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Logical analysis wouldn’t allow Victor to avoid the conclusion that sohout the city in to have problems of one kind or another Not all of thenificant fraction, say 5 percent, or 10 He should not re this uncertain period

Because of the widespread nature of the crisis, Victor suspected a problem with the creation tanks at the Hands of Mercy He knew that his genetic forns were brilliant and without fault Therefore, only a failure of e

A thousand suspicions suddenly plagued hiht have been secretly sche to ruin him

But no Noas not the time to be distracted by the possibility of a saboteur He must first decamp to a new center of operations, of which there was only one--the tank farm He must strive to insulate hiht occur in the city during the days ahead

Later there would be time to identify a villain in his life, if one existed

In truth, mechanical failure was more likely He had made numerous improvements to the creation tanks that had been installed at the farenerations more sophisticated than the version in operation at the Hands of Mercy

Heading for the causeway that would take hiht miles across Lake Pontchartrain, Victor re career had been followed by reater advances than ever before The universe asserted its chaotic nature, but always he imposed order on it once more

Proof of his indomitable character was as evident as the clothes he wore, here and now The encounter with Cha, and the flight from Mercy would have taken a visible toll of most men But his shoes ithout a scuff, the crease in his trousers remained as crisp as ever, and a quick check in the rearview mirror revealed that his handsoed

CHAPTER 50

WARILY CIRCLING THE GLASS CASEon the farther side of it from Erika, Jocko said, "Not jewel box Coffin"

"A coffin would have a lid," Erika said, "so I assuh Let’s go"

"Watch," she said, and rapped a knuckle against the top of the case, as she had done on her previous visit

The glass sounded as though it must be an inch thick or thicker, and from the spot where her knuckle struck the pane, the aas--dimpled much the ater dimpled when a stone was dropped into it The sapphire-blue di that widened across the surface The a’s wake

"Maybe never do that again," Jocko suggested

She rapped the glass three tis appeared, receded to the peri Erika across the top of the case, Jocko said, "Jocko feels kind of sick"

"If you get down on the floor and look under the case--"

"Jocko won’t"

"But if you did, you’d see electrical conduits, pipes of several colors and diameters They all coests there’s a service roo both hands on his belly, Jocko said, "Kind of queasy"

"Yet the mansion supposedly doesn’t have a baseo in basements"

"You lived in a storm drain"

"Not happily"

Erika moved to the end of the case farthest froure this would be the head of it"

"Definitely nauseated," said Jocko

Erika bent low, until her lips were a few inches frolass She said softly, "Hello, hello, hello in there"

Within the aas or liquid, the shadowy form thrashed, thrashed

Jocko scrambled away from the case so fast that Erika didn’t see how he had ascended to the fireplace ht to the fra bronze sconces

"It scared me, too, the first time," she said "But I’d only been beaten once at that point, and I hadn’t seen Christine shot dead I’onna vo to vomit, little friend"

"If we don’t leave now, Jocko vomits"

"Look me in the eyes and tell htened I’ll know if you’re lying"

Meeting her stare, hesound Finally he said, "Jocko leaves or Jocko vomits"

"I’m disappointed in you"

He looked stricken

She said, "If you were telling me the truth--then where’s the vomit?"

Jocko sucked his upper and lower mouth flaps between his teeth and bit on the at hio of one of the sconces, and stuck his fingers down his throat

"Even if that worked," she said, "it wouldn’t count If you were really nauseated, truly nauseated, you could throithout the finger trick"

Gagging, eyes flooding with tears, Jocko tried and tried, but he could not itate His efforts were so strenuous that his right foot slipped off the rip on the second sconce, and he fell to the floor

"See where you get when you lie to a friend?"

Cringing in shaback chair

"Don’t be silly," Erika said "Come here"

"Jocko can’t look at you Just can’t"

"Of course you can"

"No Jocko can’t bear to see you hate him"

"Nonsense I don’t hate you"

"You hate Jocko He lied to his best friend"

"And I know he’s learned his lesson"

From behind the chair, Jocko said, "He has He really has"

"I know Jocko will never lie to ain"

"Never He … I never will"

"Then come here"