Slave Race: 14/?
by Nan Smith and Linda Garrick
Cory knelt beside him, dodged a blow, and caught the boy's wrists. A few children had gathered at a distance, staring at the scene. Lord Comishvor emerged from the main entrance and strode toward them. Cory's captive--he looked about nine or ten years old, cowered away with an inarticulate cry of fear.
"He won't hurt you." Cory spoke in a low voice, putting all the sincerity he could into his tone. "Honest! Take it easy!"
Comishvor arrived beside them, and spoke urgently to Cory. "Bring him! Quickly!"
Cory bent and tried to lift the little boy. The child fought him savagely, small, terrified animal sounds issuing from his throat. A knee caught Cory in the midriff and he grunted with pain.
"Get back, Cornelius," the Jilectan commanded.
Cory let go of the boy and stepped back. Comishvor fired a stunbolt and the boy collapsed.
"Quickly!" the Jilectan ordered.
Cory bent over the child's still form, lifted him and draped him over one shoulder. Something was bothering him--a feeling of urgency, as though they were running out of time.
"M'lord?"
Comishvor glanced at him, and comprehension washed over his features. He reached over to snatch the boy from Cory's grasp. "Run, Cornelius!"
Cory obeyed. The sensation of imminent danger was growing. He felt Ed's mind connect violently with his, heard Comishvor's telepathic command for Ed to come toward them. From the lot ahead, Cory saw the aircar rise from the pavement and roar toward them.
But the danger was almost upon them, approaching rapidly from behind. An aircar skimmed low across the building behind them and bore down upon them. Ahead, their own aircar swooped to a landing and the door opened. Comishvor, the boy still over his shoulder, dove forward through the open door.
A stunbolt hummed. Cory felt it brush him, and numbness washed over him. Who *were* they?
Ed's voice was screaming in his mind. He tried to get up, and made it to hands and knees. Then the stunbolt hummed again, and his surroundings faded away into blackness.
"Cory!" Edwin tried to lunge forward, but Comishvor caught him by the shirt, dragging him irresistibly back.
"Go, Gary!" commanded the Jilectan's voice.
"Cory! Sir, he's down!"
Comishvor ignored him. The car tore away, gaining altitude and speed. Edwin twisted around and saw the door of their pursuer's car open and Cory being pulled inside. "Sir, they've got him!"
"Do not fear for him, Edwin."
"They got him! Who are they?"
"I believe they are the Terran Underground. The Underground protects psychics from Jilectans. They are the only ones I know of with the audacity to shoot at a Jilectan."
"But they only used stunbolts."
"They did not wish to harm our prisoner. Your friend is in no danger, Edwin."
Ed wasn't so sure. "M'lord, the Underground kills people who turn in psychics!"
"They will not kill Cornelius. He is a psychic, himself."
The prisoner, slumped beside Comishvor, groaned.
"But how are we going to get him back, sir?"
"He will, most likely, return of his own accord."
"Will they let him?"
"He is a psychic. Psychics in the Underground are trusted. And he will wish to return to you."
"But what do we do?"
"We return to our rendezvous point and wait. I believe he will contact you as soon as he recovers from the stunbolt. We can then locate him, and he will almost certainly come to us. Be patient, Edwin." He glanced at the jeweled chronometer on his wrist. "You shall hear from him in less than ten minutes."
"What if it wasn't the Underground, sir?" Edwin couldn't rid himself of the nagging doubt.
"What if it was Lady Gootishville at last getting her chance to kill him without you around to object?"
"Be still, Edwin." Comishvor's tone was ominous. "My Lady would not be so foolish."
"She was before."
"One more word, Edwin, and you will wish you had not spoken."
Ed shut up. Beside him on the seat the boy groaned again and began to sob.
**********
Chapter 17
Cory's first sensation upon returning to consciousness was that of a thundering headache. He bit his lower lip, trying not to groan and partially succeeded. Nausea pulled at him.
He lay perfectly still, and after a few moments the headache began to subside slightly. He opened his eyes, wincing at a warning throb, and stared upwards at the cloudless blue sky above him. All was very quiet.
The pain in his head was intensifying again, bringing the nausea back with it full force. He tried to turn his body to one side and was suddenly aware that his hands were fastened behind him. For the moment he didn't care. He closed his eyes and lay perfectly still, trying to will his stomach to stay where it belonged. His head pounded with every beat of his heart.
"So, worm, you are awake."
Painfully he turned his head toward the voice. Lady Gootishville, clad in a flowing green gown, stood beside him, smiling. Behind her were two apprehensive-looking Procyons.
"Lady Goo... Gootishville." His voice didn't want to work right. "Where are we? What happened?"
She laughed, an ugly little sound that made his scalp prickle. "Listen to it... demanding information like the stupid little worm that it is!"
Cory wiggled back from her. The headache was beginning to subside, but now terror replaced it. Where were they? What had happened? Where were Ed and Comishvor?
She couldn't have read his mind. His shields were up tight, but she must have deciphered his expression, for again she laughed.
"Do not look around for your little chol worm friend, or for my beloved husband, Terran. They do not know what has happened to you. They believe you were taken by the Terran Underground, which, of course, is what I wished them to believe. Who but the Underground would attack a Jilectan attempting to apprehend a Terran psychic?"
"You're going to kill me." To Cory's own surprise, his voice was steady.
Again she laughed. "Eventually, little Terran worm, when I feel you have paid amply for all the wrongs you have done me."
He swallowed. Pleading or reasoning with her would do no good. He knew that. Lady Gootishville hated him. Ed! He must call Ed, and let him know what had happened. Perhaps if Lady Gootishville realized that her Lord knew of her treachery, it would delay or prevent her from killing him. He had little hope of that, but it was possible, and besides, if he could just delay things long enough, Ed and Comishvor would arrive.
Again she seemed to read his thoughts. "Your friend, and my esteemed husband are too far away to be of any help to you, chol worm. They are on the other side of the planet. The other side of Shallock. It is a large world, as I am sure you are aware. Your feeble psychic powers cannot help you now."
Maybe not, Cory thought, and maybe if he did manage to contact Ed, no one would arrive in time to help. But it was a chance, and when his moment came, he would take it. Lady Gootishville clearly had not kept up with all that had occurred since Edwin and Cory had been in the service of her Lord. They were more powerful than she realized.
Her hand closed on his shirt and she yanked him to his feet. For an instant the scenery around him spun. His knees felt rubbery.
She spun him around and yanked the bonds from his wrists, the ropes scoring his flesh. Then she pushed him, sending him stumbling backward. He fell awkwardly, landing hard in a sitting position.
M'lady laughed. "Terran psychic," she said scathingly, "as you can see, we are on an island. It is deserted, so do not bother to seek help. I shall give you a head start. Run, little psychic. Run as fast as you can. Use every trick you can think of to throw me off. Before the days of my life as a Pirate's Lady, I used to hunt Jackboar on Trachum. They were a worthy prey. Try to do as well, little psychic. And when I catch you, your death will begin. It will be very slow, as I promised you when you brought that vile female back to my husband."
Cory stood up, rubbing his backside and staring at the Lady in horror. She was crazy. There was no other explanation.
"And do not bother to look for the aircar," she continued in the same triumphantly mocking tone. "My servant has removed it. He will return with it only when I command him." She laughed, and Cory's scalp prickled again. "Run, little chol worm! Run away, but remember, no matter where you go, or how fast you run, I will be behind you. I am twice as quick and twice as strong. I cannot be confused as to direction as you can. My ancestors were pioneers who explored untracked worlds and never lost their way. I could follow you with my eyes closed, but it will amuse me to see you try everything and fail." She laughed shrilly. "And my eyes will not be closed, little worm, and when I kill you it will be so slowly that, when the end comes you will beg me to finish you."
Cory spun about and ran.
The island was covered with jungle, weeds growing thick, catching at his ankles. Cory ran forward, dodging giant trees, and as he ran he opened his shields wide, his mind searching for Edwin's.
His one chance, he knew, lay in summoning help in time. Lady Gootishville might be crazy--probably was, in fact--but what she said was quite true. He couldn't hope to escape her. Not only were Jilectans stronger and faster than Terrans, but they had a built in tracking instinct. They could not be confused as to direction. He was young and strong, and in excellent physical condition, but it wouldn't help him for long. She would certainly prove his superior in this contest. His one hope lay in his telepathic ability.
*Ed! Ed! Help!*
Lady Gootishville's voice spoke within his mind. *Excellent, chol worm! Keep calling for your friend. Keep your shields open. It will make it so much easier for me.*
*Ed! Ed! Answer me!*
*Cory, I hear you! Where are you?*
It had worked! Ed could hear him even on the other side of this great planet! For a moment relief sent a wave of new hope and strength through him. He might survive. He had a chance!
*I'm on an island, Ed, on the other side of the planet from you. Lady Gootishville's here. She's trying to kill me!*
The Lady's voice interrupted him. *Ah, Terran, you are making this far too easy. *
Automatically Cory snapped his shields closed. He ran, stumbling up a steep slope, choked with vines and creepers. He realized then that Lady Gootishville had not heard Edwin's communication with him--and indeed, why should she? He was speaking from the other side of the planet. Only Cory, finely attuned as he was to Edwin's mind, had heard.
So the Lady didn't know that help would soon be on the way.
Still that help was going to take time to arrive. He must somehow delay her until Ed and Comishvor could get here. Perhaps if he told her telepathically that help was on the way--or perhaps the knowledge would only cause her to intensify her efforts, in order to finish him off before her husband could arrive to stop her.
He could hear water ahead. A stream or river might confuse her for a time. He burst from a thick grove of towering trees and saw the water ahead--a rushing stream which cascaded over a falls and into a canyon filled with ferns and mist. He ran forward into the canyon, clambering over rocks and ambushed logs, feeling the cool mist on his face. He gathered up half a dozen good-sized stones as he ran, tucking them into his pockets. He opened his shields again.
The flicker of the Lady's mind was behind him still, and closer. She was after him, all right, but was not actively scanning at the moment. Almost at once, though, Edwin's mind located his. Ed was in the aircar, and Comishvor and Gary were with him.
*Cory, tell us where you are!*
*I don't know! I just know I'm on a island somewhere on Shallock.*
*We're heading for the scout. Once we reach it, we'll only be a few minutes, but we'll still have to locate you. Try to hang on. Keep your shields open as much as you can.*
*I can't, much! She's tracing me!* He felt the Lady's consciousness intrude and snapped his shields closed again.
She was horribly near! He ran, panting, across the rocks, almost sure he could hear her footfalls behind him. But, looking back, he could see nothing. Were the Procyons with her? Probably. They wouldn't stay behind. The Lady might need protection...
He entered the mists of the waterfall and the roar filled his ears. He staggered across rocks and reached an outcropping covered with moss and trapped, decaying leaves.
Could she see him in the mist? Probably, he decided. Her senses were as acute as his own--and maybe more so. He reached up, caught handholds on the rocks and started to ascend. The cliff stretched above him, its summit invisible in the drifting mist. *Hurry, Ed! Hurry!*
His hand slipped and he slid backwards for two agonizing meters before he managed to stop his descent and haul his body upward once more. His heart was pounding suffocatingly in his throat and his head felt light. He couldn't keep this up much longer.
He reached a portion of the cliff from which he could climb no further. He must skirt the area. He began to edge sideways, hands gripping the slippery rocks. He opened his shields, searching for Ed.
*We're at the ship, Cor!* Ed's voice burst in his mind. *Just a few more minutes. Hold on!*
*I'm trying. You'd better hurry!*
Again he sensed the Lady's consciousness, and, with it, puzzlement. He snapped his shields closed again, reached a place where he could climb once more, and again scrambled upward. As he reached a secure area, he glanced back. A rift in the blowing mists revealed the Lady, standing beneath him, looking up. For an instant her face seemed very near, and he could feel the hatred and menace emanating from her. It seemed to drain his strength. He looked deliberately away, clutched the rocks and scrambled upward. His hand slipped again, but he managed to stop himself before slipping back too far. The roar of the waterfall filled his ears. He could, he supposed, if worst came to worst, dive into it. He would probably drown, for he wasn't that good a swimmer. Still, it would be better than letting the Lady catch him.
She was coming after him, her ascent unbelievably rapid. Cory hauled himself up again, feet slipping on the wet stones, and reached a narrow ledge. The summit was somewhere far above, lost in the mists. He felt for another handhold, found none, and then, faintly over the roar of the water, came the Lady's high, chilling laugh.
There had to be a way! He edged his way along the ledge, flattened against the wall, feeling frantically for some kind of handhold. The Lady laughed again. She was less than five meters below him now! He was dead!
Something poked him in the side--one of the rocks he had stuffed in his pockets back at the foot of the falls. He'd forgotten all about them. Pulling one from his pocket, he took aim and threw.
It arched downward through the mists. The Lady saw it coming and ducked, but the rock glanced off her shoulder. Faintly he heard her curse. He took out another rock and hurled it.
This one was larger and better aimed. It struck another rock, knocking it loose and creating a small landslide less than a meter above where the Lady clung. He saw her duck and again heard her curse as the rocks struck her.
He turned away, groping blindly on the wall, and felt his fingers slide into a crack between the rocks. He pulled himself upward, finding a foothold, then another handhold. The Lady was ascending again. He heard her behind him, felt her presence. Hatred seethed from her. He pulled himself upward again, adrenaline sending new strength through his quivering limbs. He dropped his shields for an instant to give Edwin direction.
*We're coming, Cory!*
*Hurry, Ed!*
His friend was nearer, but still a good distance off from the feel of his mind. It was a big planet, as the Lady had said. He was finished. They'd never reach him in time.
She was on the ledge where he had stood only moments before. Seconds, now, until he felt her grasp on his ankle and was dragged back like a fish on a line. Hopeless... utterly hopeless...
Over the roar of the waterfall a new sound intruded on his senses--the purring throb of an aircar's engines. Could Edwin and Comishvor be so near? No, it wasn't possible, and besides, they would be in the scout ship, not the aircar.
Her strong, hard fingers closed around his ankle. In sudden panic, he kicked at her, seeking to free himself. Her grasp was like iron, pulling him back as he had imagined, dragging him down...
Something appeared out of the corner of his eye--a flicker of movement, and the throb of engines was suddenly very near--almost on top of him. The Lady gave a wordless scream of fury and yanked hard, almost dislocating his leg. His hands slipped, loosened, his nails raking and bending...
A clawed, feathered hand closed about his wrist and gripped. The talons hooked over each other with a sharp click, and a sudden, irresistible force dragged Cory by his wrist away from the cliff and upward. He cried out at the wrenching strain on his arm, and felt the Lady's grip on his ankle release. Mist blurred his vision, then cleared, and he saw that he was dangling by his wrist from the door of an aircar, and below him roared the waterfall. Above him, serene and beautiful was the cloudless blue sky of Shallock.
The clawed hand which held him drew him upward and through the door. He slumped across the skinny lap of a Procyon. The being hauled him, trembling and gasping, over to the passenger seat, then released him and reached back to close the door.
For a moment he lay still, hardly able to believe he was safe, hearing only the hum of aircar engines and the quick, nervous breathing of the being beside him. Then he pushed himself to his elbows, feeling very weak, and turned to face his rescuer.
The Procyon behind the controls was clad in the gaudy garb of a pirate, blue feathers on his head held together by a jeweled clasp. Cory recognized him at once as one of Lady Gootishville's private servants.
"Sh'Floot!"
The being turned its head to look at him. The round, dark eyes were unreadable, but blue fluff stood out raggedly about its face. "Are you hurt, Corneliush?"
"No, I don't think so. I've hardly had time to take time to take inventory yet. Where did you drop from?"
"I dropped from nowhere. I flew down from above."
"This is M'Lady's car?"
"Yesh," the Procyon said. The slurring of his Basic was extremely pronounced in his agitation. "I wash to bring it back when she called for it."
"But instead, you saved me."
"Yesh."
Cory took a deep breath. "Well, thanks. I don't know how to say it, Sh'Floot, but thanks."
"I did not do it for you, Cornelius. I like you, but I would not risk my life for you."
That was putting it pretty plainly, Cory decided. "Then why did you do it?"
"Because as I circled up her around the island, I had time to think, and I realised that Lady Gootishville could not intend to let me live after I assisted her in killing you. If Lord Comishvor should read me, her treachery would be discovered. She intended to kill both me and my companion as soon as we had served our purpose."
Cory nodded. "I suppose you're right."
"So I did the only thing I could think of to save my own life --if only temporarily. I saved yours."
Cory found himself grinning at the Procyon's frank confession of his motives. "Well, thanks, anyway. I've got to say, I couldn't figure out what had happened at first. It was like being pulled from the jaws of death by an angel."
A queer cackle. "I would make a very strange angel, Cornelius." The blue feathers subsided somewhat. "Fasten your safety webbing."
Cory did so. "You want to be sure I get back to Lord Comishvor intact, huh?"
"It is my only chance for survival, now. Lady Gootishville will certainly kill me if M'lord refuses to protect me from her."
"She might kill you anyway," Cory said, in a low voice.
"That is so. Still, I would not have lived even this long if I had obeyed her."
"True."
"And now we must get back to Lord Comishvor. Do you know where he is, Cornelius?"
Cory opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again. His chance had come to escape. He could get away now and head for Corala. Lady Gootishville would undoubtedly be severely reprimanded by her Lord for her actions today, but Cory was certain he wouldn't kill her. Jilectan males did not kill their wives. In all his life, Cory had never heard of such a thing happening. That meant Lady Gootishville would still be there, after his blood, and Edwin's. M'Lord would give her another of his famous slaps on the wrist, and that would be the end of it.
He didn't want to leave, but the chance of their being able to escape together was almost nonexistent. And, in nearly sixteen years, this was the first chance that had presented itself. It wouldn't happen again, and the next time Lady Gootishville cornered him he might not be so lucky.
Sh'Floot was waiting for an answer. Cory turned toward him with the most innocent expression he could muster. "I don't know where M'lord is, but listen, you must have come in a ship. Take me to it, and we'll be able to contact Comishvor on his private line."
The Procyon was looking at him closely. "You know this private line?"
"Of course."
"You cannot call your friend telepathically?"
"He's too far away. M'lady said he was on the other side of Shallock."
"Then you can call M'lord from here. This car has a radio."
Cory had already taken care of the radio with a little psychic telekinetic maneuvering. "Does it work? It feels broken to me."
"It should." The Procyon pressed a control and swore in his own language. "You are right, Cornelius, it is broken. Can you repair it with your telekinesis?"
Cory pretended to concentrate. "It's a hydrocircuit. Sorry. We'll need a replacement."
Another Procyon cussword. "Very well. It is only thirty minutes to our ship."
Cory smiled inwardly and leaned back. "Do you mind if I rest, Sh'Floot? I feel pretty tired."
"Yes, rest. Sleep if you wish. I will awaken you when we arrive."
"Thanks." Cory closed his eyes. The soft purr of the engine continued unabated.
He must act fast. Even as things were, Comishvor might figure out what had happened and act to prevent him. And he didn't dare contact Ed with his plans. If Ed learned of them, Comishvor would force him to lower his shields, and would learn of them, too. He would wait until it was too late for Comishvor to prevent him before contacting Ed.
He allowed ten minutes to pass, and began to breathe slowly and regularly, feigning sleep. Then, carefully, he lowered his shields, ready to snap them up at once if Edwin's mind touched his, and reached quickly with clairvoyance, locating a small but vital connection in the engine. A mental finger hooked and pulled. Cory snapped his shields into place again as the engine coughed and died.
He heard an exasperated cluck from the Procyon and the car started to lose altitude. They landed hard, jarring him. He blinked, opening his eyes. "What's the matter?" he inquired sleepily.
"Ze ptatgh engine hash failed!" Furiously, Sh'Floot pushed the door open and strode around to the hood of the car. "Open it for me, Cornelius."
Cory didn't obey. He reached over, shut the door and locked it. Quickly he checked the other doors, locking them as well.
"What are you doing?" Sh'Floot was at the door, pulling at the handle. "Open the door, Cornelius."
Cory concentrated and felt the engine part re-insert itself into it's proper place. At a touch of the controls, the engine roared to life.
Sh'Floot pounded on the window, then began to draw the blaster from his holster. Cory slapped a control and the car soared upward. He circled above the Procyon for a moment, then lowered the window.
"I'm sorry, Sh'Floot," he called. "But I'm saving my life, too!"
"Corneliush, come back! Pleashe do not leave me here!"
"Sorry." Cory signaled the comp to resume its previous programming, then leaned back, taking a deep breath. Well, he'd made it--at least almost. It all depended on what he found when he reached M'lady's ship.
Twenty minutes later the aircar settled gently beside the tiny scout. Cory did a quick scan, then opened the door and stepped out. There was no sign of life, but, of course, that didn't mean there wasn't any. If any of Comishvor's men were there, they'd probably be shielded.
He went quietly up the boarding ramp. The hatch was sealed but a quick telekinetic touch opened it. He waited a moment, wishing for a blaster, then entered.
A Terran was seated behind the controls. He glanced around in surprise as Cory stepped through the control room door. "Cory! Where did you come from?"
Cory was ready with a story. "I need help, Percy. Ed's out there in the car, and he's hurt. Go get him, will you, while I get her started."
"Sure, Cor!" Percy ran through the passenger compartment and out the hatch. Cory shut the panel behind him, sealed it for takeoff, and ran back to the control room.
No sound reached him through the bulkhead of the ship. He readyed the vessel for takeoff, then opened his shields wide.
*Ed?*
*Cory!* His friend's voice, quivering with relief, responded instantly. *Where are you? I thought you were dead!*
*I'm escaping. I got away from Lady Gootishville's servant who rescued me from her.*
*Go! Go, pal, quick! Don't tell me anything else. I'll find you.*
*But...*
*Go!* Edwin's voice interrupted his protest. *Comishvor thinks you're dead, too, but he'll find out the truth soon enough. Go now, while you still have the chance. There'll never be another one!*
*Bye, Ed.* Cory swallowed the lump in his throat. *I'll be waiting for you.*
*Goodbye, Cor.*
Cory touched the controls and the repulsors roared. The ship rose like a bullet into the dazzling sky.
**********
Chapter 18
"He's straight ahead!" Edwin reported, tensely. "She's after him and getting closer. M'lord, I don't think we're going to make it!"
"Remain calm, Edwin." Comishvor's voice was controlled. "Cornelius is an intelligent, highly resourceful young man."
"But it's a Jilectan after him, sir. She's half again as fast as he is, and twice as strong."
"Quite true. Are we still on course?"
"I think so. He's put his shields up again."
The blue ocean waves, sparkling serenely in the sunshine, skimmed past beneath. Nearly thirty minutes had passed since Cory had first contacted him with the news that the Lady had him prisoner on an island, and was planning to kill him when she caught him. This last communication had carried with it despair. Cory knew that she was going to catch him, and that help couldn't possibly arrive in time.
The psychic boy taken from the orphanage lay quiet in the seat, his head in Edwin's lap. Ed had drugged him to prevent his making difficulties while the rescue was in progress. Edwin had hardly glanced at him since. Cory was the one who mattered now.
"Island ahead, sir," Gary, reported. He was at the controls of the scout ship.
"Well, Edwin?"
"I... don't know. His shields are still up. It could be..."
"It is," said Comishvor with sudden, quiet certainty. "My Lady Gootishville is there. I sense her."
Now Edwin did, too, and he shuddered at the angry, powerful emanations from her mind. He couldn't sense Cory, though. His friend would still have his shields up, Edwin told himself firmly.
The scout circled over the island. Comishvor grunted. "She is to the west slightly, Gary. Take us down."
The scout lost altitude, and Edwin felt the Lady's aura envelope him, making gooseflesh rise on his skin. Below was a scenic waterfall, and in the open space beside a mist filled canyon stood the Lady, her figure dwarfed by distance. There was no sign of Cory.
Comishvor muttered between his teeth. "She had best have a good explanation for this."
"Procyons, sir." Gary pointed, and Ed saw the two feathered beings who had just emerged from the trees, waving. The lady turned, and blaster fire rocketed suddenly from her hand. One of the aliens fell, and the other dove for cover.
The scout swooped down, alighted in the open space between the trees and the Lady. The surviving Procyon broke from the trees and ran toward them, chirping and gibbering. Ed climbed from the aircar and opened the door for Comishvor. The Jilectan emerged majestically. The surviving Procyon ran forward and threw himself prostrate before the pirate chieftain.
Edwin bent over him, pulling him to his knees. "Ch'Fink! Where's Cory?"
Comishvor thrust Edwin back. "I will ask the questions, Terran." The pirate's voice was cold as an icicle. "Ch'Fink, where is Cornelius?"
"M'lord..." The Procyon fell flat again, "I do not know. He was here, and Her Ladyship was... was chasing him, but now I do not see him. M'lord, please do not let her kill me!"
Lady Gootishville came up beside her Lord and glared at the Procyon. "Silence, slave!"
"Where's Cory?" Edwin demanded. "Lady Gootishville, what have you done with my friend?"
**********
tbc
