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"We were there, rethe obvious "And ghosts can’t s Well,like" I gestured at the , which was more intricate than the Tin Man outfit, al that"

"Well, no, of course not," she agreed "I’ it, dear"

"Then how--"

"Can we discuss why you’re here?" Roger broke in

"No," I said, and not just because I needed to stall untilabout ghosts, but this was a new one "Are you telling me you justmade them new bodies?"

"I like to think of it as a whole body prosthesis," the colonel said

I looked froer "You--how does that work? Because I don’t--"

He made an irritated sound "Does it matter? It was an experiment, one that never quite panned out But that’s not--"

"What kind of experiainly creatures I could see a bit of Big Red outside, through aby the door Maybe because it was even larger than the green one and took up too much room, so had to be left in the drive like the fahost "Who does this?"

"The Black Circle," Pritkin said harshly, fro, but it looked like that was the only thing that was He needed an ar slightly Bruises had blossoood start on a black eye, and his skin tone was a grayish white that I didn’t like at all But he didn’t appear to be interested in his health He appeared to be interested in er Palmer," he said flatly

It wasn’t a question He’d had plenty of ti, and no one had ever accused Pritkin of being slow Including to anger, judging by his expression

"Does he always state the obvious?" Roger askeda fall of limp blond hair out of his face

I didn’t answer I was too busy tensing up I wasn’t sure what happened when high-ranking light and dark es met each other, but I didn’t think it was likely to be fun Even when one had no weapons, and the otherWell, at least he wasn’t reaching for any

Yet

"This is what you’ve been working on for the Circle, isn’t it?" Pritkin deer said mildly, but failed to offer hi It didn’t have milk, because I am a barbarian But Pritkin took it anyway He didn’t drink it, though, being too busy staring Roger down Which would have worked better if thenose stuck in the cookie tin

"And yet you have at least three of these things, perhaps more!" Pritkin rasped "For what purpose?"

"For whatever purpose I choose, war e"

"For security," I said quickly, because Pritkin’s pale face had just flushed purple And because it was true

I didn’t need to be told thatwith Tony the bastard because, believe it or not, there orse things out there Like a bunch of leftover dees The Spartoi had been the children of Ares, left behind when the gods were kicked off earth due to theirthe, which was to hunt down and destroy the person responsible for his exile

Myit the old Olye protector didn’t realize that Tony the petty and rotund would one day be a lot ods All they kneas that her power had diminished considerably over the years, and that they needed a hideout no one would expect

Roger was looking atNot too hard, since we’d battled the Spartoi together once Well, sort of

We’d ether

"What kind of security?" Pritkin dehosts--"

"You think spirits are not powerful?" Roger asked archly "You of all people should know better"

"And ould that be?" Pritkin asked silkily There weren’t too uess what he was, especially after half an hour’s acquaintance But Rogerwell "I still don’t get how you ole alike!" Pritkin said And he should know He’d had a golem once

"Well, yes, there is the matter that your lot forces dereed "While my associates do it of their own free will But other than--"