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I was aghast。 〃But you said you'd never consider that。 The vibration would destroy a man or woman。〃
〃You saw how the word was spreading about me。 I had only a limited time to plete my experiments。 Ralphe had been spying on us all along。 Neither of us knew。 He saw what we were up to。 He wanted to try it。〃
Fury possesses me。 〃That's a ridiculous rationalization！ He was a child！ He didn't know what would happen to him！ You did！〃
〃Sita。〃
〃You were a coward！ If your experiment was so precious to you； why didn't you perform it on yourself； with the midday sun pouring through my bloody vial？〃
My words wound him； but he is still full of surprises。 〃But I did subject myself to the blood in the sunlight。 That morning； when the mob approached the church； I heard them ing。 I hurried down to the basement and let the full power of the vampire vibration wash over me。 I believe that is why I have been able to live as long as I have。 If the mob had not stopped me； maybe the transformation would have been plete； and I would have achieved the perfect state。 I was never to know。 The first thing the mob did was break the vial。〃
His words sober me。 〃Then what went wrong with Ralphe？ Why did he turn into a monster？〃
〃There could be many factors that influenced his oute。 One was that I laid him on the copper sheets when the sun was high in the sky。 Also…and I think this is the primary reason the experiment failed… Ralphe was ordinarily fearless by nature。 But when the transformation started； he got scared。 The power of the magnetic field magnified his fear； which in turn warped his DMA。 When the process was plete； I couldn't control him。 He had the strength of ten men。 He was out the door before I could stop him。〃
〃You should have told me。 I could have stopped him before he killed anyone。 We might have been able to change him back。〃
Arturo shook his head。 〃I don't think there was any going back。〃 He adds； 〃I was too ashamed to tell you。〃
〃Finally； the high priest confesses。〃 I continue to sneer at him。 〃All your talk doesn't disguise the fact that you experimented on a child before yourself。 And that you lied to me； after swearing on the name of your precious God that you would always tell me the truth。〃
〃Everyone lies；〃 he says。
〃Guarda cosa sei diventata； Arturo；〃 I say； reverting to the language of his youth； out of frustration； hope。 〃Look what's bee of you； Arturo。〃 〃When we first met； you wouldn't have hurt a fly。 That's why I gave you my blood。 I trusted you。〃
Even on the monitor； I see his gaze is focused in the far distance。 My words stir painful memories； for both of us。 My hatred for him is matched only by my love。 Yes； I still love him； and I hate that about myself。 He seems to sense my thoughts for he suddenly glances back at me and smiles。 It is a sad smile。
〃I cannot defend my acts to you；〃 he replies。 〃Except to say I thought the rewards of success outweighed the possibility of failure。 Yes； I should never have used Ralphe。 Yes； I should never have lied to you。 But if I had done these things…where would we be today？ I'd be long dead in a forgotten grave and you'd be safe and secure in your own selfish universe。 We wouldn't have your blood now so we could continue with our noble quest to finish what was started seven centuries ago。〃
I snicker。 〃I can't help but notice that you apply the word selfish to me。 What sickness was magnified in your field when you lay beneath the vibration of my blood？ You have bee a megalomaniac。 You were a priest； a good priest。 You used to humble yourself before God。 Now you want to be God。 If Jesus were alive today； what would you say to him？ Or would you give him a chance to explain himself before stealing his blood？〃
〃Do you want a chance to explain yourself？〃 Arturo asks gently。
〃I answer to no man。 My conscience is clear。〃
He raises his voice。 I have finally hit a button。 〃I don't believe you； Sita。 Why couldn't you look at me when you accused me of witchcraft？〃
〃You were a witch！ And you haven't changed！ Goddamn you； Arturo； can't you see how dangerous it is for me to be held captive by these people？ I just have to look at General Havor to know he wants to rule the world。〃
〃He's not the monster Andy led you to believe。〃
〃You talk about beliefs。 What do you believe in these days？ I never met Jesus； it's true。 But you must know as well as I that he would never condone your methods。 Your lying and ambushing and torture。 The means do not justify the end。 You did not watch
Ralphe chew on human flesh。 If you had seen him； you'd know that this path you want to take stinks of the devil。〃
Arturo sits back from the screen。 He is as tired as I am； perhaps shaken as well。 In that moment； his face bees much older than forty…five。 He appears ready for the grave。 Yet he is resolved； his destiny will be fulfilled。 He shakes his head as he sighs。
〃We can do this the hard way； Sita；〃 he says。 〃Or we can do it the easy way。 It is up to you。 I need your blood and I am going to have it。〃
I smile grimly。 〃Then you'd better prepare yourself for a fight。 Let me warn you； Arturo…I've shown you only a fraction of my powers。 But if you e after me now； you will see all of them。 There aren't enough soldiers and bullets in this pound to contain me for the remainder of my life。 Tell your general that people will die if I'm not released。 Their deaths will be on your conscience； Arturo。 I swear in the name of my God； you will never get to heaven…in this world or the next。〃
The screen goes dead。
But not before I see the fear in his eyes。
15
More hours pass。 Joel lies sleeping。 Once again I sit silently on the floor； my legs crossed； my eyes closed。 Yet this time my attention is turned outward。 Through the wall； I can just hear the guards at the security station talk。 There are three of them now。 They discuss a football game。
〃Those Forty…Niners are amazing；〃 Guard One says。 〃Their offense works like a machine gun…it just keeps firing。 I felt sorry for the Cowboys。〃
〃You know； everybody looks at the quarterback；〃 Guard Two says。 〃But I think when you got the receivers； you got all you need： Even a lousy pro quarterback can look good throwing to players who are wide open。〃
〃I think it's the other way around；〃 Guard Three says。 〃You got a great quarterback； he can hit a player who's totally covered。 Not many teams win the Super Bowl with an average quarterback。〃
〃Not many teams win the Super Bowl； period；〃 Guard One says。
〃Only one a year；〃 Guard Two says。
〃Wouldn't be a Super Bowl if everyone could win it；〃 Guard Three says。
Beyond their chattering； I sense their thoughts。 The gift of Yaksha's blood grows stronger the more still I bee。 Guard One is contemplating his sour stomach。 He has an ulcer； and when he pulls an all…night shift； it always hurts。 He wonders if he should go to his car on the next break and get his bottle of Maalox。 But he needs to drink it in private。 The other guys always kid him about having a stomachache like a little kid。 Actually； Guard One has a lot of guts going into work in the pain he's in。
Guard Two's thoughts are dull。 He is thinking about his wife； his current mistress； and a woman he just met in the cafeteria two hours earlier…all of them naked together in bed with him。 He drank a large Coke before starting his last shift。 He has to pee real bad。
Guard Three is interesting。 Unknown to his buddies； he writes science…fiction in his spare time。 His brother…in…law； who's a lawyer； just read his last book and told him to forget about being a writer。 But Guard Three thinks that just because his brother…in…law has a law degree； it doesn't mean he can spot talent。 And he's right…Guard Three's mind is rich in creative ideas。
I need to concentrate hard to sense their thoughts。 I can only read one at a time。 Since ancient times I have been able to influence people's thoughts by staring hard at them and whispering suggestions in their ears。 But in here I am deprived of the power of my gaze； of the soothing allure of my velvety voice。 Yet the longer I concentrate on these guys； the more certain I am that I can introduce thoughts into their minds。 I focus in on Guard Three…he's the most sensitive。 Creating a strong image in my mind； I send it through the wall。
〃This girl is real dangerous。 She can kill us all。〃
Guard Three is saying something that he suddenly breaks off in midsentence。 I hear him shift uneasily in his chair。 〃Hey； guys；〃 he says。
〃What？〃 the other two ask。
〃That chick in there is dangerous。 We have to be careful with her。 You saw what she did to Sam and Charlie。〃
〃She knocked them out cold；〃 Guard Two agrees。 〃But I'd like to see her try it on me。 She wouldn't get far。〃
〃I don't think you want to mess with her；〃 Guard One says。 〃She's supposed to be super strong。〃
〃Yeah； but they don't tell us why she's strong；〃 Guard Three says。 〃They just tell us to watch her。 But what if she gets out？ She could kill us all。〃
〃Yes；〃 I whisper softly to myself。
〃Relax；〃 Guard One says。 〃There's no way she's getting out of that box。〃
〃Even if she does break out；〃 Guard Two says。 〃We can stop her。 I don't care about orders； I'm opening fire。〃
〃I hear bullets can't stop her；〃 Guard Three says； continuing to dwell on how dangerous I am。
I shift my focus to Guard One and send out another suggestion。
〃We mustn't lose sight of her。〃
〃We'll keep an eye on her；〃 Guard One says。
I place the same thought in Guard Three's mind。
〃Yeah；〃 Guard Three echoes； 〃We have to be alert； keep watching her。〃
I try to put the thought in Guard Two's mind。
〃I've got to take a piss；〃 Guard Two says。
〃Oh； well；〃 I whisper to myself。 〃Two out of three ain't bad。〃
Over the next thirty minutes…pausing only when Guard Two goes to the bathroom…I steadily build up their paranoia about how dangerous I am and how bad things will be if they don't keep me under constant surveillance。 Pretty soon Guards One and Three are talking paranoid gibberish。 Guard Two is not sure how to calm them down； or even why they need to be calmed down。
〃If we don't watch her every second；〃 Guard One says。 〃She'll escape。〃
〃And if she escapes；〃 Guard Three says。 〃She'll rip our hearts out and eat them。〃
〃Stop！〃 Guard Two yells。 〃She's not going to escape。〃
〃We know that；〃 Guard One says。 〃If we don't blink； if we keep the lights on her； she won't escape。〃
〃But if the lights go out； we're doomed；〃 Guard Three says。
〃Why would the lights go out？〃 Guard Two wants to know。
Taking a few deep breaths； I slowly ease out of my deep state of concentration。 I reach over and gently shake Joel。 He opens his eyes and smiles at me。 In all the confusion I have forgotten how handsome he is。 His dark blue eyes are filled with affection。
〃What a pleasant sight to wake up to；〃 he whispers。
〃Thank you。〃
〃Did you sleep？〃
I lean over and whisper directly into his ear。 〃No。 I've been planting the seeds of our escape。 The guards outside are now terrified of losing sight of us。〃
He's curious。 〃You know this for a fact？〃
〃Yes。 I'm going to break the lights in here； which will cause them to panic and call for help。 I'm sure General Havor himself will e。〃
〃Then what？〃
〃I have a plan of sorts； but it's not set in stone。 Just follow my lead。 Get up…get ready to act when I say the word。〃
Joel moves to the wall closest to the door。 Standing in the center of the cell； staring at the overhead cameras； I give the guards on the other side of the wall one last thing to think about。
〃I'm ing for you now；〃 I say in a wicked voice。
〃You'd better run； you'd better hide。〃 I lick my lips。 〃Because I'm very hungry。〃
Then； in a series of blindingly fast moves； I shatter every light on the ceiling and plunge the cell into darkness。 I see perfectly； but Joel has to reach for the wall to get his bearings。 At the security station； I hear Guard One and Guard Three screaming in terror。 Guard Two fumbles for his weapon； yelling at his partners to stop。 I suppress a giggle。
〃e to me； General；〃 I whisper。 〃e； Arturo。〃
Five minutes later I hear Arturo an