I pushed my way into the interior.

"It's a raid!" I said, by way of greeting.

A massive mountain of a man rose from behind the reception desk.

"Skeeve!" he roared. "Hey, Nunzio! It's the Boss!"

"Hi, Guido," I said with genuine pleasure. "How's it going?"

Ignoring my outstretched hand, he swept me into a close embrace and thumped my back.

"Gee, it's good to see you," he declared. He held me out at arm's length and gave me a good once-over. I was pretty sure I hadn't changed much on the outside, being a tallish, skinnyish Klahd with blond hair, but the inner changes were there. I hoped my friends would appreciate them. "Look who's here, Cuz."

His cousin Nunzio, a smaller and slighter version of Guido, joined our ranks and started to duplicate Guido's greeting. I fended him off with one hand.

"I'm glad to see you, Nunzio," I said, "but I can only survive one of those bear-hug greetings a day."

Bunny stepped forward with her arms outstretched.

"I'll take that hug if he doesn't want it," she said. "You got it," Nunzio said in his squeaky little voice as he lifted her into the air. Bunny squealed with delight. "Is Aahz around?" I said.

"No. He's over on Perv visiting the Duchess," Guido said.

"The Duchess?" I said. The Duchess was Aahz's mother. I had met her on my last and only trip to Perv. I had never heard her use her real name, if she had one. "Is anything wrong?"

"I don't know," Guido said. "He didn't say, and I didn't ask. He should be back in a week or so."

"I say, Skeeve! Bloody good to see you again."

"Hi, Chumley," I said to the Troll who had emerged from the farther depths of the office.

As I've mentioned, the headquarters is bigger on the inside than it appears from the outside. A lot bigger. The enormous purple Troll began by extending a hand, in his reticent fashion, but he, too, ended up smashing me in a hug that left me gasping and coughing out strands of purple fur.