"Simon R. Green - Haven 06 - Bones of Haven" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Simon R)

whose reality was a little bit stronger than theirs."

"What was all that nonsense you were spouting before?" demanded Fisher. "I thought you'd gone off
your head."

"That was the idea," said Storm smugly. "They didn't see me as a threat, so they ignored me. Which
gave me time to work my magic on the watch. I could have been an actor, you know."

He stretched out his hand, and the watch flew through the air to nestle snugly in his hand. Storm
checked the time, and put the watch back into his pocket.

"Heads up," said Barber suddenly. "We've got company again."

"Now what?" demanded Hawk, spinning round to face the darkness, and then freezing on the spot as
he saw what was watching them from the edge of the silver glow. A human shape, formed of bloody
organs and viscera, but no skin, stood trembling on legs of muscle and tendons but no bones. Its naked
eyes stared wetly from a flat crimson mess that might once have been its face. It breathed noisily, and
they could see its lungs rising and falling in what had once been its chest.

"Johnny Nobody," said Hawk. "Poor bastard. Are we going to have to kill him too?"

"Hopefully not," said Winter. "We're going to be in enough trouble over Who Knows and the
Brimstone Boys. With a little luck, we might be able to herd this thing back into its cell. It's supposed
to be strong and quick, but not very bright."

And then something pounced on Johnny Nobody from behind and smashed it to the floor. Blood
spurted through the air as its attacker tore it apart and stuffed the gory chunks into its mouth. The
newcomer looked up at the SWAT team, its mouth stretched in a bloody grin as it ate and swallowed
chunks of Johnny Nobody's unnatural flesh. What upset Hawk the most was how ordinary the creature
looked. It was a man, dressed in tatters, with wide, staring eyes you only had to meet for a moment to
know their owner was utterly insane. Just looking at him made Hawk's skin crawl. What was left of
Johnny Nobody kicked and struggled, unable to die despite its awful wounds, but incapable of
breaking its attacker's hold. The crazy man squatted over the body, ripping out strings of viscera and
giggling to himself in between bloody mouthfuls.

"Who the hell is that?" asked Fisher softly. "One of the rioters?"

"I don't think so," said Winter. "I think we're looking at the original occupant of Messerschmann's
Portrait."

"I thought he was supposed to be some kind of monster," said Hawk.

"Well, isn't he?" said Winter, and Hawk had no answer. The SWAT leader looked at Barber. "Knock
him out, Barber. Maybe our sorcerers can do something to bring his mind back."

Barber shrugged. "I'll do what I can, but bringing them in alive isn't what I do best."

He advanced slowly on the madman, who looked up sharply and growled at him like an animal. Barber
stopped where he was and sheathed his sword. Moving slowly and carefully, he reached inside one of
his pockets and brought out a small steel ball, no more than an inch or so in diameter. He hefted it once