Part 33 (1/2)

”All right,” he said. The connection terminated. Rhani yawned, and then grinned at the blank screen in moronic joy.

”Zed!” she called.

In a moment he came through the door. Like her, he was wearing the clothes he had worn all day. ”What is it?” he said.

”Dana called.”

Zed's eyebrows lifted. ”Really? What did he say?”

”He's coming back.”

”Is he.” Zed's voice was noncommittal.

Exasperated, Rhani said, ”Zed-ka, what is wrong with you?

He said, ”Rhani, it could be a feint. He must know the patrols have his description. Where did he say he was calling from, did you ask?”

”I asked,” she said. ”A public booth.” Zed ran his hands through his hair, smoothing it flat. ”We can check that.” He sat at the com-unit. ”There'll be a memory of the call in the computer which should contain the location he called from. Let's see.”

Rhani went to the intercom. ”Amri,” she said, ”Dana's coming back. Please have some hot food ready for him.”

”Yes, Rhani-ka,” said Amri's tremulous voice.

”Well, that was true,” Zed said. ”He did call on a public line.”

Rhani swallowed. ”Zed-ka,” she said, ”this is important, please. I need to talk to you.”

He c.o.c.ked his head to one side. ”About Dana?” he said.

She took a deep breath. ”Yes. I don't -- ”

The alarm rang.

Rising and falling like the breathing of a giant, it wailed into the night. At first she did not know what it was. Then she remembered the alarms.

Someone's trying to get in, she thought. Dana? No, why should he not simply knock? The Free Folk of Chabad?

”Rhani, wait here,” said Zed, sprinting for the door. Rhani hesitated for an instant, and then thought: Why the h.e.l.l should I? This is my house. And I won't be any safer here than there.

Sliding the door aside, she headed for the stairway. Zed was shouting below. Amri was standing in the slaves' hall, hair floating to her waist, rubbing her eyes. The clamor of the alarms went on and on -- a shrill, panicking sound. ”Binkie?” Zed called. ”Corrios?”

Corrios came from his room. He was wearing a sleep robe and sunshades.

But it's night, Rhani thought. She walked the rest of the way down the stair.

”Where's Binkie?” she said.

Zed came from the slaves' hall, and she realized that he had been opening the door to every room. He turned in a circle, hands on his hips.

Corrios answered her. ”Gone.”

The shriek of the alarm was making Rhani's head ache. Why? she thought. A roar answered her. The entranceway was suddenly filled with flame.

Amri shrieked. A window burst. Thick black smoke boiled toward her.

Choking, Rhani shouted Zed's name into the fire.

”Rhani, get to the kitchen!” She could not see him through the smoke.

Ripping her s.h.i.+rt over her head, she held it around her nose and mouth as a screen. Amri was still screaming -- a terrible, tearing sound. Something big moved through the pulsating darkness, and the screaming stopped. Step by step, Rhani felt her way toward the kitchen. Zed intercepted her before she could reach the back door.

”It's blocked from outside,” he said. ”Let's go to the storeroom.”

”We'll be smothered,” Rhani said. Her eyes watered.

”It's vented, and it's big. There's a lot of air inside even if they've found the outer vents.” He pushed her ahead of him. Corrios grunted as he opened the door.

The stairway was s.p.a.ce-black. Rhani thought insanely: Wait, I'll get a light. She giggled at the image of herself walking down the steps with one of Domna Sam's malodorous candles in her hand. Zed went down the first few steps and reached back to grip her fingers. ”Come on,” he said. ”Keep coming.”

”I can't see,” she said.

”Step down, Rhani-ka. I won't let you fall.” Smoke was blowing through the open doorway. The alarm stopped, at last. Coughing, she stepped into the tense, dry darkness. Corrios came after her. He closed the door.

”Level ground in a few steps,” said Zed.

She remembered Amri. ”Amri?”

Zed's fingers tightened on her own. ”Amri's dead, Rhani.”

She nodded, remembering the terrible screaming. ”d.a.m.n them, d.a.m.n them,”

she said. ”What an ugly death....” ”No,” Corrios said. ”Neck broke.”

”Did you do it?” she said.

”Yes.”

”Rhani,” said Zed, ”if you put your hands in front of you, you'll feel a wall.”

Stretching her hands in front of her, she touched plaster. It was rough and coa.r.s.e. Wearily she leaned on it, and it sc.r.a.ped her bare shoulder. She had dropped her s.h.i.+rt. Corrios spoke, his voice diminis.h.i.+ng as he moved away from her, ”Storage bin, storage bin, cooler, cooler, water pipe, heater, filter, air chimney.”

”Where?” said Zed. ”Rhani, come.” She moved across the hot cellar. She touched something cool. The water pipe, she thought. She breathed hot air. It was Binkie, she thought, with pain. Binkie lied. Binkie set the fire.

Zed came back to her. ”The air vents are open, Rhani-ka,” he said.

”What does that mean?” she said.