Stone Junction

takes time to come to understanding, and pride and ignorance and fear just grease the chute. We’re running out of time. It’s almost too late. That’s what my guts tell me: We have to buy time. And the only currency I can think of is plutonium.’

‘Gold doesn’t rust,’ Annalee reminded him, ‘but plutonium decays.’

‘Exactly. And it’s a deadly decay. Plutonium is man-made, the first transuranium creation. She is the real bride of Frankenstein: magical, entrancing, powerful – but without a soul. We don’t need her. I think that’s what Jacob Hind meant with his last breath: “Return to ninety-two.” If you steal fire, you’ll be burned.’

‘But isn’t that what you want to do?’

‘Yes, but with a crucial difference. I’m going to steal it from man and give it back to the gods. Or at least demand we give up our literal firepower until we’re wise enough not to use it.’

Annalee smiled sweetly. ‘I’d love to discuss the philosophical implications of firepower with you when we’re done fucking.’

For a moment she thought she had made a mistake, that she’d committed the female sacrilege of not taking men and their power seriously, of questioning their heroic passions, but the flash of anger in his eyes faded immediately and she felt his gloved hand on her thigh under the table.

‘I missed you, too,’ he said. ‘I have a place in Richmond, and I assume your print shop is busy.’

‘I wondered why I had the feeling our meeting in the library wasn’t mere coincidence. How did you know where to find me?’

‘I’m not without resources. And AMO, fittingly, is full of romantic souls who like to see young people get together even if it’s bad for security.’

‘I bet it wasn’t Elmo.’

‘Elmo wouldn’t tell me if I had an arrow in my back.’

As they stood to leave, Annalee said, ‘Do you think AMO will try to stop you?’

‘I think they’ll do what they think is right, just like I will. But first they have to find out what I’m going to do, which is unlikely, but not impossible. AMO has a genius for procuring high-quality information; it’s their real strength.’

‘Mine, too,’ Annalee said, slipping her arm around his waist, hooking a thumb in a belt loop. ‘Face to face, skin to skin, breath to breath.’

Annalee didn’t return to McKinley Street until late that evening. Daniel and Jason Wisk were at the kitchen table playing chess.

‘Hi Mom,’ Daniel greeted her, but his attention stayed on the board.

‘I used to be pretty good at this game,’ Jason said, ‘but Daniel is introducing me to reality.’

Daniel moved a rook behind his queen.

Jason dourly regarded the move. ‘Three more moves and only an act of God could save me. I concede.’ With elaborate formality, he toppled his king, nodding to Daniel. ‘You play well.’

Annalee, standing behind Daniel, ran her hand through his long brown hair as she said to Jason, ‘When I play him, he has to spot me a rook, two pawns, and three oversies. And he still beats me like a dumb dog.’

‘“Oversies,”’ Daniel repeated with disgust. ‘She says that’s girls’ rules. Do girls really have different rules?’

‘So they claim,’ Jason sighed.

‘Are they written down?’

Annalee gently pushed Daniel’s head down toward the board, answering, ‘Never. That’s the first rule.’

Jason laughed. He was bright, sweet, considerate, good-looking, and self-effacing without being wimpy. He treated Daniel like a real person instead of a kid. She liked him, had initially been attracted to him, but the fact that he had a solid marriage and three children at home had kept things comfortably uncomplicated. But it was unusual for him to be out so late, so she said, ‘Did Millie finally throw you out or do we have a rush order on the board?’

Jason cleared his throat. ‘None of the above. Millie and the kids are visiting her folks in Santa Monica so I’m allowed on the streets after dark, and other than the traveling papers for Mr Elwood the board is clean, and there’s no hurry on those. I only stopped by to learn some humility at Daniel’s hand and to relay some information that may or may not interest you – since it makes no particular sense to me, I wouldn’t presume to know. The message is that the wandering scientist has returned and you might expect a visit from an old friend named Malloy. I have a number for you to call if you want more information. Or have any.’ He handed her a folded slip of paper from his jacket pocket. ‘“Gone Fishing” is the access code.’

Daniel rolled his eyes. ‘That’s pretty corny.’

‘But discreet,’ Annalee said. She put the number in her purse without looking at it.

As soon as the door closed behind Jason, Daniel turned to Annalee and said, ‘I’ll bet you a hundred nights of doing dishes against that old piece of celery in the fridge that you were with Shamus today.’

‘You shouldn’t try to take advantage of your mother when she’s in a weakened condition. No bet, kiddo. But I must say you’re either very perceptive or I’m really transparent.’

‘Well, it was easy for me to tell because you got a look just like you had that morning after the first time you spent the night with him.’

‘What sort of look? Glowing? Transported? Stupid?’

‘Yeah. Except I would say it was more like shining and happy and a little bit worried. No, not worried – sad.’