"Because you came here looking for him." She startled him by smiling. "Call it an educated guess. You understand that the Fourth treatment isn't just about longevity? The Martians were deeply ambivalent about tinkering with human biology. They didn't want to create a community of powerful elders. The Fourth treatment gives and it takes away. It gives you an extra thirty or forty years of life—and I'm a case in point, if you haven't guessed—but it also rearranges certain human traits."

"Traits," Turk said, dry-mouthed. He had never, to his knowledge, spoken to a Fourth before. And that was what this woman claimed to be. How old was she? Ninety years? One hundred?

"Am I so frightening?"

"No, ma'am, not at all, but—"

"Not even a little?" Still smiling.

"Well, I—"

"What I mean to say, Turk, is that as a Fourth I'm more sensitive to certain social and behavioral cues than the majority of unmodified people. I can generally tell when someone's lying or being disingenuous, at least when we're face-to-face. Although, against sincere lies I have no defense. I'm not omniscient, I'm not especially wise, and I can't read minds. The most you might say is that my bullshit detector has been turned up a notch or two. And since any group of Fourths is necessarily under siege—from the police or from criminals, or both—that's a useful faculty to have. No, I don't know you well enough to say I trust you, but I perceive you clearly enough to say that I'm willing to trust you… do you understand?"

"I suppose so. I mean, I don't have anything against Fourths. Never thought much about it either way."

"That comfortable innocence is over. Your friend won't die of cancer, but he can't stay here, and he has a lot of adjustments to make. What I would like to do is discharge him into your care."

"Ma'am—uh, Diane—I don't know the first thing about taking care of a sick man, much less a Fourth."

"He won't be sick for long. But he'll need an understanding friend. Will you be that person for him?"

"Well, I mean, you know, I'm willing, I suppose, but it might be better to make some other arrangement, because I'm in a difficult position, financially and all—"

"I wouldn't have asked you if I could think of anything better. It was a blessing that you showed up when you did." She added, "If I hadn't wanted you to find me I would have been much more difficult to find."

"I tried calling, but—"

"I had to discontinue that number." She frowned but didn't offer to explain.

"Well—" Well, fuck, he thought. "I guess I wouldn't turn out a stray dog in a rainstorm."

Her smile returned. "That's what I thought."

* * * * *

"I guess you learned a few things about Fourths since then," Tomas said.

"I don't know," Turk said. "You're the only close sample I've got. Not too inspiring, actually."