“Dan instantly recognized the angry scratch that stretched from the corner of Ian's eye all the way along the olive skin to his chin. "Have you been messing with Saladin?""No. Saladin has been messing with me," Ian shot back."He isn't big on Lucians," Dan explained. "Animals are really good judges of character.”

“Amy hugged Sinead, and Dan scratched Saladin. "Later, Saladin. Take it easy on Kabra. On second thought, don't.”

“The phone rang in the comm. center. Ian consulted the monitor. "It's Dan." He pressed a button. "Kabra here."Dan's voice crackled through the attic. "Don't say it like that," he complained. "Your name still gives me heartburn.”

“Ow!""Hold still," Sinead ordered. "And don't be such a baby." She dabbed at the angry red mark behind Ian's ear. "Cat scratches are prone to infection, you know.""And that's my fault?" Ian raged. "Why don't you lock that animal in the cellar? Or, better still, send him to a violen string factory! Ow! What is this stuff–acid?""My own concoction," she replied cheerfully. "Amy and I use it on our blisters when we do marathon training. Soothing, right?""They practice this kind of soothing in the Lucian stronghold–during interrogations.”

“We didn't stow away!" Dan protested. "You sunk our boat and pulled us out of the canal!""Good point," Ian agreed. "Return them to the canal. Roughly, please.”

“The computer beeped as the upload completed. A moment later, Ian Kabra appeared on the screen.Dan was surprised. "Hey, Ian, isn't it, like, two in the morning back there?""It's called jet lag," Ian informed him. "I'm still on London time. I don't suppose you savages have any tea in this mausoleum.""There's a diet Snapple in the fridge."Ian shuddered. "I thought not.”

“Where's Amy?" Ian put in. "Will you please get her to call that Evan character? He rings here twenty times a day. He's either the most mule-headed person who ever lived, or he really likes your sister. She has to have mercy on him–on all of us!”