The little man blinked up at them. ‘I haven’t done anything.’

YOU WILL COME WITH US.

‘But I haven’t done anything. I just—’

NOW.

‘But you don’t understand. I just asked about it. I didn’t do anything. I didn’t—’

He broke off helplessly, turning to Albert, staring at him with wide, frightened eyes. Albert noticed that they were green.

‘Tell them I didn’t do anything.’

His lower lip quivered, his face contorted, one hand was half raised stiffly in the air like a little frozen claw.

Albert felt his stomach lurch once, then again, before settling into a regular heaving pattern, keeping almost perfect time with the pounding in his chest. He bit his lip and stared down at his shoelaces, saying nothing.

COME QUIETLY, 3173.

‘Please! I just asked! I swear!’

CITIZEN 3173, THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCETO COOPERATE.

‘No! I just asked! I didn’t do anything!’

Albert felt a hand brush his, desperate fingers grasping at his sleeve, heard a voice, rising in pitch, higher and higher, still addressing him. ‘—won’t you say something? Why won’t you help me? Tell them I haven’t done anything!’

Albert looked up, turning his head towards the man, his hand coming up almost of its own accord, his mouth still opening when his eyes met Sorrow’s. She was looking straight at him, slightly, ever so imperceptibly shaking her head. Or had he imagined it? He hesitated momentarily and, when he turned, the little man was gone, being dragged inexorably away by a pair of massive steel arms, his heels scrabbling in vain on the smooth surface of the conveyor belt, screaming all the while.

‘—didn’t do anything! Somebody help me! Please! Somebody! We have to find him!’

He was staring straight at Albert, who turned away, unable to meet the look of accusation in those wide, stricken eyes. That didn’t make the voice go away, however.

‘Father! I have to find Father! And the Code! Don’t you see? It’s the only way! We have to find the Code! Help me! Please, somebody help me!’

The scrabbling got fainter, as did the voice, although it still carried well and truly to Albert.

‘Cowards! Cowards! Too scared to say a word! I was trying to help all of you! Why won’t you help me? Why won’t you do anything? It’s for you! Do it for you! And for Virgil! For Virgil!’

Albert stood there, gritting his teeth, feeling a wave of nausea coming on. He shut his eyes and began to count. By the time he reached ten, the voice had gone. By fifteen, so had the last echoes, and all that remained was stillness—awful, heavy, suffocating stillness—pressing down all around.