Free Brothers to Dragons by Charles Sheffield

business. You sent this boy to the protection zone." The man held out the packet. "To deliver this. I don't have to tell you what it contains."
    "I did what ?" Miss Magnolia sounded more amused than afraid.
    "You sent the boy—"
    "You're out of your mind. I have no idea what's in that packet, or what you are talking about."
    "You deny that you know this boy?"
    "Oh, I know him." Miss Magnolia gave Job a brief inspection. "Slightly. He's a local street urchin. Once or twice my assistants have given him a free meal in our kitchen. A kindness that has not been returned, by the look of it."
    The man turned to stare at Job.
    "I live here," said Job desperately. "I have a room upstairs."
    But Miss Magnolia was shaking her head. "Captain, I don't know what your game is, but I won't play it. He doesn't live here. He never has. If he says he knows his way around, then it's because when he ate here he went places he had no right to. Go get a search warrant if you like, look over the mansion top to bottom. If you find any sign that the boy lives here, or ever did, or if you find a sign of anything illegal, I'll give you free service for a month."
    "Professor Buckler," said Job desperately. He turned to the fat man. "And Tracy, and Toria. They live here, too. They'll tell you about me."
    "Captain, I ask you, does this look like the home of a professor?" There was a sound of laughter from farther up the staircase, and Miss Magnolia turned her well-groomed head to stare that way. "I don't know the boy," she went on, without looking at either Job or the captain. "There's certainly no professor who lives here. No Tracy or Toria, either. I know nothing about that package you are holding, or where it came from. What I do know is that I have very important guests, waiting for me upstairs. I always try to cooperate with officials, but if you want to detain me longer, you will have to argue with my guests, too."
    "To hell with your guests—"
    "Senator Nelson is here tonight. So is Senator Walsh."
    The gray-haired captain said nothing, but to Job he seemed to crumple and shrink. "So we'll find nothing upstairs, eh? I hear you. And I thought I had good sources. Who told you we were on the way?"
    She smiled, and Job saw a glimmer of satisfaction in her mascara-limned eyes. "Now, Captain, that's a silly thought. And it's New Year's Eve, and awful weather outside. Why don't you stop worrying, relax, and enjoy yourself here for an hour or two? I always like to make new friends."
    "Yeah. I'm sure you do." The captain hefted the package he was holding. "Senator Nelson and Senator Walsh, eh? Yep. So what happens now to the kid?"
    "I have no idea. But that's more your worry than mine, isn't it? You brought him, Captain. And since you will not be staying . . ." She turned in a rustle of skirts, and began to walk up the stairs to the third floor. "Close the door firmly when you leave, please. Heating this place costs a fortune."
    "I wasn't lying," said Job, as she vanished around the curve in the staircase. "I do live here. Really."
    "Not any more, you don't." The fat man's face was twisted with frustration. "You heard her. Senators in her pocket. We'd not get to square one. I don't know why I fucking bother." He turned, and began to walk slowly down to the double doors.
    Job took a last look up the stairs, then hurried after him. "What will happen to me?"
    "Possession of illegal substances. Intrusion on protected property. That's got to go in the record." The captain sighed. "I'm sorry, kid. I believe you told us the truth, and I'll put in the best word I can for you. But I don't know how much good it will do. Once I file my report, it's out of my hands." He was watching Job's face. "Cheer up. It's late, and you're tired out. Tomorrow's another day. Let's go to the Compound and have some food. Things won't seem so bad in the morning."
    But in the morning, Job was sent back to Cloak House.

Chapter Six
    Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give