ly, Odeon
suspected a different source. He glanced at Bradford, saw a
speculative look, and raised a curious eyebrow.

"You were right to suggest an informal session," Bradford said
appreciatively. "I'd almost forgotten his training--I'll probably get
better results this way than by the more conventional methods."

"No doubt enjoying yourself in the process," Illyanov said.

"No doubt at all," Bradford agreed, removing his tunic and undershirt.
"You're welcome to stay and participate, of course, either with him or
setting an example."

"He is strongly attracted to Michael," Illyanov pointed out, "so if the
two of you concentrate on him--"

"Ivan and I will set the example," Chang finished.

15. Demon Drops

"Good morning, my dear." Cortin greeted her subject cheerily as soon
as she entered the third-stage room. Yes, Mike had had it cleaned;
except for the misery and fatigue in her subject's attitude, there was
no evidence of what he'd been through the night before. "Are you ready
for today's session?"

The man licked his lips, then said, "That captain who was here before
called you Azrael. What's that mean--who are you? What're you gonna
do to me?"

"Your education has been sadly neglected if you do not know the Angel
of Death," Cortin said easily. "I will carry out the sentence you
earned when you joined the Brotherhood, eventually. Before that,
however, we will share some entertainment, and you will tell me
everything you know about the Brothers of Freedom."

"Like hell I will!" But the man's voice held no conviction, and Cortin
smiled.

"Oh, not without some resistance, of course." She turned to the
cabinets, began laying out instruments and drugs where the subject
could see them, taking her time to give him plenty of opportunity to
study each one. "I have restricted myself to field-level drugs and
instruments until now; I really should be experimenting with the more
advanced techniques, now that I have easy access to them. Some of
these do look interesting." She picked up several of the instruments
again, one at a time, looking thoughtfully from instrument to prisoner
and back, but there was no unusual reaction from him.

"The simple infliction of pain holds no particular terrors for you, I
see," she commented. "Good, then you can demonstrate some of the drugs
for me." That got a reaction, as she'd expected from the previous
night; he tried, with little success, to hold back a