Part 32 (2/2)

She sighed. ”To the Hyper district.”

”What?”

”Yes. I hoped he could take a message to Loras U-Ellen.”

”What message?” Zed asked.

”That I want to see him. But that's irrelevant. Dana should have been back by now.”

Turning, Zed tossed the viewer on the bed. ”Yes. Did you ask if any of the slaves have seen him?”

She shook her head. ”I thought perhaps he might have gotten hurt.”

”Hurt!” Zed snorted. ”He's a Starcaptain, he's been in and out of the Hype, he's not going to get hurt in some backwater city.”

”It isn't!” she protested.

Zed smiled. He no longer looked preoccupied. Closing his door, he went ahead of her to her room. ”No. But it's not very big, and he lived six years in Port City on Nexus. Do you want me to call the Clinic?” He glanced around the room. ”Where's Binkie?”

”I don't know,” Rhani said. ”He was just here.”

Zed leaned over the com-unit. He riffled the stack of party responses with a finger. ”Dull work.” Seating himself in the chair, he instructed the computer to hold all prior operations, and punched the direct line number for Main Clinic. ”This is Senior Zed Yago,” he said to the clerk. ”Please consult your records and the records of all the district clinics for any report of injury or accident to one Dana Ikoro, about 1.7 meters tall, black hair to the shoulderblades, ivory-yellow complexion, thumbsized scar on the inside of his left thigh, deformed knuckle on the left fourth finger -- ” Rhani listened, fascinated, to the clinical, dispa.s.sionate description -- ”a tattoo, the 'Y' in blue. He's a slave.”

They saw the top of the clerk's head as he played with his machinery. He looked up. ”Senior, we have no such record, nor do the district clinics.”

”If he comes in to any of the clinics, send immediate direct-line notice to the Yago house.”

”That is our usual procedure, Senior.”

”Then I'm sure you'll follow it,” said Zed. He blanked the screen. ”So.”

His voice was measured and grim.

So, that syllable said, you trusted him and he has betrayed that trust.

_He's mine, now_.

Binkie walked in, saw Zed, and stopped. ”Do you want me, Rhani-ka?” he asked.

”No,” she said. ”Wait -- ” he turned to face her -- ”Bink, do you know where Dana is?”

”No, Rhani-ka.” He was very pale. He waited for her to speak again, clenching and unclenching his thin hands unconsciously. Irritated despite her sympathy, Rhani waved him away.

He walked like a man escaping a prison cell. He was one step into the hall when Zed said, ”Binkie, come back here.” Binkie froze, and turned. His face was ice-white. Rhani glanced at her brother, frowning. She did not like him to give Binkie direct orders.

Zed said, ”He's lying, Rhani-ka.” He stood, and stepped away from the chair. ”Can't you see he's lying?” He glided toward the terrified slave. Rhani put a hand out to stop him. He halted. Binkie was breathing like a runner.

”Binkie, I want the truth.”

Binkie licked his lips. ”I -- ” He swallowed. ”I did see him. He was here about two hours ago.”

”Here?” said Rhani.

”He came to the back door of the house. I was putting paper into the disposal bin when he dropped out of nowhere and took a cloak. I asked him where he was going and he said, 'Out,' and then he laughed. He wished me luck and said he hoped he never saw me again.”

”No,” Rhani said.

Binkie was s.h.i.+vering. ”Rhani-ka, I swear it's true!”

”But it's stupid!”

”I agree,” said Zed, ”it's stupid. But he was bound to try to escape.

Even Binkie, who should have known better, trudged out the estate gate. He must have made some connection in the Hyper district, perhaps found someone he knew...”

”No,” Rhani said again. Her heart thudded. ”He wouldn't -- ”

Zed crossed to her and put his arm around her shoulders. ”Rhani-ka,” he said gently, ”are you saying that because you're sure he wouldn't run away, or because you thought he wouldn't and you don't want him to?”

Rhani let her head rest against her brother's cheek for a moment. ”Both, I think,” she said. But it was my fault, she wanted to say; I let him go to the Hyper district, I even gave him one of my s.h.i.+rts to hide the ”Y” -- She remembered Binkie with pity. ”Bink, you may leave.”

Once again Zed sat at the com-unit. He called the Abanat police, and described Dana all over again for them. ”Treat him gently,” he added.

Why say that? Rhani thought, and did not say it. She knew why. Zed wanted Dana unhurt, because he wanted to do the hurting himself.

Going to the window, she slapped the curtain aside. There was no way he could get offplanet, of course. She imagined him hiding like an animal, somewhere in the cold, clear night, and wanted to weep. Hands on the sill, she leaned forward until her forehead touched the gla.s.s. If she were a telepath, she could call him. She turned. Zed was talking to the A.P., smiling, and her stomach muscles clenched. Dana, she thought -- Dana -- you stupid, stubborn, treacherous fool!

He called the house an hour after midnight.

Rhani, drowsing on the bed, woke to the soft insistent beep of the com- unit. She knuckled her eyes and then stumbled to the screen, expecting to hear the deferential voice of a police officer. ”Yes?” she said. ”Rhani Yago here.”

”Rhani?” said a whisper.

”Yes,” she said, ”who is it?” And then she knew. ”Dana!” She glanced at the clock. Sweet mother, it was late. ”Where are you?”

”A public line. I had to call. Are you all right?”

”What?”

”Are you all right?”

”I'm fine,” she said, not understanding. ”Dana, come back, _please_.”

”Is it safe?”

She fisted her hands on her lap. ”Yes,” she said, ”I promise. It will be.” Now, she thought, now I must make that true....

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