<P>Chen allowed a degree of shame to creep onto his face, but it vanished immediately. He straightened and frowned.
<P>
<P>"And now there's just you and this bar and your gang," Jock continued, and threw the sword down on the desk before him. It appeared forlorn, as though its luminous presence was a complete waste. "Congratulations."
<P>
<P>"We had nothing to do with-"
<P>
<P>"I know, you're not responsible for that slaughter. It's going to take them months to clean that up. Jesus. It's going to take months to wash up all the blood."
<P>
<P>Out in the club, there were only mirrors, and people were drunk and blissful, and they danced, looking into the glass and seeing only themselves.
<P>
<P>--- --- --- ---
<P>
<P>There was a man in a tan suit. His demeanor hardly differed from that of Mr. Hundly.
<P>
<P>"Welcome to the VersaLife laboratories," he said, and his voice carried arrogance. "You may tour them but do not stay long. Our labs are a sensitive matter. Do not violate any security rules. Do not doubt that you will be watched. The lower levels are inaccessible to your level of clearance. Do not try to enter them."
<P>
<P>He turned and stiffly retreated to some other place ideal for such arrogant people as himself.
<P>
<P>Dominic and Jess exited the small crevice allocated for the elevator and stepped into the biggest corridor they'd ever been in. The ceiling spanned so far above their heads that it seemed impossibly high, as though it should be cutting into the floors above, protruding above the earth. The expanse was illuminated with red, red reflecting from the floors, red draping along the walls. Dark spines of metal climbed opposing sides of the corridor and met at the top in archs. And the most unsual part of all stood at the opposite end, on the floor: A massive, marble statue of a hand, twisting its fingers about a rotating globe, as though it were ready to crush it with ease.