Richard’s fever finally broke eight days after they moved into the office. It was an event presaged by a sudden emotional calmness the telepaths had not experienced since before the ambush at the farm’. The two agents took deep breaths and looked at one another in relief, then gazed over at the now peacefully sleeping Richard. His pain was still there; the burn in his side would take a long time to heal. But it was clear from the tranquil nature of his thoughts that he’d made it to the downhill side of recovery and would be all right now.
A few hours later, after he’d had some real sleep, Richard opened his eyes. Cahil and Brigida were both there watching over him, but at first he paid them no attention. He stared blindly ahead, blinking only as his body required; his friends could tell f
