"I'm sure you're thoroughly confused and have a million questions," Drexler said. "But I can answer them all with one simple statement."

They stood in a shadowed, recessed doorway across the street from the loft building, watching the entrance. The fresh cold air was like a tonic for Jack. The nausea had receded and his head felt clearer.

"Hit me."

"I wish to prevent the Change."

Jack almost laughed. "As the saying goes, 'I may have been born at night, but not last night.'"

"I don't understand."

"You really expect me to believe that?"

"I was hoping that what just transpired in that loft would add credence to my statement."

Jack digested that, looking for the angle.

Rasalom knew Glaeken was powerless, leaving only the Lady blocking his path to the Change. He knew too that Jack was the Heir. So how could Drexler's approaching him with this off-the-wall change of heart work to Rasalom's advantage?

Jack couldn't see the trip wire - at least not yet.

Nor could he see how this could have been set up. No one had known he'd be visiting Drexler tonight. No time to set up a big-store type scam like this. Especially since it involved the deaths of three members of the Order, including Drexler's right-hand man.

"Let's just say I buy that. Why?"

"That is not something I care to discuss. Take it or leave it."

Wait ... something Szeto had said tonight ...

I answer only to the One. In fact, soon I may be Drexler's master.

Was a palace coup in the offing? Or threatened? Was that why Drexler had executed Szeto?

Jack tried to read Drexler's expression in the shadows as he replied.

"You think the One is going to abandon you when the Change comes. Is that it?"

Drexler didn't react. "I repeat: I want to stop the Change. Take it or leave it."

"You think killing off the Order's enforcers is the way to do that?"

"The only way I know to stop the Change is to stop the One. You told me tonight that you are set on doing that. Therefore our goals are confluent. I will help you make the attempt."

Jack shook his head. "'Attempt.' Not exactly a vote of confidence."

"I am nothing if not a realist and a pragmatist. And you ... you are not a fool. You must know you face a daunting challenge."

Jack sighed. "Yeah. I do. But if I find him, I'm gonna hit him with everything."

"You must. It must be your personal Armageddon."

"But the key word is find. If I can't find him, I can't take him out. You've no idea where he is?"

Drexler shook his head. "None. But I haven't been looking. That changes as of tonight. I will work with you. Only you. No one must know of my involvement. Are we agreed?"

Jack hesitated. This was the weirdest damn turn of events. Working with Ernst Drexler against the One. Surreal. So surreal, he couldn't fully buy into it. Blagden seemed a dead end. Rasalom and the Order were connected, so tapping into the Order's datastream seemed a good way to go.

But he'd keep one eye looking over his shoulder.

Jack extended his hand. "Agreed."

They shook.

Drexler looked about to say something when his gaze fixed over Jack's shoulder.

"There he is."

Jack turned and saw Hank Thompson fast-walking along the sidewalk, carrying a paper bag. Containing an X-Acto knife, perhaps? To remove a man's eyelids?

Jack fought the urge to start after him ... and failed. But Drexler grabbed his arm as he stepped from the doorway.

"No. I have need of him."

Jack stepped back.

As they waited for Thompson to enter the loft building, Jack said, "One last question: When you let Hans and Fritz through the door - "

"Hans and Fritz?"

"The two German guys. Why did you step out and close it?"

"Obvious, I should think: I didn't want to risk blood spatters on my suit or coat."

"Right. Obvious."

As soon as Thompson was through the entrance, Drexler handed Jack the balled-up remnants of the duct tape that had bound him, then hurried across the street.

Jack watched him go. So weird. Could he trust Drexler to hold up his end of the bargain? Well, at least as long as their goals remained - to use his term - confluent. Jack harbored no doubt that if Drexler got a better offer, their deal would be as dead as Szeto and the Katzenjammers.