The room was large and comfortable, with heavy divans and thick armchairs scattered about. Lamps cast conflicting though warm and pleasant shadows over the tables and walls and the three men facing each other in a loose triangle.
Agent Gambel held a glass. Across from him stood Bok Golner, still in his black fatigues, scowling at the man seated before them. Derec's unease multiplied at the sight of Senator Eliton, sitting in a low chair, a drink at his elbow, dressed in an evening jacket.
"It shouldn't make any difference at this point," Gambel said. "We have the robot, the TBI have seized four Spacer warehouses containing contraband, and Phylaxis has been shut down under a warrant based on illegal service to contraband robots. The Spacers are looking worse and worse. All we need to do now is drop the last bit of evidence on Taprin's desk and there'll be a general outcry to throw the Aurorans off Earth."
Eliton sighed wearily. "I don't know what you think this accomplishes. Anything could undo the whole thing, like finding him" he stabbed a finger at Golner "-here, when he ought to be in jail with the rest of his goons."
"I don't do that," Golner said.
"Do what?" Eliton demanded.
"Serve time in an institution. I already did that once."
"You should remember how to follow orders," Gambel said.
Golner's face reddened. He opened his mouth to speak.
But the door opened behind him, and suddenly Bogard was in the room with them.
"Shit," Derec hissed. Several things happened.
Eliton stood abruptly, knocking his drink off the table.
Golner drew a weapon and began to turn. Bogard touched Golner's hand, but the Managin flinched away, letting the pistol fly. He ducked under Bogard grasp, so fast that Derec almost could not follow his turn as he twisted around Bogard's left flank and bolted for the door.
Gambel dropped his glass and reached for his sidearm.
Mia threw herself through the screen, weapon drawn. "Bogard!" she cried.
Bogard, reaching for Golner, hesitated.
Eliton dropped to his knees and came up holding Golner's pistol.
"Thank god!" he shouted and shot Gambel.
Bogard's entire body seemed to unfold and suddenly refold around Eliton.
Golner staggered from the room.
Mia ran to the doorway, leaned out, and fired twice.
Derec got to his feet.
It all too place in a few seconds.
Derec stepped into the room and went to Gambel. His face was distorted, the eyeballs pulped and oozing-the effects of a heavy stun at nearly pointblank range. Derec looked away.
"Time to leave," Mia said. "Bogard, do you have the senator secured?"
"Yes, Mia."
"Don't let him out unless absolutely necessary and not on his command. Clear?"
"I understand, Mia. "
"Escape route."
Bogard swept out of the window and down the outside stairs.
"Platoon!" Golner shouted from somewhere below. "Compromise! The perimeter has been compromised!"
"Move," Mia urged Derec.
They followed Bogard down to the ground and hurried across the enclave. Behind them, people were spilling from two of the barracks.
"Where's Ariel?" Derec asked.
Ahead, they saw a figure running to intercept them, barely a shadow against larger shadows. She waved and Derec knew it was Ariel.
Bogard stopped at the perimeter. "Please step against me," it said.
"What-?" Mia began.
"Like this." Derec pressed himself to Bogard's side. The amalloy skin warped around him. A few moments later, he felt Bogard begin to move. Bogard ran directly through the perimeter. The voltage discharged against it, but coursed around the robot and grounded harmlessly. Just within the tree line, the shielding retracted and let Derec, Ariel, and Mia out.
"This way," Bogard said, and plunged through the underbrush.
The distant, distinct pops of gunfire sounded behind them. The whiz and snap of bullets tearing through leaves and branches overhead made them duck involuntarily.
"The shots are random," Mia said. "They can't see us."
The rate of fire increased.
"Eventually one of them will get lucky," Ariel complained.
They were running now, arms outstretched to fend off the whipping branches.
Suddenly, Bogard stopped and let them catch up and pass.
"Bogard, what-?" Mia called.
"I cannot accept the level of risk to you. Please take Senator Eliton in your care."
Derec stopped. Bogard opened up and Eliton stumbled out from within the enshielding. He looked around frantically, eyes wide, still holding Golner's weapon.
Mia stepped up to him. "Senator," she said, and deftly took the pistol from him. "This way, please."
"It's a miracle you showed up," Eliton said and looked around, puzzled that he could barely see his rescuers. "Whoever you are."
"Talk later, move now," Mia said and took his elbow.
They continued on.
Derec looked back to see what Bogard intended. Bogard followed, but its body seemed to grow even as Derec watched. Bogard had dispensed with its stealth shielding. It was a bright coppery target now, making itself wider and higher. Beyond, the gunfire resumed and Derec heard the bullets impact on Bogard. Then he heard the wash of a blaster.
Bogard's entire body seemed to shudder and glow.
"Run, Derec," Bogard ordered.
Derec ran.
They reached the path and sprinted back toward the orientation center. It sounded like a small army attacking Bogard, and Derec winced at the staccato sounds.
Just as the door came into sight, a dozen men poured onto the path, blocking their way, all armed and converging on them. Derec skidded to a stop and backpedaled.
"Sir!" someone shouted, but Derec did not stop.
He crashed into the woods and tried to find a place to hide. Before him now rose an eerie specter, a sheen of gold through the foliage, rippling and moving. As he stared at the sight, he realized that it was Bogard, stretched out like a blanket between him and the Managins in pursuit. Derec understood the potential for Bogard to manage this, but it still amazed him.
But it was too much. Holes were appearing in the skin. They rehealed almost at once-except in a couple of spots where they were ragged, the edges flapping uselessly. Bogard was losing integrity and could no longer absorb the impacts.
As he watched, Bogard seemed to shred into fragments.
"No!" Derec screamed.
Then the second group caught up to him.
Instead of seizing him, though, they passed him, driving into the woods, and firing at the Managins.
Derec backed away.
Something closed on his neck painfully. He tried to turn, but could not. Then he hit the gravel on his back.
When he looked up, someone knelt on his chest, aiming a pistol at his face.
"Let's see who we have now," Golner said and lifted Derec's veil. "Spacer boy. Great. Are you worth my trouble? Will you get me out of here? It's a good question, isn't it?"
Derec swung at Golner, aiming to knock the weapon aside. Golner just held it out of harm's way, then punched Derec in the sternum-a short, hard blow that knocked the wind from him.
"No chance," Golner said. "You'll be more trouble than you're worth."
He aimed again.
A coppery tendril snaked around Golner's body, encircled his wrist, and jerked the gun up. It went off, a loud crack of thunder that set Derec's ears ringing.
Golner struggled briefly, then tried to turn the pistol in the direction of his assailant. The barrel came around, the wrist still held by Bogard's tendril. Golner tried to twist so he could see; the barrel of the gun came close to his head. Bogard flexed to turn the weapon away, and it went off again.
Golner's head burst open in a spray of blood and bone.
Derec screamed and pushed himself away.
People surrounded him, but their guns were aimed at Golner's corpse.
It lay now, half its head gone, a copper strand wrapped around its waist and wrist. Derec followed the line of the strand into the woods to a shapeless mass of material that glowed dimly in the first vague light of approaching dawn.