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And now I saw him。 He wasn't planning anything。 Vince was shaking with panic； a cornered animal； huddled back in the dark recess of the walkway。 I couldn't read his eyes； but I saw his body tremble。
〃Okay； Vince；〃 I said。 〃I'm ing up。〃
I stepped onto the mesh platform。 I was right at the top of the stairs； surrounded by roaring machinery。 Not twenty paces away； I saw the paired steel tanks for the sprinkler system。 I glanced down and saw Ricky and Julia； staring up at me。 I wondered if they realized how close I was to my goal。
I looked back at Vince； just in time to see him pull a translucent white plastic tarp off a corner box。 He wrapped himself in the tarp like a shield； and then； with a guttural yell； he charged。 I was right at the edge of the ladder。 I had no time to get out of the way； I just turned sideways and braced myself against a big three…foot pipe against the ing impact。 Vince slammed into me。
The vial went flying out of my hand； shattering on the mesh。 The jug was knocked from my other hand and tumbled along the walkway； ing to rest at the lip of the mesh path。 Another few inches and it would go over。 I moved toward it。
Still hiding behind the tarp； Vince smashed into me again。 I was slammed back against the pipe。 My head clanged on steel。 I slipped on the brown sludge that dripped through holes in the mesh； barely kept my balance。 Vince slammed me again。
In his panic he never realized I had lost my weapons。 Or perhaps he couldn't see through the tarp。 He just kept pounding me with his full body； and I finally slipped on the sludge and went down on my knees。 I immediately scrambled toward the jug； which was about ten feet away。 That odd behavior made Vince stop for a moment； he pulled down the tarp； saw the jug； and lunged for it； vaulting his whole body forward in the air。
But he was too late。 I had my hand on the jug； and yanked it away； just as Vince landed； tarp and all； right where the jug had been。 His head banged hard on the walkway lip。 He was momentarily stunned； shaking his head to clear it。
And I grabbed the edge of the tarp； and yanked upward。
Vince yelled； and went over the side。
I watched as he hit the floor。 His body didn't move。 Then the swarm came off him； sliding into the air like his ghost。 The ghost joined Ricky and Julia who were looking up at me。 Then they turned away and hurried across the floor of the fabrication room； jumping over the octopus arms as they went。 Their movements conveyed a clear sense of urgency。 You might even think they were frightened。
Good； I thought。
I got to my feet and headed for the sprinkler tanks。 The instructions were stenciled on the lower tank。 It was easy to figure out the valves。 I twisted the inflow； unscrewed the filler cap； waited for the pressurized nitrogen to hiss out； and then dumped in the jug of phage。 I listened as it gurgled into the tank。 Then I screwed the cap back on； twisted the valve； repressurized with nitrogen。
And I was done。
I took a deep breath。
I was going to win this thing； after all。
I rode the elevator down； feeling good for the first time all day。
DAY 7
8：12 A。M。
They were all clustered together on the other side of the room…Julia； Ricky； and now Bobby； as well。 Vince was there； too； hovering in the background； but I could sometimes see through him； his swarm was slightly transparent。 I wondered which of the others were only swarms now。 I couldn't be sure。 But it didn't matter now； anyway。
They were standing beside a bank of puter monitors that showed every parameter of the manufacturing process： graphs of temperature； output； God knows what else。 But they had turned their backs to the monitors。 They were watching me。
I walked calmly toward them； in measured steps。 I was in no rush。 Far from it。 I must have taken a full two minutes to cross the fabrication room to where they were standing。 They regarded me with puzzlement； and then with increasingly open amusement。 〃Well； Jack；〃 Julia said finally。 〃How's your day going？〃
〃Not bad；〃 I said。 〃Things are looking up。〃
〃You seem very confident。〃
I shrugged。
〃You've got everything under control？〃 Julia said。
I shrugged again。
〃By the way； where is Mae？〃
〃I don't know。 Why？〃
〃Bobby's been looking for her。 He can't find her anywhere。〃
〃I have no idea；〃 I said。 〃Why were you looking for her？〃
〃We thought we should all be together；〃 Julia said； 〃when we finish our business here。〃
〃Oh；〃 I said。 〃Is that what happens now？ We finish？〃
She nodded slowly。 〃Yes； Jack。 It is。〃
I couldn't risk looking at my watch； I had to try and gauge how much time had passed。 I was guessing three or four minutes。 I said； 〃So； what do you have in mind？〃 Julia began to pace。 〃Well； Jack； I'm very disappointed in how things have gone with you。 I really am。 You know how much I care about you。 I would never want anything to happen to you。 But you're fighting us； Jack。 And you won't stop fighting。 And we can't have that。〃
〃I see；〃 I said。
〃We just can't； Jack。〃
I reached in my pocket and brought out a plastic cigarette lighter。 If Julia or the others noticed； they gave no sign。
She kept pacing。 〃Jack； you put me in a difficult position。〃
〃How's that？〃
〃You've been privileged to witness the birth of something truly new； here。 Something new and miraculous。 But you are not sympathetic； Jack。〃
〃No； I'm not。〃
〃Birth is painful。〃
〃So is death；〃 I said。
She continued to pace。 〃Yes；〃 she said。 〃So is death。〃 She frowned at me。
〃Something the matter？〃
〃Where is Mae？〃 she said again。
〃I don't know。 I don't have the faintest idea。〃
She continued to frown。 〃We have to find her； Jack。〃
〃I'm sure you will。〃
〃Yes； we will。〃
〃So you don't need me；〃 I said。 〃Just do it on your own。 I mean； you're the future； if I remember right。 Superior and unstoppable。 I'm just a guy。〃
Julia started walking around me； looking at me from all sides。 I could see she was puzzled by my behavior。 Or appraising。 Maybe I had overdone it。 Gone too far。 She was picking up something。 She suspected something。 And that made me very nervous。 I turned the cigarette lighter over in my hands； nervously。
〃Jack；〃 she said。 〃You disappoint me。〃
〃You said that already。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said。 〃But I am still not sure 。。。〃
As if on some unspoken cue the men all began to walk in circles。 They were moving in concentric circles around me。 Was this some kind of scanning procedure？ Or did it mean something else？
I was trying to guess the time。 I figured five minutes had elapsed。
〃e； Jack。 I want to look more closely。〃
She put her arm on my shoulder and led me over to one of the big octopus arms。 It was easily six feet across； and mirrored on its surface。 I could see Julia standing next to me。 Her arm over my shoulder。
〃Don't we make a handsome couple？ It's a shame。 We could have such a future。〃
I said； 〃Yeah； well 。。。〃
And the moment I spoke； a river of pale particles streamed off Julia； curved in the air； and came down like a shower all over my body and into my mouth。 I clamped my mouth shut； but it didn't matter； because in the mirror my body seemed to dissolve away； to be replaced by Julia's b