Lydecker paused for a moment, thinking of what to do now that Max was back. "Take Mr. Cale to a room where he will be most comfortable," he said to the soldier that stood before him. "Perhaps one of the available A rooms."

"A, sir?" the soldier asked in almost disbelief.

"Yes, A. Now take him. Where's the girl?"

"She has her in medical confiscation."

Lydecker snorted angrily. "Medical confiscation, my ass. She's not going to brainwash my kids her way anymore." Pushing past the startled guard, Lydecker began to climb the stairs leading to medical confiscation.

Logan still sat, appalled at what he had just witnessed and too dumbstruck to speak, when one of the guards came behind him and began to push his wheelchair into the elevator.

Please don't kill me, Logan silently pleaded as he worried that now that Lydecker had Max, Logan no longer had any use. Maybe Lydecker figures it'll be better that I'm dead so I don't talk. Logan bit down hard on his jaw as he remembered the popular phrase of, "Dead men don't talk."

The elevator rose with a slow humming until they had reached what must've been the top floor. As Logan had assumed, the guard said nothing to him, but simply watched the lights go by until the doors slid open.

Logan was amazed at what he saw as they entered the hallway. There was a rich maroon carpeting on the floor laced with golden Baroque style leaves. The walls were decorated in matching wallpaper, and the doors that were scattered here and there were of solid oak quality with glittering golden handles.

"What is this place?" Logan asked, forgetting that a Manticore guard was pushing him.

The guard regarded his question suspiciously for a moment, but answered nonetheless. "Private headquarters."

"You mean, this is where Lydecker stays?"

"I am not under the authority to release such information."

The guard pushed him down to the end of the hallway where he stopped Logan and unlocked the door. Then, the soldier wheeled Logan inside the darkened room and removed his bonds. "You will stay here until summoned," the guard told Logan.

"Thank you," Logan replied quietly as the soldier walked out the room. He heard the other man stop and think about what Logan had just told him.

Then, flicking on the lights, the solider replied, "You're welcome." And with a careful twist, he closed and locked the door behind him, leaving Logan alone.

Inside the room was a twin-sized bed in a forest green blanket along with coordinating carpeting. A large window on the far side of the room gave Logan a view of the forest below. There was a bathroom off to his right, Logan discovered, that was accessible and furnished along with not only a toilet, but shower, sink, and towels. On the opposite side of the room from the bathroom, there was an empty closet.

Well, Logan thought to himself, I can see why Lydecker doesn't want to have Manticore fall. He'll lose his luxurious sleeping quarters.

But, why did he give me such a nice place to stay? Logan wondered. Is it because I'm valuable to him? Why?

Logan stretched out his cramped hands and wheeled himself over to the window where glittering snow fell heavily. And far off in the distance, he could have sworn that he saw the shadowy figure of someone watching him in the lit window.