As they paid their check and headed for the door, Claire overheard one of the vampires saying to another, Did you understand what she said?
And the other vampire said, She was screaming that it was all wrong.
What was all wrong?
I dont know, he said, and shrugged. The world? Shes off her head.
And once again, Claire felt that shiver.
Something wasnt right in Morganville.
She just knew it.
She woke up early the next morning, and felt as if she couldve slept for a dozen more days. Nobody else was stirring, and Claire decided not to wake them up; she showered and dressed as quietly as possible, and sneaked out the front door while the mist was still on the ground outside, and the sun was just coming up.
Morganville was pretty at this time of daystill, quiet, cleaner somehow than it seemed in full light. Shed always liked early mornings here better than any other time.
Mostly, though, she liked the fact that sunrise signaled most vampires to head for their beds. Except Myrnin, who hardly ever seemed to rest at all.
She walked the streets as lights came on in houses, cars began to move again, and people started their usual days. A construction crew had gotten busy early, lots of guys in flannel shirts, jeans, and work boots hammering and sawing in the clean morning light. It felt . . . new. And good.
There was a car parked in the middle of the street up ahead. Claire frowned and slowed, watching itit wasnt pulled to the curb; it was just sitting there, blocking whatever traffic might eventually come by. As she watched, a girl only a little older than she wasmaybe nineteen or twentyopened the drivers-side door and got out. She stood there next to the car, looking around.
It was eerily familiar. It was like Alex, sitting by the side of the road, seeming so lost.
But this girl had clearly been heading somewhere. She was dressed for an office. Claire could see a laptop and a purse in the passenger seat. And there was a sealed cup steaming the scent of coffee into the air from the cup holder in the door.
The girl caught sight of Claire, and waved her over. Claire hesitated, remembering what kind of reception shed had from Alex, but finally went. She stopped out of grabbing range and said, Are you having car trouble? Because that made the most sense, obviously.
The girl looked at her and said, I cant find my moms office.
I . . . Excuse me?
I know its around here somewhere. My God, I go there all the time! Its ridiculous! Look, can you help me?
Uh . . . sure, Claire said cautiously. Whats the name of the office?
Landau Realty.
Claire had never heard of it. Youre sure its around here?
Im sure. It was right there. But the signs gone, and theres nobody inside. Ive been up and down the street. Theres not even a note. Its ridiculous! I was there yesterday!
A man came out of another building down the street, carrying a briefcase. The girl yelled at him. Hey, mister! Wheres Landau Realty? Did they move?
He hesitated, frowning, and then walked over, tucking his newspaper under his arm. Excuse me?
Landau Realty, the girl repeated. God, really? Has everybody gone crazy?
Youre . . . Laura, right? Iriss daughter?
Yes! Yes, Iris is my mom. Laura breathed a huge sigh of relief. Now were getting somewhere. Look, her office was right here, and I dont understand. . . .
The man was looking at her very oddly. He also looked at Claire, as if she ought to be doing something. She had no clue. Finally, he cleared his throat and said, Laura, lookI dont know what happened, but you know where your mom is. She . . . she died last year. The office was closed up. I attended the funeral. So did you.
Laura stared at him, wide-eyed, and shook her head. No. No, thats not true. Id remember
She stopped. Just . . . stopped. It was like someone hit a reset button in her head, because all of a sudden she looked older, and her face just crumpled with the weight of misery. Oh, God, she said, and put both hands to her mouth. Oh, God, I remember that. I rememberWhat was I thinking? Why did I . . . ? Oh, God, Mom . . . She burst into tears and got back into her car, slamming the door as she fumbled for a tissue out of her purse.
The man hesitated, then decided he really didnt want to hang around to be a shoulder to cry on. He walked away quickly, like whatever had gotten into Laura might be contagious.
Claire hesitated. She felt like she ought to do something, but suddenly getting to Myrnins lab seemed much more important.
Her conscience was cleared by Laura Laudau blowing her nose, wiping her eyes, putting her car in drive, and heading off down the street, still crying.
Something was very, very wrong.
Its the machine, Claire thought.
It had to be the machine.
When she went to see Myrnin about it, though, things didnt go as shed planned. Not at all.
First, as she descended the stairs, she found that the lights were all off. That wasnt like him; Myrnin had no real concept of energy conservation, and he couldnt be bothered to turn things off if they were already on. Power failure, Claire thought, but when she located a switch on the wall and threw it, all the sconces on the walls lit up with a reassuring golden glow, spilling color and life through the room.
Myrnin was lying stretched out on one of the lab tables, wearing a crimson dressing gown that had seen better daysat least fifty years ago. His eyes were closed, and he seemed . . . dead. Asleep? But Myrnin didnt sleep, not really. Shed seen him nap occasionally, but hed wake at the slightest sound.
Shed just clomped down the steps and switched on the lights, and he hadnt moved.
Myrnin? She said it reasonably loudly, but he didnt stir. Myrnin, are you okay? She was getting a sick, strange feeling about this. He looked . . . posed, almost. Like a corpse laid out for burial.
After what seemed like an eternity, his eyelids slowly raised, and he stared blankly at the roof of the lab. I think I was dreaming, he said. His voice sounded drugged and slow. Was I dreaming? He turned his head and looked at her with strange, luminous eyes. I thought you were gone.
I went home, she said, and her uneasiness intensified to a prickling all over her skin. Dont you remember?
No, he said softly. No, I dont remember. Ive been feeling . . . tired. I wish I could sleep. Sleep must be a very nice thing. In the same distant, contemplative voice, he said, I loved her, you know.
Claire opened her mouth, then closed it without saying anything. Myrnin didnt seem to care either way. I loved her and I destroyed her. Dont you ever wish you could take something back, Claire? Something terrible that you wish never happened?
He really wasnt well. She just knew it. She could feel it. Maybe I should call Dr. Mills, Claire said. Or Theo. You like Theo. You can talk to him.
I dont need a doctor. Im perfectly fine. I checked my blood for any signs of degeneration, and Im free of any sign of the disease that afflicted us before. He shut his eyes again. Im just tired, Claire. Tired and . . . tired of everything. Its a mood. It will pass. To prove it, he sat up and hopped off the lab tablefrom depressed to manic in one leap. His heart wasnt in it, but he rubbed his hands together and smiled at her. Now. What do you have for me, my little mechanic?
She hated to say it now, because she knew it was absolutely the worst time to try to talk to him, but she had no real choice. I think theres something wrong with the machine, she said. I think maybe we did something wrong.
His eyes opened very wide. And why would you say such a thing? Ive run all the tests, I tell you. Theres nothing wrong.
Its not something thats obvious; its just that She couldnt quite think how to phrase it, so she just blurted it out. People are acting crazy. I think its the machine.
Dont be ridiculous. Its not the machine; it cant be, Myrnin said. Dont be so overdramatic, Claire. People in Morganville regularly go around the twist, normally in fairly spectacular ways. Its really not all that unusual. Perhaps its unusual to see so many acting oddly at once, but odder things have happened here. He smiled and spread his hands. There. All explained. No cause for alarm.
Wellbut there was this boy, Alex. I saw him yesterday morning. He didnt know where he was. It was really weird, and he was really upset.
Dont young men these days constantly seek new ways to obliterate their brains? They certainly did in my day, although the most they had to work with were fermented beverages and exotic herbs. Young Alex almost certainly had a blackout that can be perfectly explained by drugs and alcohol. Myrnin turned away to pick up his Ben Franklin spectacles, balanced them on his nose, and looked over them to say, Dont do drugs. I feel I ought to say that.
I dont, Claire said, exasperated, and sat down across from him on a pile of boxes. Okay, then, never mind Alex. Michael actually thought I was his mother! How weird is that?
Hmm. Less explainable, but when did this happen?
Yesterday morning.
Dont you ever wake up and think yourself in a different place, a different time? It happens to vampires fairly often, actually. It even happens to me occasionally, when I manage to sleep. Myrnin studied her for a few long seconds. Hes fine now, I assume.
Claire hesitated, then had to nod. Michael had been absolutely normal ever since. So maybe she was putting things together that didnt belong. It might even explain the vamp in the diner, if vampires were prone to sleepwalking. . . . There was another one at the hospital, Claire said. He said he was a doctor, but he wasnt. Michael said later that he used to be a doctor, before he had a breakdown.
Aha, a breakdown. I believe that might be called a clue.
It was so frustrating. She just knew . . . but Myrnins arguments were so logical and practical that she felt stupid. And this morning, she said. Laura Landau. She was looking for her moms office. But her moms been dead for a year. And Laura went to the funeral and everything. It was like she just woke up and . . . forgot.
That made Myrnin pause for a moment, considering. He touched his earlobe, tugged it, and finally said, I acknowledge that I have no explanation for that. Ill run another set of diagnostics and review the logs, I promise you, but I cant see any way that these incidents could be connected with our efforts. The machine is designed to have an effect outside of town, not inside. I can assure you that, strange as this may seem, it could be complete coincidence.
Are you sure? she asked. Are you really, totally sure?
Yes, he said. I am sure. I double-checked everything after you went home yesterday. I even made a few improvements, just in case.
The first part of that reassured her. The second part . . . not so much. What kind of improvements?
Oh, nothing, really. Mostly just streamlining. You really did very well; I certainly dont want you to think that I am one of those people who has to be in control all theOh, well, I suppose thats actually trueI do have to be in control all the time. But only because I am in charge, of course. His manic chatter wasnt fooling her; there was a strange look in his eyes, and something was off about his behavior, too. Its all fine, Claire. You should just leave it to me.
She swallowed a mouthful of dread. Can I take a look? Not that I dont trust you. Only because Im really worried about my friends.
Arent I your friend? he asked, very softly. There was a cold light in his eyes, something that seemed so alien to her, it was like seeing him possessed. Friends trust each other. Theres nothing wrong with the machine. In fact, for the first time in years, I actually feel . . . rested. I feel better.
But five minutes ago hed said he was tired. This was scaring her. Myrnin, you are my friend, but theres something not right about this. Please. Let me see it.
He debated it for a moment, and then nodded. The cold light was gone from his eyes when he blinked, and his body language shifted back, subtly, to the Myrnin she knew. Of course you can. Im sorry. I dont know what I was thinking. Well, I moved it downstairs and installed it below, he said. Ill show it to you just this once. I put in safety protocols to protect it against any unauthorized tampering, so be warned. I dont want you down there alone, all right?
All right, she said. The safety protocols were, no doubt, something that would eat her or burn her face off. She wasnt eager to go poking around downstairs. I just wont feel good about it until I check for myself.
He tapped his pen on his lips. I heard your father is unwell.
Hes in the hospital. They . . . they were moving him and my mom today to Dallas, to a heart hospital.
And yet youre here, talking to me about all these vague suspicions, he said. I would have thought that youd be at his side, still.
She felt terrible the instant he said it; shed been feeling guilty about it all morning, but her dad had texted her at four a.m. and said, No need to come, theyre already getting me ready. Love you, sweetheart. And shed texted him back first thing when she woke up, but the ambulance had already left.
Hes already gone, she said. And I want to make sure this thing didnt make him sick in the first place. That was a little more of an attack than shed planned, but she did mean it.
He stood there watching her in silence, and then bowed his head. Perhaps I deserved that, he said. I havent been myself; I know that. But I know the machine is working correctly. I can feel it. Cant you?
I cant feel anything, Claire said. I wish I could.
He led the way to the trapdoor in the back of the lab, and she stood back while he entered the code and pressed his hand to the plate. The hatch popped open with a hiss of escaping cool air.
Right, down you go, Myrnin said, and, without any warning at all, grabbed hold of her, wrapped his arms around her, and jumped into the dark.
It wasnt a long fall, but it was way longer than shed ever like to jump by herself. Myrnin landed with hardly a jolt. For a second, he held on to her, which made her feel . . . weird, in a lot of wrong ways. And then all of a sudden he let go and was across the room, turning on overhead lights with the flip of a switch. I really ought to install one of those marvelous things. You know, the ones that turn the lights on when you clap?