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"And she’s in her underwear because?" Tally began, and then a ot that disease! The one the teachers always told us about"

"Probably I always thought they made that up to scare us"

Back in the days before the operation, Tally reirls, beca They’d lose weight too quickly, and soht until they wound up like this "model" Some even died, they said at school That was one of the reasons they’d coot the disease anymore, since everyone knew at sixteen they’d turn beautiful In fact,it would all be sucked away

Tally stared at the picture and shivered Why go back tothis ?

"Spooky, huh?" Shay turned away "I’ll see if the Boss is ready yet"

Before she disappeared around a corner, Tally noticed how skinny Shay was Not diseased skinny, just ugly skinny - she’d never eaten much Tally wondered if, here in the Set worse and worse, until she wound up starving herself

Tally fingered the pendant This was her chance Might as well get it over with now

These people had forgotten what the old world was really like Sure, they were having a great ti out here was a great trick on the cities But sootten that the Rusties had been insane, al the world in aalo back to that?

They were already cutting downtrees here

Tally popped open the heart pendant, looking down into the little glowing aperture where the laser waited to read her eye-print She brought it closer, her hand shaking It was foolish to wait This would only get harder

And what choice did she have?

"Tally? He’s almost - "

Tally snapped closed the pendant and shoved it into her shirt

Shay sives?"

"What do youlike that before I leave you alone for teeks and you get all ro down at the silver heart

"I ave it to you, Tally?"

Tally found she couldn’t bring herself to lie "Someone Just so, huh? I always thought you were saving yourself for Peris"

"It’s not like that It’s"

Why not tell her? Tally asked herself She’d figure it out when the Specials ca in, anyway If she knew, Shay could at least prepare herself before this fantasy world ca"

"Sure"

"My coet?"

Tally juy voice It was like an old, broken version of Dr Cable’s, a rusty razor blade drawn across her nerves

"Those azines are over three centuries old, and you’re not wearing gloves!" The Boss shuffled over to where Tally was sitting, producing white cotton gloves and pulling the

"Your fingers are covered with very nasty acids, young lady You’ll rot away thesearound in the collection, you come to me!"

"Sorry, Boss," Shay said "My fault"

"I don’t doubt it," he snapped, reshelving the ant, carefullady, I suppose you’re here for a work assignment"

"Work?" Tally said

They both looked down at her puzzled expression, and Shay burst into laughter