Part 28 (1/2)

”I think that's it,” she said.

James glanced at her. ”What do you mean, Annie'”

Annie frowned. ”Like I said, James, if you hadn't saved that baby, Kay might have tried. And she would

have died doing it.”

”So you believe the fact that I saved that baby somehow changed history'”

”It's the only time you really did anything that could have changed history,” Annie said, thinking about it.

”I mean, otherwise you spent most of your time with me. It makes sense, James.”

James looked puzzled. ”I am not convinced that it would have made a great deal of difference who

brought up Clark, Annie. I know you well enough to be certain that you would make an excellent mother.”

”Clark would be better off with his real mother.”

”Perhaps. But there is no reason to a.s.sume you would not be a perfectly adequate subst.i.tute. I do not

see how being brought up by you, rather than a woman he could not possibly remember, would make a significant difference in Clark's life.”

”What about the baby'” Gar said suddenly.

James frowned. ”We were discussing the baby, Gar.”

”No, James. The other baby. The one you saved from the fire.” Gar frowned at the screen. ”What was her name'”

”Madison Stella.”

”Let's look her up,” Gar suggested, and his fingers moved over the keyboard again.

Annie leaned over James' shoulder as images flashed across the screen. ”Stop,” James said suddenly, as

a video of a beautiful, blonde-haired woman and a gorgeous, light brown-skinned man wearing formal clothes and beaming flashed onto the screen.

”That is Clark Sterling,” he said. Annie stared at the screen. It was a very weird sensation to see someone she knew as a small, helpless baby, transformed into a powerful-looking, handsome adult. And yet she had no difficulty believing that was Clark. His eyes, his smile, were oddly reminiscent of Kay's.

”I thought you were doing a search on the baby girl. Madison.”

”We were,” Gar said. ”This came up in her records.”

Annie squinted at the screen more closely. ”Is that a wedding gown'”

”Apparently so,” Gar said. He pushed a few more keys, and words began to scroll across the screen. He

read them out loud for James' benefit. ”Clark Nicholas Sterling married Madison Stella on June 6, 2029.”.

James stared at the screen, rapt. ”According to the records I remember, Clark Sterling never married.”

”He was destined to marry Madison,” Annie said. ”But in the time you remember, she died in the fire.”

James turned his head and regarded her with a serious expression. ”Do you believe in destiny, Annie'

You think everyone is destined to only love one person'”

She swallowed. ”I believe in destiny, although sometimes I think maybe a person is destined to love ' more than once. But obviously what you did changed Clark's life, James. Since they lived in the same condo building, maybe they grew up together. And eventually they fell in love and got married.”

”I suppose that might have had an effect on his political beliefs,” James said thoughtfully. ”It may have mellowed him to a certain degree. Perhaps he proposed a less extreme version of the Robot Law.” ”If he did, it obviously didn't change anything,” Annie said gently. ”Your people are gone in this reality too, James.”

”Nevertheless, I wish to research this further. Gar, can you'”

A bell chimed, and James looked up alertly. ”We have company.”

”Can we hide'” Annie asked.

”They will find us,” James said.

”There must be a back door.”

Gar shook his head. ”There is only one way out of every compartment. Mother'.”

His mother stared at him for a long moment, then shrugged. ”I will try to hold them as long as possible,

Gar. But there is nowhere you can go.”

She strode from the room. Annie stared at the two men, feeling her heart pounding in dread. She didn't want to see James tortured to death. She didn't want to wind up as a puddle on the floor, either. The slight movement of air gave her an idea. ”Ventilation,” she said. ”There has to be a ventilation system, right' It brings in air from the surface. Can't we get out that way, through the ducts'” James shook his head. ”The air moves very fast in the main air intake shaft. We would be blown off the access ladder and fall to our deaths.” ”Okay,” Annie admitted. ”Not the greatest idea I ever had.” She frowned. ”Gar's mother said something about high-speed elevators.”

”The elevator shafts,” James said. He exchanged a look with Gar, and both men nodded.

”Might work,” Gar said.