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stepped over him, trying to run and keep quiet at the same time. The central passage of the Virgins'
quarters was dim, with only blue night lights burning, but I could see and I reached the end of the passage
quickly-then jammed on the brakes. The female guard at the cell there, instead of walking a post, was
seated on the floor with her back to the door.
Probably she was dozing, for she did not look up at once. Then she did so, saw me, and I had no
time to make plans; I dove for her. My left hand muffled her scream; with the edge of my left hand I
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chopped the side of her neck-not a killing stroke but I had no time to be gentle; she went limp.
Half the tape across her mouth first, then the other half across her eyes, then tear clothing from her to
bind her-and hurry, hurry, hurry all the way, for a security man might already have monitored the eye that
was certainly at the main doorway and have seen the unconscious guard. I found her keys on a chain
around her waist and straightened up with a silent apology for what I had done to her. Her little body was
almost childlike; she seemed even more helpless than Judith.
But I had no time for soft misgivings; I found the right key, got the door open-and then my darling
was in my arms.
She was deep in a troubled sleep and probably drugged. She moaned as I picked her up but did not
wake. But her gown slipped and I saw some of what they had done to her - I made a life vow, even as I
ran, to pay it back seven times, if the man who did it could live that long.
The guard was still where 1 had left him. I thought I had gotten away with it without being monitored
or waking anyone and was just stepping over him, when I heard a gasp from the corridor behind me.
Why are women restless at night? If this woman hadn't gotten out of bed, no doubt to attend to
something she should have taken care of before retiring, 1 might never have been seen at all.
It was too late to silence her, I simply ran. Once around the jog I was in welcome darkness but I
overran the stair head, had to come back, and feel for it-then had to grope my way down step by step. I
could hear shouts and high-pitched voices somewhere behind me.
Just as I reached ground level, turned and saw the portal outlined against the night sky before me, all
the lights came on and the alarms began to clang. I ran the last few paces headlong and almost fell into
the arms of Captain van Eyck. He scooped her out of my arms without a word and trotted away toward
the corner of the building.
I stood staring after them half-wittedly when Zeb brought me to my senses by picking up my corselet
and shoving it out for me to put in my arms. 'Snap out of it, man!' he hissed. 'That general alarm is for us.
You're supposed to be on guard duty.'
He strapped on my sword as I buckled the corselet, then slapped my helmet on my head and shoved
my spear into my left hand. Then we stood back to back in front of the portal, pistols drawn, safeties off,
in drill-manual full alert. Pending further orders, we were not expected nor permitted to do anything else,
since the alarm had not taken place on our post.
We stood like statues for several minutes. We could hear sounds of running feet and of challenges.
The Officer of the Day ran past us into the Palace, buckling his corselet over his night clothes as he ran. I
almost blasted him out of existence before he answered my challenge. Then the relief watch section
swung past at double time with the relief warden at its head.
Gradually the excitement died away; the lights remained on but someone thought to shut off the
alarm. Zeb ventured a whisper. 'What in Sheol happened? Did you muff it?'
'Yes and no.' I told him about the restless Sister.
Hmmph! Well, son, this ought to teach you not to fool around with women when you are on duty.'
'Confound it, 1 wasn't fooling with her. She just popped out of her cell.'
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'I didn't mean tonight,' he said bleakly.
I shut up.
About half an hour later, long before the end of the watch, the relief section tramped back. Their
warden halted them, our two reliefs fell out and we fell in the empty places. We marched back to the
guardroom, stopping twice more on the way to drop reliefs and pick up men from our own section.
Chapter 5
We were halted in the inner parade facing the guardroom door and left at attention. There we stood for
fifty mortal minutes while the officer of the Day strolled around and looked us over. Once a man in the
rear rank shifted his weight. It would have gone unnoticed at dress parade, even in the presence of the
Prophet, but tonight the Officer of the Day bawled him out at once and Captain van Eyck noted down his
name. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]