I was an idiot, he thought. Greed and arrogance led me to places where no man is supposed to go. I thought I was different. How wrong I was.

He rubbed the amulet that dangled over his breast. Justina had sworn that it was a sovereign protection against evil when she had given it to him before his last voyage. Somehow he still found the feel of it reassuring, although so far it had proven less effective protection against the voices than the booze and the golconda. At least when he stunned himself with those he could sleep without the dreams.

Perhaps he should simply hand himself over to the Inquisition, as he was supposed to. When he had started hearing voices and seeing things he had known he should, but he had not. That would have been the end. 'Who were they asking about me, Weezel?'

Weezel looked down at the table. He seemed a little embarrassed. He began to draw small circles on the ceramite tabletop with his long bitten-nailed index finger. Slug trails of moisture from the wine Janus had spilled earlier followed his finger. 'Lots of people: Blind Bob, Murray the Skink, Old Elisa…'

Suddenly it occurred to Janus exactly how Weezel knew people were looking for him, and just how he could give such an accurate description. 'You?'

Weezel's face became a picture of outraged innocence, so outraged in fact that Janus knew at once he was lying. 'Me, captain? I told them nothing.'

'But they asked you?' He could tell that Weez was considering denying it, measuring his chances of being believed and coming to the correct conclusion.

'Aye.'

'And you didn't mention this place?'

'No, captain. Why would I do such a thing? You're an old friend of mine.'

'And they wouldn't be outside right now, waiting for you to finger me to them, or lead me out?'

'Emperor forbid, captain! May he and all his primarchs strike me down if I did such a thing.'

'Weezel - they wouldn't have to. I would do it before the Emperor could even lift himself out of his golden throne.'

'There's no need to be blasphemous, captain, nor take that high-handed tone either. I never led them nowhere. I never told them nothing.'

'That's a double negative, Weezel.'

'What do you mean by that, captain?'

'Never mind. I doubt grammar was ever your strong suit.'

'My grandma was as strong as an ox.'

'Where did these strangers go, after they left Blind Bob's?'

'Don't know, captain. I came straight here to warn you.'

'Any chance they followed you?'

'No man can follow me through the Warrens when I doesn't want to be followed.'

That was probably true, Janus thought. Weezel was as slippery a customer as they came. Too slippery by half.

The bargirl set a glass of doomberry juice in front of Weezel and looked at Janus. He flipped her a silver terce. 'That's for you. Put the drink on my tab.'

The girl smiled at him. She was indeed very pretty, Janus thought, then decided he'd better not show too much interest. Bad for him and bad for the girl if Justina found out. She was getting to be a surprisingly possessive woman, all things considered.