Baz stared at the place Marc had stood for some seconds, arranging a number of tasks requiring immediate attention in his mind.

"Tommy, I think perhaps I shall leave him in your hands for the moment. In the spirit of being better safe than sorry, it might be wise, aside from any medical necessity, to ensure that he is not left entirely alone for any length of time."

Tommy nodded slowly.

"Yes, I was sure you would understand me. I must attend to some matters but, if I may, I would like to return later."

"Sure," Tommy said. "I can have a room ready for you if you think you'll need it."

"No, though I thank you for the offer." He turned to Reno. "It was a pleasure making your acquaintance, one I hope to enjoy again soon. It occurs to me, working for him, that you must be a man of considerable intestinal fortitude. I commend you." He nodded and then, without waiting for a reply was gone leaving only the swift inrushing of air and it's popping sound.

Baz reappeared in his room at the Bel Sol, his first order of business cleaning up. He made do with cold water and then, dressed and completely packed he went and knocked on Chance's door, sending a mental request that Tobie join them there.

Chance was watching the video feed from Adam's room. Adam himself was there, motionless on his bed, his arms folded up under his head. He was awake and, apparently, deep in thought.

"How's Stephen?"

"He'll live, I am told. Anything happen after I left?"

Chance glanced up as Tobie knocked and entered. "No nothing, though if I had to swear I'd say that young man bought Laszlo the time he needed to get away. He seems to think quite fast on his feet."

"Yes. Well…it has been suggested that perhaps the target was not Laszlo but rather Stephen himself." Baz allowed his statement to linger on center stage, saying nothing else for some seconds. Then, "Did either of you see anything that might shed any light on that possibility?"

Both declaimed.

"Alright, I want you both to pack. You are returning to London as soon as possible."

"But what are you going to do?" Tobie asked.

"Have a talk with Adam and then ensure he is returned safely back to the Refuge."

"Is there anything you want us to do?"

"No, I don't think so, at least not for now. But I suspect that will be only temporary. It is highly likely you will be back here again very soon." Baz gave them his gentlest smile. "So do not make any plans you can not unmake."

He next went down the hall to Adam's room and tapped gently on the door. He was not surprised when he heard Adam hesitate in front of the door before opening it to him, the chain still in place. He appeared to have sound instincts.

"Adam," he said, "I am Baz Sutcliffe. I think it would be good if you and I had a talk, so I thought we might do that while you pack."

"Pack?"

"Yes. But it would be better not to have this conversation in the hall. Might I be allowed to come in?"

Adam flushed slightly, "Oh yeah, sure…I mean sorry about that, come in." He hastily fumbled the chain of the door as he spoke.

"Thank you. Now before you start packing…"

Adam interrupted him. "But why am I packing? I am not leaving for three more days."

"Unfortunately that is no longer the case. In light of today's events it is now my responsibility to ensure your safe and immediate return to the Refuge. Stephen would never forgive me if I didn't."

Adam seized on the last. "How is he? Was he hurt badly?"

Baz, who rarely sugar coated bad news, nodded. "Very badly in fact, but he is being cared for and will live I am told. Speaking of that, what did you see in the plaza as Stephen was hurt?"

Adam thought, reviewing the movie in his head. "I saw them exit the cathedral. I saw the kids start to fight and the crowd react, separating him from Laszlo. The next thing I knew, I couldn't see him any more and Laszlo was trying to get away."

"Adam, I suspect you will have to do this many times in the next few days, but would you mind *showing* me exactly what you saw?

"No, I don't mind." Adam concentrated for a moment and then a movie began playing on the wall behind the bed. Adam began it a few moments before the end of mass. He ended up playing it three times before Baz was satisfied.

"Thank you Adam, now if it isn't too much trouble, may I see the part when Stephen first appears, around ten thirty this morning walking past the cathedral?"

"Sure." A new movie started playing. Baz watched it several times and then asked for the part where Stephen had returned to plaza and entered the cathedral. He watched that several times as well, his expression one of intense concentration. Finally he was finished.

"Thank you. You have been most helpful. Now, when you have completed your packing I think we should return to the Refuge, don't you?"

Adam, mystified over what Baz had been looking for and, apparently found, nodded and attended to his packing. He was reminded yet again of the many currents in this river that he knew nothing about. He didn't know yet whether he actually wanted that to change or not. ***********

It had taken her hours to stabilize him. He had lost a massive amount of blood. She lacked the facilities for a transfusion and had had to use simple IVs for fluid and her own gift to accelerate his body's production of blood to replace the massive amount he had lost. When she'd first started she had wondered if she would be able to save him.

After she had gotten him stabilized she had chased everyone out of the infirmary, including Tommy who had been hovering like a duck with a single chick. "Go, it is perfectly safe to leave him. He will not be conscious for quite some time so there is nothing you can do here except get in the way." She had been grateful that Baz had been back by then, to draw him gently out of the room and downstairs.

Baylee stretched and leaned back in her chair. It was quite late now, had to be close to midnight. She hadn't moved from his side since they'd gotten him settled in bed in this room off the main part of the infirmary. Thea had brought her food that she hadn't wanted and coffee that she had. She was completely focused on him keeping her mind lightly joined with his body so that she could continually monitor his condition.

Thus Tabitha had to tap her lightly on the shoulder to get her attention. "You go get some rest, child, I'll sit with him."

Baylee shook her head. "I really think…"

"That he needs a healer with him?" Tabitha interrupted softly. "He will have."

Startled Baylee said, "You…but no one ever said…you never..."

"No, I've never worked as one here. It wasn't allowed, if Eli and I wanted to be able to remain here. Eli does not work as a channeler either." Her wise and ageless eyes studied the woman before her. "You are exhausted. Go, eat something and then sleep. I have sat with him many times when he has been sick. He and I, we'll do just fine."

"It's hard to imagine him, sometimes, as a child. He is always so…"

Tabitha finished the sentence for her, "So responsible? Serious? Capable?" She laughed. "He wasn't always like that I can tell you. He was a handful. Eli and me, we raised many children in our day. But him…he was all boy, all child…got into all the trouble you'd expect and then some. But he was different, too, somehow special, or so I thought, which is probably what made him my favorite of all those children." Tabitha shook her head, looking down at the face of her foster son, still, pale, almost lifeless…hardly seeming to even breathe; seeing him and seeing her memories.

"It has been so hard for him. And with losing her…do you think…?" Baylee faltered to a stop, suddenly embarrassed at exposing herself to this woman.

Tabitha glanced at her swiftly and returned her eyes to the bed. She had asked herself that same question many times in the last several years and had always gotten the same answer. Her heart filled with compassion for this woman, her feelings so plain on her face, feelings that would probably never be returned. "I certainly hope so. Now," she turned Baylee by the shoulders and gave her a small push out the door. "Go…eat…sleep. He'll be here in the morning and probably as big a problem as you'd want him to be."

Tabitha settled herself in the chair by the bed that Baylee had vacated. She knew as she had warned Baylee that Stephen was not a willing patient. As soon as he woke up he'd want to be up and doing. It was probable Tommy would be moving the office in here for a few days. Fortunately it wouldn't be her problem, though if they needed some advice…She allowed her self to drift back into her memories of him, while a small part of her monitored him.

Hours later, just as dawn was breaking, he started to stir, much sooner than she'd expected. He opened his eyes slowly not at all sure of where he was, but the growing sense of the presence of Tabitha was an awareness that brought with it all the remembered security of growing up in her home after he Awoken.

He tried to speak and realized he couldn't, that his throat was too dry and his tongue under the command of someone else. And even as his need became acute through awareness she answered it, as she always had. She lifted his head slightly and then guided a straw to his lips. The water on his throat was better than anything he ever remembered. As soon as she removed the straw he struggled to sit up, an effort that sent such pain through him he was suddenly nauseated, exhausted by it.

"No, Stephen, lay still. Your arm is in a cast and the knife…it nicked your aorta, and cut your liver and spleen. You need to stay still."

Memory began to return, bits and pieces anyway. "Adam?" It was all he could manage and that was more mental than audible.

"He is fine. Baz brought him back."

"Is he...here?" Stephen was discovering that if he did indeed obey her instructions and lay very still there was no pain and he could think and even communicate….at least in short sentences.

Tabitha nodded. "He sittin' outside with Reno, waiting to speak with you. I told him I would allow it if he kept it very short. I'll get him."

Stephen relaxed then, closing his eyes to wait, conserving what he suspected would be a very limited amount of strength. He opened his eyes again to the sight of Baz gazing down at him with some concern. He tried to speak then but Baz stopped him with a gesture.

"No my friend, let me. Adam is safe as are Tobie and Chance. Laszlo also. It seems, however, that Marc thinks that this was not an attack on Laszlo but on you. I have already requested a meeting with Laszlo as soon as may be." He paused to let Stephen absorb that. Then, "I took the liberty of reviewing the recording made by your Adam in light of that suggestion. You will have to see for yourself when you are able, but I think he may be correct." He paused again to allow Tabitha to provide more water.

"Baz…" He stopped and tried again. "Marc...you spoke?"

"Yes, he was here, and most concerned about you, too. I have begun to try to trace the people who did this. Now unless there is something else you want done, you, my friend, must rest and not worry."

Stephen made a gesture indicating no and then, "Nothing to Marc…Baz…"

"Yes, I agree. Now please..."

"Dinah?"

"She is fine. Trust me. Truly there is nothing to worry about tonight. Tomorrow when you wake again, we will talk more. But I must leave or your Tabitha will evict me bodily."

Stephen tried to nod and found he couldn't. He could only close his eyes and drift back to the oblivion of sleep.

Baz, meanwhile, left the infirmary and returned home. After he'd showered, this time in blessedly hot water, and changed he descended the grand staircase in his townhouse and proceeded to the dining room. Tobie and Chance were already there, waiting for him as he'd asked.

He helped himself to some breakfast from the sideboard and then waited while Johnston poured his tea. When he'd finished eating, a process that took less than ten minutes, he motioned for the servants to leave. "As soon as we're through here you will return to Malta and endeavor to discover the identities of the gentlemen in the plaza yesterday." He took a sip of tea and then reached into his breast pocket. "I had this made for you." He said as he passed along a small disk. "That is the recording Adam made of the plaza yesterday, from the time he arrived to the time he left. Cal moved it to disk for me. There are some interesting things on it that you should study carefully. First you will notice, as we should have done then, that as Stephen passed the plaza at ten thirty two men passed in his wake. They were still there, though spread fairly far apart when he returned. They entered the cathedral with him, and one of them was near him as they exited. It was he, I believe who tried to kill him."

Again he stopped and sipped tea. "The other, almost certainly, works for Marc. Who the first works for, well that is one of the things we must discover. So there are eight men we are trying to trace. As for the six, I suspect that the children might have something profitable in that line. Questions?"

They had none so he went on. "I will be doing this job at my own expense, as you may expect. That we missed those things led directly to the attack on Stephen. You will assume, as I think is now beyond question, that Stephen was the target of the knife attack while there was also an attempt on Laszlo. So, we will spare no effort or cost to find out who those men are. If you need anything at all, simply communicate your needs to Johnston and he will see to it. If you need me I will be with Stephen. Johnston will also always be able to reach me."

"Baz, where is Laszlo?" Tobie asked.

"That is something I am endeavoring to determine. One of my first needs is to speak with him. I suspect he will surface sometime today in response to my message. If he adds anything to the point I will let you know."

Chance spoke next. "What about Marc's role in this. You say he had someone following Stephen?"

"Yes, almost without question. He was well informed about the events yesterday. Reno in fact knew where Stephen had been. Those facts lend themselves to some conjecture, obviously. However, the only one that I choose to view as fact is that Marc is having him watched. I gathered that he is most concerned for his safety."

"Why?" Chance asked.

"He said Stephen's life was very important to him at the moment…his phrasing, not mine. Beyond that I lack the data needed to speculate with anything approaching coherence. Anything else?"

They shook their heads no and very shortly after that were gone, heading back to Malta.

Baz paused long enough to give Johnston some extremely detailed instructions on several topics, including Dinah, Laszlo and the dinner on Saturday. When he was alone again he picked up the bag Johnston had packed for him and returned to the Refuge. He thought, wryly, that not just Stephen, but Tommy also was going to need his support over the next several days.