“Okay, I think if Noria is going to be anywhere, it’s over here,” Rylan said as he turned down another corridor, past the mess hall. This section of the compound was a little less clinical, with a length of blue carpeting running the length of the floor, and softer lights set into the ceiling as compared to the harsh white lights in the other sections that left no room for shadowed corners. “This is where the staff sleeps.”

“So how the hell do we find her then?” I asked. “Do we just start knocking on doors?”

“Well, we can bypass this section completely, because these are the male dormitories,” Rylan said as we passed through one hall. “And this one too. But this one….” He stopped and sniffed, then let out a deep sigh. “This one is all women.”

I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or roll my eyes at that. I wished the scry-eye allowed me to smell the scents Rylan was picking up on, because then I could just track Noria to her room. But it wasn’t built for shifters, and such a feature would be useless to humans.

Rylan walked up to the first door on the left and knocked. A woman with short blonde hair dressed in a white nightgown answered, her eyes heavy with sleep.

“Oh. Hello, Captain Witley,” she said, clutching at the doorframe as she regarded Rylan. “What is it?”

“Sorry to bother you,” Rylan said, sounding apologetic and a little embarrassed. “I was looking for Miss Melcott, regarding a security issue I need to discuss with her. Do you know which room she’s in?”

“Oh, that little redhead?” The blonde wrinkled her nose, then pointed down the hall. “She’s three doors down, on the left-hand side.”

“Thank you. Have a good night.”

“Anybody who’s awake is going to be listening now,” I told Rylan as he headed for the door in question.

“I know, but it’s not like you had a better idea.”

Rylan knocked on the door, then waited. My stomach sank a little when nobody answered—if Noria wasn’t here, then what were we going to do? Was she working late in one of the labs? If so, which one, and was there any way to get in? Tonight was our only chance—Rylan wouldn’t be able to stay here past morning.

“I’ll try again,” Rylan said just as I was about to ask him to. He knocked on the door. This time, we heard a muffled groan.

“Miss Melcott, it’s Captain Witley,” Rylan called through the door, keeping his voice as low as he could while remaining audible through the doorway. “I need to speak with you.”