Melanie's never actually frisked someone before, awake or in dreams, nor is she familiar with the standard methodology. Her only thoughts are that it has to be thorough and it has to be quick. And that she doesn't want to frighten him too much, though now that she's given him some warning, she figures that won't be an issue.

"Okay," she says. "Hold still." Then, with startling swiftness, she swarms over him like a squirrel, her body light enough not to unbalance him even as she scrambles up to his shoulders to check for any hidden weapons holsters up there. Finding none, she leaps off of him and returns to stand where she was before. The entire process is completed in the space of three seconds.

"All right," she says, a bit begrudgingly, as she peers up at him. "I guess you are."