Part 12 (1/2)

With the time past midnight, Ben and Trajan took a taxi down to Embankment, that swathe of valuable real estate reclaimed from the Thames a couple of centuries ago. Where there had once been muddy banks, a major road now ran between the water and some of the capital's most prestigious buildings. The summer night was a warm one, and people were heading home either on foot or by car after visiting the restaurants and theatres. Reflected lights shone on the high tide as a gaudy party boat drifted downstream to the accompaniment of a band playing on its stern deck.

After paying the taxi driver Ben followed Trajan to the wall that separated the path from the river. Even in the street lights it was easy to make out the rust-coloured smudge on the back of the man's blond head that marked the position of the wound.

'How are you feeling?' Ben asked.

'Fine. Are we close to where I first met you?' The man appeared tense now, as if unsure he could handle any memories if they should come rus.h.i.+ng back at him.

'Just along there near the road sign. I was looking at the river when April came up behind me.' Ben gave a faint smile. 'At first I thought someone was going to chuck me in the water.'

Trajan scanned the roadway. 'It's well lit, and you can see right down toward Cleopatra's Needle. After you left us, did you look back?'

Ben shook his head. 'By that time I was in a hurry to get home.' He also remembered the profound disappointment at realizing that April Connor was moving in with the blond man who had a well-paid career in s.h.i.+pping. He noticed Trajan was staring down at the stone path as he walked alongside the wall. 'See anything?'

'Not yet. I'm looking for my blood. If I see where I spilt it from thisa' He touched the wound. 'Then I'll know exactly where the attack took place.'

'There was heavy rain last night, Trajan. I doubt if you'll find anything.'

'I've got to try, d.a.m.n it. What else can I do?'

'You don't remember anything about the attack itself? How you were struck? Or if there was a weapon?'

'I remember figures on the wall - they were odd for some reason.'

'Figures? Before you only mentioned one.'

Trajan blinked. 'Twoa I'm sure there were two. But only one attacked us.'

'There was a weapon?'

He rubbed his forehead. 'Noa I don't remember. I just realized later that I was riding in a taxi with blood soaking my hair. d.a.m.na'

'No smells? Aftershave? Cooked food? Beer?'

'No! Give it a rest, Ben.'

'A big man? Thin? Plump? Tattoos?'

'd.a.m.n it, whatever happened was knocked clean out of my head when he threw me.'

'Threw you?'

A flicker of surprise ran across Trajan's face. 'He never hit me. He picked me up and threw me away like I was a piece of c.r.a.p.'

'It's coming back, Trajan. You're starting to remember. What did he do to April?'

'I don't know.'

'Bit her?'

'Shut up, Ben. Stop pus.h.i.+ng me. Give me a chance to-'

'Forget again. Come on, you lazy b.a.s.t.a.r.d.' Fury surged through Ben. 'Think harder. April's life might depend on it.'

'I am thinking, you b.l.o.o.d.y-'

'Well, think harder. Burst a few brain cells.'

'Shut up.'

'You're safe and sound. April isn't.'

Trajan whirled round and shoved Ben against the river wall. Rage blazed in his eyes, and that aura of violence that hung over London all evening threatened to find its focus right there and then.

'See, you're no weakling,' Ben panted. 'You've got muscle; so the guy who put you on the ground must have been strong as a bull.' Ben tried to push the man back but Trajan froze as he stared over Ben's shoulder. 'What's wrong?'

'There's someone in the river.'

'What?'

'There, under the pier.'

'Okay, let go. I want to look.' Ben shrugged himself free then turned his attention to the timber structure that ran out into the water to one of the ferries that had been moored up for the night.

'Someone in the water?' Ben asked as he stared into the shadows. 'Male or female?'

Trajan shrugged. 'Forget it. It's just some kid spraying graffiti.'

Ben moved to his right until the timber bollard that blocked his view was out of the way. There, standing on a beam beneath the pier decking, was the figure of a man. Across the white flank of the ferry boat he was busily painting these words: VAMPIRE SHARKZ.

* They're coming to get you *

EIGHTEEN.

Ben hissed, 'Trajan, cut off his retreat from that end of the pier. I'll catch him from this side.'

The blond man was stunned. 'Catch him? Why do you want to catch some vandal daubing graffiti?'

'Come on, before he vanishes.'

Trajan stayed where he was on the embankment walkway. 'We're searching for April, we don't have time to stop someone painting their name on a boat.'

'Quick, Trajan. As soon as he finishes he'll vanish again.' Ben walked as quietly as he could along the pier as the man, who'd been painting the mysterious slogan 'Vampire Sharkz: They're Coming To Get You', added the twin red spots that served as eyes for the smiley face. As he painted there in the shadows beneath the pier a reddish mist drifted from the aerosol, which he used to create his unlawful art.

Trajan has good night vision, Ben realized. Not many people would notice the man in his black sweater and jeans at work there. Even with street lights the figure was simply another shadow amid many shadows. From what Ben could make out the man stood on one of the beams that supported the jetty structure. Just below him was the surface of the river. The currents were strong and bore branches, bottles, paper cups and other jetsam at a h.e.l.l of a rate. Moreover, the direction of the flow was upstream, so this was the mighty tidal surge that swept inland. Even as Ben watched he saw that the level of the water crept up towards the man's feet. No doubt the rising tide was an incentive to finish his Vampire Sharkz message quickly before he escaped back to dry land. After all, he only had to slip.

As Ben padded along the pier towards the jetty a hand grabbed his forearm.