"How do you know my daughter is in there?"
"Are you doubting me?"
"I'm asking how you know. You don't even live on this world. I've been trying to find her for weeks and yet you know where she is?"
"Ah well, there fortune has smiled upon me. It has gifted me the ability to grant you what no other can. Your daughter's location came to me by happenstance, one of those moments of chance when you know that fortune does indeed play dice, and she always wins."
"You came upon her by accident." I could not keep the sarcasm from my voice.
"Not an accident, but I swear that I did not seek her out. Her name came up in conversation with regard to other matters. I made the connection and once the connection was made, it was obvious what must be done."
"Which is?"
"That I must bring you here to release her, so that you may be reunited."
Once again I could hear the clear and perfect truth in his words and yet I felt that there was more that he was not telling me.
"Swear to me that you are not intending her harm."
He looked offended. "Have I not already sworn? Would you have me repeat my vow?"
"I would remind you of it."
"The reminder is unnecessary. I have already sworn not to harm your daughter or by my actions to allow either you or her to come to harm, but I face a dilemma. What we attempt is not without risk."
He gestured at the complex of buildings. "If we do not rescue your daughter then she will die tonight, but releasing her is not without danger for you and for her. We may attempt a rescue and in so doing put your life and hers in jeopardy, but without the attempt you will surely lose her. Do you see my quandary?"
"I understand, Raffmir. Though the question that remains is: what do you get out of this? The way I see it, you could stand aside and let matters take their course. If my daughter is dead, why do you care? Isn't that one less mongrel to pollute your precious bloodlines? With a free hand, you would kill her regardless, so why the effort to save her?"
"Is it not enough that I would see you unharmed?"
I thought for a moment. "No," I said. "I want to know why you're helping me."
At that he looked at his feet and then sidelong at me.
"Then I must confess my unwitting involvement in the harm that may come to her."
"Unwitting?"
He threw his arms wide in a gesture of innocence. "I swear I did not know she would be part of what is done here. There was never any intention that she would become involved. She was brought here without my knowledge or approval and it was only after she was within the establishment that I discovered she was here."
"You? What would you be doing at Porton Down?"
"That I am not at liberty to divulge."
I turned to face him and poked him in the chest with my finger. "Oh no. You don't get out of it that easily. If you are involved, you can't just deny all knowledge and expect me to accept it."
"It is not my secret to tell." He looked down at my finger and it was my turn to remove it.
"But you know what's going on. Come on, Raffmir, what are you up to?"
He shrugged and turned to face the distant buildings.
I stepped into his line of sight, forcing him to look at me. "You've done something that caused my daughter to come to harm in direct contravention to the vow you made. Otherwise I would not be here. I think you'd better tell me what you've done. Either you explain it to me or I'm going for Garvin and the Warders."
"By the time you return she will be dead."
"And you knew that would be the case."
He sighed. "I suppose that one way or another it will be known tonight. By the time this night is over, what is done will be done."
I waited for an explanation.
"The Seventh Court have been funding research into a cure for the condition with which your daughter is afflicted."
"What do you mean, afflicted?"
"A way of reversing the effect of fey bloodlines, of returning those who have inherited fey abilities to a normal human life."
"It's not a disease, Raffmir."
"There are those who would disagree with you. Within this establishment there are a number of individuals who would gladly receive treatment if it would only reverse the changes visited upon them."
"And you have been funding this?"
"The Seventh Court has, through a network of foundations and trusts, yes."
"That's ridiculous. This is a defence establishment. Surely they check into the sources of their funding? Otherwise they could be infiltrated by spies or enemy agents."
"We are not spies, though, are we? And we are not foreign. The foundations of which we speak were established in this country hundreds of years ago and have been engaged in supporting research and building understanding for all of that time. There are no enemies here."
"But why would the Seventh Court get involved in human research?"
"Because if a treatment can be found then the mongrels can return to being human and the Feyre can return to being fey. The reason for our exile becomes a moot point. You have not lost anything and we have everything to gain."
"But you would be forcing this treatment on the half-breeds?"
"It is a humane alternative to culling. You would live as long as you were ever going to. It is a compromise."
"This is what Altair's been discussing with the High Court?"
"No. We hoped to, but unfortunately it doesn't work. I will not say that I understand the science but whatever they are doing has the effect of removing the ability to contain the power without quenching it."
"I don't understand."
"Nor I, but the effect is simple. Once the treatment is applied, the magic is unleashed and it consumes the subject. They have lost every patient they have tested. Your daughter is the next test subject and they are planning to run the test tonight."
"My daughter!"
"I have tried to delay it. I have done everything in my power, I assure you, but she is next on the list. They are very hopeful for the results. Unfortunately I remain pessimistic."
"This is barbaric! They can't do this on human subjects."
"They have consent from the patients and from the families. They can do it, and they already have."
"They don't have Alex's consent. How can they? She's a child."
"They don't need hers. They have yours."
Of course they did. I had signed the papers myself. It hit me, then, what they were doing. They were waiting until families were in the position that Katherine and I had been in at the hospital and then putting forms in front of them.
What was the phrase?
We will do everything in our power to save your daughter.
This was what they meant.
"I know what I consented to, and I didn't mean this."
"It makes no difference. They have all the permission they need."
"It's immoral. It's wrong."
"They believe they are helping them."
"They're killing them!"
"In pursuit of a cure. If they can make it work they believe they will save far more than they harm."
"You know that's never going to work. You know what being fey is like. Once the magic is active, it's there forever. You can't just send it back."
"They think they can."
"That's ridiculous."
"So is putting a man on the moon. They did that."
I turned away, speechless at the obscenity of it.
"There is not time for this, Dogstar. If we are to rescue your daughter, it must be now."
I turned back. "You did this, Raffmir. You're responsible."
"Did I not bring you here in time to set things right? I am doing everything in my power, but without you tonight's endeavour may fail with tragic consequences. I need your help."
"Then let's go."
"This facility has been constructed to contain those with fey abilities, mongrels who have lost control and are capable of murder and worse. It will not be easy to get inside."