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"Well," Karl said for everyone’s benefit "Who wants to talk first?"

Tania decided to take the opening "I will For what it’s worth, four days ago we sent an aircraft down to try to secure the caure out e’d lost contact"

"What aircraft?"

She told thehters aboard it "They never ht it best to leave out the price she’d paid for it, and for the air and water she’d acquired from Russell Blackfield

"Gabriel’s people must have spotted them, and set up an ambush," Karl said

"Maybe," Skyler said "Maybe not Tania, where did they land?"

"On Water Road, about a kilolanced in that direction, his eyes two narrow slits, his bloodied face grim and full of disapproval

"We had no other options," Tania said, "and no information After that failure, our only choice was to listen to Gabriel’s demands"

If Skyler heard her he didn’t show it His focus remained on the northeast

"And those demands were …?" Karl asked "I think I know, but I’d like to hear your version"

Tania started to speak but caught herself How much to say? "Gabriel wanted to test each of us for immunity froather all iether to form some new society"

Karl nodded slowly "He must’ve asked , because I knew nothing, not really Didn’t stop theoddao without pills like that again"

"I’m sorry for that," Skyler told hirateful that you didn’t cooperate"

"IWhere the hell were you, anyway?"

Skyler told them of two immunes, twins in fact, whom he’d met in Belém Escapees from Gabriel’s flock "They told me of more like them, ones who didn’t want to be part of Gabriel’s neorld order The dissenters were being held at a ranch house, in a valley west of here So I made them a deal I’d help free their friends, if they in turn helpedwas impeccable," Karl said He sently probed a cut on his lip

"Not really," Skyler said

"No?"

Skyler ignored him He looked at the metal surface upon which he stood "Tania, about this test Were you coet the others to, as well?"

She held his gaze as long as she could, then turned to Karl and found no strength there, either "After the aircraft and crew vanished, I didn’t knohat else to do Co everyone and returning to Darwin"

"Grim choices," Karl said "I don’t envy you"

"Did Gabriel want anything else?" Skyler asked

Her storoarm "He wanted you," she admitted "He wanted me to convince you to come in, to surrender"

"What did you say?"

"I told hi I didn’t say yes, either, but I otiating with Blackfield, or caving to Gabriel What choice was there, though? It was over, and thankfully the moment never caun Would I have?

Skyler stared at her for a long an to shuffle aardly Tania suffered the gaze like a spotlight she dare not turn away froed to say

At that he finally turned away, and with it went the weight of her shah

Skyler returned his focus northeast, and Tania followed his gaze The reddish glow of the towers in the rainforest appeared to have slowed or even stopped

"I think I knohere one of the tower groups is headed," Skyler said a moment later He pointed northeast, toward the reservoir "I found so you both need to see And it may explain what happened to that aircraft, too"

"What?" Karl asked "What is it?"

"I don’t know, exactly," Skyler replied "Whatever it is, the Builders sent it"

Tania and Karl exchanged a glance

"There’s a shell ship out there where that red glow is," he said "A small one Crash-landed, or, led to find the words to describe it, then sighed "Sorry, I’"

Karl nodded sympathetically

Tania wanted to ask a thousand questions, but Skyler’s mention of sleep suddenly made her own exhaustion come forward "We could all do with some rest Let’s talk o container, Karla medic to look at his face, then he wandered off

When he’d vanished amid the bustle of the liberated camp, Skyler turned to Tania "Follow ue uneasiness festered within her as he led her toward the base of the Elevator His path took theo container, the one that served as the camp’s headquarters and comm station

At the door, Skyler turned and handed her soet made of metal and plastic A handheld tay radio, she realized She stared at it, confused, and then Skyler reached out and switched it on

"Stay here," he said, then went inside A few seconds later she heard hih the tinny speaker "I heard your conversation with Gabriel," he said, his voice gruff and ment on your decisions, Tania, but you lied to istics Logistics"

Tears welled in her eyes and she made no effort to stop them She just stood there, in the center of the wounded camp, surrounded by death and pain and despair, and stared at the radio in her shaking hands The world around her receded to a blur, leaving nothing but the tiny speaker through which Skyler’s voice lashed out at her