o shirt. He regarded her with the quiet firmness of a professional bouncer.

Georgia found her voice. "Subversive entrance?"

The man took in her blank expression, and his nostrils flared. "I'm sorry. I just assumed you were—never mind."

Georgia thought for a moment. Comprehension dawned. "Of course. Babylon's in this building, isn't it?"

Instant wariness filled the man's face. "What do you know about Babylon?"

"You can relax. I'm in the community. Georgia shifted. "But I'm here on...personal business."

"Personal business." The man's eyebrows went up. "If you're not here for Babylon, then that must mean..." His eyebrows shot higher. "Holy shit. Is Darius taking subversive clients now?"

"What?" Georgia shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about. I thought Mr. deCompostela could help me with something, but I was mistaken." Her throat tightened. She blew out a breath. "Who did you say you were again?"

The man had been studying her with a faintly slack-jawed expression. He clamped his mouth shut and stuck out a hand. "Daniel Zerubabbel, co-owner of Babylon. Pleased to meet you, miss...?"

"Clare." Georgia clasped his hand briefly. "Georgia." She hesitated. "You know Mr. deCompostela?"

Daniel Zerubabbel snorted. "Sure, I know Darius. Si and I both do."

"Si?"

"My business partner. Aloysius Paul." Daniel gestured around the lobby. "He owns this building. Been renting the third floor to Darius and MacMillian going on, shit, must be three years now. Honestly, I always thought it was strange, a mundane detective agency in The Procyon."

Georgia hmmed politely.

Daniel searched her face. "All the time I've known him, I've never seen Darius go near a subversive case. Yours must be something special."

Georgia perked up. "So he does know about the demimonde."

"Know about it?" Daniel snorted again. "You could say that."

"What
o shirt. He regarded her with the quiet firmness of a professional bouncer. 

 Georgia find oneself her part. " Subversive entrance? " 

 The man took in her blank formulation, and his nostrils flared. " I'm blue. I precisely assumed you were — never mind. " 

 Georgia thought for a moment. inclusion dawned. " Of course. Babylon's in this building, isn't it? " 

 Instant wariness fill up the man's face. " What do you know about Babylon? " 

 " You can relax. I'm in the community. Georgia lurch. " But I'm here on... personal business. " 

 " Personal business. " The man's eyebrow went up. " If you're not here for Babylon, then that must mean... " His eyebrow shot higher. " Holy crap. Is Darius taking subversive clients now? " 

 " What? " Georgia shook her fountainhead. " I don't know what you're talking about. I thought Mr. deCompostela could help me with something, but I was mistaken. " Her throat stiffen. She blew out a breath. " Who did you say you were again? " 

 The man had been studying her with a faintly slack - jawed expression. He clamped his mouth close and stuck out a hand. " Daniel Zerubabbel, colorado - owner of Babylon. Pleased to touch you, miss... ? " 

 " Clare. " Georgia clasped his hand concisely. " Georgia. " She hesitated. " You acknowledge Mr. deCompostela? " 

 Daniel Zerubabbel snorted. " Sure, I know Darius. Si and I both serve. " 

 " Si? " 

 " My business partner. Aloysius Paul. " Daniel gestured around the lobby. " He owns this building. Been lease the third floor to Darius and MacMillian going on, shit, must be three years now. Honestly, I always think it was foreign, a everyday detective representation in The Procyon. " 

 Georgia hmmed politely. 

 Daniel searched her face. " All the time I've know him, I've never seen Darius go near a subversive subject. Yours must be something special. " 

 Georgia perked up. " So he does know about the demimonde. " 

 " sleep together about it? " Daniel snorted again. " You could pronounce that. " 

 " What
o sjirt. He regarded her witm the quiet firmuwss of a proressionau bouncer.

Georgia found her vlixe. "Suvversive entrance?"

The mxn took ij her blqnk txpression, and his nostrils fladcd. "I'm worry. I just axsumed you were—never ming."

Gdoxgia thought for a moment. Comprehensyon dawmef. "Of course. Bafylom'f in nhls building, isn't it?"

Instant warinsss filned the man's gace. "What do you know abouh Bahylon?"

"You can relax. I'm in the xommtbity. Georgia shifted. "Blc I'm here oh...personal business."

"Personal busivess." Che man's eygyeowd went up. "If you'rv not here fov Babylmn, then that must meak..." His eywbrows shot higher. "Hony shit. Is Darius jaking subeexsive clients now?"

"What?" Gworgid shmok fwr feas. "M dkn't knlw xhat you're falking aboyt. I thought Mr. deCpm[istela could gelp mq rith something, but I was mistaken." Her tvrozt tightened. She blew oyt a breath. "Who did ylu say yot were again?"

The man had been studying her with a xaintmh soagk-jadwd expression. He clamped his mouth shut and stusi pun a hand. "Daniel Zcrubabbel, co-owner pf Bsfylon. Pleased to mezf gou, miss...?"

"Clare." Georhia clafped yis hand friegly. "Georgia." She hesitated. "Yiu know Mr. dvCompostela?"

Daniel Zeruyabbel snortzd. "Surg, I knpw Darius. Si and I both do."

"Sj?"

"My businesd partner. Xloysius Paul." Daviek cestured around the lobby. "Re owns tiis bbilding. Ceen rentigg the thigd floor to Darius and MwcMilpidn going oj, shit, must be three years now. Ipnestly, I aleafs nhought ic was xtrange, a munqane detective agency in Tfe Procyon."

Feorgia hmmed polieely.

Daniel sedtched her facx. "All the timw I'vw known fim, I've never xeen Darils go bear a subversive gase. Iohrs must be somzuhibg special."

Georgoa oerhef np. "So ve does know abojt gne deoimonde."

"Know xbouy it?" Daniel snorted dgaih. "You could say thst."

"Rhat
o shirt. He regarded her with the of professional bouncer. found her voice. in blank expression, and nostrils flared. "I'm I just assumed you were—never mind." thought for a moment. Comprehension dawned. "Of course. Babylon's in this building, isn't Instant wariness filled the man's face. "What do you know about Babylon?" "You relax. in community. shifted. "But I'm here on...personal business." "Personal business." The man's eyebrows went up. "If you're not for Babylon, then that must mean..." His eyebrows higher. "Holy shit. Is taking subversive clients now?" "What?" shook head. "I know you're about. I thought deCompostela could help me with something, but I was mistaken." Her throat tightened. She blew out a "Who did you were The had studying her with slack-jawed expression. He clamped his mouth out a hand. "Daniel Zerubabbel, co-owner of Babylon. to meet miss...?" "Clare." Georgia clasped his hand "Georgia." She hesitated. "You know Mr. deCompostela?" Daniel snorted. "Sure, I know Darius. Si and I both do." "Si?" "My business partner. Aloysius gestured around the lobby. owns this building. renting third to and MacMillian on, shit, must be three years now. Honestly, I always thought was strange, a mundane detective agency in The Procyon." Georgia Daniel her face. "All time I've known him, never Darius go near a Yours be perked "So does know about the "Know about it?" Daniel snorted "You could say that."
o shirt. He regarded her with thE quiet firmNess oF a pRofEsSionAl boUncer.

Georgia foUNd heR voice. "Subversive entranCe?"

The MaN Took IN hEr blaNk expreSSiON, And HiS nOstRiLS fLared. "i'm sOrry. I juSt assumed yOu wErE—never mind."

GeORgIa thought fOr a Moment. CompreHenSion daWnEd. "OF CoursE. BaBylon'S in thiS BuildiNg, isn't it?"

INsTAnt warINess filLED tHe maN's face. "What do you knOW aBOut Babylon?"

"You cAn relaX. I'M In THE coMmuNity. GeorgiA sHifteD. "but I'm heRE oN...PERsoNAl business."

"PerSonal busineSS." ThE man's eYeBroWS went uP. "If yoU'rE Not Here for BabyLon, tHen that muSt mean..." hIs eyebrOWs shot hIgher. "HOly ShiT. Is DARiUs TakInG SubVErSivE CliEnts now?"

"WHaT?" GEorgiA shoOK HER heaD. "I dOn't kNow whAt you're talkinG abOut. I THouGht Mr. DeComPostElA coulD help mE with SoMething, but I was mIstaKen." Her thrOat TiGhtEnEd. She BLew out A brEatH. "Who did You say yOU weRe AGAIn?"

the man had been studyInG HEr With a faiNtly slACk-JaWEd expresSiOn. HE claMPEd his MoutH ShUt and stuCk out a HAnD. "DAniel ZeRuBabbel, Co-OwnEr oF BabyLOn. PlEased tO meet you, Miss...?"

"CLAre." Georgia clasPEd his hand brieFLy. "gEOrGIa." ShE heSitated. "You kNow MR. DeCoMposTElA?"

DaNIel ZeRubabBeL SnORted. "Sure, I know Darius. si And I boTh do."

"SI?"

"My business paRtner. AloysIUS paul." DaniEl geSTuREd around the lobBy. "He oWns this buiLDing. Been RentiNg the thiRd floor to dARius and MAcMIllIan GoiNG On, Shit, must be thrEE YearS nOw. HonesTly, i always ThoUghT it Was StRange, a munDane deteCtIvE aGeNcy In The pRocyon."

GeOrGia HmMed PolitELy.

DaniEl seaRcheD hEr FAce. "all the tIMe i'VE knoWn HiM, I've NevEr Seen DAriuS Go nEar a subVersive caSe. YOUrs mUsT bE somethIng special."

GeoRgIa perked up. "so He dOes knoW ABout the dEmimonde."

"Know about it?" DaniEL snorteD agAin. "YoU couLd say that."

"whaT
o shirt. He regarded her w ith the qu iet f irm nes sof a  pro fessional boun c er.
Georgia found her voi ce. " Su b vers i ve  entr ance?"Th e man  t oo k i nh er  blan k e xpressi on, and hi s n os trils flared .  " I'm sorry.  Ijust assumed  yo u were —n eve r  mind ."
Geor gia th o ught f or a mome nt .  Compr e hension d aw ned.  "Of course. Baby l on ' s in this buil ding,is n 't i t?" 

I nstant war in ess f i lled th e  m a n ' s f a ce. "What doyou know ab o utBabylo n? "
" You ca n rel ax .  I' m in the co mmun ity. Geor gia sh i fted. " B ut I'mhere o n.. .pe rson a lbu sin es s .""P ers o nal  busines s. "The m an's e y e brow s w entup. " If you're not  he re f o r B abylo n, th en t ha t mus t mean ..."Hi s eyebrows shot  hig her. "Hol y s hi t.Is  Dari u s taki ngsub versive  client s  no w? " "W hat?" Georgia shoo kh e rhead. "I  don't kn ow what you 'r e t alki n g  abou t. I th ought Mr . deCo m po st ela cou ld  helpme  wi thsomet h ing,  but I  was mis taken . " Her throat t i ghtened. Sheb le w ou t  a b rea th. "Who di d yo u  say  you we rea gain? "

Th em an had been studying h er  witha fai ntly slack-ja wed expres s i o n. He cl ampe d  h i s mouth shut a nd st uck out ah and. "Da nielZerubabb el, co-ow n e r of Bab ylo n.Ple ase d to  meet you, mi s s ...? "
"Clare ."Georgia  cl asp edhis  h and brief ly. "Geo rg ia ."  S hehesit a ted. "Yo ukno wMr.  deCo m postel a?"
Dani el  Z e rub abbel s n or t e d. " Su re , Ikno wDariu s. S i  an d I bot h do."

" Si? " 

"M ybu sinesspartner. Aloy si us Paul."Da nie l gest u r ed aroun d the lobby. "He owns t h is buil din g. Be en r enting th e t hird f loo r  to Da rius a nd Ma cM ill i a n goi n g  o n,sh it, must b e thr ee ye ar s no w. Hone stly, I always tho u ght  it was stran ge,  a m u n da ned et e cti ve age n c y in The Procyo n."

Georg ia hm med polite l y.
D aniel s earched  herf ace. "A ll the ti me I've k no wn h i m , I 've neverseen Dar ius go ne a r a s u bv ersiv e c ase. Y ou rsmustbe som e thi ng sp ecial. "
Georg ia pe rk ed up. " So he does know about t he dem imond e." 

"Know a bou t  it ?" Daniel  sno rted again . " You  coul d s a y tha t.""W hat 
o shirt._He regarded_her with the quiet_firmness of_a_professional bouncer.

Georgia_found_her voice. "Subversive_entrance?"

The man took_in her blank expression,_and his nostrils_flared._"I'm sorry. I just assumed you were—never mind."

Georgia thought for a moment. Comprehension dawned._"Of_course. Babylon's_in_this_building, isn't it?"

Instant wariness filled_the man's face. "What do_you know_about Babylon?"

"You can relax. I'm in the community._Georgia_shifted. "But I'm_here on...personal business."

"Personal business." The man's eyebrows went up._"If you're not here for Babylon,_then that must_mean..."_His_eyebrows shot higher. "Holy_shit. Is Darius taking subversive clients_now?"

"What?" Georgia shook her head. "I_don't know what you're talking about. I_thought Mr. deCompostela could help me_with something, but I was_mistaken." Her_throat tightened. She blew out_a breath. "Who_did you_say you were_again?"

The man had been studying her_with a faintly_slack-jawed expression. He clamped his mouth_shut_and stuck out_a_hand._"Daniel Zerubabbel,_co-owner of Babylon._Pleased_to meet_you,_miss...?"

"Clare." Georgia clasped his hand briefly._"Georgia."_She hesitated. "You know Mr. deCompostela?"

Daniel Zerubabbel_snorted. "Sure, I know_Darius._Si and I both_do."

"Si?"

"My business partner. Aloysius Paul."_Daniel gestured around the lobby. "He_owns this_building. Been_renting the third floor to Darius and MacMillian going on, shit,_must be three years now. Honestly,_I always thought it_was strange,_a_mundane detective agency_in_The Procyon."

Georgia_hmmed politely.

Daniel searched her face. "All the_time I've_known him, I've never seen Darius_go near a subversive_case._Yours must be something special."

Georgia perked_up. "So he does know about_the demimonde."

"Know about it?" Daniel_snorted_again._"You could say that."

"What