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She wasn’t annoyed enough to shout, and waited until I was close enough for her to keep her voice pitched low before she de Your job when you’reI want or need, within reason As hugging me did not cause physical or emotional harm to either one of us, it ithin reason" I looked flatly at Chave, anticipating her response to ed you next ti so alarht off her heels I ed to bite back my smile "That would be entirely inappropriate," she said, half-raising one hand in what looked like an involuntary warding gesture
It wasn’t necessary; I stayed where I atching her as she recoiled After ato throw my arms around her Her hand dropped, and her alarmed expression dissolved into heryour little jokes, it’s time for you to meet Dr Banks for lunch," she said Her voice had so I would previously have said was i him"
The idea made my skin crawl "I wouldn’t dream of it"
"Good Now followtoward the doors to the executive cafeteria I adjustedand walked hastily after her
The doors of the SymboGen executive cafeteria were automatic, and slid s meat and fresh-baked bread wafted into the hallway, accolasses and the clink of silverware against bone china dishes It was the sound ofI only really had the opportunity to hear on those occasions when I was invited to dine with the company’s founder Maybe money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy some of the bestanother one
Chave walked through the door about three long strides ahead offaster than I should have been when she froze midstep only six feet into the room I nearly collided with her suddenly ed to swerve to the side at the lastdown on one knee
"Chave?" I looked up at her,slack-jawed at the far wall There was no animation in her eyes She could have been one of the dead fish waiting in the kitchen for the frying pan Her ar lione I was di itself against the inside oftrapped I was trapped Whatever was about to happen, it wasn’t so to do with
"Chave?" I repeated My voice came out small and uncertain as I cla bubble of silence around us, created by the people ere slowly realizing that so on They put down their forks and spoons, stopped drinking frolasses, and turned in our direction And Chave didn’t move I reached for her arm "Chave, are you okay?"
"Miss Mitchell, please step back"
The voice calanced overto tremble, despite my best efforts to stop "It’s okay," I said, to the brown-unifor in the open doorway "I’m with her She’sthat, Miss Mitchell, but you need to move away from Ms Seaborne now Please step back"
"Sally, please" I turned too fast, alain Dr Banks was in front of us, his hands held out in front of hiesture, palms turned upward "Just co there, staring blankly into the distance So an i on? What’s wrong with her?" I’d seen the sleepwalking sickness before, but I couldn’t find the words to ask the questions I wanted Why was this happening? Why did it keep happening?
More security was flowing into the roo with quick efficiency through thetheir seats now, leaving half-eaten lasses of wine behind as they hurried to the exit, or to the far end of the roo as much distance as they could between Chave and n to uards were holding I didn’t know much about firearuns, and for the most part, I was able to make myself believe it
"You need to move aside, Miss Mitchell" The officer who seee of this--whatever it was--looked frustrated, and drew his sidear it at hip level "We’ll be happy to explain when the crisis situation has been averted"
"She was showing no signs on her last blood panel," said another voice, sounding as nized from the research floor was pressed into theat Chave like she was a problem to be solved "I don’t understand"