Deathstalker 02 - Deathstalker Rebellion

neither made any move to draw them. Finlay moved slowly forward into the cell, ignoring the growing chaos of screams and pain and fury in the corridor outside.
    There were no guards in the cell, no obvious protection or booby traps. The mind techs eyed the blood dripping from his sword and smiled briefly at each other.
    They were both tall and slender men, with pale aesthetic faces like monks, one clearly older than the other. The elder looked back at Finlay and smiled again.
    "Welcome, dear boy. We've been expecting you. Or someone like you. I'm afraid if you came to rescue dear Julian, you're a little too late. Any attempt to move him now would undoubtably kill him. We're using an esp-blocker to restrain his talents, and its function cancels out the effects of the mindbomb you used.
    Nasty little device, but quite ineffective in here. And you might as well put that sword away. I only have to touch this control under my hands, and dear Julian will experience pain beyond your capability to imagine. Put the sword away, please. Now."
    Finlay sheathed his sword, but his eyes didn't waver. "What are you doing to him?" he said finally, and his voice came out cold and harsh and very deadly.
    The mind tech smiled, unmoved.
    "We're invading his thoughts. Not that long ago, we would have used one of Wormboy's little pets, but thanks to your terrorist friends we are obliged to use older, more direct methods. It's essentially a simple and very effective mind probe, electronically stimulating the areas of the brain we're interested in. This one, for example, is tied directly into the pleasure-pain center. Guess which part we're interested in. The procedure itself is surprisingly painless. I imagine he felt some discomfort from the original invasive procedures, but the
    brain itself has no pain sensors. It makes our job so much easier, to be able to inflict pain only as needed. And what pain he feels then…
    "These other wires are concerned with short-and long-term memory. We can play back his memories on that screen on the wall in as much detail as we require.
    Soon we'll have everything we want, regardless of the patient's wishes. The procedure is, unfortunately, quite destructive to the brain tissues in the long run, but the health or even life of this patient is of no concern to anyone once we have what we want. Except, of course, you. The guards will be here soon, to take you away. In the meantime, please refrain from any violent action, or you can listen to your friend screaming."
    It had grown quiet in the corridor outside. Finlay frowned. Either the prisoners had run out of guards to kill, or the guards had succeeded in restoring order.
    He had no way of knowing which. He should just kill the mind techs, and then kill Skye. But as long as there was still a chance of getting the poor bastard out alive, he couldn't do that. He needed the techs to remove the wires, but he didn't know how to make them do that. Kill one, and the other could take a very nasty revenge on Skye. But he couldn't just hang around waiting while the mind techs stalled; sooner or later the guards would come for him. He looked across at Skye's face, pale and sweating, and the esper's eyes met his. His mouth worked.
    "Please…" he said faintly, fighting to get the word out.
    "You see?" said the mind tech. "He understands the reality of the situation."
    "Please," said Julian Skye. "Kill me…"
    The mind tech looked down at him sharply. Finlay laughed softly, and there was no humor in the sound at all. "No, doctor, he understands the reality of the
    situation completely. My mission is to put him beyond your reach, one way or the other."
    He drew his disrupter in one swift movement, and shot the mind tech with his hands by the controls. The younger tech lunged for the controls. Finlay drew a dagger from his sleeve and put it expertly through the technician's eye. He tell backward, clutching at his face with both hands, and then hit the floor hard and lay still. Finlay nodded once, satisfied, put his disrupter away, and moved forward to lean over Skye. The esper looked up at him and tried to smile. The marks of a recent bad beating were still clear on his luce, but his gaze was clear.
    "Knew they'd send someone. If I could just hold out long enough."
    "What do I do?" said Finlay. "I don't understand this machinery. Is there any way I can get this stuff out of your head?"
    "No. But I can now."
    Skye closed his eyes and concentrated. For a long moment