"Christonacrutch!HowcouldwebesoarrogantastobelievewecouldprotectthemwithanIDbracelet!"Saschademandedexplosively,stalkingaroundwhatfreefloors.p.a.cetherewas."WhyonEarthdidn"twethinktostrandthem?"Hepoundedonefistintotheotherhand.
"We"vewalltowallTalents,"hesaid,gesturingalmostscornfullyatthevariousteamscl.u.s.teredaboutmonitorsorswiftlyfeedingprogramsintothemainframe."Wherecouldtheyhavegotto?Thatmanybodiesaretoohardtohide.Thekidshavetobefed.Theycan"thavebeenwhiskedofftotheir"Saschacouldnotfindtheappropriatenounandgrimaced."Wherever.Borisinitiatedtransportsurveillancewithinminutes.Dammit,thesubwaysandcargorouteshavebeenwiredsincetheincidentinG."
Sascha,easeup,Doroteatoldhim,herwarningaverynarrowquietthought.Rhyssa"sfeelingguiltyenoughasitis...
Sascha:AndyouthinkIfeelnonefornotstrandingTirla,forencouraginghertogototheb.l.o.o.d.ymall?Tothatunmentionableb.l.o.o.d.yconfectioneryparlor?Sascha"sresponsewasloadedwithderision.
She"d"vebeenb.l.o.o.d.ysaferifIhadletBorisuseherforbait!
Dorotea:StopcastigatingyourselfSascha.Tirla"sbeensafelyinandoutofthemallandtheparlorforweeksnow.
Rhyssa,brokenly:Peter"sworkedsobard...Whatcouldhavepossessedhimtotakesucharisk?
Dorotea:Heisjustaboy,forallhispower.Don"tworry,we"llhear.
Theleastwhisper,andwe"llhearthem.Dorotea"smindcastrestlesslyforatraceofTirla"s.Afternearlyfiveweeksofproximitywiththegirl,sheshouldbeabletospotherconsciousness.
MAYALLYOURORIFICESBECLOGGEDWITHCAMELDUNG,YOURBELLYETERNALLYFULLOFVOMIT!MAYYOURTONGUEROTANDYOURTEETHFALLOUTANDYOURGUMSSWELLWITHBOILS!MAYYOURLIVERROTANDYOURBLADDERDRYUPANDYOURGLANDSSHRIVELANDPUTREFY!.
"GoodG.o.d!"Doroteawasjoltedtoherfeet."Didyouallhearthat?
Itwasloudenough!"
"Peterdoesn"tknowthatkindoflanguage!"Rhyssasaid,withaslightgrin.
"Tirlawould,"Saschareplied,beamingfromeartoear."Pungent,isn"tshe?d.a.m.n,where"sshegotto?Ican"thearheranymore."
"Well,Ican,andshe"sstillinfineform,"Doroteasaid."Neitherofyouhearhernow?Shecancertainlybroadcastwhenshe"sofamindto."Sheheldupherhand,listening,everymuscletaut.Doroteahere,Tirla.Canyoubearme?Dorotea"smentaltonewastranquilandrea.s.suring.
Tirla:Dorotea?Whereareyou?
Dorotea:Moretothepoint,whereareyou?"Canyouhearhernow,Sascha,Rhyssa?"sheasked.TwobriefheadshakesconfirmedDoroteaastheprimarycontact.Shefeltthelight,firmmentaltouchesofRhyssaandSascha,listeningin.
Tirla,savagely:Youtellme.Ican"tseeathing.Ican"tfeelathing.Icansmell,andthestenchisworsethanthebottomlevelofafactorybilge.Couldn"tyouguystrackme?
No,wecouldn"t,Tirla.YourbraceletswerediscardedrightatthemallwhenyouandPeterweretaken.IsPeternearby?SaschahadmotionedCarmenover,butCarmenkeptshakingherheadathercontinuedinabilitytofindTirla.Canyourememberwhathappened?Doroteawenton.
Tirla"sdisgustwasobvious.Ican"trememberanything.PeterandIfinishedthenewspectaculartheyjustaddedtothemenu.HepaidforithimselfSaiditwashistreatthistime"causehe"djusthadavacation.WelefttheParlorandwerewalkingtowardthesubwaywhensomethingcoveredmyface,andIdon"trememberathingmore.Awfulstuff.Sweetickysmell.HowcomeIcantalktoyouallofasudden?
Sometimesit"sacaseofneedto,Tirla,Doroteasaid,puttingasmileofapprovalintohermentaltone.
Youneededmeto?Tirlaasked.OrIneededyoutobearme?Peter?
Peter,answerme!DoroteacaughttheconflictingemotionsinTirla"squestion,butsuchcompet.i.tivenesswasnotabadsign.
YouandPeterwerenottheonlytwotakentoday.Ca.s.sandSuzreportedthatanumbermusthavebeentakenfromE,aswell.Averywellorganizedaffair.That"swhyanythingyoucantelluswillhelp,Tirla.Anything,nomatterbowtrivial.
Peter"snotansweringmeinhere.Maybebe"sjustnotawakeyet.Mystomach"ssour.Ishouldn"t"vebadthatspectacular.Peter?
Peeeeter!
Doroteaspokegently.Don"tpanic,Tirla.Peterwillwakeupsoonenoughifbewasga.s.sedthesametimeasyouwere.We"reveryrelievedtohearfromyou,believeme.
Tirla,mildlysurprised:Idobelieveyou.Youcan"tlieinyourmind,canyou?
Nottome,youcan"t,Doroteareplied,gesturingimperiouslyforRhyssaandSaschatostoptryingtoinsinuatequestionsintoherhead.
Tirla"svoicewasclearbut,afterthefirstburstofpsychicoutrage,neithera.s.strongnorasloud.Shecouldnotrisklosingthelink.
Now,tellmewhatyoucanaboutyoursurroundings.
Theystink!
We"vealreadyestablishedthat.Whatof?Besides,Ia.s.sume,theunpleasantbodilydischargesoffrightenedchildren.Whatcanyouhear?
Tirla,disgusted:Alotofcrying.
Eventhattellsmesomething,Tirla.Canyouisolatetheindividualcryingenoughtoestimatehowmanychildrenarearoundyou?
DoroteacouldsenseTirla"sconcentrationanddidnotinterrupt.
Tirla:Ithinkthere"salotofkids.There"ssurealotofcryingandmoaning,andsomeone"shiccuping.Allaroundme,allsides,above,butnonebelow.Why"dtheyblindfoldusandtieusdownlikethis?Mostofthesekidswouldn"teventrytoescape.
Dorotea:Ya.s.simlostalltheGchildren,didn"tbe?Ithinkthat,unfortunately,thatcausedhimtochangehistactics.He"snowemployingadisorientationtechnique,sensorydeprivation,toreducethechildrentocompliancewhentheyarereleased.You"renotafraid,areyou?
Tirla,candidly:Idon"tlikeit,butI"mnotscared.I"mmadHertonestrengthened.Imissedmymathcla.s.s.
Doroteabrokeintorelievedlaughter.AnangryTirlawouldbefarmoreusefulthanafrightenedone.Saschamanagedarelievedchuckle,andthetensioninRhyssa"sstanceeased.
Dorotea:Staymad,Tirla.Angercanbeavaluablea.s.set.NowwhatIwantyoutodoistryandcalmthechildren.Getthemtotellyoutheirnamesand,ifpossible,wheretheycamefrom.EandRwerenottheonlyLinearsbit.Weestimatethatupwardofahundredchildrenweretaken.
IncludingPeterandme?
Ahundredandtwo.Look,Tirla,we"regoingtohavetorelyheavilyonyoutohelpusfindyou,Peter,andtheothers.DoroteagaveRhyssaaraisedeyebrowathersmotheredprotest."Candidly,thatchildis...o...b..tterabletotakecareofherself."
Relyonme?How?I"mblindandstrappedinlikecargo!Hey,youlot!
Shutup!Quityourgrizzling,stupidNeesters.TirlathendroppedintolanguagesthatDoroteacouldnotunderstand.Theyprefercryingfortheirmommies!Mommieswhosold"em!Tirlasaid,suddenlydroppingintoBasicagain.SomehalfdozenarefromE,sevenarefromW,andtwofromC.Howtheybleat!Noneof"em"sPeter.
Dorotea:Askthemtheirnames.
Tirlacouldgivetennamesoftheestimatedfifteenchildreninwithher.ThesewereinstantlyforwardedtoBoris.
"WherecanPeterbe?"Rhyssamurmuredsoftly.AtsomepointwhileshehadbeenconcentratingonDorotea"sconversations,DaveLehardthadjoinedtheanxiousgroupintheControlRoom.Helinkedhisfingersinhers,andthephysicalcontactwasalmostmorerea.s.suringthantheauraofencouragementthatemanatedfromallthetelepathsabouther.
"Askheragainaboutthevarioussmells,"SaschapromptedDorotea.
"Theremaybesomethingthat"llgiveusacluetowhere."
Well,there"sasortofmetalstink,TirlarepliedwhenDorotearelayedthequestion.Andthere"samoldymildewingrottenstinkthat"sstronger.There"sanothersmellIcan"tidentify.Oily.I"mstuffedintosomethingfeelslikeplasticfoam.Evenmyfingersareseparatedintoslots.I"mboundatthewrists,ankles,waist,andacrossmychest.Ifitwa.s.shorter,I"dbechoking.Oh,cutthecaterwauling!
Noone"shurtingyou!Sheroaredoutrepet.i.tionsinotherdialects,continuingtobroadcastmentallya.s.sheshoutedattheotherchildren.
"Herpredicamentisbeginningtogettoher,"Doroteasaidgrimly.
Tirla,I"mwithyou.Evenifyoucan"thearthem,Rhyssa,Sascha,Boris,Sirikit,Budworth,Davewe"reallhere.We"llgetyououtofthere,Ipromise.
Tirla:Soon,please.IfIhavetolistentoallthiscryingandmoaningmuchlonger,I"lls.p.a.ceout.Whataboutthatwomanwhoworemyhair?Whydon"tyouaskherwhereIam?
Carmenisrighthereandremindsyouthatsheneedslighttofndyou!
Remember?That"swhyshecouldn"tlocateyouintheLinearyouwereinthedark.
Tirla,wryly:I"malotmoreinthedarknowthanIwasthen.Whatiftheydon"tturnanylightson?Forthefirsttime,hervoicewastingedmorewithfearthanwithoutrage.
Dorotea:Itmaybenoconsolationtoyourightnow,Tirla,b.u.t.they"11wantyoutobeingoodcondition.They"llalsohavetofeedyouandkeepyouclean.
Tirla:Yeah?When?Nextweeksometime?
Youweretakenatapproximatelythree.It"stenthirtynow.Youcan"tbeleftwithoutfoodandwatermuchlonger.
Tirla:You"reright.That"snotmuchconsolation.Dorotea,don"tstoptalkingtome,w.i.l.l.you?Idon"tcarewhatyousay.Justdon"tstoptalking.
I"mtotallyatyourcommand,Tirla.Doroteaprojectedanimageofaflourishandacurtsy.Shewasrewardedbyalittlechuckle.Shallwestartwiththemathlessonyoumissed?
Tirla,surprised:Inmybead?
Dorotea:Writeitontheboardinmymind.I"llrememberforyou.
"Andalsoincreasehertelepathicfacility,"Rhyssasaidwithagenuinesmile."Youareincorrigible,Dorotea."
"AlsoverygoodatwhatIdo,"theoldwomanrepliedsmugly.
Rhyssa?Rhyssa?
Rhyssagaspedwithincredulity,strickenbythefaintnessofPeter"scall.Davewrappedanarmabouthershoulders,supportinghera.s.sheheldupherhandtostopallnoiseintheroomastheweakvoicereachedhermind.Yes,Peter.I"vebeenlisteningforyou.
Peter:Ican"tseeanything.Theyga.s.sedme.I"mgoingtobesick.
Rhyssakepthermentaltonecalmandfirma.s.sheclungtoDave"shands.
Easy,Peter.Rememberourdrills.Reducethenausea.
It"sneverbeenthishardbefore,Rhyssa.Therewasanedgeofdespairinhisvoice.Rhyssaknewsowellhowhehatedanesthetics.Hehadreactionstomostofthecommonones.Itwasgoingtotaketimewhichshedidnotthinktheyhadforhimtoshakeofftheresidualdisorientationandnauseainordertobringhiskinesisintouse.
Rhyssa:Focusyourmind,Peter,justasyouusedtodointhehospital.
Focusyourthoughts;ignoretheextraneous.
Peter:There"reotherkidsinherewithme.Someof"emareprettyscared.Rhyssa:CalloutforTirla.She"ssomewheremaybeverynearby.
Dorotea,urgently:Tirla,Peter"sawake.Callhisname.
Neitherheardtheother.
"Christ!FineteamofTalentswearewhenourkidsarevulnerable!"
Sascharemarkedcaustically.
Tirla,echoingSascha"sfrustration:Whydoesn"tPeterjustglideoutofthiscontraption,Dorotea?Tirlaasked,unconsciouslyechoingSascha"sfrustration.He"sthekinetic!WhenDoroteaexplainedPeter"sproblemwiththeanesthesia,Tirlagaveabarkoflaughter.Soit"suptomeagain,Iguess.Don"tforgettheanswerstomyequations,w.i.l.l.you,Dorotea?
Dorotea:Tirla,whatareyouplanningtodo?
Tirla:Getoutofthiscoffin.
Dorotea:How?
Tirla:Theymadeonemistakewhentheystrappedmeinhere.Theystrappedmyfingersdown,notupwhereIcouldn"treachanything.Ishouldbeabletodigoutenoughplastictofreemyhands.
DoroteafelttheeffortinTirla"smind,effortandfringesofpain.
"Couldshedothat?"sheaskedSascha.
"AccordingtotheBro,thekidsretrievedinManhattanhadbeenwrappedinfoamedplasticcoc.o.o.ns.Shemightbeabletoscratchat.i.twithherfingers."
YouhavemadecontactwithTirlaandPeter?Boris"svoicewas.e.xcited.
Contact,Bro,butnotrelease.Bothkidsarecoc.o.o.ned.AndPeter"shavingabadreactiontowhatevergastheyused.Saschamadeanotherface,mimickingtheaggravationhisbrotherwasmentallyexpressing.
He"llneedalittletimebeforeherecoverscompletely.
Boris:Istheretime?I"vegotthecitymanager,andallherdeputiesonmybackforaction.Someoftheotherkidswerelegal,too.
RhyssawasconcentratingonstrengtheningherlinkwithPeter,helpinghimtodissipatetheresidueoftheanesthetic.Herfacemirroredhisdesperationandsenseoffailure,andsheleanedheavilyagainstDave.
There!ThetriumphinTirla"svoicewasevidenttoDorotea,andsheheldupherhand,repeatingthegirl"swordsfortheothers.
Camelguttedtripe!Miserabledungeaters!Descendantsofsnakeoffal.
Scuzfarts!Maggots!
Goodheavens!Howpungent.Tirla,howhaveyouhurtyourself?
Doroteademanded,sensingpain.
Tirla:Neveryoumind.I"moutofthiscoc.o.o.n.Therearenineteenotherkidsstuckin"emhere,someof"emstillknockedout.Peter"snotoneof"em.TellCarmennottofractureherskullfindingme.
Thisplaceisblackasthebottomofanelevatorpit.