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Edwards forgot the pain； letting his hands fall to his sides。 〃You'll find out when the oh…so…saintly Hunters do： when it's too late。〃
He turned his back on Lang； striding out of the room so fast that the door barely had time to get out of his way。
Lang made sure the door was secure； then turned toward a dim corner of his sanctum。 〃Scott； did you get all that？〃
Scott Bernard； Lang's apprentice and godson； emerged…a slender； dark…haired； unsmiling kid of thirteen or so； small for his age。 〃The machines are in some sort of flux； Doctor。〃
Heels clacking on the hardtop； Edwards walked back toward his limo as his personal bodyguards fell in beside him。 The wrist module still read true； he laughed。
Nothing I say can be held against me！
That left a number of other concerns； but suddenly the most pressing among them was Minmei。 Edwards made a rasping； pantherish sound as he slid into his limo。
God！ It would be so easy to break her will by physical or chemical means…to turn her into something that would obey his every word and whim； satisfy his every hunger。
The hell of it was he wanted Minmei； not some brainwiped zombie that looked and talked like her。 He wanted her to love him。
And she would。 If he had to turn the universe upside down and shake it like a toy to make her do so； she would love him。
The limo rolled out under the security spotlights； flanked by security vehicles； about to swoop under the security umbrella of Ghost VTs。
〃Wait！〃
Surface…effect braking thrusters blared； people pulled guns and Guardian…mode fighters swooped in； while the security net crackled with confused transmissions。
Edwards was out of the limo virtually over the lap of a hulking bodyguard。 〃Did you see him？ There； up there*〃
But the spot to which he was pointing； the top of a nearby building； was empty。 Even as VT spotlights converged on it； he could see that。
Adams was out of the front seat。 〃What was it； sir？〃
Edwards kept his eyes trained on the spot。 Don't let them see you sweat！ You can't afford to show any weakness！
〃Nothing； a trick of the light。 Let's get 'em rolling。〃
When the convoy was moving again； he replayed the split…second glimpse and couldn't convince himself that he had been wrong。
A human figure； poised on the roof almost nonchalantly。 Watching。
Waiting。。。
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The frictions among the Sentinels were many； and the Grail of defeating the Regent was sometimes the single thing that kept them from a disastrous falling…out。
It is noteworthy that none of them noticed how immune Tesla grew to their irritability； frustration； retribution； and so on。 They were physical warriors； under attack…though they didn't know it…from a metaphysical foe who'd gotten inside their own lines。
Ann London； Ring of Iron： The Sentinels in Conflict
揥hat's the matter； Lieutenant mander Baker？ Don't I look 'strac'？〃
Jack Baker eyed Gnea。 〃I； uh； I just wish my academy mandant could see you； is all。〃
Such an encounter would offer a chance to brush up on his cardiopulmonary resuscitation technique； Jack figured； because modore Steinfeld would certainly have a heart attack if she ever got a glance at Gnea。
Just as Lisa had taken to wearing Praxian accessories； most Sentinels pretty much dressed as they saw fit。 Prolonged campaigning had seen to it that virtually nobody had a regulation wardrobe anymore； and people wore what came to hand or caught their fancy。
A case in point was Gnea。 The ringmail G…string and studded dragonskin halter top were in keeping with Praxian fashion； but the REF dress uniform jacket was a bit of a shock。 The high…waisted mess jacket was decked out with brush epaulets； decorations and ribbons； fourrageres； and insignia。
She pirouetted to show off her new acquisition。 〃mander Grant's exec and I are just about the same size； so we swapped；〃 she said； brushing the embroidery on her cuffs。 Jack wondered how the economy…size Lieutenant mander Shimoda was enjoying her new gryphon…fur shawl。 Certainly Gnea； a six…foot…four teenager with legs that wouldn't quit； did things for that jacket that； in Jack's private opinion； merited a medal。
〃Anyway； what did you want to see me about； Jack？〃
He realized guiltily that he had been admiring her long…waisted figure and gave a start； glancing around by reflex and expecting Karen Penn to be scowling at him。 Dammit！ The two were at one another's throat as often as they were caught up in their romantic friendship； and Karen had certainly never said or done anything proprietary。 But somehow； he found； he couldn't look at another woman anymore without the fear of being clobbered。
〃The admiral's noticed that Tesla's been keeping a low profile since the Haydon IV tea party；〃 he said。 〃In fact； nobody's seen him。 For that matter； Burak's been conspicuously out of sight； too。 So I figured I'd sort of take a stroll and hunt them up。〃
Gnea had been a confidant of Burak's； at least back when the Sentinels first showed up on Tirol。 So； enlisting her in the project was one of the first things that had e to Jack's mind。
〃Yes； I noticed that；〃 Gnea said with a pensive look on her face。 〃It's time someone found out just what those two are up to； isn't it？〃 She fell in next to him and they started off； she a half…head taller but both of them fortable with each other's pany。
〃Burak and I don't talk much anymore； you know；〃 the amazon went on。 〃I just…once he became acquainted with Tesla； he started talking like some kind of savior。 It was one thing to sympathize with him but a pletely different one to put up with that…what would Humans call it？ Napoleonic plex？〃
〃I dunno；〃 Jack said。 〃I majored in Wood Shop。〃
Gnea let that pass without finding out what it meant； one had to understand that Jack liked to be obscure。
Burak wasn't in his quarters； and so they went to the partment that had been assigned to Tesla。 The Invid wasn't there…just as he hadn't been there for days。 But Jack had learned the unpleasant facts of what it was like to turn in an unsatisfactory report to Rick Hunter； and so he snooped around the place； opening empty closets and looking through empty drawers。
But it was Gnea； studyin