There are perhaps a million inhabitants alive in the world in total." More than that used to live in the Greater London area alone." I have studied th... Ancients, and know how numerous and profligate they were." Who were the Ancients?"Sarek looked surprised at the question. "You were of course. Many think that fate decided to rid the world of your reckless extravagance." You're talking about billions of lives," I snapped back.He nodded. "Forever fighting, climbing over one another to achieve. Do you plan to stick around then, or not?” I asked out of sheer curiosity mixed with attraction and desire.“Oh, yes, I’m going to stay in town! I have to hatch our progeny, and there will be several of our spawn thus hatched from my eggs that I’m about to drop. You’ll see what I mean soon enough! My appearance is usually like this, half-serpent, half-woman ... that’s just how I look,” she hissed again, even as she dropped those eggs onto the floor.Instead of going anywhere, Angitia stayed put. She looked heavenly. She also had a small overnight bag in her hand."Just in case!" she said.By tacit consent neither of us mentioned the earlier conversation and we nattered away as usual all the way to the pub where we had a delicious light lunch. As we left I said:"What now, my love?" Oh, I'm not going back up to London yet." Come home with me then." I'd like to but what would your neighbours think? I'll bet they know that Mary is away." So? First of all they can learn to mind their own. Intellectually I knew I was in the big, black chopper, but couldn't connect enough of the dots to know what that meant. Just before darkness covered me, again, Rebecca's face appeared above me. She'd been weeping, and I wanted to comfort her, but couldn't lift my arms to brush her face, to give her peace.I am certain I felt the chopper set down. The telltale bump of the ground is another clear memory. As certain as I was that we were back on the ground, I was equally certain I could do nothing.