Deathstalker 07 - Deathstalker Return

perfect already. Everyone knows that."
    She snorted loudly, turned her back on the Maze, and stalked as far away from it as she could get in the confined space. Her back radiated disapproval, and her tail lashed angrily back and forth. The others studied the entrance to the Maze silently. Jesamine faced it square-on, her arms folded tightly. On the one hand, the Maze scared the crap out of her, but on the other hand, she felt rather resentful that her safety couldn't be guaranteed, just because she wasn't a bloody Deathstalker. That aristocratic bullshit had been thrown out centuries ago. She was every bit as good as Lewis. If not better. She was a star, dammit, a diva. She'd been worshiped and adored.
    Brett scowled at the Maze. Looked at in just the right way, the Maze was really nothing more than just another security system, to protect a hidden treasure. And Brett had never seen a security system he couldn't get past eventually. Not that he had any intention of going in, of course. He had more sense.
    Even though it would be the ultimate test of his talents… and the greatest prize he'd ever got his greedy little hands on. He glanced across at Rose, and was immediately worried by the look on her face. She was smiling. Brett had seen that look, that smile, before in those rare moments when Rose found herself face to face with an enemy she thought might actually give her a real fight. Rose saw the Maze as a challenge.
    And before any of them could stop her, Rose Constantine darted forward and plunged into the Madness Maze. She disappeared between its metal folds, leaving only a brief rasp of happy laughter behind her.
    And before he could stop himself, Brett ran in after her. Because he just knew it was all going to go horribly wrong.
    The Maze swallowed them both up without a murmur.
    At first, it wasn't too bad. The Madness Maze turned out to be an infinite number of branching shimmering metal walls, leading away in all directions, opening up some ways and closing off others. Brett found it rather disturbing that none of the metal walls showed his reflection, but he made himself concentrate on Rose. There was no sign of her anywhere, even though he'd entered the Maze right behind her.
    He called out her name, but there was no reply, and something seemed to suck all the volume out of his voice, making it a small and furtive thing. Brett swallowed hard, and set off into the Maze.
    It didn't take him long to decide that he really didn't like being there. The narrow paths were distinctly
    claustrophobic, it was far too quiet, and he couldn't shake a horrid feeling of being watched by unseen malevolent eyes. It was cold, bitterly cold, even more so than on the surface, but he knew it wasn't the cold which made him shake uncontrollably. He felt lost, and vulnerable, and his skin crawled in anticipation of something he couldn't even name.
    He knew he wasn't alone in the Maze. There was something in there with him, and it wasn't Rose.
    Scents and sounds came and went before he could properly identify them, and the air moved slowly back and forth, as though the Maze itself was breathing. Something thudded loudly in the distance, a great bass sound, like the slow beating of a great sticky heart. Brett plunged on, almost running now, choosing branching ways at random. His breathing was painfully fast, and his face was wet with sweat, but it never even occurred to him to turn back. He had to find Rose. If only to prove to himself, as well as Silence, that he was a Random after all. Birds chattered in iron voices, and it seemed to him that the light was fading away. His hands didn't feel as though they belonged to him anymore.
    And suddenly there she was, right ahead of him, lying on the metal floor, curled up into a tight ball and shuddering violently. Shadows were leaping all around, though there was nothing there to cast them. Brett ran over to Rose and knelt down beside her. She was crying, great heaving sobs that shook her whole body. Bloody tears ran down her jerking cheeks from squeezed-shut eyes. Brett put a hesitant hand on her shoulder, and she turned quickly and hugged him to her, burying her face in his shoulder.
    "I didn't know," she whispered. "I didn't think it would be like this. I don't… I can't stand this, Brett. I can't. Get me out of here. Please, get me out of here."
    Brett got her back on her feet, though he still had to bear most of her weight. He looked quickly about him, trying for a glimpse of