‘No? Then, pray tell me, how did you manage to embark on this fascinating career? Were you taught to do it?’

She made a scornful face.

‘No? Picked it up on your own, did you?’

‘Whatever!’

‘Well, how did you get from your home to here?’

‘Yah! I’m not saying!’

‘How long have you been up to this?’

‘Not saying!’

‘Then what are you saying?’

‘Nothin’!’

‘Well, you’re going to say something, unless you want us both to keep sitting at this table until you do.’

She glared at him for a long time while he waited patiently, never once relaxing the urbane expression on his face. Finally, she cracked. ‘Well, I ran away! What of it?’

‘Ah, I thought as much,’ he said, nodding. ‘Why?’

‘Well, that ain’t any of yer business, is it?’

Her tone was getting louder and more confrontational with each sentence, which made him unsure, mostly because he had no idea how to react. What did one do with an angry child, he wondered. Feed it? Again? No, that seemed too easy, and he’d already seen enough to realize that easy wasn’t exactly the usual order of business around this girl. He smiled, hoping to placate her.

‘Fair enough. But don’t you think your … um … father will be looking for you?’

‘Well, let ’im look! I don’t care!’

‘Really?’

‘Yeah, really!’ she said bitterly.

‘All right. But where did you run away from?’

She looked at him suspiciously. ‘What?’

‘Where do you live, Theo? Come on, now.’

Looking straight at him, she shook her head firmly, and then she slid off the chair. ‘Look, thanks Mac, but I gotta split.’

‘Out of the question. I can’t let you go wandering around the streets. It’s not safe. You’ll stay at home till I get back.’

‘No!’ the girl shouted, stamping her foot.

‘Look, you’ll be safe here.’

‘I don’t wanna stay here!’

‘Well, that’s too bad, because you’ll have to.’

‘Oh, yeah? And who’s gonna make me, then? You?’

Albert realized this was a watershed moment, that now was the time to assert his authority, to show her he was in command here. ‘Yes,’ he said. Had that sounded assertive? Authoritative?

She didn’t seem quelled. ‘Oh really? How?’

‘I’ll—’ Albert paused, realizing he had no idea how he was going to ‘make her’. He could ensure the door remained closed; that bit was easy. It was bio-coded and would respond only to him, but there was no way to ensure that she wouldn’t yell and scream. The neighbours might be away doing their time alongside him, but that was all it took for her tantrums to be picked up by a patrol. He had no doubt she could well make enough noise for that to happen.

‘I’ll—’ he began again, and stopped again. This command thing wasn’t working too well. Maybe cooperation was a better bet.