Influence

by Stuart Johnstone

  ‘That’s putting it mildly Lizzie, it’s incredibly strong and has been for a while, we don’t know why but we do know it’s incredibly dangerous and there’s a growing fear that it’s building to something, but we’re completely blind as to what it might be. Anyway this power exists, and is available to anyone with the right knowledge whether we like it or not, so we are faced with a choice, do we condemn and forbid anyone to dabble in the art? Or do we explore it and try to understand it? The former may have worked in the dark ages where society was reined and controlled with a steel fist, but today in our liberated world that would be impossible, it would simply force the thing underground. So the Council, and others like it, have been formed to, quietly, explore the phenomena and, more importantly, find ways to defend against it. Unfortunately by trying to do that we inadvertently placed you and others in direct danger and for that I cannot apologise enough Lizzie.’

  Lizzie sat quietly for a moment. ‘What happened,’ she said, ‘wasn’t your fault, I can see that now, I’m not sure how you could have seen it coming.’

  ‘If I’m being totally honest Lizzie, I suspected something was going on, but I couldn’t place it, couldn’t put it together. It became clear to me that someone was trying to lay their hands on the Lockwood scrolls. The first scroll is held here in Oxford and the importance of it and the others is explained to those joining the Council. The dangers of what the scrolls represent is also explained, we would never have suspected someone within the Council would be so reckless as to try to put them to use. The general whereabouts of the other two scrolls were not considered to be a dangerous secret as there are protections in place, but that was my mistake. One night I received a phone call from the Cambridge University Library, where the second of the scrolls had been placed, telling me they believed someone had tried to take it, but had failed. To be safe I gathered them together while we investigated, it never occurred to me that someone could just view it and memorise it.’

  ‘Robe’s photographic memory?’

  ‘Yes. The Scrolls will be placed away safely now, by people much further up the food-chain than I, although I don’t know, at this stage, if that chain even exists to me anymore.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ asked Lizzie.

  ‘The Council has been suspended indefinitely pending a full investigation, which in many ways is a shame since Frank believes you have an incredible aptitude for magic. I would have loved to see what you can do; I honestly don’t know if it is this talent you have or the way Robert felt about you that meant his glamours didn’t work on you, but I would have loved to have had you around to do some tests, but I doubt they’ll let me head up another Council any time soon. I saw what you did with the candelabra in the chamber, you saved that boy’s life.’ Lizzie shifted uncomfortably.

  ‘You saw that? I wasn’t sure I did it or not. I don’t really know what to think about that, so I try not to.’

  ‘Fair enough, perhaps we can discuss it some other time.’

  ‘So Void told you about their little sub-group? The circle within the circle then?’ she said moving the conversation on.

  ‘Yes, although I already knew, I just turned a blind eye, I trust Kara to keep things under control.’

  ‘Well you can tell those it matters to that I have no intentions of going to the police. They were worse than useless the last time I spoke to them anyway. Besides, something tells me that if anyone were to spill their guts to the authorities the whole thing would mysteriously dissolve anyway.’ Sully laughed.

  ‘Probably,’ he said. ‘So enough about all that, how is Frank? I understand you’ve been seeing a lot of him?’

  ‘He’s fine, although you wouldn’t think it by the way he’s milking it. He complains about the plaster-cast, but he’s fooling no-one, he loves it; he has this elaborate story to tell anyone who’ll listen about how he broke his arm after disturbing a robbery at a Post Office and chased off four guys before they turned on him. It’s a bit pathetic, and I swear he does it to wind me up of course. I mean it’s not like I can call him on it, tell his captivated audience – That’s not how it went down, here’s what really happened.’ Sully laughed again.

  ‘And what about you two? What’s going to happen there?’

  ‘I don’t know, we haven’t really discussed it, I’ll be gone at the end of the summer, so I guess we just enjoy it while it lasts.’

  ‘That’s a good attitude, and you never know what’s round the corner, stay positive.’

  ‘Hey, you know me, always sunbeams and lollipops,’ she said getting to her feet sensing the meeting was over. Sully stepped out from his desk and opened the door for her. ‘How’s Todd?’ she asked, feeling a little guilty that it hadn’t been her first question.

  ‘Physically he’s fine, and he doesn’t remember a thing. We’re working with him to help him understand what happened. We’ve had to coach him while he speaks to the police. I’m sure you’ve heard by now that the bodies of his friend Dale and another man were found in his flat?’

  ‘I read that in the paper. Do they suspect him?’

  ‘With a little help from us, the investigation has centred around a murder suicide theory and if it sticks it will keep Todd out of trouble, but it’s early days. Thanks for coming in Lizzie, it was nice to see you. I’m sure it won’t be the last time, but just in case look after yourself.’ He held out his hand for her, but she side stepped it and hugged him.

  ***

  Janice and Maggie were out. A plate of lasagne sat on the kitchen table wrapped in cellophane with a note telling her not to wait up. They had recently unravelled one of her many secrets – her relationship with Void, but she hadn’t yet subjected him to them. However finding excuses not to introduce him was becoming increasingly difficult. Still, her unusual behaviour over the past month or so had now been attributed to him, and they had stopped asking so many questions.

  She didn’t want Janice to know about what had happened, at least not for the moment, what would be the point? And where the hell would she start?

  She sat with a cup of tea while her dinner revolved in the microwave. She flicked through the mail lying on the table, nothing for her, but it reminded her of the letter Sully had given her. She fished it from her bag and examined the front of the envelope. Her name, handwritten, was the only inscription and there was nothing on the rear to give any clue as to its contents. She tore along the envelope’s edge and pulled out a single sheet of typed paper, she read:

  Dear Miss Dean,

  Thank you for your recent application to study at University of Oxford. I am writing to you with the understanding that a conditional placement was previously offered to you, however the academic criteria set out in the offer was not met. You will no doubt be aware that competition for places on our study programmes is very strong and as we seek to admit only the very best of candidates these criteria are set very high indeed.

  I should inform you that University of Oxford do not base entry solely on previous academic results, attributes such as life experience and future potential are also assessed when selecting students to place in our programmes. Our departments receive many more applications than we have places available so normally failure to meet our academic criteria would result in an application rejection.

  It has been brought to my attention, however, that your application may be deserving of further scrutiny due to mitigating circumstances. It is understood that you only marginally fell short of the results required and that you did achieve top marks in the subject you wish to study namely English. I have also been informed that you achieved these results during a period of considerable personal turmoil, an achievement which, from personal experience, should not be overlooked.

  As a result of this review of your application we took the decision to request a personal reference from the principle of your school, Mr Pallister. His reference spoke of you in the highest regard, describing you as, and I quote ‘the single most determined student I have ever come across in
my entire career.’ Mr Pallister went on to recommend you to our institute unreservedly.

  Therefore it is my pleasure to hereby offer you a place on our BA English Language and Literature programme commencing this coming September. Furthermore I note you previously elected Jesus College as your preference in your application and I am pleased to inform you that this offer includes placement accordingly.

  I would be grateful if you would reply in writing, at your earliest convenience, to confirm acceptance of this offer and I wish you every success in your future study.

  Yours Sincerely,

  Imogen Clarke,

  Imogen Clarke

  Director of Undergraduate Admissions

  University of Oxford

  Lizzie read the letter through.

  Then read it again.

  She put the letter down and sipped her tea.

  She picked up the letter and read it again.

  She placed it back into the envelope and sat back in her chair pulling the warm mug to her chest.

  ‘Well fuck me sideways,’ she said.

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to thank those people who helped with my story.

  Thank you so much to Gemma, Sam, Rebecca, Lindsay, Maria and David who assisted me with putting the right words, in the right order, with the right conviction. Also I am grateful for your encouragement, enthusiasm and valuable feedback, it was only when I heard what you had to say that I realised how important it was to have good people in your corner with a project like this.

  Thank you also to Florian, my mysterious German artist friend, for your amazing artwork, and for giving Lizzie a face, or at least an epic silhouette; I was thrilled with my cover.

  Dear Reader

  I very much hope you have enjoyed reading Influence and thank you so much for purchasing.

  Word-of-mouth is crucial for any author to succeed. If you enjoyed the book, please leave a review on Amazon; even if it’s just a sentence or two. It would make all the difference and would be very much appreciated:

  http://www.amazon.com/Influence-Stuart-Johnstone-ebook/dp/B00MR2MGS8/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1410433241&sr=8-17&keywords=influence

  A Quick Word from Friends

  All proceeds of this E-Book goes to Yaknak Projects, an amazing charity set up by four of Stuart’s friends.

  Together they run two children’s homes in Nepal, one of the poorest and least-developed countries in the world.

  Kapan House and Banglamukhi House are home to 15 boys who were previously living on the streets or displaced by civil war and unable to return to their villages. They now live in small, family-style homes that offer an alternative not just to life on the streets but also to large, overcrowded orphanages and temporary hostels that can provide only overnight respite.

  In a country of widespread illiteracy, the boys attend local schools and take additional tuition to help counter the years they lost. In a country of poverty they have enough; they are fed, clothed and cared for in culturally appropriate ways. In a country of child labour they are free to enjoy their childhood and the simple opportunities that children deserve.

  Yaknak needs to raise £16,000 a year to keep the houses open and the boys at school. In buying this book you’ve helped them keep the homes going.

  If you have bought this book your contribution goes directly to our project but if you have taken advantage of a free promotion and feel you might like to leave a small donation, or if you want to learn more, you can find us at:

  www.yaknak.org.

  Thanks again.