Rook

things that drew our attention to him. His possessions were searched at the airport, along with his internal cavities. When airport security couldn’t figure out what was driving the dogs crazy, they notified the Checquy.”
    “Did Van Syoc offer any explanations for the dogs’ interest in him?” asked Alrich.
    “He said that he’d come from Amsterdam, where he’d enjoyed doing things that were legal there even if they weren’t here,” replied Myfanwy.
    “Clever,” said Sir Henry. “And plausible.”
    “Except that the dog handler was one of our agents,” said Myfanwy. An idea was forming even as she spoke. “She had enhanced olfactory abilities, and she couldn’t smell any drugs on him. Couldn’t smell anything out of the ordinary, in fact. So, I’m thinking that we keep an eye on anyone the dogs take an unusual interest in and have them searched. If no drugs turn up, tag the suspects for Checquy attention. That way we can target the Grafters without alerting the rest of the government that we’re facing a serious problem.”
    “Very clever, Rook Thomas,” said Wattleman benevolently.
    “I know,” she agreed, earning herself a few startled glances.
    “But how best to implement all this under the radar?” mused Farrier. “No formal announcements—they’d raise too many questions we don’t want asked.”
    “And you realize that not all individuals coming in from the Continent are automatically checked?” asked Alrich.
    “Damn that entire EU business!” said Wattleman. “It’s all very well to have nice cheap cheeses, but did no one stop to think that theEuropean continent is connected to ones that aren’t necessarily so… so…”
    “Friendly?” offered Myfanwy.
    “Secure?” suggested Eckhart.
    “Full of nice cheap cheese?” said Gubbins.
    Farrier shot Gubbins a dirty look.
    “Perhaps if the new procedure was gently put forward to the appropriate people?” suggested Grantchester.
    “Yes, capital idea! I could bring it up to the Home Secretary at the club,” agreed Sir Wattleman enthusiastically. “He’ll know how best to arrange it. That’s settled. Now, what’s our next immediate move?”
    “But how do we know they’re not invading tonight?” asked Gubbins. “I mean, there could be some cobbled-together monstrosities parachuting out of the sky somewhere. Some poor prats in some little village could be getting eaten alive right now.”
    “I doubt it,” said Eckhart. “You don’t send your preliminary scouts the morning before you invade a country.”
    “Yes, good point,” said Grantchester. “That’s only common sense.”
    “Can we be certain he was only a preliminary scout?” asked Farrier.
    “Absolutely,” said Eckhart firmly. “If three Pawns can subdue him, then he does not represent the height of the Grafters’ powers.”
    “Plus,” noted Tidy Twin, “he said so during his interrogation.”
    “We don’t have enough information to plan our next move yet,” said Myfanwy.
Some of us don’t even know who our enemies are.
“We need to learn more.”
    “Excellent! Good thinking, Rook Thomas!” said Wattleman happily. “The Rooks and the Chevs will work together and present their conclusions to the Bishops tomorrow evening. Unless, of course, we’re invaded tonight. In which case, you may have us woken up. Ah-ha-ha.” No one else laughed as Wattleman and Farrier rose from their chairs and made their way toward the door. Grantchester nodded and smiled faintly at them all, the smile of someone who has not been obliged to take any responsibility for the problem at hand. Then he left the room also, smoke trailing behind him.
    The Rooks and the Chevaliers were left with Alrich, who simply sat there.
God, he’s gorgeous,
thought Myfanwy.
If only he’d blink once in a while. Or move. It’s kind of creepy.
In fact, Bishop Alrich seemed to be freaking the others out as well. Gubbins appeared to be dislocating his fingers out of nervousness, and Eckhart was paying his cigarette far more attention than it warranted.
    “I do not envy you,” Alrich said, suddenly rising from his chair with eerie smoothness. “Still, I am quite certain you will come up with some good solutions.” And he was gone.
    The four remaining members of the Court (well, five if you wanted to include Gestalt as two, which Myfanwy didn’t) stared at one another.
    “Bring it up at the club?” said Gubbins. “What is he going to say? Ah, nicely played bit of backgammon