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It’s okay, I’ll think of someone to ask.’
    â€˜There’s always Sil.’ Liam kept his face averted.
    â€˜I’d rather take my chances with the humorous tagline.’
    â€˜Yeah, okay.’ He stared at the screen for a few moments. ‘Exactly what goes on at this Run thing?’
    â€˜I thought you read the handout?’
    â€˜Yep. I’m just checking that
you
did.’
    â€˜They pick names of volunteers out of a hat, the runners have to make their way down a course and the winner gets the honours. Do I get extra points for mentioning that it’s taken place every year since the Pact was signed?’ I looked at the back of Liam’s head as he read through the list appearing on the screen of all the incomers’ names. ‘Liam.’
    â€˜Mmm?’ He clicked the mouse over a name, nodding when ‘permitted’ flagged up.
    â€˜That guy, that Malfaire, were you getting anything from him?’
    Liam swivelled the chair. ‘You, too? Thank God. I didn’t want to say anything, thought I must be losing my touch. I’ve been sitting here worried to death that you’d chuck me out if you found out.’
    â€˜I’d never chuck you out, you’re the only person who can get the computers to work. And, you’re right, I wasn’t getting anything either.’
    We shared a round-eyed look. ‘And – tell me if I’m talking out-of-turn here, Jessie, but you’re the best I’ve ever seen at scanning the Otherworlders. You even knew about that Ian, and he’d fooled a whole television crew. You never get it wrong, you never even mistake one form for another. I’m an amateur in comparison.’
    â€˜Are you after a rise or something? ’Cos if you are, a mention of my ravishing beauty never offends.’
    He grinned. ‘It’s true though, isn’t it?’
    I shrugged. ‘It’s a knack.’ I began to pace the floor of the office; it didn’t take long, there’s barely room for Liam, me, two desks and our computers. ‘So, any thoughts?’
    Liam steepled his fingers and rested his chin on his hands. ‘Not vamp, we’d be able to tell. Didn’t seem to think much of them, either. A were?’
    I shook my head. ‘Nah. Too slick. They at least
feel
half-human, this was way beyond. Could you do a computer search for me?’
    â€˜I can try, but I think this might be a bit outside Google’s parameters. Might have to hack in to Zan’s system.’ Pause. ‘Again. I’ll have a poke around, see what I can turn up. You off out?’
    I grabbed my coat and hunted round the office for my mobile. ‘Thought I’d go and ask Rach if she fancies coming out on Thursday night. Then I might just take a turn around the streets, see who’s out and about – someone might know something about our mystery man.’
    â€˜Like his phone number, perhaps?’
    I threw my mobile at his head. ‘I take it all back, you’ve suddenly become dispensable. Anyway, someone should be out there checking up on all this movement. There’s a lot of kudos goes attached to getting chosen and I don’t think the organisers care overmuch about whether or not the runner has all his paperwork properly signed and his movement permit in order.’ And besides, I wanted to get some fresh air. Our ‘mystery man’ had left me feeling as though I’d been in the vicinity of some kind of chemical accident, all clammy-skinned, and even my teeth felt dirty. Plus the little shop around the corner sold HobNobs, and Liam
still
hadn’t got the message that real meals should be at least 50% biscuit.

Chapter Four
    The streets were oddly quiet, given that we’d more than ten times our quota of Otherworlders flittering about. Admittedly most of them wouldn’t rear their heads until after dark. The zombies would all be at work, ghouls
couldn’t
go