drag the cabinet through into the other room。〃 In a moment they were back； and Krakovitch tipped out the drawers of Borowitz's desk。 He found what he was looking for： a small ball of string。 He snapped off a ten foot length； soaked it in Avgas； carefully dangled one end through the crack into the drawer。 Then he laid the string out on the floor in a straight line towards the door and took out Gulharov's matches。 They shielded their eyes as he lit the fuse。
Blue fire raced across the floor； leaped into the drawer。 There was a dull thump and shelving； ledgers and all hit the ceiling； then fell back to the floor。 The metal drawer was an inferno； in which the flat snake…head danced and skittered…but not for long。 As the drawer began to buckle under the heat and the carpet about it blackened and burst into flames； so the thing in the drawer puffed up； and split open and quickly became liquescent。 And then it； too； burned。 But Krakovitch and Gulharov waited a full minute more before they put out the fire。
Krakovitch gave a curt nod。 〃Well； at least we know the thing burns！〃 he said。 〃It was probably dead anyway； but by my books when a thing's dead it lies still！〃
They bumped the cabinet downstairs； two flights to the ground floor； then out through the battle…torn building into the grounds。 Krakovitch stood guard on it while Gulharov went back for the Avgas。 When he returned； Krakovitch said； This will be the tricky bit。 First we pour some of this stuff around the cabinet。 That way； when we open it； if what's inside is…active…we just jump back out of range and toss a match。 Until it's quiet。 And so on。。。。
Gulharov seemed uncertain； but he was far more alert now。
They poured Avgas on to and around the cabinet； and then Gulharov got well back out of it。 Krakovitch slid back the bolt； threw the door clangingly open。 Inside； Dragosani stared into the sky。 His chest stirred a little； but that was all。 As Krakovitch began to pour Avgas carefully into the cabinet near Dragosani's feet； Gulharov came forward。 〃Don't use too much；〃 it was the Sergeant's turn to caution。 〃Or it will go off like a bomb！〃When the fuel swirled almost an inch deep around Dragosani's prone form； evaporating furiously； the dead man's chest gave another sudden lurch。 Krakovitch stopped pouring； stared； backed off a little。 Outside the circle of danger； Gulharov stood with a match ready to strike。 A slickly shining； grey…green tendril sprouted upwards from Dragosani's chest。 Its tip formed a knob as big as a fist； which in turn formed an eye。 Just seeing that orb； Krakovitch knew there was no thought behind it； no sentience。 It was vacant； staring； made no connections and carried no emotions。 Krakovitch doubted if it even saw。 Certainly there was no longer any brain for it to relay its message to。 The eye melted back into protoflesh； was replaced by small jaws which clashed mindlessly。 Then it sank down again out of sight。
〃Felix； get out of there！〃 Gulharov was nervous。
Krakovitch backed out of the circle； Gulharov struck a match； tossed it； in a moment the cabinet was an inferno。 Like the oblong mouth of a jet engine on test； the cabinet hurled a pale blue sheet of fire roaring into the cold air； a shimmering column of intense heat。 And then Dragosani sat up！
Gulharov clutched Krakovitch； clung to him。 〃Oh God！ Oh； mother…he's alive！〃 he croaked。
〃No；〃 Krakovitch denied； tearing himself free。 〃The thing in him is alive； but mindless。 It's all instinct with no brain to govern it。 It would flee but doesn't know how to； or even what it's fleeing from。 If you spear a sea…cucumber it reacts； spills out its guts。 No mind； just reaction。 Look； look！ It's melting！〃
And indeed it seemed that Dragosani was melting。 Smoke curled upward from his blackened shell； layers of skin peeled away； bursting into flame； the fats of his body ran like candle wax； and were consumed by the fire。 The thing inside him felt the heat； reacted。 Dragosani's trunk shuddered； vibrated； convulsed。 His arms shot out straight； then fell to dangle over the sides of the blazing cabinet； where all the while they jerked and twitched。 His clothing was pletely burned away by now； and as Krakovitch and Gulharov watched and shuddered； so his crisped flesh burst open here and there； putting out frantic； whipping tendrils that melted and slopped down into the furnace。
In a very little while he fell back and was still； and the two men stood in the snow and watched the fire until it burned itself out。 It took all of twenty minutes； but they stood there anyway。。。
3。00 P。M。； 27 August 1977。
The big London hotel； within easy walking distance of Whitehall； contained rather more than its exterior might suggest。 In fact the entire top floor was given over to a pany of 〃international financial entrepreneurs〃； which was the sum total of the hotel manager's knowledge about it。 The pany had its own elevator at the rear of the building； private stairs； even its own fire escape。 Indeed the pany owned the top floor； which was therefore entirely outside the hotel's sphere of control and operation。
In short； the top floor was the headquarters of the most secret of all British secret services： namely INTESP； the British equivalent of that Russian organisation housed just outside Moscow at the Chateau Bronnitsy。 But the hotel was only the headquarters； there were also two 〃factories〃； one in Dorset and the other in Norfolk； direct…linked to each other and to the HQ by telephone； radiotelephone and puter。 Such links； though top…security screened； were open to sophisticated abuse； of course； a clever hacker might get in one day。 Hopefully before that happened the branch would have developed its telepaths to such an extent that all of this technological junk would be unnecessary。 Radio waves travel at a mere 186；000 miles per second； but human thought is instantaneous and carries a far more vivid and finished picture。
Such were Alec Kyle's own thoughts as he sat at his desk and formulated Security Standing Orders for the six Special Branch officers whose sole task in life was the personal security of an infant boy just one month old； a child called Harry Keogh。 Harry Jnr…the future head of INTESP。
〃Harry；〃 said Kyle out loud； to no one in particular； 〃you can have the job right now； if you still want it。〃
No； came the answer at once； startlingly clear in Kyle's mind。 Not now； maybe not ever！
Kyle's mouth fell open and he started upright in his swivel chair。 He knew what this was； had known some…thing very much similar at a time some eight months ago。
It was telepathy； yes； but it was more than telepathy。 It was the 〃infant〃 he'd just been thinking about； the child whose mind housed all that was left of the greatest ESP talent in the world： Harry Keogh。
〃Christ！〃 Kyle whispered。 And now he knew what it had been about； 〃it〃 being the dream or nightmare he'd had last night…when he'd been co