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Cady steps out into the hallway and gropes at the doorframe panel with her hand behind her back until the door slides closed and then she grins at the other girls. "Who wants to go dancing?"
"Dancing?" Triss grips her vest. "You mean, in front of other people?"
Deline matches Cady's grin. "Are you talking about the nightclub?"
"They won't let you in unless you're a member." Lyra's hair bobs as she looks away. "They wouldn't even let me in."
Deline's knuckles bump against her hips as she stands triumphantly and beams at Cady. "That's where you're wrong!"
"Ren has a-" Cady glances at the floor. "A friend who works there."
Before anyone can respond, Lyra is already leaving. "Come on!"
"Wait for us!" Deline giggles.
Cady and Triss follow Deline with Lyra leading them away from the academy. As they walk toward a building Cady looks up the alley behind it.
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Isn't this the place Ren was trying to break into?
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As soon as the door slides open Cady hears the pulsating beat of loud music but then she realizes a tan-furred wolfman with bulging red eyes is glaring at her.
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A Shistavanen! Even if he doesn't have any Force points, that's one of the "naturally dangerous" races! I guess he's the guard dog?
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"This place is members only." His snout wrinkles as he looks at the other girls. "Come back when you're-"
"It's alright, Nazar." Koe bumps against his arm. "They're on the guest list."
Nazar crosses his arms and sniffs. "Alright. Now get back to work."
Koe flashes a quick smile at Cady and the other girls and disappears into the crowd. Lyra pushes her way through until they reach an empty spot.
Triss leans in and shouts "Is it always this loud?"
"Yeah!" Lyra squeals happily, but then she stops and looks at Deline. "What's wrong?"
Deline points toward a greasy-skinned slugman with two mouths at the edge of the crowd. "I think that Ithorian has a bounty on his head for smuggling!"
"No working!" Lyra looks over her shoulder as she dances by herself. "We're here to have fun!"
"What's his name?" Triss asks Deline. Cady answers before she realizes what she's doing.
"Nok Nujok."
"Are you sure?" Deline's eyes widen as Cady nods. "That's him!"
All four of them turn to where the Ithorian has already disappeared.
Lyra grabs Cady's arm. "Come on, you know how to dance, right?"
(She has no idea how to dance.)
An hour later, the four of them have found a padded booth to recuperate. Triss leans in and shouts "This is fun!" Deline and Lyra nod and grin but then Deline frowns. When Cady looks behind the back of their booth she sees Nok Nujok's nametag appear and disappear as he weaves through the crowd toward a door near the back of the room.
Deline puts her hands on the table and starts to stand up when Cady puts one hand on the other girl's arm.
"You three wait here. Um..." Cady is still watching Nok's nametag. "In case he tries to run."
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I don't want any of them to set a flag here because they might get the pet instead!
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