He scrambled to his feet, stepped over the lower track, and left the door open for Arra as he ran toward the gate. At least two hammers were pounding out a staccato rhythm back behind the permanent sets that made up Raymond Dark’s office, but the dining room was finished and deserted. His back teeth beginning to vibrate and his hands sweating so heavily he could barely maintain his grip, he yanked the big lamp into position, threw a cable out of the box, and bent to make the connection.

“And what the hell do you think you are playing at?”

Shit! Sorge—no mistaking the DP’s accent. He’s probably here to work out the lighting for tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, knowing that was no help at all.

“I am waiting.”

Teeth gritted in an effort to keep his skull from blowing apart, Tony finished making the connection and straightened. The gate was about to open. All he had to do was turn the lamp on; he could lie about what he was playing at just as easily with the gate blocked. Easier. More easily? Bottom line, he could concentrate on the lie if he knew the shadows—incoming, outgoing, pogo-ing—had been stopped. But Sorge was between him and the lighting board and it didn’t look as if he was going to move.

Tackle him?

And get fired; losing access to the gate and any chance to stop the Shadowlord.

Reason with him?

Given how pissed off he looked, that seemed even less likely to succeed.

The sudden brilliant light took them both by surprise.

“Tony’s doing some work for me, Sorge.” Arra released the switch and came out from behind the light board. “I need a number of readings off this lamp.” She tossed Tony the light meter. “Go.”

He trotted toward the set, allowing Sorge’s protests and Arra’s answering argument to wash over him. In another couple of minutes, it wouldn’t matter. The gate would close and Arra could even let the DP think he’d won. In the meantime, Tony maintained the charade, holding what looking like a light meter but felt like a battery from one of the radios up in the light. He was as far from the actual opening as he could get and still make it look real but it wasn’t far enough to escape the feeling of being examined.

Yeah, and me wearing a big fucking shadow-stain.

Then the gate closed and the lamp switched off a heartbeat later.

“Oh, don’t be so Gallic!” Arra snapped. “Your lamp is fine and I have all the readings I need. Tony!”

“Yeah.” He tossed her back the alleged light meter.

She nearly fumbled the catch and just for an instant it looked like a battery.

Sorge frowned and Tony prepared to assure him that he hadn’t seen what he’d thought he’d seen.

“You are not well?”

Okay, that he had seen.