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‘I’ve still got the card, right here.’ The man’s hand moved and Mancuso’s handgun automatically swayed up, aiming dead centre at the man’s chest.

But he just smiled as he reached in a pocket and took out the card. ‘There’s a misspelling in the Gujarati,’ he said.

* * *

Stephanie was very tall and very blonde. Mulwray was slim and muscular, with oriental eyes. His skin was golden and he had thick black hair, cropped short. Very pretty, but very tired. When he looked at Ace he wouldn’t quite meet her gaze.

‘What’s the matter? Your posture’s all wrong,’ Stephanie was saying. ‘You look like you’re hurt. What happened in there?’

‘I had to fight.’ Ace’s voice was hoarse. She cleared her throat. ‘The first couple of times I was okay but then one of them got me down and held me while another one kicked –’

‘Oh my God.’ The woman was looking at her with concern in her eyes and touching her. A light, professional touch, a physician’s touch. ‘Jesus, those animals.’

Stephanie and Mulwray steered Ace a short distance down the hallway from the cell and seated her on the first bench, sitting close on either side of her. Stephanie bent over her, fussing. A woman walked past, pushing a trolley. She slowed down to take in the three of them sitting on the bench. ‘Careful girl.’ she said, ‘they just want your body.’

‘Shut up,’ snapped Stephanie.

* * *

Breen was beginning to wish he’d flipped a coin with Mancuso. A visit to R&D about a weapons malfunction wasn’t much fun, but registering a prisoner involved dealing with Cooper on the data console. It had taken three hours just for Breen to finish doing the documentation on the English girl. Now he had to get over to the lab and pick up Mancuso. Then maybe they could see if there was anything useful they could do in what was left of the shift. He was hurrying past the data section on his way to the car, when he ran into them.

Sitting on a bench near the cells. Three of them. Two clowns from the Butler Institute and the English girl. Breen dismissed the man as no threat. He looked like one of the walking wounded. The BI woman was different; hard. She just looked right through Breen, as if he wasn’t important enough to register. The English girl smiled, recognizing him.

‘Hello,’ she said. ‘All right?’

‘No, not really,’ said Breen, unclipping his holster and resting his hand on his pistol.

‘Good evening, officer,’ said the female BI, acknowledging Breen now that she had no choice.

‘Good evening,’ said Breen. He looked at the woman. ‘What are you doing with my prisoner?’

‘This young lady has been released into our care.’

‘That’s interesting. To the best of my knowledge this young lady hasn’t even been charged yet,’ said Breen.

Through the glass he could see Cooper easing his fat bulk out from behind the data console and coming towards them, sensing trouble.

‘Come on now, time to go,’ said the female BI, taking the girl by the arm and moving away from Breen.

The girl pulled free. ‘No thanks,’ she said. ‘This young lady has plans of her own.’

Cooper was hurrying towards them.

‘This is ridiculous. We have custody of the girl and we’re going,’ said the woman.

‘I understand you people have very good health‐care schemes. They say you can replace just about anything these days,’ Breen said.

Cooper was beside them now. ‘Hold on, Breen.’

‘I am holding on,’ said Breen. ‘They’re not taking her. It’s bad enough letting these ghouls into the parks but now they’re taking prisoners out of the cells. She hasn’t even been charged yet.’

‘There are no charges,’ said the woman. ‘She’s no longer under arrest.’

Breen looked at Cooper. He nodded, his double chin wobbling. ‘She’s off the charge list,’ said Cooper. ‘She’s free.’

‘That’s great,’ said Breen. ‘How long has this scam been going on?’

The woman smiled and signalled to the man. They grabbed the English girl, each taking an arm. The English girl tried to pull away but they hung on tight, clutching the black cloth of her jacket. Breen reached in and helped her pull free. The Butler Institute couple looked at him.

‘If she’s free,