Dealingwiththeuntalentedtookheroicefforts,Boristhought.Ontheotherhand,didhereallywanteveryonetohaveparanormalabilities?
Oratleastsomeminorparanormalquirk,sothattherewouldbelessha.s.sle?b.u.t.thatgaverisetoenvyenvyofsomeonemoreTalentedthanoneself,whichonlyincreaseddissensionandprejudice.No,farbettertohaveasmallminority,dedicatedanddisciplinedtoperformfunctionsthatthemindnumbcouldnot.Andallofthepeculiarandunusualquirksregistered!
Sir?Loufanpaused.Iremovedthestrandfromthescalp,asitinterferedwiththereadingandiscertainlyirrelevant.ThesubjectisaEurasianethnicmix,preadolescentfemale.Goodstronggenoprint,goodimmunefactors,healthy,unusuallyso.Thetechniciansoundedsurprised.LinearGsubsistencefarewasnutritionallyadequate,ofcourse,butifthechildwasillegal,asBorissuspected,howhadshemanagedtobehealthy?Andthere"snomatchofbirthID.
Boris:Didyoureallyexpecttofndone?
Loufan:Yes,sir.
ItwasBoris"sturntobesurprised.
Loufan:Shecouldhavebeenarunawayorakidnap.
Boris:Okay.Filethedata,Loufan,andgivethehairtoBertha.Askherinyourineffablypolitestyleifthisartifactsparksanythingoffinhermind?
MomentslaterBerthacamestormingbacktohim."Oh,thepoorthing!
Hairtornrightoutofherscalp!Commish,whodidit?"
"PossiblyBulbar.Senseanything?"
Berthapressedthelockagainstheramplebosom,closedhereyes,andconcentrated."Notathing,but.i.t"sthereinmymindnow."Shegrimacedinsuddenrevulsionandthrust.i.tbacktohim."Takeitaway!"
Saschainterceptedthelock."Black,goodlength,"hemurmured"Someofthosewomennevercuttheirhair.Healthy,andmuchcleanerthanyou"dexpect.Shouldn"tbetoohardtofindajuvenilewithahunktornoutofherscalp."
"I"dratheryougiveittoCarmen,"Boristoldhim.Ranjitthinksquiteafewoftheolderillegalkidseludedthesearchteams,headded.Couldshebeoneofthem?Shemightleadustotherest.
CarmenSteinlaidthelockacrossherthighsandstrokeditflat,usingherlongfingernailstoseparatethetangledhairs.Forseveralmoreminutesshefingeredthem,softlycoaxingasenseoftheirgrower"swhereabouts.CarmenalwayslookedsoplacidandimperturbablewhenshewasevokingherTalentasfinder.Betterthanmost,Saschaknewjusthowmuchactivityherbrainwasgeneratingatsuchmoments.Shewasoneofthebestsearchershehadeverencounteredand,becauseherTalentwasintenseandexhausting,heprotectedherasmuchashecould,limitinghera.s.signments.
"Theincidentoccurredhowlongago?"sheaskedwithouttakinghereyesfromthehair.
"Approximatelysixtytwominutes."
"Ah,sheishiding.Thataccountsforthedarkness.Icannotseewhere.Thereisnolight.Aconstricteds.p.a.ce."
"Aconduit?"
"That"spossible."Carmensoundeddubious."Ithinkshesleeps."
"That"sacoolone."
"No,"Carmensaid,takinghimliterally."Notcool.Tired."Sheofferedhimthehair.
"No,keepit,Carmen,fornow.We"llneedtoknowifshemoves."
CalmlyCarmenleanedforward,tookaclipfromthebrightlyenameledjaronthetable,andfastenedthetress,thescalpendnowcoatedwithaprotectivefilm,highontherightsideofherhead.
SaschahadrelayedCarmen"scommentstoBoris.
Aconduit,bub?There"ssofewofthoseinaLinear.TheLEOCommissioner"smentaltonewasfacetious.We"reflushingkidsoutofeveryavailables.p.a.ce.Ihatethis,Sascha,Ihateit.Saschasentquicksoothingthoughtstoeasetheturmoilinhisbrother"smind,butBoriswenton.Themiracleoflifeshouldbeablessing,notacurse.
Howcanpeoplebesoirresponsibleastoproducecountlessunwantedchildrenandwastethem?
Evenillegalkidshaverights,Sascharesponded,gentlyquotinghisbrotherhisownwords.Seethateventheleastofthemgetthatmuch.
Illegalsgotothes.p.a.cestation.Borissoundeddefeated.
Theydon"tgoasgruntsThey"retrainedtodosomethingalotmoreconstructivethantheirparentseverdid.Leaveit,brother.
Iscratchyourback,Bro,notyournose,Borissaidwryly.Now,I"mputtinginanappearancetoscaresomesenseoutofthoseflippingfocusfemales!
Noonebetter.Bytheway,whenyouhaveasparemoment,listentoanewsupdate.Thenyou"llknowwhywetwistedyourarmwithaGandH.
IcongratulatethetriumphIsenseinyourmind,butI"llhavetowaitonareplayoftheevent,Borissaidasheenteredtherehearsalhall,thinkingwhatascarcecommoditytimewasrightthen.
Hecrossedthethreshold,a.s.suminghismostaweinspiringofficialmanner.Tall,handsome,thestrengthinhispowerfulframeshownoffevenbythebulkyactionuniform,hesucceededinscaringthegaggleofwomensilent,asilencethatdidnotlasttoolong,thoughtherenewedburstsofargumentativecrosstalkwereconsiderablysubdued.
Ijustgotsomething,Commissioner,Ranjittoldhim.Aflashfromthewomanfourthontheleft,theplumpyoungonewiththecastemark.
"It"sallTirla"sfault."Tirlais,Ithink,afemininename.
"Translateforme,Lieutenant,"Borissaid,stridingimperiouslyinfrontofthewomen,histonehaughty."IamLEOCommissionerBorisRoznine.Whereisthegirlchildyouhadwithyouthisevening?"
Borishadnotroublepickingupthereactionsofresentment,envy,anger,dismay,andfearashegaveRanjittimeenoughtorepeathiswordsinthevariouslanguages.ThewomenhadhadtimetorealizethattheywereindeeptroublewithAuthority.Severalhadvividworriesabouttheirchildren,lefttoolongaloneintheirsquats.Othersconcentratedonnursingtheirsenseofgrievance.HecaughtoccasionalvariationsonthephraseRanjithadtwigged,butnooneelsevolunteeredaname."Itwasallherfault."Theycontentedthemselveswithimpersonalmalice.
"Letmerea.s.sureyouthatthechildreninyourhomesarebeingcaredforuntilyoucanreturntothem,"hesaid,smilingkindly.
Astheimportofhissentencewasunderstoodbyeachgroup,thewailing,breastbeating,andpullingofhairbegan,andmorerecriminationswerespewed.Boriswaswellawareoffury,loss,resignation,andreliefinonecase,buthecouldnotunderstandanyactuallinguisticsusedinthevariedemotionalreactions.
Ranjit:ThisBilalasaysthat.i.tisallherfaultforresistingtheLama"schoosing.Ranjitwasrestrainingtheplumpcastemarkedviragofromrushingatthehaughty,hawknosedolderwomanontheothersideoftheroom.ShesaysMirdaKhanbroughtallthisonherselfMirdaKhanrepliesthatah,thenameagain,Tirlawouldnothavebeenabletotranslateforanyofthemuponthestage.Shehaddonelittleenoughtoearnbaksheesh,atip.
Boris:Lieutenant,askthemwhoisTirla"smother.
Thequestionshutthewomenupandbrieflycloseddowntheirmentalperturbations.Thentheyalllaunchedintopersonallamentationsagain.Theanswerwasalsoquick.NoneofthemwasTirla"smother,andwithoutexception,justasBorishadhoped,everyoneofthemflashedaquickmentalimageofthegirlinquestion.
Got.i.t,RanjitandNormatoldhiminunison.
AsIdid.Withagesturetosignifythatthewomencouldbeprocessedorreleasedastheirconditionwarranted,theLEOcommissionerhurriedbacktotheIncidentRoom.
Loufanawaitedhimthereinfrontofthegraphicspad,stylusready.
Forthissortoftransference,Borisgraspedthetechnician"sthinshoulderandconcentratedonthevividimageoftheTirlachild.
Loufansketchedquickly,capturinginafewcleverlinestheintensefacerememberedbymostinitspanicatbeingstrandedthewideset,slightlytiltedhugedarkeyesaboveprominentcheekbones,theabundantwavingdarkhairframingit,thefinestraightnose,thesmallcautiousmouth,thelongsweepofadeterminedjawline,theoddcleftinthechin.Acharmingface,ifonediscountedthefright,intelligentdespitethefear.Tirlalookednomorethaneightornine,butsomewispofthoughtfromthefatoldwomansuggestedthatshewasolder.Thewoman"smemoryofherwentbackquiteafewyears.
"Isthather?"Loufanasked,transferringthesketchtothescreen.
TheLEOcommissionerallowedhimself.a.goodlonglook,matchingtheimageonthescreentotheconsensusinthemindsoftwentywomen.
"Yes,that"sit.Print.i.t,circulateittoallofficersandTalents.
Ithinkweshouldfindthatchild.Ca.s.smightberightaboutlatentTalent.AndifFlimflamwasafterher,theremaybemoretoherthanwerealize.IalsoneedtofileanintelligentreasonwhyaRIGd.a.m.nednearturnedintoafullscaleriot,andshejustmightprovidetheanswer,"heconcluded.Sascha,couldsomeonebeaninstantaneoustranslator?
Saschaconsideredthat.I"dsaythatshedisplayedmorethanamerelanguagefacilityquitepossiblyTalent.Anyonewhocouldtranslatetendifferentlanguagesa.s.sheapparentlycouldwouldbevaluabletoeitherorbothofus.Hegrinnedathisbrother.Firstwe"llhaveto.findher.Thenwecanevaluateherabilities.
Tirla!
Tirlawokesuddenly,joltedoutofherexhaustedsleepbysomeonecallinghernamesoftlyandappealingly.Tirladidnotmove,orsomuchasopenhereyes.
Cleverlittletrinket,isn"tshe?Callheragain.
Won"twork,Boris.She"salertnoIthadtohavebeenpartofadream.
Sheoftendreamedthatsheheardhermothercallinghername.Ithadtobeadream,becausenoonecouldknowwhereshewas,despiteLEOssearchingthemainconduitsandsendingdroneunitsdownthesmallerones.Onherwayhomefromthedebacleofthemeeting,shehadescapedalltypesofearnesthunters.Shehadseenthenumbersofchildrenbeingflushedfromhideyholes.
Herhunchaboutthemeetinghadbeencorrect.Ithadservedasanexcusetosweepdownonthepads,collectillegalchildren,andcheckallID"s.Noone,absolutelynoone,hadeverknownwhereshesquatted.Shedidnoteventhinktoherselfwhereshewas.
Andnoonewaslikelytodiscoverhereveninthisintensivesearch.
Somewhatrea.s.sured,Tirlanestledbackintothewarmthofhersleepsack.Suddenlysheheardnoisesnearbyandfroze.Sheheardthedoorsintotheclosedsectionbeingopened.Thissearchwasunusuallythorough.Notevenshehadbeenabletogetintotheengineerings.p.a.ce,andyet.i.twasbeingchecked.
NotevenYa.s.sim"smencouldfindher,andtheyknewalltheducksanddodgesthatanysubbiehadeverfiguredout.ShehadbeensoluckynottobecaughtbyBulbar.Hewaswickeddangerous.Herheadstillthrobbedwherethehairhadbeentornaway.
Shehaddabbedonsomediswipe.Bulbarcouldhavebeencarryinganykindof"munetoinfecther,scabbyoldscuz.
HerproblemwithYa.s.simremained.Shehadnotwashedthetieds.Howwouldheexpecthertowhenhe,andeverytrader,hadbeenluckytoescapethebust?Notthathetookexcuses.WhatawfullucktobesingledoutbytheLamashaman!Whichofthewomenhadhereallybeenafter?Andwhy?ItmadenosensetoTirla.Noneofthemwasprettyoryoung,orevenonthelaynotwiththeirhusbands!
Thenoiseofsearchwasdiminishing,andcarefullyTirlareachedunerringlyforthewaterjugandfoodthatshekeptforsuchemergencies.Chewingthedryeatmadeterriblenoisesinherhead.Shehadheardaboutthewiderangeultrasensitivegearthatwa.s.saidtopickupbreathinginaradiusoffiveklicks,b.u.t.thereshouldbeenoughminornoisesfromthegeneratorsandairconditioningunitstomaskherchewing,andshewasterriblyhungry.Finally,thirstandhungera.s.suaged,Tirlasnuggleddeeperintohersackandwenttosleepagain.
"Takeabreak,Carmen,"Saschatoldthefinder."Shewon"tventureoutuntilnight.Ifthen."
Carmenrubbeddelicatelyathertemplesandsighed."You"reright.
I"llrest.She"sunusual,isn"tshe,Sascha?"
"Webelieveso,evenifwedon"tknowspecificallywhy."
Carmenregardedhimwithsomesurprise."It"salovelyclearmind.
Likeabellwhenshe"sasleep.She"swaryandcautiousawake,thatone.
Icantouchherbutnotreadher.Andwithherinthedarkness,Ican"tevenhelpyouhomeinonher."
"She"llcomeoutingoodtime."
CarmenshotalookthatsuggestedthatSaschaRozninemightthisoncebewrong.Hegrinnedandwinkedasheturnedtoleaveherquarters.
"Frankly,Sascha,we"veruneverythingwegotonthepeopleFlimflamfingeredforYa.s.sim,"BorisRozninesaid,tossingasheafofhardcopyontothedesktop,"andwecan"tfindacommondenominator.They"remostlyablebodies,doingenoughworktokeepawayfromConscriptiveWorkServices,onlyminormisdemeanorsontheirsheets,noneof"emknowntogambleordip."
Saschasmiledknowinglyandfelthisbrotherpokeathismind,buthekepthisshieldinplace.HecoulddothattoBoris,whereasBoriscouldnotkeephimoutatall."You"vehadahardthirtyhours,soI"lltellyou.Theywereallfathers."
"What?"BloodsuffusedBoris"sface.
"FlimflamhadaccessedordinaryinfoonresidentsoftheLinear.Mindyou,itwa.s.sosimplewedidn"tseeitatfirst.Bertha"ssensitivetofemalesandchildren,Auertotheblackersideoflife."
Borisscrubbedathishead."Sometimesitisthesimplethingswemiss.SoFlimflamwasfingeringfatherswithlikelyyoungstersandthegirlwasabonus?"
"Iguess,andwe"restillinthedarkabouther,"Saschaaddedawareofhisbrother"snextquery."Carmen"slatched,b.u.t.thegirl"scautiousandhasn"tmovedsinceshewenttoground."
"Scared?"
"Strangelyenough,no.I"dhazardthatshe"shadtokeepalowprofilebefore.She"sapreteenandillegal."
"Thatwillsharpenthesenses."
"How"reyoudoingwithYa.s.sim"soperation?"
Wefigurehepickedupatleastnineteenchildren,maybeafewmore."
Borisgrimaced.WecollectedeighthundredandthreeillegalkidsfromLinearG.IfwhatHarvbelievesispossiblethateveryoneoftherelatedmothershasbeenhavingakidayearwe"reminusapossibleforty.Welocatedeighteenofthatfortyinastoragebas.e.m.e.nt,b.u.t.they"vegottheentryjammed.We"reworkingonit."Borisshookhishead."Theyreallywillbebetteroffinhostels."
"Andins.p.a.ce?"Saschaaskedwryly.
"Evenins.p.a.cetheyhaveabetterchancethanstalematedinaLinear."
"b.u.t.theywon"tbeabletoreproducethemselves."Saschahadneverapprovedofthelawthatrequiredthesterilizationofillegaloffspring.
Borisraisedhishandsinresignation."Idon"tmakethelawsSascha.
Ionlyenforcethem."Thenheleanedforwardandtappedupanewprogramonhisbigscreen."Allright.Now,wehavetofindYa.s.simInhiswarrenandsavenineteenkidsormorefromhim.
""She"smoved,Sascha,"Carmensaid,hertonehalftriumphant,halfanxious.
Saschaconsultedhiswatch."Thistimeofday?"
"Linearwillbecrowdedwiththosecomingoffwork."
"Keepascloseasyoucantoher."
"It"sverydifficult,Sascha.It"salmostasifsheisn"tseeingthethingsshe"slookingat.Ican"tgetarealfix,exceptthattherearepeopleallaroundher.Wait!She"sstopped.No,that"snogood.AllIgetisama.s.sofstandardissueclothing.She"sstillinacrowd."
"I"mintouchwithourteamsonthemainlevelsofG.Justgiveusadirection,Carmen.Anydirection."Alerttoourquarry!headdedinamentalcalltoCa.s.sandSuz.
Tirlawasrelievedthat.i.thadbeenMirdaKhanshefirstcameacross.
Mirdawasfullofthewholeaffair,herblackeyessnappingwithindignationandacertainslymalicethatshehadnotsufferedatthehandsofthePublicHealthithadbeenalongtimesinceherwombhadbornefruit.Butshehadthegracetomournherfriends"losses...o...b..ththeirexistingchildrenandtheirhopeofmore.
"Theywillseehowharditisforthoseofuswhohavenochildrentosell."