"Your girlfriend was about to experience the effects of Hallucinix 23, the nightmare gas." "You will now take her place." " Glad to be of service." "But there could be a snag." " Oh?" "It's possible that I told the police exactly where I am." "Even now, they could be surrounding the windmill." "We would know immediately, Tarot, we have a very efficient early warning system." "I think you came with a companion, my brother will see to him later." "In the meantime..." " Tarot!" "Pleasant dreams, Tarot." "Satisfactory?" "Oh yes, the gas is already having its effect on him." " Tarot is as good as dead." " Dead." " There were two of them." " Yes." "Then go outside and get the other one." " Me?" " Oh, they're quite safe." "Thalia, the antidote is still in Tarot's flat." "It might just as well be a million miles away, no-one could possibly get it to him in time." "His body will live for another 22 minutes and 40 seconds." "Already his mind has started out on its long last terrifying journey." "Hold still there, now on your toes." "The Raven's Tavern." "Sam's Picture." "What did he say?" "Something about the Tavern." "And a picture." "The gas..." "Look at his clothes." "Ah, Royalists indulges these type, popinjays all of them." "That's very strange garb." " Do you want to die here, on the road?" " No." "Then get on your feet, and die like a man." "You heard the Sergeant, move." "Now, that's a fine days' work, you're the third we've caught tonight." "Well, that'll be three less of King Charlie's minions to worry over." "And what fancy name do you go by to match those fancy clothes, Royalist?" " My name is Tarot." " And of noble birth, no doubt." "No, not particularly." " Shall we finish him here, sergeant?" " We would have every right." "The orders state that anybody out after curfew, save General Cromwell's own soldiers, must die." "Cromwell?" "And the General doesn't suffer his orders to be disobeyed." "So let's cut him down here and now and be done with it." "In two more minutes the gas will have cleared and it will be safe to go in there." "I'll have to test his pulse rate, by now his heartbeat should be rising rapidly." "I wonder where his unconscious mind has taken him?" "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" " It's a means to an end." " What end?" "In a little while a man will be coming here, to buy some merchandise off me." " The gas?" " Yes." "Our own government is far too squeamish to use Hallucinix 23." "Fortunately there are other governments, whose consciences don't trouble them quite so much." "For years now people have assumed that the nuclear bomb was the ultimate weapon, but they're wrong, H23 is the final deterrent." "Exciting." "Nightmare." "Of course a nightmare, Nightmare Gas." "Yes, I was just thinking..." "Your brother is taking a long time, isn't he?" "When Dalbiac is on the prowl, no-one eludes him." "I'm sorry, there'll be no last-minute escape for either of you." "Nightmare!" "This isn't really happening." "I must remember that." "Not really happening." "It's so real, so vivid." "If I can just keep my wits about me." "It's in my head." "That's enough Tarot." "Or I order the trooper to run you through." "Sergeant, a dying man is often granted a last request, isn't he?" "Who do you take us to be, being kind?" "General Cromwell's soldiers are honourable men, at least so I've read, err, heard." " Enough." " Erm, let me see." "Yes, the last meal." "You know, the condemned man ate a hearty breakfast, that's traditional." " He's making a fool of us." " Oh no, I'm not, I assure you." "As a matter of fact, I've brought my own food." "I think I will have, a hardboiled egg." "Perhaps two?" "Witchcraft!" "No, no, it's an illusion." "Light." "It's an illusion." "He's a demon." "What sorcery is this?" "It's called legerdemain." "Now you see it and now you don't." "Disciple of the devil." "I wouldn't have believed it, if I haven't seen it with my own eyes." "This is no ordinary Royalist." "He must be held for the Inquisitor General." "It'll not be a sword that ends your life, warlock." "It will be a flame, at the stake." "Hey you, run post haste to Ludgate, inform the Inquisitor General we've caught a Royalist warlock for him." "Lulli!" "Richard!" "So, you know the other prisoners, eh?" "No, no, I, I thought I did." "Ah then, let me refresh your memory." "This is Sir Richard Winthrop, alchemist to the King." "And the woman is Lady Lillian, a court favourite." " And your name, sir?" " Tarot." "Tarot?" "That has a foreign ring to it, sir." "No matter, we are all companions in adversity, are we not?" "That is so." " Now, that is very strange." " Indeed?" "Hey, mister serve us some more drinks will you, it's thirsty work rounding up the enemies of parliament." " You called my Lulli." " Yes." "But that's a private name, known only to my family and close friends." "Well, then perhaps I'm among the latter." "You face has a familiar look." "Thalia!" "So, you know Mistress Thalia too, do you?" "Like as not he knows you too, sir." "Hold your tongue." "Mistress Thalia is a faithful servant to General Cromwell and the New Commonwealth." "And chief informer to the Inquisitor General." "Whose name is?" "It's said his enemies dare not speak his name." "But you'll hear it as you perish before his vengeance." "That one is to burn at the stake, Mistress Thalia, he's a sorcerer." "Why are you here?" "We are prisoners like yourself, sir." "Being Royalist is a crime." "Cavaliers to His Majesty, like yourself." "Well, not exactly, I'm rather more of an interloper." "But you fight against General Cromwell?" "It seems that I have no option." " Have no fear." " It is but a tiny setback." "They say the King is already marching against Parliament." " I've got news for you." " Sir?" "Oh, erm, I, nothing, I was just musing." "I wonder if you could please tell me, has the battle of Naseby been fought yet?" "Naseby?" "I've not heard of it." "There was a great victory at Edgehill," "Prince Rupert defeated the Roundheads and drove them from the field." "Our fortunes are already on the turn." "Not if I remember my history." "Yes, I do seem to know your face." "Lulli." "Think of the name Tarot, think hard, concentrate, I've got to get a message through to you." " Is that for the King?" " No no." "Concentrate, Lulli, concentrate." " Tarot!" " What is it?" " Strange." " What?" "It's almost as though Tarot is trying to contact me." "Tarot?" "Tarot?" "Concentrate." "Yes, yes." "I know that name." "That face." "Listen, I must tell you, Sam is somewhere outside." "Tell him that the antidote is in..." "Sergeant, they're plotting something." "Plotting?" "They ought to be saying prayers." "Thalia, how long have I got?" "Not long, not long." " The gas has completely dispersed now." " Tarot?" "Still alive, of course, but deep in the hallucinatory coma." "It won't be long now." "And then, it's your turn." "Still no sign of your brother?" "You see, no-one gets the better of my brother." "Sam." "Well, your would-be rescuer is the one person who's been spared the horrors of Hallucinix 23." "At least his death was sharp and sudden, not like your friend, Tarot." " Tarot." " That was a musket shot." "Someone's death was sharp and sudden, not like yours will be, Master Tarot." "You accuse him of sorcery, it's you who's a witch." "Hold your tongue." "Oh, come in." "That really happened, that shot." "There are many gunshots to be heard in London, these days, Tarot." "One gets used to the violence and the bloodshed." "General Cromwell has much to answer for." "Listen, we must try to escape, if we stay here..." "The general will be here soon." "Well, you heard what they called me?" "Sorcerer." "Let's see if I can live up to my name." "I find this Tavern dreadfully dull." "Bare wooden tables, bare wooden floor." "What this place needs is some excitement, don't you agree?" "Magic." "Beware the power of a black magician, eh." "Make a run for it now." "Hurry." "I said hurry." "It is magic." "No, it's not, I assure you, it's only an illusion." "Agh, Tarot." "Agh, Tarot!" "Let be done with him now, if we don't, he'll curse us all." "No, you can't, you can't, it's not time yet." "Kill him." "Now!" "Great pain." "No, no you can't." " Lulli, what is it?" " They're going to kill him." " Who?" "Tarot's not dead yet." "What...what happened?" " Nothing." "There was a gunshot a little while ago, Dalbiac must have found Sam." "No, no, I saw swords." "Perhaps some of the gas has got to her." " Who's he?" " Look, we have a visitor." "Why do you stop?" "Do you fear that some witness may see how many Roundheads it takes to kill one Cavalier?" " Sam!" " Right first time, how's your luck?" "Sam." "Sergeant Maxted sir, of the King's Royal Regiment of Lifeguards, at your service." " Another Royalist." " At him." " Where's my brother?" " The blond gorilla?" "Outside." " You've killed him?" " No, but he's having a little kip." "Now just keep your distance and let's get things sorted out here." "Where's Tarot, lovely?" " Sam, Sam, he's dying, in there." " Dying?" " The gas, H23..." " Sam..." " He only has a few minutes to live." "Sam, leave me, see if you can do something for Tarot." "You can do nothing without the antidote." " Antidote?" " That small bottle." "Oh, yeah, the last time I saw, that it was in Tarot's hand." " He may have put it in his pocket." " Go and look, Sam, hurry." "Lead the way." " You're wasting your time." " Move." "Tarot!" "He can't hear you, he can't hear anyone, only the voices that speak in his nightmare." "Nothing?" "You mean to tell me with all this gear there's nothing..." "Nothing." "Only the antidote can bring him out of that coma." "Sam, the bottle's in the corner, look at my finger, I'm pointing at it." "The antidote is in the corner." "Officer, this is no time for refreshment." " Did you find it?" " No, it wasn't in his pocket." "It must be still in his flat." " We have no time to get it." " Untie us Sam, will you." " Right." "Sam, I'm right beside it." "Someone else coming, it could be the general or some of the King's men." "Dalbiac!" "Sam, behind you." "Kill." "He must have a skull like a block of concrete." "The Inquisitor General." "That spells the end for your friends, madam." "Submit." "I fear the odds run too far against us gentlemen." "Submit." "And get my skull cleaved by that thing, you must be joking." "Submit!" " Sam!" " Arg!" " Lulli!" " Sam, quick." "Bless you, Sam." "Make yourself useful, love, and untie the doc." "You just won't lie down will you?" "I think that'll be quite enough, thank you." "They are condemned by their own actions, sire, to be executed here and now, all four of them." "How say you, sire?" " Guilty." " And the Royalist warlock, sire?" " Burned." "Prepare a stake in the courtyard for the warlock." "The rest will be dispatched by musket fire, against the wall." "Lulli, listen, I can still get us out of this mess, if only I could get through to you." " Silence." "Let's see if your magic can save you from the flames at the stake, warlock." "Switch off the motor, it isn't time for the signal yet." "No, not long before your visitors are due." "Not long, but I'm afraid none of you will have the pleasure of meeting him." "It'll be interesting to see how quickly Hallucinix 23 works on three subjects, all at the same time." " Get in there." "All of you." " Move." "Now we can get rid of the three of them, all in one go." "Good." "I think we should use a fresh cylinder on them, bring me a new one." "We shall leave when our visitor goes." "Let the police try and solve the mystery of the four dead bodies in there." "Excellent." " Is he still alive?" " Yes, but only just." "His pulse is very fast, he must be approaching the final stages of shock." "She's rigging up a fresh cylinder of that gas." "Here, doc, you're a scientist, isn't there something we can do?" "Against the gas?" "Nothing much." "We can prolong the agony, if you like." " What do you mean?" "A damp cloth held over the mouth and nose will hold off the effects for a few seconds, but eventually it will get you." "Thanks, all the same, doc, but I don't think I'll bother." " If only he'd brought it with him." " The antidote?" " Yes, the antidote." " The antidote." " Take aim." " Lulli, do you hear me?" "The bottle of antidote has rolled into the corner, look at my finger, follow the direction it points." "Concentrate, the bottle of antidote is in the corner, look at my finger, look where it's pointing, try Lulli, try!" "Tarot." "Finger." "What?" "Don't interrupt her, doc, I think she's making contact with Tarot." "But he's unconscious." "Yes, Lulli." "Bottle...antidote...finger...pointing." " Nearly ready." " Aha." " Ready now, sire." " Good." "The bottle of antidote is in the corner, look where my finger points, look." "Yes, Tarot, your finger, pointing, yes, yes, the bottle of antidote..." "in the corner." "He must have brought it with him then." "Have a look in that corner." "Hurry." " Hang about." " Hurry." " Yes, it... it's under here." " Give it to me, Sam." "Lulli find a syringe, there must be one here, somewhere." "Hurry Lulli, hurry." "Have strength, Cavalier and bear yourself like a true soldier of the king." " Hurry." " Why?" " They're not going anywhere." " Look." "Farewell my friends and god save the king." "Amen to that." "Run my friends, run for your lives." "Come, you heard what the gentlemen said." "Sire!" "He's gone, he's burned before our eyes." "Now he's... he's..." "Warlock." "Tarot, it worked." " Oh, Tarot, thank goodness." " You found it then?" "Yes, but only just in time, 23 minutes." "That's very interesting, Lulli, that means we can keep in contact, even when my subconscious..." "Hey, I shouldn't hang the flags out yet." "Look." "They had the antidote all the time." "It was a trick, Dalbiac." " Death." " Yes." "Now!"