"Oh, all right, Al," said Hawkins finally, getting out of his well-worn chair. "I can't take much more of your pacing anyhow. She oughta' be 'bout rig...t by now. I guess I was a mite too soon before. It hadn't really took."Gloria hah-hahed a questioning laugh. "She looked pretty much into it to me. From where we stood she seemed about to suck your guts out through that prick of your's. Or didn't you notice?" Oh, stop being a wise-ass, Gloria," snapped Hawkins. "You're just jealous 'cause she's. I quivered with delight as I pulled them on. Irene then fitted me with one her bras and padded it out with socks. She dressed me in a knee-length slip and summer dress. Irene handed me a pair of socks and boots, which I put on while she fitted me with a wig. Strangely, I felt good in her clothes. They were pretty and soft, and I was at ease.I sat on a bale and ate the food that Irene had brought, and we chatted for a while.“I’m afraid that you’ll have to stay here overnight until we get you. .. because...”When I failed to find a way to express my devotion to not becoming a monster, Mr. Corrigan asked carefully, “What exactly are you asking of me?”“I’m asking you for your permission to try and help your daughter develop her abilities without letting them corrupt her. She has it within her, the coin says so. Without my help, she may never develop them, or she may develop them on her own without any sort of guidance.”“I see,” he said, looking at his younger daughter who met his eyes. Unfortunately, I stillfelt dizzy and increasingly nauseous. It was shortly thereafter thatany further awareness of my surroundings faded away.Sometime later - just how much exactly I might never know - I woke up.I realized I must have passed out. Now I was in a bed or on a couchlying on my back. In addition to everything else, I felt strangelypeculiar. I also found it quite disturbing that I'd been moved fromthat chair without any conscious knowledge of having been moved. Icouldn't begin to.