the city's newspaper when one of his staff arrived with good news。
〃We've been asked to supply security at Yellow Dancer's concert this afternoon；〃 the staffer reported。 He wore a blue…gray uniform with a red upturned collar； similar in cut and design to that worn by the colonel。 A single red star adorned the front of his brimmed cap。 The Invid had made a point of allowing local customs and garb to remain unchanged in Norristown and numerous other strongholds throughout the Southlands。 〃Shall I refuse the request； sir？〃 the staffer wanted to know。
Briggs didn't bother to lower the newspaper； which effectively concealed him from the staffer。 He hummed to himself； finishing up his fanciful daydream scenario before replying。 〃Are you out of your mind？〃 he said at last。 〃If something should happen to Yellow Dancer； it's our reputation that will suffer。 Send every available man down to the arena。〃
〃But sir；〃 the' staffer pointed out haltingly； 〃we can't risk leaving the facility unguarded。。。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 the colonel said from behind his paper。 〃What time is the concert scheduled to end？〃
〃Around three…thirty； but…〃
〃And what time are the Intercessors arriving to pick up the shipment？〃
〃Four o'clock； but…〃
〃Then there's no problem。〃 Briggs set the paper aside； got up from behind the desk； and walked over to the office window。 〃What can happen？〃 he said； gesturing to the facility half a mile away at the top of the switchbacked access road。 〃The facility's impregnable。。。And besides； I'd like to oversee Yellow Dancer's security personally。〃 He swung around to his lieutenant。 〃See to it that she expects me。〃
Rumor had it that the storage facility was originally a castle imported stone by stone from Europe during the mid…1800s by a renegade nobleman from Transylvania。 It saw more than one hundred years of alteration and modernization before being substantially renovated （in the Hollywood style） by a sports event promoter who fell heir to the place in 2015。 Much of Norristown； including the arena； owed its existence to the same man。
The building； with its mansard roof and numerous spires； still retained a Proven鏰l look； but this was overshadowed by the fantastical elements added on during the last twenty…five years； primarily the east wing's crenellated tower。 Three…quarters of a mile down the road was the twin…towered main gate； where Lunk and the others were presently stopped。
〃I'm here to run a check on the cooling systems；〃 Lunk said to the helmeted guard who approached the driver's side window。
〃Your permit；〃 the guard said nastily。
Lunk handed the papers down for the man to read； while a second guard moved to the back of the truck to have a look inside。 〃It's clean； Fred！〃 Lunk heard the man call out a minute later。 The guard perused the permit a while longer； then returned it。 〃You'd better be clean on the way out； too；〃 he warned Lunk。 Lunk saw sentries at the other tower frisking a white…coveralled driver。
〃You got it；〃 he told the guard。
The guard waved him through and opened the fence that spanned the roadway。 Lunk threw the truck into gear and drove off； removing his hat and wiping away the sweat that had collected on his forehead。 Two trucks filled with security personnel passed him going in the opposite direction； a sign that Lancer's request might have been granted。 At the top of the switchbacks； Lunk backed the truck toward the shipping entrance。 There were only three or four guards on patrol； and not one of them even glanced at Lunk while he climbed down from the cab and threw open the rear doors。
〃We're in； gang；〃 he said loudly enough for his friends to hear。
Rook； Rand； and Scott lowered themselves from the loft partment and entered the facility。 Scott unfolded Lancer's map and checked it against their location。 〃This one；〃 he told Rook and Rand； indicating an air duct grate along one wall。 Lunk helped them move several crates over to the wall。 Scott climbed up first； rechecked the map； and peered through the grate。 Satisfied； he nodded； and Rook and Rand joined him。 The two men went to work on the bolts that held the grating to its frame； and in a moment they were able to lift the panel free。 Scott and Rand crawled in。 Lunk handed rope； a tool pouch； and an aluminum carry case up to Rook。 She waved him good luck and followed Scott's lead into the horizontal duct。
Less than fifteen feet into the duct； Scott stopped and whispered： 〃The control room is on the third floor。 It should take us about ten minutes to get there。〃
Rook could barely discern him in the darkness。 Ten minutes was going to feel like an eternity。
Down below； the arena was rapidly filling to capacity and Annie was circulating in front of the stage doing what she did best： inciting the crowd。
〃。。。At her last concert a whole bunch of people got up on stage； and everybody started partying and having a good ole time；〃 she told everyone within earshot。 〃Some of us even got to go backstage with Yellow Dancer after the concert and party some more！ But this one's going to be the best！ I hear that she might not perform like this again； so we better make this the one to remember。 Right？！〃
〃All right！〃 several people shouted。 〃Party time！〃
Meanwhile； Yellow Dancer was entertaining guests in her backstage dressing room。 She had changed to a sleeveless pink and burgundy pants outfit with a matching bowed headband； which held her hair up and off her neck。
〃At the last concert； some of my fans came up on stage and really made a mess of things；〃 she was explaining； facing the mirror while she applied eye liner。 〃I'd rather that didn't happen again。〃
〃We won't allow that here；〃 Briggs； the facility security chief； said from behind her。 Yellow smiled at him in the mirror。 〃We'll do our job and guarantee you plete security。 As long as nothing happens to bring the Invid down on us。〃
〃Those horrible creatures；〃 Yellow said； twisting up her face。
〃Aah； they're not so bad once you get to know them；〃 the chief started to say。
Lancer's friend； Woods； threw him a conspiratorial wink from a corner of the room。 He was a handsome young man with a pencil…thin mustache whose taste ran to calfskin jackets and black leather ties。 Just now he was holding the large bouquet of flowers Briggs had brought along for Yellow Dancer。 〃We know you'll do your best； Colonel；〃 Woods said encouragingly。
Lancer saw the chief's puffy face turn red with embarrassment。 〃You're damn right we will。〃
〃And I want to thank you so much for the flowers；〃 Yellow gushed； turning away from the mirror now to flash Briggs a painted smile。 〃They're lovely。〃
Briggs leered at her。 〃Anything for you； Yellow； anything you want。〃
Scott； Rook； and Rand had reached the third floor of the facility。 The duct opened out into a small area that served as the relay center for the facility's security systems。 Scott and Rand moved in to try to make sense of the tangle of wires and switches that covered two full walls of the room。 It took several minutes to locate the feeds from the security cameras； but the rest was child's play。 Rook unsnapped the clasps on the carry case and began to hand over the devices Lunk assured them would scramble the a/v signals。 Scott and Rand quickly attached these to the feeder cables and set off on the next leg of their cramped journey。
The map called for a brief return to the air duct system before they could enter the actual storage area。 But once through this； they would be free to move about at will…assuming Lunk's devices did the trick。 They dropped out of the duct into a maintenance corridor that encircled the supply room but had no access to it except for a single elbow conduit located clear around the back of the building。 Rand volunteered to test the effectiveness of Lunk's scramblers by making faces at one of the surveillance cameras。 When no sirens went off and no guards came running； the trio figured they were in the clear and decided to use one of the maintenance carts to convey them to the conduit…an open…topped electric affair with two seats and a single headlamp that brought them around back in a quarter the time it would have taken them to walk。
They stopped at the first elbow conduit and menced a careful count。 Rook looked over the map； while Scott took charge of noting their position relative to the first main。
〃Under the main line； thirteenth from the right；〃 Scott said； recalling the scrawled notation on the map。 He gestured to an elbow up ahead。 〃That must be it。〃
The conduit was made of light…gauge metal； it was a good four feet in circumference and stood at least six feet high from floor to right…angle bend。 It was held in place by a circular flange； but promised to be flexible enough once the bolts securing the flange to the floor were undone。 Rand and Scott took box wrenches from the tool pouch and immediately set to work。 At the same time； Rook took a coil of rope from the cart and began to tie it fast to one of the adjacent elbows。
When the last of the bolts had been loosened and removed； Rook and Scott shoved the conduit to one side and bent down to peer into the shaft below。
Rand squinted and smiled to himself as his eyes fixed upon the objects of their search： c