Carson led them back to the ship, via the main concourse. This time, as they approached along the incomplete platform, Rad had the opportunity to view the ship clearly, although much of it was obscured by the curve of the tunnel.
It was the Nimrod, although it was different. Larger, longer – the lines were harsh, the armor plating pierced and pitted. The Captain’s original airship had been in a poor state of repair when Byron had piloted it away. This machine was the same, but a nightmare version. It felt wrong somehow.
Rad felt a hand on the small of his back. Carson leaned in to him.
“It’s a different ship, yes. Well, it is the Nimrod, but a Nimrod from another world. I had to fight for it,” he said, tapping his eye patch. “But I found him inside.”
Kane walked back from the ship’s door, leaving Jennifer to gaze up at its dented walls.
“How many other worlds are there?”
Carson’s eye narrowed again. Rad decided he didn’t like it when the Captain got that look.
“I thought there was only us and New York,” said Rad. “And the Enemy, of course.”
Carson nodded. “So did I, or at least that was as far as Byron and I had been able to penetrate. But I had always surmised there were more realms, further out. Perhaps even an infinite number of other universes and worlds.”
Kane folded his arms. “And you were right,” he said.
“Indeed,” said the Captain, and he smiled the smug smile that made Rad laugh and think of tea and sawdust shortbread in the Captain’s palatial residence. Then he realized that those days were a very long time ago for the Captain.
“If Byron was in this ship, how did you know it was really him?”
“Oh, that was easy. He had the taken the signal device from the Nimrod – the other Nimrod – and kept it with him. He knew I would be listening.”
“So why didn’t we meet him when we came back here? You’re saying he’s still inside the ship?”
Kane said, “It was empty when you picked us up.”
Jennifer ducked into the Nimrod’s side door. “Ah, everyone?” she called out from inside. “There’s someone here all right.”
Rad looked at Carson, and pulled himself into the doorway. Ahead of him, a black shadow seemed to sweep past Jennifer. She stopped and looked around her in surprise.
Rad turned back to the Captain, his eyes wide. Carson laughed loudly.
“Byron can’t leave the ship, detective. He’s a ghost. He’s haunting it!”
THIRTY-SEVEN
Carson led them onto the flight deck, where he directed Jennifer to sit in the co-pilot’s chair while he occupied the pilot’s.
Kane pulled on Rad’s arm, leading him to the side while the Captain examined Jennifer’s metal face. Rad kept one eye on them, well aware of what he’d found in the freezer.
“You’re telling me you believe this?” Kane’s whisper was muffled behind the mask.
“Believe what?” Rad hissed out of the corner of his mouth. “That this really is Captain Carson?”
“That, and that he thinks his airship is haunted by his dead friend.”
Rad’s eyes darted around the cockpit. There were plenty of places for someone to hide. Plenty of places for shadows to collect.
“The past few days, I’ll believe lots of things,” he said.
“I can hear you, gentlemen.”
Rad and Kane pulled back from each other, each glancing around the room. The voice had been a low whisper too, as though from a third person standing close. The voice was deep, accented like Carson’s.
Rad saw the Captain looking in their direction, he face split by an annoying smile.
Rad looked at the ceiling. “Byron?”
“At your service,” came the voice, this time from behind Rad. He spun around, but there was no one there.
“OK,” said Rad, nodding as he turned back to Kane. “Byron, fine. Hi, there.” He raised his hand, unsure where Byron was.
“A pleasure to see you again, Mr Bradley,” said Byron.
Kane laughed. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“And Mr Fortuna,” said the voice, and Rad could have sworn Byron gave a little bow, even though he was nowhere to be seen, nothing more than a dark moving shape in the corner of his eye.
The Captain turned back to Jennifer.
“It is no use,” he said, slapping his hands on the top of his thighs and leaning back into his seat. He glanced up at Rad. “The mask cannot be removed. It, dare I say it, appears to be part of her face now. It’s