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Then cao ahead"

"Flidais?"

"Yes, Epona, I'm here"

"Why are you calling on an open line from a hotel?"

"We have an unexpected problem"

"Yes?"

"A NUMA research boat looking for the source of the brown crud was not deceived by the hologram and destroyed our yacht"

"Understood," said the wohtest trace of emotion "Where are you?"

"After our yacht sank, I was captured by the NUMA people, who heldin a rooe It's only matter of minutes before the local police trail me here"

"Our crew?"

"Some were killed The rest escaped in the helicopter and abandoned me"

"They will be dealt with" The voice paused "Did they interrogate you?"

"They tried, but I gave them a phony story and told them my name was Rita Anderson"

"Keep the line open and wait"

Flidais, alias Rita, went to the closet and found a flowered-print suh, she thought Better large than too small She pulled it on over her bikini and found a scarf, which she tied around her head to hide her red hair It didn't bother her in the least that she was stealing another woe phone bill, certainly not after having killed Renee Next she pulled on open sandals that were a close fit A pair of sunglasses were sitting on a bed stand, so she slipped them on