Union Alliance - Cyteen. Part 87

v It was riding with Amy that afternoon-herself on the Filly, Amy on the horse they called Bayard-Amy had found that in a story, so the third filly had a name, unlike goats and pigs who were usually just numbers, except a few who were exceptional.

Filly's just the Filly, Ari had said. And the Mare's Daughter they called the Daughter, or Filly Two, and Filly Two was Florian's even if he couldn't own her: no CIT was ever to ride her. But the third was Bayard, and that was Amy Carnath's horse; and the fourth and fifth and sixth belonged to Maddy and Sam and 'Stasi, what time they were not doing little runs into the fields, doing work, delivering items out where trucks would crush the plants and a human walking was too slow.

There was going to be a stable and an arena just for the horses someday, Ari had decided. s.p.a.ce in the safe zones was always at a premium and uncle Denys called it extravagant and refused to allow it.

But she she had notions of exporting to Novgorod, animals just to look at and watch for a few years, but someday to sell use of, the way the skill tapes of riding and of handling animals sold as fast as they could turn them out-to people who wanted to know what pigs and goats and horses were like and how they moved, and what riding a horse felt like. s.p.a.cers bought those skill tapes, marketed as entertainment Sensatape. Stationers did. People from one end of s.p.a.ce to the other knew how to ride, who had never laid eye or hand on a horse. had notions of exporting to Novgorod, animals just to look at and watch for a few years, but someday to sell use of, the way the skill tapes of riding and of handling animals sold as fast as they could turn them out-to people who wanted to know what pigs and goats and horses were like and how they moved, and what riding a horse felt like. s.p.a.cers bought those skill tapes, marketed as entertainment Sensatape. Stationers did. People from one end of s.p.a.ce to the other knew how to ride, who had never laid eye or hand on a horse.

That more than paid for the stable and the arena, she had argued; more than paid for the stable and the arena, she had argued; and and the earth-moving and the widening of Reseune's flat-s.p.a.ce: the horses did not need the depth of soil that agriculture did, and the manure meant good ground. the earth-moving and the widening of Reseune's flat-s.p.a.ce: the horses did not need the depth of soil that agriculture did, and the manure meant good ground.

They eat their weight in gold, Denys had objected, with no, no, and no.

Grain is a renewable resource, she had said, nastily. It likes manure.

No, said Denys. We're not undertaking any expansions; we're not making any headlines with any extravagance in this political atmosphere; it's not prudent, prudent, Ari. Ari.

Someday, she had said, defeated.

Meanwhile the horses were theirs, unique, and did their small amount of work.

While out in the riding pen was the best place in Reseune besides her apartment to go to have a talk without worrying about security; and it had its own benefits, when it came to being casual and getting Amy Carnath to relax and talk about really sensitive things.

Because Amy was not happy lately. Sam had taken up with Maria Cortez-Campbell, who was a nice girl; Stef was back with Yvgenia; and Amy-rode a lot and spent a lot of time studying and tending the export business, which had sort of drawn her into a full sub-manager rating in the whole huge Reseune Exports division and a provisional project supervisor's rating in the Genetics Research division.

Amy was always the brightest. Amy was getting a figure, finally, at seventeen, at least something of a figure. She was getting pretty in in a kind of long-boned way, not because she a kind of long-boned way, not because she was was pretty, but because she was just interesting-looking, and might get more so. pretty, but because she was just interesting-looking, and might get more so.

And Amy was too d.a.m.ned smart to be happy, because there just happened to be a shortage of equally smart boys in her generation. Tommy was the only one who came close, and Tommy was Amy's cousin, not interested in the same field, and mostly interested in Maddy Stra.s.sen anyway. That That pair was getting halfway serious, on both sides. pair was getting halfway serious, on both sides.

"How are things?" she asked Amy when they were out and away from everyone, under a tranquil sky. And prepared herself for a long story.

"All right," Amy said, and sighed. That was all.

Not like Amy at all. Usually it was d.a.m.n Stef Dietrich, d.a.m.n Stef Dietrich, and a long list of grievances. and a long list of grievances.

She didn't know this Amy. Ari looked at her across the moving gap between the horses, and said: "It doesn't sound all right."

"Just the same old stuff," Amy said. "Stef. Mama. That's the condensed report."

"You'll be legal this month. You can do anything you d.a.m.n please. And you've got a slot in my wing, I always told you that."

"I can't do do any d.a.m.n thing," Amy said. "Justin-he's any d.a.m.n thing," Amy said. "Justin-he's real. real. I've got a pack of stuff in Exports. Merchandising stuff is all I do. That's all I use my psych for. That's not your kind of business. I don't know what you'd want me for." I've got a pack of stuff in Exports. Merchandising stuff is all I do. That's all I use my psych for. That's not your kind of business. I don't know what you'd want me for."

"You've got a clean Security clearance, cleanest of all my friends. You're good at business. You'd be a good Super, you'd be good at most anything you wanted to take on, that's your trouble. You get small-focused into doing it instead of learning it; and I want you learning for a while. Remember when I snagged you into the tunnels and we started off the whole gang? That's why I asked you out here before I talked to anybody. You were always first."

"What are you talking about?" Amy suddenly looked scared. "First at what?"

"That this time it's for real. That this time I'm not talking about kid pranks, this time I'm talking about getting a position in the House. Things are shifting, they're shifting real fast. So I'm starting with you, the same way I did back then. Will you work for me, Amy?"

"Doing what?"

"Genetics. Whatever project you want to come up with for a cover. A real one. A put-together till you can make up your mind. I don't care. You go on salary, you get your share of your own profits-all that." Amy's eyes were very large.

"I want you and Maddy in two different divisions," Ari said, "because I'm not going to put you two one over the other. That'd never work. But between you and me, you're smarter than she is, you're steadier, and you're the one I'd trust with the bad stuff. And there could be. Giraud is on the end of his rejuv. That's secret. A very few people know, but probably more and more will guess. When When he dies, that's an election in Science. That's also about the time the Paxers and the rest of the people who want me dead-for real, Amy." he dies, that's an election in Science. That's also about the time the Paxers and the rest of the people who want me dead-for real, Amy."

"I know it's real."

"You know why they made me and how they taught me, and you know what I am. And you know my predecessor had enemies who wanted her dead, and one who killed her. The closer I get to what she was, the more scared people get-because I'm kind of spooky, Amy, I'm real spooky to a lot of people who weren't half as afraid of my predecessor- Are you scared of me? Tell me the truth, Amy."

"Not-scared of you. Not really. of you. Not really. Spooky Spooky is a good word for it. Because you're not-not the age you are; and you is a good word for it. Because you're not-not the age you are; and you are, are, with us. Maddy and I have talked about it, sometimes. How we-sometimes just want to do something stupid, just for relief sometimes. Like sometimes-" Amy rode in silence a moment, patting Bayard's shoulder. "My mama gets so mad at me because I do spooky things, like she thinks I'm a kid and she worries about me, and she treats me like a kid. One time she yelled at me: Amy, I don't care what Ari Emory does or what Ari Emory says, you're my daughter-don't you look at me like that and don't you tell me how to bring you up. And she slapped me in the face. And I just stood there. I-didn't know what to do. I couldn't hit her. I couldn't run away crying or throw things. I just-stood there. So she cried. And then I cried, but not because she hit me, -just because I knew I wasn't what she wanted me to be." Amy looked up at the sky. There was a glitter of tears in the sunlight. "So, well, mama's got the notion I'm going to leave when I can, and she's sorry. We had a talk about it, finally. She's the one who's scared of you. She doesn't understand me and she thinks you're all to blame for me not having a childhood. That's what she says. You never got a chance to be a child. I don't know, I thought I had a childhood. We had a h.e.l.l of a good time. Stuff mama doesn't know. But I don't like it anymore. I'm tired of with us. Maddy and I have talked about it, sometimes. How we-sometimes just want to do something stupid, just for relief sometimes. Like sometimes-" Amy rode in silence a moment, patting Bayard's shoulder. "My mama gets so mad at me because I do spooky things, like she thinks I'm a kid and she worries about me, and she treats me like a kid. One time she yelled at me: Amy, I don't care what Ari Emory does or what Ari Emory says, you're my daughter-don't you look at me like that and don't you tell me how to bring you up. And she slapped me in the face. And I just stood there. I-didn't know what to do. I couldn't hit her. I couldn't run away crying or throw things. I just-stood there. So she cried. And then I cried, but not because she hit me, -just because I knew I wasn't what she wanted me to be." Amy looked up at the sky. There was a glitter of tears in the sunlight. "So, well, mama's got the notion I'm going to leave when I can, and she's sorry. We had a talk about it, finally. She's the one who's scared of you. She doesn't understand me and she thinks you're all to blame for me not having a childhood. That's what she says. You never got a chance to be a child. I don't know, I thought I had a childhood. We had a h.e.l.l of a good time. Stuff mama doesn't know. But I don't like it anymore. I'm tired of little little games, Ari, you know what I mean. I'm tired of Stef Dietrich, I'm tired of fighting with mama, I'm tired of going to cla.s.ses and playing guessing-games with Windy Peterson on his d.a.m.n trick questions and eetee rules and catch-you's. I think Maddy's about the same." games, Ari, you know what I mean. I'm tired of Stef Dietrich, I'm tired of fighting with mama, I'm tired of going to cla.s.ses and playing guessing-games with Windy Peterson on his d.a.m.n trick questions and eetee rules and catch-you's. I think Maddy's about the same."

"Can you work with Sam?"

"h.e.l.l, he's got that airbrain of his-that's not nice to say, is it? I can't see what he sees in her."

"Don't mess him up, Amy." mess him up, Amy."

"I won't. I'm through with all of it. You know what I want? I want exactly what you've got with Florian. No fuss. No petty spats. No jealousy. Moment I can afford it-"

"You want to take me up on the offer, I'll reckon you'd be a lot more efficient with an a.s.sistant. My My feeling is you'd be frustrated as h.e.l.l with anything but an Alpha and there's probably only a handful of those still unContracted. I'll give you a printout of all the numbers there are. Green Barracks is the most likely source. Which means somebody more like Catlin, but still, -you could fix that." feeling is you'd be frustrated as h.e.l.l with anything but an Alpha and there's probably only a handful of those still unContracted. I'll give you a printout of all the numbers there are. Green Barracks is the most likely source. Which means somebody more like Catlin, but still, -you could fix that."

Amy just stared. And blushed a little.

"Someday," Ari said, "you'll be a wing Super yourself. That's what I intend. Someday I'll run Reseune, and we're not playing just-suppose now, we're dealing with long-term. I want you to have the kind of support you're going to need; I want you to have somebody capable of protecting you and and of handling jobs you're too busy to do, and in your case, male and smart are two real necessities. Another female-you'd kill. Do I psych you right?" of handling jobs you're too busy to do, and in your case, male and smart are two real necessities. Another female-you'd kill. Do I psych you right?"

Amy laughed suddenly, and colored a little. "I don't know. -I need time to think about this."

"Sure. You've got five minutes."

"No fair, Ari."

"Same thing as under the stairs. Same thing as then. I need my friends now, I need you first. And there's a real danger--if I'm a target, you could be too."

Amy bit her lip. "I don't mind that. I really don't. I mind the row it's going to make with mama. You know what I think? She wants to hang onto me. She sees you as more of an influence than she is, and she always planned me to go into Ed psych, never mind I'm better at other things."

"h.e.l.l, look at me. You think a PR doesn't have to figure out who's who?"

"I know that. But your-predecessor-isn't around to give you looks across the breakfast table."

"Whose life are you going to live? Yours or hers?"

Amy nodded finally. "Or mine or yours? I'm mine, mine, Ari. I don't want you supporting me. If it's a real job, if it's Ari. I don't want you supporting me. If it's a real job, if it's my money, my money, I'm fine." I'm fine."

"Deal."

"Deal," Amy said.

"So now we go get Maddy. And then we go for Sam. And Tommy."

" 'Stasi's all right," Amy said. "I don't mind her. But Stef Dietrich can go walk, for what I think." don't mind her. But Stef Dietrich can go walk, for what I think."

"Stef's not in my crew," Ari said. "No hard feelings, but he's a troublemaker, and I don't need him." She stretched in the stirrups and settled again and said: "We get Maddy. Sam and Tommy. 'Stasi, I've got no objection to. But everybody comes in in just the same order they always did. Seniority. Something like that. I'll tell you: I've got one major problem, one major vulnerability, and one major help-and they're all Justin Warrick. He'll help us. But there's a lot coming at him. And he and Grant are the only ones with with us who aren't us who aren't us, us, you know what I mean." you know what I mean."

"He's smart enough to be trouble," Amy said. "I've thought about that. My uncles don't want him near me. The Warrick influence, they call it. They say he's poison. I know other things. I can tell you stuff, Amy, if you're in with me."

"I am."

"Denys is interested in Ari's notes-Ari's notes notes and the psychogenesis project-but I've held back on him. I put all the stuff in three blocs: one, I don't talk about. And the general notes-that's the published stuff, and the stuff that's going to be published. The Rubin project stuff: that's mostly secret, but that whole security wall is a farce-I'm public, and anybody who understands endocrine theory can figure a lot of what happened to me- You know one of the things they really want to keep secret? and the psychogenesis project-but I've held back on him. I put all the stuff in three blocs: one, I don't talk about. And the general notes-that's the published stuff, and the stuff that's going to be published. The Rubin project stuff: that's mostly secret, but that whole security wall is a farce-I'm public, and anybody who understands endocrine theory can figure a lot of what happened to me- You know one of the things they really want to keep secret? Justin Warrick. Justin Warrick. Because he's not Jordan, but he's sure not a Bok clone either, and he could become a voice inside Reseune-if they ever let him have a forum; because he's smart, he understands what I am, and he's a Special in everything but t.i.tle, one of Ari's students-that's something they don't publicize either-another Special, PR of a Special, a lot more important than Rubin, no matter what they've sold the Defense department. Ari worked him like everything-but they don't tell Defense that either, because they're scared as h.e.l.l of him and his influence. I think Denys is sure Ari worked with him. Denys is the one who's kept him from getting treatment-for things that really bother him, things Ari did with him-and her murder really messed him up, terribly, not just that his father did it, but that he needed her-so much." Because he's not Jordan, but he's sure not a Bok clone either, and he could become a voice inside Reseune-if they ever let him have a forum; because he's smart, he understands what I am, and he's a Special in everything but t.i.tle, one of Ari's students-that's something they don't publicize either-another Special, PR of a Special, a lot more important than Rubin, no matter what they've sold the Defense department. Ari worked him like everything-but they don't tell Defense that either, because they're scared as h.e.l.l of him and his influence. I think Denys is sure Ari worked with him. Denys is the one who's kept him from getting treatment-for things that really bother him, things Ari did with him-and her murder really messed him up, terribly, not just that his father did it, but that he needed her-so much."

"What did she do?"

"A real major intervention. Right before she was murdered. Something she never finished, something that pretty well set the pattern of Justin's life. Beyond that-it's personal to him, and I won't say. But it was rough."

"Like the stuff they did to you?"

She thought about that a moment. "A lot, yes. A lot. With some differences. Jordan Jordan wanted him to be like Jordan. He wouldn't have been. Ari knew what she wanted out of that geneset and she got it. That's the real story. She manipulated CIT deep-sets . . . with real accuracy." Amy gave her a look. wanted him to be like Jordan. He wouldn't have been. Ari knew what she wanted out of that geneset and she got it. That's the real story. She manipulated CIT deep-sets . . . with real accuracy." Amy gave her a look.

"Psychogenesis can go two ways," Ari said, "just like any other kind of cloning. Either an identical-or a designer job. I'm as close an identical as you're likely to get. I told Justin I wasn't my predecessor and he said that was only a game of semantics. And I think he's right about that. There were real differences: my maman; Ollie; Denys-he wasn't Geoffrey Carnath, not by half, thank G.o.d. A lot of different things happened. But I had Florian and Catlin; I had no doubt the theories I was handed-worked. I could feel it work. I know what put me ahead of Ari. I had to work. I was scared. I couldn't just sink into out-there and survive on people taking care of me. I learned to focus-down and to work real-time, and to think out-there too.

That's the real lesson. Bok's clone never came in out of the dark, never owned anything, never was was anything. You know what anything. You know what I'd I'd have answered to the land of questions that poor woman got? Go to h.e.l.l! And if piano-playing was what I did, d.a.m.n, I'd do it! And maybe I'd spit in the eye of math teachers who didn't teach me the kind of things Bok must have learned-like have answered to the land of questions that poor woman got? Go to h.e.l.l! And if piano-playing was what I did, d.a.m.n, I'd do it! And maybe I'd spit in the eye of math teachers who didn't teach me the kind of things Bok must have learned-like being being in s.p.a.ce, dammit! Like living like a s.p.a.cer! Like knowing math is life and death! -Bok's clone got dry theory. She was creative, and they gave her dry dust. They cushioned her from everything. And in s.p.a.ce, dammit! Like living like a s.p.a.cer! Like knowing math is life and death! -Bok's clone got dry theory. She was creative, and they gave her dry dust. They cushioned her from everything. And they they couldn't understand her music. She was a lousy pianist. She couldn't transcribe worth s.h.i.t. But I wonder what kind of music she heard in her head, and why she spent more and more time there? I'm not sure she couldn't understand her music. She was a lousy pianist. She couldn't transcribe worth s.h.i.t. But I wonder what kind of music she heard in her head, and why she spent more and more time there? I'm not sure she did did fail. Maybe the d.a.m.n geniuses couldn't talk to her. Maybe their notation didn't work for her. I wonder what the whole symphony was, and whether she was playing accompaniment. -Huh." She shook herself. "That's spooky, too, isn't it?" fail. Maybe the d.a.m.n geniuses couldn't talk to her. Maybe their notation didn't work for her. I wonder what the whole symphony was, and whether she was playing accompaniment. -Huh." She shook herself. "That's spooky, too, isn't it?"

"They ran her stuff through computer a.n.a.lysis. It came up neg."

"With Bok's theories. Yes. But she never knew her genemother."

"With her teachers' stuff?"

"Might be. Or something completely off in the beyond."

"I'd like to pull those files. Just to see what they tried."

"Do it. Do any d.a.m.n thing you want. We're research, aren't we? You pull all your projects out of the other wings, you put them into our budget, and our credit balance will hold just fine for that kind of tiling. The guppies and the bettas can buy a lot of computer time."

vi The airport lobby was mostly deserted, RESEUNEAIR'S regular flights all departed, the pa.s.sengers that came and went in this small public area of Reseune all on their way to Novgorod or Svetlansk or Gagaringrad. There was the usual presence of airport security, and a handful of black-uniformed Reseune Security down from the House, waiting to meet their comrades in from Planys. The same as he was there for Grant, Justin thought; nothing more.

But Florian had gone off into the deplaning area he had no admittance to, had a.s.sured him: "Sera Amy Carnath is just across the room, ser, and so is Sam Whitely, both friends of sera's: I've asked them keep their distance, so if you do get in trouble here, they have a pocket com and they can advise me, but I'm on the regular Security band-" This with a touch near the small b.u.t.ton Florian wore next to his keycard. "I'll be monitoring Security. If anything should happen, go along with it and trust we can unravel it."

The two watchers kept to their side of the lounge, a big-boned, square-faced youth who was already huge, hard muscle and a way of sitting that said he was no accountant-Whitely was a Reseune name, but from the Town, not the House; Justin remembered seeing him in Ari's crowd. And Julia Carnath's girl Amy, Ari's frequent shadow, thin and bookish, and sharp, very sharp, by her reputation among the staff. Denys Nye's niece and a boy who looked like he could bend pipe barehanded-a combination that would give Security pause, at least, Security tending to abhor noisy incidents. He felt safer with the kids there.

d.a.m.n, he had lived this long to be protected by children. To be co-opted by a child who was the same age as himself when he had fallen victim to her predecessor-that was the peculiarly distressing thing. Not that he had a chance, taking on Ari in the prune of her abilities, but that her successor reached out so easily, and just-swept him in and put him in this situation, with Grant on the other side of those doors likely wondering what Ari's personal bodyguard was doing involving himself in the baggage check and in the body search Florian was bound to insist on- Grant would start with a little worry in his look, an initial realization that something was amiss, and quietly go more and more inward, terrified, going through the motions because in that situation there was nothing to gain, nothing to do except hope to get through to his partner and hope that his partner was not already in Detention. Florian had refused to take so much as a note: I'm sorry, ser; I have to follow regulations here. I'll get him through as quickly as I can.

Not knowing what was toward, not knowing what could have happened to his partner, and that partner waiting to tell him- G.o.d, to tell him he was going up to Ari's floor. That he was going to have to take a probe. That it was all right-because his partner said so, of course, having just had one himself.

He thought it remarkable that he could sit through this nightmare, sit watching the guards in their small group, the two kids talking, listening to the ordinary sounds from the baggage department that meant they were active back there, probably lining up the luggage on the tables where Reseune Security would go through it and check everything item by item, nothing cursory on this one, he figured. Examination right down to the integrity of seams on one's shaving kit or the contents of opaque bottles.

He was used to packing for Security checks. No linings, everything in transparent bottles, transparent bags, as little clothing as possible, all doc.u.ments in the briefcase only, and those all loose-leaf, so they could feed through the scanners.

Take sweaters. Shirts rumpled untidily in searches, and Security always questioned doubled st.i.tching and double-thick collars.

He stretched his feet out in front of him, leaned back and tried to relax, feeling the old panic while the minutes went by like hours. Sure, it's all right, Grant. I'm sure I wasn't tampered with. Like h.e.l.l. But what have we got, else? Where can we go, except hope Ari's reincarnation isn't going down Ari's path? Sure, it's all right, Grant. I'm sure I wasn't tampered with. Like h.e.l.l. But what have we got, else? Where can we go, except hope Ari's reincarnation isn't going down Ari's path?

If she's got those notes, dammit, she knows knows what her predecessor meant to do with me. She can change it-or she can finish it the way the first Ari would have, make me into what the first Ari planned. Whatever that is. I thought once that might have been the best thing-if Ari had lived. If there ever was a design. Now it's too imminent. Now it's not what Ari could have given me. I'm the adult. I've got my own work, I've got my own agenda- what her predecessor meant to do with me. She can change it-or she can finish it the way the first Ari would have, make me into what the first Ari planned. Whatever that is. I thought once that might have been the best thing-if Ari had lived. If there ever was a design. Now it's too imminent. Now it's not what Ari could have given me. I'm the adult. I've got my own work, I've got my own agenda- And Grant, my G.o.d, Grant-what have I dragged him into? What can I do?

The doors opened, and Grant came out, carrying his own briefcase, Florian behind him with the luggage.

"Bus, ser," Florian said, waving a hand toward the doors as Justin stood up and started toward Grant.

Their paths in that direction intersected.

"I'm certainly glad to see you," Grant said. He had that slightly dazed look that went with a transoceanic flight and a complete turnabout of hours. Justin threw an arm about him, patted him on the back as they walked.

"How was the trip?"

"Oh, the ground part was fine, Jordan and Paul-everything's all right with them, I really enjoyed the time; just talk, really-a lot of talk-" Doors opened behind them, and Grant's attention shifted instantly, a glance back, a loss of his thought. "I-"

The doors ahead opened automatically, one set and the others, onto the portico where the bus waited.

"Are we all right?" Grant asked.

"Ari's being sure we are," Justin said, keeping a hand on Grant's back, cautioning him against stopping. Florian put the luggage right up onto the bus deck and got up after, giving a sharp instruction to the driver to start up as Grant stepped up onto the deck and Justin followed him on the steps.

"We've ten more pa.s.sengers," the driver objected.

"I've a priority," Florian said. "-Get aboard, ser."

Justin crowded a step higher as Grant edged his way past, as Florian shut the door himself.

The driver started the motor and threw them into motion.

"You can come back down after the others," Florian said, standing by the driver as Grant sat down on the first bench and Justin sat down beside him.

"What are we doing?" Grant asked quietly, reasonably.

"We're quite all right," Justin said, and took Grant's wrist and pressed it, twice, with his fingers where the pulse was. Confirmation. He felt Grant relax a little then.

Florian came back and sat down across from them. "Catlin will hold the elevator for us," Florian said. "House Security at the doors will be just a little confused when the bus comes without the rest of the pa.s.sengers. There's nothing really wrong. They'll probably move to ask the driver what's going on, and we just walk right on through-absolutely nothing wrong with what we're doing, ser, only we just don't need a jurisdictional dispute or an argument over seniority. If we're stopped, absolutely there's no problem, don't worry, don't be nervous, we can move very smoothly through it if you'll just let me do the talking and be ready to take my cues. Ideally we'll walk straight to the doors, through, down to the elevator--Catlin and I have double-teamed senior Security many a time."

"That'll take us up to Wing One residencies," Grant said quietly.

"That's where we're going," Justin said. "There's a little boundary dispute going on. Ari's coordinating this through the House systems so we don't don't end up with Giraud." end up with Giraud."

"Fervently to be wished," Grant said with a shaky little sigh, and Justin patted him on the knee.

"Terrible homecoming. I'm awfully sorry."

"It's all right," Grant murmured, as undone as Justin had seen him in many a year. Justin took hold of his hand and squeezed it tight and Grant just slumped back against the seat with a sigh, while the bus started the upward pitch of the hill.

Florian was listening to something through the remote in his left ear. He frowned a little, then his brows lifted. "Ah." A sudden twinkle in the eyes, a grin. "Security was complaining about the bus leaving. House Security just reported it's a request from sera; ser Denys just came on the system to confirm sera's authority to take Grant into custody. We're going to go through quite easily."