Title Page

Chapter One. Sandra and Bose

CONTENTS

Title Page

Chapter One. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Two. Turk Findley’s Story

Chapter Three. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Four. Treya’s Story / Allison’s Story

Chapter Five. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Six. Turk Findley’s Story

Chapter Seven. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Eight. Allison’s Story

Chapter Nine. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Ten. Turk’s Story

Chapter Eleven. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Twelve. Turk’s Story

Chapter Thirteen. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Fourteen. Turk’s Story

Chapter Fifteen. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Sixteen. Turk’s Story

Chapter Seventeen. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Eighteen. Allison’s Story

Chapter Nineteen. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Twenty. Turk’s Story

Chapter Twenty-One. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Twenty-Two. Allison’s Story

Chapter Twenty-Three. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Twenty-Four. Turk’s Story

Chapter Twenty-Five. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Twenty-Six. Allison’s Story

Chapter Twenty-Seven. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Twenty-Eight. Allison’s Story

Chapter Twenty-Nine. Sandra and Bose

Chapter Thirty. Turk’s Story

Chapter Thirty-One. Sandra

Chapter Thirty-Two. Isaac’s Story / Orrin’s Story / The Sum of All Paths

Acknowledgments

By Robert Charles Wilson from Tom Doherty Associates

Copyright

Chapter Two. Turk Findley’s Story

CHAPTER ONE

SANDRA AND BOSE

No more, Sandra Cole thought when she woke up in her sweltering apartment. Today was the last day she would drive to work and spend her day in the company of emaciated prostitutes, addicts in the first sweaty stages of withdrawal, chronic liars, petty criminals. Today was the day she would hand in her resignation.

She woke every weekday morning with the same thought. It hadn’t been true yesterday. It wasn’t true today. But someday it would be true. No more. She savored the idea as she showered and dressed. It kept her going through her first cup of coffee and a quick breakfast of yogurt and buttered toast. By then she had mustered the courage to face the day. To face the knowledge that nothing, after all, would change.

*   *   *

She happened to be passing the reception area at State Care when the cop brought in the boy to be registered for evaluation.

The boy would be her responsibility for the next week: his folder had already been attached to her morning case list. His name was Orrin Mather, and he was supposed to be nonviolent. In fact he looked terrified. His eyes were wide and moist and he darted his head left and right like a sparrow scouting for predators.