“Hurrah for Tom Swift and his chums,” said Frances. “Now, what about Worecski?”

“I don’t know. That’s not my specialty.” I turned to Sher. “What do you use to contain a spirit?”

Sher thought about it. “A govi. A soul jar. People who think they’re under hoodoo attack have the houngan bottle their spirit and keep it safe for ’em. I think it’s bullshit.”

“Well, you know my views on the subject.”

She flushed. “Thanks.”

“No, my views are that I haven’t the faintest idea what’s going on, so I’ll try whatever anyone else thinks will work.”

“I don’t know if it’ll work. I don’t know if we have time to make one. Shit—”

I put out my hand and touched hers. “Oh, come on. Maybe I’ll be reincarnated.”

“I hope not,” she snapped, and stalked off across the town circle.

“I’d better get going,” said Theo. “I have to start gathering up gear. Can you spare Frances to help me hunt down the turbine?”

“Wait a minute,” I said, startled. “We haven’t—”

“Yeah, we have. Sher’s gone to do the research for her part. I have to go do mine. I mean, it sounds like we’re short on time.”

“Theo, if… Look, something’s going to go wrong. Maybe everything. You stand to lose a lot if any of the pieces fall on you. I think you should stay out of it.”

“I’ve already lost a lot.” His good-looking face had a set, hard look that I hoped wasn’t permanent. “I want a chance to get it back.”

“This may not be any chance at all.”

“You want to do it instead?”

He had me. And he knew it; I saw it in his eyes. “This is not The Magnificent Seven, Theo. This is real life.”

“Is it? You make it sound like A Fistful of Dollars. Go ahead. Tell me you’re gonna clean up the town single-handed.”

I had to drop my eyes from his. “I can’t. I don’t know how to be in two places at once.”

“So you need me to do the work in the Gilded West. Somebody’s got to, and I know how.”

Of course; it needed doing. Theo, who didn’t seem to have a religion, had always lived by the principles of this one.

“Just… ye gods, Theo, just stay away from Ego.”

“I’ll try,” he said. Then he clasped my hand quickly and headed off in the direction Sher had gone.

Which left Frances. “What shall I do, boss?”

“Help Theo find a turbine, I guess.”

“And then?”

“Come back here.”

“No, I don’t think so.”

I didn’t, either. “Why the hell do people have friends?” I burst out.

She didn’t misunderstand the sentiment. “As I’m sure Theo would say, it’s a bummer, man. But you can’t keep us from our future any more than we can keep you from yours. Place your troops.”

I sighed. “I’d feel better, actually, if you could stick to Theo. He’ll need help with the installation, and if he gets in any trouble—” I shrugged. “He’s not exactly John Wayne.”