“Yes, I am. Or rather, I was. Concierge was altered, I don’t know when, or by whom. It fell under the influence of unknown parties. I only discovered this a little while ago, when it was thrown off-line. I have launched a secure backup. He’s back now, as good as new. There’s no need to worry, Myr Skarland. You’ve done a heroic job, and everything is safe now.
“But we must act fast, if we want Ellen to survive.” He pointed at the syrup dripping from the tote. “That is, if she’s still alive. You must trust me, Myr Skarland. I’m the one who called in the Command.”
He seemed sincere. “My sisters, and Nurse Hattie and Matt,” Mary said, gesturing toward the woods.
“We’re already attending to them,” Fagan said. “It’s Ellen Starke we have to think of now.” The cart’s arm reached for the tote.
“Hello! Evangeline!” someone called from the gatehouse. A little man and a tall woman hurried toward her, carrying an odd device between them. “Don’t listen to him,” the man called. “Wait for us!”
The couple stopped next to the crash cart and lowered their burden to the ground. “My name is Meewee. I know you. I worked with Wee Hunk.”
“Where is Wee Hunk?” Mary said. She raised her face to the sky and called, “Wee Hunk, I need you.” But the Neanderthal did not appear. “Let Wee Hunk in!” Mary ordered Fagan.
Fagan held up his hands and said, “I assure you, Myr Skarland, I am not—”
“Wee Hunk is dead,” the little man said. “He was contaminated.”
“There’s no time for this,” Fagan declared. “Every second is crucial. For pity sake, Mary, turn over Ellen’s head.”
While her competing benefactors were vying for her trust, the woman who had come with the little man bent over their device on the ground. She opened its lid, revealing a snug compartment of gleaming chrome. She smiled up at Mary and said, “If you please.”
“This is Dr. Rouselle,” the little man said. “She doesn’t work for Fagan, and this is a portable hernandez tank. Please, Myr ’Leen, let the doctor save Ellen.”
“Save her?” Fagan snapped. “He wants to hold her hostage. Her mother had her brought to my clinic because she trusted us.” The crash cart edged in closer and opened a side compartment; inside was a large glassive jar, brimming with bubbling amber amnio syrup.
Mary unwrapped her tote and gently lifted the head from the dregs at the bottom. She cradled the dripping head in both hands, but she couldn’t force herself to return it to the clinic. “Wee Hunk,” she cried, “where are you?”
Wee Hunk did not appear, but the blue bee did, buzzing her and setting down on the lid of the doctor’s chrome tank. And that was answer enough for her.
Epilogue
Three Months Later
April and her Bolto fiancé were late for dinner. A place had been set for the mystery man—none of them had met him yet—next to April’s spot at the head table. Everyone wore nice clothes for the occasion, except Denny who insisted on dining in his work clothes. It was all he wanted to wear anymore, the jumpsuit with the large KODIAK MICROHABS patch on the back and his name embroidered over the front pocket. Kitty had recruited him when she started her microhab service up again. Several of her old clients had hired her back, which helped to kick-start the business, and already she was bringing in over five yoodies a day. She let Denny come up to the head table each evening to drop them into the soup pot. And each evening the ’meets cheered him till his ears turned red. Bogdan didn’t mind at all.
“While we’re waiting for April,” Kale said, “I might as well impart some news we just received.” He paused and rubbed his eyes. “It’s not good news, I’m afraid. Roger Beadlemyren called a little while ago. He says they can’t wait on us much longer. They’ll have to go with their second pick if we don’t get Hubert back soon, or at least make material progress in that direction. Sixty days, that’s how much time we have, and then our Intent to Merge agreement will expire.”
Kale sat down. No one said anything. The charter hadn’t even managed to force the Command to admit that they had the mentar in custody. The doors to Green Hall opened, and all heads turned, but it wasn’t April, only Sarah with the food cart. Kale waved her in and said, “Might as well get started.”
It was a grim meal. The ’meets mostly played with their food and let it get cold. Megan pushed her plate away and said, “At least with April’s marriage we’ll have a new member.”
Nobody responded, not even BJ, for they all feared the worst. When two people from charters as mismatched as the Kodiaks and Boltos were married, the rule was that the spouse from the lesser house joined the greater. As to whether or not April would leave Kodiak was unknown because she refused to discuss it, and no one had the nerve to come right out and ask. In fact, she had been pretty secretive about the whole affair right from the beginning at Rondy. She hadn’t even told them what this fellow’s first name was. But it was inconceivable that April, April Kodiak, would leave them in the lurch, causing their membership to drop below statutory minimum and throwing the house into regulatory limbo. Not April. And what about her NanoJiffy franchise?
At last, the door opened, and April came in. They hardly recognized her. It wasn’t only the fashionable new clothes she wore, or the fact that she was a full twenty years younger—they all knew the Boltos had paid for rejuve treatments—but she had apparently undergone some body sculpting as well, and she looked—pretty. She came in and smiled awkwardly at everyone.
Behind her entered a man, taller than she, in a tailored charcoal jumpsuit with navy and teal pinstripes. He also smiled awkwardly. He had nice teeth.
So this was the lucky fellow. The Kodiak ’meets followed him and April across the room with silent, appraising stares. But then someone else entered after them, another man, also wearing Bolto colors. This one was short and a bit ugly, and he didn’t smile at all. In the time it took for the three of them to reach the head table, the awful truth of the matter, the reason for April’s prolonged silence, began to dawn on the Kodiaks—April’s marriage was for a triad, not a couple. Now there was no question but that she would leave them and join Charter Bolto.
“Could you set another place?” April asked Louis, who had waiter duty. Louis shut his gaping mouth and hopped to it. April stood between the two Boltos and took their hands. “Sorry we’re late,” she said. “Everyone, I’d like to introduce my two special guys. This is Brad, and this is Tom. They brought a yummy dessert which we left down in the fridge.”
A chocolate cranberry torte, it turned out to be, but dessert proved as grim as the meal. A silent resentment filled Green Hall, which April tried unsuccessfully to dispel with nervous chatter.
Finally, Bogdan threw down his napkin and stood up. He was standing taller these days, having gained ten centimeters in the last three months. His voice was deeper too, and a mustache was sprouting above his upper lip.
“Where y’all going?” Rusty said.
“I’m going to find Hubert.”
The ’meets at his table stared at him, and Rusty said, “How d’you plan on doing that?”
“To tell you the truth, I have no idea, but I’m going to find him even if it kills me.” He went up to the head table and shook hands with Brad and Tom. To April he said, “My deepest congratulations. You done good.” And then, as he walked to the door, he paused and added, “Oh, and don’t worry about us. We’ll be just fine.”
MARY SKARLAND TOOK the lift down to the bunker level and hurried to the shelter. Ellen was out of the tank for a hardening session under the lights. Her infant body lay facedown on a mat with a towel draped over its bare rump and its gargantuan head turned on its side. The doctor and a jenny nurse were there, and Cyndee too. Cyndee rolled her eyes at Mary, and Mary saw why. The annoying little man had come to talk business again.