Deathstalker

follow.'

Evangeline smiled. 'That's what I like to hear from a man.' She stepped past the dressing table, and a light switched itself on, revealing a concealed elevator. 'This was originally intended as an emergency fire escape. Some cyberat friends deleted its presence from the main files, and now only I know of its existence. It'll take us down to the subbasement. No one ever goes there. That's why no one's ever found the hidden tunnel that leads down to the subsystems below the city. You're not the only one with secrets, Finlay. It's a safe route to the underground. I've used it many times. Now come with me. Unless you'd rather stay with your wife.'

Finlay moved over to join Evangeline. He started to put out his arms to hold her, but stopped as he saw the coldness in her unyielding face and stance. He let his arms fall back to his sides. 'I'm sorry. I know what this is doing to you, to us. But I couldn't just abandon her and let her die. It's a matter of Family honor, even if the Family no longer really exists. I never loved her, but I did admire her. She was never afraid to be strong, to say what she felt and let the consequences fall where they may. She was always honorable in her way.'

'And you put your Family honor before us and our future together?'

'What about your honor and your Family? We could have just left and let Robert and his people fight their way into the tower, but you couldn't allow that. You'd rather make a deal with the father you detest than let armed men from another Clan run loose in your Family home. It would have been wrong, and you knew that. Please, love, don't let's argue anymore. Let's just go. There's nothing keeping us here now.'

She nodded briefly, because she didn't trust herself to speak, and led the way into the elevator. The doors slid silently shut behind them, and Evangeline hit the down button with her fist. The elevator began its descent, and for the first time Evangeline relaxed a little. They were committed now.

'There's a place along the way where we can get fresh clothes,' she said, looking straight ahead at the closed doors. 'Neither of us are in any state to meet people. Are you badly hurt anywhere? There'll be first aid stuff there, but that's all.'

'I'm fine,' said Finlay. 'I heal quickly.'

Evangeline looked at him. 'Another implant?'

He shrugged. 'Something like that. You need every advantage you can get in the Arena. The regeneration device can work miracles, but you have to live long enough to reach it.'

'The dressing table will move itself back into position. There'll be no trace to show where we've gone. Daddy will be surprised when he finds I'm not waiting for him, but by then your cousin should have gotten to Adrienne.'

'How angry is he likely to be?' said Finlay.

'Very. Can your cousin handle a little pressure?'

'Oh, yes. Robert's a lot tougher than he used to be, poor fellow. What will your father say when you do finally go back?'

'I don't know if I am going back. You're going to need me in your new life with the underground. And dear Daddy can go to hell. I would have disappeared into the subsystems long ago, if it hadn't been for you. And if I hadn't been such a useful contact for the underground. I think that part of my life is over now. Whatever happens from now on, we'll be together. And that's all that really matters.'

She still didn't look round, but her hand was in just the right place to receive his when he reached out to her.

They stood comfortably, companionably together as the elevator sank into the depths. The doors finally opened out onto the subcellar, a dark and dank empty concrete box littered with junk. Evangeline led Finlay to another hidden door, and they made their way through narrow tunnels into the undercity, the interconnecting subsystems where the underground had dominion. Evangeline usually felt a surge of freedom and pleasure on the downward journey, as she left her Family self and obligations behind her, but it was muted this time. For all her brave words, she knew she'd have to return to Tower Shreck at least once more, to keep her promise to her father. If she didn't, if she just hid herself away in the subsystems forever, as she wanted, he'd take an awful revenge on Adrienne and Robert and all the lesser Campbells he could reach. She'd seen his rages before. No one ever crossed the Shreck and got away with it. And it wasn't such a hard price to pay. She'd paid it often enough before. The first time, she'd thought she'd kill herself, but she didn't. She wasn't that strong. Finlay must never know. For his own good.

And perhaps someday she'd be able to make a fresh start with him in the underground, safe from her father's reach. She smiled tightly. She had so much to live for now. Finlay, the underground, and perhaps someday a chance for revenge—

Finlay looked around the meeting place with interest. An abandoned workstation by the look of it, bristling with half-repaired, obsolete equipment. Dangling cables hung from the high ceiling, and battered viewscreens lined the walls, hissing with static. Evangeline had said he'd be meeting the esper leaders here, so that they could check him out, but as yet there was no sign of them. There was no sign of anyone, and Finlay didn't blame them in the least. The place was a dump, and filthy beyond belief. He had a strong suspicion he was in danger of catching something unpleasant just by being there. If this was typical of the subsystems, he'd have to think twice about staying. There were limits, after all.

And then the esper leaders appeared suddenly in the chamber before him, and for a moment his poise vanished as he stared with open eyes and mouth. He realized he was gaping, and pulled himself together. He had a strong feeling a good first impression was going to be important. Remember the code of the aristocracy: dignity at all times. He hoped no one had noticed his lapse.

'Don't worry,' said Evangeline quietly beside him. 'Everyone does that the first time they see the leaders.'

Finlay didn't blame them. A waterfall splashed down from high above, gurgling and splashing. An abstract pattern folded in upon itself endlessly. A giant hog with bloodstained tusks glared at him with tiny crimson eyes. And a ten-foot woman wrapped in shimmering light looked down on him with cold disinterest. Evangeline had warned him that the leaders hid their true identities behind illusions for security reasons, but he hadn't expected them to seem so… real. He swallowed hard, and held his head high.

'Interesting friends you have, Evie,' he said brightly. 'Usually to see something like this I'd have to ask Valentine for something from his private stash.'

'Shut up, Finlay,' Evangeline said quietly, forcefully. 'You're here under sufferance. The underground has no use for the Families. They've seen too many good men and women killed by the powers that be for daring to struggle to be free. The only reason you weren't shot on sight was because you were with me. And they're not always that happy about me. Now be quiet, and let me try and put in a good word for both of us.'

'I am an outlaw now,' said Finlay. 'That means they have to take me, doesn't it?'

'No,' said the hog. 'It doesn't.' Its voice was deep and harsh and seemed to echo on in Finlay's bones. 'There are always spies and traitors, seeking to destroy us from within.'

'And what happens to them?'

'I eat them,' said the hog.

Finlay decided to let Evangeline do all the talking. He put on a respectful face while she talked to the leaders and carefully kept his hands away from his sword and gun. He looked across at the few relatively normal-looking people in the chamber with him, and moved over to join them, bowing respectfully.

'I'm Finlay Campbell, or I was. Not really entitled to the name anymore, I suppose. Are you part of the underground, too?'

'My name is Hood,' said the tall man with no face. 'I advise.'

He wore a long cloak with a cowl pulled forward. There was only darkness inside the cowl. Probably another esper, thought Finlay. He turned his attention to the three women with the same face and gave them his most charming smile.

'Don't waste it on us, stud,' said the woman on the left. 'We're married.'

'Really?' said Finlay. 'Who to?'

'Each other,' said the woman in the middle. 'We're Stevie Blues. Call us One, Two and Three, but don't get us mixed up. We get very short-tempered when that happens. We're really very different.'

'Right,' said the woman on the right, Stevie Three. 'And we don't like aristos anyway.'

'Not many do, these days,' said Finlay. 'Perhaps I can help persuade you we're not all bad.'

'I doubt it,' said Stevie One. 'And if you say some of your best friends are clones, I may puke.'