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tower kitchen. He hoped there was not a repairman monitoring the food system;
this large an order would draw attention he could not afford. He packed his
own personal heat source and a handgun for protection against mutant
lifeforms. He could think of nothing more to take.He got his supply of
sweet-drugs and filled a hypo full of the stuff. There were still two doses in
the bottle. He tucked the bottle in the case with the other things, closed the
case. Then, carrying the provisions in one hand and concealing the hypo of
sweet-drugs in the other, he went downstairs to see Fiala.She answered her
door on the third ring. She was stun-ning, as usual, and she aroused a pang of
desire in him that made his reproductive pouch contract pleasantly. He also
knew a moment of guilt at what he was about to do. Hulann? May I come in? She
looked at the satchel he carried, but did not see the needle in his other
hand. She stepped back from the door to allow him by her.When he was around
her, he turned, swept the needle into her hip, jabbed deep, depressed the
release. The bright fluid drained into her in less than half a dozen
sec-onds.But even as the first drops had been injected, she had ceased to
whirl, to try to get out of his grasp. Her motions became relaxed. She had
lost, from now until the sweet-drugs wore off, the ability to seek help
through her Phasersystem contact. What are you doing? she asked dreamily, her
eyes heavy.The needle still stuck out her rump. He pulled it free and laid it
on top of his suitcase, set next to her desk. Come, he said.She allowed
herself to be led to the couch. What do you want of me, Hulann? The keys to
your ground car, he said, looking down at her. Where are they? Why do you
want them? Her words were thick, slow, syrupy words. Never mind. If you won't
tell me, I'll have to search the place. I won't be gentle, Fiala. I'll wreck
some of your files. They're in the desk. Top left. He went and got them. When
he turned to come back, she was opening the door to the corridor.He took three
leaps, fell on her, dragging her away from the portal, kicking it shut,
crushing her under him to smother any scream she might attempt. And she
at-tempted several.He pressed down on her, used his left hand to pinch off the
wide, four-nostriled nose. When she passed out, he could tie and gag her as he
had Banalog.But she feigned unconsciousness. And when he let go of her slack
body, she drove a well-muscled knee up-wards into his pouch, making him gasp
with pain and fall off her. Colorful flashes erupted in his head. His stomachs
contracted. He clutched at himself to try to stop the pain, but it was no
use.Fiala was up, weaving as the drug drew her farther and farther away from
reality. She found the door again.He fought his nausea, reached out, grabbed
her legs and pulled her backwards.She fell over him, clawing, tearing at him
with her fingers and her wicked teeth.He wrestled her, trying to get another
chance at her nose, to cut off her breath until she was genuinely
un-conscious. But she tossed her head and bit him.The pupils of her eyes were
enormous as the drug worked against her and for Hulann. But he was not going
to be able to wait for it to help him.She drew blood from his hand and made a
gurgling sound of pleasure deep in her throat.She bucked, almost threw him
off.At last, regretting the necessity for his action, he drew back his open
hand, and slammed the flattened palm into her sex pouch. She made a harsh
strangling sound, gagged as he had gagged. He did it again, sending a new wave
of paralysis through her.Then he stood. She was in no condition to run now.
She writhed on the floor, calling him names and hugging herself. She said
something about his buying his director-ship from the commander of the Second
Division and of how she would now get the job she should have had in the first
place.He ignored her. His mind was not clear enough to handle any more
problems than those he already had.Ten minutes later, he had her tied in a
chair, gagged as thoroughly as Banalog had been. She did not know what he was
doing or much about anything in the Here and Now. The sweet-drugs had taken
her to another land that was much more enjoyable than this one. She mur-mured
and cooed at the imaginary things she saw.He went into the corridor, found the
drop shaft, punched for the ground floor, and stepped into the noth-ingness,
fell down and down and down until the winds of the mechanism began to slow his
descent.He found the ground car parked with the others behind the tower. He
opened the door, climbed in, inserted the key. The engine purred to life. The
rotors in the under-carriage coughed, sputtered, and then beat steadily. The
car lifted off the ground, bobbling slightly in the stiff, snow-laden
wind.Hulann pulled out onto the cleared square, located the overturned tank
where Leo would still be waiting. He accelerated, arced, slowed before the
rubble. Leaning across the seat, he touched the door stud and flung it open.
The boy crashed down the slope, tripped over a twisted length of aluminum and
fell full length. But a moment later he was up moving again. He leaped into
the car and pulled the door shut behind.Hulann knew that only one street out
of the square was clear enough to negotiate. He turned to head that way and
saw the naoli guard coming across the snow-covered fused glass floor of the
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