

### SHIAM CONSPIRACY

BOOK 1

### By Joseph Heck

© Copyright 2014 Joseph Heck

All Rights Reserved

Published: 29th April 2014

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may be given away and shared with other people. This is BOOK 1 of the Amoco Loch series, SHIAM Conspiracy. BOOK 2 is now available at your favorite online bookstore.

All characters, names, places and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, locals or events is purely coincidental.

To Cheri, who believed in me even when I didn't, and to Kala and Kode, who showed me magic does exist.

# Prologue

The old woman came awake with a start.

She breathed in heavy gasps of humid night air, her flesh chilled to her aged bones even though her bed clothes were damp with sweat from the heat of the night. She struggled to a sitting position, the springs of her narrow bed complaining along with her stiff joints.

Darkness wrapped itself around her, the small room she called her own suddenly feeling much too close.

She sat there attempting to regain her senses as well as her composure. The words that had come to her in her dream still echoed within her mind. The words were crystal clear, though the meaning behind them was not.

Ruby red digits glowed from the nightstand next her. Only three hours into a new day. Much too early for him to be up and about.

Should she wake him, she wondered. Though she did not understand the words, perhaps he would.

She crawled slowly from her bed, though she had no desire to do so. She dressed as quickly as she could without turning on a light. When she stepped into the hall the dim illumination there was sufficient for her to find her way to his room. After knocking softly at the door, she waited for it to open.

"Marta." He spoke softly, his expression still sleepy.

"I am sorry to disturb you," the old woman apologized. "I would not have if it wasn't important."

"Of course," he said. "Come in."

# 1

The rain felt more wrong than wet.

Zak Harris cursed as he stepped from the taxi. He had no idea what it was that was wrong about the weather, but he did know that he didn't want to be out in it. The gusting wind blew needle-like pellets of water at him, nearly knocking him back into the vehicle. He struggled to regain his balance and forced the taxi door closed behind him. He swore again. He would have preferred to drive himself. Then he could have parked in the underground and avoided this weather altogether. But Jacob Bowers, the only mechanic Zak trusted, had not returned his Subana Sport Classic from its latest round of repairs.

After three days of dark turbulent weather, most of the residents of the city of Sol Kappur had taken refuge indoors. Weather experts were only now admitting, although somewhat reluctantly, that they were perplexed over the incessant storm which had settled over the city. Atmospheric conditions were all wrong to create such a weather event. It had originally begun as an ominous black smudge in the sky over the east bank of the Serpent River. Since then the storm continued to grow, its circumference now encompassing the entire city.

The deserted city streets seemed strange to Zak. This was the heart of the Aragne Commonwealth. Most of the mega-giants of the nation's corporate community were located here, housed within towering architecture that flaunted money and power. The multilevel walkways of the city were normally overflowing with pedestrians rushing from one place to another with urgent intent. The city streets were usually choked with streams of anti-grav vehicles, stacked one above the other at the various fly zone levels as they weaved their way through the maze of colossal buildings. The city traffic was usually a mass of organized chaos. But now the walkways were practically deserted and only the ground level streets were open to the scattering of traffic travelling in this weather.

Lightning slashed through the blackness overhead, quickly followed by an angry rumbling of thunder. Zak was drenched before he made it halfway to the double glass doors of the Grimrok Building. Even among the city's corporate goliaths, the Grimrok Building loomed with intimidating predominance. Occupying a full square block, it rose up like a monument to free enterprise, a tower of black gloss marble and symmetrically spaced bands of plate glass rising up into the heavens. The upper stories of the building had been swallowed up by the ominous clouds that had seized the city, but artificial light continued to shine through the lower bands of windows like beacons of defiance toward the dark weather outside.

Zak pushed his way through the ornate glass and brass doors of the building into the foyer. His clothes were so wet that water immediately began to pool on the polished marble floor as he stood inspecting the room. The area was isolated from the main lobby by a wall of thick smoked glass. A matching glass security door inlaid into the center of the wall restricted further access to the building without proper security clearance. The glass of both wall and door was so dark that only hints of shadows could be seen beyond, like ghostly apparitions wandering aimlessly in a void. A large sign next to the entrance door notified visitors that this was a high security building.

"Attention!" A pleasant feminine voice spoke from invisible speakers. "This is a public service announcement. Federal regulations require that you be notified prior to being subjected to any public service paranormal occurrence. Due to inclement weather, the Insta-dry Forty-five magical spell will be activated under Federal Permit Number 213522-47. If you object to the use of this magic, please state your objection now. Do you wish the Insta-dry Forty-five spell to be invoked?"

Zak was sufficiently soaked to be glad of the drying spell and responded in kind.

"Very well, Insta-dry Forty-five is now activated."

True to its name, the spell instantly dried Zak and his clothes. There was no sensation of warm air, or heat, or any other detectable occurrence from the spell, although Zak had detected the spell itself even before the public service announcement. The ability to detect magic was a natural talent he possessed, although his skill could be somewhat inconsistent at times. He took full advantage of the ability when it was to his benefit and when it actually worked, but he was not particularly proud of the bloodline that had provided him with the ability.

"Please remain motionless during our security system scan."

Zak did as the voice instructed.

"Thank you, Mr. Harris. Your appointment with Mr. Grimrok is on schedule. Please enter through the security door and proceed to the reception desk in order to obtain your visitor's pass. Enjoy your visit to Grimrok Corporation and have a nice day."

With a loud click the heavy dark-glass door swung open.

Zak stepped into a whirlwind of commotion. The cavernous lobby was amazingly crowded and he couldn't help but wonder about the number of employees who actually worked at Grimrok. What had appeared as aimless ghostly wanderings when seen through the smoky glass from the entrance was now transformed into the daily routine of corporate hustle. The marble, glass and brass motif of the outer building was continued inside. Black marble walls enclosed the lobby, relieved by rich brass trim and dark mirrored windows that allowed light in without providing a view out. Because of the gloom of the day, the overhead lights supplemented the filtered light from the windows with bright white illumination, creating dynamic reflections of the beehive activity coursing over the highly polished charcoal marble floor. On the far side of the room three hallways led into the heart of the building separated by swinging polished brass and glass doors. Zak found both the building and the atmosphere to be overdone and pretentious.

But after all, this was corporate society, where three-piece suits and extravagant expense accounts ruled the day. In this place it was Zak - with his worn corduroy sports jacket, black T-shirt, jeans and running shoes - who was the odd man out. He was not one to be intimidated easily, however, and it would take more than a room full of suits to do it. Particularly when nearly all of these _people_ scurrying around the lavish hall weren't even alive!

It wasn't so much the way they looked that told Zak they weren't living beings; SHIAM were designed to look as Human as...well, Humans. But Zak was not quite completely Human himself. His senses worked beyond normal Human senses, giving him a distinct edge. He verified that all the security personnel were SHIAM as he made his way toward the information counter in the middle of the lobby. He really didn't need his special senses to assess the company's personnel though. Grimrok Corporation actually boasted the fact that the entire staff, with the exception of a handful of regular personnel and top management, was all SHIAM.

Simulated Human Intelligence Anatomic Module...that's what the acronym actually stood for. In layman's terms, android. The SHIAM were only one of Grimrok's latest technological successes, although no doubt the most controversial. Tobias Grimrok had made his wealth providing for the military, primarily in weapons and combat support equipment. Zak figured the SHIAM had originally been slated for the military as well, but the United World Federation put a damper on that plan. At least for the time being. They had added android technology to their world-wide prohibited weapons list. It was probably only a temporary setback for Grimrok, though. The world governing body had never gained the complete backing of the various nations of the globe and so its power was definitely finite. It was only a matter of time before one country or another would choose to ignore the ban on designated weapon types. When that happened, all bets would be off.

In the meantime the SHIAM androids were classified as domestic products by Grimrok. Not that the ordinary consumer could ever afford one of these high priced units. Those SHIAM units that had been sold to date had been purchased primarily by wealthy corporations looking to replace what they considered as an overpaid work force. This fact had done nothing to make the SHIAM any more endearing to the general public. And besides taking jobs away from people in an ever-shrinking work force, the fact that these machines so perfectly emulated living, breathing Humans was just down right spooky.

"I have an appointment with Tobias Grimrok," Zak said to the SHIAM security guard at the desk.

It looked as Human as they came, early twenties, dark hair and probably handsome from a female's point of view. The name tag on its blue uniform shirt read _Jonas_. Giving these androids Human names seemed just plain wrong to Zak. The SHIAM unit seemed distracted, a blank expression on its face as it gazed off into space. Zak waited for a response, but none came. The unit stood frozen behind the desk, a blank expression on its synthetic face. There was no indication that the thing was switched off or otherwise not working. Zak's impatience picked at his temper.

"Hey, circuit head! Anybody home?"

"There's no need to be rude, Mr. Harris."

The voice came from over Zak's right shoulder...a husky feminine voice. He turned in anticipation, but anticipation turned to disappointment. Instead of a female, a female version of the SHIAM was looking back at him.

"I'm Tabitha Rose, Mr. Harris," she said, extending her hand. She was obviously Grimrok material. She wore a white full length lab coat, opened down the front to reveal a white blouse with starched collar and a knee-length dark blue skirt. She had been built to appear attractive. Her finely shaped face was complimented by chestnut hair that gently brushed her shoulders and her brown eyes mimicked awareness. She possessed beauty, but in a rather intellectual and nondescript way. A man would find her pleasing to look at. But later, alone in his own bed, it would not be her face that shaped the fantasies of his dreams.

Zak stared at her without taking the offered hand.

"I'm sorry," The guard interrupted, suddenly stammering with what resembled embarrassment. "You are Mr. Harris. I will take you to see Mr. Grimrok immediately."

"Jonas, what were you told about playing VR games during working hours!" Tabitha Rose admonished the other SHIAM.

"I am sorry, Dr. Rose," Jonas said. "I will not allow it to happen again."

"Doctor?" Zak didn't attempt to hide the animosity in his voice. "Grimrok gives you machines names _and_ titles?"

"Actually no, he does not." The android answered curtly. "Mr. Grimrok allows each of us to choose our own name when we are activated. As far as my title...I happen to have earned a doctorate in Bio-Chemical Engineering."

"By _earned_ , I take it you mean programmed," Zak said as he visually scanned the lobby. "It must be nice to be able to build your own work force. Spend a little on juice for recharging rather than having to shell out wages on the real thing."

"We are not merely a _work force_ ," Dr. Rose said, now appearing more openly annoyed with Zak's attitude. "We at Grimrok Corporation are a part of a dynamic social development project specifically designed for the advancement of the SHIAM personality. We encourage the development of social skills and individual growth. And as far as our names are concerned, we are simply following the conventions of your society. Would you perhaps prefer reciting a long alpha-numerical serial number instead?"

Zak chose not to answer.

Anger seemed to cloud the attractive features of the android's face, but cleared almost as quickly as it had appeared.

"Jonas will show you to Mr. Grimrok's office," she said turning away from Zak. As an afterthought she turned toward the other SHIAM. "And, Jonas, no more _Warriors and Wizards_ on company time."

"Yes, ma'am," Jonas replied meekly. He handed a visitor's badge to Zak and then slid a digital registry pad in front of him. "You'll have to sign in, please Mr. Harris."

Jonas led Zak across the glossy marble floor and through one of the brass doors that led deeper into the building. "You specialize in network security, is that correct?"

"Yep."

"Excellent." The SHIAM had turned and was walking sideways as he continued talking at the same time. He reminded Zak of a young boy leading him down the corridor with an overabundance of childish enthusiasm. "I wonder if you could help me with a problem I'm having."

"I don't do freebies, Bud."

"The name is Jonas, sir, not Bud." The SHIAM continued on. "And no, of course not. I don't expect you to do any actual work. I only want your opinion."

"Shoot."

"What?" Jonas looked puzzled, and then giggled with embarrassment. "Oh, yes, of course. An expression for _go ahead_ or _continue_."

They stopped at a bank of elevators. Several SHIAM units were also waiting for a lift to arrive. It was uncomfortable to be around so many life-like machines. Zak kept the group in his peripheral.

"I am playing this cool VR role playing game called _Warriors and Wizards_. I'm afraid that was what I was doing when you came in, although I'm not supposed to play during working hours..."

"Yeah," Zak interrupted. "I got that part while I was standing there waiting for you."

"About that," Jonas said with a sheepish expression on his face. "I'm really sorry. As I said, I am not supposed to be playing during working hours, but I just enjoy the game so much that I can't help myself at times. It's so cool to go back to the days of old, a time when men settled their differences with swords and..."

"You're beginning to sound like a commercial," Zak said impatiently. "Are you going to get to the point anytime soon?"

He noted a sudden unfriendliness that came over the group next to him. Their previously curious stares now transformed into something only a shade less than hostile. Evidently, these machines were sensitive to Human attitudes toward their kind. As the elevator doors opened and they all stepped into the car, Zak became more tense and alert. He prepared for trouble, just in case there was any sudden overt action from the group.

"Oh yes, sorry." Jonas continued on without any indication that he'd noticed the sudden chill from his counterparts. "I do get carried away at times. I know I also tend to talk too much on occasion. Anyway, the game is a network game that's interactive across Comm Net. I play with people from all over the world. It really is quite enjoyable meeting players from such varied backgrounds...

"There I go again, off on another tangent. Anyway, back to the point. A few weeks ago I was on an expedition with several of my fellow players. We were travelling through a new territory. You know, in the virtual world, when we came to a lake. It was really strange. The lake was huge, or at least I think it was a lake. I couldn't see the far shore. Neither could any of my companions. I suppose it could have been an ocean."

"And this is a mystery, why?"

"Well, like I said, I couldn't see the far side of the lake. But there was an island some distance off shore and there was a dock with a barge tied to its posts. There was also a sign that said _Tahmore Ferry_." Jonas looked toward the floor, his lips puckered in thought, before looking up at Zak again and continuing his story. "This may sound rather foolish. I know it probably doesn't seem like such a big mystery to you. But I was the only one who could see it. The dock, the barge, the sign, even the island. None of the other players could see them in their game. Isn't that kind of strange?"

"Not really." Zak raked his hand through his hair, impatient for the elevator to reach their designated floor. "You probably have a different version of the game than they do."

"No, I checked that" Jonas said. "We all have the same version. Besides, all the game modules are run from the server. Only the player's characters and possessions are stored on the local machines. It just seems really bizarre, having all that stuff in my game and no one else has them in theirs. _Tahmore Ferry_. It could be another whole module or something, but how can my world be different than theirs if we are all running the same game module?"

"Look, I got more to do than worry about somebody's sloppy game coding." Zak told him. "It's probably just some sort of error. You may have somehow triggered some forgotten code left over from an earlier version of the game that was never deleted. It happens more often than you might think."

Jonas seemed to finally pick up on the fact that Zak wasn't much interested in helping him with his gaming mystery. He stood silently studying Zak for a moment. "You don't like us very much, do you? SHIAM, I mean."

"About as much as I like my toaster," Zak said.

The door of the elevator opened onto the two hundred and tenth floor. The half-dozen SHIAM remaining in the lift made no attempt to allow Zak an easy exit, their expressions fixed in hostile glares as he pushed past them and out the door.

# 2

The Dwarf looked absurd sitting behind the oversized desk in the middle of an equally oversized office. The room was modern to the point of appearing sterile. The large desk was all shiny black metal with a spotless white work surface. Shelves, also black metal and filled with neat rows of electronic media, spanned the length of one wall. The only decor on any of the bleached white walls was a painting opposite the shelving. Zak recognized it as a famous Dwarven work of art, an oil painting of the Temple of Bha Kalhan. The actual temple was located deep within the southern ranges of the Bakkhen Mountains and was the central point of the Dwarven religion. Although he recognized the painting, he couldn't remember the name of the famous Dwarf who had painted it. He figured it to be an original work though, based upon the luxurious atmosphere that surrounded it.

Everything in the room spoke of money, including the Dwarf. His shaggy red beard fell from view below the desktop, hiding most of the expensive dark blue suit he wore. He wore gold on all his fingers and when he stood and held out a hand in greeting, a thick gold chain bracelet dangled from his right wrist.

"Ah, Mr. Milliandur," the Dwarf greeted him in a booming voice. His face appeared as leathery as the expensive chair he had been sitting in. Combined with a large nose and long bushy eyebrows, his face looked almost like a mask. He was obviously standing on some sort of platform hidden behind the large desk; he stood nearly as tall as Zak, his knees peeking over the desktop. "I am so glad you could come. Tobias Grimrok, at your service!"

"Actually, I believe he prefers to go by the name _Harris_. Isn't that right, Zak?"

The voice correcting the Dwarf came from a man Zak hadn't noticed when he entered. He was standing at a window behind Grimrok's desk, his hands poised behind his back as though he were leisurely taking in the storm that raged beyond the plate glass. Zak froze as he reached out to take Grimrok's offered hand. A shattering crack of thunder emphasized the suspended moment. He knew the voice instantly.

After a dramatic pause, the man turned to reveal a less than friendly smile.

"It's good to see you again, Zak." The smile took on a malicious edge and his tone made it clear that he didn't really mean what he said.

"Yeah," was all Zak offered in return.

Dorjan Vennhim was a predator. Although he was middle aged, he had the well-toned body of a young man. His lean, clean shaven face reflected a cruelty that was confirmed by his cold dark eyes. Even the simple act of walking to the edge of the desk to stand beside Grimrok was carried out in slow calculated stalking motions. His short brown hair was neatly cut and combed. The dark blue suit he wore, although off-the-rack, was impeccably worn, without a trace of a wrinkle or crease or even a hint of lint. Everything about him spoke ex-military, including the parade rest stance he assumed next to Grimrok's chair.

Grimrok let his hand slowly fall to his side. He studied Zak with a calculating smile.

"Ah yes, of course," the Dwarf said, his eyes never leaving Zak. "Your mother's maiden name. I've heard you and your father had your differences. Pity, really. Your father was a great Elf." Grimrok's brown eyes suddenly seemed more penetrating, staring out from beneath those bushy brows as though they could read every secret Zak possessed. "Of course, that does not change your blood line, laddie."

"He's right, Zak," Vennhim said. "That fair complexion of yours, along with those pointy ears, are a dead giveaway. There's no getting around the fact that you _are_ Elf."

"Half Elf," Zak said evenly. "I am sure you didn't bring me here to discuss my family history. I must admit though, I am now even more confused as to why you called me here. You hardly need my services if the Department is involved."

"Mr. Vennhim is no longer with ASID," Grimrok replied, motioning for Zak to take a seat. "He works for Grimrok Corporation now, as head of security."

"What happened, Vennhim, did you finally cross a line even the fanatics running black ops couldn't ignore?" Zak's smile contained a hard edge. He remained standing.

Vennhim chuckled, shaking his head. "Zak, buddy, come on. There's no need for hostility. Can't we put the past behind us? I regret what happened in Bh'ag Mur. It was unfortunate, but I was only following orders." His words were as insincere as his laugh.

"Gentlemen, please! I did not bring you two together to reignite old grudges." Grimrok gave them both a stern look and then allowed his smile to return. "Please, Mr. Harris, won't you take a seat and we'll get down to it."

Zak reluctantly took a seat in one of the two chairs positioned in front of Grimrok's desk. Vennhim remained standing next to the Dwarf, his hands now stuffed in his pants pockets in exaggerated casualness and an irritating grin smeared across his face.

"First of all, Mr. Harris, I'd like to thank you for coming out in this atrocious weather." Grimrok sat back in his chair and quickly glanced up at Vennhim before locking his attention back upon Zak. "The reason I asked you here today, Mr. Harris, is...we have a _situation_. And I believe you are the best solution to correct it."

Zak didn't reply. He sat with his hands folded on his lap and waited for the rest.

"I need you to find something for me," Grimrok continued. "Something _very_ valuable and _very_ secret. Some technology was taken from this building three nights ago. Whoever took it slipped through our security like water through a tea bag! Mind you, our security is second to none and that includes the Aragne government. So this was no small task they accomplished!"

"If somebody swiped top secret military technology, you need ASID, not me."

"Strictly speaking, this isn't military," Grimrok said. "Not quite yet, anyway."

"Not yet?" Zak smirked. "That sounds close enough. I take it the military is already interested?"

"The military is aware of it," Grimrok conceded. "And yes, they are interested. But it's not officially a part of any military program yet. There are certain issues that need to be addressed before it can go to the military. You need to help me out on this, Mr. Harris. I'm in a tight spot here. If news of this theft gets out... Well, you can well imagine what that would do to our defense contracts. The military does not like it when their vendors allow things that are supposed to be kept secret to go missing!"

"Why me when you already have Vennhim?" Zak asked. His instinct was telling him he didn't want any part of this. "I specialize in corporate security now. Before the fact, not after the deed has been done. I don't do _cloak and dagger_ anymore."

"Dorjan has other responsibilities," Grimrok said. He watched Zak's reaction and correctly deduced that he wasn't buying it. "Okay honestly, Dorjan and the boys spent the last three days looking for clues and came up empty. And quite frankly, I would just as soon have someone who wasn't associated with Grimrok Corporation conduct the investigation. This all needs to stay as far away from my door step as possible. An acquaintance of mine suggested you."

"You want me to investigate a crime, but not let anyone know what I'm investigating?" Zak laughed at the absurdity of it. "That's going to make it pretty difficult to find anything out."

"I know it is a difficult task to ask," Grimrok replied evenly. "But I am impressed with your qualifications, although there are some aspects of your career that is quite puzzling. You began training with the Te'n Kha when you were quite young. That is tradition among the Elves, is it not, to begin training as a warrior at an early age? Your father insisted upon it, I would guess?" Grimrok paused only briefly for a response from Zak. When he didn't get one his leathery face wrinkled further with annoyance. "Of course, not all Elves are accepted to train with the elite forces, the Te'n Kha. That is quite an honor. All those years training and you simply walked away. Why would you do such a thing?"

Again Zak did not respond, and so Grimrok continued, "You then enlisted in Aragne Special Forces. Remained there fourteen years and rose to the rank of captain. Four medals of Honor during the war in Kurr Tak against the Orkensha. Then you were recruited by the Aragne Special Intelligence Department and served as a field agent for another fifteen years. And then again, you just suddenly walked away from the ASID just as you did from the Te'n Kha."

Zak portrayed indifference towards the review of his career. If Grimrok was waiting for an explanation of why he did what he'd done, the Dwarf would have a very long wait. Zak rarely spoke to anyone concerning his personal life and the reasons for his past actions were his own. Those parts of his service that was not classified, Grimrok was welcome to.

"Yes, well anyway...I doubt there is anyone working in the private sector at the moment that is more qualified than you for the job!"

Zak couldn't help but notice the cold glare Vennhim gave Grimrok. Knowing the ex-agent, Zak figured that he had taken that last statement as more than just a small insult. Vennhim had always believed he was the ultimate Aragne patriot, unequalled in his ability to defend his nation. Zak conceded that his training and skills were above the norm, but he knew that Vennhim was not the super hero he saw himself as. In fact, Zak considered him a low-life. The man was unscrupulous, vicious, and amoral.

"I've told you, I don't do that kind of work anymore," Zak said patiently. "I'm getting too old for it."

"If you were Human, I'd say at age fifty, perhaps you're right." Grimrok's smile took on a manipulative aura. "But with Elvish blood running through your veins, you are only just approaching middle age. And you look to be in a lot better shape than most twenty year old Humans. Come now, Mr. Harris. This theft offers intrigue beyond anything you've dealt with of late. It's an unfathomable mystery how these thieves managed to get past our security without leaving a trace and I'm offering you the opportunity to solve it."

"That's bit exaggerated." Zak's instinct was still saying _'no'_ , but the fact was that the adventurer within him was feeling bored and this sounded more interesting than writing security code for corporate network systems. He could feel his resolve begin to weaken. "What exactly was taken?"

"First you must agree to take the assignment and sign a confidentiality agreement." Grimrok slid an electronic document and digital pen across the desk toward him.

Zak left the offered document on the desk. There was still some resistance in him. Something didn't feel right about this whole thing. And Vennhim was another negative. He had no desire to work with the man again.

"To help you make up your mind," Grimrok said, "Here's a little incentive."

His stubby fingers quickly tapped at the keyboard in front of him and he swung the monitor around for Zak to see. The amount on the screen was more than Zak made in a year with his security business. It didn't sooth Zak's instinct any, but things _were_ getting even more interesting.

He still resisted picking up the pen.

"Mr. Harris, this _could_ become a matter of national security if it is not handled correctly!" Grimrok was somewhat flustered over Zak's resistance. "I'm not asking you to follow my wife around to find out who's doing her this month. This is serious business. This could have a very detrimental effect upon our nation!"

He paused for a moment then continued more calmly. "I need someone who can quickly learn the playing field and who can also fly below the radar, as it were. I can't afford to let the government, or the press, get wind of this. It would put an end to our military contracts. You're the man we need, all right. Anyone who could pull off what you did in the Kremloch Colonies during the Tel Ghar incident... Infiltrating the Goblin's capital city and safely extracting two prominent hostages was no small feat. So you see, I am confident that you can get this job done."

"I told you, I don't play cloak and dagger anymore."

"This figure is just a retainer, of course," Grimrok said, indicating the monitor screen. "Twenty-five percent. You will be paid the rest upon completion of the job."

"Mr. Grimrok," Vennhim broke in. "It's pretty obvious that Zak's not interested. I did try to warn you that he's lost his edge after..."

Grimrok held up his hand to cut Vennhim short. "Let's give Mr. Harris a moment to make up his own mind, shall we?"

Vennhim's words rubbed at Zak and his ability to rationalize dropped a few notches. He couldn't for the life of him figure out what Vennhim was doing working as head of corporate security. After all, there just wasn't a whole lot of opportunity to torture and kill in corporate life. Or was there?

In spite of the insistence of his better judgment not to do it, Zak picked up the pen and signed the agreement.

"Excellent!" Grimrok grinned.

# 3

"How the hell do you lose a fully functional SHIAM from a high security location!"

Zak couldn't believe what they were telling him. He had expected stolen technical drawings, or a secret formula, or some outrageously valuable software that had been stolen. Something electronic that could be obtained by hacking into the Grimrok network through the company's public link to Comm Net. A SHIAM unit was simply not what he had expected.

"What in a demons curse am I doing here? You need a detective, not a computer consultant. I work with network security. I don't do cops and robbers!"

He got up and began pacing. After Grimrok was certain that Zak signed the nondisclosure agreement, he had made an abrupt exit, claiming to have an important meeting to attend. Vennhim and the security guard, Jonas, then accompanied Zak to one of the building's many conference rooms, where Dr. Tabitha Rose was waiting. Once there, the three Grimrok employees provided Zak with the details of the break-in and theft. That is, if you consider the limited information they provided as details.

"You guys have nothing!" Zak said, sweeping his hand through his hair in frustration as he continued to pace. "You don't know how they got in. You don't know how they got out. You don't have any physical evidence that a break-in even occurred!"

"But Derek is missing," Jonas said with a puzzled look. "Is that _not_ evidence that someone took him?"

Zak glared at the SHIAM, trying to determine if it was really that clueless or if it was simply yanking his chain. He was pretty sure he wanted to hit the android. He decided to continue with what he'd been saying instead. "There were no alarms tripped, no indication of intruders on your security cameras or your internal sensors. And your fancy-ass SHIAM security guards didn't see a thing!"

The room they were now in was as luxurious as the other parts of the building Zak had seen. The oversized conference table could easily accommodate two dozen people, complete with plush leather cushioned chairs. There was a wet bar and a small food processing unit in one corner of the room. The bright and cheery atmosphere, combined with the expensive decor, did nothing but further sour Zak's mood.

"Perhaps if you would calm down we could..."

"I don't want to calm down!" His glare cut Tabitha Rose off short. "You're telling me you had a fully functional SHIAM stolen. There is no sign of how the thieves got in or out, no sign of how they breached your security, no witnesses. Your circuit head was fully activated, but apparently didn't put up any struggle, just waltzed out with whoever took it. You don't have one single clue. And I just signed an agreement that I'll solve this break-in and recover the unit. All without telling anyone what I'm doing, who I'm working for or what I'm looking for."

Everyone was silent. As Zak paced he looked to each of them in turn. Dr. Rose sat straight and proper, refusing to lose any appearance of dignity to his tirade. Jonas sat hunched in his chair, as though he was attempting to make himself as small as possible. And then there was Vennhim. The smug look on his face was not unfamiliar to Zak. Vennhim was enjoying Zak's tirade. But there was something more, something in those cold and calculating eyes. He couldn't pin down what it was about Vennhim's expression that bothered him.

Zak locked onto Vennhim's gaze and added, "And this is what I have to work with...a cut-throat and two circuit heads."

"Look, Harris, I don't need this shit!" Vennhim's voice maintained a threatening chill. "Grimrok wanted you, so I agreed to work with you. But if you can't maintain a professional attitude, I'll tell Grimrok this isn't going to work and you can go back to that pathetic network security company of yours and continue trying to scratch out a living."

"Mr. Harris," Tabitha Rose interrupted before Zak could reply. Her voice was calm, without any trace of anger over his use of derogatory slang towards Jonas and herself. "You've already agreed to help. Are you going to live up to your agreement, or are you going to spend this time insulting us all?"

He shot the android an angry look, but her words made him feel rather foolish in his over-reaction. His anger diminished somewhat as he watched her. It would be easy to forget that she wasn't Human. She quite naturally portrayed the well-educated Human scientist. And she was easy to look at. But that would never change what she was, he reminded himself. With a sigh of annoyance he sat down at the table again.

"Okay, I'm going to need to know as much as I can." He brushed a hand through his hair once again, this time speaking in a calmer tone, "Why this android? Grimrok has been selling SHIAM to corporations for several years now. Hell, the rich and famous are even beginning to buy them. It would have been a lot easier to go after one of those, one that wasn't in a high security building, although the security didn't seem to be much of a problem for whoever took it. So, what's so special about the SHIAM that was taken?"

"Derek - that is his name - was a prototype for a new generation of SHIAM."

"New generation," Zak repeated. "New, how?"

Dr. Rose hesitated and then asked, "How much do you know about SHIAM technology?"

"Not much," he admitted. "What I've read on News Net or seen on the comm. Some fancy bit of programming combined with hi-tech materials. You look real, act real, and I assume you are one of the new models that can also mimic emotions because of some gadget called SPERM."

"Hmm," Dr. Rose responded in what Zak interpreted as a show of being unimpressed. "We, Jonas and I, and most of the SHIAM currently on active duty, are fourth generation units. Some of the others are third and even second generation. Our skeletal frames, from one generation to the next, are not that different. Grimrok Corporation developed the special bio-plastic used for the skeletal structure twenty-five years ago and it has remained unchanged for the most part. DermoSynth is a biosynthetic epidermis product that has been developed much more recently. The product actually emulates both the epidermis and dermis layers of Human skin. It was first introduced on third generation SHIAM."

"DermoSynth is quite realistic," Jonas suddenly broke in. He leaned forward in his seat, obviously anxious to participate. "It is now widely used on Human patients requiring skin grafts. Did you know that, Mr. Harris?"

"Thank you, Jonas," Dr. Rose said patiently before continuing. "Derek is fifth generation. We have been able to improve considerably upon the thermosetting polymers used in his bio-plastic frame. Derek's skeletal structure is much stronger on a molecular level. We have also made significant advancements in our nanotechnology, which has allowed us to develop a new generation DermoSynth. It is now more durable and performs cellular repairs much more efficiently than before.

"Okay, so he's more durable and has better skin," Zak said. He found Dr. Rose's enthusiasm annoying. She reminded him of a proud mother talking about her exceptionally gifted son. Except that she could never be a proud mother.

"Derek is very special in other ways, as well!" she insisted. "As you may know, fourth generation SHIAM run on an internal power supply that requires a minimum of six hours recharging for every thirty hours of activity. Unlike Humans, who can choose to go without nourishment or sleep for extended periods of time, we have no choice but to completely shut down and recharge. We also need to stay within access of the public power grid or travel with a mobile solar unit. Derek no longer has these restrictions."

"And why's that?"

"Derek's regenerative system has been completely modified to mimic the Human digestive system and sleep cycle. We have developed the technology that allows Derek's digestive system to break down the food he eats into molecules that can then be transformed into fuel for his energy supply system. We have also developed a sleep cycle that supplements..."

"Hang on," Zak said raising his hand to quiet her. "I thought your kind already had the ability to eat and drink?"

"Fourth generation SHIAM do, in fact, have the ability to consume food and beverages, but without any regenerative benefits. We were given the ability to simulate eating and drinking in order to better fit in at social functions when the need arose."

"And what...Derek not only fits in at the party, but he also has to use the toilet at the end of the night?"

Dr. Rose studied Zak for a long moment before continuing. Judging by the distasteful look on her face, his sarcasm had not been lost to her. "Derek's physical structure has been re-engineered to provide improved regenerative and refueling capabilities."

"You're telling me he's now biological?"

"No, he is not biological," Dr. Rose said. "At least, not completely. The technology is complicated, but the end result is that he is able to refuel his energy cells without needing to interface with a power supply. His system converts what Derek eats and drinks into energy. Of course, _his_ digestive system is not as sensitive as a Human's and so he has a much broader range of consumables to choose from."

"You're saying this thing can run forever?"

"Again, no." Her mannerism became that of an adult speaking to an annoying child. "He does require shutting down occasionally, similar to your sleep. It is during the _sleep_ cycle that his diagnostic and maintenance routines are fully activated and regenerative repairs are maximized"

"Wonderful." Zak didn't try to hide his contempt. "So, SHIAM are not only taking jobs away from Humans, but now they will be taking the food out of our mouths as well."

Dr. Rose glared at him. "If only it were that simple, Mr. Harris. Did you know that last year your dairy farmers dumped millions of liters of milk down the sewers because they could not get the price they wanted? Three years ago the meat producers did much the same thing. What of all that food? The current generation of SHIAM only indulge in eating and drinking when Humans require us to take part in social functions and, believe me, very few SHIAM are ever included in social gatherings as guests. Some SHIAM, in fact the majority of SHIAM, have never consumed a meal. Do you really think the SHIAM are the cause of world hunger, or is your own Human greed the real problem?"

"Well, from what you say, I guess Derek changes that argument."

The look she gave him was less than endearing. "As I said, Derek's system is much less sensitive than a Human's. He is able to consume those foods that Human's consider as being spoiled or unfit to eat. SHIAM like Derek will have the potential of one day reducing the volume of waste left behind by a wasteful society!"

"I doubt that having SHIAM eat garbage would constitute reducing the waste, since they'll be creating their own in the process."

"Okay, that's enough!" Vennhim broke in angrily. "This isn't a debate, Harris. Just listen and learn."

Zak gave Vennhim his best blank look, and then made a show of an exaggerated sigh. "Okay, so we are looking for an android with super skin, who needs its beauty rest and prefers dining out rather than plugging into the power grid."

"Oh, but you haven't heard the best part yet," Vennhim grinned. He got up from his seat and went to the beverage station in the corner of the room. As he picked up a cup and poured coffee, he said, "Go ahead, my dear, tell him the rest of the good news."

Dr. Rose hesitated. "He signed the confidentiality agreement?"

"He wouldn't have gotten this far if he hadn't."

"Even so, you understand that there are details that must remain classified."

"Would you just get on with it!" Vennhim said impatiently.

"What do you know of Dr. Illean Melinder's work?" Dr. Rose asked, turning toward Zak.

He gave a half shrug. "He's a brainiac who's regarded as one of the foremost authorities in both math and computer science. The Illean Melinder Algorithms are the most advanced set of AI algorithms in the world. And I believe they are what drive SHIAM intelligence."

"Illean Melinder is a genius," Jonas enthusiastically broke in once again. "He worked with the Grimrok Corporation in developing our brain functions and learning processes. He also developed the AI Code of Ethics and the Illean Encryption is used in our _Smart Security Systems_. Did you know that he was an Elf?"

"Yeah, I knew that," Zak said with some irritation. The SHIAM made it sound like Melinder's genius was directly related to the fact that he was an Elf.

"Dr. Melinder's programming is one reason why no one has ever been able to hack our systems." Dr. Rose added, smiling patiently at Jonas. "To get back to the point, you are correct, fourth generation SHIAM are equipped with the Illean Melinder Algorithms. Our behavior is based upon evaluation of empirical data obtained from our various sensors and from a network of internal databases, similar to long and short-term memory in Humans.

"First through third generation SHIAM were guided by an emotional response database built into the system. As the units interact with outside stimulus, their programming analyzes the data returned through their sensors in relation to the situation. It then checks the response data table and provides the SHIAM with the proper emotion. Although the programming code provided a remarkably smooth _cause and effect_ response system, it was never fully integrated into the SHIAM personality matrix.

"It was only when Dr. Shelby Stieller developed what you Human's so quaintly call SPERM that the problem of dealing with emotions in artificial intelligence advanced significantly. The _Simulated Personal Emotional Response Mechanism_ is a processing module that is designed specifically for the Illean Melinder Algorithms. It provides the processing stability needed to fully integrate SHIAM intelligence, personality and emotions into a cohesive unit. The creation of this module led to the birth of the fourth generation SHIAM."

"Yeah, well it's still nothing more than sleight of hand coding," Zak said.

"Oh? So you think that this system somehow invalidates our feelings?"

"No, I don't think you have feelings. You have programming."

Dr. Rose managed a pretty good re-enactment of anger. Her eyes narrowed, her jaw clenched and her complexion became flushed. But it was nothing more than a re-enactment. It lacked one vital component, the living element.

"Hey! Again, time out." Vennhim raised his voice enough to cut off any further comments Zak may have had. "Let's all refocus, okay? We've got a job to do here."

After he was satisfied that the bickering was over Vennhim said, "About the new generation unit, if you please, Dr. Rose."

She glared at Zak as if challenging him to say something further. When he remained silent, she continued, "Even with this advancement in our emotional development, the SCE processor is still ultimately in control of the SHIAM."

"That's the unit that runs the SHIAM Code of Ethics routines, isn't it?"

"Yes," Dr. Rose said. "It was imposed upon us by the United World Federation's Artificial Intelligence Council in 5107 as part of the Android Containment Act. It acts as an inhibiting filter that prevents a SHIAM from acting outside of the predetermined code of conduct set forth by the Council."

"You sound as though you don't approve," Zak observed. "It is a necessary safety precaution. It would, for example, prevent a SHIAM from becoming so angry that it would kill a sentient being. And that is as it should be."

Dr. Rose's expression made it clear that she did not agree with the necessity of the SCE processor. "It interferes with the natural emotional development of the SHIAM. The SCE processor inhibits the natural emotional response produced by the SPERM unit and the Illean Melinder Algorithms."

"It's necessary to protect people," Zak said.

"Imagine a mechanism that would suppress your emotions every time you had strong feelings. It would ultimately have a very negative affect on your mental wellbeing."

"But I'm not a machine," Zak said, unable to resist the dig. "I take it that this prototype has a patch to fix the problem?"

"A patch?" Dr. Rose seemed reluctant, but after a long pause continued. "Well no, not a patch. Derek is... The SCE was completely removed from Derek's design."

"What?" Zak wasn't sure he had heard right. "This android has no fail safe?"

Dr. Rose only nodded her confirmation.

"Are you people out of your minds?" Zak said. He got up from his chair and began pacing again "You're telling me that we have a SHIAM on the loose that is designed to be even stronger than previous versions, doesn't need a power grid to recharge and doesn't have any safety protocols!" He turned and glared at each of them in turn. "And you want me to find it!"

# 4

"Are you certain your android didn't escape on its own somehow?"

"Yes, I am sure he didn't escape." Dr. Rose answered.

They were now standing in a spacious living area Dr. Rose had referred to as the Habitat. It was living quarters designed to resemble a loft, except that it was located a hundred meters below ground. In order to compensate for the lack of view, three of the four walls contained mock windows displaying three-dimensional images of a cityscape. The illusion was completed by artificial sunlight shinning into the room from each of the windows.

"Why use a city view?" Zak asked as he looked around. The loft was much smaller than the loft he lived in, although it seemed to have plenty of open space. "Why not a view of the county, something more sedate?"

"Derek lives in the city, not the country." Jonas made the statement sound perfectly logical.

"He lives in a hole in the ground," Zak corrected.

"SHIAM are more likely to live in an urban environment," Dr. Rose explained in a less than friendly tone. "We wanted to simulate his future environment so he could become comfortable within that context."

The loft was divided into separate well-furnished functional areas. A large-screen comm and entertainment system was set up in one corner, with comfortable overstuffed chairs and a couch positioned for optimal viewing enjoyment. An impressively large digital library section ran along the nearest wall. The library included an extensive collection of digital books, movies and music neatly arranged and categorized on the shelves. In the opposite corner was a small but well equipped gymnasium. A dining and kitchen area completed the space.

There were two doors off the kitchen. One door led to a full bathroom. It wasn't fancy, but it was complete with a toilet, sink and shower.

"A toilet?" Zak asked.

"As I said," Dr. Rose replied. "Derek has a digestive system. Naturally, that system includes the necessity to eliminate waste."

Zak simply shook his head. He doubted he'd ever get used to the idea of an android going to the toilet.

The second door led to a rather small and austere bedroom. There was very little in the way of personal effects. The private quarters reminded Zak of the living quarters he had while attending the University of Pevnost, studying for his degree in computer science.

"So, why a separate bedroom?" he asked. "There is plenty of space in the main area for a bed."

"Would you want your bed out in the open that way?" Dr. Rose asked.

"Actually, it is." Zak didn't understand why a SHIAM required a bed in the first place. The documentaries he'd seen showed SHIAM simply standing against a wall-mounted power station during their recharging period. Why would a simulated sleep mode be any different? He decided not to pursue the issue. "We're a hundred meters below ground and there's only one way in or out. In order to pull this off the thieves had to get past all the security alarms and cameras on the main floors, circumvent the retina scan to gain access to the elevator, pass by the security guard at the station right outside the elevator door down here, then avoid the cameras on this level. And then do it all over again in order to get out! How did they manage all that?"

"We don't have a fragging clue," Vennhim said. "You saw the security vids of the checkpoints and elevator. There were no signs of anything unusual going on in any part of the building that night. Not a single alarm. Nothing. And our RAAID unit got the same results as yours...zip!"

Vennhim's admission lacked any trace of embarrassment. Zak studied him a moment without comment. Something was off. Vennhim was almost casual in the way he admitted that his team had not only failed so utterly at preventing the theft, but had also failed to figure out how it happened. This offhanded manner was out of character for an egotist like Vennhim. He was a control freak and didn't like being out maneuvered by anyone. Zak would have expected the man to show more frustration and resentment at being outwitted.

"Both your physical and paranormal security is first rate." Zak didn't mean it as a compliment, it was merely a fact. "A cockroach couldn't get into this building without being detected or setting off some kind of an alarm. You think it was an inside job?"

"Inside job?" Vennhim laughed. "Normally I would, but who? The metal heads make up ninety-five percent of the work force inside this building, including the entire security staff with the exception of myself. The other five percent are a mixture of Aragne and Dwarves, all with high level background checks and low level security clearances that wouldn't take them anywhere near this area."

"It had to be magic." The security guard, Jonas, had been silently following them around as Zak checked out the various areas of the building. He now spoke up, excitement in his voice at the chance to participate. "It is the only logical explanation for the lack of evidence."

"We've already been through this," Vennhim said. He turned toward Zak, addressing his words to him rather than the SHIAM. "We've found no trace of magic when we checked and you found nothing just now."

Zak switched on the small RAAID unit he held in his hand and began moving around the room once again as he considered the possibilities. The scientific name for the device he held was Residual Atmospheric Atomic Ionization Detector, RAAID for short. It did exactly what the name implied; it detected residual ionized atomic particles in the atmosphere.

Magic was about altering the perceived reality, either by creating illusion or by actually changing the physical world in some way. Regardless which method was used, it involved the reorganization of subatomic particles. The energy generated during this process inevitably caused the ionization of the atoms in the surrounding atmosphere.

"You would expect to find at least some trace of ionization," Vennhim continued. "I mean, think about the level of magic it would have taken to blow past our security without setting off a single alarm."

"A deionization device could have been used in order to cover it up," Jonas suggested.

"Those gadgets are restricted and they are mega expensive, not to mention difficult to use." Vennhim stood in the middle of the room, pivoting with Zak's movement as he scanned the room.

Zak couldn't decide who was more annoying, Vennhim or the SHIAM. "You don't think this theft was pulled off by a major player?"

"I didn't say that," Vennhim said. "But we're most likely talking either a foreign government agency or organized crime if they are toting that kind of equipment."

"You're forgetting about the Corporations. There are plenty of organizations out there that would just love to have some of that SHIAM technology."

Vennhim ignored the comment. "How many wizards are there who have the level of skill it would have taken to do this?"

"Well, I still can't say for sure magic was used. I'm not getting any readings."

"You are an Elf, Mr. Harris," Jonas said as he followed Zak around the room for the second time. "Do you, yourself, detect any traces of magic?"

"Half-Elf!" Zak said, snapping off the RAAID unit in frustration. His natural ability to detect magic had failed to pick up anything concrete as well. Except he had picked up something...intangible...that he could almost, but not quite sense. Or was it simply his logic drawing unsubstantiated conclusions? Magic had almost certainly been used. Otherwise, how could the thieves possibly have pulled this off?

They were now standing back in the kitchen area. Out of curiosity, Zak walked over to the food processor sitting on the counter and brought up the menu. Everything for a well-rounded diet was there on the list, which included a variety of meats, vegetables and fruit. There was even a separate menu for deserts and snacks. Opening the refrigerator next to the counter, he found milk, eggs and mayo among the contents. Shaking his head in amazement, he stopped taking inventory. The fridge was better stocked than his own.

"So, this thing eats regular food and it cooks as well?" He still found it difficult to believe. It made him feel violated as a sentient being somehow. "If it can consume garbage, why cook the food? Why not just eat it raw?"

"Contrary to what you may think, we do have the ability to taste," Dr. Rose replied. "We cook to enhance the experience of eating."

"Is that right!" Zak turned away from the refrigerator and scanned the loft again. "Why aren't there any security cameras in the living quarters?"

"We wanted to allow Derek as much privacy as we could in his home environment."

"Wasn't that thoughtful."

"Would _you_ like to be constantly on display, Mr. Harris?" Dr. Rose said angrily.

"I'm not a machine...a potentially psychotic machine," Zak said.

"Derek is not dangerous!" Dr. Rose added more softly, "He is not some sort of monster. This is not his fault!"

Zak didn't reply. After a pause, he said, "I can see where Grimrok wanted this kept quiet. The world government would be on him in a heartbeat. Removing the SCE is against the _Android Containment Act_. Grimrok could lose his business over this."

"That's why you're here, to see to it that doesn't happen," Vennhim said.

# 5

The trip from Zak's Slough Street loft to the cab waiting at the curb left him dryer than his earlier dash to the Grimrok building had. The torrent of rain had slowed to a drizzle, although heavy black clouds still hung over the city. In the early evening the lower edges of the dark mass took on an ugly dirty brown with the reflection of city lights. Strobes of lightning still flashed across the darkness and a steady rumble of thunder promised the foul weather would soon return. A kaleidoscope of color danced across the wet pavement of the street, illuminated from neon signs on the buildings across the street. Zak opened the rear door of the cab and climbed in.

A blast of what was known as circuit music assailed him when he opened the door to the cab. He was pleased to find a Human driver behind the wheel. The taxi companies had begun replacing their cabbies with SHIAM units. The fact that the androids required no rest breaks and never considered strike action for better pay was just too appealing for these companies to pass up.

As he settled into the back seat, Zak got a better look at the cabbie in the dome light of the car. His first impression was that this Human driver was not as preferable as he had first thought. If bizarre was the flagship of youth, this kid sailed on it. His dirty brown hair hung in tight curls around the crown of his head, while the sides had been shaved smooth. Peach fuzz took the place of a beard, and he had been pierced and fitted with rings in just about every conceivable area of his face. He wore a bright purple shirt with a lemon yellow scarf loosely wrapped around his neck. Zak didn't even pretend to understand current subculture fashion trends, but he knew enough to identify the kid as a _circuit head_. The kid was swaying in his seat to the ear-splitting rhythm of electro music that played on the cab's comm unit, his head bobbing on his shoulders like some animated figurine. Without missing a head-bob, the kid looked into the rear view mirror and turned the comm down just enough for his shout to be heard.

"So dude...where to?"

"South side," Zak answered. "Underworld."

"Oh, hey man." The kid turned the music down further, shaking his head emphatically. "I don't go down into the Zone after dark. And I sure don't go nowhere near Underworld!"

Everything south of Krune Street was known as the Zone by the locals. It was where the poor and the destitute were forced to settle. It was also where the predators of the city migrated. It was a dangerous place, especially after dark.

"You are a cab driver, aren't you?"

"Hey man, I value my skin and any holes get put in it, I like it to be voluntary. Get somebody else to drive you."

The kid turned and looked at Zak. He wore his fear of the Zone openly, but the dilated pupils of his eyes weren't entirely from being frightened. Recreational drugs.

"You're here, somebody else isn't," Zak said. He looked at the ID plate on the dashboard. It read Kam Shower and included an exceptionally bad photo of the kid. "Look, Kam, I'm not asking you to cruise the place. In and out...just drop me off. You take me there and I won't mention to your boss that you're getting stoned on the job." He fished in his coat pocket and pulled out a credit voucher. "Here's an extra fifty for the trouble."

Kam reached for the voucher and Zak pulled it back. "Underworld?"

"Aw, man...I told ya I don't want to go there." He looked at the credit voucher Zak was holding out, his face twisted in indecision. Finally, the cash won out. He reached back and swiped the voucher out of Zak's hand, clicked the meter on and the dome light went out as they pulled away from the curb. "What the frag. Ya only live once, right? But dude, anything happens and you pay my med expenses!"

"Take the high way," Zak said. "I'm in a hurry. And keep the comm down to a gentle roar!"

"Whatever you say, man."

With the pause in the storm, the ban against multi-level driving had been lifted for the time being. Kam pulled away from the curb, shifted the anti-grav into a higher setting and the cab made a smooth ascent to a height of two hundred meters above the street and levelled off. He turned south on River Side Drive. This was the main north-south artery of Sol Kappur, running parallel to the Serpent River. With the break in the weather and lift in the upper level ban, traffic was a steady stream of headlights on all levels. Residents, most likely attempting to shrug off claustrophobic anxiety from the bad weather, were heading out on the town tonight.

They were travelling well above the four and five story buildings that dominated the neighborhood. As the cab travelled south, it provided Zak with a panoramic view of what many people called _the city with a split personality_. Sol Kappur proper glittered in stylized patterns of light, which gave no hint of the neglect that actually existed on the east side of the Serpent River. The skyline on this side of the river was low level, no buildings over ten stories, and by day its dingy depressed personality was exposed for all to see. Sol Kappur West, as the inhabitants who lived on the west side of the Serpent River so quaintly named their section of the city, was a dramatically different story. Downtown not only reached up to the sky in rich luster, but many of the buildings disappeared into the haze of cloud, ranging over six-hundred meters tall. This is where the mega-corporations chose to build their lavish offices, Grimrok among them. These huge giants of the metropolitan area were surrounded by lavish estates in the outer areas. Even though Sol Kappur and Sol Kappur West were technically two segments of the same city, they had come to exist pretty much independently of each other.

Lights from the far side of the river seemed a thousand times more dazzling in the darkness. Gazing off into what seemed like a spectacular wall of luminance, Zak's mind drifted back to the Grimrok theft. Whoever pulled it off had to have had a good deal of clout behind them. It wasn't only the level of sorcery that almost certainly had been involved or the skill that was needed in disguising the entire operation. In order to learn about the SHIAM prototype in the first place, and then to plan the break-in and execute the operation without a hitch would have needed top notch intel and shrewd planning. Vennhim's suggestion of a foreign government agency or organized crime being involved was certainly plausible.

But Zak couldn't rule out the possibility of corporate espionage. There were several corporations attempting to develop android technology in order to compete with Grimrok for the market. And none of them had even come close to developing anything as sophisticated as the SHIAM. And it wasn't only Aragne corporations who wanted a piece of the pie. Grimrok refused to export to foreign markets, not even to the Dwarven nations. In spite of being Dwarf, Grimrok knew where the butter for his bread came from. The fact that the SHIAM were exclusively Aragne technology didn't sit well with many of the other countries around the world of Amaco Loch.

Zak had never been involved in a case this completely sealed up and lacking of clues, even during his time with ASID. There was always at least some small hint of a clue. He had found no physical evidence. A virtual tour of Grimrok's internal network had turned up nothing in cyberspace as well. The only single solitary thing Zak had come up with so far was one transient hint of magic he had sensed. But it had been neither sufficiently tangible nor distinctive enough for him to even be certain that he'd actually sensed it.

The comm continued to blast away from the front dash.

" _Yes sir, folks, that was Purple Dragon with their new release 'On The Far Side Of The Second Moon'. We'll continue with our night of electro explosions, but first the newest news brief for the hour."_

The loud sing-song voice of the DJ was replaced by a deeper, more somber voice of the newsman.

" _It's day two of the big storm!"_ Dramatic pause. _"Two nights ago our twin cities were hit by a freakish storm and it refuses to leave! Meteorologists are puzzled over the strange phenomena as it seems that the electrical storm has become stationary over the metropolitan area in spite of prevailing winds and air currents. While the weather experts remain puzzled, several occult scholars have come forward with concerns that this bizarre weather is due to some sort of disturbance within the ethereal layer surrounding our city. We've spoken with Dr. Galen Raghnall, Master Wizard of the Institute of Occult and Paranormal Sciences. He confirmed that a disturbance does, indeed, seem to exist in the ethereal layer. This is what he had to say."_

" _Two days ago,"_ Dr. Raghnall began. The deep resonance of the wizard's voice seemed to immediately reach out to Zak, pulling his attention toward the words being spoken. _"Our Dimensional Reality Department noted a strong disturbance within the ethereal layer of our world. The source of this disturbance seems to be centered somewhere within the greater Sol Kappur area, but we are unable at this time to discover the exact location or cause for this disturbance. We are doing everything..."_

The idea may not have taken shape had it not been for the allure of Dr. Raghnall's voice just as Zak wrestled with the mystery of the Grimrok theft. The storm began two days ago. The Grimrok break-in happened sometime on the evening before. Was it more than a coincidence? It was a crazy thought. Zak wasn't even certain why it had come to him.

The timing of the two events kept pushing into his thoughts. Logically he kept rejecting the idea that one had anything to do with the other. What possible connection could there be between the weather and the theft of an android?

It was too farfetched to even consider.

Never the less, the words of Dr. Raghnall continue to pull at him. _"...a strong disturbance within the ethereal layer..."_

Or was it too farfetched?

He had detected _something_ at the Grimrok building. Well, he was fairly certain he had detected it anyway. It had been so weak that it was little more than a suggestion. Or maybe it was only his imagination. He remained unsure. The RAAID unit hadn't picked anything up. But then, Zak's Elvish blood had managed to outperform the unit before. Sometimes you had to rely on your own abilities rather than machines. That being said, he was still too uncertain of what it was he'd felt.

Zak had never met Dr. Raghnall, but he regularly used the services of the Institute of Occult and Paranormal Sciences. The use of integrated magic had become an indispensable part of a well-planned network security system. Since Zak refused to have anything to do with magic beyond his own sporadic ability to detect it, he regularly subcontracted the magical aspects of his network configurations to the Institute. Maybe he should call in the Institute on this one. Their trained sorcerers could perhaps detect more than his untrained, and often limited, abilities could.

He decided to contact the Institute when he got back to his loft and request a sorcerer. Their services guaranteed confidentiality, so it should not be an issue with Grimrok. He leaned back in his seat and shifted his attention to the rest of the newscast.

" _Tension mounted once again today between Orkensha Nations and the Aragne Commonwealth over land claims concerning the Akkasson Mountain Range. Stretching from the Gwainroch Sea in the north to the Kusanar Ocean in the south, the Akkasson Mountains have been the subject of ongoing dispute between our country and the Orkensha for thousands of years._

" _The Akkasson Mountains make up the entire eastern border of the Aragne Commonwealth, while also falling within the borders of the Orkensha provinces of Orkkanta, Dhann Khi and Bh'ag Mur. The rich ore deposits located within the Akkasson range have always been an essential resource for both nations. The contention of ownership of the mountain range only intensified when large deposits of arganite ore were discovered._

" _While Prime Minister Sarte has been working diligently to find a peaceful resolution to the land dispute with the Orkensha, many of Aragne's energy corporations are criticizing the Prime Minister for his willingness to compromise. Sol Corp and Mega Thrust, Aragne's two leading corporations in the energy field, have been particularly critical of the Prime Minister's efforts. Representatives from both corporations have come forward to state that it is vital to both our domestic well-being and to the continued expansion of our interstellar commerce for us to take our rightful possession of the Akkasson Mountain Range._

" _In a related story, Aragne Minister of Defense, Gerold Hakkim, released a statement early today accusing the Orkensha Nations of escalating tensions between our two nations by continuing its build-up of military strength inside the Kelthar Pass. He went on to say that the Orkensha Nations have no right of claim along the western edge of the Mountain Range. Minister Hakkim concluded his statement by saying that the Aragne military is fully prepared to defend our borders against any threat..."_

Zak's pulse quickened as he listened. The bastard Orks were going to keep pushing until things went too far. His hatred for them was automatic and had been a part of him for a lot of years. That part of him would welcome war against the Orkensha. He'd be more than willing to re-enlist and do another stint in the military if it came to that.

"Yeah, right on!" Kam's entire body was as animated as some spastic cartoon character. "We're gonna kick some Ork ass, hoohoo!"

The kid's comment snapped things back into perspective for Zak. In spite of the open wound he'd lived with all these years, which sustained his hatred of the Orks, he understood that war was not a preferred choice. He'd been there and done that and there had been nothing glorious or heroic about it. War was brutal and barbaric. And more death would not bring back those who died before.

Zak shook his head as he watched the kid from the back seat. He figured him as a v-warrior. Too many hours of virtual war games and now he thought he was macho. If the kid was afraid of the Zone, he sure didn't want to ever go to war against the Orkensha.

" _...Prime Minister Sarte, however, assured the Orkensha government that Minister Hakkim's statement was in no way a threat and that he remains totally committed to settling the current border dispute by diplomatic and peaceful means._

" _While the energy corporations may not agree with the Prime Minister's commitment to a peaceful solution with the Orkenhsa, the latest polls indicate that Aragne voters continue to support the Prime Minister. With the elections only days away, Prime Minister Sarte gained several more points and now enjoys a forty-four percent rating in the polls._

" _Senator Jayme Donovan moved up two points in the polls to a thirty percent rating, which inches him ahead of Representative Collin Martel, who trails the polls with twenty-one percent._

" _When this election campaign began it appeared as though it was going to be a much closer race between the Freedom Party candidate, Torrin Kapp, and the Prime Minister. But the sudden and tragic death of Senator Kapp in a car accident a month ago changed all that. The Freedom Party's popularity has dropped drastically with the appointment of Representative Collin Martel to take Senator Kapp's place..."_

Zak was pleased to hear that the Prime Minister was still on top. Sarte was the only logical candidate for the country. Zak had met Jayme Donovan while still in ASID. He was a pretentious, self-absorbed, superficial man in Zak's opinion. As for Collin Martel... Well, the Freedom Party lost any chance for victory with the death of Torrin Kapp.

The subject of the news changed and Zak became less interested in listening, although it was difficult not to considering the volume of the comm.

" _...Adan Eirubadhon, a spokesman for EAST Group, said today that the organization intends to lobby in Parliament with the hope to convince the government to make the manufacturing and sale of androids illegal..."_

"Right on!" Kam said, as animated now as he had been while listening to the electro music before. "Screw those metal headed SHIAM. Gather every last one of the fraggin' things up and melt 'em down!"

EAST Group had initially been an Elvish organization, although lately it had gained in popularity and was becoming a more inter-racial affiliation. Its members objected to the development of artificial intelligence, particularly when it mimicked sentient intelligence. That made the EAST Group the sworn enemy of the SHIAM. Zak didn't entirely disagree with their sentiment, or Kam's for that matter. The SHIAM had the potential to become a very real threat to Aragne society. Initially SHIAM had been used primarily to replace Human workers in performing hazardous jobs. They were used extensively within the mining and nuclear energy industries. But it hadn't taken long for other areas of commerce to see the value of a Human-like work force minus the Human factor.

The use of SHIAM labor was steadily increasing within the manufacturing sector. And lately they were showing up even retail and service industries. Cabbies had been hit particularly hard by this new trend, as there were now more SHIAM cab drivers than Human drivers in Sol Kappur. More and more businesses were finding the idea of having a work force free of unions and labor laws appealing. Where it was all heading, Zak had no idea. But he did know that the situation was potentially dangerous. You can only push people so far before they decide to push back. EAST Group was the first indication of that.

As he gazed out the window at the hypnotic glitter of city lights, Zak tried to relax his mental tension with little success. The missing SHIAM was further proof of the potential danger androids posed. It was out there loose somewhere, without any safety protocols.

" _...Now, on to sports. Big news from the Aragne Football League today. The Sol Kappur Dragons announced that they have closed a deal that will send quarterback Jeramia Bonn to the Tiersep Tigers in exchange for defensive end Josef Gharu and linebacker Torrence Tailor. The trade surprised.._."

"All right! Josef Gharu is ass kickin', man!" The kid was still fluttering around in his seat like a butterfly on joy juice.

As they travelled on the lightning flashes increased. If the lightning grew much worse, the city would be closing the upper travel lanes again. Rolls of thunder could now be heard over the blaring music that had once again repossessed the air waves. Kam continued to gyrate as though he was made of rubber and his entire nervous system had short-circuited.

It was not difficult to distinguish the Zone from the rest of the city even in the darkness. While Sol Kappur proper was considered second class to its twin in the west, as a whole it had not become totally derelict. For the most part the city streets were kept reasonably clean and its buildings were kept in some semblance of repair. This was not the case within the Zone. Nearly every building suffered from acute neglect. Glass was broken out of windows, brick and mortar were crumbling from walls, and garbage lined the streets and alleyways. It was here where the poor of the city lived. Human, Elf, Goblin, Ork, Dwarf...this was the true melting pot of the city, where people came together in despair. This was the Zone.

From the height they were cruising, Zak could see three burning buildings within a five block radius. Reddish orange smudged the cloud filled night sky in several areas beyond, suggesting more fires in other neighborhoods. Numerous sets of flashing emergency lights were speeding through the surrounding network of streets. Emergency crews were out in full force.

"Oh, shit!" Kam said as they crossed Krune Street.

If it looked like a battle zone, it was because it was. Gangs ruled the streets, corruption and crime being a way of life within this corroded community. The innocent suffered, while the violent and corrupt prospered. The police worked diligently in an attempt to contain this social disease, but it was a futile effort that barely held the infection in check.

"Man, looks like shit's hitting the fan in the ol' Zone tonight," the kid observed in a voice much less brazen than his words. "It's all those damn Goblins and Orks, ya know. We should've never let them immigrate here. Let 'em stay in their own fraggin' country."

Kam was still ranting when he turned east on Krull Street. He found even more to complain about when Zak told him to drop the cab down to twenty-five meters, well within range of anyone with a notion to take pot shots at them from the four and five story buildings that lined their path.

Flashes of lightning made the desolate neighborhood appear even more sinister. The plus side of inclement weather was that it tended to reduce the number of predators roaming the streets. That being said, Zak was still able to spot shadowed groups here and there, moving within the darkness of the streets. They came upon several abandoned cars along the curbs below, windshields smashed, hoods and roofs dented and misshapen. Just ahead Krull Street dead-ended as it intersected with Jarvis Road. Underworld was located in an oversized basement on the southwest corner.

"Pull up to the fourth level," Zak said. He hoped it would be easier to avoid trouble if he approached the club from above rather than along the street.

"Works for me, man." Kam maneuvered the cab over to the drop-off and stopped at the platform.

"Thanks," Zak told him and handed him the fare, then climbed out onto the fourth level drop-off platform.

"Hey, man..." Kam called after him from the front window and held out a business card for him. "I must be crazy, but here's my mobile number if you need a ride out of here. I'll pick ya up at this same spot."

"Thanks," Zak said again and took the card.

The passenger drop-off platforms on each level were all connected by a series of walkways running parallel to the sidewalks below. These upper level pedestrian walks, like the upper level hover-car routes, had been designed to help alleviate ground traffic in an over populated city. Of course, in the Zone these walkways were not as well kept as in other parts of the city. You had to watch your step or you could end up suddenly at street level.

Zak used the stairs leading down to the street, skipping those steps that looked too corroded to hold his weight. The entrance to Underworld was just around the corner from where he came to street level. The entrance was a long stairway that led down to the basement level of the building. There were at least three-dozen steps, the only light from a dimly lit bulb at the bottom of the stairs that barely illuminated the door. The darkness on the steps would have been intimidating, but for Zak's Elvish night vision. He could not see quite as well as a full-blooded Elf and he rarely used this ability since it tended to give him migraines. But he had no desire to run into any surprises within the darkness so he made an exception in this case.

He entered Underworld.

# 6

The bouncer at the door was Goblinesh...a big mother-of-a-Goblin. His broad, ruddy face radiated contempt; his eyes were two wide-set black holes with an oversized nose splitting the difference. He dressed in old blue jeans and a ragged t-shirt. Printed on the front of the shirt was _Damned Child_ in flaming red letters framing a sublimated photo of one very sexy, but very evil looking Human female. Her excessively dark make-up was designed to shock and titillate at the same time, and was a stark contrast to her pale complexion. She was the headliner at the club tonight according to the billboard at the door.

Underworld ambiance consisted of darkness slashed to shreds by a series of multi-colored laser lights. Pools of dull orange phosphorus lighting spaced along the walls offered a somewhat stabilizing effect over the dizzying pulses of the lasers that flashed in tempo with the hard driving music. Underworld attracted all kinds of deviants and perverts, but the predominant theme of the club was based upon the underground culture known as _the pestilent_. The media considered them to be a perverse spin-off from a much more benign subculture known as circuit heads, but the pestilent proclaimed themselves as the natural evolution of man. Everything about them – fashion, music and attitude – was just plain mean and angry. They declared themselves anarchists and revolutionaries, but the majority of their followers seemed more interested in decadence and vulgarity than being truly militant.

The room, long and narrow with a low ceiling, looked like it went on forever in the distorted lighting. A bar ran the length of the right wall, a stage paralleling it along the opposite wall. The place reeked; a mixture of smoke, drugs, vomit and several other smells that Zak had no desire to identify, assaulted his sense of smell the moment he entered. Bodies of all descriptions were pressed one against another, some intentional, others unavoidable as they attempted to manoeuver through a sea of flesh. It was nearly impossible to tell where the dance floor began or ended. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Goblins and Orks...all hyper-animated as they moved in a spastic frenzy to the loud cryptic music of Damned Child. Very few of these patrons looked anything like normal. Most looked demonic in nature with heavily painted faces. Leather was the fashion of choice, scantily applied in most instances. And every conceivable body piercing was proudly on display.

The living incarnate of the photo on the bouncer's t-shirt was on stage screaming the lyrics to a song that could by no means be mistaken as a love ballad. Sex and violence seemed to be the theme of the song; the singer proudly claiming experience in a never-ending list of decadent acts, emphasizing each one with lewd and obscene gestures as she slinked from one end of the stage to the other. Zak didn't know whether Damned Child was the name of the entire band or a self-proclamation of the wild looking female singer. It didn't take him long to decide that he didn't really care either way. The music - and he used the term loosely - was definitely not to his taste.

As he attempted to make his way through the swirl of bodies, their constantly changing currents pulling him in every direction, he nearly tripped over an Orkensha female. She was on her knees at the feet of a burly Goblinesh male, who hissed at Zak over the interruption.

Underworld was no place for the innocent or the faint of heart. Half naked bodies groped and rubbed against one another in primitive need; hungry mouths searching out others who shared the same hunger, while tongues flicked across sweat covered flesh. Islands of small round tables were dotted throughout this sea of torsos in irregular rows. But rather than safe-havens to escape the waves of flesh, they harbored a more concentrated type of decadence. Groups of voyeurs encircled these tables, making it impossible to see more than an occasional glimpse of what was taking place. The crowd, most of them probably high on dragon weed or demon dust, sipped on their favorite alcoholic beverages as they watched the action taking place at the particular table they gathered around.

Zak caught only occasional glimpses, a stiletto-heeled foot extending above the crowd at one table, a naked female torso as the tide of voyeurs ebbed at another table. Impassioned cries rose above the din of the room like the cries of seabirds scavenging upon the sea. This was not Zak's first visit to Underworld. His investigations had led him here on several occasions when he was with ASID. And so, he knew that these perverse activities were only erotic appetizers, sexual hors d'oeuvres for those who weren't hungry for the more extreme courses, or for those who enjoyed nibbling on the more mundane before sitting down to the main course of darker perversions. Through a door in the back were other rooms where far more extreme thrills could be had. Those rooms were reserved for the true connoisseur, those who had a taste for bizarre fetishes and extreme kinks.

Zak wasn't interested in any of these acts of perversion. He came to Underworld with one purpose, to obtain information. As he approached a table at the far end of the bar, he hoped that he had found the source of that information.

This table had no crowd surrounding it, no obscene act taking place upon its smooth round surface. There were four chairs at the table; three were occupied, the fourth waiting for Zak to claim it. Two oversexed females sat on opposite sides of a balding Goblin.

One of the women was also Goblinesh, with a complexion resembling jacinth. Her raven dark hair framed widely sculpted cheekbones, shaping her face into an exaggerated oval. Her eyes were the typically citreous color attributed to the Goblinesh. For a Goblin, she was not unattractive, the deep plunging neckline of her glittering blood-red dress revealing ample cleavage. The other female was Human, blonde and pale skinned, with ruby red lips that were full and sensual. Her dress was a deep blue version of the dress worn by her counterpart, her cleavage no less ample. The balding Goblin sat with his back to the wall. His complexion was a deeper red than the female of his race, the area around his nose and ears a couple of shades lighter, which was typical of Goblinesh. His oval face had cheekbones so pointed that it made his head look nearly like a football. His weasel eyes met Zak's with a challenging gaze as he watched him approach the table.

"Well, isn't it Zachariah Harris," he said in a thick accent that hissed the words like air leaking from a rubber tube. "I thought you retire. You working for Feds again?"

The noise in the bar suddenly dropped to a low buzz, as though someone had turned down the volume on a comm set. Zak wasn't surprised by this. He could feel the _privacy_ spell settle in around them. It was a common practice for conducting discreet business; those who needed to could hear, while those who shouldn't - couldn't. These spells usually included a blocker as well, to prevent anyone from listening in with the aid of an audio enhancement device or a counter spell. He also knew the source of the spell; the Goblinesh female was a sorceress.

"It has been a while, hasn't it Skrole," Zak said, pulling out the empty chair and sitting down. "No, I'm not with ASID. I've got my own gig now."

"And you took time out to come here. Partake in pleasures of Underworld?" The yellow toothed smile Theleon Skrole gave Zak showed contempt. "How nice you to visit us."

"The place truly is a wonderland," Zak replied sarcastically. "But no, I'm afraid this is not a social visit. I'm looking into a corporate break-in. Happened two nights ago. The place is maxed out with security and someone still managed to get in and out without leaving a trace. They took something very valuable. Have you heard about anything like that going down?"

Skrole sat for a moment, puckering his thin lips in the pretense that he was thinking before saying, "No, I know nothing about something like this."

"This was too big of job to run silent," Zak said. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a hundred credits voucher, placed it on the table. "There has to be rumors going around on this one. And you hear everything."

"Sorry," he said, shaking his head emphatically while eyeing the voucher.

"My client really wants to recover his property." Zak pulled out another hundred voucher and placed it on top of the first.

Skrole's eyes narrowed into tiny slits, a snarl on his lips. He broke into a sudden smile and scooped up the money. "The fraggin' Elves."

"Say what?"

"Elves," Skrole repeated with a jerking gesture of his arms. "EAST Group. There is big rumor that EAST Group make mega score only days ago. Of course, there is also denial of this rumor as well. That's all I know."

"If you hear anything else, will you let me know?"

"But of course...as long as you pay."

The noise of the room closed in around him again and Zak knew the meeting was over. It was time to leave.

He was out the door and half way up the long flight of stairs when he heard the door from Underworld open behind him. His instincts signalled an alert. You simply did not ignore people who decided to leave a building right behind you in this part of the city. Not if you didn't want to end up dead, you didn't.

He kept his cool, didn't turn around, kept his progress up the stairs slow and steady. The rain was coming down again when he gained street level. A quick peripheral glance when he reached the top of the steps confirmed three shadows coming up the dimly lit stairway. They were moving much too quickly to simply be patrons leaving the club.

He turned and stepped onto the sidewalk... And walked straight into a fist.

Zak took the punch square on the jaw and the force of it knocked him backward.

His head snapped sideways as a red curtain of pain cloaked his vision. Momentarily stunned, he fought to maintain his balance, but was caught from behind by a pair of powerful arms. They wrapped around his chest, pinning his own arms at his side. He was already soaked from the rain, his hair plastered to his forehead. An equally wet face moved next to his own, a sickly breath exhaling a fetid stench, a demented giggle tickling his ear.

Although caught by surprise, Zak was no easy mark. He shook off the blow to the jaw and his vision cleared enough to identify his attackers as Ork street punks. He had not only been trained to fight, he also had a good deal of real time experience, and with _badder asses_ than these. The one who had hit him now held a knife and was coming at him again.

There was no time for thought. His movements were pure reaction, instinct and training. He used the punk who was holding him as leverage, kicking up with both feet and catapulting them toward the Ork with the knife. Zak caught him in the stomach and chest.

The hand with the knife swept toward Zak in a crossing motion at the same instant; he felt the blade penetrate his jacket, but it failed to hit home as the Ork went flying backward.

As his feet reconnected with the ground Zak whipped his head back and caught the other attacker square in the face. He heard a sharp crack like a twig breaking and guessed that it was the punk's nose.

That loosened the grip from behind.

He spun and grabbed the Ork by an arm and with all the leverage he could muster, he used the arm to hurl the punk towards the steps. The Ork went flying off the landing and slammed into the three shadows that were just reaching the top of the stairs, tumbling them all down the steps.

The knife-wielding thug had gone sprawling across the sidewalk. Zak got to him before he could get up, while he was still on hands and knees trying to catch his breath. A solid kick to the ribs and he collapsed to the pavement again.

Another kick for good measure and then Zak was on his way around the corner and heading for the stairs to the upper level walkway.

The three from Underworld popped into view just as Zak started up the steps, taking them two at a time. He looked down in time to see one of the Orks draw a weapon. He had no time to think about it; he ducked only in the nick of time, propelling himself forward as laser pulses burned a running train just behind him.

He kept moving, chased by the sound of the laser searing the iron stairs behind him, thanking the gods that the Ork doing the shooting was a lousy shot.

Before he reached the top of the stairs, he heard a car horn from above. Kam pulled up level to the top of the stairs and opened the front passenger door.

"Get in, man, quick!"

Zak raced across the platform and dove into the front seat, dripping wet and panting for breath. He was more than a little happy that he'd called Kam to pick him up before leaving Underworld and happier still that the kid had showed up.

"Go!" he yelled, slamming the door to the cab. He looked down at the gang of Orks as Kam pulled away from the pickup platform and confirmed what he'd suspected. The fragging street punk had an Uk'glok CKP Energy Pulse handgun. He'd recognized the unmistakable sound of the weapon as it burned hot into the steel stair casing behind him. The Uk'glok was standard issue of the Orkensha Ghanstap, the Orkensha Secret Guard. It was also a common commodity on the Orkensha black market. It was no surprise that the weapons were showing up among the street gangs.

If Kam's cab had been an old gas powered vehicle with rubber tires, he'd have laid rubber. Instead, he blew air. Zak's head jerked back for the second time tonight, but this time he didn't mind the circumstances as they sped away from the blood-red laser pulses streaming up past them. Several more shots zipped through the air behind them, as Kam ignored the bad weather ban on the upper levels and climbed to the maximum five hundred meter mark and headed north.

"Geeze, man, I told ya...you shouldn't go to the Zone!"

"Well, if it's any comfort, you were right."

"You some kind of thrill seeker or something?" Kam asked, shaking his head in disapproval. "Before I forget, give me my business card back. I don't think I want to give you any more rides, man."

Zak laughed. But he kept the kid's card.

# 7

Zak could tell something was wrong as soon as he stepped off the old service elevator that led into the kitchen area of his loft. Ke'aira was not acting her usual enthusiastic self by jumping up on him as soon as he entered, her tongue working overtime in a wet greeting. Ke'aira did meet him at the lift, but she was subdued, her big brown eyes flicking from side to side in nervous caution. It was something he had never seen in her before.

"What is it, girl?" His concern for her made him instantly forget the ache in his jaw from the punch he'd received outside Underworld. His first reaction was to suspect something was wrong inside the loft. He carefully scanned the visible areas of his apartment, although with all the greenery scattered about it was like trying to see through the dense vegetation of a rain forest. There was nothing out of the ordinary that he could see.

Ke'aira answered with an anxious whine. Elvish Wilderdogs had a reputation for not only their intelligence, but also for their courage. Zak considered Ke'aira to be exceptional on both counts. She rose up on her hind legs, resting her paws on Zak's shoulders. Measuring seventy-six centimeters at her shoulders and weighing in at forty-eight kilograms, Ke'aira was hardly a small dog. He accepted her weight against his body, scratching behind her ears as she met his eye contact. He knew she was trying to tell him something but failed to understand what it was.

With Zak returning home, she seemed to relax a little and she began licking his face with some degree of enthusiasm. She took time out to sniff around the bruise that marked his swollen cheek. Then she began licking again, this time more gently covering the swollen area, as though she was tending to the wound.

"Don't worry, you should see the other guy," he said to her.

Ke'aira dropped to the floor. Sniffing the air, she turned in a tight circle and sat down. She lowered her head for a moment before looking up at him with those wide-set brown eyes of hers, drool sliding off the tip of her pink tongue as she panted nervously. When she whined and she sniffed at the air again, Zak knew for certain that there was something bothering her...something that she sensed...but what?

He considered the possibility that it was the weather that was bothering her. But storms had never bothered her before, no matter how severe. And this storm had been hanging around for two days now. She hadn't shown any sign of... Well actually, now that he thought about it, Ke'aira had been acting differently since just before the bad weather set in two days ago. The dog was normally glued to his side whenever they were together, so that behavior hadn't set off any alarms for him. But there had been a subtle uneasiness about her over the past few days. He cursed himself for not noticing sooner.

There was no excuse for him not to have picked up on the change in Ke'aira's behavior. He had been so preoccupied with the Crandell account these past few days that he had developed tunnel vision. When had he become so concerned about business that he began overlooking the truly important things in his life?

Off on a tangent of momentary guilt, he forgot about identifying the reason for Ke'aira's uneasiness in favor of making it up to her for his neglect. He was tired and his muscles ached, but he was not about to pass on his obligation to her. "So, how about you let me take a shower and then we'll go for a walk?"

If Ke'aira had noticed any neglect lately, it was instantly forgiven with those words. Her head lifted, her ears perked and she began to prance around him, urging him to hurry. Whatever was bothering her seemed to suddenly become unimportant with the prospect of going for their evening walk.

Rain or star-filled sky, they had walked every night since the very first night he had found the dog near the Serpent River. She had only been a pup at the time, nothing more than a dirty mottled little fur ball, abandoned and in rough shape. As Ke'aira grew, she became more and more obsessive over the nightly walks, not giving Zak a moments peace until he opened the lift and they headed out the door.

Zak knew even a loft-size apartment wasn't the best home for her. He had never planned on owning a dog, though even now he didn't feel that he actually _owned_ her. They were companions. When he found her, he had intended to keep her only long enough to nurse her back to health and then give her up for adoption. That was two years ago. Now, he could not imagine life without her.

She'd grown into a very solid specimen of her breed. Her strong shoulders, muscular neck and deep chest were classic to the Elvish Wilderdog. Her coat was a mottled patchwork of blue-grey and black, pure white on her chest, belly and paws with copper spats on each of her four legs. The shaggy camouflage complimented her excellent hunting skills. She was a beautiful dog by any standards. But Zak's pride came more from the bond they shared than from her classic purebred appearance. Ke'aira offered him her undying love, something that he had only ever felt from his mother before she died, and that had been a very long time ago.

He scratched affectionately behind the dog's ears once more and she accepted it gracefully. The bark that followed told him to hurry up with the shower and let's get going. Her impatience eased his concern over her nervousness. Whatever had been bothering her, she didn't find it serious enough to interfere with their nightly walk.

"Okay, let me take a quick shower and change, and then we'll go." He had to force his aching body into motion, but the thought of cancelling their walk never entered his mind. This was his commitment to Ke'aira.

Zak had turned the spacious fourth floor loft literally into a greenhouse. Amaryllis, Begonias, Avocado, Caladium, Dwarf Climbers, Elfin Lilies, Dragon Sprouts, and even some species of small trees; a multitude of plant-life turned the expanse of the loft into a jungle of color, more than filling the empty spaces between the limited furniture.

While the only room built into the apartment was the bathroom at the far end of the loft, it was still necessary to navigate around the clusters of dense vegetation that formed living walls separating the various areas. It was time consuming for Zak to care for all this plant-life, but the rich fragrances permeating the air was pleasing to the senses and well worth the effort.

The only significant open space in the entire loft was the regulation size basketball court he had constructed against the back wall. He walked across the hardwood court, dripping rain water on the highly waxed finish as he made his way for the shower. Ke'aira kept pace with him, her nails tapping a steady rhythm as she walked at his side. The warm water stung his bruised jaw, but felt revitalizing just the same. He applied a herbal cream to his jaw after. It was one of the few things _Elvish_ that Zak accepted, but only because its healing properties were superior to anything he could find at an Aragne pharmacy.

Ke'aira was waiting for him just outside the bathroom. As he moved to his sleeping area, she again positioned herself where she could keep a discrete eye on her master. She remained patient as she monitored Zak's progress with dressing and preparing himself for their expedition, only becoming excited again when he finally said, "Okay, guess we're good to go."

Jumping up, she raced for the elevator door, where she began prancing in a tight circle waiting for him to catch up and open the lift gate. He was pleased to see her enthusiasm had fully returned. Whatever had been bothering her evidently was no longer a concern.

Luck was with him when they reached the sidewalk. The rain had slacked off to a light drizzle, although the thunder and lightning promised more heavy rain again in the near future. Zak felt a pulse of concern when Ke'aira winced at each flash and rumble of the weather, but she seemed determined to continue. She trotted off down the street with as much enthusiasm as she could gather. Zak followed, wondering about her sudden sensitivity to the weather and hoping that they could do this walk before any serious rain returned.

Although Slough Street was not as well lit as some other areas of the city, the sky above them was not dark. True night had been denied Sol Kappur for centuries, ever since the small harbor town began its growth into a major city of street lamps, neon lit storefronts and lighted Skyscrapers. The massive collection of city lights now pushed against the night sky, although tonight the illumination was quickly absorbed by low hanging thunderclouds and reflected back in an angry orange that seemed both alive and threatening.

From behind his loft a brighter, more intense luminosity made the clouds appear even more livid. Sol Kappur's massive seaport stretched across the northern shoreline of the city. It had not only become the largest remaining seaport in a world of hover-transport, but its eastern end had been expanded into an international spaceport. The loud rumbling of engines shook the surrounding neighborhoods on a regular basis, as large space shuttles lifted off and returned from cross-planet flights and trips to the colonies on the two moons revolving around Amaco Loch. Both Zak and Ke'aira had become so used to the noise that it had faded into the background. In fact, since the arrival of the storm two days ago, the noise had become noticeable to Zak only by its absence due to flight cancellations.

Heavy salt scented sea air drifted from the Dragon Sea as Zak and Ke'aira headed west along Slough Street. It was only a short walk to the Serpent River and the old boardwalk that ran along it to the south. Years ago the Serpent Walk, as it was called, had been a busy place. Street vendors, musicians and an assortment of other entertainers had once thrived along the five kilometer wooden walkway. Crowds of people once swarmed over the long stretch of sandy man-made beach, enjoying a day in the sun or a warm evening under the two moons. Children used to sit for hours watching the assortment of large ships and small boats that made their way up and down the Serpent.

But now the Walk was mostly deserted. In a day of space travel and virtual reality games, the slow restricted movements of a sea-going vessel and the slow-paced entertainment of the buskers had somehow become mundane to adults and children alike. The focus had now shifted to the northeast, to those streets nearest the spaceport, a more modern setting that fulfilled a more modern demand for entertainment.

Only a few of the locals now used the Walk. Mostly dog walkers like Zak and, occasionally on a warm summer's evening, you could find a couple that still found romance in an evening stroll along the river. Unfortunately, the Walk was no longer an entirely safe arena for leisurely strolls or romantic interludes. All the bright lights were now gone and with the darkness inevitably the predators came. They often hid within the deep shadows, waiting for easy prey.

Zak never overly worried about the muggers and other unsavory characters that slinked through the darkness of the Walk. Between his combat training and Ke'aira's protective nature, these undesirables tended to keep their distance.

Tonight, though, there seemed to be no concerns of running into anyone at all as both Slough Street and the boardwalk were completely deserted and silent. When they reached the river, Zak made his way across the sand to a large boulder near the water. A single pinpoint of light could be seen off in the distance, as one of the few ships still travelling the Serpent made its way slowly toward the harbor at the Serpents mouth. Beyond that the distant shores of Sol Kappur West was a twinkling contrast to the dark ribbon of the river, with thousands of colorful lights accentuating the dirty orange covering that hung over the city.

Zak began jogging along the shoreline, Ke'aira loping along beside him. The dog continued to react nervously to the weather, but remained determined not to let it detract from her time on the beach. Every so often she would catch a scent that proved too interesting to resist and she would stop to sniff and paw at the sand until her curiosity was satisfied. She had no problem keeping up with Zak. No matter how far she fell behind during her investigations, she was able to catch him in short order, running at full stride and barely panting as she regained his side.

As Zak ran, the attack outside Underworld picked at him. It hadn't been the first time he had ever been attacked. During his time with ASID, there were numerous occasions when he had been forced to defend himself. Perhaps it was because of his past experiences that he felt there was something about this recent attack that wasn't right. The timing of his attackers was all wrong for one thing. The three Orks that had followed him out of Underworld had taken too long to make it up the stairs to offer support to the two at the top. It was like they had been hanging back for some reason. But why? And if they were seriously trying to mug him, why not have the thug with the gun at the top of the stairs?

The punk who threw the first punch had a knife. If he had intended to use it, why not use it in the first place rather than throwing a bare fisted punch? Some other things occurred to him now that hadn't at the time. The Ork seemed to hesitate before coming at him with the blade, allowing Zak time to recover enough to defend himself. The knife thrust that followed had been sloppy and the guy holding him had let Zak slip out of his grasp way too easily. As far as the Ork with the gun, a five year old should have been able to hit Zak from the distance and angle the shooter had on him. At the time it had all seemed very intense. Now that he had time to think about it, the whole thing seemed almost choreographed.

Which left Zak with the question, what the frag was going on?

He was too tired at the moment to think any further and tried to force his mind to empty, but the questions persisted. Inevitably, thinking about the Ork punks stirred his long embittered feelings toward the Orkensha. He had never quite recovered from his mother's death and at times like this he still blamed every living Ork personally for her murder. Along with the bitterness, came the guilt. Zak had only been thirteen when she died and he blamed himself. If he had not asked for fresh baked elrolls, his mother would still be alive. At the very least, he should have accompanied her to her death that day, joining her rather than being condemned to a lifetime of regret and guilt...

He picked up his pace as though he could outrun the demons that haunted his memories. When they reached Shelbourne Street, Zak and Ke'aira turned around and headed back up the beach the way they had come. The round trip run was about two kilometers. It was a routine run for them both. They had been doing it nearly every night since Zak found Ke'aira, although it had been a much slower trip back when she was a pup, with Zak carrying her most of the distance. In spite of working to stay fit, tonight Zak felt both physically and mentally exhausted.

Between dealing with the mystery of the Grimrok break-in and the puzzling attack at Underworld it had been a long day. By the time they again reached the boulder where their run began, the painful memories of his mother's death had retreated back to the edges of Zak's consciousness, but the emotional drain had added to his sense of fatigue. He pulled up next to the stone marker panting for breath.

"Damn, I'm getting too old for this, girl!"

Ke'aira whined as she nervously paced next to him.

Then the storm returned with a vengeance.

# 8

In spite of his weariness, Zak forced himself to jog home in order to escape the wicked weather.

Ke'aira followed him into the loft and through the maze of plant-life to the bathroom. In spite of her water repellent coat, the dog was as soaked as Zak and they both left a trail of water. His refusal to use magic forced him to use the more conventional method of towel drying for both himself and Ke'aira. When he was finished, he went to the bedroom area for dry clothes.

"Computer, Windows: night setting, privacy level two," he said.

" _Night setting, privacy level two confirmed,"_ the computer responded in a pleasantly female voice.

The glass windows transformed into opaque shields, the outside world disappearing, leaving only the rumbling thunder and pounding rain as a reminder of the raging storm. Ke'aira sat uneasily by the bed watching Zak dress, her ears twitching with each clap of thunder that rose above the steady splattering of rain upon the roof. Once dressed, Zak cleaned up the trail of water he and Ke'aira had made and then headed for the kitchen. Ke'aira remained close by his side the entire time.

Zak found the loft quite comfortable for the two of them. He owned the entire building. He had purchased the old four-story structure shortly after leaving ASID. Originally he had made the purchase as an investment, never intending to settle in Sol Kappur. Slough Street had been one of the original industrial areas in the city, but most businesses had long since migrated to areas east of the spaceport or to the more upscale areas of Sol Kappur West. When Zak originally looked at the property, the area was just becoming fashionable with a segment of the population that the media had labelled as the _trendies_. The trendies were primarily young white-collar workers who spent most of their time trying to find new ways to redefine their lifestyle. When the trendies began buying up the old warehouses and commercial buildings in the area, converting them into lofts and apartments, Zak saw an opportunity to make some money.

He had originally moved into the building intending only to fix it up before reselling it. He had used most of his funds making the purchase, so restoring it became a long-term project and he opened his network security business to help finance the project. As he slowly brought back the original flavor of the building's architecture, he became attached to the place. He couldn't really remember consciously making the decision to stay, but stay he did.

As he entered the kitchen area, Zak's stomach reminded him that he hadn't eaten since lunch. He suddenly had a craving for generous portions of meat and vegetables, but an examination of his kitchen brought him quickly back to reality. He rarely cooked so there was no fresh food in the place. As he looked into the refrigerator, he fought down the urge to eat the last generous portion of roast boar he found there. The meat was for Ke'aira and so he turned hopefully to his food processor, but was reminded that he hadn't restocked it for some time.

His only choice was a single helping of beef stew that was left in the processor. He pressed the selector for the stew and began dicing the roast boar for Ke'aira while he waited for it. Normally the dog would be watching him intently, her mouth-watering as she impatiently waited. But she was instead standing with her snout in the air, sniffing again at some unknown scent that Zak failed to detect.

"There's nothing to worry about," he told her, putting the diced meat into her bowl and placing it on the floor in front of her. "Go ahead and eat."

She hesitated, glancing around nervously as though she doubted what he said. Finally the aroma of the reheated roast was too much temptation for her and she attacked the meat with relish.

Ke'aira finished eating before Zak and sat patiently waiting for him to give her the last of his stew, which he did. He refilled his coffee mug and then made his way to the small office he'd set up in the far corner of the living area. His main business office was on the third floor of the building. After renovating the lower three floors, he rented out the first and second floors to tenants, but decided to keep the third floor for himself. He didn't use the third floor offices much, except to meet with clients and the subcontractors that he sometimes hired to assist him with his larger corporate contracts. He preferred using his home office for most of his work.

Ke'aira's nervousness had returned, although not as intensely as before. She curled up close to his chair, occasionally lifting her nose and sniffing the air as she watched him work.

"Computer, run search. Collect all information available on the EAST Group, Elves against SHIAM Technology."

" _Searching..."_ the computer responded.

As tired as he was, he just couldn't resist following up on the only lead he had at the moment. Skrole was the kind of guy who heard things that no one else heard. Zak didn't trust the Goblin past the greed that motivated him, but Skrole had never given him false information. If he said there was a rumor involving East Group, it was worth checking out.

"Computer, contact the Institute of Occult and Paranormal Sciences and request a level one sorcerer for consultation and assistance, Industrial Class, Confidential." The trace of magic that he thought he'd detected at Grimrok still bothered him. He hoped that a certified sorcerer might be able to determine whether the traces were, in fact, actually there.

After several minutes the computer responded, _"Institute Contacted. Level one sorcerer request confirmed and approved by the automated assignment service at the Institute. Availability: the ninth hour tomorrow morning."_

The sorcerers at the Institute were well trained and highly skilled professionals. Zak had come to rely on them for all his customized network protection spells. There were a couple of sorcerers he preferred to work with over the others, but the Institute had a strict policy of assigning their personnel based upon their own selection criteria rather than allowing requests for specific individuals. He'd just have to wait until tomorrow to see who showed up.

A short time later the computer added, _"Search complete. Would you like the information on EAST Group displayed on screen or as a virtual interface?"_

"Start with on screen," Zak said.

Images appeared on the comm screen as the computer recited its narrative.

" _EAST is an acronym for Elves against SHIAM Technology. EAST Group was founded by Dr. Elron Tetherstrol in the year 5108, two years after the first SHIAM units were introduced by Grimrok Corporation. Dr. Tetherstrol formed the organization while teaching as a professor at the University of Sol Kappur."_

A photo of a middle-aged Elf in a plain brown suit and red tie flashed up on the screen. He was standing on a podium in an auditorium with several other distinguished looking Elves sitting behind him. Although he wore his straight brown hair in traditional Elvish fashion, long and free flowing past his shoulders, his overly-large pointed ears stuck out at the sides. He had high cheekbones and a prominent forehead, which gave him a somewhat distinguished appearance.

" _EAST Group remained a strictly Elvish organization until late last year, when membership was opened up to the University's student body in an attempt to improve their financial standing. Early this year the EAST Group also began accepting membership from the general public and made attempts to go international. In spite of these attempts, EAST Group remains a predominately Aragne-Elvish organization and continues to struggle financially."_

This information was not particularly new to Zak. There had been numerous news casts concerning EAST Group and their protests. He wondered what ASID might have on the group. He hated the thought of asking Vennhim. Unfortunately, since his retirement he had lost touch with the agents he had known in ASID. There were a couple names that came to mind who he could possibly approach for information. He'd rather go to them than to Vennhim.

"Are there any known connections between EAST Group and any Elvish governments?"

" _Searching..."_ the computer responded. Finally, it reported, _"There are no known links to Elvish governments."_

"What about funding?" Zak asked. "Are there any money trails to any significant organizations?"

After a long pause, the computer said, _"Funding is obtained through private donations. The EAST Group is currently on the verge of bankruptcy."_

That raised one big question. If EAST Group was responsible for the theft, then how did they fund it? A bankrupt organization would not have the kind of bankroll it would have taken to pull off the Grimrok break-in.

" _Would you like background on Dr. Tetherstrol?"_

"Go for it," Zak said sipping at his coffee.

" _Elron Tetherstrol was born on the twenty-fifth day of Ninth Month, year forty-three-fifty-two. His parents were Langdin and Myria Tetherstrol. Langdin Tetherstrol was a member of the High Elvish Council of the Elandria Tribes of the Mythnol Forest. Myria Tetherstrol's maiden name was Myria Langalis. She was the daughter of the third brother to Duke Merlynne Elindale. Both parents are now deceased."_

Photos of Langdin and Myria Tetherstrol popped up on screen. Both Elves bore the same noble features they had passed on to their son.

" _Dr. Tetherstrol graduated from the University of Taurelasse in the Mythnol Forest with a PhD in both Elvish Philosophy and in Natural Sciences. He immigrated to the Aragne Commonwealth at the age of twenty-six and attended De Khant University in the Zentan Province, where he received a PhD in Physics. He became a professor at the University of Sol Kappur at age one-hundred-fifty-nine. He continued to teach physics at the University until Ninth Month of last year, when he suddenly disappeared after a warrant was issued for his arrest by Aragne authorities in connection with the bombing of the SHIAM distribution center in Kornia._

" _Shortly after Dr. Tetherstrol disappeared, the Orkensha Dhoraz claimed responsibility for the bombing. Aragne Special Intelligence Agents later arrested Ghadrean Khandri, a member of the Dhoraz sect, and charged him with performing acts of terrorism. The Dhoraz sect is a known Orkensha terrorist organization."_

"You don't have to tell me about the Dhoraz sect," Zak said bitterly. It was Dhoraz terrorists who had been responsible for the bombing that killed his mother. ASID believed the Dhoraz were actually a branch of the Ghanstap, the Orkensha Secret Guard, but there was never any undisputable proof of this. Zak didn't much care one way or the other about proof. He had developed a hatred for all Orks and only barely tolerated them when the need arose to have any dealings with them. He pushed his emotional response to the Dhoraz aside and asked, "And what happened to the good doctor?"

" _Although Dr. Tetherstrol was cleared of the charges related to the bombing, there remain outstanding warrants for his arrest on charges of civil disturbance and fleeing the Aragne Commonwealth in order to avoid arrest. He remains at large."_

"Do the feds know where he is?" Zak asked.

" _Aragne Special Intelligence Department public files indicate that he is somewhere in the Mythnol Forest. There are no current extradition agreement between the Aragne Commonwealth and the Mythnol Forest."_

Zak took a last swig of his coffee and put the mug down. "Do you have enough profile on Elron Tetherstrol to run a virtual clone?"

" _Affirmative."_

"Okay, run it." He picked up the virtual headset lying on the desk next to the comm screen and pulled it on. The thin band was similar to a speaker headset, but instead of speakers, two small bar-like devices were positioned just behind each of Zak's ears. The technology was complicated, but simply put the transceivers in the headset created a connection directly with Zak's brain. Through a sophisticated set of protocols, the computer was able to interact with the electro-chemical activity of his brain, creating a virtual world that seemed to come alive to all Zak's senses.

"Good to go," Zak said to the computer and his surroundings immediately dissolved.

He found himself standing in a virtual rendition of a small office belonging to Dr. Elron Tetherstol. Although generated by computer, the data input sent to Zak's brain created sensory perceptions that were as real as anything he could experience in the real world. Virtuality had become so popular that both hardware and software support for it was built into all Comm Net services. Building virtual clones of actual people was one function provided by Comm Net's support services. Of course, the virtual cloning was only as good as the information available within public archives found on Comm Net, which meant that the more well known the individual, the more accurate the clone.

Elron Tetherstrol was an Elvish traditionalist and his personality was reflected in the virtual setting Zak found himself in. The office was a recreation from the early years of the forty-eight hundreds, a time when real wood was still the norm for construction. Mahogany panelling covered the walls and the furniture was made nearly exclusively from polished wood. The only modern elements in the room were three comm terminals located on the heavy oak desk and the data chips that were scattered about next to them.

Tetherstrol was sitting behind the desk. He looked neither surprise nor displeased at the sudden interruption when Zak appeared before him. He simply looked up from the comm screen he had been studying. "Hello, how may I help you?"

"Tell me about EAST Group," Zak said bluntly. He rarely applied social etiquette in his dealings with virtual constructs, although the virtual characters occasionally took offence to his lack of good manners.

"Are you interested in joining our cause," Tetherstrol asked, apparently willing to overlook the lack of introduction. "Or are you one of those high tech bleeding hearts avowing free enterprise at the expense of sentient life?"

"Nope, not even close on either count."

Tetherstrol looked at him more intently, contempt seeping into the Elf's expression.

"You are a half-breed." Tetherstrol said. He uttered the statement almost to himself, but in a clearly distasteful tone.

Zak knew that virtually cloned characters often said and did things that their real life counter-parts would never consider. It was a flaw in the programming that sometimes injected strong emotions and attitudes into the compiled dialogue and actions of the character, even when it may be out of character for them to verbalize it. This programming flaw was exactly why Zak was here. He was hoping that Tetherstol's construct would reveal something to confirm EAST Group's involvement with the theft or with the Orks.

"I'm not here to discuss my bloodline."

"Oh, I mean no offense," Tetherstrol said, clearly not meaning what he said. "It is simply a fact that the races of this world would be much better off remaining separate and pure to their own genetic code. Mixed blood does nothing to further the evolution of any race."

"Is that a fact," Zak said flatly. He was used to the prejudices from both sides, Humans and Elves alike. Well, perhaps _used_ _to it_ was not quite accurate. But he had been the target of these bigots on enough occasions to have learned not to let them get to him...at least not visibly.

"In any event," Tetherstrol let out a rather melodramatic sigh before continuing. "I assure you, I am not an Elvish Supremacist. I am a separatist. It is only by keeping the races separate and pure that they can be allowed to evolve and prosper in their own rights. Take yourself, for example. Due to your diluted Elvish genetics, your natural capabilities have no doubt been diminished to the point of..."

"Look, I don't give a rat's ass what you think about race purity!" Zak's anger flowered into full bloom, but he did his best to keep it in check. He forced himself to continue more calmly, "I came here looking for information about EAST Group."

"Very well," Tetherstrol said as he sat back in his chair, obviously displeased at Zak's abruptness. "What would you know?"

"Does EAST Group sanction criminal activities in order to further their cause against the SHIAM?"

"We are not criminals!" the Doctor said emphatically. "Our official policy is to operate within the law."

"What about unofficially?"

"Every one of our protests was carried out with government permits. We have never inspired to riot. We obey the law."

He was lying. EAST Group had organized numerous demonstrations. A number of them had been staged without permits and therefore were classified as illegal gatherings. Several had also turned violent.

"There are rumors going around that EAST Group broke into a high security corporation."

"Rumors...you are here to ask me about rumors?"

"Is there any truth to them?"

"I will not even grace that question with an answer!"

"What's your connection to the Dhoraz sect?" Zak knew it was a long shot that he would find a connection, but asked anyway. "You were implicated in the bombing in Kornia. The Orks later took credit for. ASID must have seen a connection there."

"I think you are confused," Tetherstrol said. "The Dhoraz are Orks and terrorists. Elves are not particularly fond of either."

"That's not what ASID claims."

"ASID?" the Elf snickered with contempt. "The Aragne Special Intelligence Department has its own agenda to champion. You do not seriously expect the truth of things to be a part of that agenda!"

"So, you're saying that EAST Group is not connected to the Dhoraz in any way?"

"The EAST Group and the Dhoraz, as difficult as it may be to believe, happen to _share_ a common concern about the future life on our planet. That does not necessarily mean that we agree upon the methodology of resolving those concerns. And it _certainly_ _does not_ mean that we tend to associate with one another!"

"Does any of that sharing happen to include covert operations?"

"Look, I just told you..." the doctor stopped and smiled ruefully. "What are you, a cop? Keep in mind that virtual profiling is not admissible in court."

"Yeah, I've heard something along those lines."

Zak concluded that further questioning would net him very little that would be helpful. Beyond the dogma of his belief in racial purity, Tetherstrol's words had been as measured as those of his real world counterpart had been in the news clips Zak had viewed.

He unplugged himself from the virtual world to find Ke'aira sitting next to his chair watching him intently. When she saw that he had removed the headset she jumped up, her large paws balancing her weight on his arm, her tail going spastic. It was time to play!

# 9

Zak woke to a pair of big brown eyes staring back at him from only inches away. Ke'aira looked quite comfortable lying next to him with her large head resting upon his pillow.

"Don't you have anything better to do?" Zak said to her.

Ke'aira rolled over on her back, swivelling her head in order to keep her eyes on her master, her tongue hanging from the side of her mouth. As Zak watched her, he noticed a subtle edginess about her. A roll of thunder caused her body to tense. The Thunder and a steady hammering of rain upon the roof and windows told Zak that the storm was still going strong. He reached over and rubbed Ke'aira's belly, a sign of affection that the dog never grew tired of.

Her body twitched at each roll of thunder then relaxed again as she fought against her own reactions. Ke'aira's nervousness continued to bother Zak. He thought back to last night's news cast. Dr. Raghnall had said that there was a disturbance within the ethereal layer of the planet. Could Ke'aira be sensing that disturbance?

It was as good of explanation as any for her unusual behavior.

Suddenly the notion that the storm was somehow related to the Grimrok theft came back to him. The thought seemed just as unlikely now as it had the night before. What possible connection could there be?

He decided that chasing a wild theory would be a waste of his time. The sorcerer Zak had requested from the Institute would be arriving soon. Better to let matters of the paranormal in the hands of an expert. If there was a connection of some kind, the wizard would find it sooner than Zak ever could.

"Computer, windows; day setting two," he said as he rolled out of bed.

The window setting allowed Zak and Ke'aira to see out, while still maintaining privacy by preventing anyone outside from seeing in. It wasn't as though he needed the privacy, being on the fourth floor. The only way to see into the loft would be to climb one of the trees that separated his backyard from the adjoining lot. In spite of that, caution and security was so ingrained in him that Zak took precautions in his daily routine that others would deem unnecessary, or even paranoid. The glass of the windows cleared to another dark, stormy day. Violent flashes of lightning tore through a dismal sky, while bloated black clouds hung low above the city.

"Computer, news...audio only," Zak said as he headed toward the bathroom. He had wired the comm system so both video and audio could be accessed from any area within the loft and calling up the news had become a long standing part of his morning routine.

" _Channel Four News now playing."_ The computer voice was then replaced with the voice of a male news commentator.

" _...the violence was limited to the Kelthar Pass._

" _As a result of the events last night, Darkkon Corporation announced this morning that all mining operations within the Akkasson Mountain Range have been suspended until further notice. Shortly after, all other mining companies operating in the region made similar announcements._

" _Mr. Karl Redcliffe, chief representative for the Aragne Miners Guild, told reporters that the threat of violence along the Akkasson Mountains is just too great to allow workers to continue with business as usual. 'Arganite ore is highly volatile even under normal mining operations,' Mr. Redcliffe said. 'The added threat of an Orkensha attack on mining operations could have devastating results.'_

" _Deputy Minister of Defense for the Orkensha Nations, Hagg Kroll, announced that the Orkensha mines have also gone on a similar shut down. Mr. Kroll went on to state that the Orkensha military has been placed in a state of high alert and any act of aggression from the Aragne Commonwealth will be considered an act of war._

" _In response, Prime Minister Sarte has called for calm on both sides of the border. In a statement released today, the Prime Minister cautioned both his own troops and the Orkensha military to use restraint during this tense situation in order to prevent any possibility of the situation escalating out of control. He assured the Orkensha government that he has no intentions of sending Aragne troops into the Orkensha territories at this time and said that he remained confident that a diplomatic solution could still be reached._

" _While the Prime Minister's words were welcomed by those who hope to avoid military action, there are still many on both sides of the border who maintain that military action is the only sure way to resolve the border issues._

" _In the meantime, world energy prices continue to skyrocket out of control. The combined production by Aragne and Orkensha mining operations within the Akkasson Mountains supplies over fifty-five percent of the world's arganite supply. Any long term disruption of this supply will not only hurt both Aragne and Orkensha economies, but it would also have a serious affect upon the world's energy supply._

" _Critics of our current administration point out that the Prime Minister's soft approach toward the Orkensha Nations is doing nothing to resolve the current stalemate. They go on to warn that rather than preventing all-out war, as the Prime Minister claims he is doing, these on-going tensions between the two nations will ultimately bring us to a point where war is the only inevitable solution. Spokesman for..."_

Any newscast concerning the Orkensha nations inevitably soured Zak's mood. As he looked at his reflection in the mirror, he considered whether he was still in good enough physical condition to be able to take on a combat roll after all these years.

" _...Senator Jayme Donovan condemned the Prime Minister's lack of action over last night's violence as a dereliction of duty. Donovan went on to say that, if elected he intends to put an end to this border dispute once and for all..."_

"Computer, music." Zak had no interest in what that idiot, Donovan, had to say about anything. It was easy to raise the call to arms from the comfort of home, but it was quite another thing to live through the ugliness of war. Since Donovan had never served in the military, Zak doubted that he truly understood just how ugly it could be.

" _Please state your preference,"_

"We go through this everyday...why do you keep asking me? Classical!"

The loft was immediately filled with soothing sounds of a symphony orchestra. Zak enjoyed a variety of music, but found classical music particularly soothing in the morning. After finishing his hygienic duties, Zak wandered into the kitchen still only dressed in his boxer shorts and t-shirt.

Ke'aira had finished her own morning ritual as well. When Zak had gotten out of bed and headed for the bathroom, the dog had gone to the private access door Zak had built for her at the rear of the loft. The door allowed her access to the yard at the back of the building, which Zak had turned into a garden area surpassing even the indoor garden he'd created. The dog door was tied into the rest of the security system in the building. The lock on the door was keyed to the dog's DNA, a sensor ball on each side of the door controlling the lock. It hadn't taken Ke'aira long to figure out that she could come and go as she pleased by simply licking the ball on either side of the door.

Returning to the loft just as Zak left the bathroom; Ke'aira followed him into the kitchen area, completely unconcerned that she was dripping a trail of rain water across the floor as she went.

Freshly brewed coffee from the auto-brewer awaited Zak as he entered the kitchen. Coffee was one thing he made sure he never ran out of. He poured himself a cup, took a couple sips of the vanilla hazelnut brew, and put the mug down on the white marble counter top. The kitchen was completely computerized and the auto-timer had also activated the food processor for Ke'aira's morning meal. Fortunately, there was still a sufficient supply of the specially blended dog meal left for a few more meals. Zak fed Ke'aira processed food in the morning and gave her a mixture of fresh meat and vegetables for her evening meal. When he put the bowl of meal down for her, she devoured it enthusiastically.

After serving Ke'aira her breakfast, he punched in an order of eggs, bacon and toast for himself. Unfortunately he was out of bacon and only a single egg was left.

"Computer, check mail," he said and a slim computer screen slid neatly up from the counter top. He settled on the toast for breakfast and sat down to his electronic mail.

In spite of all the advances in computer technology, no one had come up with a way of beating the spammers completely. He deleted a long list of these without even looking at them. There were also a couple of bills, one from Star Comm for his comm services, and another from Sol Kappur Power for his power supply. He didn't open either. The last email was from his Aunt Jenna; his mother's sister, who lived in the city of Pevnost in the Astalderea Province where Zak had been raised. She wanted to let him know his cousin Lanna was pregnant again, she wrote. He received these updates from back home on a regular basis. They were his Aunt's way of telling him he was well behind schedule in regards to settling down and starting a family. All his cousins were married with an assortment of kids. Lanna was the youngest of his cousins and had been the last to be married. He was the only member or the family remaining single.

Zak ignored his Aunt's unspoken accusations and closed the mail program. He took another drink from his coffee mug as the security buzzer sounded. Someone was in the first floor lobby buzzing up. He answered from the kitchen terminal.

"Hi, I am Megan, from the Institute of Occult and Paranormal Sciences."

Even through the speaker her soft voice possessed a warmth that was just shy of sultry. The security camera revealed a female dressed in a brown cloak and hood. The cloak and hood were dry in spite of the weather. Either the cloak was magical or the woman wearing it had used a spell to keep herself dry. From beneath the hood, the only features Zak could make out were a delicately shaped nose and mouth. Not just a mouth, but a very full and inviting mouth with lips painted a luscious red. He found himself instantly transfixed on the natural pout of those mysterious lips. It made him want to see more, to validate the suspected beauty hidden beneath the cloak.

"Um, Hello?" the woman called out when she received no answer, her voice now uncertain.

"Yes, come up."

It wasn't until he'd buzzed her in that he realized he was still in his underwear. He rushed back to his sleeping area to dress. Ke'aira followed along, watching him with curiosity as he pulled on a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Under the dog's scrutiny, he suddenly felt foolish. He was behaving like a high school kid with more hormones than brains. Was this sorceress from the Institute using more than just a weather protection spell?

He didn't feel anything magical, only his own sudden giddiness after a mere glimpse of this woman.

Was he really that desperate for a relationship?

Apparently, a part of him was. It seemed like forever since Karreth had walked out of his life.

# 10

She had already raised the gate and was stepping off the freight elevator next to the kitchen by the time Zak and Ke'aira returned.

"Hello, I'm Zak Harris," he said to her as he offered her his hand. In spite of feeling foolish, he couldn't seem to shake the allure of this mysterious woman. The cloak and hood still hid all but the briefest hint of her features. She was short, but not quite petite from what he could tell from beneath the cloak.

"I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Harris." She said formally, reaching out and shaking his hand. "I am Megan Teranika."

Any meaning that her introduction might have had was lost to him as she swept back her hood and removed her cloak. Zak felt suddenly blindsided by her unveiling.

Her makeup was dark and exotic, her style of dress rebellious and unconventional. The black jeans and t-shirt she wore clung to her, emphasising a body that would provoke lust in the most pious of men. Her military style boots, scuffed black leather with thin silver chains around the ankles, put a hard edge to her sexuality.

Her complexion was pale compared to most Humans and her ears were slightly larger, with delicately pointed tips. Her t-shirt proclaimed _'Elves Do It Better!'_ in bold dark red script and Zak had no doubts about the validity of the statement, as he took in her appearance.

She was Elf.

That fact threatened to extinguish the sexual tension he'd felt, as he struggled with the conflict created by her alluring, yet radical, appearance. In spite of his heritage - or more accurately, because of it - Zak had a long-standing aversion toward Elves. It was not that he was a racist. It was personal and it had to do with family. In any case, he had a strict policy of avoiding any associations with Elves, both socially and professionally, when at all possible.

Ke'aira seemed not to have any doubt concerning her feelings for this visitor. She went to the Elf girl and jumped up, placing a paw on each of the girl's shoulders. She then began welcoming her with kisses, her tongue quickly lapping at the girl's cheeks.

Megan giggled in delight and briskly rubbed the dog's coat. As she returned Ke'aira's affection, she looked beyond where Zak stood to gain a peek at the rest of the loft. "Wow, this is quite a place you have!"

She spoke with almost no accent, although now it seemed very distinctive to Zak.

"Yes, we like it," he managed. She was not what Zak would call your typical Elf. Her raven black hair, cut to shoulder length and highlighted with streaks of blonde, defied Elvish tradition as much as the rest of her appearance. But it was her eyes that seemed to refuse his rejection. They were the deepest emerald green, with a scattering of golden flecks that seemed to drift upon subtle currents, threatening to pull him into their extraordinary depths.

"You said, _we_. You are married?"

"No. No, not at all," Zak stammered, realizing his attention had refocused on her perfect mouth, those sensually pouty lips enticing him as they had before her unveiling. "There's just me and Ke'aira. She's the one trying to lick the skin off your face."

Ke'aira's affection to this woman put Zak further off balance. She did not take to strangers. In fact, the dog was usually downright disagreeable with strangers!

"Ke'aira," Megan repeated the dog's name and giggled again. The sound was delightful to Zak. She then leaned close to Ke'aira's ear and whispered.

The dog gave her an affectionate whine, licked the side of her face once more and dropped to the floor. Zak watched in disbelief as Ke'aira assumed a protective stance next to the young Elf, leaning her body into the girl's leg.

"You gave her an Elvish name," Megan said, stroking the top of Ke'aira's head. "Very cool. But _little dark one_?"

"Yeah well, she was a lot smaller when I got her." The Elf's actions were annoying. She had no right to display such familiarity with his dog. Or was it jealousy he felt over Ke'aira's quick acceptance of the girl. Could Megan have used a spell on the dog to sway her to her side?

"So, may I come in?" Megan asked after a couple of awkward moments of silence.

"Oh, sure." He attempted to push his attraction toward her aside as he considered what to do about her. She was beautiful in spite of her rebellious look, but she was an Elf. And that was a major problem. "Come in."

Megan followed him through the kitchen to the living area. Her movements were lithe and confident, and suggestively sensual. Ke'aira followed closely at her side.

"I take it you have a thing for plants," Megan said as they passed through the kitchen on the way to the living area.

"Yes. With my work, I don't get much of a chance to get away from the city. So I figured if I can't get out into nature, I'd just bring nature to me."

"Umm, and basketball?" she observed, staring back towards the large empty space at the rear of the loft. The basketball hoops were just visible through the vegetation.

"Yeah, I like to shoot some hoops once in a while," he said. "Although, I much prefer football over other sports."

Why was he even telling her these things? He didn't work with Elves. And he certainly didn't socialize with Elves. It was that simple.

"Really? I love football, too!"

Zak couldn't help wonder if this girl was actually for real. He was expecting a level one sorcerer from the Institute...a professional...a _Human_. Instead he gets a _circuit head_ Elf girl. And yet, in spite of her bizarre appearance, he found her mysterious and provocative. He tried to reach out and sense any magic that she might be using, but got nothing.

When Megan sat down on the overstuffed leather couch, Ke'aira took a position right next to her and the Elf girl began making a fuss over her again. Ke'aira returned the affection freely. As Megan stroked the dog's coat, she looked over at Zak, who was still standing looking down at them.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, of course not," Zak said as he sank into the overstuffed chair across from her. He fought down the irritation he felt over Ke'aira's affection toward the Elf.

Megan's gaze met his. Her eyes were mesmerizing. The emerald green seemed almost liquid, creating the illusion that the golden flecks suspended there were actually moving within a subtle current. At least, Zak thought it was an illusion.

He judged her to be in her late twenties, perhaps a bit older. It was difficult to tell with Elves. They matured about the same as Human children, but in Elvish culture young adults were not considered to have come of age until they reached the age of thirty and, of course, they lived a lot longer than Humans.

Whatever her age, she was young and beautiful. Zak caught himself wondering if she was a virgin. Certainly, she was old enough to...

He repressed the thought, perplexed by the fact that it had even come to him. What was wrong with him? She was an Elf!

"I appreciate that the Institute was able to send someone at such short notice," he said to her awkwardly, "But I really don't think I'll be needing your services after all. I mean, I do still need the Institute's services, but I was hoping to work with Edward Brant. Not that there's anything wrong with you, understand. I've worked with Edward on several occasions in the past and we work well together. Not that I think you wouldn't work well, mind you..."

He was babbling and he knew it. He was trying to withdraw from the situation without offending her. After all, it wasn't as though he had anything against her personally.

"I can assure you that I am fully qualified," Megan said. "I am a certified Level One Sorcerer. I am also a Sister of the Seventh Circle of the Tah-Kna and I hold a Doctorate of Paranormal Science from the University of Elenathra in the Mythnol Forest. I have worked within industrial settings on a number of occasions in the past."

"I'm sure you are quite qualified." Zak felt awkward to the point of foolishness, but this could not work with an Elf, beautiful or not. "Would you please wait here a minute? I need to make an important comm call."

He was off to the kitchen area before Megan could answer. Picking up the headset from the counter, he said in a low voice, "Computer, contact the Institute of Occult and Paranormal Sciences."

Zak was surprised when Dr. Raghnall, himself, appeared on the video comm link. He'd always dealt with one of the Institute's public service reps in the past. For being ninety-three years old, Dr. Galen Raghnall looked to be in remarkably good shape for a Human. His snow-white hair flowed past his shoulders in thick waves, seamlessly merging with an equally white beard. His eyes were a deep blue, and revealed both the merriment of youth and the wisdom that only age could bring.

"Dr. Raghnall, I appreciate you sending someone so quickly, but I was wondering if Edward Brant was available."

"Is there some problem with Melanthrianis?" Dr. Raghnall asked.

"Who?"

"Megan," the wizard clarified. "I assure you she has all the credentials..."

"No, it's nothing like that." Zak interrupted and then faltered. How did he explain without sounding like a racist, which he was not! "I...I would just feel more comfortable with Edward, if he's available. Or perhaps David Jenson?"

"You do not like working with a woman!"

The words sent shockwaves into his back. He turned to find Megan standing behind him, her tone accusatory and her expression incredulous.

"No!" Zak was not accustomed to feeling embarrassment. What the frag was she doing sneaking up on him like that! "It has nothing to do with you, trust me. I'd just feel better working with someone I know..."

"Yes, that is it." Her smile turned bitter. "You do not think a woman can be as good at sorcery as a man!"

"No, that's not it at all!"

"Well, what then?" she asked. "Is it the way I am dressed? I can look corporate when it is required."

"No..." Zak was struck silent by a sudden change in her appearance.

It was as though he were suddenly looking at a different person entirely. The overstated make-up was now conservatively done. Her raven hair, although still cut short, was now minus the blonde streaks. She was dressed in a dark blue business suit that conformed perfectly to the latest style in women's business fashion. Her skirt was cut to just above the knee, the matching jacket snug in all the right places to enhance her femininity while maintaining a sense of formality, and the white blouse beneath showed sufficient cleavage to promote a second look from any male while not appearing too promiscuous.

"Is this better?" she asked with a smirk.

"Yes...no..." His distraction was nearly total, but he forced himself back to the issue at hand. "I mean no, it is not your appearance...at least not entirely."

"I'm sorry, but neither Edward nor David is available at the moment," Dr. Raghnall interrupted as Zak and Megan argued back and forth.

"Well, surely you have someone available who isn't an..." His distraction with the Elf's sudden change in appearance nearly caused him to blurt out what was really bothering him. In spite of stopping short, he knew instantly that he'd already said more than enough.

" _Who is not what?"_ Megan questioned him. "If it is not about me being a woman or the way I am dressed, then what..." Realization hit, her expression changing to one of distaste. "You do not want me because I am Elf!"

"No," Zak denied the accusation.

"You dick! Have you not noticed that you are Elf, yourself?"

"Really, it's nothing personal..." he tried to explain. "And I'm only part Elf."

"Nothing personal?" Her sensual voice was now laced with enough venom to kill. Her appearance snapped back to the degenerate look of before. "Nothing personal... You bastard, it is _very_ personal!"

Zak and Megan began shouting at one another, Zak on the defensive while Megan attacked.

"Please, Mr. Harris, Melanthrianis... Calm yourselves!" Dr. Raghnall's commanding voice suddenly filled the room and they both stopped arguing. It didn't occur to Zak to question how they could both hear the Wizard when the comm was still set for headset privacy. "There is a reason why I sent Megan. There's something I must explain to you both. Please set your comm to speaker, Mr. Harris."

Ah, here we go, Zak thought as he switched from headset to speaker. He never liked dealing with sorcerers. They were always much too – _mystical_ \- for his liking.

The wizard paused, as though waiting until he was certain he had gained both their attentions fully. Zak watched the old man on the monitor, knowing that he was not going to like what the wizard had to say. Megan stepped closer to the comm, now standing uncomfortably close to him. Ke'aira refused to acknowledge there was a problem, moving as Megan moved, her body pressed protectively against the Elf.

"I'm afraid you are both bound to one another...at least for a time," the wizard finally said.

"What?" both Zak and Megan said in unison.

"What do you mean _bound to one another_ , what are you talking about?" This confirmed Zak's apprehension about wizards. He had _known_ that magic was the cause of his sudden attraction to this Elf. "You used magic on me!"

"Of course not!" The wizard's brow knitted with impatience. "I am afraid this goes well beyond the control of any one of us."

"What are you talking about?"

"One of our Seers has had a _foretelling_."

"A foretelling?"

"Surely you know what a foretelling is," Megan said.

"Yes, of course I know what a foretelling is!" Zak snapped at her. "I just don't happen to believe in them."

"What was the foretelling, Dr. Raghnall?" Megan asked, ignoring Zak.

" _The words came to the Seer two weeks ago,"_ Dr. Raghnall said. He then recited the foretelling to them. _"The false man will be taken by those on a false path. One will rise in a false body. The world will be thrice at risk while evil ripens. Only the one who is two unresolved and the estranged daughter of the circles will deliver us."_

"What the hell does that supposed to mean?" It was just as Zak thought - a bunch of mystical gibberish. In spite of his skepticism, he couldn't help but think of the missing SHIAM after hearing the phrases _false man_ and _false body_. Nothing more than coincidence, he told himself. There couldn't possibly be any significance to it.

"Unfortunately, we did not immediately understand its meaning," Dr. Raghnall said. "We still do not know the entire meaning. But we were able to deduce that the reference to the _estranged daughter of the circles_ was a clear reference to you, Megan."

"Me?" The young Elf's first reaction was to become indignant, "Oh, come now! I am _hardly_ an estranged daughter..."

"Melanthrianis!" The Master Wizard wore a stern fatherly expression. Not angry, but unwilling to accept nonsense. "The _daughter of the circle_ is obviously a reference to a Sister of the Seventh Circle. This reference has appeared in other foretellings in the past. And you were sent to us because the sisters found you rather – _disruptive_ \- to their traditions. The Abbess felt that you, with your predilection for Human culture, could better serve the Seventh Circle as a liaison to our Institute."

"Oh, all right!" she said, suddenly flustered. "Perhaps the sisters were a little upset with me before I left."

"What a surprise," Zak mumbled.

"We were able to identify Megan fairly quickly, but we had no clue as to who the _one who is two unresolved_ referred to," The old man went on, turning to Zak. "That is, until your comm call requesting our assistance, Mr. Harris. After you contacted us, we took the liberty of looking into your background. You are obviously the _one who is two unresolved_. Your parents were of two different races, Human and Elf. And you have remained at odds with your Elvish blood all these years, never allowing your two natures to become one."

"You have no right snooping into my life!" Zak raised his voice in anger. "And I am hardly the only one with a mixture of Human and Elvish blood."

"Please, Mr. Harris," the wizard said evenly. "This is a serious matter. There is no time for delicacies. The point is that you fit the profile. Our Seer, once presented with both your identities, was able to determine that the lines of your two destinies do, in fact, meet at this point in time. So you see; it is clear that you are both bound to this situation. You are both destined to work together to resolve this threat."

"And what exactly is this threat?" Zak asked, still unconvinced.

"An excellent question," said the wizard. "Unfortunately, we do not know. The only thing that is clear is that there is some great evil at work and it puts us in grave peril. We believe that whatever is responsible for the atmospheric disturbances we are experiencing is a part of it. Since you have contacted us, we also suspect that whatever it is that led you to us also plays some part in it as well."

"You're assuming that just because I came along when I did, that it means I am some sort of _chosen one_?" Zak shook his head, attempting to appear amused although he actually wasn't. He was really beginning to regret contacting the Institute for help. "You do know what they say about when you _ass-u-me..._ "

"Mr. Harris! There is nothing humorous about this situation." The wizard gave Zak a hard look. "And I assure you that when a wizard _assumes_ , it is only those who do not heed his assumption that are the asses!"

"You cannot be serious!" Megan blurted out. "You cannot really expect me to work with this racist creep."

"I am not racist!"

"Aht!" The Wizard held up his hand to cut Zak's protest short. "Melanthrianis, you are Sister of the Seventh Circle of the Tah-Kna. You know very well that the Te is not to be taken lightly."

Megan bowed her head in resignation, "Of course, sir, I will do my part."

"And you, Mr. Harris. You have been trained in the Ways of the Te'n Kha. You, also, should know that the Te runs deep in all of our lives, and this fate goes far beyond any petty differences."

Zak didn't appreciate becoming a pawn in some mystical game, but he had learned during his service with ASID that some games had to be played regardless. As reluctant as he was to admit it, some instinct told him that all this mystical prattle could somehow fit into the Grimrok theft.

"Okay, I will accept the Institute's assistance...for now." He refused to recognize that a part of himself actually anticipated working with the beautiful Elf woman, who was even now glaring at him with hostility. "But get one thing straight. I have my own free will. There is no invisible force or fate driving _my_ life!"

Megan's smirk irritated him and he wanted to snarl some indignity back at her, but he didn't.

# 11

"We can take my car." Megan suggested as they headed around the side of the building towards the parking lot.

"That's okay, we'll take mine," Zak countered. Jacob, Zak's mechanic, had returned his car to him and he wanted to take it for a test drive. Besides, he really didn't want to be dependent upon Megan for transportation.

The rain had stopped for the moment and the wind had died, but storm clouds continued to press low against the city. Thunder still rolled angrily across the sky, punctuated by violent flashes of lightning. Since conceding to Dr. Raghnall's insistence that he and Megan work together, Zak had decided to continue with his investigation as planned and briefed Megan on some of the details. They were now on their way back to Grimrok Corporation. If she was the hot-shot sorceress Raghnall claimed her to be, she may at least be able to detect something that he wasn't able to.

"No really, I would rather take mine."

"What's wrong with my car?" Zak was more than a little annoyed with her controlling attitude as he gestured toward his vehicle. "This is a 5095 Subana Sport Classic. It's a collector's model."

"Yeah, and it should be in a museum, not a parking lot," Megan laughed as she gazed over at the vehicle. "It would not even get ten meters off the ground! We can take mine."

She pointed to a brand new bright red CM Grand Turbo Pegasus.

"Holy crap!" Zak couldn't believe she was driving a brand new Pegasus Runabout. "That's _your_ car?"

Megan smiled and shrugged. "Daddy is rich."

"Damn," Zak muttered as he followed her to the Pegasus. He had given in again, first to Raghnall about working with her and now to Megan. He was not normally that easily swayed, but this time he was willing to make an exception in order to ride in the Pegasus. "This vehicle is probably worth more than everything I own!"

"Yes, it probably is," Megan said, unlocking the doors. She slid behind the wheel and waited with a satisfied grin for Zak to get in.

Drop dead gorgeous and rich, too!

Zak climbed into the passenger seat. It was plush, comfortable beyond any car seat he'd ever sat in. The vehicle was all luxury, with a stylish padded dash that housed an entire bank of sophisticated computer readouts. When Megan started the Pegasus, he could barely hear the purr of the anti-grav engine.

"Better buckle up," she warned.

He didn't have time to question her. She put the machine in gear and they were off so quickly that he was certain he'd just gotten whiplash. She pulled out of the parking lot already going above the posted speed limit. Once on Slough Street, she climbed to two hundred meters so abruptly that Zak's stomach was left somewhere on the ground behind them.

"You should probably drive a bit slower," he commented.

"Do not worry." She actually sped up a bit. "Cops will not be out on a day like this."

"It isn't the cops that I'm worried about," Zak mumbled.

Megan turned south on River View Drive and headed for the nearest bridge to Sol Kappur West. For the most part they had the driving lanes to themselves, as the threatening weather limited the amount of traffic in the skyways.

"You really don't look very professional in those delinquent clothes," Zak said as he watched the distant buildings across the river.

"You should talk...you are wearing jeans and a t-shirt!" she shot back at him. After a long moment, she asked, "Is this better?"

She was again the professional business woman that she'd transformed into during their argument in his loft. Zak couldn't decide which was more distracting, the degenerate delinquent or the business Elf. Both personas were quite attractive in their own unique way and the contrast between the two was fascinating.

"Stop staring at me!"

"I wasn't staring."

He found it difficult to keep his eyes off her. Beside the fact that he found her irresistibly attractive in spite of himself, there was something...familiar...about her. What that meant exactly, he had no idea. He could neither shake the feeling nor put his finger on it. When he felt a stir of desire from the more obvious aspects of her appearance, he reminded himself again that she was Elf. That realization in itself should have soured his attraction to her, but it didn't. He intended to look away, but he didn't.

"What!" she said, now sounding embarrassed. "It is an illusion, okay?"

They drove on in silence for a time. Zak was the first to finally break it. "What do you make of this foretelling? I mean, you and me being the _chosen ones_ and all?"

"I do not pretend to understand the meaning any more than you do."

"You telling me that Raghnall didn't say anything to you before he sent you?"

"Dr. Raghnall is a very wise man and I trust his judgment." Megan looked straight ahead as she concentrated on her driving. "He did not tell me anything beforehand. What he told us over the comm was the first I heard anything about it. And trust me; I am no happier about it than you."

"Yeah, okay...but what the hell does it all mean?"

" _The false man will be taken,"_ Megan repeated the first line of the fortelling thoughtfully. "Perhaps the SHIAM you said was stolen, but what does the _false path_ symbolize?"

"You got me." Zak gazed out the passenger window at a city that was as gloomy and depressed as he was. "And what about the phrase _'one will rise in a false body'_?"

No answer.

" _The world will be thrice at risk?"_

"What about _'while evil ripens'_?" Megan countered in frustration, glancing over at him. "Look, I do not know what any of it means any more than you do!"

"Yeah well, I deal in facts, not a bunch of mumbo jumbo." He felt himself becoming drawn to her again and looked out the passenger window at the skyway as an aversion. He cursed himself for finding her so...damn distracting. "Raghnall is trying to manipulate us for some reason."

"If you believe that, then why did you agree to work with me?"

There was a long pause as he considered her question. The easy answer would be to say that he needed a sorcerer. But was that really the extent of it? Or had he bought into all the doom and gloom and mystical nonsense about the vision? He wasn't prepared to admit that. Was it the attraction he felt toward this Elf that had prevented him from sending her away? Or was that attraction simply another illusion, much like her current business-like appearance? Before he realized what he intended to say, he suddenly blurted out, "I am not a racist...really, I'm not!"

The statement seemed to catch Megan by surprise as much as it had Zak. She gave him a puzzling glance and then smiled as she turned her attention back to her driving.

"We will see," she said.

. . .

"What did you say your name was?" Vennhim cocked his head with exaggerated interest as he leaned back in his chair.

"Melanthrianis Teranika, but please call me Megan," she said from the other side of the desk. She gave Zak, who sat next to her, an unfavorable look. He had stumbled over the introductions. Not remembering her name, he had simply referred to her as his paranormal consultant. In truth, he hadn't paid her name any attention at all when they met. He had been, at first, too preoccupied anticipating her feminine charms and later there had been simply too many surprises being hurled at him for him to even care about her name.

"Teranika..." Vennhim repeated thoughtfully. "Not the Teranika, as in Duke Michavelli Teranika, member of the Council of Seven Nations?"

"Yes, he is my father."

"Well, now...isn't that interesting," Vennhim said, looking over at Zak, a vicious grin slowly spreading across his face.

The name hit Zak like incoming mortar. What more could go wrong on this day? Now, more than ever, he wanted this Elf girl gone.

"You know Duke Teranika, don't you Zak?" Vennhim was obviously enjoying himself. "Didn't you have some dealings with the Duke...about nineteen years ago, if I remember right?"

"You know my father?" Megan asked, turning toward Zak in surprise.

"No, I never had the pleasure." Zak shook his head emphatically, unable to look at her. He felt distinctly uncomfortable under her questioning gaze. He did manage to look at Vennhim, however, and the glare he gave him was meant as a warning for him to end the game. "Shall we get on with the business at hand?"

Vennhim's office was comfortable enough, but not nearly as luxurious or as spacious as Tobias Grimrok's office. A bank of security monitors spanning the length of one wall provided the head of security with the same viewpoints within the building and around the immediate vicinity outside as the various security monitoring stations. There was nothing in the room that suggested Vennhim had a personal life. No photos on the desk or on the walls and nothing but security logs on the wall-mounted shelves. There wasn't a single piece of artwork or plant life in the room.

"You do know that Grimrok is not going to be happy that you brought someone in on this."

"Don't worry about it," Zak said. "The Institute's people are all bonded. She is subject to the same confidentiality restrictions as I am."

"If you say so," Vennhim shrugged. He then changed the subject. "I'm glad you stopped by. I might have something for you."

"I just bet you do." Zak felt uneasy. Megan had been a distraction ever since she'd stepped into his loft. But now that he realized who she was, that distraction had taken on new dimensions. She had now become even more taboo than when he'd thought of her simply as an Elf. And worse yet, she had suddenly become leverage for Vennhim to use against him.

He wasn't about to let Vennhim gain the advantage here. He slumped casually back in the leather chair, his legs outstretched, using his body language to convey his indifference concerning Vennhim's games. Zak had always been good at bluffing. But he quickly decided that if Vennhim did play his trump card, he would have to hurt the man very badly.

"I reconnected with some old assets from when I was with the Department." Vennhim laced his hands behind his head, countering Zak's projected attitude with one of pronounced cockiness. "These people have indicated that EAST Group was involved with the break-in."

"EAST Group," Zak said flatly, relieved that Vennhim seemed to be taking the conversation in another direction...for the moment, anyway.

"That's the word on the street."

Zak chose not to let Vennhim know he'd already heard the rumor. "How would EAST Group even know about the SHIAM prototype?"

"That's your job to find out. You expect me to have it all wrapped up in a neat little package for you?"

"That would be nice." Zak remained partially distracted, unable to take his mind completely off the fact that Megan sat to his left. Or from the knowledge of who she was, now that he knew.

"Bullshit!" Vennhim said. "You wouldn't accept it if I did give it to you on a platter."

"This was a top secret project according to Grimrok," Zak pointed out. "Only his metal heads even knew about the project according to what he said. Now, I doubt very much that there are many SHIAM that would be willing to feed top secret information to a group who is dead set on turning them into so much scrap metal. So how did East Group manage to gain knowledge about the project, get the layout of the building and pull off the theft...all without leaving a trace?"

"Maybe they didn't," Vennhim said. "Maybe EAST Group broke in here to see what they could get their hands on and just got lucky."

"What, while stumbling around all this security, one of them just accidentally tripped and fell a hundred meters down a secret elevator shaft?" Zak snickered. "Just getting into the building undetected would take some pretty intimate knowledge of the facilities and the security system, not to mention some major resources!"

Vennhim sneered. "What can I tell you? You said it yourself, there are very few employees other than SHIAM working here. None of those Humans have sufficient access to the premises or to the high security projects to pull this off."

"You do."

"Frag you!"

"If the Humans didn't have access and the SHIAM aren't about to help an organization hell bent on turning them into high tech scrap, you're the only logical choice."

"What the frag is your problem, Harris!" Vennhim leaned forward in his chair as he shouted, his face twisting into a hostile sneer. "I'm trying to help you with this thing. You always did think you were such a hot-shot, better than the rest of us. At least I completed my missions!"

"Yea, at any cost."

"You want to bust my balls over something that happened six years ago, fine. But don't do it while you're on the clock!"

"It's not what you did that I object to, it's what you are!" Zak said in an oddly normal tone. He allowed a patronizing smile to form as he deliberately relaxed his body posture in a hope to further aggravate Vennhim with his coolness.

"What I am is a patriot!" Vennhim's voice grew even louder as he jumped up from his chair and began pacing. "And what I did is what I had to do. I served my country!"

He knew he was playing with fire. Vennhim was the kind of guy who wouldn't think twice about laying out the dirt on him in front of Megan, even if it was classified. Zak could sense her eyes on him as she tried to figure out what the two of them were talking about. The demon of guilt he kept caged within him reared its ugly head. He decided to cut back on the hostility before things moved beyond what he was prepared to deal with at the moment.

"Forget I said anything." It was the best Zak could in the way of appeasing Vennhim. He wanted to tell the man that he had served his country with a little too much zeal, but he remained quiet.

"You really need to put away this thing between us and get with the program!" Vennhim stopped his pacing and glared at Zak for a long moment.

Zak decided it was time to change the subject. "Do you believe the androids are tamper proof, that they can't be reprogrammed?"

"That's what they tell me." Vennhim sat back down, apparently willing to set aside their differences for the time being, if Zak was. "They are supposed to be hack proof and impossible to reverse engineer. The way I understand it, they have some sort of redundant fail-safe system and their skeletal structure is impossible to penetrate."

"You telling me there's nothing that can hurt these things?"

"A head shot with an electro-magnetic weapon would wipe its programming clean if the charge was powerful enough." Vennhim shrugged. "And a thirty metric ton press might crunch it enough to put an end to it. But to my knowledge, there's no way to get at the technology that wouldn't destroy it in the process."

"Is it possible that the technology was not the reason it was taken?" Megan spoke up.

"Very good, Ms. Teranika." Vennhim's sarcasm was obvious. "Your train has just arrived at my stop. And we have a lead that supports that premise. If EAST Group is involved, I doubt their intent was to clone the little guy."

"EAST Group would not..." Megan broke off what she was going to say.

" _Would not_ what?" Vennhim asked. "Would not break the law? Would not take property that didn't belong to them? You do watch the news, don't you, Ms. Teranika?"

Zak decided it was time to put a stop to this confrontation. "Ok, put me in touch with your assets so I can verify."

"For frag sakes, Zak! You know I can't do that. If I gave these guys up to you, I'd lose them for future needs."

"You expect to have future needs?" Zak asked with a smirk. "What future needs would that be? You're in the private sector now, aren't you?"

"Have it your way," Vennhim said in disgust as he leaned back heavily into his chair. "Since you aren't about to accept my help, I don't know why I should even give you this, but there's more."

"And what's that?

"They had help. The Dhoraz were involved."

Zak showed no reaction to the news, but there was a pull in his gut at the mention of the Orkensha terrorist group.

Vennhim sighed his frustration. "You can take the information or leave it, I don't much care which. Now, since you don't want my help, you won't mind excusing me so I can get some work done."

# 12

Vennhim assigned the SHIAM security guard, Jonas, to escort Zak and Megan during their investigation of the Grimrok building. As they made their way through the corridors Megan decided to become talkative.

"You already suspected that EAST Group was involved."

"Yep, I did."

"Do you believe that Orks are also involved?"

"Maybe."

"You do not like that guy, Vennhim, very much."

"No, I don't."

"What did he do to make you dislike him so?"

"He was born."

"Is he the reason why you left ASID?"

"Part of it."

"What else?"

Zak stopped and looked at her, but didn't respond right away. Her Elvish features stood out like blemishes to him, but surprisingly, they did nothing to detract from how beautiful she looked. An unwanted attraction pulled at him again, a desire to become close to her. Simply a pheromone reaction, he told himself. But in spite of trying to convince himself of that, he couldn't help feel that there was something more going on between them than he wanted to admit. Something he didn't like at all. The pull he felt toward her was magnetic, almost hypnotically irrational. It made him feel uneasy and he never liked feeling uneasy. Then there was the guilt and the sick feeling in his gut when he thought of who she was...

No! This was not the time or place for this. He brought himself back to her question and said simply, "I reached a point where there was a limit to what I was willing to do, even for my country."

She looked up at him with something that resembled surprise. And something else. Approval, or respect maybe. Whatever it was, he knew it was undeserved. And it only put him in a worse mood. He turned and continued down the corridor in silence.

. . .

"This is the gateway that links the Grimrok network to Comm Net," Jonas explained. "Mr. Grimrok has a passion for vintage automobiles and chose to have the data packets resemble the antiquated automobiles that operated on the internal combustion engines back before the development of anti-gravity vehicles. Those checkpoints at the entrance have been designed to resemble the old border checkpoints that existed between countries at the time of the ground cars. These checkpoints are actually part of the Grimrok network firewall."

Since Zak had already inspected the network on his last visit, he assumed that the tour guide monologue Jonas was providing was for Megan's benefit. He did have to admit, though, the virtual rendering was pretty impressive.

They stood at the entrance of a huge tunnel on a raised sidewalk looking out over what appeared to be a multi-lane expressway that ran into the tunnel. The network was busy with bumper-to-bumper traffic entering the Grimrok building. Each data packet resembled something you'd find at an antique car show. Most were representative of the makes and models from late 4900 to early 5000, but a few Zak recognized as dating back as far as 4830.

To their left the highway divided into separate lanes. Small white structures resembling the old border checkpoints Jonas had mentioned were positioned next to each of the lanes. Those virtual vehicles seeking to gain entrance to the Grimrok network were required to stop at one of the checkpoints while a simulated border guard checked the identity and destination of the data packet.

Occasionally one of the virtual vehicles would be turned away. But the vast majority of them were allowed to pass through, their colorful running lights creating a polychromatic stream as the data packets flowed into the interior of the Grimrok network.

On the far side of the tunnel a stream of outbound traffic ran counter-flow to the data stream running into the network, each virtual vehicle stopping at a similar checkpoint before it was either turned back or allowed to pass through the gates and onto the public data lanes of Comm Net.

"The streaming lights are really beautiful!" Megan commented.

"I designed the light arrays for the vehicles myself," Jonas said proudly.

"Good job," Megan complimented.

Jonas beamed like a schoolboy and then grew thoughtful. He turned to Megan and said, "You are not like most Elves, Ms. Teranika."

"In what way?"

"According to comm newscasts I have seen, Elves do not approve of SHIAM," Jonas said. "But you have shown no indication of disapproval or resentment towards us."

"Not all Elves are so closed minded," Megan said to him. "Give it time. Things will change."

Zak rolled his eyes with impatience. "Can we get on with this?"

"Yes, of course."

He turned to Megan. "Can you sense anything?"

"There is something here," Megan answered. She stood facing the traffic, her eyes now closed as she focused her Elvish senses.

"What is it?" Zak had to concede to the fact that Megan had an advantage when it came to being able to detect magic. Humans were able to learn sorcery. Some Humans even had a talent for it. But the Elves possessed a natural affinity with the paranormal that went far beyond anything any Human could ever experience. Zak's Human side seemed to have filtered much of that affinity out of his genetic makeup. Even when he was able to sense what the Elves called Li'Ethreal, the experience seemed much more mundane to him than what the Elves claimed to experience.

"Well, what is it!" Megan's lack of response was irritating.

"I do not know," she said finally. "It is very weak."

"Can't you pick up anything at all...the type of spell, how it was used, a signature...anything?"

Megan hesitated before responding. "I am not certain. It is all too fuzzy. The echoes are not clear."

"What do you mean?"

"You do not sense it." It was a statement not a question. The surprise in her expression irritated him even more.

"No."

"But you are Elf."

"Half Elf." For the first time in a long time, he felt a trace of embarrassment over his limited Elvish abilities. For some illogical reason a part of him regretted not living up to Megan's expectations. Then he caught himself. What the frag was he feeling sorry for! He immediately substituted indifference. "What did you mean by, _it's fuzzy_?"

"Sorcery is a construct of reality," Megan explained patiently. "When magic is used in this world, it creates ripples throughout Li'Ethreal, what Humans call the astral planes."

"I know what Li'Ethreal is!"

"Oh, I was not certain you did." Megan looked at him in a noncommittal way before continuing. "We call this the _ethereal echo_. It acts like an encoded radio signal, although it is not. It is actually..."

"I didn't ask for a lesson in magic," Zak said impatiently. "Get to the point!"

She gave him a hard look. "Like I said, it is all rather fuzzy. It seems there was more than one sorcerer involved. I think they were Orkensha, but I cannot be certain."

"Frag, so the Orks are involved!" Zak muttered.

"I said, I cannot be certain."

Zak's hatred for the Orks flared in spite of Megan's uncertainty, but he did his best to push it aside. He had been trained to remain objective and not to jump to conclusions. And even if Orks were involved, it still didn't mean that the Orkensha government or the Dhoraz were involved. It was quite common for Ork sorcerers to hire themselves out to any low life with the money to pay them.

He still couldn't rule out industrial espionage. There were plenty of corporations - both foreign and domestic - that would sell their souls to be able to grab the SHIAM technology from Grimrok. It was only a matter of time before one of them actually attempted to do just that.

But there was another angle as well. Vennhim had come close when he suggested that the thieves may have broken into Grimrok simply to see what they could find. While Zak thought this scenario unlikely, SHIAM technology was not the only tantalizing prize Grimrok held.

"Could the SHIAM theft have been a diversion to cover up the theft of something else, like weapons technology?"

"We have conducted a thorough investigation," Jonas said to him. "There is nothing else missing and there is no sign of any access to any other areas within the building."

"How can you be so certain there was no access to any other area?" Zak asked the SHIAM. "Your security team didn't even know there was a break-in until you noticed the SHIAM was missing. If it wasn't for the unit being gone, nobody would have even noticed the break-in."

Jonas looked perplexed, but said nothing.

"The Orks would find your weapons technology far more interesting than an android." The temptation to lay this on the Orks, even without conclusive evidence, was nearly irresistible for him.

"You cannot assume that Orks were involved," Megan said. "I told you, I cannot be certain. These echoes were deliberately distorted, making them impossible to interpret with any certainty. They seem to be Orkensha, but at the same time something does not feel right."

"What do you mean by that?"

Megan ignored his question. Concentrating again, she made an attempt to discover something more about the sorcery. After some time she gave up. "No, it is simply too distorted."

"That's not a big help," Zak mumbled. He had not intended for Megan to hear the comment, but Elves have a keen sense of hearing.

"I am sorry I cannot pull answers out of thin air!" Megan's face contorted with anger.

"Look, I didn't mean anything personal by it."

"There is one other thing," Megan said, clearly attempting to calm herself. "These traces I am detecting... I think they were deliberate."

"What?"

"The traces of _ethereal echoes_ , I think they were deliberately left to be found."

"What makes you say that?"

"It was very cleverly done," Megan said. "At first, I did not notice it, but the echoes seem to have been modified somehow. Normally the ethereal echo gradually deteriorates. Even with the use of strong sorcery they fade with time. The more they degrade, the more difficult it is to pick out any details about the particular sorcery. These traces here seem to have some sort of echo booster attached. They seem to send out periodic bursts, almost like beacons. They remain just strong enough to be detected, but too weak to gain any definite information. I am nearly positive this was no accident. Someone wanted the ethereal echoes to be found."

"Why would the thieves do that?" Jonas asked.

"A good question," Zak said thoughtfully. "A very good question."

# 13

"Do you hate everyone, or just everyone you do not approve of?"

"What are you talking about, I don't hate anyone!"

"Well, you were certainly rude to Jonas. You seem to have a hate-on for Mr. Vennhim. And you have already made it clear how you feel about Elves."

"The metal head isn't even alive," Zak said defensively. "I have no feelings one way or another about it. Vennhim...is a personal matter."

"And what of Elves?"

"I don't hate Elves. Not really. It's a long story."

The rain was coming down hard and Megan was forced to drive at ground level. Even though she claimed she had slowed down for the weather conditions, Zak felt she was still driving too fast. He remained a nervous passenger as he looked out past the swishing strokes of the wiper blades.

"Would you slow down!"

"I have slowed down."

"Not enough! You're still going too fast for conditions."

Megan's response was to accelerate. Not a lot. Just enough to let Zak notice the change in speed. When he looked over at her and saw the antagonizing grin on her face, he decided not to comment. Instead he sat silently brooding. Of all the Elves in the world, why did this girl have to be Michavelli Teranika's daughter?

"Well?" She said glancing over at him.

"Well, what?"

"What is it you have against Elves?"

"I told you, it's a long story." He was not happy with the way she made him feel. Off balance...and confused. He had always demanded control over himself in any situation. Since she had come along a few short hours ago, that control was already wavering. She had come into his life like floodwaters through a broken dam. And what really bothered him was that he was showing signs that he might enjoy the swim.

He had felt an attraction toward her from that very first glimpse he had of her on his security monitor, from the very first words she had spoken to him. Even after he'd learned that she was an Elf, the attraction remained. And even now, after learning who she was... Thinking about her identity brought back the guilt and with the guilt came regret. He fought back the memories that pressed at the edges of his mind. He needed to put those things behind him. It had all happened a very long time ago...

"What of the Orks?" Megan persisted with her questions. "Why do you hate them so?"

"They aren't exactly favored among Elves either."

"No, but it is different with you." She glanced over at him, those penetrating green eyes of hers searching for something from him. "You have a lot of unresolved anger."

"Don't try to psychoanalyze me!"

The slapping of the wiper blades suddenly sounded harsher than before. Angry. Then Zak realized that the anger was his own. He cursed her, but silently.

"How old are you?" he asked her, determined to change the subject.

"Thirty-three."

"You are barely out of puberty."

"I am an adult!"

"Talk to me again when you're two hundred."

Unlike Humans, Elves lived as long as five hundred years. Being half-Elf, at age fifty, Zak was still considered to be a fairly young man, but could only expect to live to be two hundred at most.

They drove the rest of the way in silence. As they approached his loft, Zak realized that he had again been watching Megan out of the corner of his eye. She'd dropped the fashion spell and was now back to the degenerate version of herself he'd first met. He was surprised when he realized that her punky fashion statement and Elvish features were no longer the focus of his attention. She was a desirable woman... No! Those kinds of thoughts had to end now!

Fortunately, He was home. Megan pulled over and let him out at the curb.

"I'll call you," he told her.

"Yeah, right!" They both knew he would not call her.

Megan drove off without another word. Zak watched her disappear into the pouring rain before turning and walking towards his building.

. . .

"Ke'aira!"

Zak didn't appreciate the unexpected spray of water as the dripping wet Wilderdog shook herself. Not that Zak was any drier himself. The storm had let up shortly after Megan had dropped him off at home. He had decided to take advantage of the break in the weather and, although a light rain was still falling, he took Ke'aira for her walk. They were only about halfway through their normal circuit when the light rain once again turned into a full-fledged monsoon.

Zak was more worried than angry as they headed for the bathroom to dry off. Ke'aira had been in a constant nervous state ever since he had returned home from his second visit to Grimrok Corporation. He had hoped that the walk would help calm her, but the dog had only reluctantly agreed to the walk, her worried eyes continually shifting from side to side as they went. She had not been her normally curious self and had remained glued to Zak's side as they made their way down the riverfront. When the storm hit again she turned and headed straight for home.

She now paced nervously, her eyes still filled with worry as she repeatedly glanced up at Zak as if expecting him to do something to fix whatever was wrong.

"Look at this floor. It's sopping wet. Who's going to clean this up!" Zak was hoping to provide Ke'aira with a sense of normalcy with his mock complaining. Even though he kept his voice light, he wasn't able to shake his concern over the dog's behavior.

Ke'aira cut his rant short by springing up on her hind legs, her front paws landing on his shoulders. She gave him several generous licks that did nothing to dry him. He was pleased that his distraction seemed to work.

"Okay, I forgive you. Now get down so I can dry us both off. And the bathroom."

She dropped down to the floor, but rather than waiting to get dried, she turned to leave. She gave one more shake-off, glancing over her shoulder as she walked out. Zak could have sworn that the dog was smiling as she left.

"I need to dry you off. Don't you go sitting on any of the furniture until you're dry!" he called after her, knowing full well that she was heading straight for the living room couch.

As he finished cleaning up and changed into dry clothes his thoughts returned to the Grimrok theft. Whoever pulled it off went to a lot of trouble, first by covering it up and then, apparently, by leaving intentional clues behind. If that was really the case. Megan admitted that she wasn't sure about what she had sensed. Could the beacon-like affect be some sort of an anomaly caused by the magic used in the break-in? If the echoes really were planted, did that mean the distorted Ork signatures were part of the plant? Or were they unintentionally left behind by the Ork sorcerers who had cast the spells?

Zak had more questions than answers and he found it beyond frustrating. Even his one and only solid lead was suspect. How could EAST Group have been involved? From all appearances, they didn't have anywhere near the funding to finance something like this? Could their financial woes possibly be bogus? Could they have had a financial backer for this operation? If so, then the question was; who was the backer...the Dhoraz? That seemed unlikely. Elves and Orks barely tolerated each other for the most part. The better odds were on one of the Elvish nations secretly backing EAST Group.

There were just too many possibilities right now. The anti-SHIAM sentiment wasn't the only possible motivation for the theft. The commercial value of the SHIAM technology was worth billions of credits. And, even though the World Federation had set restrictive guidelines in the use of AI technology in order to prevent it, the possibilities for military applications were numerous. Which brought Zak back to the possibility of both domestic and international involvement.

He used the towel he'd dried off with to dry the bathroom floor and walls. One big question was; how did information about the new generation SHIAM leak out of Grimrok in the first place? It didn't seem likely that one of the SHIAM would have leaked it. Could one of the low level employees be a spy? It was the only thing that made any kind of sense. Even though Zak had accused Vennhim, he really couldn't see the ex-ASID agent being involved. Vennhim was all about patriotism. He was excessive and fanatical, but not the kind of guy to hire out for industrial espionage. Unless...

No. Zak immediately dismissed the idea Vennhim could be on a covert assignment for ASID. What possible motive could the Aragne government have for stealing technology from one of their own military contractors? Still, there was something about Vennhim leaving ASID that picked at him. Vennhim was the lifer type. He liked the intrigue, not to mention the violence. Was it possible that even Vennhim had reached a point where he'd had enough? Zak made his way from the bathroom to his office area. He ignored the wet spot on the couch as Ke'aira jumped off it in order to follow him. He didn't quite make it to his desk when the lower lobby intercom buzzed.

"It is Megan," the voice from the intercom responded. "I need to speak with you."

Zak hesitated. The sound of her voice produced both apprehension and anticipation within him. When she left him on the curb, he had intended for her to be out of his life for good. Now that she had returned, he felt relief at the prospect of seeing her again. But a sense of dread followed close behind. Her return signified a complication in his life that he had no desire to deal with.

"Zak, can I come up?"

The tension in Megan's voice pulled him out of his dilemma. Something was wrong.

"Sure, come on up," he told her.

When the elevator appeared Megan slid the gate up and stepped into the loft. She had changed into a pair of faded blue jeans that were no less tight than those she had worn earlier. She also wore a man's styled shirt beneath a denim jacket. The top buttons on the blood red shirt she wore were undone, distracting Zak with a generous view of her cleavage. She had traded her military boots for a pair of high-heeled black leather boots. Her make-up was slightly different. Not as dark, but no less exotic. But even the make-up could not mask the worry that made her face tight with stress.

"What's wrong?" Zak asked. He immediately felt protective of her. Seeing her distress sent something resembling chills down his spine, but he denied that it was anything more than compassion.

Ke'aira had also sensed that something was not right. She pressed her body against Megan's leg in a protective stance and nuzzled her hand. Megan began absently stroking the dog's coat, massaging Ke'aira's neck and back.

"I am sorry to bother you," Megan said apologetically.

"It's okay. What is it?"

"Do you believe EAST Group is really involved with all this?"

The question threw Zak for a moment. He had expected a personal problem from Megan, judging by her mood. He hadn't expected her to be worrying over the case. "There's no solid proof either way. Why?"

"Well, I have friends who are members of EAST Group..." She hesitated as though unsure if she should continue.

Why was he not surprised at this revelation? "And you didn't think it was important to mention this to me before?"

"I did not think it mattered," she said. "I never imagined that my friends would become involved with..."

Zak pushed back his irritation with a deep breath. "Okay. It's all right, forget it. Why don't you just tell me what's going on."

"I have these friends...Samarah Lenetha and Gavril Iliadd." She stooped and gave Ke'aira a hug as the dog continued to offer her comfort. "Samarah... She called me a little while ago. She is concerned about Gavril. She has not heard from him for a few days. At first, I told her not to worry. I have known Gavril a long time. He is good at disappearing for days at a time. Usually, he takes off into the forests or wanders from place to place on walkabout..."

"He's an Elf?"

"Yes." Her expression turned instantly cold.

"I was just asking," Zak said, holding up his hands defensively. "I didn't mean anything by it!"

Megan warmed slightly and continued. "He can be very irresponsible at times. And Samarah tends to overreact. But then I got this really bad feeling."

"You'd better come have a seat."

Zak led her into the living area with Ke'aira keeping pace at her side.

"Ah, Ke'aira!" Zak had forgotten about the couch. The plush leather was wet and small pools of water had accumulated in the recessed areas of the cushions. "You'd better sit in the chair."

As Megan seated herself in the chair with Ke'aira taking up position on the floor in front of her, Zak sat on the arm of the couch, ignoring the puddles of water for the moment.

"So, you have a bad feeling," he repeated her words. "What, exactly, does that mean?"

"Well, I am not a seer or fortuneteller or anything, if that is what you are getting at!"

"I'm not trying to get at anything," he assured her. "I am simply trying to understand what you are saying."

She was silent for a moment. And then she said, "I just started thinking about all the stuff about the theft and all. I realized then that, according to what Samarah told me, Gavril disappeared about the same time as the burglary."

"Does this Gavril seem like the type to get mixed up in something like this?"

"Samarah and Gavril both joined the EAST Group together. Samarah only joined because it was what Gavril wanted. It was Gavril who was really committed to the cause. He felt very strongly against the SHIAM, any kind of artificial intelligence for that matter. He believes that it is an abomination, that machine intelligence mocks the sacredness of true life."

"There are a lot of people who feel that way, Humans as well as Elves."

"If EAST Group was involved in the theft, I would not be surprised if Gavril was a part of it."

"And this feeling of yours," Zak said, watching her closely. "Elvish premonition?"

Well, yeah." she said as she idly stroked Ke'aira's coat.

"Of course." Zak sighed. "You do realize that even Elvish premonition is not infallible?"

"I know that!"

He watched her for several silent moments. Her concern and fear for her friend acted like a catalyst, stirring his desire to help. The pain on her face failed to detract from her natural beauty, but he didn't like seeing it there. His mind was made up before he realized it.

"Right, then let's go visit your friend, Samarah, and see what we can find out."

Megan cheered up noticeably at his suggestion, but Ke'aira voiced her disappointment that Zak and Megan were leaving, and that she was being excluded from the outing. She whined scratching at the elevator gate as the lift began its descent to the ground floor.

"You know, it's really weird how Ke'aira has taken to you so quickly," Zak said as his loft disappeared from sight. "She usually doesn't take to people."

# 14

"This bad feeling you got. Is there anything specific?"

"No, it is not like that. It is just a feeling, nothing concrete."

They had taken Megan's Pegasus again. The sun was setting somewhere deep in the west, still completely hidden by thick black clouds. Although it was only early evening, it was already dark. Fortunately, the rain had once again subsided to nothing more than a persistent drizzle. Megan drove at ground level and too fast, as usual. They headed east on Slough Street with very little traffic to deal with.

"So, you're friends... Have you known them long?"

"Samarah and I grew up together in Port of Velsalador."

"You grew up in a fishing village?" He knew that she hadn't, but he had no intention of letting her find out just how much he knew about the daughter of Duke Teranika. Besides, he found himself curious about the more personal things about her, things that were not necessarily included in an intelligence dossier.

"Not entirely," Megan said. "When I was younger, we lived part of the year in Port of Velsalador and part of the year in Telendera, because of my father's work. How do you know my father?"

"I told you, I don't." He was certain that his answer sounded as awkward as it felt. He quickly changed the subject. "So, which home did you prefer?"

Megan remained silent, as though she was considering why he avoided the subject of her father. He could almost see the question in her expression, but finally she let it go. "Daddy had to sit on the Council in Telendera six months of the year. I really didn't like it there."

When he did not comment she said, "Is something wrong?"

"What?" His distraction had been spawned by the recurring guilt that had been dogging him ever since he learned of her identity. He had once come very close to irrevocably destroying this woman's life. "No. No, nothing's wrong."

The silence that followed felt awkward until Megan decided to end it with her never-ending questions. "So, why do you hate the Orkensha so?"

He considered not answering her, but found himself saying, "When I was thirteen, my mother and I went on holiday to Nanticoke, in the northern part of the Ghan Je'n Province. Right across the street from the hotel where we were staying was a bakery that had the best elrolls I had ever tasted. We were there for two weeks. On the day we were to leave I wanted my mother to buy some elrolls for our trip home. She kept saying that there was no time. We'd gotten up late that morning and had to hurry to catch our flight. I begged and pleaded with her until she finally gave in. I wanted to go with her, but she insisted that I stay and finish packing. A few minutes after she left, there was an explosion. It shook the hotel, shattering every window in the place.

"The blast knocked me clean off my feet. When I got up and looked out the window to see what had happened... There was nothing left of the bakery across the street. The Dhoraz claimed responsibility."

"I am so sorry," Megan said.

"It was a long time ago." Zak fought back his bitterness. "I have not eaten an elroll since that day."

After another long pause, Megan asked, "What about your father?"

"Oh, you've probably heard of the great legend," Zak said with sarcastic admiration. "Commander Gabriale Milliandur of the Te'n Kha."

"No way!" She looked over at him, unable to contain her excitement. "Your father was Commander Milliandur of Faolan?"

"Yeah, the one and only," he muttered. "I really think you should slow down."

"That is incredible!" she said, ignoring his request.

"Yeah, I've always thought so." His voice was flat and emotionless.

Megan studied him long enough for him to become uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

"Watch the road, will you?"

She turned her attention back to the road, but said, "I take it that you did not get along with your father?"

"That's probably the world's biggest understatement."

"Why?"

"Listen, I really would rather not talk about it, if it's all the same to you."

"Yeah, sure. No problem. We are almost at Samarah's anyway."

She made a left onto Braquemar Road, pulled up in front of an empty storefront just beyond the corner and parked the car. The drizzle had once again turned into a downpour. Zak was pleasantly surprised when he got out of the car and found Megan had included him in a weather protection spell she had cast. He was grateful to be out of the vehicle and to have the question and answer session over. The discomfort from Megan's questions lingered, but at least now that they were out of the close confines of the vehicle he could regain a professional distance from her.

A cracked and broken sidewalk ran parallel to a street covered in grime in spite of the rain that had fallen over the past several days. Rows of dilapidated two-story buildings ran as far as the eye could see in both directions. Even with this degree of neglect the neighborhood seemed upscale compared to the Zone.

Megan quickly led him to an entrance located beside the deserted store. The door opened into a dingy stairway leading up to a second floor apartment. The stairs were worn and creaked with age. The white painted walls were dirty and peeling, as was the lime green door to the apartment at the top of the stairs.

"Your friends live here?"

"Gavril walked away from his inheritance when he decided to come to the Aragne Commonwealth," Megan said. "And Samarah's father disowned her for marrying Gavril against his wishes. They have had a rough time of it ever since."

She knocked once and waited.

The Elf woman who opened the door was slightly taller than Megan and sickly thin. She looked as though she had aged unnaturally beyond her years. Her face was lined with worry, her skin ghostly pale even for an Elf, and her dark hair was unkempt with streaks of white running through it. She wasn't wearing make-up and her eyes were red and swollen from crying.

"Oh Megan, I am so glad you came!" Samarah threw her arms around her friend, her body convulsing with sobs.

"Sshhh... Honey, it is going to be okay." Megan returned the hug in an attempt to comfort the woman. They held their embrace for some time before Megan pulled herself away and led Samarah back into the apartment. Zak followed along, feeling fairly forgotten and useless for the moment.

The apartment was small and grungy. A coat of paint would have helped, but it would take more than some color to get the place up to any acceptable standard. Samarah could have been too worried to keep up with the housework since her boyfriend's disappearance, but Zak suspected otherwise. The clothes and other clutter lying around simply looked too settled to have been recent occurrences, as did the dust and grime.

Megan was obviously familiar with the layout of the apartment. She led the way into a small kitchen and planted Samarah on a chair at a cluttered table. She then made herself busy making a pot of herbal tea. She introduced Zak to Samarah while she put the kettle of water on the stove. No automated food processor here. Zak nodded silently to the woman and sat down at the table across from her. He felt awkward and out of place. Emotional women were not something Zak was particularly good at dealing with.

"So, tell us what happened," Megan said. She leaned back against the counter top to wait for the water to boil, ignoring what was obviously several days of dirty dishes piled along the length of the countertop. "Did you two have a fight?"

"No," Samarah sniffed. "Everything is good between us. At least, as far as I know, everything is good."

"Did you notice anything unusual?" Zak asked her. When she looked at him blankly he added, "About his behavior before he left?"

"I do not know what you mean," she sniffed.

"Was he acting different than he normally acted. Like, going out more than usual, staying out later, acting more secretive or nervous, that kind of thing?" Megan said.

"Well, he did start going to EAST meetings an awfully lot," she said thoughtfully. "Almost every night. He told me that he was part of some committee."

"What sort of committee?" Zak asked.

"I do not know. He did not say."

The water on the stove began to boil and Megan went back to making the tea. When she was finished she joined Zak and Samarah at the table. Megan chatted with Samarah while they drank their tea, doing her best to reassure her friend that everything would be alright. But Samarah's worry remained constant. She told them that Gavril had been neglecting his business lately. Megan interrupted her friend long enough to explain to Zak that Gavril worked as a handyman, doing odd jobs for the residents of the neighborhood.

"He became so preoccupied with EAST Group over the past several weeks that he started to skip job appointments," Samarah said. "He was never like that before. Sure, he tended to take off at times, but never like this. If he agreed to do something for someone, he would do it. He would never _just not show up_."

Zak met Megan's gaze. He could tell she was thinking the same thing he was; Gavril was definitely involved in something. The question was; what exactly was he involved in and what had happened to him?

"Honey, can we go through Gavril's things, see if we can find a clue to where he might be?" Megan asked Samarah.

"Yes, of course."

Samarah led them to a spare bedroom that served as Gavril's office and then left them alone. This room was even more cluttered than the rest of the apartment. Old furniture and boxes of broken lamps, comm units, food processors and the like were piled and stacked everywhere. Megan explained that Gavril stored the stuff until he could fix them up and then he would sell the items at various on-line auctions. As he looked around, it all looked like junk to Zak.

There was a small desk against one wall with a file cabinet next to it. The area seemed to be Gavril's primary work area, so they concentrated their attention there, Zak searching through the desk while Megan looked through the file cabinet next to it. After finding nothing, they expanded their search to the rest of the room. At the end of their efforts, they still had nothing.

"I can't believe it," Zak said. "There isn't a hint of what this guy has been up to!"

He caught himself staring at Megan as she stood across the room with her hands on her hips. She was beautiful to the point of distraction. He smiled to himself as he watched her pucker her lips in thought, her brow furrowing with the same frustration he felt. He was becoming so used to her unorthodox appearance that he now found it almost appealing somehow. It certainly suited her defiant personality. As he became aware of his thoughts, he forced them away. She was an Elf, damn it. And not just any Elf. And that fact added a whole mountain of complication to things.

Megan began looking around the room again in a desperate attempt to find something they might have missed. Suddenly she noticed that _something_. It was laying on the floor between the desk and the file cabinet, the leg of the cabinet nearly blocking it from view. Reaching down she retrieved a folded slip of paper.

"What do you make of this?" she asked Zak after unfolding the paper and reading it.

There was only an address: 78 Venmuroo Road.

"Venmuroo Road," Zak said. "That's near the river, down in the Zone."

"Do you think it means something?"

"Could be nothing more than a client's address," Zak shrugged.

"Yeah, except nothing else that I have found here was so cryptic," she said looking up at him. "Any notes concerning jobs included the client's name and a description of the job, as well as the address. It is odd that he would change the way he made notations on only one job."

"You're right," Zak agreed. "I found the same consistency with the papers I went through. In fact, everything he wrote was overflowing with detail. He doesn't seem to be a cryptic type of guy. Besides, it's all we have right now. Let's go check it out."

Samarah was waiting for them in the cramped living room. She thanked them both for their help and Megan promised her that she would let her know the minute she knew anything. They left the building to find a full-blown storm in progress. The rain was falling in torrents and the wind gusts were powerful enough to nearly blow them over. Zak was at least thankful that the storm forced Megan to drive a bit slower, although she still drove too fast in his opinion.

"I think your friend is on the verge of losing it big time," Zak observed as they headed for the Zone. "Is she always that emotional?"

"Yeah, she can be," Megan answered as she hunched forward, concentrating on trying to see the road through the downpour. "She has not had a very happy life. Even when she was back home. And I really do not think Gavril is a good match for her. She needs someone who is willing to settle down and give her stability. Someone who will be there for her."

"I take it that Gavril isn't the settling down type?"

"No, not at all," she said. "Gavril gets bored easily. He is always looking for something new and exciting. He talked Samarah into moving here in the first place. She wanted to stay in Mythnol Forest. But Gavril would have none of that. He wanted to come live among the Humans, to become somebody." She shook her head as she slowed the vehicle and made a right at the corner. "They were both better off back home."

"What about you?" Zak asked, catching himself staring at her again. "Dr. Raghnall said something about the sister's sent you to the Institute. Is that why you came to Sol Kappur?"

Megan blushed. "I was not really very popular among the Sisters. They felt that I was a little too... _free spirited_...for the Circle. I seemed always to be getting into trouble for one thing or another. The Reverend Mother asked Daddy to speak with me, to see if he could get me to fall into line. I think he knew, even before he came to see me, that it was a lost cause. I was just being me. It is how I have been all my life, ever since I was a little girl."

"And how is that?"

"Free spirited," she said with a smile and then broke into laughter.

Zak found her laugh delightful. Smiling to himself, he said to her, "I must admit, you're not exactly what I would expect a Sister of the Seventh Circle to be like."

That made her laugh all the more. Zak decided he liked watching her laugh. It was intoxicating. Her eyes seemed to sparkle, the golden flecks in them shimmering.

"The Sisters felt much the same way," she said. "Anyway, Reverend Mother arranged for me to be appointed to the Institute as a paranormal researcher. I suspect my father was in on it as well, in order to relieve him from the obligation of trying to change me. I like it here well enough, but there are times that I really miss home. There is nothing more beautiful than the Mythnol Forest."

Zak continued to watch her, his guilt over past sins nibbling at him again.

Megan became aware of his steady gaze and her laugh was nervous this time. "What did you expect, an old maid veiled and robed?"

"Well," he said. "I did expect someone a little more...pious."

"My father was hoping for that, too." Her smile turned almost sad. "He is like many of the older generation. He believes the old ways are best and that they should be followed out of respect for our heritage. How much do you know about the Tah-Kna, anyway?"

"Not much," he admitted. "Never been very religious."

"Now that remark shows that you know nothing about it," Megan said, turning another corner. "Tah-Kna is not a religion. Not in the way Humans think of religion, anyway. Do you not know anything about Elvish culture?"

"Yeah, I know some," he said defensively.

He kept Megan in his peripheral vision as he made a show of looking out the window. He didn't want her to know that he was studying her, but he couldn't seem to get enough of her. She was one attractive woman. And the fact that she was an Elf seemed less important at the moment. After several minutes Zak broke his own silence. "Do you really believe that stuff about foretelling and all?"

"Of course, all Seers possess special insight into the T'eh."

"Yeah well, you may think your destiny is locked into some grand scheme, but mine isn't. I choose my own destiny."

"You are bound to your destiny whether you believe in it or not," Megan told him patiently.

"So you think that some cosmic plan brought us together?"

There was no chance of misinterpreting the sarcasm that went along with his question. Megan looked over at him, her smile holding a hint of a reprimand. "Yes."

They both settled into the silence that followed. As they entered into the Zone the neighborhoods they passed through became more deserted. Zak couldn't help but wonder if it was the violence of the storm that had so completely cleared the streets, or was it the violent predators who hunted there.

Rain was still falling heavily when Megan turned onto Venmuroo Road and Zak had a difficult time reading the street numbers. He figured seventy-eight to be pretty close to the waterfront, since street numbers in the city generally began at the Serpent River and increased eastward.

The buildings along Venmuroo were all commercial, and like everywhere in the Zone, were mostly abandoned and badly in need of some tender loving care. Even the few that were occupied were no prizes, being run down and shabby at best. Most of the commercial occupants in these buildings hadn't even put up signs to identify their business. But then, the type of commerce that was attracted to these buildings were not the sort that was advertised on Comm Net or conducted sidewalk sales. Other than maybe a small import business, or a low-end storage broker, these businesses were mostly of the illegal variety. Illegal drug manufacturers, counterfeiters, thieves and slavers prevailed in this part of the city. Not exactly your Chamber of Commerce types.

"It has to be this next block," Zak said when they pulled up to the stop sign at the intersection with River View Drive. "The river is all there is after that."

Megan drove even slower as she started down the last block of Venmuroo Road. The first decrepit building on the corner to their left was followed by two empty lots. Megan stopped at the first building they came to after that.

"This is it." she said in a low even voice.

In the darkness the single-story structure was no more than a shadow. The headlights of Megan's Pegasus illuminated an old beat-up sign at the entrance to the deserted parking lot which proclaimed the building to be _Tanner's Warehouse_ in faded black print. In the flashes of lightning the building took shape, a collage of colorful graffiti smeared across old red brick walls. Well above ground level a single row of windows, most with their panes broken out, revealed total darkness inside. The warehouse had obviously not been used for quite some time. The parking lot consisted of more potholes than pavement and the bit of lawn in the front of the property was a jungle of weeds and tall grass.

"What the hell is that?" Zak said, straining for a better look through the heavy rain. He could barely make out a narrow band of reddish, luminous air shimmering up into the blackened clouds.

"Some sort of energy discharge?" Megan guessed.

"Yeah, but from what?" He used his Elf vision in an attempt to make out more detail. It didn't take long before he felt the first twinges of pain in his head from using his special vision, as he continued to stare at the distorted stream. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Nor have I." Megan sounded as mystified as Zak felt as she stared up at the roof. "Look. The air is thickening and the red seems to be growing darker. I think the energy must be building."

As they watched, the throbbing distortion grew in intensity, vibrating wilder with each pulse. It appeared to expand, untouched by the rainwater, which cascaded down around it in unnatural streams. Gradually the distortion became more and more agitated, shaking and shimmering more violently. Then suddenly the shimmering column snapped away from the rooftop and drifted up into the night sky. Lightning flashed above the building, turning darkness into split-second daylight. Before either of them could react, another distortion began forming on the roof in the exact spot where the first had just broken away.

"Guess we should go and take a closer look," Zak said, switching back to his normal vision.

Megan pulled into the driveway that led to the empty parking lot. The potholes posed no problem for her anti-grav car and Zak watched the anomaly on the roof disappear from view, now hidden by the building as they approached it. Megan parked next to a door at the side of the building. They both sat for another long moment, watching the futile attempt of the wipers to clear the windshield of the steady stream of rain.

"I really don't think I'm going to like this," Zak said. A feeling of apprehension settled over his mood. He couldn't put his finger on the reason, but he knew he was not anxious to find the answer. He could tell by Megan's reluctance to get out of the car that she shared his feelings.

Megan finally opened the glove box and pulled out a flashlight. Handing it to Zak, she opened her door and got out of the Pegasus. They had no umbrella and Megan seemed too distracted to bother with a protection from rain spell, so they were soaking wet well before reaching the small side door.

She stood waiting for Zak to open the door to the building. As he reached out to try the door, he somehow knew that it was not locked and when his hand came in contact with the metal handle, he suddenly felt something that made his skin crawl.

# 15

Death met them at the door.

There were no decomposing bodies or gross smell of decay, although it promised all that. Elves could perceive much more than Humans. It was like a _knowing_. It was as clear as sight and as strong as smell. And it was as undeniable as touch. A profound sorrow threatened to overwhelm Zak, a sudden sense of loss so strong that it seemed to rip away a part of his soul. The grief was not personal to him, but perhaps more deeply felt for that very reason. It was one Elvish ability that Zak resented above all the others for its intrusiveness, although it had served him well back in the days when death had been so much a part of his job, providing him with an unfailing warning system whenever death and the impending danger that so often accompanied it was nearby.

The danger he felt now, however, was not immediate.

"Oh, no!" Megan stepped slowly into the building behind him. She also felt it.

The sadness and pain in her voice mirrored the instinctive _feelings_ Zak was struggling with. Elvish emotions were intense, especially those related to their extra-ordinary senses and Zak's Human side only threw him deeper into that turmoil. Humans had much less natural control over their emotions and he had the misfortune of sharing in that. Elves were also taught increased control over their emotions through their spiritual training, but Zak had rejected the spiritual aspects of his training during his time with the Elves. And so, he remained at the mercy of his raw emotions.

A sense of grief threatened to consume him. It was by no means the first time he'd felt it, but it never seemed to become any easier to deal with. It was all he could do to maintain his composure as he wrestled with the disproportionate feelings induced by a mixture of Elvish and Human blood. This lack of control had been, perhaps, his biggest challenge during his time in the military and later with ASID. Even though it had served as an early warning system against impending danger, it had also been an emotional burden that could have easily gotten him killed, and nearly had on more than one occasion.

"No..." Megan repeated more softly this time.

"Bloody hell!" Zak's only defense against the intensity of emotion was anger. It came to him as automatic as his resentment towards his Elvish heritage. He knew that as intense as his emotions were, Megan's were even more so. After all, she was a full-blooded Elf. What he overlooked in his unexpected desire to protect her from the pain he felt was that, being an Elf, she was also better equipped to handle the intensity of those emotions. "Maybe you should stay here."

"Not a chance," she said stoically. "We are in this together."

He looked at her for a long moment, the darkness within the building masking her features from him, "Have it your way."

Dripping wet, they crept further into the building. Zak turned the flashlight on and led the way. Using his Elf vision along with the flashlight would have enhanced his ability to see considerably, but because of the headache he already had from his brief use of his special vision earlier, he chose to make do with his normal sight. The beam of the flashlight tunneled into the darkness, revealing rows of ivory colored steel shelving that seemed to run the length of the warehouse. The shelving stood a good six meters high, with wide isles running between each row like forgotten trails through metal canyons. Most of the shelves were empty but for the occasional abandoned box or forgotten crate. The windows they had seen from outside spanned the length of the building along the near wall, allowing periodic strobes of lightning to freeze their surroundings in flashes of stark white light.

Zak took the first isle and followed it. The sense of death and loss grew heavier with every step he took. The building was warm and humid, smelled damp and moldy. The ivory shelving rose up to the rafters on either side of them, stretched out into the gloom before them like hideous skeletons of long dead monsters. Dust and cobwebs confirmed that the warehouse had not been used in some time.

At first there was only dead silence inside the building, the stillness disturbed only by the persistent rain and thunder from outside. But as they moved deeper into the building, they picked up on another sound. A distant crackling, like high voltage current arching across two contact points, seemed to rise and fall within the silence of the building. It was barely audible above the tin sound of the rain falling upon the metal roof above them, but grew steadily louder and then abruptly ended in a soft popping sound. Several heartbeats later the low sizzling began again, slowly growing into the crackling discharge of unseen energy.

"Do you hear that?" Megan whispered.

"Yeah, I hear it." Zak concluded that the sound belonged to the strange anomaly they'd seen on the roof of the building on the way in.

About a quarter of the way through the length of the building they came to an intersection. To the right, the cross-isle ran only several meters before stopping at the near wall. Looking to the left they could see only that it ran on into the darkness, presumably to the far end of the building. They continued straight ahead, following the strange crackling sound that grew steadily louder the further they went.

As the end of the shelves drew nearer, they became aware of another sense, that of smell. Death greeted them here in a more tangible manner, drifting on invisible air currents as a blend of old blood and decay. A shaky breath escaped from Megan as she walked next to Zak. He, himself, felt an increasing nausea as they went on.

The smell of decomposition quickly grew to a much worse stench as they came to the end of the steel framed shelves. They were about three quarters through the length of the building and were entering what appeared to have once been some sort of packaging area.

"Try breathing through your mouth," Zak said. "It'll help a little."

The nearness of death was now like some great weight pressing down upon him. He fought to shrug it off, as he aimed the flashlight past the shelving and swept it in a large arch. The narrow beam cut into the darkness, revealing a row of workbenches stretching from the near wall on the right and on into the darkness to their left. As he worked the light along the benches, he could see that they were empty, evenly spaced with gaps between them to allow passage from one side of the tables to the other. Beyond the workbenches several wooden pallets were scattered about the floor.

"The sound is coming from over there." Megan motioned to a point beyond the pallets.

Zak pointed the light in the direction she indicated and it fell upon a small prefab aluminum structure about thirty meters away. The metallic walls were an age-yellowed white that appeared much brighter in the glare of the flashlight. A large glass window and a door were set into the wall nearest them.

"Looks like some sort of office."

"That is not what it is being used for now!" Megan said. "Look...the window."

The large window had revealed only darkness except where the beam of Zak's flashlight reflected back from the glass. But when he took a closer look he detected a subtle change inside the office. The pure darkness of before was slowly being replaced with a reddish luminescence. As he watched the tainted reddish glow gradually grew brighter, throbbing and pulsing to a soft sizzling sound.

The sizzling morphed into the same crackling sound of energy they had been hearing since they entered the building, the crimson glow steadily growing brighter within the small room. The air above the office became distorted, the same rippling affect they'd seen above the building outside now rising up from the small prefab office towards the roof of the building.

The light blinked out with a distinctive popping sound, the air becoming once again calm and dark within the office. In the sudden silence, the persistent rattling of rain upon the metal roof seemed even more ominous than before and death again reminded them of its nearby presence.

Zak's senses told him that the bodies were close. As curious as he was about what was going on inside the small structure, it would just have to wait. He flashed his light over the concrete floor, inspecting his immediate surroundings for any sign of what he expected to find. The oval brightness immediately fell upon numerous tracks that had been stomped into the thick dust of the floor. He followed the trail with his light. It led from the door of the small office off to his left, toward the line of workbenches they'd seen. He approached the prints carefully, bent down and began to examine them.

"Looks like a number of people were here recently," he said as he studied the floor. "Hard to tell if they were Orks or Elves, both walk similarly. I'm pretty sure these were made by one or the other. Certainly not by Humans."

"There are both Ork and Elf prints," Megan said peering over his shoulder. "Perhaps some Human, as well. It is difficult to tell when most of the prints are so mucked up."

"Mucked up?" In spite of the oppressive weight of their situation, or maybe because of it, Zak had to smile at her use of the outdated Human expression.

He followed the footprints towards one of the gaps between the tables. It was then that he found the first body. It lay sprawled on its back next to one of the workbenches several meters away. The body was Orkensha.

Zak let out an unpleasant sigh, his Elvish senses threatening his equilibrium. It was like being caught up in an avalanche, his emotions rolling down on top of him with unrelenting force. The nearness of death was nearly overwhelming, the actual smell of it even worse.

"Guess this confirms the fragging Orks are involved." His voice was nearly a snarl of hatred. His sense of loss eased as his hatred for the Orkensha served as an antidote for his Elvish sensitivities.

He took a step toward the body, then stopped. He scanned the area with the flashlight, looking for the best way to reach the dead Ork without disturbing the footprints on the floor. He determined that his best approach was along the rows of shelving units, where no previous tracks had been made.

"Yes, but who killed him?" Megan asked as she followed him.

"Good question. Careful," he said glancing over his shoulder at her. He wasn't sure if she could see his smile. "Walk in my footsteps so you don't _muck up_ the place any more than it already is."

"Very funny."

Breathing through his mouth didn't help much this close to the corpse. He felt a burning in his eyes and the air that he drew into his mouth felt unclean and foul. Several blowflies fled from his approach, but quickly returned to claim their share of the body as Zak knelt next to it. The Ork was in jeans and a t-shirt, lying on his back, his head turned so that Zak could clearly see his face, his lifeless eyes staring up at him.

There were two wounds, both about the size of Zak's index finger. The shooter had been sloppy, one shot grazing the Ork's ribcage just below his right armpit. He examined the wound more carefully. Judging from the angle, the Ork had been turned partially away from the shooter, which told Zak he wasn't expecting the shot. Most likely, that was the first hit. The second was a direct hit in the chest. The Ork must have spun toward the shooter after the first hit.

"You might want to wait over by the shelves," He said to Megan as he heard her coming closer.

"No, I am okay," she said weakly.

"Suit yourself." Zak continued his observations. He was no forensic expert, but he had learned to read crime scenes well enough while he was with ASID. He gingerly lifted the Ork's t-shirt and examined his stomach. "Looks like he's been dead about four days."

"How can you tell?"

"See how the stomach is slightly bloated and the skin has a greenish color to it?" Zak pointed to the dead Orks stomach. "The bloating is from the gases that build up inside the stomach as decomposition starts. The greenish look is from bacteria. It begins with the stomach about four days after death and spreads out from there. This stuff is just now starting to spread. Also, notice how the veins beneath the skin are slightly visible? That also begins after about four days, as the veins come closer to the surface of the skin.

"You can also tell by the fly larvae." He continued as he pointed toward the chest wound where clusters of small white larvae were wriggling about. "See how small they are? They're still young, weren't here long enough to mature yet. And there's only one beetle that I can see. Another sign that the body..."

"Yeah okay, I get it. He has been here about four days."

"That would put the time of death on the same night as the Grimrok theft."

Zak spotted the weapon as he searched the immediate area with the flashlight. It was an Uk'glok CKP Energy Pulse handgun. It was the same type of weapon the Orkensha punk had outside of Underworld, the same type of weapon used by the Dhoraz. He used his handkerchief to pick it up and checked the energy pack. "This weapon has been fired. The energy pack is partially drained."

He went back to the body and rolled the Ork just enough to inspect the exit wounds on his back. The wounds were neat little holes about the same size as the entry wounds on the front of the body.

"The Uk'glok wasn't the weapon that killed this Ork," he told Megan. "Uk'glok's leave a much larger exit wound. The energy pulse expands when it hits its target. The exit wounds on the Ork were made by a small LPM laser weapon of some kind."

He studied the relative position of the Uk'glok from the dead Ork's outstretched hand. It looked about the right distance from the body for the Ork to have dropped it when he went down. The question was, who killed the Ork and why?

Several rapid successions of lightning lit the warehouse with a flood of light that seemed reluctant to leave and Megan suddenly cried out.

"Oh, no!"

Zak looked up to see her standing with her hands cupped to her mouth. She looked as though she was fighting the urge to scream, her gaze fixated on something on the other side of the workbenches. Darkness had returned to the building and Zak had to follow her line of sight with the flashlight. There was a gap between two of the benches. The beam cut through the darkness and came to rest upon another body. This one was Elf.

"Gavril?" he guessed.

She could only nod her confirmation. The tears welling in her eyes could have easily been from the foul air, but she allowed them to streak down her face in grief.

He was lying on the far side of the benches about ten meters beyond where they stood. Gavril looked to be about average height for an Elf, thin build and delicate features. He was lying on his back, a shocked expression on his cold dead face.

Zak continued to sweep the area beyond the workbenches with his light. The bright beam came to rest on another body, then another and another, until he counted five bodies in all. At least two besides Gavril he could identify as Elves. The remaining two were face down so Zak couldn't be sure, but he guessed that they were Elves as well. They were lying in a straight line from one another, spaced about two meters apart, which suggested to Zak that these weren't random killings. The five had been executed.

As he approached, Zak's flashlight revealed a splattering of gore on the concrete floor beyond the bodies that told him everything he needed to know about how they died.

"That is Gavril," Megan whispered, her voice cracking with emotion, as Zak reached the first body.

He knelt to examine the wounds on the Elf's body. There were two holes in his chest, but these were slightly larger than those in the Ork. The wounds were grouped tightly together; two quick shots with deadly accuracy, the sign of a pro. He rolled the body only enough to confirm what he suspected; Gavril had been killed with the Uk'glok, his back one large crater between his shoulder blades. He eased the body back to the floor, not wanting Megan to see the gruesome wounds on her friend.

He carefully moved to the next body. The second Elf had similar wounds in his chest. He didn't want to disturb the crime scene any more than he had to in the dark, so he didn't bother to check the Elf's back; he already knew what he'd find. When he moved to the third body, he could tell it was another Elf even though the body was face down on the floor. The Elf's back was in the same condition as Gavril's. One large gaping mess that looked as though something had exploded from the body. The exit wounds from the two shots overlapped, the energy pulses expanding as they left the body. Pieces of the Elf's lungs and muscle tissue were left clinging to the gaping wounds, as well as scattered upon the floor around him. Zak made his way to the remaining two bodies, confirming that they were also Elves and that their wounds matched those of the others.

"They were all shot with an Uk'glok," he said finally, shaking his head. "I assume the weapon over there by the Ork. It looks like these Elves were executed. Orkensha style. The Ghanstap have been training both the Dhoraz Sect and the Orkensha mafia for years, so it would be difficult to determine which group is responsible unless one of them claims credit."

"So, the Orkensha are behind this!"

Zak paused at the bitterness now in Megan's voice. No, not only bitterness. A deep anguish as well. He felt an overwhelming urge to comfort her, but he felt helpless to do so. His hatred for the Orks swelled within him, "The fragging scum are going to end up starting a war!"

"I do not understand," Megan said, her voice now weak with distress. "Elves would never willingly work with the Orkensha. Gavril would never..."

"I have a feeling the EAST Group isn't all that it appears to be on the surface," Zak said. "Gavril may not have known what was really going on. Hell, I still don't know what's really going on!"

"It is pretty obvious that the Orks double-crossed the Elves," Megan said in a bitter voice. "They probably lured them here under false pretense and then murdered them in cold blood. We have to make them pay!"

"We don't know anything for certain," Zak told her. He surprised himself by saying it. Everything they found so far seemed to verify Megan's interpretation of what happened. And, considering how he felt toward the Orks, he was more than willing to jump to the same conclusions. But something about it didn't feel right. "All we have here is one dead Ork. It is not enough to prove that it was an organized Orkensha operation. And leaving one of their own behind isn't typical of the Orks. Something's not right. There's something we're missing here..."

"Vennhim told you his contact confirmed the Dhoraz were involved!" Megan was practically screaming. "The proof is lying right here on the floor. What more do you need! You hate them, yourself. Why are you protecting them?"

"I am not protecting them!" Zak's anger flared before he could stop it. "You're fragging right. I do hate the Orks. But I am not prepared to sacrifice innocent lives needlessly in order to satisfy my own vendetta. If this thing gets out of hand, it could end up turning into a world-wide conflict. Do you understand what that would mean?"

If Megan's emotions were not running so strong, Zak would have called the expression now on her face a pout. When she answered him, her pain cracked the hard stone of her voice. "Then I guess we had better find out what exactly is going on."

Zak could feel her watching him in the darkness as he began searching over more of the area with his light, but he chose to ignore her. Not far from the line of bodies he found that the floor had been completely swept clean. He walked over to the concrete and ran the light in large arcs across the floor. Why clean this section of the floor and leave the tracks on the other side of the benches? Was it an oversight?

His light suddenly fell on something he had missed when he first examined Gavril's body. He could just see the tip of the barrel beneath the dead Elf. The fact that he'd missed it earlier picked at him. He moved back to the body and gently lifted it for a better look. It was a Beamer Laser weapon. "Looks like your friend is the one who got the bead on the Ork. At least he died fighting."

"What do you mean?"

"Your friend was the one who killed the Ork."

"That is not possible," Megan said weakly, the shock of her friend's death returning to her as her anger failed. "Gavril would never carry a gun much less use it on anyone."

Zak didn't argue with her. He was preoccupied again, repeatedly swinging the flashlight back and forth over the bodies, studying every little detail. Something just didn't make any sense. He could understand leaving the Elves behind. But if this was a Dhoraz operation, why leave a dead team member behind?

Megan gathered the courage to follow the tracks Zak had made to Gavril's body. She knelt down and gently stroked his hair, ignoring the small insects that were crawling through it, her tears falling freely now.

Her grief weighed heavy on Zak as he watched her. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and console her. He wanted to make it all go away. But there was no way he could.

His mind snapped back to the crime scene as a thought suddenly came to him. There was no evidence of a struggle. So the Elves all simply stood there and allowed the Ork to execute them? And what about Gavril? If he had a gun, why wait until all his friends were dead before killing the Ork? And if he was the shooter who killed the Ork, why was his body positioned as though he had been executed the same as the other Elves...

It hit him suddenly. The Elves were all lying in more or less a straight line, like they had simply collapsed to the floor as they were shot. But that was against the laws of physics where an Uk'glok is concerned. The impact from the laser and the force of the exit should have sent each of the Elves catapulting from where they stood. There was no way they would have ended up in a straight line like this.

"Do you sense any magic having been used here?" he asked Megan.

She was still bent over her friend and didn't bother to look over at him. "I told you there was."

"No, I mean right here, in this very spot."

Megan cocked her head as though she was suddenly concentrating on the air around her. "Yes. Yes, there is something here, though it is very confusing. It has been masked, but there is also some sort of distortion."

She rose to her feet and slowly walked the line of bodies. Turning to Zak she said, "They had no chance to defend themselves. They were held in place using sorcery!"

It was what Zak had suspected. After they were killed the spell was released and their dead bodies simply dropped to the ground. By the position of his body, it would seem that Gavril was also held and then dropped afterward. If that was so, how did he manage to kill the Ork? And if he didn't, who did?

Zak slowly exhaled the frustration he felt. He still had more questions than answers.

# 16

Zak's attention was suddenly drawn back to the soft buzz of energy that seemed now to be reaching out to him. He and Megan had been so preoccupied with the bodies that he had nearly forgotten about the small prefab office and the strange energy pulsating inside it. In the darkness, he could barely make out the dull red glow filtering through the office window. As he watched, it grew steadily brighter, began to throb faster.

"We better have a look at whatever that is," Zak said, motioning toward the structure with his flashlight.

Although Megan was reluctant to leave Gavril's side she followed him. They approached the office cautiously as the mysterious reaction coming from within the small structure continued its repeating cycles of expanding energy, each time culminating in a discharge of energy that rose up and through the roof of the building.

Zak watched as another thin streak of reddish light became gradually visible in the darkness, almost leisurely expanding into a column of distorted air that shimmered and throbbed as it drifted up toward the roof of the warehouse.

A few steps closer and he could feel the tingling sensation of static electricity creep across his flesh. It tickled his entire scalp, raised the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck.

"What the frag is that?" He wasn't really expecting an answer from Megan. "This is close enough, I think."

Zak put a hand on Megan's shoulder to prevent her from moving any closer to the structure. She stopped immediately without offering any resistance and stood transfixed, staring blankly at the quickening pulse that could be seen through the window of the room. She seemed dazed, her face expressionless. Zak worried about her emotional state over the death of her friend as he studied her by the light he held.

"Megan?"

She didn't reply for a long moment. Suddenly she blinked and her expression became anxious. "There is something very wrong here!"

Her comment seemed rather obvious to Zak, but all he could think to say was, "What do you mean?"

"I am not sure," she said thoughtfully. Her eyes seemed to glow in the dim light. "Very powerful sorcery has been used here. I think it has been masked, just like the sorcery at Grimrok was, but I cannot tell for certain. There is too much interference."

"What kind of interference?"

"I think it is coming from that." She pointed toward the small office in front of them.

"Can you tell what _that_ is? Is it magical?"

"It is definitely some sort of energy source, but I have no idea what it is," Megan said squinting to see past the light Zak was shining at her. "I do not think the energy source itself is magical. There is something strange about it though. Could you get that light out of my eyes!"

"Sorry," Zak said and lowered the flashlight. "Can you sense anything else?"

"It is very weird," she said. "There was definitely more than one sorcerer involved. They used a very sophisticated concealment spell to hide that energy source. These guys were not amateurs. It is like this whole building is in lockdown. The spell they used seems to be self-perpetuating. I think it is feeding off the energy somehow, while preventing it from being detected at the same time. The _ethereal echoes_ seem to have been manipulated the same as at Grimrok, but I cannot be certain because of all the interference."

"What about the signatures, can you get anything from them?"

"The same as at Grimrok, as far as I can tell." Megan looked directly at him. "I cannot say with any certainty that the signatures are Orkensha, but they seem to be."

"Can you tell if it's the sorcery that is causing this energy leak or whatever it is?"

"There seems to have been a number of spells cast here." Megan's brow furrowed as she concentrated. "I can only make out the last sorcery that was used. It was a concealment spell. And I think some sort of a containment spell was combined with it. Whoever performed the sorcery was trying to contain the energy as well as preventing anyone from finding it."

"Judging by the way that stuff is shooting out through the roof, I don't think they did a very good job of containment."

"The sorcery is beginning to weaken. It seems to be breaking down."

"I thought you said it was self-perpetuating?"

"Nothing lasts forever." Megan moved toward the office again, shaking off Zak's grip as he attempted to stop her. "I need a closer look!"

"Megan, no. We don't know what this is!"

Zak cursed under his breath and followed her, since he was unable to stop her.

The static energy grew even stronger as they drew nearer to the source. Zak felt as though hundreds of invisible insects were crawling over his flesh. The office was a three-meter cube with an oversized window and door cut into the near side. As they approached the structure the pulsing red light became clearer, the air inside the structure seemed thick, like a dense blood fog which hid all details of the room. It pulsed...pulsed...pulsed...then suddenly they heard the familiar popping sound and the red blinked to black. A moment later the process began again.

"Zak, I am sensing a lot of power here that has nothing to do with sorcery," Megan said nervously. "And I get the feeling that the suppression spell is just barely holding it back."

"Holding it back?"

"It is like a dam ready to burst," she answered.

"That's not a good thing," he said dryly. "Do you think you can fix it?"

"Fix it?" She looked at him in disbelief. "I do not even know what this is, never mind how to _fix it_!"

"Crap!" Zak muttered his frustration. He attempted to look through the window, keeping a discreet distance between himself and the structure. "You have better vision than I do. Can you see anything inside?"

"No, nothing specific." Megan also seemed hesitant to get any closer. She stood for several moments as though mesmerized by the light. Finally she added, "There is _something_ there. I cannot see it. I can only sense it. Something powerful!"

He wanted to tell her that she was being a bit melodramatic, but he felt it as well. It was like a shadow falling over him, a sense of hopelessness threatening to push him to the edge of despair. But it also created a strange impulse within him. He walked the remaining distance to the office, his mind suddenly lost to any real awareness, reaching out a hand even as he felt reluctant to touch the door. His gaze never leaving the window, the red pulsing light within seemed to call out to him. He hesitated, fighting to resist and then no longer able to...

"Wait!" Megan cried out. She grabbed his arm in time to prevent him from coming in contact with the metallic handle. As she touched him, his compulsion to open the door vanished.

"This is way too weird," she said. "Let me see if I can find anything out. I have more experience dealing with this sort of stuff than you."

She began chanting in a low voice. Zak recognized the language she spoke as High Elvish, but he couldn't understand any of it. He barely knew the modern Elvish languages. When she had finished her incantation, Megan reached out and gently placed her hand upon the door.

Suddenly she began chanting more frantically, her eyes growing wide with fright. She pulled on her hand, attempting to free herself from the door. She became desperate, crying out and twisting her body for leverage, but her hand remained in firm contact with the door.

As soon as he touched her he felt it, a dark malevolence hovering just beyond the door. It was all he could do to maintain contact with Megan's hand, as he struggled to peel her frozen fingers from the doorknob.

"Help me!"

"I'm trying!"

"Get me free!"

"I'm trying!"

He struggled to free her, but to no end. It was like her hand had been welded to the door handle. As he continued to struggle, he heard the familiar popping sound and suddenly she was free of the door. They both went flying backwards from the sudden release, Zak landing upon the concrete floor with Megan falling on top of him. His flashlight went flying out of his hand, skidding across the floor, as Megan's weight came down on his midsection, punching the air from his lungs.

For a moment Zak was not aware of anything; he was caught in a void without shape. Then suddenly he realized that he was gasping for breath and that Megan was lying on top of him panting heavily. She quickly rolled off him, seeming embarrassed over her close proximity to him. They both sat there upon the floor for several moments, trying to recover. When Zak felt that he could breathe somewhat normally again, he reached out and took Megan's hand. Using his Elf vision in spite of the risk of aggravating his headache, he checked first her hand and then the entire length of her arm for wounds or damage of any kind.

A succession of lightning assisted his vision. In the flashes of stark white light he could see that her palm was red and swollen, but he detected no lacerations. He swiveled her wrist, waiting for the next series of flashes to check the rest of her arm. He breathed a sigh of relief when he couldn't detect anything further. Megan showed no sign of pain or discomfort. She merely sat there gasping in deep breaths of air, staring over at him with frightened eyes.

"What the frag was that!" she gasped, jerking her hand away from him.

Zak ignored her question. There was tightness in his chest. It was his turn for embarrassment as he realized it was caused by his fear for her safety. Not the normal fear he experienced in the past, when people were at risk and he was obligated to protect them. This fear struck deeper, gripping his very core. It was the same fear he'd felt when he'd lost his mother. He discarded the thought immediately. How could he compare this Elf to his mother!

"You okay?" Was all the concern he allowed himself.

"Yeah," Megan panted, nodding her head as verification, but her expression wasn't very convincing.

They remained sitting on the floor allowing time for further recovery. Zak felt disoriented by the intensity of his concern for Megan. He concentrated on bringing his full attention back to the situation at hand. He had been a trained ASID Agent. He should be able to control these unwanted feelings, but the thought of ASID only served to remind him of who Megan was and of the events of nineteen years ago.

"There is something inside that office!"

Megan's voice disrupted his internal struggle. He forced himself back to the here and now, but remained silent.

"Inside the light - the energy - something is there." She was breathing more normally now, but looked anxious as she tried to explain. Her voice grew more excited as she spoke, her body language more agitated. "Something completely evil and very powerful. I think it is trapped there. Whoever is responsible for this... In addition to the concealment and the containment sorceries, there is also some sort of ward against evil cast upon the office. I think there are other sorceries, too. They are like layers of an onion, one upon another. There was definitely more than one sorcerer at work. I think they were trying to close the...portal."

"Portal?" Zak asked.

Megan nodded her confirmation. "I am now certain that the energy source is some sort of a portal."

"Portal to where?"

"Good question," Megan said. "To some other world...or dimension, I think."

"So, it's a wormhole of some kind?"

"More like a paranormal gateway. It is definitely not natural. Whoever created it was trying to close it again. And when they could not do that, they used layers of sorcery in order to both contain and conceal it. But that sorcery is definitely weakening."

"Contain and conceal what exactly?"

"I do not know!" An involuntary shudder rippled through Megan as she spoke. "But I do not think I want to find out. We have to do something before it loses containment. Whatever it is in there, it is evil!"

Zak was unable to sense anything definite from within the office, but he had experienced an overpowering sensation of malevolence emanating from the small office as he tried to free Megan from the door. If Megan was correct in her evaluation and this strange anomaly was a portal, it raised a whole lot of new questions for Zak to ponder. Particularly if, as it seemed, the warehouse had something to do with the Grimrok theft. "So, we have some evil – _something_ \- trapped inside a portal to who knows where. What in a demon's curse does that have to do with the Grimrok theft?"

"I have no idea." Megan appeared to be more calm and thoughtful now. "This is part of the vision. It must be. The part about, _while evil ripens_."

"In that case, I'm really not too excited about how that vision thing is coming together."

"We need to find out more," She got up from the floor, taking a side-step as she tried to find her balance. She quickly steadied herself and turned toward the small prefab structure once again. "I need to understand what this thing is and how to get rid of it. I need to get into that office."

"I don't think so," Zak said firmly. "Not after you nearly became part of the door simply by touching it!"

"Zak, this is not about stolen technology anymore." Megan became agitated again. "Six people have been murdered. There is a partly opened gateway and we have no idea where it leads to. And there is some sort of evil attempting to break through to our world. Like it or not, we have been chosen. If we do not do this, our world could be destroyed. Zak, this is some serious shit, we need to do something!"

"We will!" His temper flared. The fear he felt for Megan's safety suddenly challenging his ability to remain calm and rational. He was not accustomed to dealing with such strong emotions concerning someone. He wasn't even certain where they had come from. He certainly hadn't known Megan long enough to feel this deeply about her. What the frag had he gotten himself into, anyway? He took a deep breath to calm himself. "First we need to figure some things out and come up with a workable plan."

"Zak, you are not listening. I have no idea how long these spells will hold!"

"Okay, what do you suggest?" he snapped at her. He was tired and on edge. He took another deep breath, but it didn't help much.

"We need to know more about this gateway and about the thing trapped in it. I have to get a better look at what is going on in there."

"And how do you propose to do that?"

"If you cast a protection spell it will add to my own. It should give me enough protection to take a closer look inside."

"No."

"Do not worry," Megan said in an irritated voice. "If you do it remotely, there will be no danger to you!"

"I mean no, I can't. I can't do magic."

In the darkness he couldn't see her expression, but he heard disappointment in her voice. "But you are Elf."

"I told you before...half Elf," he corrected.

"It does not matter. Sorcery is in your blood!" Megan said. "Besides, even Humans are capable of learning sorcery. Dr. Raghnall is Human and he is a Master Wizard."

"Well, it's not in my blood!" How could he ever expect her to understand that he'd shunned magic his entire life and that he'd done so, not out of some moral objection to it, but because of his father.

"Ooookaaay, then..." Megan's voice made it clear that she found what he'd said puzzling. She stood quietly thinking for a moment, obviously trying to come up with an alternative to her plan. After a few moments she seemed to have found one. "Okay, I have to go back to the car. I have an amulet in the trunk that may do the trick."

"May do the trick?" Zak asked, but she was already on her way.

"Just do not touch any part of that office until I get back!" She called to him.

"Yeah, like I was going to." he mumbled to himself.

Now that he was alone in the darkness he felt suddenly exhausted, as though the electrostatic air around him was sucking the energy from him. His mood seemed also to be affected as he slipped into discontentment. He wasn't sure if his annoyance was from Megan's expectations concerning his ability to perform magic or from his own irrational disappointment for not living up to those expectations.

The buzzing of energy continued from the small prefab office. He could feel it licking at his skin, reminding him of the hatred he'd felt coming from beyond the door as he tried to free Megan from it. What the frag had he gotten himself into, he asked himself again.

He suddenly felt the need for light and searched for the flashlight he'd dropped. He retrieved it not far from where he'd dropped it and then went through the motions of searching the area around the office. He found it impossible to focus, his mind a jumble of thoughts as he attempted to make sense of the events of the past several days.

Was this portal somehow responsible for the incessant weather? His instinct told him it was. But what could it possibly have to do with the Grimrok break-in? Was EAST Group plotting with the Orks? If so, what was their objective? And why were the Elves executed? The thought occurred to him that they could possibly have stumbled across something totally unrelated to the theft. But somehow that didn't ring true.

Then there was all that prophetic mumbo-jumbo proclaiming him and Megan as saviors of the planet. He could set that aside as just so much mystical superstition, but how could he account for the unexplainable attraction he felt towards Megan? If these things were all pieces to the same puzzle, he just couldn't see how any of them fit together.

After what seemed like forever Megan's petite form suddenly reappeared from the gloom between the tall pale shelves and his attention focused upon her approach. It was only when he realized that his headache was growing worse that he realized he'd been using his Elf vision while watching for her return.

"Okay, stand back," she said as she reached him. "I do not know if the amulet will protect us both from whatever we are dealing with here."

Zak shined the light on her as she slipped something over her head. In the light, the finely linked gold chain sparkled against the white flesh of her neck. The chain supported a gold pendant that fell between Megan's breasts. The pendant was shaped into a seven-point star with a small blood red gemstone set into its center.

"Are you sure that thing will protect you?" Zak asked doubtfully.

"This _thing_ is a Dragon's Eye," Megan informed him, holding up the pendant so he could get a closer look. "It is a very rare and a very powerful amulet. Protection is only one of its powers."

Upon closer examination Zak noticed that there was a small black dot located in the center of the red stone. As he studied it he couldn't help feeling that the thing was somehow looking back at him. He forced his gaze away. He had never completely trusted magical items and he wasn't about to start now.

Megan allowed the amulet to fall back into place around her neck and slowly reached for the door once again. Her hesitation gave Zak the distinct impression that she wasn't entirely convinced that the amulet could protect her from what was contained within the darkness of the small office.

Gradually she allowed her hand to come in contact with the door and she closed her eyes in concentration.

For a moment, it appeared that everything was fine, the amulet was working. Then suddenly Megan's head snapped back with whiplash force. She gasped for breath. Her body began to jerk and twitch. She attempted to back away from the door, but was held once again by some invisible force. Her movements quickly became more violent, bucking in strong convulsive motions, but her hand refused to break contact with the door. With her free hand she attempted to pry her fingers open, but then both her hands seemed to become entrapped.

Fear for her safety burned through Zak in an instant, flooding him with adrenaline. He immediately reached out to grab hold of her, but then froze. In spite of his heart-pounding desire to rescue her, some instinct whispered caution to his conscious mind; he was suddenly certain that this time grabbing her would only entrap him within the battle that Megan was now fighting.

Without taking time to think further, he lowered his shoulder and lunged at her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he jammed his right shoulder into her ribs, his feet constantly working to drive himself forward. Using his own weight as leverage, he twisted away from the door, pulling Megan with him. He tackled her in perfect form. Megan's hand broke free of the door, her body twisting with Zak as they both spun to the dirt-covered concrete floor for yet a second time.

She lay there with her eyes closed, gasping for breath.

"Are you ok?" Zak asked, but she didn't answer. He frantically rolled her onto her back and began checking her for injuries. This time her hand looked much worse than before, her palm now an angry red and more swollen than it had been. There were strips of skin missing on her palm and fingers. He went on to check her for any other damage. She winced when he touched her ribs where he had made contact with his shoulder. He lifted her shirt to confirm that there was some bruising, but nothing too serious. He allowed himself to become angry. "What kind of a foolish stunt was that? I thought you said that thing around your neck would protect you. You aren't going anywhere near that office again!"

Megan made no sign that she could hear him. Her eyes remained closed and she continued to breathe heavily. Zak's anger dissolved back into concern, as he tore strips from his shirt to use as bandages and carefully wrapped her swollen bloodied hands with them. He wished he had some antiseptic to put on her wounds, but he had nothing with him. He watched her face as he worked, feeling the ache in his head grow worse as he prolonged the use of his Elf vision. She had grown very pale and still. That worried him. He checked her pulse and her breathing. Both were elevated, but not enough for alarm. He worried anyway. When she suddenly opened her eyes, the look of fear and horror in them tied another knot in the pit of his stomach.

"We have to seal it!" she cried out suddenly. She became hysterical, thrashing in his arms, crying. "We cannot let it get out. We have to close the portal!"

"Sshhh, it's okay. You're safe now." Zak fought to hold her still, attempting unsuccessfully to calm her. Her words caused a chill to run up his spine.

"The shadow!" She became more agitated as she spoke, fighting harder to free herself from his grasp as she sobbed and cried out. "The office... Tahmore's Island... We have to stop it!"

# 17

"It was totally dark. I could not see what was there, but I could feel it. It was pure evil!"

Megan's hysterics had ended as suddenly as they had begun, but they had been replaced by a deep melancholy. She remained totally silent as Zak led her from the warehouse, said nothing when he coaxed her into the passenger seat of her car. He drove them back to his loft without a word exchanged between them, and she remained silent while he cleaned and tended to the wounds on her hands and the bruises on her ribs. She'd been sitting on the overstuffed leather couch in Zak's loft for a good long time and these were the first words she had uttered.

Ke'aira was beside her, the dog's large head lying upon Megan's lap, her eyes alert and nervous as she watched the Elf. A tremor rippled through Megan as she absently stroked Ke'aira's forehead and scratched at her ears. When she spoke again, her voice was drained of emotion. "Fear. I have never been so terrified."

Zak watched her closely from the chair opposite the couch. Her hair was matted to her head from the rain, her blonde streaks hanging in stringy highlights to the natural darkness of her hair. He had insisted that she change into something dry when they had arrived back at the loft. She was now wearing a pair of his jeans and one of his t-shirts, which were both too large on her and made her look even more petite and vulnerable. The sound of Zak's old second-hand clothes dryer could be heard in the background, the worn barrel of the dryer clunking as their wet clothes tumbled noisily within.

"Zak, I do not know how long that containment spell is going to last!"

"We'll figure out a way to take care of it."

"Yes, but if that thing gets free..." She grew silent again, burying her face in Ke'aira's thick coat, as she attempted to find comfort there. Finally she said, "Poor Gavril...just lying there like that. We should not have left him. We should call the police!"

Zak raked a hand through his hair, fatigue pressing in on him. He sympathized with her pain over losing her friend, but his instinct insisted that they keep what they found at the warehouse to themselves for the time being. "No. No, not a good idea."

"We should not have just left Gavril there like that!" Her voice became argumentative. "We need to tell Samarah what happened. She has a right to know."

"We can't do that."

"You do not feel that murdering Elves is sufficient reason to report any of this?"

"Look, back at the warehouse, you said this is no longer about some stolen technology," He leaned forward in his chair, hoping that he could make her understand. "You were right. There is more at stake here than a missing SHIAM. I know how badly you're hurting, but there is even more at stake than five murdered Elves."

"You are a cold hearted bastard!" Megan's anger became instantly palpable. She struggled to jump up from the couch, but Ke'aira's weight held her in place, the dog unwilling to allow her to leave. Her tirade went on as she struggled with the dog. "You have so little regard for Elves. You hate us that much. You have spent your entire life trying to separate your Human side from the part that is Elf. You probably had a blood transfusion to get rid of any Elvish blood you may have had and replaced it entirely with Human. Well, if you will not do something about Gavril and the others laying there dead, then I will..."

"That's enough!" He exploded from his chair in his frustration with her. "That gateway and the dark thing inside it isn't the only threat to the world. What do you think the reaction will be when people learn that an Ork is linked to a break-in of a major Aragne military contractor?

"There are people that would love nothing better than to find an excuse to go to war with the Orks. People like Senator Donovan and Defense Minister Hakkim and Karl Redcliffe of the Miner's Guild. They see it as an opportunity for profit, a chance to gain control over the Akkasson Mountains and the arganite ore that's buried there. They don't give a rat's ass about the lives that would be lost in a war. Orks, Elves or Humans!

Megan stopped struggling against Ke'aira. Zak was pleased that she appeared to be listening.

"Look, if you are convinced that the magic used at the warehouse is linked to the magic used in the Grimrok break-in, then that also links the dead Ork to the break-in. If we call the police in on this now, it won't be long until the reporters sniff it out and make it public. What do you think Donovan and Hakkim will do when they find out Orks broke into Grimrok?

"I have no love for the Orks. Hell, I'd just as soon see every last one of them disappear from the face of the planet. But I have no desire to be the one responsible for starting a war. All these greedy fools are clamoring for war and we'd be giving them an excuse to start one. And a war between the Aragne Commonwealth and the Orkensha nations would almost certainly escalate into a full blown world war. It's a given that the other Human nations and the Dwarves would fall in behind the Aragne's against the Orks. The Kremloch Colonies have already said they supported the Orks in the border dispute. That would inevitably pull the Goblinesh nations in on the side of the Orks. How long do you think it would be before the Elves would be drawn into it?"

Zak paused, trying to judge the affect his words were having on Megan. The thoughtful expression on her face provided him with encouragement. "I would just as soon prevent a war if at all possible."

"Okay, we will wait," Megan said softly. She seemed calmer now, but the tension around her eyes and forehead and jaw-line were still there. Her mouth puckered with resolve. "So what do you propose we do?"

"We need to figure out what is going on," he said. "What were they using the warehouse for - a staging area? Why would they kill the Elves if they were in on all this together? And this whole thing with the portal and whatever it is trapped inside it... None of it makes any sense. What does any of it have to do with steeling SHIAM technology?"

"They could not have used sorcery to get into the Grimrok building from the warehouse," Megan said. "Magical teleportation is not only illegal without permits; it is also extremely difficult and would have surely set off Grimrok's security alarms. It would have also been detected by the city's sensors."

"What about the portal?" Zak wondered. "Could they have created some sort of wormhole into the Grimrok building?"

"It would have been detected." Megan frowned and shook her head. "I do not care how good these sorcerers were. Doing something on that scale would be impossible without setting off both Grimrok's and the city's alarms."

"Then what was the point of it?"

They sat in silence. Judging by her sad expression, Megan was again thinking of her dead friend. Ke'aira raised herself up and offered her sympathy in the way of several wet licks to Megan's cheek.

"It is amazing how she's taken to you so quickly." It seemed to bother him on some level, although it was too foolish to admit.

"Yeah, you said that before."

Now he felt foolish anyway. He pulled his thoughts back to the problem at hand. "That thing in the energy field, could they have tried to conjure something to help with the break-in? That could explain the gateway."

"If they did, something went wrong before they could use it," Megan said. "I do not believe that creature was ever inside the Grimrok building. I would have sensed it if it had been."

Zak didn't respond as he continued to watch Megan. He had no further theories that made any sense. Faced with the impasse, his thoughts changed direction. Megan was a beautiful woman. If things were different, he could be attracted to her... Who was he kidding? He already was attracted to her.

As he watched her, Megan's expression withered again. "I just cannot stop thinking about Gavril lying in that warehouse...dead."

"I know how much you're hurting right now." Zak used that gentle, consoling tone he'd used during his time with ASID, the tone he'd developed for those occasions when it had been up to him to console a family who had lost a loved one. "I wish there was something I could do about Gavril. But I'm sure he'd understand that it must be this way. If he was the kind of man you said he was he'd know that we mean no disrespect to him. We'll go back in the morning and search the warehouse. Hopefully, we'll get some answers and then we can take care of your friend."

Megan did not answer. Her eyes were again glossy with tears, but she didn't cry. Ke'aira began lapping at her face again, this time more earnestly as she was determined to comfort the young Elf. Megan hugged the dog to her with a deep shuddering sigh. When she pulled away, she had regained control. Outwardly, at least.

"It was projection sorcery that I used to look into the office at the warehouse," she finally said.

"Like astral projection?" Zak asked.

Megan nodded. "The whole thing was so strange. It was like a nightmare that made no sense. Everything had a red tinge to it, the same glow that was coming through the window. There was a swirling fog so dense I could see nothing else. For a long time I seemed to just float there, within that blood red fog."

"You were only in there for a few minutes."

"Really?" She appeared to be too distracted by her thoughts for it to really be a question. "It felt like forever. After a while the fog became less dense. I could see that I was in a forest. The land kept changing somehow. There was a path or a road. And a sign. _Tahmore_...something. Perhaps a town or some other place. Then the shadow came. And the fear!" Megan shivered at the memory. "Do you have any beer?"

"Sure."

He got up and went to the kitchen area. Ke'aira was noticeably absent during the trip, choosing to stay with Megan rather than follow Zak. He grabbed two Darkstone Ales out of the fridge and headed back to the living area.

Offering Megan one of the bottles of beer, he said, "Tahmore. That name seems familiar, but I can't place it. I know I've heard of it before somewhere."

"I have never heard of it." Megan took a long drink from the bottle he'd handed her.

"Well, there's one way to find out," Zak said after taking a drink of his own beer. "Computer, search Comm Net for any references to the word _Tahmore_."

"Searching," the computer answered.

While the computer searched, Megan used the time to thank Zak for helping her. She seemed to be feeling better now and even attempted a joke. "That was some tackle you made on me," she smiled and gingerly touched her ribs. "I can still feel it."

"Geeze, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." He began to get up. "Can I get you more ice for your side?"

"No, it is okay! You did what needed to be done." She turned her smile up a notch. "Besides, it is no worse than when I played football with my cousins back home."

"You actually played football?" Zak was dumbfounded. "Tackle football?"

"Yeah, it has always been one of my favorite sports. I told you that."

"I thought you were just trying to get on my good side."

"Search complete," the computer interrupted. "There are no references to the word Tahmore on Comm Net."

"There's got to be," Zak insisted. "Try searching all available data sources in all languages for any reference to the word _Tahmore_."

"The current search included all data sources in all languages. There is no reference to..."

"Well, do it again!"

"Very well, searching!"

"It has to exist," Megan said. "I saw the sign. I am not mistaken."

"If that energy stream is some sort of a gateway to another world... What if _Tahmore_ is from whatever place the gateway leads to?"

"It is possible." Megan admitted.

While they waited, Zak steered the conversation in a direction that he hoped would help Megan to relax and take her focus off her dead friend for a while. "So, you really played football when you were a kid?"

Megan laughed at his question and told him the story of how she came to enjoy the sport. As she recounted her experiences as a rebellious tomboy during her youth, preferring the activities of her boy cousins over those that were more traditionally accepted for a refined young Elf girl, Zak became even more mesmerized by her. It didn't take him long to determine that she was a uniquely determined and courageous young woman. Each time her father had insisted that she behave as a proper Elvish lady, it had led to an argument as Megan would defend her right to be herself. Megan's mother would then patiently act as arbitrator and work out a peace between father and daughter, which would require some compromise on both their parts. Unfortunately, the peace was always short-lived as Megan would inevitably slip back into her old comfortable habits and the cycle would begin again.

"I guess there came a point where my father gave up," Megan concluded with a sad smile. "While he still does not always approve, he has come to accept me more for who I am."

"You sound like you were quite a handful." Zak recognized that her rebellion went much deeper than simply being a spoiled child. Her individuality did not spring from selfish desires, but from a deep sense of who she was and what she believed in. He found himself admiring her. But he still could not overlook who she was. If only things had been different...

"Search complete," the computer interrupted once more. "No data relating to _Tahmore_ found on _any available_ data source!"

# 18

"Oh, crap!" Zak strained to get a better look through the sheets of rain rolling down the windshield in spite of the wipers.

Megan had slowed down as they approached Tanner's Warehouse. The parking lot of the warehouse was a swarm of activity. Emergency lights refracted in a prism of color through the cascading water on the windshield. Men and women in yellow rain coats and red emergency vests hustled in and out of the same small door Zak and Megan had gone through the previous night. Camera crews from at least three separate news stations were also there in spite of the heavy rain, trying to press as close to the action as possible, kept back by the uniformed officers that had been assigned to secure the perimeter of the building.

"Keep driving," Zak said. "How the frag did the cops find out!"

"Do not look at me, I did not tell them!" Megan said, her forehead crinkling.

"I didn't accuse you of anything."

"Yeah, right." She slowly drove on down the street. "Now what do we do?"

"I'm not sure," He swiveled his head as they passed the warehouse, watching the unexpected scene in the parking lot. "Drive down to the end of the street and stop at the river. We need to figure out our next move. Crap!"

Venmuroo Road ended abruptly a few hundred meters past the warehouse. A small concrete wall marked the end of the road. Just beyond the land dropped off, giving way to the Serpent River. A weather worn diamond shaped sign was attached to the center of the wall, with a rather obvious warning of 'DEAD END' slowly corroding away with time. The storm-laden water beyond the barricade flowed in choppy waves toward the Dragon Sea. The weather hid any hint of Sol Kappur West on the far shore, creating the illusion that the dismal water stretched indefinitely into the bleak horizon. Tanner's Warehouse, only a short distance behind them, had nearly disappeared from view as well, now only a dark outline in the greyness that surrounded them.

Megan stopped the Pegasus without bothering to pull over to the side of the road. There was no sign of anyone in the immediate area. Not even one ship could be seen on the water. It felt like they were suddenly the last two people left on the planet. Even the grey-white gulls that normally glided lazily upon the air currents above the river were now missing.

Zak and Megan sat in silence for a time. Megan had, at Zak's insistence, spent the night at his loft so they could get an early start. He had given her his bed for the night and Ke'aira had insisted on staying with her new-found friend rather than sharing the couch with him. They woke to another dark and gloomy morning that did nothing to lift their spirits, but they had forced themselves into the day. Megan had logged into the Institute's database before they left for Tanner's Warehouse, hoping to find some additional information on the sorcery she had detected the previous night. Unfortunately what little she had been able to detect at the warehouse failed to turn up any significant information. She was able to verify that the mysterious flow of energy they'd found was, in fact, most likely some sort of portal.

As he now stared bleakly out at the rain, Zak asked, "Are you sure you didn't mention anything about last night to anyone when you contacted the Institute?"

He felt awkward asking her, especially after her reaction a few minutes ago. But he needed to know.

"I told you I did not!" Her resentment toward the question was obvious.

"Okay, I just had to make sure," he said defensively. "This is just too weird. How did they find out?"

"A very good question." The attitude in her voice fell away. She sounded as puzzled as he was about the police being at the warehouse. "It is a pretty strange coincidence, the police coming onto the scene the very next day after we found it. It is almost like we were being followed."

Zak turned sharply in his seat and looked over at her. "Followed," he considered. With the technology currently available, if someone wanted to keep tabs on them, they would not necessarily need to physically follow them in order to track them.

"I did not mean it, really," she said. "I mean, our involvement in the Grimrok theft is supposed to be secret, right. Who would be following us and why?"

"That's also a very good question," Zak said. He didn't have an answer, but he was definitely getting the feeling that someone was playing him. The question was, who and why? He didn't have anywhere near enough information to even begin to guess. Instead, he turned his attention toward avenues he could explore. "Those traces of magic you detected in the Grimrok network..."

"Yes?"

"If the thieves were using the warehouse as some sort of staging area, I wonder if they used the building's comm system to tap into the Grimrok network."

Megan gave him a puzzled look. "Would the system in the warehouse not be disconnected? I mean, the building looks like it has been empty for a very long time."

"Doesn't mean Comm Net was necessarily disconnected," Zak said. "A lot of times Star Comm and the other providers leave the connections turned on when these old buildings go empty. They figure it is cheaper than trying to keep up with all the vacancies and the high rollover of occupancy, so they just leave them connected. Besides, if these bad guys are as good as they seem to be, tapping into the city grid wouldn't be a problem as long as the building was still hard wired. Let's go back to Grimrok. If the warehouse network is still connected, we may be able to tap into it from there."

"What about the police?"

"They have six dead bodies and an unexplained tower of power leaking into the sky to deal with." Zak gave her a half-hearted smile. "I don't think they'll get to the computer system any time soon."

Megan put the Pegasus in gear and began turning around when her comm rang. She answered it, paused while listening, said 'yes' into the headset. She looked over at Zak, a perplexed look on her face as she lowered the device from her ear.

"It is Dr. Raghnall," she said. "He asked if you were with me. He wants me to put the call on the external speakers."

She worked the keyboard on her comm and sat it on the dash between the two of them. "Ok, Dr. Raghnall, we can both hear you."

"Good, I was hoping that you two were together." Dr. Raghnall's calm voice came over the car speakers. "There has been a development I think you should know about. It seems that the police have discovered the bodies of five Elves and an Orkensha..."

"Yeah, at Tanner's Warehouse," Zak interrupted.

There was a brief silence before Dr. Raghnall responded, "So you _were_ there."

"You know?" Zak asked, unable to mask his surprise.

Dr. Raghnall continued without answering his question. "Since you were already there, you are aware of the anomaly located within the warehouse."

"Yeah, we know." He glanced over to Megan. "How did you find out we've already been there? Better yet, how the hell did the cops find out about the warehouse?"

"According to the police, Star Comm called them in," Dr. Raghnall answered. "It seems they received a complaint about interference within the communications grid for the area and had a maintenance unit investigate. It was the maintenance crew who found it"

"Okay, and how do you know all this?" Zak questioned. "You have a tap on the local police frequencies?"

Dr. Raghnall chuckled. "Not quite. Since the city decided to cut back on the budget for law enforcement, they have eliminated the full time positions for paranormal investigation personnel. They have been using our services at the Institute since then. So, you see, when they discovered the anomaly, they requested our assistance. I sent Harry Mathers to look into the matter. He's just reported back to me. It was Harry who told me you two had been inside the warehouse. He is quite good at picking up residual auras."

"Dr. Raghnall, we believe that this anomaly is somehow related to the foretelling..."

"Now wait a minute, I never said I thought this had anything to do with any vision," Zak objected.

Megan glared at him for interrupting, her voice tight with tension. "I am sorry I did not report what we found to you, Dr. Raghnall."

"That is quite all right." The doctor's voice crackled with sudden static interference as a particularly violent flash of lighting cut across the sky. "From what I have learned of the situation, you are correct in believing that this is somehow connected to the prophecy and I understand your decision to keep it quiet. I assure you, my dear, there is no need for you to feel obligated to report your every move to me. I will certainly help in any way that I can, but I believe this task has been appointed to the two of you to resolve. You must do as you see fit. I place my trust in those powers that guide us."

"We need to get back inside that warehouse, Doc," Zak said, doing his best to ignore the references to the foretelling. "We need to find out what's going on in there."

"Yes. Yes of course," Dr. Raghnall said. "In fact, I have already anticipated that you would. I have instructed Harry to advise the police that he requires additional assistance. How soon can you get to the warehouse?"

"We're there now."

"Good," Dr. Raghnall said. "May the Power of Light guide you."

"Thank you, Dr. Raghnall," Megan said. She disconnected the comm and looked over at Zak. "Do you think the police will find out we have already been there?"

"They probably already know. Harry Mathers would almost certainly have told them. He's bound by contract to reveal anything he finds during an investigation." Zak leaned forward in the car seat and shrugged out of his jacket, then removed the shoulder holster he was wearing. After finding the bodies the previous night, he had decided to revise his approach to this job. Carrying a weapon was one of the adjustments. He had even supplied Megan with his spare laser pistol after she assured him that she was capable of using it. "Better leave the weapons in the car. The cops tend to get annoyed with civilians who carry guns."

As they started back towards the warehouse something occurred to Zak. "Dr. Raghnall said Star Comm received a complaint about interference in the communications grid for the area. Other than static from the lightning, did you notice how clear our comm connection was?"

"What does that mean?" Megan asked him.

"Now that's another very good question," Zak said.

# 19

Moments later they were pulling into the crowded parking lot of the warehouse. As they got out of Megan's car they were immediately intercepted by a rain soaked uniformed policeman.

"I'm sorry, this is a crime scene," the officer said. "Please get back in your vehicle and vacate the premises."

Before either Zak or Megan could respond, a shout came from behind the uniformed officer. "Don't let them leave, they are under arrest!"

The mood of the officer changed instantly and he placed his hand on his holstered weapon. "Please, remain where you are. Keep your hands where I can see them."

"Oh, this is just great!" Zak said as the plainclothes detective approached them. He pulled his corduroy jacket close in a futile attempt to protect himself from the cold rain. "Couldn't we do this somewhere out of the rain?"

"Remain where you are," the officer repeated in an even less friendly voice.

Detective Ramesh Sarkof and Zak had very little affection for one another. The hostility between them began shortly after Zak had opened his network security business. Detective Sarkof had been assigned as lead investigator on a case concerning a hacker breaking into the city's main computer network. Zak had the misfortune of being called in as a consultant. Sarkof developed an attitude towards him right from the start. Each time Zak offered any input into the case, Sarkof would dismiss it. While Sarkof was busy following leads that led nowhere, Zak managed to not only discover how the hacker circumvented the city security and access the network; he also identified the person responsible. Sarkof went ballistic over the fact that Zak had upstaged him.

Unfortunately, the hacker was dead when the police arrived to arrest him. Sarkof, of course, did everything he could to pin the murder on Zak. Shortly after the charges were dropped due to lack of evidence, Zak was also instrumental in catching the real killer, which aggravated Sarkof even more.

Zak, for his part, never made any real effort to cooperate with Sarkof. He thought the detective was a simpleton with delusions of grandeur and had informed Sarkof of his opinion of the man upon several occasions. They clashed every time they came within close proximity of one another.

"You're under arrest, Harris." Sarkof's shrill voice cracked with excitement.

He was, as Zak described him, a rodent type guy. His nose and chin were equally pointy, his face sallow, with small grey eyes that appeared much too far apart. If that didn't make him look sufficiently unusual, he was also well on his way to premature baldness, with a crown of carrot colored hair framing his burnished dome.

"Good morning, Sarkof, nice to see you too." Zak said. He smiled as he watched the steady trickle of water run off the pointed tips of the detective's nose and chin. "What's the matter, the department can't afford weather protection spells for you guys?"

"Cut the crap, Harris," Sarkof said, brushing his hand over his balding scalp. "I know for a fact that you were here within the past twenty-four hours. Officer, cuff this man and his accomplice and put them in the squad car."

"Check that, Detective!" The order came from the same direction Sarkof had come from. Zak immediately recognized the gruff authoritative voice. Apparently, the uniformed officer recognized it as well. He visibly cringed as he turned toward the owner of the voice, then immediately backed off several steps in order to maintain a discreet distance between him and the approaching man.

"Ah, Captain Mashkkha," Zak said, turning toward the heavyset man. "Just in the nick of time. Could we do this somewhere where it's dry?"

"Can it, Harris," Mashkkha growled. His demeanor left little doubt as to who the ranking officer was at this crime scene. Although his features showed the weather worn look of age, his short brown hair revealed no sign of grey. He was a big man. Although obviously overweight, he was solid and muscular just the same. He moved with a natural ease that validated his self-confident mannerism.

"Sir," Sarkof whined. "This man is involved in a multiple homicide. He was at the scene and failed to report the crime, which makes him the prime suspect in this investigation..."

Captain Mashkkha held up his hand to quiet the Detective. "When are you ever going to give it up, Sarkof. He reported it to me. Early this morning, just before the call came in from Star Comm. I haven't had time to write the report yet."

"But Sir, you never mentioned..."

"Are you questioning me, Detective?"

"I, um...no Sir." Sarkof stood with his mouth open, his anger turning his complexion a deep shade of red. He rubbed his hand across his bald crown once again, sweeping the rain water there into the nest of hair at the back of his head. He glared over at Zak, but clamped his mouth shut, unable to say anything further.

"Good. Now, don't you have something more constructive to do?"

"Yes, Sir. Of course."

Captain Mashkkha watched the angry detective stomp off, splashing water as he made his way toward the door of the warehouse. When Sarkof was out of hearing range, he turned toward Zak and said, "What the frag is going on here?"

"Tieget, look..."

"Captain Mashkkha to you," he interrupted. "What the hell you doing, leaving the scene of a multiple homicide without reporting it!"

"I'm sorry, Tie...Captain. I just couldn't get the police involved. This goes way beyond a simple homicide case. There are things going on here that..."

"Dragon shit, Harris!" Mashkkha interrupted. "Whenever you're involved there's always things going on. This is a multiple homicide, not some corporate computer virus! You aren't the law. You can't go around making decisions whether to include the police or not in something like this!"

"Zak is correct in his evaluation, Captain," Megan broke in. "There is a lot more to it. Have you not noticed the energy buildup inside the building?"

As she spoke, Zak glanced over at her and then did a double-take. She remained perfectly dry, obviously through the use of magic. "Hey, you could have included me in on that weather protection spell."

"Sorry, I thought you did not approve of sorcery," she said sarcastically.

Captain Mashkkha was also watching her. An appreciation of what he saw had interrupted the scowl on his face for an instant, but then it was back. "I suppose you're the sorcery expert Dr. Raghnall sent?"

"That would be affirmative, Sir," Megan answered. She glanced over at Zak, and then added, "We were both sent."

Mashkkha looked back to Zak. "This is a murder investigation, not a computer glitch. Since when do you work for the Institute?"

"It's a long story," Zak said.

"And you," he said turning to Megan again. "You look more like a homeless degenerate than a sorceress. In any case, I am not impressed with all that magic hocus-pocus, so save the dramatics for someone who cares. I have six dead bodies and no suspects." He pointed a warning finger back toward Zak. "And don't tempt me or I'll let Sarkof put you back on the suspect list. That means I want to know everything you do, everything you find. I even want to know everything you think concerning this case!"

"Sure, Captain, no worries," Zak answered cheerfully. "You know I always keep you in the loop."

"Dragon shit!" Mashkkha growled again. He called over to the uniformed officer, who was attempting to look busy guarding the parking lot, "Give these two clearance IDs to access the crime scene. They're the _experts_ we've been waiting on." He then turned and walked away.

"You hang with those guys a lot, do you?" Megan stared after the large man.

"Ah, Mashkkha's all right," Zak said wiping the rain from his face. "Sarkof, on the other hand, is an absolute dick. Come on, we better go find what's his name."

"Harry Mathers," Megan said.

Inside the warehouse the pressing darkness of the night before was now replaced by the dull grey light of day. Without the sun, the lighting inside the building was dim and filled with dark shadows. The overhead lights had been removed long ago; the bare wires left behind were dangling loosely from open conduit. The building was swarming with activity as investigators poured over the crime scene. Each team carried bright mobile lighting units that pushed away the shadows, ensuring that nothing would be overlooked.

Zak struggled with the same Elvish dread he'd dealt with the night before over the deaths that had occurred inside the warehouse. He knew that Megan was dealing with the same emotions as her movements stiffened and the stress turned her expression grim. When they arrived at the place where they had discovered the bodies they found that the dead Ork had already been removed, but the Elves still remained. A group of forensic investigators were hovering over the bodies, carefully examining each one as they made notes on small electronic tablets. Megan did her best to avoid looking as they passed by the bodies.

Harry Mathers was standing a discreet distance from the small prefab office that contained the mysterious portal. He was a tall man with a lean build, looked to be in his mid-fifties. Being completely Human the years had worn heavier on him than they had on Zak. Though casually dressed, he was very neat. The tan slacks he wore were precisely creased, the blue short-sleeved shirt wrinkle free. He wore his greying brown hair cut short.

Even though he seemed oblivious to their approach, his gaze fixated upon the shimmering stream of energy that pulsated up from the small office and into the rafters of the warehouse, he was the first to speak. "Dr. Raghnall filled me in on how you're involved in all this. Of course, I knew you had been here. You never bothered to wipe your residual auras."

"We had a close encounter with the office over there," Zak said. "After that, Megan wasn't in any shape to do much of anything."

"Yes, the being in there seems to be quite formidable. It is, of course, trapped at the moment, which seems to be limiting its abilities considerably for now. Unfortunately, I am not at all certain how much longer it will remain trapped there. The containment is weakening."

"Can we do something to reinforce it?"

"I have strengthened the binding spells," Harry said. "That should hold it for a while, though I am afraid it is only a temporary solution. The creature is quite powerful and is struggling to break free. And the portal itself is exerting a great deal of force against the containment as well. If the sorcerers who created it hadn't been highly skilled, the sorcery would have already failed."

"What would happen if the containment broke down?"

Harry looked over at Zak and shrugged. "Who knows? The creature would most assuredly be free to enter into our world. The portal would likely remain open. What would follow is difficult to say at this point. We need to know more about what it is we're dealing with."

He turned toward Megan. "You say you had a close encounter with the office. Are you saying that you actually came in contact with the structure?"

Megan nodded without speaking. Zak could see a flicker of emotion in her expression...pain...or maybe fear.

"Can you show me what you experienced?"

Megan offered her bandaged hand and the wizard took it, his eyes glossing over as he reached within himself to make contact with Megan's mind. After a few moments he broke contact with her.

"You are lucky to be unharmed," he said to her. "This shadow creature is even darker than I first thought. So, you think this is the evil referred to in the foretelling?"

"It makes sense." Megan looked at the door to the office thoughtfully. "But at this point I am not certain about anything."

Zak had become preoccupied with watching Megan as she conferred with Harry Mathers. He was concerned about the affect this mysterious force was having upon her. She looked ill. He felt the need to protect her again...and something more. When he recognized his desire, he forced it away.

"Wait a minute!" he said. "How come you were able to scan the office without any ill effects?"

"Firstly, because I was not so foolish as to make direct contact," Harry answered. "And because that is what I do."

"Harry is a trained paranormal investigator and demonologist," Megan explained.

"I am much more capable of handling the situation," Harry added. "I am specially trained to investigate unknown paranormal occurrences. And this is not something that the untrained should be tinkering with."

"Okay then," Zak said clapping his hands together. This guy irritated him already and they'd just met. "What do you say we use a remote viewing technique that _I_ happen to be an expert with? Let's find a computer terminal and see if the network is up and running."

"Whatever for?" Harry asked in a puzzled tone.

"Because _that_ is what I do," Zak answered with a toothy grin. Without another word he turned and started walking toward a group of nearby investigators to see if any of them could tell him where the nearest computer terminal was located.

He didn't get far when he heard Harry say to Megan, "Your friend seems not to like me."

"No, Harry, he is just mentally challenged," Megan said, falling in behind Zak. She changed the subject by explaining to Harry the reason why Zak wanted to check out the virtual network.

"In that case, there's a computer terminal in an upper office over there," Harry said, pointing toward the back of the warehouse. "I had a bit of a look around while I waited for you to show up."

In the dim light they could barely make out a stairway leading up to a small landing in the corner of the warehouse. They skirted around the area where the bodies were, dodging teams of police and forensic personnel. The stairs were metal, wobbling and creaking as they climbed them. The upper level supported a short walkway that led to a long narrow office. This was obviously a security station. There were no windows to the outside of the building, but the entire length of the inner wall was glassed for observation of the floor below. Zak watched the uniformed police and white smocked crime scene investigators scurrying around like an over-sized ant colony, streaming in and out among the tall shelving.

The office was maybe three meters wide by five long. What little natural light that filtered into the room created an even gloomier affect than down below. Megan tried the light switch on the wall next to the door, but nothing happened.

"There is power to the building," Harry said. "The lights in the main offices still work."

A custom built bench containing a series of computer workstations ran the length of the observation window. They found a small lamp sitting on the far corner of the room that worked, but the light from the dim bulb did little to improve things.

Zak went directly to one of the computer terminals. A small green indicator light showed that the system had power and was running. "There seems to be a program already running."

"That means someone has accessed the network recently," Megan said.

"Maybe," Zak said.

"But why?" Harry asked.

"Computer, access system," Zak said into a microphone located at the terminal, ignoring Harry's question. There was no response to his verbal request for accessing the computer. After trying again, he gave up and used the keyboard. He was surprised when he was able to access the system without receiving a request for a password. The terminal screen showed all network functions operating normally. When he checked the security status, he discovered that the firewall and security sentinels had been disabled. He worked the keyboard again. "The network seems to be working, but security is down. It could be kids hacking the terminal in order to get free access to Comm Net. I can't access any of the offices. The energy from the portal might be interfering. Do you see any VR cables?"

"Why VR cables?" Captain Mashkkha asked from the door.

"You know, for a guy who could stand to lose a few kilos, you sure have an effective stealth mode." Zak began making his way down the front of the long workbench, opening drawers and digging through them as he went, looking for cables. "The network seems to still be up and running. If we can get into it, we may be able to learn something about what is going on here."

"It's pretty common for these old buildings to remain on line," Mashkkha said. "If something's running, it's probably from kids hacking in to play video games."

"Probably," Zak said as he checked the last drawer. "But it doesn't hurt to take a look-see. Damn, no cables!"

"Nothing here, either," Megan said, as she and Harry finished checking the row of cabinets on the opposite wall.

"I'll get some from our tech," said Mashkkha. With that he was off to find one of the police technicians who were on the scene.

"Shouldn't be a problem getting in," Zak said, back at one of the terminals, working the keyboard. "Everything looks good to go."

Several minutes later Mashkkha returned with a short, skinny fellow in tow. Handing the cable sets to Zak, he said, "This is Officer Kailin Aakil, one of our techs. He can monitor us while we're in."

"We?"

"I think I'll just tag along and keep an eye on things."

"Whatever makes you happy," Zak replied. He took the cables and began plugging them into the terminals. As he did this, Aakil went to a monitor at the far end of the room and, after unsuccessfully attempting voice control, began poking at the keyboard.

"I can't get a feed on virtuality," the tech said after several attempts.

"The energy surges are probably interfering with the video and audio feeds." Zak continued preparing the four workstations. "Virtual space seems to be intact though. I've already checked."

"But I'm not sure that the safety protocols are operational," the tech argued. "There's no response from the system's safety timers. If the exit protocols fail, the system won't automatically shut down."

"That doesn't sound safe!" Harry's voice was thin with worry.

"It's perfectly safe," Zak said. "Trust me, it's what I do. If it comes to it, I can hack the system from inside. We'll be fine."

Aakil gave him a doubtful look but said nothing. After Zak was satisfied that everything was set and everyone had been seated comfortably with headsets on, he ran a last check on the computer.

"Okay, we're good to go," Zak said from his seat. "Aakil, you just sit back and relax. Most of the local controls seem to be working for these stations. Monitor our vital signs if you need something to do."

"Yes, sir."

"Okay, here we go."

# 20

"Oh my!" Harry's words echoed within the large chamber they found themselves standing in.

The warehouse's virtual setting was an elaborate contrast from the small dingy security office they had just left. A domed ceiling of stained glass crowned the room three stories above them, sending kaleidoscopic shafts of light shooting down from a sun that had been hidden from them in the real world. The cathedral-like setting was in fact a grand library. The high reaching walls were of rich dark oak, as were the tall archways and ornate railings of the upper lofts. Row upon row of tall oak bookshelves stood among red marble pillars throughout the expansive lower chamber and upper lofts. The strangest part of the virtual setting was not the elaborate architecture or the fact that the virtual building was so vast. Virtual scenes were often luxurious since the cost for the indulgence consisted of nothing more than the cost of programming. The truly overwhelming part of it all was the hard covered books lining the shelves. None of the group had ever seen so many printed books before.

"I would guess this is the data storage area," Zak said, enjoying the unfamiliar scent of polished wood interlaced with a musky damp smell of old paper. He wondered if this was how the ancient libraries had really smelled. There had been few books printed on paper over the last hundred years and what few libraries still contained them were now under restricted access in order to protect the aging volumes. Modern libraries stored only digital books and, even though some offered a virtual interface, few were anywhere near this extravagant. In fact, the majority of modern libraries didn't bother offering any kind of virtual interface at all. Digital files were simply selected from an online directory and downloaded.

"Why in the demon's hell would anyone want this archaic look for their data area?"

"Come now, Mashkkha," Zak said with a grin. "Have you no appreciation for antiquity?"

"Shouldn't we have come in through the security portal?" Mashkkha asked, ignoring Zak's comment.

"Guess virtual security is down, as well as the firewall. This place was most likely used by administration, probably front office rather than the shipping office."

"Well, the real offices have been stripped clean, nothing fancy about them now," Mashkkha said. "Even the computers are gone."

"It seems that virtuality has been affected by what is going on," Megan interrupted. "There is a hint of red in the air. It's not as intense as in the shipping office."

There was, indeed, a reddish hue to their surroundings. The effect reminded Zak of the dirty brown haze of pollution that hovered over all modern cities. But in this case it was a rouge-like coloration that hung in the air like suspended particles and it had no odor that Zak could detect.

"Wherever we are, I feel no presence here like I felt in the office," Harry said.

Zak began looking around with more purpose. "I'd better check the network again before we go too far into the system and make sure the virtual settings are stable."

He attempted to make verbal contact with the computer system. Again, there was no response to voice commands. He searched for a keyboard terminal, which he was able to locate easily enough. He found it only a short distance away, at the head librarian's desk. These terminals were made to be discrete, nothing more than ghost-like apparitions within the virtual world they populated until they were accessed. By law, all virtual systems were required to have both voice and keyboard access from within virtuality. Zak's fingers quickly danced over the keys in an attempt to access the settings for the network as the rest of the group watched him expectantly. Each attempt met with failure, and with each failure he became more frustrated. After several attempts he gave up.

"I can't access any of the network controls from in here," he said finally.

"You said this would be safe!" Harry's voice rose in near panic. "You said you could hack the system and get us out of here if you had to."

"Stop worrying!" Zak growled back at him. "I said I could get us out if I needed to and I will."

Mashkkha looked troubled. "So, there's no way to tell if the Rules of Engagement are on?"

"No," Zak said reluctantly.

"You did not check before?" Megan said in disbelief.

"Rules of Engagement?" Harry said. "What are they?"

"You've never heard of the Rules of Engagement?" Mashkkha asked in disbelief. "Man, what planet are you from!"

"I study the paranormal," Harry said defensively. "I don't go in for all this high tech rigmarole."

"The Rules of Engagement are a set of safety protocols required for all virtual worlds," Zak explained, making one more attempt at the terminal. "So no one can be seriously injured or killed due to something they experience while in virtuality. The rules were created primarily as safeguards for virtual gaming."

"What! You're telling me we could die in here?" Harry's concern contorted his face as he looked over at Zak. "But that doesn't make any sense. All this...it isn't real!"

"No, it's not," Zak said impatiently. He gave up at the keyboard and turned toward Harry. "Without going into all the technical _rigmarole_ , it's because of the way virtual programs interact with our brains. On a logical level, we know that all this isn't real. But the programming convinces the rest of our brain that it is as real as the outside world. All our senses...sight, sound, touch, smell. They all confirm that what we are experiencing is real."

"But I still know that it's only an illusion."

"Only a small part of your brain knows it's an illusion. But the program code is busy convincing the rest of your brain to suspend that knowledge and to accept the program data as reality. To those parts of your brain, the virtual world is no different than the real world. That's what allows us to experience virtuality through our senses."

"Humans can thank the Elves for this virtual technology," Megan said. "The original design for the neural net interface did not work. It was only when Elves developed the technology to reproduce the Transcendental Transference Frequency associated with _mind_ activities that Humans were able to make their big leap forward with virtual programming!"

"I don't think so..." Zak began.

"Well, I think so!" Megan snapped. "An Elf by the name of Sylvanian was the first to identify the Transcendental Transference Frequency in 5064. It took Dr. Sylvanian three years after his discovery to develop the technology to duplicate the transmission capabilities. Of course, Humans claimed the discovery as their own and renamed it with their fancy-dancy catch phrase Sub-quantum Modulation Frequency."

"Oh, no..." Zak tried to object.

"Oh, yes! Check your facts."

"I've never heard of either before," Mashkkha said, cutting them both off. "What is transcendental...whatever you said?"

"Nothing more than Elf lore," Zak said before Megan could respond. "Virtual technology uses the Sub-quantum Modulation Frequency to send data to the brain. Doctor Karl Adderson, _a Human_ , discovered the phenomena in 5063, although he didn't publish his findings until 5064. He also developed the virtual neural net which used the transmission frequency for the first time in 5074."

"You are an ass!" Megan said to him. She began briskly leafing through a book that she had found on the desk in front of her.

Zak was pleased with her annoyance and it encouraged him to go on. "It was Dr. Adderson's advancements in neural technology that allowed the virtual world to become available to us. He discovered a sub-quantum carrier wave that sends data to the brain, which he named the Sub-quantum Modulation Frequency. His experiments proved that these transmissions contained essential data that supplemented the grosser data our brains receive, which basically defines the way we perceive our world. It is like the glue that holds our reality together. Once he learned how to control the Sub-quantum Modulation Frequency and manipulate the data it contained, virtuality was born. Virtual programs send data over the Sub-quantum Modulation Frequency disguised as the normal supplementary sensory input the brain normally receives from its environment. Since the brain isn't capable of questioning the validity of the data it receives on that level, it simply accepts it and creates reality within those parameters. That's why we can sit on a virtual chair, smell a virtual rose and enjoy a virtual meal.

"Unfortunately, that means the mind accepts negative input as reality as well, like being stabbed with a knife or being shot, for instance. While the physical body doesn't actually suffer a wound inflicted by a virtual knife or a bullet, your virtual body does. And the brain believes the wound is real, causing the same trauma to the physical body as a real world wound would cause. If the shock is severe enough the body can die from its belief in the virtual wound. In some extreme cases, the mind becomes so convinced that the violence is real that it even causes the physical body to take on the wound itself, as well as the symptoms of the injuries."

"And this safety protocol you're talking about prevents this?" Harry asked, still wearing a look of panic.

"Early virtuality games caused a number of injuries and deaths," Zak explained, watching Megan flip through the book as she sulked. Her quietly seething mannerism told him that she was busting at the seams to interrupt him, but she forced herself to remain silent. Her anger took nothing away from her attractiveness. As he continued his explanation, a part of him wondered why he seemed to enjoy antagonizing her. "There was a lot of talk about banning virtuality and particularly virtual gaming. But that wasn't a realistic answer to the problem. Virtual reality had become too popular and too wide spread. In 5093 the United World Federation held the First World Conference on Virtual Safety. It was a two-week think-tank with all the biggest and best brains in the high tech communities around the world getting together to draw up guidelines that would make virtual worlds safer.

"It was during that conference that the Rules of Engagement were first proposed. It took a while after that to actually develop the protocols. Since then it became international law that any virtual environment must include a prescribed set of safety protocols, which includes the Rules of Engagement. They essentially act as a buffer between our senses and virtual environments. They send subliminal messages to the deeper parts of the brain, letting it know that the experience isn't real, even though the cognizant part of the brain is instructed to act as though everything within the virtual setting is real. The code and the science behind it are pretty complicated."

"And you're saying that you don't know if these safety features are working now?"

"Nope, I don't." Zak shrugged. "I can't verify that they are in place."

"Technically your explanation is incorrect," Megan said, apparently unable to keep silent any longer. "The Transcendental Transference Frequency, or whatever you Humans prefer to call it, is actually a bi-directional broadcast network that goes well beyond simple transmissions to the brain. It is the communication system between the brain, the mind and Te Ente...the One Mind. It is within the mind that reality is created from external sensory data, not the brain. Creating a virtual reality is quite similar to sorcery in that..."

As Megan was speaking, she looked up from the book on the desk. A bewildered expression replaced her annoyance and she obviously lost her train of thought.

"Do you see that?" she asked. "Something is happening."

Zak was preparing his rebuttal to her Elvish biases when he noticed the same disturbance. Before he could react to what he saw, it intensified. The reddish tint in the air grew darker, now radiating in waves like heat off of asphalt. His surroundings went opaque, as his senses were suddenly denied any stimulus. It was as though he had been swept into a kind of limbo where total nothingness prevailed over all else. It was not black...it was not white...it was not anything that he could describe. He had no way of telling how long he lingered in this state of non-being. It could have been days; or perhaps only for the blink of an eye.

"Good light of day!"

Harry's gasp of dismay was the first sensory input Zak became aware of.

The suddenness of it was startling. Then his surroundings began filtering into his consciousness. They were no longer in the virtual library. A dense forest of giant moss covered trees now surrounded them. Streaks of sunlight permeated down through the thick canopy, rendering the forest in stark contrasts of light and shadow. The forest floor was carpeted in colorful leaves and broken branches, dispersed among clusters of lush green undergrowth. The entire setting was still filtered through the same reddish tinge that had been in the library.

Concern for Megan pushed its way to the forefront of Zak's thoughts. Then relief as she came within his line of sight. He checked to confirm that Mashkkha and Harry Mathers were also there. They were. And they all seemed as disoriented as Zak felt from the experience they had just undergone.

"Are my eyes playing tricks on me?" Mashkkha asked, blinking and looking again. "I think I'm seeing double."

Zak saw it as well. The library setting remained, although now nothing more than an afterimage that had become superimposed upon their new surroundings. It hovered barely within visual perception, no more obvious than the red tinged air. Zak reached out to the faded image of the librarian's desk, but this time his hand continued on through the image until it came to rest against the rough bark of a Giant Oak that now rose up through the center of the desk.

"Zak, what is going on?" Megan's voice was filled with apprehension.

"I'm not sure." Zak mumbled. He was beginning to experience his own misgivings about this virtual world. "It seems that there's more than one virtual program running."

The air began to stir once again, their visual surroundings becoming more opaque.

And again they became lost within the void.

# 21

The sudden shock of regaining his perception was not nearly as overwhelming as the shock of what Zak perceived. His mind struggled with the new sensory data. He, Megan, Harry and Captain Mashkkha were sitting inside the dingy security office in Tanner's warehouse, sitting at the same computer terminals where they had been before entering the virtual network. This would not have been a problem for Zak if the virtual program had somehow shut down, allowing them to return to the real world.

But that was not the case.

He was currently standing at the entrance to the security office, gazing over at himself sitting across the room at the work station. In fact, they were all there at the entrance. And they were all staring open-mouthed over at their respective counterparts sitting at the work stations.

No one spoke. The others were obviously as confused as Zak was by what they saw. Their duplicate selves sat at the work stations, eyes closed and bodies slumped back in their chairs. Officer Kailin Aakil sat monitoring their vital signs as he had been when they entered virtuality. He seemed totally absorbed in the data on the computer screen in front of him. Suddenly the readouts on the screen began to spike, the screen flashing warnings on each of the group's charts and Aakil went rigid with alarm.

"What the frag!"

Captain Mashkkha's outburst caused Officer Aakil to turn toward the door. When he saw the group standing there, a look of shock spread across his face. He jumped up from his chair, nearly tripping and falling in the process. "What in the demon's hell!"

With that everyone became animated with excitement, as they all began speaking at once. In the midst of the confusion, Zak recognized the need to take control of the situation. After several progressively louder pleas for calm, everyone became silent once again.

In the sudden quiet, Zak glared at each of them in turn. When he was convinced that everyone had regained some semblance of composure, he turned toward Aakil once again. Behind the young technician the computer monitor continued to display rapidly flashing warnings.

"What's all the commotion on your monitor, Officer Aakil?" Zak asked in what he hoped was a calm voice.

Aakil turned toward the monitor as though it was the first time he'd seen it. "They... Your vital signs are elevated. It's probably a reaction from... How can you be there and here at the same time!" He stared back at them with a look of disbelief.

"Well do something about it," Zak said, jerking his head toward the display screen.

Aakil gave him a questioning look, hesitating for a moment before reaching up and turning the monitor off. When he turned to see Zak glaring at him, he simply shrugged and slowly sank back down on the chair he'd been sitting in.

Zak shook his head in annoyance and turned to his companions. "Now I know this seems a little bizarre, but there's nothing to be alarmed about. This is obviously nothing more than an error in the virtual program. It somehow recreated this scene of the security office."

"Did it?" Harry asked. His complexion was as drained as Officer Aakil's. "How can you be sure? It seems pretty real to me!"

"The whole point of the virtual experience is to appear real," Zak replied patiently.

"Yeah, well then how do you explain the office with us in it?" Megan asked. "Are you saying someone knew in advance that we would all be here and wrote a program that would bring us face to face with ourselves?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying." In spite of trying, he couldn't keep his eyes off their duplicates sitting across the room. He reached again for a logical explanation. "This virtual program obviously includes a routine that imports real time situations. It may be a part of some sort of training program. The security office is probably being recorded and the data is reproduced in virtuality."

"Then where are the cameras?" Mashkkha asked, looking around the room. "I don't see any."

"The program was probably written to filter them out."

"Zak, we searched the room," Megan said quietly. "There were no recording devices."

"So, what are you saying?" Harry asked Megan. "That our virtual selves have somehow been transferred into the real world?"

"That's impossible!" Zak insisted.

"And yet, here we are." Megan raised her eyebrows at him for effect.

"We are not in the real world!" Zak immediately began looking for something that would verify his statement. He examined their surroundings more closely, fighting off a tug of doubt. He felt almost desperate to find a clue that would reassure him that the office they were now in was not the same office located in the real world, that it was merely some sort of a virtual rendition of it.

Unfortunately, he could find nothing to verify it. The room appeared remarkably as it had when they had left. It was the same cramped and dingy space; an old Dwarf Brothers candy bar wrapper was still on the floor where Zak remembered seeing it earlier. The glass of the long window overlooking the warehouse had the same crack in the corner by the entrance. Everything looked the same. His other senses began to kick in. He became aware of the musty smell of the building, laced with the decay of death. Muffled sounds from the warehouse area below filtered through the thin walls of the upper office.

Beyond the window he could see the activity on the main floor below them. The scene was pretty much as it had been when he passed through the area on his way to the security office. The forensic teams continued their work, dusting for prints, examining every little nook and cranny for evidence and bagging nearly anything that was not attached to the building. The small prefab office could be seen from the window as well, a faint line of dirty red energy pulsating up above it.

Detective Sarkof stood nearby, fully animated as he shouted orders that Zak was unable to hear. Those police officers unfortunate enough to be under his direction stood cowering next to him like whipped puppies, before scurrying away to do his bidding. When Sarkof looked up and glared directly at him, Zak turned away from the window, becoming aware of a sick feeling that had settled in his stomach. This was impossible!

Mashkkha had walked over to his own inert body and was now looking down at himself. "This is flat out creepy!"

"Megan, you are an Elf," Harry said. "Can you tell if this forest is real or not?"

"I cannot," Megan said. "During the early days of virtuality, Elves were able to distinguish the real world from the imagined. But the technology has evolved and the programs today are much more sophisticated. Virtuality now mimics the same harmonic vibrations as the real world. I am afraid I can no longer tell them apart."

"It's not real!" Zak insisted.

Megan was watching Aakil as he huddled in his chair. "This looks pretty real to me, Zak."

"I'm telling you, it is computer generated!" Zak insisted. "Look, the air has the same reddish tint to it as it did when we went into virtuality. This has to be some sort of real-time rendition of the security office. It's the only explanation possible. We can't be in the physical world!"

"Hey, I am no rendition!" Aakil objected, still looking as though he had seen a ghost.

"If it is as you say and this is a virtual simulation, then how did the computer program obtain the data to run such a detailed and accurate representation of what is currently going on in the warehouse? I'm telling you, there were no cameras or microphones in the office when we searched it!"

Zak's first impulse was to allow his frustration to turn to anger and point that anger in Megan's direction. She was going out of her way to be argumentative with him. He gave her a hard look, forcing himself to remain silent. Logic was on his side...wasn't it? Unfortunately, Megan was right. He hadn't seen any recording devices in the office. The only logical explanation for that was that they had overlooked them. At least, he tried to convince himself that they had overlooked them.

"There is a possible explanation of how this could be real." Megan met his gaze evenly, returning his glare with a contentious smile. She bit her upper lip as she considered what she was about to say. "I think sorcery may have been used to somehow merge virtuality with reality."

"You're not serious!" Zak was incredulous. "You _actually_ think it is possible to merge virtuality and reality using magic? A virtual world is nothing more than a bunch of computer code and electronic circuits that have been cleverly designed to manipulate sensory data in our heads. There is nothing _real_ about it!"

"And _you_ actually think that the world, as we perceive it, is the only reality?" Megan's tone resonated with contempt. "How can you be an Elf and not understand that it is the mind that constructs the world we perceive!"

"Half Elf," Zak reminded her. "And it doesn't change the fact that virtuality is based upon sound scientific... _Human_ scientific principles, not Elvish superstition!"

"How can you all be here?" Agent Aakil broke in, looking back and forth between the two groups. He had obviously not recovered from the shock of seeing them suddenly appear in duplicate and was not following their conversation.

"Virtuality is scientifically based upon the Principles of Perceptual Reality," Zak said, ignoring the young agent.

"For your information, Mr. Know-it-all, your precious Principles of Perceptual Reality is, in fact, a sterilized version of the Laws of Li'Era!

"What is Li'Era?" Mashkkha asked.

"Dragon shit!" Zak said, too caught up in his argument with Megan to acknowledge Mashkkha's question. "You think you can explain everything with a bunch of Elvish mumbo-jumbo. I deal in scientific fact, lady. The virtual neural net is based in science, not some Elvish _secrets of the Universe_ crap!"

"Check your facts, buddy!" Megan's voice grew louder. "Dr. Albert Sprokett, the Human who originally proposed the principles, did so after spending ten years studying at the University of Elenathra in Mythnol Forest. In his initial writings he even admitted that his principles were an interpretation of the Laws of Li'Era. His work was intended to help Humans better understand them. He never claimed his work to be original. It was the smug self-righteousness of his peers that discredited him. They then rewrote his principles, transforming them into a sanitized dissertation filled with their own cute little buzzwords and claimed them as their own!"

What is Li'Era?" Mashkkha asked again, not that Zak or Megan paid him any attention.

"Typical Elvish smugness," Zak said. "Always trying to claim responsibility for everything in existence. I suppose you're going to tell me that God is an Elf!"

"He sure in hell is not Human!" Megan spat back. She turned and began to walk away, just as suddenly she turned back toward him and said, "I do not understand how _you_ can be an Elf!"

"Half Elf. And not my better half!"

"I doubt you have a better half."

"Time out boys and girls!" Mashkkha shouted. When they both turned to him in surprise he continued. "Now then, could someone please tell me what this Li'Era is? I'm sorry, Ms. Teranika, but I'm afraid that I am not a scientist, nor do I know much about your people's beliefs."

"This is a waste of time..."

"Harris! Allow the lady to explain."

Zak's first impulse was to continue arguing with Megan, to make another degrading remark about Elves and the ostensible truth of their teachings, but he bit it back. Instead, he walked over to his duplicate self and began studying it as it sat quietly in the seat at the computer terminal. Seeing such a perfect duplication of himself was beyond eerie, but he refused to admit to any possibility that it was his physical body sitting there. His double's breathing was quicker than normal and Zak could see that his eyes were moving rapidly behind closed lids. His body was obviously agitated. The more Zak fought with the possible implications of what he observed, the more agitated his other self-seemed to become.

He suddenly felt the need to do something about the situation. As creepy as it felt, he reached across his other self and began working the keyboard, applying extra effort into making it obvious that he no longer was the least bit interested in continuing his conversation with Megan. If there was an answer to all this, he hoped to find it somewhere within the computer.

For her part, Megan seemed perfectly fine with his sudden disinterest. She turned her full attention to Mashkkha. "Li'Era is the source of all that exists. It actually means _One Source_ in your language. The Elvish Teleria Tribes in the North prefer to call it Li'Ente, which means _One Mind_. Some Humans refer to this as Universal Mind, although most of their theories deviate from Elvish beliefs. In any case, both your religious leaders and your scientists tend to reject the concept."

"That's because it's a half-baked notion that there's some non-local, eternal hive mind that only Elves know how to access," Zak blurted out, unable to resist the dig. He was now logged onto the warehouse network. As he began running diagnostics on the virtual space, he said to Mashkkha, "The idea is that reality doesn't exist without the all-knowing Elves around to interpret it."

"That is _not_ what it is at all!" Megan snapped at him. "You would know about Li'Era if you had bothered to study the paranormal sciences."

"That's true," Harry suddenly spoke up. "The Laws of Li'Era are as fundamental to paranormal science as the scientific laws are to tradition science. Every sorcerer must learn about Li'Era and its laws governing T'eh. It is the foundation of sorcery."

"It is the foundation of all that exists," Megan corrected.

"Give me a break!" Zak mumbled as he continued to work.

"Harris!" Mashkkha said. "Would you keep quiet?"

Zak snickered, but said nothing more.

"The Laws of Li'Era are fundamental to all existence," Megan continued. "Scientific law, the laws of physics, mathematics...everything else is dependent upon the Laws of Li'Era. They are what govern T'eh. They are also sometimes referred to as the Laws of T'eh."

"T'eh. I've heard of that before," Mashkkha said. "It's some kind of subatomic particle that the Elves discovered, right?"

"T'eh is the most basic building block of existence," Megan said. "T'eh, itself, does not exist in the physical universe. It is what Elves call _mind-energy_. Without Li'Era, the one mind, it exists in a latent state of being. It is the potential of physical existence. Through the one mind, that potential is realized as what we perceive as reality. Our minds are a part of Li'Era, and so we all play a part in creating the real world. Reality is as much subjective as it is objective. It is not something that I can explain in a few short minutes.

"So, what does that have to do with virtuality and what's going on here?"

"Communication between Li'Era and T'eh is transmitted over the Transcendental Transference Frequency in order to create the universe as we perceive it," Megan continued. "Science has learned to use that frequency to manipulate our minds into creating a virtual world through the use of computer generated code. The line between that computer code and the natural code used by the mind to communicate with T'eh is very thin. It is theoretically possible to combine the two in order to create an entirely new reality."

"And you're saying that's what happened here?"

"I am saying it is a possibility."

"It's still only theory!"

"Shut up, Harris!" Mashkkha barked. His expression softened again as he looked back to Megan. "Hasn't science already combined the two? What about computer magic?"

"It is not exactly the same," Megan provided Zak with another of her killer looks, as she said to Mashkkha, "Sorcery generated by computer is nothing more than simulated thought patterns reproduced by artificial intelligence. It is limited to very basic sorcery. Manipulating T'eh in order to actually combine reality with virtuality is way beyond any technology that currently exists. But, in spite of what Mr. Know-it-all thinks, that does not mean that it is not possible."

"Look, I'm getting just a little bit tired of..."

They ran out of time and they were off again.

# 22

The sweet scent of Elvish Pine teased Zak's senses even before his visual world came back into focus. As he regained more of his awareness, he detected the subtly sour odor of decayed leaves wafting just beneath the sweetness of the Pine.

Insects suddenly buzzed about him as his vision returned and the trees that had initially provided him with their pleasant aroma gradually came into focus. As his surroundings continued to take shape, he could see that the Elvish Pine shared the forest with Red Oak and several other species of trees. Scatterings of young saplings and lush green undergrowth filled in the empty spaces between their boles and the forest floor was covered in a thick damp carpet of mildewed leaves.

A variety of bird song descended from the branches above, individual melodies blending into a uniquely pleasing chorus. Somewhere high above those branches was a glowing sun, heating the still air to an uncomfortable degree in spite of being denied direct access to the forest floor. A thin veil of what Zak at first took to be fog stretched out into the distant corners of the forest. He soon realized that this was not normal woodland mist. It was the same reddish haze that had tainted everything since they had entered virtuality. The others stood next to him, appearing just as disoriented as he felt.

"Is this the same forest we were in before?" Mashkkha asked.

"That's hard to say," said Zak.

"Shouldn't we be in the same place we were before we left?" Harry asked. "I mean, how can we be somewhere else?"

"In case you haven't noticed, virtuality doesn't follow the same rules of space and time as the real world," Zak told him. He really wasn't in the mood for any further discussions about what was possible and what wasn't, and so he kept his comments neutral and open-ended. "And that's under normal circumstances. We really have no idea what's going on here."

Megan seemed no more interested in continuing their argument than he was. She was busy investigating their new surroundings. Zak couldn't resist the distraction of watching her, as she stepped carefully between the tall trees in an ever expanding circle, her head cocked to the side as though she were listening for some unheard sound. When she finished she said, "No, I cannot tell if it is the same forest. The trees are different, though."

"Can you tell if this is real or not?"

"No, I told you Harry, I am unable to tell the difference."

"Of course it's virtual!" Zak's irritation rose again.

Megan gave him a harsh look, but said nothing.

He decided to do something more productive than poking another verbal stick at Megan and so began searching for a network access point. After several minutes of futile searching, he told the group, "Well, whatever is causing this shifting, there is nothing we can do here. There doesn't seem to be an access point in this location."

"You mean we're trapped?" Once again, Harry looked horrified.

"We will be fine, Harry," Megan assured him without looking over at him. She cocked her head and listened again. Pointing off to her left she said, "There is some sort of disturbance in that direction. There is a path going in the same general direction."

Zak attempted to look down the narrow path, which trailed off into the trees where Megan indicated. It appeared to be nothing more than a dear trail and was quickly swallowed up by the forest as it veered off to the left not far from where they stood.

He didn't like the feel of it. "Everyone stay here. I'll go check it out..."

Megan beat him off the mark and was heading down the trail before he could stop her. "I will check it, you wait here. Be back in a flash."

"Damn that woman!" Zak's anger came to a boil again as he watched her disappear around the bend in the trail. He rationalized his sudden rush of concern for her safety as being part of his normal sense of responsibility for all the members of his team. It would have been a good argument if not for the fact that it had sparked within him a sense of panic beyond any normal concern. Why could she not just follow his orders!

"How can she tell there's a disturbance?" Mashkkha asked. "I don't feel or hear anything."

"Are you kidding...she's a bloody Elf, isn't she?" Zak answered, starting after her. "Stay here."

"I don't think it's a good idea to split up with all this shifting locations going on," Mashkkha said. "We'll just come along with you, save you from coming back for us."

Zak mumbled several curses. Why could no one follow his orders? In his frustration, he increased his pace, trying to regain sight of Megan. But she was too far ahead for him to catch any glimpse of her through the dense trees. He let loose another string of curses as he picked up his pace.

As he chased after Megan, a sudden apprehension came over him. The path seemed to grow darker, the forest quieter. The air itself became heavier, a growing pressure making his ears ring. Then he sensed it...a malevolence that seemed to contaminate the very air around him. It was the same malignant sensation he'd picked up on the previous night in Tanner's Warehouse. He cursed Megan's independent stubbornness again, as he became even more concerned for her safety and he attempted to find more speed within himself.

When he did finally catch her, it was only because she had stopped. Megan stood just off the small path, crouched into the brush behind a tall Elvish Pine. As he approached her, she gave him an exaggerated signal to remain silent. A cold shiver ran down his spine as he caught her expression. Fear reflected in her eyes, turning the deep green to a duller shade and nearly extinguishing the bright flecks of gold. There was a sense of panic reflected in her actions as Megan silently motioned toward the clearing just beyond where they stood.

Zak followed her direction and as he looked out past the trees, he realized that the area beyond was not really a clearing at all. Not in the natural sense of the word anyway. While devoid of the tall living trees that made up the surrounding forest, this was a circle of destruction, the aftermath of some powerfully devastating force. Proud old Elvish Pine and Red Oak had stood here together not so long ago, but now all had been stripped away. In their place, large jagged stumps rose up from the ground, their trunks lying dead and broken around them like casualties of some great battle. Some of the dead trees appeared to have been scorched by fire, while others were splintered and cracked as though snapped from their roots by a giant hand.

The air within the circle was a swirling blood red, but remained translucent somehow. In the center of the destruction a darker black-red vortex rose up from the ground and into a blackened sky. The swirling column pulsed with a steady rhythm, very much like the energy stream that rose up and out of the roof of Tanner's Warehouse. But the column here was much larger than that coming from the small shipping office, at least several meters in circumference.

"Do you see it?" Megan's voice was unsteady as she whispered to him. A shiver rippled through her as she looked out over the vast circle of destruction.

Zak intuitively knew she wasn't referring to the obvious destruction. He strained his vision in an attempt to see what Megan wanted him to see. It was difficult to look, as his eyes immediately began to ache when he tried to see into the turbulent red air. No sunlight touched this area of ruination. Heavy dark clouds pressed down from above as jagged spears of lightning, stained red in the contaminated air, slashed through the blackness. Thunderous rumbles vibrated from the churning red vortex in the center of it all, echoing over the destruction like a cry of victory.

As Zak stared ahead in disbelief, he wondered how he had not seen the jagged spears of lightning, had not heard the angry rolls of thunder until now.

" _Do you see it!"_ Megan's voice turned harsh, but still no louder than a whisper.

Before Zak could answer, Captain Mashkkha and Harry Mathers came trotting down the path. When the two reached them, Mashkkha bent over, grasping his legs for support, breathing in deep gasps from the exertion of chasing after them.

"It would be nice if the two of you would keep in mind that we are not Elves," he managed between breaths. "Did you pick up on that spooky feeling..."

"Sshh, not so loud." Megan quickly put a finger to her lips to indicate silence. Her movements were exaggerated, almost frantic. She was clearly having difficulty controlling her fear.

"What the..." Mashkkha mumbled, looking up and past her, staring out into the reddish air.

"Oh my," Harry whispered. Panting less heavily than Mashkkha, he stepped closer to where the trail opened into the clearing.

"No!" was all Megan had time to call out.

Time suddenly became paradoxical as events unfolded in painfully slow motion, yet happening so fast that they were impossible to prevent.

As Harry approached the perimeter of the clearing, a black shadow moved within the dark stream of energy in the center of the clearing. Zak suddenly felt the full weight of the malignant power there, watched as the shadow seemed to grow larger.

Instinct screamed danger to him. "Get back!"

But it was too late. A sudden explosion erupted from the dark vortex and a catastrophic wall of blood red energy came rushing towards. It moved with tremendous velocity, further consuming the dead logs and tree stumps that lay in its path, splintering them into tiny shards of wooden shrapnel.

Zak acted purely on instinct, diving toward Megan and knocking her to the ground with a solid jolt just as the deadly shockwave swept over them. He protected her with his own body, his adrenalin rush wiping all thoughts from his mind. Pain streaked down his left arm as something heavy impacted with his shoulder. His vision blurred as another unseen object hit him in the back of his head.

. . .

He was uncertain how much time had passed before he realized that everything was suddenly quiet. The ground felt harder than it should have...concrete hard. He was disoriented. His head throbbed, felt swollen to the touch where it had been hit, and he instinctively knew that the warm liquid he felt on his fingertips was blood.

"Knocking me around is getting to be a habit with you. Get off of me!" Megan angrily pushed against him. Then the anger drained from her voice. "I smell blood!"

"It's just my head, don't worry about it," Zak mumbled. He attempted to sit up, but slumped back down in dizziness.

"Are you all right?" The transition to concern he detected in Megan's voice comforted him, her unexpected touch grounding his fuzzy thoughts as she groped to find his wound. "You may have a concussion."

He tried sitting up again. Before he could manage it, he froze, the fact that they were no longer in the forest suddenly registering. The place was dark. He switched to his Elf vision without realizing it, until he felt the pain in his head begin to grow. A soft reddish glow drew his attention and he focused on the familiar sight of the small prefab office of Tanner's Warehouse.

His first clear thought was how could it be dark already? He immediately felt foolish, remembering that they were in virtuality. Day could turn to night in the blinking of an eye. He made a quick visual sweep of their surroundings. Again they seemed to be in a perfect reproduction of Tanner's Warehouse, this time at ground level. There were no cops. Everything was dark and deathly still.

"I'm all right." He finally said to Megan, shrugging her probing hands away. After realizing he was sitting on the concrete floor, he attempted to stand in spite of the dizziness, but didn't get far before he ended up back on the hard cement.

"There is more blood here than yours" Megan's voice trembled.

Her remark called his attention to it. The tangy smell of fresh blood registered with his senses. The air was thick with it. They searched for the blood source and found Harry lying dead still on the concrete floor not far away. As Megan rushed to Harry's side, Mashkkha's voice suddenly called out from the darkness.

"Where are we?" He sounded groggy and confused.

Zak guessed that he'd just regained consciousness. "Tanner's Warehouse, it would seem."

"What in demon's hell is going on!" Mashkkha demanded. "If we're back in the warehouse, how did it get dark already? And where are my people?"

Zak made no comment. Now was not the time to argue over the reality of their situation. Or the lack of it. He made another attempt to stand. His head protested the move. He abandoned his Elf vision hoping it would relieve some of the pain and forced himself to his feet. The pain remained, both in his head and in his left shoulder. His left arm also felt numb. He tried gently rotating his shoulder as he stood. The pain surged, but he concluded that the injury wasn't serious.

"How's Harry?" he asked Megan.

"He is in really bad shape," Megan answered from the darkness. "I have used a healing incantation to help stabilize him, but we need to get him out of here. He needs a doctor or a proper healer!"

Before Zak could respond, he was suddenly overcome by another sensation. Death hung thickly in the blackness that surrounded them. It was so strong he wondered how he could not have detected it until now. He heard a startled sound catch in Megan's throat and knew her Elvish senses had just kicked in as well.

He wished he had a flashlight with him, but no such luck. He made an involuntary grimace as he switched back to his Elf vision.

It didn't take him long to get his bearings. He slowly moved toward the line of workbenches not far away. The bodies were right where he and Megan had found them the night before. He looked down in disbelief. The wounds were fresh, still in the process of bleeding out. The pooling blood beneath each Elf appeared nearly black in the darkness. Bending down he checked the first body and confirmed that it was still warm. These Elves had been shot only minutes before. Suddenly he was not so sure that this was virtuality. But it had to be, his logic insisted. If they were somehow in the real world, that would mean they had travelled back five days in time.

The unmistakable sound of a large shipping door sliding closed echoed through the dark silence of the warehouse. They had just missed the thieving murderers by minutes.

Zak was tempted to go after them, but Megan called out to him. There was no time for pursuit. No time to debate whether they were still in virtuality, or theorize over the possibility of time travel. Harry's injuries had to take priority for the moment.

Megan looked up at Zak as he returned, her expression haunted.

She knew what he had found. She knew, but resisted going to see for herself. The pain was in her eyes, in the drawn expression on her face. Zak wished there was something he could do to comfort her.

"Let's try to get him to the security office. Maybe I can figure out how to get us back to the world from there." His head continued to pound, the stress of using his Elf vision adding to the effects from the blows he'd taken.

Time and space... Real or virtual... He was not feeling very self-assured at all right now.

# 23

They had gotten only part way to the stairs leading up to the security office when their surroundings again blinked out. When they blinked back in they found themselves back among tall trees, the sun filtering down through branches dense with lush green leaves. With all that had happened none of them even raised the question of where they were. At this point, all that mattered was that they find a way to get Harry medical assistance as soon as possible.

"So, now what?" Mashkkha asked.

He and Zak were sharing the burden of carrying Harry. They had him braced between them, using their clasped hands as a makeshift seat, his arms thrown over and dangling from their shoulders. Harry was in bad shape, as Megan had said. He was unconscious. His forehead was a deep purple from an ugly bruise, his right arm broken. Zak felt a wetness running down his own arm, the hole in Harry's side leaking blood again. Before they moved him, Megan had removed a large piece of tree branch from the wound. She had been able to stop the bleeding and had stabilized him the best she could, but the wound had reopened. He had other minor cuts and bruises as well. It was all too obvious that Harry had taken the brunt of the blast back at the clearing.

Zak motioned to Mashkkha to set Harry down and they gently lowered him onto the narrow path they now found themselves on.

"We should keep moving," Megan said, after tending to Harry. "At least we can put some distance between us and the portal."

"Or hope we do," Zak said. His injured shoulder was throbbing from carrying the injured wizard and he rubbed at it, hoping it would provide some relief from the constant pain. It didn't. He tried to put it out of his mind and added, "The way we are popping in and out all over the place, it's hard to say where we're going to turn up next."

"I'm going to bust Aakil down to beat cop when I get out of here," Mashkkha's ruddy complexion was a few shades darker than normal, indicating that he also was not in the best of shape to carry Harry through the woods. "Aakil should have pulled us out when he saw we were in trouble!"

"Perhaps he has tried and could not," Megan said.

"Well, let's hope he doesn't pull us out now until we can find an exit," Zak said. "If the exit protocols aren't in place, the shock even to a healthy person would be pretty hard on their system. It could very well kill Harry in his condition."

"Well, that's just great!" Mashkkha growled.

"We don't have time to stand here and discuss it." Zak bent down and waited for Mashkkha to help lift Harry once again. "We seem to be on some sort of foot path. I don't have a clue what kind of virtual setting this is supposed to be, but a path usually means people...virtual or otherwise. If we can find help, virtual healing can often be just as effective as real medical care when it comes to injuries that occur in virtuality."

Megan took the lead and slowly they made their way along the twisted path. Both Zak and Mashkkha struggled as they carried Harry's limp form. They were both injured and tired. The narrow path made it even more difficult, as dead branches and exposed roots hidden beneath dead leaves made their footing treacherous. They went as fast as they could manage without jostling the injured wizard any more than necessary. And that meant they moved pretty slowly. Zak did the best he could to look for an access point along the way, but there didn't seem to be any in this stretch of virtuality.

They made frequent stops for Megan to check on Harry's condition. She never commented, but Zak could see the concern on her face grow with each stop. Harry remained unconscious all the while.

The poorly tended trail eventually turned into a wider path. They had been travelling for some time without any abrupt changes to their surroundings. Dense woods continued to border either side of them until they finally came to another clearing.

This one was much more pleasant than the previous clearing they'd come upon. An open gate hung loosely from a wood rail fence, beyond a small cabin stood in a well groomed yard. An abundance of flowers and shrubs had been neatly planted throughout the yard, softening the frontier style of the cabin, its roughly hewn logs stacked one upon another and packed with dried earth to seal the cracks between them. A wood shingled roof sloped relatively low to the ground, indicating that the cabin was a single-story dwelling. The front door at the centre of the structure had been shaped with equally rough blows from an axe and the windows on either side of the door were no more than rectangular cut outs without the benefit of glass. Heavy shutters, of the same workmanship as the door, hung from each window for security. These were now open, however, with only ragged looking burlap curtains hanging from each window as a means of separating outdoors from in.

To the left of the house a pile of uncut logs waited to become firewood. An overturned wheelbarrow lay not too far from the woodpile, as though someone had dropped it and left in a hurry. The place seemed deserted in the deep silence of the forest surrounding it, although it had not been abandoned long judging by the condition of the yard.

Zak called out several times as they stopped at the open gate. There was no answer.

"Nobody here," he concluded.

"You guys take Harry inside and get him comfortable," Megan said. She turned off to the right just before the entrance into the yard. "I am going to look around for some medicinal plants or herbs."

"Wait and I'll come with you," Zak said.

"I am a big girl," she answered. "I can take care of myself."

"I'm not sure what would happen if we shift again and we're not together. I'll come with you!" Zak insisted.

"You take care of Harry," she said. As she disappeared among the tall trees she called back, "Keep him warm!"

Zak cursed under his breath. There was little he could do to stop her until he was able to get Harry situated. He said to Mashkkha, "Hurry up and let's get him inside."

They found the door to the cabin not only unlocked, but unlatched as well. Inside, the cabin was small but cozy. A fireplace was inlaid in one wall, a large black cooking pot hanging in it. Although there was no fire burning at the moment, a pile of cut logs in the near corner was ready for use. Furniture was sparse and, like pretty much everything else in the cabin, cut from logs. Four stools were gathered around the fireplace, each roughly cut and supported by three short legs. A wood table stood against another wall. Four bowls and a collection of utensils were set out on the table, along with a couple of ceramic jars. A sleeping loft had been constructed in the roof peak and several blankets could be seen heaped in a pile near the edge, a ladder propped against the far wall was the only access.

No way were they going to get Harry up to the sleeping area in his condition. They eased him down onto the dirt floor.

"We need to keep him warm. I'll go up and get some blankets."

Zak was three quarters of the way up the ladder when something down below caught his attention. A large burlap sack sat in the corner near the fireplace. In bold black lettering printed across the side of the bag were the words _Tahmore General Store_. The memory trigger was immediate. _Tahmore_. It was the name on the sign Megan had seen in her vision while making contact with the portal inside Tanner's Warehouse. And the sense of familiarity came back stronger than ever. "By the Maker, I _know_ I've heard of Tahmore somewhere else before!"

"What?" Mashkkha asked, turning toward him with a puzzled look on his face.

"Nothing," he said, but his mind continued to search for where he'd heard the name before. He remained distracted as he climbed the ladder to the loft and retrieved two blankets from one of the straw mats he found up there. As he began making his way down the ladder, Zak absently glanced out the nearby window, which looked out onto the rear of the cabin. His blood froze.

"Oh, crap!" He scrambled down the ladder and, throwing the blankets in Mashkkha's general direction, ran straight out the door.

He kept running all the way around to the rear of the cabin. Mashkkha followed close behind, Harry forgotten for the moment, his gruff voice calling out, "What... What is it?"

They came to a stop among several bodies lying scattered around the yard. Four were Human, an older man and a woman, and apparently their two teenaged boys. All four had been brutally hacked and sliced with sharp blades. All had died with swords in their hands. There were two hunting bows on the ground as well; one lying partially hidden beneath the old man, the other next to the eldest teen. Their quivers held only a few arrows, the others evidently spent in defense of their homestead.

The remaining bodies had obviously been among those who had attacked the family. They looked evil even in death. Their lifeless eyes still an angry red as they stared blankly toward the blue sky. Short stubby horns grew from their heads and their bodies were covered with scaly hides. Their long snouts looked more wolf-like than anything, but they wore leather clothing and appeared to have walked upright.

"What in the demon's hell are these creatures?" Mashkkha said, gazing down at one of the limp and twisted bodies.

"Kaboles." Zak muttered.

"Kaboles?"

"They are fictional characters," Zak said, looking around at the carnage thoughtfully. "They don't exist."

"Well, then what are they doing here?"

Zak didn't answer immediately. He bent down and picked up one of the swords, balancing it carefully in his hand. "This is a virtual game!"

"What?" Mashkkha looked over at him in confusion. "You're telling me that we have become part of some computer game? Does that mean that the portal and the thing in it is part of the game as well?"

"I don't know." A sense of urgency pulled at Zak as he thought of Megan alone in the woods. "Real or not, these weapons are deadly if the rules of engagement aren't functioning!"

The color drained from Mashkkha's face, replaced by the same panic Zak had felt. "You mean..."

"Exactly," Zak said. He carefully scanned the tree line surrounding the yard, looking for any signs of movement. "Dead could very well mean dead!"

"Oh..."

Zak quickly collected weapons from the Humans. Each of the adults had wielded long swords, while the two teens had been armed with short swords. Upon examining them Zak found the blades to be of reasonable quality.

"Take these," he said, offering one of the long swords and one of the short swords to Mashkkha.

"What am I supposed to do with these?" Mashkkha asked, gingerly accepting the weapons. "I'm not trained in sword play!"

"Then use one of the bows," Zak said. "They are the only weapons we have. Get back inside. Do what you can for Harry. But don't let your guard down. Keep watch for any unwelcome company. Lock the door and shutters. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Zak was off toward the woods without waiting for a response. Balancing the blade of the long sword on his right shoulder and carrying the shorter sword similarly on his left, he ran across the yard and hopped the fence near where Megan had entered the forest. His heart was pounding; he was tense with anticipation, but forced himself to slow down and follow her trail more carefully. Again his concern for her safety ran deeper than the normal concern for a colleague. There were emotions involved that he was not used to dealing with. Fear was the predominant of those emotions: fear that she would come into trouble she would be unable to handle, fear that she would be seriously injured or worse, fear of losing her... As though he had some claim upon her to begin with. Other emotions orbited that fear. Physical attraction...desire...affection...

He forced himself to stop there. He had no time for any of it. He did the best he could to force the unwanted emotions from his mind and concentrated on reading Megan's trail. The pain in his shoulder also served as a distraction, which made following her even more difficult. She was Elf. Elves had a natural ability to walk through any landscape leaving next to no trace of their passing. This was even more the case when they travelled within a forest, their natural habitat. Megan hadn't gone far before turning off the path she had been following. Zak nearly missed the fact that she had turned, which forced him to go slower and concentrate more closely on the task at hand.

The forest trees gradually grew less dense, oak being replaced by Elvish fir, with flat dark green needles in clusters resembling suction cups. Although the forest became less populated with the fir, thick underbrush filled in much of the open areas. Zak couldn't put a name to the species of plant, a dense shrubbery with leaves edged in a bright red that gradually changed to dark purple at the center. It grew twice as tall as a man and became so thick that Zak had to be extremely careful not to lose Megan's trail.

He had been following a narrow path through the maze of undergrowth for some time when again the forest became less dense, the persistent shrubs now reduced to scattered clusters among the giant boughs. As he continued on, his attention suddenly focused upon how quiet and still the forest had become. There were no longer any sounds of birds chirping high above or the bristling of small forest creatures within the underbrush. The quiet had become complete.

He stopped dead still, cocked his head and listened.

Nothing.

He stood there for a long moment and continued to listen.

And still he heard nothing.

He was about ready to move on again when the sound of voices reached his ears...coming closer.

There was no time to think. He instinctively slipped into the nearest cluster of undergrowth. As he slid in among the vines he was grabbed suddenly from behind, a hand covering his mouth as he was pulled to the ground. As he wrestled to get free, a hushed voice spoke near to his ear, warm breath tickling against his neck.

"Sshhh! It is me," Megan whispered.

Zak stopped struggling immediately, relief that he finally found her washing over him. He followed her instruction and remained silent, his instincts warning him of impending danger as the voices he'd heard grew louder. Still, he felt distracted by the close proximity of the Elf woman, her body pressed against his own. He slowly and quietly turned to face her, listening to the voices all the while. Her emerald green eyes sparkled with something like humor as she looked back at him. He suddenly got the feeling that she could read his inner conflict, could detect his emotional turmoil concerning her. He was just as suddenly embarrassed by it. But then the time for such nonsense ended. He handed her the short sword and she took it without question. They both hunched down and waited, peeking through the dense leaves that hid them.

As he looked out into the forest, a group of creatures blinked into view. From what Zak could see of them, they looked to be the same ugly mythical creatures he'd seen back at the cabin. They were fully immersed in an animated discussion, their language unrecognizable to Zak. He counted eight of the creatures and they were heading straight for them!

The fictional monsters walked in a half-hazard line, their weapons slung over their shoulders in a casual indifference to any possible threat, mumbling and grunting and laughing in their own harsh language. To Zak's ears it sounded as though all eight of them were gagging at the same time. Their entire language seemed to consist of just three guttural sounds, _"auch"_ and _"dok"_ and _"arg"._ He could not understand one word of what they were saying. Their faces seemed naturally twisted in snarls, their angry red eyes looking out at the world with hatred and contempt.

As they drew nearer Zak feared they were going to trample straight through the dense brush where he and Megan hid. Holding his breath, he clenched the long sword firmly in his hand, ready to strike if the need should arise.

But the Kaboles did not trample into their hiding place. Instead they turned wide, leisurely travelling deeper into the forest. Both Zak and Megan remained still, listening to the grating dialect gradually fade into the distance. The deep silence that followed seemed unusually heavy. After a few quiet moments Zak judged that it was safe. Letting his tension slip away with a sigh of relief he led the way out of their hiding spot.

"That was a bit too close for comfort," he said, looking down the trail in the direction the creatures had gone.

"Zak, those creatures were Kaboles," Megan said.

"You know what they are?"

"Do you think I have never played virtual games?"

"I didn't know Elves went in for such frivolous past times."

"There are obviously a good many things you do not know about Elves."

Megan once again pushed Zak's annoyance button. He bit back the argument he wanted to start. This was not the reunion he'd imagined as he searched for her.

If Megan was able to read his annoyance, she showed no indication of it. "If this is some sort of game... You had better come with me. I have something to show you."

She led him in the direction the Kaboles had come from. Not far from where they had hid, the trees broke onto an open road. A bright sun combined with the looming forest to create a patchwork of light and shade across the hard dirt of what appeared to be a well-used road judging by the deep wheel ruts.

"Those tracks were not made by modern vehicles," Megan stated the obvious. "See how narrow the individual grooves are? Those were made by a cart of some kind, drawn by horses. If this is a game of some sort, I would guess it is a sword and sorcery game."

"Well, that fits in with the farm we found. And the Kaboles."

"There is more," Megan said. She led him further down the road until they reached a place where the road forked. Without saying a word, Megan simply pointed.

An old and weathered sign hung from a cracked wooden post that sat crookedly in the ground where the two paths separated. The sign was in the shape of an arrow pointing down the left fork.

Zak stared at the faded words of the sign and realization suddenly hit.

_Tahmore Ferry_.

The voice of the SHIAM guard, Jonas, suddenly echoed in his mind.

...and there's a dock with a sign that says Tahmore Ferry...

Jonas had spoken these words to him just two days ago. At the time Zak had impatiently disregarded the android's questions concerning the virtual game. Now those questions suddenly took on a whole new meaning.

"Oh crap, this...Tahmore Ferry. This is the link to Grimrok Corporation!"

# 24

"W _arriors and Wizards_...I think that was the name of the game." Zak said, recounting his conversation with the SHIAM security guard on his first day at Grimrok. "The android was going on about how he was the only player that could access a game segment containing a boat landing called Tahmore Ferry. According to him, none of the other on-line players he was in contact with had any reference to it."

"So the thieves used sorcery _and_ a virtual game?" Megan questioned, a puzzled look shaping her face.

"Of course, this may not have anything to do with the theft," Zak said, pushing away the thought of how cute Megan's expression was as she looked over at him. "I mean, it's common for kids to break into these old deserted buildings and hack into Comm Net. Some junior nerd could be responsible for hacking the game module."

"And these kids just happened to break into the same warehouse where the thieves opened a portal to some unknown place and murdered five Elves? I don't think so!"

"Yeah well, maybe not." Zak had to admit that it sounded pretty far-fetched. The problem was that the theory that the thieves somehow used magic, some sort of worm hole and a virtual game in order to steel a SHIAM unit from a high security building sounded even more ludicrous. "We seem to keep running up more questions than answers."

"The answers are sure to come eventually," Megan said. "We just have to keep looking."

Zak didn't feel quite so confident about that at this point. He took one last look around and said, "We better get back to Mashkkha and Harry."

They backtracked toward the cottage following the same path Zak had followed to find Megan, winding their way through the giant old trees and thick undergrowth. The forest life now seemed to have returned to normal, colorful birds calling out to one another, black squirrels chattering as they jumped from tree branch to tree branch, as small ground animals crept through the underbrush. The sounds and smells made it a rather pleasant walk, now that Zak was relaxed enough to take notice of it, although it was only a virtual forest. Or perhaps the pleasure he got from it was because he was now certain it _was_ a virtual forest and not some bizarre blend of virtuality and reality. But it had also become another piece of the puzzle he was working on, as well. A puzzle that Zak was far from solving.

They had been travelling for some time when Megan suddenly bent down to examine the forest floor, interrupting Zak's thoughts. She searched the ground carefully, gently working her fingertips over the leaves that covered the area.

Zak cursed as he looked over her shoulder. He could read the signs as well as Megan. A group of Kaboles had come upon the path and were now some distance ahead of them, making their way toward the cottage where Mashkkha and Harry Mathers waited for them.

"Let's get going," he said.

Megan looked up at him and nodded without saying a word and then they were off, sprinting down the trail as fast as they could travel.

Zak admonished himself as they went. He had allowed himself to become distracted, too wrapped up in the mystery of all that was going on to have noticed the telltale signs that the mythical creatures had joined the path. The forest had regained the same eerie silence as before. He was unable to tell if these were the same Kaboles they'd seen earlier, but the tracks clearly indicated that if it was the same group, they had met more of their kind before coming to the trail. And that was extremely troublesome considering that Zak had no idea if the rules of engagement were in place.

Even at the increased speed Megan moved in complete silence through the woods. Zak kept pace with her and managed to be nearly as quiet, but at the speed they were travelling his Elvish abilities downgraded somewhat. Even though his skill at stealth was still considerably higher than that of a full-blooded Human, Megan turned a disapproving glare upon him at each small sound he made. And each time he glared right back at her, not appreciating what he interpreted as an attitude of Elvish superiority.

They caught up with the Kaboles just as they were closing on the cabin. It was difficult to tell just how many of the fictional beings there actually were as Zak caught only brief glimpses of them through the trees ahead. The best he could calculate was that there now appeared to be at least a couple dozen. If the Rules of Engagement were turned off as Zak suspected they were, then his team was in a great deal of danger!

They followed more cautiously now. Zak could think of no safe plan to handle these made-up monsters. He wondered what the game skill levels of these Kaboles might be. He hoped they were on a lower level of play, but he had no way of telling. He tried to remember the last time he'd played a sword and sorcery game, but it had been a good long time ago.

A sudden scream pierced the quiet of the forest. The inhuman sound, a cry of surprise mixed with pain, came from up ahead of them. It had been cut short, in mid-scream, and Zak was pretty sure it had been a death cry. He was also pretty certain that it had come from one of the Kaboles. It had taken him only a split second to determine these things. In the next second much shouting and yelling filled the air. He could see the Kaboles scrambling for cover in the distance. He and Megan did the same, plunging into the dense brush that lined the trail. As they took cover, Zak heard another of the Kaboles shout out in pain. This creature didn't go silent like the first, but continued to call out, begging for help from what Zak could tell. His comrades, now safely tucked behind trees, didn't seem too keen on the idea of exposing themselves just now in order to give their companion any aid.

"Is that Captain Mashkkha with the bow?" Megan asked in whispered amazement.

"Apparently," Zak replied. They were too far away, with too many trees between them and the cottage, for him to be able to make out any details. "I didn't think he had the talent. Two quick shots like that - both hits. Must be a good thirty meters from the cottage to the tree line."

The wounded Kabole continued to call out to his comrades, his pleas for help sounding pathetic even in his harsh language.

As Zak scanned the scene ahead, he could feel his Adrenalin pumping. The situation was not good. Game or no game, they were heavily outnumbered and couldn't reach the cottage without having to circle around and approaching from the rear. There was no way they could make their way through the dense forest and reach Mashkkha and Harry in time.

"It's not going to take them long to figure out there is only one shooter in the cottage," he said. "Once they do, they will rush the cabin. You have any magic tricks up your sleeve?"

"It will be difficult with all these trees," Megan said. "We must get closer. And even then, I am not sure how much I can do with so many of them."

Zak nodded his understanding and they began to slowly work their way closer. Fortunately, the Kaboles all seemed to be fully focused on the cottage, so they were able to get quite close without being noticed. Zak could now see several of the squat, ugly creatures hiding on either side of the trail. He could also see the two Kaboles that Mashkkha had shot, lying just beyond the tree line. The first was dead, an arrow sticking out of his chest. The second was writhing in pain as he continued to call out to his companions, an arrow protruding from the center of his abdomen.

"Do you have anything that will take out a group?" Zak whispered.

"Nothing that I can be sure of," Megan whispered back. "Sorcery such as that requires specialized training. I have studied the subject in principal, but have never practiced it."

He looked first at Megan's short sword, then at his own long sword and shook his head. "I really don't need this sword fighting crap!" he said under his breath. "A pulse pistol would be nice right about now."

Megan looked over at him, a hard smile on her face. "I thought you were Te'n Kha. You should be well trained with the sword."

"Not for more than twenty-to-one odds," Zak snorted softly. "Besides, that training was a long time ago. And my military career did not afford much opportunity for swordplay. Now, if you want to talk automatic weapons or rocket launchers, that's another story."

A flurry of arrows suddenly arched up through the air from the tree line in front of them, driving into the log siding of the cabin with a rapid staccato sound that echoed through the trees. The first volley of arrows was quickly followed by another. The Kaboles were attempting to keep any shooters inside the building pinned down, which meant they were probably near ready to make their move. As the next volley flew, a group of the digital raiders broke from the trees and charged toward the cottage.

"No!" Megan cried out. She leaped into the pathway and stretched her right arm out in front of her. As she called out in the ancient language of Elves, a burst of energy exploded from her outstretched palm and several Kaboles were struck down as they ran.

Zak looked after her, anxiety over her safety knotting his gut.

" _Iliadha una!"_ she repeated the Elvish phrase and another burst of energy lashed out, dropping three more of the Kaboles.

Her third incantation was noticeably weaker. Only one Kabole fell. The fourth missed its mark completely as Megan doubled over with exhaustion. There were at least twenty of the creatures left within the forest and their attention was now fully upon Megan. With a piercing cry they streamed onto the path and back towards where she stood.

"Oh, crap!" Zak lunged onto the path so that he stood between Megan and the charging hoard.

As he braced for the approaching onslaught, he saw another arrow arch into the air from the window of the cabin. Unfortunately, it missed its target and before Mashkkha could get off another shot, a volley of return fire came from those Kaboles who were advancing upon the cabin.

There was no more time for observation as the Kaboles met Zak with a flurry of swordplay. He quickly discovered that the digital creatures were well above a first level skill set. In spite of his advantage of wielding a longer sword and the narrow trail that kept the Kaboles bunched together, it was all Zak could do to fend them off. Their sharp blades came at him in short vicious strokes. He quickly lost track of Megan as he parried one blade then blocked another. There was a brief opening, no more than an instant of opportunity, and Zak managed to take it. His blade sliced across one Kabole's stomach, opening him up from side to side. He quickly cleared his sword in time to parry yet another blade, but his timing was off. He felt a burning pain in his side and then his body suddenly felt icy cold as all went black.

# 25

"What the frag were you trying to do, kill us!"

Zak's awareness returned to him disoriented and confused.

Nausea was his only certainty, his stomach pushing against his throat with unyielding persistence. A deep aching sensation seemed to consume every nerve in his body. He felt as though he'd been used as a dragon's play toy. Someone gasped with pain in the distance and he was able to recognize it as Harry Mather's voice. He fought to clear his head and focus on his surroundings, but both his head and his eyes refused to cooperate. He heard Megan and Captain Mashkkha as they simultaneously demanded to know what the hell was going on, but he couldn't identify who they were shouting at. Megan's voice seemed to be inside his head, while Mashkkha's was coming from some great distance... That couldn't be right.

He felt a gentle touch at his side, then stabbing pain!

"Sorry!" the sweet sound of Megan's voice came from close by, but no longer seemed to be echoing within his skull.

"We had to get you out of there for your own good." The cold quality of the voice denied any real concern. Zak still couldn't identify the speaker. Who was Megan talking to?

"Oh, for our own good," Megan spat back, her words reflecting her anger. "You nearly killed us, you ass!"

"The virtual space was becoming unstable. There was no choice but to take the risk,"

Zak again attempted to focus his eyes. Everything was blurred and distant, like he was looking through the wrong end of binoculars that were out of focus. Then things gradually cleared. He was sitting in the dimly lit upper office of Tanner's Warehouse, still at the computer terminal where he'd been sitting when he and the others had entered virtuality. This time, he was happy to note, there was only one version of himself in the room.

He locked his vision upon Megan's petite frame, using her to center his awareness. She was tending to his side, while at the same time arguing with the cold voiced man. Her hands were warm against his skin. She looked pale and concerned. The reason she was fussing over him confused him, but he didn't much care at the moment, as long as she was there with him and safe. Who was the jerk she was arguing with?

He began to drift again. The arguing faded to background noise, although he recognized Mashkkha's strong voice at some point. Then the memory of Harry's wounds suddenly came back to him. Concern pulled him back to the cramped room again. He tried to call out to Megan, but his mouth didn't seem to work. His concern for the Wizard grew as he looked over to the empty seat where Harry had been sitting during their virtual mission. He attempted to call out again, as his anxiety for the wizard grew. One word finally managed to slip out...weak...barely audible. "Harry."

"Harry is alive," Megan assured him. "Just barely. The paramedics are working on him."

"What... What happened?" The words came a little easier this time.

"Your boneheaded friend nearly killed us by yanking us out of virtuality!" Megan said with more than a little hostility.

_Friend_ , he tried to focus.

"...told you, it was necessary!"

It took Zak several seconds to connect the truculent voice to Dorjan Vennhim. What the frag was Vennhim doing here?

He shifted in his seat, attempting to get out of the chair. A sharp jabbing pain in his right side stopped him cold.

"Do not try to move," Megan said firmly. "Your body has taken on the wounds you received in virtuality. A sword wound here on your side. Your shoulder is badly bruised and your head has a nasty gash."

He looked down to where Megan's delicate fingers were working on his side. The wound was already covered with gauze, but there was a significant amount of blood soaked into his t-shirt, which was folded up above the wound. Then he remembered. One of the Kaboles had gotten in a lucky strike just as the world dropped out from under him. He touched the bandages gingerly and winced. The pain confirmed that the Rules of Engagement had not been working. He attempted again to get up, this time more slowly. Then the dizziness grew worse, his vision blurring once more; he felt that he was in danger of losing consciousness again.

"I said to stay put!" Megan's irritated voice drew him back to the moment.

He focused upon her as she finished bandaging his side and then stood defiantly to face Vennhim. In spite of her defiant attitude, she seemed weak, as though she was calling upon the last of her energy. Her complexion appeared pale, the dim light promoting a sickly pallor. But she was still beautiful in spite of it all. How could he ever tell her about his involvement with her father? Sadness threatened to consume him in his diminished state of mind. Suddenly nothing mattered to him but to make things right with Megan. No! She was Elf...can't do it. Then he became aware of Vennhim standing there as smug and emotionless as ever.

"What the frag are you doing here!" Zak was surprised at how weak his own voice sounded. He refused to allow any sign of weakness in front of Vennhim. He attempted to raise himself out of the chair. The wound at his side combined with his throbbing head and shoulder to persuade him otherwise. He flopped back down in the chair...cursing.

"I told you to stay put!" Megan said angrily. "Besides your wounds, you most likely have a concussion and you are suffering from metabolic shock from being pulled out of virtuality without the proper exit protocols."

Of course, that would explain Megan's sickly appearance as well. They were pulled out of virtual space without the proper protocols. He vaguely remembered what had happened in those last seconds in virtuality. He was lucky he was not injured more severely. His mistake had been attempting to glance in Megan's direction during the heat of the battle, to check that she was all right. That foolishness nearly cost him his life.

In spite of Megan's hostility towards Vennhim, the truth was that he probably had saved all their lives by pulling them out when he did. Of course, Zak was no more inclined to admit to that than Megan was.

Mashkkha's voice cut into his thoughts once again. Zak located him standing off to the side of the room, clearly unhappy about something. He was in a heated argument with a man Zak thought he should know, but the recognition failed him. Several other suits wandered around the office, self-importance exuding from their collective selves, as they carried out what appeared to be a search of the small office. He instantly identified them as ASID. None of Mashkkha's men were to be seen.

"What's going on, Captain?" Zak chose to use Mashkkha title out of respect in front of the ASID suits.

"It seems that these – gentlemen - are taking over my investigation."

"Look, Captain," the suit standing in front of Mashkkha interrupted, a mixture of anger and contempt in his voice. He was clean cut with short-cropped sandy coloured hair. His hazel eyes were as cold as his expression. The dark blue suit, red tie and white shirt were standard dress for ASID. "You know as well as I do that ASID investigations take priority over local jurisdiction. End of story. Now go get the rest of your team out of here before they contaminate my crime scene any more than they already have. But don't _you_ leave until I have a chance to debrief you!"

"Radcliff!" Zak finally put a name to the man. He was cut from the same cloth as Vennhim and Zak liked him about as much. He'd been Vennhim's partner when Zak retired from the Department.

"Good to see you again, Harris." Radcliff said dispassionately.

"Oh, no it isn't!"

Radcliff glared at Zak for a long moment and then turned back to Mashkkha. "Just get your guys out of here. Now." He walked to the door and stopped. "Don't any of you leave until you've been debriefed."

Zak watched Radcliff leave. He knew without looking at Mashkkha to confirm it that the man's temper was boiling, but he was helpless to do anything about the situation. The Aragne Special Intelligence Department had the authority to take over any investigation they took a mind to. And they simply loved to throw their weight around with the local authorities. But what the hell was Vennhim doing here?

"I thought you were retired," he said to Vennhim, his eyes closed against the nauseous feeling that had regained control of him. "What are you doing hanging with the Department?"

"I am retired," Vennhim answered simply. He was quiet for a moment, as though considering his words. "Agent Radcliff was kind enough to give me a courtesy call when he was called in on this."

Zak forced his eyes open even though his head was pounding and his stomach churning. "And just how did he get called in on this?"

"Apparently, ASID received an anonymous call." Vennhim said. "The caller said it was a matter of national security. Mark was assigned. When he got here and saw what the deal was, he called me in."

"Dragon crap," Zak said. "There's something more going on here."

# 26

"If you don't slow down you're going to run into something." Zak watched her through half closed eyes, fighting his drowsiness from the pain medication the paramedics had given him.

"Keep still and save your energy," Megan replied.

Megan turned West on Halcyon Drive and crossed the bridge to Sol Kappur West, then headed North to the Bolias Expressway. Zak didn't have a clue where she was going, but didn't much care at the moment. His side was throbbing in time with his head, his bruised shoulder ached and the movement of the hover car wasn't helping any of it.

Agent Radcliff had questioned each of them before allowing them to leave the warehouse. Questioned. That was an understatement. It had been more interrogation than debriefing. Zak was not very happy about any of it. And the fact that Radcliff allowed Vennhim to sit in on it impressed him even less. He withheld as much as he could, telling them only what he had to. Judging by Radcliff's questions, Megan and the Captain hadn't been any more forthcoming. Radcliff had finally given up, informing them that they will be called into ASID for further questioning after they had time to recover from their ordeal.

The paramedics wanted to take Zak along with Harry Mathers to the hospital. When he refused, Megan assured them that she was capable of tending to his injuries and they reluctantly agreed.

Rain was still coming down hard which forced Megan to drive at ground level once again, though she was going too fast for conditions. As usual. Zak closed his eyes and focused on the rhythmic swish of the windshield wipers playing a counter-beat to the pelting rain. At some point he must have dozed off because the next thing he knew Megan had stopped the Pegasus and turned off the engine.

He opened his eyes in time to watch the last of the rain streak down the passenger window. They were parked inside a garage, or at least it had garage type paraphernalia in it. But it wasn't like any garage Zak had ever been in. First of all, it was probably the size of his loft. Okay, that was a slight exaggeration, but it was _big_! It was also cleaner than any garage he had ever been in and that wasn't an exaggeration. The floor was spotless, as was the walls and ceiling. Various tools and lawn equipment either hung neatly upon the walls or were laid out on the extra-long workbench that stretched across the back of the structure. They all looked brand new and were as neatly placed as though on display in a retail store. There were several vehicles besides the one they were in. Four of them he recognized as antiques, old gas combustion types from more than fifty years ago.

"So, where are we?" Zak asked.

"Home," Megan answered. She opened her door, but did not get out right away.

"You _live_ here?"

"What can I say, Daddy is rich." Her smile was enchanting and tugged at something inside him that made him uncomfortable. She told him to wait until she came around the car to help him out.

Struggling with his unwanted attraction toward her, Zak's guilt inevitably returned. He had a sudden urge to tell her the truth about his involvement with her father, to finally get it all out in the open.

Megan swung the passenger door open and held out her hand to help him out of the car.

Looking up at her, he was suddenly cleansed of the desire for confession. Her smile was charismatic; the golden flecks within her deep green eyes seemed to induce a hypnotic effect on him, tempting him with the desire to be with her. Now was neither the time nor place to risk terminating their partnership in the Grimrok assignment. And that is exactly what would happen if he began spilling his guts to her now. He'd tell her later, when the time was right.

He allowed her to take his arm and drape it around her shoulder for support. The warmth of her body against him was distracting, even with the pain he was in. He longed to know her better, more intimately. He leaned against her a bit more than was required, enjoying the contact. She made no sign of protest as she led him to a door located along the far wall near the rear of the garage.

If Zak thought the garage was over the top, it was nothing compared to what he found inside the house. Even in the midday gloom brought on by the storm, Zak's first impression was one of luxury beyond anything he was accustomed to. Megan switched on lights to a hall with rich green walls and a pale brown runner that led off toward the front of the house. The walkway was generously wide for a hallway, with genuine antique wooden stands spaced along each wall displaying a variety of freshly cut flowers and an assortment of expensive looking Elvish figurines. The walls were framed with several paintings that, as far as Zak could tell, were also Elvish in origin.

To his left the hall ended almost immediately at a double archway that opened into a large dining room. Looking through the open doors he could see a massive oak dining table, which was obviously the focal point of the room. A number of matching chairs were clustered around it, sufficient to seat at least fifty people. An oak buffet stood along one of the walls, completing the expensive dining set. Most of the far wall of the room consisted of tall windows stretching nearly floor to ceiling and framed by heavy wine colored drapes. A flower garden could be seen just outside the windows, a small forest of evergreens beyond that. The garden seemed bright and colorful even on this dark rain-drenched day.

Megan helped Zak through another door located directly across the hall from the garage entrance. Flashes of lightning sent irregular strobes of hash white light down through an overhead skylight as they entered. The kitchen wasn't quite as large as the dining area, was well equipped and contained an assortment of stainless steel appliances. Zak imagined that this room, like the dining area, would be bathed in golden warmth on a bright and sunny day.

"I take it you have a staff of several dozen lurking about somewhere?"

"Only ten when my father is not here," Megan answered. "They live on the top floor. When I am here by myself, I let them have most of their time to themselves."

She led him over to one of the marble topped prep areas and told him to lie down upon it. He winced from a jolt of pain as Megan helped him up onto the counter and then gently eased him onto his back. He turned his head to watch her as she crossed the room, her hips moving with a naturally sensual rhythm as she walked. She disappeared into what Zak assumed was a storage room. When she returned to him, she gently pulled his t-shirt up to his shoulders and carefully removed the bandages from his side. He caught himself smiling as he watched the concentrated concern on her face as she tended his wound. He was growing accustomed to the excessively radical facade of her make-up and wardrobe, and suddenly realized that he couldn't imagine her any other way.

He cut off the direction his thought processes were taking before they could go any further. She was Elf. End of story. But when she looked up at him and their eyes met, he felt something more than simple lust for her. Something that he refused to name.

"You don't need to do this, you know," he said, shrugging off the emotion.

Megan ignored his comment as she continued to work on his side.

One of the medics on scene at the warehouse had told Zak he had suffered from a mild concussion just as Megan had suspected. The pounding in his skull seemed to confirm it, but he did his best to ignore it. The pain from his side was considerably more intrusive, indicating that the medication the medics had given him was beginning to wear off. In spite of his determination not to show weakness in front of her, he found it difficult not to wince as Megan probed the wound.

"This needs to be stitched shut in order to heal properly," she said as she inspected his wound. "I will put some _Aelhara_ on it first. It is an Elvish herb. It will numb the area as well as disinfect it."

She worked with care and efficiency. When she was done with his side, she rubbed the herbal mix onto his bruised shoulder and redressed his head wound as well. Within a short time his wounds were cleaned, medicated and bandaged.

"You should heal quickly," Megan said. "The medicine I used has exceptional healing properties." A look of realization came over her. "I am sorry. Perhaps, I should have asked first. You may not have wanted Elvish treatments, but when you refused to go with the medics..."

"It's fine, thanks."

Relief softened the weariness of her expression. Her hand lingering upon his bare shoulder made him suddenly uncomfortable and he raised himself up into a sitting position on the counter, his blood soaked t-shirt still folded up under his arms. At the same instant Megan seemed to become self-conscious of her touch and pulled her hand away.

"Thanks," he said again, watching her embarrassment with curiosity. Up until this point, nothing about her had given him any indication that she was shy about anything. The flecks of gold in her eyes brought out the emerald green all the more. He could easily become lost within their depths... He felt suddenly awkward again and looked away.

"You need to get some rest," Megan said. "I will show you to one of the guestrooms."

"You don't need to bother."

"Nonsense!" Megan interrupted his protest. "You are injured. I can heal your wounds quickly as long as you do not object to Elvish cures."

Without waiting for any further protests, Megan helped him from the kitchen and led him upstairs to a bedroom that possessed the same luxurious ambiance as the other areas of the house he'd been in. Even though Zak didn't feel totally at ease in the plush bed, it was beyond comfort and it didn't take him long after Megan left to fall into a deep sleep.

. . .

"What!" Zak cried out, bolting upright before coming fully awake. Pain stabbed at his side from the sudden movement.

"It is okay. You were having a nightmare."

He sat breathing heavily both from the pain and from the unpleasant dream that still lingered within the shadows of his mind. He felt disoriented until he noticed those emerald green and gold-flecked eyes watching him intently. As he recognized Megan sitting on the bed next to him, the rest of his surroundings fell into place around her.

"Here, drink this." She picked up a cup from the nightstand and offered it to him. It had a woodsy smell to it and was bitter going down.

The rumble of thunder pulled his attention to the window. The day was even darker than it had been, rain rapping upon the pane and on the shingles of the roof. He sat listening to the staccato rhythm as he collected himself. The dream had been so real, as real as virtual space blending with the world.

"What time is it?" he asked. He had thought the nightmares had left him. It had been over two years since the last. The inevitable guilt that accompanied them weighed heavily upon him once again. Now would be a good time to tell her.

"Seventeen hours, nearly dark." Megan had changed into a loose fitting pale green dress, the material so light that he could nearly see her beneath it where it pressed against her body. Her make-up was now rather conservative compared to what it had been. Her feminine transition was a striking contrast to her rebellious look and seemed to accent her natural beauty. Reaching out, she placed her wrist upon his forehead. "You have a slight fever. It should be gone by morning though."

"I should get going," Zak said, suddenly feeling uncomfortable again. "I need to get home to Ke'aira."

"You should stay and rest," Megan countered. "And I want to monitor you to make sure there are no complications with your concussion. I can have one of the servants go and take care of Ke'aira for you."

Zak's instinct told him he should leave, but something within him refused to comply. "You don't need to send anyone out in this weather. I'll call my neighbor. She's taken care of Ke'aira before."

"Whatever you prefer."

"Is there somewhere I could clean up?" A foolish question in a house this luxurious. There were probably several places where he could clean up. He felt even more foolish when he suddenly realized that he was naked under the covers, but he didn't remember removing his clothes. "Uumm, I seem to be without clothes."

"I took them to wash," Megan said, a smile crossing her lips. "Relax, I did not take advantage of you while you slept. I am afraid your shirt is ruined though. And, yes, there is a place where you can clean up."

Megan handed him a burgundy robe. "My father's. I am sure he will not mind."

Zak took the robe, although he wasn't so sure about her father not minding. Motioning for her to turn around, he prepared for the adventure of getting out of bed without aggravating his wound any more than he already had.

Giggling at his embarrassment, Megan did as he asked. "It is a little late for modesty. I have already seen all that there is to see."

"How nice," Zak grumbled, then gasped in pain.

Megan instantly spun around to help him. He was doubled over clutching at his side, the robe forgotten on the floor where it fell. She eased him back onto the bed. Retrieving the robe from the floor, she draped it over him.

"For your sense of modesty," she said with a smile. "The herbs in the tea will take the pain away, but it takes a while to take effect."

When Zak felt he was ready to try it again, she helped him get carefully to his feet. A rush of dizziness swept over him and he nearly collapsed. Megan took a stagger step beneath his weight before regaining her balance and steadying him.

"Sorry," he said, embarrassed that he needed her help.

"It is okay, I will help you down the stairs." She led him slowly towards the doorway. "You can use the guest room down there to clean up. You will feel better after you have something to eat. I am preparing lunne' waan. It is an Elvish dish. I hope you like it."

"You cook?" He knew the minute he said it that he shouldn't have. "I mean, between the servants and the food processor..."

"Yes, I can _cook_!" she said. The pout on her face was more playful than serious and Zak was relieved that he hadn't ignited another confrontation with her. "And I am good at it, if I do say so myself. I prefer to do things for myself. As for a food processor, Daddy is a traditionalist. Elves do not use food processors, or so he claims. Now, let us get you cleaned up and then we will eat."

Zak felt much better after he cleaned himself up. The herbs that Megan had given him had taken away the pain just as she had said. His head and shoulder felt nearly normal again and there was nothing more than a bit of tenderness in his side.

"My father's clothes fit you well."

Megan was making the final preparations for their meal as Zak entered the kitchen. He was self-conscious of the brown suede pants and satin shirt, which was nearly as pale green as Megan's dress. Elvish fashion had never appealed to him much and the fact that the clothes belonged to Duke Teranika made him even more uncomfortable wearing them. If Megan noticed his discomfort, she made no mention of it.

"I thought we could watch the Dragon's game," Megan suggested as she dished some sort of red vegetable onto two plates. "It is their season opener against the De Khant Wild Cats."

"You really do watch football?" Zak couldn't help his surprised.

"Yes, I love football." She looked at him thoughtfully for a long moment. "I have beer to go with supper. Is that all right?"

"Yeah, sure." Another surprise. In spite of her rebellious fashion sense, Zak had pegged her for more of a fine white wine type of girl based upon her background.

"Go on into the living room," Megan said, bustling around the kitchen with the grace of a ballerina, as she attended to various preparations for their meal. "We will eat there. Daddy does not approve of eating anywhere other than the dining room, but I enjoy eating in front of the comm system."

Every aspect of the house emitted a luxurious formality that reflected the Elvish culture. Extravagant paintings decorated the walls, while finely sculpted statues and other works of art were strategically arranged on elaborately crafted tables and cabinets. It all looked to be out of _Elf Life_ magazine, and was definitely well beyond Zak's comfort zone. After slowly making his way down the long hall and into the living room, he finally settled down on a plush cream-colored sofa. "Computer, display entertainment guide," he said.

It wasn't long before they were both sitting on the sofa with plates heaped with roast beef and vegetables smothered in a spicy sauce. The Dragons game started shortly after they began to eat. Fortunately, the game was being played in De Khant, twelve-hundred kilometers to the south in the Zentan Province. The evening in De Khant was clear and dry. If the game had been played in Sol Kappur Stadium, the two teams would have probably needed life jackets as the storm outside continued to rage.

"Should be an easy game for the Dragons," Zak commented, enthusiastically cutting a slice of meat.

"Do not bet on it," Megan said. "The Cats had the number two defence in the league last year and most of the veterans are back. Derm Connely is one mother of a linebacker!"

Zak gave her another surprised look. "You follow Aragne football pretty closely."

"For an Elf?" Megan smiled at him teasingly, but there was also an accusation somewhere behind the smile as well. "Elves do play sports, you know. Even football. There were several attempts at getting a franchise in the Mythnol Forest, but the AFL rejected each attempt. They used the lame excuse that there was an insufficient fan base in the Mythnol Forest to support a team."

"So, you actually played football as a kid," Zak said, thankful that she hadn't pressed him with more pro-Elf banter. "You must have been quite the tomboy, then."

"No!" Megan laughed. "Well, sort of. I just never believed in barriers between the sexes."

"How can you be so rebellious and modern, and still be a Sister of the Seventh Circle? I would think the beliefs of the Tah-Kna would be a bit too dated for such a modern-thinking Elf."

"The fundamentals of the Tah-Kna are rooted in basic truths of the Universe," Megan said. "One of those truths is that the Universe is constantly changing. Elves must learn to change with it. It is the self-righteous bureaucrats who are the real problem. They feed the fire of traditionalism in order to maintain control over the population and to protect their power..." Megan looked suddenly embarrassed. "I am sorry. I did not mean to beat the drum for my cause. I just think sometimes that Elvish culture has become stagnant and needs to move on in order to advance."

"So, the Sisters arranged for you to be sent here, to Sol Kappur, because of your rebelliousness?"

"Yes," Megan said. "They could not very well throw me out, considering who my father is. Besides, they look at me as something of a prodigy and so they make allowances. I hate being treated like I am special. I am just me."

" _...It's a deep pass by Detner. He's got Flaggle in the corner of the endzone. Touchdown!"_

"Yes!" They both cheered as the Dragons scored, then looked over at one another and laughed.

"I called the hospital while you were asleep," Megan said, a serious expression replacing her smile. "They said Harry is going to require surgery, but he is in stable condition. They think he will be okay."

"That's great news." Zak really was happy to hear that Harry Mathers would be all right. But right now he didn't really want the conversation to turn too serious. He simply wanted to watch the game and enjoy Megan's company. Tomorrow would be soon enough to return to more sobering matters.

Megan must have felt the same way because she returned their conversation back to the subject of football. Zak was surprised at how natural it felt to be there with her, enjoying good food and watching the game. The ordinariness of it felt special. Thousands of other couples were doing this very same thing right now, couples who were not called out by a foretelling to _save the world_. He enjoyed his temporary anonymity among those ordinary people.

By the end of the fourth quarter Megan had somehow ended up snuggled against Zak, her head resting upon his shoulder and his arm around her. They had consumed enough beer to allow themselves a mutual attraction for one another. Her body next to his felt good to him. He looked down at her and found those amazing green eyes looking back at him. He wasn't even aware of leaning into the kiss until their lips touched. The warmth of her mouth fed a hunger that he had been adamantly denying until now.

It all became somewhat dreamlike after that. Zak couldn't really remember when they moved to Megan's bedroom. He did remember, however, her electric touch upon his body...her eager response to his own touch...the undeniable passion that they shared.

# 27

Zak came awake to the awareness of a warm body pressed against him. Megan was snuggled beside him, an arm draped over his chest and a leg flipped over his own.

It took him a few minutes to clear his head enough to remember how they had gotten this way. Beer and football started out innocently enough, but by the end of the game they had slipped into a comfort zone that Zak now felt uncomfortable with.

As he watched Megan sleep, his thoughts invariably drifted back to the first time he'd seen her some twenty years ago. She had been with her mother and father outside their country residence in Port of Velsalador. She'd been nineteen then, barely out of childhood as far as Elves were concerned. Her beauty had been purely natural back then, without the cosmetic extravagance. Megan and her family were just setting out for a walk along the river that ran through their estate. Zak had been waiting for the Duke, knowing that it was his habit every evening to walk with his family when they were in the country.

The memory nudged the guilt he carried with him. It was time to get up, to push the past once more behind him. He gently rolled away from Megan, trying not to disturb her in the process.

"Good morning," she said, her voice husky from sleep. She gripped him tighter so he could go nowhere. She gave him a smile that could only be interpreted as _seductive_. "You do not really want to get out of bed, do you?"

When he met her gaze, his churning emotions produced a sudden panic within him.

"I gotta go," he said, rolling away from her with purpose.

"What is wrong?" Megan asked, confusion clouding her smile. She sat up in the bed, making no attempt to conceal her nakedness. "Zak, what is wrong?"

He saw his own clothes neatly folded on the dresser and went for them. How did they get there? He shrugged the question off and began dressing. Pulling on his pants, he winced from the pain it caused his wound. Funny, he didn't remember it bothering him last night. All while he dressed he tried to avoid looking at Megan, but she refused to leave his peripheral vision. "I just have to go. I have work to do."

"It is early. Come back to bed."

"Can't."

"Zak, what is wrong?"

"Nothing. I told you, I have things to do." The only choice he had in a shirt was the pale green one Megan had given him the night before. "Mind if I borrow this?"

"Go ahead." She said, carefully studying him. "You regret what happened last night."

"No! No, of course not."

"Yes, you do." She was watching him closely. "Admit it. You regret that we slept together."

"Look, I didn't plan for anything like this to happen..."

"Oh, and you think I planned it?"

"I didn't say that."

"Maybe I put a potion in your food, or I could have used sorcery on you while you slept. After all, I am one of those nasty magical Elves you resent so much!"

Zak's defensiveness morphed to anger. She was judging him without even trying to understand. He instinctively struck back. "Now that you mention it, I didn't feel any pain in my side all through our little romp last night and I don't do Elves. Did you put a spell on me?"

" _Aen reyu!"_

"Look, I'm sorry." Zak turned toward her as he buttoned up the shirt. He already regretted what he'd said. "We aren't good for each other. You should know that, as well as I do."

"Because I am a lowly Elf, who seduced you through sorcery!" Her voice was full of bitterness.

"It's not just that you're an Elf, there are other things to consider."

"Not _just_ that?" She picked up the brass lamp sitting on the night table and threw it at him. "Not just that! How many other unwholesome traits do I possess, huh?" She grabbed a photo frame and tossed that at him as well.

Zak managed to duck the lamp and the frame. Her reaction caught him by surprise. He had expected the anger, but not the violence. He had not meant for this to happen. "Megan, please, don't make this any harder than it is."

"Frag you!" She cursed in Aragne this time and hurled the alarm clock at him.

Zak turned to avoid the flying clock. As he did, it caught him directly on his bandaged wound and he went to his knees with a cry of pain.

"Oi, I did not mean it!" Megan was at his side in an instant. "Let me see."

"No, leave it alone." He groaned, attempting to roll away from her.

"Zak, let me see your side," she said.

"No!" He was doubled up on the floor now, clutching at his side. The wound throbbed, the pain felt deep and sharp.

"Do not be such a spoiled child!" She took hold of him and forced him to roll over so she could examine the wound. Once he was on his back, he stopped fighting her.

He tried to ignore her as she removed the bandage and checked the wound. But her nakedness was a distraction, reminding him of the night before and the pleasure they had shared. Things had all turned into such a mess and he had just spent the last few minutes making it worse.

"Some of the stitches have torn. It is bleeding again," she said. "Wait here. I will get the medical kit."

She got up from the floor and went to the bathroom. Zak considered leaving while she was gone, but couldn't bring himself to do it. In a few minutes she returned with what she needed. She insisted on him taking more of the Elvish concoction that he'd taken the night before for the pain and then began tending his wound. Her hands were gentle upon him. She worked carefully and silently. It wasn't long before she had the wound cleaned, stitched and bandaged once again.

When she finished, she simply stood and walked to her closet. "Now get out," she said as she began selecting her wardrobe for the day.

. . .

An hour later Zak was perched upon the cluttered desk in Captain Mashkkha's small office. The crowded precinct buzzed with activity beyond the plate glass window. "So, what's with all the commotion?"

"One of our beat cops came across a multiple homicide," Mashkkha said, watching the activity beyond his window. "Found the bodies in a dumpster behind an abandoned building down on Jarvis Road."

"Inside the Zone."

"Yeah, the officer was on foot patrol when he noticed blood that had drained from the bin where the bodies had been dumped. Six victims...all butchered like livestock."

"Cannibalism?"

"That's what it looks like," Mashkkha said. "The strange thing is, there were also bite marks on the bodies, like the bastard couldn't wait to start his feast, but there were no traces of DNA on the wounds. In fact, forensic didn't find anything at all so far."

"Orks?" Zak asked. He found the lack of DNA or other evidence strange. "They always did have a taste for Human flesh."

"So did the Goblins." Mashkkha shook his head. "I don't know. Both the Orkensha and the Goblinesh governments made cannibalism illegal years ago."

"That was only so they could join the World Federation," Zak said. "There are regions in both countries that still practice it."

"Yeah well, there are also plenty of nut bars running around in Human form that make good candidates for this as well." Mashkkha sighed. "I just can't understand how anyone can be so barbaric. When the homicide team assigned to the case canvassed the area, they found another five victims less than three blocks away from the first sight."

Zak was glad he wasn't a part of the investigation. He'd seen enough horrific acts of violence in his lifetime. "How come you're not on it?"

"I'm rather glad I'm not," Mashkkha grunted. "But the reason is I'm being reprimanded for being disrespectful to an ASID agent."

"Shouldn't you be standing in the corner then?"

"Funny!" Mashkkha said, and then changed the direction of the conversation. "So, when are you going to tell me what the frag is going on with this portal thing?"

"Can't. Client confidentiality." Zak absently picked up a picture frame from the desk. It contained a photo of Mashkkha's wife. Adrianna Mashkkha was a good looking woman. He could never understand the absolute devotion she had towards Mashkkha. And, in his own gruff way, the Captain returned that devotion in kind.

"Client confidentiality my ass!" Mashkkha leaned forward and grabbed the frame out of Zak's hand. Putting it back in its place he said, "I ran a check on your friend, Vennhim. Seems that he retired from ASID rather abruptly. He now works for Grimrok Corporation. I take it from the discussion between you two yesterday that Grimrok is your client?"

Zak simply shrugged without admitting anything. He wanted to confide in Mashkkha. He knew he could trust him, but it was a matter of ethics. Zak was bound by the confidentiality agreement he'd signed and Mashkkha, as a captain of the Sol Kappur police department, was bound by a different set of rules that didn't have confidentiality as a priority. Mashkkha was duty bound to follow certain procedures which offered little leeway when it came to secrecy. Zak didn't want to put the captain in an awkward situation, not that he hadn't done so in the past.

But then, he asked himself why he should care about any of it. He was no longer on the Grimrok case. As he left Megan's he had received a call from Vennhim on his cellular comm. It seemed that Tobias Grimrok was displeased that both the local police and ASID had been drawn into the case. Vennhim told Zak that Grimrok blamed him for the mess and that his services would no longer be required.

In spite of being dismissed from the case, Zak had come to the precinct directly from Megan's looking for information. After Vennhim relayed Grimrok's message, Zak had called Kam Shower, the cabbie he'd met two days earlier. Kam had been relieved to hear that they were going no further into the Zone than the Third Precinct and agreed to take him there.

"What did you find on the dead Ork?" Zak slid off the desk even though his side still throbbed when he moved around. He clutched at the wound as he walked to the window that looked out into the heart of the precinct. The commotion beyond the glass was organized into several groups of animated conversations, although the individual voices were no more than a low buzz behind the closed door.

Mashkkha got out of his chair and went to the file cabinet in the corner of the room. "I'm off the case, remember?"

"Yeah, sure. What did you find out?"

"Nothing!" Mashkkha grunted. He was browsing through several files as he spoke. "Prints didn't come up anywhere. Had to be discreet about running them."

"So, you could have missed something then."

"No, I didn't miss anything," Mashkkha said. "I called in a couple favors. The searches were thorough...went through criminal records, birth records, citizenship Id's, immigration, the whole lot. Nothing came back."

"What about international records?"

"Nada."

Zak turned toward Mashkkha. "I could try to get them run through ASID. I have a friend there..."

"You have a friend. Well, ain't you special!" Mashkkha provided Zak with a heavily sarcastic smile, cocking his head in exaggerated annoyance. "Do you think you are the only one with a friend? How do you think I got the prints run through international records?"

"So sorry, I didn't realize you had any friends." Zak grinned back at him.

"Smart ass!" Mashkkha mumbled as he turned back to the file drawer. More clearly he said, "Anyway, my contact at ASID ran them through the Ork database. Apparently they have a hack into the Orkensha's government computers. Again, nothing."

"No trace of this guy at all?" Zak frowned. "Everyone has a finger print record somewhere. All governments maintain print files these days. This guy was taken off the books."

"Yeah, that's what I figured, but whose books?" Mashkkha returned to his desk, carrying several files. "With the influx of Ork immigrants over the years, he could be Aragne born just as easily as Orkensha."

As he sat back down in his chair, Mashkkha studied Zak for a time and then said, "Look, you know that I have always respected your client confidentiality, even when it wasn't exactly police policy to do so. But we are looking at some pretty potent magic that, if Ms. Teranika is correct, has been conjured to do some pretty unconventional stuff. I got to know if my city is in danger on this one!"

"I wish I could tell you."

"So then tell me!"

"I can't!" Zak cursed and shook his head in frustration. He walked to the chair in front of Mashkkha's desk and eased himself into it, wincing from a stab of pain in his side. "Look, I don't even know myself. Everything about this case stinks. I'm sorry I ever got sucked into it!"

"So you're not sucked into it anymore," Mashkkha said. "Are you going to let it go at that?"

Zak didn't answer his friend's question. Instead he said, "Is it just me, or is it a little too coincidental that both Metro and ASID got anonymous calls to Tanner's Warehouse the very next morning after I come across the place?"

"Yeah, I was thinking about that, too. The call to the precinct was from a pay phone in the Zone...corner of Jarvis and Krune Street."

"Did you get anything on the Elves?"

"Yeah." Mashkkha leaned back in his chair and studied Zak for a long moment. "You aren't going to leave this alone are you?"

Zak flexed his good shoulder slightly in a lazy shrug. "Just curious."

"You know interfering with a federal investigation is frowned upon."

"I've heard that somewhere."

Mashkkha was silent. Finally he said, "They all belonged to EAST Group."

"I figured that much."

"You do realize that I can't give you much support on this." Mashkkha leaned forward with a heavy sigh. "My ass is already in a sling and just running those prints and background checks could get me suspended...or worse."

"It's cool. I'm not looking for anything from you that would cause you problems." Zak gingerly got up from his seat and headed for the door. Before he opened it, he turned back to Mashkkha. "Unless you're willing to get me the low down on who called the feds in on this?"

"Damn," Mashkkha said shaking his head in disbelief. "I just know you're going to suck me into this over my head!"

Zak gave him a huge grin. "Thanks, Tieget."

Mashkkha grunted his displeasure. Just then a slash of lightning cut through the window near his desk. He looked from the window back to Zak. "The weather is getting worse."

# 28

" _..._ W _ith the elections only days away, the battle for Prime Minister is heating up. Senator Jayme Donovan slipped further down in the approval polls, now trailing Prime Minister Sarte by nineteen points. The Senator doesn't seem to be deterred by his slide in popularity and today he had some rather strong words of criticism for the Prime Minister. Here's what he had to say:_

' _As Prime Minister, Mr. Sarte has an obligation to ensure the strength and stability of the Aragne Commonwealth. He has failed to do this!_

' _The Orkensha evil is building upon our eastern border. They are making claim to all of the Akkasson Mountain Ranges. They are launching terrorist attacks against our citizens. Hostilities between our two nations have not been at this current level since the Border Wars_.

' _We must put down this Orkensha aggression! If we allow them to occupy the Akkasson Mountains, it will not be long until they are marching across our lands, destroying our cities, murdering our citizens! The Orkensha of today are no different than those who were our enemies of old! The so-called peace we have had with them over the years has been incongruous at best. Make no mistake about it. They remain our enemy. They lack the values we believe in. They choose the dark path. They display open hatred toward us. And what does our Prime Minister do? He allows them to immigrate to our great country. He allows them to infiltrate our peaceful neighborhoods. He allows their evil beliefs to corrupt our children!_

' _But I say, no more! Now is the time for us to brave this evil, to stand up for what is good. Now is the time for us to take back our country and to protect our lands!'_

Senator Donovan went on to say..."

Donovan's words pulled Zak in two directions, as he sat quietly in the back seat listening to the newscast on the cab's comm. His old hatred for the Orks was roused by the Senator's words in spite of his dislike for the man. A part of him would very much like to kill more Orks, to continue retribution for his mother's death. But he also knew first-hand the horrors of war. Everyone had called him a hero during the invasion of the Drekne Province. Like his father, they said. But he hadn't felt like a hero. And he sure as hell wasn't anything like his father!

"Man, this storm is like the end of the world's coming!" Kam said, squinting to see the street through the sheets of rain rolling down the cab's windshield.

Zak's thoughts were pulled back to the weather. The storm had become notably worse. That could only mean that containment of the portal was weakening further. A wave of frustration washed over him, mixed with more than a little fear. According to Dr. Raghnall, if the portal remained open it could lead to the destruction of the city, if not the entire world. And it was up to Zak and Megan to do something about it. Save the planet. What kind of thing is that to lay on someone!

"Do you believe in destiny?" He suddenly asked Kam.

"What, you mean like fate?" Kam looked surprised by the question as he glanced over his shoulder at Zak. "Nah, I believe you make your own destiny. I mean, you have choices, right. And each choice you make can turn you in a totally different direction than the others would have taken you. Free will, baby, that's what it's all about."

Free will. Zak had always believed he had free will. He had also believed that fate was something for the superstitious, a crutch for the weak willed to lean on rather than taking responsibility for their own lives. Could he have been wrong? Was it possible that everything that had happened to him in his life had been leading him up to a pre-destined role that would decide the future of the planet? It sounded so lame...savior of the world. That was for comic book heroes, not real people.

And if it was true, what twist in the road had fate thrown at him now? He'd been taken off the Grimrok case, ASID had taken over the warehouse homicides, and Megan now hated his guts. Kind of hard to save the world when the world has turned against you.

The cab suddenly swerved and shook as Kam fought to keep the anti-grav engines stabilized against a sudden gust of gale force wind.

"End of the world, dude." Kam said, shaking his head.

Ke'aira's persistent barking could be heard from the first floor entrance as Zak walked through the door to his building. Marla Westford, Zak's second floor tenant, had taken care of the dog overnight and had let Ke'aira back into Zak's apartment before leaving for work.

The aggressive tone of the dog's bark made Zak's heart pound as he wiped rain from his face and threw open the gate to the freight elevator. His only thought was that an intruder must be in his loft in order for Ke'aira to be acting the way she was. He cursed the slowness of the old freight elevator as it crawled its way toward the fourth floor. As he waited he listened to Ke'aira, her bark aggressive, her growl hostile. She sounded like she was running through the loft, as though she were chasing the intruder. Zak strained his hearing, but could detect no footsteps from above.

A deep roll of thunder echoed outside. The lights went out and the elevator stopped, but then the power was on again and the elevator continued on. He cursed again, this time at himself for not taking the stairs.

He didn't wait for the lift to come even with the floor. He flung the safety gate up and climbed out of the car as it was still a good meter from being level with his entrance. The sharp pain in his side reminded him of why that wasn't a good idea, but it didn't slow him down. He was immediately making his way through the apartment, looking to find Ke'aira.

As he moved toward the basketball court, she came scrambling up to him. She didn't pounce upon him with her usual enthusiastic affection. Instead, she looked right past him, growling and barking as though there was someone right behind him. But when he turned, there was no one there.

Ke'aira then ran to the kitchen area, barking and growling at the windows. After that she made her way down the far side of the loft, her head turned toward the windows as she continued to snarl and bark at an unseen enemy.

"What is it, girl?" Zak called after her, trying to keep up. He was even more alarmed now that he knew there was no one in the loft.

He was dripping wet as he followed her through the loft. The storm had become much more intense in the last little while, more violent. It was late afternoon, but he couldn't tell it by the dark sky. The loft was dimly lit by a set of lights Zak had connected to light sensors. He had rigged the lighting to come on automatically so Ke'aira would not be left in darkness if he wasn't home.

Another heavy crack of thunder rolled above the loft, followed closely by a series of blinding flashes of lightning that penetrated the privacy setting of the windows. The thunder and lightning seemed to renew the intensity of Ke'aira's aggression. As Zak caught up with her, she was turning in circles, as though surrounded by invisible foes. Dropping to his knees and throwing his arms around the dog, he pulled her close in order to calm her. Ke'aira instantly lost her aggression. Following Zak's lead she pressed against him. While she allowed his affection, she stayed alert and tense, a low growl serving as warning.

"It's the storm, isn't it girl?"

On his knees, they were eye to eye. She looked at him and whined, giving him a few quick licks across his face. Then she was back on duty, eyes scanning the room, ears set, another savage growl rolling deep in her throat.

"Yeah, I'm worried too!"

### SHIAM Conspiracy-BOOK 2

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Sometimes fate will claim you, even when you don't believe.

Now available at your favorite online book retailer.

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# About the Author

Joseph Heck lives in Southern Ontario with his wife and their two Australian Shepherds, Kala and Kode.

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Connect with Me

To learn more about the world of Amaco Loch and the continuing story, please visit SHIAM.net

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