He said he’d have thought they’d have been more vigilant what with the bomb incident the day before. He wondered where his taxes went.

162

Samuel Thorn told Dr. Frankburg that he was called the Albatross at school. Frankburg asked him if it was because he was good at golf. Sam said of course not and looked terribly disappointed in Frankburg. Frankburg apologized. Said he was a bit het up.

161

“Do a trick then. Yeah? Magic guy? Can you do a trick?”

“Well.”

“Come on, something with cards.”

“Well.”

“Come on.”

“Is everyone happy to see a trick?” asked John.

“Sure,” said Penny.

Ali nodded.

160

Ali was looking into Tamy’s eyes. Tamy was looking back at Ali with the clearly communicated request to do something about this situation.

Ali tried to tell her that when it came down to it, she didn’t know what to do at all, and all of them were consequently just going to have to hope for the best.

159

“Okay.”

John took out a pack of cards and started shuffling them. “I’m shuffling the cards.”

Sound of shuffling. John’s hands were trembling. A card dropped on the floor. John picked it up.

“Sorry,” he said, “bit rusty.”

158

The KKRC controller had tried magic on the radio before. It sucked.

157

“Now I’m spreading them into a fan.”

Small pause.

“Now I’m asking a volunteer to pick one out.”

Pause.

“I volunteer,” said Penny.

“Okay, Penny’s our volunteer and she’s picking a card. But don’t show it to me, Penny.”

Small pause.

“She’s picked one. Now look at it.”

“Okay.”

“Memorize it.”

“Okay.”

“Now show it to, um, Activist 34 . . . Sorry, I’ve forgotten your, um . . .”

“346.”

“Sorry. Activist 346.”

“Okay.”

“I see it,” said Edward.

“Good, now put it back.”

“Okay,” said Penny.

“Now I’m shuffling the pack again.”

Sound of shuffling.

Edward thought something by Frank Sinatra would perhaps have been more entertaining.

156

Ali said, “Are you bleeding?”

“Yes, I am,” said Edward.

“What happened?”

“I wanted to see my liver.”

“I see. And did you see it?”

“Yeah. It looked pretty good but I couldn’t say for sure if it was mine.”

“Did you touch it?”

“Yeah.”

“What happened?”

“I passed out.”

“I guess it was yours then.”

155

“Now . . . I’m . . . sorry, does anyone want to see this trick? Because it’s fine to stop. I think I may have made a mistake anyway.”

“No, carry on,” said Edward.

John flourished a three of hearts. “Was that your card?” he asked.

“No,” said Penny.

“Oh.”

There was a pause.

“Sorry.”

“What happens now?” asked Penny.

“Shall I have another stab at it?” asked John.

“I think we’ll leave the magic now,” said Edward.

“Good idea,” said Penny.

154