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Cathryn Williams [Stand 01] Stand of Honor (epub)
Cori Williams [Midnight 01] Midnight Ballerina (epub)
Anne Perry [William Monk 01] The Face of a Stranger (v5.0) (
Anne Perry [William Monk 17] Acceptable Loss (epub)
Dread Empire's Fall Solidarity Walter Jon Williams
Blue Clay People Seasons on Afr William Powers
Charles Williams [Aspects of Shadows of Ecstasy (v5.0) (epub
Dread Empire's Fall Margaux Walter Jon Williams
Charles Williams Scorpion Reef (Gulf Coast Girl)
Anthony Shaffer & William H Kei The Last Line (v5.0) (epub)

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.Paul touched the zoom control again and leaned forward closer to the glass wall for a better angle of view.The object in the man's hands was a gun.Paul felt a surge of adrenaline, and his eyes jerked back to the stage.The beat of the music had been replaced with a light melody.Dorland's face was tilted up, patterned by changing light and shadow.He was drawing close to the moment when 14William Greenleafsudden darkness would fall and the white beam from the overhead spotlight would hit him.Sweat trickled inside the collar of Paul's shirt.The security guard stationed at the exit near the stage was watching Dorland, and it was clear he hadn't noticed the man in the front row.Paul swiveled back to look at Jeffrey Hanes and the other security men.Even if he could somehow get their attention, they would never be able to reach the front row of the auditorium in time.Paul rose from his chair, his mind churning with indecision.Then he ducked through the opening to the platform, grasped the ladder rails and went up as fast as he could through the ceiling access port.His heart pounded as he forced himself to wait a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the dim light.Service catwalks with safety rails led out across the suspended ceiling.He selected one that angled in the right direction and ran along it to an exit point that he judged to be close to the stage.He dropped down the ladder to a service corridor and followed that to a door that opened into the auditorium.The security man at the stage door was Steph Hendrikson.Paul yelled as he ran past, but didn't wait to see if Hendrikson comprehended.Herushed down the darkened aisle with no specific plan in mind, stumbling over feet yet somehow keeping his balance, ignoring the confused murmur that grew behind him.He risked a glance at the stage as the music crashed and broke into another light melody.Colors blossomed, washing away the shadows as they brightened to dazzling shades of yellow.Dorland stood rigid, arms stretched toward the ceiling.The music faded and a deep hum began to build from the speakers.The man in the front row lifted his hand and Paul saw the reflected gleam of metal."No!" he yelled, still running.The man began to turn an instant before Paul hitCLARION 15him from the back and at the same time grabbed for the wrist that held the gun, trying desperately to deflect it.He caught a brief glimpse of a narrow face and cold blue eyes before the gun's muzzle winked, and Paul heard the snap of superheated air beside his ear.The men grappled, then fell across the railing and out into the aisle.Paul's knee smashed into one of the rail supports, and a monstrous bolt of pain rammed up his leg.The thin man twisted free with surprising strength and jerked around, bringing the gun up.Paul had time to stare at the dark muzzle an instant before he heard a crack! from behind him.The man grunted once and rolled over onto his face and lay still.Paul fell back onto his elbows and drew in whacking breaths.Steph Hendrikson leaned over him with his gun still smelling faintly of hot metal."Are you okay, Mr.Jurick?"Paul couldn't find the breath to answer.Hendrikson helped him to his feet.A sudden murmur broke out around them as people began to react to what had happened.Paul turned to look up at the stage.Dorland stood motionless, arms at his sides.A violet hue still hung around him, drifting in faint, smoky wisps.His eyes were dark, half lidded, still full of the player's trance.The medallion on his forehead gleamed with purple light."Get him out of here," Paul rasped.Hendrikson hesitated, looking down at the man who still lay motionless at their feet.Then Jeffrey Hanes and two of his men arrived, and Hanes took charge with a few barked orders.Two of the men went up the steps and hustled Dorland behind the curtain to the dressing room."You all right?" Hanes asked.Paul nodded and looked down at the man in the aisle."Is he." The words trailed off as the odor of scorched flesh reached his nostrils.He felt something turn over in his stomach.\6_________________William GreenleafHanes took Paul's arm and pulled him away from the body."Go back with Dorland.I'll take care of things out here."Paul didn't argue.His knee was beginning to cry for attention by the time he had gone around the side of the stage and down the short passageway that led to the dressing room.Fastened to the door was a metal plate with simple black lettering: DORLAND AVERY.Steph Hendrikson stood just inside.He turned as Paul came in, his hand going automatically to the handle of his side arm, then moving away when he saw who it was."Where's Dorland?" Paul asked."Changing." Hendrikson waved a hand toward the partitioned area at the back of the room.His eyes remained on Paul."I don't know what happened out there, Mr.Jurick.I should've spotted that guy.Mr.Avery's show was so.well." His shoulders moved in a slight shrug."We'll talk about it later," Paul said.One of Jeffrey Hanes's greatest problems in maintaining security around Dorland Avery was that the mesmerizing effects of Dorland's performance often interfered with the alert watchfulness that was needed by the security men.The men were supposed to guard against getting too caught up in Dorland's show, but that required a mental discipline that not everyone possessed.Even Paul often felt himself sinking into the music and colors.It would be up to Hanes to decide if StephHendrikson would be able to do his job well enough to remain a part of the security team."Wait outside.Don't let anyone in but Jeffrey." Hendrikson nodded and left the room.Paulcrossed to the utility counter to pour himself a cup of hot jo.The dressing room was large and luxurious, with a sofa and several deep-cushioned chairs grouped around an entertainment console in oneCLARION 17corner, and an interstream commset in another.The carpet was thick and white.The dressing area was separated from the lounge area by the only piece of dark furniture in the room—a large, freestanding wooden wardrobe."Steph told me what happened."Paul turned from the counter as Dorland came around the wardrobe.He had exchanged the white jumpsuit for the sort of clothing he usually wore offstage—dark slacks and a faded blue shirt."Are you all right?" he asked."Sure [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]