Amongst Our Weapons Quotes
"Our first duty, after protecting life and limb, is to preserve the crime scene from contamination."
"We refer to magical gubbins as Falcon in the police – all the better to draw a veil of comforting euphemism across the disturbing face of supernatural policing."
"Strong magic damages microprocessors – one of the telltale signs of a Falcon event tends to be the local CCTV getting knocked out."
"Magic, including the everyday magic that permeates the world, leaves behind it a trace – an echo, if you like."
"Modern police inquiries are all about information management – extracting it, processing it, and using it to gather even more information."
"It’s not that you get used to it, but you do feel a little wash of relief if the injury is small and neat and the corpse hasn’t yet started to smell."
It's much easier to affect the human body directly," I said. "Anything with a central nervous system seems to generate a sort of anti-magic shield.
"When you cast a spell, as well as the magical effect, you are also putting out excess magic."
"Just ask anyone who’s had to sit through five hundred hours of grainy video on the off chance someone in a hoody looked the wrong way at the right moment."
"I like to think I haven't got so old that my basic counter-surveillance training has atrophied."
"Magic is dangerous stuff and plenty of the early pioneers ended up in the ground, mysteriously vanished or, occasionally, floating down the Thames."
"That's what happens when these graduates fall under the influence of the rank and file. They start getting ideas below their station – worst of all possible worlds."
"It's not babbling and making random noises. It's about being able to preach the word of God beyond the constraints of your own tongue."
"We need to make a change to the Agreement."
"Focus, Peter – this is important. I don't like the idea of you having a beef with someone who might be connected."
"In a world chock-full of murderous blaspheming bastards, why would an omnipotent and omniscient deity pick a couple of obscure Brits to do away with in such a public manner."
"That’s good policing, that is. Don’t make any assumptions, check everything. Especially if it’s weird bollocks."
"I wasn’t told. Nobody who went out into the field was given that sort of information. What we didn’t know we couldn’t reveal under interrogation."
"We think we move on, but we carry our baggage with us."
"Nobody’s going to get septicaemia or tetanus or crippled or the like. Not while I’m here."
"Wouldn’t want you to miss out on the fun."
"Most of them, anyway. Some will not come however loud we call."
"You’d be amazed what you end up keeping."
"This is going to sound weird, but he used to be much angrier."
"Catch the thief, return the property – then we’ll talk."
I don’t want your missus coming after me," he said. "Plus I think the people this angel woman is after are probably all in London. You’d be better deployed as a counter there.
I missed you," she said. "How was the North?
Friendly, open and honest." I said. "Also strangely whippet-free.
"You obviously went to the wrong bit," she said.
I felt something flow between us," said Alastair. "A sort of power.
It was exciting," said Alastair. "A revelation. That evening, when we prayed again, I could feel myself being … being filled up with the Holy Spirit. Becoming close to God. I’ve taken some drugs … this was better. Better than alcohol – better than sex, even.
"Do you believe in God, obviously. But it’s different for me – I didn’t have any reason to believe in anything until …"
We never saw Preston again," he said, "and, to be honest, I don’t remember what happened to the rest.
Francisca wanted to," said Heather. "She promised," she said. "And she always keeps her promises.
We never met again," he said. "Preston cancelled the next meeting, and the next, and kept cancelling, until one day he wasn’t there any more. Jocasta went all exam-mad and Jackie caught feminism and became a lesbian or something.
I reckon she was an angel," she said. "A broken angel.
She was a skivvy," said Heather, when I asked what she thought Francisca had done back in Seville. "Like she should have gone to university, but never got the chance and had to do shit jobs for a living. She might have been one of those modern slaves you hear about, only I thought they were mostly Filipino or something.
"Good tradecraft makes the opposition lazy and allows you to feed them disinformation while you continue through clandestine channels."
"Can I sit on your lap?" asked Sugar Niner.
"You can sit on the other chair over there, but observation only."
"Cheese puffs, mating, and cat dependency."
"Cats are dangerous, cruel, and sneaky," said Sugar Niner.
"I gave the latest update on Beverley, the bulge, and the fact that the birth plan appeared to be going out the window."
"Just because it's in Star Trek doesn't mean it's not true."
"It’s not as hard to avoid Big Brother as people think it is, although it helps if you have a source of readies and pay in cash."
"Could he be dead? An identified body would have turned up in my initial sweep," said Reynolds.
I wouldn’t worry about that," said Reynolds. "You’re strictly kibitzing on this one. Make sure you don’t fall asleep, do what you’re told, and you’ll be fine.
You’re right," said Sugar Niner. "Is that worth a reward?
"Because requiring their blood it is remembered."
You sly fucker," she said. "You laid a trap.
Magic while playing was encouraged," said Nightingale, "but strictly forbidden to spectators and, of course, equally forbidden when playing against teams from mundane schools.
"Not everybody wants children, you know, Peter," said Caroline.
The wider the base, the greater the stability of the building," said Nightingale. "You taught me that.
It seems an eternity," he said. "At first I steeled myself to patience, then I sought to amuse myself through games and the recitation of poetry.
"In an educated man, hubris is the worst sin of all," he said, and gave a spluttering cough that I realized was a laugh.
I’ve had moments of worry," he said. "And this is my solution.
"We are what we are, aren't we? But being the people we are, we take our responsibilities very seriously."
"He said that you were surprisingly reckless and that I would age significantly with you under my command," he said.
"Once they’re past the screaming and pooing stage," said Pam.
"If you can’t be a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer, knock out some sprogs and they will forgive you all your failures."