Invasion

"He didn't know."

"Well, maybe that's good," Pitt said. "Maybe by the time he gets back he'll be back to normal."

Marjorie reappeared carrying the food. With a flourish she placed their orders before them and even gave their dishes a little spin to orient them perfectly as if Costa's were a fine restaurant.

"Enjoy!" Marjorie said happily before disappearing back into the kitchen.

"It's not just Beau who's been acting differently," Cassy said. "It's Ed Partridge and his wife, and I've heard of others. I think whatever it is, it's spreading. In fact I think it has something to do with the flu that's been going around."

"Amen!" Pitt said. "I have the same feeling. In fact I said as much yesterday to the head of the emergency room."

"And what was the reaction?" Cassy asked.

"Better than I anticipated," Pitt said. "The head of the ER is a rather hard-nosed no-nonsense woman by the name of Dr. Sheila Miller, yet she was willing to listen to me, and even took me over to talk with the president of the hospital."

"What was his response?" Cassy asked.

"He wasn't impressed," Pitt said. "But the man had the flu symptoms while we were talking with him."

''Is something wrong with your food?'' Marjorie asked. She'd reappeared at the tableside.

"It's fine," Cassy said with exasperation at the interruption.

"But you haven't touched it," Marjorie said. "If there is a problem I can get you something else."

"We're okay!" Pitt snapped.

"Well, just call if you need me." She hurried off.

"She's going to drive me bananas," Cassy said. "I think I preferred her sullen."

All at once the same idea occurred to Cassy and Pitt.

"Oh my God!" Cassy said. "Do you think she's had the flu?"

"I wonder!" Pitt said with equal concern. "Obviously she's acting very out of character."

"We've got to do something," Cassy said. "Who should we go to? Do you have any ideas?"

"Not really," Pitt said. "Except maybe go back to Dr. Miller. She was at least receptive. I'd like to tell her there are other people with personality changes. I'd only mentioned Beau."

"Would you mind if I came along?" Cassy asked.

"Not at all," Pitt said. "In fact I'd prefer it. But let's do it right away."

"I'm game," Cassy said.

Pitt vainly scanned the room for Marjorie to get the check. When he didn't see her, he sighed with exasperation. It was frustrating that after pestering them for the whole meal, the moment he wanted her, she was nowhere to be seen.

"Marjorie is behind you," Cassy said. She pointed over Pitt's shoulder. "She's at the cash register having an animated chat with Costa."

Pitt twisted in his seat. The moment he did so, Marjorie and Costa both turned their heads in his direction and locked their eyes on his. There was an intensity in their gaze that gave Pitt a chill.

Pitt swung around to face Cassy. "Let's get the hell out of here," he said. "I must be getting paranoid again. I don't know why I'm so sure about this, but Marjorie and Costa were talking about us."

Beau had never been to Santa Fe before, but he'd heard good things about it and had been looking forward to his visit. He wasn't disappointed: he liked the town immediately.

He had arrived on schedule at the modest airport and had been picked up by a stretch Jeep Cherokee! Beau had never seen such a vehicle before, and at first he'd thought it was comical. But after riding in it, he was willing to believe it might be superior to a normal limousine because of its height. Of course he had to admit to himself that he hadn't had much experience with limousines of any sort.

As attractive as Beau found Santa Fe in general, it was only a harbinger of the beauty of the grounds of Cipher Software. After they had passed through a security gate Beau thought the facility had more of a resemblance to a posh resort than to a business establishment. Lush, rolling green lawns stretched between widely dispersed, well proportioned, modern buildings. Dense conifer forests and reflecting pools completed the picture.

Beau was dropped off at the central facility which, like the other buildings, was constructed of granite and gold-tinted glass. Several people who Beau had already met greeted him and told him that Mr. Randy Nile was waiting for him in his office.

As Beau and his escorts rose up in a glass-enclosed elevator through a plant-filled atrium, Beau was asked whether he was hungry or thirsty. Beau told them that he was fine.

Randy Nile's office was huge, occupying most of the west wing of the third and top floor of the building. About fifty feet square, it was bounded on three sides with floor-to-ceiling glass. Randy's desk stood in the center of this expansive space. It was made of a four-inch-thick slab of black and gold marble.

Randy was on the phone when Beau was ushered in, but he stood up immediately and waved Beau over to take a starkly modern black leather chair. He motioned to Beau that he'd be just a few minutes longer. Their job done, the escorts silently withdrew.