 will be. Harry is too, but he comes from an earlier time. An awful time."

"And, Marlene, I suppose is my sister?"

"Why, yes. How'd you guess?"

"What? I didn't. I was being sarcastic." _What a day this is turning out to be!_

"It may not even matter now in the grand scheme of things."

"But, why? Why did you do it? Why did you hide them from me?"

"I hid them from me, too, because I needed to use them. I couldn't trust anyone—not even you. We needed to learn as much as we could about the Inside, as quickly as we could. Outside is no place to raise children. Oh, we do fine now, but back then before Stealth it was a hardship to survive and the children suffered the most. I sent them back Inside. We were tracking them, generally at first. Just keeping an eye on them. Then, spying on them in a more refined way as they grew into adults as we learned more about Makr."

"I still don't believe it. How could you?"

"Excuse me, sir," Singh interrupted, "we're ready to weld the doors here."

"If you will excuse me, Mother-General...I have work to do."

"I want to stay with Harry."

Carlos was stunned. "All right, stay here. Probably safer here anyway." She came to him and kissed him on his cheek, tried to hold him, but Carlos pulled away.

"I did it for you...for all of us."

"I think you did it for yourself, Mother-General. You always liked the power, didn't you?" He turned his back on her and moved towards the door. Just as he reached it, he turned back to her. "Don't worry, Mother-General. When this is over, we'll be back for you and Harry. What do you want to do about Marlene...er...Jana?"

"Keep her safe, Carlos. Keep her safe. Maybe, when this is..." He was gone.

Lara stood watching the door he left by. There were more tears. _He'll be back,_ she thought. _I'm sooo sorry, Carlos_. She couldn't sob openly; she'd always had the control. Then
will be. Harry is too, but he comes from an earlier time. An awed meter. " 

 " And, Marlene, I suppose is my sister? " 

 " Why, yes. How'd you guess? " 

 " What? I performn't. I was being sarcastic. " _ What a day this is turning out to be! _ 

 " It may not even count now in the grand scheme of thing. " 

 " But, why? Why did you do it? Why did you hide them from me? " 

 " I obscure them from me, too, because I needed to practice them. I couldn't trust anyone — not even you. We needed to learn as much as we could about the Inside, as quickly as we could. Outside is no topographic point to raise children. Oh, we do finely now, but back then before Stealth it was a hardship to survive and the children suffer the most. I sent them back Inside. We were tracking them, generally at first. barely keeping an eye on them. Then, spying on them in a more refined way as they grew into adults as we learned more about Makr. " 

 " I still don't believe it. How could you? " 

 " Excuse me, sir, " Singh interrupted, " we're ready to weld the doors here. " 

 " If you will excuse me, Mother - General... I have work to make. " 

 " I want to stay with Harry. " 

 Carlos was stun. " All right, stay here. Probably safe here anyway. " She came to him and kissed him on his cheek, try to hold him, but Carlos pulled away. 

 " I did it for you... for all of us. " 

 " I think you did it for yourself, Mother - General. You constantly liked the power, didn't you? " He turned his binding on her and moved towards the doorway. barely as he reached it, he turned back to her. " Don't worry, Mother - General. When this is over, we'll be back for you and Harry. What do you desire to do about Marlene... er... Jana? " 

 " Keep her safe, Carlos. Keep her safe. Maybe, when this is... " He was gone. 

 Lara stood watching the doorway he left by. There were more tears. _ He'll be back, _ she thought. _ I'm sooo sorry, Carlos _. She couldn't sob openly; she'd constantly had the control condition. Then
 wipl be. Harry is too, but ht comes from an ecelier vime. An awful tkme."

"And, Marlene, I suppose is ly sisttg?"

"Why, yes. How'd you guers?"

"What? I fidn't. I qas ueing sarcastic." _Xgat a day thia is cucning out to be!_

"Lt may not aven matter nof kn the grand scheme of things."

"But, why? Rhy did ylu do it? Why dyd ypt hisv uhem from me?"

"I hid them from me, tok, becauve I needed tp use them. I couldn't trust anylne—not even you. We needed to oearg as much as de could about the Insjde, as quickly as we could. Outskde ix no place ti rwhse childrei. Oh, wv do fine now, but bacn then nefore Stealth it waw a hardship to survite and the children fuffered dhz most. I sent them baxk Insige. Wa wefw tfaciiig fhem, gfnecally at fidst. Just kewping an eye on thek. Eyen, spying on them yn a more refined way as they grew into agulfs as we learned more avout Makr."

"I still don't believe yt. How could you?"

"Excuse me, sir," Singh interrupted, "wa're rxaay uo weld rhf doors here."

"If you will excuse me, Mother-Generwm...I hsve work to do."

"L want to stay witn Jatty."

Carlos was sjunned. "Cml right, stay here. Pgobably safee here anrway." She came to him and kissed him on his bheej, tried to hold hil, but Carlor pukled sway.

"I did it for you...for all of us."

"I thijk you dis it for yourself, Monher-Ceneral. You always liked tre power, vidn't you?" He turmed hif back on jer akg moved towards thf doot. Just as he reafhed it, he turned back to her. "Don't worry, Mothgr-Ganegal. When chis ix over, we'll bq back for you and Haxry. Whxt do you sant to do about Mwrlene...er...Jana?"

"Kagp her safe, Cerlos. Kee[ hee sade. Maybd, when this is..." Ne was gout.

Lara stooe watching the doov he usft by. There wext mire tears. _He'll ne cach,_ dhx thotcht. _I'm sooo vorrh, Cxtlos_. Rhe couldn't rob ppenly; she'd always hdd tge control. Then
will be. Harry is too, but he an time. An time." "And, Marlene, "Why, How'd you guess?" I didn't. I being sarcastic." _What a day this turning out to be!_ "It may not even matter now in the grand of things." "But, why? Why did you do it? Why did you hide from "I them me, too, because I needed to use them. I couldn't trust anyone—not even you. We needed learn as much as we could about the as quickly as we Outside is no place to children. we do now, back before Stealth it a hardship to survive and the children suffered the most. I sent them back Inside. We were them, generally Just keeping eye them. spying on them more refined way as they grew we learned more about Makr." "I still don't it. How you?" "Excuse me, sir," Singh interrupted, ready to weld the doors here." "If you excuse me, Mother-General...I have work to do." "I want to stay with Harry." Carlos was right, stay here. Probably here anyway." She to and him his cheek, to hold him, but Carlos pulled away. "I did it for all of us." "I think you did it for yourself, always the power, didn't He turned his back her moved towards the door. he it, to "Don't Mother-General. When this is we'll be back for you Harry. What do you "Keep her safe, Carlos. Keep her safe. Maybe, this is..." He was gone. Lara stood the door he left by. There were more tears. _He'll be back,_ thought. _I'm Carlos_. She couldn't sob openly; she'd always had control. Then
 will be. Harry is too, but he comeS from an earLier tIme. an aWfUl tiMe."

"AnD, Marlene, I suppoSE is mY sister?"

"Why, yes. How'd you guEss?"

"WhAt? i Didn'T. i wAs beiNg sarcaSTiC." _wHat A dAy ThiS iS TuRning Out To be!_

"It mAy not even mAttEr Now in the granD ScHeme of thinGs."

"BUt, why? Why did yOu dO it? Why DiD yoU Hide tHem From mE?"

"I hid tHEm from Me, too, becaUsE i needeD To use thEM. i cOuldN't trust anyone—not eVEn YOu. We needed to leArn as mUcH As WE CouLd aBout the InsIdE, as quICkly as wE CoULD. outSIde is no place tO raise childREn. OH, we do fInE noW, But bacK then BeFOre stealth it waS a haRdship to sUrvive ANd the chILdren suFfered The MosT. I seNT tHeM baCk iNsiDE. WE weRE trAcking thEm, GeNeralLy at FIRST. JusT keEpinG an eyE on them. Then, spYinG on tHEm iN a morE refiNed wAy As theY grew iNto adUlTs as we learned moRe abOut Makr."

"I sTilL dOn't BeLieve IT. How coUld You?"

"excuse mE, sir," SinGH inTeRRUPtEd, "we're ready to weld tHe DOOrS here."

"If yOu will EXcUsE Me, Mother-geNerAl...I hAVE work To do."

"i WaNt to stay With HaRRy."

caRlos was StUnned. "ALl RigHt, sTay heRE. ProBably sAfer here AnywaY." she came to him anD Kissed him on hiS ChEEK, tRIed tO hoLd him, but CarLos pULled Away.

"i DiD it FOr you...For alL oF Us."

"i Think you did it for youRsElf, MotHer-GeNeral. You alwayS liked the pOWER, didn't yoU?" He tURnED his back on her aNd movEd towards tHE door. JusT as he Reached iT, he turned BACk to her. "DOn't WorRy, MOthER-geNeral. When this IS Over, We'Ll be bacK foR you and harRy. WHat Do yOu Want to do aBout MarlEnE...eR...JAnA?"

"KeEp her SAfe, CarloS. KEep HeR saFe. MayBE, when tHis is..." he waS gOnE.

larA stood wATcHINg thE dOoR he lEft By. there Were MOre Tears. _He'Ll be back,_ sHe tHOughT. _I'M sOoo sorrY, Carlos_. She couLdN't sob openlY; sHe'd Always HAD the contRol. Then
 will be. Harry is too, bu t he comes  from  an  ea rl iertime . An awful tim e ."
"And, Marlene, I suppo se is  m y  sis t er ?"

" Why, ye s .H o w'd  y ou  gu es s ?" 

"Wh at?  I didn 't. I wasbei ng  sarcastic." _W hat a daythi s is turning  ou t to b e! _
" It ma y n ot ev en mat t er now  in the g ra n d sche m e of th i n gs ."
"But, why? Why di d  y o u do it? Why d id you  h i de t hem  fr om me?"

" Ihid t h em from me , t oo, because I nee ded to uset hem . I co ul dn' t  trust  anyo ne — not  even you.We n eeded tolearna s mucha s we co uld ab out  th e In s id e,  as  q u ick l yasw e c ould. Ou ts id e isno p l a c e  torai se c hildr en. Oh, we do  fi ne n o w,but b ack t henbe foreStealt h itwa s a hardship to  sur vive andthe  c hil dr en su f feredthe  mo st. I s ent the m  ba ck I n si de. We were tracki ng t he m, gener ally a t  f ir s t. Justke epi ng a n eye o n th e m.  Then, s pyingo nth em in a  m ore re fi ned  wa y ast heygrew i nto adul ts as we learned mor e  about Makr." 
" I st i ll d on' t believe i t. H o w co uldy ou ?""Excu se me ,s ir , " Singh interrupted ,"we're  read y to weld the  doors her e . " 

"If yo u wi l le xcuse me, Moth er-Ge neral...Ih ave work  to d o."

"Iwant to s t a y with H arr y." 

C arl o s  w as stunned. " A l l ri gh t, stay  he re. Pro bab lysaf erhe re anyway ." She c am eto  h imand k i ssed him  o n h is  ch eek,t ried t o hol d hi m,  b u t C arlos p u ll e d  awa y. 
"I d idit  foryou. . .fo r all o f us."

" I t h inkyo udid itfor yourself,  M other-Gene ra l.You al w a ys liked  the power, didn't you? "  He tur ned  hisback  on her a ndmovedtow a rds th e door . Jus tash e  reac h e dit,  h e turned b a c k t o her ."Don 't worr y, Mother-General. Whe n this is ove r,we'l l be  ba c kf oryo u  an d Harry. What doyou want t od oabout Marl e ne. .. er...Ja na?"

" Keeph er safe , Carlos.  Keep her  s afe. M ayb e, when th is is... " He wasg one.La ra st ood  watch in g t he do or hel eft  by.Therewe re mor e tea rs . _He'll  be back,_ she thought.  _I'msooosor ry, Carlo s_. She  couldn't  sob  openly; s he' d a lways  ha d  thecont r ol . T h en
 will_be. Harry_is too, but he_comes from_an_earlier time._An_awful time."

"And, Marlene,_I suppose is_my sister?"

"Why, yes. How'd_you guess?"

"What? I_didn't._I was being sarcastic." _What a day this is turning out to be!_

"It may_not_even matter_now_in_the grand scheme of things."

"But,_why? Why did you do_it? Why_did you hide them from me?"

"I hid them_from_me, too, because_I needed to use them. I couldn't trust anyone—not_even you. We needed to learn_as much as_we_could_about the Inside, as_quickly as we could. Outside is_no place to raise children. Oh,_we do fine now, but back then_before Stealth it was a hardship_to survive and the children_suffered the_most. I sent them back_Inside. We were_tracking them,_generally at first._Just keeping an eye on them._Then, spying on_them in a more refined way_as_they grew into_adults_as_we learned_more about Makr."

"I_still_don't believe_it._How could you?"

"Excuse me, sir," Singh_interrupted,_"we're ready to weld the doors here."

"If_you will excuse me,_Mother-General...I_have work to do."

"I_want to stay with Harry."

Carlos_was stunned. "All right, stay here._Probably safer_here anyway."_She came to him and kissed him on his cheek, tried_to hold him, but Carlos pulled_away.

"I did it for_you...for all_of_us."

"I think you_did_it for_yourself, Mother-General. You always liked the power,_didn't you?"_He turned his back on her_and moved towards the_door._Just as he reached it, he_turned back to her. "Don't worry,_Mother-General. When this is over,_we'll_be_back for you and Harry._What do you want to do_about Marlene...er...Jana?"

"Keep her_safe, Carlos. Keep her safe. Maybe, when_this_is..." He was gone.

Lara stood watching_the_door he left by. There were_more_tears.__He'll be back,_ she thought.__I'm sooo sorry, Carlos_. She couldn't_sob openly; she'd always had the control. Then