Action and Reaction
By Shaine and Shatterclaw. Individual rating: R.

The bits of German in the Val Smith segments are, respectively "Get out, f***er!" and "Is there someone there?" Both are from the German vandals scene in "Blade Runner." Thanks to http://scribble.com/uwi/br/br-script.html for the translation.

The punching bag jerked away. The seam split a little wider, sand spilling out along its side. She kicked in toward it again. Punch, kick, roundhouse, backstep. Kick, punch, roundhouse, backstep.

How could she have been fooled by a Boomer? Jump kick... She should have known. Breathing. Yes, the breathing would have been mechanical...or at least should have been... Punch, kick, backstep.

The problem was not with Saki but with the Kohls of the world...one was enemy, one was ally, but both had interrupted her lifestyle. Sure, it was training a new member, and she had done it before. But this time she liked the new member, as much as she still wished the same hatred would be there as it had been for the others.

It wasn't. "Damn her."

She attacked the bag outright, throwing as many punches into it as she could. The bag gave way under the stress and slammed down to the floor.

Footsteps...behind her. Closing.

Falling effortlessly into motions she'd been trained to make by one long dead, Saki went into fighting mode. First a roundhouse, to turn her toward her enemy. Then she took a new stance and went on the attack. The enemy was able to fend her off, but not easily; he was still hobbled by a cast on one foot.

She tried to sweep his foot, but he managed to jump over the sweep. He stumbled.

"Saki, are you upset?"

She looked at him...he was grinning... How dare he make fun of...!

He swept her foot, landing her on her rear. Then he offered his hand.

She slapped it aside and pulled herself up.

"Feeling better?"

"No."

"What happened?"

"I would rather not--"

"Don't," Crimson warned. "I heard part of it on the police band. I know someone took on Erik Kohl, alone, and left a mess. No reports of a big black bird, no K-11's, no gunfire. No mad Boomer. It was done fast, and quiet. No one outside the house was hurt. Only one person in Chicago could have done it like that."

"You're wrong. Many could have done it...but I alone have broken your rules."

"I see. Let's go back to my office."

The walk there was silent. She wondered when he would end her life - he had to kill her, had to enforce the rules...

Once they were in the office and she was seated, he closed the door. "What happened?"

"Erik Kohl paid Miss Veldez a visit today...asking about Shaine."

"I see. Go on."

"He...was looking for her..some of her friends had been killed. Or so he suggested.

"It seems the FBI is looking for them, and maybe Shaine."

"So you went and killed the messenger for warning her?" Crimson could not believe what he was hearing. She, out of all the Ravens, had been steadfast and always played by the rules - now it seemed she was throwing those same rules out the window.

"No. He has hurt her...and will do so again..." Saki got up and began to pace.

"It's not your place, Saki. Shaine has her demons to deal with--"

Saki cut him off. "He has killed her likeness, many times over. Would he still be able to see the real person, or would she be just another possession?" She slammed the chair forward.

"You're walking a fine line, Saki."

"You think I do not know that? --Why should he have the power to hurt her? Just because he is her uncle? Does any human have that right?"

"No, no he doesn't, but it's not for us to decide. If he tries to hurt Shaine, then we can go after him. All you did was alert him to that danger." Crimson walked out from behind his desk. "What is it with Shaine and you?"

Saki recoiled. "There is nothing. We are friends...nothing more."

"Saki, you didn't take a vow, or promise yourself to her happiness or the like, did you?"

"And if I did?"

"It's not going to work. Not with Shaine, she's too independant."

"I'm sure she'd like to think she is."

"Is she, Saki? A follower would have stayed with her uncle, and with Genom."

"She stayed until it became impossible to do so. Just look at her: the same men, the same authority figures, over and over. The same jobs, the same irresponsible behavior...all of it programmed as if she were another one of Kohl's Boomers."

"Yes, reminds me of someone else. Same honor to the family, same self-righteous attitude...same need to be shown that there is more out there than what's been handed to them. Just because she has followed that path doesn't mean she doesn't want to step off of it."

"That is what I was trying to do: save her from that path."

"Was it?

"No. What you were trying to do was murder a man - a man who may be evil but is still a key part of her. Until she sees that evil, with her own eyes open, she won't let him go."

"Then she shouldn't be here. Not until she can see it."

"No, I don't believe she can do it on her own."

"She's a danger to us as long as she clings to him."

"As dangerous as Rika or Jade? You've come to accept them."

"They've proven themselves. She hasn't. We may have tested her but we didn't test her loyalty. What happens if she runs back to her family?"

"How would you do that? Kill Erik?"

"At least then she wouldn't have a family to run to."

"Have her take his place in Genom, and then fight her as well? No, you're right. We would have taken her entire family from her. We would have robbed her of her only link to the past...not that I forget who that link is. She's in the middle, and the cost of failure is her life - much as it was with yours. You're asking me to cut the only link she has left...what would you do?"

He smiled grimly. "No answer? It's not as easy as it sounds, bannou bishoujo mouko... I'm not going to turn her away. I didn't do it with you and I refuse to do it to any member of this team, including the niece of an enemy." Or the daughter. "If and when she betrays us to Erik, I will be ready for it."

"Will you? Will you be able to kill her after we took her in?"

The expression in his eyes was answer enough. "We live by our code, and it wouldn't be the first time that code was enforced.

"Darien was a prime example of what needed to be done: he lost sight of our rules, and now he lies in an unmarked grave. You tell me whether I'd do what needed to be done. I did it to a man I served with, one who was like a brother to me. But he broke our rule. No, Saki, I don't have it in me...

"I don't have it in me to kill. And yet they gave me the name Crimson, for the street ran red..."

"He did it with eyes wide open. If you argue that she's too blind to turn away, then she's also too blind to punish."

"She won't be blind for much longer. She comes on our missions; how long does it take to open one's eyes?"

Once again, Saki did not answer.

"She's seen what it takes to be a Raven. She has the stuff. She does hold back when it comes to taking a life, and I wonder if that's not a bad thing, but she's strong enough. She's saved my life...she's saved Harris. What more proof do you want? Do you want to owe someone else a life debt?"

The computer beeped. "Crimson, someone has just broken into Ms. Kohl's apartment," Raven said.

"Raven, ID."

"Unknown. He is not on any known Genom file or in any Raven database."

"Great. Saki, keep an eye on things. I'm going to look into this."

Raven spoke again: "ID found: FBI files. Michael Paul Smith, occupation: hacker. Handle: Valentine."

"You remember his file, Saki?"

"That amateur?" She swore in Thai. "He's no good for anything except cop bait! Shiftless, spineless..."

"Yes, that one. But you're being too hard on him, Saki...he's going to be great fun."

"Fun?"

"Yes, fun. One thing I haven't had in quite a while."

"You would dare risk our security for fun."

"There will be no security risk."

"If you associate with him, there will be blood in the streets again and it will be ours."

"Save the rant; I know how to handle it. ...Go ahead, glare at me...but we both know that I'm right."

He grabbed his trenchcoat and walked out.

///

The room's floor was littered with clothing and beer bottles, and the bed had obviously not been made in some time. CDs and DVDs lay outside their cases on the desk, dresser, and tabletops. There was a man sleeping in the bed, not too tall but gangly as if he'd never outgrown that awkward stage, and most of his sandy brown hair tied back by a moonstone-covered clip about a third of the way down his back.

A small amount of light shone from the window, casting sharp highlights on Valentine's face. It seemed not to bother him.

Crimson slid into the room, knocking over a beer bottle. Val turned over and mumbled something incoherent.

Looking around, Crimson could tell that the place was a mess even by Shaine's standards. The beer bottles were a year's supply for her, and not even her brand; the loose CDs would have sent her into apoplexy; and a book of poems, obviously handwritten, lay open for any observer to read.

"Looks like we have a guest," he said softly.

"Huh? That you, kid?"

Stealthily making his way around the piles of junk, Crimson pulled out his Desert Eagle.

"Scully?"

"No, Mulder, it's the Cancer Man."

Valentine bolted upright. "What did you do to her!" The barrel of the gun found its way to the side of his neck.

"If you're working for them, I'm not going to tell you anything. So you can just let Erik know that I'm not playing his sick little game..."

"I hope you have a reason for this," the dark-skinned man said, looking around the room.

"...No matter what he did to Shang."

The man grinned. "Shang, huh?"

Val glared at him.

"Okay, bright boy, let me spin you a tale. A friend of a friend is asked to housesit. He goes out one night after the house has been broken into....he gets it fixed up, or what passes for fixed. Only gone for a day or so, he comes home to find it a mess. So he feels he has two choices: one, shoot the pig that made the mess, or two, hang him. Which would you do?"

"I think I see," Val answered slowly.

"Do you?"

"You're not going to find Crash."

"Crash?"

Val didn't speak.

"Your name, joy boy, now if you please?"

"Michael Smith."

"Okay, Michael Smith, what are you doing here?"

"I'm telling you..." He took a deep breath. "I am not going to serve the file on my friends."

"Crash...that's the one they nabbed, isn't he?"

"Shang? He wishes."

"Illegal hacking at Genom?"

"More than just Genom," he replied proudly. "I was working on Majestic 13; Scully said she was going to help."

Crimson rolled his eyes. What I need right now is a hacker-to-English dictionary. "So you were working on hacking the 13?"

Valentine shook his head. "Crazy bitch...she never torches anything, just steals their code for herself..."

"Scully's smart, Mulder. She's not the one with an agent holding a gun on her right now."

"If she's so smart, why's she let that child molester play mind games with her?"

"Personal problems. Neither you or I have any right to judge her on that. But that's not your biggest worry, right now..."

"And don't even get me started on what she's like i--" He wisely cut himself off, his jaw clicking shut.

The dark man brought the gun up to Val's head. "Don't even talk about her personal life outside of work..." He pulled the hammer back. "I do not want to hear what's going to come out next..."

Val gritted his teeth and swallowed the rest of his words.

"Now, what was it you were saying about Crash? And what does it have to do with you being here...now, at this time...and in this mess?"

"No way, man. She's gone."

"Yes, I know, she's gone to a better place."

"What?"

"It's called vacation, Michael."

"Suuuuure..."

"Sunny beaches...all expenses paid...something about work picking up the tab. Check her travel plans if you don't believe me."

"And I suppose the Professor's on vacation too."

"He might be...but I know Mary Ann's around here somewhere!"

"You bastards! If you killed Yuan..."

"Thanks. How did you know?" Damn you, Val, he didn't know... But it earned him some space between his body and the gun.

"Okay, why would I kill Yuan...Shen Yuan, Rochester College, I assume?"

Val turned to look at the other man. "Same reason as any of us. Crash, Tsen, Scully, Mycroft... You know why."

The man grabbed a chair and turned it back to face 'Mulder,' sitting down. "Pretend I don't. Pretend, maybe...I'm just a friend come to water the plants."

"Scully was getting close to some next-level shit in your databases...something called Nexus-6. A combat Boomer, but not like any kind of Boomer we've seen."

"Ah huh..." I'll have to ask Shaine about this...

"It didn't look real. Prof gave the design to some friends in Bio; they said it was impossible."

"They're so close to human that you can't even tell under a lie detector. Am I right?"

"Well, I don't know about that but if you stripped out the heavy weaponry, maybe... Mycroft thought it was a hoax."

"But it's not."

"Yeah. Guess not."

The man grinned at him.

"Myke knows some Army types and she asked them...never seen anything like this either... Scully was trying to hack the German Army to check them out."

"But she never got that far."

He nodded. "One thing I'll say about them, that civil war sure made them paranoid about security. Both sides of the new Berlin Wall locked up tighter than Alcatraz. Crash was working on a few code bombs to throw at them...that's what she does best, right?"

"But Genom nabbed her before she could use them..."

"I don't know anything about that. All I know is, they took the Prof and Shang... Wait. You're not Genom?"

"I never said I was."

"Then who are you?"

"That, my friend, is the million dollar question."

"Sure. Right.

"Well...if you're going up against Genom and you need a hacker who doesn't suffer from PMS, I'm not planning on going anywhere." He raised a eyebrow.

"And you think you're man enough to hack for us?"

He nodded. "You remember the Microsoft shutdown a coupla years back?"

"Yeah, minor job, lacked vision. Could have been done better."

"Oh, sure..."

"You asked."

"And then there's that little fake stock market crash last January..."

"And you did that?"

"Anyway, you ask around in the hacker newsgroups for Valentine, and they'll tell you all you need to know."

"Yeah, they have, and I'm still not impressed."

"Fine. Your grief...but I'm still hacking Genom. With or without you."

"True, you're good, but face the facts, Mulder. You'll still get your ass kicked. Go ahead." He stood. "But one thing..."

Crimson walked to the window. A raven sat on the ledge outside.

"Yeah, X?"

Crim opened the window and let the bird in.

"I'm waiting."

The bird cawed and hopped onto Crimson's arm. "Where do you want your body sent?"

Val glared at him.

"Of course..you might get lucky one day, and wind up on vacation with Scully. Then maybe you two might get that damned kiss right..."

Valentine stood up. "Scießkerl! Hau ab!" His accent carried traces of Shaine's, but was even more mangled.

"I'm going now. I strongly suggest that you clean this place up." He walked to the door. "She even swears better than you..."

Crimson laughed and went out the door.

///

Beer...need beer... Damn, nothing left except that sissy stuff Shaine drinks. Val dug through his jeans pockets, came up with a few fives. Well, that should be enough...

Throwing on a Mystic Spiral t-shirt over the jeans, he grabbed the spare set of keys and left. There was a store down the street that sold his usual - as if he was really that picky - and it was close enough that he didn't really need a jacket.

As he walked back cradling the bulky paper bag, he saw a raven sitting on the sidewalk. It was staring at him as it picked apart something it'd probably pulled out of a garbage can...it looked vaguely foodlike but Val couldn't pinpoint its origins for certain. The bird let out a loud caw and then tossed it at him.

"Caw, caw!" It flew over his head, the strong wind lifting it up. There was a spring chill in the air.

He shivered.

A voice called out softly: Valentine... He turned around, but saw nothing.

Valentine... This time it was in front of him, the artificial purr a synthesis of Darth Vader and Barry Manilow. He started walking faster.

Passing an alleyway, a flock of ravens swooped down toward him and grabbed the bag away, flying a few feet before the weight was too much and they had to land. "What the--?"

"Caw, caw, caw!"

Valentine, come here! The ravens backed away from the bag and one bottle exploded.

"Ist jemand drinnen?"

Val felt a tap at his shoulder and he turned to face a fire-streaked shadow. The black-clad thing stood about a foot taller than him, with glowing red eyes - and wings...

"Yes, there is someone here. There is always someone here. We watch over this city..." The wings seemed to warp around him. "What do you want in my city?"

Oh, shit, Shang was right...there really is a Nexus-6...

"Genom is ours to take down! Your path leads only to more pain for our people...

"We watch over this city; we take care of those who honor its roots..." The creature - definitely not a Nexus-6 - grabbed him by his shirt and belt, lifting him up into the air.

"Know this: we will be watching you. You want to fly with the big birds? You want to go to the Tower and fight the two dragons that live there? You have to get through us first. Do you understand, little Fox?"

They were headed for the Tower. Val didn't dare speak for fear of screaming.

"Is this what you want to take on?

"You do not speak, little Fox...you come to my city, spoil your lair, and then you do not speak to me.."

The creature held him up higher, so that they were face to face. "No matter...I will be watching you." Crimson hovered down to the ground, dropping Val a few feet up.

Valentine fell, rolling a bit on the way down, and stared up at the sky as soon as he'd landed.

There was no trace of the black, winged creature...

///

"She's dead?"

"I forgive you...father..."

There was a fiery flash of pain, surrounded by the choking cold of a mountain range in winter.

No. Not again, not now...

Erik forced himself back to the here-and-now, staring at the piece of paper in his hand. An invitation to the mad tea party...

Or so he told himself. It was so unlike Carter to do this. A handwritten letter...RSVP...just for him to come to her office. He got the vague feeling that if he had any sense, he ought to run away screaming.

But he couldn't, especially not then, and so he had no choice.

"Hello, Carter."

"Ah, Erik! Please do come in." Her tone was almost warm as she held the door for him. Inside were two young interns, one male and one female. The woman was Asian, and the male had long hair; both were dressed to the height of fashion. "I wanted you to meet my new interns."

She smiled a little. "Actually, we may have to share them for a time until their duties have been firmly set..."

"I see."

Carter walked to them and placed a hand on each one's shoulder. "This is Ms. Rice, and Mr. Renard. Aren't they just the best?" she squealed with something like delight. "Would you please take them on a grand tour of our happy little family?" She hit the last word with uncommon emphasis. Damn it, what does she know about what happened last night?

I destroyed all of the records...and all of them go through me before they get to her; it's been that way since before Sansweet died...

"I...suppose so." He glanced at Rice, and was rewarded with a warm but primal smile.

"It is an honor to meet you, sir." Renard just looked at him and said nothing.

"In fact, Erik dear, if you can do this for me I can help with that problem you had the other night..."

I am out of my depth... "Well, then...shall we get started?"

"Yes, you should. I'm going; I'll meet up with you later."

He looked at her balefully as she left. "Why don't we start with the labs, then?"

As they walked out, two of Evon's lab monkeys passed by. Turning to the other, one whispered, "Are those her new toys?"

"Yeah, better not get in their way...she hand picked them... They say she has them trained already."

Erik glanced at them and they scurried away. Damned human rats...

The tour was a mostly painless process, made sweet by some uncomfortable questions directed at Evon. Once he was done, Erik ditched the interns upon Carter's doorstep and ducked back into his office before she could find another job for him.

"You have a call on line three, sir."

He glanced at his secretary. "Yes, all right..."

That had damned well better be Bunny.

"Hello?"

"Guten tag, Herr Erik," the flat voice murmured.

"Hase!"

"I've been waiting for you," she continued in German.

"My apologies. The Borg Queen wanted to see me."

"Ah. Is she still giving you trouble?"

"Trouble doesn't even begin to cover it. I'm certain she sent someone to kill me." Maybe I can play the one off the other... Wait. Couldn't it be possible? Could she be helping Starbright, hiring Veldez, to keep Shaine away from me?

"Really." There was no surprise or questioning in her tone; he wondered if it was the Boomer Syndrome flaring up again or if she really just didn't give a damn. "I didn't think she would risk Quincy's wrath in such a reckless fashion."

"Rumor has it Quincy's getting friendly with Steiner."

Her voice changed sharply...he'd hit the mark on that one. "Yes, so the rumors say...they also say that Carter has been...ah...more than friendly with the Chairman...

"Perhaps we should let these two vipers meet."

"That would be...desirable. But I know of no way to lure either toward the other."

"What of the rumored trouble with other undesirables? Might they hold the key?"

"It's more than a rumor. They're after me too...that's what happened to Kathy."

"I see. You have proof of this?"

He laughed sharply. "If you'd seen the bodies..."

"Save them for me. There may be something we can use."

"I'll have them sent up as soon as you bring me the replacement."

"Good, then in two days we shall have means to do so..."

"Oh?"

"I have some business in Chicago."

"Really! How...nice..." How perfect. She's the sort of woman I should have on my side at a time like this... "You bring the Boomers and I'll bring the wine, as usual?"

"Of course."

"It'll have to be your place; the current...ahhh...difficulties have impacted on my living arrangements."

"I see. Can you recommend a good place to stay?"

"There's the Drake, or the President..."

"Hm. I have heard of the Drake...yes, please, the Drake will do."

"All right, then."

"Have you heard that Mason will be making the rounds?"

"Mason? No..."

"Yes. It seems he'll be coming to the States within the next three to four weeks. Several of our brothers and sisters have had birdlike problems."

"I see."

"He's taken it upon himself to check these alleged reports out. It may amuse you to know that one of those so troubled is Carter's toyboy in San Francisco. I haven't found out Mason's timetable yet..."

"I'll put someone on that."

"Be careful, Erik. He's too close to the top."

"I know."

"If anything he can take the viper away from the mongeese..." She hung up.

He set the phone down, then looked up to see Cullyn staring at him with piercing eyes. "Going to go home now?"

"Yes, let me just take care of a few more loose ends..."

///

The place was crawling with ADP. Erik scowled as he noticed that Jacob and Jamson were there with the rest of the officers standing in front of the house.

"Good morning, officer! Is there something I can do for you?" Cullyn called out, staring hungrily at Jacob.

"Well, for one thing you registry number and serial ID."

"I beg your pardon?" I don't want to die...Erik promised me more life...fucking police Boomer! What do you know about us?

"And where is Mr. Kohl?"

"Right here." She tried to look stunned.

"You're a Boomer, right?"

"No."

Jacob looked at her, muttering, "Heads will roll..." He then took out a cell phone and began to talk. "Sorry, Miss, but we have in our report that you are a Boomer..."

"No. My name is Lorelei Kohl; I'm his cousin."

"Now, how do you spell that?"

She spelled it for him, with a mild Korean accent she'd been affecting since the beginning of the conversation.

"Mmm...all right, could you spell that again?" She overenunciated it that time.

"Kohl's German...how did you come to be one of the family?"

"Well, ah, actually...it's my husband that's his cousin."

"Evon Kohl, thought dead?"

"No!"

"He's not dead?"

"Douglas..."

"Douglas?" The Boomer continued writing on his notepad.

"Erik is the son of my husband's uncle." And we didn't even need to fake records; they were all destroyed in the war...

"I see..."

"Would you like me to pull out a copy of the family tree?" she asked dryly.

"Yes, if you'd be so kind... How many Boomers does your cousin have?"

"Why, I don't know! Shouldn't you ask him?"

"I intend to, ma'am. Now, where were you at the time of the event?"

"Event? Oh, the attack... I was downtown."

"I see. Where downtown, may I ask?"

"I wandered around for a while...in the mall, underground."

"Um hmmmm...and where about?"

She blinked. "You know, the whole thing looks the same to me. It's the first time I've been down here."

"Did you go with someone else?"

"No."

"I see. Where were you born?"

"Seoul, Korea." It was consistent with her appearance and apparent age; the Seoul earthquakes would have destroyed another mountain of damning evidence.

"Um...mother's name? Father's, for that matter?"

"Rae and Jessica Kim. They were killed by the quakes when I was twenty or so."

"Any other family we should know of?"

She shook her head. "I don't know how any of this relates..."

"I'm sure you wouldn't, ma'am...but in the end it will."

"My sister Mina lives in Newfoundland...that's all..."

"I see. Do you have an address for her?"

"Of course." She recited not only the address but also the telephone number of another Replicant kept by a Genom section head in that province.

Jacob continued writing furiously; the pencil snapped in two from the strain. Cullyn looked at him, surprised, as he simply and calmly pulled out a pen.

"So who was here during the event?"

"I'm not sure."

"From what I've been told," Erik interjected, "It was just the Boomers...though I was out with Katerin and can't tell you for certain. Excluding Katerin and my double, that would have made eight."

Jacob continued to shoot questions at Cullyn, who answered them perfectly. Finally, giving up on her, he turned to Erik. "Ah, Mr. Kohl..." He somehow managed to mispronounce the name. "How are you today?"

"Quite weary."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"Of course not. --Lori, why don't you go in?"

"Good, good... How many Boomers do you own?"

"Eight, as I just said. Or eight now, rather..."

"Their registration, and serial numbers?"

He recited all eight as if accustomed to doing so.

"Hmm...and where are they now?"

"Six should be in the house right now; the others are at the lab."

"Would you call them out here, Mr. Kohl?"

"Yes, of course."

Jacob took out his radio and began speaking to someone as Erik walked to the front door. Callysta opened it, and a moment later five Replicants followed her out.

"Mr. Kohl, with your permission, I would like to have these checked out."

"Of course."

"Thank you." Eight officers carrying heavy guns walked over; six of them each took a Boomer by the arm and the two remaining watched from a short distance.

"Should I have the other two sent down?"

"Yes, please."

He pulled out his cell phone. "Yes, Dr. Halas, please." Jacob wrote the name down on a new page. "Ah. Doctor. Would you have my two Boomers go down to the ADP headquarters as soon as possible? ...Yes, still looking into it... Thank you...

"Now, what were you saying, Officer?"

"What happened here, Mr. Kohl?"

"I thought I told you that already."

"Well, for the record, let's go over it again."

"I was out in the woods with Katerin when someone shot her. By the time I got back to the house, it was in ruins and one of the girls told me that someone had killed my Boomer double."

"And you need this double for protection, even though it hasn't been registered?"

"It has been registered, with the research group."

"And what number was it?"

"USCH-1055A-EK5. It's a purely internal registration; the Boomer was never meant to set foot outside my house or Genom property. Therefore it did not need city or state registration. That's standard procedure; if others knew about these doubles they would be less effective."

"I'm afraid not, sir. Some new laws have come into effect."

Erik raised an eyebrow. "I was assured that everything was in order."

"Well, no. You're not up to code."

"I...see."

"All Boomers, including doubles, have to be registered with the local ADP, in forty-five states. In the five remaining states, doubles are illegal. Chicago is on the verge of adopting that stricter law as well. Now, you said that it was never meant to leave your house or Genom property..."

"Yes."

"How did you maintain the Boomer?"

"I took it back to the lab, let the interns have it."

"I see. How often did you do this?"

"Once every three months or so, I'd say, same as the others."

"Do you have records?"

"I'm not sure..." He looked mildly uncomfortable. "They may have been destroyed in the blast, but the lab would have a copy of everything."

"You should keep a backup."

"The lab is my backup."

"Okay. We have a team there now."

"You'll want to ask Rhiannon; she's the Boomer in charge of those things."

He nodded. "I'm sure they'll find everything in order."

"Of course."

"Now, who saw the attacker?"

"No one saw the attack in the house. And I was the only one who saw the other shooting."

"Who called the ADP?"

"I'm not sure."

Jacob had had a tape recorder in one hand; he fumbled with it for a moment, then put it away. "Okay, Mr. Kohl. I'm done with you, but there's a Mr. Walker from the US Marshalls..."

"Oh?"

"He'd like to share a few words with you."

Walker was already headed toward them, a huge, tall, bear of a man, built like a Boomer and dressed like a modern cowboy - complete with white hat. "Erik Kohl?"

"Yes, how may I help you, sir?"

"You're to come with me; we have reason to believe that you have unregistered Boomers on civilian property..."

"I see..."

"Violating at least twenty-seven municipal codes and seventeen - no, eighteen - federal codes."

Erik blinked. "Mein Gott..."

"Yes, you've been busy, Mr. Kohl."

He stood there, apparently stunned, as the Marshall produced plastic handcuffs and read him his rights. Cullyn looked out the window, caught his eye. He nodded ever so slightly toward her.

"Lieutenant Jamson. I want everyone in here who isn't a badge taken as well. Make sure the house is clean." Walker pushed Erik toward his truck as a full squad of anti-Boomer, front line ADP went charging toward the house.

A raven sitting in a nearby tree took it all in, a breeze ruffling its rainbow-hued feathers.