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“Is that like a spy agency?” Caitlin asked.

“In point of fact, it is a spy agency,” replied LaFontaine. “There’s nothing metaphoric about it.”

Caitlin’s view of the world shifted, and she realized after a moment that that must be what rolling one’s eyes did. LaFontaine clearly thought he was brighter than she was; in her experience, people who thought that were usually wrong.

“Let’s go somewhere private,” Mr. Auerbach said. He led them farther down the corridor, and, just as “O Canada” was starting, they came to a door labeled “History Office.” He opened it, and they all stepped into the empty room. It contained a few large desks pushed against the walls, a long central worktable, and a window half- covered by brown curtains.

“Thank you, Mr. Auerbach,” Park said over the music. “We’ll let you know when we’re done.”

“I’m really not sure I should leave,” the principal said.

“As I said in your office,” Park replied, “this is a national-security matter, on a need-to-know basis—and you, with all due respect, sir, do not need to know.” He pulled a device out of his pocket. “We are recording everything— for Ms. Decter’s protection, and our own. Now, if you’ll excuse us?”

Caitlin thought Mr. Auerbach didn’t look happy about being dismissed, but after a moment he nodded and left.

They waited for the anthem to come to an end, although Caitlin noted that these Federal agents weren’t above sitting down while it was playing. Once it was over, and the morning announcements had begun, LaFontaine said, “Now, Ms. Decter, we’d like to ask you some questions about Webmind.”

Caitlin’s heart practically leapt through her chest, and Webmind sent the quite-apt phrase Holy shit to her eye. But she tried to sound nonchalant. “Who?”

“Come now, Ms. Decter,” LaFontaine said. “Mr. Park and I have already had a long day—we got the very first flight from Ottawa to Toronto this morning, and then had to drive the hour-plus to get here from Pearson. Let’s not play games, shall we? We are aware of Webmind’s existence, and your involvement with it, and we’d like to ask you some questions about it.”

Find out what they know first, Webmind sent.

Caitlin nodded. “Well, sure,” she said. “But—I’m confused. You think Webmind is… who? Me?”

“Don’t play dumb, Ms. Decter,” said LaFontaine. “We know it’s an emergent intelligence on the World Wide Web, and we know you know that much. We’d like to hear what else you know about it. About how it’s physically embodied, for instance. About what part of the Web’s hardware it exists on, and—”

“I have no idea,” said Caitlin.

Park spoke up. “Ms. Decter, I spent the flight from Ottawa reading a dossier on you. I know about your interest in math and computers. There’s simply no way we’re going to believe that you haven’t already explored this question to your satisfaction. Indeed, you presumably had to have some sense of what was going on to become involved with Webmind in the first place.”

Caitlin narrowed her eyes. “Why do you want to know?”

“I know you’re registered for SETI@home, Ms. Decter, isn’t that right?” said LaFontaine.

“Yes.”

“Well,” he asked, “do you know what the international protocols for events following the detection of an alien radio signal call for?”

“Not offhand.”

“They call for the radio frequencies that alien signals are being detected on to be isolated, and cleared from human use, so that the signals won’t be drowned out.” He lifted the corners of his mouth. “Our directive is to do the same thing for Webmind: make sure that whatever resources it requires for its continued existence are protected. We want to ensure that nothing interferes with it.”

“Well, if—” Caitlin began, but suddenly the Braille words He’s lying popped in front of her vision.

Caitlin was so startled, she said, “How do you know?”

LaFontaine made some reply, but she ignored him, concentrating on the words Webmind was now sending to her: Voice-stress analysis of his speech and freeze-frame analysis of his micro- expressions.

She shook her head in wonder. Just another skill Webmind had effortlessly picked up along the way.

“I don’t know anything about Webmind’s physical makeup,” Caitlin said.

“Come, Ms. Decter,” said LaFontaine. “We’re here to help Webmind. Now, please: which specific servers does Webmind, or its source code, reside on?”

“I don’t know.”

“Ms. Decter, it really would be best—for you and for it—if you cooperated.”

“Look, I’m an…”

She stopped herself, but LaFontaine correctly guessed what she’d been about to say. “An American citizen? Yes, you are. Meaning you’re not a Canadian. Your rights are rather limited here, Ms. Decter. And I understand your mother is trying to get a permit to work in this country. I also understand that your father’s permit is temporary, and subject to revocation. We really would be grateful for your full cooperation.”

“That was a mistake,” Caitlin said, her tone even. “Threatening my parents. Threatening their livelihoods.”

“Dr. LaFontaine is just trying to underscore the gravity of this situation,” Park said.

“Doctor, is it?” said Caitlin. Webmind must have been intrigued, too, because he sent to her eye: Found: he’s a computer scientist, employed by CSIS specifically to deal with Web-based terrorism.

Terrorism! Caitlin thought, deeply offended. But what she said was, “Is it even legal for you to be talking to me? I’m sixteen. Shouldn’t you be talking to my parents?”

“It’s perfectly legal, and, as you saw, your principal knows we’re here.”

Caitlin looked at the two men. “I’m not trying to be difficult,” she said. “But I really can’t answer your questions.”

“Can’t, or won’t?” said LaFontaine.

“Look, I have a class right now—and it’s my favorite. I’d really like to get going.”

“As Mr. Park said, there are national-security concerns here. Indeed, there are international security concerns. You really need to see the larger picture.”

Caitlin thought about the photo of Earth from space that she’d shown Webmind recently. “Oh, I am,” she said. “And I know you’re not trying to protect Webmind.”

“Our only interest is in its safety.”

“No, it isn’t,” said Caitlin. “And, anyway, this isn’t about American security, or Canadian security, or Western security. Webmind is a gift to the entire human race. And I’m not going to let anyone pervert it, or subvert it, or divert it, or any kind of vert it.”

The two men glanced at each other. “We really do need your help, Ms. Decter,” said LaFontaine. “And I think perhaps you misunderstood me a moment ago. I wasn’t threatening your parents. I was saying we could assist them—get their paperwork taken care of.”

Lying again, sent Webmind.

“Well, that would be nice,” Caitlin said, “but as I’ve already said, I simply don’t know the answers to your questions, and so”—she swallowed, and tried to keep her voice steady—“and so, I’m going to leave now, if that’s all right with the two of you.”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Decter,” said LaFontaine, “but we do need this information. We really must insist.”

Caitlin wondered if they were carrying guns. She thought about flinging open the door and making a run for it—but, damn it all, she was a lousy runner; you didn’t get much practice at that when you were blind. So, instead, very softly, she said, “Phantom?”—her original name for the emerging intelligence. “Help.” And then she spoke up, loudly and clearly: “Gentlemen, I am not going to miss my favorite class. I am going to walk out that door and get on with my day.”

“That’s not how it’s going to go down,” said LaFontaine, as both men stepped in front of the door to the