The shotgun boomed twice more, and then Deirdre was through the opening. The shotgun went off again, and then a man screamed.
Then silence.
I snarled wordlessly. I rushed down the stairs to check on Ascher, and then peered through the hole in the wall. Deirdre crouched beyond it, on all fours like a wary cat, her hair spread out around her and moving slowly, like strands of kelp in a gentle current. A fourth guard lay unmistakably dead on the floor in front of her, his shotgun still gripped loosely in his hand.
Grey, Nicodemus said, his voice tight.
Of course he was worried about Grey. Grey hadnt done his job with the retina scanner yet.
Ascher was shaken but untouched. I gave her shoulder a quick squeeze and turned to Grey, trying to remember what I knew about first aid and tourniquets.
I neednt have bothered. Grey had already begun sitting up even before I turned around, and his hair was mussed. Other than that, and the bloodied clothing, he looked entirely healthy. His expression was annoyed. Damn, that hurts.
Whiner, I said. One little load of buckshot to the chest. I offered him my hand.
Grey stared blankly at my hand for a second, as if it had taken him a moment to remember what the gesture meant. Then he took it and I pulled him up to his feet. He wobbled once, and then shook his head and steadied.
You okay? I asked.
He gestured at all the blood on the floor. Hit my heart. Ill be fine in a minute.
Man, I said, impressed. Takes a licking and keeps on ticking.
Grey showed me his teeth, then turned, poised and contained once more, and stalked through the doorway after Deirdre.
Hannah Ascher got slowly to her feet and stood staring down at the smeared puddle of blood on the floor. She swallowed and started back up the stairs.
I put out a hand and stopped her. Itll take the cops time to get here, but you probably dont want to be standing around on the first floor when they do, I said.
Too right, said Binder, coming up behind Valmont, still at the stairways top and nudging her down like a bulldog herding a hesitant child. Bullets are no respecters of persons. Go on, girl. And Ash, love, dont forget to fill my pack.
Ascher had a couple of empty black backpacks slung over her shoulder. I know, I know. The red ones.
Nicodemus came to the top of the stairs, dragging the unconscious guard, and came down the steps, taking the guard along none too gently. Once he had the man to the bottom, he interlaced his handcuffs with those of the men already on the floor and cuffed him there.
Well-done, Miss Ascher, Nicodemus said. Well secure the hallway and you can repeat your excellent performance on the second door. Miss Valmont, ifyou would accompany us, pleaseIll want you working on the main vault door the moment we have access to it.
Anna Valmont tensed beside me, her fingers fretting over the surface of her tool roll, constantly wiping droplets of water away.
Michael, I said, why dont you go on in and make sure Valmont has everything she needs?
Michael arched an eyebrow at me, but nodded, and came down the stairs to Anna Valmonts side. He gave her an encouraging smile, which she returned hesitantly, and the two of them went on through in the wake of the others.
Dresden, Nicodemus said, his tone amused. Surely you dont think Id do anything to the woman simply because her purpose had been served?
Not if you want that Way opened, you wont, I said.
Nicodemus smiled at me. He had buckled on a sword belt bearing the long blade hed used earlier and a curved Bedouin dagger. There, you see. You can learn to play the game after all. He vanished through the security door. A moment later, a huge shadow moved through the narrow stairway. I never saw the Genoskwa go by, but I felt the brush of patchy fur against the skin of my right hand, smelled a faint reek of its odor in the air, and bits of ash and the scent of burned hair came from the edges of the torched opening as the huge beast squeezed through it.
This stinks, Binder said a moment later, his voice pitched low. This stinks all to hell.
Hah, I said. Maybe its just the furball.
He snorted, and we waited in silence for another three or four minutes, until Ascher reappeared, newly muddy with ashes and soot from burning through the second wall, wearing the manacles again. That big thing creeps me out, she said.
Too right, Binder said. Gotta wonder what something like that wants with jewels, eh?
He wasnt wrong about that.
Youre right, I said. It smells.
Ascher traded a long look with Binder. Should we leave?
Binder grimaced. And leave Old Nick unable to get through his fiery gate? Hed take that personal, I think. What is Uncle Binders Rule Number Two?
Keep your eyes on the money, Ascher said.
Thats right, Binder said. Dont take things personal, dont get emotional. Were professionals, love. Do the job, get paid, get gone.
There could be more than money at stake here, I said quietly.
Nick and his cup? Binder asked. Been a lot of bad men and a lot of powerful artifacts since this ball started spinning. Itll spin on.
Then silence.
I snarled wordlessly. I rushed down the stairs to check on Ascher, and then peered through the hole in the wall. Deirdre crouched beyond it, on all fours like a wary cat, her hair spread out around her and moving slowly, like strands of kelp in a gentle current. A fourth guard lay unmistakably dead on the floor in front of her, his shotgun still gripped loosely in his hand.
Grey, Nicodemus said, his voice tight.
Of course he was worried about Grey. Grey hadnt done his job with the retina scanner yet.
Ascher was shaken but untouched. I gave her shoulder a quick squeeze and turned to Grey, trying to remember what I knew about first aid and tourniquets.
I neednt have bothered. Grey had already begun sitting up even before I turned around, and his hair was mussed. Other than that, and the bloodied clothing, he looked entirely healthy. His expression was annoyed. Damn, that hurts.
Whiner, I said. One little load of buckshot to the chest. I offered him my hand.
Grey stared blankly at my hand for a second, as if it had taken him a moment to remember what the gesture meant. Then he took it and I pulled him up to his feet. He wobbled once, and then shook his head and steadied.
You okay? I asked.
He gestured at all the blood on the floor. Hit my heart. Ill be fine in a minute.
Man, I said, impressed. Takes a licking and keeps on ticking.
Grey showed me his teeth, then turned, poised and contained once more, and stalked through the doorway after Deirdre.
Hannah Ascher got slowly to her feet and stood staring down at the smeared puddle of blood on the floor. She swallowed and started back up the stairs.
I put out a hand and stopped her. Itll take the cops time to get here, but you probably dont want to be standing around on the first floor when they do, I said.
Too right, said Binder, coming up behind Valmont, still at the stairways top and nudging her down like a bulldog herding a hesitant child. Bullets are no respecters of persons. Go on, girl. And Ash, love, dont forget to fill my pack.
Ascher had a couple of empty black backpacks slung over her shoulder. I know, I know. The red ones.
Nicodemus came to the top of the stairs, dragging the unconscious guard, and came down the steps, taking the guard along none too gently. Once he had the man to the bottom, he interlaced his handcuffs with those of the men already on the floor and cuffed him there.
Well-done, Miss Ascher, Nicodemus said. Well secure the hallway and you can repeat your excellent performance on the second door. Miss Valmont, ifyou would accompany us, pleaseIll want you working on the main vault door the moment we have access to it.
Anna Valmont tensed beside me, her fingers fretting over the surface of her tool roll, constantly wiping droplets of water away.
Michael, I said, why dont you go on in and make sure Valmont has everything she needs?
Michael arched an eyebrow at me, but nodded, and came down the stairs to Anna Valmonts side. He gave her an encouraging smile, which she returned hesitantly, and the two of them went on through in the wake of the others.
Dresden, Nicodemus said, his tone amused. Surely you dont think Id do anything to the woman simply because her purpose had been served?
Not if you want that Way opened, you wont, I said.
Nicodemus smiled at me. He had buckled on a sword belt bearing the long blade hed used earlier and a curved Bedouin dagger. There, you see. You can learn to play the game after all. He vanished through the security door. A moment later, a huge shadow moved through the narrow stairway. I never saw the Genoskwa go by, but I felt the brush of patchy fur against the skin of my right hand, smelled a faint reek of its odor in the air, and bits of ash and the scent of burned hair came from the edges of the torched opening as the huge beast squeezed through it.
This stinks, Binder said a moment later, his voice pitched low. This stinks all to hell.
Hah, I said. Maybe its just the furball.
He snorted, and we waited in silence for another three or four minutes, until Ascher reappeared, newly muddy with ashes and soot from burning through the second wall, wearing the manacles again. That big thing creeps me out, she said.
Too right, Binder said. Gotta wonder what something like that wants with jewels, eh?
He wasnt wrong about that.
Youre right, I said. It smells.
Ascher traded a long look with Binder. Should we leave?
Binder grimaced. And leave Old Nick unable to get through his fiery gate? Hed take that personal, I think. What is Uncle Binders Rule Number Two?
Keep your eyes on the money, Ascher said.
Thats right, Binder said. Dont take things personal, dont get emotional. Were professionals, love. Do the job, get paid, get gone.
There could be more than money at stake here, I said quietly.
Nick and his cup? Binder asked. Been a lot of bad men and a lot of powerful artifacts since this ball started spinning. Itll spin on.
