Live and Let Drood

would just bounce off him. Because they’d be afraid of him. He stood at attention and looked right through Molly and me as though we weren’t there.
    “So,” said Molly, looking right past the doorman as though he weren’t there, “what kind of a place is the Establishment Club, Eddie? What can we expect once we get inside? Any kinky stuff?”
    “Don’t ask me,” I said. “I’ve never been in there.”
    Molly turned and gave me a hard look. “You’re always saying that London is your territory! That you were Drood field agent for the whole of London!”
    “Not quite all of it,” I admitted reluctantly. “This kind of place, and this kind of area, was always more Matthew’s territory than mine. It’s not like I was actually banned from circles like these, but I never got to see the inside of any of these clubs. Matthew didn’t think I could be trusted to behave properly in front of those who like to think of themselves as our betters, and he was probably right. He knew how to talk to these people, to lay down Drood authority without ruffling too many feathers. Because sometimes, when you’re in a hurry, you have to give some to get some. I am a great believer in diplomacy; right up to the point where someone pisses me off, and then it’s time to dispense beatings and shout at people. Matthew knew how to get these people to do what we wanted and make them think it was all their idea in the first place. But then, Matthew could charm the birds down out of the trees, when he could be bothered. He was always so much better at being a secret agent than I ever was.”
    I stopped there, surprised by a sudden rush of memories of the man that weren’t all bad. “I do miss him…sometimes. He was harsh and arrogant and a royal pain in the arse…but he did teach me an awful lot about how to be a field agent when I first came to London.”
    “He was a creep,” Molly said succinctly, and I had to smile.
    “Well, yes. I don’t think anyone would argue with that,” I said. “But he was a very professional creep. You have to make allowances. He was family.”
    “If I hear that bullshit one more time,” Molly said ominously, “there is going to be a very unfortunate incident. Right here and now. Shit is shit, whether you’re related to it or not. Take my sisters…”
    “I’d rather not,” I said.
    It was Molly’s turn to smile. “Lots of people say that.…Wait a minute! I’ve just had an idea!”
    “Oh no,” I said. “That’s never good.”
    “When all this is over, why don’t I join up with you, and we can be field agents in London together? We could patrol the streets, side by side. That should throw a scare into all the right people.…And according to all the women’s magazines I read, relationships work much better when you’ve got shared interests in common.”
    “I think London needs a regular field agent who’s at least heard of diplomacy,” I said carefully.
    “You’re a fine one to talk!”
    “True. But at least I can fake it when I have to. For you, diplomacy is just something you’ve heard of that other people do.”
    “I can fake it if I have to,” Molly said darkly.
    “I’d really rather not go there,” I said. “Let us consider the external protections of the Establishment Club, before we go any further.”
    We both looked the club’s exterior over carefully. My Sight immediately revealed that the whole front of the building was crawling with defence spells, and energy fields and layer upon layer of really heavy-duty protections. Intertwining and overlapping force shields and shimmering screens, with built-in weapons both magical and technological, along with all kinds of curses, bombs and booby traps. Some of the protections shone so brightly they almost blinded my inner eye. Just trying to make sense of the various patterns and structures made my head ache.
    “Okay,” I said, after a while. “Some of these defence systems are seriously old. Laid down centuries ago, going right back to Londiniumtimes. Hell, some of them go back so far I’ve only ever read about them in old books. To be honest, the word overkill is coming to mind. Even Buckingham Palace doesn’t have some of the orders of protection I’m Seeing here. Layers upon layers, supporting and reinforcing one another. Something this intricate doesn’t just happen . This was planned.…”
    “Can you break through it?” Molly said bluntly. “Is your new armour up to it?”
    “Maybe.