Ahead, the buildings of Saldak Center loomed. Dozens of women were out putting up decorations for Two becoming One.
“We’ve located him,” said Ponter’s voice. “Hak, cease translating; transmit directly.” Ponter began to shout in the Neanderthal language, clearly addressing the driver of Mary’s travel cube.
The driver replied with several words, one of which was “Ka. ” The car started veering off.
“He’s in Konbor Square,” said Ponter, his words once more being translated. “I’ve told your driver to take you there. I’ll meet you there.”
“No,” said Louise, leaning forward. “No, Ponter, it’s too risky for you—for any Neanderthal. Leave it to us.”
“He is not alone. The adjudicators are looking at his Companion transmissions right now; he’s with Dekant Dorst.”
“Who is that?” asked Mary.
“One of Saldak Center’s elected officials,” said Ponter. “She’s a female of generation 141.”
“Damn,” said Mary. Normally, she’d trust any female Barast to restrain just about any male Gliksin, but 141s were seventy-eight years old. “We don’t want this devolving into a hostage-taking. We have to get her out of there.”
“Indeed,” said Ponter.
“Dekant Dorst must have cochlear implants, right?” said Mary.
“Of course,” said Ponter.
“Christine, get me Dekant Dorst.”
“Done.”
Mary spoke immediately, before the Barast woman could respond to the chirp her Companion would have just made between her ears. “Dekant Dorst, don’t say a word, and don’t give any sign to Jock Krieger that you are communicating with anyone. Just cough once if you understand.”
A cough emanated from Christine’s external speaker.
“All right, good. My name is Mary Vaughan, and I’m a Gliksin. Jock is currently under judicial scrutiny. We believe he is smuggling a dangerous substance into Saldak Center. You have to get away from him at the first opportunity. We’re on our way to your location now. All right?”
Another cough.
Mary felt awful; the old woman must be terrified. “Any suggestions?” Mary said to Reuben and Louise.
“She could tell Jock that she has to go to the washroom,” said Louise.
“Brilliant! Ponter, where are Jock and this woman right now? Indoors or out?”
“Let me ask the adjudicator…They are outdoors, heading on foot to the central plaza.”
“Jock’s Wipeout virus is designed for airborne transmission,” said Mary. “He must have some sort of aerosol bomb in that metal box he’s carrying. He probably intends to plant it in the central plaza, with it set to go off during the Two becoming One festivities.”
“If so,” said Ponter, “he’ll likely time it to go off right at the end of the holiday, so that all the males will go back home before anyone shows signs of illness. Not only will that get it out to Saldak Rim, but there are many males who come in from further locations.”
“Right,” said Mary. “Dekant, when the chance presents itself, tell Jock you’ve got to go into a public building to use the washroom, but that he’ll have to stay outside because he’s male. Okay? We’ll be there soon.”
Another cough, and then, for the first time, Mary heard Dekant’s voice, sounding quite nervous. “Scholar Krieger,” she said, “you must forgive me, but this old body of mine…I’m afraid I have to urinate. There’s a facility in there that I can use.”
Jock’s voice, muffled, distant: “Fine. I’ll just…”
“No, you must wait outside. Two aren’t yet One, you know—not yet!”
Jock said something that Mary couldn’t quite make out. About twenty seconds later, Dekant spoke. “All right, Scholar Vaughan. I’m safely indoors now.”
“Good,” said Mary. “Now, if—”
But she was interrupted by a female Neanderthal voice emerging from all four Companions in the travel cube—and, presumably, from every other Companion linked to Saldak’s alibi archives. “This is Adjudicator Mykalro,” said the voice. “We have an emergency. Immediately evacuate Saldak Center. Do it on foot, by hover-bus, or by travel cube, but get out right now. Do not delay. There may soon be a contagious fatal disease in the air. If you see a male Gliksin with silver hair, avoid him! He is under judicial scrutiny, and is currently located in Konbor Square. I repeat…”
Suddenly the driver dropped the travel cube to the ground. “This is as close as I’m going,” he said. “You heard the adjudicator. If you want to go further in, you’ll have to do it on foot.”
“Damn you,” said Mary, but Christine didn’t translate that. Then: “How far are we?”
The driver pointed. “That’s Konbor Square over there.” Off in the distance, Mary could see a series of low buildings, a short stack of travel cubes, and an open area.
Mary was furious, but she pushed up the starfish control that opened her side of the cube and got out. Louise and Reuben followed. As soon as they were clear, the travel cube rose again and began flying back the way they’d come.
Mary started running in the direction the driver had indicated. Jock was in an open area that was covered with well-trod snow. Mary could see other travel cubes moving away from the Center, heading out toward the Rim. She’d hoped the adjudicator had had the good sense not to broadcast her warning to Jock’s strap-on Companion. Mary, Reuben, and Louise rapidly closed the distance, getting within twenty meters of him. After catching her breath, Mary called out, “It’s over, Jock.”
Jock had on a typical mammoth-fur coat and was carrying the metal box the Canadian Forces officer had described—presumably his aerosol bomb. He turned around, looking surprised. “Mary? Louise? And—my goodness! Dr. Montego, isn’t it? What are you doing here?”
“We know about the Surfaris virus,” said Mary. “You can’t get away.”
To Mary’s astonishment, Jock grinned. “Well, well, well. Three brave Canadians, come to save the Neanderthals.” He shook his head. “You people have always made me laugh, with your silly socialism and misguided bleeding hearts. But you know what strikes me as the funniest thing about Canadians?” He reached into his jacket and pulled out a semiautomatic pistol. “You don’t carry guns.” He aimed the weapon squarely at Mary. “Now, my dear, how was it again that you were going to stop me?”
Chapter Forty
“The dawn of the Cenozoic, the famed Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary when the dinosaurs died out, was marked by a layer of clay, found on both versions of Earth. The beginning of the Novozoic in this universe, our universe, the universe of Homo sapiens, will be marked by the footsteps of the first colonist on Mars, the first member of our species to leave the cradle that is this Earth, never to return…”
Ponter and the three adjudicators were in the largest viewing room at the alibi-archive pavilion, watching everything unfold from multiple points of view. Not only had the adjudicators switched Jock Krieger’s Companion over to judicial scrutiny, they had also done the same for Mary Vaughan’s, Louise Benoît’s, and Reuben Montego’s. Four meter-wide holographic bubbles floated in the room, each one showing the surroundings of one of the four Companions on the scene.
Ponter and the three adjudicators were at risk, too, of course. Although the archive pavilion was located on the periphery of the Center, it was still far too close to where the standoff was occurring. “The female Gliksin with the dark hair was right,” said Adjudicator Mykalro, a chunky 142. “You must leave, Scholar Boddit. We all must.”
“The three of you go,” said Ponter, folding his arms in front of his chest. “I’m staying.”