Hal joined her, shockgun still raised.
“They watched us arrive, and I’m guessing came straight over using their tunnel.” Hal moved to the wall and switched on the light.
The office looked very similar to the one in the other warehouse. “Same chairs, same desks,” Fee said. “This is the same organization.”
Hal opened the only door in the room and they both stepped out into a corridor. The door to the outside was to their left, and she knew if she opened it, she’d see their hover parked across the street.
To the right it was as gloomy as it had been inside the office before Hal switched the light on, and she couldn’t hear any noise.
“Do you think the whole gang is over at the other warehouse, regretting their life choices?” Fiona asked.
Hal gave a chuckle. “Let’s hope so.”
He started down the narrow passage, and Fee followed.
“I heard from Lieutenant Crin earlier,” Eazi said into her ear. “She, Trayla and Natta found more of Paxe’s supplies at the market, and bought everything they could. I had a courier grab what they had purchased, and they were going back in to see if they could find any more and ask some questions about where the traders found the items, but Crin says she hasn’t caught sight of either Trayla or Natta in over twenty minutes.”
Hal stopped at that, turned to look at her.
“If they’ve been taken, I doubt it will be back to the warehouse. That building is compromised for them now.”
“Even if they were tempted to,” Eazi said, “Security responded really quickly to my anonymous message about intruders. You might be able to hear the sirens from where you are.”
“Oh, yes, I can.” Fiona realized she’d tuned the far-off wail of sound out.
“Don’t forget they were transmitting visuals, as we found out when that Balcoan grabbed you,” Hal said. “If Trayla and Natta were grabbed, their abductors may know exactly what’s going on, including where we are right now.”
That was true. And not a good thought.
By now they’d reached the end of the corridor, and had the choice of three doors. One in front of them, one to each side.
Hal opened the one on the right, and found a bathroom.
They both looked at the left one, Hal shoved it open, and Fee stepped into the doorway, reflector bracelet at the ready.
It was a relatively large room, and had clearly been furnished to be a meeting room, with a long table with chairs to the left, and a small lounge area near the door.
The window looking out over the street was uncovered, and Fee could see their hover. The natural light made it the least gloomy place they’d encountered here so far, and she didn’t know whether it was because it was so much lighter that her eye initially passed over the body on the couch.
Her gaze snagged on the boot sticking out from under a blanket, though, when she did a second sweep.
“Hal.”
“I see.” He moved forward cautiously, shockgun ready.
Fiona pulled the blanket down, revealing the man’s face, and she couldn’t help her gasp.
“Who is it?” Hal asked.
“Lieutenant Grogan.” Natta’s missing handler looked terrible. He had clearly been beaten, and for an awful moment she thought he was dead.
Hal crouched beside him, then tapped his ear. “Eazi, can you connect me to General Olna?”
Eazi must have done it right away, because Hal quickly explained Grogan’s injuries and gave the address. “They’ll be here in less than half an hour.” He straightened.
“I’ll look for a med kit,” Fee said. “There might be one somewhere here.”
She went to the line of waist-high cupboards along the wall and opened them, but there was nothing but crockery, cutlery and assorted table cloths inside.
