"You don't think I should trust her?"

"I'm not saying that. Maybe she's genuine. Maybe she had nothing to do with faking the… forms, or with you being there — it could be a… huge coincidence. But caution is required. Go see her, but keep an eye… on her. Be careful what you say. Put some probing questions to her. And take a weapon."

"I couldn't hurt her," I said quietly. "Even if she has plotted against us, there's no way I could kill her."

"Take one anyway," Harkat insisted. "If she's working with the vampaneze, it may not be… her you have to use it on."

"You reckon the vampaneze could be lying in wait there?"

"Maybe. We couldn't understand why… the vampaneze — if they're behind the fake forms — would send you… to school. If they're working with Debbie — or using… her — this might explain it."

"You mean they want to get me at Debbie's alone, so they can pick me off?"

"They might."

I nodded thoughtfully. I didn't believe Debbie was working with our foes, but it was possible that they were manipulating her to get to me. "How should we handle this?" I asked.

Harkat's green eyes betrayed his uncertainty. "I'm not sure. It would be foolish to walk into… a trap. But sometimes risks must be taken. Perhaps this is our way to flush out… those who would ensnare us."

Chewing my lower lip, I brooded upon it a while, then followed the most sensible course of action — I went and woke Mr. Crepsley.

I rang the bell for 3c and waited. A moment later, Debbie's voice came over the intercom. "Darren?"

"The one and only."

"You're late." It was twenty past seven. The sun was setting.

"Got stuck doing homework. Blame my English teacher — she's a real dragon."

"Ha-flaming-ha."

There was a buzzing noise and the door opened. I paused before entering and looked across the street at the opposite block of apartments.