Demon's Revenge

'I guess this isn't a good time.' Lendill folded into the kitchen.'Here. It has bourbon in it.' I pushed my cup of tea toward him and rose from my seat to make another.'Land and sky, Reah, this is strong.' Lendill took a sip from my cup.'Yeah. Sit down,' I said. 'What do you want?''Is that any way to treat a mate you haven't seen in months?''You only show up when you want something,' I said. 'So what is it?''Bel has disappeared,' Lendill swallowed more tea, grimaced and then swallowed again.'Wizard Bel?' I hadn't seen Bel for years, yet I knew he still worked for the ASD.'Yes. I sent him to investigate a problem on Surnath, and he vanished. We can't find him.''What kind of problem?' I asked, sitting down with my freshly poured and spiked tea. I didn't even ask Teeg if he wanted any. I was still pissed at him.'A worker in an electronics factory went crazy and killed twenty of his coworkers after getting his hands on a laser pistol somehow. And then, two weeks later, a secretary at a legal firm kills six people there. The governor of the Realm on Surnath asked us to investigate. We thought it was just a copy crime. Bel was in so he volunteered. Was there for three days before he came up missing.''That's terrible,' I said. 'And you tried mindspeech and everything?''Yes. No answer. Bel isn't one to fall easily into a trap. So we're all concerned.''Me, too,' I nodded. I'd known Bel when I was a conscript in the Regular Alliance Army.'Norian and I are willing to pay top credit if you'll work a special assignment on this.'