Jay looked up. Kevin Ilaria spun around. "What?"
"Never trust old friends, Kevin. Colonel Di Orio didn't. He surprised us in the Radio Room and we were forced to put him out of the way. Also remember this: all members of the Liberacione carry gamma pistols."
Rinaldi pulled out his gamma gun and shot Ilaria through the middle.
Jay was horrified. He forgot where he was and when he was and what he was doing. All he knew was that there was a cyanide gun at his hip and that this man had shot Ilaria. His gun came up and sputtered.
The pellet caught Rinaldi just under the chin and burst. Rinaldi collapsed.
"Had a—gamma gun—not ... deadly. Slow-acting ... radio-activity. Hardly ... burned me. Come on—we've got to ... get back to the—Time building."
"Oh, no we won't. You're hurt. We—"
"Don't argue. Sergeant! Saaarguunt!" Ilaria gasped at the exertion of shouting. The Centurion ran in.
"We've got to—get to the—Time building."
"Rinaldi shot the Tribune. Rinaldi was a traitor," Jay explained rapidly.