As part of his ongoing column at New Pulp, Alan J. Porter is serializing our story "The Raven: Nameless Here For Evermore," scheduled to appear in the not yet published Protectors anthology. The third segment appeared today.
Here’s an excerpt:
As he entered this third room, a loud click announced the bright light that suddenly shown straight into The Raven’s eyes. His sensitive red eyes contracted at the sudden light. Temporarily blinded, he inwardly cursed at his own stupidity, reflexively dropped into a defensive posture, and prepared for the inevitable attack.
“There’s no need for that old chap,” came a masculine voice, British, from the darkness, “I’m sorry if the old lamp trick disoriented you, I just wanted to make sure that it was, in fact, you.”
The Raven remained silent, squinting as his eyes adjusted. A man, his features hidden in deep shadow behind the lamp, sat at a large desk that filled the room. The slight glow from the bowl of a pipe was just visible and a plume of smoke swirled in the lamp light. The man’s right hand rested on a manila folder lying on the desktop.
The mystery man pushed the folder forward into the pool of light. “This will give you the answers you need. Well some of them at least. I hope it helps.” With that he turned the lamp off, returning the room to darkness. “Please excuse the charade, we may not be as flamboyant as you colonials, but we still enjoy our theatricals. Oh and please relock the door on your way out, there’s a good chap.”
Read the rest of the third part and find links to the previous installments at New Pulp.