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"She was probably worried about a biochemical attack on the mall," saidin the air vents… "Dad? Is there so I should know?"

My father--Colonel Alfred Mitchell, United States Army, forer of their San Francisco research center, which is how my entire family wound up with the earliest specialized versions of the Sy anything Finally, he sighed, and said, "We didn’t want to worry you"

"You know, that’s one of the s anyone ever says"

"I know" He paused before saying, "There have been a few isolated events recently Unique pathogens showing up in inhabited areas Nothing we can solidly say points to terrorist activity, but…"

"Enough that e see people sleepwalking in broad daylight, you ju have you known about this?" I paused, and added, "How long has Joyce known?"

"Sal--"

"Didn’t you think thisI’d want to know about, too?"

"It’s not public knowledge, and given your current condition, it seemed best not to upset you," Dad said

I stared at hi does this get to be my ‘current condition’ before it becomes just the way I a to have to wait until we hit that day before you’re going to start treating me like an adult, instead of like a child you have to protect"

"Sal, that isn’t fair," said Mom

"I didn’t mean your memory loss, Sal," said my father I frowned He shook his head "Icame suddenly It did not come kindly "You think SymboGen is involved in this?"

"Honey, I don’t knohat I think What I do know is that it’s a big, scary world out there, and I can’t protect you froo check on your sister"

"Yeah," I said "You do that"