She had just thanked him? For the first time since she had arrived, Khan seemed genuinely at a loss. Nobody ever thanked him, for anything, and he never expected it to happen. After wasting a good three seconds giving her a flummoxed look, Khan decided to stop thinking about it and get back to business. "Fifteen seconds."

He tightened his grip experimentally, getting a feel for the physical resilience of her body, and made small adjustments to the angle of his hold. Yes, practical matters were much better to think about. "We won't run into anyone and we have more than enough time. Our only obstacle will be the walls themselves."