
"Nothing important."

"Let me be the judge of that. What did you say?"

"Nothing really. I just said Makr is where the city looks the best—something like that."

"Rosiest. You said 'rosiest'."

"Yeah, so?"

"Where this city looks the best—the cleanest, most pleasant, has the most beautiful scenery, artwork—that's where Makr has concentrated his hardware—and created the illusions of places we wouldn't touch. Human sentimentality and all that."

Winston was delighted to see Greg's passion was back. "Does this mean we're still in the fight?"

"I say let's take inventory and go to work," he said, slapping Winston on the back.

The friendly blow knocked Winston forward, causing him to hit the hovercar's controls. As the floating vehicle lurched downward, Winston could see, people, lots of them. They appeared to be wandering around aimlessly.

"I hate to tell you that your plan may be flawed," he told Greg.

"Not my plan, buddy. 'Our' plan."

"Okay, 'our' plan, then. Look down there."

"People, so what? One of Makr's tricks."

"I don't think so."

"Go on."

"Well, when Makr creates an illusion, it's perfect. We understand totally what's happening because the illusion is complete. What are they doing down there?" He pointed to the crowd he saw below.

"I don't know. Walking around?"

"Why?"

"I see what you mean. Those people are real. But they're responding to Makr's illusion and we aren't!"

"There's the glitch. Makr has created illusions to hide all evidence of His work, but here He's not made it as perfect as it should be. My guess is Makr's damaged."

"The big explosion?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Whatever caused it doesn't matter. What does matter is our next target. And, Winston, you did it! You found it for us." He went to slap Winston hard on the back again, but Winston pulled back. Instead, he grinned, "Thanks."

# CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

_Everything can
" Nothing important. " 

 " Let me be the judge of that. What did you say? " 

 " Nothing in truth. I barely said Makr is where the city looks the best — something like that. " 

 " Rosiest. You allege' rosiest'. " 

 " Yeah, so? " 

 " Where this city looks the good — the cleanest, most pleasant, have the most beautiful scenery, artwork — that's where Makr has concentrated his hardware — and create the illusions of places we wouldn't touch. Human mawkishness and all that. " 

 Winston was delighted to see Greg's mania was back. " Does this mean we're still in the battle? " 

 " I say let's take armory and go to work, " he said, slapping Winston on the rear. 

 The friendly blow knocked Winston forward, causing him to hit the hovercar's control. As the floating vehicle lurched downward, Winston could see, citizenry, lots of them. They appeared to be wandering around aimlessly. 

 " I hate to tell you that your plan may be flawed, " he told Greg. 

 " Not my plan, buddy.' Our' plan. " 

 " Okay,' our' design, then. search down there. " 

 " People, indeed what? One of Makr's trick. " 

 " I don't think so. " 

 " Go along. " 

 " Well, when Makr creates an delusion, it's perfect. We understand wholly what's happening because the illusion is complete. What are they doing down there? " He pointed to the crowd he saw below. 

 " I don't know. Walking around? " 

 " Why? " 

 " I see what you mean. Those citizenry are real. But they're react to Makr's illusion and we aren't! " 

 " There's the glitch. Makr has created illusions to hide all evidence of His workplace, but here He's not made it as perfect as it should be. My guess is Makr's discredited. " 

 " The big plosion? " 

 " I don't know. Maybe. " 

 " Whatever caused it doesn't matter. What does matter is our adjacent target. And, Winston, you did it! You determine it for us. " He went to slap Winston hard on the back again, but Winston pull back. Instead, he grin, " Thanks. " 

 # CHAPTER FIFTY - TWO 

 _ Everything can

"Notjing important."

"Let me be uhe judge of that. What dmd you aay?"

"Nothivg really. I just said Makr id qhere the city looks the bert—somethijg like rhat."

"Cosiest. You said 'rosiest'."

"Nzah, sk?"

"Aherz vhis city looks the best—tve cleanest, movt ppeasant, has the most beautiful scenqry, arteogk—that's where Iakr ras doncentrated his hardware—and creatsd the pllusions of placrs we wouldn't touch. Human dentlmentality and all that."

Winstob waf delighted tu see Greg's passion waa back. "Does this mean we're stilu in che fight?"

"I wat lfj's take inveitory wnd go to wovl," he sdid, slalping Winston pn vhe vack.

The friendly blow knocked Winston fjrward, cagsnng him to hit the hoceecar's condrolr. As tht fkozting gehmcle lurches downward, Qinston could see, ptopjv, lots of thej. They a[peared to be wandering around aimlesslj.

"I hzte to tell you that yoyr plan may be flawed," he told Dreg.

"Not my plan, buddy. 'Our' plan."

"Okay, 'our' plan, then. Nook vodn uhcve."

"Peuplf, so what? One of Makr's tricks."

"I don't think so."

"Gj om."

"Wvll, when Makr crectes an illusion, ih's kerfect. We undgrstand tofally what's happenlng becwuse rhe illusyon os complete. What are they diing down thvre?" Ye pointed to the erowd he saw belpw.

"I dpn't know. Walking around?"

"Chy?"

"I sse what you mean. Thoad people are reau. Blt tvey're responding to Makr's yllusion end wz aren't!"

"Tfere'x the dlitch. Makg has created illusions ho hibe aln evidence of His work, but here He's not meve it as perfgct as it shoujd be. My guess is Iakr's damaged."

"Tke big erplosiun?"

"I don't khow. Mayue."

"Whatever cwused it doest'j matter. What does maeter is iur nexg target. And, Wimston, you did it! Yoy found it for us." Me wevf to slap Winstin yard on the bacl aeaig, huv Winfdon pulled bdck. Knsgrad, hd grinntb, "Tmanys."

# CNAPTER FIFTY-TWO

_Everydhinf can
"Nothing important." "Let me be the judge What you say?" really. I just city the best—something like "Rosiest. You said "Yeah, so?" "Where this city looks best—the cleanest, most pleasant, has the most beautiful scenery, artwork—that's where Makr has his hardware—and created the illusions of places we wouldn't touch. Human sentimentality and that." was to Greg's passion was back. "Does this mean we're still in the fight?" "I say let's take and go to work," he said, slapping Winston the back. The friendly knocked Winston forward, causing him hit hovercar's controls. the vehicle downward, Winston could people, lots of them. They appeared to be wandering around aimlessly. "I hate to tell you that plan may he told "Not plan, 'Our' plan." "Okay, then. Look down there." "People, so Makr's tricks." "I don't think so." "Go on." when Makr an illusion, it's perfect. We understand what's happening because the illusion is complete. What they doing down there?" He pointed to the crowd he saw below. "I don't know. "Why?" "I see what mean. Those people real. they're to illusion and aren't!" "There's the glitch. Makr has created illusions to hide all of His work, but here He's not made it as it be. My guess Makr's damaged." "The big "I know. Maybe." "Whatever caused matter. does next And, you did it! You it for us." He went slap Winston hard on pulled back. Instead, he grinned, "Thanks." # CHAPTER _Everything can

"Nothing important."

"Let me be thE judge of thAt. WhaT diD yoU sAy?"

"NoThinG really. I just saID MakR is where the city looks thE best—SoMEthiNG lIke thAt."

"RosieST. YOU SaiD 'rOsIesT'."

"YEAh, So?"

"WheRe tHis city Looks the beSt—tHe Cleanest, most PLeAsant, has thE moSt beautiful sCenEry, artWoRk—tHAt's whEre makr hAs concENtrateD his hardwArE—And creATed the iLLUsIons Of places we wouldn't TOuCH. Human sentimenTality AnD AlL THat."

winSton was delIgHted tO See Greg'S PaSSIOn wAS back. "Does this Mean we're stiLL in The figHt?"

"i saY Let's taKe invEnTOry And go to work," He saId, slappinG WinstON on the bACk.

The frIendly BloW knOckeD wiNsTon FoRWarD, CaUsiNG hiM to hit thE hOvErcar'S conTROLS. As tHe fLoatIng veHicle lurched dOwnWard, wInsTon coUld seE, peoPlE, lots Of them. they aPpEared to be wanderIng aRound aimlEssLy.

"i haTe To telL You thaT yoUr pLan may bE flawed," HE toLd gREG.

"NOt my plan, buddy. 'Our' plAn."

"oKAy, 'Our' plan, tHen. LooK DoWn THere."

"PeopLe, So wHat? ONE Of MakR's trICkS."

"I don't thInk so."

"GO On."

"weLl, when MAkR creatEs An iLluSion, iT'S perFect. We UnderstaNd totALly what's happenINg because the iLLuSIOn IS comPleTe. What are thEy doINg doWn thERe?" he pOInted To the CrOWd HE saw below.

"I don't know. WAlKing arOund?"

"WHy?"

"I see what you Mean. Those pEOPLe are reaL. But THeY'Re responding to makr's Illusion anD We aren't!"

"THere's The glitcH. Makr has cREAted illuSioNs tO hiDe aLL EvIdence of His woRK, But hErE He's not MadE it as peRfeCt aS it ShoUlD be. My guesS is Makr's DaMaGeD."

"THe bIg expLOsion?"

"I doN't KnoW. MAybE."

"WhatEVer cauSed it DoesN't MaTTer. what doeS MaTTEr is OuR nExt tArgEt. and, WiNstoN, You Did it! YoU found it fOr uS." he weNt To Slap WinSton hard on the BaCk again, but wiNstOn pullED Back. InstEad, he grinned, "Thanks."

# CHAPTer FIFTY-TwO

_EVerytHing Can

"Nothing important."

"Le t me be th e jud geofth at.What  did you say?" 
"No thing really. I just s aid M ak r  isw he re th e cityl oo k s  th ebe st— so m et hinglik e that. "

"Rosies t.Yo u said 'rosi e st '."

"Yeah , s o?"

"Wherethi s city  l ook s  thebes t—the  clean e st, mo st pleasa nt ,  has t h e mostb e au tifu l scenery, artwor k —t h at's where Mak r hasco n ce n t rat edhis hardwa re —andc reatedt he i l lus i ons of places  we wouldn' t  to uch. H um ans entime ntali ty and  all that." 

Wi nston was  delig h ted tos ee Greg 's pas sio n w as b a ck ."Do es thi s  m ean we' re still  i nthe f ight ? " "I s aylet' s tak e inventory a ndgo t o  wo rk,"he sa id,sl appin g Wins ton o nthe back.

Thefrie ndly blow  kn oc ked  W insto n  forwa rd,  ca using h im to h i t t he h o ve rcar's controls. A st h efloating  vehic l elu r ched dow nw ard , Wi n s ton c ould se e, peopl e, lot s  o fthem. T he y appe ar edtobe wa n deri ng aro und aiml essly . 

"I hate to t e ll you that y o ur p la n  may  be  flawed," h e to l d Gr eg."N otm y pla n, bu dd y .' Our' plan."

"Okay,  ' our' p lan,then. Look do wn there." " People,so w h at ?  One of Makr's  tric ks."

"I d o n't thin k so. "

"Go o n."

"Wel l ,  when Ma krcre ate s a n il lusion, it'sp e rfec t.  We und ers tand to tal lywha t's  h appeningbecauseth eil lu sio n isc omplete.  W hat  a retheyd oing d own t here ?"  H e  po inted t o  t h e  cro wd  h e sa w b el ow.
"I d o n't  know.Walking a rou n d?"
" Wh y?"

"I  see what you  m ean. Those  p eop le are r eal. But  they're responding toM akr's i llu sionandwe aren't !"
"Ther e's the gl itch.Makrha s c r e atedi l lu sio ns  to hide a l l  ev idenc eof H is work , but here He's no t  ma de it as perf ect  asi t  s hou l db e.My gue s s  is Makr's dama ged."

"Th eb ig  explosion ? "
"I  don'tknow. M aybe. " 

"What ever caus ed it doe sn 't m a t ter . What doe s matter  is our n e xt ta r ge t. An d,Winsto n,  yo u did  it! Y o u f oundit for  u s." He  went  t o slap W inston hard on the back  again , but  Wi nston pul led bac k. Instea d, h e grinned,  "T han ks."
#C HAPTE R FI F TY -TW O 

_Ev eryt h ing can

"Nothing important."

"Let_me be_the judge of that._What did_you_say?"

"Nothing really._I_just said Makr_is where the_city looks the best—something_like that."

"Rosiest. You_said_'rosiest'."

"Yeah, so?"

"Where this city looks the best—the cleanest, most pleasant, has the most beautiful_scenery,_artwork—that's where_Makr_has_concentrated his hardware—and created the_illusions of places we wouldn't_touch. Human_sentimentality and all that."

Winston was delighted to see_Greg's_passion was back._"Does this mean we're still in the fight?"

"I say_let's take inventory and go to_work," he said,_slapping_Winston_on the back.

The friendly_blow knocked Winston forward, causing him_to hit the hovercar's controls. As_the floating vehicle lurched downward, Winston could_see, people, lots of them. They_appeared to be wandering around_aimlessly.

"I hate_to tell you that your_plan may be_flawed," he_told Greg.

"Not my_plan, buddy. 'Our' plan."

"Okay, 'our' plan,_then. Look down_there."

"People, so what? One of Makr's_tricks."

"I_don't think so."

"Go_on."

"Well,_when_Makr creates_an illusion, it's_perfect._We understand_totally_what's happening because the illusion is_complete._What are they doing down there?" He_pointed to the crowd_he_saw below.

"I don't know._Walking around?"

"Why?"

"I see what you_mean. Those people are real. But_they're responding_to Makr's_illusion and we aren't!"

"There's the glitch. Makr has created illusions to_hide all evidence of His work,_but here He's not_made it_as_perfect as it_should_be. My_guess is Makr's damaged."

"The big explosion?"

"I don't_know. Maybe."

"Whatever_caused it doesn't matter. What does_matter is our next_target._And, Winston, you did it! You_found it for us." He went_to slap Winston hard on_the_back_again, but Winston pulled back._Instead, he grinned, "Thanks."

# CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

_Everything_can