“My very favorite place,” said Santiago, leading him over to it. “I often come here to read, or simply meditate. You can even see some of the livestock from here.” He took a deep breath, as if even the air tasted better in this clearing. “I’ve planted some flowers, but they’ve already blossomed and died; they won’t bloom again for another five or six months.”

“Flowers aren’t all you’ve planted,” commented Cain, gesturing to two mounds of earth.

“They were two of the best men I ever knew,” said Santiago quietly.

“Then why put them in unmarked graves?”

“Nobody ever comes here except me, and I know who they are,” replied Santiago.

Cain shrugged, then noticed a flash of motion out of the corner of his eye. Turning, he saw a man walking toward them. The sun caught the white streak in the man’s hair, and Cain realized that it was Jacinto.

“I thought I’d find you here,” said Jacinto when he finally joined them. He turned to Cain. “Rain or shine, he spends a couple of hours a day here.”

“It’s a pretty place,” said Cain.

“Are you just visiting?” asked Santiago.

Jacinto shook his head. “Father William is at the house.”

“It’s unusual for him to come out to the farm. I suppose he’s just making sure that Sebastian hasn’t killed me.”

“He did say that he’s here to talk to Mr. Cain,” said Jacinto.

“He’s about as subtle as an earthquake,” remarked Santiago. He stepped away from the graves. “Well, I suppose we shouldn’t keep him waiting.”

He began walking back toward the house, and Cain and Jacinto fell into step behind him.

“Will you be staying with us for any length of time, Mr. Cain?” asked Jacinto.

“It’s a possibility,” replied Cain.

“I hope so. We’ve needed someone like you.”

“We need about a thousand people like him,” said Santiago. “However, we’ll settle for the one we’ve got.”

“May I ask a question that requires your professional expertise, Mr. Cain?” said Jacinto.

“Go ahead.”

“What do you think of our security?”

“It stinks.”

Jacinto shot a triumphant smile at Santiago. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell him for months.” He turned back to Cain. “How would you change it?”

“Triple your manpower and put them on round-the-clock watches, for starters. And try to explain to them that if they can see in the dark, so can the Angel.”

“You see?” Jacinto demanded of Santiago.

“We’ve been through all this before,” said Santiago irritably. “I won’t be a prisoner on my own planet.” He increased his pace, and Cain and Jacinto lagged behind.

“I apologize for involving you in this argument,” said Jacinto softly. “But he simply will not bring any more men back to Safe Harbor.”

“How many has he got here?” asked Cain.

“You mean on the planet?”