* * * * * Shannon felt a brief surge of power, traced it--and hastily retreated, swearing. That God-loving Cortin had dissolved the compulsion of silence he'd put on Piety, without even knowing she was doing it! That was a minor use of power, of course, but it was more than he'd thought her capable of, even--or especially--unconsciously. If she could do that, he'd have to stop even observing her--not just when she was idle, but when she should have her full attention on her work. No more watching her while he played with Victor, then, unfortunately--no more watching her, period. He could do without the entertainment she provided, but it would be inconvenient doing without the information she let him eavesdrop on. What really bothered him was the timing. It might simply be coincidence that Cortin's first real use of her power took place the first time she met Piety--but he didn't trust coincidence, especially not when it involved someone with Cortin's latent power. He should've killed the nun when he had her, amusing though it had been to torment her further by letting her live. Well, that was one mistake he could remedy! Sister-Lieutenant Eleanor Mary Piety Chang had just made it to the top of the Brotherhood's wipe list. There was more than a little risk to that, of course, especially if an attempt was made on her when Cortin was in the area--it might trigger the Bitch into using her powers instead of keeping her from them--but he thought it a risk worth taking. Wait a minute! Lieutenant? He'd barely brushed her mind before jerking back, but the brief contact had been enough to tell him she thought of herself differently. A Lieutenant of Enforcement, and a member of the whatever-it-was--Strike Force?--the various Kingdoms had gathered groups of their best to form. Shannon scowled. A Strike Force or equivalent, able to attract people like Piety, was extremely bad news--especially at a time when he was forced to restrict his own powers. * * * * * Cortin's next interview, with the communications specialist, was rather different. She'd known his size and race, from his records--but facing a man over two meters tall and built like a weightlifter, with skin so dark it was almost blue, was an experience she'd never had before. So was his reaction, when he entered the interview office; his eyes lit up, and he gave her a brilliant smile before saluting. "Lieutenant Joseph Pritchett reporting to Team Leader Azrael as ordered, ma'am. And thank you for considering me." "Be seated, Lieutenant," Cortin said. As he obeyed, she went on. "Your enthusiasm is flattering; may I ask why?"