In Death 21 - Origin in Death

"She must've done something similar herself, blocking out any code but her own. Target's still descending."
    "From where?" Eve demanded, and Roarke tilted the scanner, aimed it at a floor-to-ceiling drug box. "There's your point. Elevator, has to be."
    "How the hell does it open?"
    "I doubt it's 'open sesame.'" He ran his fingers over one side while she searched the other. "It can't be manual. Too easy to trigger it accidentally."
    Eve gave it a vicious shove and earned a pitying glance from Roarke.
    "It's fused to the wall."
    "Not on this side," he mused. "Switch."
    He worked the opposite side while Eve bellied down to search the floor for any signs. "It's got glides. It's on a glide."
    "I'm getting it," he muttered. "I'm getting it."
    He pried open a small panel, studied the controls with satisfaction. "Now I've got you."
    "Where is she? Where's the kid?"
    Rather than respond, he handed her the scanner and got to work on the controls. "Code slot has to be around here somewhere, but this should be quicker than hunting it up."
    "She's stopped descending, moving west. I think. We're losing the signal. Hurry."
    "There's a certain amount of delicacy required to-"
    "Screw delicacy." She whipped off her coat, tossed it aside.
    "Pipe down for two bloody seconds," he snapped. Then sat back on his haunches as the cabinet and wall slid left. "You're welcome."
    "Sarcasm later, hunt down lair of mad scientists now."
    Authorization required,
    the security panel announced when they stepped in. Red sector only. "Try your master," Roarke suggested.
    Incorrect code. Please insert correct code, and stand for retinal scan within thirty seconds . . .
    Eve pulled back a fist. Roarke cupped his hand over it. "Don't be hasty, darling." Once again, he affixed his scanner to the panel, tapped keys. "Now."
    Incorrect code. You have twenty-two seconds to comply . . .
    "Or what?" Eve snarled as Roarke reconfigured. "Again."
    Code accepted. Please step to the rear of the unit for retinal scanning.
    "How the hell do we get by that?" Eve demanded.
    "She did. I'll wager she's done the work for us."
    The scan beam shot out of the panel, but it wavered, then pulsed twice.
    Welcome, Doctors Icove. Which level do you require?
    "That's good." Roarke's voice held quiet admiration. "That's bloody good. I wonder if this Deena would like a job." "Return to previous level," Eve ordered.
    Level One is requested.
    The doors slid shut.
    "Fast work on compromising the scan," Roarke commented. "Smarter than disengaging. Bound to be an alarm trigger for that. This way you skip some steps and add the irony. I could find quite the happy position for Deena."
    "Damn it, damn it, the signal's gone. Make sure Feeney has the last coordinates."
    She drew her weapon as the computer announced arrival at Level One.
    She came out low, with Roarke taking high, into a wide, white corridor. The walls were tiled and glossy, the floors gleaming. The only color was from the large red "1" directly across from the elevator, and from the black eyes of the security cams.
    "A bit like the morgue," Roarke commented, but she shook her head.
    There was no smell of death here. No smell of human. Just empty air pumped and recycled. They headed west.
    There were archways right and left, with codes posted, again in red, on the walls.
    "Lost Feeney. We're deep." Roarke looked up. The ceiling was white, too, and curved like a tunnel. "And there's probably security plates to block unauthorized communications."
    "Have to know we're here." She lifted her chin toward another camera. "Maybe security's automated."
    She strained to hear. Voices, footsteps. But there was nothing but the quiet hum of the air system. The tunnel curved, and she saw the remains of a droid scattered over the white floor.
    "I'd say we're on the right track." He crouched to study the pieces. "Bug, equipped with stunners and signals."
    Because they looked like mutant spiders, they disgusted her on an innate level. And where there was one, there were bound to be more.
    Her theory proved out when she heard the scuttle behind her. She turned, fired, as the bug droid rounded the curve. Three more came behind it.
    She dropped to avoid the beam, clipped one, and was rolling to her feet when Roarke obliterated the third. The injured one let out a high-pitched signal before she kicked it, full force, and set it smashing against the wall.
    "Damn insects."
    "That may be. But in a place like this, I'd say they're the first wave."