Station, стр. 51
Lester Midnight stared darkly at Marlin Hadder, thegolden flecks in his white eyes spinning faster. Hadder watched asLester's knuckles tightened on his cane and prepared for an attack.He maintained a safe distance and had already identified a thicksketchpad he could turn into an impromptu shield, if needed.Fortunately, it wasn't required, as the storm that roared in LesterMidnight passed as quickly as it came on. He dropped his cane andslapped his hands together in glee.
"Ahh, that tricky Royal! Always knowing when to playthat fucking Key card to force me into something interesting. Ofcourse, I immediately knew you weren't of the art world, butnonetheless, I have to tell you, I am a bit relieved. The lastthing I wanted to do was hear about some hack's derivative art. I'mmuch more interested in what I see before me. Yes, I didn't quitenotice it out there, but I see it now. Oh, how I see it. You knowwhat makes me special, Hadder? I see what others cannot or refuseto see. And you know what I see in you?"
"Tell me."
Lester smiled and jumped off the desk, stood withinarm's reach of Hadder. "I see the newest resident, one who isn'tyet resigned to this existence. One who holds onto a Rage that allthe joy in the world cannot repress. Rage, one of the purestemotions, one of the few sources of real art. How long has it hadyou?"
"It's been there forever, but it just recently tookhold."
"Ahh, and these answers you seek, the questionsattached to them are the cause of the takeover?"
"Yes."
"How delightful." Lester began to pace around theroom. "But before you ask me the question, Hadder, ask meanother. Indulge me. What is it you want to know about me? I amnothing if not an egoist."
Hadder didn't need to ponder a question; it was onthe tip of his tongue. "Do you know that you're insane?"
Lester cackled, slapped his hands together again."Yes! That's what I like! The Rage has no place for niceties orhalf-truths. Who told you I was insane? Royal Winters, that boringecho of the Before? Or some other equally terrible Key. I never hadmuch in common with them, you know. They thought me unbalanced, Ithought them confused. Do you know why I thought them confused,dear Hadder?"
"No, tell me."
"Because. I'm the only person who seems tounderstand what this place is, darling. Do you know what Stationis, Hadder?"
"Tell me."
"It is an experiment, a grand experiment, conductedby the divine. It is a way station, a temporary thing. We're meantto push the envelope in our short time here, discover that which wecould not in the Before. You can't do that dancing the night awayor coupling up and pretending that this is an earthly place. Thiscity had a specific beginning. It will have a specific end. I havemaximized my time here, created things never before seen. Where theother Keys have failed, I alone have succeeded. The other Keys arefrightened; they want this limbo to continue forever, to live assmall gods in their small worlds."
"And you, Lester? What do you want?"
Lester stared at Hadder crazily. "I want to create,to feel as the true gods feel until my time is up. Then I willrelish in the Fall, and know that in the collapse, I will finallybe an integral piece of this overarching project. The telling ofthe art that is Station will not be able to be told without LesterMidnight. My sacrifice will finally be made real."
Lester sank into one of the couches, finally drainedof that which he had wanted to say for a long time. He waved a handat Hadder. "Now, give me your real question, darling. Why have youcome to me today, Marlin Hadder of the Rage?"
"There was a girl who was murdered a few Haelas agoat The Soiree Noire."
"Reena Song."
"Yes. I think the killer was a Riser that crossedthe Skirt. I need to know the Riser's name."
"And why do you need a name, dear Hadder?"
"To find him. To kill him."
"Did you love this girl, dear Hadder?"
"I loved her. I wasn't in love with her."
"There's a vast space between those two things. Isit enough? The Rising is usually no place for a plain man like you,even with the Rage walking beside you."
"It is enough. I cannot resume life until she isavenged."
Lester rose, put his face close to Hadder's. "Andthis revenge? What if it jeopardizes the life that you currentlyenjoy? Actions have consequences, dear Hadder. I am sure that theother Keys fear you; maybe you've seen it in their eyes yourself.You mark a potential imbalance in the city, and imbalance couldlead to destruction."
Hadder sighed deeply, tried to explain that which hedid not fully understand. "I cannot be who I was, who the girl I amin love with needs me to be, until this killer is dead. Whateverhappens because of my actions, the choices I am determined to make,so be it. I'm cursed, either way, Lester. I'd rather run headlonginto the darkness than curl up into a ball and let it slowly eat mefrom the inside. And I feel the same about Station. If it's as yousay, if it has an end, let us rush to it with our heads high, notlet it crumble around us as we fight for scraps and become less andless human."
Lester smiled and put his palm to Hadder's face."Said like a true harbinger of the Fall. In that case, MarlinHadder, the man who killed Reena Song is an Elevated wretch namedSkeelis. He's a thug for hire and has been bouncing from Bar to Barfor some time now, so I can't tell you exactly where he is locatedin the Rising. But know this, the Riser Wars have consolidated allthe Bars into two main factions now sparring for control. In SouthRising, Ego Rounds holds domain. He is a tough man, but principled,even if those principles are foreign to you and most others. Youcan work with him. In North Rising, a man who calls