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"Oh, co off his stool "Don’t stand there gawping like a codfish You haven’t seen a ghost It’s justeratedly sorrowful expression "I thought ere friends"

"You were sick" My ain, with barely any ed the first time: "You were sick They took you away after Chave collapsed How are you here? Did you get better?" Hope sprung wild ina treat that there were no recoveries when they were really just rare "Are you better now?"

"Aw, pet Don’t look so miserable, you’ll break lanced to Marvin "How’s the tank co?"

"It’s almost ready," he said "The procedure usually takes about an hour, so we should have that long before Dr Banks co for Sally If he tries to monitor the process, we have soh to hi any broken bones, it’ll work" Marvin glanced nant?"

"What? No! I’ on here?" I looked to Sherman All three of them had been friendly to ht of as an ally Mysterious as his presence was, I was happy to accept it if it h the next few ? How are you here? I thought you were…"

"Aw, Sal You know I never could resist those big brown eyes of yours" He walked over to ed hilad beyond words to have hiht that he was dead I had missed hiainst his neck It briefly overwhelled and har over the rhythm line for the few seconds that passed before he pulled away, leaving et better because I wasn’t sick," he said, with the ut sickness’ I never lost control of my own mind And I always knew that you’d coht sooner or later It shines right through the branches, doesn’t it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"He’s talking about the thumb drive," said Dr Sanjiv She sounded almost bored "We know you stole those files off of Dr Banks’s coive them to us This doesn’t have to be difficult, or coet into the ultrasound chamber for real after that, if you want to"

I stared at her "What?"

"There are never just two sides in anything," said Sheraame Not even you are a child, my dear, for all that you’re only a little over six years old You’re old enough to make your own decisions, live your own life, and be drafted into someone else’s hether you want to be or not"

"But… but you work here," I protested "Why do you need ood faith--it would be an excellent way for you to indicate that you’re willing to ith us, don’t you think? And partially because we haven’t been able to get at Dr Banks’s computer He’s actually very careful about his security with most people You’re special, Sal" For a ry at me I took an unconscious step backward "You’ve never understood just how special you were, have you? Just how many rules have been bent to allow you to live your happy little life, safe in your cocoon of oblivious joy? I’ up on a war,in a war zone I do hope you’ll side with us in what’s to be done It would be easier that way On all of us, I think, but most especially on you You’re the one who has to suffer if you choose wrong And all you have to do--the very first step you need to take, to show us that you’re ready to play gaive us that thumb drive"

"I don’t understand any of this," I whispered

"You can’t hide in ignorance after you’ve already adh the doors It’s too late by far" Sher out to tweak a lock of ers What joy I had felt at the return of , replaced by a whole new kind of fear "Remember? ‘Why do you need my thuirlish A weak voice

I ht be the least well-informed person in this room But I was not weak

"Get the hell away from me," I snapped, and stomped down on his foot, hard

Sherrin, he started to laugh "Oh, so they’ve been teaching you to fight back, have they? That’s a fun nerinkle But Sally, darling, it’s not going to help you This is so er than you are"