Gloch remained squatting where he was, looking amused.

�I could ask the same

thing,� he said,
keeping his pistol in a heavy gauntlet.
Spinoza rolled her shoulders, feeling the effects of the long chase. Once again,
the bitter taste of
defeat swilled in her mouth. Part of her wished to walk away, but the man had saved
her life. There
were decencies to observe, even in the ordo.
�Luce Spinoza, the Ordo Hereticus,� she said.
�Ah, Crowl�s new blood.�
�Why do you people say that? New blood? Throne, it sickens me.�
Gloch started to smile, forced it down, and regarded her with some seriousness.
�You know who that
was?�
�Clearly you do.�
Gloch looked thoughtful for a moment, then finally stowed his sidearm and got to
his feet. Standing,
he was daunting, a giant of nearly seven foot, only a fraction of that accounted
for by his thick body
armour. His face was scarred and lined, his beard grey-streaked. �How long have you
been on Terra,
interrogator?� he asked.
Spinoza felt impatience rise within her. All she wanted to do was get out, get
after that damned
woman. She had been so close. To go back to Crowl, now, and admit another failure�
�Long enough,� she said. �You?�
�My whole life, and I love it. Now, to come down here, alone. I�m not telling you
your business��
�Damn right.�
Gloch shrugged. �She�s called Falx.�
�The woman?�
�A case-name. Quantrain�s been after her for weeks. You�ll have noticed she�s well
trained.�
�And what else?�
Gloch looked up, then around, then down. His troops were moving through the
nutrient hall now,
scanning, arresting, closing down processor units. �I can shunt the details to you
at Crowl�s tower.
You�ve seen these kills, the ritual ones? She�s always there, always close. The
Angel�s Tears � I
guess you know the name. I�ve not seen cameleo-plate for ten years.� He started to
chuckle. �I shot her
once. In the chest, close as you are to me now, and she still got away. She�s got a
tough hide, I�ll give
her that.�
�I might have broken that a bit.�
�Good. Next time she�ll feel it more.�
�What do they want?�
�They�re unbelievers and killers. I don�t give a damn what they want.�
Spinoza felt the comedown of the long chase. Her muscles ached, her innards felt
empty. �They�re
going for weapons,� she repeated, thinking back to the pseudo-abhuman�s agonised
thrashing. �Throne,
how has this been tolerated?�
�Tolerated?� Gloch lost his smile. �You really haven�t been here long, have you?�
�This is His world,� Spinoza insisted, feeling lightheaded. �It makes me want to
vomit. In four days��
�Yes, in four days. We are aware.� Some of Gloch�s troops began to return, limping
along the gantry.
He shot them a quizzical look, but the lead sergeant shook her head. �You want my
advice?� Gloch
said. �Go back to your old cro