Part 33 (1/2)

”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.