The boy reappeared a few minutes later with several sheets of paper and a couple of pens. Clearly, he thought each of the visitors might have something to communicate to Colt. Nolan took a page and a pen and wondered blankly what he might write to the guldman. He had never considered Colt a friend and rarely even an ally. He was always a little on edge around the gulden man, afraid to make some unwary remark that would fire the combustibles that appeared to lie, ready mixed, just beneath the surface of the golden skin. And yet Colt was an integral part of Nolan’s life in the city, one of its colors, textures, sounds, delights, trials, foreign frightening elements that had become, over time, part of the pastiche Nolan had grown to love. He could not imagine the lab without Colt. It would seem wrong, a chemical formula that would not combine. The loss of Colt would trigger some malfunction that would throw something else out of synch, and eventually the whole place would fall into chaos and disorder.

Melina was hastily scrawling out a long message; she seemed to have no trouble deciding what to say. But Colt had touchy notions of honor and pride, and Nolan did not want to run afoul of those by any expressions of sympathy or offers of aid. It was pointless to ask Colt to keep in touch—he wouldn’t—and anyway, what could they possibly talk about if they attempted a social meeting? So Nolan braced his paper against the front of the house and wrote only, “We miss you already. Nolan” and folded up the paper.

Melina was just adding her signature to her message, and soon enough the young guldman was accepting both their notes. “Now, you’ll give this to him as soon as you see him, won’t you?” Melina said sternly. “It’s very important. You will see him again, won’t you? He’ll come back here tomorrow or the next day, won’t he?”

“A man always returns to his home,” the boy replied. Melina seemed satisfied with that, but it made Nolan wonder. This might not be Colt’s home after all; and then who would be poring over their notes the instant they were gone?

“Well, thanks. Really. You’ve been helpful,” Melina said, and even Nolan was not sure if she was sincere or sarcastic. “I guess we’ll be going now.”

“Then go,” the boy said, and closed the door on them before they could say another word.