***
By that evening, Ran-Del had recovered from the effects of the blast from the shock rifle. He ignored his dinner tray, and paced back and forth in the garden, restless and on edge. His psy sense told him something was going to happen soon. He couldn’t tell what it was, or even whether it was good or bad, only that it would happen, almost certainly within a day.
It was dusk when the door from the house opened, and Toth stepped into the garden with two other guards behind him. Ran-Del recognized Merced—the protective white sheath on his broken arm made him easy to identify—but not the third man.
“Baron Hayden wants to see you in his office,” Toth said without greeting or preamble.
Ran-Del’s reply was a suggestion on how Baron Hayden could occupy himself.
Toth smiled grimly. “I’m real happy to hear you say that.” He shook out a silver-colored wide double loop of something that didn’t look quite like metal. “I was afraid you’d go quietly.” He handed the loops to Merced. “I thought Merced would appreciate putting these on you.”
The three of them advanced on Ran-Del from three different sides. The Sansoussy dropped Merced with a flying kick to the head, and inflicted a devastating body blow on the other guard, who staggered for several seconds but recovered enough to help Toth hold Ran-Del down on the ground while he forced both loops over his wrists, and then slid one set up his forearms. When the two of them stepped back, Ran-Del was helpless, his arms immobilized behind him from his wrists to his elbows. Merced stumbled to his feet and dealt Ran-Del a vicious kick to his left side.
Ran-Del grunted in pain.
Toth pulled his colleague back. “That’s enough. He’s not in a position to defend himself.”
They pulled Ran-Del to his feet, and Toth gave him a shove in the direction of the door. “Move, wild man. Baron Hayden is waiting.”
The Sixth Discipline Page 15