Book and Blade: Book One of the Hand of Perdition Read Online Free Page B

his power all of a sudden, taking over more things outside his territory. But we have no proof of anything. Everyone is just holding back info."
    "So what you're telling me is that everybody is running scared of him? Even you cops?" Christopher tried to keep the anger out of his voice, but he couldn't. He had changed, he realized. A part of him had changed over this last week. Every time he thought about how he wouldn't hug his mother again or get the occasional smile out of his father or laugh out loud with his sister when they stayed up late at night to watch a stupid movie another piece of him seemed to die a little. Bitter emptiness was all that was left.
    Hamlin stiffened but nodded. "Yes Ambros has a lot of power right now, but you might want to change the attitude. We're the best chance you’ve got of getting justice for your family."
    Justice? Did he want justice? This need growing deep down inside of Christopher might be called justice, but he suspected it had another name.
    "I'll be going now. But Officer Cooper is stationed right outside your door, and we have several other officers throughout the floor. Actually, I think Cooper's a little disappointed you're out tomorrow. He's new and these hospital assignments are pretty cake."
    Hamlin left, and Christopher stood up and looked out the window. He had a private room, one of the benefits of having a psychopath trying to kill you. He stood by the window a long time watching the lights of the traffic through the dark and the streaks of rain on the glass.
    Over time he became aware of a sound. It was very subtle, almost as though it was subconscious. But once he became aware of it, he realized he had been hearing it for a while. It was a droning that became a buzzing. At first Christopher thought it might be a hospital machine, but most of those had been removed from his room and if it was coming from next door, it had to be one damn big machine. No, it wasn't a machine. He tried to ignore it, but now that he’d heard, it seemed to be more instant, pulling at his attention. After a moment he noticed something strange about the noise. It didn't seem to be a noise at all, it started to sound more like a voice. Like something trying to talk to him.
    As he focused on it, words began to take form. Quietly at first, but then at a level he could almost start to make them out. It was like people talking in another room. You knew they were talking and could hear voices, but it was just muffled enough that you couldn't make out the words. Christopher strained to hear the voices. It was like trying to hear the last whisper of a dying man. Something told Christopher that this was important, that his life depended on understanding the words.
    He heard a noise by the door. He spun, his nerves suddenly frayed, to see the officer standing in the doorway.
    "Everything okay?" Officer Cooper asked.
    Don't trust him!
    The voice suddenly screamed in Christopher’s head. Christopher stumbled forward, startled at the loud voice. Cooper moved forward to catch him. Christopher threw up his hands.
    "No! No, I’m just fine. Just got dizzy for a second."
    "You should lie down and rest," Officer Cooper said.
    "Yeah, you're probably right," Christopher said, but made no move to the bed.
    "Don't worry, I'll be just outside the door," Cooper said and left the room.
    Christopher could feel tension in the air, adrenaline was roaring through him. He wanted to run. His legs vibrated, but he had nowhere to go. Part of him thought he should question the voice. He still heard it, or rather, felt it at the back of his head. It was faint, like mumbling.
    Why should he not trust a cop? Was this Cooper in on it? Was he working with this Ambros? Hamlin had said he was new. Perhaps he’s just waiting until late tonight when the place clears out. Christopher could feel it, not just the voice in his head. He could feel the wrongness of this cop outside his door. It was like this voice had just pointed out