Ijerked my attention back to the leader. He was standing now,confidently holding aloft a stick. Yesterday it wouldn't have fazedme, but knowing what I did now, I froze. I didn't know what model itwas, but apparently the leader was confident its powers would surpassmy own.

Hegrinned evilly and slowly began to level the stick at me.

Itried desperately to think of a defense, but couldn't. I didn't evenknow what I was supposed to be defending against!

Suddenly,something flashed across my line of vision and the stick was gone.

Iblinked and looked again. The stick was lying on the ground, split bya throwing knife, a black-handled throwing knife.

"Anytrouble here, Master Skeeve?" a voice boomed.

Ispun toward the source of the voice. Aahz was standing there, cockedcrossbow leveled at the pack. He was grinning broadly, which I havementioned before is not that comforting to anyone who doesn't knowhim.

"APervert!" the leader gasped.

"What?"Aahz swung the crossbow toward him.

"Imean a Pervect!" the leader amended hastily.

"That'sbetter. How about it, Skeeve? You want 'em dead or running?"

Ilooked at the rat pack. Without breaking their frozen tableau, theypleaded with me with their eyes.

"Um…running, I think," I said thoughtfully. "They smell badenough alive. Dead they might give the Bazaar a bad name."

"Youheard him," Aahz growled. "Move!"

Theydisappeared like they had melted into the ground.

"Aahz!"

Thegirl came flying forward to throw her arms around him.

"Tanda!"Aahz exclaimed, lowering the crossbow. "Are you mixed up withthat pack?"

"Areyou kidding? I'm the bait!" she winked bawdily.

'Littlelow class for you, isn't it?"

"Aah…it's a living."

"Why'dyou leave the Assassins?"

"Gottired of paying union dues."

"Um…harrumph…." I interrupted.

"Hmm?"Aahz looked around. "Oh! Sorry, kid. Say,have you two met?"

"Sortof," the girl acknowledged. "We… say, is this thefriend you were looking for, handsome?"

"Handsome?"Aahz wrinkled his nose.

"Well,yes," I admitted. "We got separated back by the…."

"Handsome?"Aahz repeated.

"Oh,hush!" the girl commanded, slapping his stomach playfully. "Ilike him. He's got style."

"Actually,I don't believe we've met formally," I said, giving my mostwinning smile. "My name is Skeeve."

"Well,la-de-dah!" Aahz grumbled.

"Ignorehim. I'm Tananda, but call me Tanda."

"Loveto, "I leered.

"Ifyou two are quite through…." Aahz interrupted, "Ihave a couple questions…."

"Gleep!"said the dragon, prancing up to our assemblage.

"What'sthat?" Aahz demanded.

"It'sa dragon," I said helpfully.

Tandagiggled rudely.

"Iknow that," Aahz barked. "I mean what is he doing here?"

SuddenlyI was hesitant to supply the whole story.

"Thereare lots of dragons at the Bazaar, Aahz," I mumbled, not lookingat him. "In fact, there's a stall just down the way that…."

"Whatis that dragon doing here?!"

"Gleep!"said the dragon, rubbing his head against my chest.

"Urn…he's mine," I admitted.

"Yours?"Aahz bellowed. "I told you to look at the dragons, not buy one!"

"ButAahz…."

"Whatare we going to do with a dragon?"

"Igot a good deal on him," I chimed hopefully.

"Whatdid you say. kid?"

"Isaid I got a good deal…."

"Froma Deveel?"

"Oh.I see what you mean."

"C'mon.Let's have it. What were the terms of this fantastic deal?"

"Well…I… that is…."

"Outwith it!"

"Itraded Quigley's pendant for him."

"Quigley'spendant? The one that sees through spells? You traded a good magicalpendant for a half-grown dragon?"

"Oh,give him a break, Aahz," Tanda interrupted. "What do youexpect letting him wander off alone that way? You're lucky he didn'tget stuck with half the tourist crud on Deva! Where were you all thistime, anyway?"

"Well…I was… urn…."

"Don'ttell me," she said, holding up a hand. "If I know you, youwere either chasing a girl or stuffing your face, right?"

"She'sgot you there, Aahz," I commented.

"Shutup, kid."

"…so don't get down on Skeeve here. Compared to what could havehappened to him, he didn't do half bad. How did you find us. anyway?"

"Ilistened for the sounds of a fight and followed it," Aahzadmitted.

"See!You were expecting him to get into trouble. Might I point out he wasdoing just fine before you barged in. He and his dragon had thosethugs treed all by themselves. He's pretty handy with that magik, youknow."

"Iknow," Aahz responded proudly. "I taught him."

"Gee,thanks, Aahz."

"Shutup, kid."

"Gleep,"said the dragon, craning his neck around to look at Aahz upside down.

"Adragon, huh?" Aahz said, studying the dragon more thoughtfully.

"Hemight help us against Isstvan," I suggested hopefully.

"Isstvan?"Tanda asked quizzically.

"Yeah,"Aahz replied. "You remember him, don't you? Well, he's up to hisold tricks, this time on Klah."

"Sothat's what's going on, huh? Well, what are we going to do about it?"

"We?"I asked, surprised.

"Sure,"she smiled. "This racket is a bit low class, like Aahz says. Imight as well tag along with you two for a while… if you don'tmind, that is."

"Terrific!"I said, and meant it for a change.

"Notso fast, Tanda," Aahz cautioned. "There are a few detailsyou haven't been filled in on yet."

"Suchas?"

"Suchas I've lost my powers."

"Nofooling? Gee, that's tough."

"Thatmeans we'll be relying on the kid here to give us cover in the magikdepartment."

"Allthe more reason for me to come along. I've picked up a few tricksmyself."

"Iknow," Aahz leered.

"Notlike that," she said, punching him in the side. "I meanmagik tricks."

"Evenso, it's not going to be easy."

"C'mon,Aahz," Tanda chided. "Are you trying to say it wouldn't behelpful having a trained Assassin on your side?"

"Well…it could give us a bit of an advantage," Aahz admitted.

"Good!Then it's settled. What do we do first?"

"There'resome stalls just around the corner that carry weapons," Isuggested. "We could…."

"Relax,kid. I've already taken care of that."

"Youhave?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah.I found just what we need over in the practical jokes section. I wasjust looking for you before we headed back."

"Thenwe're ready to go?" Tanda asked.

"Yep,"Aahz nodded, fishing the D-Hopper out of his shirt.

"Whatabout my dragon?"

"Whatabout him?"

"Arewe going to take him with us?"

"Ofcourse we're going to take him with us. We don't leave anything ofvalue behind."

"Gleep!"said the dragon.

"…and he must be valuable to someone!" Aahz finished, glaring atthe dragon.

Hepressed the button on the D-Hopper. The Bazaar wavered and faded…and we were back in Frumple's shop… sort of.

"Interestingplace you've got here," Tanda commented dryly. "Did you dothe decor?"

Allthat was left of Frumple's shop was a burnt-out shell.