successful, though I very much doubt that
will be the case.* With that, the direct contact broke, though Odeon
still sensed the observation.

"Are you okay, Mike?" Cortin asked anxiously. "You look pale."

"Yeah, just a little shaken. By what he said, not the contact itself
this time." Odeon repeated what he'd been told, seeing astonishment to
match his own on the women's faces.

"He'll be pleased if this one repents?" Cortin asked in disbelief.

"Uh-huh. And he doesn't want you giving him too much of a break."

"That doesn't sound like Larry, unless . . ." Blackfeather paused,
cocked her head. "He's got something to gain. Something that
outweighs all his other interests--so I'd recommend very strongly that
Your Excellency take his advice and return to your subject."

"Since it would seem what he has to gain coincides with our interests,
at least temporarily, that would seem to be the best, yes."

* * * * *

Cortin peeled off her coverall and went upstairs with the other two,
feeling a peculiar combination of satisfaction and disappointment. Her
subject had been punished as thoroughly as she could manage for nearly
ten hours--but he'd been as intransigent as Shayan had hinted, and he'd
died cursing the Protector.

That was a blow, though she'd known she couldn't possibly turn
all--maybe not even most--of her subjects to God. She'd tried her best
with this one, she reminded herself, and if she hadn't been able to
turn him, no one could have.

The odd part was that Shayan had wanted her to turn him, which she
still didn't understand. While most of her wanted to avoid any
possible contact with him, a small part was so curious about why he was
cooperating that she couldn't help wanting the discussion he'd
mentioned.

25. Discussion

The rest of the Family had waited supper, except for the children,
who'd already finished and, to Cortin's relief, gone back to their
floor. She and Odeon showered and got back into uniform while Sara
told the rest about their brief communication with Shayan.

There was little conversation during the meal, though Cortin did
comment that she'd expected him to make contact again as soon as her
subject died.

"He says there isn't that much of a rush," Odeon reported. "He also
wants to know how you'd prefer the discussion to take place: phone,
mind-touch, or in person. He's offering to heal Chuck and Tony, too,
then bring them home, to