| Book 43-The Test People who've never been through torture think that when the physical injuries heal, you're healed, too. They're wrong. Torture plays tricks on your mind. "You're weak and scared," it says. "You think you're in control? Ha!" it says. "Doubt yourself. Worry and question, and fear," it tells you. Pain can be very convincing. --Tobias Help? Yeah, and Rachel will pass up a sale at Express, Crayak will win the Nobel Peace Prize, a Yeerk slug will turn down a promotion. --Tobias <Taylor let me go.> ..."I wanted to kill her." <I think I wanted you to.> --Tobias, Rachel "Do you always assume the worst of people?" "Always. People are who they are." --Cassie, Marco <Perhaps fouteen fingers are too many.> --Ax "Is she insane?" "Yes. I believe we established that during out last encounter." ..."Taxxon! I'd rather morph E. coli." --Marco, Ax <Some of us actually have to work for our food. But then, it's probably a huge deal for you to get the Pop-Tart in the toaster.> ..."Your left talon's bleeding." <Breakfast sometimes bites back.> "You're telling me. I was looking in the toaster to see if my Pop-Tart was done and wham, the thing shot out and hit me in the eye." --Tobias, Rachel, Marco Ax didn't move. <Hey. Let's get moving.> -Jake <Ax? Everything all right?> -Rachel <Give him a little nudge.> -Marco Marco sauntered up beside Rachel, toward the big worm, his ape arms dangling loosely. He looked at Ax with exaggerated puzzlement, strolled the length of him, then announced, <It's a comprehensive system failure. Can't be fixed on-site. We'll have to haul this beauty back to the shop.> <I am okay.> -Ax ...Before you could blink an eye, Ax shot down the tunnel. <Okay, so I was wrong.> -Marco Evil, even the worst evil, has banal origins every human can understand. Weakness. Fear. Insecurity. I understood Taylor. I understood the Taxxon. The realization frightened me as nothing ever has. --Tobias Cassie. Crying. She had turned off the gas and saved our lives. She had done this... <C'mon, Cassie. We have to get out of here. It's okay. Everything's okay.> "No. It will never be okay." --Tobias, Cassie |