“And our lesson is to let more people die?” she asked. “I know that Afa’s death was our fault, and mine more than anybody’s, and I don’t want that on my conscience, but no matter how much I couldn’t save him, I can save the next generation of human children. I’m not happy about it, and Vale’s not happy about it, but these are impossible choices. Everything we pick is going to be horribly, tragically wrong for somebody, somewhere, but what’s our alternative? Don’t pick? Sit back and let everyone die? That’s the worst choice of all.”

Samm’s voice was softer now, no longer aggressive but simple and sad. “I don’t believe in impossible choices.”

“Then what’s the answer?”

“I don’t know yet,” he said, “but I know it’s out there. And we have to find it.”

Kira realized she was crying, and wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. She was still holding a ripped strip of the suit jacket, and waved it feebly. “Give me your arm,” she said. “I still need to wrap it.”

“Do it nice and slow,” said Calix, and Kira and Samm jerked up, whirling around to find the blond girl standing behind them with a drawn pistol. Her rifle was slung over her back. “Thanks for having such a heated discussion,” she said. “It made it much easier to find you.”

“I’m out of bullets,” said Kira, shooting a glance at her discarded gun and backpack on the far side of the office room.

“I have one,” said Samm, “but I’m pretty sure she could shoot us both before I can get to it.”

“That’s the truest thing you’ve ever said,” said Calix. “How about you pull that gun out nice and slow and kick it over to me.” Samm grabbed his pistol with two loose fingers, nowhere near the trigger, and dropped it on the floor. “That’s right,” said Calix, “over to me.” He kicked it, awkwardly from his slumped position, and she bent down to retrieve it, keeping her semiautomatic trained on them the entire time with her other hand. She made sure Samm’s safety was on, and dropped the gun in a satchel by her waist. “Now, let’s answer a few questions before I take you back to the Preserve. First”—and here her voice wavered slightly—“are you really Partials?”

“We are,” said Kira, “but that doesn’t make us enemies.”

“Dr. Vale said you were trying to take away our RM cure.”

“That’s . . .” Kira looked at Samm, then back at Calix. “We don’t want anyone to die.”

“But you’re talking about shutting down his lab.”

“Do you know what the cure is?” asked Samm.

“It’s an injection,” said Calix.

“But do you know how he makes it?”