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Leaning forward, he addressed the policeman "Sir?"

The cop had put his visor back down--Michael could see flashes of inforh the angle made it hard to decipher uy ht, but he was still an officer of the law Sarah tapped Michael on the shoulder and raised her eyebrohen he looked at her--the biggest What in the world are you doing? look she’d ever given him He tried to reassure her with an expression that said Relax, then turned back to the cop

"You have to believe us on this It’s a crazy story, but it’s true"

"What story?"

"Well, I haven’t really told you yet"

The man threw his ar Michael’s sto yelp

"So now you want me to believe a story you haven’t told me?" the driver asked "Son, answer me a question Have you ever been conosed with a turapefruit?"

Souy more likable, and Michael relaxed a bit "Okay, listen Do you go into the Slee--the VirtNet very often? Do you gaed prostate and have to pee every twenty minutes? Of course I do What could possibly be your point?"

"Well, I know you’ve heard of the gaht? He’s been in the news a lot the last few months"

"Yes, son, I’ve heard of Kaine" He turned the steering wheel to the right and the hovercar banked heavily to swing around a wide building Sarah’s body pressed against Michael’s, and if he hadn’t been so upset, it would have been nice "Let uess This Kaine is an uncle of yours? Maybe your daddy?"

"No, he’s a Tangent And he’s stealing people’s bodies and inserting prograents, into the real people to do it"

Michael winced Every wordseem a little more absurd

The cop turned to look at Michael "Son, don’t worry We have good crazy-doctors at the station We’ll be there soon" He faced front again

Michael sat back in the seat, stiffly He’d seen so in the cop’s visor when he ht Michael’s faceat hiht the crazy-doctor reco?" Sarah whispered

Michael couldn’t answer He could hardly breathe He wanted to believe it had been a trick of the eye, that he hadn’t really seen what he thought he had But the truth was like a sinking ship