Split Infinities

When Haug entered the Interrogation Room, he froze. There were two men in the room. One was cowering naked on the floor, and another recoiled to the other side of a black table. The one behind the table was fully dressed. Haug put the pistol under his belt and slowly advanced on the doctor.

'Are you...' Dr Claude St John stuttered. '...are you IRA?'

Haug's voice was low and menacing. 'You gonna wish I was the IRA, bo. You gonna wish I was Himmler's SS. You gonna wish I was the devil.'

Dr St John tried to back up, but there was no place to go. The big man was between him and the door. 'What do you want with me? I'm only a doctor.'

Haug stopped and pointed to Mainwaring, who was curled into a foetal ball and had his thumb in his mouth. 'That man down there on the floor is a very, very close friend of mine.'

The doctor stood up straight and tried to be firm. 'He is a traitor. And I was just doing my job. You cannot accuse me...'

Haug moved like a big cat and grabbed the man. He wrenched his arm behind him, and with the other hand grabbed his hair, pulling his head back. 'Now show me on that shelf behind you what it was you gave my friend.'

Dr St John screamed. He had never felt pain like the pain now shooting through his arm and shoulder. 'I'll tell you, I'll tell you, let me go!' He pointed wildly at a vial on the shelf.

Haug let go, and the man dropped to his knees, rubbing his shoulder. He picked up the vial and a hypodermic, filling it with the entire contents. Then he kicked the doctor in the back, flattening him on his stomach. With a smooth movement he jabbed the needle in his buttock to the hilt and squeezed the contents into his backside. Finally he snapped off the top of the syringe, leaving the needle inside the flesh.

There was a blanket on top of the black table, and Haug carefully covered Mainwaring's body with it, tucking the sides gently underneath. Behind him he heard the doctor groaning and vomiting. As he picked up his friend, Mainwaring pulled his thumb out of his mouth.

'Sarah? Is that you, Sarah?' he murmured. 'Oh, why, my darling? Why? I'm...I'm...'

Haug stood up. Mainwaring was not very heavy, despite his height. He looked down into the face as the civil servant looked up at him with a frightened, puzzled expression. 'Who are you?'

Haug stared at his friend and, despite himself, he felt his eyes filling with tears. 'I'm takin' you away, Jonathan. It's OK now. Hang in there, ole buddy. We're goin' some place where nobody can hurt you anymore. Some place nice and warm and heavenly. Sarah will be there. Sarah's waitin'...'

'Sarah?' Long, bony fingers grabbed his waistcoat. 'Sarah? Sarah?'

Haug held the man close and instinctively kissed the top of his head. His insides were in turmoil as he walked slowly towards the doorway.