Part 11 (2/2)

”Here specifically?” Austin snorted.

”No, you know, in back of the shopping parts of shopping malls.”

”You need to get out more.”

”And we need to get out of here,” Claire reminded them, her hand on the latch. ”This is where the troll crosses over; there's so much power residue on and around this door, we'll be able to use it without even causing a blip on their radar.”

”Unless we send up a major 'hey look at me' flare because we're going in the opposite direction.”

All eyes turned toward the younger cat.

”Sorry. Bit of leftover higher knowledge. It's possible. But not very likely,” Sam added hurriedly as Austin advanced on him. ”I mean, power residue's power residue; right? And besides, what would I know.”

”Austin!”

Austin shot a ”spoilsport” glare at Claire and suddenly became very interested in cleaning his shoulder, his claws almost totally retracted again.

”It's my Summons.” Diana reached out for the latch. ”The risk should be mine.”

Claire shook her head, blocking Diana's hand. ”If one of us is going to send up a flare, I'd rather they knew about me, leaving the more powerful Keeper in reserve.”

”That's a good point, but here's a better one. We don't know what we'll face on the other side of this door. I should cross first to make sure we're not stopped before we get started.”

”Why don't we cross together. They won't get a good reading from either of us and we'll be ready for whatever we have to face.”

”But I get to take it out.”

”Be my guest.”

On Diana's nod, Claire threw open the door.

The storeroom on the Otherside looked almost exactly like the storeroom they'd left behind. The same metal utility shelves, the same jumble of empty boxes, the same overstock. The only real difference was the light-low, diffuse, and slightly green.

The two Keepers stood weighing the silence for danger.

”Hey.” Sam jumped up on a stack of old plastic milk crates. ”Where's Austin?”

Chapter THREE.

One minute, he had the tip of an orange tail in his face. The next, he felt the possibilities s.h.i.+ft and he was walking alone into the storeroom they'd just left.

The door to the access corridor was closed.

The door to the store was closed.

Austin sat down, wrapped his tail around his front feet, and glared at nothing in particular. The urge to p.i.s.s on something was intense. Like all cats, he knew when he was being told ”No!” he usually ignored it, but he knew.

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