Deathstalker 06 - Deathstalker Legacy

the grand gesture. Finn left the booth, stepped onto his waiting sled, and soared quickly up into the sky. He looked sharply about him for some sign of an ambush, but all seemed calm and quiet. Finn flew on over the city, frowning thoughtfully. Dealing with ELFs, even at arm's length, was always going to be dangerous; but so far his plan seemed to be working out perfectly. And thanks to Brett and Rose, he at least knew where two of the ELFs were. (Even though Brett was still in shock from his encounter with the Spider Harps.) Finn smiled happily. No; he was still ahead of the game, while everyone else only thought they were. He would have his revenge on his enemies and put himself one step closer to his eventual goal. And if things were progressing only slowly, well; what's the point of revenge if you don't take the time to savor it?
    Lewis Deathstalker and Jesamine Flowers arrived (carefully separately) at the House to find the whole place in an uproar. The narrow corridors and offices backstage were a complete bedlam, with people running back and forth, plunging in and out of rooms with white faces and wild staring eyes, shouting incoherently at each other. In overcrowded offices, people sat and stood over computer terminals, trying desperately to get information out of them. And some just stood in doorways, or sat on the floor in the corridors, sobbing helplessly into hands pressed to their faces.
    Lewis hurried through the corridors, a growing premonition chilling his heart till he could hardly breathe.
    What had happened while he was away, out of the loop; selfishly enjoying himself? What could have happened to cause such panic and despair? He started grabbing people and shouting questions at them, but they just tore themselves away. No one had the time to talk to him, and not even his Champion's authority or Deathstalker face was enough to slow them down.
    Lewis saw Jesamine slipping through the great door onto the floor of the House, and decided he'd better give her a few minutes' start. Even now, in the midst of ... all this, he had to be careful. Had to protect his reputation. And Douglas's. Besides; there was still one place he could go where he would be sure to get answers and information. One person who always knew what was going on. In fact, he should have gone there first. He headed for Anne Barclay's office, and when he got there the door opened before he could
    even knock.
    Inside, he found Anne sitting slumped in her chair, not even looking at her monitor screens. She'd turned the sound off, so her screens were full of tiny people shouting dumbly at each other. She looked stunned, as though someone had hit her. She was trying to drink coffee from her favorite mug, but her hand was shaking too much. She tried using both hands, but it didn't help much. She looked dully at Lewis as he moved over to her, and didn't smile or even nod.
    "What is it?" said Lewis desperately. "Anne; what the hell has happened? Is Douglas all right? Has there been another suicide bomber?"
    Anne looked at him with cold, bitter eyes, her mouth a flat line. "You should have been here, Lewis. You should have been here."
    "Tell Douglas that. He's the one who told me to stay away. Now talk to me, Anne. What's happened?"
    "You think I don't know where you've been?" said Anne. "What you've been doing? I know. I can smell her on you."
    Lewis stopped short, as though she'd hit him. "Anne . . ."
    "Shut up. Go into the House. Be with your King. He needs you. Jes ... doesn't matter now. Nothing else matters now."
    "Anne, what-"
    "The Terror, Lewis. The Terror has finally arrived."
    Lewis gasped at her, horror flooding through him as he finally understood. He backed away from her, and then turned and ran from the room, heading for the House, and his King.
    It was all quiet when he finally got there, almost deathly quiet. The place was packed, everyone there in person or in holo, watching the great viewscreen floating above the open floor of the House. All of them utterly transfixed by the terrible images on the screen. Lewis moved over to stand beside Douglas, sitting forward on the edge of his Throne. The King seemed somehow smaller, shrunken by the magnitude of the events unfolding before him. He didn't even look around to acknowledge Lewis's arrival. Everyone was silent, stunned; MPs, clones, espers, aliens, Shub. The unthinkable had finally happened. Two centuries after the blessed Owen had given them his dire warning through Captain