The House That Jack Built by Robert Asprin & Linda Evans

Bull caught Kit’s eye and waved him over. “Kit, I need someone to hustle downstairs to the weapons ranges and open up the arsenals, Ann’s and Sven’s, both. We don’t have enough arms for our security officers. And I want a couple dozen Found Ones deputized as security to search the subbasements. You know the Found Ones, and they trust you. Give ’em weapons from Sven’s lockers, they’ll know how to use bladed weapons. And if we had some clubs . . .”

“What about those 1880’s style baseball and cricket bats the outfitters stock?”

“Good idea. Get ’em. Every Ripper cult on station has gone nuts, killing women. We need all the help we can get, stopping this mess.”

“I’ll organize the men in the Found Ones, put together sweep teams.”

“Make damned sure the women stay out of harm’s way. Especially the dark-haired, petite ones, who look like Dr. Feroz.”

“Has anyone seen her?”

Bull twitched the unlit cigar to the other side of his mouth. “She’s back with Ronnie, right now, telling us what she knows about this maniac. If he wasn’t totally insane before he got here, chances are, he is now. Even the most balanced down-timers go a little bit nuts when they first arrive on station.”

The coldness in the pit of Kit’s belly deepened. At least the Ripperologist was safe.

“Kit, why don’t you join the briefing Dr. Feroz is giving our sweep teams before you organize the Found Ones. You can pass along what she has to say. The briefing is back in Mike’s office.”

Kit found Shahdi Feroz speaking tersely to a group of security officers, Pest Control units, and BATF. Even the I.T.C.H. agents had put in appearance, listening intently and recording notes of their own.