Koven saw a man break from the edge of the ring and lurch across toward Bruschloss. Chemin stopped her dance, collapsing to her knees. One of Bruschloss' men shot the first attacker, but by then the crowd had broken, and men boiled forward, and Koven heard The Hog's scream as a sea of writhing backs and arms and legs closed over him. The sounds were gruesome.
Koven turned and raced up the long street to Spotwood's house. The seemingly careless agent reeled in moments later, to hear Koven finishing at the communicator set: "... that's right, two Control squads. And for God's sake make it within twenty minutes, before they decide to massacre us." He threw down a switch and swung around on the stool, grinning lopsidedly. Down the long avenue echoed screams, and an angry mob shouting.
"Bang! Like that!" Spotwood breathed. "What the hell happened?"
Koven sketched it quickly.
"You knew," Spotwood said in astonishment, pointing to the table, "because of that book you happened to read?"
Koven nodded. "The arts no longer convey meaning, but the ruler of Maru managed to put it back in. Something you didn't look for. Something I wouldn't have looked for ... if I hadn't stopped at a Vendobook."
"You think they'll come after us?" Spotwood asked.
Koven glanced out the window. At the street's end, pieces of something meaty and red had been hoisted up by the crowd on long, sharp poles. They glistened in the flaring light.
"They may. They're in a wild mood. Once Control takes over, though, the attacks will be a thing of the past. But until then...."