An image crossed the fragment’s mind, a glimpse, an Asian man, muscled, shaved head, tattooed. His face was a mask, his eyes dead, scanning from side to side.

The cold splash of danger struck Kade, yanking him back. He was on a dance floor, surrounded by moving, exulting bodies. Their joyous minds called to him. The ecstatic music of their thoughts…

Come back to the bar, Feng said.

The union beckoned. Danger is an illusion, it whispered. You’re just a small piece. Death doesn’t matter. The whole lives on.

Kade shivered, and realized what he’d been about to do. To reveal those million minds, to reach out to them all at once... He shook his head hard, fought to snap out of the trance of union, to remember who he was.

Smile and laugh, Feng sent him. Get a drink.

Kade forced himself to smile on the dance floor, wiped sweat from his brow, and worked his way out of the crowd, squeezing past gyrating men and women, all moving in sync, hips and hands and minds reaching out to pull him back into their whole.

Merger. The lifting of the veil of maya. The sweet oblivion of the self. God he wanted it.

But I matter too, Kade told himself. Not just the whole. The individual.

He held on to that thought as he slipped through the press of bodies.

Feng was at the bar, smiling, making every appearance of enjoying himself.

“You having fun?” Feng shouted over the crowd.

“You know it!” Kade forced a smile, forced himself to focus on the here and now.

Now what? he asked Feng.

Can you see front and back doors? Feng asked. Through people’s eyes?

Kade nodded mentally. He leaned on the bar, facing away from their watcher, closed his eyes, and reached out towards the front of the club, hopping from mind to mind, fighting to stay clear of that call to union, until he found the view he needed.

Two of them out front, Kade said, showing Feng what he saw.

Kade took his thoughts the other direction, to the service entrance in the back.

Two more out back.

Feng nodded mentally, his mind calm and cool.

We’ll go out the back then. Let them think we don’t see them. Joke’s on them.

Kade nodded. Feng felt no fear. He’d trust his friend. There was no one he’d rather have with him here and now.

Joke’s on them, he told Feng, and forced another smile.

“North-west corner ready, fifty cal and tranq,” came the intercepted voice.

“Roger that,” came a reply across the same channel. “Go bait.”

Shiva held his breath. A minute later a new voice came across the channel. “Bait has contact. They’ve seen me.”

“They’re trying to lure Lane and his friend out,” Hayes said. “Where the snipers can pick them off.”

“What’s our ETA?” Shiva asked.