"Please excuse the mess," she said, while Jay ranaround picking up clothes, toys and towels off the couch, table and everyother available surface. "W... were trying to clean up for you."Nick and Saanvi both laughed. "Oh please, I think we're slightlyfamiliar," he said. "Reminds me of our old house in Whalley Range."Esme remembered being in the flat when Cassie was a baby and she startedto tear up. She took a deep breath and then looked at his hand. "What'sin the bag, Nicky?" Saanvi looked at. Pleasejust kill me," moaned Alex, holding the shoulder strap of thepocketbook as he stared one last time at himself in the hallwaymirror. "It would be so much easier than the abuse I'll be takingtonight." Oh stop. There's at least two other guys that I know of going asgirls, so take a chill pill and you'll have just as much fun abusingthem I'm sure," said Kayla, softly patting his face. "Now let's go,and for your information, it's not your girlfriend's purse you'reholding tonight. Mostly what's. “Gene!”His mind opened and Gene felt something unlock in his brain.Vangalia was not a woman. It was a codeword for a project he and Utah had worked on together outside of the rest of the group. It was deep in the weeds in a security protocol which offered a backdoor into other systems which were thought to be fully secured. It had taken weeks of planning, weeks more to figure out how to make it work, but in the end, and with Baron Quick’s help, it was implemented in a few test subjects.. . preferred that you wait a little longer. Oy vey! You're only sixteen, a child! Well, never mind, are you all right? Any bleeding? I mean now, do you think you are OK? I'll call Doctor Bernstein in the morning." I'm fine, Mom, really. I don't need old Dr. Bernstein! Really, I am just fine. Well, a little sore ... but, fine!"She wrinkled her forehead and hugged me in spite of herself."I can't rejoice with you. And you've taken my only son! So this was your plan? Your dream?"My plan, yes?"And.