Part 74 (1/2)

He shook his head.

”Aren't you going to talk to me?”

d.a.m.n. Pull it together, fool! Pull it together, fool!

”Are you mad at my uncles?”

He shook his head again. There was nothing nothing safe to say. Nothing safe to do. She was the one who needed to know. He knew everything. And if there was a way out for Jordan it was going to be in her administration-someday. If there was any hope at all. safe to say. Nothing safe to do. She was the one who needed to know. He knew everything. And if there was a way out for Jordan it was going to be in her administration-someday. If there was any hope at all.

She was silent a long time. Just waiting for him. Knowing, surely, that he was fracturing. Himself, who was thirty-four years old; and not doing well at all.

He leaned forward, elbows on knees, studied the dust between his feet, then looked up at her.

No knowledge at all of what the first Ari had done to him. Denys swore to that. And swore what he would do if he opened his mouth about it.

I won't, he had said to Denys. he had said to Denys. G.o.d, do you think I want her into that tape? G.o.d, do you think I want her into that tape?

She hasn't got it, Denys had a.s.sured him. Denys had a.s.sured him. And won't get it. And won't get it.

Yet-had been his thought.

There was nothing but worry in the look Ari gave him.

”It's not easy,” he said, ”to be under suspicion-all the time. That's the way I live, Ari. And I never did anything. I was seventeen when it happened.”

”I know that,” she said. ”I'll talk to Denys. I'll make it so you can go visit when you like,”

It was everything he had hoped for. ”Right now-” he said, ”there's too much going on in the world. The mess in Novgorod. The same reason they have you flying with an escort. There's a military base right next to Planys. The airport is in between the two. Your uncle Denys is worried they might try to grab my father; or me. I'm grounded until things settle down. I can't even talk to him on the phone. -And Grant's never even gotten to go. Grant-was like his second son.”

”d.a.m.n,” she said, ”I'm sorry. But you will will get to see him. Grant, too. I'll do everything I can.” get to see him. Grant, too. I'll do everything I can.”

”I'd be grateful.”

”Justin, -does your father hate me?”

”No. Absolutely not.”

”What does he say about me?”

”We stay off that subject,” he said. ”You understand-every call I make to him, every second I spend with him-there's always somebody listening. Talking about you-could land me back in Detention.”

She looked at him a long time. Shock, no. But they had not told her that, maybe. There was a mix of expressions on her face he could not sort out.

”Your father's a Special,” she said. ”Yanni says you ought to be.”

”Yanni says. I doubt it. And they're not even going to allow the question-because they can't touch my father-legally-so they don't want me me unreachable. You understand.” unreachable. You understand.”

That was another answer that bothered her. Another moment of silence.

”Someday,” he said, ”when things are quieter, someday when you're running Reseune-I hope you'll take another look at my father's case. You could do something to help him. I don't think anyone else ever will. Just-ask him-the things you've asked me.” But, O G.o.d, the truth . . . about that tape; about Art; the shock of that-no knowing what that will do to her. But, O G.o.d, the truth . . . about that tape; about Art; the shock of that-no knowing what that will do to her.

She's not not like her predecessor. She's a decent kid. like her predecessor. She's a decent kid.

That tape's as much a rape of her-as me.

G.o.d, G.o.d, when's she she going to get the thing? Two more years? going to get the thing? Two more years?

When she's seventeen?

”Maybe I will,” she said. ”-Justin, why why did he do it?” did he do it?”

He shook his head, violently. ”n.o.body knows. n.o.body really knows. Temper. G.o.d knows they didn't get along.”

”You're his replicate.”

He lost his breath a moment. And got caught looking her straight in the eyes.

”You don't have a temper like that,” she said. ”Do you?”

”I'm not like you,” he said. ”I'm just his twin. Physical resemblance, that's all.”

”Did he fight with a lot of people?”

He tried to think what to say; and came up with: ”No. But he and Ari had a lot of professional disagreements. Things that mattered to them. Personalities, mostly.”

”Yanni says you're awfully good.”

He wobbled badly on that s.h.i.+ft of ground and knew she had seen the relief. ”Yanni's very kind.”

”Yanni's a b.i.t.c.h,” she laughed. ”But I like him. -He says you work deep-set stuff.”

He nodded. ”Experimental.” He was glad to talk about his work. Anything but the subject they had been on.

”He says your designs are really good. But the computers keep spitting out Field Too Large.”

”They've done some other tests.”

”I'd like you to teach me,” she said.

”Ari, that's kind of you, but I don't think your uncle Denys would like that. I don't don't think they want me around you. I don't think that's ever going to change.” think they want me around you. I don't think that's ever going to change.”

”I want you to teach me,” she said, ”what you're doing.”

He found no quick answer then. And she waited without saying a thing.

”Ari, that's my my work. You know there is a little personal vanity involved here-” Truth, he was disturbed; cornered; and the child was innocent in it, he thought, completely. ”Ari, I've had little enough I've really done in my hie; I'd at least like to do the first write-up on it, before it gets sucked up into someone else's work. If it's worth anything. You know there work. You know there is a little personal vanity involved here-” Truth, he was disturbed; cornered; and the child was innocent in it, he thought, completely. ”Ari, I've had little enough I've really done in my hie; I'd at least like to do the first write-up on it, before it gets sucked up into someone else's work. If it's worth anything. You know there is is such a thing as professional jealousy. And you'll do so much in your life. Leave me my little corner.” such a thing as professional jealousy. And you'll do so much in your life. Leave me my little corner.”