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immediately turned onto a side street.  There was no point in him trailing them if he were visible to their enemies.
    They continued the rest of the way without incident.  Logan led her down small, narrow streets that were always behind the main road.  They passed a few more vagrants on the way, but Laura had learned her lesson earlier, and each time shot them such a look of danger that they shied away.
    “I hope you never use that look on me,” Logan quipped after the third time it had happened.  Laura laughed.  Despite the hot, dry air and the uncomfortable environment, not to mention the perpetual threat of danger, spending time with Logan like this, one on one, was very enjoyable.  It’s something she hadn’t had nearly enough time to do since getting here.
    After another twenty or thirty minutes of walking, Logan slowed down, and pointed to the skyline.  Laura looked up.  There, looming over the two- or three-storey buildings that made up most of the shantytown, was a lone gray tower.  It stood maybe six or seven stories in height, and had a single window peeking out on every level.  Even the ones that Laura could see from where they stood, the ones that were completely out of reach from anybody on the ground, were boarded up and nailed shut. 
    “Is that it?” Laura asked.
    Logan nodded.  “That’s it.  We have to be careful now – the area may be guarded.”
    “Guarded?  By whom?”
    “Street gangs run this town,” Logan replied.  “And I think the tower marks one of their key strategic holds.  They’re very territorial.”
    “But as far as they know, we’re just tourists walking by,” Laura said.  “They shouldn’t trouble us.”
    “A dangerous assumption.  What would tourists be doing here?”
    “Well, even if they decide to trouble us, they don’t really pose a threat.”
    “No?  Thirty armed men with guns don’t seem like a threat to you?  We’re Vassiz , Laura, not invincible.”
    “Well, when you say it that way…”
    “Trust me,” Logan said.  “It’s best for us to be careful.  That was your mantra this whole trip, wasn’t it?”
    Laura nodded.  “You’re right.  What do you think is the best way of getting closer, then?”
    “Let’s wait for Alexander first.  “We’ll need to coordinate with him.”
    “Sure,” Laura replied.
    “Now, I’ve already been there,” Logan continued.  “So I know the area a little bit.  One of the things to watch out for is that the tower stands in front of a five-way intersection.  The streets line up before it to open up somewhat like a town square.  And the tower itself is at the very end of a triangular block, overlooking the juncture.  The only way to get to it without being seen is down either of the two streets that line its block.”
    “There’s going to be three of us,” Laura said.  “Does that mean two go together?”
    Logan shook his head.  “No.  I think it’s best if we all go separately, and all go down a different route.  One of us is going to have to pass through the square in front of the building.”
    “Is that so problematic?”
    Logan bit his lip, considering.  “I’m hoping it’s not, but I’m afraid it might be.  Anybody watching the tower will instantly recognize three strangers coming toward it.  Especially when we’re so obviously not from around here.”
    “Do you think there would be anyone watching it?”
    “One of the gangs, potentially.  We don’t want to cause a stir.  And if we’re unlucky, there might even be… something else.”
    “Something else?”
    Logan nodded.  “Yea.  I’ve been thinking about what we know of the repository.  The torrial were put there because they were too dangerous to be left accessible to anybody who wanted them.  I’m sure the decision to put them away was not taken lightly.  I’m sure, in fact, that there was disagreement between the deciding parties.  It would have been foolish for whoever stowed them away not to