He'd write him off, in fact.

Only in Parz itself would there be treatment of the quality needed to save Adda's life.

He picked up his reins, trying to refocus his attention on his own affairs. He had plenty of problems of his own, plenty of work to finish before he'd see Ito and Cris again. Maybe he could be charitable — give these upfluxers the chance to get away. After all, they weren't really likely to damage his ceiling-farm...

"I'm sorry," he said, trying to get out of this surprisingly awkward situation with some kind of dignity. "But I don't think..."

The woman, Dura, stared through his window, her eyecups deep and sharp, acute; Toba felt himself shudder under the intensity of her perception. "You know a way to help him," she said slowly. "Or you think you do. Don't you? I can see it in your face."

Toba felt his mouth open and close, like the vent of a farting Air-piglet. "No. Damn it... Maybe. All right, maybe. If we could get him to Parz. But even then there'd be no guarantee..." He laughed. "And anyway, how do you plan to pay for the treatment? Who are you, Hork's long-lost niece? If you think I have funds to cover it..."

"Help us," she said, staring straight into his eyecups.

It wasn't a request now, he realized, or a plea; it was an order.

He closed his eyes. Damn it. Why did these things have to happen to him? Didn't he have enough problems? He almost wished he'd simply blasted this lot with the crossbows before they had a chance to open their mouths and confuse him.

Unwilling to let himself think about it further, he pulled an Air-tank from beneath his seat, and reached out to open the door of the car.

—

A circular crack appeared in one previously seamless wall of Toba Mixxax's wooden box — of his car. At this latest surprise Dura couldn't help but flinch backward, raising her spear at the lid of wood which began to hinge inward into the car.

The door opened fully with a sigh of equalizing pressure. The richness of the car's Air wafted out over her, so thick it almost made her cough; she got one deep breath of it, and for a few heartbeats she felt invigorated, filled with energy. But then the Air dispersed into the stale, sticky thinness of the forest; and it was gone, as insubstantial as a dream. Obviously there had been more Air inside the compartment than out... but that made sense, of course. Why else ride around in a wooden prison, dependent on the cooperation of young pigs, other than to carry with you enough Air to sit in comfort?

Toba Mixxax emerged from his car. Dura watched, wary and wide-eyed. Mixxax stared back at her. For long seconds they hung there, eyes raking over each other.