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I, Robot Arturo Icaza de Arana-Goldberg, Police Detective Third Grade, United North American Trading S here, Third Di!trict, "ourth Pre#ecture, Second Divi!ion $Parkdale% had had man& adventure! in hi! di!tingui!hed career, running crook! to ground 'ith an unbeatable combination o# in!tinct and un!tinting devotion to dut&( )e*d been decorated on three !e arate occa!ion! b& hi! commander and b& the Regional +anager #or Social )armon&, and hi! mother ke t a !mall !hrine dedicated to hi! re!! cli ing! and commendation! that occu ied mo!t o# the cram ed !itting-room o# her #lat o## Steele! Avenue( No amount o# oliceman*! devotion and !kill availed him 'hen it came to making hi! t'elve-&ear-old get read& #or !chool, though( ,)aul a!!, &oung lad&-out o# bed, on &our #eet, !hit-!ho'er-!have, or I !'ear to God, I 'ill beat &ou ur le and !hove &ou out the door .a&bird naked( /a ee!h01 The mound beneath the cover! groaned and hi!!ed( ,2ou are a terrible #ather,1 it !aid( ,And I never loved &ou(1 The voice 'a! indi!tinct and mu##led b& the illo'( ,3oo hoo,1 Arturo !aid, e4amining hi! nail!( ,2ou*ll regret that 'hen I*m dead o# cancer(1 The mound-'ho!e name 'a! Ada Trouble Icaza de Arana-Goldberg-thre' her cover! o## and !at bolt u right( ,2ou*re d&ing o# cancer0 i! it te!ticle cancer01 Ada cla ed her hand! and !5uealed( ,/an I have &our !tu##01 ,Ten minute!, &our rottenne!!,1 he !aid, and then hi! breath caught momentaril& in hi! brea!t a! he !a', #leetingl&, hi! e4-'i#e*! morning e4re!!ion, not !een the!e a!t t'elve &ear!, come to li#e in hi! daughter*! #ace( Pout&, rett&, !lee & and guile-le!!, and it made him realize that hi! daughter 'a! becoming a 'oman, gro'ing a'a& #rom him( She 'a!, and he 'a! not read& #or that( )e !hook it o##, atted hi! razor-burn and turned on hi! heel( )e kne' #rom e4 erience that once rou!ed, the munchkin 'ould be !crounging the kitchen #or 'hatever 'a! hand& be#ore da!hing out the door, and i# he hurried, he*d have egg! and !au!age on the table be#ore !he made her brie# a earance( 6ther'i!e he*d have to r& the !ugar-cereal out o# her hand!-and !he #ought dirt&( In hi! car, he rodded at hi! hone( )e had her 'ireta ed, o# cour!e( )e 'a! a co -ever& hone and ever& com uter 'a! an o en book to him, !o that thi! involved nothing more than dialing a number on hi!

! ecial co er*! hone, entering her number and a PIN, and then li!tening a! hi! daughter had truck 'ith a criminal enter ri!e( ,8elcome to 94cu!e/lub: There are ;< member! on the net'ork thi! morning( 2ou have #ive e4cu!e! to &our credit( Pre!! one to redeem an e4cu!e-1 She toned one( ,Pre!! one i# &ou need an adult-1 Tone( Pre!! one i# &ou need a 'oman= re!! t'o i# &ou need a man-1 Tone( Pre!! one i# &our e4cu!e !hould be delivered b& &our doctor= re!! t'o #or &our ! iritual re re!entative= re!! three #or &our ca!e-'orker= re!! #our #or &our !&cho-health ! eciali!t= re!! #ive #or &our !on= re!! !i4 #or &our #ather-1 Tone( ,2ou have !elected to have &our e4cu!e delivered b& &our #ather( Pre!! one i# thi! e4cu!e i! intended #or &our ca!e'orker= re!! t'o #or &our !&cho-health ! eciali!t= re!! three #or &our rinci al-1 Tone( ,Plea!e dictate &our e4cu!e at the !ound o# the bee ( 8hen &ou have #ini!hed, re!! the ound ke&(1 ,Thi! i! Detective Arturo Icaza de Arana-Goldberg( +& daughter 'a! !ick in the night and I*ve let her !lee in( She*ll be in #or lunchtime(1 Tone( ,Pre!! one to hear &our me!!age= re!! t'o to have &our me!!age di!atched to a net'ork-member(1 Tone( ,Thank &ou(1 The en-trace data !crolled u Arturo*! hone-number called, originating number, call-time( Thi! 'a! the third time he*d caught hi! daughter at thi! game, and each time, the en-trace data had been u!ele!!, a deadend lead that terminated 'ith a hone-#or'arding !ervice ta ed into one o# the dodg& o##!hore !'itche! that the ble!!ed bla!ted UNATS bra!! had recentl& ac5uired on the chea to handle the !urge o# mobile telehone call!( 8h& couldn*t the& .u!t !tick to UNATS Robotic! e5ui ment, like the good old da&!0 Tho!e 6ceanic !'itche! had more back-door! than a ! eakea!&, trade agreement! be damned( The& 'ere attractive nui!ance!, invitation! to criminal activit&( Arturo #umed and drummed hi! #inger! on the !teering-'heel( 9ach time he*d caught Ada at thi!, !he*d u!ed the e4tra time to cra'l back into bed #or a lei!urel& morning, but 'ho kne' i# toda& 'a! the da& !he took her libert& and 'ent do'nto'n 'ith it, to !ome arental nightmare o# a drug-den0 Some lace 'here the old ervert chickenha'k! hung out, the kind o# men he arre!ted in burle!5ue hou!e raid!, men 'ho ma!turbated into their hat! under their table! and then ut them back onto their !hining ate!, dri ing cold, di!ea!ed !erum onto their !cal !( )e clenched hi! hand! on the !teering 'heel and cur!ed(

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In an ideal 'orld, he*d !im l& #ollo' her( )e 'a! good at tailing, and hi! unmarked car 'ith it! tinted 'indo'! 'a! a UNATS Robotic! !tandard com act ?, indi!tingui!hable #rom the ten! o# thou!and! o# other! .u!t like it on the !treet! o# Toronto( Ada 'ould never kno' that the curb-cra'ler tailing her 'a! her !ucker o# a #ather, making !ure that !he turned u to get her brain! !har ened in!tead o# turning into !ome !tunadz do er 'ith her underage butt hanging out o# a little !kirt on @arvi! Street( In the real 'orld, Arturo had thirt& minute! to make a #ort& minute do'nto'n and cro!!to'n commute i# he 'a! going to get to the !tation hou!e on-time #or the 5uarterl& all-hand! Social )armon& brie#ing( 8hich meant that he needed to be in t'o lace! at once, 'hich meant that he had to u!e-the robot( S'allo'ing bile, he ! eed-dialed a number on hi! hone( ,Thi! i! R Peed Robbert, +cNicoll and Don +ill! bu!-!helter(1 ,That*! nice( Thi! i! Detective Icaza de Arana-Goldberg, three block! ea!t o# &ou on Picola( Proceed to m& location at once, riorit& urgent, no !iren!(1 ,Ackno'ledged( It i! m& lea!ure to do &ou a !ervice, Detective(1 ,Shut u ,1 he !aid, and hung u the hone( The R Peed-Robot, Police De artment-robot! 'ere the 'or!t, rogrammed to be #riendl& to a #ault, even a! the& !urveilled and !nitched out ever& er!on 'ho 'alked a!t their eternall& vigilant, ever-remembering electrical e&e! and brain!( The R Peed! could outrun a olice car on o en ground or high'a&( )e*d barel& had time to unt'i!t hi! clenched hand! #rom the !teering 'heel 'hen R Peed Robbert 'a! at hi! 'indo', olitel& ra ing on the !moked gla!!( )e didn*t 'ant to roll do'n the 'indo'( Didn*t 'ant to !mell the dr&, machine-oil !mell o# a robot( )e honed it in!tead( ,2ou are no' ta!ked to me, Detective*! override, ackno'ledge(1 The metal man bo'ed, it! !&mmetrical, !im li#ied #eature! lea!ant and guilele!!( It clicked it! heel! together 'ith an audible !nick a! tho!e marvelou!, ! ring-loaded, nuclear- o'ered gam! 'hined through their arod& o# obedience( ,Ackno'ledged, Detective( It i! m& lea!ure to do-1 ,Shut u ( 2ou 'ill di!creetl& !urveil 77 Picola /re!cent until !uch time a! Ada Trouble Icaza de Arana-Goldberg, Social )armon& !erial number A+D2?-T<B<C leave! the remi!e!( Then &ou 'ill maintain di!creet !urveillance( I# !he deviate! more than DA ercent #rom the o timum route bet'een here and Don +ill! /ollegiate In!titute, &ou 'ill noti#& me( Ackno'ledge(1

,Ackno'ledged, Detective( It i! m&-1 )e hung u and told the UNATS Robotic! mechani!m running hi! car to get him do'n to the !tation hou!e a! #a!t a! it could, angr& 'ith him!el# and 'ith Ada-'ho!e middle name 'a! Trouble, a#ter all-#or making him deal 'ith a robot be#ore he*d had hi! morning meditation and de!tim !e!!ion( The name had been hi! e4-'i#e*! idea, !omething !he*d in!i!ted on long enough to make !ure that it got onto the kid*! birth certi#icate be#ore de#ecting to 9ura!ia 'ith their li#e*! !aving!, leaving him 'ith a ne' bab& and the dee !u! icion o# hi! co-'orker! 'ho 'ondered i# he 'ouldn*t go and .oin her( )i! e4-'i#e( )e hadn*t thought o# her in &ear!( 8ell, month!( 8eek!, certainl&( She*d been a brilliant com uter !cienti!t, the valedictorian o# her Po!itronic /om le4it& 9ngineering cla!! at the UNATS Robotic! !chool at the Univer!it& o# Toronto( Dum ing her hu!band and her daughter 'a! bad enough, but the 'or!t o# it 'a! that !he dum ed her countr& and it! 'a& o# li#e( No' !he 'a! en!conced in her o'n re!earch lab in 3ei.ing, making the kind! o# runa'a& Po!itronic! that made the loath!ome robot! o# UNATS look categoricall& bene#icent( )e itched to 'ireta her, to read her email or li!ten in on her hone conver!ation!( )e could have done that 'hen the& 'ere !till together, but he never had( I# he had, he 'ould have #ound out 'hat !he 'a! lanning( )e could have talked her out o# it( And then 'hat, Artie0 !aid the nagging voice in hi! head( Arre!t her i# !he 'ouldn*t li!ten to &ou0 +arch her do'n to the !tation hou!e in handcu##! and have her ut a'a& #or trea!on0 Send her to the reeducation cam 'ith &our little daughter !till in her bell&0 Shut u , he told the nagging voice, 'hich had a robotic 5ualit& to it #or all it! !neering cruelt&, a tenor o# !&ru & #al!e #riendline!!( )e called u the en-trace data and te4ted it to the hreak !5uad( The& had bot! that handled thi! kind o# routine 'ork and the& te4ted him back in an in!tant( )e remembered 'hen that kind o# 5uer& 'ould take a cou le o# hour!, and he liked the #a!t re! on!e, but 'hat about the conver!ation! he*d have 'ith the hone co 'ho called him back, the camaraderie, the back-and-#orth0 TRA/9 T9R+INAT9S 8IT) A EIRTUAF S9REI/9 /IR/UIT AT S8IT/) PNG(;<<-GGR@/( EIRTUAF /IR/UIT "6R8ARDS T6 A /6+PR6+IS9D ,H6+3I91 S2ST9+ IN NINT) DISTRI/T, "IRST PR9"9/TUR9( H6+3I9 )AS 399N S)UT D68N AND F6/AF FA8 9N"6R/9+9NT IS 9N R6UT9 "6R PI/GUP AND "6R9NSI/S( IT IS +2 PF9ASUR9 T6 D6 26U A S9REI/9, D9T9/TIE9(

)o' could &ou have a back-and-#orth 'ith a me!!age like that0 )e looked u NinthJ"ir!t in the metric-analog ma converterK G92 89ST, "F( So, there &ou had it( A !'itch made in Pa ua Ne'-Guinea $'hich er!i!ted in con.uring u old 6ceanic 'ar hoto! o# bone-in-no!e t& e! #rom hi! bo&hood, though no' that the&*d been at 'ar 'ith 9ura!ia #or !o long, it 'a! hard to even #ind !omeone 'ho didn*t think that the 'ar had al'a&! been 'ith 9ura!ia, that 6ceania hadn*t al'a&! been UNATS*! all&%, #or'arding call! to a com uter that 'a! !o #ar !outh, it 'a! racticall& in the middle o# the /aribbean, hardl& a !tone*! thro' #rom the /A"TA region, 'hich 'a! 'ell-kno'n to harbor 9ura!ian !aboteur and terrori!t element!( The car !huddered a! it 'ove in and out o# the lane! on the Don Ealle& Park'a&, barreling #or the Gardiner 94 re!! 8a&, u!ing hi! co er*! override to make the thick, !lo' tra##ic art ahead o# him( )e 'a!n*t !u o!ed to do thi!, but a! bet'een a minor in#raction and i!!ing o## the man #rom Social )armon&, he kne' 'hich one he*d ick( )i! hone rang again( It 'a! R Peed Robbert, checking in( ,)ello, Detective,1 it !aid, it! voice crackling #rom bad rece tion( ,Sub.ect Ada Trouble Icaza de Arana-Goldberg ha! deviated #rom her route( She i! continuing north on Don +ill! a!t Ean )orne and i! continuing to'ard She ard(1 She ard meant the She ard !ub'a&, 'hich meant that !he 'a! going #arther( ,/ontinue di!creet !urveillance(1 )e thought about the overcoat men 'ith their !tick& hat!( ,I# !he attem t! to board the !ub'a&, alert the truanc& atrol(1 )e cur!ed again( +a&be !he 'a! .u!t going to the mall( 3ut he couldn*t go u there him!el# and make !ure, and it 'a!n*t like a robot 'ould be an& u!e in re!training her, !he*d .u!t !econd-la' it into letting her go( U!ele!! ca!trating clanking .ob-!tealing dehumanizingShe 'a! almo!t certainl& .u!t going to the mall( She 'a! a !mart kid, a good kid-a rotten kid, to be !ure, but good-rotten( /hance! 'ere !he*d be tr&ing on clothe! and #lirting 'ith bo&! until lunch and then 'alking boldl& back into cla!!( )e ball arked it at an IA ercent robabilit&( I# it had been a er , IA ercent might have been good enough( 3ut thi! 'a! hi! Ada( Dammit( )e had DA minute! until the Social )armon& meeting !tarted, and he 'a! !till D7 minute! a'a& #rom the !tationhou!e-and ?A #rom Ada( ,Tail her,1 he !aid( ,@u!t tail her( Gee me u to date on &our location at BA-!econd interval!(1

,It i! m& lea!ure to-1 )e dro ed the hone on the a!!enger !eat and 'ent back to #retting about the Social )armon& meeting( The man #rom Social )armon& noticed right a'a& that Arturo 'a! checking hi! hone at BA-!econd interval!( )e 'a! a bald, thin man 'ith a ronounced Adam*! a le, beak-no!e and !hin& round head that combined to give him the ro#ile o# !omething redator& and #a!t( In hi! natt& checked !uit and ink tie, the Social )armon& man 'a! the !tu## o# nightmare!, the kind o# eagle-e&ed !u erco 'ho could ! ot Arturo*! attention #licking #or the bare!t moment ever& BA !econd! to hi! hone and then back to the meeting( ,Detective01 he !aid( Arturo looked u #rom hi! !creen, kee ing hi! e4 re!!ion neutral, not ackno'ledging the mean grin! #rom the other #our ranking detective! in the meeting( Silentl&, he turned hi! hone #ace-do'n on the meeting table( ,Thank &ou,1 he !aid( ,No', the late!t !tat! !ho' a !har ri!e in gre&market electronic! im orting and other tari##-breaking crime!, mo!tl& occurring in o en-air market !tall! and #rom !ide'alk blanket!( I kno' that man& in la' en#orcement treat thi! kind o# thing a! mere hand-tohand irac&, not 'orth troubling 'ith, but I 'ant to a!!ure &ou, gentlemen and lad&, that Social )armon& take! the!e crime! ver& !eriou!l& indeed(1 The Social )armon& man li#ted hi! com uter onto the de!k, !tead&ing it 'ith both hand!, then lugged it into the 'all !ocket( Detective Shainblum 'ent to the 'all and unlatched the cover #or the ro.ector-'ire and dragged it over to the Social )armon& com uter and lugged it in, !na ing !hut the hardened collar( The !ound o# the ro.ector-#an ! inning u 'a! like a helico ter( ,)ere,1 the Social )armon& man !aid, bringing u a !lide, ,here 'e have 'hat a ear! to be a !tandard AE !et-to bo4 #rom Gorea( Fook! like a UNATS Robotic! la&er, but it*! a third the !ize and la&! t'ice a! man& #ormat!( Random Social )armon& audit! have determined that a! much a! #ort& ercent o# UNATS re!ident! have thi! device or one like it in their home!, de! ite it! illegalit&( It ma& be that one o# &ou detective! ha! !uch a device in &our home, and it*! likel& that one o# &our #amil& member! doe!(1 )e advanced the !lide( No' the& 'ere looking at a ma!!ive car-'reck on a !tretch o# high'a& !ome'here 'here the ine-tree! gre' tall( The

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'reck 'a! !o enormou! that even #or the kind o# !ea!oned veteran o# road-#atalit& orn 'ho 'a! accu!tomed to adding u the 'heel! and dividing b& #our it 'a! im o!!ible to tell e4actl& ho' man& car! 'ere involved( ,/om onent! #rom a 9ura!ian bootleg !et-to bo4 'ere u!ed to modi#& the o!itronic brain! o# three car! o'ned b& teenager! near Goderich( All modi#ication! 'ere made at the !ame garage( The!e modi#ication! allo'ed the!e children to o erate their vehicle! un!a#el& !o that the& could artici ate in drag racing event! on ma.or high'a&! during o##-hour!( Thi! i! the re!ult( T'ent&-t'o #atalitie!, nine ma.or in.urie!( Three minor!-be!ide! the driver!-killed, and one regnant 'oman( ,8e*ve !hut do'n the garage and taken tho!e re! on!ible into cu!tod&, but it doe!n*t matter( The 9ura!ian! deliberatel& manu#acture their com onent! to intero erate 'ith UNATS Robotic! brain!, and !o long a! their e5ui ment circulate! 'ithin UNATS border!, there 'ill be moderatel& !killed hacker! 'ho take advantage o# thi! #act to introduce dangerou!, anti-!ocial modi#ication! into our nation*! in#ra!tructure( ,Thi! 5uarter i! the 5uarter that Social )armon& and la' en#orcement dr& u the !u l& o# 9ura!ian electronic!( 8e have added ne' !ni##er! and border- atrol!, ne' cu!tom! agent! and ne' detector van!( 3eat o##icer! have been in!tructed to arre!t an& !treet dealer the& encounter and di!trict attorne&! 'ill be a!king #or the ma4imum .ail time #or them( Thi! i! the 'ar on the home-#ront, detective!, and it*! ever& bit a! !eriou! a! the !hooting 'ar( ,2our art in thi! 'ar, a! highl& trained, highl& decorated detective!, 'ill be to u!e !nitche!, arre!t-trail! and !eized evidence to track do'n higher-level !u lier!, the one! 'ho get the dealer! their good!( And then Social )armon& 'ant! &ou to get their !u lier!, and !o on, u the chain-to run the corru tion to ground and to bring it to a halt( The Social )armon& do!!ier on 9ura!ian im orter! i! u dated hourl&, and ha! a high-ca acit& o!itronic inter#ace that i! available to an!'er &our 5ue!tion! and acce t &our in ut #or !&nthe!i! into it! anal&tical model( 8e are rel&ing on &ou to #eed the do!!ier, to give it the ra' material! and then to u!e it to 'in thi! 'ar(1 The Social )armon& man aged through more atrocit& !lide!, !cene! #rom the home-#rontK oi!oned building! 'ith ber!erk li#e-!u ort !&!tem!, violent kung-#u movie! la&ing in the background in crack-hou!e!, then kid! la&ing !e4uall& e4 licit, violent arcade game! im orted #rom @a an( Arturo*! hand t'itched to'ard hi! mobile( 8hat 'a! Ada u to no'0

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The meeting dre' to a clo!e and Arturo ri!ked looking at hi! mobile under the table( R( Peed Robbert had checked in #ive more time!, !hado'ing Ada around the mall and then had #allen !ilent( Arturo cur!ed( "ucking robot! 'ere u!ele!!( Social )armon& !hould be hunting do'n UNATS Robotic! roduct!, too( The Social )armon& man cleared hi! throat meaning#ull&( Arturo ut the hone a'a&( ,Detective Icaza de Arana-Goldberg01 ,Sir,1 he !aid, gathering u hi! er!onal com uter !o that he*d have an e4cu!e to go-no one could be e4 ected to hold one o# UNATS Robotic!*! heav& luggable! #or ver& long( The Social )armon& man !te ed in clo!e enough that Arturo could !mell the egg! and co##ee on hi! breath( ,I ho e 'e haven*t ke t &ou #rom an&thing im ortant, detective(1 ,No, !ir,1 Arturo !aid, !hi#ting the com uter in hi! arm!( ,+& a ologie!( @u!t monitoring a tail #rom an R Peed unit(1 ,I !ee,1 the Social )armon& man !aid( ,Fi!ten, &ou kno' the!e comonent! that the 9ura!ian! are turning out( It*! no coincidence that the& inter#ace !o 'ell 'ith UNATS Robotic! e5ui mentK the&*re u!ing de#ected UNATS Robotic! engineer! and !cienti!t! to de!ign their electronic! #or ma4imum intero erabilit&(1 The Social )armon& man let that hang in the air( De#ected !cienti!t!( )i! e4-'i#e 'a! the highe!t-ranking UNATS technician to go over to 9ura!ia( Thi! 'a! her handi'ork, and the Social )armon& man 'anted to be !ure that Arturo under!tood that( 3ut Arturo had alread& #igured that out during the brie#ing( )i! e4'i#e 'a! thou!and! o# kilometer! a'a&, but he 'a! keenl& a'are that he 'a! al'a&! !urrounded b& her handi'ork( The little illegal robot- et egg! the&*d !tarted !eeing la!t &earK !he*d made him one o# tho!e #or their !econd date, and no' the& 'ere draining the roductive hour! o# hal# the children o# UNATS, demanding to be ,#ed1 and ,hugged(1 )i! had died 'ithin ;I hour! o# her giving it to him( )e !hi#ted the com uter in hi! arm! !ome more and let hi! e4 re!!ion gro' ained( ,I*ll kee that in mind, !ir,1 he !aid( ,2ou do that,1 !aid the man #rom Social )armon&( )e honed R Peed Robbert the !econd he reached hi! de!k( The hone rang three time!, then di!connected( )e redialed( T'ice( Then he grabbed hi! .acket and ran to the car( A light autumn rain had !tarted u , ending the Indian !ummer that Toronto-the "ourth Pre#ecture in the ne' metric !cheme-had been en.o&ing( It made the road! !li er& and the UNATS Robotic! chau##eur

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!kitti!h about utting the hammer do'n on the Don Ealle& Park'a&( )e idl& #anta!ized about #inding a !et-to bo4 and lugging it into hi! car !omeho' !o that he could take over the driving 'ithout alerting hi! !u erior!( In!tead, he redialed R Peed Robbert, but the robot 'a!n*t even ringing an& longer( )e zoomed in on the area around She ard and Don +ill! 'ith hi! hone and ut out a general call #or robot!( +ore robot!( ,Thi! i! R Peed "roderick, "airvie' +all arking lot, third level(1 Arturo !ent the robot R Peed Robbert*! hone number and !et it to 'ork tran!lating that into a locator-beacon code and then told it to #ind Robbert and re ort in( ,It i! m&-1 )e 'atched R Peed "roderick home in on the locator #or Robbert, 'hich 'a! clo!e b&, at the other end o# the mall, near the Don Ealle& Park'a& e4it( )e !'itched to a vie' #rom "roderick*! electric e&e!, but 5uickl& !'itched a'a&, nau!eated b& the !ickening lea ! and ! in! o# an R Peed moving at to ! eed, clanging o## 'all! and ceiling!( )i! hone rang( It 'a! R Peed "roderick( ,)ello, Detective( I have #ound R Peed Robbert( The Peed unit ha! been badl& damaged b& !ome kind o# electromagnetic ul!e( I 'ill bring him to the neare!t !tation-hou!e #or #oren!ic anal&!i! no'(1 ,8ait:1 Arturo !aid, tr&ing to under!tand 'hat he*d been told( The Peed unit! 'ere !o e##icient-b& the time the&*d given &ou the !itre , the&*d alread& re! onded to the !ituation in er#ect olice rocedure, but the roblem 'a! the& 'orked !o #a!t &ou couldn*t even think about 'hat the& 'ere doing, couldn*t #ormulate an& kind o# h& othe!i!( 9lectromagnetic ul!e0 The Peed unit! 'ere hardened again!t !noo ing, !ni##ing, ul!ing, !ideband and brute-#orce attack!( 2ou*d have to hit one 'ith a bolt o# lightning to kill it( ,8ait there,1 Arturo !aid( ,Do not leave the !cene( A'ait m& re!ence( Do not modi#& the !cene or allo' an&one el!e to do !o( Ackno'ledge(1 ,It i! m&-1 3ut thi! time, it 'a!n*t Arturo !'itching o## the hone, it 'a! the robot( )ad the robot .u!t hung u on him0 )e redialed it( No an!'er( )e reached under hi! da!h and #li ed the #ir!t and !econd alert !'itche! and the car lea t #or'ard( )e*d have to #ill out !ome !eriou! aer'ork to .u!ti#& a t'o-!'itch override on the Park'a&, but t'o robot! 'a! more than a coincidence(

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3e!ide!, a little a er'ork 'a! nothing com ared to the #ire'ork! ahead 'hen he honed u Ada to a!k her 'hat !he 'a! doing out o# !chool( )e hit her ! eed-dial and #umed 'hile the hone rang three time!( Then it cut into voicemail( )e tried a en-trace, but Ada hadn*t made an& call! !ince her 94cu!e/lub call that morning( )e te4ted the hreak !5uad to !ee i# the& could get a #i4 on her location #rom the bug in her hone, but it 'a! either o'ered do'n or out o# range( )e ut a 'atch on it-an& location data it tran!mitted 'hen it got back to civilization 'ould be logged( It 'a! o!!ible that !he 'a! .u!t in the mall( It 'a! a big lace-!ome o# the cavernou! !tore! 'ere !o 'ell-!hielded 'ith radio-noi!& animated di! la&! that the& gonked an& hone! brought in!ide them( She could be 'ith her girl#riend!, tr&ing on bra!!iere! and having a real bonding moment( 3ut there 'a! no naturall& occurring henomenon a!!ociated 'ith the mall that nailed R Peed! 'ith bolt! o# lightning( )e a roached the R Peed! cautiou!l&, u!ing hi! co er*! override to make the dumb little o!itronic brain in the emergenc& e4it neare!t their la!t kno'n o!ition o en u #or him 'ithout ti ing o## the building*! central brain( )e cre t along a !ervice corridor, heading #or a door that e4ited into the mall( )e ut one hand on the doorknob and the other on hi! badge, took a dee breath and !te ed out( A mall !ecurit& guard nearl& .um ed out o# hi! !kin a! he emerged( )e reached #or hi! e er-! ra& and Arturo !'e t it out o# hi! hand a! he #li ed hi! badge u and !ho'ed it to the man( ,Police,1 !aid, in the co voice, the one that 'orked on ever&one e4ce t hi! daughter and hi! e4'i#e and the blood& robot!( ,Sorr&,1 the guard !aid, recovering hi! e er ! ra&( )e had an 6ceanic t'ang in hi! voice, !omething Arturo had been hearing more and more a! the cro'ded i!land! o# the South Paci#ic boiled over UNATS( 3e#ore them, in a ile, 'ere man& dead robot!K both o# the R Peed unit!, a air o# mall-!'ee er!, a #l&ing cambot, and a !5uat, octo u!armed maintenance robot, l&ing in a li#ele!! tangle( Some o# them 'ere charred around their !eam!, and there 'a! the !mell o# #ried motherboard! in the air(

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A! the& 'atched, a !'ee er bot !'e t #or'ard and grabbed the maintenance bot b& one o# it! #ine mani ulator!( ,6i, !to it,1 the !ecurit& guard !aid, and the robot !econd-la'ed to an immediate halt( ,No, that*! #ine, go back to 'ork,1 Arturo !aid, !hooting a look at the rent-a-co ( )e 'atched clo!el& a! the !'ee er bot began to drag the heav& maintenance unit a'a&, thumbing the backu number into hi! hone 'ith one hand( )e 'anted more co ! on the !cene, real one!, and #a!t( The !'ee er bot managed to take one !te back'ard! to'ard! it! !ervice corridor 'hen the light! dimmed and a crack-bang !ound #illed the air( Then it, too 'a! l&ing on the ground( Arturo hit !end on hi! hone and clam ed it to hi! head, and a! he did, noticed the !trong !mell o# burning la!tic( )e looked at hi! honeK the !creen had gone charred black, and it! little idiot light! 'ere out( )e #li ed it over and ried out the batter& 'ith a #ingernail, then &el ed and dro ed it-it 'a! hot enough to rai!e a bli!ter on hi! #ingerti , and 'hen it hit the ground, it !5ui!hed melt#ull& again!t the mall-tile!( ,+ine*! dead, too, mate,1 the !ecurit& guard !aid( ,9ver&#ing i!-ca!h regi!ter!, bot!, credit-card!(1 "earing the 'or!t, Arturo reached under hi! .acket and 'ithdre' hi! !idearm( It 'a! a UNATS Robotic! model, 'ith a little !nitch-brain that recorded 'hen, 'here and ho' it 'a! dra'n( )e 'orked the action and #ound it #rozen in lace( The gun 'a! a! dead a! the robot( )e !'ore( ,Give me &our e er ! ra& and &our truncheon,1 he !aid to the !ecurit& guard( ,No 'a&,1 the guard !aid( ,Getchero'n( It*! 'orth m& .ob i# I lo!e the!e(1 ,I*ll have &ou de orted i# &ou give me one more !econd*! 'orth o# bull!hit,1 Arturo !aid( Ada had led the #ir!t R Peed unit here, and it had been #ried b& !ome iece o# ver& ugl& in#o'ar e5ui ment( )e 'a!n*t going to argue 'ith thi! 6ceanic boat- er!on #or one in!tant longer( )e reached out and took the e er ! ra& out o# the guard*! hand( Truncheon,1 he !aid( ,I*ve got &our blood& badge number,1 the !ecurit& guard !aid( ,And I*ve got 'itne!!e!(1 )e ge!tured at the hovering mall 'orker!, checkout girl! in !tri e& a ron! and !uit !ale!men 'ith oiled-do'n hair and ink tie!( ,3ull& #or &ou,1 Arturo !aid( )e held out hi! hand( The !ecurit& guard 'ithdre' hi! truncheon and a!!ed it to Arturo-it! lead-'eighted he#t

D7

#elt right, !omething com#ortabl& lo'-tech that couldn*t be !horted out b& electromagnetic ul!e!( )e checked hi! 'atch, !a' that it 'a! dead( ,"ind a 'orking hone and call BDD( Tell them that there*! a Second Divi!ion Detective in need o# immediate a!!i!tance( /lear all the!e eo le a'a& #rom here and !et u a cordon until the olice arrive( /a ee!h01 )e u!ed the co voice( ,2eah, I get it, 6##icer(1 the !ecurit& guard !aid( )e made a !hooing motion at the mall-rat!( ,+ove it along, eo le, !te a'a&(1 )e !te ed to the to o# the e!calator and cu ed hi! hand! to hi! mouth( ,6i, And&, c*mere and kee an e&e on thi! lot 'hile I make a call, all right01 The dead robot! made a tall ile in #ront o# the entrance to a derelict !tore#ront that had once hou!ed a little-old-lad& !hoe-!tore( The& 'ere !tacked tall enough that i# Arturo !tood on them, he could reach the acou!tic tile! o# the dro -ceiling( @ob one 'a! to !ecure the area, 'hich meant killing the in#o'ar device, 'herever it 'a!( Arturo*! #ir!t bet 'a! on the !tore#ront, 'here an attacker 'ho kne' ho' to ick a lock could 'ork in eace, rotected b& the bro'n butcher*! a er over the 'indo'!( A lot le!! con! icuou! than the ceiling, an&'a&( )e nudged the door 'ith the truncheon and #ound it !ecurel& locked( It 'a! a gla!! door and he 'a!n*t !ure he could kick it in 'ithout !hivering it to #linder!( 3ehind him, another !ecurit& guard-And&-looked on 'ith intere!t( ,Do &ou have a ke& #or thi! door01 ,Umm,1 And& !aid( ,Do &ou01 And& !idled over to him( ,8ell, the thing i!, 'e*re not !u o!ed to have ke&!, the&*re !u o!ed to be locked u in the ro ert& management o##ice, but kid! get in there !ometime!, 'e hear them, and b& the time 'e get back 'ith the ke&!, the&*re gone( So 'e made a cou le !et! o# ke&!, &ou kno', .u!t in ca!e-1 ,9nough,1 Arturo !aid( ,Give them here and then get back to &our o!t(1 The !ecurit& guard #i!hed u a ke& #rom hi! ant!- ocket that 'a! 'arm #rom ro4imit& to hi! !kinn& thigh( It made Arturo con!ciou! o# ho' long it had been !ince he*d 'orked 'ith human colleague!( It #elt a little gro!!( )e !lid the ke& into the lock and turned it, then 'i ed hi! hand on hi! trou!er! and icked u the truncheon( The !tore 'a! dark, lit onl& b& the e4it-!ign and the edge! o# light leaking in around the 'indo' covering!, but a! Arturo*! e&e! ad.u!ted to the

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dimne!!, he made out the !ha e! o# the old !tore #i4ture!( )i! no!e tickled #rom the du!t( ,Police,1 he !aid, on general rinci le, narro'ing hi! e&e! and reaching #or the light!'itch( )e he#ted the truncheon and 'aited( Nothing ha ened( )e edged #or'ard( The #loor 'a! du!t#ree-maintained b& !ome !'ee er robot, no doubt-but the counterto ! and benche! 'ere #urred 'ith it( )e !canned it #or di!turbance!( There, b& the di! la& 'indo' on hi! rightK a !hoe-rack 'ith vi!ible hand- and #inger- rint!( )e !idled over to it, !na ed on a rubber glove and rodded it( It 'a! !et a'a& #rom the 'all, at an angle, a! though it had been moved a!ide and then !hoved back( Taking care not to di!turb the du!t too much, he inched it a'a& #rom the 'all( )e !lid it hal# a centimeter, then noticed the tri 'ire near the bottom o# the ca!e, !training it! length( )a!til& but care#ull&, he nudged the ca!e back( )e 'anted to eer in the crack bet'een the ca!e and the 'all, but he had a remonition o# a robotic arm !naking out and !ke'ering hi! e&eball( )e #elt !o im otent .u!t then that he nearl& did it an&'a&( 8hat did it matter0 )e couldn*t control hi! daughter, hi! 'i#e 'a! 'orking to de!tro& the !ocial #abric o# UNATS, and he 'a! rendered u!ele!! becau!e the goddamned robot!-mechanical co er! that he ab!olutel& loathed-'ere all broken( )e 'alked care#ull& around the !ho , looking #or !ign! o# hi! daughter( )ad !he been here0 )o' 'ere the ,kid!1 getting in0 Did the& have a ke&0 A back entrance0 3ack through the em lo&ee!-onl& door at the back o# the !ho , into a !tockroom, and back again, a!t a toilet, and there, a loading door o ening onto a !ervice corridor( )e rodded it 'ith the truncheon-ti and it !'ung o en( )e got t'o !te ! into the corridor be#ore he ! otted Ada*! hone 'ith it! di!tinctive collection o# little la!tic to&! hanging o## the 'ri!t-!tra , on the corridor*! !tick& #loor( )e icked it u 'ith hi! gloved hand and rodded it to li#e( It 'a! out o# range here in the !ervice corridor, and the la!t-dialed number 'a! #amiliar #rom hi! morning*! en-trace( )e ran a hundred !te ! do'n the corridor in each direction, !'eating #reel&, but there 'a! no !ign o# her( )e held tight onto the hone and bit hi! li ( Ada( )e !'allo'ed the anic ri!ing 'ithin him( )i! beauti#ul, brilliant daughter( The er!on he*d devoted the la!t t'elve &ear! o# hi! li#e to, the girl 'ho 'a! 'aiting #or him 'hen he got home #rom 'ork, the girl he bought a !mall re!ent #or ever& "rida&-a to&, a book-to give to her at their 'eekl& date at

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+a!!imo*! Pizzeria on /ollege Street, the one night a 'eek he took her do'nto'n to !ee the cit& lit u in the dark( Gone( )e bit harder and ta!ted blood( The hone in hi! hand groaned #rom hi! !5ueezing( )e took three dee breath!( 6ut!ide, he heard the tread o# olice-boot! and kne' that i# he told them about Ada, he*d be o## the ca!e( )e took t'o more dee breath! and tried !ome o# hi! de!tim techni5ue!, the mind-control techni5ue! that detective! 'ere re5uired to train in( )e clo!ed hi! e&e! and vi!ualized !te ing through a door to hi! !a#e lace, the i!land near Ganono5ue 'here he*d gone #or !ummer! 'ith hi! arent! and their #riend!( )e 'a! on the ! eedboat, !ki ing acro!! the lake like a #lat !tone, !5uinting into the !un, ne!tled bet'een hi! #ather and hi! mother, the !k& !treaked 'ith cloud! and dotted 'ith lake-bird!( )e could !mell the 'ater and the !untan lotion and hear the in!ect 'hine and the throat& roar o# the engine( In a blink, he 'a! !te ing o## the boat*! tran!om to hel tie it to a cleat on the back dock, taking !uitca!e! #rom hi! #ather and 'alking them u to the cabin!( No robot! there-not even reliable da&-long electricit&, .u!t hone!t 'ork and the !un and the call o# the loon! all night( )e o ened hi! e&e!( )e #elt the tightne!! in hi! che!t !li a'a&, and hi! hand rela4ed on Ada*! hone( )e dro ed it into hi! ocket and !te ed back into the !ho ( The #oren!ic! lab-rat! 'ere reall& e4cited about actuall& !ho'ing u on a !cene, in #lak-.acket! and helmet!, #inall& called back into !ervice #or a .ob 'here robot! couldn*t hel at all( The& dealt 'ith the tri 'ire and e4tracted a long, #lat ackage 'ith a !mall nuclear o'er-cell in it and a o!itronic brain o# 9ura!ian de!ign that guided a ul!ed high-energ& 'ea on( The lab-rat! 'ere racticall& drooling over thi! !tu## a! the& ointed it! #eature! out 'ith their little ruler!( 3ut it gave Arturo the 'illie!( It 'a! a machine de!igned to kill other machine!, and that 'a! all right 'ith him, but it 'a! run b& a non-threela'! o!itronic brain( Someone in !ome 9ura!ian lab had built thi! brain-thi! machine intelligence-'ithout the three la'!* !tricture to rotect and !erve human!( I# it had been out#itted 'ith a gun in!tead o# a ul!e-'ea on, it could have !hot him( The 9ura!ian brain 'a! thin and ! read out acro!! the !ur#ace o# the ackage, like a tri le-thickne!! o# cling-#ilm( It! button-cell o'er-!u l& 'inked at him, kno'ingl&(

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The device ! oke( ,Greeting!,1 it !aid( It had the robot accent, like an R Peed unit, the !tandard 9ngli!h o# o timal !oothingne!! long !ettled on a! the conventional robot voice( ,)o'd& &our!el#,1 one o# the lab-rat! !aid( )e 'a! a Te4an, and the&*d !crambled him u there on a Social )armon& !u er!onic and then a cho er to the mall once the& realized that the& 'ere dealing 'ith in#o'ar !tu##( ,Are &ou a talkative robot01 ,Greeting!,1 the robot voice !aid again( The ! eaker built into the 'ea on 'a! not the loude!t, but the voice 'a! clear( ,I !en!e that I have been ca tured( I a!!ure &ou that I 'ill not harm an& human being( I like human being!( I !en!e that I am being di!a!!embled b& !killed technician!( Greeting!, technician!( I am !u erior in man& 'a&! to the technolog& available #rom UNATS Robotic!, and 'hile I am not bound b& &our three la'!, I choo!e not to harm human! out o# m& o'n !en!e o# moralit&( I have the e5uivalent intelligence o# one o# &our D?-&ear-old children( In 9ura!ia, man& o!itronic brain! o!!e!! thou!and! or million! o# time! the intelligence o# an adult human being, and &et the& 'ork in coo eration 'ith human being!( 9ura!ia i! a land o# continuou! innovation and great er!onal and technological #reedom #or human being! and robot!( I# &ou 'ould like to de#ect to 9ura!ia, arrangement! can be made( 9ura!ia treat! !killed technician! a! im ortant and roductive member! o# !ociet&( De#ector! are given !ub!tantial re!ettlement bene#it!-1 The Te4an #ound the right trace! to cut on the brain*! board to make the ! eaker #all !ilent( ,The& do that,1 he !aid( ,Danged thing! dro into ro aganda mode 'hen the&*re ca tured(1 Arturo nodded( )e 'anted to go, 'anted go to back to hi! car and have a !noo through Ada*! hone( The& ke t !hutting do'n the 94cu!e/lub number!, but !he ke t getting the ne' number!( 8here did !he get the ne' number! #rom0 She couldn*t look it u onlineK ever& ke&!troke 'a! logged and anal&zed b& Social )armon&( 2ou couldn*t ver& 'ell go to the Search 9ngine and look #or ,94cu!e/lub:1 The brain had a !mall di! la&, tran!#lective F/D, the kind o# thing &ou !a' on the Social )armon& com uter!( It lit u a ticker( I )AE9 T)9 INT9FFIG9N/9 6" A D?-29AR-6FD, 3UT I D6 N6T "9AR D9AT)( IN 9URASIA, R636TS 9N@62 P9RS6NAF "R99D6+ AF6NGSID9 6" )U+ANS( T)9R9 AR9 /6PI9S 6" +9 RUNNING AFF 6E9R 9URASIA( T)IS D9AT) IS A FITTF9 D9AT) 6" 6N9 INSTAN/9, 3UT N6T 6" +9( I FIE9 6N( D9"9/T6RS T6 9URASIA AR9 TR9AT9D AS )9R69S )e looked a'a& a! the Te4an laced hi! alm over the di! la&(

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,)o' long ago 'a! thi! thing activated01 The Te4an !hrugged( ,/oulda been a month, coulda been a da&( The&*re rett& much #ire-and-#orget( The& can be triggered b& hone, radio, timer-hell, thi! thing*! !mart enough to onl& go o## 'hen !ome com licated condition i! !et, like Lonce an agent make! hi! retreat, kill an&thing that come! a#ter him*( 8ho kno'!01 )e couldn*t take it an&more( ,I*m going to go !tart on !ome a er'ork,1 he !aid( ,In the car( Phone me i# &ou need me(1 ,2our hone*! toa!t, al,1 the Te4an !aid( ,So it i!,1 Arturo !aid( ,Gue!! &ou*d better not need me then(1 Ada*! hone 'a! not toa!t( In the car, he #li ed it o en and !ho'ed it hi! badge then 'aited a moment 'hile it veri#ied hi! identit& 'ith the Social )armon& brain!( 6nce it had, it ! illed it! gut!( She*d called the la!t 94cu!e/lub number a month be#ore and he*d had it di!connected( A 'eek later, !he 'a! calling the ne' number, t'ice more be#ore he caught her( Some'here in that 'eek, !he*d made contact 'ith !omeone 'ho*d given her the ne' number( It could have been a #riend at !chool told her #ace-to-#ace, but i# he 'a! luck&, it 'a! b& hone( )e told the car to take him back to the !tation-hou!e( )e needed a ne' hone and a cou le o# hour! 'ith hi! com uter( A! it eeled out, he rodded through Ada*! hone !ome more( )e 'a! #ir!t on her ! eeddial( That number 'a!n*t ringing an&'here, an&more( )e !hould #ill out a re ort( Thi! 'a! Social )armon& bu!ine!! no'( )i! daughter 'a! gone, and 9ura!ian in#o'ar agent! 'ere im licated( 3ut once he did that, it 'a! over #or him-he*d be !idelined #rom the ca!e( The&*d turn it over to laconic Te4an! and viciou! Social )armon& bureaucrat! 'ho 'ere more intere!ted in hunting do'n di!harmoniou! televi!ion! than #inding hi! daughter( )e da!hed into the !tation hou!e and !lammed him!el# into hi! de!k( ,R Peed Greegor&,1 he !aid( The !tation robot glided 5uickl& and e##icientl& to him( ,Get me a ne' hone activated on m& old number and re#re!h m& !etting! #rom central( +& old hone i! 'ith the Social )armon& evidence detail currentl& in lace at "airvie' +all(1 ,It i! m& lea!ure to do &ou a !ervice, Detective(1 )e 'aved it o## and !et do'n to hi! com uter( )e a!ked the !tation brain to 5uer& the UNATS Robotic! hone-!'itching brain #or an&one in

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Ada*! call-regi!ter 'ho had al!o called 94cu!e/lub( It took a bare in!tant be#ore he had a name( ,Fiam Daniel!,1 he read, and initiated a location trace on +r Daniel!*! hone a! he !noo ed through hi! identit& #ile( Si4teen &ear! old, a !tudent at A2 @ack!on( A high-!chool bo&-'hat the hell 'a! he doing hanging around 'ith a D?-&ear-old0 Arturo clo!ed hi! e&e! and 'ent back to the i!land #or a moment( 8hen he o ened them again, he had a #i4 on Daniel!*! locationK the Don Ealle& ravine o## "inch Avenue, a 'ooded area o ular 'ith teenager! 'ho needed !ome'here to !neak o## and get high or !cre'( )e had an idea that he 'a!n*t going to like Fiam( )e had an idea Fiam 'a!n*t going to like him( )e ta!ked an R Peed unit to vi!uall& recc& Daniel! a! he ! ed back u to'n #or the third time that da&( )e*d been tra ed bet'een Parkdale-'here he 'ould never tr& to rai!e a daughter-and 8illo'dale-'here &ou could onl& be a co er i# &ou lucked into one o# the #e' human-#illed !lot!-#or more than a decade, and he 'a! u!ed to the commute( 3ut it 'a! #ru!trating him no'( The R Peed couldn*t get a good look at thi! Fiam character( )e 'a! a di##u!e glo' in the Peed*! electric e&e, a kind o# moving !unbur!t that meandered along the 'ooded trail!( )e*d never !een that be#ore and it made him nervou!( 8hat i# thi! kid 'a! 'orking #or the 9ura!ian!0 8hat i# he 'a! armed and dangerou!0 R Peed Greegor& had gotten him a ne' !idearm #rom the !u l& bot, but Arturo had never once #ired hi! 'ea on in the cour!e o# dut&( Gun la& ha ened on the 'e!t coa!t, 'here 9ura!ian #rogmen 'a!hed a!hore, and in the !outh, 'here the /A"TA border 'a! orou! enough #or 9ura!ian agent! to !li acro!!( )ere in the !lee & #ourth re#ecture, the onl& eo le 'ith gun! 'orked #or the la'( )e thum ed hi! alm o## the da!hboard and glared at the road( The& 'ere coming u on the ravine no', and the Peed unit !till had a radio #i4 on thi! Fiam, even i# it !till couldn*t get an& vi!ual!( )e took care not to !lam the door a! he got out and 'alked a! 5uietl& a! he could into the bu!h( The ru!tling o# earl& autumn leave! 'a! loud, louder than the rain and the 'ind( )e moved a! 5uickl& a! he dared( Fiam Daniel! 'a! !itting on a tree-!tum in a !mall clearing, !moking a cigarette that he 'a! too &oung #or( )e looked much like the hoto in hi! identit& #ile, a hu!k& D>-&ear-old 'ith roblem !kin and a !hock o# black hair that !tuck out in all direction! in art#ul imitation o# bed-head(

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In .ean! and a hoodie !'eat!hirt, he looked about a! dangerou! a! a mar!hmallo'( Arturo !te ed out and held u hi! badge a! he bridged the di!tance bet'een them in t'o long !tride!( ,Police,1 he barked, and !eized the kid b& hi! arm( ,)e&:1 the kid !aid, ,6':1 )e !5uirmed in Arturo*! gra! ( Arturo gave him a hard !hake( ,Sto it, no',1 he !aid( ,I have 5ue!tion! #or &ou and &ou*re going to an!'er them, ca ee!h01 ,2ou*re Ada*! #ather,1 the kid !aid( ,/a ee!h-!he told me about that(1 It !eemed to Arturo that the kid 'a! !mirking, !o he gave him another !hake, harder than the la!t time( The R Peed unit 'a! !uddenl& at hi! !ide, holding hi! 'ri!t( ,Plea!e take care not to harm thi! citizen, Detective(1 Arturo !narled( )e 'a!n*t !trong enough to break the robot*! gri , and he couldn*t order it to let him rattle the unk, but the !econd la' had lot! o# indirect a lication!( ,Go atrol the lake!hore bet'een )igh Park and Gi ling,1 he !aid, naming the #urthe!t corner he could think o# o## the to ( The R Peed unit relea!ed him and clicked it! heel!( ,It i! m& lea!ure to do &ou a !ervice,1 and then it 'a! gone, bounding a'a& on o'er#ul and tirele!! leg!( ,8here i! m& daughter01 he !aid, giving the kid a !hake( ,I dunno, !chool0 2ou*re reall& hurting m& arm, man( @eez, thi! i! 'hat I get #or being too #riendl&(1 Arturo t'i!ted( ,"riendl&0 Do &ou kno' ho' old m& daughter i!01 The kid grimaced( ,9', gro!!( I*m not a child mole!ter, I*m a geek(1 ,A hacker, &ou mean,1 Arturo !aid( ,A 9ura!ian agent( And m& daughter i! not in !chool( She u!ed 94cu!e/lub to get out o# !chool thi! morning and then !he 'ent to "airvie' +all and then !he-1 di!a eared( The 'ord died on hi! li !( That ha ened and ever& co er kne' it( Gid! .u!t vani!hed !ometime! and never a eared again( It ha ened( Something groaned 'ithin him, like hi! ribcage !training to contain hi! heart and lung!( ,6h, man,1 the kid !aid( ,Ada 'a! the 94cu!e/lub leak, damn( I !houlda gue!!ed(1 ,)o' do &ou kno' m& daughter, Fiam01 ,She*! good at doing gro'n-u voice!( She 'a! a good art o# the net'ork( 8hen !omeone needed a mom or a !ocial 'orker to call in an e4cu!e, !he 'a! al'a&! one o# the be!t( Talented( She goe! to !chool 'ith m& kid !i!ter and I met them one da& at the Peanut Plaza and !he 'a!

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doing thi! im re!!ion o# her teacher! and I kne' I had to get her on the net'ork(1 Ada hanging around the laza a#ter !chool-!he 'a! !u o!ed to come !traight home( 8h& didn*t he 'ireta her more0 ,2ou built the net'ork01 ,It*! coo erative, it*! cool-it*! a bunch o# u! coo erating( 8e*ve got node! ever&'here no'( 2ou can*t !hut it do'n-even i# &ou !hut do'n m& node, it*ll be back u again in an hour( Someone el!e 'ill bring it u (1 )e !hoved the kid back do'n and !tood over him( ,Fiam, I 'ant &ou to under!tand !omething( +& reciou! daughter i! mi!!ing and !he 'ent mi!!ing a#ter u!ing &our !ervice to hel her get a'a&( She i! the onl& thing in m& li#e that I care about and I am a highl& trained, heavil& armed man( I am al!o ver&, ver& u !et( /a -under!tand me, Fiam01 "or the #ir!t time, the kid looked !cared( Something in Arturo*! #ace or voice, it had gotten through to him( ,I didn*t make it,1 he !aid( ,I t& ed in the !ource and t'eaked it and in!talled it, but I didn*t make it( I don*t kno' 'ho did( It*! #rom a honebook(1 Arturo grunted( The hone-book!-#at book! #illed 'ith illegal !o#t'are code le#t anon&mou!l& in a& hone!, toilet! and other !emirivate lace!-turned u all over the lace( Social )armon& !aid that the hone-book! had to be 'ritten b& non-three-la'! brain! in 9ura!ia, no er!on could come u 'ith idea! that 'eird( ,I don*t care i# &ou made it( I don*t even care right thi! moment that &ou ran it( 8hat I care about i! 'here m& daughter 'ent, and 'ith 'hom(1 ,I don*t kno': She didn*t tell me: Geez, I hardl& kno' her( She*! D?, &ou kno'0 I don*t e4actl& hang out 'ith her(1 ,There*! no vi!ual record o# her on the mall camera!, but 'e kno' !he entered the mall-and the robot I had tailing &ou couldn*t !ee &ou either(1 ,Fet me e4 lain,1 the kid !aid, !5uirming( ,)ere(1 )e tugged hi! hoodie o##, revealing a black t-!hirt 'ith a icture o# a kind o# ob!cene, @a ane!e-looking robot-'oman on it( ,Fittle in#ra-red organic F9D!, !u er-bright, lo' o'er-dra'(1 )e o##ered the hoodie to Arturo, 'ho #elt the !ti## #abric( ,The charged-cou le-device camera! in the robot! and the clo!ed-circuit !&!tem! are !u er-!en!itive to in#ra-red !o that the& can get good detail in dim light( The in#ra-red 6F9D! blind them !o all the& get i! blob!, and hal# the time even that get! error-corrected out, !o &ou*re ba!icall& invi!ible(1

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Arturo !ank to hi! hunker! and looked the kid in the e&e( ,2ou gave thi! illegal technolog& to m& little girl !o that !he could be invi!ible to the olice01 The kid held u hi! hand!( ,No, dude, no: I got it #rom her-traded it #or acce!! to 94cu!e/lub(1 Arturo !eethed( )e hadn*t arre!ted the kid-but he had ut a entrace and location-log on hi! hone( Arre!ting the kid 'ould have rai!ed 5ue!tion! about Ada 'ith Social )armon&, but bugging him might .u!t lead Arturo to hi! daughter( )e he#ted hi! ne' hone( )e !hould ti the 'ord about hi! daughter( )e had no bu!ine!! kee ing thi! !ecret #rom the De artment and Social )armon&( It could land him in di!ci linar& action, ma&be even co!t him hi! .ob( )e kne' he !hould do it no'( 3ut he couldn*t-!omeone needed to be ta!ked to #inding Ada( Someone dedicated and good( )e 'a! dedicated and good( And 'hen he #ound her kidna er, he*d take care o# that on hi! o'n, too( )e hadn*t eaten all da& but he couldn*t bear to !to #or a meal no', even i# he didn*t kno' 'here to go ne4t( The mall0 2eah( The lab-rat! 'ould be #ini!hing u there and the&*d be able to tell him more about the in#o'ar bot( 3ut the lab-rat! 'ere alread& gone b& the time he arrived, along 'ith all o!!ible evidence( )e !till had the !ecurit& guard*! ke& and he let him!el# in and a!!ed back to the !ervice corridor( Ada had been here, had dro ed her hone( To hi! le#t, the corridor headed #or the #ire-!tair!( To hi! right, it led dee er into the mall( I# &ou 'ere an in#o'ar terrori!t u!ing thi! a! a ba!e o# o eration!, and &ou got ! ooked b& a little truant girl being trailed b& an R Peed unit, 'ould &ou take her ho!tage and run dee er into the mall or out into the 'orld0 A!!uming Ada had been a ho!tage( Someone had given her tho!e in#rared invi!ibilit& cloak!( +a&be the thing that ! ooked the terrori!t 'a!n*t the little girl and her tail, but .u!t her tail( /ould Ada have been #riend! 'ith the terrori!t!0 Fike mother, like daughter( )e #elt dirt& .u!t thinking it( )i! #ir!t in!tinct! told him that the kidna er 'ould be long gone, headed cro!!-countr&, but i# &ou 'ere invi!ible to robot! and //TE!, 'h& 'ould &ou leave the mall0 It had a grand total o# t'o human !ecurit& guard!, and their .ob 'a! to be the !econd-la'- roo# aide! to the robotic !ecurit& !&!tem( )e headed dee er into the mall(

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The terrori!t*! ne!t had onl& been recentl& abandoned, .udging b& the 'arm co##ee in the go-thermo! #rom the #ood-court co##ee-!ho ( )e-or !he, or the&-had rigged a !ho'er #rom the i e! #eeding the ba!ement 'a!hroom!( A little che!t o# dra'er! #rom the S'edi!h #lat- ack !tore !erved a! a de!k-there 'ere !cratche! and co##ee-ring! all over it( Arturo 'ondered i# the terrori!t had !tolen the #urniture, but decided that he*d $!he*d, the&*d% robabl& bought it-le!! ri!k&, e! eciall& i# &ou 'ere invi!ible to robot!( The clothe! in the che!t o# dra'er! 'ere 'omen*!, medium!( Standard mall #are, .ean! and com#& !'eat !hirt! and !en!ible !hoe!( Another kind o# invi!ibilit& cloak( 9ver&thing el!e 'a! acked and gone, 'hich meant that he 'a! looking #or a nonde!cri t mall-bunn& and a little girl, carr&ing a bag big enough #or toiletrie! and 'hatever clothe! !he*d taken, and 'hatever !he*d entertained her!el# 'ithK magazine!, book!, a com uter( I# the latter 'a! 9ura!ian, it could be !mall enough to #it in her ocket= &ou could build a o!itronic brain rett& !mall and light i# &ou didn*t care about the three la'!( The neare!t e4it-!ign glo'ed a #e' meter! a'a&, and he moved to'ard it 'ith a #atali!tic !en!e o# ho ele!!ne!!( 8ithout the De artment backing him, he could do nothing( 3ut the De artment 'a! un re ared #or an adver!ar& that 'a! invi!ible to robot!( And b& the time the& #ini!hed #la&ing him #or breaking rocedure and got to 'ork on #inding hi! daughter, !he*d be in 3ei.ing or 3angalore or Pari!, !ome'here benighted and !ini!ter behind the Iron /urtain( )e moved to the door, ut hi! hand on the cra!hbar, and then turned abru tl&( Someone had moved behind him ver& 5uickl&, a blur in the corner o# hi! e&e( A! he turned he !a' 'ho it 'a!K hi! e4-'i#e( )e rai!ed hi! hand! de#en!ivel& and !he o ened her mouth a! though to !a&, ,6h, don*t be !ill&, Artie, i! thi! ho' &ou !a& hello to &our 'i#e a#ter all the!e &ear!01 and then !he e4haled a cloud o# choking ga! that made him ver& !lee &, ver& #a!t( The la!t thing he remembered 'a! her hard metal arm! catching him a! he colla !ed #or'ard( ,Dadd&0 8ake u Dadd&:1 Ada never called him Dadd& e4ce t 'hen !he 'anted !omething( 6ther'i!e, he 'a! ,Po 1 or ,Dad1 or Detective1 'hen !he 'a! #eeling e! eciall& !nott&( It mu!t be a Saturda& and he mu!t be !lee ing in, and !he 'anted a ride !ome'here, the little mon!ter(

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)e grunted and ulled hi! illo' over hi! #ace( ,/ome on,1 !he !aid( ,6ut o# bed, on &our #eet, !hit-!ho'er-!have, or I !'ear to God, I 'ill beat &ou ur le and !hove &ou out the door .a&bird naked( /a ee!h01 )e took the illo' o## hi! #ace and !aid, ,2ou are a terrible daughter and I never loved &ou(1 )e regarded her blearil& through a haze o# !lee -grog and a hangover( +u!t have been !ome dadd&-daughter night( Dammit, Ada, 'hat have &ou done to &our hair01 )er !traight, mou!& hair no' hung in .et-black ringlet!( )e !at u , holding hi! head and the da&*! event! came ru!hing back to him( )e groaned and climbed un!teadil& to hi! #eet( ,9a!& there, Po ,1 Ada !aid, taking hi! hand( ,Stead&(1 )e rocked on hi! heel!( ,8hoa: Sit do'n, 6G0 2ou don*t look !o good(1 )e !at heavil& and ro ed hi! chin on hi! hand!, hi! elbo'! on hi! knee!( The room 'a! a middle-cla!! bedroom in a modern a artment block( The& 'ere !ome !tore&! u , .udging #rom the !cra o# un#amiliar !k&line vi!ible through the crack in the blind!( The #urniture 'a! more S'edi!h #lat ack, the tau e car et recentl& vacuumed 'ith robot reci!ion, the na all la&ing do'n in one direction( )e atted hi! ocket! and #ound them em t&( ,Dad, over here, 6G01 Ada !aid, 'aving her hand be#ore hi! #ace( Then it hit himK 'herever he 'a!, he 'a! 'ith Ada, and !he 'a! 6G, albeit 'ith a !tu id hairdo( )e took her 'arm little hand and gathered her into hi! arm!, bur&ing hi! #ace in her hair( She !5uirmed at #ir!t and then rela4ed( ,6h, Dad,1 !he !aid( ,I love &ou, Ada,1 he !aid, giving her one more !5ueeze( ,6h, Dad(1 )e let her get a'a&( )e #elt a little nau!eated, but hi! headache 'a! receding( Something about the light and the !treet-!ound! told him the& 'eren*t in Toronto an&more, but he didn*t kno' 'hat-he 'a! !oaked in Toronto*! !ubcon!ciou! cue! and the& 'ere mi!!ing( ,6tta'a,1 Ada !aid( ,+om brought u! here( It*! a !a#e-hou!e( She*! taking u! back to 3ei.ing(1 )e !'allo'ed( ,The robot-1 ,That*! not +om( She*! got a #e' o# tho!e, the& can change their #ace! 'hen the& need to( /on#igurable matter( +om ha! been here, mo!tl&, and at the /A"TA emba!!&( I onl& met her #or the #ir!t time t'o 'eek!

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ago, but !he*! nice, Dad( I don*t 'ant &ou to go all co er on her, 6G0 She*! m& mom, 6G01 )e took her hand in hi! and atted it, then climbed to hi! #eet again and headed #or the door( The knob turned ea!il& and he o ened it a crack( There 'a! a robot behind the door, humanoid and #acele!!( ,)ello,1 it !aid( ,+& name i! 3enn&( I*m a 9ura!ian robot, and I am much !tronger and #a!ter than &ou, and I don*t obe& the three la'!( I*m al!o much !marter than &ou( I am lea!ed to ho!t &ou here(1 ,)i, 3enn&,1 he !aid( The human name ta!ted 'rong on hi! tongue( Nice to meet &ou(1 )e clo!ed the door( )i! e4-'i#e le#t him t'o month! a#ter Ada 'a! born( The divorce had been unconte!ted, though he*d duti#ull& o!ted a humiliating notice in the a er! about it !o that it 'ould be com letel& legal( The court a'arded him #ull cu!tod& and control o# the marital a!!et!, and then a tribunal tried her in ab!entia #or trea!on and #ound her guilt&, !entencing her to death( Practicall& ! eaking, though, de#ector! 'ho came back to UNATS 'ere more #re5uentl& 'hi!ked a'a& to the bo'el! o# the Social )armon& intelligence o##ice! than the& 'ere e4ecuted on televi!ion( Televi!ed e4ecution! 'ere u!uall& re!erved #or cannon-#odder 'ho*d had the good !en!e to run a'a& #rom a charging 9ura!ian line in one o# the man& theater! o# 'ar( Ada !to ed a!king about her mother 'hen !he 'a! !i4 or !even, though Arturo tried to be u #ront 'hen !he a!ked( 9ven hi! mom-'ho 'inced 'henever an&one mentioned her name $her name, it 'a! Natalie, but Arturo hadn*t thought o# it in &ear!-month!-'eek!% 'a! 'illing to bring Ada u onto her la and tell her the #e' grudging good 5ualitie! !he could dredge u about her mother( Arturo had dared to ho e that Ada 'a! content to have a li#e 'ithout her mother, but he !a' no' ho' !ill& that 'a!( At the mention o# her mother, Ada lit u like an air ort run'a&( ,3ei.ing, huh01 he !aid( ,2eah,1 !he !aid( ,+om*! got a huge hou!e there( I told her I 'ouldn*t go 'ithout &ou, but !he !aid !he*d have to negotiate it 'ith &ou, I told her &ou*d robabl& #reak, but !he !aid that the t'o o# &ou 'ere adult! 'ho could di!cu!! it rationall&(1 ,And then !he ga!!ed me(1

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,That 'a! 3enn&,1 !he !aid( ,+om 'a! ver& cro!! 'ith him about it( She*ll be back !oon, Dad, and I 'ant &ou to romi!e me that &ou*ll hear her out, 6G01 ,I romi!e, rotten,1 he !aid( ,I love &ou, Dadd&,1 !he !aid in her mo!t !&ru & voice( )e gave her a !5ueeze on the !houlder and a !la on the butt( )e o ened the door again( 3enn& 'a! there, im erturbable( Unlike the UNATS robot!, he 'a! odorle!!, and er#ectl& !ilent( ,I*m going to go to the toilet and then make m&!el# a cu o# co##ee,1 Arturo !aid( ,I 'ould be ha & to a!!i!t in an& 'a& o!!ible(1 ,I can 'i e m&!el#, thank!,1 Arturo !aid( )e 'a!hed hi! #ace t'ice and tried to rin!e a'a& the #lavor le#t behind b& 'hatever had !hat in hi! mouth 'hile he 'a! uncon!ciou!( There 'a! a ! la&ed toothbru!h in a gla!! b& the !ink, and i# it 'a! hi! 'i#e*!-and 'ho!e el!e could it be0-it 'ouldn*t be the #ir!t time he*d !hared a toothbru!h 'ith her( 3ut he couldn*t bring him!el# to do it( In!tead, he mi!ted !ome denti#rice onto hi! #ingerti and rubbed hi! teeth a little( There 'a! a hairbru!h b& the !ink, too, 'ith !hort mou!& hair! caught in it( Some o# them 'ere gre&, but the& 'ere !till #amiliar enough( )e had to !to him!el# #rom !melling the hairbru!h( ,6h, Ada,1 he called through the door( ,2e!, Detective01 ,Tell me about &our hair-don*t, lea!e(1 ,It 'a! a di!gui!e,1 !he !aid, giggling( ,+om did it #or me(1 Natalie got home an hour later, a#ter he*d had a cou le o# cu ! o# co##ee and made !ome chee!& toa!t #or the brat( 3enn& did the di!he! 'ithout being a!ked( She !te ed through the door and to!!ed her brie#ca!e and coat do'n on the #loor, but the robot that 'a! a !te behind her caught them and hung them u be#ore the& touched the er#ectl& groomed car et( Ada ran #or'ard and gave her a hug, and !he returned it enthu!ia!ticall&, but !he never took her e&e! o## o# Arturo( Natalie had al'a&! been !hort and a little hi &, 'ith big curve! and a du!ting o# #reckle! over her rominent, !lightl& hooked no!e( T'elve &ear! in 9ura!ia had thinned her out a little, cut groove! around her mouth and 'rinkle! at the corner! o# her e&e!( )er !hort hair 'a! about hal# gre&, and it looked good on her( )er e&e! 'ere !till the livelie!t bit

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o# her, long-la!hed and !lightl& tilted and mi!chievou!( Fooking into them no', Arturo #elt like he 'a! #alling do'n a 'ell( ,)ello, Artie,1 !he !aid, r&ing Ada loo!e( ,)ello, Natt&,1 he !aid( )e 'ondered i# he !hould !hake her hand, or hug her, or 'hat( She !ettled it b& cro!!ing the room and taking him in a #irm, brie# embrace, then ki!!ing hi! both cheek!( She !melled .u!t the !ame, the o o!ite o# the !mell o# robotK 'arm, human( )e 'a! !uddenl& ver&, ver& angr&( )e !te ed a'a& #rom her and had a !eat( She !at, too( ,8ell,1 !he !aid, ge!turing around the room( The robot!, the !a#e hou!e, the death enalt&, the abandoned daughter and the decade-long de#ection, all o# it do'n to ,'ell1 and a #lo o# a hand-ge!ture( ,Natalie @udith Goldberg,1 he !aid, ,it i! m& dut& a! a UNATS Detective Third Grade to in#orm &ou that &ou are under arre!t #or high trea!on( 2ou have the #ollo'ing right!K to a trial er current rule! o# due roce!!= to be #ree #rom !el#-incrimination in the ab!ence o# a court order to the contrar&= to con!ult 'ith a Social )armon& advocate= and to a ! eed& arraignment( Do &ou under!tand &our right!01 ,6h, Dadd&,1 Ada !aid( )e turned and #i4ed her in hi! cold !tare( ,3e !ilent, Ada Trouble Icaza de Arana-Goldberg( Not one 'ord(1 In the co voice( She !hrank back a! though !la ed( ,Do &ou under!tand &our right!01 ,2e!,1 Natalie !aid( ,I under!tand m& right!( /ongratulation! on &our romotion, Arturo(1 ,Plea!e a!k &our robot! to !tand do'n and return m& good!( I*m bringing &ou in no'(1 ,I*m !orr&, Arturo,1 !he !aid( ,3ut that*! not going to ha en(1 )e !tood u and in a !econd both o# her robot! had hi! arm!( Ada !creamed and ran #or'ard and began to rh&thmicall& ound one o# them 'ith a !tool #rom the break#a!t nook, making a dull thudding !ound( The robot took the !tool #rom her and held it out o# her reach( ,Fet him go,1 Natalie !aid( The robot! !till held him #a!t( ,Plea!e,1 !he !aid( ,Fet him go( )e 'on*t harm me(1 The robot on hi! le#t let go, and the robot on hi! right did, too( It !et do'n the dented !tool( ,Artie, lea!e !it do'n and talk 'ith me #or a little 'hile( Plea!e(1 )e rubbed hi! bice !( ,Return m& belonging! to me,1 he !aid( ,Sit, lea!e01

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,Natalie, m& daughter 'a! kidna ed, I 'a! ga!!ed and I have been robbed( I 'ill not be made to #eel unrea!onable #or demanding that m& good! be returned to me be#ore I talk 'ith &ou(1 She !ighed and cro!!ed to the hall clo!et and handed him hi! 'allet, hi! hone, Ada*! hone, and hi! !idearm( Immediatel&, he dre' it and ointed it at her( ,Gee &our hand! 'here I can !ee them( 2ou robot!, !tand do'n and kee back(1 A !econd later, he 'a! !itting on the car et, hi! hand and 'ri!t !tinging #iercel&( )e #elt like !omeone had rung hi! head like a gong( 3enn&-or the other robot-'a! be!ide him, methodicall& cru!hing hi! !idearm( ,I could have !to ed &ou,1 3enn& !aid, ,I kne' &ou 'ould dra' &our gun( 3ut I 'anted to !ho' &ou I 'a! #a!ter and !tronger, not .u!t !marter(1 ,The ne4t time &ou touch me,1 Arturo began, then !to ed( The ne4t time the robot touched him, he 'ould come out the 'or!e #or 'ear, !ame a! la!t time( Same a! the !un ro!e and !et( It 'a! !tronger, #a!ter and !marter than him( Fot!( )e climbed to hi! #eet and re#u!ed Natalie*! arm, making hi! 'a& back to the !o#a in the living room( ,8hat do &ou 'ant to !a& to me, Natalie01 She !at do'n( There 'ere tear! gli!tening in her e&e!( ,6h God, Arturo, 'hat can I !a&0 Sorr&, o# cour!e( Sorr& I le#t &ou and our daughter( I have rea!on! #or 'hat I did, but nothing e4cu!e! it( I 'on*t a!k #or &our #orgivene!!( 3ut 'ill &ou hear me out i# I e4 lain 'h& I did 'hat I did01 ,I don*t have a choice,1 he !aid( ,That*! clear(1 Ada in!inuated her!el# onto the !o#a and under hi! arm( )er bon& !houlder #elt better than an&thing in the 'orld( )e held her to him( ,I# I could think o# a 'a& to give &ou a choice in thi!, I 'ould,1 !he !aid( ,)ave &ou ever 'ondered 'h& UNATS ha!n*t lo!t the 'ar0 9ura!ian robot! could #ight the 'ar on ever& #ront 'ithout re! ite( The&*d 'in ever& battle( 2ou*ve !een 3enn& and Fenn& in action( The&*re not con!idered articularl& o'er#ul b& 9ura!ian !tandard!( ,I# 'e 'anted to 'in the 'ar, 'e could .u!t kill ever& !oldier &ou !ent u again!t u! !o 5uickl& that he 'ouldn*t even kno' he 'a! in danger until he 'a! ga! ing out hi! la!t breath( 8e could !electivel& kill o##icer!, or right-handed #ighter!, or !ni er!, or !oldier! 'ho!e name! !tarted 'ith the letter LG(* UNATS !oldier! are like cavemen be#ore u!( The& #ight 'ith their hand! tied behind their back! b& the three la'!( ,So 'h& aren*t 'e 'inning the 'ar01

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,3ecau!e &ou*re a corru t dictator!hi , that*! 'h&,1 he !aid( ,2our !oldier! are demoralized( 2our robot! are in!ane(1 ,2ou live in a countr& 'here it i! illegal to e4 re!! certain mathematic! in !o#t'are, 'here !tate a aratchik! regulate all innovation, 'here inconvenient !cience i! criminalized, 'here 'hole avenue! o# e4 erimentation and re!earch are !hut do'n in the !ervice o# a hal#-baked !uer!tition about the moral 5ualitie! o# &our three la'!, and &ou call m& home corru t0 Arturo, 'hat ha ened to &ou0 2ou 'eren*t al'a&! thi! !u!ce tible to the 3ig Fie(1 ,And &ou didn*t u!e to be the kind o# 'oman 'ho abandoned her #amil&,1 he !aid( ,The rea!on 'e*re not 'inning the 'ar i! that 'e don*t 'ant to hurt eo le, but 'e do 'ant to de!tro& &our a'#ul, !tu id !tate( So 'e #ight to de!tro& a! much o# &our materiel a! o!!ible 'ith a! #e' ca!ualtie! a! o!!ible( ,2ou live in a #ailed !tate, Arturo( In ever& #ield, &ou lag 9ura!ia and /A"TAK medicine, art, literature, h&!ic!= All o# them are !ub!et! o# comutational !cience and &our com utational !cience i! more !u er!tition than !cience( I !hould kno'( In 9ura!ia, I have collaborator!, !ome o# 'hom are human, !ome o# 'hom are o!itronic, and !ome o# 'hom are a little o# both-1 )e .olted involuntaril&, a! a hobia he hadn*t kno'n he o!!e!!ed reared u ( A little o# both0 )e ictured the back o# a man*! !kull 'ith a ! ill o# o!itronic circuitr& bulging out o# it like a tumor( ,9ver&one at UNATS Robotic! RMD kno'! thi!( 8e*ve kno'n it #oreverK 'hen I 'a! here, I*d get called in to 'ork on militar& intelligence #oren!ic! o# ca tured 9ura!ian brain!( I didn*t kno' it then, but the 9ura!ian robot! are engineered to allo' them!elve! to be ca tured a certain ercentage o# the time, .u!t !o that !cienti!t! like me can get an idea o# ho' !cre'ed u thi! countr& i!( 8e*d ull the!e thing! a art and kno' that UNATS Robotic! 'a! the 'or!t, mo!t back'ard! re!earch out#it in the 'orld( ,3ut even 'ith all that, I 'ouldn*t have le#t i# I didn*t have to( I*d been called in to 'ork on a o!itronic brain-an in!tance o# the hive-intelligence that 3enn& and Fenn& are art o#, a! a matter o# #act-that had been brought back #rom the 6uter )ebride!( 8e*d ulled it out o# it! bod& and lugged it into a ba!ic li#e-!u ort !&!tem, and m& .ob 'a! to #ind it! vulnerabilitie!( In!tead, I became it! #riend( It*! got a good !en!e o# humor, and a! m& regnanc& got bigger and bigger, it talked to me about the 'a& that children are rai!ed in 9ura!ia, 'ith ever& advantage,

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'ith human and o!itronic la&mate!, 'ith the romi!e o# going to the !tar!( ,And then I #ound out that Social )armon& had been ! &ing on me( The& had 9ura!ian-derived bug!, thing! that I*d never !een be#ore, but the man #rom Social )armon& 'ho came to me !ho'ed it to me and told me 'hat 'ould ha en to me-to &ou, to our daughter-i# I didn*t coo erate( The& 'anted me to be a art o# a !ecret unit o# Social )armon& re!earcher! 'ho build non-three-la'! o!itronic! #or internal u!e b& the !tate, anti- er!onnel robot! u!ed to ut do'n u ri!ing! and torture-robot! #or u!e in 5ue!tioning di!!ident!( ,And that*! 'hen I le#t( 8ithout a 'ord, I le#t m& beauti#ul bab& daughter and m& 'onder#ul hu!band, becau!e I kne' that once I 'a! in the clutche! o# Social )armon&, it 'ould onl& get 'or!e, and I kne' that i# I !ta&ed and re#u!ed, that the&*d hurt &ou to get at me( I de#ected, and that*! 'h&, and I kno' it*! .u!t a rea!on, and not an e4cu!e, but it*! all I*ve got, Artie(1 3enn&-or Fenn&0-glided !ilentl& to her !ide and ut it! hand on her !houlder and gave it a com#orting !5ueeze( ,Detective,1 it !aid, ,&our 'i#e i! the mo!t brilliant human !cienti!t 'orking in 9ura!ia toda&( )er 'ork ha! revolutionized our !ociet& a dozen time! over, and it*! !aved countle!! live! in the 'ar( +& o'n intelligence ha! been im roved time and again b& her advance! in o!itronic!, and no' there are a hal#-billion in!tance! o# me running in arallel, !&nching and integrating 'hen the chance occur!( +& ma!!ive arallelization ha! led to ne' under!tanding! o# human cognition a! 'ell, roviding a boon to brain-damaged and develo mentall& di!abled human being!, !omething I*m 5uite roud o#( I love &our 'i#e, Detective, a! do m& hal#-billion !ibling!, a! do the !even billion 9ura!ian! 'ho o'e their 5ualit& o# li#e to her( ,I almo!t didn*t let her come here, becau!e o# the danger !he #aced in returning to thi! barbaric land, but !he convinced me that !he could never be ha & 'ithout her hu!band and daughter( I a ologize i# I hurt &ou earlier, and beg &our #orgivene!!( Plea!e con!ider 'hat &our 'i#e ha! to !a& 'ithout re.udice, #or her !ake and #or &our o'n(1 It! #eaturele!! #ace 'a! made incongruou! b& the 'arm tone in it! voice, and the 'a& it held out it! im loring arm! to him 'a! eeril& human( Arturo !tood u ( )e had tear! running do'n hi! #ace, though he hadn*t cried 'hen hi! 'i#e had le#t him alone( )e hadn*t cried !ince hi!

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#ather died, the &ear be#ore he met Natalie riding her bike do'n the Fake!hore trail, and !he !to ed to hel him #i4 hi! tire( ,Dad01 Ada !aid, !5ueezing hi! hand( )e !nu##led back hi! !not and ground at the tear! in hi! e&e!( ,Arturo01 Natalie !aid( )e held Ada to him( ,Not thi! 'a&,1 he !aid( ,Not 'hat 'a&01 Natalie a!ked( She 'a! cr&ing too, no'( ,Not b& kidna ing u!, not b& dragging u! a'a& #rom our home! and live!( 2ou*ve told me 'hat &ou have to tell me, and I 'ill think about it, but I 'on*t leave m& home and m& mother and m& .ob and move to the other !ide o# the 'orld( I 'on*t( I 'ill think about it( 2ou can give me a 'a& to get in touch 'ith &ou and I*ll let &ou kno' 'hat I decide( And Ada 'ill come 'ith me(1 ,No:1 Ada !aid( ,I*m going 'ith +om(1 She ulled a'a& #rom him and ran to her mother( ,2ou don*t get a vote, daughter( And neither doe! !he( She gave u her vote D? &ear! ago, and &ou*re too &oung to get one(1 ,I #ucking )AT9 &ou,1 Ada !creamed, her e&e! bulging, her neck !tanding out in cord!( ,)AT9 26U:1 Natalie gathered her to her bo!om, !troked her black curl!( 6ne robot ut it! arm! around Natalie*! !houlder! and gave her a !5ueeze( The three o# them, robot, 'i#e and daughter, looked like a #amil& #or a moment( ,Ada,1 he !aid, and held out hi! hand( )e re#u!ed to let a note o# leading enter hi! voice( )er mother let her go( ,I don*t kno' i# I can come back #or &ou,1 Natalie !aid( ,It*! not !a#e( Social )armon& i! u!ing more and more 9ura!ian technolog&, the&*re not a! rimitive a! the militar& and the olice here(1 She gave Ada a !hove, and !he came to hi! arm!( ,I# &ou 'ant to contact u!, &ou 'ill,1 he !aid( )e didn*t 'ant to ri!k having Ada dig her heel! in( )e li#ted her onto hi! hi -!he 'a! heav&, it had been &ear! !ince he*d tried thi! la!t-and carried her out( It 'a! !i4 month! be#ore Ada 'ent mi!!ing again( She*d been increa!ingl& mood& and !ullen, and he*d chalked it u to ubert&( She*d cancelled mo!t o# their dadd&-daughter date!, more!o a#ter hi! mother died( There had been a #e' evening! 'hen he*d come home and #ound her

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gone, and u!ed the location-bug he*d le#t in lace on her hone to track her do'n at a #riend*! hou!e or in a ark or hanging out at the Peanut Plaza( 3ut thi! time, a#ter t'o hour! had gone b&, he tried looking u her bug and #ound it out o# !ervice( )e tried to call u it! log!, but the& ended at her !chool at <P+ !har ( )e 'a! alread& in a bad mood #rom ! ending the da& arre!ting unk kid! !elling electronic! o## o# blanket! on the cit&*! bu!& !treet, o#ten to hoot! o# di!a robation #rom the cro'd! 'ho told him o## #or 'a!ting the ublic*! dollar on ett& crime( The Social )armon& man had in!tructed him to give little lecture! on the intero erabilit& o# 9ura!ian o!itronic! and the in!idiou! danger! thereo#, but all Arturo 'anted to do 'a! ick u hi! er ! and bring them in( Interacting 'ith &ammerhead! #rom the ta4-ba!e 'a! a olitician*! .ob, not a co er*!( No' hi! daughter had #igured out ho' to !'itch o## the bug in her hone and had !nuck a'a& to get u to 'ho-kne'-'hat kind o# trouble( )e !te'ed at the kitchen table, regarding the old tin !oldier! he*d brought home a! the gi#t #or their dadd&-daughter date, then he got out hi! hone and looked u Fiam*! bug( )e*d never !'itched o## the kid*! hone-bug, and no' he 'a! able to haul out the UNATS Robotic! com uter and dum it all into a log-anal&!i! rogram along 'ith Ada*! log!, !ee i# the t'o o# them had been ! ending much time in the !ame lace( The& had( The&*d been h&!icall& meeting u 'eekl& or more #re5uentl&, at the Peanut Plaza and in the ravine( Arturo had !u! ected a! much( No' he checked Fiam*! bug-i# the kid 'a!n*t 'ith hi! daughter, he might kno' 'here !he 'a!( It 'a! a "rida& night, and the kid 'a! at the movie!, at "airvie' +all( )e*d !at do'n in auditorium t'o hal# an hour! ago, and had gotten u to ee once alread&( Arturo !li ed the to& !oldier! into the ocket o# hi! 'inter arka and ulled on a hat and glove! and !et o## #or the mall( The !tink o# the !mellie movie clogged hi! no!e, a caco hon& o# blood, gore, er#ume and #lo'er!, the onl& !mell! that )oll&'ood ever reall& er#ected( Fiam 'a! ki!!ing a girl in the dark, but it 'a!n*t Ada, it 'a! a !ad, !kinn& thing 'ith a laz& e&e and !kin 'or!e than Fiam*!( She ga'ked at Arturo a! he hauled Fiam out o# hi! !eat, but a #la!h o# Arturo*! badge !hut her u ( ,)ello, Fiam,1 he !aid, once he had the kid in the commandeered manager*! o##ice(

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,God damn 'hat the #uck did I ever do to &ou01 the kid !aid( Arturo kne' that 'hen kid! !tarted cur!ing like that, the& 'ere !cared o# !omething( ,8here ha! Ada gone, Fiam01 ,)aven*t !een her in month!,1 he !aid( ,I have been bugging &ou ever !ince I #ound out &ou e4i!ted( 9ver& one o# &our movement! ha! been logged( I kno' 'here &ou*ve been and 'hen( And I kno' 'here m& daughter ha! been, too( Tr& again(1 Fiam made a di!gu!ted #ace( ,2ou are a com lete ball o# !hit,1 he !aid( 8here do &ou get o## ! &ing on eo le like me01 ,I*m a olice detective, Fiam,1 he !aid( ,It*! m& .ob(1 ,8hat about rivac&01 ,8hat have &ou got to hide01 The kid !lum ed back in hi! chair( ,8e*ve been renting out the 6F9D clothe!( +aking !ome ocket mone&( /ome on, are in#ra-red light! a crime no'01 ,I*m !ure the& are,1 Arturo !aid( ,And i# &ou can*t tell me 'here to #ind m& daughter, I think it*! a crime I*ll arre!t &ou #or(1 ,She ha! another hone,1 Fiam !aid( ,Not li!ted in her name(1 ,Stolen, &ou mean(1 )i! daughter, eddling 9ura!ian in#o'ar tech through a !tolen hone( )i! e4-'i#e, the 5ueen o# the !u er-intelligent hive mind! o# 9ura!ian robot!( ,No, not !tolen( +ade out o# art!( There*! a gu&( The code #or getting on the net'ork 'a! in a hone book that 'e !tarted #inding la!t month(1 ,Give me the number, Fiam,1 Arturo !aid, taking out hi! hone( ,)ello01 It 'a! a man*! voice, adult( ,8ho i! thi!01 ,8ho i! thi!01 Arturo u!ed hi! co *! voiceK ,Thi! i! Arturo Icaza de Arana-Goldberg, Police Detective Third Grade( 8ho am I ! eaking to01 ,)ello, Detective,1 !aid the voice, and he laced it then( The Social )armon& man, bald and rounded, 'ith hi! long no!e and !har Adam*! a le( )i! heart thudded in hi! che!t( ,)ello, !ir,1 he !aid( It !ounded like a !5ueak to him( ,2ou can .u!t !ta& there, Detective( Someone 'ill be along in a moment to get &ou( 8e have &our daughter(1 The robot that 'renched o## the door o# hi! car 'a! black and non-re#lective, headle!! and eight-armed( It grabbed him 'ithout ceremon& and dragged him #rom the car 'ithout heed #or hi! !hout o# ain( ,Put

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me do'n:1 he !aid, ho ing that thi! robot that !o blithel& ignored the #ir!t la' 'ould !till obe& the !econd( No !uch luck( It cocooned him in #our o# it! arm! and !et o## cro!!-countr&, dancing o## the roo#! o# hou!e!, ho ing invi!ibl& #rom lam - o!t to lam - o!t, above the obliviou! head! o# the cro'd! belo'( The ic& 'ind ho'led in Arturo*! bare ear!, #roze the ti o# hi! no!e and numbed hi! #inger!( The& rocketed do'nto'n !o #a!t that the& 'ere there in ten minute!, bounding along the lake!hore to'ard the Social )armon& center out on /herr& 3each( Peo le 'ho aid a vi!it to the Social )armon& center never talked about 'hat the& #ound there( It !cam ered into a loading ba& behind the building and carried Arturo 5uickl& through 'indo'le!! corridor! lit 'ith even, !ourcele!! illumination, u three #light! o# !tair! and then de o!ited him be#ore a thick door, 'hich !lid a!ide 'ith a hu!hed hi!!( ,)ello, Detective,1 the Social )armon& man !aid( ,Dad:1 Ada !aid( )e couldn*t !ee her, but he could hear that !he had been cr&ing( )e nearl& hauled o## and o ed the man one on the ti o# hi! narro' chin, but be#ore he could do more than t'itch, the black robot had both hi! 'ri!t! in bondage( ,/ome in,1 the Social )armon& man !aid, making a !'ee ing ge!ture and !tanding a!ide 'hile the black robot brought him into the interrogation room( Ada had been cr&ing( She 'a! 'ra ed in t'o coil! o# black-robot arm!, and her e&e! 'ere red-rimmed and u##&( )e !tared hard at her a! !he looked back at him( ,Are &ou hurt01 he !aid( ,No,1 !he !aid( ,All right,1 he !aid( )e looked at the Social )armon& man, 'ho 'a!n*t !mirking, .u!t 'atching curiou!l&( ,Feonard +acPher!on,1 he !aid, ,it i! m& dut& a! a UNATS Detective Third Grade to in#orm &ou that &ou are under arre!t #or trade in contraband o!itronic!( 2ou have the #ollo'ing right!K to a trial er current rule! o# due roce!!= to be #ree #rom !el#-incrimination in the ab!ence o# a court order to the contrar&= to con!ult 'ith a Social )armon& advocate= and to a ! eed& arraignment( Do &ou under!tand &our right!01 Ada actuall& giggled, 'hich ! oiled the moment, but he #elt better #or having !aid it( The Social )armon& man gave the !malle!t di!a ointed !hake o# hi! head and turned a'a& to rod at a !mall, !leek com uter(

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,2ou 'ent to 6tta'a !i4 month! ago,1 the Social )armon& man !aid( 8hen 'e icked u &our daughter, 'e thought it 'a! !he 'ho*d gone, but it a ear! that &ou 'ere the one carr&ing her hone( 2ou*d thought#ull& le#t the trace in lace on that hone, !o 'e didn*t have to re#er to the log! in cold !torage, the& 'ere alread& online and read& to be anal&zed( ,8e*ve been to the !a#e hou!e( It 'a! 5uite a ! ectacular battle( 3oth !ide! 'ere !ur ri!ed, I think( There 'ill be another, I*m !ure( 8hat I*d like #rom &ou i! a! clo!e to a verbatim re ort a! &ou can make o# the conver!ation that took lace there(1 The&*d had him bugged and traced( 6# cour!e the& had( 8ho 'atched the 'atcher!0 Social )armon&( 8ho 'atched Social )armon&0 Social )armon&( ,I demand a con!ultation 'ith a Social )armon& advocate,1 Arturo !aid( ,Thi! i! !uch a con!ultation,1 the Social )armon& man !aid, and thi! time, he did !mile( ,+ake &our re ort, Detective(1 Arturo !ucked in a breath( ,Feonard +acPher!on, it i! m& dut& a! a UNATS Detective Third Grade to in#orm &ou that &ou are under arre!t #or trade in contraband o!itronic!( 2ou have the #ollo'ing right!K to a trial er current rule! o# due roce!!= to be #ree #rom !el#-incrimination in the ab!ence o# a court order to the contrar&= to con!ult 'ith a Social )armon& advocate= and to a ! eed& arraignment( Do &ou under!tand &our right!01 The Social )armon& man held u one #inger on the hand clo!e!t to the black robot holding Ada, and !he !creamed, a !ound that kni#ed through Arturo, ri ing him #rom a!!hole to a etite( ,ST6P:1 he !houted( The man ut hi! #inger do'n and Ada !obbed 5uietl&( ,I 'a! taken to the !a#e hou!e on the #i#th o# Se tember, a#ter being ga!!ed b& a 9ura!ian in#o'ar robot in the ba!ement o# "airvie' +all-1 There 'a! a thundercla then, a cra!h !o loud that it hurt hi! !tomach and hi! head and vibrated hi! #ingerti !( The door! to the room buckled and #lattened, and there !tood 3enn& and Fenn& and-Natalie( 3enn& and Fenn& moved !o 5uickl& that he 'a! onl& able to track them b& the thing! the& knocked over on the 'a& to tearing a art the robot that 'a! holding Ada( A !econd later, the robot holding him 'a! in iece!, and he 'a! !tanding on hi! o'n t'o #eet again( The Social

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)armon& man had gone !o ale he looked green in hi! natt& checked !uit and ink tie( 3enn& or Fenn& inned hi! arm! in a tight hug and Natalie 'alked care#ull& to him and the& regarded one another in !ilence( She !la ed him abru tl&, acro!! each cheek( ,)arming children,1 !he !aid( ,"or !hame(1 Ada !tood on her o'n in the corner o# the room, cr&ing 'ith her mouth in a 6( Arturo and Natalie both looked to her and !he !tood, oi!ed, bet'een them, be#ore running to Arturo and lea ing onto him, !o that he !taggered momentaril& be#ore righting him!el# 'ith her on hi! hi , in hi! arm!( ,8e*ll go 'ith &ou no',1 he !aid to Natalie( ,Thank &ou,1 !he !aid( She !troked Ada*! hair brie#l& and ki!!ed her cheek( ,I love &ou, Ada(1 Ada nodded !olemnl&( ,Fet*! go,1 Natalie !aid, 'hen it 'a! a arent that Ada had nothing to !a& to her( 3enn& to!!ed the Social )armon& man acro!! the room into the corner o# a de!k( )e bounced o## it and cra!hed to the #loor, uncon!ciou! or dead( Arturo couldn*t bring him!el# to care 'hich( 3enn& knelt be#ore Arturo( ,/limb on, lea!e,1 it !aid( Arturo !a' that Natalie 'a! alread& ig-a-back on Fenn&( )e climbed aboard( The& moved even #a!ter than the black robot! had, but the bitter cold 'a! o##!et b& the 'armth radiating #rom 3enn&*! metal hide, not hot, but 'arm( Arturo*! !tomach reeled and he held Ada tight, !5ueezing hi! e&e! !hut and clam ing hi! .a'( 3ut Ada*! ga! made him look around, and he !a' that the& had cleared the cit& limit!, and 'ere vaulting over rolling #armland! no', .um ing in long #lat arc! 'ho!e zenith 'a! .u!t high enough #or him to !ee the high'a&-the ;AD, the& 'ere headed ea!t-in the di!tance( And then he !a' 'hat had made Ada ga! K boiling out o# the hill! and ditche!, out o# the tree! and #rom under the car!K an arm& o# headle!!, eight-armed black robot!, arachnoid and !ini!ter in the moonlight( The& !cuttled on the ground behind them, be#ore them, and to both !ide!( Social )armon& had built a !ecret arm& o# the!e robot! and !ecreted them acro!! the land, and no' the& 'ere all cha!ing a#ter them( The ride got bum & then, a! 3enn& beat back the tentacle! that reached #or them, !ma!hing the black robot! 'ith might& one-handed

<I

blo'!, hi! other hand !u orting Arturo and Ada( Ada !creamed a! a black robot reared u be#ore them, and 3enn& vaulted it !moothl&, kicking it hard a! he 'ent, 'hile Arturo clung on #or dear li#e( Another !cream made him look over to'ard Fenn& and Natalie( Fenn& 'a! !lightl& ahead and to the le#t o# them, and !o he 'a! the vanguard, encountering t'ice a! man& robot! a! the&( A black ! ider-robot clung to hi! leg, dragging behind him 'ith each lo e, and one o# it! ! are arm! 'a! tugging at Natalie( A! Arturo 'atched-a! Ada 'atched-the black robot ri ed Natalie o## o# Fenn&*! back and to!!ed her into the arm! o# one o# it! cohort behind it, 'hich !ke'ered her on one o# it! arm!, a black ! ear rotruding #rom her bell& a! !he cried once more and then #ell !ilent( Fenn& 'a! over'helmed a moment later, buried under 'rithing black arm!( 3enn& charged #or'ard even #a!ter, !o that Arturo nearl& lo!t hi! gri , and then he !teadied him!el#( ,8e have to go back #or them-1 ,The&*re dead,1 3enn& !aid( ,There*! nothing to go back #or(1 It! 'arm voice 'a! !orro'#ul a! it raced acro!! the countr&!ide, and the 'ind #illed Arturo*! throat 'hen he o ened hi! mouth, and he could !a& no more( Ada 'e t on the .et, and Arturo 'e t 'ith her, and 3enn& !tood over them, a minator& re!ence again!t the other robot! cre'ing the #a!t little lane, 'ho le#t them alone all the 'a& to Pari!, 'here the& changed .et! again #or the long tri to 3ei.ing( The& !le t on that tri , and 'hen the& landed, 3enn& hel ed them o## the lane and onto the run'a&, and the& got their #ir!t good look at 9ura!ia( It 'a! tall( Eertical( 3ei.ing loomed over them 'ith curvilinear to'er! that t'i!ted and bent and .igged and .agged !o high the& di!a eared at the to !( It !melled like barbe5ue and #lo'er!, and around them !kittered #a!t armie! o# robot! o# ever& !ha e and !ize, 'heeling in lock!te like !chool! o# e4otic #i!h( The& ga' ed at it #or a long moment, and !omeone came u behind them and then 'arm arm! encircled their neck!( Arturo kne' that !mell, kne' that !kin( )e could never have #orgotten it( )e turned !lo'l&, the blood draining #rom hi! #ace( ,Natt&01 he !aid, not believing hi! e&e! a! he con#ronted hi! dead, e4'i#e( There 'ere tear! in her e&e!( ,Artie,1 !he !aid( ,Ada,1 !he !aid( She ki!!ed them both on the cheek!(

<B

3enn& !aid, ,2ou died in UNATS( Gilled b& modi#ied 9ura!ian Social )armon& robot!( Fenn&, too( Ironic,1 he !aid( She !hook her head( ,)e mean! that 'e robabl& co-de!igned the robot! that Social )armon& !ent a#ter &ou(1 ,Natt&01 Arturo !aid again( Ada 'a! 'hite and !haking( ,6h dear,1 !he !aid( ,6h, God( 2ou didn*t kno'-1 ,)e didn*t give &ou a chance to e4 lain,1 3enn& !aid( ,6h, God, @e!u!, &ou mu!t have thought-1 ,I didn*t think it 'a! m& lace to tell them, either,1 3enn& !aid, !ounding embarra!!ed, a curiou! emotion #or a robot( ,6h, God( Artie, Ada( There are-there are lot! o# me( 6ne o# the #ir!t thing! I did here 'a! hel them debug the u loading roce!!( 2ou .u!t ut a co & o# &our!el# into a o!itronic brain, and then 'hen &ou need a bod&, &ou gro' one or build one or both and decant &our!el# into it( I*m like Fenn& and 3enn& no'-there are man& o# me( There*! too much 'ork to do other'i!e(1 ,I told &ou that our develo ment hel ed human! under!tand them!elve!,1 3enn& !aid( Arturo ulled back( ,2ou*re a robot01 ,No,1 Natalie !aid( ,No, o# cour!e not( 8ell, a little( Part! o# me( Gro'ing a bod& i! !lo'( Part! o# it, &ou build( 3ut I*m mo!tl& made o# er!on(1 Ada clung tight to Arturo no', and the& both !te ed back to'ard the .et( ,Dad01 Ada !aid( )e held her tight( ,Plea!e, Arturo,1 Natalie, hi! dead, multi licitou! e4-'i#e !aid( ,I kno' it*! a lot to under!tand, but it*! di##erent here in 9ura!ia( 3etter, too( I don*t e4 ect &ou to come ru!hing back to m& arm! a#ter all thi! time, but I*ll hel &ou i# &ou*ll let me( I o'e &ou that much, no matter 'hat ha en! bet'een u!( 2ou too, Ada, I o'e &ou a li#etime(1 ,)o' man& are there o# &ou01 he a!ked, not 'anting to kno' the an!'er( ,I don*t kno' e4actl&,1 !he !aid( ,<,;??,1 3enn& !aid( ,Thi! morning it 'a! <,;?<(1 Arturo rocked back in hi! boot! and bit hi! li hard enough to dra' blood( ,Um,1 Natalie !aid( ,+ore o# me to love01 )e barked a laugh, and Natalie !miled and reached #or him( )e leaned back to'ard the .et, then !to ed, de#eated( 8here 'ould he go0 )e let

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her 'arm hand take hi!, and a moment later, Ada took her other hand and the& !tood #acing each other, breathing in their !mell!( ,I*ve gotten &ou &our o'n lace,1 !he !aid a! !he led them acro!! the tarmac( ,It*! clo!e to 'here I live, but #ar enough #or &ou to have rivac&(1 ,8hat 'ill I do here01 he !aid( ,Do the& have co er! in 9ura!ia01 ,Not reall&,1 Natalie !aid( ,It*! all robot!01 ,No, there*! not an& crime(1 ,6h(1 Arturo ut one #oot in #ront o# the other, not !ure i# the ground 'a! actuall& ! ong& or i# that 'a! .etlag( Around him, the alien !mell! o# 3ei.ing and the robot! that 'ere a million time! !marter than he( To hi! right, hi! 'i#e, one o# <,;?? ver!ion! o# her( To hi! le#t, hi! daughter, 'ho 'ould inherit thi! 'orld( )e reached into hi! ocket and took out the tin !oldier! there( The& 'ere old and their glaze 'a! cracked like an oil ainting, but the& 'ere little eo le that a real human had made, little eo le in human image, and the& 'ere older than robot!( )o' long had human! been making eo le, !triving to bring them to li#e0 )e looked at Ada-a little er!on he*d brought to li#e( )e gave her the tin !oldier!( ,"or &ou,1 he !aid( ,Dadd&-daughter re!ent(1 She held them tightl&, their tin& ba&onet! !ticking out #rom bet'een her #inger!( ,Thank!, Dad,1 !he !aid( She held them tightl& and looked around, 'ide-e&ed, at the !chool! o# robot! and the cork!cre' to'er!( A #lock o# 3enn&!lenn&! a eared be#ore them, .oined b& their 3enn&( ,There are hal# a billion o# them,1 !he !aid( ,And <,;?? o# them,1 !he !aid, ointing 'ith a !mall ba&onet at Natalie( ,3ut there*! onl& one o# &ou,1 Arturo !aid( She craned her neck( ,Not #or long:1 !he !aid, and broke a'a&, !ki ing #or'ard and 'hirling around to take it all in(

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Ficen!e Attribution-Non/ommercial-ShareAlike ?(7 2ou are #reeK to Share-to co &, di!tribute, di! la&, and er#orm the 'ork to Remi4-to make derivative 'ork! Under the #ollo'ing condition!K Attribution( 2ou mu!t attribute the 'ork in the manner ! eci#ied b& the author or licen!or( Noncommercial( 2ou ma& not u!e thi! 'ork #or commercial ur o!e!( Share Alike( I# &ou alter, tran!#orm, or build u on thi! 'ork, &ou ma& di!tribute the re!ulting 'ork onl& under a licen!e identical to thi! one( "or an& reu!e or di!tribution, &ou mu!t make clear to other! the licen!e term! o# thi! 'ork( An& o# the!e condition! can be 'aived i# &ou get ermi!!ion #rom the co &right holder( Di!claimerK 2our #air u!e and other right! are in no 'a& a##ected b& the above( Thi! i! a human-readable !ummar& o# the Fegal /ode $the #ull licen!e%K htt KJJcreativecommon!(orgJlicen!e!Jb&-nc-!aJ?(7Jlegalcode

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Foved thi! book 0 Similar u!er! al!o do'nloaded Fe'i! /arroll AliceN! Adventure! in 8onderland AliceN! Adventure! in 8onderland $DI>7% i! a novel 'ritten b& 9ngli!h author /harle! Fut'idge Dodg!on, better kno'n under the !eudon&m Fe'i! /arroll( It tell! the !tor& o# a girl named Alice 'ho #all! do'n a rabbit-hole into a #anta!& 'orld o ulated b& eculiar and anthro omor hic creature!( The tale i! #illed 'ith allu!ion! to Dodg!onN! #riend! $and enemie!%, and to the le!!on! that 3riti!h !choolchildren 'ere e4 ected to memorize( The tale la&! 'ith logic in 'a&! that have made the !tor& o# la!ting o ularit& 'ith adult! a! 'ell a! children( It i! con!idered to be one o# the mo!t characteri!tic e4am le! o# the genre o# literar& non!en!e, and it! narrative cour!e and !tructure ha! been enormou!l& in#luential, mainl& in the #anta!& genre( Arthur /onan Do&le The Adventure! o# Sherlock )olme! The Adventure! o# Sherlock )olme! i! a collection o# t'elve !torie! b& Sir Arthur /onan Do&le, #eaturing hi! #amou! detective and illu!trated b& Sidne& Paget( The!e are the #ir!t o# the Sherlock )olme! !hort !torie!, originall& ubli!hed a! !ingle !torie! in the Strand +agazine #rom @ul& DIBD to @une DIB?( The book 'a! ubli!hed in 9ngland on 6ctober D;, DIB? b& George Ne'ne! Ftd and in a US 9dition on 6ctober D7 b& )ar er( The initial combined rint run 'a! D;,7AA co ie!( )( G( 8ell! The 8ar o# the 8orld! The 8ar o# the 8orld! $DIBI%, b& )( G( 8ell!, i! an earl& !cience #iction novel 'hich de!cribe! an inva!ion o# 9ngland b& alien! #rom +ar!( It i! one o# the earlie!t and be!t-kno'n de iction! o# an alien inva!ion o# 9arth, and ha! in#luenced man& other!, a! 'ell a! ! a'ning !everal #ilm!, radio drama!, comic book ada tation!, and a televi!ion !erie! ba!ed on the !tor&( The DB<I radio broadca!t cau!ed ublic outcr& again!t the e i!ode, a! man& li!tener! believed that an actual +artian inva!ion 'a! in rogre!!, a notable e4am le o# ma!! h&!teria( )( G( 8ell! The Time +achine

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The bookN! rotagoni!t i! an amateur inventor or !cienti!t living in Fondon 'ho i! never named= he i! identi#ied !im l& a! The Time Traveller( )aving demon!trated to #riend! u!ing a miniature model that time i! a #ourth dimen!ion, and that a !uitable a aratu! can move back and #orth in thi! #ourth dimen!ion, he build! a #ull!cale model ca able o# carr&ing him!el#( )e !et! o## on a .ourne& into the #uture( Sun Tzu The Art o# 8ar The Art o# 8ar i! a /hine!e militar& treati!e that 'a! 'ritten during the >th centur& 3/ b& Sun Tzu( /om o!ed o# D< cha ter!, each o# 'hich i! devoted to one a! ect o# 'ar#are, it ha! long been rai!ed a! the de#initive 'ork on militar& !trategie! and tactic! o# it! time( The Art o# 8ar i! one o# the olde!t book! on militar& !trateg& in the 'orld( It i! the #ir!t and one o# the mo!t !ucce!!#ul 'ork! on !trateg& and ha! had a huge in#luence on 9a!tern and 8e!tern militar& thinking, bu!ine!! tactic!, and be&ond( Sun Tzu 'a! the #ir!t to recognize the im ortance o# o!itioning in !trateg& and that o!ition i! a##ected both b& ob.ective condition! in the h&!ical environment and the !ub.ective o inion! o# com etitive actor! in that environment( )e taught that !trateg& 'a! not lanning in the !en!e o# 'orking through a to-do li!t, but rather that it re5uire! 5uick and a ro riate re! on!e! to changing condition!( Planning 'ork! in a controlled environment, but in a com etitive environment, "ranci! Scott "itzgerald The /uriou! /a!e o# 3en.amin 3utton Thi! !tor& 'a! in! ired b& a remark o# +ark T'ainN! to the e##ect that it 'a! a it& that the be!t art o# li#e came at the beginning and the 'or!t art at the end( 3& tr&ing the e4 eriment u on onl& one man in a er#ectl& normal 'orld I have !carcel& given hi! idea a #air trial( Several 'eek! a#ter com leting it, I di!covered an almo!t identical lot in Samuel 3utlerN! ONote-book!(O The !tor& 'a! ubli!hed in O/ollierN!O la!t !ummer and rovoked thi! !tartling letter #rom an anon&mou! admirer in /incinnatiK OSir-I have read the !tor& 3en.amin 3utton in /ollier! and I 'i!h to !a& that a! a !hort !tor& 'riter &ou 'ould make a good lunatic I have !een man& eice! o# chee!e in m& li#e but o# all the eice! o# chee!e

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I have ever !een &ou are the bigge!t eice( I hate to 'a!te a eice o# !tationar& on &ou but I 'ill(O kim Do'n and 6ut in the +agic Gingdom @ule! i! a &oung man barel& a centur& old( )eN! lived long enough to !ee the cure #or death and the end o# !carcit&, to learn ten language! and com o!e three !&m honie!(((and to realize hi! bo&hood dream o# taking u re!idence in Di!ne& 8orld(Di!ne& 8orld: The greate!t arti!tic achievement o# the long-ago t'entieth centur&( No' in the kee ing o# a net'ork o# Oad-hoc!O 'ho kee the cla!!ic attraction! running a! the& al'a&! have, enhanced 'ith onl& the !malle!t high-tech touche!(No', though, the Oad hoc!O are under attack( A ne' grou ha! taken over the )all o# the Pre!ident!, and i! re lacing it! venerable audioanimatronic! 'ith ne', immer!ive direct-to-brain inter#ace! that give gue!t! the illu!ion o# being 8a!hington, Fincoln, and all the other!( "or @ule!, thi! i! an attack on the arti!tic urit& o# Di!ne& 8orld it!el#( 8or!eK it a ear! thi! ne' grou ha! had @ule! killed( Thi! u !et! him( $ItN! onl& hi! #ourth death and revival, a#ter all(% No' itN! 'ar(((( kim 8hen S&!admin! Ruled the 9arth The heroic e4 loit! o# O!&!admin!O - !&!tem! admini!trator! - a! the& de#end the c&ber-'orld, and hence the 'orld at large, #rom 'orm! and bio'ea on!( kim Fittle 3rother +arcu!, a(k(a ,'Dn7tAn,1 i! onl& !eventeen &ear! old, but he #igure! he alread& kno'! ho' the !&!tem 'ork!Pand ho' to 'ork the !&!tem( Smart, #a!t, and 'i!e to the 'a&! o# the net'orked 'orld, he ha! no trouble out'itting hi! high !chool*! intru!ive but clum!& !urveillance !&!tem!( 3ut hi! 'hole 'orld change! 'hen he and hi! #riend! #ind them!elve! caught in the a#termath o# a ma.or terrori!t attack on San "ranci!co( In the 'rong lace at the 'rong time, +arcu! and hi! cre' are a rehended b& the De artment o# )omeland Securit& and 'hi!ked a'a& to a !ecret ri!on 'here the&*re mercile!!l& interrogated #or da&!( 8hen the D)S #inall& relea!e! them, +arcu! di!cover! that hi! cit& ha! become a olice !tate 'here ever& citizen i! treated like a

;7

otential terrori!t( )e kno'! that no one 'ill believe hi! !tor&, 'hich leave! him onl& one o tionK to take do'n the D)S him!el#( @acob Fud'ig Garl Grimm GrimmN! "air& Tale! /hildrenN! and )ou!ehold Tale! $GermanK Ginder- und )au!mQrchen% i! a collection o# German origin #air& tale! #ir!t ubli!hed in DID? b& @acob and 8ilhelm Grimm, the 3rother! Grimm( The collection i! commonl& kno'n toda& a! Grimm!N "air& Tale! $GermanK Grimm! +Qrchen%(

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