"Thank you, Danny," Blood said, clasping him briefly by the shoulder. "No

calls

for a while, okay? Not unless the bastard's vivisected the P.M. or something.

I

need some time."

"Certainly, sir."

He opened the door of his office and went in. Billy Slade was seated in his

chair, his tatterdemalion leather coat unzipped to reveal a torn black

T-shirt,

his booted feet up on the desk.

"'Ey, it's a dam shame about your brother, Mick, but if you want to get the

thing what killed Mm, you'll 'ave to do it my way."

Blood gaped at the boy with disbelief, then lashed out furiously, sweeping

his

feet off onto the floor. "Get your damn feet off of my desk! How the hell did

you get in here?"

'Take it easy, Mick. I know you're upset, 'an I don't blame ya, after what's

'appened...."

The door opened and Shavers rushed in. "What's the— you!" His eyes widened as

he

spotted Billy. "How the devil did you get in here? I'm sorry, about this, sir.

I

can't understand how he could have gotten past me. I'll have him out of here

in

a—"

Shavers suddenly stumbled forward, shoved from behind as Kira pushed past him

into the office. "Look, are you the guy in charge here? Because I'm sick and

tired of trying to talk some sense into this asshole Smith—"

"Smythe, Harper-Smythe!" said Hyphen-Smythe, hot on her heels. "Really, miss,

I

must insist that you—"

"Kira!" said Billy in a very adult-sounding voice.

"Who the hell are you?" she said.

"Kira, for God's sake, you'll get us all locked up," said Wyrdrune, coming up

behind her.

"Now see here—" Shavers said.

"Karpinski!" said Billy.

"What?" said Wyrdrune. "Who—"

"Silence!" Blood shouted, slamming his fist down on the desk and glaring at

them

all. "One more sound, and so help me, I'll jail the bloody lot of you and

throw

away the key!"