" I didn't recognize the voice but my heart sped anyway. Nobody called me "Miss Conway". "This is she," I said. "This is Mr. Sterling's personal ass...stant, Ali. He asked me to contact you." "Hello." My voice was so low, I wondered if she heard me. "Mr. Sterling wanted you to know that there is a post-doctoral opportunity opening up at the Pasteur Institute. If you were interested in discussing it, he would be available to meet with you tomorrow at four." My throat closed and I couldn't. "She lifted her face and hesitantly smiled at us. She was obviously aware that there were other people around her watching. She sat a little further forward and folded her hands together in her lap. "Uh, hi hello," she said carefully, "Nice to meet you." She then held out her hand for me to take as the other women glanced at each other with increasing curiosity.I looked at Janet who raised her eyebrows with amusement.I stared at her hand for a second before reaching out to take it. I carefully. “Holy shit.” John breathed, surveying the carnage.“You said it.” Veronyka seconded, using his arm to stand, then leaning on it.The entire hillside was one giant crater, ending immediately behind the stone marker. Pockmarks of blast-fused glass dotted the lowest parts and lighter stone fragments were scattered from the edge to the next hill over. Rhys was carefully picking his way down from the top, testing each step for stability with his staff as he went.Sygraid stood by the marker, cradling. Our friend Thomas has an illegitimate daughter by a girl who’d graduated from High School the year before: that used to mean something in the good old days. I don’t doubt our friend Chigger Jones has something still itching him from his past, I can tell by the smirk on his face that he does, and he doesn’t think he has a God to answer to. So don’t go pointing your righteous fingers at me, friends. I’m no different than any other red blooded American man.’ ‘I guess not,’ Hoot intoned. ‘No.