Part 37 (2/2)
She was also longer-legged than he was, and she could pick him up. He had thought boys were supposed to be taller and stronger. The Instructor said not when you were seven.
So he felt a little better about it. And he walked fast keeping up with Catlin, breathing harder than she was when they got to Green Barracks.
But when they checked in there was a stop on both of them at the desk. The azi there looked at his machine and said: ”Report to the Super, White section.”
That was clear across the Town. That was Hospital. That meant tape. Instead of going to their quarters. ”Yes,” Catlin said, taking her card back and clipping it to her s.h.i.+rt. He took his back.
”Same instruction,” the azi said.
”I wonder why,” he said when they went back out onto the walk, headed for White.
”No good wondering,” Catlin said. But she was worried, and she walked fast. He kept up with little extra efforts now and again.
The sun had gone behind the Cliffs a long time ago. The sky was going pink now and the lights were going to be on before they could get back. The walks and the roads were mostly deserted because most everyone was at supper. It was a strange time to be going to take tape. He felt uneasy.
When they got to the Hospital the clerk took their cards and read them; and told them each where to go.
He looked at Catlin when she went off her own way. He felt afraid then, and didn't know what of, or why, except he felt like he was in danger and she was. If you took tape you went to Hospital in the daytime. Not when you were supposed to be having dinner. His stomach was empty and he had thought maybe it was going to be a surprise exercise: they did that to the Olders, hauled them out of bed and you could hear them heading down the hall in the middle of the night, fast as they could run.
But it was not a Room when they got there, it was truly Hospital. You couldn't do anything except what you were told, and you didn't think in think in Hospital, you just took your s.h.i.+rt off and hung it up, then you climbed up on the table and sat there trying not to s.h.i.+ver until the Super got there to answer your questions. Hospital, you just took your s.h.i.+rt off and hung it up, then you climbed up on the table and sat there trying not to s.h.i.+ver until the Super got there to answer your questions.
It was a Super he had never had before. It was a man, who turned on the tape equipment before he even looked at him; and then said: ”h.e.l.lo, Florian. How are you?”
”I'm scared, ser. Why are we getting tape now?”
”The tape will tell you. Don't be scared.” He picked up a hypo and took Florian's arm and shot him with it. Florian jerked. He had gotten nervous about noises like that. The Super patted his shoulder and laid the hypo down. And held on to him because that was a strong one: Florian could feel it working very fast.
”Good boy,” the Super said, and his hands were gentle even if he didn't talk as nice as some Supers. He never let him go, and swung him around and helped him get his legs up on the table, and his hand was always there, under his shoulders, on his shoulder or his forehead. ”This is going to be a deep one. You aren't afraid now.”
”No,” he said, feeling the fear go away, but not the sense of being open.
”Deeper still. Deep as you can go, Florian. Go to the center and wait for me there. ...”
xiii ”I don't want want a party,” Ari said, slouching in the chair when uncle Denys was talking to her. ”I don't want any nasty party, I don't like any of the kids, I don't want to have to be nice to them.” a party,” Ari said, slouching in the chair when uncle Denys was talking to her. ”I don't want any nasty party, I don't like any of the kids, I don't want to have to be nice to them.”
She was already in bad with uncle Denys for borrowing Nelly's keycard, because Nelly, being Nelly, had told uncle Denys and uncle Giraud the whole thing when uncle Denys asked her. Nelly didn't want to get her in trouble. They had caught her anyway. Nelly had been awfully upset. And uncle Denys had had a severe Talk with her and with Nelly about security and safety in the building and going where she was supposed to.
Most of all he had said he was mad at Justin and Grant for not calling him and telling him that she was where she wasn't supposed to be, and they were in trouble too. Uncle Denys had sent them an angry message; and now they were supposed to report her if she came by there instead of the halls she was supposed to be in.
Ari was real mad at uncle Denys.
”You don't want the other kids,” uncle Denys said, like a question.
”They're stupid.”
”Well, what about a grown-up party? You can have punch and cake. And all of that. And have your presents. I wasn't thinking of having the whole Family. What about Dr. Ivanov and Giraud-”
”I don't like Giraud.”
”Ari, that's not nice. He's my brother. He's your uncle. And he's been very nice to you.”
”I don't care. You won't let me invite who I I want.” want.”
”Ari, -”
”It's not Justin's fault I took Nelly's keycard.”
Uncle Denys sighed. ”Ari, -”
”I don't want an old party.”
”Look, Ari, I don't know if Justin can can come.” come.”
”I want Justin and I want Grant and I want Mary.”
”Who's Mary?”
”Mary's the tech down in the labs.”
”Mary's azi, Ari, and she'd feel dreadfully uncomfortable. But if you really want to, I'll see about Justin. I don't promise, mind. He's awfully busy. I'll have to ask him. But you can send him an invitation.”
That was better. She sat up a little and leaned her elbows on the chair arms. And gave uncle Denys a lot nicer look. was better. She sat up a little and leaned her elbows on the chair arms. And gave uncle Denys a lot nicer look.
”Nelly isn't going to have to go to hospital, either,” she said.
”Ari, dear, Nelly has has to go to hospital, because you made Nelly awfully upset. It's not to go to hospital, because you made Nelly awfully upset. It's not my my fault. You put Nelly in a hard place and if Nelly has to go to rest a while, I'm sure I don't blame her.” fault. You put Nelly in a hard place and if Nelly has to go to rest a while, I'm sure I don't blame her.”
”That's nasty, uncle Denys.”
”Well, so is stealing Nelly's card. Nelly will be back tomorrow morning, Nelly will be just fine. I'll call Justin and I'll tell Mary you thought about her. She'll be very pleased. But I don't promise anything. You be good and we'll see. All right?”
”All right,” she said.
She was still mad about having to stay in the downstairs hall on her way back and forth to tape; and she tried and tried to think how she could get around that, but she hadn't figured it out yet.
So they were not going to have a party in the big dining room downstairs this year because uncle Denys said there was so much work lately anyway that a lot of people couldn't come. So they were going to have just a little one, in the apartment, but the kitchen was going to do the food and bring it up; and there would be just a few grown-ups, and they would have a nice dinner and have punch and cake and open her presents. She would get to plan the dinner with Nelly and sit at the head of the table and have anything she wanted. And Justin and Grant might be able to come, Denys said.
So they did.
Justin and Grant came to the door and Justin shook uncle Denys's hand.
Then the scared feeling shot clear across the room. Justin was scared when he came in. Grant too. And everyone in the room was stiff and nasty and trying not to be.
It was her party, dammit. Ari got up with the upset going straight to her stomach, and ran over and was as friendly as she could be. You didn't get anywhere by telling people to be nice. You just got their attention and shook them up until they fixed on you instead of what they had fixed on, and then you could do things with them. She didn't have time to work out who was doing what-she just went for Justin: he was the key to it and she knew that right away.
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