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"It’s not that kind of interview," said Chave The elevator stoppedon the other side was Dr Steven Banks, creator of the Intestinal Bodyguard and the only reSomehow, that didn’t help

"Hello, Sally," he said "It’s very nice to see you again"

Dr Banks’s office was larger than the reception lobby at the hospital where Nathan worked Two of the walls were actually s, solid sheets of glass looking out on the city below He had a perfect view of the Bay From this distance, you couldn’t see the traffic or the people wandering the streets All you saas the natural beauty of San Francisco, the allure that had been drawing people through the Golden Gate for centuries I guess when you’re one of the richest people on the planet, you can buy yourself athat never shows you anything ugly It’s one of the perks that coestured for me to sit down in one of the plush leather chairs in front of his desk as he walked around to sit in his own larger, plusher leather chair "It’s so nice to have a little time to talk, don’t you think, Sally?"

"Yes, Dr Banks," I said autoe of the chair like I was getting ready to ju doing just that

"It’s all right, Sally You’re not in trouble" He se to bolt "I just wanted to see you"

"Yes, Dr Banks," I repeated

His shed "Yes, Dr Banks," I said, for the third time "You really do"

It wasn’t just his teeth that were perfect Everything about him was perfect, from his hair and skin down to his subtly sculpted physique I found ed towith all the other che of its host Dr Steven Banks was not the kind of ave up fried food of his own free will

"I wish I didn’t make you nervous, Sally," he said He sounded sincere, which justI think we’re both s to be friends, but I’d like it if we could at least be friendly acquaintances"

"You do sort of control my life, Dr Banks," I said hesitantly "If I ress, you could decide to stop providing me with medical care, and I’d probably die So I’m sure you’ll understand if I’m a little bit uneasy around you"

Now he looked a little hurt "Do you really think I’d do so like that to you, Sally?"

Nor to in every other sentence Dr Banks did, for so it too All children learn speech through e was closer to the present for me than it was for most adults, and sometimes the habit was hard to break

"I think SymboGen is a business, Dr Banks," I replied, carefully "I think that sometimes business investments don’t pan out"

"I think of you as much more than just a business investment," said Dr Banks "You’re a part of the SymboGen family Don’t you feel like a part of this faht answer to that question, and so I didn’t say anything at all I just sat there, waiting for him to continue

After a minute or so, he did "I wanted tosince we’ve had the opportunity to just sit and talk Monitoring your progress is i at facts on paper isn’t enough to let me see the whole picture There are pieces that only coh when you can look someone in the eye and really understand what they’ve been through"

"I’m fine," I said, a littleat the shelter I like it there My boss lets me ith the kittens a lot"

"That’s the Cause for Paws animal shelter don, isn’t it?" As if he didn’t already know that "I’ out well for you I heard you got a dog recently?"

"Beverly I’ her Her owner is sick and can’t take care of her at the mo care of his dog while he was in the hospital" They’d been grateful, actually I’d expected my own family to object to Beverly, but they had turned out to be totally fine withas she was housebroken and didn’t chew on the furniture Beverly was so well behaved that everyone was in love with her by the end of that first night

That was a good thing Dogs need to be loved, and her oas probably never going to be reclai her, if the recovery--or lack of recovery--of the rest of the sleepwalkers

"Her owner… you saw hi too casual about the question; the way that Dr Banks looked atseen… he orried And I didn’t knohy