Chapter 9
The Survivor's black, cylindrical tower materialized, and its electric red force field opened briefly, long enough for a man to step in.
"Hello, Roland," said Marian Janssen.
"Marian," he replied. "It is good to see you again. I alvays said you vere a survivor."
Janssen laughed. "Ah, yes, I am. My Headmaster has cared for me quite well. Oh, Princess Kellie?"
The spindly red-eyed woman exited the tower, coming up behind Janssen, who frowned deeply.
"Kellie, don't look so glum. We have a visitor."
Kellie straightened. "Hello," she said.
Marian turned her lined face to ter Borcht. "So, Roland, where have you been?"
"I haff taken great strides in my chosen organization," ter Borcht replied. "I am vhat zey call a 'sree'."
Marian blinked. "A what?"
"A sree. A drei."
"Oh, a 'Three'," Janssen said. "I understand… what does it mean?"
ter Borcht didn't answer for a moment. "My people seek ze flock."
"Ugh," Janssen said. "Don't even talk about them… I for one am through with the flock."
Kellie looked up, interested.
"And vhat interests you, princess?" ter Borcht asked.
"Max is my sister," Kellie said quietly.
"Ah, zat explains it…" ter Borcht said. "Ze power…"
"Don't be ridiculous," Janssen said. "Kellie's beauty and wonder is in spite of her blood relation to the inferior Maximum Ride. But Roland… will you join the Survivors?"
ter Borcht laughed. "Oh, zere's no need for zat. My people will take very good care of me. And zey'll take care of your Survivors as vell."
Kellie shrank back from that ominous statement. Janssen and ter Borcht looked each other over for a few moments.
A feathered creature glided around the base of the tower, then paused, turning its Cheshire-cat-grin on ter Borcht.
"Hey, Dr. ter-B," he rumbled.
Roland ter Borcht nodded back. "Greetings, Mr. Liu. I trust you're satisfied?"
"Damn right," Lang said. He laughed powerfully, then glided around the other way.
Janssen turned, surprised, to ter Borcht.
"I'm his 'guy'," ter Borcht explained.
"You did that to him and his sister?" Janssen said.
"Ja. You may vant to keep an eye on zem." He laughed. "Goodbye, Marian. See you soon."
ter Borcht turned around and walked through the force field. Janssen watched as the landscape around the tower changed.
