Tempting Evil

It seemed to take forever to find the hidden exit for sublevels, though I suppose in reality it was only a minute or two. It had been concealed in the remains of a tree that looked to have burned in the bushfires that had raged across these mountains years ago, though the blackened bark was in fact well-concealed concrete rather than once-living wood. Finding the actual entrance was tricky. The tree looked whole, and it was only on close inspection that the outline of a doorway could be seen. The catch was little more than a dent on one edge. On opening that, we discovered another door, this one made of steel and accompanied by the same sort of key-coders that guard the various secure areas in and around the house.

"I'm told the backup generators power these security doors, enabling them all to function normally." And if they didn't, we'd truly be up that well-known creek.

"That makes sense."

He gave me the notebook, and I punched in the code from the book while he carefully pressed the stolen thumb against the print sca

The red light above the keypad flicked to green. Qui

Though how dust got into a sealed area, I had no idea.

"Emergency lighting is on inside," he commented.

I bent to study the tu

"Do you think they have movement sensors in there?"

"Probably, though I doubt they would be one of the emergency systems ru

"No."

"I would think the cameras and sensors are supported by the same source, so we are probably safe for the moment."

Given Starr didn't think like normal people, that statement wasn't as logical as it sounded. "We've got to get moving—we've probably only got eight minutes or so before the power is up and ru

"I'll go first."

I nodded. He climbed down, his steps making little noise but stirring the dust into a sluggish cloud. When he reached the concrete floor, he motioned me to follow then disappeared into the red-shrouded darkness.

"Sensors in the walls, and cameras in the ceiling." He pointed them out as I joined him.

"So if we aren't out by the time the power is on, they will be all over us like a rash."

"Yes. Let's move."

We ran down the tu

"I ca

"There are things in this world that don't have heartbeats."

"Like the chameleons. Like the Fravardin."

"Yeah. But there's no Fravardin here, other than the one helping Dia." Which was strange, really. If Misha had the Fravardin at his beck and call, why wouldn't Starr have gotten his warped little hands on them? Misha had been Starr's creature to order around—up to a point, anyway.

Another metal door loomed into view. We slowed. This one looked bigger, stronger.

"Containment door," Qui

I got the notebook out and checked the code. "So why have one guarding a fire exit?"

He shrugged. "Why not? If the contamination is truly bad, do you really want those inside getting out?"

"Isn't the whole point of a fire exit being able to escape when something bad happens?"

He pressed the thumb against the door. "By law we have to have them. It doesn't mean they should always be used."

"Glad I don't work in your labs."

He glanced at me, dark eyes suddenly amused. "I'm glad, too. I have a no fraternizing with my employees rule."

"We're not exactly fraternizing now." Not in a physical, one-on-one sense, anyway. Well, except for our brief session in my kitchen, and later in the barn—but that hardly counted.

"No." He grasped the lever and hauled the huge door open. Air rushed out, brushing my skin with its musty, ancient scent. "But I intend to remedy that."

I arched an eyebrow at the certainty—even arrogance—in his voice and reached for the psi-link between us. Given we had no idea how close the labs were or how far our voices might carry, it was better not to talk aloud. Especially when we had another option. And just how do you intend to remedy the situation when you're never around and never in Melbourne?

He didn't answer—no surprise there—just edged around the corner. Another corridor and door ahead.

No guards? Which was a dumb question, really, when he was already walking forward.

Not yet. They might be on the other side of the door, though.

You know, something about the lack of security in this place just doesn't sit right. Surely the first places Starr would send troops to would be his research areas and labs…

I broke off suddenly.

What if he had sent his troops to his labs and research areas? What if he was protecting them?

Maybe the guards Qui

A large leap? Maybe. Except that Iktar had said that when he and his people were transferred, they didn't seem to be out of it for very long. I'd taken that he meant only a few hours, but maybe he really did mean minutes.

Maybe the reason it had seemed that way was because the labs that made the creatures just like him was here, right under our very feet.

Of course, that would also mean there was an entrance somewhere in these hills large enough to take trucks, and surely the Directorate, with all its sca

Maybe not. Qui

Why not? An entrance big enough to take trucks needs roads heavy enough to take them. Not an easy thing to conceal in a forest.

It is if it is disguised as something else. Are there any quarries or logging camps nearby, perhaps?

I have no idea.

But Jack will.

Yeah.

I keyed the code into the door then stepped back to give him access to the thumb coder. The labs being underground would certainly explain why Jack and the Directorate have been unable to discover any suspect buildings with their satellites. But how could Starr do that much excavating without anyone taking note?

The only thing new about these tu