the sixth level. I give my permission. But as for the seventh level... '
Everybody gazed curiously at Geser.
'I haven't been there. And I can't answer your question,' Geser concluded firmly.
'Ha,' said Olga. 'I was certain you had been there, Boris.'
'No. And before you ask ?Zabulon hasn't been there either. Nor have any of the Others I know. I believe that only a zero-point magician is capable of it. Someone who possesses absolute Power. Merlin was such a magician. Nadya Gorodetskaya will become such an enchantress...'
Everybody turned to look at me.
'I won't let her into the Twilight before she's grown up,' I said firmly.
'Nobody's asking you to,' Geser assured me. 'And... don't start objecting before I finish. I want to put your Nadya under guard. Continuous guard, round the clock. At least two battle magicians. Second or third level of Power. They won't hold out long against Higher Ones, but if we provide them with good artefacts, they'll be able to drag things out long enough to call help.'
Ilya held his head in his hands.
'Boris Ignatievich! Where will I get that many second- and third-level Others from? Are we going to take our entire fighting force off the street?'
'No, not all of it,' Geser replied. 'We have four second-level Others, after all. And nine third-level. Alisher and Alexander can be raised to third level.
'Which Alexander? Korostilyov?' Ilkya asked in amazement.
'No, Malenkov.'
'Sasha can be raised,' Olga put in. 'I'm prepared to do it in three days. Even two.'
'Wait!' I exclaimed. 'Wait! Would you like to hear my opinion?'
Geser looked at me curiously.
'Yes, I would. Only bear in mind that sooner or later the individuals who failed to obtain the artefact will come to the con clusion that they need an absolute magician. And there is only one in the whole world. One. Your daughter. So will you agree to her being guarded?'
'But what will Svetlana say?'
'Svetlana is a mother,' Olga said in a gentle voice. 'I think she remembers how her daughter was kidnapped once already. And she understands that she herself cannot guard her daughter twenty-four hours a day'
'Sveta will agree, Anton,' Semyon said, with a nod. 'No need for any crystal ball there.'
'But Boris Ignatievich, what am I supposed to do with the streets?' Ilya objected. 'I protest officially as your deputy for the patrol service! Am I supposed to send out fourth- and fifth-level magi cians to work on their own? The Dark Ones will walk all over us!'
'They won't,' Geser said, frowning. 'Zabulon is also allocating his second- and third-level magicians to guard Nadya Gorodetskaya.'
It was my turn to clutch my head in my hands. But Ilya imme diately calmed down.
'Then we only need to supply half of the bodyguards? In that case, I?
'No, not half. It's two of ours and two Dark Ones.'
'Geser!' I protested.
'Anton, this is being done for the sake of your daughter's safety,' Geser replied in a firm voice. 'That's all ?the matter's closed! Let's get on with other business. Ilya, you stay behind after the meeting, we'll discuss who to use as bodyguards and how to equip them.'
I said nothing. I was seething inside, but I said nothing.
'So far we have only spoken about defence,' Geser continued. 'I charge Olga with developing the measures for protecting the Watch against spy technology and a possible attack by human mercenaries. Involve Tolik from the computer service. And Las from the operations side.'
'But he's a weak magician,' Olga snorted.
'But he has a non-standard way of thinking,' said Geser. 'And you know pretty much all there is to know about battles between Others and human beings. You've certainly had plenty of experience.'
I gave Olga a curious glance. So she had a interesting back ground, then...
'What I need from all of you now is something else,' Geser went on. 'How are we going to attack?'
'Attack whom?' I protested. 'If only we knew who it is that's muddying the water
'To attack doesn't necessarily mean to go rushing into battle,' Olga stated didactically. 'To attack also means to take actions that the enemy isn't expecting, to disrupt his plans.'
Geser nodded in approval.
'Then there's only one thing we can do,' I said. 'That is, apart from trying to find the traitors... but I expect the Inquisition is breaking its back on that one already. We have to break through to the seventh level. But if we can't... the chain of Power?'
'Zabulon suggested a Circle of Power,' Geser said, with a nod. 'But it won't help, not even if we try, by