The other side of the bridge looked much like what I had just left behind, a narrow passage. I threw myself forward, over the last six feet, and scram...led up the passageway. I was not a moment too soon.Flames followed me as I crawled forward and I kept going as quickly as I could until I thought I was far enough away from the opening that the dragons couldn't reach me.The passageway wasn't a tunnel. The walls rose for perhaps forty feet, but there was then open sky above. The dragons were not. In Haredem, at the center of the continent, near what would be Lincoln, Nebraska on Earth, the High Board of Governors met. The regional High prosecutor who was in charge of the case against Eldo Lev, presented his plea. In every mind we'd touched that morning we saw that it was expected that the High Board would elevate the charge from harboring a fugitive to High Treason against the State.We ramped up the power of our fusion in stages until we were just touching the Light, not quite in it. Do you really think Iwould do that to a baby? Really? Nice to know that my brother thinks I'ma piece of fucking shit." She reached for her coat and Esme got up."Wait," Esme said, quietly. "Please don't go. I think that your brotherwas just..."Amber interrupted. "Being a dick?"Esme smiled. "Well, that too. I was going to say, 'a bit overwhelmed' butbeing an arsehole," and she looked at Jay, "is a solid second place.Don't you agree, Jaybird?" Which made Amber laugh and Jay mumble. "Pleasesit,. It was a hunch that's all.Aki told me they had caught Jandaeng outside the house sneakingaround." Who shot Jandaeng?" It was an accident. Aki asked one of his men for a gun, and as hepassed it to him I think he dropped it and it went off. I rememberseeing Jandaeng bleeding from the arm before everything went black.What did Aki say?" He is Yakuza, he said nothing. He will not say anything."I heaved a sigh of relief. I had thought Aki might blame me for theshooting."How come you were there?" An.