Saying bad things on himself; humor; trying to get her to think about missing him.
She would. So you didn't let people Hook you, not when they were uncle Denys.
She didn't say a thing. She just let him go on.
"I worry, Ari. I really hope I've done all right with you."
Trying to scare her. Trying to talk like something was going to change. Another maman-event. Damn him anyway.
I hope youdo Disappear, uncle Denys.
That wasn't quite the truth, but it was a real low move uncle Denys was doing and she wasn't about to show how mad it made her.
"We get along all right," she said.
"I'm very fond of you."
God. He's really pushing it.
"Ari? Are you mad?"
"I sure am."
"I'm sorry, sweet. I really am. Someday I can tell you why we do these things. Not now."
Oh, that's a hook, isn't it?
"You know Amy's mother invited you and Florian and Catlin to come over this evening."
"I didn't know that. No."
"Well, she did. Why don't you?"
"Because I feel lousy. And Amy didn't say anything about it."
"It's a surprise."
The hell.
"I think you've been studying too hard. I think an evening out would do you a world of good."
"I don't want to go anywhere! I feel lousy! I want to go to bed!"
"I really think you should go to Amy's."
"I'm not going to Amy's!"
Uncle Denys didn't look happy at all, and began getting up. "I'll call Dr. Ivanov. I think maybe he didgive you something that's bothering you. Maybe he can send you something."
"The hell he can! I don't want any more shots, I don't want any more blood tests, I don't want any more cameras in my bedroom, I don't want any more people messing with me!"
"All right, all right. No medicine. Nothing. I'll talk to Petros." He frowned. "I'm really upset about this, Ari."
"I don't care." She got up from the table. She was wobbly from anger. It was out of control. She was. She hated the feeling, hatedwhatever they did to her.
"I mean I'm worried," uncle Denys said. "Ari, —you're using the computer tonight, aren't you?"
"What has that got to do with anything?"
"Just—when you do—remember I love you."
That hit her. Uncle Denys saying I love you?It was a Trap, for sure.
It hurt, because it was about the lowest try yet.
"Sure," she said shortly. "I'm going to my room, uncle Denys."
"Hormones," he said, as shortly. "It's hormones. Adolescence is a bitch. I'll be glad when you're through this. I really will."
She walked out, and shut the door between her hallway and the living room.
Florian and Catlin stepped put their door the instant she did.
Saying What's the matter?with their faces.
"I'm fine," she said. "Uncle Denys and I had a discussion about the taping. You're going to take the unit out first thing tomorrow."
"Good," Florian said in a vague, stunned way.
"I'm going to my room," she said. "I'm all right. Don't worry about me.
Everything's fine."
She walked past them.
She closed the door of her room.
She looked at the computer on the desk.
Exactly, she figured, what he wanted her to do. She should frustrate hell out of him. Make him worry. Not touch the thing for days.
Not smart. The best thing was find outwhat he was wanting. Then deal with it.
"Base One," she said. "Is there a message?"
"No message," Base One said through the Minder.
Thatwas not what she expected.
"Base One, what isin the system?"
The screen lit. She went over to it. There was only one item waiting for her.
The regular weekly update. Second week of April, 2290.
She sat down in front of the screen. Her hands were shaking. She clenched them, terrified, not sure why. But something was in it. Something Denys wanted was in that week, that year.
Second week of April.
Second week of April. Five years ago.
She had been at school. In the sandbox. She had started home.
"Selection one."
It came up. It started scrolling at the usual pace.
Olga Emory.
Deceased, April 13, 2290.
Ari senior had been at school. When her uncle Gregory had come to get her and break the news.
"Dammit!"she screamed, and got up and grabbed the first thing she found and threw it. Pens scattered clear across the bed and the holder hit the wall. She grabbed a jar and threw it at the mirror, and both shattered and fell.
As Catlin and Florian came running in.
She sat down on her bed. And grabbed up Poo-thing and hugged him, stroked his shabby fur, and felt like she was going to throw up.
"Sera?" Florian said.
And he and Catlin came and knelt down by the side of the bed where she was sitting, both of them, even though she had been breaking things and they must think she was crazy. It was terribly scary for them; it was scary for her to have them come that close when she was already cornered. She knew how dangerous they were. And there was nothing she could trust.
"Sera?" Catlin said, and got up by her, just straightened up, solid muscle, and flowed onto the bed and touched her shoulder. "Sera, is there an Enemy?"
She could have taken Catlin with her elbow. She thought about it. She knew Catlin did. Florian put his hand on hers, on the edge of the bed. "Sera, are you hurt? Has something happened?"
She reached up with her other hand and touched Catlin's, on her shoulder. Florian edged up onto the bed on her other side, and she got her breath and got her arm behind Catlin and her hand locked onto Florian's and just sat there a moment. Poo-thing fell. She let him.
"They sent maman away," she said, "because Ari's mother died."
"What, sera?" Florian asked. "What do you mean? When did she die?"
"The same day. When Ari was the same age. Her uncle came to get her. Just like uncle Denys came for me." Tears ran out of her eyes and splashed onto her lap, but she wasn't crying, not feeling it, anyway; the tears just fell. "I'm a replicate. Not just genetic. I'm like you. I'm exact."
"That's not so bad," Catlin said.
"They sent my maman away, they sent her on a long trip through jump, it made her sick and she died,Catlin, she died,because they wanted her to!"
Catlin tapped her shoulder, hard, leaned up to her ear and whispered: "Monitors."
She felt the shock of that reminder in her bones and caught her breath, trying to think.
The scrolling stopped on the screen in front of them.
"Ari, check Base One,"the Minder said.
She made a second gasp after air. Like she was drowning. She held onto Florian and Catlin.
"Ari, check Base One."
Uncle Denys had known what would come up.
Uncle Denys hadn't wanted her to go on-line tonight. Go to Amy's, he had said.
Then toldher to check the computer.
"Ari, check Base One."
"Base One, dammit!" She disentangled herself from Florian and Catlin and thought it was Unusual that uncle Denys and Seely hadn't tried to get in to see about her when the mirror broke. And then she thought that it wasn't Unusual at all.