"I'm getting there," Dad replied. "Just a few chapters to go. But I've got to hit the library. Last-minute research. How's your project coming along?"
"My editor is acting like a little kid who has to go to the bathroom," Mom replied with a smile. "I think I'll have the series done before any real… accidents."
While both her parents headed for their computers, Megan did the dishes, then went through the house, tidying up. In the living room, she found three books lying on a table-The Illustrated History of the Machine Gun, The Lives of the Saints, and The Book of the Sword.
Dad's research, she thought, though trying to fit three such unlikely titles together was as much of a mystery as the story her father was writing. Megan skimmed through the third book with some interest. Maybe I'll read this later.
Then, because it was still her turn, she started collecting dirty clothes for another round of the dreaded laundry. With seven people at home, there was even more than usual. She ran a bunch of loads through the washer and dryer, folded up the clean clothes, and delivered them to the appropriate rooms.
Her final load took Megan back to her own bedroom. She glanced from her watch to the computer-link couch. Then, dumping her fresh clothes on her bed, she sank back against the upholstery of the couch, synching in, giving orders to her computer.
Enough of being a housemaid, she thought. Let's have some people around to pamper me for a while.
She opened her eyes to find herself in that library/ study on the second floor of the palace, sitting in her familiar seat while the Graf von Esbach came through the door.
"Colonel Vojak and your Texan friend will join us soon." The prime minister took a deep breath. "If all goes well, this nightmare might be over soon."
Megan gave him an impish smile. "So, you consider working with me a nightmare."
"Never in a million years, dear lady," the normally unflappable von Esbach protested, flustered for the first time since Megan had met him. "But for the colonel and I have had to do our duties under a terrible strain-not to mention you and your friends."
I certainly won't mention Leif and David, Megan thought. They would have to bail on us just before things got really interesting.
Colonel Vojak came in, a tightly rolled sheaf of papers in his hand. He was followed a moment later by P J. Farris, who exuded a decidedly cindery smell.
Vojak unrolled the papers, revealing a map and a sketch of a three-story stone tower. "Several of our scouts were set upon as they searched through Grau- heim. Three have not returned. But one of our men spotted a young woman attempting to escape from here."
"Thank heavens he didn't recognize her as Princess Gwenda," von Esbach said.
Megan examined the sketch. "What is this place?"
"It was built as a watchtower more than five hundred years ago," Vojak explained. "Villagers from the whole area fled there for protection during an invasion. The invaders slaughtered all they caught outside the walls. To deal with those inside, the invaders cut down every tree in the area, creating a pile of wood taller than a man around the base of the tower."
He paused. "Then they set it on fire. The stone walls served as a gigantic chimney. Everyone within died."
"In the old tongue the place is called Horiela Kula- the Burnt Tower," von Esbach explained. "Needless to say, it has a bad reputation. Gray Piotr's grandfather rebuilt the tower as a hunting lodge. But while he was staying there, he went mad, killing all the servants."
"Sounds like a charming place," P. J. muttered.
"I regret to report that Horiela Kula is a strong place," Vojak replied. "Thick walls, a heavy door, and a guard at the top of the tower would see an attacking force long before it could reach the entrance, much less break in. We would need artillery, and I don't think there are enough horses in the world to bring guns up that slope."
"I don't doubt but that you're right," P. J. said, "in the normal course of things." He jerked a thumb toward the study window. "But we have the equivalent of forty horses sitting in the courtyard outside."
Megan leaned forward across the table as her friend went on.
"I was with the colonel when this information came in," P. J said. "In between, I've been talking with the palace blacksmith. Suppose we rigged a ram on that Mercedes…."
It was late afternoon when David showed up at the Andersons' Washington apartment. He and Leif had talked it out and finally agreed to make the hacking attempt from Leif's system. David was really only contributing his knowledge of creating sims. Leif was the one who had the software for cracking into other people's systems.
The building's concierge called upstairs to warn Leif that a guest was on the way. Leif was already standing in the open doorway when David got off the elevator.
"A little eager, aren't we?" David said as he followed Leif inside.
"We've got time," Leif said, leading the way into the living room. They sank into surprisingly comfortable Danish Retro furniture as Leif went on. "I had a little chat with Sergei Chernevsky. This famous fencing class begins around six, and ends about ten o'clock."
He glanced at his watch. "We could order something in before we get down to business. My dad called. He's going to be out most of the evening on another business dinner. We can bet he won't be home until after ten."
David nodded. "All right. We have a four-hour window of opportunity to get into Slaney's computer and get some idea of what he's up to."
"If it takes an hour to get in, I will personally eat my computer system-without salt," Leif said. "How much time will you need once we've hacked our way in?"
"Two hours should be sufficient," David replied. He handed Leif a datascrip that he took out of his pocket. "This is the toolkit I'll need once we're inside. Of course, how long the job takes will all depend on what we find."
"So, in the perfect universe, we'll have an hour's grace-more, because we're not counting Slaney's travel time to and from the salle-however much that may be."
"You mean you haven't been following him with a stopwatch?" David joked.
"I'm afraid I'm not that obsessive-unless it comes to food." The boys got up and headed into the kitchen, where Leif opened a drawer to reveal a stack of takeout menus. "What do you think?" he asked. "Pizza? Chinese? Mexican? Peruvian chicken? Good old American ribs? I think we've even got something from a Corte- guayan place in here…. You decide while I load this into my system."
The rib place turned out to have more of a selection than David expected. But then, the Andersons were used to getting the best-even if it came to fried chicken. After two platters of specialties, fresh cole slaw, and surprisingly delicious roast potatoes, David was ready for anything-even a foray into a decidedly gray area of Net morality.
The boys decided not to synch into the Net, since that would mean connecting another computer-link couch into Leif's system. "I get headaches enough with just one couch in the circuit," Leif said.
David shrugged. "I'd be just as happy to keep one layer removed from what we're doing," he admitted.
They seated themselves facing the display of Leif's system, and Leif began giving orders. The holo display went foggy for a moment, then cleared to show the living room of Leif's virtual stave house. On the low table in front of the couch was a collection of small doodads.
They looked like misplaced game pieces-except for the unearthly glow around them.
"Looks like you were already sorting through your toys." David shot Leif a look. "Either that, or you didn't want me to see where they came from."
"A bit of both," Leif said, a bit shamefaced. Quickly he began describing the programs represented by the icons. "The jade ax is something called Cracker-it will get you into a system, but it may leave some damage along the way."