Could he not vanish you without asking? You have a headache. You didn't know lizards got headaches.

»No.«
»We are on our way up. I have obtained and entered an override. We should not be stopped for passengers, and we should emerge on the Director's floor.«

Okay. That's good. Um, so how was R/D-C #1? You think... you think she's the one who delivered his get-well card. She was nice, for a snake.

»As overfamiliar as always. If it had spotted you, our endeavor would be ended. Be glad it did not.«

There is a poster on the wall of the elevator. It depicts the Herald— you won't beat around the bush, it's a white lizard with spines and a blacked-out eye— but a Herald on two long legs, with two long arms, wearing clothing. Except for the tail, she looks just like an agent. "HOLD YOUR NECK UP!" it says on the top. "THE NEW DAY IS ARRIVING!"

You think about posing for a poster like that. Richard remains standing, in fact paces in tight circles, the whole long way up. When the elevator halts, he sticks his arm out. "Stay."

You stay and watch him approach a door, scan an ID card, punch something in, swipe the same ID card, punch something else— and the door slides open. He gestures for you to follow, and you do, into a glossy window-lined lobby. Agents do like their windows. You're looking upon the BrainWyrm from above, now, and if you squinted you could pretend it were the sun and the window-squares stars. Only if you really squinted. Richard has beelined to the desk, where the lobby's sole occupant sits, and has begun to argue.

The occupant (evidently the Director's secretary) wants to know who he is, why he is here, how he got here, who you are, how security has not yet been— Richard cuts her off, keeps cutting her off, insults her intelligence, lies, hisses, curses, points at you, lies some more, leans his head over the desk into the secretary's face, lies into her face. You watch, semi-awed. It's horrible, of course. He's horrible. He's done all of this to you, more than this, for longer. But when it's for a good cause...

Eventually the browbeaten secretary gets up, goes over to the snake-engraved door on the lobby's far end, and hefts it open. Then she waits.

»Go.«
»I will be out here. If I am not out here, I am in custody. Ensure that the Herald of the Bright Epoch personally advocates for my release.«
»You still have to >return,< after all. No funny business.«

You enter through the door. It shuts behind you.

(3/4)