THE HUNT

CHAPTER-FIVE

"A little overwhelming the first time, isn't it?" Ben said.

Hell yes, it is. Her heart was pounding so loud she could barely hear herself think, and her palms had started to sweat. Transported to Oz, he said? Try transported to a gateway to the underworld.

She looked at Ben, calling on every ounce of self-control to keep her voice from jerking. To keep from disclosing how much her world had just tilted. "Is this real?"

"Kate. You okay?"

She smiled, "Yes. Absolutely." And just to prove the point, she stepped out of the elevator and took a deep breath. Since nobody with claws tried to assault her, she took another tentative step, then boldly looked around the lobby.

And the truth was, despite the bizarre appearance of some of the creatures occupying the space, the room had a familiar feel. The hustle and bustle of a police precinct at work. "Is this a central reception area?" She asked.

"Yes, but there's no public access. That's on sublevel five, which can be accessed from the main reception area we came through, or the secondary reception on PSI'S primary parking level." He shot her a wry look. "As you can imagine, a number of the creatures who work here or are brought in for questioning or detention would cause a bit of an uproar if they marched through the building's main lobby."

"Yeah, I can imagine," she said.

"Bottom line, nobody comes past the main reception area without an escort." He pointed to a long murky corridor. "Investigation is to the right. Detention Center is to the left. And security is accessed through sub-5.

"l didn't see a sub-5," she said.

"No. You wouldn't have." He looked at her." Increased security. You ready to continue or do you need a minute to gather your thoughts?"

She scanned the room, her mind processing. As crazy as this was, Wes had been right--this was one hell of a promotion. More than that, it promised never to be dull.

She looked at Ben. "Please, lead the way."

His brisk smile included a heavy dose of pride, and she was happy she hadn't hesitated. For the first time, she'd realized how much was riding on her insertion into this would. Ben clearly, had recommended her for the job. If she froze-up her failure would reflect badly on her former boss, as well as the entire DPD.

They moved swiftly through the lobby and underneath a wooden archway in which two Greek deities had been beautifully carved.

"We'll introduce you around later," Ben said. "But first, Murdock wants to see you."

She followed with a thousand questions whirling through her mind. Kate's frustration finally peaked and she wanted answers. "Ben, I need you too level with me. What was I hired for?"

"Exactly, what you've been trained for." He flashed a badge at the security desk. A pair of steel doors swung open, revealing a hall that could have been in a traditional downtown bureau. Doors to one side, cubicles for support personnel to the other side. She peeked inside one of the cubicles and caught a glimpse of cornflower blue skin.

She definitely, wasn't in Kansas anymore.

They'd finally reached a corner office. Ben knocked. And Kate held her breath wondering what waited for the two of them on the inside.

"Enter." The voice was deep, sharp but sounded human.

When Ben pushed open the door and they stepped inside Kate saw that the man looked just as human as he sounded. And Kate estimated the salt and pepper Hulk-size man to be in his fifties. And Ray Murdock exuded the air in the room of a prominent lawman.