Part 30 (1/2)

They were too scared to speak, but one of them nodded.

”All right. Go through.” The clerk kept his chairleg at the ready ”If anything happens, it will be on your head.”

”Fine,” said Chaney, and followed Tira down the hall.

”That was taking quite a chance,” he said to her as they moved out of earshot.

”Those clerks are the ones taking the chance.

We could have killed them.” She was very seri- ous. 'They have a lot of courage, staying here, defending the Palace. They could be looting, but the/re not. They're the land of people my rather wanted the Pact for.”

They found a relatively isolated lift tube and stepped in, lira in the lead.

'Do you know where we are?” asked Chaney.

”Yes. In fact, if I recall properly, we're headed someplace safe. I hope.”

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Chelsea Quinn Yorbro

The lift tube led to the nurseiy.

”I haven't been up here for years. I'll bet Wiley hasn't either,” said lira. ”Jessine hasn't given my father any heirs, thank heavens; it's probably been forgotten.”

The genescan monitor was still working. It politely informed them that it required authori- zation before the doors could be opened. Tira put her hand on the scanner and winced when the machine said, ”Missy Tira-Lira. How good to see you again.”

”Missy Tira-Ura?” Chaney asked as they went through the door.

”I was a Idd,” she answered defensively.

All the furniture was moved against the walls and shrouded in dustsheets. No toys lay on the floor, none of the teaching displays were on.

After the ravishment of the rest of the Palace, these neglected apartments seemed pleasantly serene.

”Forgotten?” remarked Chaney, pointing down.

There were footprints in the dust.

He swung up one of his railguns. ”Wait,” he said quietly, and followed the footprints. Tira shouldered one other own guns and backed him up.

The footprints led through a doorway and

152.

behind a giant stuffed gorilla. Chaney stopped several feet from the toy.

”Come out with your hands up,” he said.