〃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 covered with leeches as big as kittens； whose mouths had fastened on him to drain his blood； while he had leaped and gibbered in a glade of stirless trees； until he'd been too weak to fight any longer。 Then he'd fallen on the earth amidst the pine needles； and the leeches had clung to him； and he'd known that he was being a leech！
And that； mercifully； had scared him wide awake。 As for the dream's meaning： Kyle had long since given up trying to read meanings into such precognitive glimpses。 That was the trouble with them： they were usually cryptic； rarely self…elucidating。 But certainly he'd known that the dream was one of those dreams； and now he guessed that this had something to do with it； too。
〃Harry？〃 he breathed the query into the suddenly frigid atmosphere of the room。 His breath actually plumed in the air； in the space of mere seconds the temperature had taken a plunge。 Just like last time。
Something was forming in the middle of the room； in front of Kyle's desk。 The smoke of his cigarette trembled there and the air seemed to waver。 He got up； crossed quickly to the window and adjusted the blinds。 The room grew dim； and the figure in front of his desk took on more form。
Kyle's inter buzzed urgently and he jumped six inches。 He leaped to his desk； hit the receive button； and a breathless voice said； 〃Alec； there's something here！〃 It was Carl Quint； a top…rank psychic sensitive； a 〃spotter〃。
Kyle pressed the send button； held it down。 〃I know。
It's with me now。 But it's OK； I've been half…expecting it。〃 Now he pressed the mand button； spoke to the entire HQ。 〃Kyle here。 I don't want to talk to anybody for…for as long as it takes。 No messages； no ining calls； and no questions。 Listen in if you like； but don't try to interfere。 I'll get back to you。〃 He pressed the secure button on his desk puter keyboard； and door and window locks audibly snapped shut。 And now he and Harry Keogh were pletely alone。
Kyle forced himself to relax； stared at the…ghost？…of Keogh where it confronted him across his desk。 And he thought an old thought； one which had never been far away； not since the first day he'd e here to work for INTESP：
Funny bloody outfit。 Robots and romantics。 Super science and the supernatural。 Telemetry and telepathy。 puterised probability patterns and precognition。 Gadgets。。。 and ghosts！
No ghost； Alec； Keogh answered with a wan； immaterial smile。 I thought we went into all of that last time？
Kyle thought about pinching himself but didn't bother。 He'd gone through all of that last time； too。 〃Last time？〃 he spoke out loud； because that was easier for him。 〃But that was eight months ago； Harry。 I had started to think we'd never hear from you again。〃
Maybe you wouldn't have； said the other； his lips moving not at all； for believe me I've plenty to keep me ； occupied。 But。。。 something's e up。
Kyle's awe was ebbing； his pulse gradually slowing to its norm。 He leaned forward in his chair； looked the other up and down。 Oh； it was Keogh； all right。 But not exactly the same as the last time。 Last time Kyle's first thought had been that the…apparition…was supernatural。 Not merely paranormal or ESP…engendered but actually supernatural； extra…mundane； not of this world。 Just like now； the office scanners had failed to detect it； it had e and told K'yle a fantastic true story； and gone without leaving a trace。 No； not quite； for he'd written down all that had been said。 Even thinking about that； his wrist ached。 But you couldn't photograph the thing； couldn't record its voice； couldn't harm or interfere with it in any way。 The entire HQ was now listening in on Kyle's conversation with this； this。。。 with Harry Keogh…and yet they'd hear only Kyle's voice。 But Keogh was here： at least the central heating's thermostat knew it。 The heating had just e on； turning itself up several notches to pensate for the sudden drop in temperature。 Yes； and Carl Quint knew it； too。
The figure seemed etched in pale blue light： insubstantial as a moonbeam； less than a puff of smoke。 Incorporeal； yet there was a power in it。 An unbelievable power。
Taking into account the fact that his neon…limned feet weren't quite touching the floor； Keogh must be about five…ten in height。 If his flesh were real instead of luminous filament； he would weigh maybe nine and a half to ten stone。 Everything about him was now vaguely fluorescent； as if shining with some faint inner light； so Kyle couldn't be sure about colouring。 His hair； an untidy mop； might be sandy； his face slightly freckled。 He would be twenty…one； twenty…two years old。
His eyes were interesting。 They looked at Kyle and yet seemed to look right through him； as if he were the apparition and not the other way about。 They were blue； those eyes…a startling； almost colourless blue neon…but more than this； there was that in those eyes which said they knew more than any twenty…two year old had any right to know。 The wisdom of ages seemed locked in them； the knowledge of centuries lying just beneath the shimmer of blue haze which covered them。
Apart from that： his features would be fine； like blue porcelain and seemingly equally fragile； his hands slim； tapering； his shoulders drooped a little； his skin in general； apart from the freckles； pale and unblemished。 But for those eyes； you probably wouldn't look twice at him on the street。 He was just。。。a young man。 Or had been。
And now？ Now he was something more。 Harry Keogh's body had no real； physical existence now； but his mind went on。 And his mind was housed in a new…quite literally new…body。 Kyle found himself starting to examine that part of the apparition； quickly checked himself。 What was there to examine？ In any case it could wait； wasn't important。 All that mattered was that Keogh was here； and that he had something important to say。
〃Something's e up？〃 Kyle repeated the Keogh projection's statement； made it a question。 〃What sort of something； Harry？〃
Something monstrous！ Right now I can give you only the barest outline…I simply don't know enough about it； not yet。 But do you remember what I told you about the Russian E…Branch？ And about Dragosani？ I know there was no way you could check it all out； but have you looked into it at all？ Do you believe what I told you about Dragosani？
While Keogh spoke to him； so Kyle had stared fascinated at that facet of him which was different； that ： addition to him since the last time he'd seen or sensed him。 For now； superimposed over the apparition's abdomen…suspended in midair and slowly spinning on its own axis； turning in the space that Keogh's body occupied…there floated a naked male baby； or the ghost of one； just as insubstantial as Keogh himself。 The child was curled like a foetus floating in some invisible； churning fluid； like some strange biological exhibit； like a hologram。 But it was a real baby； and alive； and Kyle knew that it； too； was Harry Keogh。
〃About Dragosani？〃 Kyle came back to earth。 〃Yes； I believe you。 I have to believe you。 I checked out as much as I could and it was all exactly as you said。 And as for Borowitz's branch…whatever you did there； it was devastating！ They contacted us a week later； the Russians； and asked us if we wanted you。。。 I mean…〃
〃My body？〃
〃…if we wanted it back； yes。 They contacted us； you understand。 Direct。 It didn't e through diplomatic channels。 They weren't ready to admit that they existed； and didn't expect us to admit that we existed。 Therefore you didn't exist； but they asked us if we wanted you back anyway。 With Borowitz gone they have a new boss； Felix Krakovitch。 He said we could have you； if we'd tell them how。 How you did what you did to them。 What； exactly； you'd done to them。 I'm sorry； Harry； but we had to deny you； tell them we didn't know you。 Actually； we didn't know you！ Only I knew you； and Sir Keenan before me。 But if we'd admitted you were one of ours； what you'd done might be construed as warfare。〃
Actually； it was mayhem！ said Keogh。 Listen； Alec； this can't be like the last time we talked。 I may not have the time。 On the metaphysical plane I have parative free…dom。 In the Mobius continuum I'm a free agent。 But here in the physical now I'm a virtual prisoner in little Harry。 Right now he's asleep and I can use his subconscious mind as my own。 But when he's awake his mind's his own； and like a magnet I'm drawn back to it。 The stronger he gets…the more his mind learns…the less freedom for me。 Eventually I'll be forced to leave him entirely for an existence along the Mobius way。 If I get the chance I'll explain all of that later； but for now we don't know how long he'll sleep and so we have to use our time wisely。 And what I have to say can't wait。
〃And it somehow concerns Dragosani？〃 Kyle frowned。 〃But Dragosani's dead。 You told me that yourself。〃
Keogh's face…the face of his apparition…was grave now。 Do you remember what he was； this Dragosani？
〃He was a necromancer；〃 said Kyle at once； no shadow of doubt in his mind。 〃Much like you。〃 He saw his mistake immediately and could have bitten his tongue。
Unlike me！ Keogh corrected him。 I was； I