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Steven laughed.

"Girls," he said, holding out his arms. "you always have me any time you want me."

The looks on our faces when we all glared back at him raised his eyebrows.

"Well, you heard our leader. I'm off to do a little extra." he said quickly and practically leaped off his chair and ran out the door.

"Talk about your disturbed people," Howard muttered. Then he turned on us, his face stern. "What's wrong with you? How many times do you have to be told that when you are performing, when you are on a stage, even in practice, you leave your real lives in the wings? If you're not able to do that, you won't make it. When they say the show must go on, they mean it," he declared. "This dressing down was certainly not necessary, especially for me. Unfortunately, I'm grouped in with the rest of you, and to tell you the truth. I'm totally embarrassed. Despite what she said, all of it will affect my career. too."

"What we certainly don't need at this moment is a lecture from Howard Rockwell." Cinnamon snapped back.

"No?" He stared for a moment and then sat back. "Maybe you're right. You won't benefit by it. I can see that." He rose and walked to the door before turning to add. "Tonight, girls."

"What?" I cried.

"We're going up tonight."

"And exactly how are we supposed to do that. Howard?" Cinnamon demanded. "We've told you about the window being locked.'

He smiled that now-familiar beam of arrogance that tightened all our stomachs.

"I remembered something you told me. Honey found that door in the costume room. remember? I went up on my own late last night and tried it. Well, Mess what. my little Geniuses? The key is right there in the door. We can get in that way."

He stopped grinning.

"We're going in, say about nine. Ms. Fairchild retires to do whatever it is she does with her narrow, limited little life, and Madame Senetsky. I've learned. has been invited to a cocktail party at the Guggenheim Museum. The coast, as they say in melodrama, is clear."

"Are you crazy?" Cinnamon asked him. "After what just happened, you want to risk her rage. too?"

"Precisely because of that." he replied coolly. "Wouldn't it have been nice to say something like, 'We've had a hard time sleeping with all that singing coming from above.' "

"But we don't hear that," I said. "At least, I don't." He smiled.

"Little Miss Honesty," he quipped. "Somehow. I doubt that would occur to her and be any sort of argument. Right. Cinnamon?"

She glared at him without speaking. "Right?" he insisted.

"I don't know," she muttered.

"Well. I do. Nine o'clock. Everyone quietly, without attracting Steven's attention if possible, meets at the foot of the stairway.

See you later. girls.-

He flashed a smile and was gone, "He's crazy," Rose muttered.

"As a fox," Cinnamon said. "We'll have to be there. If he went up without us, it could be worse. He might frighten Gerta. too,"

None of us could stop thinking about it the remainder of the day. One look at any of our faces could tell that, vet somehow we managed to do better in our classes and hold back our raging nerves and tension at dinner. At one point I thought Steven had caught on to something. Everything he suggested that he and Howard do. Howard rejected.

"What are you going to do. Howard?" he slammed back at him. "sit in your room and contemplate your navel all night?"

"I'm doing some reading, some very intense concentration, if you have to know. I'm not as fortunate as you are. Steven. My talent has to be nurtured. developed."

"Give me a break." He looked at us.

"Anyone here up for a game of Killer Spunk on my computer? I just got it day before yesterday. The graphics are incredible.

You're a killer. Cinnamon. What do you say? Up for the challenge?"