“Ah, yes. About that.” Ragnal looked into Sol’s face. “Just out of curiosity, can you tell me what you were doing at the moment of your death?”
That question shouldn’t have come as a shock to Sol. He’d put it together shortly after arrival… that he must have died. But still, having someone just say it out loud like that made him feel funny. Inconsequential somehow. He heaved a big sigh even though he’d also discovered shortly after arriving that inhaling and exhaling were purely optional.
“So I really am, uh, dead.”
“Let’s not play games, Solomon. You know you’ve moved on to another phase in the process.”
“Sol.”
“What?”
“If you’re going to call me by my first name, call me Sol.”
“All right. Sol. What were you thinking at the very last?”
Sol looked down at the bar, looked at the beer, then looked at his hands. “I was thinking that I couldn’t check out because too much depended on me. I was thinking that, if it turned out there was an after-existence that was supposed to make me happy, I would have to convince somebody that the only thing that would make me happy is being returned to duty where I belong.”
When he turned back, Ragnal searched his eyes like he was looking for something in particular. “And what sort of ‘duty’ is it that’s so important?”
Sol drew up short, realizing for the first time that he would have to discuss Black Swan business with an outsider. That presented a dilemma. He couldn’t get out of there without breaking his vow of secrecy.
“This is a pickle. I took a vow of secrecy.”
“So you need me to pledge confidence?” Sol nodded. “Very well. You have my word that I will not divulge what you tell me without first gaining your permission to do so.”
It wasn’t perfect, but Sol decided he had no choice but to accept it and be satisfied.
“We were in the middle of a vampire crisis. We thought we’d found a cure, but it didn’t work out and, if anything, we made it worse. I was instrumental in the correction. A world of people, some who know about the impending danger and some who don’t, were depending on me. So I have to get back.”
Ragnal’s expression gave away nothing except that Sol thought there might have been a flicker of recognition when he’d said the word vampire. But by the time he’d finished speaking, Sol could see that Ragnal looked confused.
“I’m not understanding. There’s a problem relating to vampire?”
Sol’s shoulder sagged. “Yes. There’s a problem relating to vampire and you just made me the king of understatement.” Ragnal scowled. “So you know about vampire?”
“I know a little about them. I didn’t know they were posing a problem.”
Thinking about Animal House, Sol realized that Ragnal might be aware of the variety of vampire that are relatively harmless, the kind that, like mosquitoes, just take their blood and go without causing more than a minor irritation.
“Vampire have been a plague on our world for at least thirty generations and perhaps forever. A bacterial virus turns humans into monsters who are serial killers of women and contagion to men, infecting them with the disease.
“We learned recently that there is something particular to the environment in our world that caused an adverse, viral, reaction.”
Sol stopped to make sure that Ragnal was following.
“Go on.”
“I work for a very, very old organization that was founded for the purpose of keeping humans safe. If it wasn’t for the effort we’ve made to contain the epidemic, it would have grown exponentially and rendered humans extinct a long time ago.”
Ragnal stared at Sol as he took another drink of beer. “And why do you believe you are indispensable to this… cause?”
“You think it’s ego. It’s not ego. It’s like there’s a tsunami on the way. We need all hands on deck. It’s not so much that I’m indispensable as it is that I’m useful. I’ve been doing this work most of my life and I’m responsible… was responsible… for a contingent of people who are most qualified to combat what’s coming.
“Sure. Somebody could eventually take my place, but I’m ready to hit the ground running now. And that’s what they’re going to need to survive.”
After a second Ragnal gave Sol a smile that looked a little like a smirk. “You think you should be in charge. I get it.” Ragnal stood up. “Let me see what I can work out.” He looked around the bar. “Where would you like to wait for your answer?”
“You got a library?”