Chapter 2

"Echo," Boyd Langton said, "it's time for your treatment."

He'd found Echo finishing up a run on the treadmills. When she was in the tabula rasa state, she spent most of her time exercising. One never knew what kinds of physical demands an imprinted personality might require. The Actives always had to be in top condition.

Echo smiled at Langton, and hopped off the treadmill. Her unquestioning acceptance of his authority unnerved Langton a bit. She reminded him of a puppy he'd once owned – always eager to please, absolutely thrilled to be given attention. It made Langton wonder how much really went on behind Echo's enormous brown eyes. Certainly she was intelligent, but when she had no imprint, there didn't seem to be much of anyone home.

Except, sometimes, he'd see something different. There were times when he suspected that at least some of it was an act, and that there was more personality there than Brink or DeWitt suspected.

Langton hadn't mentioned this to his superiors, of course. If Echo really was more than just a programmable doll, the last thing he wanted was for that to be taken from her.

He led her to Topher Brink's lab, which Langton couldn't help but think of as the "chamber of horrors." What went on in there – well, it didn't bear thinking about. Adelle DeWitt and Claire Saunders were also there, unusually; but then, this was an unusual implant.

"Hello, Echo," DeWitt said. "Are you ready?"

Echo settled down onto the implant table. "Will this hurt?" she asked.

"No," Brink assured her as he adjusted the implantation device around her head. "You might fall asleep, though."

Echo, as always, accepted that assurance without question.

Brink shook his head, and said, "Here we go." He flipped a switch.

Echo fell asleep…

… and somebody else woke up.

"Oh, my," she said, in the unmistakable London accent of Adelle DeWitt.

She slowly rose from the table, looking down at her arms, flexing her fingers. A smile spread across her face. "Oh my," she repeated.

"The implant looks stable," Brink said, staring at his monitors. "For now, anyway."

DeWitt took a step forward. "How do you feel, Echo?" she asked.

"Not Echo," she replied, staring DeWitt in the face. "Adelle."

"Ah," DeWitt said, nodding. "Of course. Adelle. How does it feel?"

"What, how does it feel to be staring myself in the face?" Adelle asked, smiling, looking DeWitt up and down. "Disorienting, a bit. Nothing I – we – didn't expect, of course."

"And the implantation process?" DeWitt prompted.

"Like falling asleep," Adelle said. "And then waking up – fifteen years younger." She glanced back down at her own body, then gave DeWitt's figure a critical stare.

DeWitt seemed to grow uncomfortable under Adelle's gaze. "Excellent," she said. "We'll have Topher and Dr. Saunders monitor you for a few days before we send you out."

"Naturally," Adelle agreed.

"So, I'll leave you to Dr. Saunders then," DeWitt announced. "Keep me informed of any unexpected developments, all right?"

She hurried from the room before anyone else could answer.

Three days later, Langton ushered Adelle into DeWitt's office. "Thank you, Mr. Langton," DeWitt said. "You may wait outside."

Langton gave DeWitt a troubled stare, and then turned and exited the room.

"So, Adelle," DeWitt began. "How are you?"

Adelle smiled. "Never better," she said, stretching her arms over her head. "Topher is still anxious, but he's seen no signs of any instability."

DeWitt nodded. "Excellent," she said. "And Langton?"

Adelle laughed. "Boyd? He's worse than Dad ever was."

DeWitt merely raised an eyebrow, so Adelle continued, "If you think all of that misdirected paternal instinct is funny to watch, just imagine being the object of it."

"Well, I certainly don't envy you that," DeWitt said, chuckling softly. "Still, it does make him a better handler, no matter what Laurence says."

"So, are we clear to proceed?" Adelle asked.

DeWitt nodded. "You'll fly to Brazil tonight, and meet Mr. Kassel's plane in Recife. From there – are you clear on the mission parameters?"

"Naturally," Adelle said.

"Good." DeWitt stood from her chair and walked towards Adelle, taking her by the hand. "And – enjoy it, while it lasts," she said. "There are moments when I wish I was the one going."

"What, knowing that it'll all be wiped in a couple of weeks, you'd still want to be me?" Adelle asked, smiling.

DeWitt pursed her lips, but declined to answer. "Good luck," was all she said.