Reality Hack Read Online Free PDF Page B

either use you or neutralise the threat.’
    Nisa did not like the sound of that last part. ‘Neutralise’ had a rather terminal ring to it, and she decided that finding out exactly what Hanson meant by that could wait. On the other hand…
    ‘You know, “use” has an unpleasant sort of connotation…’
    ‘Would you prefer “employ?”’ Hanson asked.
    ‘You’re offering me a job?!’
    The policewoman reached down to open a drawer in her desk, producing what looked a lot like a scroll and a small box which could have held jewellery. She placed them in front of her and then looked across at Nisa.
    ‘I’m offering you a contract, with menaces. You, me, and Kellog sign this and we have a deal. We train you, and you work for me. It’s dangerous work and the contract is for ten years. You read it before signing and make sure you understand what it means. Once you commit to this, there’s no going back.’
    Frowning, Nisa reached forward and picked up the rolled-up sheet of paper. It felt a little strange and she decided that this was actual parchment, not paper. The writing was small and spidery, but legible, and it started with a carefully phrased description of the process of signing the contract along with the results should any party in it fail to live up to the strictures listed below.
    ‘If I screw up, I suffer from chronic pain until I correct my mistake?’ Nisa asked.
    ‘The traditional version curses you with bad luck, but we’ve found that intense migraines are a better reminder,’ Hanson replied. ‘Tradition would also have you sign it in blood, but we’re happy with a Biro.’
    ‘Right…’
    There were a lot of rules about following orders, training diligently, and being available as and when required. It sounded like she was giving her life away, but she had to admit that her life was not exactly worth much as it was. Then there was the paragraph about the ring.
    ‘What’s this ring I’m supposed to have with me at all times?’
    Hanson flipped open the box. Inside, nestled into velvet, was a silver ring with a black stone mounted into it. The design was abstract, but also sort of Celtic, or some sort of ethnic style anyway. If she was going to have to wear it, at least it looked fairly good.
    ‘It serves a number of purposes. If you have to use a lot of magic, it makes you less noticeable to Bugs and reduces normal people’s reaction to the Probrum.’
    ‘Normal people can sense it?’
    ‘Not consciously,’ Kellog put in, ‘but they can feel something. It usually manifests as wariness. They think there’s something odd about you and react badly. The rings reduce that negative reaction.’ He raised his hand to indicate the one he was wearing with its red stone.
    ‘The rings also let us find you easily,’ Hanson went on, ‘which is why you’re not allowed to be outside of ten yards of it. We like to keep a tight rein on our people.’
    ‘Oh,’ Nisa said. ‘I don’t really want to know what the alternative is, do I?’
    ‘I don’t know. Do you?’
    Nisa frowned and looked around at Kellog’s impassive face. ‘You’re on one of these contracts?’ He gave a nod in reply, and Nisa turned back to the desk and the waiting scroll. She picked up a pen that was lying there waiting and found the two lines at the bottom with her name printed above them. The second line was for the date and she realised she was not sure what that was. ‘Uh, I’ve kind of lost track of time. What day is it?’
    Hanson’s tone was flat as she replied, but there was a hint of amusement in it. ‘It’s Friday. June thirteenth.’
    Nisa winced. Oh that was just perfect. Swallowing hard, she reached out to sign her name on the contract.
     

Part Two: Faline
    Tower Hamlets, London, June 21 st , 2014.
    Nisa had been avoiding Black Light. She had got a couple of texts from Jenna and Lena, and a number of emails from Spike. Wallace knew neither her phone number nor her email address due to a process of