My eyes are adjustin' to the dark, and I can see Aahz noddin' slowly.

"Tell me more," he sez.

"Well, there are a bunch of guys workin' out of the Royal Game Preserve," I sez. "They're usin' bows and makin' hit-and-run guerrilla attacks from the woods and underbrush. I figured that with only the three of us, it wouldn't be real smart to try to go into the woods after them."

"Good thinking."

"We did do some askin' around tryin' to get a line on them," I continued, "but everyone clammed up as soon as we raised the subject. We have a theory that the locals are hidin' them, maybe for a share of the loot."

"Interesting," Aahz sez. "And the other group?"

"That was just a couple of stick-up artists," I sez.

"Was?"

"Well, we sort of rigged an ambush and drew them out into the open," I sez. "I don't think they'll be botherin' us again."

"Is that where you picked up the arm wound?" Aahz sez. I see his teeth flash in the darkness as he smiles. "How many bodies did you leave behind?"

Well, I knew I was gonna have to deal with this eventually.

"None," I sez. "Actually, all we did was throw a major scare into them. The arm was an accident while Pookie was coverin' me."

"Pookie shot you?"

"Like I say, it was an accident," I sez with a shrug. "I passed her my custom crossbow, but forgot to warn her about the hair trigger. If it's anybody's fault, it's mine."

There is a long moment of silence, and 1 think Aahz is buildin' up to one of his explosions. Then I hear him sigh.

"She always was a little quick on the trigger," he sez. "Sorry, Guido. I should have warned you about that before I let her tag along."

It occurs to me that this is the first time I've heard Aahz apologize to me ... or anyone else, for that matter.

"That's okay," I sez, a little off balance. "No real harm done."

"When you get a chance, check in with Massha," he sez. "She should have something in her magik gimmick collection that will speed up the healing on that arm."

"Uh ... Thanks, Aahz," I sez, still a little confused by his new, mellow attitude.

"Other than that, it sounds like you did a good job, Guido. All of you," he sez. "It'll be good to have you all back."

"Actually," I sez, "Pookie and Spyder are still out. They're doin' a bit more checkin' on that forest group. I just came in because of the arm. I was gonna talk to the Boss about sendin' Nunzio out to replace me as their backup man."

"Sounds like a plan," Aahz sez. "Again, nice work. I don't think I've ever said it, Guido, but I've always admired your professionalism. Nunzio's, too. For short-lived humans who have never studied magik, you're both remarkably effective."

An apology and a compliment in one conversation. I am now definitely confused, so I counter by changin' the subject.

"Thanks, Aahz," I sez. "So what's been goin' on around here? Is the Boss okay?"

There is another long silence. So long, in fact, that I am startin' to get scared about what the news is gonna be.

"I'm afraid Skeeve may be in over his head this time," Aahz sez at last. "You were right about keeping this rebellion thing from him. He's confused and desperate enough without fretting about how the hoi polloi are reacting to the situation."

I suddenly realize what is goin' on.

Aahz is worried about the Boss. Worried big time.

I always knew that Aahz was fond of his partner, but usually he showed it with bluster and lectures. Seein' him like this, quietly concerned, makes me realize how deep his feelin's really ran. It changes my opinion of him... for the better.

"It's a tough one, all right," I sez. "Different than any of the other capers we've been in on. Still, I figure the Boss has us to help him, so he'll probably pull through."

"By 'us' I assume you mean you and Nunzio," Aahz sez.

"Actually," I sez, "I was talkin' about the whole M.Y.T.H. Inc. crew, not the least of which includes you. That's one of the main reasons I got involved with the Mob in the first place, you know. You can only do so much alone. As part of a group, you got teammates to cover your back. Sometimes their strengths can make up for your weaknesses."

"I never really thought of it that way," Aahz sez, "but you've got a point."

He's quiet for a while, then opens up again.

"You know, I almost didn't come back from Perv," he sez. "I was settling in and getting ready to work solo again."

I didn't know that, but, as I said, Aahz and I didn't really talk all that much ... and not at all since he and the Boss came back from Perv.

"What changed your mind?" I sez.

"The fact that Skeeve came all the way to Perv looking for me, particularly when the team had just been saddled with a rough assignment, was flattering," he sez. "I thought I'd tag along for one more round to see if I could help."

I could see him shake his head in the darkness.

"So I come back, and look what we're into." he sez. "I'll tell you, Guido, there are some situations that simply can't be handled with magik or muscle, or even a combination of both."

"Like I said, that's why we have teammates," I sez. "Friends can help turn a situation around... and even if they can't, you're not facin' the consequences alone."

Aahz heaved a big sigh.

"I guess that's the answer," he sez. "Thanks for listening, Guido. I'll see you tomorrow."

That is my cue to resume the trek to my room. The conversation with Aahz has given me a lot of food for thought, though.

I'm almost at my door when I hear voices. Angry voices arguin' loud.

The sound is comin' from the Boss's room.

I listen for a minute at the door, then knock loudly.

The Boss answers, half lookin' back over his shoulder at the man and woman shouting at each other behind him.

"Is everything okay, Boss?" I sez. "I thought I heard voices."

"Sure," he sez. "It's just... Guido? What are you doing back? And what happened to your arm?"

I am pay in' more attention to the battlin' duo, who do not seem to have noticed my appearance yet. Neither of them is anyone I know as an associate of Skeeve's. If anything, they look a little foreign ... though that might be because of their funny outfits.

"What's goin' on in there, Boss? Who are those two jokers, anyway?"

I am not likin' the look of this at all. While Nunzio and me take our bodyguardin' duties seriously, we usually figure the Boss is safe in his own room.

"Oh, those are just a couple friends of mine," he sez. "Well... sort of friends. I thought they were just dropping by to say 'Hi,' but, as you can see, things seem to have gotten a little out of hand. The one with the beard is Kalvin, and the lady he's arguing with is his wife, Daphnie."

"Did you say 'his wife'?"

"That's right," he sez. "Why?"

That settles it.

"Get out of here, Boss." I sez, beckonin' him through the door.

"What?"

As I have noted before, the Boss is often not real quick on the uptake. "Boss, I'm your bodyguard. Right? Well, as your bodyguard and the one currently responsible for the well bein' of your continued health, I'm tellin' you to get out of here!"

"But..."

I try to be patient, but enough is enough. Without both-erin' to argue further, I scoop him up with my good arm and carry him out into the corridor before settin' him down again.

"Now stay here," I sez. "Got that? Stay here!"

I feel a little like Nunzio talkin' to Gleep, but the message seems to finally get through.

"Okay, Guido," he sez. "Here it is."

I give him the hairy eyeball for a moment to be sure he means to stay put, then turn and re-enter the room, shutting the door behind me.