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a little too much to drink in there.” She managed
to put a hint of chagrin into her voice while simultaneously making
it obvious that she wouldn't have had it any other way. “I think I
may need to get home so I can sober up a little before the fun
really starts out here.”
    She started to take another step and almost
collapsed again. If Ezra hadn't been there, he was sure she'd be
back on the ground by now. “You don't seem too steady, is there
someone I can call for you?”
    “ I'm just staying at the university, right over there.” She
pointed back in the direction from which he had come. “I don't mean
to be too forward, but do you think you could help me get back
there? It would really mean a lot to me.” She hit him with a full
power smile, dimples and everything, huge eyes almost glowing up at
him. He never had a chance.
    “ S-sure,” he stammered, “I could just walk beside you and,
um-”
    “ Or carry me on your back”
    “ O-or carry you on my back, of course.” This alleyway suddenly
seemed far too warm. “Sure, here, just, uh, hop on.” Once she was
settled, very warm and soft and supple and... Darn it, Ezra , he thought, keep it together . “Okay,
next stop...wherever it is I'm going.” He laughed
nervously.
    Her head lay on his shoulder, her breath
tickling his ear as she sighed. “You're a really nice guy, so I'm
gonna tell you secret, okay?” Her voice had dropped back to an
intimate whisper. Ezra's heart seemed to be beating in
double-time.
    “ Oh,” he croaked out, mouth suddenly feeling very dry, face
burning, “what's that?”
    Her lips brushed his ear as she whispered
ever-so-softly, “You're under arrest.”
    Something hard and cold pressed up against
his throat. “There's a taser under your chin.” Her voice steadily
grew more detached and formal. “Turn around and walk out to the
street, then left and five blocks down to the Department of
Ordinances holding facility.”
    Ezra gulped and turned to comply. Just
before he got to the crowded street, he opened his mouth to ask who
she was. The object at his throat pressed in harder. “No
questions,” she said, “just follow instructions, don't make a
scene, and everything will be just fine. I promise that you won't
be hurt.” Ezra shut his mouth and continued on his way. Her head
still resting on his shoulder, she murmured directions to him as he
went.
    Was she with DOLT, or the mystery group? Was
that really a taser? What would she do to him if he didn't
cooperate? He could threaten to let out the secret, but she had
already destroyed the recording and his leverage along with it. He
could claim to have a copy! Somehow, he didn't think she would buy
it. Or, worse, maybe she would. He stopped trying to think of what
she would do then as his feet ate distance and hope at an alarming
rate.
    His eyes darted around wildly as they made
their way through the crowd. Couldn't anyone see that he had been
taken hostage? People moved out of his way and he saw a number of
knowing looks, and his last hope of rescue crumbled away. A young
man with a young woman apparently on the verge of sleep on his
back, walking through the entertainment district on Founder's Day.
The last thing anyone would think was that he needed help.
    A pair of DOLT officers stood on the street,
eyes slightly unfocused and twitching as they coordinated with
nearby officers via a secure neural net connection. The girl
whispered calm and authoritative instructions into Ezra's ear.
“Admit to being in the museum. Don't say anything to anyone about
you-know-what. The DOLTs are looking for whoever did it, but they
don't know about the recording. They'll hold you until we can get
someone by to handle this. Just sit tight, be quiet, and keep
looking cute.”
    She leaned forward – an action that Ezra
realized he probably would have greatly enjoyed only a few minutes
earlier – and planted another kiss on his cheek, then hopped down
and pulled his arm behind his back,