He liked that. Liked the wary glances of people on the streets, the visible tension of Finn’s deputies.

He liked the fear.

He moved easily along the slope, smiling. He had left his guest alone for some time, going back twice before now just to make sure desperate effort had not managed escape.

He paused to look around carefully, making absolutely certain no one could have seen him, then slipped into the little glade and studied his guest. He was pleased but not surprised that the tough tape still held securely. He smiled at eyes blazing furiously above the strip of duct tape over the mouth. There was still anger now. Indignation.

He bet if he removed the tape, he’d be treated to pure outrage.

The earlier lessons had apparently been forgotten. He considered for a moment using his Talent again, but admitted to himself that it was more enjoyable and possibly more effective to use another of his gifts.

He bent forward slightly and swung his long arm in a smooth backhanded slap.

Above and below the tape, flesh reddened, and a convulsive swallow choked down what he guessed was blood. He was very, very strong.

Above the tape, the determinedly furious eyes had changed.

Now they were afraid again.

Smiling, he reached over among a small group of big rocks where he had placed, out of sight of his guest, a not very large but very sharp and gleaming knife.

A choked sound from behind the tape, then a steady and increasingly urgent murmuring, muttering, noises punctuated by wet sniffs.

He shifted just a bit to the side and brought the knife to the tense wrist extended out from the body and taped to a plank of rough wood. Ignoring the tape, he slipped the edge of the knife beneath the edge of a cuffed shirt and began to cut it.

He had cut the sleeve all the way up to the elbow when the sounds from behind the tape began to gurgle with understanding and even more fear.

“Well,” he said reasonably, “we can hardly get started with all your clothes on, can we?”

An instant of silence, and then a wet whimper.

—

AS HOLLIS AND DeMarco entered the suite that would serve as their base, she nodded a greeting to Miranda but continued a conversation with her partner uninterrupted.

“—because Geneva told me about it when I asked her. She always has another way out. It’s handy to. I had to check to make sure I wouldn’t have to stand on my head or something to use it, because Gen’s as flexible as an eel.”

DeMarco nodded to Miranda, who had let them in, then said to his partner, “Vanishing around a corner like something in a magician’s act wasn’t necessary. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Oh, it was only for a minute. Less. And anyway, keeps you on your toes. Hey, everybody.” She looked around the sitting room of the suite, finding that Quentin and Diana had already come from their own suite, only a few moments before by the look of things, and noting that equipment and supplies had been unloaded and placed and seats in the room chosen.