fountain

basin, and there were several dark figures gathered around it, warming

themselves. Billy hesitated.

"Have no fear," said Merlin.

"Yeah, easy for you to say."

Trying hard to calm himself, Billy bit his lower lip and moved forward. His

mouth felt dry. He could feel his heart beating faster and faster and his

breath

growing short. The figures gathered around the fire looked up at him as he

approached, the firelight illuminating their coarse and dirty features. One

by

one they stood as he came closer, and Billy saw that one of them was holding

a

piece of iron rod. Another held a heavy piece of wood like a club. Another

reached into his pocket, and Billy almost bolted when he saw the long knife

blade gleam in the firelight.

"Steady, lad, steady," Merlin said.

His heart hammering with fear, Billy came closer, his fingers closing around

the

flick knife in his pocket. He stepped out of the shadows. The moment the

firelight caught his features, an immediate change took place in the ragged

men.

Several of them backed away at once. The one with the knife quickly put the

blade away and hurriedly pulled off his filthy cap, contritely holding it

before

him in his hands as he inclined his head toward Billy. His whole body took on

a

servile posture.

"Beggin' yer pardon, me lord," he said, to Billy's complete and absolute

astonishment, "we didn't rek'inize ya at first."

He stepped aside, bowing and scraping, and Billy went past him, amazed at his

reaction. The savage derelicts outnumbered him; they were all armed and more

than twice his size, yet they had given way before him. He moved past them

into

the darkness, toward the elevator banks.

"They don't work, you know," said Billy. "They 'aven't worked for years. No

power. We'll 'ave to take the stairs."

The elevator doors slid open soundlessly. The light in the ceiling of the

elevator came on.

"Right," said Billy. "What do / know?" He stepped inside the elevator, and

the

doors closed behind him with a whisper. "Where to?"

"Push the top button," Merlin said.

"What, the one with no number on it?"

"That's right."

Billy pushed it and the elevator began to rise swiftly.