Part 47 (1/2)
”I know; I had to see her.”
”I understand,” the nurse said. She paused. ”She's stable. The bullet has been removed, and we've given her something to sleep. Do you know her family?”
”Yes, I do.”
”We've contacted the university to get hold of them. But no one has come yet, except her uncle.”
”Her uncle?” Casey's mother and father were only children.
”Yes, he just left. Sat with her for an hour, waiting. Said he'd call the parents, but he never picked up the phone.”
”Tall man, blond?”
”Yes.”
”Don't let him back in.”
”What?”
”It wasn't her uncle,” John said. ”Have the police been here?”
”Police? Briefly. They said to call when she awoke.” The nurse suddenly looked worried. ”Is she in danger? I can-I can call security.”
”Do that.”
John felt a moment's panic. He should have been thinking of Casey. They might come back for her. John sat in the chair next to the bed. Looking at Casey's pale face, John felt sick. She had been shot. Because of him. He felt no anger at Visgrath. They did what they did, but because John had meddled. He had to set things right.
John reached forward and grasped Casey's hand.
”I'm sorry, Casey,” he whispered. Perhaps she moved; perhaps she squeezed back. John wasn't sure.
”Touching.”
John bolted upright. Visgrath stood in the doorway of the room. He was dressed in a suit. A blond bodyguard stood behind him.
”Get out,” John said.
”Or what?” Visgrath laughed. ”John, our fates are bound now. You can't shake me.” He took two steps into the room and sat in the other chair. The guard blocked the doorway.
”You were not entirely forthcoming to me when last we talked,” Visgrath said. ”It didn't come up in our conversation that you had in your possession a transfer device.”
”You didn't ask.”
Visgrath laughed. ”You played me, for what reason I don't know. But now we're here together, and we both have things to trade.”
”Henry and Grace.”
”They're not even singletons!” Visgrath said intensely. ”I don't know why you care. But clearly you do, and I will use it to my advantage.”
”Singletons?”
Visgrath paused.
”Yes, singletons. Surely you've heard the term.”
”No.”
Visgrath laughed. ”Again I have made a.s.sumptions about you that are wrong. A singleton, like me, is a person who has no doubles in the universes. We are the special ones, the unique ones. Don't you understand that?”
”No.”
”Look at her! There's a thousand of her next door! What does she matter? You feel some... l.u.s.t for her, so sate yourself, use her, and move on. Any one of them is worthless.”
”What are you talking about? She's a human, just like you.”
”Value comes from rarity!”
John shook his head. Visgrath's manner, the reason for his disdain for anyone not in his inner group, was suddenly clear. ”I'm not a singleton either. I'm just some kid from Universe 7533.”
Visgrath looked at John blankly, then began to laugh. He glanced around the room for some weapon. John had not brought a gun or the tire iron or anything else into the hospital.
”A kid! From 7533!”
”And singletons or not, you've kidnapped my friends, and I want them back.”
Visgrath's face went stone flat.
”Yes, the crux of the matter,” he said. ”You will give me the transfer device and your friends will live.”
”I'll go to the police!”
”And your friends will die. You know what we are. You know how much money we have. We own this world.”
”And if I give it to you, what a.s.surances do I have?”
Visgrath's face twitched. ”I said I would do it.”
”But we're not even singletons like you,” John said. ”We have no value.”
”My honor is of value to me! Give me the device and your friends live. If you are obstinate, then you will get one of them back and the other will die.”
John realized he was dealing with a monster. He could not trust Visgrath or deal with him in any way.
”No,” John said.
Visgrath rose, his face a mask of fury. ”I can just take it! And if you don't have it, you'll tell me soon enough.” He motioned to his bodyguard. John stood to confront him.