AS NATALIA AND I WALKED INTO the conference room at the AstraNova building, the corp rose from her seat at the far end of the long table.  All business in a dark blazer and matching skirt, her auburn hair pulled back into a tight bun.

I stopped just inside the door.  Natalia followed, keeping the cap low over her face.

I said, "We're here to see Deborah Kelly."

"I'm Deborah Kelly," the woman said.  "Senior Vice President.  Chief Operating Officer."  She gave me an appraising look, then said, "Your... associate contacted me.  I agreed to meet, but something tells me this is out of the ordinary."

"Not normal S.O.P.," I said.  "But under the circumstances..."

"Circumstances?"

"Miss Renaldi is missing," I told her.

Out of the corner of my eye, Natalia shot me a furtive look from beneath the ballcap.  I kept my eyes on Kelly.

I went on.  "She was abducted about an hour ago by an unknown number of persons."

"I see." Kelly took a seat at the table then settled her gaze on me.  "And this is what we paid you for?  To lose your client?"

"It happens," I said.

"How nice.  I'm sure Mr. Renaldi will be happy to hear that."

"We will get her back, Miss Kelly.  Count on it."

"Don't tell me.  Tell Mr. Renaldi.  Although I don't think he'll appreciate your incompetence in this matter."  She shook her head.  "He should've hired Excalibur, the old fool--"

Natalia inhaled sharply and started forward.  I stepped between her and Kelly.

"We do just fine, thanks," I said.  "But my partner is kinda touchy about that.  I wouldn't get her angry if I were you."

Kelly's eyes narrowed.  "Is that a threat?"

I shrugged.  "A warning."

"Our security teams are very quick."

"You don't want that.  Could get messy."

Kelly studied me for a long moment.  Then she said,  "How do I know you're not making this up?"

"Would I be here if I was?"

"It could be a trick.  Some kind of ploy to get more money out of Mr. Renaldi--"

"I never said anything about money."

She gave a start, then recovered.  Too late.  I caught it.

She said, "Then your fee hasn't changed?"

I looked at her.  Her face had become expressionless again, but something flashed behind her eyes.  Something predatory.

I smiled.  "Tell Mr. Renaldi he'll probably get a call from the abductors demanding a ransom of some sort.  Have him contact me through my associate.  We'll help out as much as we can."

"You'll do more than that," a voice behind us rumbled.

I'd heard him padding down the hallway ten seconds before he spoke.  Necessary skill in my line of work.  Still, I turned around with the others.

Phillipe Renaldi stood in the doorway, suit jacket slung over one shoulder, tie loosened, sleeves rolled up.  He looked as he did in the 'zines: tall and darkly handsome, like the leading men in one of Mouse's late-night vids.  The Aussie who played an ancient warrior, for instance.

But a scowl etched itself on his features.  I'd seen that look before, on the faces of people I tend to encounter.

Out for blood.

Renaldi looked at me.  "You are going to get my daughter back."

"There in fifteen."

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