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〃Trust me； I have experience in the matter；〃 I reply。 〃Andy's model is accurate。 Anyway； whether I have to rescue one or two； my dilemma is the same。 I have to get in there and then I have to get three of us out〃
〃It sounds like your best bet is Andy。 Can't you stare him in the eye and make him do what you want？〃
〃That can backfire。 If I push too hard； I'll scramble his brain； and the others will know there's something wrong with him。 But if I'm careful I can plant a few suggestions deep in his mind。〃
〃Money is a smart angle。 Offer him millions。 The fact that he hates his boss doesn't hurt either。〃
〃I agree。 But； Seymour； you're supposed to tell me what I'm missing。〃
〃Do you feel you're missing something？〃 he asks。
〃Yes。 I can't explain； but I know it's there。 It's just not evident to me。〃
Seymour considers。 〃I'll tell you a couple things you won't want to hear。 When you get inside the pound； you can't go straight for Joel。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃You have to get to the general。 You have to be able to control him。〃
〃He might be harder to get to than Joel。〃
〃I doubt it。 Joel will be locked in a cage even you wouldn't be able to escape from。 Obviously they know how strong a vampire is。〃
〃Joel is powerful； no doubt。 But he is still a child next to me。 They don't know that。〃
〃They know more than you think； Sita。 〃You're really not looking at the whole picture。 They're probably still searching Lake Mead for your body。 The fact that they haven't found it tells the general that you're still alive。 And for you to have survived what they put you through means that you have to be handled with extreme care。〃 Seymour pauses。 〃The general must have figured you'll e for Joel。〃 〃You sound so certain；〃 I say。 〃I'm not。〃 〃Look at it logically。 You had several chances to leave Joel during your fight with the LAPD…but you didn't。 In fact； you showed tremendous loyalty to him。 Believe me； they have constructed a psychological profile on you。 They know you're ing for him。 They'll be waiting for you。 That's one of the reasons you have to go after the general first。 Control him and his mind and you control the pound。〃
〃His associates will know something is up。〃
〃You need only control him for a short time。 Also； you have no choice。 You need the general for something other than rescue and escape。〃 〃What？〃 I ask； knowing what he'll say。 〃Samples of vampire blood will be spread all over the pound。 I bet they have several labs there； and you won't be able to walk around and find all the samples。 On top of that； they'll have the research that they've conducted in their puters。 For these reasons the pound has to be pletely destroyed。 It's the only way。 You're going to have to force the general to detonate a nuclear warhead。〃
〃Just like that？ Blow up all those people？〃
〃You killed plenty of people down in L。A。〃 My voice is cool。 〃I didn't enjoy that； Seymour。〃 He pauses。 〃I'm sorry； Sita。 I didn't mean to imply that you did。 And I don't mean to sound cold and cruel。 I'm not； you know。 I'm just a high school kid； and a lousy writer on top of that。〃
〃You're too brilliant to be lousy at anything。 Please continue with your analysis。 How can I get Joel out alive and blow the place up？〃
He hesitates。 '〃You might not be able to do both。〃
I nod to myself。 〃This could be a suicide mission。 I've thought of that〃 I add sadly； 〃Won't you miss me？〃
He speaks with feeling。 〃Yes。 e here tonight。 Make me a vampire； I'll help you。〃
〃You're not vampire material。〃
〃Why？ I'm not sexy enough？〃
〃Oh； that's not the problem。 If you were a vampire； Tm sure you'd be a sex machine。 It's just that you're too special to be 。。。〃 My voice falters as I think of Arturo。 〃To be contaminated by my blood。〃
〃Sita？ What's wrong？〃
I swallow past my pain。 〃It's nothing…the past。 That's the trouble with living for five thousand years…I have so much past。 It's hard to live in the present when all that history is inside you。〃
〃Your blood saved my life；〃 Seymour says gently。
〃How are you feeling？ Are the HIV tests still negative？〃
〃Yes； I'm fine。 Don't worry about me。 When do you see Andy next？〃
〃In a few hours； near dawn。 Then； when he returns to work in the evening； I plan to stow away in the trunk of his car。〃
〃You'll need his cooperation。 You can't go searching the pound for Joel。〃
〃Andy will cooperate； one way or the other。〃 I pause。 〃Is there anything else you can tell me that might help？〃
〃Yeah。 Practice that levitating trick。 You never know when it'll e in handy。〃
〃I don't know what's causing it。〃
〃Obviously； Yaksha's blood。 He must have developed the ability over the centuries。 Could he fly when you knew him in India？〃
〃He never demonstrated that he could。〃
〃You vampires are full of surprises。〃
I sigh。 〃You're so anxious to bee like me。 You envy my powers。 But what you don't know is that I envy you more。〃
Seymour is surprised。 〃What do I have that you could possibly want？〃
I think of Lalita； my daughter。
But I cannot talk about children； on this of all nights。
〃You're human〃 is all I say。
11
When Andy gets to my suite； he acts stressed out but excited。 He is in the door only a minute when I give him a hard kiss on the lips。 He wants more； and reaches for it； but I push him away。
〃Later；〃 I whisper。 〃The night is still young。〃
〃It's almost morning；〃 he says； recalling my line from the night before。
I turn away。 〃I want to gamble first。〃
For a degenerate gambler； I know； dice are better than sex。
〃Now you're talking； Lara；〃 he says。
We go down to the casino。 It's only a few days before Christmas but the place is packed。 The image of a nuclear bomb exploding on the Strip haunts me。 Of course； that will never happen。 Even if we set a nuclear warhead to go off at the pound； it would not affect Las Vegas； except for slight fallout…if the wind is blowing the wrong way。 I wonder if Seymour's dream means I will succeed in my mission or fail。
A glowing angel； flying above the world？
We play craps； dice； and I am the designated roller。 Without trying； I throw ten passes in a row and the table cheers me on。 Andy bets heavily； wins plenty； and drinks even more。 Before we leave the first table； he is drunk。 I scold him。
〃How can you be a scientist when you keep killing off your brain cells？〃 I ask。
He laughs； throwing an arm over my shoulder。 〃I'd rather be a lover than a scientist。〃
We walk down the Strip to another casino； the Excalibur。 Here it is even more crowded。 It is a fact that the town never sleeps。 We play blackjack； twenty…one。 I count cards； only betting heavily when the deck favors the player。 But the advantage from even perfect counting is limited； and we don't win any money。 Andy drags me back to the dice table…his favorite。 The dice e to me； and again I throw another six passes in a row。 But I don't want Andy to win too much and be free of debt。 Just as the sun begins to color the sky； I drag him back to the Mirage； to my hotel suite。 Once there； he falls on my bed； exhausted。
〃I hate what I do；〃 he mutters to the