Death Blows: The Bloodhound Files-2 Read Online Free PDF Page A

African Queen; the golem monk is Brother Stone; and the brass golem in the cowboy outfit is the Quicksilver Kid.”

    “Interesting bunch.”

    “The authorities fought fire with fire—sympathetic magic with sympathetic magic. In the comic, the heroes defeat Wertham and destroy his cult. In reality—this one, anyway—Wertham simply vanished. But there’s more to the story than that.”

    “How so?”

    “Even before the murders, there were people doing research along similar lines. The government came to us for help in stopping him—some of the founders of this club consulted on The Bravo Brigade —
    then decided we were too dangerous to be allowed to continue unchecked. We’re tolerated, as long as we keep to our own little community, but comics are no longer published on any sort of large scale. We have to make do with what we can glean from other realities—which is rather lucky for you, isn’t it?”

    I frown. Neil is charming and likable, but his sunglasses are very, very dark—I can’t see even the outline of his eyes. It’s a little disconcerting.

    “Hang on,” I say. “If the government used the same kind of magic to fight Wertham, does that mean the Bravo Brigade actually existed?”

    “That would seem to follow, wouldn’t it . . . the supernatural races have their myths and archetypal heroes, Jace, just like yours does, but ours are more secretive; they live in the shadows of the past rather than the glare of history. But whether the Bravos were legends personified or simply imitating them, they were more than images inked on paper. They were actual people, with real power—though their true identities remain hidden.”

    “Saladin Aquitaine. Does that name mean anything to you?”

    “I’m afraid not. Who is he?”

    “The victim in the case I’m here about.” I describe the body and how it was found. “I recognized the outfit from a comic book character in my own world, but I have no idea what the green skeleton or the electricity means.”

    Neil nods, his expression thoughtful. “The Flash. Interesting. Several versions of the character have appeared over the years, but this particular iteration sounds like Barry Allen. His first appearance—in October 1956—marks what most comic historians consider the start of the Silver Age.”

    “That’s the same month the Bravo Brigade comic came out.”

    “So it is. As to the electrified skeleton, I believe it’s referencing the origin of the character—Barry Allen supposedly gained his abilities when a lightning bolt hit a shelf of chemicals that then spilled all over him.”

    Green skeleton equals chemical reaction? I’d have to see if Eisfanger pulled any chemical traces from the bones. “Okay, how about parallels to this world—was there a Flash comic here? Are there any members of your club that have a fascination with the character?”

    “The original Flash was named Jay Garrick. His character had more or less faded from the public eye by the time Barry Allen was introduced; if any of the other club members have a heightened interest in either of them, I’m not aware of it.” His voice is just a touch cool; I suppose I can’t really expect him to inform on his friends.

    I try another approach. “You said comic—uh, Kamic book magic was used to contact other universes. Does that include travel between them?”

    He hesitates. “In theory. It’s rarely done, and requires a great deal of power.”

    “Like the kind of power Wertham had?”

    “Yes. The actual process is called a crossover spell. But it requires a powerful focus—something like the Cosmic Treadmill.” He smiles.

    “A treadmill? The body was found draped over a treadmill.”

    “Oh? I was joking, actually—the Cosmic Treadmill was a plot device frequently used in the Flash comics. When powered by someone running at super-speed, it allowed time travel—and crossing over to alternate worlds. There was even a well-known comics editor named