Part 42 (2/2)
”Not quite. The bars weren't in place before,”
said lira, wanting to be more hopeful.
218.
”No. But they may antic.i.p.ate something of the sort,” said Chaney thoughtfully as he set about reloading his Meinhauser. ”I would.”
”How much warning will we have?” Cousin Helga asked with a quiver in her voice. ”I'm not sure I'm up to all this disturbance,”
”Who knows?” said Chaney. ”I don't think they intend to kill us. Or not Tu-a, anyway. That's something.'* He had taken his position behind one of the settees and was trying to find the least uncomfortable position to hold his arm in.
”Do you think they'll use - ” She broke off.
”Gas.”
”That's it,” said Chaney, adjusting the flow of oxygen to his mask. ”Be careful. Don't take off the goggles, don't rub anything, don't scratch your skin if it itches.”
Tira was already rolling down her sleeves and reaching for something to put over her hair. She had been drilled throughout her youth for just such an eventuality and now went about her preparations with rote-learned skills.
Cousin Helga dragged her most elaborate ne^i- gee off its hanger and wrapped herself in its vast filmy folds of georgine and lace, all the while whi&- pering imprecations at the attacking troops.
”Immune, storming the private quarters of the Hi^i Secretaiys family. There's no excuse for it. none.”
219.
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
The gas grew thicker, and even with the masks in place and the oxygen flow on full the rotten-eggs- and-seaweed stench was almost overwhelming.
Everything in the bedroom was covered with a fine, acrid mist of unwholesome greyish-green.
”Come out with your hands up. You will not be harmed. Come out with your hands up.” This was not the voice they had heard earlier, but a deeper one, more used to command. ”Give yourselves up.”
”How dare they!” fumed Cousin Helga.
”lira Bouriere. Yon Chaney. Come out.” The voice was growing impatient. ”If you don't come out, we'll come in and get you.”
lira looked over at Cousin Helga. ”Get in the closet,” she ordered the old lady- 'They don't know you're in here. You heard them. They didn't call your name. Get in the closet,”
”But whatever for?” demanded Cousin Helga.
”In case they break through. We need some- one who can ... rescue us, if it comes to that.”
Tira glanced at Chaney and saw him nod.
”Come out before we open fire. We warn you, we have two laser-cannon trained on that door.
We will fire on a count often.”
Cousin Helga hesitated. ”How can I - ”
”If you don't hide in the doset, we won't have a chance,” said Chaney very seriously.
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