“Nervous about meeting the quality? Or is it the Dragon?”

“No, that’s not it. That red-headed Elf with the cape is the guy who tried to flash-fry me in the forest. The small dark one next to him is the tracker.”

“What?” Dodger moved to his side and stared at the figures Sam indicated. “Rag it! That redhead is Rory Donally and the other is Bran Glendower. They’re two of Ehran’s paladins. That whole squad was probably his crew. You’re right. We can’t go out there.”

“But I thought that we got hit by the border patrol.”

“They ride the border sometimes. When they think something’s in it for them or their master.”

“Ehran, you mean?”

Dodger nodded in affirmation as he stared out the window.

“Ehran? As in Ehran the Scribe?”

“You know of another?” he replied abstractedly.

“I read his Mankind Ascendant. It didn’t make much sense.”

Dodger turned and gave him a wry grin. “That’s the right Ehran. He is the blond Elf who looks so fond of his own argument.”

“This doesn’t make sense, either. I thought he was some kind of scientific populist writer. What’s he doing here?”

“From the looks of that conference, it must be council business.

“Huh?”

“Sir Twist, your astute commentary ill becomes you. I realize that not all of Ehran’s activities are common knowledge, but… surely, given where you are and what you see, you must have realized that, like our host, he is a member of the ruling council of Tir Tairngire.”

Sam hadn’t made any such connection. Seeing the house and grounds, he had surmised that this Professor Laverty had some influence. But a member of the council! That was beyond reasonable expectations. How did Dodger come to have connections with such a person? And why did he think that Sam might be of interest to this professor? Sam’s stomach lurched as it had when the elevator cable in his Mitsubishi Flutterer had snapped. There had been a yawning chasm below him and he had been nearly out of control. He hadn’t panicked then. Well, not too much anyway, and had managed to fight the craft to a relatively safe landing. He’d find a way out of this disaster, too.

While Sam fought his panic, the meeting outside drew to a close. The Dragon launched itself into the air, circling while its attendants boarded their craft. The aircraft rose to join the Dragon and both flew away to the north. The two groups of Elves merged and headed for the house. Upon reaching the patio, Laverty and Ehran split from their followers and headed for the salon.

“We’ve got to get out of sight,” Sam said. He turned to find Dodger standing by the fireplace, hand on the carved mantel. A dark space opened in the wall beside the stonework.

“In here.”

Sam stared dubiously into the darkness. “It’s a secret passage.”

“Of course. All well-designed houses have them.”

“But how did you know about it?”

“ ’Tis a secret.” To Sam’s disgruntled expression, he added, “All well-brought-up Elves have them, too. Adds to the mystique. Now, get in here and be quiet.”

The entrance to their hiding place barely closed before they heard the latch of the outer door. Then they heard the voices of the Elves as they entered the room.

“… well enough. I think. His advisors were cowed even if your histrionics made little impression on him.”

“Your observations are faulty as usual, Laverty. The worm was suitably impressed. You know that they don’t display emotion as we do. It has to do with the lack of facial musculature and general structure of the skull. I must add, though, that over time I have learned to discern certain variances of reptilian physiognomy and characteristic head positions that show distinct correlations with understandable emotional states.”

“Thank you for the lesson, Ehran.” Laverty’s voice was cold. “I have had some experience with his kind.”

“One should always have a care to respect one’s elders, Laverty,” Ehran laughed. “I am reminded of a sage piece of wisdom I once encountered emblazoned on a wall in a burned-out alley. Lengthy for its type, but containing certain truths. It went something like, ‘Watch your back, conserve ammo, and never cut a deal with a Dragon’.”

“And you find that applicable to our current endeavors?”

“Let us say that I find it suggestive. I would be happy to stay and elucidate, but I have pressing matters to attend to before the others arrive. It was kind of you to host this meeting.”

“It seemed the most expeditious way.”

“So direct. You realty must learn to be more subtle, Laverty. A bit more discretion would stand you in good stead.”

“I’ll try to do better, Ehran. You said something about pressing matters?”

“I did, indeed. I really must attend to them. Until later?” Laverty’s answer must have been nonverbal. Sam heard nothing more until the heavy doors that closed off the salon from the rest of the house shut with a solid thud. There was silence for a moment, then Laverty spoke. “You can come out now, Dodger.”

The hiding place opened and Dodger stepped out. Sam followed him.

“Good day, professor. Estios told you we were here?”

“He mentioned no names.”

“Then how did you know it was Dodger?” Sam asked. “Or that we were hiding behind your secret panel?”

“Your hiding place was obvious deduction. If you had vacated the room completely, you would have run into some of Ehran’s people. That would have been a rowdy encounter, as indicated by Mr. Estios’s caution in not mentioning names where they could be overheard. As no uproar occurred, I assumed that you had gone into hiding here.

“As to how I knew it was Dodger, Mr. Estios spoke of a chromed Elf calling uninvited and dragging along a Human who is a reported renegade from his corporation and presumed dead. Added to the fact that one of you knew how to hide in this room, who else would it be?

“But I’m afraid my deductive clairvoyance has not given me your name.”

“Twist.”

“Samuel Verner,” Dodger said to Sam’s surprise.

Laverty cocked his head at the name, “You won’t be staying.”

“You’re not going to turn me in, are you, professor?” Sam’s fear of exposure returned full force.

“Your apprehension by the authorities would cause a bit of discomfort to Ehran, given certain claims. Ehran’s chagrin is a prospect that has some appeal, but I did not mean to imply that I intended to turn you over to anyone. I meant rather that it would be inconvenient for you to be found here. I fear that with the capabilities of my current and future guests, such a discovery would be all too likely. Thus, you cannot remain here for very long. That being the case, we should get down to whatever business brought you.”