Clarion

CLARION 25

Paul turned to Dorland. "Tell him you aren't interested so he'll get out of here."

Dorland' nodded slightly, but his eyes were on Ogram. "I'm sorry about John. He was a good man. I owe him my life."

"Well, at least you acknowledge that."

"I didn't run out. I wanted to stay, but Sabastian pushed me."

"Then you'll come back?"

"I can't. We're on a tour, booked for five more shows."

Ogram's eyelids lifted slightly. "You don't believe the future of Clarion and thousands of lives are worth your five precious shows?" He waited. Then his lips formed the slight, mocking smile.

"No, I suppose not." He gathered his legs in front of him and pushed himself out of the chair. He stood looking at Dorland with the gun down at his side. "It's too bad High Elder Brill couldn't see your show today. He would have been amused. Actually, it's not too different from his own Godsday service." He issued a short bark of laughter. "Unfortunately, Bekman won't be able to give him a report about it."

It took Paul a moment to recall that Ogram had used the name earlier. "Bekman's the man who tried to kill Dorland?"

Ogram nodded. "Lon Bekman. One of Brill's deacons. Slimy scum. I hope he dies and burns on the Far Peaks with the rest of them. I tried to warn you about him."

"You're the one who called the hotel before the show?"

"Little good it did. When I saw Bekman up there by the stage, I realized I was too far away to stop him." He considered. "Not sure I would have tried, anyway. Bekman was very good with the burp

gun." Ogram's eyes drifted slowly back to Dorland. 26 William Greenleaf

"Now that High Elder Brill knows where you are, he'll send someone else after you. He's got ten more like Bekman, and he won't give up." He shrugged.

"Of course, you can always pack up and run again." There was a knock at the door. Ogram spun

around, startled. The knock came again.

"Damn!" Ogram hissed. He glanced at the wardrobe, then moved to the open window and looked through it. The window overlooked a broad expanse of lawn. Paul knew it was at least a threemeter drop to the ground.

"Guess I can make that," Ogram said doubtfully. Then, to Dorland: "You won't change your mind and come along?"

Dorland stared at him without speaking.

"Doesn't surprise me," Ogram said. He tucked the gun into a pocket of his coveralls and turned to grasp the windowsill. He pulled himself up and over and disappeared. Paul heard a single muted oof! before the knock came again at the door, louder and more insistent. He got up and crossed the room to unlock the door. As it sighed open, he heard Steph Hendrikson's voice raised in anger:

"—told you that Mr. Avery was not to be disturbed!" What now! Paul felt close to the end of his patience. He stepped back as a man in a uniform strode into the room, followed by a red-faced Hendrikson. Two burly guardsmen stood just outside the door.

"I'm Erich Frakes," the officer said to Dorland, moving his eyes slightly to include Paul in the introduction. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a full face that was scarred across one cheek by a badly healed sizzler bum. He wasn't a Guard officer—the gray-and-black uniform was of the Security Section. The emblem on his lapel identified him as a captain. "I'm with Omega Security, on temporary assignment to the local—"