Botanicaust

well get on with saving Josef. The slipper shoes the Fosselites had given him would not last long on his journey home, but he was happy for their protection for the time being. He dressed, downed a long drink of water from the tap, and shouldered the pack.
    Before opening the door, he looked around the room one last time to be sure he had everything. The gamma pad lay on the bedside table, and he was tempted to take it. But he ’ d not been invited to keep it. The sketches of Tula would be in there somewhere, even though he thought he ’ d erased them. Like the ones he ’ d erased with the Blattvolk. It didn ’ t matter. Let them think what they would.
    He opened the door and stepped outside to be confronted by the man in the red tunic from the library. The man didn ’ t even pretend to smile this time. He put the flat of his hand against Levi ’ s chest. “ Stay. ”
    “ I ’ m ready to be on my way. To go. ” Levi jostled the pack on his back for emphasis. He didn ’ t like the man touching him.
    The man looked between the pack and Levi, a frown on his face. He held up a finger and lifted his forearm to his mouth to speak a few words. A band around his wrist spouted Dr. Kaneka ’ s sleep-thick voice in return.
    With a flick of his other hand, the man indicated for Levi to follow. He strode ahead, and Levi forced his feet to keep up. Now that he was actually leaving, his legs didn ’ t want to cooperate. He ’ d been unconscious when they carried him to his room, and he had no bearings for where the outer door might be. He tried to keep track of the placards next to the doors along the way.
    As they passed open double doors, he heard crying. The red-tunic guard didn ’ t halt to glance inside, but Levi couldn ’ t help himself.
    Alone in the dim room, on a plush chair in front of a dark computer screen, the big man Tula had befriended sat hunched. Levi faltered. “ Michael? ”
    Ahead of Levi, the guard turned and called out. Michael looked up and Levi saw his giant fist clenched around a string of feathers and baubles.
    “ Levi! ” the guard barked, close enough now to clamp a hand around Levi ’ s arm.
    Michael held out the necklace. His long face was creased with tears. From his mouth came a moan. “ Doo-aaaaa. ”
    Levi began to tremble. The guard tugged on his arm while speaking into the wristband. Levi jerked free of the guard ’ s grasp and stepped into the room. “ Tula? Is she hurt? ” He gasped out, unable to take a full breath.
    Bowing his head over the necklace, Michael rocked forward and back.
    Had the big man hurt her? Levi stepped close enough to touch him. “ Michael, where is Tula? ” At the door, several sleepy individuals in nightshirts gathered. The guard advanced on Levi and grabbed him firmly by the backpack to propel him from the room. Levi craned his neck to look over his shoulder. “ Michael! ”
    Rising from the chair, Michael ambled after them.
    “ Wait. I want to see Tula. I want to see Dr. Kaneka. ” Levi ’ s demands fell on deaf ears.
    Digging in his heels, he grabbed at the nearest bystander, shouting, “ Dr. Kaneka! ” When he saw the Down ’ s Syndrome eyes, he abandoned that person for another, and another. Each person babbled unintelligibly as the guard bullied through the crowd. Where were the real Fosselites?
    More people arrived to press tighter and tighter in the narrow hallway, mumbling, seeking explanation for the chaos. The guard shouted past him, but no one seemed to heed. Then the pressure eased, and the guard no longer had him. He could still hear the man ’ s shouts. From behind, a big hand wrapped around Levi ’ s , and he found himself following Michael deeper into the compound.

    Tula bucked against the restraints. Ultraviolet drilled into her exposed skin. They ’ d taken her skirt, leaving her more exposed than she ’ d ever felt before. She screamed again, her cries echoing off the barren walls. Bodies of fellow Haldanians twitched as if in empathy, but they remained blessedly unconscious.
    Someone in a radiation suit loomed over her. Through the visor she could make out the blood red eyes of Dr. Kaneka. “ I ’ ll need a thumbprint, if you don ’ t mind. ” He pressed her quivering thumb to a sensor. “ And a retinal scan before the chemicals overwhelm you. ” Forcing her eye to remain open with a thumb and forefinger, he scanned her eye.
    “ Why are you doing this? ” Her words came out mush as the chemicals flooded