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drink,” Madison said exasperatedly, “but that does not mean he’s given us away.”
    “I didn’t say that,” Alexander said levelly.  “Just that the potential for him to do so is there.”
    “Of course it was there,” Madison snapped, “just like it’s there for you, or me, or any of us!  What matters is that he didn’t do it .”
    “You can’t be sure of that,” Alexander replied coolly.
    “I am!  I trust him.  He wouldn’t give us away!”
    “Nobody can guarantee what comes out of a man’s mouth when he’s had too much to drink.”
    “And nobody should raise false suspicions!”
    Laura had had enough.  “Stop it!” she yelled out.  “Can we get away from the petty fighting?  Please?  Logan has made a breakthrough!”
    Alexander and Madison both stopped and looked at Logan.  “Have you?” Madison asked.  In a flash her face become pure composure.  “Is it what you thought, then?”
    Logan nodded.  “I believe it is.  I managed to get close enough to the building to inspect it.”
    “And?” Alexander asked.  Jacob was slouched over on the floor, leaning against one of the tent’s poles.  “What did you find?”
    “I believe what we are looking for is inside,” Logan said.  “Although the building is well secured.  It will take a few of us to break in.”
    Alexander whistled through his teeth.  “Three weeks of searching, and out of the blue, you come up with this?  Remarkable!”  He clapped Logan on the back.  “Well done!”  He turned and looked at Laura.  “When shall we go?”
    “Right away,” Laura replied without pause.  She had been waiting for this moment for an excruciatingly long time, and wouldn’t let anything delay her. 
    “I do not think Jacob is in the proper condition right now,” Madison put in.
    “You can stay with him,” Laura said.  She thought Madison raised a questioning eyebrow in response, but it was gone as quickly as it came.  Perhaps she imagined it.  She was the one who was supposed to lead them, after all.  “Alexander, you will come with Logan and me.  Madison, you’ll stay here and make sure Jacob is alright.  How long do you think until he recovers?”
    “ Vassiz blood is strong,” Madison said with a grin.  “It’s nothing like human blood.  I’d say the effects of the alcohol will wear off completely in an hour.  Two, at worst.”
    “Good.  We should be back by then.”  She looked at Logan to see if he agreed with her estimate, and he gave her a confirmatory nod.  “If not, I don’t want you to go come for us.  Stay here.  If we’re not back before nightfall, you’ll know something is wrong.  I want you to take Jacob and get out of.”
    “I will not stand by while you let this rotten fool risk his life for you,” Madison said emphatically, with a glare at Alexander.  Despite the words, her tone held a tiny bit of… mirth.  “Neither will I run and hide should you find unexpected danger.  We are in this together Laura, and our wellbeing is our own responsibility, not yours.”  She shook her head.  “No, I will not leave with Jacob.  I will wait till nightfall as you want, but should you not return, we will both go after you.”
    “Do not be foolish,” Alexander began, but Madison rose right over him.
    “You would do the same for me, would you not?  There is no honor in cowering in the shadows.”
    “Fine,” Laura agreed quickly, not wanting to spark another of their congenial disagreements.  “You can go if we don’t return by nightfall.  But I doubt very much things will take that long.  Right?”
    “As long as we can get into the building,” Logan agreed, “we can get back out.  We’ll find what we need as soon as we’re through the front doors.  And if the repository turns out not to be there…”
    “Let’s not plan for that,” Laura said. 
    “Right.”  Logan grinned.  “After three weeks of searching, it’s hard to be anything but pessimistic, yet