"Everywhere." She leaned on the broom, c.o.c.ked her head to the side, and listened.

Her psi hearing noted the buzz humming circuits.

"Can you tap in without being spotted?"

Dora placed more weight on the broom handle. She always had difficulty remaining a vertical and connecting to computer systems at the same time. She sent out a more direct and experimental psi ribbon, a strand so thin that it wouldn't set off the most sensitive detector. Bypa.s.sing the sophisticated security system, she pushed the strand with her psi and sneaked into the system, her method working, on the same principle as inserting a key into a lock. She lucked out. Someone had just logged off the system and the pa.s.sword streamed by. She made a virtual grab, then used the pa.s.sword to dig deeper.

The pa.s.sword wasn't one from an especially distinguished user and the clearance only got her so far. However, she learned that the high security area was down two more levels, guarded by both Pirinja and more computer systems. She wasn't concerned about the computer. The armed warriors were another matter entirely. Down here in the cool air, she expected them to be more alert and store likely to question strangers.

She withdrew quickly, the return into her body abrupt. Jolting. Even with a firm grasp on the broom, she might have fallen without Zical's support. She ended up in his arms, leaning against him, sagging. Her arms tingled as if he'd been ma.s.saging her flesh while she'd been gone.

"You okay?" he asked, his concern coming through in an urgent whisper.

"Yeah, why?"

201.

"You were so out of it. I feared you might mot comeback."

"Returning is always difficult," she admitted, "It's a shock to my system. I'm not sure why."

"Because human beings aren't made to share their minds with circuitry," he muttered.

She ignored his complaint. "We have to descend two more levels to find Kirek. And there are armed guards."

"I'm ready for them," he muttered and staked off, his face intense, his pace quick, as if he couldn't wait to plant his fist in a guard's face.

She hurried after him, bent on convincing him that violence should be their last choice. "We may be able to bluff our way in," she reminded him. While on the one hand she liked that be worried over her, on the other hand, at times like this, his emotional concern could be annoying.

At the sound of a blaring klaxon, Dora's breath hitched. Her stomach curled into a tight ball and her mouth went dry as a sandworm's burrow. They must have been spotted. She raised the broom, determined to use it as a weapon. Beside her, Zical pulled a knife from beneath his sarong.

But no soldiers streamed into the dim pa.s.sageway. She heard no hastily snouted orders. No marching feet. No curses. No panic. Abruptly, the klaxon ended and it was followed by the sound of a young boy's soulful shriek.

Kirek!

Were they torturing him? His scream was part anger, part frustration, and it chilled her to the bone to hear how weak he sounded.

Zical kept his knife out and proceeded toward the sound of the boy's voice. "Easy.

He's still alive."

If Zical had intended his comment to rea.s.sure her, it hadn't worked. What had the poor child been going through?

When Kirek's wail ended as suddenly as it had begun, leaving them in harsh silence, Dora tried to shove past Zical in her haste to reach the boy. Zical blocked her progress, his voice hard and fierce, his fingers tight on her shoulder. "If we get ourselves killed, we can't rescue Kirek."

"You're right," she told him, even as she steeled herself against the renewed whine of the klaxon. At Kirek's next scream. She shuddered. Were they torturing him with sound? Swallowing her horror, she sought to rea.s.sure Zical that she wasn't about to panic and deprive them of the element of surprise. "I'm fine. Let's go."

Again the awful wail ended and Dora knew one thing for certain. Reconnaissance mission, or not, Zical's orders or not, no way was she leaving Kirek behind. However, she kept the thought to herself.

Zical cracked open a door between the employee pa.s.sage way and the main ones.

His broad back blocked her view, but when she angled lower, she could see beyond 202.

him. Four guards sat in a hallway outside a room where she a.s.sumed they were holding Kirek. The Pirinja played a h.o.a.rd game and were obviously gambling. One man had his back to them but the others would have a clear view of their entrance.

Zical, Dregan h.e.l.l, didn't hesitate. Plucking the feather duster from her hand, he used it to hide his knife. Then he handed her the canister of cleaning spray, opened the door for her, and let her enter first.

At the sight of them, the Pirinja immediately stopped their game and rose to their feet in lazy wariness. Clearly, these men were so certain of their superiority, they didn't immediately reach for their weapons.

Dora breezed inside, hoping they could bluff their way closer before the guards challenged them. The Pirinja might not be reaching for weapons, but they were suspicious nonetheless. The tension in their eyes confirmed that cleaning crews didn't come this way often.

"Good afternoon." She m.u.f.fled her greeting and began sweeping the floor, edging forward slowly, while beside her Zical dusted a light switch.

"What are yon two idiots doing here?" the highest-ranked officer demanded, thumping his fist on the table as he stood and causing the golden braids that hung over his shoulders to sway.

"Cleaning." Dora spoke in a surly tone, as if she were disgusted with her current task. "Selgren L'Matti's ordered the building to be cleaned from top to bottom." As the guard's eyes dropped to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, Dora giggled, and made her steps bouncy, hoping the men's eyes would stay where they usually didon her chest. "And this is the bottom, Right?"

"You can stay, but no men are allowed down here except Pirinja." Clearly the captain didn't like the looks of Zical's powerful body.

"Oh, pay no attended to him. He's,"-she whirled her fingers by her temple-not quite right in the head. Does what he's told like a beast And I need him to lift me to clear the cobwebs by the ceiling."

Behind her, Zical hummed and fluttered the feather duster uselessly here and there, looking silly. And utterly harmless with his downcast eyes and stoic expression.

As Dora swept the floor, she worked her way closer to the table, careful not to send up clouds of dust that would make the men protest. While the Pirinja hadn't settled back into their game, two of them had regained their seats.

However, the captain remained standing, his narrowed eyes fascinated with Dora's large b.r.e.a.s.t.s. He licked his lips. "Come here.''

Dora couldn't have been more pleased. She needed to be close enough to take him out and nullify the advantage of his weapons. And that was impossible until she advanced within arm's reach. She strode forward, making sure to exaggerate the sway of her hips, knowing the movement provocative.

203.

When the klaxons began to howl, Dora jumped and the captain laughed, clearly pleased that her nipples had tightened. He reached to cup her breast and she slipped away sideways as if she hadn't noticed hi- movement. "What is that noise?"

"Come sit on my lap and I'll tell you." He pulled out his chair with his foot, sat and patted his knee.

She pretended to think about it, waving the canister, letting him get accustomed to thinking it harmless. "Sir, I have work."

The captain lost his patience. He snagged his arm around her waist and tugged her to him. Dora went with be motion and sprayed the cleaning fluid into has eyes, then tried to wipe it away as if she'd unintentionally sprayed him.

The man slapped away her hands, roaring with pain and fury. "Stupid woman. Ill have you strong up naked and whipped tor that."

"Sorry. So sorry." Dora backed away a step, pretending fear. At the same time, Kirek screamed again. Zical attacked, moving so fast his strikes were a blur. Without hesitation, she slammed the broom into the captain's temple. He let out a woof of air and collapsed at her feet.

While Dora had been doing her best to misdirect the guard's attention, Zical had gone to work with his knife, his fists, and his feet. One guard dropped to the floor, his neck twisted at an unnatural angle. Zical slit the second one's throat and simultaneously struck the third Pirinja with a kick to the temple.

Dora picked up a chair, slammed it down on the captain's head to make sure he wouldn't get up. She didn't take time to ascertain whether be was mortally wounded or dead, not with Kirek wailing.

Knowing Zical could take care of the one remaining guard, she used her psi to unlock: the door. Praying she wasn't too late, she stumbled at the quick transformation from machine circuitry to human brain, jolting back into her body as she entered the room and rushed to where Kirek had once again gone silent.

Even as she heaved through the door, she recovered enough to use her vocal cords.

"Kirek. It's Dora and Zical. We came to get you out of here."

The boy backed away from her, his arms raised to block his face. "I am Tirips's Oracle, Do not strike me."

Stars. He was out of his head, eyes unfocused. He didn't recognize her.

She made her tone gentle. "Kirek. It's Dora, sweetie. We've come to take you away." "Dora?"

Kirek lowered his forearms. At the sight of the black circles below his eyes and his shaking frame, Dora barely held back a gasp. She didn't know what they'd done to him, but he was clearly weak and totally exhausted.

"They wouldn't let me sleep."

She scooped him into her arms. "I've got you now. Sleep all you want."

204.

From the moment Zical had heard Kirek's pathetic scream, he'd known they weren't leaving the boy behind. Even if he'd wanted to try to talk Dora into leaving and returning again with Avanti and Deckar to back them up, the stubborn hardness in Dora's eyes told him she'd never abandon the child. He adored her loyalty to Kirek. So her att.i.tude was more than fine with him. Besides, holding back his fury would have been next to impossible. Anyone who would hurt a child didn't deserve to breathe another minute.

While Zical didn't take life without reason, he had no compunction about killing the Pirinja. And as he led Dora, who lovingly held Kirek, from L' Matti's building, he wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone who tried to stop their escape.

Earlier, Dora's performance had been brilliant. She'd extemporaneously thought on her feet, using bar charms and intelligence to get them close enough to take out the guards. And she hadn't hesitated to back him up in the fight, either, displaying a physical courage that revealed just how much she'd grown from the woman on Mystique who'd been afraid to leave her room.

So when Dora suddenly staggered on the stairs, almost dropping the boy, he took Kirek from her arms, fearing that killing a man had finally caught up with her emotionally. But he was dead wrong. She had that glazed look in her eyes, a soulless expression that told him she'd sent her mind elsewhere. Holding the boy over his shoulder with one arm he wrapped his other around Dora to support her.

Meanwhile, his concern fed his fury. What in stars she doing linking with the computer system now? She needed to focus on her arms and legs and getting out of here before anyone discovered the dead guards they'd left behind. They couldn't remain undiscovered for much longer and he couldn't carry her and Kirek, too, never mind fight if he must.

He set Kirek down in the stairwell. Then be shook her. "Dora Come back."

She didn't respond, and the thought hit him that every time he figured that she'd made progress in becoming a human, she did nothing to make him question that a.s.sessment. But this was the first time she'd placed their lives at risk. Concern and anger battled within him. By now he knew her well enough to believe she had good reasons for her actions, and that left him with nothing but anxiety. Had something outside gone awry? Had Avanti and Deckar betrayed them?

He chafed his hands up and down her arms. "Dora. We need you with us. Kirek needs you."

Nothing.

Zical covered her mouth with his. At first, she didn't move. But ever so slowly, her lips began to respond. Her eyes fluttered open. She jerked, spasming, and he realized that during their journey she'd gradually ceased her uncontrollable tics and spasms. He wasn't sure when she'd gained full control of her body, but now was not the time to discuss it.

"Dora?"

205.

"Mmm." She tried to draw him back into the kiss.

But once he was certain she was all the way back and wouldn't fall down, he bent and picked up the sleeping Kirek. "We've got to go."

He considered it a measure of restraint that he didn't stop and demand to know what she was doing. This was no time for discussion. They had to get out of here. The sooner the better. He was about to climb the next set of stairs and return the same way they'd come.

"No." She pointed to the door on this landing. "I altered the security system. The guards expect us to leave the way came. This way."

Zical didn't know if she was strong enough to carry the boy. But if he had to fight he'd prefer to have his hands free. "Are you up for carrying Kirek?" he asked, and when she nodded, handed the boy back to her. Then started to open the door.

"Wait." She drew a deep breath. "Ranth and I contacted Vax. He and Dr. Laduna have gathered at the ship with all our crew and scientists. The moment we are ready to leave, Avanti and Deckar will shut off the dampeners. Vax will fly the ship to this city's s.p.a.ceport to meet us."

"You arranged all this?" He eyed her.

"With Ranth's help."

Dora had special abilities and a great mind. He'd been wrong not to trust her judgment, especially since she'd just saved his a.s.s. Again.

"Okay. Which way?"

"Left!"

Dora's plan went down as smooth as Osarian whiskey. They bypa.s.sed the employee entrance and walked out of L'Matti's building as if they'd been invited guests. Only one guard questioned them and Zical took him out before he sounded the alarm, leaving him in a closet.

"The dampeners are gone," Dora reported as they walked away from L'Matti's building. "Ranth is back at full strength. And with the security codes Deckar just gave Vax our ship will land without attracting attention. Their computers will scan our ship and the readings will show a Kwadii ship returning from s.p.a.ce."

"Good. How far to the s.p.a.ceport?"

"Too far to walk." Dora peered to her right. A skimmer pulled alongside them. "Ah, right on time."

Avanti opened the skimmer door. Deckar was driving. "Need a ride?"

Within moments they were settled inside the skimmer. The hard part, rescuing Kirek, was over. But Zical couldn't relax. Until they left Kwadii and he was once again at the helm of his ship and in hypers.p.a.ce, he wouldn't relax. Although Avanti and Deckar had made some kind of alliance, he couldn't miss the tension between them.

"How long until we reach the s.p.a.ceport?"

206.

"Ten minutes," Avanti said.

"Except we've got a problem." Deckar turned sharply to the right.

"What's wrong?"

"There's a skimmer block ahead. I'll try to bypa.s.s by changing our route."

But the change in course did no good. A net dropped over their skimmer, stopping forward movement. A voice came over the skimmer's speaker. "Exit the vehicle and keep your hands behind your heads."

Dora couldn't carry Kirek and place her hands behind her head at the same time.

And she was reluctant to leave him behind. "Let's stay right here. Make them come to us."

"Why? Avanti asked.

"Maybe we can negotiate."

Deckar shook his head. "They're as likely to blow us up as negotiate. Selgrens are violent."