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"She doesn’t understand anything--we tried writing, speaking slowly, different languages," Chubs said, rubbing his chin "If there’s anything left inside of her head, she can’t get it out"
There’s a difference between broken and ruined With one, you can hope to piece the object back together, but the other--there’s just no co up on trying to meet Lillian Gray’s dark eyes as they roved around the senior quarters we’d given her She’d come into the Ranch yesterday afternoon terrified, and she’d spent the whole of thelike we’d dunked her into the Atlantic in the middle of January It was a wonder she hadn’t passed out from exhaustion yet
Inside herto describe The first time I’d slipped into her h that I ales flashing in no order, speeding by in a quarter of a second--too quick forThe intensity of it all was like sitting in a car that juainstit on purpose
"Dr Gray," I said sharply, trying to drag her attention back to me "Can you tell me what your first na the rioodpaleshade"
"God," Senator Cruz said, covering her face with her hands "How can the two of you stand it? This poor wo against the opposite wall "I think that’s enough for the day, Geress"
"Maybe there just isn’t any progress to make," Senator Cruz offered, a hand onient quarters she’d been given, away from Rosa I al disappointed inher, after all she’d done for us
"I haven’t even been trying for two full days," I insisted "At least give me another afternoon"
Lillian Gray repositioned herself so she was lying down on the small bed, her face turned into the pillow I could feel the frustration pouring off her, and didn’t try to catch her hand as she slammed it into the plastic-coveredht We’ll take a break"
"How much should we tell the others about her condition?" Senator Cruz asked
Vida and Chubs had proht-lipped, to claim the woman was exhausted and needed rest, if pressed by any of the kids It only boughtup-front with the others wasn’t an option that was in the cards for me If they saw that Lillian Gray, their one shot at deciphering all the research and data we had about the cure, was likethisit wasn’t going to do anything other than swing them more firmly to Lia soeles, Cole and I had banked on having information about the cause and cure of IAAN to prove ourselves to the kids But three weeks later, we had nothing to show that we’d delivered on our promises Even the kids we’d pulled froe than they did in the Ranch proper The only time I saw them hen they came to the kitchen to pick up their arage to eat
"I’ to turn the door handle around so it locks from the outside," Cole said "If we tell the kids to leave her alone, they will"
If they ever bother leaving the garage
"I’ents--Cate," I said "What’s the reaction going to be when they realize that the League doesn’t have her to barter with any as humanly possible," Cole assured me "And I told you what Harry said He and a few others froate the reports of a black site prison near Tucson Dustin’ off the green berets, apparently"
How Harry had ed to find out about a black site--which by its definition didn’t exist in any formal records--was beyond me I didn’t want to press Cole on it in front of Senator Cruz
"That’s proat all
I removed Lillian’s hat and dirty tennis shoes and tried to ease her under the blankets Her face was gaunt as she looked up at me, but there were still traces of the rare beauty she had been
Her eyes narrowed, and suddenly I wasn’t seeing her, but her son
"Alban would want you here with us," Cole told the woently "You have friends here Friends Safe"
"Alban?" Lillian sat straight up, her legs tangling in the blankets I’d carefully arranged for her "John?"
Cole and I exchanged a sharp look, but, just as quickly, she fell back into ht of the entrance, opening the drawer "Dr Gray, we have soet soht be a little, uh, difficult There’s a chart--"