WHEN they arrived at Andrews, Tali, still wobbly from his brush with the little death, climbed down from the ship. On the tarmac he pulled his sleeve free from Thural’ s steadying claw and marched into the Cousin Place, leaving Thural and Reen standing alone.
Thural said, “It must be a small wound. Tali will be all right, Cousin First Brother.”
But would he? Remembering the ugliness he had sensed in his Brother’s mind, Reen wondered if the wound was deeper than Thural knew. “Yes, I am sure he will,” he told him. “I would like you to take me to the White House now.”
As they lifted off again, Reen noticed that some of Tali’s blood had splattered on his tunic. He brushed at the stiffening stain, knocking off a few brown flakes.
In a low, diffident voice Thural said, “Cousin Tali is too full of anger, Reen-ja.”
“It is wrong to criticize the Conscience,” Reen said curtly, hoping Thural would change the subject.
“Yes. Still, the humans have done nothing to us, and Tali has too much anger.”
They banked over the Tidal Basin and passed the Washington Monument. Reen took his Brother’s broken nameplate from the control panel and closed his fist over it.
Troops had been called out to the White House. The men by the tanks looked up as the craft passed over their heads. On landing, Reen jumped from the ship without exchanging another word with Thural. As he walked to the West Wing, he slipped Tali’s broken nameplate into his pocket.
Hopkins was waiting for him in the colonnade. “Reen? That you?” The man bent over to read the tag on Reen’s chest.
“It’s me.”
The director’s beefy face sagged in relief. “Thank God. My guys phoned me to say an alien was down, but they weren’t sure which of you it was.”
“Tali.” Reen strode past the director and down the hall toward the main building.
“Tali? Oh, Jesus Christ. Not Tali. Hey, where are you going?”
“To see the President.”
“Oh, that won’t do you any good.” Hopkins panted as he kept up with Reen’s quick pace. “I went up a minute ago to talk to him, and the man was drooling. He was drooling all down his shirt. Must be a bad day or something. Say, I’m sorry about Tali. My guys did all they could, considering that–”
“Tali is recovering.”
Hopkins put one hand to his chest. “God. The stress, you wouldn’t believe. I thought I had my right nut in the wringer.”
Near the kitchen was new graffiti.
AT GROVER’S MILL.
BRING CHICKEN POX.
“War of the Worlds,” Reen whispered.
“Huh?”
“I’m not fond of fiction, but I felt I should study all fictionalized aliens. Whoever wrote the graffiti has heard about the radio play War of the Worlds. That should give you a clue about who is doing this.”
“Oh.” Hopkins squinted at the message. “Grover’s Mill. Now I get it. But everyone and his dog’s heard about that. Won’t do us much good.”
From the other end of the carpeted hall Marian Cole called Reen’s name.
“Bitch,” Hopkins muttered.
She approached at a saunter. “And good afternoon to you, too, Billy. Reen, I know you’re going up to visit the President, but I need to talk to you now.”
Out of the corner of his mouth Hopkins told Reen, “Watch yourself with her. I don’t know what she’s got on you, but–”
“Now, please,” Marian said, and led Reen down the wide red-carpeted hall to the Map Room. A fire had been banked in the hearth, and a plate of food had been set out.
“Go ahead,” Marian told him. “I know you’re hungry. If no one bothers to remind you, you forget to eat.”
Touched, he sat down. She took a chair opposite and rested her chin in her hand. “Detective Rushing is one of ours. I want you to make sure he gets a good look at the body before the FBI takes over.”
Reen cut into a stuffed tomato. “So that’s how he knew a Cousin had been kidnapped. Certainly he may have the body, if you like.”
“I like. How’s Tali?”
He was moved, too, that she asked about his Brother, and pleased that Rushing had been perceptive enough to notice which Cousin had fallen. “Better, thank you.”
“Shit,” she said with guttural anger. “Rushing told me he was down. I hoped he was dead.”
He lowered a forkful of chicken salad. The heavy silverware chimed against the porcelain. Reen looked into her eyes and was cast adrift in the turbulent ocean of their blue. “I have never wished harm on any human, as you have just wished on my Brother.”
She took a breath. “Vilishnikov has taken the precaution of calling out the army. You probably saw the troops in front of the White House. We’ve picked up new satellite data. German tanks are massing on Russia’s border with China.”
He wanted to touch her. Was afraid to. “Sometimes I wish I had treated you like the others. You could have been any one of hundreds of women, never knowing, never remembering ...”
“Reen!” Her cheeks were flushed; her tone sharp. “Germany is heading up a European invasion of China. What do you plan to do when the missiles start flying?”
With his claw Reen pushed a potato chip to the side of his plate. “I don’t know. I don’t know anything. Is it Howard? Is that what the problem is?”
Her laugh was short and ironic. “Howard?”
“Something has happened between us. Are you still in love with Howard?”
“Oh, Reen. Love dies. It’s no big deal,” she said softly. “It happens every day: People fall in love, they fall out of love. Relationships end.”
He clutched her hand. It was warm, warm as the glow from the fire. He squeezed her so tightly, he could feel her pulse. “I don’t understand endings.”
The room was hushed, the air heavy with the scent of lemon oil and furniture polish. She fought to pull free of his grip. After a moment he opened his fingers and let her go.
“I used to hold your hand and you clung to me. Do you remember?” he asked. “During the experiments, we shared things, as Brother bonds to Brother. Cousins live centuries, Marian. And love is the only neverending thing we have.”
He had searched for that Brother union in Marian. Too late, he understood the consequences of what he had done. He made Marian remember the pain so that she would grow to need the comfort of his touch.
“It was a long time ago.” She sat back. “What’s in your pocket?”
He had forgotten the subpoena. Now he took it out and handed it to her. She read it, chuckled, and gave it back. “Get a good lawyer.”
“I’ve never been before a Senate subcommittee. What will they do?”
Suddenly her smile failed. He stiffened in alarm.
“Reen, you’re in danger. So’s the President. And Tali’s behind it.”
Reen made an irritated click-click with his tongue. “Only humans are so fickle.”
“Tali’s involved. And Jonis has to be found.”
She must have noticed him flinch because she asked, “What’s the story with Jonis?”
He picked at the gold rim of the plate with his claw. “I was afraid I would find the kidnapper was you.”
Love, Reen thought. It was the only neverending thing he had. It didn’t matter that Tali gave Reen his disapproval. He also gave him love. As Brothers that was something neither Reen nor Tali could help.
“I didn’t take Jonis,” she said. “But your Brother knows who did.”
He got up quickly and walked to the door, stuffing the subpoena in his pocket.
“Reen? Your Brother knows who did.”
As he left, his hand touched the edge of his Brother’s nametag, and he fingered it thoughtfully.