A long corridor led off from the second floor landing. The guard led her down it to the third door, then unlocked it with the key control he wore about his neck. He quickly pulled her inside, an ominous click behind her alerting Liane to the fact he'd locked them in.
Movement at the far end of the room caught her eye. A dark-haired man, hunched before a console, swung around in his chair. His appearance, unlike her escort, was immaculate, his uniform neatly pressed, his boots gleaming. Obviously the difference between being on and off duty, Liane thought wryly. The man's eyes, however, as he slowly looked at her, were suddenly just as hungry as the guard's had been. A cold chill prickled down her spine. Now she had two problems instead of one.
"And what is this, Mardac?" the console operator asked. "Have you brought me a treat to while away the long horas of my shift?" "You can have her when I'm finished," the man named Mardac growled. "But first she wants a tour of the alarm system."
The dark-haired man frowned. "You know that's forbidden."
Liane hastily stepped forward. "Even for the pleasure of my favors? I'll pay you for the tour the same way I plan to pay Mardac here."
He eyed her consideringly. "I suppose that would be permissible, except that you'll have to remain up here with me the rest of the nocte, after I finish watching Mardac have you first. Agreed?"
Liane forced the nausea down. There was no need to contemplate such a disgusting act. Neither would be conscious enough to carry it out, once she was done with them. She nodded.
The man motioned toward Mardac. "Well, get on with it. Give her the tour."
With an impatient gesture, her guide indicated the large set of terminals and display panels that filled the wall before the dark-haired man. "That's it. That's the alarm system."
Liane stepped over beside the console operator for a closer look. She could feel his gaze upon her, but she ignored it. "The system is very impressive. How does it work?"
Mardac moved up behind her, his hands grasping her shoulders. "Like any other machine," he irritably replied. "Now, come on. You've seen enough. Time to pay what you owe."
"Please, just a few secundae more," Liane pleaded, throwing him a beguiling smile over her shoulder. "II want to know how it works. I love machines. They're so mysterious, so powerful and exciting, so much like a male," she finished stroking the hands on her shoulder before pulling away. Hot lust flared in Mardac's eyes. He motioned toward the central terminal where several lights flickered and glowed. "Those indicate the system's on," he said, his voice thick with barely restrained desire. "That button," he next indicated the one on the lower right, "switches it on and off. Those screens above the control panel can actually pinpoint where an intruder is, giving us the coordinates within a few meters of his locationand all within a matter of secundae of the intruder's entry into Primasedes. The system was recently upgraded and is now so sensitive it can even penetrate the cloaking powers of a Cat Man."
His fingers tightened on Liane's shoulders. "But enough of this. I've fulfilled my end of the bargain; now it's time for you to fulfill yours. And I've a mind to take you right here on the floor."
He turned Liane around and had only a moment to gasp in outrage before she fired her stunner. With a choking cry Mardac tensed, then jerked in response to the neural jolt before plummeting to the floor. Liane immediately wheeled around, but the console operator was upon her before she could fire again.
His face dark with fury, the man captured the wrist that held her stunner. With his other hand, he hit Liane in the face. Sparkling lights whirled before her as sharp pain shot through her jaw. Her grip loosened, and the stunner fell to the floor.
Half-conscious, she was jerked hard against her captor, one arm twisted painfully behind her. He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled, until her head was arched back, baring the slender column of her throat. As the mists cleared, Liane found a face only millimeters from hers, ugly with rage and a cruelly calculating desire. "You'll live to regret this nocte by the time we're done with you," the man snarled. "Nothing has changed, you know, save that now I'll have you first. And when Mardac awakens, he'll be especially angry. I'd almost pity you, if I weren't anticipating the pleasure I'll get from watching what he does to you."
His head lowered and he took her mouth, grinding his lips into hers. Liane gasped and tried to pull back, but had nowhere to go. Tears of pain filled her eyes at his cruel assault, but anger quickly rushed in to overcome that pain.
When she bit down hard on his lip, the man jerked back. It was all the opportunity Liane needed. She rammed her knee home. With a strangled cry the console operator staggered backward, then stumbled and fell. Liane dove for the stunner.
She heard a frantic yell and knew he was coming after her. She grabbed the stunner and rolled over. Even then, he was leaping at her. Liane fired.
Chest still heaving, Liane slowly climbed to her feet. She stared down at the two men, then, pocketing the stunner, she strode over to the control panel.
With a quick jab, Liane shut off the system. She glanced around for something to smash the control panel with. There was little available, save the chair the console operator had sat in. She picked it up, praying the noise she'd make wouldn't carry downstairs.
Inhaling a deep breath, she lifted the chair and brought it down on the control panel. Sparks flew, mingled with the flying shards of broken glass and the flare of burning wires. The acrid smell of smoke filled the air as she continued her single-minded destruction. Finally, the task was done.
Even with her limited knowledge of machines, Liane knew she'd damaged the alarm system beyond quick or easy repair. She lowered the chair to the floor, her attention centered on the sounds rising from belowstairs. From all indications, the revelry hadn't diminished one wit.
The relief and sudden ebb of terror left her momentarily light-headed. She sat down on the chair, forcing deep, even gulps of air into her lungs. Her glance slowly moved to the two men. The stunner had been set on maximum power. They'd be unconscious most of the nocte, but to buy all the time she could, she decided to also bind and gag them.
The deed was quickly done. Next, she removed Mardac's key control, and after ascertaining no one was about in the corridor, Liane slipped out of the room.
So far, so good, she thought as she stealthily made her way down the hall and stairs. Now, if only her luck would hold out a while longer . . .
The outer door loomed before her like some gateway to freedom, and Liane's preoccupation with it was almost her undoing. Two men staggered from an adjoining room. She threw herself back into the shadows. For long secundae after the men passed by and out the front door Liane remained there, flattened against the wall, her heart thumping madly in her chest.
She'd been too eager, too careless, she lectured herself. She must exercise greater caution in the future, or she'd never successfully make it to the end of this dangerous mission. Liane's ears strained for sound of any further movement, then silently moved to the door and peered out. There was no one about.
The nocte quickly swallowed her in its cloaking anonymity of darkness. Liane carefully made her way back through the streets and alleyways, this time toward the imposing stone structure of the Imperial Palace. Elation gradually replaced the tightly strung tension of the past few moments. She had disabled the alarm system and was halfway through her mission. She had secured the Cat Men's safe entry into Primasedes. She had given them a decided advantage, no matter what happened now.
The task before her, however, was far more difficult. There was no way of guessing where Necator had Morigan. It might well be a futile effort, but she had to try. Whatever she discovered would only aid Karic later.
She must hurry, though. In the excitement of getting to Primasedes and destroying the alarms, Liane had lost track of the time. She guessed it to be a couple of horas before mid nocte, time enough to get back to her hut and the sleeping Cat Men, if she hurried.
Perhaps the great success of the alarm system had lulled the fortress into a false sense of security, for when Liane reached the palace few guards were about. It was an easy task to make her way to one of the side doors without notice. Once inside, familiarity took over. She quickly slipped through the upper level and down to the subterranean area with its maze of corridors.
As Liane made her stealthy way toward the prison area, a sense of having goneback in time pervaded her. Less than two monates ago, these hallways and rooms had encompassed her whole life, her only purpose being unswerving loyalty and unquestioning obedience to Bellator as research scientist and psychic.
Now, she was no longer either. Now, her goal was the salvation of a race alien to her with betrayal of her own kind part of the bargain. Now, she fought to preserve the life of the man she loved. Her hand slid to her belly. Liane smiled. Her man
and
child!
Strange indeed that this new life filled her with a purpose and sense of commitment she'd never before experienced, even as a Sententian. Strange indeed that this new life, though fraught with danger and complications, was so surprisingly full of joy. She had never felt so alive as she'd felt since she'd first met Karic. And, like a she cat protecting all that was dear, Liane would now fight to preserve that life with all the strength and courage she possessed.
The realization buoyed her, dispelling the lingering doubts and fears. She soon reached the prison area where two guards stood between her and the cells.
The men were seated at a small table, playing a game of Monrovian chance. Liane smiled grimly and pulled out the stunner. They couldn't be more conveniently close to each other for easy shooting. She fired at the nearest guard.
With a strangled cry, the man half-rose before tumbling to the floor. The other guard jumped to his feet, wildly glancing around. Liane fired the stunner. It was none too soon. The man's hand even then was going for his weapon.
The stunner beeped in her hand, signaling a low energy level. Liane grimaced. It would be a while before it recharged itself. She flung aside the now useless weapon and walked over to examine the two crumpled forms. The cell key control dangled from one man's belt.
She quickly retrieved it, as well as both of the guards' stunners. One she tossed onto the table, the other she slipped into her pocket. Then Liane dragged the men into the nearest empty cell and locked it. No one would hear them behind the sound proof door when they awoke.
A thorough search of the cells failed to yield any sign of Morigan or any of the other Cat Men. Frustration filled Liane. Where were they? And were they even still alive?
There was only one other place they might bethe labs. With a rising sense of foreboding, Liane headed in their direction.
Though the corridors outside the labs were quiet, work inside the rooms was going full tilt. And it was there, inside the Analysis room, that Liane found Moriganand Necator as well.
The viewing room adjoining the lab was empty. Through its one-way glass, Liane found she could easily see and hear what was going on.
''Your people hover on the brink of final destruction now that we have at last obtained the secret location of your lair," Necator was saying to Morigan, who was electronically suspended in the air. A smugly triumphant grin wreathed the Lord Commander's face. "On the morrow, we leave for your lair. There the Guide will complete the annihilation of the Cat Men."
Morigan wearily raised his head. Beneath the utter exhaustion, a look of defiance burned in his eyes. "My son has also experienced your machine's powers. He'll find a way to stop you."
Necator laughed. "So, the young Cat Man we captured a few monates ago was your son. Well, he may well know of the Guide as it was, but not as it now is. There is no one who can stop its powers now."
A cruel light gleamed in his eyes. "I won't kill him with the others, just permanently reprogram him to my bidding. He'll serve the rest of his sols as my abject slave, a fitting reminder to all of what happens to those who defy me."
He nodded in gloating satisfaction. "Yes, a fitting reminder indeed. The young lord of the Cat Men, the sole survivor of an entire race, and I'll grind his face beneath my heel at every opportunity. It'll make my point more eloquently than words ever could."
At that moment, Liane, filled with an image of Necator towering over Karic's prone form, wanted nothing more than to rush out of the viewing room and kill the Lord Commanderthe man was crazed with his lust for powerbut there was nothing she could do. Her stunner couldn't kill him, and revealing her presence would be a futile sacrifice at best. But to leave Morigan in the clutches of that evil man . . .
With cold Bellatorian logic, Liane forced herself to concentrate on the reality of the situation. Karic's father appeared in no imminent danger, and she was of more use to their cause by bringing this information back to Karic as soon as possible. It was the wiser course, she tried to assure herself, as she moved toward the door.
Just then Necator pointed a small control box at Morigan, lowering him to a kneeling position on the floor. Liane froze, watching in stunned horror as Necator shoved the box into his belt and pulled out a laser probe. With one hand he grasped Morigan's mane and cruelly wrenched back his head. With the other, he flipped forward a small lever on the instrument. A thin, eerie blue light flared from its tip.