Talina and Dek came at a trot, having seen to the airplane tie-downs and having plugged the airplane into the grid to recharge. Both had their rifles. Tal kept scanning, keeping total situational awareness.

“What have we got?” Tal asked.

“Rifles are missing. The question is, who has them, and what are they planning to shoot at?”

“Kalico,” Talina told her, “if they make so much as a threatening move, I’m not letting them shoot first.”

“Roger that. Me either.” Kalico opened the door, pistol at the ready. “This isn’t right. Coming in like we did, it should have shaken the whole station. It’s not like they don’t know we’re here.”

Stepping to the top of the stairs, Kalico called, “Hello? Anyone here?”

Heart beginning to hammer, she started down.

A face peered at her from around the corner. Then it drew back.

A very young face. The kind that should belong to a little boy.

92

Felix considered the problem presented by the Supervisor’s return. As he did, he could hear Breez and Michaela’s bodies making irregular thumps as they were pulled down each riser and tread. No help there. Surely he was smart enough to take down a single woman. She would have no clue that he was anything but a little boy.

It would be nice if Tomaya were here. It was always easier with two. Like Sheena used to do, running around behind to distract a grownup while Felix slashed above their kneecaps with the ax.

But the Supervisor wouldn’t know. Sort of like with Bill Martin. He could just walk up with the ax behind his back, and when she stopped to stare at the bodies spread out on the hall floor, he’d get close. She would be distracted by the blood, the bullet-shattered corpses. That would be Felix’s chance. He’d slash her above the kneecap. Down she’d come.

Carefully, Felix tiptoed down the hallway, stepped around Mother’s body. Just around the corner of the stairs leading up to the landing pad, he tightened his grip on the bloody ax. He waited, listening. Heard voices, and then someone called, “Hello? Anyone here?”

As the person started down the steps, Felix peered around the corner. Not one, three!

With rifles.

Whole different problem. The ax wasn’t going to work.

What to do?

The Voice didn’t seem to have any idea, though the Song was ringing through the entire Pod.

“This is the Supervisor. Hello? Little boy, who are you? Where is everyone?”

Glancing around, his gaze fixed on the rifle where it had fallen from Mother’s hands. He’d never shot one. Never held one. But how hard could it be? He’d seen how Michaela shot Sheena, how Mother had shot Felicity, and finally how Vik had killed Breez.