'The best sort. Let me guess: inside fiction?'
'In one.'
'What's it like?'
'It's quite good, really. Confusing at times and subject to moments of extreme imaginative overload, but varied and the weather's generally pretty good. Can we talk safely in here?'
Victor nodded and we sat down. I told them about Jurisfiction, the Council of Genres and everything else that had happened to me during my tenure as Bellman. I even told them loosely about my involvement in The Solution of Edwin Drood, which amused them both no end.
'I've always wondered about that,' mused Victor thoughtfully. 'But you're sure about Yorrick Kaine being fictional?'
I told him that I was.
He stood up and walked to the window.
'You'll have a hard time getting close,' said Victor thoughtfully. 'Does he know you're back?'
'Definitely,' said Bowden.
'Then you could be threatening his position as absolute ruler of England almost as much as President Formby. I should keep on your toes, my girl. Is there anything we can do to help?'
I thought for a moment.
'There is, actually. We can't find which book Yorrick Kaine has escaped from. He could be using a false name and we should contact any readers who might recognise the Chancellor's somewhat crazed antics from an obscure character they might have encountered somewhere. We at Jurisfiction have been going through the Great Library at our end but we've still drawn a blank – every character in fiction has been accounted for.'
'We'll do what we can, Thursday – when can you rejoin us?'
'I don't know,' I answered slowly, 'I have to get my husband back. Remember I told you he was eradicated by the Chrono-Guard?'
'Yes; Lindane, wasn't it?'
'Landen. If it wasn't for him I'd probably stay inside fiction.'
We all fell silent for a moment.
'So,' I said cheerfully, 'what's been happening in the world of the LiteraTecs?'
Victor frowned.
'We don't hold with the book-burning lark of Kaine's. You heard about the order to start incinerating Danish literature?'
I nodded.
'Kierkegaard's works are being rounded up as we speak. I told Braxton that if we were asked to do any of it we'd resign.'
'Oh – ah.'
'I'm not sure I like the way you said that,' said Bowden.
I winced.
'I agreed to be the SO-14 Danish Book Seizure Liaison Officer for Flanker – sorry. I didn't have much of a choice.'
'I see that as good news,' put in Bowden. 'You can have them searching in places where they won't find any Danish books. Just be careful. Flanker has been suspicious ever since we said we were too busy to find out who was planning to smuggle copies of The Concept of Dread to Wales for safe-keeping.'
Bowden laughed and lowered his voice.
'It wasn't an excuse.' He chuckled. 'We actually were too busy – gathering copies of banned books ready for transportation to Wales!'