«First catch your rabbit,» quoted J.

«Precisely. Unfortunately, because of all those bloody charlatans, we'll have to devise our own methods of finding telepaths.»

«And I suppose for that you'll be asking the Prime Minister for another hundred thousand pounds from the Special Fund?»

«I suppose so,» said Leighton bluntly. «Of course, the Russians have done a significant amount of real research into the paranormal. I'm certain my contacts there would give me a substantial-«He stopped as he heard the spymaster starting to choke at the idea of asking the Russians for help.

After a bit, J calmed down and took another swallow of whiskey. He really ought to stop rising to Leighton's baits that way! He sipped more whiskey and considered other possibilities raised by Blade's telepathic ability with Cheeky. For instance, suppose the bond between Blade and Cheeky grew so close that Blade ceased to be interested in forming relationships with those who didn't have telepathic abilities. Could Blade even lose interest in women? That could be dismissed as a fantasy. Richard would probably flirt with the nurse watching over his deathbed!

Or suppose Richard got so used to the link with Cheeky that he came to want the same link with a woman? Did that mean their elusive telepath, whom they hoped to send to Dimension X when Blade could no longer perform, would have to be a woman? And what if the woman was too badly needed for traveling into Dimension X to stay close to Blade…? Sooner or later, Blade would no longer be fast enough and tough enough to survive easily in Dimension X, and he would have to be replaced. When that happened, Blade's life work would be over. If there wasn't anyone waiting to help him make a new life…