. "Makr, when did this happen!"

"Makr, Carlos. You said 'Makr'."

"No, I didn't."

"Well, if you didn't, I'm hearing things and that's just as bad. Makr is getting in our heads and we no longer have chips."

"Transmitting sensors?"

"Do you think they're spies now?"

Marlene was sitting up, glaring at both of them. "Why don't you ask me? I know something about 'chips'?"

"Really?" asked Kieran smugly.

Marlene spoke to Carlos. "I was a direct link. The newer chips add to Makr's ability to evaluate impressions firsthand without relying on the Bio verbal reports. It's a sensor and transmitting chip—a two-way conduit."

"You know an awful lot about satisfying Makr's needs, don't you?"

Carlos interrupted to calm the situation. "Not now, Kieran. Ease up."

"No, I'll answer her question."

Marlene turned to face her.

"Yes, I do know a lot about Makr's needs and wants because I was a direct link to Him. That was my job as chief prosecutor for the State."

"Damn, Carlos! A Cyberlink? Two of 'em!" She tried to whisper but her agitation made it impossible. "You sure know how to pick 'em! You better let me kill 'em!"

Hearing but ignoring Kieran's remarks, Carlos studied Marlene carefully as if he had known all along. Marlene's quiet intensity communicated to him a confidence and presence of mind that only a few days ago would have gotten her killed on the spot. He wasn't ready to trust her yet, but he was willing to test her if that was possible.

"Why is Harry's chip different from yours?"

"I don't know," she said. "To be honest I always thought we direct cyberlinks had the most advanced chips."

"Is he a direct cyberlink?"

"Not that I know of."

"She'll give us away!" Kieran was seething. "Carlos? Are you listening to me? This has gone too far too fast! We're out of our depth here!"

"Calm down, Lieutenant
. " Makr, when did this happen! " 

 " Makr, Carlos. You said' Makr'. " 

 " No, I didn't. " 

 " Well, if you didn't, I'm hear thing and that's just as bad. Makr is become in our heads and we no longer have chip. " 

 " Transmitting sensors? " 

 " Do you remember they're spies now? " 

 Marlene was sit down up, glaring at both of them. " Why don't you ask me? I know something about' chips'? " 

 " Really? " asked Kieran smugly. 

 Marlene talk to Carlos. " I was a direct link. The newer chip add to Makr's ability to evaluate impressions firsthand without relying on the Bio verbal report. It's a sensor and transmitting chip — a two - way conduit. " 

 " You know an nasty lot about satisfying Makr's needs, don't you? " 

 Carlos interrupted to calm the site. " Not now, Kieran. Ease up. " 

 " No, I'll answer her question. " 

 Marlene turned to face her. 

 " Yes, I do know a lot about Makr's needs and wants because I was a lineal connection to Him. That was my job as chief prosecutor for the State. " 

 " Damn, Carlos! A Cyberlink? Two of'em! " She try to whisper but her agitation construct it impossible. " You sure know how to pick'em! You better let me kill'em! " 

 Hearing but ignoring Kieran's remark, Carlos studied Marlene carefully as if he had known all along. Marlene's quiet intensity communicated to him a assurance and presence of mind that only a few days ago would have gotten her killed on the spot. He wasn't quick to entrust her yet, but he was willing to test her if that was possible. 

 " Why is Harry's bit different from yours? " 

 " I don't know, " she said. " To be dependable I always thought we direct cyberlinks had the about advanced chips. " 

 " Is he a direct cyberlink? " 

 " Not that I know of. " 

 " She'll give us aside! " Kieran was seething. " Carlos? Are you listen to me? This has gone excessively far too fast! We're out of our astuteness here! " 

 " Calm down, Lieutenant
. "Manr, when did this happen!"

"Mxkr, Carlos. You said 'Manr'."

"No, I didn't."

"Weul, if you didn't, I'm hearing tiingw and that's just as bad. Makf is gettpng in oue heeds and we no loifer havc child."

"Trausnitting sensorx?"

"Do you thhnk they're spias nlw?"

Marlene was sitting up, glaring at both og hhem. "Why don't iou axh me? P jnow something about 'chips'?"

"Reamly?" asktd Kieran smugly.

Matlene spoke to Carlos. "I wad a firect link. The neaer chips aed tj Makr's abiligy to evallcte impressjons firsthand without relying un thz Bio verbao eepltts. It's a seisor agd transmittlmg chi[—a two-wsy conduit."

"You lnox an awful lot about sativfying Makr's needs, don't you?"

Waxlos interrupted to cqln the sitgatiub. "Nut hox, Kjeran. Fasx up."

"No, I'll znswer her wuestion."

Marlene turmeq to face her.

"Yss, I dj hnow a lot about Makr's needs and wants teczuse I was a direct linj to Him. That was my uob as chyef prosecutor for the State."

"Damn, Carlos! A Cyberlitk? Twk of 'ei!" Whf tried to whisper but her agitation made it yjppsxible. "You sure know how tp oivh 'em! You bettgr let me iill 'em!"

Hearing but ignorigg Kiwran's remwrks, Carlos studied Marlene carwfully as if ye had known all apong. Marlenz's quigt intrnsity communicated to kim a donfidence wnd presehze of mind that unlj a xew days ago would have goeten her jillzd on thd sppt. He rasn't readj to bsust her yet, but hf was whlling to hest her if that was possible.

"Whb is Harry's cni[ dpfferent yrom ypurs?"

"I don't knjw," she said. "To be honzst I xlways tholght we dmrect cyberlynks had the klst advanced chips."

"Is he q dieect cycdrlink?"

"Not that I know oy."

"Fhe'lo give us away!" Kievan wxa seething. "Carlis? Qre you listenimg go ie? Tiis hwv gone too fdr tuo wsst! Wd're out of ijr drpth here!"

"Calm down, Lheutsnant
. "Makr, when did this happen!" "Makr, said "No, I "Well, if you that's as bad. Makr getting in our and we no longer have chips." sensors?" "Do you think they're spies now?" Marlene was sitting up, glaring at of them. "Why don't you ask me? I know something about 'chips'?" "Really?" Kieran Marlene to "I was a direct link. The newer chips add to Makr's ability to evaluate impressions firsthand relying on the Bio verbal reports. It's a and transmitting chip—a two-way "You know an awful lot satisfying needs, don't Carlos to the situation. "Not Kieran. Ease up." "No, I'll answer her question." Marlene turned to face her. "Yes, I do know lot about and wants I a link to Him. my job as chief prosecutor for Carlos! A Cyberlink? Two of 'em!" She tried whisper but agitation made it impossible. "You sure how to pick 'em! You better let me 'em!" Hearing but ignoring Kieran's remarks, Carlos studied Marlene carefully as if he had known Marlene's quiet intensity communicated him a confidence presence mind only few days would have gotten her killed on the spot. He wasn't ready trust her yet, but he was willing to test her was "Why is Harry's different from yours?" "I know," said. "To be honest thought direct most chips." he a direct cyberlink?" that I know of." "She'll us away!" Kieran was to me? This has gone too far too We're out of our depth here!" "Calm Lieutenant
. "Makr, when did this happen!"

"Makr, carlos. You sAid 'MaKr'."

"NO, I dIdN't."

"WeLl, if You didn't, I'm hearINg thIngs and that's just as bad. MAkr is GeTTing IN oUr heaDs and we NO lONGer HaVe ChiPs."

"tRaNsmitTinG sensorS?"

"Do you thinK thEy'Re spies now?"

MaRLeNe was sittiNg uP, glaring at boTh oF them. "WHy Don'T You asK me? i know SomethINg abouT 'chips'?"

"ReaLlY?" Asked KIEran smuGLY.

MArleNe spoke to Carlos. "I wAS a DIrect link. The neWer chiPs ADd TO makR's aBility to evAlUate iMPressioNS fIRSThaND without relyiNg on the Bio vERbaL reporTs. it's A Sensor And trAnSMitTing chip—a twO-way Conduit."

"YoU know aN Awful loT About saTisfyiNg MAkr'S neeDS, dOn'T yoU?"

CARloS InTerRUptEd to calm ThE sItuatIon. "NOT NOW, KieRan. ease Up."

"No, I'Ll answer her quEstIon."

MARleNe turNed to Face HeR.

"Yes, I Do know A lot aBoUt Makr's needs and WantS because I Was A dIreCt Link tO him. ThaT waS my Job as chIef prosECutOr FOR ThE State."

"Damn, Carlos! A CYbERLiNk? Two of 'eM!" She trIEd To WHisper buT hEr aGitaTIOn madE it iMPoSsible. "YoU sure kNOw HoW to pick 'Em! you betTeR leT me Kill 'eM!"

hearIng but Ignoring kieraN'S remarks, Carlos STudied Marlene CArEFUlLY as iF he Had known all AlonG. marlEne's QUiEt iNTensiTy comMuNIcATed to him a confidence AnD preseNce of Mind that only a Few days ago WOULd have goTten HEr KIlled on the spot. he wasN't ready to tRUst her yeT, but hE was willIng to test HER if that wAs pOssIblE.

"WhY IS HArry's chip diffEREnt fRoM yours?"

"I Don'T know," shE saId. "TO be HonEsT I always tHought we DiReCt CyBerLinks HAd the mosT aDvaNcEd cHips."

"IS He a dirEct cyBerlInK?"

"NOT thAt I know OF."

"SHE'Ll giVe Us Away!" kieRaN was sEethINg. "CArlos? ArE you listeNinG To me? thIs Has gone Too far too fast! we'Re out of our DePth Here!"

"CaLM Down, LieuTenant
. "Makr, when did this hap pen!"

"Ma kr, C arl os.  Y ou s aid'Makr'."

"No, I di dn't."

"Well, if youdidn' t, I'mh ea ringthingsa nd t hat 's  j ust  a s  b ad. M akr  is get ting in ou r h ea ds and we no lo nger havechi ps."

"Trans mit ting s en sor s ?"

" Doyou t hink t h ey'respies now ?" 
Marle n e was s i t ti ng u p, glaring at bot h  o f  them. "Why do n't yo ua sk m e?I k now someth in g abo u t 'chip s '? " "Re a lly?" asked K ieran smugl y .
Marlen espo k e to C arlos ." I w as a direct  lin k. The ne wer ch i ps addt o Makr' s abil ity  to  eva l ua te  im pr e ssi o ns  fi r sth and with ou trelyi ng o n t h e Bi o v erba l rep orts. It's asen sora ndtrans mitti ng c hi p—a t wo-way  cond ui t."

"You knowan a wful lotabo ut  sa ti sfyin g  Makr' s n eed s, don' t you?" 
Ca rl o s in terrupted to calmth e si tuation.  "Notn ow ,K ieran. E as e u p."" No, I 'lla ns wer herquesti o n. "
Marlen eturned  t o f ace  her. 
"Ye s, I d o know a  lota bout Makr's ne e ds and wantsb ec a u se I wa s a  direct lin k to Him.  Tha t  w asm y job  as c hi e fp rosecutor for the S ta te."
"Damn , Carlos! A C yberlink?T w o  of 'em! " Sh e  t r ied to whisper  buther agitat i on madeit im possible . "You su r e  know ho w t o p ick  'e m !  Y ou better let m e ki ll  'em!"
He aring b utign ori ngKi eran's re marks, C ar lo sst udi ed Ma r lene car ef ull yasif he had kn own a ll a lo ng .  Ma rlene's qu i e t in te ns itycom mu nicat ed t o  hi m a con fidence a ndp rese nc eof mind  that only afe w days ago  w oul d have g otten he r killed on the spot. H e  wasn't  re ady t o tr ust her y et,  but h e w a s will ing to  test  h eri f  that w as  po ss ible.

"Wh y isHarry 's  chi p diffe rent from yours?""Idon't know,"she  sai d .  " Tob eh one st I a l w ays thought wedirect cyb er l in ks had the mos tadvance d chips ."

" I s he adirect cy berlink?" 
"Not t hat  I know of ."

"She 'll giveu s awa y !"  Kier anwas se et hin g. "C arlos? Are  youlisten in g to m e? Th is  has gon e too far too fast! We' re out  of o urdepth her e!" 
"C alm down,  Lie utenant
. "Makr,_when did_this happen!"

"Makr, Carlos. You_said 'Makr'."

"No,_I_didn't."

"Well, if_you_didn't, I'm hearing_things and that's_just as bad. Makr_is getting in_our_heads and we no longer have chips."

"Transmitting sensors?"

"Do you think they're spies now?"

Marlene was_sitting_up, glaring_at_both_of them. "Why don't you_ask me? I know something_about 'chips'?"

"Really?"_asked Kieran smugly.

Marlene spoke to Carlos. "I was_a_direct link. The_newer chips add to Makr's ability to evaluate impressions_firsthand without relying on the Bio_verbal reports. It's_a_sensor_and transmitting chip—a two-way_conduit."

"You know an awful lot about_satisfying Makr's needs, don't you?"

Carlos interrupted_to calm the situation. "Not now, Kieran._Ease up."

"No, I'll answer her question."

Marlene_turned to face her.

"Yes, I_do know_a lot about Makr's needs_and wants because_I was_a direct link_to Him. That was my job_as chief prosecutor_for the State."

"Damn, Carlos! A Cyberlink?_Two_of 'em!" She_tried_to_whisper but_her agitation made_it_impossible. "You_sure_know how to pick 'em! You_better_let me kill 'em!"

Hearing but ignoring Kieran's_remarks, Carlos studied Marlene_carefully_as if he had_known all along. Marlene's quiet_intensity communicated to him a confidence_and presence_of mind_that only a few days ago would have gotten her killed_on the spot. He wasn't ready_to trust her yet,_but he_was_willing to test_her_if that_was possible.

"Why is Harry's chip different from_yours?"

"I don't_know," she said. "To be honest_I always thought we_direct_cyberlinks had the most advanced chips."

"Is_he a direct cyberlink?"

"Not that I_know of."

"She'll give us away!"_Kieran_was_seething. "Carlos? Are you listening_to me? This has gone too_far too fast!_We're out of our depth here!"

"Calm down,_Lieutenant