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eir guns； just as silently； we walked along the wraparound to the main sphere。
The hatch to the sphere was closed。 The leading thug opened it and stepped through； bobbling his balance somewhat as he passed through the gravity change。 Tera and Ixil went next； negotiating the discontinuity with the grace of long practice。 Holding my breath； I followed。
The sphere looked more or less the way I'd left it earlier that evening； except that the inner lights were blazing cheerfully away and that there were another eight strangers glowering at us。 Four of them； stamped from the same mold as our current escort； were standing in a loose group near the bottom of the sphere； three others； working diligently at my helm and nav setup up the forward side of the hull； were apparently the pilot and engine specialists who were supposed to have had the Icarus well on its way by now。
But it was the eighth man who caught my full attention； the man waiting at the exact bottom of the sphere as if not trusting the alien gravity that pinned his tech people to the deck halfway up the side。 He was a small man； at least pared to the four bodyguards grouped around him； well past middle age despite the signs of extensive rejuvenation therapy； wearing a dark and expensive suit and some muted and even more expensive jewelry。 His face was old； his expression was impassive； and his eyes were as dead as a thousand…year…old corpse。 He was a man I had never met； but I knew instantly who he was。
The rolling dice had e to a halt。 And I'd won。
〃You must be McKell；〃 the man said as Brother John led us down the hull toward him； his voice as dead as his eyes。
〃Yes；〃 I acknowledged。 〃And you must be Mr。 Antoniewicz。 I'm very pleased to finally meet you。〃
〃Are you；〃 he said。 Some people； or so the saying goes； can undress you with their eyes。 Antoniewicz's look was more like stripping me straight down to the bone。 〃Interesting。 Most of those who are brought to meet me are not at all looking forward to the experience。 Many of them find themselves screaming； in fact； and don't seem able to stop。〃
I swallowed despite myself； all the stories and rumors of what happened to people brought before Antoniewicz flashing through my mind。 〃I understand that； sir；〃 I said humbly。 〃But if I may be so bold； I suspect none of those others were bringing the sort of gift I have to offer you。〃
The corners of his lips might have turned up； but it would have taken a micrometer to measure it。 The smile； if that's what it was； made his eyes look even deader。 〃Really。 I was under the impression that the Icarus was now mine by simple right of possession。〃
〃I agree；〃 I said； passing over the fact that if I hadn't cooperatively flown the ship into his waiting arms it wouldn't have been in his possession。 Considering the size and number of his bodyguards； ments like that were quite easy for me to stifle。 〃I was actually speaking of something else entirely。 Or； rather； someone else entirely。〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 Everett growled； taking a step toward me。 〃You take credit for her and I'll cave your face in。〃
〃Ryland？〃 Antoniewicz invited； gesturing at Tera。
〃Everett claims she's the daughter of Arno Cameron；〃 Brother John said。 I could still hear the phony good humor in his voice； but it was curiously subdued。 Most everything good； I suspected； humor included； would darken or wilt in Antoniewicz's presence。 〃Cameron's the man who…〃
〃I know who he is；〃 Antoniewicz said。 〃Tell me why Everett thinks he deserves credit for her。〃
〃I'd like to take a moment to remind everyone that I'm not anyone's carnival prize；〃 Tera cut in； glaring at each of us in turn but saving her most withering look for me。 I couldn't really blame her on that count； either； if I hadn't revealed her identity during my brilliant summing up of the case a few minutes ago； she'd be just one more anonymous prisoner back in the lodge。
I cleared my throat。 〃If I might explain…〃
〃Quiet；〃 Antoniewicz said。 He hadn't raised his voice； or changed his inflection； or even looked at me…the full force of his gaze was on Tera at the moment。 And yet； my mouth clamped shut； almost of its own accord； my attempted mediation cut short as if guillotined。 The sheer presence of the man； the power and evil lurking veiled beneath the surface； were almost physical qualities like his voice or face or expensive suit。 For the first time； I truly understood how it was he'd been able to create such a huge and wide…ranging criminal empire。
Tera wasn't nearly as easily impressed as I was。 〃I don't know who exactly you are；〃 she continued on into the silence； 〃but whatever it is you think I'm worth to you； you're sadly mistaken。〃
〃No； I don't think so；〃 Antoniewicz disagreed mildly。 〃Of all those who worked closely on this ship； only your father remains at large。 You're the lever that will pry him out of hiding。〃
〃If you think that； you're more of a fool than I thought；〃 Tera scoffed； clearly not caring whether she offended him or not。 Across our little circle I saw both Everett and Brother John wince； with Pix and Pax giving a little twitch as well。 One simply didn't talk that way to Mr。 Antoniewicz。 〃My father is fully aware of what this ship is worth to humanity；〃 Tera continued。 〃And he has never yet let personal considerations get in the way of what needs to be done。 Whatever information he has about the Icarus； the last thing he'll do is give it away to someone like you。 Certainly not under duress。〃
〃Not even with his daughter's life at stake？〃 Antoniewicz asked； his voice politely incredulous。
〃No；〃 Tera said flatly； straightening to an almost…haughty posture as pride momentarily eclipsed every evidence of fear and uncertainty。 I could imagine the true royalty of old facing the peasant mobs with the same courage and disdain。
And with the same results。 〃Pity；〃 Antoniewicz said； sounding almost regretful。 〃In that case； you're worth nothing to me at all。〃 He looked at the man standing behind me to my right and lifted a languid hand。
And abruptly； the pressure of the gun muzzle on my back vanished as； out of the corner of my eye； I saw him bring the weapon around to point straight at Tera's face I don't know why I did it Antoniewicz was bluffing； and I knew he was bluffing。 He would never kill a potential hostage whose usefulness hadn't yet been tested； not even one who'd verbally spit in his eye the way she had。 I knew it was an act； and if I'd had another fraction of a second to think about it I'd have realized that I was playing directly into his hands。
But I'd promised Cameron that I would watch over his daughter； and the reflexes just kicked in on their own。 With my right hand I slapped the thug's gun off target； then spun around on my right heel to drive my right elbow into his solar plexus as I grabbed for the weapon with my left hand。
It was about as close to a plete failure as anything I'd ever tried in my life My elbow struck an unyielding slab of body armor； my snatch for the gun missed pletely as he twitched it aside out of my reach； and before I could regain my balance to try something else he'd taken a long pace backward and was looking at me with the sort of expression you might u