“Does that mean you only said ‘no’ because she might be listening?”

I shook my head. “This isn’t much easier for her than it is for me. For about the same reasons.”

“How is Linn?” she asked, because she understood what I’d meant.

“Pretty crummy, from the sound of it. I haven’t seen him.”

“Will he die?”

There; she’d said the damn word. “I don’t know. Nobody’s figured out yet how to tell in advance who gets the lucky numbers.” My voice sounded harsh in my ears.

She nodded once, her head settling deeper into the pillow. “The influenza epidemic of 1918.”

“The who?”

The Ticker smiled, which made her look tired. “It’s a piece of the World’s history. Ask one of the Daughters. They’re the ones who explained it to me—one of them. I can’t keep them all straight.” She frowned and closed her eyes.

I frowned, too, because not keeping people straight was such an odd thing to hear about Tick-Tick. “I guess I should go. Gotta get some food, and go back to the bloodhound job. Wolfboy’s gone to take care of business, but he’ll be back tomorrow.”

Her eyes flew open, silver and red-rimmed. “Must you go?” Then she made a scornful noise. “Yes, of course you must. Ignore me, my chick, I am in a weakened state. And it’s time for my nap. Orient—” Her hands were outside the blankets; she turned one palm up, and I put my hand in it. Her fingers were hot and dry. “You’ll take care?”

I returned the pressure of her grip. “Much as I can.”

She studied me gravely. “I am satisfied with that.”

Neither of us said good-bye, in so many words, probably because it seemed like bad luck.

Sunny was down the hall, looking out a window. If she’d been eavesdropping, she’d had the grace to move well out of earshot before I came out. One of the Daughters, a small woman with straight brown hair braided halfway down her back, came out of the next room wheeling a cart full of clean sheets. “Excuse me,” I said to her. “Do you think you could answer a history question for me?”

She widened her eyes at me. “I guess I could try.”

“What was the influenza epidemic of 1918?”

She looked startled for a moment. Then her expression sharpened and settled. “That’s right, you’re the friend of the girl in 24. Some people can only be brave if they’re ignorant about what’s happening to them. She’s not one of ‘em. Made me explain to her everything we knew about this damn bug.”

“How does 1918 come into it?”