With mounting anxiety, Bertram tried to get the indicators for the two animals to move. When he couldn’t, he went back to real time and displayed the two animals’ current position. They’d not changed one iota.

“Good lord!” Bertram moaned. All at once, the worry about Kevin vanished and was replaced with a more pressing problem. Turning off the computer, Bertram snapped up the printed island graphics, and ran out of the lab. Outside, he passed up his car to run directly across the square to the town hall. He knew it would take less time on foot.

He raced up the stairs. As he entered the outer office, Aurielo looked up. Bertram ignored him. He burst into Siegfried’s office unannounced.

“I’ve got to talk with you immediately,” Bertram sputtered to Siegfried. He was out of breath.

Siegfried was meeting with his food-service supervisor. Both appeared stunned by Bertram’s arrival.

“It’s an emergency,” Bertram added.

The food-service supervisor stood up. “I can return later,” he said and left.

“This better be important,” Siegfried warned.

Bertram waved the computer printouts. “It’s very bad news,” he said. He took the chair vacated by the supervisor. “Kevin Marshall figured out a way to follow the bonobos over time.”

“So what?” Siegfried said.

“At least two of the bonobos don’t move,” Bertram said. “Number sixty and number sixty-seven. And they haven’t moved for more than twenty-four hours. There’s only one explanation. They’re dead!”

Siegfried raised his eyebrows. “Well, they’re animals,” he said. “Animals die. We have to expect some attrition.”

“You don’t understand,” Bertram said with a tinge of disdain. “You made light of my concern that the animals had split into two groups. I told you that it was significant. This, unfortunately, is proof. As sure as I’m standing here, those animals are killing each other!”

“You think so?” Siegfried asked with alarm.

“There’s no doubt in my mind,” Bertram said. “I’ve been agonizing over why they split up into two groups. I decided it had to have been because we forgot to maintain the balance between males and females. There’s no other explanation, and it means the males are fighting over the females. I’m sure of it.”

“Oh my God!” Siegfried exclaimed, with a shake of his head. “That’s terrible news.”

“It’s more than terrible,” Bertram said. “It’s intolerable. It will be the ruin of the whole program provided we don’t act.”

“What can we do?” Siegfried asked.

“First, we tell no one!” Bertram said. “If there is ever an order to harvest either sixty or sixty-seven, we’ll deal with that particular problem then. Second, and more important, we must bring the animals in like I’ve been advocating. The bonobos won’t be killing each other if they’re in separate cages.”

Siegfried had to accept the white-haired veterinarian’s advice. Although he’d always favored the animals being off by themselves for logistical and security reasons, its time was past. The animals could not be allowed to kill each other. In a very real way, there was no choice.