 
### IMMORTAL

By A. M. McNALLY

Immortal

Published by A.M. McNally at Smashwords

Copyright 2014 A. M. McNally

Cover image by Olivia Gabrielle Addison

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

For my husband, Stevie,

who always believes in me.

**CONTENTS**

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

EPILOGUE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
**CHAPTER ONE**

'You should go home, Amari,' Ambrose said with a smile, as he tapped new data into his computer. 'Get some sleep before the big night.'

'I don't need sleep. I just need tomorrow to go exactly according to plan.'

'This is so like you. If you weren't immortal, I'd worry you may die of exhaustion,' he glanced at her, smiling again, and confirmed changes in the simulation.

'Well, you needn't worry about me, do you, as I certainly am immortal. Just got my annual shot today, as a matter of fact.'

'What? It's your immortali day and you didn't say a word? We must celebrate!'

'We'll celebrate when this is over. Right now all I want is to make sure _The Universe_ gets launched in style.'

'It will. Ok, that's done. Is there anything else?'

'Just one other thing in the Sun. I think we need an extra second between the dimming of the lights and the walls going transparent. Four seconds isn't enough, people will need more time to adjust and fully appreciate it.'

'Ok, no problem. Give me a minute.'

She watched his hologram as he worked, fast and competent as always. It took her weeks of interviewing to find the right man for the job, but it was time well spent.

'How's your new idatron, by the way?' Ambrose asked her, still busy adjusting the simulation.

'It's brilliant, actually,' she said, glancing at the small, trapezoid-shaped device lying in front of her. Ambrose's hologram was beaming from the slit cutting across its top. 'Thanks for helping me configure it.'

'No problem. Is it more accurate, then?'

'By a hundred light years. I don't know what I would've done without it these last few weeks. The old one only complicated my work if I wasn't fully focused, but the new one reads me perfectly even when I'm shattered.'

'Glad to hear that. Okey-dokey,' he announced, 'that's done now as well. Will madam be requiring anything else this evening?' she couldn't help but smile back at him, despite stress and exhaustion.

'No, that should be perfect now. Thanks a lot, Ambie.'

'My pleasure.'

His hologram shrunk into a green line and disappeared as if sucked into her idatron. Ten years ago, she thought, making a couple of adjustments like that would have taken hours. Life without idatrons seemed almost as distant as cars running on fossil fuels.

Amaranthine sent another mental signal to her idatron, ordering it to connect her with Perenelle. The device read her will perfectly, and a couple of seconds later her PA's slim figure, dressed in a skirt suit, appeared in the middle of her office. Amaranthine could see the main bar of _The Universe_ in the background. Perenelle was in Ground Zero, seeing to last-minute details.

'Hi Penny. How is it going down there?'

'Hey boss. It's all under control.'

'Have you checked the guest list? Has everyone confirmed?'

'Yes, they have. Apart from Dr. Life, of course, but I have a sneaky feeling he might turn up for this one, Amari. Wouldn't it be something?' excitement lit up her eyes.

'I wouldn't count on it.' Amaranthine was not surprised at her PA's high hopes, but refused to give in to them. Dr. Life, the inventor of the Cure, was naturally on everyone's A list, and few could say they were personally acquainted with him. But Amari was a professional and she never mixed business with emotions. And as far as Dr. Life was concerned, she knew this: ever since she started in PR, she has invited him to at least 30 top events and he's only turned up once, for a party that was in honor of one of his best friends.

'He does have to go out sometimes!' Perenelle persisted. 'And _The Universe's_ opening night will be amazing.'

'Let's stop speculating,' Amaranthine cut her off. 'Have all the media people confirmed as well?'

'Yes, even Constantine Spencer! I can't believe you managed to get him on board. I mean, he's the top reporter of _The Immortal Times!_ How did you do it?' there was a note of jealous admiration in her voice.

'That's good, thanks.' Again, Amaranthine remained businesslike. 'Could you make sure that the caterers have got everything ready, please, and then I suppose you can go home. Be there tomorrow at 5 pm, ok? I'm going to need you in case something comes up.'

'Sure, no problem. See you on the big night, then!'

The projection disappeared. Amaranthine glanced at the time – it was one-thirty in the morning. Deciding that there was nothing else she could perfect tonight, she stood up and put on her shawl and coat, summoning her hovercar at the same time via a mental signal.

Waiting for her vehicle, she admired the spectacular cityscape of New York City, something she hadn't had a chance to do all night. Recent nights had been freezing, but the air was so clear, not a speck of dust or vapor blurring the city lights that stretched for miles ahead.

_It's already December 25_ th _, 2105_ , she thought. _My immortali day came and passed without me even noticing._ _But The Universe project is far more important. After all, it's not every day one gets to work on the launch of the first ever hovering nightclub in the world, the venue that's on the lips of every trendy Immortal not only in New York, but all of the United States and half the planet. We're making history here, so my immortali day drinks can wait. Not to mention I've spent 6 months on this project and it's all coming to a head in less than 20 hours._

A sleek, streamlined vehicle approached the transparent wall of her office and hovered patiently outside. The powerful humming of the engines reached her ears as a perfect rectangle of the portal tore itself from the wall and slowly lowered out towards the hovercar. She still felt uneasy stepping on plastglass platforms, despite having them installed in the office as well as at home, for a few years now.

She inhaled fresh, clean air, and glanced at the city stretching below, dozens of skyscrapers girdled with multi-leveled traffic of hovermobiles. It looked like a beehive, only a perfectly organized one, as if the bees sat on invisible ribbons entwining the buildings. Traffic wasn't heavy at this time of night; only two out of the five hoverways were still fairly busy. 140 floors down a thick white carpet of snow coated the ground.

The platform sealed back into her office wall as her hovercar's hatch closed. She tried to relax in her seat. As usual, she didn't fully succeed, despite the reassuring gleam of the Safety Panel.

The hovermobile flew down, accelerating gently as it joined the fifth level of New York City's hover traffic.

Amaranthine was home within a few minutes of leaving the office. Her apartment was on the top floor of a hundred-storey building and offered a superb view of New York, maybe not as overwhelming as her office, but the 50-mile distance let her see the whole of the city as if on the palm of her hand.

The hovermobile dropped her off at the portal and lowered itself down to the charging station located on the fifth floor. She watched the edges of the portal merge into the plastglass wall without a seam, locking her in the warmth of her apartment.

'Welcome home, Amaranthine. How was your day?' dulcet, ubiquitous voice welcomed her. 'You must be tired. Did you have to work late again?'

'Yeah,' she said, taking off her shoes and coat. 'It's the opening night in less than 20 hours, so I had to make sure every angle is covered.'

She could answer with a mental signal, but she enjoyed communicating with Eiko through voice. Also, the manufacturer recommended it, as it apparently helped the computer tune in better with the user's mind and interpret her thoughts more precisely. 'We filter out too much when we speak,' the engineer had explained to her. 'But our voice gives away more than we realize. The computer analyzes your tone, timbre and intonation, compares it with the message it's getting from your brain and guesses what you really want, rather than what you say you want – or what you think you want. After a time, it'll learn your brain wave patterns so well, it'll answer a question before you even become aware you want to ask it.'

'I understand,' said Eiko. Amari liked the sound of her voice, the product of a few hours spent in a lab, having her brain waves analyzed as she listened to various messages played in different voicefonts to find that most comforting one.

'Would you like me to fix you a drink?' asked Eiko, getting her out of the daydream.

'That would be nice. I'll have an...'

'Ambrosia?' offered Eiko, when it was clear Amaranthine won't finish her sentence. She was a mind-reading computer, but she had her manners, too.

'Yes, please.'

Amaranthine took off her jacket as she crossed her spacious, luxuriously yet sparingly furnished living room. She threw the coat onto the big sofa on the way to the bathroom. By the time she returned, her drink was waiting underneath a stain-glass hatch in the middle of the bar area. She picked up the frosted glass and sipped with delight. It was her favorite cocktail and Eiko made it perfectly every time.

Eiko also changed the lighting in her short absence. It was dimmed now, creating quaint shade effects on the walls and windows.

She went over to the sofa and sank into it, enjoying the softness and comfort. She loved her apartment, every piece of furniture, every device, every function being there purely for the purpose of making her comfortable.

'I had a new relaxation program uploaded today,' said Eiko. 'Would you like to try it out?'

'Sure, why not.' Amaranthine stretched on the sofa, which immediately bulged up in all the right places to adjust itself to the curves of her body. 'What have you got?'

'Let me make it a surprise. Would you like the olfactory effects on?'

'Mmm. Well, if you recommend them, I'll try anything. You know my taste better than myself.'

'Make yourself comfortable.'

Amaranthine took a sip of her drink and put it away, then relaxed in anticipation.

Quickly yet smoothly, her living room transformed. She wasn't lying on a sofa anymore; she was suspended between the ground and the sky, supported only by a hammock stretched between two giant trees growing in the middle of a tropical rainforest. The jungle was lit up by brilliant sunshine, sunrays beaming through the thick canopy high above her head and reflecting on the huge drops of recent rain that she could smell in the hot, humid air. It was majestically quiet at first, as if it was enjoying the moment as much as she was. Then she started hearing songs of invisible birds, steps of animals on the ground down below and rustling in the treetops. She sat up and looked around her – and then she noticed them. A couple of quetzals, the birds of paradise, displaying their brilliantly colored feathers and long tails. Prompted by a nearby rustling noise, she looked the other way and saw a large orangutan pass so close that she could touch it if she stretched out her arm. She inhaled the smell of the forest, soaking up its beauty and dignity.

'That was amazing, thanks, Eiko,' she said when the program ended and she returned to reality, to her sofa and her favorite cocktail standing on the low table. She really did feel relaxed, the tension of the long day that lingered in her muscles miraculously eased and the stress of the day ahead warded off.

_How great it is to be able to see all of those amazing places without having to leave the safety and comfort of your apartment,_ she thought as she picked up the idatron and headed for the bedroom. The living room lights faded away behind her. _Especially that half of them are in countries or areas that aren't yet covered with hovertraffic control systems, so you couldn't physically go there even if you wanted to, unless you had a hoverpilot's license._

She placed the idatron on the charging station on the bedside table. As soon as she sank into her big, soft bed, the sateen sheets stroking her skin, her bedroom was wrapped in perfect darkness.

**CHAPTER TWO**

Amaranthine woke up relaxed and excited about the day ahead. _Six months of hard work is about to pay off_ , she thought as she rolled over in her bed and looked at the time. The digits hovering just above her idatron read 08:12. She looked at the windows that covered the whole east wall of her bedroom. She had a feeling it was a bright day outside. This time she chose to communicate with Eiko non-verbally. As if by touch of a magic wand and in synch with her pupil dilation, the windows brightened up, losing the black-out film and became transparent, revealing the view outside. Just as she'd predicted, the weather was stunning.

'Morning, Eiko,' she said.

'Good morning, Amaranthine. Did you sleep well?'

'I did, thanks.'

'Would you like your coffee in bed?'

'No, I'll have it in the living room,' she said, getting up. 'I want to catch up on some news, otherwise I'll embarrass myself tonight. I haven't had a chance to watch anything for two weeks.'

'Your coffee will be ready as soon as you've had your shower.'

'Great, thanks,' she said, making her way to the bathroom.

In the shower, she went over the opening ceremony plan in her head, but she didn't find anything that should be adjusted. Everything was perfect, just as it should be. All she needed to do now was to get herself ready. She wondered what time Phoenix would arrive from Sydney. Hopefully the high-profile duovitaery case he was working on wouldn't keep him there till late. As far as she remembered, he was to be in court for the last session this week before midnight last night, New York time. Then he'd just need to wrap it up and would be free to get back to the States.

She dried her hair in a towel and began brushing it.

'Eiko,' she remembered suddenly, 'did you get those new designs for my hairstyling machine?'

'Yes, they came through yesterday. Would you like to try them out?'

'Yes, show me what you've got,' she said, sitting down on the armchair in the corner of her bathroom. Immediately, Eiko started the projection. Various hair styles, all specially selected to suit the length and type of her hair, appeared in front of her face. She looked through them briefly, letting Eiko read her first, involuntary impressions and shortlist the hairstyles she favored. _Mind-reading computers are great,_ she thought. _No more endless wondering, does it match the outfit or not, does it suit me or not, is it appropriate for the occasion?_ Eiko had all the answers without her having to even verbalize her doubts.

In the end, she had it narrowed down to two hairstyles that were equally good.

'Why don't we try this one,' she said, looking at an elaborate pin-up surrounded with soft, wavy strands. 'How long does it take?'

'Fourteen minutes.'

'Ok, go ahead.'

The projection disappeared. As she sat back, the seat slid backwards and positioned itself at the wall, Amari's head directly underneath the hull of the hairstyling machine. As it started to lower itself, hiding her head completely, she relaxed and closed her eyes.

It started with a head massage as usual, the synthetic hands soft, yet firm and competent on her scalp. Then she felt the brushes moving through the whole length of her hair, sorting out all tangles with gentle pulls. At the same time, the dryers kicked in, humming steadily. She knew by the slight wet sensation and the smell that the hair volumizer was also being applied through the bristles.

After a few minutes of gentle tugging and pulling, the machine lifted itself up back to the original position, and the seat turned to the left, letting Amari assess the result in the mirror.

She smiled, happy with the result.

'That's good, Eiko, but we may try the other one out later,' she announced. 'Depends on which gown I go for.'

She went over to the living room, sat down on her sofa and reached out for the big steaming cup of coffee waiting for her on the low table.

'Ok, Eiko, show me what's been happening in the world.'

Eiko dimmed the light a little for better contrast, and started playing the news. It was a compilation of the most recent events, material sourced from a few media reports to provide the most concise information.

The first item was dated December 9th. Fourteen days ago.

'A group of teenagers, majority of them female, are protesting this morning in front of The Immortality Institute, demanding yet again the lowering of the age from which the Cure can be administered to humans,' the presenter said. 'Constantine has the story.'

The camera showed the famous reporter standing outside the entrance to an octagonal skyscraper in the heart of Manhattan – the best-known building in the world. Amaranthine knew that if the camera zoomed out, she'd see her own office building just two hundred yards to the right.

'Thanks, Eilam,' Constantine said. 'Indeed, the members and supporters of The Under-TAMI Agers Confederation have once again gathered here, in front of Dr. Life's Immortality Institute in New York City to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the minimum age at which a person can start taking the Cure. I have the president of the Confederation, Miss Sarah Robertson, here with me. Miss Robertson, what is the purpose of today's demonstration?'

Amaranthine recognized the red-haired girl. She had seen her in the previous reports from The Confederation protests. She wore the same, brightly colored scarf as the last time, now matched with a red jacket and huge black boots. Her skirt was the length of a figure skater's and her fluorescent-green fingernails were like a pangolin's claws.

'Like you said, we think it's crazy to keep us all mortal till we're 25,' she replied. 'I mean, like, it's been 90 years since it's been invented and everybody takes it when they turn 25 anyway. There are tons of reasons why we should be allowed to take it as early as we want.'

'Which reasons do you have in mind precisely?' asked Constantine.

'Well, first of all, it's not like we can't stop taking it later, right? So what's the difference when we start? Then there are dozens of cases of young people suffering from illness and having to spend hours in hospitals to be treated – I myself was forced to waste two whole days getting rid of the HIV virus the other month. A friend of mine got leukemia and had to take the whole WEEK out of her life! And many conditions that hit us by the age of 25, are irreversible! Like the loss of collagen in the skin. Whereas if we were allowed to become immortal in our teenage years, all these troubles could easily be avoided and we'd all be much happier. The Cure would prevent us from developing all sorts of diseases.'

_So it's about the wrinkles all over again,_ Amaranthine thought. _They all want to look 16 for the rest of their lives. They've no chance._

'Thank you, Miss Robertson' said Constantine. 'And I believe my partner correspondent, Helios Lloyd, is inside The Institute, with Dr. Life's spokesman, who will be able to deliver Doctor's point of view on the matter.'

The camera returned to the studio for a moment. 'Thank you, Constantine,' the presenter said. 'Helios, over to you.'

Helios Lloyd was another iconic reporter of _The Immortal Times Channel._ Not as charismatic as Constantine Spencer, but just as famous. The camera showed him inside the Institute, sitting at a round wooden table.

'Good morning to you all. I have Mr. Tsuneo Walker, Dr. Life's colleague, friend and spokesman of many years, here with me,' he said, at which the camera focused on Mr. Walker, his face unruffled as always. Whenever she saw him speak in public, particularly on the matter of minimal Cure administration age, Amaranthine could not help the feeling that he was internally amused.

'Good morning, Mr. Walker, and thank you for having us here today. You've heard Miss Robertson speaking a minute ago here on _The Immortal News._ What do you make of her arguments for the lowering of the minimum age at which one can become immortal?'

'Good morning ladies and gentlemen,' he began. 'Well, this isn't the first time crowds of very young people gather outside our door demanding changes of rules regarding the administration of the Cure. We admire their spirit and appreciate their interest in becoming users of our product, commonly known as the Cure. We hear and consider their argumentation for the Cure's availability for humans younger than 25 and we assure them that all the pros and cons, based on current research and evidence, are being carefully considered on a continuous basis. However, we feel that at this stage, the historic consensus achieved in 2026 between The Immortal Institute and the governments of all democratic countries in the world is still, in our view, the best practice for humanity's use of the Cure. All arguments that constituted to TAMI, The Act of Mortality and Immortality, are still valid and binding, and the main one is that an average human is not developed enough psychologically to be able to make such an important decision at a younger age. Please note that whilst we are the owners of the patent and the only manufacturers of the Cure, we have never claimed to have the right to sell it to people at will; instead, we have always co-operated with the public via their democratically elected authorities and have always sought the best possible solutions. This policy has not changed in over nine decades, and it never will. TAMI is a binding law and even if we wanted to, we could not just change it at will.'

'The Confederation representatives claim that numerous diseases, such as HIV infection or cancer could be avoided in under-twenty-five-year-olds if they were allowed to become immortal at an earlier age,' Helios Lloyd replied. 'Those illnesses are now keeping them away from their studies or work if a treatment is required. I hear what you say about TAMI, but it's only natural that The Institute should have the biggest say when it comes to potential revisions or amendments to The Act.'

'You are overestimating our powers, Mr. Lloyd,' the spokesman smiled. 'But that's beside the point. We hear the Confederation's arguments, however, we still don't feel they are valid enough to even consider a revision of TAMI. Let me remind you that 90 years ago, before the Cure was invented, the diseases Miss Robertson mentioned were fatal in most cases, or required very serious treatments that took months or even years. Thanks to the invention of the Cure and its derivatives, it's now the case of a few hours or days. I am sure that the study or work time loss incurred by those – trivial today – infections, can easily be made up for in the hundreds of years that young people can look forward to living nowadays.'

'Thank you very much for your comments on that, Mr. Walker,' Lloyd concluded. 'Would you mind me asking one more question regarding the rumored plans of upgrading the security system in The Institute?'

This was another standard question that Mr. Walker was asked at every possible occasion. Safety of the formula, production plants and stocks of The Cure were the top priority of not only The Immortality Institute, but also the governments of all the countries in the world in which the medicament was available and was always in the public's center of attention, especially since the infamous attempted break-in at the Institute five years ago.

'I'm afraid I am not at liberty to confirm or deny this information, Mr. Lloyd,' replied Mr. Walker. 'Let me reassure you, though, that The Cure's formula, production process and stocks are perfectly well protected.'

_No dramas there, then_ , Amaranthine thought, sipping her coffee. _Same old. As usual, the youngsters are trying any arguments they can think of to change TAMI, but they are kidding themselves, because let's face it, who's going to support their cause? The people who had to wait themselves till they were twenty-five to become immortal and will always look twenty-five? These kids will understand this_ _as soon as they reach TAMI age. You will not hear a word from them then._

'So, it seems that yet another demonstration by The Confederation members will not bring their desired results,' concluded the presenter. 'And now the latest news in the Athos Morrison scandal.'

Amaranthine frowned.

'After it's been revealed in September this year that the famous Hollywood movie producer has been leading a double life, enjoying both immortality and having children with a mortal partner living on the outskirts of LA, his trial is about to reach its conclusion in the California High Court in a couple of weeks' time. According to our source close to the case, the defense line chosen by Mr. Morrison's advocates is that the accused has had the intention of giving up his immortality since the birth of his first child, in accordance with TAMI. His failure to do so up to this moment was apparently due to distress caused by sudden fear of old age and death,' the presenter could not help a note of gibe at that. 'This argument is not expected to be strong enough to convince the judges. If convicted, Mr. Morrison faces up to 10 years in prison, on top of, obviously, an irrevocable ban of using the Cure and a fine of up to $5m.'

_Plus a complete and utter exclusion from the world of the Immortals_ , Amaranthine added in her mind. _No more doing business with them, socializing with them, or being a part of their world in any shape or form._ And since the Immortals were 85% of the world's population, it meant a dull existence on the outskirts of real life.

If there was one thing that the Immortals did not forgive, it was duovitaery. It meant leading 'double life' – taking the Cure whilst having children – and was considered the worst crime an Immortal could commit. First, because it meant the violation of TAMI, the law act that ensured a balanced human population on Earth since its signing in 2026. More importantly, though, it meant the betrayal of the values that to the Immortals were hard and fast: continuing the human race through re-births after immortality was made possible, was not only wasteful and shortsighted, but downright stupid. It slowed down the advancement of technology that would allow people to find other planets fit for human habitation and thus the day when everyone could have both: immortality and offspring. Therefore the severe punishments – not severe enough in Amaranthine's view – were essential.

'This is the fifth high-profile duovitaery scandal this year,' the report went on. 'And it has once again flared up the discussion whether hormonal contraceptives should be compulsorily administered to all Immortals. The supporters of this solution argue that it would solve the problem once and for all and that it is easily enough done, considering all Immortals have to visit an immortality clinic every year to have the Cure administered. It would also save law enforcement a lot of money that is now being spent on investigating a rising number of duovitaery cases and prosecuting the offenders. The opponents, on the other hand, point out that forcing everyone to take hormonal contraceptives would be a violation of human rights, as well as being highly complicated or even impossible to carry out, considering the many types of contraceptives that are in use today. However, the newest annual report of The World Population Control Commission, published just last week, may tip the scales in favor of the supporters of compulsory contraceptives. It shows once again an alarming growth in human population within the last year – two hundred and fifty thousand over the critical figure of fifteen billion humans that our planet is capable of sustaining. In fact, it's been noted that the severity of punishments in duovitaery cases has already risen ever since the report was published. Worldwide, imprisonment sentences given in the last week were statistically 6 months longer, and the financial fines 30% higher compared with the pre-report data.'

_So they are finally doing something about it_ , Amaranthine thought. _Though still not enough._ The duovitaerers' selfishness, irresponsibility and cowardice, their utter stupidity and weakness, have always made her angry. Unfortunately, the next piece of news was not to cheer her up.

'Mrs. President Rodriguez's administration refused to comment on the rumored changes in the federal budget proposal for the fiscal year 2106/2107,' it started. 'A heated debate once again erupted in the Congress between The Immortal Republican Party, The Immortal Democratic Party and The Mortal United Party representatives after several globenet networks speculated on a possible shift of funds from the Universe Exploration Program to Primary Education and Environmental funds. New York State representative, Hermes Campbell, from TIDP called the potential changes "unacceptable". He said: "As it stands, the Immortal community is bringing the United States budget nearly 100% of its revenue, effectively financing the vast majority of vital government projects. The Mortals still enjoy numerous, obsolete family benefits and tax allowances, and on top of that, claim controversially high pensions. I strongly believe the list of Mortals' privileges in our society is long enough already and further cuts of funds for projects as crucial to our future as the Universe Exploration Project, ranked as a priority by the whole Immortal community, would be grossly unfair, wasteful and irresponsible." The Mortal representatives criticized Mr. Campbell's statement, calling it "biased" and once again pointing out the personal, financial, emotional and psychological sacrifices that the Mortal community endures, whilst bringing new members into the society. These new members, they added, if provided with high-quality education, will greatly contribute to the future of the society and therefore deserve this crucial investment.'

How typical of the Mortals, Amaranthine thought. All we hear from them is how their children will contribute to the society in the future. It's easy to shift the responsibility to someone else, rather than taking on the challenge of making a contribution themselves, here and now.

'We will no doubt hear more arguments from both sides in this on-going debate, and as the deadline for the budget proposal in two months' time approaches, Mrs. President will have to clarify her stance on this sensitive issue.'

'Next on The Immortal News _,_ the latest update on the introduction of the sixth hoverway in New York City. In the statement released today, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation announced that the testing of the sixth level has been successfully completed and the software will be available for downloading from the MOT globesite as of January 1st, 2106. So in less than six days, it will be fully accessible.'

_Finally something constructive,_ Amari thought.

'Tonight's the night of the long anticipated launch of _The Universe_ nightclub, which is rumored to be the most spectacular venue in history,' the channel reported next. Amari's heart jumped. 'However, the only concrete detail we know about it is that it's the first hovering nightclub in the world. The venue has been concealed with an invisibility field since day one and all the contractors, engineers and PR specialists working with its creator, Mr. Paramonos of Paramonos Enterprises, are sworn to secrecy. All details regarding this mysterious place, from its architectural design, to décor and entertainment on offer, are being kept top secret and since its creators have managed not to have any leaks up till now, we will all just have to wait and see what they present to us tonight.'

Amari felt her stomach sink a little. _Talk about pressure._

'And finally, summary of news from the New York City Mortals' community. Today, on December 25th, many Mortals are celebrating the ancient tradition of Christmas. As some of you may remember – '

Eiko, detecting her hostess's rising blood pressure and picking up a strong, abrupt mental signal, stopped the broadcast even before irritated Amaranthine managed to swallow a sip of her coffee, put the cup down and jump up.

'Eiko!' she was livid. 'Didn't I request you not to show me anything about the Mortals? It's enough that I have to hear about them in the general news!'

'I'm afraid this function is still on.'

'Switch it off, then!'

'I'm afraid this kind of setting cannot be self-adjusted. Would you like me to connect you with my provider to address the problem?'

'Do it.'

Eiko connected the call in less than three seconds.

'Thank you for calling Mind-Ex,' the operator's voice came. 'How may I help you today, Miss Quinn?'

'Look, I've been your customer for seven years and I updated Eiko quite a few times now, as I'm sure your records show. Every time a new version was installed I confirmed the settings and they've always been the same: I do _not_ wish to receive any information about the Mortals beyond what's in the general news. So maybe you can tell me who didn't do their job _this_ time, and why she decided to update me on something so... so _mortal_ as _Christmas_?

'I do apologize for the distress it has caused you, ma'am. It always takes Eiko a certain amount of hours of interaction with the host to tell the conscious from the subconscious wishes, so... '

'What exactly are you suggesting?' she hissed.

'Forgive me, ma'am. Let me just adjust it manually. What is your machine's serial number, please?'

'EIKO 05/0000017.'

'For the authorization of the new setting, please say the following sentence: 'Please switch off the Mortal News Service; authorized by Amaranthine Quinn.'

Amaranthine repeated the order, feeling some of her anger vent away with it.

'Thank you. Just a moment... that should be ok now. Is there anything else I can help you with today?'

'No, thank you. Are you sure this is going to be fixed now?'

'Quite certain, ma'am.'

'It'd better be.'

**CHAPTER THREE**

Phoenix was in a joyous mood as his new Kestrel22 approached Amaranthine's apartment. He admired the clean line of the front of the vehicle and enjoyed the powerful humming of its two engines that carried him through the air with the speed that made all the buildings and hovermobiles he passed blur into colorful smudges of light.

Despite spending the last few weeks in Sydney on a difficult case of duovitaery and only getting back seven hours ago, he felt refreshed and full of energy. The 2-hour flight to NYC onboard Boeing's newest baby, the Peregrine, included the time zone adjustment treatment, composed of several doses of Cure-melatonin mixture, a full body massage and a session with a relaxation program. By the time he alighted in New York, having gained fifteen hours of time, he was ready to start his Saturday the second time round, feeling like he's just woken up from a full night's sleep.

He was excited about tonight, he anticipated a first-class show. He's seen some venues and events that Amaranthine put together in the past, including the opening of _The Olympus_ in year 2100 and he knew she would show something new this time; each of her events was tailor-made for the venue and one of the golden rules of her PR agency was to never show something twice. Whatever she had up her sleeve this time, it would be state of the art, he was sure of that. And the whole crème de la crème of Immortal New York would be there.

His hovermobile slowed down as he approached Amaranthine's apartment block, aiming for the penthouse. The flashing on the front panel confirmed connection between his on-board computer and Amari's Eiko. The vehicle hovered outside her windows for a few seconds as Amari's machine configured it for parking. Then his hatch opened simultaneously with her portal, and he was free to enter her living room. As he did, his hovercar descended to the bottom of the building to get itself parked in one of the guest charging stations downstairs.

'Welcome to Amaranthine's apartment, Phoenix,' he heard as soon as the portal sealed itself behind him.

'Hey, Eiko, heard you've been upgraded,' he answered, 'I like your voicefont.'

'I'm glad to hear that. Would you like to have a drink whilst Amaranthine gets ready?'

'Sure.'

'I sense you wouldn't mind something stronger. Am I correct?'

'Spot on, as a matter of fact.'

'It's ready.'

Phoenix approached the bar and picked up the sturdy, thick-bottomed glass, filled in one third with golden liquid.

'Wow, that was quick,' he sniffed the alcohol. 'Good, old Scotch. Just what I need.'

'Would you like to watch some news?' asked Eiko, as he made himself comfortable on the sofa.

'Sure, why not. Put sport on, Eiko.'

The projection of the big screen appeared in front of him. It showed a track-and-field stadium.

'Romario Bolt, who improved his own world record in men's 100m run last year at North Korea's Summer Olympic Games, did so yet again at the Athletic World Championships in Somalia this morning. The Jamaican's new record is 8.67.24 seconds.'

'Good evening, Phoenix.' Amaranthine stood behind him, smiling. He turned and felt an instant thrill of desire.

She was wearing a long, silky, figure-embracing gown. As always, its color corresponded with her pendant in the shape of Ankh cross, jeweled with a big ruby in its loop, and earrings with matching, tear-shaped rubies. This necklace, as well as her distinctive style, always made Amaranthine stand out amongst the immortal elite of New York. She never followed any of the current fashion trends. Her long, brown hair was up, arranged in an elaborate style, her face surrounded with soft, wavy strands.

Her eyes and lips shined like the jewel adorning her cleavage. He eyed her up, savoring her look. She always stirred all his senses.

'Well, good evening, Amari,' he approached her with a smile. 'You look like fifty million dollars. At least.'

Holding his glass in one hand, he slid the other around her waist, enjoying the smooth feel of the material and the shape and warmth of her body underneath it. He pulled her towards him, and his nostrils caught the gentle breeze of her perfume.

As their lips joined in an ardent kiss, the noise of the next sport report faded, replaced by soft, romantic music. They looked up, acknowledging the change of atmosphere.

'Your new Eiko is pretty damn good, isn't she?' Phoenix laughed, suggestively kissing her neck. 'If only we had the time now...' his free hand traveled lower, following the curve of her hip.

'Yeah, she's great,' Amaranthine admitted, reluctantly freeing herself from his embrace, before it was too late. There really wasn't time now. 'Now that she's properly programmed, anyway,' she sneered. 'This morning she decided to update me on all the Mortal news, including a _Christmas_ celebration. I can't believe they still believe in all that rubbish.' As usual, when she spoke about the Mortals, there was a hostile note in her voice.

'Oh, that. Still desperately trying to convince themselves that they are not really mortal even though they go all wrinkly, die and rot in the ground. They believe in some guy who's gonna come to Earth and 'resurrect' them all. Total nonsense, why not just take the bloody Cure and stay alive all along. Anyway, you don't want to go bothering yourself about that crap, Amari.'

'I don't. I don't want to hear anything about them, that's why I re-programmed Eiko not to mention them. She should be all right now. Did she look after you well?'

Phoenix gulped the remains of his drink and his gaze travelled towards the bar.

'She did, thanks,' he said. 'She read me perfectly and that's only the first time she met me since the upgrade. No wonder she's on top of the mind-reading computer charts. I think I'll get her myself. Do you mind if I have another one of those?' he lifted his empty glass.

'Not at all, go ahead.'

'You not having one?' he asked, as he picked up another Scotch, already waiting for him.

'Not now, thanks,' she said. 'I need a clear head in case something goes wrong. Once the official part is over, I will be able to relax. When did you get back?'

'Just this morning.'

'How is your case going?' She sat carefully, keeping her gown free of creases. 'Another duovitaery, huh? Your chap will no doubt get away with the Cure ban and a small fine,' she said, as usual trying to suppress the feeling of dissonance between being supportive of Phoenix's career and her own repulsion at the fact that some duovitaerers could get away with it just because they could afford to hire him.

'That is what they pay me for,' he said, not without pride. 'They'll do anything not to spend their remaining few years in jail. Oh, you have no idea how pathetic they can be! The one I'm representing now even claims it was worth it! Seriously, losing a few million dollars, immortality and your whole career for the sake of having a little, annoying and unpredictable puppet that will turn its back on you and become immortal itself as soon as it turns 25! Do you know that 99% of the kids born these days become immortal themselves and leave, making nothing of their parents' sacrifice and desire to 'keep passing on the genes' and all that bullshit?'

'It's hardly surprising,' she snorted. 'So in return for career, money, immortality, and 25 years of expenses and tussle, you get a wrinkly body, pain and death.'

'In a nutshell,' he said, finishing up his drink. 'Great deal, eh? And then half of them wake up at fifty-five when 'middle age' hits them and suddenly want to change their mind and become immortal after all. I will never understand them. Tell you what, I wouldn't have kids even if another planet was discovered and we could have them while remaining immortal. They are such a waste of space.'

'Neither would I,' she put on her high-heeled sandals. 'By the way, what do you reckon about the Athos Morrison case? Does he have any chance of avoiding prison?'

'That movie producer? No way. Claiming sudden fear of old age and death when he's been with that mortal woman for 10 years and the kids are 2 and 4 years old? No-one's gonna buy that bullshit about his intention to come out voluntarily. That's a classic example of a fully intentional duovitaery.'

'Maybe if you were his advocate, he'd have a chance. Didn't he ask you to defend him?'

'He did, I didn't take it. The guy is a loser, he would have just spoilt my record. You know I don't take cases with kids older than 2. It's my golden rule.'

'Are you ready to go?' she asked, reaching for her coat and shawl.

'Yep,' he said. 'Let's go and see what magnificent show you've put together this time.'

'Both your hovermobiles are on the way,' Eiko announced. 'Have a nice evening. Good luck, Amaranthine.'

'Thanks, Eiko.'

They approached the window and the portal opened silently, reaching out to Phoenix's Kestrel.

'See you there in a few minutes,' he said.

'See you,' she waved and stepped onto the platform as her own hovermobile took the space. She got in, still cautious not to wrinkle her gown.

' _The Solar System'_ _would be a more accurate name than_ ' _The_ _Universe'_ , Phoenix thought as he got the first glimpse of the famous new venue emerging from the darkness ahead of him. The centrally positioned Sun was of course the biggest. The eight planets surrounding the Sun were evenly distributed in the space around, hanging motionlessly in the air. He slowed down do get a better look.

The surface of Mercury was dark and gray. Venus, located on the other side of the Sun, had a light, yellowish appearance, some mountains and volcanoes visible on its surface. Behind it hung Mars, with a canyon cutting through its reddish cover. Far to the left, in the background, Jupiter, with its shades of white, orange, brown and red, surrounded by numerous moons, and to the right, the light brown sphere of Saturn, with its impressive rings stretching far down to the left. The ideally round bodies of Uranus and Neptune, one light, the other dark blue, hovered further out still, glowing faintly. As his hovermobile got closer, the planets grew bigger and he could see more details on those he passed: narrow ridges and craters that marked the surface of Mercury, and the big dark spots on the golden cover of the Sun. As he encircled the Sun, Earth emerged on the other side, with all the continents and islands depicted in outstanding detail and engulfed by ultramarine seas and oceans.

Phoenix was impressed. Over the last few months he heard constant rumors about this place, especially in the last few weeks, when Amaranthine's agency started seriously marketing it, leading up to the opening night. Few conversations did not include enthusiastic gossip about the amazing new features of 'the first hovering nightclub in the world.' Those who knew about his relationship with Amari, but didn't know her, also asked him about the details. Those who did know her, though, didn't bother; her discretion was iconic.

So he had no idea if the place was really going to be as incredible as the rumor made it. And the rumor spoke of splendor so amazing that it would intimidate even the richest of the world's Immortals.

He alighted at the impressive main entrance of the Sun, and joined Amaranthine, who arrived just seconds before him. His hovermobile followed hers down to the charging stations.

They headed inside along a wide and high tunnel, which led them into the massive chamber of the main hall. Phoenix looked up and got completely dazzled.

It took about ten seconds for his eyes to adjust the orange gold that covered the walls, the floor, the bar – everything in sight. Then he started seeing details of the décor, particularly the unusual bar which seemed composed entirely of multiple golden rays that constantly changed shape. Looking at the way the rays stretched out and elongated, only to shrink and withdraw a moment later, he couldn't tell if they were just extremely well-crafted light simulations, or if they were actually made of plastglass. Directly above the bar hung a small podium.

He looked around the curved walls of the venue. At various heights there were small platforms with narrow staircases leading up to them, containing no more than a small table and a couple of stools. The impression was unparalleled with anything he'd ever seen before.

By his side, Amaranthine scanned the area, but her keen eye did not detect any imperfections. Bathed in the light beaming from every surface, she looked gilded.

'How do you like it so far?' she asked with a smile.

'Pretty impressive, I must say,' he nodded. 'What are the planets like?'

'Don't you want it to be a surprise? You'll see them all soon enough.'

'No, I'm too impatient. I want to know now. Tell me.'

'Well,' she gave in, 'the Sun is the main venue. Classic bar really, with a dance floor. Venus is a restaurant and a cocktail bar, very romantic. Neptune is an ice bar, and Jupiter a hotel with a casino. The best suites are on its moons. Saturn is all about clubbing and the Earth all about water.'

'Cool. And the main show, where is it gonna be?'

'It's going to start here, but then there'll be attractions all over.'

They approached a couple of people standing on the other side of the huge bar and engaged in a conversation. Phoenix recognized Perenelle Stevens, Amaranthine's PA. The man who stood next to her was dressed in a dark tuxedo and his strapping posture was unmistakable with any other. Phoenix didn't know this man personally, but he saw his face in so many news reports recently, he had no doubt who he was.

Perenelle greeted them first. She was wearing a short, yellow dress adorned with a glittery frill, according to the latest fashion. She was wearing a big, golden trefoil knot pendant and matching earrings.

'Hi Amari, you look great,' she said, then turned to Phoenix and shook his hand. 'Hi, Phoenix.'

'Hi Penny, thanks for being here so early,' Amaranthine said as Phoenix returned the smile. 'Good evening, Mr. Paramonos,' she said to the man in the tuxedo. _So I was right,_ Phoenix thought. _This is the guy who owns this place, the famous Mr. Paramonos, the biggest mogul of Immortal Era entertainment._ One glance at his face told Phoenix that he was a few decades over a hundred years old, as the wrinkles etched around his eyes and on his forehead indicated he must have been around forty five at the time when the Cure became available in 2016.

'Good evening, Amaranthine,' Mr. Paramonos replied, his voice a tad imperious. 'Perenelle tells me everything is ready for tonight's opening. If it works out the way she has described it, I will be very impressed.'

'That was our intention, sir,' she said with a charming smile. 'Let me introduce Phoenix Cox. Phoenix, this is Mr. Paramonos, the owner of _The Universe_.'

'Great pleasure to meet you, sir,' he shook the businessman's massive hand. 'Your club is amazing. New York hasn't seen anything like it ever before.'

'Thanks. Are you in the PR business like Amaranthine?'

'No, sir, I'm a lawyer. I specialize in duovitaery.'

'I think I've heard of you before,' Mr. Paramonos pulled his eyebrows together and pierced him with his penetrating eyes, remembering. 'Didn't you defend Balius Jackson last year?'

'Guilty as charged,' Phoenix confirmed.

'Great work, that was. He got away with no prison sentence and some silly fine, didn't he?'

'$270,000, sir,' said Phoenix, not without pride.

'Ha!' the businessman exclaimed. 'You are clearly damn good at what you do. Not that I approve of duovitaerers getting away with it, but I admire a good lawyer's work. So what do you reckon about the Athos Morrison case? Are you not defending him?'

'No, I'm not,' he shook his head. 'His case is hopeless, with the older child being four years old already. No-one's gonna buy his bullshit story.'

'Just as well. Maybe others will think twice before deciding to overpopulate this planet any more,' he said. 'Maybe they should just add contraceptives to the Cure like they've been saying for years now. That would solve the problem once and for all.'

'That's never going to happen, I'm afraid,' replied Phoenix. 'It would be too complicated and expensive to manufacture combinations of the Cure with various hormones. And they can't force everyone to take the same one, it would be a violation of human rights. Not to mention, it wouldn't be any good for me, would it?' he smiled.

'No, it wouldn't. You'd need to find yourself a new specialty if duovitaery was made impossible.'

'Exactly.'

Two men joined the group. Phoenix knew them both – Amaranthine's boss, Nectar Foster, and her colleague Ambrose. None managed to conceal a brief ogle at Amari's cleavage and down along the line of her waist and hips.

'You look stunning, Amari,' said Nectar. 'Hi, Phoenix. How are you both?'

'Great, thanks,' they replied, then greeted Ambrose.

'Everything ready here, Ambie?' Amaranthine asked.

'As ready as we'll ever be,' he said. 'I just need to run some final details past you and Mr. Paramonos, if you don't mind.'

'Of course,' she said. 'Would you excuse us, please.'

As they walked away to the other side of the bar, Phoenix saw Ambrose raising his hands and pointing towards the platform above the bar.

'So that is the famous Mr. Paramonos,' Phoenix said. 'I've heard a thing or two about him.'

'Yes, he's quite a guy,' Nectar said, looking in his client's direction. 'He was one of the first people to ever start taking the Cure. The rumor has it he co-financed the research on it, he's had an immortality obsession since his childhood. Hates Mortals with a passion.'

'I'm very surprised he spoke to you so kindly about your work,' Perenelle said.

'What do you mean?'

'He's the most avowed anti-Mortal you will ever come across,' she explained in a whisper. 'He was quoted as saying that all Mortals should be confined to their quarters, and duovitaerers locked up for life. Off the record, of course.'

'On my cue, you'll take the lift up to the platform, sir,' Amaranthine explained, pointing at the podium. 'We'll then turn off the music and a single beam of light will focus on you. Your script will display automatically. Guests in all the planets will see and hear you just as clearly as the ones gathered here.'

Mr. Paramonos nodded approvingly. 'Do you want to have the final trial run now?'

'Yes, please. If you could just say a sentence or two to test the sound.'

As the businessman disappeared behind the bar, Amari and Ambrose took a few steps back to be able to see him.

_To the Planet Coordinators_ , Amari sent a mental signal through her idatron. _The final sound and projection test is about to commence._

Mr. Paramonos appeared on the podium and was immediately illuminated by the single beam of light. 'This is the final sound test,' he said slowly, and his voice came through loud and clear. 'Welcome to the Universe.'

_We hear you, sir, loud and clear. Thank you._ Amari messaged her client, and then addressed her coordinators. _Can everyone please confirm they saw and heard Mr. Paramonos. Mercury?_

There was no response.

Mercury? Did you hear that?

Another moment of silence. And then, a panicky voice echoed in Amari's head.

I'm sorry, ma'am, but we heard nothing... the projection was clear, we saw Mr. Paramonos, and we saw his lips move, but we didn't hear a sound...

What??? You have got to be kidding me!

I'm afraid it was the same here in Venus, ma'am.

And in Earth. Projection clear, but no sound.

No sound in Mars either.

No sound in Jupiter.

No sound in Saturn...

Amaranthine blanked out the remaining reports. She knew what they'd be.

'So, can we relax now?' Mr. Paramonos walked over to them. 'Is it all ready?'

'Yes,' Amaranthine summoned all her willpower to respond. 'You can relax now, sir.'

Horror in Ambrose's eyes was a reflection of her own.

'Ambie,' she uttered in a barely audible whisper, as soon as Mr. Paramonos was out of earshot, 'get the sound engineer here, immediately. We've no sound in any of the planets and less than two hours till show time!'

Phoenix looked around for the nearest waitress. He needed another drink. Amaranthine was still busy, although he expected the official part of the opening to start shortly. He'd been chatting to the lawyers and estate agents who handled the transaction for _The Universe's_ space. Sale of the air space above properties was _the_ hot new branch of real estate business and he found the chat with them very interesting; after all, one never knew when one might fancy a change of career. It was always a good idea to stay up to date with upcoming options. But the conversation grew more and more technical and the whisky was starting to take effect. He nodded, now only feigning interest, and kept scanning the crowd for a waitress. Finally, one passed within ordering range and he sent her a quick mental signal. She acknowledged the order with a seductive smile.

_Damn,_ Phoenix thought, as the robot swayed her hips towards the bar to fetch his drink. _If they make those Hebes any more attractive, people will soon start dating them. Hell, some probably already do._

Hebe, the best humanoid mind-reading model available on the market, was widely used in immortal clubs and bars. Programmed quite narrowly – mainly to pick up on what type of drink the person needed – they were perfect for simple mental orders within short range, but unlike the sophisticated personal machines of Eiko's caliber, didn't need to establish the baseline brain activity of the user, and could read almost anybody.

The Sun was full of trendy Immortals; the glittery frills of the women's dresses pervaded, their colors contrasting nicely with the men's black tuxedos. Phoenix spotted a few celebrities, politicians, and moguls of various industries. Almost everyone within sight, of course, looked twenty-five years old.

'What do you mean you DON'T KNOW what happened?' Amaranthine yelled at the sound engineer who shrunk under her gaze and looked like he was about to run away. 'It's your JOB to know what happened and how to fix it!'

'I'm so sorry, ma'am, I'm doing my best,' the man fiddled with his tools, picking up random ones and putting them down again with resignation. 'It's inexplicable, just doesn't make any sense... From what I see, it _should_ be working...'

'Well it _isn't_ ,' Amari hissed, 'or are you suggesting that every person in every planet of this venue has gone deaf?'

'No, ma'am, I'm not, I mean, I, em, I am trying to... but, well...'

'Stop stuttering!' Amaranthine yelled again, 'your stuttering doesn't help me! This MUST be fixed in the next thirty minutes or the whole launch will be a disaster! We'll be the laughing stock of the whole Immortal world!'

'I really am trying, ma'am...'

'Ok, this is pointless,' Amari swung on her heel and turned to Ambrose, 'we need to get someone else in, this guy clearly hasn't got a clue what he's doing.'

'Someone else? Now?' Ambrose was also losing it, 'whom? Who on Earth can come in now, with half an hour to spare, having never worked on this venue before, figure out the fault, get the right tools and fix it? Our best bet is to leave this guy in peace and let him work, he's our only chance!'

'He hasn't got a clue what he's doing! There must be someone else, and we must find them.'

'I think we should alert Nectar and Mr. Paramonos,' Ambrose said.

'No! We will figure it out. I'm not getting humiliated like this.'

'Amari, the humiliation will be bigger if...'

'Shut it, Ambrose, don't even think about it. We WILL find a way.'

'But how...'

'You!' Amari turned to the engineer again. The man jumped and shrunk even further. 'You must know other sound engineers, other companies who do this job. Your competitors. I don't care who it is, you will get them here to help you. Think quick.'

The man thought so intensively that the wrinkles on his forehead grew deeper from the effort. 'There is one guy I've heard of, he's meant to be good.'

'How good?'

'The best.'

'Get him here right now. Tell him money's no object.'

The next fifteen minutes were excruciating. 'If this guy really is the best,' Amari said, 'then I want to know why we didn't get him from the start. It's not like Mr. Paramonos not to get the best guys for the job.'

'They are here, ma'am,' the engineer announced. 'He brought his assistant.'

'Good. Let them get straight down to work. Let's not waste time on introductions and niceties. We have ten minutes.'

The server room door opened and two men in navy blue truck suits entered, both carrying heavy toolboxes. The engineer immediately started to explain the problem to them.

'Hey, Penny,' Phoenix caught a glimpse of Amaranthine's PA, rushing across the hall. 'Is everything ok? I thought the official part was supposed to start five minutes ago.'

'Everything's fine, Phoenix,' she said, but there was a sense of urgency in her voice and she didn't stop. 'Have a drink, it's all about to start.'

_Something's not right,_ Phoenix thought. _Amari's events always start bang on time._

He wasn't the only one growing impatient. He noticed others stirring in their circles, done with small talk, glancing around in anticipation.

'The floor is getting impatient,' Penny whispered to Amaranthine. 'We are running ten minutes late.'

'I know,' Amari bit her lip, 'but at least these two seem to know what they're doing.'

The taller of the new engineers suddenly moved away from the wires and tools and glanced around. 'Who is in charge here?' he asked. 'I need a quick word.'

Amaranthine stepped forward and looked into the man's eyes. They were so intensely blue that she had to notice them despite the stress of her reputation hanging by a single thread. 'What is it?' she said.

'Miss Quinn, am I correct? I've heard a lot about you.'

'Forgive my rudeness, sir, but we really have no time for introductions right now. Can you fix this sound system?'

'Yes. We've identified the fault and can fix it instantaneously.'

'Is there anything that's stopping you?' Amari was conscious that all eyes in the room were on them right now.

'Nothing at all,' the blue-eyed man smiled. _How dares he smile!_ 'I just wanted to gain assurance of my compensation.'

'Of course,' she said, 'that goes without question. Just name the amount and it will be transferred to your account immediately.'

'I don't want any money.'

'I beg your pardon?'

'I want an endorsement. I want to be able to use _The Universe's_ name as my client.'

'Sir,' Amari was astounded. 'This sort of agreement requires drafting and signing of legal documentation...'

'...which I appreciate would take too much precious time. So, under the circumstances, I'm happy to take your word for it.'

Amaranthine realized that her mouth was open.

'Miss Quinn? I'm happy to take your word as a guarantee of a decent deal.'

'Of... course,' she managed to utter. 'You have my word.'

'Wonderful,' he smiled again, and again his blue eyes drew her attention like a magnet. She shook his stretched hand.

'Right, Frankie,' the man leaped back to the wires and his assistant. 'Let's change that fuse now.'

At last the lights and music subdued, announcing that the show was about to start. A few thousand pairs of eyes followed Mr. Paramonos who stepped onto the platform above the bar. Everyone froze in anticipation of what was coming next.

'Welcome to _The_ _Universe_ ,' he resounded in utter silence, which immediately turned into rumbling ovation.

'You all know,' he resumed, and Phoenix felt as if his voice was coming from inside his own head, 'that _The Universe_ is the first hovering nightclub in the world, and the biggest and most diverse venue you'll ever see. There are attractions in each of the planets that will relax you in different ways and entertain you beyond your wildest expectations. You will not be able to decide which planet is your favorite and if you do, we will deliver something even better to awe you. You will never want to party anywhere else.' Another ovation burst out.

'Yes, you all know _The Universe_ is the first hovering nightclub in the world. We used the hovering engines to take you up to space where your due place is, as the elite of this world. We haven't told you everything, though. And we will _not_ tell you.'

He made an efficacious pause.

'We will show you.'

The spotlight faded and so the Sun became almost completely dark.

For five full seconds nothing happened.

Then the walls of the whole venue turned transparent.

The impression was astounding. Phoenix looked around, under his feet, and at the faces of the people around him. Some tottered involuntarily, some even grabbed their companion's arms in search of balance.

They were all suspended in space.

All the other planets were now clearly visible, massive spheres of different colors, some close up to them, some in the distance, partially hidden.

'I give you Mercury!' Mr. Paramonos thundered, this time accompanied by powerful sound of orchestra. It was so unexpected that Phoenix twitched. Mercury, the nearest planet, with its gray, ridgy surface looked a little dull, after Phoenix's eyes adjusted to the blinding gold of the Sun. But this now changed. As if equipped with a huge electric bulb inside, Mercury blinked and became lightly illuminated. It made it look like a ball of quicksilver.

'I give you Venus!' announced the ubiquitous voice, and the orchestra celebrated the introduction of the yellow planet with a short, powerful prelude.

The surface of Venus now also illuminated, turning it into a ball of yellow lava. Mr. Paramonos allowed the spectators a few seconds to appreciate it, before he announced Earth.

By the time he reached Neptune, the view was truly spectacular, and the music has elevated the tension to the limits. The planets, each so unique in its colors and appearance, hung motionlessly around the central point of the Sun, in which the Immortals were already trying to decide which one to explore first. But as it turned out, this was by far not the end of the show.

'Some of you may wonder,' the owner's voice reached them again, 'why we named our club _The Universe_ and not _The Solar System_. And this is why.'

As if unfolded from a giant, invisible carpet, myriads of small silver specks filled in the space between the planets. The stars were the densest at the center of the belt, forming a clear path – the Milky Way. But they didn't stop appearing for the next twenty seconds or so and so marked the space far beyond the galaxy. The effect was breathtaking.

'You know by now that _The_ _Universe_ took hovering engine technology to the whole new level. What you don't know is how far that level is from what you have so far experienced. What we will show you now has been the most guarded secret of this venue since the idea of it was conceived. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you _The Universe_!'

At first Phoenix thought that the dazzling colors and the novel perspective from which he was watching it, played tricks on his mind. But from the glimpses on other guests' faces her realized he wasn't the only one who felt it.

The Sun was in motion.

The whole venue was slowly spinning.

As soon as he came to realize it, he looked outside and before his eyes he saw the most amazing view yet.

All of the planets started spinning, too. And in the next few seconds, orbiting. The movement, coupled with the music, seemed to be performing a dance for the dazzled audience.

They stood in awe for what felt like minutes, turning their heads in all directions, admiring, taking in the spectacle played out beyond the Sun's transparent walls.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' Mr. Paramonos concluded, 'Feel free to explore _your_ _Universe_.' At that dozens of shuttle hovercars, each with a long, silver trail like a comet, arrived at the entrance to each planet, inviting the crowd to do exactly that.

It was then that the ovation erupted in earnest.

Amaranthine felt all the tension of the last few months melt away as she listened to the euphoric applause and the raving comments of those standing nearby. After the sound system got fixed, it all went so perfectly that she'd forgotten all about that scare now. More importantly, the crowd didn't seem to remember the delay either. Watching the launch, she felt like in a stream of déjà vus; she had seen it so many times in her simulations before, she designed every second of it. But the actual thing, unfolding right in front of her eyes in its full splendor, was beyond what even she could imagine.

Mr. Paramonos got surrounded by a small crowd of executives, business partners and friends, all shaking his hand and congratulating him. She knew that her client had to do a lot of convincing at board meetings to get green light to create _The_ _Universe_ and many shareholders were against it till the bitter end. But high-risk, high-reward strategy was his only style and he pushed for it. He had every right to wallow in his triumph now.

She decided she'd catch up with him later – and now she'd allow herself a moment of relaxation. She scanned the crowd for Phoenix. She spotted him in the middle of the floor, people streaming both ways around him – those who spent the last hour in the Sun were off to see what other venues were all about, and to enjoy countless attractions. Those who were scattered between Mercury and Neptune were now arriving to see the central point of _The Universe._ The music was back on and so was the golden glare on the walls to greet them.

'That was pretty damn good,' Phoenix said as soon as she came over to him.

'Thanks.'

Radiant Perenelle, Ambrose and Nectar joined them, all with beaming smiles of success. Six months of hard work, but it was worth it.

The crowd, gathered in the middle of the dance floor, now started to move to the rhythm of the music, so they gravitated towards the bar area to get drinks. Amaranthine reached for her idatron to pay, but she was forestalled by Mr. Paramonos, who excused himself from the big circle of his tycoon friends and came up to them, placing an order with a passing Hebe.

'Well, congratulations to all of you, that was a piece of excellent work,' he said with a broad smile, 'I am truly impressed. May I propose a toast,' he raised a glass of champagne from the tray delivered by the hostess, 'to Amaranthine and her wonderful team.'

Amaranthine thanked him with a charming smile as everyone raised their glasses, forming a tight circle. The tiny bubbles danced in the golden liquid as they brought the glasses to their mouths.

'Do you mind if we join you for this toast?' they suddenly heard a voice behind them.

None of the glasses reached the mouth of its holder. All six arms froze in a striking realization of whom this voice belonged to.

All eyes turned towards the man who stood behind them.

His tawny face, covered with deeply etched wrinkles and accessorized with silver eyebrows and hair, was an icon. Right in front of them stood a living legend: a man so remarkable and powerful that it took everyone a few seconds to take in his presence and react accordingly. Amaranthine met him once before and she remembered this effect he had on people. She wasn't sure she'd be able to react differently, even if she saw him every day.

'It would be our privilege, sir,' Mr. Paramonos recovered first, simultaneously giving the waitress a telling look, and passing his glass to his left hand to free the right one for a handshake.

The Hebe reacted immediately and perfectly, delivering two additional glasses of champagne. She was the only one immune to the old man's spell.

In the few seconds that it took Hebe to deliver the drinks, others also managed to shrug off the initial awe and meet the new arrival. The man thanks to whom they all breathed and walked. Zeus Lomax, though nobody ever used his real name. He was known to every living human on Earth as 'Dr. Life.' He was, as usual, accompanied by his assistant, manager, spokesman, and lifelong friend Tsuneo Walker, the same man that Amaranthine saw speaking on _The Immortal News_ that morning.

'You must forgive us for not revealing ourselves earlier,' Dr. Life said with a smile, 'but we enjoyed the show too much.'

_What a diplomatic way of putting 'we didn't want to ruin your launch by drawing everyone's attention to ourselves,_ ' Amaranthine thought. Wherever and whenever Dr. Life and his companion turned up, they immediately stole the spotlight, be it the announcement of the presidential elections winner, or the update of SETI's newest signals of potential extraterrestrial forms of life. The thing that could excite the Immortals of the Earth more than the presence of the Cure inventor, would have to be no less than the discovery of another planet fit for human habitation.

'How did you put it, Mr. Paramonos? To Amaranthine and her wonderful team.' The eight glasses travelled up and met with gentle clinks. This time the exquisite liquor reached its destination, chilling the throats and flowing with warmth over the stomachs.

_I'm drinking the world's finest champagne in the company of the most important man on this planet, who came here on my invitation to see the result of my work,_ Amaranthine came to realize. _This is a dream_. She has never felt more accomplished in her entire life.

'What an honor to have you here tonight, sir,' Mr. Paramonos said. 'And you, Mr. Walker.'

'I couldn't miss the biggest event of the decade, or, for that matter, disappoint the beautiful Amaranthine,' Dr. Life smiled. 'She's been very persistent and I felt I could not possibly resist her invitation this time. Congratulations, Amaranthine, what a remarkable venue and a magnificent show. We may make people immortal, but what would they do with their long lives without you? You entertain them all.'

'Thank you very much, sir,' she replied simply. 'It's your and Mr. Walker's presence, though, that makes it extraordinary. I can't express how delighted I am to meet you once again. Let me introduce my boss, Nectar Foster, the Managing Director of Elixir Vitae Communications; Perenelle Stevens, my Personal Assistant, and Ambrose Morgan, my friend and co-worker. This is Phoenix Cox.'

Everyone shook both men's hands, fully aware of the one-in-a-lifetime privilege.

'Pleasure to meet you all,' Dr. Life said.

Sensing the perfect moment, Mr. Paramonos stepped in.

'May I invite you all to dinner at Venus. This night calls for a celebration. Doctor, Mr. Walker – please join us.'

'With pleasure, Mr. Paramonos.'

As they made their way towards the exit, the crowd split in front of them like a theatre curtain, stirred and excited.

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Amaranthine floated, suspended in the middle of deep, dark blue ocean. Her long hair swayed gently, guided by subtle waves. In front of her eyes stretched an endless, colorful coral reef, a home to countless schools of baby fish and sea dragons. The water was warm and the slight current carried her along the reef, as if a roll of film was being unfolded right in front of her face.

'Did you enjoy that?' Eiko sang when the program was over.

'That was marvelous,' Amaranthine purred, stretched on her sofa. She has been in the state of bliss since Saturday night, four days ago.

_What a night it was,_ she recalled for the hundredth time. The launch was a huge success, the opening show and the décor of each planet, which took her six months to design and bring to life, earned enthusiastic reviews. And then, of course, the appearance of Dr. Life and Mr. Walker was the best pinnacle of her triumph. She never admitted, even to herself, that she'd secretly been hoping he would accept her invitation this time.

She had a chance to speak to him at dinner and he made an even bigger impression on her at closer acquaintance. He had the charm and wit that kept his audience captivated but completely relaxed, and he did all that so effortlessly you'd swear he enjoyed himself more than anyone else.

She wondered, listening to him and watching him, exactly what and how he said to the leaders of the world when he gave them his famous ultimatums nine decades ago. In return for the Cure, he demanded complete denuclearization, cessation of all military conflicts, introduction of democratic standards in those countries that didn't have them, respect for human rights and protection of the environment. But he spoke not only to the leaders then – they were merely given a head start of a few days before he addressed whole nations, because his ultimate goal was that the Cure be available to every single individual on the planet. It was to be cheap, even free to those who couldn't afford it. The invention was kept in absolute secrecy until he and his colleagues were ready to bring it to the world on their own terms. No one knew exactly who had access to the formula of the Cure, how it was made and what was required for its production. In 2016 the world was given a simple choice – meet Dr. Life's requirements fast or give up your dream of immortality.

Not everybody believed he'd actually follow through with all the rules he established. Surely, it couldn't be that suddenly the most powerful people on Earth, like the president of the United States, would be equal to the poorest tribesmen of the Third World. Many tried their influence or plotting. They bitterly regretted it later.

For Dr. Life, power, money or titles were meaningless. He executed his plan with uncompromising consequence, giving no one preferential treatment.

Within a few weeks, the world realized that he not only meant every word he said, but that he was also meticulously prepared to execute his plan in the finest detail. First Immortality Clinics were up and running within days in those countries that met the criteria. Detailed reports and interviews with the first lucky Immortals were broadcast non-stop on all channels – with foreseeable effects.

A series of profound events, referred to as The Immortal Revolution, followed.

With massive pressure from their nations, the leaders had to act fast. Suddenly, it turned out that reasonable political decisions could be made. Thousand-year-long land disputes could be solved in creative ways. Nuclear weapons could be destroyed. Women could be allowed the same rights as men. Communist regimes could be turned into model democracies within a few years. Finally, every homo sapiens on Earth had a common goal, something that united them beyond any division that had ever existed. Everyone was in a hurry to meet Dr. Life's requirements. They all wanted to be immortal, of course, but not only that. They also wanted to become Immortals with the youngest possible looks – the Cure could completely halt the ageing process of the human body, but could not reverse it. You stayed as young or old as you were at your first injection. It was a race with every wrinkle and every gray hair.

Nevertheless, speculations that some individuals, personally selected by Dr. Life, were exempt from waiting till their countries complied with the demands, never ceased. Scientists who were conducting significant research that would benefit humanity, especially those mature in years. None of those speculations were ever confirmed by Dr. Life, but some examples were almost indisputable. The Japanese physics professor Yoshiaki Arata was 90 years old on the day the Cure was revealed, and he didn't look a day older today, even though Japan was not allowed to join the Cure Scheme till 2020 due to their fishing policies. Some even speculated that professor Arata was given the Cure years before its official announcement as Dr. Life felt his dedication to research on cold fusion granted him that privilege. But the world could hardly complain about that – if it were true – since Arata finally did manage to finalize his research at the age of 130, giving the world a clean, unlimited source of energy. Now every building had its own cold fusion reactor in the basement, not even mentioning the fact that it made the development of the hovering engine feasible.

And this man, who single-handedly, in the space of a few years, changed the face of humanity – biologically, politically, socially, culturally and economically – came to the opening of _The Universe_ and dined with them afterwards. Amaranthine was still not sure if this was not a dream or one of Eiko's programs from which she was about to wake up.

It didn't seem so, though. Neither dreams nor Eiko's programs lasted four days and she'd already checked twice that it was Wednesday, December 30th. The last three days at work were just one long stream of congratulations, rewards and celebration. When she turned up in the office on Monday morning, she was applauded like a hero and Nectar was so delighted with her that he gave her a 50% rise and paid for her and Phoenix to spend a weekend in the best spa on the Moon. As for Mr. Paramonos, he requested that from now on Amaranthine would personally and exclusively handle the PR of all his venues, current and future. 'He says he spent a lot of time working with you on _The Universe_ and likes your style of doing business,' Nectar had said.

She spent the last three days handing over whatever other projects she had in the pipeline to Khalida, Celestine and Heng, so she could have a clear account to focus on her key client's business from the New Year. The whole team's workload was shuffled around, as promotions followed _The Universe_ triumph and the successive exclusivity on the PR of Mr. Paramonos' empire. A few of the projects they had scheduled to start as of New Year were dropped altogether. Paramonos Enterprises was the real deal, the biggest account the company had ever landed and every PR agency's dream.

She glanced at the clock and decided it was time to start getting ready. Her and Phoenix were going out to celebrate – not only her success, but also the end of the case he was working on in Sydney. The verdict was being delivered today and he was sure of another brilliant victory.

_It's going to be a great night,_ she thought as her hairdressing machine lifted, revealing her hair arranged in thick, loose, wavy strands pinned up slightly from above her ears to the top of her head. _Just the two of us, great food and some drinks._

It's been months since they had any amount of time together. It wasn't necessary to be around each other too much, of course, no one would want that. They socialized a lot with people from her work and afterwards Phoenix usually came back to her place and they had sex. Then they'd have a drink or two together and he'd go back to his place and his life. In that respect, they were a typical Immortal couple – none would dream of restricting the other's freedom or interfere with their personal routines. She assumed Phoenix maintained romantic relationships with other women, but of course she wouldn't ask him about it. It was none of her business. She could do the same thing if she felt like it, but at the moment she was simply satisfied with this side of her life. She met a couple of men in the last months and had sex with them, but wasn't interested in maintaining relationships. She knew that even a few decades ago, people were by default monogamous like the Mortals still remained today. Their freedom was limited even in this most intimate area of life. How boring that must have been! Her and Phoenix's relationship was still fresh and unconstrained, despite two years of regular dating, something impossible to achieve if one tried to control and restrict the other person's freedom in any aspect of life, particularly sexual. Monogamy was a primitive, obsolete tool that was meant to provide females with support and males with the certainty that they were raising their own offspring. It had lost its viability when people no longer had to breed to keep the human race going.

Every time she realized these facts, she felt grateful that she was born in the Immortal Era and therefore had full control of her life, free not only of the burden of breeding, but also of the stigma of religion, or any other rules. The only rule that the Immortals observed was not to maintain more than one continuous relationship in one social circle, but that was just good manners.

Occasionally, though, like tonight, she felt the urge to spend an evening just with Phoenix, especially as tomorrow night they'd see everyone at _The Universe_ for New Year's Eve party. She had made a reservation for tonight in a place they were unlikely to bump into any friends or acquaintances. It was a small seafood restaurant with the best oysters in the city. She skipped lunch to save her appetite for the feast of her favorite food. Then they'd have some champagne and come back to her place. Perfect.

'Phoenix's hovermobile is approaching,' Eiko announced.

'Great,' Amari zipped up her high-heel boots. She did the final check in front of the mirror and smiled at herself. She decided to go for a more sexy look tonight, sporting a cerise mini-dress.

The portal was just sealing behind Phoenix as she stepped into the living room. She felt a thrill of excitement as she rushed to be in his arms.

'Good evening, Mr. Best Lawyer on planet Earth. Tell me, then, what is the new record for the lowest fine in a duovitaery case?' she tweeted, looking for the usual smile of triumph on his face. But what she found was something entirely opposite. She stepped back.

'What's wrong?' she asked, perplexed.

What happened next had her stunned for a few seconds, unable to respond.

'Use your brain, Amari, what do you think may be wrong?' he barked, passing her as if she was a piece of furniture, and heading straight for the bar. 'Is your stupid computer gonna make me a drink or what?' he kept on, as the hatch remained closed. Finally it opened, revealing a whisky.

'Why are you being like this?' Amari regained the ability to speak and react. She felt anger rise inside her. Her tone carried a demand for explanation.

'Three million dollars.' Phoenix turned to face her. 'Three fucking million, and a year behind bars. Do you even understand what this does to my record? And in the last days of fucking December!' he gulped his whisky and stared at the hatch with impatience.

Still shocked at his outburst, she now understood what brought it on. This sort of verdict, especially when he was expecting another one of his famous 6-digit fines, was a massive blow to his ambition.

'It's not that bad, Phoenix,' she tried to reason. 'I know how you feel, but that's still far below what they usually get.'

His reaction was completely opposite to what she was expecting. He looked at her as if she was his worst enemy. His fists clenched.

'I knew you wouldn't get it. I don't do 'not that bad,' Amari. I only do the best. My clients don't get fines over half a million. And they certainly do not go to jail,' as he spoke, he seemed to be getting even more furious, his face bright red now.

'Is this fucking machine going to give me another drink or what?'

'Not unless you calm down. You've done the best for like 95% of the cases you represented,' she didn't give up. 'No-one's going to hold an occasional slip against you, especially in the current climate! Haven't you heard about the backlash of severe convictions as a result of the Population Committee's annual report? It's bound to be down to that. Come on, a good meal and some champagne will do you good. I've booked us a table somewhere very special.'

'Are you nuts? Do you really think I'm in the mood for going out after what's just happened? Report or no report, these figures stick to my name like a fucking leech! Double Scotch, Eiko!'

'What about me, then, Phoenix, have you forgotten? This was supposed to be my night as much as yours. I'm sorry you didn't get the result you wished for but would you not like to celebrate _my_ success?'

'Don't be so bloody selfish, Amari,' he barked, as he turned his back on her to pick up the drink. The hatch remained shut.

' _I'm_ being selfish?' she exclaimed, outraged. 'This is the greatest success of my career and you won't go to dinner with me because you've had a minor slip at work?'

'As I said, I'm not in the mood,' was all she heard in response. 'I'd like a drink, if you don't mind.'

She'd had enough.

'Help yourself,' she said coldly, grabbing her handbag and approaching the portal. 'Eiko will look after you.'

'Where are you off to?' he demanded.

'Like I said, I have something important to celebrate. And I will do it with or without you. Goodbye.'

As her hovermobile's door closed, she saw him down his whisky.

She floated slowly towards the city, giving herself time to regain her composure. She couldn't believe what had just happened. She had never seen Phoenix behave like this. He was extremely ambitious, she knew that – it was one of the things that attracted her to him in the first place. He would often get annoyed at something not going according to his plans. But this time he took it way too far.

For a moment she considered going to dinner on her own, but she'd lost all her appetite, which again made her angry. _What on Earth has gotten into him?_

She decided she was going to enjoy tonight regardless. She had a good reason to celebrate and she wasn't going to let him spoil it for her. She mentally ordered her idatron to connect her with Ambrose. He picked up almost immediately.

'Hey Amari, what's up?' she heard his joyous voice. _Good,_ she thought, recognizing the familiar mix of music, conversations and laugher in the background. _He is out somewhere._

'Hey, Ambie, just wondered what you're up to tonight,' she said, trying to sound cool.

'I'm in _The Universe_ , actually, would you believe it. It's a friend's immortali day. You fancy joining us for a drink?

'Sure, that'd be great. I'll see you in ten minutes.'

'Excellent. We are in Neptune.'

_Great,_ she thought. She would have preferred to go somewhere else to celebrate, but she liked Ambrose a lot and this would be a chance to see _The Universe_ from the other side. Like on many other occasions where she designed and executed a launch of a great venue, she felt jealous of all the people who saw it for the first time on its opening night. It must have made a hell of an impression if you'd never laid your eyes on it before. _Working for the best PR company in the world has its downsides,_ she thought as she checked her hair and make-up in the mirror.

_The Universe_ looked gorgeous. Spinning and rotating around the Sun in the sea of little silver specks, the planets looked majestic, with their unique colors, sizes and features. She passed them all slowly, delighting in the view. She felt so proud. Then, a feeling of disappointment with Phoenix's attitude tonight overwhelmed her for a brief moment. _How could he be so selfish?_ But she quickly rejected these thoughts. She didn't need his praise to enjoy her achievements. Especially since dozens of people had congratulated her in the last four days.

'Eiko, has Phoenix left my apartment yet?' she asked.

'Yes, he has.'

_Fine,_ she thought, _let him go blow off his steam somewhere else, I have no intention of watching it._ She knew she wouldn't see him tonight, unless they bumped into each other accidentally.

As she stepped out of her hovermobile, she activated the body heat retaining feature on her idatron. The waves radiating from the device hidden in her handbag would keep her warm inside the ice capsule of Neptune.

Despite the blue haze filling the inside of the planet, she didn't have to look far to find Ambrose and his friends. They all stood by the blue ice bar, sipping blue cocktails from thin, fancy glasses. The glasses were also made of blue-colored ice, but so thin that their content was clearly visible. The place was busy.

'What a nice surprise, Amari,' smiled Ambrose, hugging her. 'Didn't expect to see you here tonight. You look stunning as always.'

'Thanks,' she replied with a smile and looked around at his companions. She didn't know any of them.

'Let me introduce you,' Ambrose offered. 'This is Javid, Olam and Heng. Everyone, this is my boss and friend Amaranthine, yes, _the_ Amaranthine Quinn who put together the spectacular launch of this very venue last week.'

They all shook her hand, clearly impressed.

'Is Phoenix joining us?' Ambrose asked, picking up another ice glass from the tray carried by a Hebe waitress wearing a white dress that looked like it was made of frost.

'No, he's had some trouble at work he needs to deal with,' she answered coolly, not looking him in the eye as she did so. Fortunately, she was in the middle of picking up her own drink and so it came out naturally, plus the rest of the crowd were also distracted getting their cocktails. Ambrose didn't drop the topic, though.

'Oh. But he's coming for the New Year's Eve party, I presume? It's going to be something! First New Year's celebration in _The Universe_. It'll be a full house!'

'Yes, I'm sure he'll be here,' she replied, but it took all the control that she could muster to look and sound naturally, all eyes now fixed on her again. 'Are you guys coming also?' she swiftly diverted the topic.

'Yes, we were lucky enough to get tickets,' smiled the guy in the middle, Olam. 'I must say you made it quite hard by doing such a great job on the launch!'

'I do apologize,' she joked. 'It won't happen again.'

'Whose immortali day is it tonight?' she asked when they stopped laughing.

'It's Javid's,' Ambrose pointed at the guy standing to her right.

'Cheers, then!' she raised her glass towards him. 'Congratulations, Javid!'

Everyone joined in the toast.

'Thanks, guys,' Javid said, instinctively touching the back of his neck, just above the top vertebra. She knew that the area where his annual dose of the Cure had been injected into his spinal cord would still be quite tender; the sensation would ease after a couple of days.

'Which reminds me, you got your shot just a few days ago, didn't you, Amari?' Ambrose said. 'My genius boss was too busy opening this place to celebrate her own immortali day!'

'Really?' the guys exclaimed in unison.

'Oh, it's history now,' she waved her hand. 'We'll celebrate next year. So what do you guys do?'

'We are all astronomers,' explained Heng, the tallest of the guys.

'You must be Ambie's friends from his previous career, then, is that right?' Amaranthine asked. Ambrose's background was one of the reasons he was selected to work with her on _The Universe_ launch.

'That's right,' Heng confirmed with a smile. 'Our friend Ambrose abandoned us and switched to PR,' he teased. 'Then again, you can't blame him, if he gets to work on such fantastic venues as this one, and – he suspended his voice and raised his glass towards her – to work with someone like you.'

Amaranthine just raised her glass and thanked him with a smile. It wasn't the first time that she noticed his discreet but telling gazes. _Hmm, the night is already getting interesting,_ she thought _. I'm glad I came out and not let Phoenix spoil it for me._

Another Hebe approached them, carrying a full tray. They exchanged their empty, partly molten glasses for fresh ones. Amaranthine already felt a little dizzy, and no wonder – she hadn't eaten since ten in the morning. _Bloody Phoenix,_ she thought, but with little emotion.

'How about you guys?' she inquired. 'Haven't you been tempted by a career change?'

'Not recently,' Heng was again the one to answer. 'I was a doctor before, that was my first career. Got really boring though, with more and more diseases successfully treated by the Cure's derivatives.'

'Exactly,' Javid said. 'And with the safety standards so high now, even a traffic accident casualty is a rarity. Unless you want to work in the Mortals' quarters, of course.'

They all laughed.

'Not much room for discovery either, with all the genetic and the majority of viral and bacterial diseases being sorted out by the Cure,' Heng continued. 'Being in medicine these days comes down to reading about its history, unless you're in neurology, of course, and I somehow never fancied that. Astronomy is the best field to be in nowadays, that's my opinion. At least one still has a chance for a serious breakthrough. Discovering another planet suited for human habitation, that would be something!'

'Do you think that will happen in foreseeable future?' Amaranthine asked, looking into his dark, shiny eyes.

'Well, let's put it this way,' he smiled again. 'Definitely in our lifetime!'

They all laughed again.

'Which, of course, is thanks to your good friend Dr. Life, Amari,' Ambrose said.

'That's a huge overstatement,' she replied. 'Going back to astronomy,' she added quickly, 'Why did you give it up, Ambie?'

'Oh, I just fancied some fun in the entertainment business. Twenty, maybe thirty years, and then I'll see. Maybe I'll go back into it. Or do something else.'

'Like what?' she asked, intrigued.

'I don't know, maybe something to do with environmental issues?' he said. 'There's still a lot to be done, especially within the Mortals' quarters. Did you know that there are still miles of tarmac-covered ground for their cars, because they can't afford hovercars? Not to mention, the air pollution still created by those cars running on fossil fuels.'

'How typical,' Olam said. 'But it's no wonder they can't afford anything, they waste most of their resources on transferring basic knowledge and skills from themselves to their offspring, who then in turn have to perform simple tasks all their lives to support their parents who are no longer capable of taking care of themselves... What a vicious circle.'

'In a nutshell,' Amari said, her face tensing visibly despite the alcohol's relaxing effect.

'I wouldn't care, except they do it all at our expense!' Javid exclaimed. 'It's us, Immortals, who pay taxes four times as high to not only solve the planet's ecological and political problems, but also fund their offspring's education! If that money was spent on space exploration, we could all be packing our bags now and moving to Earth II.'

'There hasn't been any news of that day getting closer lately,' Amari said.

'Well, who knows,' Heng said, 'maybe Shostak was right when he said we were doing something wrong.'

'What do you mean?' Amari asked.

'Have you heard of Seth Shostak? The 21st century director of SETI?'

'The name rings a bell,' she said.

'Well, back at the beginning of the 21st century, he said that if we didn't detect any signs of life from space by 2050, we were doing something fundamentally wrong. Now, that was fifty-five years ago and since then they've put radio telescopes and transmitters not only all over the Milky Way, but also on the edge of the Andromeda galaxy, and they still haven't found anything.'

'So what might we be doing wrong?'

'Well if you ask SETI, they'll tell you that a big breakthrough in science is needed to allow them to advance further. New, unknown laws of physics that need to be discovered that will allow them to create better equipment and understand the universe better. But we've heard those excuses for so long,' Heng downed the rest of his drink and summoned a Hebe to get another one, 'that some are starting to put it down to SETI's incompetence. The Space Exploration Project is costing us a fortune and we aren't getting any measurable results. Maybe the time has come for a change at the steering wheel.'

'Problem is,' Olam added, 'that nobody has come up with a better idea so far.'

'That's why,' Olam said 'if I were to change careers, I'd go into neurology. There's another field for big breakthroughs. The capacity of our brain is still much more than what we are using. If we used all our potential, we'd have found those other planets by now. And memory is another matter – I mean look at these robots that are serving us. They not only read us perfectly, but remember our preferences in detail. Humans should be able to retain that sort of information with just as much ease, and yet they can't.'

The guys got onto recent scientific studies in neurology and Amari listened attentively, impressed with their knowledge, particularly Heng's. She reflected that if it wasn't for the Cure, all of these intelligent people would long be dead now, and no human would be able to gain such level of expertise in more than one subject, not only because of the short life expectancy and degeneration of the brain caused by the ageing process, but also due to the burden of raising children. _If some of the Mortals who claim they contribute to the society by bringing to this planet new people, listened to these men, they would quickly change their mind,_ she thought. The world didn't need any more humans that would have to be taught everything from scratch, and by the time they would be mature enough to use their knowledge and make some use of it for mankind, it would be time for them to die. The world needed people like these guys here – free to explore science, to research, and to achieve measurable results.

The conversation was interrupted by another Hebe waitress approaching them with a tray of flute-shaped ice glasses filled with champagne.

'Complements of Mr. Paramonos,' explained the waitress with a nod towards the other side of the bar. They all looked that way and noticed Mr. Paramonos himself, raising his glass towards them. They did the same with appreciative nods.

'Wow, you guys really are in his good books,' Olam said, impressed. 'This is Bollinger, the best champagne in the world.'

'I should think so,' Heng gave Amari another one of his glances, this time even longer than before. 'You made him twice as rich as he was before _The Universe_ launched. I monitored the share prices of his companies and they all froze or dropped when the plans for this place were announced. Few investors were happy at the risk he took, many saw it as a wild-goose chase. But those who took the hazard, are now very rich people. The share prices skyrocketed after Saturday.'

Amari just smiled. She didn't have the full picture of _The Universe's_ financial success, but she could make an educated guess and her estimate was that the revenue it generated constituted more than 65% of all the venues belonging to Paramonos Enterprises and that was before the New Year's Eve party, which, judging by the exorbitant prices of entry tickets alone, was going to bring the equivalent of six months' profit of all the other clubs combined.

They saw the businessman excuse his companions and approach them.

'It's nice to see you again, Amaranthine,' he said, then nodded at Ambrose. 'How are you?'

'Great, thank you, Mr. Paramonos. And thank you for the champagne,' she replied.

'My pleasure,' he said.

'These are our friends, Javid, Olam and Heng,' Amari introduced the guys. 'We are celebrating Javid's immortali day,' she added as they all shook Mr. Paramonos' hand.

'Well congratulations, Javid. I hope you are having a good evening,' he said.

'Excellent, sir, I couldn't imagine a better venue for it,' Javid replied. 'Or any occasion, for that matter! We all look forward to tomorrow night, together with the whole of New York City.'

'Well, I hope you won't be disappointed,' he said, ready to take off.

There was a commotion at the entrance. They heard raised voices, but before anyone could react, the source of the tumult was brought towards the center of the club, dispelling the blue clouds of Neptune's mist. It was a group of four very tall and authoritative-looking men, surrounded by more than half a dozen of Universe's security guards who were trying to stop them. Mr. Paramonos stepped forward.

'Are you Mr. Paramonos, sir? The owner if this establishment?' one of the men demanded.

'I am,' admitted the businessman calmly. 'What is the matter?'

'Detective Roberts, NYPD. Would you please come with us, sir,' the man said firmly, flashing his badge.

'I am not aware of any reason why this would be necessary,' replied Mr. Paramonos with full composure. 'If there is trouble in any of my venues, I am sure it can be taken care of by my security staff. Let me take you to my office where we'll be able to resolve the matter in peace.'

'It has nothing to do with any of your venues, sir,' the man said. 'I must insist you follow us immediately.'

Mr. Paramonos looked him in the eye as he slowly uttered his response.

'I must insist you reveal the reason for your demand. Unless you have a warrant, of course.'

The policeman looked at him lengthily, as if considering his position. _He's bluffing,_ Amari thought, _and now he's on the spot because he doesn't have a warrant. He probably never came across a man as confident as Mr. Paramonos before._

But against her expectations, the officer didn't lose his nerve. His facial expression didn't change in the least. Instead of succumbing to the offer of moving the scene to the office, he reached to his pocket and pulled out his idatron.

'I don't have a warrant,' he said coldly. 'But I'm pretty certain this will suffice.' The confidence in his voice was unnerving.

Amari suddenly apprehended that the whole clientele of Neptune was watching the unfolding scene with rapt attention. People drew nearer and surrounded them with a tight semicircle. The music, the conversations, the clatter faded. The policeman activated his idatron in deadly silence.

Amaranthine suddenly knew. Before the flickering image stabilized, sharpened and brought the scene into focus, she knew. She didn't want to believe it, but deep down she couldn't deny the sudden certainty of what they were all about to witness. She felt her heart sink to the pit of her stomach and her legs transform into jelly.

A chubby face of a child, surrounded with a halo of hair the color of straw, and featuring two big, sky-blue eyes, took the center of the image. Then the camera zoomed out to reveal a big cake in front of the youngster, all covered in pink and yellow icing and decorated with fruit. As the girl looked up, the camera followed her gaze to the face of the adult on whose lap she was sitting. It was none other than Mr. Paramonos himself, holding the girl in a bear-like embrace and smiling down at her.

A woman entered the picture, holding a long, slim lighter and pressing a few-month's old baby to her side with her left arm. As she lit the four candles on the cake, Mr. Paramonos pointed it to the girl sitting on his lap. 'Look who's daddy's big girl,' he said to her. 'Don't forget to make a wish, darling.'

The child squeezed her eyes closed for a moment, then opened them, took a huge gulp of air and blew the candles out. The whole scene disappeared behind the four plumes of smoke, then turned into a single blue line and vanished into the detective's idatron.

No one moved or uttered a single word when the officers grabbed Mr. Paramonos by both arms and walked him out of the club. Amaranthine watched him step out of Neptune on stiff, heavy legs.

The group disappeared as quickly as they arrived and for a brief moment it seemed as if everyone would now wake up from this bizarre incident and go back to drinking and chatting as if nothing had happened and everything was the same again. But they didn't. Nothing was going to be the same again. Ever.

As the magnitude of what had just happened hit Amaranthine's consciousness, her heart rate jumped threefold in a space of a single heartbeat. She could feel it thump in her ears, her throat and her temples, as if it was to make her head explode. Her ice flute, still half full with the finest champagne in the world, slipped out of her shaking hand and smashed to pieces at her feet.

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Amaranthine lay in bed, staring bluntly at the ceiling of her bedroom.

She didn't make the slightest move, not so much as a wink, in the last hour. She lay motionless for so long she barely felt her body. _Maybe I've died,_ she thought when it occurred to her, and this thought didn't stir any feelings in her. She felt hollow.

It was very early on Monday morning, January 4th, 2106. Five days since the disastrous Wednesday events and light years since the biggest triumph of her career. These last few days felt like some twisted, reverse side of the days she spent in euphoria following _The_ _Universe_ launch. _Where there is a high, there must be a low,_ she thought bitterly. And this time they were both equally extreme.

She hadn't left the house since getting in on Wednesday. She hardly remembered what happened immediately after Paramonos was arrested. She must have blacked out, as she woke up disoriented, supported by Ambrose on one side and Heng on the other. All she could remember was penetrating cold and nausea. The guys spoke to her, asking if she was ok and she heard them as if from behind a glass door. The thing that helped her recompose herself enough to be able to summon her hovermobile and get into it was one persistent thought: _I have to get out of here. Get home and hide, never to be seen by anyone again._ Ambrose helped her to the exit and into her vehicle, or was it Heng? She couldn't be sure.

The next morning she woke up on her sofa, still dressed in her full outfit, including the high-heeled boots. She felt totally spaced out.

All she did later was as if she was a Hebe robot and not a human being. Programmed, automatic, impassive. She took her clothes off. She took a shower. She wrapped a towel around her body. Then she sat and stared into space for the length of time she couldn't even estimate. Then she fell asleep. It wasn't a peaceful, refreshing sleep. She kept waking up to shed off the images of a blond girl blowing candles on a birthday cake. The four plumes of smoke took weird, horrifying shapes that had her in a cold sweat.

If it had occurred to her, she'd be proud of Eiko. She read Amari's state of mind so well, she didn't speak to her once. She didn't make any suggestions, she didn't connect any calls or responded to any approaching visitors. She let her come to terms with what had actually happened and what the consequences of it would be.

When she woke up again, Amaranthine finally started coming back to life. She replayed the whole event in her mind over and over again, trying to understand how it was even possible. Mr. Paramonos was the last person on Earth she'd ever suspect of duovitaery, and she wasn't the only one. He had a notorious reputation for hating Mortals more than anything else, and he frequently verbalized it. Only now could she appreciate how carefully and perfectly he had built his outer shell, his whole other persona. His alter ego.

After a few hours of ruminating over the whole thing, she dared to watch the news. She did so first with the sound switched off. The images were easier to take, as she'd already seen the worst. The reports had more footage from Paramonos' family life and more facts. They showed pictures of him with the woman and the two children at all stages of their lives, family events, holidays, and portraits.

But then the focus of the reports shifted to the repercussions of the scandal on Paramonos Enterprises and the future of all the venues belonging to it. Amaranthine knew what to expect – she's seen such reports before – but the consequences of Mr. Paramonos' crime seemed to have hit his businesses harder than other high-profile duovitaerers. She looked with horror as the charts showed a massive drop in Paramonos Enterprise share prices and the infuriated faces of the shareholders as they commented on their losses. She knew that a duovitaery scandal at this level was inevitably going to bring numerous bankruptcies – a total boycott of all brands by the company afflicted with this crime was unavoidable. In Paramonos' case, that meant a boycott of all his venues by all Immortals.

Amaranthine slowly turned her head to the side and glanced at the digits hovering above her idatron. Seven-thirty in the morning. She knew the inevitable was drawing near and she had to face it sooner or later. She had to go to the office and speak to her boss. She couldn't begin to imagine what impact the loss of Paramonos Enterprise business would have on her company. Everything that they worked so hard for – prestige, position, credibility – was in jeopardy, if not already lost. She felt guilty though none of it was her fault.

She finally got up and trudged to the bathroom to get ready. She dressed slowly and carefully, wondering what the meeting with Nectar was going to look like. She dreaded the worst.

As her hovermobile approached the office, Amaranthine felt tension rise inside her, and had no way of relaxing. When the portal opened, she took a big gulp of freezing air and stepped in.

Her office was dark and peaceful. She looked around wondering if this was the last time she was entering it. Considering the moves Nectar made after Mr. Paramonos transferred all his business to their agency, it was very likely she'd be without a job in a few moment's time.

She took her coat and shawl off and stepped towards the door. _Here we go,_ she thought.

She stepped out and glanced across the office. She hadn't spoken to anyone since Wednesday and she didn't even know if they had tried to speak to her. Really, there was nothing to say.

She swept her eyes across the office. Her team were the only ones that dared look at her, and their faces expressed fear. She knew that some of them made hasty financial decisions – just like Nectar – counting on their salary bumps to cover new expenses. Others, who didn't work with her closely, didn't even look up, pretending to be in the middle of some extremely urgent business. _What business,_ she thought, _are you kidding me?_

She didn't have time to mull over it. Silent and sullen, Nectar appeared in the door of his office. She raised her head and marched in, the door shutting behind her like a prison gate.

Nectar stood at the window, with his back turned to her, as if contemplating the gloomy view outside, slowly falling snowflakes.

'All nine venues run by Paramonos Enterprises in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington have been totally boycotted by Immortals.' He spoke so quietly she could barely hear him. 'Not a single person showed up in any of them for New Year's Eve parties. All tickets for sold-out events had to be refunded.'

He made a pause, but she remained silent. There was something in his voice that prevented her from making a comment.

'Paramonos Enterprises went into bankruptcy,' he continued. 'Auction to buy _The Universe_ has been announced. So far, no bidders have come forward.'

Again, she had nothing to add. Then he turned around and looked at her. He looked dreadful, his eyes bloodshot so badly she could see it from across the room.

'Do you know what this means for us?' he said in a slightly raised voice.

'I can't even begin to imagine – ' she started.

'No, of course you can't, Amaranthine,' he hissed, piercing her with his gaze. 'Imagination has not been your strong suit recently, has it!'

She stared at him, trying to comprehend what he was saying.

'What are you trying to say?'

'Think about it,' the same, hissing tone. He approached her slowly as he uttered his words. 'You've worked with this guy for the last six months. You saw him practically every day. You went out with him a few times. And you didn't notice anything? Nothing struck you as strange, you didn't hear even a single word that didn't fit his perfect image?'

'I'm a PR specialist, not a psychiatrist,' she replied with anger. 'And our relationship was strictly professional! How can you even suggest that this is my fault? I know you are upset, but don't be bringing this out on me, Nectar, because you know it isn't fair!'

'I'll tell you what isn't fair!' he was almost shouting now. 'The fact that I will have to reduce everyone's pay and let a few people go to keep this company afloat, because our invoices for six months' worth of hard work won't be paid. And it doesn't matter whose fault it is. Nothing's gonna change the shit we are all in right now.'

He turned away from her again. Finally, Amaranthine decided to cut it.

'I will go and disconnect my desk, then,' she said, turning to leave.

'Who said you were to go and disconnect anything?' he turned abruptly. 'You can't leave now. I need you here to fix it.'

'Fix it?' this was beyond a joke. 'What the hell do you expect me to do??? Even if I worked for the next two years and won every single piece of entertainment business in New York for us, I won't make up for what we lost with Paramonos' account. There isn't a customer in the whole Immortal world who could guarantee us business as big as him. And even if there were, they wouldn't speak to us after this scandal. We made damn sure everyone knew we worked on his PR!'

'Congratulations on the perfect assessment of the situation,' he sneered. 'You are spot on. There isn't another client like him in the Immortal world. And no one will want to have anything to do with us.'

'So what the hell do you want me to do?'

He looked at her straight in the eye.

'To take on this project,' he said in a completely different, calm voice, activating a file on his idatron. Warm green glow filled the room.

This was so unexpected that she stared at the projection for a long while as if she'd never seen such a thing before. Nectar didn't rush her.

Amaranthine felt a huge surge of hope. It seemed that Nectar once again did what he was best at – sniffed out and won some new business, a business the potential of which only he could spot, or spot it way ahead of any competition. It was his talent, his biggest strength and the core of his agency's success. She saw him do it so many times before, and at the beginning she counted amongst those who doubted him, tried to reason with his choices of clients, convinced he was making a huge mistake. But she was very quickly proven wrong and since then she never doubted him. His gut feeling never once let her down.

She sat down at the coffee table and glared at the title page. _Carpe Diem World Tour 2106/2107_ , it read. She looked up, intrigued.

'What is _Carpe Diem_?'

'A very good rock band.'

She scrolled down, browsing through the brief. 'I've never heard of them. And a rock band? Why do you want me to represent a rock band? We've never done it before... I've never done it before... And how can they be so significant, how can they allow us to make up for Paramonos Enterprises?' she understood less and less.

'They can,' Nectar said firmly. 'As I said, they are very good. And they are on a brink of a massive break. People are already scanning the globenet in search for tickets for their first tour.'

' _Carpe Diem, Carpe Diem..._ ' Amaranthine concentrated intently, searching for any reference to this name in her mind as she scrolled down the pages of the document. They were mainly pictures from concerts. 'It doesn't even ring a bell to me... How come I've never heard of them before?'

Nectar didn't say a word.

Then she saw it.

On the last page of the brief, there were portraits of the four musicians with their names underneath. John Moore. Patrick O'Sullivan. William Hammond. Joe Burrell.

Christian names. Names that only Mortals used.

She moved away from the projection and shook her head from side to side, stunned. Then she looked up at her boss.

'Please tell me this is just a bad joke.'

The face she saw was that of desperate determination.

'They want to break into the Immortal market,' he said.

Amaranthine was silent for a few seconds.

'You know I won't do it,' she said in the end. I will never work with Mortals.'

Their eyes locked in a gaze, none turning away.

'In that case,' Nectar finally said, 'you can indeed go and disconnect your desk. And whilst you're at it, tell Perenelle, Celestine, Heng and Ambrose to do the same.'

'This is a disgusting blackmail.'

'Call it what you want. It won't change the fact that it's our only chance to survive.'

'Give it to Celestine. She's just as good as me. I can take on everything else, I will work overtime...'

'Don't be silly, Amari. No one's as good as you. And even if they were, it wouldn't be any use,' Nectar said, his tone gentle now. 'They've asked for you specifically. It's either you or we don't get the contract.'

Amaranthine fell silent again. Now she really did feel like she was locked up in prison. Trapped.

How could he do this to her? She grappled with chaotic thoughts, looking from Nectar to the faces of the four Mortals on the last page.

'I need you to make a decision, Amari,' Nectar said in the end. 'What's it to be?'

She looked into his eyes. She had never seen a more desperate look in her life. Then she thought about her colleagues. Celestine. Heng. Ambrose. And Penny.

When she spoke, her voice sounded alien to her.

'Who do I contact?'

'A guy called Daniel Collins. He runs the Mortal agency which represents them,' Nectar responded immediately, unable to mask the feeling of massive relief. 'It's going to be done in partnership with them. I'll send you a spec with all the contact details. The first meeting is tomorrow in their office.'

'No,' she said. 'I need more time to prepare. Move it to Thursday.'

'Ok,' he said.

Amaranthine nodded slightly and got up.

'You never told me why you hate the Mortals so much,' Nectar said suddenly.

She froze in her spot.

'Why? Do you need a specific reason? Isn't there enough in the news every day to justify it?' the anger in her voice intensified with every word. Her eyes shone dangerously.

'Of course,' he said, quickly retreating from the mine field.

She grabbed her idatron and headed for the door.

'Amaranthine?' Nectar stopped her just before she reached the exit.

She turned around and looked at him without a word.

'I appreciate it,' he uttered. 'We all do.'

**CHAPTER SIX**

Thursday morning was no brighter than Monday or any other day in between. It was still gray and gloomy as Amari looked outside, waiting for her hovermobile to pick her up. She was in a very bad mood from the moment she opened her eyes. Today she'd have to face the Mortals.

Right after her Monday meeting with Nectar, three days ago, she shut herself in her office and started working. Ferociously and constantly. For three days she worked solidly, she didn't speak to anyone, and no one came to speak to her, sensing that nothing good could come out of it. Her fierce antipathy towards Mortals was proverbial amongst those who knew her well – and no one wanted to risk an interaction with her in the first hours of her new assignment. The walls of Elixir Vitae Communications had ears, like the walls of all offices in the world. The whole place was buzzing with gossip, but no one dared ask Nectar or Amaranthine for any details. In the current situation, no news was definitely very good news. They all still had their jobs, so they tried to go about their business as usual, giving more than the normal due attention to their remaining clients.

Amaranthine felt the tense atmosphere through the walls of her office, but decided to ignore it and focus entirely on the task in hand. At first, despite the way it was forced upon her by Nectar and the sheer fact that she had to work with the Mortals, she welcomed having some specific goal, something to keep her mind off the disaster of _The_ _Universe_. It gave her a reason to shed off the apathy and desperation that overwhelmed her for days after the Paramonos scandal broke out. But the more she found out about her new client and the partner agency, the more she became enraged all over again. Collins Communications turned out to be a tiny, meaningless company that hadn't even done PR for rock bands before, or any significant event or venue for that matter. She came to realize that their only asset was the contract with the band. Everything else – the know-how, the contacts, the experience and the resources – would have to come from her. She would basically have to do all the promotional work, win over all of the advertisers and sponsors, and still answer to some guy who was a complete amateur and landed the contract with the band by a stroke of luck. The only upside to the whole horrid set up was that the band indeed seemed to have the potential of becoming huge. Amari had never seen any Mortal thing being so popular within the Immortal communities. However infuriating and illogical she found this fact, her professional sense couldn't deny it. Nectar's gut feeling, yet again, wasn't failing him; properly promoted, these guys could become absolutely massive. The idea of contributing to some Mortals' success repulsed her, but since she had no choice, she decided to treat them like any other client. A client that would serve her and her agency to come back to the top of their game and to earn them money.

There was one more thing to it. She remembered what Nectar said – that they asked for her specifically. It was obvious why. It wouldn't be the first time Mortals took a chance of mocking the Immortals. This guy Collins clearly decided to use _The Universe_ failure to humiliate her. He must have known how desperate Nectar was for business after losing Paramonos Enterprises. And he must have known that it was her personal defeat, and he took advantage of this knowledge by giving Nectar the ultimatum. As soon as it dawned on her, she set her mind on showing him what she was capable of. That if anyone would be ridiculed here, it would most certainly not be her. She'd show this rookie what it meant to work with Amaranthine Quinn.

In the last three days she took advantage of all her industry contacts and resources to learn everything that was to be known about promoting rock bands. The spec that Collins provided was far too sketchy and unprofessional, so she created her own, already putting in all the ideas that sprung to her mind. She researched the target group in great detail and made a list of potential advertisers. Armed with all her new knowledge and her plan of action, she was ready to face that son of a bitch, and wipe the smirk off his face before he could even open his mouth.

Her hovercar arrived and she got in.

'What's the destination, please?' Eiko asked, displaying the usual safety announcement on the front panel.

'Wait, what was it, 20 Sutter Avenue? No, 12. 12 Sutter Avenue, Brooklyn.'

'I'm afraid I'm not configured for Brooklyn,' Eiko answered.

'What? Why not?'

'My configuration excludes all Mortal areas.'

'Shit. So it does,' Amaranthine remembered. 'Can you configure it now?'

'Certainly. This operation will require 2 minutes and 16 seconds to complete.'

Amaranthine glanced at the clock. It was 9.52.

'Go ahead,' she said. She should still make it right on time for the meeting. She didn't want to be late, but had no intention of getting there even a minute before it was strictly necessary. She checked her make-up whilst Eiko uploaded the software.

'Configuration for New York City Mortal quarters completed,' Eiko finally announced. Amari glanced at the clock again. It was 9.55.

The hovercar accelerated and joined the sea of other hovermobiles, moving fast along the six levels of New York's hover traffic.

As soon as she flew over the Hudson, Amaranthine noticed the difference in cityscape – tall, shiny skyscrapers got replaced with lower, grayer blocks that made a depressing impression on her after the majestic splendor of Manhattan. Her hovermobile flew lower, approaching one of the buildings.

'Eiko, can you configure portal access and parking for our destination?'

'Searching... Unfortunately, No. 12 Sutter Avenue does not have any portals.'

'Are you kidding me?' Amaranthine couldn't believe it. 'Am I gonna have to use an elevator?'

'This is the only access option.'

She peeked at the time projection which read 9.58 am. She was going to be late.

'Fuck.'

The vehicle slowed right down as it approached the entrance to the basement parking lot. Amaranthine felt a sudden surge of anxiety at being so close to the ground in her hovermobile. Buildings, which she always observed only from the air, suddenly surrounded and beset her. The entrance seemed like a black hollow, far too small to accommodate her hovercar. She involuntarily hunched her shoulders and bent her neck as it slid inside, mere inches of space on each side of it. The parking lot was dark and dingy.

She floated over to the only Collins Communications visitor charging station, passing a row of hovermobiles that in comparison with hers looked like last century's military tanks – big, ponderous and heavy, lacking the streamlining of her own Buzzard. The Mortals, if they actually managed to afford a hovercar, were the only people who went for two- or even four-seaters. As far as she knew, there was only one company that made them – the market was far too limited for any of the serious manufacturers to consider them.

She got out, cringing her face at the smell of dump that hit her nostrils, and headed for the elevators. She felt like she'd just travelled a hundred years back in time.

She stood in front of the door for a few moments, but nothing happened. Then she remembered that you had to press some buttons to summon the elevator down and then press more to program it to go to the floor you wanted. She looked around and finally noticed one button, with an arrow pointing up, on the right side of the door. Apprehensive to touch anything, she grabbed the hem of her coat and pressed it through the material. The button lit up and she heard a swooshing noise that became louder as the panel above the door counted down. Finally the door opened with a clink.

She stepped in carefully, feeling entrapped as the door swished shut behind her. She looked at the row of buttons with the floor numbers and realized she had no idea which floor she was going to.

'Fuck!' she shouted in helpless rage. 'Fuck, fuck, fuck!'

She pulled the idatron from her bag and brought up Collins' spec, cursing the waste of time. She scrolled down to the bottom where the contact details were listed. Tenth floor.

She pressed the button through the material of her coat again and the elevator finally moved. The initial sensation was very unnerving, as if the floor was pushing itself on her knees and making her stomach lower itself under the pressure. She impatiently watched the panel count the floors up.

She didn't get as far as the fourth floor when she got an opposite sensation in her stomach. It now got lifted as the elevator suddenly stopped and the door, giving the same clinking sound, opened.

Amaranthine backed off into the furthest corner of her prison at the sight of the people entering it.

The woman was mortal, it was obvious from the first glance. Amaranthine looked at her face, marked with visible wrinkles around the eyes, mouth and on the forehead. Her hair was short and messy, as if she hasn't had it styled for days. But that wasn't the worst thing about that woman. Amari stared in horror at the Mortal's two children.

One of them was very young, probably unable to walk yet. It sat on the woman's left hip as she squinted her posture to provide support for it. She held it with her left arm, carrying a heavy-looking bag in her right. With that same arm, she tried to hold the other child – an older one, a boy of maybe three or four, who didn't seem to care much about his mother's attempts to keep him close to her. Taking advantage of her full hands, he freed himself from her grip and dived to the ground, got on all fours and crawled between her legs. The woman put the bag down, pressed the button for the twelfth floor and turned around to grab the boy again.

At this moment the baby's eyes landed on Amaranthine's horrified face. The effect was immediate. Its eyes turned into huge round saucers and filled up with tears. Its mouth opened wide, took a big gulp of air and immediately turned it into a piercing squeak.

The woman gave up trying to get a grip of the boy and turned to the baby, wiping its face and trying to calm it down. The boy immediately took advantage of her preoccupation and sneaked up behind her back to the elevator buttons. Before the woman could react, he pressed every single one on the panel that he could reach.

'Stop it this instant, Colin, do you hear me?!' the mother shouted when she spotted what he was doing. At that, the baby took another deep breath and started screaming in earnest, its face turning blue.

Amaranthine remained frozen to her corner of the elevator, unable to react. Even if she could, she wasn't sure she'd know what to do. What do you do with people who act like this? Who in the right mind would condemn themselves to dealing with this? Give up their immortality for it? _The Mortals really are insane,_ she thought.

The elevator stopped at each floor now, making Amari nauseas. The woman kept struggling with her offspring, the baby still crying its eyes out and the boy, in full tantrum now, flexing on the ground like a fish pulled out of the river. Amaranthine, crammed in her corner, tried to stay beyond the range of his kicking legs. Before she knew it, the door opened and closed on her floor, and she was still stuck inside the elevator.

Finally, they arrived at the twelfth floor, and the woman dragged the boy out, somehow managing to hold her bag in the same arm as the crying baby. When the door closed behind them, Amaranthine was still unable to move for a few seconds. Then she finally managed to press her floor button again.

She only got down to the eleventh floor when the elevator stopped. She braced herself for another encounter with an insane mortal family, determined not to let them make her any later than she already was.

This time it was someone quite different, though. Supporting himself on a thick, wooden cane, a very old man limped inside. His hair, eyebrows, moustache and beard were completely gray, his face so wrinkled, it barely looked human. She looked at his stooping shoulders and back, at the slowness of his movement and his gnarled hands and she felt repulsed. Then he turned slightly and looked at her.

'Oh, hello, miss,' he mumbled with his toothless gums. 'I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. How's your day so far?'

'This is my floor,' she managed to utter, fighting nausea.

She stepped out of the elevator and took a deep breath. _I can't do this,_ she thought. _I can't work with these sort of people for a day, never mind a year. It will kill me._

Then she remembered why she was here. That guy Collins wanted to humiliate her. He won't live to see that day. She wouldn't let him have the satisfaction.

She raised her head high, straightened up and headed along the corridor.

The glass sliding doors opened and closed behind her noiselessly. She looked around the room for a few seconds, not making her presence known to the five people inside. Two men and two women sat on both sides of a big, rectangular table, listening attentively to a tall man who stood at the other end of the room with his back turned to her. He pointed at images beaming onto a white screen from a very old-type looking idatron. She couldn't tell the make and model from the distance, but it looked very much like the one she used at least three years ago.

_I really have travelled back in time,_ she thought.

'... Los Angeles will be our last concert in North America,' the tall man said, pin-pointing the city on a world map with his laser indicator. His voice sounded vaguely familiar. 'We'll then move over to Japan, China, Australia, India, Middle East, Europe and finally South America. Ah, Miss Quinn, thank you for joining us.'

'I'm sorry for being late,' she said coldly, not showing how peeved she was at having to apologize in her first sentence. 'My hovercar wasn't configured for this area. You must be Mr. Collins.'

'Indeed,' he said, making his way across the room to shake her hand. She fought with herself not to frown as she noticed his informal attire, dark blue jeans and a purplish shirt, with no tie. Clearly, a lack of professionalism demonstrated itself amongst the Mortals not only in document design, but also in physical appearance. Her worst fears of what this cooperation would look like, were becoming a reality.

She stretched her arm as far out as she could to shake his hand, trying to prevent him from coming any closer. She glanced up at this face, keeping all the emotions that filled her from showing in her expression.

Every detail of his appearance and manner offended her esthetic sense. His gait, too casual. His foreign accent, too strong. His hair, too long and disheveled. His face, too angular, covered with two-day stubble. His eyebrows, too irregular. His mouth with one corner going higher that the other when he spoke and smiled. Indeed, the only thing about his face that was straight and regular were his teeth, white and stubby. And yet, she found herself unable to make that first glance as brief and dismissive as she had intended. _Where have I seen him before?_ His eyes, intensely blue, had a strange, magnetic power that forced her to look into them against her will.

It was then that she recognized him. The engineer who came to _The Universe_ on its opening night and fixed the sound system and demanded an endorsement instead of money as a payment. She completely forgot about that odd incident, and didn't know if he'd followed up on his request or not. She assumed that either her office dealt with it or Collins gave up his payment after the Paramonos scandal broke out. It really didn't matter now.

'It's great to see you again, Amaranthine,' he said. She didn't reciprocate, but he didn't seem to notice or care. She couldn't place his accent. Scottish or Irish, she guessed. Two of the _Carpe Diem_ members were Scottish, so maybe he was, too. 'Please meet my team. This is Tom, Angela, Maddie and Frankie,' he pointed at each of them, going clockwise. Now she also recognized Frankie, the second sound engineer. They smiled at her, equally excited and intimidated by her presence. Well, three of them did. The fourth one, Angela, remained serious, giving Amaranthine a short, shallow nod. It didn't slip her attention. She gave the woman a longer, appraising look. Angela was visibly older than the rest of them, including Collins, who looked mid-thirties. She wore a shapeless sweater, a scarf, and glasses connected with a silverish strap. She looked like an early twentieth-century museum piece.

'Everyone, this is Amaranthine Quinn from Elixir Vitae Communications. As you know, she will work with us on advertising and promoting _Carpe Diem_.'

_Great,_ Amaranthine thought, feeling their looks on her. _Three kids, one old, bitter hag, and one blithe, clueless amateur, to work with for the next year._

'Take a seat, Amaranthine,' Collins said. 'Let me start again...'

'That won't be necessary,' she interrupted him brusquely. 'I am familiar with the proposed route. I'd suggest a few changes. Concerts mustn't overlap with established festivals like the Rio Carnival. Timing is crucial for a launch of a new band. If, of course, you really want them to make it big.'

All heads jerked up, five pairs of eyes piercing her.

'We certainly do. Thank you for your input. We'll adjust the calendar...'

'There's no need to waste time,' Amari interrupted him. 'I've already done that. I'll send you a copy.'

'I see you came prepared,' Collins said casually, but the barely noticeable delay in his response acknowledged her icy tone.

'I take my job seriously, _Mr._ Collins,' she retorted immediately, stressing the title.

There was a longish pause. The three youngsters' jaws dropped, Angela's face expressed clear outrage and hatred, which she didn't even try to hide. Amaranthine felt satisfaction.

'Which is precisely the reason we asked for _your_ cooperation,' Collins answered, finally losing his annoying, casual tone. He couldn't pretend any more that he didn't notice her attitude. _Very good,_ she thought. _There's going to be none of this nicey-nicey rubbish here, and the sooner they get used to it, the better._

'Let's move on to the technical requirements for each destination,' he resumed when Amari sat down. 'Frankie and I will be in charge of this, but I want all of you to have a general idea of what's needed. The venues marked in green are standard, everything we need is in place. The ones marked in orange will need some equipment and software configuration. The biggest challenge will be the red dots – we'll either need to hire and transport the stuff, or, for those venues that are wishing to invest and equip themselves with brand new gear – we'll assist them with it and, of course, configure the software for our needs. Proposals have already been submitted to all of the red venues and we are expecting their decisions by the end of next week. Any questions at this stage?'

Nobody signaled that they had a question.

'Good. Next thing, travelling practicalities – ' he paused, rustling through a pile of papers in front of him. Finally, he pulled out a sheet of yellow paper. 'Ah, yes. Hotels, catering, transport and security – who's up for it?'

Amari couldn't believe her ears. _Is this the way he runs his team?_ _Who's up for it?_ _This is a joke._

Maddie, a girl in her mid-twenties, by Amaranthine's judgment, raised her hand.

'I can do security,' she said.

'Cool,' Collins said, scribbling on the bit of paper.

'Oh, and transport, too,' the girl added.

'Excellent,' Collins scribbled again.

'I'll do hotels and catering,' Frankie said.

'Great, thanks, Frankie. 'You wanna speak to the guys, get to know them a bit, find out what they like for breakfast, that sort of thing.'

'No worries.'

'Next thing, budgets – '

'I'm on it,' Angela said. 'Do you also want me to take care of the visas, permits and insurance?'

'Yeah, that would be great. Thanks, Ange,' he scribbled again, having found a white piece of paper this time. Amaranthine cringed in her seat, hardly believing her eyes. _Is this how all Mortals do business? Just let any random employee volunteer for whatever parts of the project they fancy doing?_

'Ok, so far so good, guys, that's nearly everything,' he said, 'Tom's creating the globesite for the tour, and will be managing all its content and ticket sales. Myself and Miss Quinn will cooperate with him closely in terms of PR, promotion and advertising, covering the Mortal and Immortal side of things, respectively. Any questions?'

Again, no one signaled a need to ask a question.

'Ok, cool, if you need me, I'm here for you any time as you know. Off you go then. Miss Quinn, I'd like to discuss some details with you if you don't mind.'

'Certainly,' she said in the same icy tone as before.

The team picked up their things and left, murmuring a goodbye to her.

'I'm very happy our paths have crossed again, Miss Quinn,' he started as soon as the glass door slid closed behind them. 'I've looked forward to working with you for some time now.'

She looked at him suspiciously. _What is he up to? Why is he playing this nicey-nicey guy again? Didn't he get the message? Or is this some sort of introduction to what he really wants to say?_ _If he mentions The Universe, I'm quitting this job no matter what,_ she thought. _I'm not having some mortal nobody mock me in my face._

'I have prepared a list of potential advertisers and media, based on the spec you provided,' she said, dismissing his introduction. 'You'll forgive me the shortness of it, Mr. Collins, but the description of the product leaves a lot to be desired. I will need more details about the type of entertainment that you are offering, to be able to convince my clients to get involved in this.'

She handed him a chip. He accepted it in silence, looked at her lengthily. She stared him out.

'Certainly,' he said, finally abandoning his superficial friendliness. 'What information do you need?'

'I listed my questions and remarks on my spec,' she explained in a tone ending discussion. 'My PA converted it into a few file formats, so as to make sure you can open it. You'll forgive me for taking the liberty of editing the concert calendar, and other details quite substantially. It was absolutely necessary. I'd appreciate it if you e-mailed my PA the answers at your earliest convenience.'

'I will do that,' he said.

'Great. And another thing, if you don't mind. I'd suggest a more appropriate division of duties.'

'What do you mean?' he said calmly.

'It's of course none of my business who you choose to work with, and how you manage your team, Mr. Collins,' she said. 'But from my experience, tasks and responsibilities should be assigned to individuals who are best qualified to perform them, and not dished out randomly to whoever raises their hand. You understand, Mr. Collins, that smooth organization of the tour is one of the crucial elements for the success of this project.'

'Thank you for sharing your view with me, Miss Quinn,' his eyes narrowed slightly. 'But I must assure you the team I picked for _Carpe Diem's_ world tour are committed, trustworthy and enthusiastic people. I would personally vouch for each of them.'

'I wouldn't vouch too readily if I were you,' she said. 'Apart from commitment and enthusiasm, people _I_ select to work with are highly qualified and experienced in their specific fields. I'm sorry, but judging from the age of your team members alone, I fear they may lack these crucial assets, which, as far as I'm concerned, are the only guarantee that they will deliver the expected results.'

'There are no guarantees in life, Miss Quinn,' he said calmly.

Amaranthine froze. _Was that a dig at The Universe_? She was ready to give him a piece of her mind. But fortunately for him, he didn't take it any further.

'Please rest assured that my team are perfectly capable of fulfilling all the responsibilities that were assigned to them,' he said.

'I hope you are right, Mr. Collins. I am not sure of it, though, and I'll tell you why. It doesn't seem to me that you yourself know what your team members can contribute. If you did know, you'd simply delegate the tasks, and not let them pick and choose what they wanted to do.'

'You'll forgive me, Miss Quinn, but I think it's better to allow my team to volunteer for whatever they feel they are strongest at, and will enjoy the most, rather than impose things on them. I find workers are more committed to tasks they choose themselves.'

'Business is not about enjoyment, Mr. Collins. It's about delivering results. But, as I said, the technical and practical organization of the tour is your part, and therefore your responsibility, should anything go wrong. I have a clear conscience that I've warned you. I will not comment on this any further or interfere, as long as everything goes smoothly.'

'I can assure you it will.'

'I'm glad to hear that. If that's all for now, I'd like to return to my office and get down to work.'

'As you wish.'

'Goodbye then, Mr. Collins.'

'Goodbye, Miss Quinn.'

She turned around and headed for the door, relieved that this encounter was behind her. Then she froze, hearing his voice again.

'Miss Quinn!'

'Yes, Mr. Collins.' She turned around again. He walked over to her and brought up a screen on his idatron. It was a list of files.

'I prepared this for you. I thought it may be useful,' he said.

'What is it?'

'It's a compilation of _Carpe Diem's_ best songs.'

She stared at him for a few seconds, again unable to break the connection between their eyes.

'Thank you. Some of my clients may indeed find it useful.' She said as she copied the data. His idatron looked like a piece of junk next to her new gadget.

'Well, actually, I thought _you_ may want to listen to what you are selling.'

It took all her willpower to suppress her impatience and disgust.

'Of course,' she finally uttered. 'Although it's much more important that my clients like the music. And for that, the highest possible sound quality is a must. I'll have my PA adjust your files accordingly.'

Walking out of his office, she could feel Collins' stare on her back.

He was viewing Amaranthine's spec when Angela appeared in the door.

'May I come in?' she asked.

'Sure. What's up?'

Angela sat in front of him, with a determined and worried look on her face.

'Nothing,' she said. 'How are you?'

'Me?' he asked. 'I'm ok, why?'

'Daniel,' she said with a sigh, tilting her head. 'You don't have to put on a good face for my benefit.'

'It's going to be fine, Ange.'

'You sure of that?'

'Of course.'

'Daniel,' she didn't give up. 'Do we really need her? I'm confident we can do it by ourselves.'

'No, Ange,' he said seriously. 'I know we've done a lot of good projects together, but this is just a little over our heads. We owe it to the guys to promote them the way they deserve it. It's their break and we mustn't jeopardize it.'

'I think you underestimate yourself,' Angela said skeptically. 'But if that's your gut feeling... You know you can rely on us all.'

'I know, Ange, and I appreciate it,' he smiled.

Angela glanced at the screen. 'When since are the band playing concerts at Christmas and New Year?' she asked, surprised.

'They aren't,' Daniel said. 'This is the spec Amaranthine put together. She's clearly unaware that the Christmas break is in _Carpe Diem's_ contract with us. I'll ask her to adjust it.'

'Ok, I'll leave you to it, then,' she said, getting up. 'Don't let that arrogant bitch get to you.'

'I won't,' he smiled.

When she left, Daniel went back to Amaranthine's spec. Ange was a darling, but she wasn't right this time. He knew his own worth in the PR business, and he knew the capabilities of his team. He'd done several projects that involved Immortals, and he had some contacts in the Immortal world. But _Carpe Diem_ were becoming huge, and to do them justice, he needed Amaranthine's help. She had already proven him right – the list of potential advertisers and media she put together, the graphics she used to create the spec, the faults she'd picked up on in his original route, the questions she asked about details he would never have thought of – it all confirmed that he was right getting her involved. If she could do this in three days, there was no doubt she'd deliver extraordinary results in the next few months. And that was exactly what the band needed.

As to her initial attitude, he wasn't too concerned, despite the haughtiness she demonstrated this morning. She was a piece of work, but he suspected the situation in her office must have been tense after _The Universe_ fiasco, and expected her not to be on cloud nine at the prospect of working with him. After all, she was one of the most accomplished PR specialists in the world, and his agency, though it had a very good reputation in the industry, was no match for Elixir Vitae Communications. And that was on top of the fact that himself, his team and their clients were Mortals, whom he knew many Immortals considered degrading to work with. He was sure, though, that once she got involved in it, she'd enjoy the project and their working relationship would get much smoother. She clearly recognized the potential of _Carpe Diem_ , which was the first important step. The rest would come in time, he was sure of it.

Daniel dialed Amaranthine's office number and asked for her PA.

'Perenelle Stevens, how may I help you, Mr. Collins?' he heard in the receiver.

'Miss Stevens, hello. I'm the MD of Collins Communications, we just began working with your agency on _Carpe Diem's_ tour.'

'I've been briefed about your project,' her tone was only a few degrees warmer than Amaranthine's, but still oscillating around the freezing point. 'What can I do for you?'

'Would you mind sending me the info regarding the make and model of Miss Quinn's idatron and details of the software she uses? I want to make sure our equipment is compatible so we can exchange files without any problems.'

'Of course. Is there anything else?'

'No, thanks, that's...' the line went dead before he could finish his sentence.

'And nice talking to you, too,' he sneered. 'Aren't you all lovely up there.'

He dialed Frankie's number.

'Any plans for lunch, buddy? No? Good. I need your help with some shopping. It's time we invested in some latest gadgets.'

Amaranthine sent Eiko a mental signal and the temperature of her bath went up by a couple of degrees. Feeling the softening effect of the hot water and aromatic bubbles on her skin, she closed her eyes and tried to let the ambiance of the bathroom, created by candles, gentle music and pleasant scent, take care of her stress. She tried to let go of all the thoughts and emotions that roiled within her all day. She tried very hard.

But to no avail.

Every time she shut her eyes, images from her morning encounter with the Mortals and their world, flooded her mind. She saw the run-down buildings closing down on her as her hovercar reached the ground level, as if they wanted to squash her. She could smell the underground parking lot and its claustrophobic, unpleasant darkness. She could see the screaming face of the baby in the elevator, lustrous with tears, and the cheeky smirk of her brother as he pressed all the floor buttons, giving Amari nausea. She saw the old man, with his grotesquely slow moves and his face, creased and wrinkled, with sunken, droopy cheeks, skin completely drained from collagen. She saw all the Morals that passed her on the way to Collins' office, each displaying various stages of ageing on their faces, necks, hands and in their postures. The whole thing was like a surreal vision that she was dragged through, over and over again.

She sat up, annoyed, and slapped the water. _Why can't I get all of this out of my head?_

'Amaranthine?' Eiko's soft voice resounded.

'Yes, what now?' Amaranthine snapped back, realizing how stupid it was to vent her anger on a computer.

'Phoenix's hovermobile is approaching. Shall I grant access?'

Phoenix.

She thought quickly. She was still mad at him for his selfish outburst after _The Universe_ opening, but it all seemed so distant and irrelevant now. At least he belonged to her world and shared her feelings towards Mortals. She felt a sudden surge of excitement at the prospect of seeing him.

'Ok, let him in,' she decided, getting out of the bath.

'He will be here in 37 seconds.'

'Ok, make him a drink whilst I get ready.'

She wrapped herself in a big towel and went over to the hairstyling machine. It brushed and dried her hair into a storm of silky, wavy strands in a few minutes. She decided to let them cascade freely down her back and shoulders. She then programmed her make-up machine to apply foundation, powder, shades, mascara and lipstick, but making sure it was all very light. She would rather reveal her age than dream of showing herself to him without any make-up on, but she didn't want him to think she was doing herself up on his account.

She put on a silky nightgown and examined herself in the mirror. The reflection was more than satisfactory.

He was sitting on her couch with a glass of Scotch in his hand, watching sport. As soon as she entered the room, he approached her with a charming smile.

'You look amazing, Amari, as usual,' he said.

_Not so fast, dear,_ she thought. _Don't think that a couple of compliments is all that it's going to take to gain my forgiveness._

'Did you know,' she said with merely a shadow of a smile, 'that this is what you say every time you come to see me? Well, _almost_ every time.'

'That's because it's true, _every_ time I come to see you,' he replied, still smiling seductively.

'Is that so,' she said without being provocative.

He stood right in front of her, his eyes fired up with desire. She could tell it wasn't his first drink that night.

'It is,' he said, bending down to kiss her. She turned her head away, only allowing his lips to brush against her neck below the ear. Then she freed herself from his embrace and headed for the bar.

'So how is work?' she said coolly, pretending she didn't notice his smile as he realized what game she was playing with him.

'It's all good, thanks,' he said. 'Got a new case. You?'

'I'm ok, considering.'

'Yeah, I've heard. The famous Mr. Paramonos of all people. Quite a surprise, wasn't it.'

'More like a blow to the head with a sledgehammer,' she said, picking up her cocktail.

'How did Nectar take it?'

'Couldn't be much worse,' she said. 'He forced me to work with Mortals, having blamed me for not spotting anything unusual in Paramonos' behavior when we worked together on _The_ _Universe_.'

'He went into business with Mortals? Is he nuts?'

'No, he is just shit scared with the situation. He made a few hasty decisions when we got exclusivity on Paramonos' account, which has led the company to the verge of bankruptcy. Plus we are not exactly popular with Immortal companies just now, as you can imagine.'

'I can. So how are you finding working with Mortals?'

'What do you think?'

'It's just work, Amari, don't stress over it too much. Think about the money.'

_That's ironic, coming from you,_ she thought. But she didn't say it out loud. She didn't want to go back to the argument.

'That's exactly what I'm doing.'

'And there is a bright side to it, too,' he went on.

'A bright side? Somehow it managed to escape my notice,' she said sourly.

'You don't have to worry about another duovitaery scandal braking out,' he said.

'And that's meant to be your bright side?' she wasn't impressed.

'Do you know what I think?' he said, coming over to her again, 'I think you need something to take your mind off all that,' he said, assuming the same seductive tone as before, and put his arm around her waist, not hiding intentions.

'Really? Like what?' she said, looking him in the eye this time. Sensing approval, his hand slid lower and stopped on her buttock.

Phoenix took the cocktail off her hand and put it away. She didn't escape this time.

'Like this.'

He kissed her on the lips, his eager hands travelling along her body. _What the hell,_ she thought, _I need this. It will help me sleep and take my mind off things._ She let Phoenix pick her up and carry her to the bedroom.

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

'I'm not saying it's not an interesting project,' Athos McLaren said. 'But I'm not entirely convinced the kind of audience that this boy band attracts, would be interested in our products. What do all those Mortals know about hovercars? And can they even afford them? Aren't they all still ground-bound in their fossil-fuel cars from two hundred years ago?'

'Many still are, sir, but not all,' Amaranthine explained patiently, trying to infuse her voice with enough conviction. 'There is definitely a large group that would be a great new target audience for you. We are talking about young, childless Mortals here, the ones who are still very likely to become immortal, so making them aware of your brand now is a great investment. But above all, _Carpe Diem_ is quite popular within the Immortal community, and we are targeting them more than the Mortals.'

'That's unusual,' he said. 'I've never heard of Immortals frequenting mortal bands' concerts.'

'It's not very common, I admit, but this band is extremely popular amongst Immortals. It's a very new phenomenon, which is also the reason it's worth giving it a shot. According to our simulations, this group is going to be at the top of all music charts by the time they have done a quarter of the tour. It's an amazing opportunity for your company, sir.'

'I find that hard to believe,' he said, and Amaranthine puckered, feeling he was slipping away. 'I happen to have come across some mortal music, and it was all to do with some religious superstitions...'

She was thinking fast in desperation. Athos McLaren was a mogul of the hovercar industry and one of her key clients – if he bought an advertising package, his name would convince others. It was crucial that she won him over, but she was out of arguments.

' _Carpe Diem_ offer a very different type of music and themes which appeal to Immortals,' she tried again, putting as much confidence in her voice as she could muster. But she knew that if she didn't come up with a new argument now, she'd lose him for good. Suddenly, she had an epiphany.

'Sir,' she decided to go for it. 'Why don't I send you a selection of their best hits, the ones that are winning them immortal audience. I promise I won't bother you any more if you don't think their music can attract your target clientele.'

'Ok, that sounds fair,' he said. 'Send them over and I'll get back to you when I've listened to them.'

'Excellent,' she replied, trying to rein in the relief, so it wouldn't ring in her tone. 'I'll do it right now. Speak to you soon, sir.'

'Bye now, Amari.'

As soon as he was off the line, she gave a big sigh. She still had a chance to convince him. She didn't count on him liking the music, but it gave her more time to finish the simulation that she'd been working on for a few days now. It was based on a very comprehensive statistical data regarding _Carpe Diem's_ popularity in recent months and it was almost perfect. She was sure it would convince her clients about the project, including Athos McLaren.

She heard knocking at the door.

'Come in!'

Nectar walked into her office.

'Hey, what's up,' she said, giving him a short glance, as she was busy sending the music file to her client.

'Not much,' he replied. 'Just wondered how you were doing. I feel like we haven't spoken for ages.'

_Three weeks to the day,_ she was about to fire back, but she stopped herself. Nectar had been avoiding her ever since he set her up with the mortal project, and she didn't want to see anyone, especially him. She was still angry.

'Yeah,' she said. 'I've been busy, and so have you, I guess.'

'Yeah, it's been hectic,' he said, though they both knew he had very little to do, just like everybody else. The industry was still shaken up by the bankruptcy of Paramonos Enterprises, emotions were still hot, continuously stirred up by the media reporting every detail of his trial that had just started. So it was best for Elixir Vitae Communications to stay out of the picture. The less connection was made between the two companies, the better. They needed to give potential clients time to forget about it a little, before trying to win any new business.

'So,' he started carefully, 'How is it going with the Mortals?'

'Fine,' she said, lip-tight. 'I've got a few advertisers confirmed already, and I'm working on more. It's going quite slowly, though. The majority of them find it hard to believe that Immortals frequent any Mortal events.'

'Yes, I imagine that's very new to them. But they'll thank you for it in a few months' time.'

'Let's just hope that's the case.'

'And how is working with Collins going?'

'We don't interfere with each other's work, so I guess it's fine.'

'I see. And _Carpe Diem_? What do you think of them? Do you like their music?'

'Why?' she crossed her arms. 'What difference does that make?'

'I'm just curious.'

She gave him a cold stare. She knew what this was about. Nectar had a lot of time to get a perspective on things, and he felt guilty about blaming _The Universe_ fiasco on her and forcing her to work with Mortals, but he was too proud to say sorry. Coming to her office 'to check on things' was his way of letting her know he didn't blame her anymore, hoping he could just smooth things up, and everything would be back to normal. It wasn't the first time, and she never liked it about him, but this time she wasn't letting him get away with it.

'Their music is a product that I'm selling,' she said. 'I like it because my job requires that I like it. When it's over, I will stop liking it, because I won't have to anymore.'

A knock on the door saved Nectar from having to answer.

'Excuse me, Amaranthine,' Perenelle said, poking her head in. 'It's that guy Collins. He says it's important.'

_What now,_ she thought, feeling the anger boiling inside her again. _Why can't he just put it in an email or tell Penny?_ _He's so importunate._ She felt Nectar's eyes on her, which annoyed her even more.

'Okay, put him through,' she said. 'Excuse me, Nectar, I'd better take this.'

'Sure,' he said. 'I'll leave you to it, then.'

She waited till the door closed behind him before picking up.

'Hello, Mr. Collins. What can I do for you?'

'I'm just calling regarding the updated list of advertisers you sent me. About Mr. McLaren...'

She didn't let him finish.

'I'm working on it. He is to come back to me with his decision shortly.'

'Well, I wondered if I could help. I happen to know him quite well, we worked together before. First on the advertising of their Buzzard Galaxy hovercar, and later on the Black-Winged Kite model.'

What is he playing at?

'Forgive me, Mr. Collins, but as I remember from our initial meeting, you and I agreed to deal with the Mortal and Immortal side of things, respectively. Weren't these your own words?'

'Of course. We do, however, work as a team, and whilst we have our own areas of responsibility, I believe help and cooperation are not forbidden.'

_Overstatement of the century,_ she thought. A _team_? What team? He did his thing, assisted by some youngsters, and she worked on serious advertising. They met once. They spoke via the idatrons twice. They exchanged a few emails, mainly to do with renegotiation of _Carpe Diem's_ Christmas break, which, by the way, had got them nowhere so far. Collins kept hiding behind the contract, and she was too busy to deal with it now. She decided to leave it for the time being; surely once they would hit the road and realize what demand they were in, they'd change their minds.

'I'm glad you clarified that. I will make a mental note of it should it be required in the future. Is there anything else I can do for you today?'

There was a short silence on the other side.

' _Carpe Diem_ are playing a small, semi-private concert tomorrow night,' he said. 'It will be a great occasion for our teams and yourself to meet the band and their manager face to face. We'd be honored if you joined us.'

What???

'I appreciate it, Mr. Collins, but I'm afraid I won't be able to attend,' her reply was automatic like an unconditional reflex, 'I have committed myself to a business dinner tomorrow night, in view of convincing a couple of important clients to the project. I'm sure it would be a very enjoyable evening, and I regret I must miss it. Is there anything else?'

'No, that was all,' he said. 'If for any reason your plans change, the concert will be held at _Steel Magnolias_ club at 9pm. You are welcome to join us at any time.'

'I'll make a note of it. Goodbye, Mr. Collins.'

_Grrrrrr._ She flinched at the thought of spending an evening with Collins and his associates, in a place where at least half the audience would be Mortals. Wasn't it enough that she had to listen to _Carpe Diem's_ music and watch the recordings of their concerts, now he wanted her to be exposed to a whole night of it _live_? And how would that even help her do her job? She knew everything she had to know about them from the video materials and her simulations. She could think of at least ten better ways to spend her time.

The club was buzzing. People crowded around the bar and a few rows of the most hardcore _Carpe Diem_ fans already guarded the best spots in front of the stage. Daniel made his way through to where Frankie, Maddie, Tom and Angela were standing in a circle, sipping cocktails.

'Hey, buddy, where have you been?' Tom greeted him.

'Just finishing up some reports,' he said. 'You guys been here long?'

'Long enough to have a couple of these,' Maddie smiled, raising her empty cocktail glass. 'Your famous mojito. You must be in desperate need of one?'

'Thanks, Maddie, but I'd better go and say hi to the guys first,' he said. 'In fact, why don't we all go, I'll introduce you lot.'

They quickly finished up their drinks and followed him to the dressing rooms. They could hear the sound of electric guitars from the other end of the long corridor.

'They are playing _Rollercoaster_!' Maddie lit up.

By the time they reached the door to the changing rooms, it was so noisy Daniel had to bang on it to be heard on the other side. A hoarse voice resounded from inside.

'What has the cat dragged in now?'

'It's us, mate, you got a moment?' Daniel shouted back, opening the door a little.

'Danny, my good old friend!' the same voice answered. It belonged to a tall, bony and shaggy man who emerged from the depth of the room, and gave Daniel a big hug and a pat on the back that could pass for a beating. 'Good to see you! Who have you brought me?'

'This is my team. Frankie, Angela, Maddie and Tom.'

'Wow, you're a lucky man, Danny boy!' he said, inviting them inside and shaking their hands. 'If only the lot I have to babysit were as good-looking as yours! And fully dressed! Not so much here! My lot are a scruffy bunch who can't decide what to wear till five minutes before show time, so up till then they sit around in their undies. Not the prettiest of sights, I am warning you. Let me see if I can make them throw something on for the ladies' sake _. '_ Hey, guys!' he shouted, disappearing in the other room. 'Danny's here with his team, so get some pants on and come meet the people who are organizing your tour! They are doing a good job so be nice to them!'

Daniel, Angela and Tom exchanged amused looks. Frankie and Maddie giggled. Gary was quite a character, but only those who knew him well, realized how shrewd a manager he was. _Carpe Diem_ were in good hands.

The noise stopped and there was some commotion. About a minute later, Gary shouted that they could come in. By the time they all entered the other room, the electric guitars went off again.

John and Patrick were sitting on a big sofa that occupied the middle of the room. They were the ones playing the guitars. Will and Joe were at the back, busy with their long hair and outfits. They were naked from waist up, so it seemed Gary wasn't joking when he said they sat around in their undies till five minutes to show time. Maddie's cheeks, rosy as they already were from the cocktails, now turned bright red.

'So,' Gary said to Daniel, having pulled him away from the band, as the rest of the team were shaking hands and doing small talk. 'Where's your hot immortal chick? I've seen the list of sponsors she's put together. Boy, good on you for bringing her on board. There are a few big fish in there.'

'She couldn't make it tonight,' he said, making sure his face didn't tense at the mention of Amari, 'she's meeting some more big fish she's trying to win for us.'

'She should have brought them here!' Gary exclaimed. 'What sells this band better than their music?'

_My thoughts exactly,_ Daniel reflected, but he didn't say it aloud. When he called Amaranthine earlier on to invite her to the concert, and she said she was meeting some important clients in the evening, he was going to suggest she brought them along, but from the tone in which she declined to come, it was safe to assume she wouldn't even consider it. So he never mentioned it.

'Ah, you know what they're like, big businessmen, with their tight schedules. It was a bit of a short notice for them,' he said to Gary.

Daniel's idatron started ringing. He took it out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID.

'Sorry, Gary, it's a client. I'd better take it.'

'Sure, sure, you go ahead,' Gary said, and turned around, heading for the couch. 'Come on, you lot!' he yelled, clapping his hands. 'Let's get you ready!'

Daniel rushed out of the dressing rooms to be able to take the call.

'Mr. McLaren!' he picked up as soon as it was quiet enough. 'How are you?

'Very good, very good,' he answered. 'And you?'

'I'm very well, thank you, sir. What can I do for you?'

'Listen, I just spoke to the lovely Miss Quinn today, she sent me a selection of music by a band called _Carpe Diem_? The spec mentioned your name, so I just wondered what you know about them?'

'My PR company is representing them on their first world tour,' Daniel explained. 'They are one of the most sought-after mortal rock bands at the moment.'

'That's what Amari said, but I wasn't convinced. She tried to sell me a sponsoring and advertising package on their tour,' Athos McLaren said. 'She never mentioned you were involved in it.'

'Yes, we have just started working together. How did you like the compilation?'

'Great stuff, actually, pretty damn good! I was skeptical when she presented it to me, but now I believe young Immortals would like this band,' he said. 'But will they really go to all those concerts? Don't get me wrong, Danny, you know what I mean, it's one thing listening to some records at home or in an Immortal venue, but openly supporting Mortals in a public concert? No offence to you.'

'None taken. As for _Carpe Diem's_ Immortal fans, it doesn't seem to bother them,' Daniel said. 'Mostly probably because at any of _Carpe Diem's_ concerts at least half of the audience are actually Immortals, so it feels like an Immortal event to them. They get very enthusiastic about cheering on the band, I've seen it happen many times.'

'It's not that I don't trust you, Daniel, I'm just skeptical cause it's such an unusual thing, you understand. It's hard to believe it without seeing it.'

'Sir,' Daniel decided to go for it. 'I am actually at a club called _Steel Magnolias_ just now, and _Carpe Diem_ are about to start a small concert. If you could spare a couple of hours, you could see them play live and see for yourself how Immortals react to them.'

'Why didn't you say so in the first place?' Athos McLaren exclaimed. 'What's the club called, did you say?'

' _Steel Magnolias.'_

'Ok, see you soon.'

He hung up. Daniel stood there for a few seconds, gathering his thoughts. _I'd better let Amaranthine know,_ he thought, _otherwise she's going to assume I'm interfering._ But what if she really was at an important dinner with clients? He wasn't sure if her excuse was genuine or not. He didn't want to disturb her, if she really was out there trying to win business, but then again he knew how particular she was about him trying to get involved in what she called 'her' business. He hesitated for a while, but in the end he dialed her number.

Amaranthine had just sat down at the table with two of her biggest potential clients. She kept the conversation light and entertaining whilst they waited for their food. She tried not to let the pressure she was under leak into her body language, which was becoming increasingly difficult. She had spoken to more clients today and they were all skeptical about getting involved in _Carpe Diem's_ tour. She needed big names, without them she had no ammunition for her sales talks. But it was of utmost importance that her companions, both extremely influential tycoons of the software industry, did not find out how much she needed them. It required the highest degree of concentration, the meticulous selection of words, and the perfect body language.

Suddenly, she received a mental signal from her idatron. An urgent call from Mr. Collins.

She automatically declined the communication, cursing in her mind as she felt a flash of fury go through her face. She knew that one of her clients noticed it. _What on Earth is he thinking, calling me now,_ she thought, _when I'm in the middle of a business meeting of this magnitude? Who does he think he is?_ She sent another mental signal to her idatron, blocking all incoming calls from him.

It took all her aplomb to recover her composure, and go back to the conversation with her clients.

Daniel gave up after the fifth attempt. His first call was declined and then she was unavailable. There was nothing more he could do. _At least I can't be accused of not trying to contact her,_ he thought. _I'm just going to have to explain everything tomorrow._

He put his idatron away and headed back to summon his team and let them know that Athos McLaren was to show up shortly. He'd have to give him his full attention, and he needed to brief them on how they could help. He considered telling Gary how important it was that _Carpe Diem_ made a good impression on this guy, but decided against it. They should just play as usual, any pressure could backfire or make them look artificial. Besides, he was confident they would perform to their usual high standard, which was all that was needed.

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

It was nearly ten o'clock on Friday night, but Amaranthine was still in her office, perfecting every detail of her presentation predicting _Carpe Diem's_ future popularity. She wanted to have it ready for Monday morning so she could convince her clients into investing. She was sure the predictions and the way she presented them would impress at least a few. And yet she wasn't entirely happy with it. She felt like something was missing, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She'd been trying to figure it out for hours and was still at square one. She felt the increasing frustration, but was determined to crack it.

She heard a quiet knock on the door.

'Come in!' she called, not raising her head. She knew it was Perenelle with the reports she'd been putting together for her.

'Hey boss, here's the updated list of clients on _Carpe Diem_ project,' she said, placing her idatron on Amari's desk. It immediately displayed the document. 'We're still waiting for a couple of signed contracts to be returned, and the ones you negotiated this week. I also updated the revenue predictions.'

'Thanks, Penny,' Amaranthine said, transferring the data onto her own idatron and not looking at her PA. 'You can go home.'

'You staying for much longer?' Penny asked.

Amaranthine raised her eyebrows and nodded absent-mindedly, still focused on her simulation.

'Mmm,' she murmured under her breath, neither confirming nor denying.

Perenelle looked at her closely, plucking up the courage to say something. This prolonged tension and distance that Amaranthine has built around her since _The_ _Universe_ disaster, was starting to get to her. She adored her boss, and always enjoyed working with her closely, but this time Amari had built this wall around her, and she wasn't allowing anyone near her. She sat in her office, leaving only to meet clients, and worked like mad for hours. She was in the office before anyone else got there and stayed long after everyone had left. She didn't share her thoughts with anyone, it was as if she was in some sort of a trance. No one dared approaching her, even to express their gratitude for saving their jobs.

Perenelle knew her boss long enough though, to notice that Amaranthine wasn't doing all this on purpose, or to punish anyone for her current situation. She was merely under an enormous amount of stress which she was unable to ease. It was typical of Amari, she just tried to work through her difficulties, and it wasn't in her nature to ask for help, or talk it through with anyone. She'd just deal with it all on her own. She'd done that before, but never to this extent. It was even showing in her face – pale complexion, her eyes dulled and circled with dark shadows, visible even from underneath her perfect make-up.

Amaranthine raised her head, suddenly noticing Perenelle was still there.

'Yes?' she said.

Perenelle opened her mouth but the words that came out were not the ones she intended.

'No, nothing. Good night, then, Amari.'

'Good night. See you on Monday.'

Perenelle picked up her idatron and headed for the door.

'Penny?' she heard Amaranthine's voice.

'Yes?' she turned around and went back to the desk. Amaranthine was scanning the report she'd just given her. Two deep vertical wrinkles formed on her forehead.

'You've made a mistake in this report,' she said, turning her idatron at an angle so that Penny could see the document. 'No big deal, you can fix it on Monday before the meeting, I'd just better show it to you now.'

Perenelle looked at the name which Amaranthine was pointing at. Athos McLaren, one of the clients on the 'Confirmed' list. The client who'd bought the biggest advertising package so far.

'This client is actually still in limbo, so just move him back down to 'Potential' on Monday. I'm going to try and arrange one more meeting with him and hopefully win him over, but as it stands, he's not confirmed.'

'Sorry about that,' Penny said. 'His status was confirmed on the updated list that Daniel Collins has just sent in. He called earlier to discuss some details, remember, you said to tell him you were busy – '

'That's because I _was_ busy,' Amaranthine snapped back. 'This guy is seriously getting on my nerves. He just can't help himself, can he? I said to him that I'd let him know when Athos McLaren got in touch, he doesn't like to be rushed. And I did say he was highly skeptical, so with all probability, he'll not go for it at all. I hate it when people try to count their chickens!'

'I'll correct it now,' Perenelle offered, trying to smooth things up. That was another reason no one dared speak to Amari these days. At every mention of this guy Collins' name, she burst out in rage, which was a completely new thing for the whole office – she had always been a hundred percent self-controlled, even if she had to work with someone she disliked. But Penny didn't blame her. She didn't know how she'd react if she had to deal with Mortals on a daily basis, and she knew that Amari had more reasons than most Immortals to hate them.

'No, go home, Penny. Just do it first thing on Monday morning, ok?'

'Ok,' she said, sensing that Amaranthine wanted to be alone more than anything else. 'Good night.'

_What a pity_ , Amaranthine thought, looking at the financial report that Penny had updated. _Athos McLaren's account would bring it up to a nice total, not to mention the extra trump card it would provide for negotiations with other clients._ But there was no point deliberating and imagining what could happen, and it was certainly very stupid to put him on the list of confirmed clients, when the chances of winning his business were so slim. It could only bring disappointment. Deep inside she knew that even her presentation wouldn't convince him. _Who am I trying to kid,_ she thought, _I've been in this business for long enough to know when a client is lost, and pushing him would only make things worse for our future relationship. At least if he got back to me and said no, I could channel my energy to other clients and stop hoping for him to buy a package first..._

_In fact,_ she thought, _I should resolve it now. Get a definite answer from him before the new week starts. The weekend will give me time to get over it and I won't have to worry about it anymore, I'll know exactly where I stand then._ She knew that Athos McLaren worked late, even on Fridays. She decided to call him.

'McLaren here,' he picked up immediately.

'Mr. McLaren, this is Amaranthine,' she said. 'I'm terribly sorry to bother you at such a late hour, but I just wanted to check if you've had a chance to look at that band's compilation I sent you a few days back?'

'Oh, yes, sure, I listen to them all the time now, as a matter of fact!' he said enthusiastically. Amaranthine felt a warm wave of hope go through her chest. 'I now have got all their albums,' he continued, 'but I must say they sound even better live!'

'Live?' she asked. 'When have you had a chance to hear them live?'

'The other night at _Steel Magnolias_?' he sounded surprised. 'Your friend Collins invited me, very nice of him indeed, and he's a great chap, though a Mortal. You should have told me you worked with him, we've done business together before. He's a great chap. He can even steer hovercars manually, did you know that?'

The feeling of warmth she's just experienced turned into cold fury in a split second. _That bastard!_

'No, I didn't know that,' she said, controlling her voice with huge effort. 'So you like the music, then?'

'Oh yes, you were absolutely right,' he said. 'Not that I didn't believe you, it's just two different things, hearing about it and actually listening to the beat, you know? By all means, let me know if they play another private concert, some friends of mine would like to see them, too, I'm sure, so it could be even more business for you.'

' _More_ business, sir?'

'Sorry, Amari, I assumed you and Daniel Collins would have caught up by now? I told him I was going for it, we discussed some details on the night... Sorry, I'm going to have to go now, just send my secretary the contract ASAP, ok?'

'Certainly, sir.'

The line went dead.

She stood there for a few moments, until the pain from her clenched fists and knuckles pressed against her desk became unbearable. She tried to suppress the increasing pounding of her heart and the blood flooding her brain with massive pressure.

But she couldn't control it. The thin line had been crossed – not just treaded on, but crossed with a huge, arrogant, impossible to ignore, step. And she'd done too much self-control in the last few weeks. Now she wanted to let it all out. Penny said Collins had just sent his updated report in, which meant he may still be in his office. _It's time to get some things straight,_ she thought.

Her hands shook with rage when she grabbed her coat and idatron and headed for the portal, which was already opening to let her into her approaching hovermobile.

The parking lot was locked up and of course the building was not equipped to communicate with Eiko, so she couldn't get parked at the charging station. She just left her vehicle right outside the main entrance, not caring if it was against any laws, and walked straight into the lobby.

'Can I help you, miss?' the concierge stood up behind his desk. She ignored him, heading straight for the elevators. There was one sitting on the first floor.

'Miss, are you meeting anyone? Office hours are from 8am till 6pm, I really think you should come back in the morning..!'

The shutting door cut him off before he managed to get out from behind his desk and run to the elevators.

Every second it took to get her to the right floor multiplied her rage.

The tenth floor was empty and dark, apart from emergency exit lights, but as she walked along the corridor, she saw light coming out of Collins Communications office. She walked fast. Loud clicks of her high heels merged into one another, echoing against the walls.

Collins sat at the big table, with a huge projection of _Carpe Diem's_ tour map coming out of his new idatron. He looked at her surprised, but she didn't allow him any time to speak.

'How DARE you go behind my back and make a deal with MY client without even so much as consulting the terms and conditions with me!' she shouted, storming into the room. 'Who the hell do you think you are? Is this why you insisted on working with me? To piss me off? Huh? Is that what you wanted?'

He looked at her for a moment, speechless.

'Which question am I to answer first?' he finally uttered.

'What's that supposed to mean?!' she exploded. 'Do you think this is funny? Is this just one big joke for you?'

'I don't know what you are talking about,' he answered.

'Why did you ask to work with me?'

'Because you are good at what you do,' he said slowly, still shocked. 'No, you are the best at what you do. And that's what I needed for this project.'

'Oh, come on, give me a break. Do you really think I'm that bloody naïve to go for your pathetic flattery? I'm not some dupe you can flatter, so drop your bullshit and tell me what it really was that made you insist on working with me? You wanted to humiliate me, didn't you? Show off, prove that you are better than an Immortal?'

'Amaranthine, I really don't know what you are talking about. I asked to work with you, because I've seen the results of your work, and I've heard a lot about your skills and contacts in the trade.'

'Well,' she hissed, 'if your idea of working with me is stealing all of my clients, you'd better change it quick. Whatever agenda it is that you have, I will not let you use me. You say you liked the results of my work? Well, let me tell you something. All those results were achieved through trust, which, as far as I'm concerned, is crucial in business. But clearly very different standards are in place amongst Mortals like you.'

'Look, Amaranthine,' he said, 'is there an actual problem that you came to talk to me about, or did you just want to have an outburst of anti-Mortal prejudice and antipathy? It's ok if it is, I've had people like you come to me purely to tell me how much they disliked me. I can handle it, so you don't have to hide it. I like clear situations.'

'You have the cheek to call ME prejudiced?!' she shouted. 'To turn it all on _me_? Let me tell you something, Mr. Collins. I have plenty of reasons not to like Mortals, and they have nothing to do with prejudice. But I worked with you in good faith, I have done my best for your project, because I believe in being professional. I also believe in a certain amount of trust between people who do business together. Trust that I gave you, and which you have betrayed by contacting Athos McLaren behind my back and negotiating a contract with him. You used me just like all you Mortals like to use Immortals. We pay taxes to make this world a better place for everyone, and you waste it on things that bring humanity absolutely no benefits whatsoever, like primary education for your offspring. We discover cures to all diseases that you then use to prolong your lives, to claim pensions whilst you sit idle and wait for death instead of contributing something to the society. We pay for your rubbish disposal, and you can't even afford hovermobiles so that the surface of our planet could be cleared of roads, because you waste your resources in the name of your sentiments and weaknesses. We spend time in laboratories and discover new technologies, like hovering engines or plastglass, whilst you pay homage to your imaginary gods. Is that clear enough for you?'

'Indeed,' he said quietly, 'you couldn't have been clearer. I finally understand what brought you here, and how big a mistake I made when I asked to work with you. You are not only prejudiced, but don't bother to check basic facts. If that's what you call professionalism, then help us God, if he exists.'

'Before you dare question me, tell me one thing that isn't true in what I have said!'

'Oh, there are many, but that does not matter anymore,' he said. 'I understand our project together is over, so let's not waste any more of each other's time.'

'Well, you have got that right. The longer I speak with you, the more I am convinced of it. I am not accustomed to working with people who call others unprofessional and liars, but are unable to point out even one thing that they've said that wasn't true. I imagine it's another typical mortal thing to do.'

'Ok, if you insist so, I'll give you an example. You Immortals like to think you invented everything in this world and us Mortals are just parasites that benefit from your hard work. You say you invented the hovering engine? Check your facts and you'll be surprised.'

She couldn't help but to give him a smile full of contempt. _I can't believe I have to tell him such basic facts,_ she thought.

'I knew you were arrogant, untrustworthy and cynical, now I know one more thing about you. You are also completely ignorant. You tell me to check my facts? I don't have to check anything, as opposed to you. The hovering engine was invented in 2065 by Amar Gray, an Immortal, which is a piece of common knowledge.'

'Well, I'm very sorry to disappoint you, Miss Quinn, but it seems common knowledge doesn't always get it right. You may say everyone knows Amar Gray was the inventor of the hovering engine? Yes, probably everyone knows that. But not everyone knows that he had a co-worker who never gets mentioned, but who made the crucial breakthrough in the research, just in time, before the whole project was scrapped. A Mortal who does not care about recognition, because he has more important things in life to care about. Anyway, I'm not wasting any more of my time on this stupid argument.'

'Neither am I,' she said coldly. 'I've had enough of you, your ideas of doing business and your versions of the history of innovations. Have a good life.'

'Goodbye, Amaranthine.'

She turned on her heel and walked right out, without looking back.

Daniel didn't look at her as she left his office. He stood at his desk, motionless, until the sound of her heels in the empty corridor died away. But even then, when she was gone, the faint scent of her perfume lingered in the air, not letting him forget about what had just happened.

He had never seen such pure hatred. Her maroon eyes were like burning embers when she yelled at him. Strangely enough, he didn't feel angry. All he felt was deep, bitter disappointment. And regret. Regret at something he thought would be an exciting experience, a learning curve, and a successful business project. Regret at being naïve enough to believe that harmonious cooperation with Immortals was possible, that he could make it work. That they were capable of changing, of looking beyond stereotypes, of shaking off their prejudices. He had managed to work with them before, and he strongly believed he could do it with Amaranthine, too. But clearly she wasn't capable of changing, or worse – didn't have any desire to try. _Seems everyone else was right about her,_ he thought bitterly. _Everyone warned me not to get her involved, predicted it would all end very badly. Everyone saw it coming._

Everyone except for me.

Back in her apartment, Amaranthine found herself incapable of thinking straight. She felt confused and uneasy, couldn't sit down, couldn't take off her coat or shoes, just strolled her apartment from the bar to the windows, desperately trying to organize her thoughts. But they were too many and too contradictory to make any sense right now. _Why don't I feel relief and satisfaction? I've wanted to tell him exactly what I thought of him and all the Mortals, and I've done it. I didn't want to work with him a day longer, and I don't have to anymore. I don't care about the consequences, I can afford a break in income. In fact, I'm finally getting some well-deserved time off. So why do I feel so weird?_

_This whole thing has cost me too much emotionally,_ she thought. _When I look back at it now, I can't believe I agreed to work with Mortals. How could Nectar have done this to me? And why did I let him blackmail me into this?_

She felt spaced out and exhausted, but she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep for a long time yet. She thought again about her row with Collins. _What is it that I find so unsettling about this guy? I know he is an arrogant amateur, but there is something else he is hiding, something I cannot detect._ She observed the changes on his face when she confronted him, but somehow what she saw didn't match any of the possible reactions of someone whose low-down trick had just been exposed. There was definitely a very strong emotion showing in his eyes, but it was neither shame nor denying arrogance. What is he up to? What is his agenda?

_This is all far too confusing for a late Friday night after a hell of a week,_ she decided. _And who cares anyway? It's all over. I should just try to get some sleep and tomorrow I'll be able to think clearly. I'd better let Nectar know it's over as soon as possible, he may be able to negotiate a replacement with Collins if he wants to keep his business. Either way, my time with Elixir Vitae Communications is over. Even if Nectar wanted to keep me, or give me unpaid leave, I wouldn't take it._

She finally felt a little calmer. She took off her coat and started unzipping her boots. _I'm going to take a long hot bath,_ she thought, _and deal with this whole mess tomorrow._

_Incoming call from Mr. McLaren,_ rang in her head. Her idatron was flashing.

She looked at the clock, totally perplexed. At this hour?

'Hello? Mr. McLaren?' she couldn't hide the shock in her voice. 'Is everything ok?'

'Amari, hi,' he replied. 'Yes, everything is ok. Sorry to bother you so late into the night, but I'm leaving town for a couple of weeks on Monday and wanted to wrap things up before I go. I thought you wouldn't mind, as it's good news.'

'Mr. McLaren...' she started.

'I'll be real quick,' he didn't let her finish. 'It's just that I played that music to a friend of mine and he's also in. Hedone Jones of GH Ltd, I'm sure you know of him. Just wanted to let you know so you can send him a contract, too. He's interested in a similar deal as me.'

'I appreciate this very much, sir, but I'm afraid you'll have to discuss this further with Mr. Collins...'

'I tried to call him already, but he didn't pick up,' Mr. McLaren said. 'He's probably worried I'll invite myself to one of his concerts again,' he chuckled.

Amaranthine senses sprang up to full attention.

'What do you mean, _invite yourself_?' She was understanding less and less.

'Oh, just the last time,' he laughed again. 'It was awfully nice of him to let me come at such short notice the other night. I caught him at an inconvenient time but he didn't mind at all. Nice chap, that Collins, I'm sure he'll switch sides one day and become immortal. So, can I expect those contracts on Monday? I've sent you my friend's details already.'

'I'm sorry, sir,' Amaranthine said slowly, still in shock. 'Did you say _you_ called Daniel Collins on Wednesday night? He didn't call you first?'

'Yes, I did,' he answered, a little surprised, his humorous tone fading away. 'I saw his name on your spec and he's done good work for me before, so I called him to find out more about the band. I'm sorry, Amari, I shouldn't have called you so late,' he said. 'You're clearly exhausted... Anyway, you can e-mail me those contracts Monday, yes?'

Amaranthine pulled it together only for the few seconds it took to respond.

'Of course, sir, they will be with you first thing. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking clearly there for a moment.'

'You have a good weekend, Amari, take some rest. Speak to you soon.'

'Thank you, sir.'

He disconnected. Amaranthine stared at her idatron for a long time, trying to understand what has just happened. Very, very slowly, it sank in.

She felt sick.

**CHAPTER NINE**

Sunday morning found her lying curled up on top of her bed, staring out the window into the depressing, gloomy clouds and drops of rain forming long, gray paths along the surface of her plastglass window. She chose one drop and followed its journey from the top, as it joined with other drops on the way, changing its route, but inevitably disappearing out of sight at the bottom of the window. Then she chose another drop and followed it, just like the previous one.

Unable to sleep, she just snoozed off a few times out of pure exhaustion, but even in those brief moments her mind wouldn't rest. She felt constantly nauseas and lightheaded. The chaos in her head was incomparable to anything she had ever experienced, even to _The Universe_ disaster. Athos McLaren's phone call came upon her like a sudden earthquake that shook everything she had thought about Daniel Collins. It had been nearly three months since she met him, and all that time she had a very clear picture of him in her head.

Problem was, this picture had been totally distorted by her prejudice against the Mortals.

Since Friday night, she'd gone over and over every moment of their encounter in his office, including the dramatic finale, flinching every time the insults she threw at him echoed back in her head. She saw his blue eyes filled with strong emotions – the emotions she could now identify. Disappointment. Pain. And regret. It was clearly painted all over his face, but she'd refused to see it. Everything he ever did, said or expressed in his body language, she now reinterpreted in her head, naming it the right names. Kindness that she took for contempt. Enthusiasm and business instinct that she took for amateurism and naivety. Readiness to help and contribute, that she took for attempts to undermine her authority, and to humiliate her. Everything she had ascribed to him, blinded by hatred and prejudice, was wrong, and she had to repaint this picture now, inch by inch, seeing him for what he really was.

The process she went through eventually led her to the final words of their argument. She remembered what he said about the inventor of the hovering engine. She dismissed it as ignorance or Mortals' attempts to make themselves look important. But she knew now that he was honest with her about everything else. He had no reason to make things up. But... how could it be? Could Mortals really be contributing to important inventions but getting no recognition for it?

_There's only one way to find out,_ she thought. She activated her idatron and decided to do some research.

At first the searches brought nothing – every media report, every globesite, every interview published after the hovering engine was invented, mentioned no Mortals involved in the research. She didn't understand how a detail like this could be missed by every possible source. She didn't give up though, even after almost an hour of fruitless research.

Then it finally clicked where she was going wrong.

'Eiko,' she said, suddenly understanding. 'What is the configuration of my globenet account regarding Mortal sources?'

'They are disabled,' Eiko replied. 'Your access is strictly to Immortal sites.'

'Can you unable them?'

'This operation requires the operator's intervention,' she said. 'Would you like me to connect you?'

'Yes, immediately.'

'Globenet assistance,' she heard a voice. 'What can I do for you, Miss Quinn?'

'I would like to enable all Mortal globesites and networks on my account, please,' she said.

There was a longish pause on the other side of the line.

'I can of course do this for you, Miss Quinn,' the operator finally said. 'However, I am obliged to warn you that the content of Mortal sites is an extremely unreliable source of information. You will find incredible discrepancies between the official, verified information available on Immortal sites, and that on their Mortal equivalents. You see...'

'Just do it,' she interrupted him.

'I was just about to explain how those discrepancies occur,' the man continued. 'Mortal sites are not subject to the verification process by the Commission for Reliable Sources of Information...'

'Just do it!' Amaranthine yelled.

'As you wish,' said the operator, his voice void of all the previous superficial politeness.

The very first search that she did confirmed everything that Daniel Collins had said.

It was a long article in one of the top Mortal news networks, giving not only details of the difficulties that the team working on the engine had stumbled upon, and how a little-known Mortal engineer saved the day, but also his picture with the research team in their lab, shaking hands with Amar Gray. Amari looked closely at the picture – she recognized the lab, and the Immortal scientists from all the Immortal reports she read on the event. The only element missing from the Immortal sources was the man who made it all happen. Strangely, he also looked faintly familiar to her. She didn't understand why.

Then she looked at the names at the bottom of the photograph: Amar Gray and Mark Collins.

She read the article a few times, then moved on to others which contained other details and more photographs. She couldn't believe her own eyes. _How is this possible? How can two versions of the same story exist and no one brings it up? What other lies have we been led to believe? How many other facts and stories that we take for solid facts have a double bottom?_

She decided to check it. First, she found a list of the most profound inventions of the last few decades. Milestones of technology, medicine, chemistry, mathematics, physics, genetics, cosmology. Achievements that furthered space shuttle design and allowed people to explore the universe beyond imagination. New compounds, substances and materials that solved the biggest problems of humanity, and let them preserve the environment. Everything that made headlines in the last fifty years.

One by one, she uncovered the underlying stories of the Mortals' involvement in scientific research. The scenario she already knew from the hovering engine creation repeated itself a few times – in the case of plastglass, artificial gravity for space shuttles, protection from cosmic radiation, breaking down the genetic make-up of germs that were found on Titan in 2092, and finding a way to neutralize them before they wiped out Earth's population... And finally, creating mind-reading computers and idatrons...

Some Mortal and Immortal versions were nearly perfect carbon copies of the same story, except for the names of Mortal scientists that mysteriously disappeared from the 'official and verified' Immortal media. After an hour of reading, she knew the story template by heart: A research team with a massive budget, and even bigger pressure to perform, suddenly comes to a standstill and cannot move forward for months on end. Then, when everything seems lost, a young, bright Mortal emerges, and provides the missing piece of the puzzle, an innovative solution, or figures out the error in the primary data. The research is promptly finalized, results published in the limelight, and put into practice. But somehow, somewhere in the process, the Mortal contributor becomes anonymous, and disappears into thin air. At least from all of the Immortal reports.

_How can all of this be possible? And why is everyone taking part in this cover-up? This is a huge, and impossible nightmare._ She felt like she was in the middle of a massive maze without an exit. She desperately tried to find a way out, to make sense of it all. But every turn, instead of providing answers, gave her more and more questions.

_I can't stay in this house alone for another day,_ she thought _._ _I have to speak to someone, someone who has at least some answers, or I'll go crazy_. _Or even someone who doesn't have the answers, but will distract me from this vortex of chaos and confusion._

Trouble was, there were very few people she could even begin to consider contacting. She didn't want to get anyone from work involved, so both Perenelle and Ambrose were out of the question. Phoenix wouldn't understand. There was no one she was close enough with, to suddenly unload this sort of baggage on them.

There was only one place she could go to now. Sunny Oaks, the orphanage up in Duchess County in which she grew up. She knew it, but she tried with all her might to push this thought away. _There must be someone else I can talk to, surely._ But deep down she knew there wasn't. When she finally accepted the fact, she got up and headed for the bathroom to get ready.

_I wonder what the house looks like now. Will I recognize it?_ _Maybe everything has changed and going there now is a very bad idea. And what will they think when they see me? My foster parents, Samuel and Dorothy, whom I haven't seen for over ten years. Will they be happy I came to visit? Or maybe they will feel that we have nothing in common any more, after all those years?_ But despite all her doubts, she decided to go ahead with it anyway. They were the only people whom she could turn to now. They were the only ones she could remotely refer to as family.

She was ready within half an hour. Her hovermobile was waiting right outside the portal, getting soaked in the tenacious March rain.

As she approached the house, she recalled the time she spent in Sunny Oaks. She was placed there at the age of three and a half, after her parents' death, and left the day she turned eighteen. Not because it was a bad place. She was looked after well and Samuel and Dorothy were good people – a couple who, unable to have their own kids, decided to run a foster care home – but she never quite felt like she belonged there. The house was always full of kids that came and went. Some grew up and went their own way, some were adopted. Few of them were there since a young age like herself – most still remembered their real families who had died or abandoned them. You never knew who would stay, and who would go. Amaranthine very quickly learned that it wasn't worth getting attached to anyone, because before you knew it, they disappeared from your life. She always hated the temporariness of the relationships, the lack of stability. Samuel and Dorothy did their best to ease things up and prepare their children for the constant changes, but even with their best intentions and efforts, their time was far too limited to give each of the kids the amount of attention they needed. Amaranthine left to have her own life, in which things would change only when _she_ decided so.

She visited very rarely and gradually grew so far apart, that she stopped coming altogether. She had her own life, which was so different from her childhood, that she felt like she was a completely different person now. Samuel and Dorothy kept in touch from time to time, but since she rarely replied, they eventually stopped.

When she was five minutes away, she decided to call them. She didn't want to go into the house and meet all the kids. She just wanted to speak with Samuel and Dorothy. If they had the same routine that she remembered, they should have some spare time on their hands at this time of day. Sunday afternoons were for everyone to do their own thing.

Samuel's reaction to her call reassured her that coming here wasn't a huge mistake. He was as happy to hear her voice as always. She asked him to meet her outside in ten minutes and go for a walk. It wasn't raining here, though it was just as depressingly gray as it was in New York.

The house stood at the foot of a hill. The trees and bushes that would contrast with the red brick walls in full sunshine, today seemed to cover and overwhelm the house. As soon as she touched down, a man's figure appeared in the main door. By the time she got out of her vehicle, he was right by it. Naturally, he looked exactly the same as when she saw him the last time over ten years ago, and the same he was all her life. Around forty-five years old.

'I forgot how quiet it is down here,' she said, smiling faintly. 'It hasn't changed one bit, you know?'

'Amari, you are breaking my heart,' he smiled back. 'We've worked so hard on the new fence and you didn't even notice.'

'Oh, I'm sorry, it has changed a little bit, then. There is a new fence.'

'That's better. Good girl.'

He gave her a big warm hug. She hadn't realized how much she needed that.

They walked out through the main gate towards the fields. She's always loved strolling along the narrow balks dividing fields of different crops. It was always windy there, but she liked the wind. It gave her a feeling of freedom and independence.

'How many kids have you got at the moment?' she asked to start the conversation somehow.

'Eleven.'

She raised her eyebrows, surprised. She had expected the number of foster kids to decrease over the years, but it had remained stable. When she lived in Sunny Oaks, there were always around ten others staying there.

'Are there still that many accidents happening at Mortal communities?' she asked. It seemed the only reasonable explanation to her – after all, even though Mortals didn't have access to the Cure or its derivatives, they enjoyed decent medical care, which meant they could live in good health all their lives. They rarely died early from cancer, heart disease, flu or any other illness. They just died out of old age. But by then not only their children, but also grandchildren were adults. The only way a child could become an orphan these days was if their parents died suddenly in an accident. Just like hers.

'Actually,' Samuel said, 'Not all of our children are orphans. Not strictly speaking, anyway. And they don't all have Mortal parents.'

'What do you mean?'

'We find babies on our doorstep every so often,' he explained. 'Occasionally, one or both parents are identified. Particularly after the recent Population Report, authorities make sure all biometric databases are checked, and show me an Immortal in this world who is not in at least one.'

She wasn't quite understanding what he was saying.

'Immortals have kids and then leave them on your doorstep?' she asked. 'Why?'

'In most cases, one of the parents changes their mind, once the child is born, and abandon their partner, who in turns deems it unfair that they should raise the child alone and give up their immortality,' he explained. 'But some never intend to keep the child.'

'So why do they have it in the first place?'

'They say they want to have a child even if they cannot bring it up themselves. Some observe the kids from a distance, some are satisfied knowing that their offspring exist and live somewhere safe.'

'Quite selfish of them, don't you think? What happens with a kid when the parents are found?'

'Depends. Some parents take it as a blessing, fight to get the child back and happily give up immortality. Others take each other to court over who can remain immortal... It can get quite nasty. We try to keep the kids out of it.'

Amaranthine remained silent.

'But tell me about you, we so wondered how you were, and what you were doing these days,' Samuel said, changing the subject.

'Oh, I'm still in PR,' she said. 'But I may think of a change some time soon, who knows.'

'That sounds exciting! What were you thinking of?'

'Nothing specific just yet. I just fancy a change, that's all.'

They walked in silence for a long while, but it didn't seem to bother Samuel and she didn't feel uncomfortable. He has always been a good listener. The trouble was she didn't have a clue where to start, how to articulate the events of the last few days. It was such a new thing for her – she never asked anyone for advice or consolation. The world of Immortals was an individual world, where everyone was fully independent and responsible for their own life. If you needed help with your next career choice or any other move in your life, you ran a simulation or options report on your mind reading computer. It provided solid, reliable and objective analysis of your circumstances and suggested the most optimal solutions. Eiko had been great for Amaranthine and her professional success proved that it was the best way to make crucial decisions. But this situation, this dilemma she had now was not something she wanted analyzed by Eiko. There was a dimension to it that even a machine as advanced as Eiko could not take into account.

They kept walking in silence. Samuel didn't ask why she suddenly decided to turn up after so many years, and she was glad he didn't. Just being there was soothing, it was enough. She would just figure it out for herself.

She asked him about some insignificant aspects of their life, the petty things that were a part of running the orphanage – suppliers, new state regulations that affected them, maintenance of the house. He didn't show surprise that she should ask him these questions now, not having seen him for over a decade. He spoke, making a few jokes and funny comments, though he must have noticed how absent-minded she was, that she hardly listened to his stories.

They reached the river and stopped on the little stone bridge that Amaranthine remembered so clearly. She used to come here and stare at the little fish and the carpet of polished stones covering the bottom of the stream. Here too, hardly anything had changed, despite the passage of time. She listened to the whisper of the current below their feet, and smiled to her memories as she recalled her childhood. Water, its constant movement, always running forward as if it were in a hurry to run some important errands, always gave her the motivation to be active, to do things, to achieve goals. _I can't remember the last time I saw a river in the real world,_ she suddenly realized. She was always too busy.

They slowly started their journey back to the house. It was dinner time soon, so Samuel had to return to help Dorothy. Amaranthine looked back at the bridge and felt a strange, overwhelming sadness. She didn't understand why.

When they reached the house, Samuel stopped and looked at her.

'Please join us for dinner, Amari. The kids would love it,' he said.

'No, I'd better not,' she said quickly and firmly, to discourage him from insisting. She couldn't face it – she knew the kids would be excited and impressed by her, would ask her questions about her life in the city, and would be fascinated with her being 'a real Immortal'. Before the Cure was invented, kids dreamt of becoming an adult. In the Era of Immortality, they all dreamt of becoming an Immortal. She remembered that very clearly from her own childhood. Any other time, she would be happy to tell them some stories to make them look forward to that moment even more. But not tonight. Not after what happened with Daniel, not after her immortal values, and way of thinking, let her down so badly.

'I'm quite tired, and have an early start tomorrow,' she explained softly, spotting the disappointment in Samuel's eyes. 'Thank you for the invite, though,' she added. 'I'll take a rain check on it. I'd just like to say hi to Dorothy before I go. Could you ask her to come outside, please?'

'Of course,' he said. 'Come into the hall, though, it's too cold to stand outside.'

Amaranthine hesitated. He noticed it.

'Everyone will be in the dining room already,' he said.

'Ok, then.'

They stepped inside and Samuel went to fetch Dorothy. Amaranthine looked around the hall. The big grandfather clock was still there. She remembered how she used to count its strikes, lying in her bed when she couldn't sleep. She could hear raised voices coming from the dining room, then quick steps.

'Can you give us just one minute, please, Amari,' Samuel said in passing. 'I need to fetch one of the girls, so all the kids can sit down for dinner. Dorothy will be right with you.'

'No problem, take your time,' she said. He ran upstairs, calling.

'Sarah! Sarah! Dinner's on the table, you can come out of your room now!'

After about 30 seconds he ran back down again.

'Amari, sorry about that, could you wait a couple of minutes by the fireplace, one of the girls is missing, we'll have to find her,' he said, heading for the dining room.

'Ok.'

She walked over to the room with the fireplace, next to the hall. She sat on the sofa, again immersed in memories. It was the room where Samuel and Dorothy would receive guests. Kids were not allowed to play there, so naturally they were always fascinated by it. She hadn't been an exception. Even now, when she was a guest herself, and was allowed to be here, she felt a strange respect for this place.

She could hear the residents running around the house, looking for the missing girl. She stared at the fire, the flames jumping from one log of wood to another.

Suddenly her right eye caught a slight movement in the corner of the room. She looked in that direction, but didn't see anything at first. Then, as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she noticed two huge, bright eyes staring right at her. They belonged to a little girl, cringed and squeezed into a corner. Her arms embraced a big doll. She couldn't be more than eight years old.

'Hey,' Amaranthine said. 'What are you doing here?'

The girl didn't respond. She just looked at her with sheepish eyes.

'Are you Sarah? Everyone is looking for you. Why are you hiding?'

The girl remained silent again.

'Why are you hiding?' Amari repeated.

'Please don't tell them you found me,' the girl finally whispered.

'If I promise I won't, will you tell me why you're hiding?'

The girl crawled out of the corner and perched at her feet.

'I found my doll,' she said.

'That's good, isn't it?'

'Not really.'

'Why not?'

'Because I can't play with it anymore.'

'Why not? It is your doll, isn't it?' she asked. 'You didn't steal it from another girl, did you?' she scrutinized the child.

'No, I didn't. It's my doll.'

'Ok. So why can't you play with it?' Amaranthine continued her investigation.

'Because everyone thinks it's stolen.'

'So you didn't steal it, but everyone thinks it's stolen?' Amaranthine tried to wrap her head round the logic.

'Uh-huh.'

'Why don't you just show it to Samuel and Dorothy, and everything will be sorted,' she suggested. 'They know which toys are whose, and if you didn't steal it, they will know that.'

'You don't understaaand,' the girl said, a note of childish irritation in her voice.

'You're right. I don't,' Amari said, surprised that she could be bothered talking with the girl. 'Why don't you just tell me the whole story from the beginning?'

The girl hesitated.

'My name is Amaranthine, but you can call me Amari. I grew up here, just like you. You can trust me.'

Sarah's eyes opened wide and became round like the buttons sewn to her doll's face.

'Are you an Immortal?' she asked, deeply impressed. 'A _real_ Immortal?'

'Yes, I am. Why?'

'Wow.'

Amaranthine gave a little sigh.

'So what happened?' she asked.

'Ok,' Sarah started in a very quiet whisper, craning her neck towards the door, as she could hear people looking for her all over the house. 'After lunch I went to my bedroom and my doll wasn't there. I asked everyone, but nobody would say they took it. Then Katie laughed at me, when she thought I couldn't see. So I knew she must have taken my doll, so I told Samuel and he asked Katie and she said no, but I just knew it was her. Samuel was angry, and he told me that I can't say things like that if I don't know for sure, and that I had to sit in my room the whole afternoon. It was sooo boring! But some girls sneaked in, and we played hide and seek, and they all believed me because Katie is from Mortal parents. But then...'

'... you found your doll,' Amaranthine guessed. She was beginning to understand the girl's plight.

The girl confirmed with a silent nod.

'And now you are ashamed that you wrongly accused Katie,' Amari summed up.

A small nod again. Then the corners of Sarah's mouth dropped, and her eyes swelled up with tears.

_What the hell do I say to this child?_ Amari thought. _Why did I even get involved? I should have just called Samuel and let him handle it._

But it was too late now. The girl stared at her, seeking help. Amaranthine tried to remember what Dorothy would say to them in similar situations.

'Sarah. Listen to me,' Amaranthine said. 'There is only one thing you can do. You have to go out there and tell everyone the truth.'

The girl backed off.

'And you have to apologize to Katie. Did you ever think how she must be feeling? How would you feel if everyone called you a thief and you did nothing wrong? Think about it.'

'But Jason says all Mortals are thieves. I'm always going to be immortal when I grow up.'

'Sarah. How many Mortals do you know?' Amari asked. The girl's saucer eyes just opened wider in response.

'So how can you judge them on what someone else says?'

The girl's mouth dropped open, almost matching the shape of her eyes.

'Exactly,' Amaranthine said. 'Believe me, it's much better to form your own opinions than repeat what others say. Now. You will not feel better until you've apologized. Trust me, people will respect you for it and there will be no more punishment.'

'You promise?'

'Cross my heart.'

The sheepish look returned to Sarah's face again.

'I know it's a hard thing to do,' Amari said, 'you need to be brave. But it will be worth it. And I'll be here with you, ok?'

Sarah took a deep breath and nodded.

'Ok.'

Amari stood up from the sofa. 'Samuel!' she cried. 'Here, I've found her!'

She felt the girl's little hand grab her own.

'Amari?' she said.

'Yes?'

'I don't know how to... what to say,' she whispered.

Amaranthine crouched down in front of her and squeezed her shoulders.

'Just keep it simple. Walk over to Katie and say _: I'm sorry I called you a thief. It was very bad of me and now I know you didn't steal anything, because I found my doll_.'

Sarah nodded. Amari led her into the center of the room as Samuel, Dorothy and a few kids ran in, surrounding them with a tight semicircle. Amari tried to step aside, but Sarah wouldn't let go of her. The girl's little hand was warm and soft.

All curious eyes were set on Amaranthine and Sarah. Samuel made a move towards the girl, but Amari stopped him with a gesture. Within a few seconds everybody was there. Amari looked at all the girls, trying to figure out which one was Katie. She looked at Sarah, and traced her look to a girl who got there last.

Sarah looked up at Amaranthine, as if asking for encouragement. Amari smiled and squeezed her shoulders slightly. Sarah slowly went over to Katie.

'I am sorry I called you a thief,' she said quietly, but clearly. Then she paused, looked at Amari again, trying to remember the line. 'I found my doll.' Then she lowered her eyes.

There was tense silence.

Samuel came over to them and crouched down.

'That was a very brave thing that you just did, Sarah,' he said. 'I am very proud of you. Now ask Katie if she forgives you.'

Sarah looked up at her friend.

'Do you forgive me?'

A smile brightened up the little girl's face.

'Ok,' she said simply, shrugging her shoulders and smiling.

'I am proud of you, too, Katie,' Samuel said. 'It is just as hard to forgive others, as it is to ask for forgiveness.'

_I hope that's not true,_ Amari thought, _because what I have to do tomorrow feels harder than anything I've ever done in my entire life._ She felt jealous of little Sarah who already had it behind her. She was worried Daniel wouldn't just simply say 'ok' the way Katie just did. _Then again, I accused him of a hell of a lot more than stealing a toy._

Samuel gently pushed both girls towards each other.

'Now give each other a hug and be friends, ok?'

'Ok,' the girls said in unison.

'Good girls,' Samuel stood up. 'Now let's all go and have dinner, before it gets completely cold.'

The kids didn't have to be told twice. They all ran to the dining room, resuming the usual uproar.

'I'd better go and dish out dinner before another disaster strikes,' Samuel said, giving Amari a hug goodbye. 'I'll let you two catch up.'

'My little darling, how we've missed you,' Dorothy said, also hugging her tightly. 'It's so good to see you. You look a little tired. Is everything all right?'

'Thanks, Dorothy, I'm all right. It's good to see you, too. But I don't want to take up too much of your time, you should be dining with everyone...'

'Don't you worry about it, Samuel can handle the dinner,' she said, 'let's sit down together, I want to hear all your news.'

'Oh, there's nothing to report,' Amari said. 'I just wanted to say hello to you. I must be going, it's getting late.'

'Are you sure you don't want to stay for dinner?' Dorothy was clearly disappointed. 'There is plenty of food... Aren't you hungry?'

'It's not that, Dorothy, I just have something... something brave to do tomorrow and I, um, I have to think it through.'

'Sorry? Are you ok, sweetie?'

'I'm ok, Dorothy, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll visit again soon, I promise. I'll let you know in advance, and we can have dinner or lunch together, ok?'

'That would be wonderful,' Dorothy said, but she looked as if she didn't quite believe that would happen. 'I will walk you to your hovercar.'

They went outside.

'See you soon,' Amari said, kissing her goodbye.

'Take care, darling.'

Amaranthine entered her vehicle.

'Thanks for your help with Sarah, Amari,' Dorothy said before the hatch closed. 'Whatever you said to her, it was exactly what she needed to hear. It worked wonders.'

Amaranthine smiled. 'It was nothing,' she said. 'We kept it simple.'

Dorothy watched Amari's vehicle lift up and fly away, turning into a tiny speck above the line of the trees. She heard steps behind her and a second later felt Sam's arms wrap around her from behind.

'I'm worried about her,' Dorothy said, feeling a lump form in her throat. 'She seemed... lost. Did she tell you what was bothering her?'

'No,' Samuel replied. 'But she came over to see us. After all those years, it means more than words. She's never been good at expressing her feelings with words.'

'I know.'

'Do you think it has something to do with – '

'No,' he said quickly. 'If she had a specific question, she would have asked it. I think she was just feeling a little lost, just like you said. Maybe some trouble at work? She mentioned she may think of a career change.'

'I hope you're right,' Dorothy rested her head on his chest. 'I've always dreaded the day she comes back asking questions and expecting answers. Answers we cannot give her.'

'We'll worry about it when that day comes.'

'She's still wearing her mother's pendant. I don't think she's ever taken it off since she got the key to her deposit box.'

'I've noticed.'

'She promised to come and visit again soon. Do you think she will?'

'I don't know,' he kissed her hair. 'We'll just have to wait and see.'

**CHAPTER TEN**

Butterflies fluttered nervously in Amaranthine' stomach.

It was five in the morning on Monday, March 8th. She hadn't expected the concierge to let her into Daniel's office at this insane hour, she was prepared to wait in the lobby until he turned up, hoping that he would be alone and she could catch him before he'd go upstairs. She wasn't quite ready to face his whole team.

But the concierge greeted her with a big smile and let her right through as soon as he heard her name. He said she could wait in Mr. Collins' office and that he'd inform him of her presence as soon as Mr. Collins arrived. He should be here shortly, he added. He's always the first to come in and the last to leave.

She was so surprised with his kindness that she did as he suggested, unable to come up with some convincing arguments against his plan. Having assumed that the news of her storming in late Friday, and having a row with Collins, had spread by now, she had expected indisposition, even hostility from anyone working in the building. Every office building in the world had ears, she knew that from many years of personal experience. So why would the concierge be so accommodating? _Maybe he's just new,_ she thought, _or right back from a vacation. As soon as others come to work this morning, he'll find out all about what I've done and he'll hate me just like everybody else._

She sat at the long table in Collins' office, in the same chair as the first time she was here. It felt like a century ago. The same office, the same table, the same seat. And yet, absolutely everything was different, as if she was in some sort of alternative reality.

She still didn't know what to say to him when he walked in. Every time she tried to form some sentences in her mind, the butterflies in her stomach would decide to fly all at once. She couldn't gather her thoughts, she couldn't stop the shaking of her hands. _Just keep it simple_ , she repeated in her mind and that helped a little. _Just keep it simple._

Please let him be here before anyone else, like the concierge had said. With every minute passed, she felt her courage grow a little bit smaller, and she was worried it would run out before he got there. She was worried she would snap, stand up, and leave without speaking to him. She knew she wouldn't be able to bring herself to come here again.

She took a few slow, deep breaths to calm down. But as soon as she heard the clink of the elevator door, every muscle in her body tensed immediately, and to the limits.

She heard his steps, strong but somewhat hesitant, slower than his normal, energetic stroll. She guessed why. He saw her hovermobile, and the concierge had told him she was waiting for him upstairs. He was giving himself time to prepare strong words for her, to tell her precisely and clearly to leave his office, and never to show her face in there again. The steps approached the door and stopped right outside.

_Here we go,_ she thought. She stood up and faced the entrance.

His eyes seemed bluer than ever. They had their usual magnetic power, the power she couldn't overcome. She had to look into them, and once again see the pain and regret, and disappointment that they held. His eyebrows were pulled slightly together, forming long, horizontal lines on his forehead.

'You get up early,' he said.

'So do you,' she replied, surprised but relieved at his calm voice. It could have started much worse.

'Not as early as you,' he said, heading for his desk. 'What can I do for you?'

She waited, watching him take off his coat and place his idatron on the desk. Then he looked at her, leaning against his desk, with his arms folded. Defensively, as if he was preparing himself to fight off another avalanche of insults.

_Can't exactly blame him,_ she thought.

She walked over to him. When she was close enough, she looked again into his eyes.

'I came to apologize to you for everything I said on Friday night,' she said. Then she continued, trying not to sound pompous. 'I unfairly accused you of doing things you did not do, blinded by prejudice and resentment, and I didn't even give you a chance to respond, and set the record straight. I made assumptions about you, vented my anger on you, and blamed you for my own failures. I realize how wrong I was, and I know I hurt you. I just wanted to say I'm sorry.'

He didn't move a muscle. His expression was still, as if chiseled from stone. His body motionless. He just stood there, looking at her.

Amaranthine waited a few moments and then started to feel awkward. She didn't know what reaction she was expecting, but this wasn't looking good. She put her handbag on her shoulder, getting ready to leave.

'I know this doesn't fix things, and I don't expect you to forgive me,' she said in the end. 'But I had to apologize to you. I won't waste any more of your time. Thank you for listening. Take care, Daniel.'

Still no reaction. The silence was unbearable.

She nodded her head slightly, then turned around and started walking towards the door. _I did it,_ she thought. _It's over._ Despite his reaction, or rather lack of any, she felt relieved. She managed to say what she wanted to say, and there was nothing else she could do. He actually treated her much better than she deserved. He took time to listen to her, gave her a chance to apologize. Silence was a better reaction than a smile of triumph or a pout of contempt.

_I'll never see him again,_ she suddenly realized. _I'll walk through that door and our paths will never cross again._ At this thought, she felt a strange emptiness, as if a big hollow grew inside her chest.

The sliding door opened before her with a whisper.

'So you wanna go and get, um... breakfast?' she heard his voice.

She halted in mid-step. It took her a few seconds to process what he'd just said. She turned around very, very slowly.

'I don't eat breakfast,' she blurted out, completely not knowing how to respond.

The silence that followed felt like time had stopped for a few moments.

'Neither do I.'

They looked at each other across the room, none making a move.

Then his face finally changed expression. The tension disappeared from it, and he smiled at her.

And she smiled back.

'So where would you like to go?' she asked as they stood waiting for the elevator. She still felt very tense, but it was a very different kind of tension. This was such an unexpected turn of events, she didn't know what to think. She felt it was a turn for the good, though. She was pleased.

'It's a place I go sometimes,' he said, smiling again. 'You'll see.'

When the elevator door opened, Daniel took a step back, and let her go through the door in front of him. She glanced at him, surprised – these sort of gestures were regarded old-fashioned, and unnecessary in a modern society. But it strangely suited him and he did it in such a natural manner, that it seemed like a part of him, and not a gesture that he had to calculate, or even think about. She stepped in.

The parking lot was still empty except for their hovercars.

'If you like, we can take just mine. It's a two-seater,' he said when they reached the charging stations.

She hesitated briefly, but quickly made her decision.

'Okay.'

'The passenger seat is on the other side,' he said.

'Oh. Sorry,' she said, embarrassed. She'd headed for the wrong side. But then again, what did she know about multiple-seater hovermobiles? They were almost exclusively used by the Mortals, and she's never even been in one.

The hatches on both sides opened up, making Daniel's vehicle look like a massive dragonfly spreading its wings to take off. Amaranthine got in and tried to relax.

Daniel started the engines. She was relieved to see the same safety panel as in her own machine, displaying the same message.

The next thing that happened, though, was very different from what would normally happened in her own hovermobile. A big hatch started opening in front of Daniel. _Of course,_ she thought. _He has to type in the destination, if he doesn't want to use his voice to instruct the computer where to go. He wants to keep it a surprise._ She was curious as to where he was taking her. She also wanted it to be a surprise, but couldn't help glancing at what he was doing.

Suddenly she sat upright in alarm.

It wasn't a touch-screen that emerged from the hatch. It was a joystick.

To steer hovercars manually was an extremely rare thing for people to do in the 22nd century. All machines were equipped with on board computers that were run by hover traffic control systems all over the world. Any hovermobile could be programmed to fly anywhere in the city, in the country or abroad, so long as the location was within range. And it was the safest mode of transport. Very few people were licensed to steer manually. There was no such need, and automatic pilots were much, much safer.

'Don't you have the autopilot?' she asked, looking at him, frightened, noticing mirrors emerge from the sides of the vehicle.

'Oh, I do, but I try to steer manually as much as possible. I appreciate the autopilots, but I think they make us too dependent on technology.'

'I'm sorry,' she interrupted him, reaching for her seatbelt buckle, 'but I think I'll take my own vehicle after all. It's not you, it's just that I...'

'There's no need to do that,' he said. 'I'm sorry, I didn't realize it made you feel uncomfortable. I will use the autopilot, it's not a problem. Here, I'll just program it.'

His calm tone of voice immediately settled her down.

He pressed a couple of buttons, and the joystick immediately disappeared. A small touch-screen lit up on the side panel. Daniel found the location on the displayed map of New York, and confirmed it with a double tap of his finger.

'Don't worry,' he said. 'It's done.'

'Thanks.'

She sat back and tried to appear relaxed.

They didn't talk on the way, but it didn't feel uncomfortable. Maybe it was because it was so early in the morning, and silence strangely fitted the ambiance of the city. Or maybe it was because they knew they would have a lot to talk about later, and at this moment words weren't necessary. Or maybe, it was simply because the morning was stunningly beautiful and they both enjoyed it best in silence.

After days and days of grayness and depressing gloominess, the sky above New York City was finally crystal clear again. It was still very early, but there was no doubt they were witnessing the birth of a perfect spring day.

Yes, spring had definitely arrived.

Daniel's vehicle kept climbing up until it finally reached the top hoverway. Amaranthine saw the sun emerging from the sea, its golden glow growing bigger by the minute. Only the tops of the tallest skyscrapers were lit up at this time, touched with the sunrays, the rest of their bodies still submerged in darkness.

She suddenly realized that they were heading for the heart of Manhattan, while she was subconsciously expecting him to take her to some mortal bar in the middle of Brooklyn. She promised herself to clear her mind of all stereotypes, and open it fully. To let him show her who he really was.

His hovermobile slowed down and started climbing up vertically, way above the highest hoverway. It moved along the wall of the tallest skyscraper in New York City. She knew now where he was taking her. _The Horizon_ , the best and the highest revolving restaurant in the city.

'Are they open at six am on Monday mornings?' she asked, surprised.

'Strictly speaking, no,' he smiled. 'And the full menu won't be available of course. But who knows, we may get lucky with a wee bit of breakfast.'

'You seem pretty confident that we will get served,' she said, intrigued. 'You're not just taking a chance, are you.'

He just smiled in response. They arrived at _The Horizon_ and the hovermobile stopped.

'Ladies first,' he said, pointing at the restaurant portal that started opening and stretching out to the hatch on her side of the vehicle.

Amaranthine got out and stepped inside. She had a few moments to look around the restaurant while Daniel's hovermobile made a hundred and eighty degrees turn to let him out. The restaurant wasn't open, that was obvious – the tables weren't set, and didn't even have table linen on them. It wasn't open _to the public_ , she corrected herself. But somehow it was open for Daniel.

She was impressed. She'd only been there a few times before, with her most important clients, and every time Nectar had to pull a few strings to get her a table. How Daniel could get served here on a Monday at six in the morning, she had no idea.

The answer was coming soon, though.

'Let's poke our heads into the kitchen, and see what's on offer,' he said, standing right next to her.

'Poke our heads into the kitchen?' she couldn't believe her own ears. 'Do you own this place or something?'

'I wish,' he laughed, and then winked. 'But no, I don't own it. I just have a few contacts of my own.'

He headed towards the kitchen. Amaranthine followed him, shaking her head in disbelief.

A mixture of the most amazing smells hit her nostrils as they walked in. Freshly ground coffee. Smoked bacon. And some herbs she couldn't name, but inhaled with pleasure. The kitchen was big, L-shaped, with a long counter in the middle, a few sinks on the left and a row of stoves on the right. They heard someone singing around the corner as they moved along the counter.

There was a tall man, with his back turned to them, busy breaking an egg into a pot of boiling water. He was the only person in the kitchen.

'Morning, bro,' said Daniel. 'Any chance of a decent breakkie?'

The man turned around and looked at them.

'Anything that is created in my kitchen is decent,' he said slowly, but his face immediately lit up. 'Where have you been hiding, big man?' he gave Daniel a hug. His accent was the same as Daniel's, but stronger.

'Well, you know what it's like, have to keep the crowds entertained,' Daniel said. 'This is Amari Quinn, our companies work together on _Carpe Diem's_ tour,' he explained. 'This is my little brother Gerry, the head chef of this lovely establishment.'

Gerry shook her hand.

'Nice to meet you, um...'

'Amaranthine,' she reminded with a smile. 'Amari works just fine.'

'Ok, then, Amari,' he said. 'What do you fancy on this gorgeous morning?'

'Whatever you recommend,' she replied, 'I had the pleasure of dining here a few times and every single dish was absolutely delicious.'

'Dump him and marry me instead, gorgeous,' Gerry said with a cheeky smile. 'I could use some compliments around here.'

'Don't pay attention to him,' Daniel said, 'he proposes to every female within earshot. What we really care about here, is how he cooks.'

'Thirty years of brotherhood,' Gerry lowered and shook his head, pretending to be upset, 'and not a scrap of appreciation.'

Daniel opened a cupboard and took out two cups, then grabbed a jug of coffee from the coffee machine and a small one of cream from the fridge.

'We'll leave you to it,' Daniel patted his brother on the shoulder. 'We've got to set our table. Thanks, bro.'

Gerry resumed his song as soon as they started walking back towards the restaurant.

'He's funny,' Amari said with a smile. 'Your little brother, huh?'

'Aye,' Daniel said, 'six years younger. He's an excellent chef. Just not very good at accepting compliments.'

Daniel stopped at some cupboards and opened one of them. He grabbed a table cloth, napkins and two sets of cutlery.

'So,' he said when he had everything. 'Which table would you like? I'm afraid we won't be able to turn on the rotating mechanism.'

'Oh, that would be far too much to expect. That one over there will do just fine,' she pointed at a table for two that was facing east.

'Perfect,' he smiled. 'Let's set it, then.'

She took the table cloth from him and spread it on the table.

'How long has he worked here for?' she asked when they sat down.

'Gerry? About three years now, I believe.'

'He must be incredibly talented,' she said. 'I mean, this is one of the best restaurants in New York and he is so young.'

'Yeah, he's always been good at cooking,' Daniel said, pouring them coffee. 'He loves it.'

'Why is he here so early on a Monday?' she asked.

'He likes to be alone in the kitchen,' Daniel explained, watching her pour cream into her cup. 'He says it's the only time he can create new dishes. Experiment. Plus he always does the inventory by himself. Every Monday morning, after the weekend, he checks his stocks and writes out the orders for the week.'

They were silent for a while. Amaranthine sipped some coffee and looked at New York. It looked stunning. The sun slowly climbed higher and higher, its golden rays touching the buildings, and lighting them up, floor by floor.

She realized he was looking at her. She put her cup down.

'Can I ask you a personal question?' she said.

'Fire away.'

'Mark Collins is your father, isn't he?'

'Yes, he is,' he said, looking a little surprised. 'How do you know?'

'I remembered what you said on Friday about the hovering engine,' she explained. 'When I got home, I researched it.' She made a pause. 'Why didn't he ever fight for recognition for his role in the invention?'

Daniel finished his coffee and started pouring another cup.

'A couple of reasons,' he said slowly. 'First, he doesn't like a fuss being made about him. Even I didn't know he'd invented it until ten years ago. When I found out – by chance – I was a wee bit angry with him. I didn't understand what he meant when he said it didn't matter. I wanted to climb to the tallest building in New York, and shout about it so loud, that every single person in the city would learn the truth about my dad's genius. But the second reason you couldn't argue with. He had a family to support, and he was offered a settlement if he didn't demand recognition. It happens a lot, actually. It's all about the money and the image. The company felt it would be better to say that a team of Immortals did it.'

She nodded, not knowing how to comment.

'It was very generous of you to hear me out today,' she said. 'I don't think I would give someone another chance like that, if they acted like I had.'

'I'm sure you would,' he said. 'I, on the other hand, am not sure I'd find enough courage in myself to do what you did today.'

'You wouldn't have to,' she said, 'because you wouldn't do what I did on Friday. Besides, someone told me recently that granting forgiveness is harder than asking for it.'

'I doubt that,' he said. 'Can I ask _you_ a personal question?' he added.

'Of course.'

'On Friday,' he started slowly, 'you said you had many reasons not to like Mortals, and they had nothing to do with prejudice.'

Amaranthine quivered. Very lightly, but he noticed. Her right hand travelled to the Ankh cross pendant adorning her cleavage.

'I'm sorry. You don't have to answer.'

'No, it's ok,' she said. 'My parents died in a car crash when I was three and a half years old. A Mortal caused the accident. He was showing off in front of his buddies, speeding on the wrong side of the road. I guess till now, I have been collectively blaming all Mortals for it. I grew up in an orphanage and even though my foster parents were great people, it's not the same as having... a real family. My parents could have lived forever, they could have been here with me right now, but that guy took them away from me.'

'They could live forever? How –' he started, confused, clearly trying to add things up in his head.

Amaranthine smiled.

'Yes, I know it's hard to believe,' she said. 'I'm 80 years old. I was born in 2025, one year _before_ TAMI came into force. At that time, my parents were allowed to have me _and_ remain immortal.'

A brief shock that flashed through his face proved that he appreciated the magnitude of her confession.

She was quite shocked herself – real age was the biggest taboo in the world of Immortals. People wouldn't reveal it to their closest friends, never mind work colleagues or someone they had known for just a few months. But she felt strangely safe speaking to him. For reasons she couldn't grasp at this moment in time, he just inspired trust in her.

'Now I understand your dislike towards Mortals,' he said.

'It doesn't justify it. I know that now. Thanks to you.'

'You are overestimating me.'

'I am not,' she said. 'You have no idea how much you opened my eyes to the truth about Mortals. After finding out the role that your father played in the creation of the hovering engine, I did more research on other inventions, and I was shocked to find out that in the majority of cases it was a Mortal who made the crucial breakthrough. It puzzles me. I don't understand how the Immortals can be so convinced we are the smartest lot, when in reality it's the Mortals who achieve so much more.'

'It's a huge overstatement,' he replied. 'My father would quote: 'It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer'. Do you know who said that?'

'I have no idea.'

'Albert Einstein.'

'Really? It's very ironic, don't you think? I mean, you would have thought that the Immortals, having all the time in the world, would stay with problems longer, and not the Mortals, whose lives only last for a few decades. Why do you think that is?'

'You don't give up as easily if you know you only have one shot at it. You know your time is limited, so you make the most of it.'

'I guess... But there must be more to it, I mean those Immortal teams were under huge pressure from investors, so it's not like they didn't try. They just couldn't crack it.'

'Well, I guess our good old evolution is still working,' he smiled. 'The potential of the people who are already here only stretches so far. We need new blood to push science forward.'

Gerry emerged from the kitchen carrying two plates. He was wearing kitchen gloves.

'Ok, my dears,' he said with his usual cheeky smile, 'watch out for the hot plates.'

'Wow,' Amari said, 'we are being served by the head chef himself! Thank you so much.'

'You are most welcome, gorgeous,' he said, putting the plate in front of her. 'Enjoy.'

'Mmmm,' Amaranthine inhaled the smell of the dish. 'Eggs Benedict. I love them.'

They ate in silence. The food was first class, the yolk from the perfectly poached eggs trickled down the crispy muffins and slices of lean, grilled bacon. She only now realized how hungry she was. With all that had been going on, she'd hardly eaten since Friday!

When they finished, Daniel took the plates back to the kitchen and came back with another pot of coffee. She sipped it slowly, glancing at the city. The sun was high enough now for its rays to illuminate the skyscrapers from top to bottom. The traffic had significantly intensified over the last half hour.

'A penny for your thoughts,' she heard Daniel say.

She apprehended that she'd been silent for an unusually long moment, her eyes fixed on the panorama of the city.

'Sorry,' she said with a smile, 'I was just going over some things in my head. And I remembered that Athos McLaren asked to be sent a contract as early as possible this morning. You probably want to do it when you get back to your office. Also,' she added, taking her idatron out of her handbag and switching it on, 'I need to give you the details of his friend who is interested in a similar deal.'

'Why don't you do it?' Daniel said. 'I mean, I don't mind doing it, of course, but I think the way our tasks are divided now works pretty well, don't you?'

'You mean you still want to work with me?' she said.

'Why wouldn't I?'

'Well, I was hoping you would,' she smiled. 'But after the way I acted, and the terrible things I said to you, I didn't think you'd ever want to work with me. I didn't want to assume that just because you accepted my apology today, everything was back to normal. Most people wouldn't forgive this sort of thing easily, they would hold a grudge for...'

'Life's too short for grudges, Amari,' Daniel interrupted, 'well, at least as far as I'm concerned. I would love to continue working with you. I was being honest, you know, when I said you were the best in the business. And you have already proven that.'

'Are you sure? You see, I thought you seriously hesitated. There, in your office. Before you suggested we have breakfast together.'

'It wasn't hesitation. It was shock. I'd never known anyone capable of admitting their mistakes like you did. Plus, I'd never heard you call me by my first name before.'

'I suppose... your name – it's a Christian name, isn't it?'

'Yeah, it's Christian,' he said. 'Biblical, probably. Though that's not why I was given it.'

'So why were you given it, then?'

'My grandmother,' he explained with the kind of smile one has when remembering an embarrassing situation from their childhood. 'She named me after some actor who was apparently famous for his very blue eyes, and my grandma seems to think mine are just as blue.'

'That's funny. But she's right. Your eyes are amazingly blue,' she felt a blush warm her cheeks as she said it and she lowered her eyes.

'How about your name? It's very unique. And beautiful.'

'Thanks,' his words didn't help her overcome her blushing. 'My parents gave it to me because amaranths were my mother's favorite flowers. Also, it was their wish that I remained immortal. My father even put it in his will.'

'Your parents? I had assumed you chose it when you turned immortal. _Amaranth_ has a meaning related to immortality, doesn't it?'

'It does,' she said. 'Literally, it means _unfading_. But actually, that's just a coincidence. Most people think I chose it when I decided to become immortal, and I don't usually set the record straight,' she smiled. 'But the truth is, I've had it since I was born. This – ' she said, touching her Ankh cross pendant 'was also a gift from my parents. It's an ancient Egyptian symbol of immortality.'

'It's amazing,' Daniel said. 'It's the biggest and purest ruby I've ever seen. It must be one of the rarest pigeon blood stones in the world.'

' _Pigeon_ _blood_?' she asked. 'What do you mean?'

'You wear this thing every day and you don't know? Really?'

'I have no idea... I mean I've always known it's precious, but never thought about what it is. I just like it because it belonged to my mother. I got it when I turned eighteen and left the orphanage.'

'That's fair enough.'

'So what's _pigeon blood_?'

'It's the name jewelers give to that shade of ruby,' he explained, 'it only occurs when the primary hue is red and the secondary purple, and if it's incrusted in pure gold.'

'Why is that?'

'Well, rubies are never purely red, they always have a secondary hue,' he went on. 'It can be pink, purple or orange. Pink or orange would dilute the red, but purple is a mix of blue and red. So when a purplish red ruby is set in yellow, just like in your pendant's case,' he pointed at the stone with the tip of his finger, 'the yellow of the gold cancels out the blue in the purple leaving behind an almost visually pure red.'

'That's fascinating,' she was impressed. 'How do you know so much about gems?'

'It's just a bit of trivia,' he smiled.

Her idatron flashed. She glanced at it.

'It's Perenelle,' she said, 'she's worried about me not being at work yet. I'll just let her know everything is all right.'

'Of course,' he said, standing up and picking up their cups. 'I'll fetch us some more coffee for the road, ok?'

'Great, thanks, Daniel.'

When he got to the kitchen, Gerry stood motionless, leaning against the counter, holding a spoon he'd just licked clean in one hand, and an open bottle of red wine in the other. His eyes were closed, and total bliss spread across his face. The kitchen smelled of a mixed aroma of onions, wine, and fresh herbs.

'Wake up, bro,' Daniel said, glancing at him suspiciously. 'I thought you were here to cook, not to get pissed. We are heading off. Thanks for a great breakkie.'

Gerry opened his eyes and smiled.

'I've just created the most heavenly Bordelaise ever known to mankind,' he explained. 'Wanna a wee lick?'

'No, thanks,' Daniel replied, 'I'll take your word for it. Just need a couple of disposable cups.'

'Disposable cups? What do you think this is, a hover-through?' Gerry's indignation was so well acted, that anyone but his brother could believe it was for real. Daniel just rolled his eyes and started snooping about in the drawers and cupboards.

'C'mon, bro, I know you keep them here somewhere. We need some coffee for the road.'

'That cupboard over there,' Gerry finally pointed.

'Thanks,' Daniel said, taking out the cups and pouring the coffee in. 'You have some more cream?'

'When since do you take cream in your coffee?' Gerry teased.

'I don't. Amari does.'

'Uh-huh. Are you sure your girlfriend is an Immortal?' Gerry said, fetching the cream from the fridge, shaking it and carefully pouring a little into one of the cups. 'I thought they were all on strict no-fat, no-carbs, no-real food diets and such.'

'She's not my girlfriend,' Daniel said, 'and trust me, she's definitely an Immortal. A bit more cream, Gerry.'

Gerry poured in another drop. Daniel stirred it with a long spoon and looked at it critically, judging the color. 'Maybe a bit more,' he said.

Gerry poured in more cream. A small drop again.

'Damn it, Gerry, is there a deficit of cream in this kitchen?' Daniel took the jug off him and added the cream himself. Then stirred the coffee again, before putting on the cap.

'Thanks again, little bro,' he said. 'See you soon.'

'Nae bother,' Gerry smiled. 'Anytime. Say goodbye to your girlfriend from me.'

Daniel rolled his eyes, but said nothing.

When he got back to the restaurant, Amaranthine was ready to go.

'We have a meeting every Monday morning,' she explained, 'I'd better not be late for it.'

'Same here,' he smiled, handing her the coffee.

'I'd like to say goodbye to your brother if that's ok,' she said, 'and maybe grab some cream for the coffee if he doesn't mind.'

'Oh, don't worry about Gerry,' he said, 'I already said goodbye for both of us. And there's cream in your coffee already, unless you'd like some more, of course.'

She looked up, clearly surprised that he paid attention to how she liked her coffee. She took a sip.

'Wow, it's perfect,' she said, 'thanks a lot.'

Back at his office hovercar park, he walked her over to her vehicle.

'Thanks for everything, Daniel,' she said.

'My pleasure,' he answered, 'we'll be in touch soon I'm sure.'

'Yes, I'm sure we will.'

'Have a good day, Amari.'

'You, too.'

As her hatch opened, he turned around and started walking towards the elevator.

'Daniel?' she stopped him.

'Yes?'

'I wondered if... if _Carpe Diem_ were playing another concert any time soon? I'd love to meet them and hear them play.'

'I'm not sure if they'll be playing anything before the tour, they need to prepare. But if they do, you'll be the first to know.'

'Ok.' She smiled at him appreciatively and as beautifully as she could.

Perenelle was worried. She sat at her desk, waiting for Amari, glancing at the clock every few seconds, as if it would make time stop.

Her boss was late for work, which never happened. Perenelle had a strange feeling that something was wrong, though she wasn't sure what gave her that notion. _I should have said something back on Friday,_ she thought. _I should have let her know how worried we all are about her, and that she can count on us. And now it may be too late. What if she quits? She sounded strange on the idatron this morning, and now she's late. It's not like her at all._ The meeting was in ten minutes, just like every Monday morning, ever since she remembered.

She reached over for her idatron to call her boss one more time. But before it started connecting, she heard a voice in Amari's office.

Perenelle shook her head in disbelief. _I'm hearing things,_ she thought. _This is impossible._

But there was no mistake. The voice coming from behind the closed door was Amari's. But she wasn't talking to one of her clients or co-workers. She wasn't ordering anyone to double check details, she wasn't telling anyone off for not doing their job properly. She wasn't pitching to new potential clients.

She was... singing!

She was singing a cheerful, catchy tune that Penny thought she'd heard recently, maybe in a commercial.

Her boss _singing_? Unheard of.

Before she could get over it, the door to Amari's office opened energetically and her boss emerged.

'Hi, Penny!' she chirped, 'sorry I'm late. How are you this glorious morning?'

Perenelle sprang up to her feet, astounded. Amaranthine looked radiant. Despite the shadows around her eyes still visible, she glowed, as if the mask of grayness and exhaustion that laid up on her face since _The_ _Universe_ scandal, had been peeled off, revealing rosy cheeks and a warm shine in her eyes. Her hair was casually down, cascading down her back and her shoulders, and the big ruby in her pendant reflected the morning sun, sending out short, red gleams.

'I'm fine, thank you,' she replied, perplexed, and then, automatically, even though it felt like a silly question, considering Amari's obvious transformation, 'How are you?'

'Never better, Penny!'

_That's exactly what she looks like,_ Penny thought. _At least this is the best I've ever seen her. What the heck is going on?_

'I need you for one sec before the meeting,' Amaranthine's voice jerked her out of the shock.

'Sure,' she said, grabbing her idatron and heading into Amari's office. Before the door closed behind her, she noticed everybody's heads poking out of their boxes, exchanging puzzled looks. They all had jaws dropped to their chests.

_At least I'm not the only one,_ Penny thought. _And I'm not going crazy._

'Can you bring up that report you worked on Friday night?' Amaranthine said, sitting down at her desk and activating her idatron, 'I have some last-minute changes to make.'

'It's right here,' she said, spreading the projection in front of them. 'Which section do you need to update?'

' _Carpe Diem's_ advertisers list and income estimate,' she said. 'Could you move Mr. McLaren back to 'Verbally Confirmed,' and add the value of his contract to the predictions. Then add one more line right below him and input the same amount. Here's the name and details of the new client,' she dragged the information over from her device to Penny's.

Perenelle quickly inserted the name and the figures.

'Phew!' She said with admiration. 'Look at the total, Amari.'

Amari glanced over and smiled widely.

'Excellent.'

'When the heck did you get this guy?' Perenelle asked with her eyes wide open. 'Were you working all weekend?'

'No, it happened last thing on Friday, right after you left,' Amari replied. 'Shall we go over and make Mr. Foster happy?'

Her idatron flashed. Amari picked up, signaling Penny that she was free to go.

'Hey, Daniel, what's up?'

_Daniel? As in Daniel Collins? It can't be!_ Perenelle slowed down walking towards the door to hear as much of the conversation as possible. She couldn't believe her own ears.

'Oh, perfect! Yes, sure, count me in!' she heard Amari exclaim, 'let me just mark this in my diary... March 27th..., 9pm..., Steel Magnolias... Got it. Excellent, thanks so much for letting me know!' There was a pause, then Amari said, 'Actually, Daniel, I just remembered, Athos McLaren mentioned his friend would be very interested in seeing them play. I think Mr. McLaren might want to come along too, he took quite a liking to _Carpe Diem_. Can I invite them both?'
**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

'Nice view,' Daniel said, looking down at Manhattan through her office window. 'If it was any clearer, you could almost see the coast of Ireland from here. Or even Scotland, who knows.'

'Where in Scotland are you from?' Amari asked.

'Edinburgh.'

'What is it like?'

'As bonnie as the rest of Scotland.'

'You clearly love your country,' she smiled, passing him a cup of coffee.

'Well, what can I say. You can take the man out of Scotland but you can't take Scotland out of the man. You ever been?'

'Not physically, no.'

'What does that... ah, you mean you ran one of those virtual tours. That doesn't count.'

'Not even a little bit?' she teased.

'Nope. You'll see what I mean when we go there with the band. I'll show you around.'

'I'll hold you to that.'

'Anytime.'

Amaranthine sat down and brought up the list of potential advertisers they were to work on. They'd had a meeting with Nectar that morning about figures and predictions and they needed to tie up some loose ends.

'So,' she began, 'today is March 15th, the tour kicks off on April 1st. Which gives us less than three weeks to get as much publicity as possible, and convince the remaining clients. Now this is where it gets really hard.'

'Why's that?' Daniel asked.

'There's a reason why I left these till the end,' she explained, scrolling down to the bottom, 'they are hard-core, staunch opponents of mortality. Some built their whole business concepts and brands on being anti-mortal. We've got a lot of big names already, but even that may not be enough to even get an appointment with some for these guys.'

Daniel sat beside her and looked through the list, knitting his brows. As he leaned forward, the smell of his cologne reached her nostrils. It was fresh and cool like a sea breeze, as if he'd just stepped off a sailboat.

'I don't know about the others,' he said, 'but that guy there employs a whole bunch of mortal designers. I'd imagine he'd be more approachable than others.'

'Formichetti? Really? How do you know that?'

'One of my pals designs for him.'

'Seriously? I'd have never thought.'

'It's the case with many designers,' he said.

'Fresh blood, ha? Just like in science?'

'Yup. There's only so many ideas one human can have.'

'Ok, let's try him first, then. Hopefully I'll manage to set up an appointment for this afternoon or tomorrow morning.'

'Do you think... um, I mean, would you like me to come along? I could maybe use my friend's name, that could work in our favor.'

Amaranthine considered it. She'd never done business in tandem, but it somehow felt right this time.

'Um... well, yeah, I guess we could try that. We just need to tread very carefully, I don't know how Formichetti will feel about people knowing about his mortal designers.'

'Why don't I pick my friend's brain on that, so we know where we stand.'

'That's a good idea. A few tips from an insider won't hurt.'

'It's 8.15,' Eiko's voice announced.

'Ok, stop telling me,' Amaranthine said, 'I know I programmed you to help me keep track of time, but now it's just distracting me. Just don't let me be late.'

'Sure,' Eiko replied, 'If you need some advice, I'm here.'

'I know you are.'

She sat on her sofa viewing holograms of herself wearing different outfits. At the moment, it was an elegant, ankle-length gown in deep purple shade of amaranth, embellished with very subtle, golden thread that made it glisten just enough to draw attention, but not to overwhelm. She made her hologram walk back and forth a few times to see herself from every angle. Not entirely happy, she made it walk to the side and stand there whilst she scrutinized the other dress. This one was very different – a knee-length, simple, fitted cocktail dress, an equivalent of the classic 'little black number.' Except, of course, being part of Amaranthine's wardrobe, it wasn't black, but the shade of amaranth closest to red.

She was down to these two after hours of agonizing what to wear for her first meeting with _Carpe Diem_ and their concert at Steel Magnolias. Before that, she spent hours trying to decide on the right hairstyle, finally setting for an updo with a parting on the side, and a loose bun of wavy strands just above her neck. She'd never had so much trouble selecting her attire and hairstyle before. But then again, she'd never been to a mortal event, listening to a mortal rock band, and socializing with mortal people.

What do they think is appropriate for this sort of occasion? What is everyone going to be wearing? She made the first hologram walk past again. Then the second one. Then the first one again.

_What a nightmare,_ she thought. _And why do I even care what they'll think? I know I'm stepping into their world for the night, but it's them who want to step into mine, it's Carpe Diem who want to break into the immortal market, and win the immortal audience. So I shouldn't really be bothering about adjusting to their idea of style, should I?_

That thought gave her some confidence, but didn't erase the feeling of pressure. Despite her reasoning, she still cared what they would think of her. And she knew the reason only too well.

It would be the first time she'd speak to Daniel's team ever since the two of them became friends. She hadn't seen Tom, Frankie, Angela and Maddie since that brief first meeting in Collins Communications boardroom, when she was so hostile towards them all. That was nearly three months ago and three weeks since the day Daniel took her for breakfast to his brother's restaurant. That day and those three weeks turned their relationship by a hundred and eighty degrees. But his whole team would still have that first impression she gave them. She clearly remembered the outrage on their faces at how she treated Daniel that day, pure hatred in Angela's eyes. She wanted to change that. She didn't expect them to be as forgiving and friendly as Daniel, but she hoped they could at least bury the hatchet. She wanted to do it for him. The problem was, she didn't quite know how. She wasn't used to trying to make other people like her.

She physically put on the first gown to help her make the final decision and looked at herself in the mirror. _If someone told me a month ago that I'd care so much about a mortal guy and his team, I'd laugh my face off,_ she thought. _Maybe I'm just still feeling guilty about treating him like shit when we first met, and my infamous outburst._ But deep down she knew it wasn't just that. She grew to actually like him.

Admittedly, Daniel Collins was not a typical Mortal. He had been doing business with Immortals for several years and a few serious businessmen knew and respected him. He felt completely at ease in their company, he acted like their equal and so they automatically treated him like one. He also adapted a lifestyle very close to that of Immortals, so it was probably much easier to deal with him than a regular Mortal.

His private life was a mystery to her, apart from what she knew about his father and brother's occupations and the fact he also had two sisters, a niece and grandparents. She wasn't entirely sure what his reasons for remaining mortal were; he didn't wear a wedding band, a custom still very popular amongst married Mortals, and the amount of time he spent at work, his clear priority, would suggest he didn't have a partner or children. He wasn't religious either, it seemed; she remembered what he said during their argument: 'If that's what you call professionalism, then help us God, _if_ he exists.'

She unzipped the dress, which slipped off her shoulders and fell to the floor. She picked it up and put it away.

She put on the other dress, for the hundredth time trying to imagine what the night would be like, and what clothes would make her fit in the best. She knew she only had a few minutes left to make her decision, if she didn't want to be late.

'Damn it!' she swore out loud, still in two minds and unable to make a choice. Suddenly the hairstyle didn't seem to match either of the dresses. She eased her way out of the cocktail dress and went back to her closet to search one more time through the ones she had ruled out earlier, suddenly losing all confidence in her so-far elimination process. She was back to square one. To make things worse, Eiko proved completely useless when it came to giving advice on dealing with Mortals, which wasn't surprising, since she was Amari's personal mind-reading computer and Amari's mind was completely blank when it came to the ins and outs of the mortal idea of life and fashion choices.

Suddenly she had a thought.

'Eiko,' she sat up, 'could you connect me with the people who actually _design_ my clothes? And I don't mean the boss, I mean the actual designers.'

'Of course.'

_This should be interesting,_ Amari thought as she waited for the connection. She'd never thought about the people who created her wardrobe. She just gave the company a spec and if they had any questions they asked her through Eiko. She proofed the holograms, and if she didn't like something that arrived, she'd send it back with her comments. In time, they learned her preferences so well, she didn't have to give them any more instructions.

'Olympus Designs, can I help you, Miss Quinn?'

'Yes, I wondered if you could give me some advice. I'm going to a place I've never been to before and I'm struggling with the decision on what to wear.'

'Certainly,' the girl said, 'Let me run a simulation...'

'Actually,' Amaranthine interrupted, 'I don't want any simulations. I want... _your_ opinion.'

'Oh?' the girl was clearly shocked.

'But,' Amari said, 'that depends on if you can be honest with me.'

'Of... course,' the girl uttered without conviction.

'I hope you don't mind me asking, but... are you a Mortal?'

There was a longish silence on the other end of the line.

'Miss Quinn, I...' the girl stuttered, her voice ringing with panic.

'No, listen,' Amari said quickly, 'it's _good_ if you are. I need a Mortal person's opinion. It's really important to me.'

'Really?' a mixture of uncertainty and surprise.

'Yes, definitely. Now, listen, the venue I'm going to is...'
**CHAPTER TWELVE**

She got to Steel Magnolias only a couple of minutes late. She relaxed a little as soon as she saw people's outfits – her skinny jeans and the top, advised by the Mortal designer, seemed to fit the casual Mortal fashion choices. She was so glad that she didn't go for an evening gown, she would have felt really out of place.

Daniel and most of his team were already there, sipping drinks.

'Hello, everyone,' she said with a short smile, joining their circle.

All eyes turned on her and the conversation died in mid-sentence.

'Hi.'

'Hi.'

'Hi.'

Great. This is just going to be awkward now. Please let the clients get here ASAP so I can excuse myself.

'Hey, Amari,' Daniel was the only one who smiled. 'Let me get you a drink. What would you like?'

She glanced at their glasses and decided to play it easy. She didn't expect a mortal venue to make her favorite cocktail anyway.

'I'll just have what you're having.'

'So,' she said when Daniel left, determined to lighten up the atmosphere and show them that she didn't bite. 'You guys have seen the band play live before, haven't you.'

'Yes.'

'Yup.'

'Yeah, they were great.'

Silence again. Eyes travelled down to avoid her glance.

'And how many people are expected to be here tonight?'

'Dunno.'

'Er, a few thousand maybe.'

'And how's your organization going? Hotels, visas, and so on?'

'Good.'

'Fine.'

'Aye, getting there, you know.'

Fortunately Daniel came back from the bar at that moment, and rescued her by handing her a cocktail. It was a mojito, not her favorite, but she didn't care. And it didn't even look like a classic mojito. It was served in the usual highball glass, but in addition to ice, slices of lime and mint, there were a few thin leaves in it that she couldn't identify. They tinged the cocktail pink.

She didn't care though, relieved to have something else to do than try to make a conversation. She took a tiny sip of the cocktail, letting Daniel take over the chat. But even before the sweet and refreshing mixture reached her taste buds, she was surprised by the scent that hit her nostrils. The mint mixed with some other scent, subtle and flowery but intangible. It must have been the pink leaves in it. The secret ingredient seemed to also bring out the citrus, and the mint marked its presence stronger than usual. She would have to ask him later what it was. She took a second, bigger sip, amazed at how tasty it was.

'Right, Amari, why don't we pop into the changing rooms so you can meet Gary and the boys before our clients get here.'

'Sure, great.'

_At least I have a chance to make a good first impression on the band members,_ she thought on the way to the dressing rooms.

Indeed, that encounter went much better. The band's manager, Gary, was clearly pleased to meet her, and made quite a fuss about the work she'd done on _Carpe Diem's_ behalf. The musicians greeted her briefly, interrupting their preparations, but they were natural and friendly. She observed them curiously. Despite the outfits, the hairstyles, the tattoos and other rock star attributes, they didn't strike her as crazy, full-on rock men. They seemed very level-headed.

Her and Daniel left the dressing rooms to let the band finish getting ready, and headed back to the bar.

'What would you like?' Daniel asked, catching the barman's eye. The man held up his index finger for a split second. 'Same again?'

'Yes, I really liked that,' she smiled.

'Are you sure?'

'Definitely,' she said, observing the barman perform an acrobatic routine with spirit bottles, shakers, muddlers and glasses. 'Mojito is actually not my favorite cocktail, but I must admit the one they serve here is slightly different from what I've had before.'

'Would you prefer it made with a classic recipe?' he asked.

'No, I really like this version. It's delicious. What's in it that makes it pink?'

He winked to her, pretending to be smug. 'It's a mysterious, very rare ingredient, which cannot be revealed. Steel Magnolias' trade secret.'

'Is that so?' she smiled back. 'And isn't it against the law not to reveal all ingredients of the products served to the general public?' she teased.

'Of course it is,' he said with a playful wink. 'But this is a mortal bar, remember, we break all sorts of laws.'

The barman finished his little show and glanced at them. Daniel signaled the order from the distance. The barman nodded slightly to confirm he was on it.

'How does he know what you want?' Amari asked. She didn't expect Mortals to be able to afford humanoid robots, but she looked closely at the staff behind the bar, just to make sure. They all seemed to be humans.

'It's his job to know,' Daniel said. 'I've ordered it before, so I shouldn't have to repeat myself.'

'Are you saying they remember everybody's order all night?'

'They've been trained to pay attention,' he smiled.

She couldn't help but remember her conversation with Ambrose's astronomer friends the night Mr. Paramonos was arrested. Olam praised Hebes' ability to remember people's drink preferences in detail and claimed that humans weren't capable of the same thing. But that was because his image of Mortals was as distorted as hers once was.

When the barman came back with the two glasses, she took her idatron out to pay this time, but Daniel insisted on paying again. She wanted to insist back, but quickly gave up. Daniel didn't take his idatron out of his pocket. Instead, he produced a bundle of banknotes.

'Keep the change,' he said to the server, handing him the cash.

She felt embarrassed for not having predicted that. She didn't bring any cash with her – why would she? Immortals stopped carrying it around with them decades ago.

'Daniel,' she started, 'is there a way of getting cash around here? I didn't bring any, I didn't realize...'

'Yes, there is,' he said, 'just over by the entrance.'

'Thanks,' she replied. 'Excuse me for a moment.'

She walked over to the cash machine, activating her idatron.

_Request a cash withdrawal of two hundred dollars from this ATM,_ she ordered mentally.

_I'm sorry, but your account configuration does not allow cash withdrawals,_ the device responded.

_Then change the damn configuration!_ she was getting really annoyed.

Of course. Connecting with the bank.

She glanced at the clock.

I haven't got time for this! Can you not just change it for tonight, all I need is a few hundred bucks!

I'm sorry, Miss Quinn, but this operation requires direct communication with the bank staff.

At that moment she saw Mr. McLaren and his businessman friend enter the club.

'Oh, just forget it!' she barked at the idatron, this time verbally, and switched it off. A couple of passers-by gave her curious looks. How embarrassing. She wouldn't be able to buy her clients a drink because of some bloody antediluvian technology this place used. She had to go and greet them.

'Welcome, Mr. McLaren,' she said, trying to look relaxed. 'Thank you so much for joining us.'

'Wouldn't miss it for the world!' Athos McLaren said. 'Thanks for the invite. This is my friend, Hedone Jones.'

'It's a pleasure to meet you, sir,' she said, shaking his hand. 'Let me introduce you to Mr. Collins.'

Daniel saw them from the distance and approached them quickly. As soon as introductions were over, he offered them drinks.

'Daniel,' she whispered to him discreetly whilst the clients were having a look at the menu. Mr. McLaren, this being his second time at Steel Magnolias, played host to his friend, both very amused by the fact that they had to look at the menu, as opposed to have their preferences mind-read by robot waiters. Clearly they haven't had much experience with mortal bars either. 'This is so embarrassing, but I've got a problem withdrawing cash here.'

'Don't worry about it,' he said naturally. 'I've got it covered.'

'Thanks' she said. 'I'll pay you back on Monday.'

'You don't need to, Amari,' he said. 'It's my fault, I should have warned you. I'm sorry. So let me make up for it by tonight being my treat.'

She accepted his offer with a smile, relieved that she wouldn't have to improvise at the bar, trying to order and pay in this old-fashioned way.

Soon a round of applause came from the audience gathered in front of the stage, hinting them that the concert was about to start. Daniel, Amaranthine and the clients made their way to the table waiting for them on a narrow gallery stretching at the back of the room, whilst Daniel's team joined the sea of excited fans, packed tightly on the main floor.

As soon as they settled, all the lights went out. The crowd waved and gasped in anticipation.

It happened all at once, without any warning, a hint even. The music of electric guitars and the drums, the voices of the two vocalists, and the lights went off at once in perfect synchrony, making an overwhelming impression on the crowd. Hundreds of hands exploded in enthusiastic applause, cheers and squeals burst out of hundreds of throats and floated towards the stage.

Amaranthine sat back and smiled to herself – it was nice to be entertained for a change. She spent so many years decorating venues and putting all sorts of shows together, imagining them, planning them, and executing them, she never actually had a chance to enjoy herself. There were always too many details to see to, too many last-minute hitches to resolve, so that the show was perfect in every aspect. She realized that at almost every event, dinner, opening, launch or exhibit that she attended for the last few years, she was at work. Too busy making sure everyone else was having a good time to actually have some fun herself. Here, at Steel Magnolias, with Daniel taking turns with her at looking after the clients, and the show having been prepared by someone else, she could actually afford to relax.

It was also very interesting to her professionally. The events that she organized were always meticulously planned, and tension was built gradually, to keep the audience on their toes, expectant and excited. This concert however, with its sudden and immediate kick off, came across less planned, but yet more enthusiastic, passionate, and natural, with the band responding to, and communicating with the crowd as if everyone there formed one single organism. She observed the audience's reaction. They were completely engrossed by the music and singing, they clapped and jumped, danced and cheered, and when _Carpe Diem_ occasionally went silent at the chorus, hundreds of voices sang the lyrics perfectly word by word. They all seemed to be participants of the show rather than passive spectators. Instead of waiting to be entertained, they made the show together with the band. She could feel the whole place vibrate, caught in the rhythm and melody.

The feeling of vibration wasn't just coming from below; the whole gallery also shook slightly, put in motion by a few dozen feet beating together with the strikes of the drums. She glanced at her clients and froze in shock for a second – the two of them were the most enthusiastic people on the gallery, clapping vigorously and stomping their feet. Mr. McLaren was singing out loud, a testimony of the many hours he had spent recently listening to _Carpe Diem's_ albums in his hovercar. Amaranthine shook her head with disbelief.

When the band took a break, Daniel got up to get them another round of drinks, but Mr. McLaren insisted that it was his turn.

'I want to do it the old-fashioned way at least once,' he laughed. Amaranthine panicked for a moment – what if he hasn't brought any cash just like her? But she needn't have worried. 'I specially brought cash this time,' he said, taking a bunch of banknotes out of his pocket. 'What are you having?' he addressed Daniel and Amaranthine.

'Mojito,' she answered for both of them. 'Though it's not a standard one, I'm not sure how to –' she looked questioningly at Daniel. She didn't want a standard one; the pink ingredient, whatever it was, made it taste far too delicious.

'Just tell the barman it's for us,' Daniel explained casually. 'He'll know exactly what it is.'

'Ok, then,' Mr. McLaren got up, ready for his mission. 'Let's go see how it works.'

Amaranthine observed them as they walked down the narrow gallery stairs and started squeezing their way through the crowd. She wasn't sure they would be able to make the order with so many thirsty customers surrounding the bar, but the same barman that served Daniel and Amari before walked over to them as soon as he saw them, ignoring quite a few people at the front of the queue.

She looked at Daniel suspiciously.

'Do you have special privileges in every venue in this city?' she asked.

'Only in the ones that are worth it,' he grinned, his eyes playful again.

'How do you know everyone here so well?' she didn't give up. She was curious.

'I used to work here,' he revealed with a smile.

'Really? When was that?'

'My first and second year in college,' he said.

'How did you manage to do both at the same time?'

'It was just a couple of nights a week,' he said. 'Tips were really good and I have to be honest, it was great fun. Didn't feel like work, really.'

'Daniel Collins?' they suddenly heard a voice behind them. They both turned around to see a man of Daniel's age and a very similar accent. His mouth was stretched in a wide smile, surprise and happiness filling his eyes.

'How is it going, man?' Daniel exclaimed, giving the guy a big hug. 'Fancy meeting you here!'

'And you!' the man replied, still astonished at the accidental meeting. 'What are you up to these days? Not playing anymore, are you?'

'No,' Daniel replied, 'I have a PR company now, we organize events, advertising campaigns, this sort of thing. You still playing?'

'Only for pleasure,' the man said, a note of nostalgia in his voice. 'I coach kids, mainly,' he said, throwing a curious look at Amari. 'Who's your lovely companion?'

'Oh, I'm sorry,' Daniel said, 'this is Amari. Our companies are working together to represent this band on their first world tour. Amari, this is Chris, my good old friend. We haven't seen each other for years.'

'It's nice to meet you,' Amari shook Chris' hand. 'What did you used to play together?'

'Rugby,' Chris replied with a smile. 'A wonderful sport.'

'Rugby?' Amari couldn't hide the shock in her voice. 'Isn't it terribly dangerous?' As far as she knew, rough sports like rugby or American football were off limits for anyone who wanted to have a decent insurance plan, and – more importantly – for anyone who wanted to enjoy their unlimited life in good health. There wasn't much point in being immortal if you were going to fracture your scull and end up brain dead.

'You can say that about anything fun these days!' he said, 'doesn't mean it's not worth the risk, does it? I mean, would you not go skiing because you may just break your wrist or not go surfing because there's half a per cent chance you'll get bitten by a great white? Don't you want to have some stories for your grandkids and some adventures to look back on when you're on your deathbed?'

Amaranthine didn't know how to respond. Chris was clearly assuming she was a Mortal and she didn't know how Daniel wanted to play it. One thing she was sure of – this was not the moment for getting into a dispute over the Mortal versus Immortal idea of life.

'I guess you have a point there,' she replied quickly, not letting any of her feelings show on her face.

Fortunately, the band were ready to get back on stage and Mr. McLaren and his friend were climbing the stairs to the gallery, each carrying two cocktails.

'I think they're ready to play again,' Daniel said, 'it was great bumping into you. Give me a call soon, ok, we should get together for dinner.'

'Absolutely,' Chris smiled widely, and immediately winked, 'but only if you bring Amari along. She's much better to look at than your ugly mug. You take care, buddy.'

He shook their hands and departed, hurrying to his table on the other side of the gallery.

Daniel and Amari took their drinks from the businessmen, who seemed awfully proud of themselves for completing the mission.

'This queuing thing isn't all that bad!' Mr. McLaren was saying. 'I don't know why us Immortals are so convinced it's a bad thing. The service here is almost as swift as in our bars, populated by Hebes, plus you can actually have a chat with those barmen as they serve you.'

Amari exchanged a quick amused glance with Daniel, making sure the clients didn't notice it.

'And the drinks taste real good,' Hedone Jones commented. 'You wouldn't believe they're made by Mortals.'

Amaranthine opened her mouth to tell them that they were being prejudiced and wrong, to make them realize that Mortals were far more creative and capable than many of the Immortals, but she stopped herself just in time. As frustrating as it was, she couldn't afford to argue with her clients. She glanced at Daniel's face, but he didn't seem bothered by Mr. Jones' comment.

The excited crowd below fell silent again as the lights were dimmed to prelude the band's entrance. It lasted for a few moments, building up anticipation, and testing the audience's patience. Not everyone could handle the excitement in silence – now and again a spasmodic cry declaring love to one of the band members or an elongated whistle shattered the intense quiet, putting the focused crowd on alert.

In their signature style, _Carpe Diem_ coordinated their entry perfectly, making the same gasping effect on their fans. Amaranthine could feel the hair on the back of her neck rise as the clear sound and powerful voices hit her ears.

She caught the sight of Daniel's team in the crowd. Maddie, Frankie and Tom were jumping up and down and singing from the top of their voices. Angela was clapping and cheering, and she looked happy. It was the first time Amari had seen her smile.

The band played an encore three times, and even when it was clear the concert was over and the stars wouldn't reappear on the stage, the fans kept clapping, whistling and cheering, too stirred to just settle down straight away. The whole gallery joined in the applause, Amaranthine and her party included. Then everyone flowed towards the bar.

When they got down, Daniel's team found them. They were all sweaty and tired, but their faces expressed pure happiness. Even Angela couldn't help a faint smile.

'How was that for a rock concert, eh?' Maddie exclaimed, her cheeks rosy. 'These guys can only be compared to some twentieth century classics, like the Rolling Stones, don't you think? There's not been anyone like them in the last hundred years!'

'They're even better than that!' Tom couldn't help his enthusiasm either. It was clear the band's standout performance made a massive impression on them. They kept the discussion going, arguing which of the old classic bands _Carpe Diem_ could be compared to, but they couldn't agree. It was clear that the band had their own unique style that escaped comparisons and parallels.

'What do you think makes them so good?' Mr. McLaren asked. 'I mean I agree they're unique, I certainly haven't heard anything like their music before, and clearly I'm not the only one of that opinion. But it escapes me what creates this remarkable effect.'

'It's simple,' Angela spoke for the first time tonight. All eyes turned onto her. 'They are original. Every word and every note is their own. You can try and look for borrowings in their music, but you won't find any. Distant inspirations, maybe. But not borrowings. Which put against all the cover versions of cover versions of cover versions that we've been fed all our lives, makes the crucial difference. They are fresh and that's what does it.'

'Amen!' Frankie laughed, 'Angela, as usual, speaks little, but when she does, she hits the nail right on the head. Our boys are just incredibly creative and that's why we all love them. Come on, who's ready for a drink?'

Everyone was ready, and the crowd has thinned enough by now to allow access to the bar. Mr. McLaren insisted on getting the round again; clearly the verbal ordering from a human and paying with cash amused him. As the orders were being organized, Amaranthine reflected on what Angela had said, and she had to admit she was absolutely right. _Carpe Diem_ really _were_ original, and that's what made them the phenomenon that they were becoming. And the way she put it – 'a cover version of a cover version of a cover version that we've been fed all our lives' – was spot on. Surprised that it hadn't occurred to her before, she felt new respect for Angela.

A voice behind her broke into her reverie.

'Amaranthine? What the hell are _you_ doing here?'

As she turned around, she racked her brain for some clue as to how this voice was familiar. She knew it was familiar, but somehow didn't belong in this place, as if it was from a different world.

As she turned around fully and looked into his face, everything snapped right into place.

It was Phoenix.

Caught completely off guard, she was aware that the surprise and confusion showed all over her face, before she managed to regain control of her features. He was the last person she expected to see tonight. The last time they saw each other was weeks ago, but it felt even longer. They'd both been preoccupied with work. She could feel everyone in the group's gaze travel from her to Phoenix and back.

'Hi,' she finally managed to recompose herself and rearrange her features into a casual smile. 'I could ask you the same question.'

'Some friends dragged me over here, this boy band seems to be the fad of the season,' he chuckled. Amaranthine flinched internally, and her eyes flickered to the faces of the Mortals. Everyone but Daniel showed a hint of animosity, which was hardly surprising. But Phoenix didn't seem to notice the effect his words had on them. He downed the rest of his drink. 'Though it wasn't half bad,' he continued. 'So what brings you here?'

'This is my new project I told you about,' she explained.

'You represent this band?' his shock was a little over the top. 'Seriously?'

'Yes,' she infused her voice with confidence and enthusiasm, pretending she didn't notice his over-surprise. 'Together with Mr. Collins here and his team: Tom, Maddie, Angela and Frankie. Everyone, this is Phoenix.'

She observed their faces as they all shook hands. The longish glance exchange between Daniel and Phoenix didn't escape her notice. She couldn't quite read the emotions, but she sensed the momentary tension.

'You wanna a drink?' Phoenix asked Amaranthine. 'Although they don't have anything that you'd like here.'

'No thanks,' she replied, cringing at his comment. 'We're with clients and they're getting drinks,' she pointed at Mr. McLaren and his friend heading back from the bar. Maddie rushed over to help them carry the glasses.

'Phoenix!' Mr. McLaren exclaimed, handing Amaranthine her cocktail, 'How have you been?'

'Great, sir, thank you,' Phoenix answered, throwing a quick glance at her glass, 'and yourself?'

'Not bad, not bad at all,' he replied, 'seems Amari was right again, this band really does draw Immortals like a magnet. I mean, if someone like Phoenix Cox enjoys them, then our investment is bound to pay off!' he chuckled. 'You gonna owe me big time for convincing you to buy a package when they hit the road!' he winked to his businessman friend. 'Oh, but Phoenix, you haven't got a drink. Let me get you one, what will you have?'

'Thank you, sir,' Phoenix said. 'I'll have a Scotch, then.'

The conversation that followed was painfully awkward; from their expressions, Amari could tell everyone felt like they were walking through a mine field. She desperately tried to find a safe, common ground, but it was no use. It was just impossible with Phoenix in their circle. The Mortals were quiet and withdrawn, responding with monosyllables, just enough to be polite. Despite her best efforts, Amaranthine did not manage to include them in the conversation led by Mr. McLaren about the newest models of hovercars. The thin thread of bond that she felt form between her and the Mortals right after the concert had vanished, torn by Phoenix's intrusion.

They were interrupted by Gary, the band's manager, who needed to borrow Daniel for a word; there were some last-minute details they had to discuss before the start of _Carpe Diem's_ tour next week. Soon after they walked away, all four Mortals made their excuses and left, politely declining another round of cocktails offered by Mr. Jones. Amari was left with Phoenix and the two clients, all three of them still completely absorbed by the nuances of hovercar mechanics, available colors, and additional features. Phoenix was just saying:

'I mean the shade of silver they have for the new Kestrel 500 is almost ok, but they want to matt it down a little. It looks like an oily can of fish in full sun. Also...'

Amaranthine switched off. She kept her features arranged in a way they expressed interest, but her mind was completely elsewhere. Not that Phoenix or any of the clients noticed; they were too engrossed in discussing the hovermobile industry novelties. Mr. McLaren and his friend were also starting to show signs of intoxication; it wouldn't be long before they needed to head home.

She wondered if the Mortals had sussed out the nature of her relationship with Phoenix, and she surprised herself by hoping that they didn't. She couldn't understand why; it didn't make any difference. After all, it was her private business. Nevertheless, she'd much rather they all saw Phoenix as her acquaintance, and not someone connected to her romantically.

Daniel's reaction to Phoenix intrigued her the most; maybe because it was in such contrast to the jovial mood he was in all night. She couldn't help feeling that he welcomed Gary's summoning with relief, and for that she was almost annoyed at Phoenix. She hoped Daniel would be back soon, so that she had a chance to erase that last impression.

Her eyes flickered in the direction he'd headed with Gary as often as possible without raising suspicion. But minutes turned into nearly an hour and he wasn't coming back. The crowd thinned down by the minute and the evening was inevitably drawing to an end. She tried to prolong the conversation, asking details about hovercars, something she had very little interest in. But in the end it was obvious it was time to go.

Mr. McLaren looked around and staggered a little.

'Blimey, it must be late. The place is almost empty!'

'It's not that late, actually,' Phoenix said. 'It's quite typical of Mortal venues to clear out early. That's what happens when you decide to breed. You can't enjoy your life anymore, have to rush home to tend to other people's needs.'

'That's a point,' Mr. McLaren's friend said, 'their lives are so restricted. No fun, no individuality or diversity, no freedom to pursue whatever you decide.'

Amaranthine listened and nodded automatically, but through her head went flashbacks of _Carpe Diem's_ audience; the most enthusiastic and involved crowd she'd ever seen. Somehow it didn't look like the Mortals had any problems having fun. Daniel's team were another contradiction to his words – and her own old convictions – that they weren't able to follow their dreams and desires. All four of them genuinely loved their jobs, what's more, they were on their dream project at a very young age. As for individuality and diversity of interests, there couldn't be a better example than Daniel.

The family commitments, of course, were another matter. Amaranthine couldn't imagine what it would be like to have to change her plans or cut her night short because of someone else's needs. The needs of someone for whom she'd already had given up her immortality – and by extension her life – and now was demanding even more; her time and attention. This one, crucial aspect of a Mortal's life was completely unfathomable to her. How could you be responsible for another human being, a human being that was not able to tend to itself?

They were one of the last people in the club now, and it was obvious that staying here any longer was pointless; she couldn't think of any viable excuse to hang around to wait for Daniel.

'Let's go, then,' Mr. McLaren finally said in a slightly mumbling voice. Amaranthine sent one last glance towards the stage, and surrendered. Hopefully she'd see him on Monday and everything would be fine.

She also felt quite tipsy, which she only realized once they started walking; she suspected that the cocktails served here not only tasted different, but had a stronger kick to them. She didn't want to go anywhere else and so was relieved when both clients, presumably also realizing the degree of their intoxication, decided to head home.

'Can I pop in for a nightcap?' Phoenix asked when they were alone, waiting for their hovercars to pick them up.

'Ummm...,' she hesitated, unprepared to answer.

'I'll take that as a yes,' he said quickly, before she had a chance to protest, and put his arm around her.

Their hovermobiles flew up at this moment, opening the doors.

'I'll see you in a few minutes, sexy,' Phoenix said, kissing her on the lips.

Daniel kept trying to free himself from Gary and the guys, but it was impossible. It was a big moment for the band – the tour kicked off next week, and it would be the moment of truth. They were ready and excited, but nervous at the same time; it was their big shot. According to Amaranthine's simulations, and based on the ticket sales and the publicity they were already getting, and Daniel's own gut feeling, they were going to be huge, but of course nothing was guaranteed and it still could go either way. And of course, they were worried about both possible outcomes of their tour. It was Daniel's job now to reassure them and prepare them for how their lives would change. He couldn't just leave. It took all his might, though, not to show impatience whilst having drinks with them and filling Gary in on all the details he wanted to know.

Daniel was also excited about hitting the road with the band and seeing it all unfold in front of his eyes, but at this particular moment he couldn't help being distracted. He knew what – or rather who – was the reason.

When Amaranthine introduced that guy Phoenix to everyone, he knew in an instant that these two were not just acquaintances. He didn't even have to interpret the changes that occurred on Amari's face, clearly surprised to see Phoenix there. She didn't of course mention the nature of their relationship, but Daniel just knew. He was well familiar with the Immortals' characteristic manner of introducing people with whom they were involved romantically – with their first name only, without offering the slightest hint as to what their connection was. Any words that still functioned amongst the Mortals – partner, boyfriend, girlfriend – not to mention wife or husband – assumed the element of commitment and monogamy, which was of course out of the question amongst the Immortals. Somehow they never coined a word that would describe their lax affairs. Instead, they chose to let it be assumed.

He really shouldn't have been surprised. After all, a woman like Amaranthine Quinn was bound to be popular with the opposite sex. Daniel was pretty sure Phoenix was not the only man in her life. The only question was how involved a relationship they had now; he knew that the frequency with which Immortals met with their sexual partners ranged from every few days to every few years, or even decades, for varied periods of time. He caught himself hoping that Phoenix was her least prominent lover, but there was no way to tell from their short interaction tonight. He tried to figure it out from Amaranthine's body language, but she seemed far more focused on leading the conversation, and trying to include everyone in it, rather than catching up with the guy. She didn't have an easy job; Tom, Frankie, Maddie and especially Angela, didn't take to Phoenix, which was obvious – and hardly surprising – from the moment he referred to _Carpe Diem_ as 'the fad of the season.' Daniel himself used to react in the same exact way to the Immortals like Phoenix, presenting depreciating attitude towards everything mortal. Until he learnt that it was best to let such comments go.

Nevertheless, a few words that Amaranthine uttered indicated that her and Phoenix were somewhat recent. This gave him a strange feeling of urgency and anxiety, which he knew he had to suppress. It wasn't easy. It kept pulling him back to the bar where he left Amaranthine with the clients and her beau. He tried to convince himself it was because he was worried about Mr. McLaren and his friend, but deep down he knew he was kidding himself.

The events of the last few weeks, the amount of time they had spent together and the work they had accomplished made him feel they'd grown quite close. He wasn't deluding himself to think that they could ever be more than friends, but he valued the relationship they had, and he thoroughly enjoyed Amari's company. Ever since her apology following her attack on him, he learned more and more about her and grew more fascinated. He admired her commitment to the highest standards of customer service, and her rapport with a network of key clients. In his experience working with the Immortals, it was very rare to find someone who stuck to one industry their whole life, and had achieved that level of expertise in it. But her professionalism in PR was not the only thing. Her personality, who she was, her capability to admit a mistake and change her ways, made him respect her and want to be around her.

Her physique wasn't of course of no significance; he found her incredibly attractive as a woman. Everything about her appearance was alluring; the perfect proportions of her body, accentuated in every detail by her iconic style; her colors, those exclusive, unique, yet unlimited, it seemed, combinations of all the shades of amaranth. And on top of all that, a storm of natural, bronze, shiny locks surrounding a beautiful face that featured those big, maroon eyes. No other woman he'd ever met, seen or imagined, had the sort of effect on him that Amaranthine had when she paused her glance on him.

Finally, he managed to convince Gary and the band that everything was going to be ok, and that they should stop worrying now and take some rest, spend some time with their families, whom they wouldn't see much of in the next few months. That last argument finally did the trick. They started gathering their gear and getting ready to leave. He said his goodbyes, once again confirmed the time and place of their next meeting, and was free to go.

He walked leisurely out of the room, but as soon as the door was shut behind him, he rushed along the corridor to the bar, hoping against hope that she would still be there.

The bar was almost deserted. He quickly scanned the few remaining small groups of customers, distributed unevenly in all corners of the room, and at the bar. None of them contained a woman in sexy jeans and a red top. He walked over to the other side of the bar to ask the staff if they'd seen her leave, when he caught a glimpse of her at the main door. She stood with her back turned to him. He made a step towards her, but stopped half way through it.

Phoenix put his arm around her and kissed her on the lips, whispering something into her ear. The next moment they both got into their hovermobiles and flew away in the same direction.

Daniel's heart sank.

'Hey Eiko, why don't you make us a decent drink,' Phoenix said as soon as the portal of her apartment sealed itself behind them. 'That mortal stuff didn't quite taste right, did it.'

'I'm ok, thanks,' Amaranthine said quickly, ignoring his comment.

'Come on, Amari, have one,' he insisted. 'Keep me company.'

'Ok, then,' she said, too tired and distracted to argue.

'Cool. A Scotch and an ambrosia, then, Eiko.'

'Actually, I'll have a mojito instead,' Amari said, taking off her heels.

'A mojito?' Phoenix raised his eyebrows in surprise. 'When since have you switched to that?'

'I've been drinking it all night, I don't want to mix stuff,' she said matter-of-factly, not looking at him.

'Your drinks are ready,' Eiko announced. Phoenix rushed towards the bar.

'Excuse me for a minute,' Amari said, and left the living room. She came back a few minutes later, changed into her silky nightgown, and with her hair down. She sat on the couch and took a sip of her drink. It was nice and refreshing, but didn't quite taste right. She examined the glass against light. Just like she thought, the pink leaves were missing. She put the glass away.

'What's the matter?' Phoenix asked.

'Nothing, I'm just tired.'

'In that case,' he downed his Scotch, moved closer and put his hand on her knee, 'we should just go straight to bed.' His hand slid up her thigh.

Her hand landed on top of his, stopping it half way up.

'I'm not in the mood, sorry,' she said, getting up. 'I think you should go. I need some rest.'

Phoenix's face grimaced.

'What is wrong with you?' he demanded.

'Nothing is wrong with me,' she said firmly. 'I'm just not in the mood, like I said. We can meet up another time.'

'That's what you said the last time I called you,' he said. 'Doesn't seem like you have any time for me these days.'

'Don't be ridiculous,' she said. 'Just cause I'm busy at work, trying to...'

'Oh, yes, your work. Your super-important mortal project,' he sneered.

'Yes, it is,' she looked up at him, her eyes glittering, 'and I'd appreciate if next time you were a little bit more sensitive when speaking to my co-workers.'

Phoenix's face expressed a mixture of shock, disgust and outrage.

'What's _wrong_ with you!' he repeated, 'seriously, are you the same Amaranthine Quinn I've known for the last four years? The one who used to hate Mortals so much she would have a fit every time someone mentioned them in her presence? Now they are your _co-workers_?'

'That's a fact,' she said icily, 'they _are_ my co-workers. Though it wasn't my idea, if you remember.'

'Oh, yes, I remember,' he exclaimed, 'I remember how pissed off you were at the prospect, how you hated Nectar for forcing you to work with them! I don't think _you_ remember, though! A few months in and you seem to be quite enjoying yourself!'

'I don't see anything wrong with that,' she fired back. 'Maybe you would, too, if you tried to see past your prejudices,' she added. 'You should try it some time.'

'Who _are_ you?' Phoenix literally took a step back from her as if he'd just found out she was infected with some extremely contagious disease.

'I'm someone who has realized recently that there are thousands of things we don't even know about Mortals, and half the things we assume, are false,' she answered calmly. 'Come back when you're sober, and I'll show you, if you want.'

'Don't you patronize me!' he barked, 'so now I'm a drunk and an ignorant, prejudiced bastard, and you, all of a sudden, are a miraculously transformed Mortal advocate!'

'That's a huge exaggeration and you know it,' she said, a note of warning in her still calm voice. 'I think you should leave now. This conversation is getting us nowhere.'

'Suit yourself,' he said through gritted teeth. 'Just don't come running to me as soon as your mortal boyfriend starts showing first signs of aging.'

'Don't be so ridiculous, Phoenix,' she said, 'those people are nothing more than my co-workers.'

'Keep dreaming,' he said. 'But let me tell you this – if you keep sitting astride on top of the fence, sooner or later you'll fall off it.'

'You are being over-dramatic,' she replied.

'Call it what you want, Amari,' he said, ready to leave. 'You think you can make friends with them, and socialize with them and everything will be cool. But sooner or later the fact that they belong to a completely different world from us, will smack you in the face so hard, you won't know what hit you.'

At that, he turned around on his heel and marched towards the portal. His hovercar emerged outside at that same moment. Amari didn't make a move to stop him.

She sank into her sofa, not feeling sleepy at all now. Her head was full of strange, confusing thoughts that wouldn't go away.

Phoenix was being over-dramatic, of course. Just because she liked Daniel and enjoyed working with him, didn't mean that she would dream of getting involved with him. She didn't need Phoenix and his astringent comments to remind her that her and Daniel's worlds were spheres that did not touch. She was sure that Daniel was just as much aware of that as she was.

She wanted to keep their good working relationship though, and Phoenix certainly did not help, barging in on her like that tonight. She considered what the best strategy would be when she met with Daniel on Monday. Should she apologize? She didn't really want to own up to it that much. It would mean she felt responsible for Phoenix, and that sort of responsibility suggested a relationship closer that she wanted to admit. She wondered again if the Mortals figured out that he wasn't just her acquaintance; she tried her best not to give away any details that would lead them to such a conclusion. She didn't like to mix her private life with business, particularly now, when the people belonging to both of these areas couldn't have less in common. In the end she decided she wouldn't mention Phoenix at all. Bumping into him was an unfortunate coincidence but it was done now. The more it would get mentioned, the bigger a deal it would become. She would just thank Daniel for inviting her to the concert, and they would get on with things as usual. They still had tons to do before the tour's kick-off, so she would just focus on that, and hopefully everything would go back to normal.

Happy with her decision, she got up and headed to the bedroom. Just before she drifted off to sleep, she remembered that she would also have to ask Daniel for his special mojito recipe.

On Monday morning, she got into the office before seven o'clock. It was completely deserted, as usual. She had woken up before dawn, unable to sleep any longer, too anxious to speak with Daniel, and make sure everything was ok. Time, normally flying on Monday mornings, was dragging today, despite the long list of things she had to do. The weekly meeting wouldn't end; everyone in the office wanted to hear more about the _Carpe Diem_ project. Despite Amaranthine's simulations, and the hard data she had already collected, she could tell they wouldn't believe it until they saw it all happen. Everyone was aware that the next few weeks were going to be the moment of truth; if their jobs were to be safe, _Carpe Diem_ had to succeed, and make Elixir Vitae Communications number one PR agency again. They were hopeful, but still remembered the Paramonos Enterprises fiasco far too clearly to let themselves get excited.

As soon as the meeting was over, she locked herself in the office and ordered a connection with Daniel's idatron. She took a deep breath and forced her voice to sound natural, despite the anxiety that she couldn't get rid of no matter how hard she tried. She knew it wouldn't go away until she heard his voice, and it convinced her that everything was cool.

'Hey, Amari,' she heard when her call got answered. It wasn't Daniel's voice, though.

'Hey, Maddie,' she said, surprised. 'How is it going?'

'Great, thanks,' the girl replied, 'Daniel's redirected his calls to me and asked me to answer them for a while. There's been some problems with the sound systems in a few of the venues, so he decided to test them all himself. He's somewhere in Asia right now.'

'Oh, I see,' she said. 'That's all right, I can catch up with him later. I just have a few details that I need to discuss with him, but it can wait.'

'You may want to email him,' Maddie said 'he said he might not get back to New York before the start of the tour, and this stuff is pretty urgent, he wants to make sure everything works. He'll be checking his messages when he gets to the hotel at night, so he can reply to you then.'

'Sure, that's probably the best plan,' Amari answered. 'Thanks, Maddie.'

'No problem. See you later.'

Amari stared at her idatron for a long while after Maddie got off the line.

Testing sound systems in Asia? Sure, it was crucial that there were no cock-ups in that department, but were there really problems or was it just an excuse? Was he avoiding her? Why would he do that? He didn't seem upset about Phoenix's comments, he was totally above Immortal attitudes of that sort. What was this all about, then?

_Maybe I'm being silly assuming it's even about me,_ she thought. _The biggest project of his life is about to materialize. Of course he's going to make damn sure everything is ready and working properly, especially something as crucial as the sound systems for a world tour of a rock band._ She would do the same thing if they were her responsibility. Surely something as insignificant as a few stupid words from an ignorant Immortal wouldn't be on his mind in the face of something so important. She was definitely being silly.

With that thought, she got down to work. Even if she wasn't entirely convinced that Daniel's excuse was legitimate, she decided to believe it. It was the only way she could make herself focus enough to do her job.
**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

'Miss Quinn, just one more question!' A journalist she recognized but didn't remember the name of, managed to get to the front of the crowd of reporters and find the last opening to get her attention. 'I understand _Carpe Diem's_ calendar has been planned in great detail until spring next year, but considering the incredible demand that we have witnessed over the last four weeks, is there any chance they would consider playing additional concerts in the United States at the end of their tour?'

'It is not impossible,' Amaranthine replied. Her words caused a stir of excitement. _'Carpe Diem_ will do their absolute best to make their fans happy. However, you'll appreciate it's a long time away, so no such plan has been decided upon, or even discussed at this stage.'

'Would you say the probability is higher than fifty per cent?' the journalist had no intention of giving up. All the others froze in anticipation, gazing at her.

'I'm afraid I can't give you any such indication at this stage,' Amaranthine replied. 'It depends on too many factors and it would be unfair to raise _Carpe Diem's_ fans' hopes.'

Rumblings of disappointment ran amongst the reporters.

'What about The End of the Year Festival?' another reporter butted in. 'There are no concerts planned between December 24th and January 3rd. Are _Carpe Diem_ coming to play home then?'

'I'm sorry but I can't comment on that.'

'I'm afraid our time's up,' Ambrose stepped up. 'Please be assured that any news regarding the band's plans will be passed onto you as soon as they are confirmed. Please do not hesitate to contact Elixir Vitae Communications via our globesite if you have any further questions. Thank you very much.'

Amaranthine grabbed her idatron and followed Ambrose out of the conference room. As soon as they were alone, they both broke into massive smiles and high-fived each other.

'Did you see that?' Ambrose was ecstatic, 'they are gagging for it! Four weeks in and they can't get enough of _Carpe Diem_! I know you told us they were going to be huge, but I think I'm only now starting to believe you!'

'I know,' she smiled. 'If you check my predictions, they were at least 30% lower than what is actually happening. I'm going to have to adjust everything.'

'Do you think they would do another tour of the US next spring?' Ambrose asked.

'I can't see why not,' she replied, 'it would cement their position as the number one rock band of their times. But the press must be kept intrigued about it; make sure the rumor of the possible next US tour gets out every so often. They should keep speculating about it till the last moment.'

'Sure thing,' Ambrose said. 'When are we going to give the next conference?'

'Soon,' she said, 'the more people know about _Carpe Diem_ , the more they will want to find out, and we need to keep giving them something to broadcast every week. In the meantime, let's make sure that what they write is exactly what we want them to.'

'Ok, let's get down to work, then,' he said, rubbing his hands together. 'Why don't we leak some gossip about possible extra concerts in the States during The End of the Year?'

Amaranthine grew serious.

'No, don't do that,' she said. 'I'm still trying to negotiate this with Daniel and Gary.'

'Are they still being stubborn about that?'

'Yeah, and I'm slowly running out of arguments.'

They headed to their offices to prepare for detailed monitoring of the press articles that would follow the conference. They've done nothing else for the last three weeks; just as Nectar and Amari had predicted, _Carpe Diem_ turned out to be a smash hit, and the press haven't been off the subject since the first couple of concerts. They had to make sure the media were fed enough interesting information about the band members, so they wouldn't go making up stories that could be harmful to _Carpe Diem's_ image. Every press release had to be carefully thought through; every dangerous speculation had to be rectified immediately, and most importantly, new 'secret' facts about the guys had to be released to keep the interest at the constantly high level.

A lot of it focused on the two younger members of the band, Joe and William, as they didn't have children yet, which for most Immortals automatically meant that sooner or later they would change their minds and step over to the immortal side. Their personal lives were a subject of interest for millions of immortal girls. Fortunately _Carpe Diem_ had much more than that to offer. TV stations played their music non-stop and analyzed it in great detail, trying to get to the bottom of their popularity. Never ending comparisons with bands of that caliber as _Galactic_ , _The Speed of Light_ and _Residents of the Olympus_ aired in primetime on most networks. Some specialized channels had twenty-first, and twentieth century music experts go on and on about how _Carpe Diem's_ phenomenon could only be matched with some ancient bands like _The Beatles_ and _The Rolling Stones_. Amari, Ambrose and Perenelle monitored all of the media to make sure that _Carpe Diem_ was getting the best possible publicity.

Daniel was constantly with the band, providing support on locations. Amari hadn't seen him or anyone from his team since _Carpe Diem's_ last private concert in New York. He never did get back before the tour started on April 1st, and as soon as the band played a couple of concerts, it was all over the news and none of them had time to think about anything else. Getting a cohesive message out to the press was top priority now, and all the brief moments that they had on the idatrons, they spent discussing the best possible strategies. Amaranthine couldn't leave New York even for a few hours, she had to be on top of things around the clock. And Daniel was tied up making sure nothing unwanted leaked out to the press and that the technical side of the concerts was nothing less than perfect. He had to prepare the guys for interviews that every network wanted to have with them. They had to discuss the questions that would be asked, and how they would be answered, and choose the media that they would give interviews to. He also had to double the security to keep the band safe.

On top of the press, Amari had to deal with advertisers. She couldn't believe it had cost her so much effort and stress before; now that _Carpe Diem_ were breaking all records of popularity, with _'Rollercoaster'_ topping all the playlists and their other hits right behind it, she got calls from nearly all the clients who had declined advertising packages before, desperately wanting their brands to be present in _Carpe Diem's_ limelight. She had to be extremely diplomatic; the advertising spots were very limited now, and she had to make sure she chose well between the offers, and that she didn't piss off those she had to decline. Her workload had never been crazier than now.

Despite this overwhelming success, she felt a bit down when she got home after work, which nowadays was no earlier than one o'clock in the morning. Her and Daniel spoke nearly every day, but there was virtually no time to discuss anything else than business. They were both completely preoccupied with it and were aware that this was the crucial time when they had to be on top of the game, otherwise all the work they'd put in, could be wasted. The incredible success of their clients was exhilarating, but the responsibility not to make a mistake was overwhelming. At this stage of the tour their personal lives had to be put completely aside; they couldn't afford to be distracted or emotional.

It felt strange to Amari, though. She missed having conversations with him face to face, planning their next moves in his hovercar, on the way to meetings. Now everything had to be done via idatrons and most of the times Gary, the guys, or someone from Daniel's or her team, were present. With the amount of work they had, they had to pull it together as a team and the more people they could get involved to help out, the better. It was completely different now, and she longed for the way things were before.

Amaranthine was still in her office at two o'clock in the morning, as usual after a big conference. The media were raving about the new facts that her and Ambrose fed them in the morning, adding on twice as much speculation. Her idatron kept updating the list of _Carpe Diem's_ unremitting stream of media appearances and even though her, Penny and Ambie did nothing else all day but go through them, it seemed like it would never get any shorter. She had sent her team home at midnight and stayed behind to finish off the remaining pile of reports. She had three to go.

She stood up from her desk to stretch out a little, yawning and rubbing her face, trying to stay awake. Shaping the band's public image was an arduous job. _I'm going to need to bring more people on board this project,_ she thought. _This mayhem won't stop any time soon, and I can't keep going on like this for weeks on end. I'll speak to Nectar about it at our Monday meeting; the sooner we get someone trained up, the better._

She looked out the window. It was a dark, windy night, and the lights of Manhattan seemed a little dulled. Traffic was still quite heavy for this hour. She fought with herself for a moment, tempted to leave the last three reports until Monday morning. She could just summon her hovermobile now and be at home, in her comfy bed, in a few minutes. But her sense of duty and her perfectionist attitude prevailed over her tiredness. She sighed, went back to her desk and opened the first report from the list. _Three to go and I'll be on my way home,_ she thought.

She couldn't be more wrong.

An ear-splitting explosion ripped the air right outside her office. Amaranthine, sitting with her back to the window, was blinded by the blazing light that filled the room. The whole building shook like during an earthquake, pictures fell off the walls and her coffee cup got knocked off her desk. She instinctively dived under her desk with her hands protecting her head and covering her ears, in an attempt to block the ear-drum-bursting noise. Completely disoriented, she tried to figure out what had just happened. The explosion must have taken place in one of the neighboring buildings. Before she could take a guess which one it was, she heard another blast.

Her office shook again, the furniture bouncing along the floor, including her desk that she was hiding under. She screamed with fear and cowered in the far corner of her shelter. She heard another, smaller explosion, and then another. Then a round of machine gun fire. Her eyes were shut tight and her head buried in her lap, but she could still see the flashes of light. She heard the sound of sirens in the distance.

Then there was one more blast, as deafening as the first two combined, at which moment the entire plastglass wall of her office shattered, a shower of glass splinters cutting like a colony of furious wasps. Fortunately she was still hidden under the desk and her big office chair saved her from most of the glass pieces shower. She didn't avoid all of them, though – she felt a sharp, cutting pain in her right arm and immediately after she felt warm moisture trickle down to her elbow.

She screamed from fear and clutched to the chair, pulling it closer and using it as a shield. She could feel the heat of fire coming in through the smashed window. The sirens were deafeningly loud now, and their frequency got much higher – they were getting closer.

Amaranthine was unable to move or think, completely deafened and disoriented; her brain seemed empty, offering nothing in way of explanation of what was going on around her. All she was capable of was clutching to her chair and trying to stay alive.

After a few minutes, as if through a thick wall, she heard screams of people; somebody was crying for help, someone else urged for an ambulance and the police. She was unable to figure out where the voices were coming from. Then one loud, echoing voice cut through the pandemonium. A man was speaking through a megaphone, his voice perfectly calm. He spoke slowly and made pauses for the echo, making absolute sure that he was clearly heard and understood.

'This is not a game!' the man declared. 'We came here to take what we deserve and which you have denied us. Stay out of this and no one will be hurt. If you attempt to stop us, there will be blood – a lot of blood. We have planted bombs in buildings all over this island, so if you try to test how serious we are, we will detonate them all at once and Manhattan will turn into a very big pile of ash in a split second. We are warning you – if you dare come in here and try to stop us, you will regret it.'

There was a short pause, after which the same voice started to deliver the same message. The recording played over and over again.

The meaning of the message was slowly sinking in. Amaranthine started remembering all the news reports she'd seen about the potential danger of a terrorist attack from countries that were denied access to the Cure because they weren't prepared to reform to meet the requirements in terms of human rights, environmental care and demilitarization; dangerous, mainly religious regimes, which had never accepted the loss of their status and leverage on the world, when cold fusion became the main source of energy and the fossil fuels lost most of their value. They had nothing to lose.

The issue kept coming up in the news, but the rumors of an actual, real danger were always firmly denied. The public was reassured that both the formula and the stocks of the Cure were perfectly well protected and the risk of them being stolen was practically non-existent. But despite the government's and Dr. Life's confidence, the media wouldn't stop drilling the issue, especially in silly season when they had nothing better to go on about. But as it turned out, the rumors weren't unfounded; the evidence was surrounding her. The man's accent on the recording was unmistakable.

_I can't stay here,_ Amaranthine thought. _Who knows how many more bombs they decide to detonate right outside my window or what else they have on their agenda._ She had no intention of checking if their claim about bombs planted in buildings all over Manhattan was a bluff; from what she was seeing, they were extremely determined to get what they wanted. She had to find a way out and as far away from this place as possible.

She gathered all her courage, took a deep breath and very carefully crawled from underneath the desk and away from the window, trying to stay in the shade. The lights in her office had gone out with the first blast, but beams of light coming from the attackers' hovercars swept against Manhattan's skyscrapers every few seconds, as if looking to fish out the helpless victims like herself, imprisoned in the offices and apartments and unable to think or undertake any logical action. The glass cracked under her knees and hands, inflicting further cuts. She approached the hole in the wall and looked out, hiding behind the frame.

Just like she expected, it was Dr. Life's headquarters that were the terrorist's target. The octagonal building was surrounded by large, black hoverjets armed with massive guns fixed on both sides of them; they were all facing out, covering all the angles around the building. There was a fire on one of the floors of The Immortality Institute. Down below she saw a few police hovercars and ambulances, sitting on the ground, flashing red and blue lights, as well as a couple of dozen civilian vehicles. No other hovercars but those belonging to the terrorists were airborne.

_I have to get out of here,_ she kept thinking. _I don't know how, but I must do it somehow, and immediately. I can't stay here. There's no way the authorities would give up the Cure's formula without a fight; no matter what these psychos said about bombs being planted all over Manhattan, the US forces will try to bring them down. Soon half the Air Force will be here and if I'm stuck in this building, I am going to die._

She sent frantic mental signals to her hovercar, trying to summon it, but there was no response. She felt an overwhelming wave of panic. She was stuck, imprisoned in her own office, with no way out, and in a few minutes' time she would be in the very middle of a full-on air battle.

She crawled back to her desk and grabbed her idatron, then hid under the desk again. She tried to summon the hovercar manually, but there was still no response. For the first time ever her idatron was offline. She felt cold sweat cover every square inch of her skin and she trembled uncontrollably.

What the hell have these bastards done? Could they have disabled all communication? Or was it the result of the explosions?

The answer came with the second recording. Clearly addressed to all the people in Amari's position.

'Those of you inside the buildings, don't even think about trying to leave this area,' the same voice announced, 'your hovercars won't work, we've taken care of that. If anyone tries to leave any of the buildings, we will shoot you down. And if your government doesn't cooperate, we will blow you all up. Pray that we are taken seriously.'

_Damn it,_ Amaranthine thought with despair. _These bastards are going to kill us all if we don't do exactly what they are demanding._ As she remembered more details of the news reports, the hair on the back of her neck raised with horror. These men held death in contempt, as they all believed that if they died serving their cause, they'd go to 'heaven' where they'd be rewarded for their deeds. They were ready to die if anyone tried to stop them, and they would take as many Immortals with them as they could.

She crawled towards the door and out of the office. Once she was in the hall, she got up and followed the signs to the emergency exit. In her fifteen years working for Elixir Vitae she'd not used it once. During every fire drill hovercars proved to be the best escape option.

After following the sign through a maze of corridors, she finally saw the entrance to the staircase. A wave of hope rose in her chest as she rushed to the thick fire door and grabbed the handle.

The door wouldn't budge. She pressed the metal handle down, then pulled with all her strength, but nothing happened. She pushed instead, to the same effect. Furious and desperate, she jerked and jerked at it, refusing to accept the obvious.

She was trapped.

The door wasn't locked, she came to realize after a closer examination. There wasn't even a lock in it. But the deep cracks in the wall surrounding the door indicated that it got jammed in its frame as the explosions damaged the structure of the building.

She jerked the door over and over again with frantic despair, digging her leg in the wall, tugging it sideways to try and get it out of its frame. But it remained motionless and indifferent.

Her legs turned into jelly as it began to dawn on her that there was simply no way out, unless she decided to end it on her own by jumping out the window. _Why didn't I just leave those damn reports and go home? Were they really that important?_

But she wasn't at home. She was in one of the most modern skyscrapers in the world, in the very heart of Manhattan and she was going to die because of some maniacs who wanted to be immortal, but wouldn't give up their twisted ways to get the Cure the peaceful way, and decided to take it with force instead.

She slid down the wall and sat on the floor, paralyzed with fear. Her mind started creating the worst images; the walls started to close down on her in a sudden attack of claustrophobia; she couldn't catch her breath _. I'm having a panic attack,_ she thought with a horrifying sobriety, _and I can't control myself._ Her hands, clutching her idatron, were so sweaty that it slipped out of her grasp and fell to the ground.

When she picked it up, she noticed a little green light it was giving out. It was a reminder that she had an unread message. She had disabled all message alerts and mental communication earlier on, so that she wouldn't get disturbed whilst checking the press reports. It was so unexpected that she stared at it for a long while, as if she'd never seen it before. Did the normal world really still exist? From her perspective, everything that was normal, had been blown up.

She opened the message. It was from Daniel, received three hours ago.

Hey Amari,

Just wondered what the response was like to the press conference. Hope we can catch up Monday morning. Call me as soon as you can, regardless of the time. I also have to fill you in on some rumors that have started regarding Joe's love life; we need to decide on the best approach to that.

I hope all is well with you. Speak soon,

Daniel

The press conference... Carpe Diem... Love life... Daniel...

It all felt like light years ago, and had now disappeared, smashed to pieces with the blast of terrorist bombs. Wiped out. How could her life, everything she did every day and cared about, be so fragile and vulnerable?

Amari read the message over and over, feeling hot tears gather under her eyelids. She didn't try to stop them. What was the point? She was going to die soon and she would never see him or hear his voice again. The tears rolled down her cheeks one after another.

She heard a different announcement now; it sounded like the authorities were responding to the terrorists. She picked herself up and walked over to the nearest window; she opened a small portal to be able to hear what was going on. She poked her head out and saw a group of Air Force hovermobiles in the distance, forming a few rings around Dr. Life's headquarters.

' _Surrender!'_ a military-sounding voice demanded. _'You are surrounded. You have no chances in a fight against us. If you leave now, peacefully, we will not pursue you. You have five minutes to leave. The countdown starts now.'_

' _Back off!'_ the response was so immediate that it was obvious the attackers knew exactly what to expect. _'If you don't clear off in sixty seconds, you can say goodbye to the Swiss Bank building. The countdown has already started.'_

Amaranthine observed the Air Force vehicles which didn't move an inch, still surrounding the danger zone with tight rings. It was suddenly surprisingly quiet, only the engines of the hoverjets roared in hostile anticipation. She looked at the Swiss Bank, a very distinct structure, one of Manhattan's most recognizable landmarks since it was constructed in 2095. And then, all of a sudden, right in front of her eyes, this building was shaken by a few simultaneous explosions and within a couple of minutes collapsed like a house of cards, giving out a huge cloud of smoke and ash. Amaranthine's heart sunk deep into her stomach.

' _You have been warned!' the terrorist's voice echoed. Every building on this island is planted with enough explosives to flatten it to the ground. If you attempt to attack us, we will fire them all at once. Now clear off or we'll start another countdown.'_

Amaranthine slid down to the floor again. She buried her face in her lap and started crying.

The noise outside indicated that the Air Force vehicles were backing off for now, but Amaranthine didn't have a shadow of a doubt that they wouldn't just give up like that. The decision on which her life hung was being made right this minute and she knew what it would be; every leader in president Rodriguez's shoes would do the same thing. She would have to sacrifice Manhattan, and the lives of thousands of people in order to save the Cure's formula from getting into the hands of these psychopaths. If she didn't, soon millions would be killed, and the whole world would be thrown into chaos. Amaranthine didn't blame the authorities for the only choice they had to make. She just felt deep, uncontrollable regret and paralyzing fear.

Death was not something she ever considered; she knew people died, she remembered that her parents were dead, but she didn't even remember them and she'd never seen anyone die. And above all, she never once thought it applied to her, not since she heard about the Cure and the fact that she could be immortal. The Immortals died in traffic crashes and other accidents, of course, but she took such precautions and took her personal safety so seriously that the chances of her dying in an accident were virtually zero. She never took any risks, never did anything that could compromise her safety. But how could she ever had predicted or taken precautions against what was happening a few hundred meters away right now? Something like this just did not have a right to happen to her.

But it did and now she was facing something so unfathomable as the end of her existence. What would she feel? Pain? Some force or chilliness that would squeeze breath out of her? Or maybe – nothing?

And what would there be afterwards? She never thought about that either. Before she met Daniel, she used to mock Mortals for having some silly beliefs about afterlife; from her perspective, there was no point even thinking about it, there was no reason one would ever have to, not in the world where the Cure existed. After her and Daniel became friends, she simply stopped bitching about Mortals, but still wasn't really interested in their motivation to remain mortal. Or maybe she wouldn't even know how to ask about it, so she decided to never mention it.

Now she regretted she'd never asked him. It now crossed her mind that maybe if you had some sort of belief about an afterlife, it would be true for you when you died even if it wasn't true for anyone else. Maybe the whole point of having faith was just that – to give your consciousness, your 'spirit', or whatever you wanted to call it, an opportunity to go on, to create a world for itself on the other side. A world in which you could meet other people when they died, too, because you would be sharing the same world on the other side if you had the same beliefs.

But she didn't have any of that. The only thing that existed for her consciousness was an enormous, petrifying, cold and dark nothingness.

She would never meet Daniel, or her parents, anyone she ever knew, on the other side, because as far as her mind was concerned, nothing existed out there. She didn't share any afterlife visions with anyone, she didn't create that world for herself. And she didn't even know what Daniel's beliefs were, so she couldn't try and imagine something in the short time she had left. She felt like she was facing a big, indifferent black hole that would just suck her in without so much left as a single thought.

Another government announcement reached her ears, but she didn't recognize the words and found herself unable to stand up and look out the window to try and figure out what was going on. She had a feeling that if the terrorists got provoked again, her building would be next to go. The smell of burning and dust were so pungent that her eyes watered constantly and she started coughing.

Daniel was in his hotel room in LA putting together a technical spec for one of the venues in China. _Now they decide to buy the whole lot of new gear,_ he thought. _Three weeks before the concert, when they could have done it three months ago like I suggested._

It wasn't the only venue that decided to upgrade following _Carpe Diem_ tour's smashing kickoff and the publicity that came with it. Him and Frankie installed $2m worth of new sound systems in the last week alone.

'Daniel!' he heard Frankie's voice out in the hall. Next thing the door burst open and Frankie barged in with horrified expression on his face.

'What's up, buddy, you look like you just saw a ghost!'

'It's worse,' he panted out and collapsed on the bed. 'Put the news on.'

A thousand wild scenarios flashed through Daniel's head by the time he managed to bring up news on his idatron. _Something happened to the band,_ he thought, _one or more of the guys got injured or worse... God, please don't let it be what I think._

'Which channel?' he asked, feeling his heart in his throat.

'Doesn't matter. It's all over the news.'

The first thing his senses registered were screaming sirens and wild flashes of light beaming from dozens of hovermobiles. Then he recognized Manhattan. Then he started hearing what the newsman was saying.

'... our worst fears are becoming a reality in front of our very eyes. America hasn't experienced a hostile terrorist attack for decades, but this time it's not just an attack on America. It's an attack on the entire Immortal world, an unprecedented attempt to steal the formula and stocks of the Cure.'

'The scale and organization of this attack is horrifying. It is believed that over twenty heavily armed hoverjets are surrounding Dr. Life's Immortality Institute HQ in the center of Manhattan and patrolling the island, but no information can be confirmed as the hover traffic control system is down. It's unclear if it's been disabled by the terrorists or by the authorities. The Pentagon has not issued a statement as yet.'

As he watched and listened in horror, Daniel could feel the hair on the back of his neck rise and a cold shiver run through his body. _Is this really happening?_ Everybody knew terrorists existed and their number one goal was to obtain access to the Cure, but the measures taken to protect it were so great, that no one believed there was any real danger.

Not to mention that many believed that the Cure and its formula weren't even stored in the Institute, but in a secret location known only to a handful of people.

They both watched the reports, unable to say a word, hypnotized by the sheer scale of the attack.

'It seems that the Pentagon has finally pulled the troops together, and decided to respond to the terrorists,' the reporter's voice rang with panic despite his reasonably safe distance from Ground Zero. 'Yes, our boys are definitely on their way, we can see at least three dozen of them heading in this direction.'

In the next moment the camera showed Air Force hoverjets form a double ring around the terrorist's vehicles. Then more and more arrived, closing in tightly.

_I'm not sure they know what they're doing,_ Daniel thought, listening to the surrender ultimatum presented to the terrorists. _These guys look like they came prepared. They won't just surrender, they will pull something out of their sleeve._

What happened next confirmed his suspicions.

'Back off! If you don't clear off in sixty seconds, you can say goodbye to the Swiss Bank building. The countdown has already started.'

'Oh, shit,' Frankie managed to utter. 'They... sound like they mean it.'

They exchanged horrified looks, then watched the Swiss Bank building get blown up and collapse. The cloud of smoke that rose from the ground grew bigger and bigger, sucking in ash and debris from the ruined skyscraper.

'Holy shit! Whoa... How...?' Frankie lost the ability to form sentences. 'What the... Jesus, what are they... this is nuts...'

'You have been warned!' it resounded. 'Every building on this island is planted with enough explosives to flatten it to the ground. If you attempt to attack us, we will fire them all at once. Now clear off or we'll start another countdown.'

'Our office...' Frankie whispered. 'Do you think it's safe?'

'I don't know...' Daniel couldn't think, it felt like his skull contained nothing but shaking jelly.

Then one clear, horrendous thought pierced through his brain so violently it was actually painful.

Amari is still in her office.

'Where are you going? Daniel! Stop! What the hell...? Daniel!!!'

Amaranthine sat on the floor next to the jammed fire exit, with her arms around her pulled-up legs. She squeezed her chin to her knees, trying to fight down the trembling, but it was beyond her control. The hopelessness of the situation overwhelmed all her senses. The fact that there was not a single thing she could do was debilitating; at least if she could fight, or run, take her chance, it would be easier, there would be hope, and she could focus on that rather than passively wait to be killed. She felt like an animal led to the slaughter house, only her situation was so much worse because she was fully aware of her fate. Her mind, used to being in full control of any situation, kept looking for a solution, for the tiniest crack in the terrorists' plan that would allow her to make an escape.

She had no idea how long she'd been sitting like this, tortured over and over again by the prospect of being blown up. It could be minutes or hours, she'd completely lost track of time. There wasn't much action outside now; all she could hear were the engines of the terrorists' hoverjets and another announcement played over and over again. In the distance, there was a sound of drilling. Clearly it was taking the terrorists some time to get to the vaults and the Pentagon hadn't figured out yet how to deal with the situation; maybe they were planning to let the attackers get what they wanted and take them down as soon as they were a safe distance from New York. She was sure, however, that Manhattan would still get blown up if the terrorists saw so much as a single American Air Force hoverjet approaching them during their escape. And even if no one followed them, they would probably flatten Manhattan anyway.

She almost wished it was already over, hoping she'd die quickly. The vision of being injured and trapped under hundreds of tons of steel and concrete debris, dying slowly in agony for hours or even days, horrified her more than death itself.

_Maybe I should just finish it myself now, before it's too late,_ she thought. _Once they blow up my building, it may be out of my hands._

She clung onto this new thought as the only one that allowed her to take some action, even if it was to take her own life.

She wished she'd brought a piece of glass from the broken window in her office, it would be perfect for her purpose. But she hadn't, and now she was far too disoriented to find her way back. Following the signs to the emergency exit, she didn't pay attention to where they led her. She was in an unfamiliar part of the building, and trying to figure out her way back would take too long.

One of these offices must contain something sharp, something that would cut my veins effectively. I'll just pass out from the loss of blood. It'll be just like falling asleep. It won't even hurt much, my arms will just go numb.

She crawled towards the nearest door. It was shut. So was the next one, and the next. _Damn it, one of these offices must be open. I have to find something sharp._

After checking a dozen doors along the corridor she finally got lucky.

It was a big, open-plan office with a few dozen desks. She stood up and scanned the nearest ones, in search of a suitable tool, but most of them were empty. She hunched down and moved along the first aisle on the left. The headlights of the black hovercars outside still scanned the area, every few seconds a beam of light coming through the window blinded her. She heard another message, or maybe the same one again, being played through the megaphone.

None of the desks on the left side had anything on them that she could use. She went back to the starting point and took the first aisle on the right, staying in the shadow, and as far away from the windows as possible.

One of the terrorist vehicles came right up to the window of the office. She threw herself to the ground and lay motionless, hardly breathing.

The light went away. And then she saw it.

Under the desk, in the far corner, lay a glass tumbler.

She grabbed it and backed out of the room on her knees, closing the door behind her.

Not knowing why, she went back to the fire door. She jerked the handle again in the last, desperate hope that it would swing open and let her out.

The jammed door remained indifferent again.

She sat down in the same spot as before and smashed the glass against the corner of the wall. She picked a shard and ran the sharp edge against her thumb; it left behind a trail of blood.

She looked at her wrists. The network of veins showed just under the thin skin.

_I have to cut deep,_ she thought, _otherwise it will take too long, there could even be a chance that the wound would clot. Or my survival instinct will kick in and force me to stop it. I have to cut deep enough the first time so that it's unstoppable._

She grabbed the glass firmly and rested it on her left wrist. She could feel the hard, cool surface lean against her skin, she became aware of the blood flowing in her suddenly swollen veins. _Be brave now,_ she thought. _One firm move and it'll all be over. You'll just fall asleep._

She took a deep breath and squeezed the glass harder in her hand, making sure it wouldn't slip. She closed her eyes.

'Amari!' she heard a distant voice.

_I'm being delirious,_ she thought. _My brain is desperately trying to convince itself that rescue is coming, that it's still possible. Or maybe it's a voice from the other side already? That would mean the other side actually exists... I'd better hurry..._

'Amari!' she heard again, a little closer. 'Where are you?'

'I'm here...' she whispered inaudibly. 'I'm coming, I'll be there very soon...'

The sharp coolness on her wrist was the only real thing at the moment. She focused on it.

'Amari!' the same voice again jerked her out of her concentration, not allowing her to do what she intended. It was a man, getting closer. His voice sounded vaguely familiar, but somehow did not belong to the other side. _How can a live person call me from the dead side,_ she thought, surprised by the clarity of her thoughts. _And why is he sounding so urgent? I thought everyone on the other side was supposed to be calm and relaxed..._

'Amari, are you here?' She put the glass down, completely distracted now by the screaming man. She could finally locate where the voice was coming from – the same corridor where she found the offices and the tumbler. She put her shard away, rubbed her face and shook her head, trying to get back to reality. _Is it possible? Could someone really be coming to get me?_

Feeling a surge of hope, she took a deep breath, summoned all her energy and cried back.

'I'm here! By the fire door!'

'Amari!' the desperation in the voice was replaced with relief. She heard his rushed steps.

A second later the man emerged from around the corner and fell to his knees right by her side, grabbing her face into his hands.

'Daniel!' she couldn't believe her senses.

'Amari! Are you ok?' he touched her shoulders, her arms, checked the cuts on her legs. 'Are you injured? Can you walk?'

'How... did... you... find me?' she uttered with every effort, still not believing he was real and not just a figment of her imagination. 'How did you get here?'

'I flew in from LA as soon as I found out about the attack,' he said, looking at her with wide-open eyes, still making sure she wasn't hurt. 'I'll tell you later. Come on, we have to get out of here, this building might get blown up any minute.'

He helped her to her feet and grabbed her hand. 'Come on, Amari, I need you to focus. This will be over in a few minutes, but we have to run, ok?'

'Ok,' she pulled herself together, resisting the trembling of her legs, which felt like they'd turned into cotton wool. His strong grip provided support and gave her hope. She felt new energy radiate from his warm hand to hers and spread all over her body.

'Let's go.'

They walked fast along the corridor, then turned right and rushed along another, wider one. She vaguely remembered coming this way in search of the fire exit. It seemed like he was leading her back to her office, but she couldn't be sure.

In a few minutes they covered quite a distance along a maze of corridors and passed dozens of office doors. Amaranthine felt nauseas and was short of breath, but Daniel's hand didn't let her slow down or stop, pulling her and giving her confidence at the same time. There came a moment, though, when she started feeling faint and was sure she would soon pass out. Fortunately, they reached their destination and Daniel stopped outside a door. She recognized Nectar's office.

Daniel turned to her and took her face into his hands again.

'How are you feeling?' he asked with concern.

'A bit faint, but I'll be fine,' she replied. 'How are we going to get out of here?'

'My hovercar is inside,' he explained. 'I flew into this office through the window, the blasts smashed most windows in this building. I wasn't spotted and hopefully they haven't noticed my hovercar yet. They don't sweep this side of the building as often and as carefully as the front. But we must be quick and careful. If they see us trying to leave this building, they'll shoot us down.'

She just nodded, unable to speak.

'When we get inside the office,' Daniel continued, 'the passenger's door is going to be on your left. I want you to get in and fasten your seatbelt. We'll have to back out of the building, then we'll try to get down to the ground and away from here without being noticed. If they do notice us, though, we'll just have to make a dash for it and try to avoid gunshots, so we might be flying quite chaotically.'

Amaranthine nodded again, completely petrified. He pulled her face up a little and looked into her eyes.

'I know how you feel about manual steering,' he said. 'But we have no choice, the whole traffic control system is down.'

He saw her terrified expression. 'I'm going to get you out of here safely,' he said with a voice that inspired hope and security. 'I need you to trust me.'

She took a deep breath.

'I trust you,' she said, suddenly calm and composed. 'More than anyone. Let's do it.'

He opened the office door very slowly and carefully looked in. Then he quickly opened it wide and pulled her inside, pointing to the left. She saw his hovermobile in the middle of the office, the window and Nectar's desk smashed to pieces. The hatch opened for her and she got in, fastening the seatbelt. Daniel looked out the hole in the wall, but a few moments later he was beside her in the pilot's seat.

'We're clear at the moment,' he said, 'but it won't stay that way for long.'

He started the engines and released the joystick. He glanced at the control panel and pulled the joystick towards him.

The hovercar rose into the air, levitating between the floor and the ceiling in darkness; Daniel kept the headlights switched off. Slowly and carefully, he backed out of the room into the hostile territory outside.

The area was clear of terrorists – but they could hear the humming of their engines right around the corner, they could see the beams of their headlights coming from behind the building. As soon as they were outside, Daniel started gliding down, still slowly, and under control. They passed dozens of floors of her skyscraper, and for the first time ever Amari cursed the fact that her office was on the very top.

They reached the bottom of the building unspotted. No sooner had they touched down, though, that they saw three hostile hovercars, high above their heads, patrolling the wall along which they'd just slipped down.

They waited until the unit moved away; as soon as it turned the corner, Daniel raised the vehicle just a few feet off the ground, and slowly hovered away.

'We'll try to inch our way out,' he explained. 'They don't expect many civilian hovermobiles to still be operating after they disabled the control system, and hopefully aren't too observant to notice that we've moved. We mustn't be spotted in motion, though, they could take us for some sort of spy vehicle, trying to sneak around to gather intelligence.'

It struck her how well he was able to judge the situation and predict the terrorists' moves and intentions. Then she apprehended that he'd already done this journey once, on the way in, when he came to get her. It was dawning on her how huge a risk he undertook to come to her rescue, not even knowing for sure if she was still in her office. He could have died – he could still die – but he didn't hesitate. She couldn't even begin to imagine why he'd do that.

But now wasn't the time for figuring out his motivation; they were still in grave danger and any lapse in concentration could cost them their lives. Now that the chance of getting out of there alive got bigger, Amaranthine felt overwhelming fear of death again. She'd given up on her life a few minutes ago, when her fate was doomed, but now she desperately wanted to live, to have a chance to ask him all the questions that were swirling in her head. And above all – she wanted to be close to him.

Daniel kept moving away from the epicenter of the attack in baby steps, from building to building, corner to corner, extremely cautious not to be spotted. He kept stopping to make sure they were clear to move forward; thanks to that, they avoided a few terrorist patrols. She admired his nerve; his ability to stay so controlled. If it was her, she'd probably just cut and run, hoping that the attackers wouldn't chase after her or be able to catch up. But he somehow managed to stay calm and execute his plan in every detail. His face was tense and focused, big drops of sweat covered his forehead and temples from the effort.

When they were a block away from the estuary of the Hudson, Daniel stopped the hovercar and turned to her.

'I think we are far enough now to make a dash for it,' he said. 'We'll be very hard to spot if we hover just above the water. Still, there is a certain amount of risk they might see us, so be ready for anything. How are you feeling?'

'I'm ok, don't worry about me,' she said with a faint smile.

'Ok, let's go for it, then,' he said.

'Daniel –' she touched his arm.

'Yes?'

'Just in case... you know... I wanted to say thank you.'

'You'll thank me when I get you home. Which reminds me that I need your address to drop you off.'

She gave him the address and some directions. He knew the area.

'Ok, fingers crossed now,' he said. 'We're nearly out of here.'

Just like so many times before, they took off gently and slowly, but this time they didn't cower after a few seconds of flight. Instead, they glided just above the even surface of the river, so close to the water that it felt like the hovercar was resting on it like a motorboat. They saw the black hoverjets sweep buildings on both sides, but miraculously none checked out the river. As they got further away from the danger, Daniel accelerated slightly, though he still couldn't develop full speed without the headlights; he only switched them on when they were well past Fort Worth, and they left the last of the deadly black hoverjets behind them.

Within ten minutes, they were in her neighborhood.

'We will probably have to use the elevators to get in,' she said. 'My idatron is out, so I won't be able to open the portal to let us in.'

'It might be ok here,' he said. 'They were probably just using signal jammers, but they wouldn't cover an area bigger than Manhattan.'

She took the idatron out of her pocket and tried to switch it on.

'It's still out,' she said.

'Wow, it seems like they took out communication in half the state,' Daniel said. 'Is that your building?' he pointed at the skyscraper ahead. She nodded.

They flew down and Daniel parked in her charging station. When they got to the elevators, Amaranthine approached the eye scanner to get access.

'I've only used this once before,' she said. 'When I first moved in here fifteen years ago. They showed me what to do in case of an emergency. I thought it was a waste of time then.'

In a few seconds, they were on her floor and another eye scanner opened the front door to her apartment.

She was worried for a moment that he would just drop her off and go away; it was the last thing she wanted. She couldn't face being alone at this time. He must have sensed it, because he acted as if he'd visited her hundreds of times before and going inside with her was the most obvious and natural thing to do. She was grateful he didn't leave her alone.

In her own living room again, Amaranthine suddenly felt overwhelming chilliness and she started to tremble again. Daniel noticed it immediately.

'Do you have a blanket?' he asked, seating her down on the sofa.

'Yes, in the bedroom,' she answered weakly. Her living room was spinning. 'Down the hall on the right.'

He came back carrying a blanket and a pillow.

'Lie down,' he said. 'You are in shock, you have to rest.'

She didn't protest. She felt lightheaded and still shivered. She put her head down and curled up on the couch. He took her shoes off and wrapped the blanket around her.

'Just relax,' he said. 'I'm right here, nothing's going to happen to you. You're safe now.'

She wanted to speak to him, to ask him questions and tell him how scared she was and that she almost took her own life and if it wasn't for him, she'd be lying on the floor by the fire exit in a puddle of her own blood. She would have bled out by now, she was sure of that. Had he not come and got her out, she would be dead this very moment.

She wanted to thank him again and again and hear the story of how he found her and why he came for her. But her wrecked body and traumatized mind wanted just one thing – to escape from the memory of the horror they'd just been through. Finally feeling safe after the whole ordeal, Amaranthine drifted off into a deep sleep, feeling Daniel's warm, strong hand gently stoke her head.

When she woke up, she was in her own bed, wrapped in her duvet. She didn't remember getting here from the living room. She sat upright, confused and disoriented.

'Eiko?'

Nothing. Her idatron lay on her bedside table, but it wasn't displaying the clock. The communication must have still been out. She had no idea what time it was.

'Daniel?'

Silence.

He wasn't there; he must have left when she was asleep. He didn't stay with her after all. She couldn't blame him; he had already done enough for her, and he had his own life to go back to. She was grateful to him for saving her life and she would thank him properly soon. But despite all the reasoning, she couldn't help feeling disappointed. The emptiness of her apartment suddenly frightened her. She so wished he was still there.

Only now did she realize that she was still in her work clothes from Friday. They were creased and filthy, stained with her blood. It felt like she'd worn them for weeks. She quickly took them off and put on her big, soft bathrobe.

As she stepped into the living room, her heart skipped a beat. And then it started pounding very, very fast, propelled by the adrenaline that suddenly hit her veins.

Daniel hadn't left her. He was still there, sleeping soundly on the sofa, wrapped in her blanket.

She moved forward on her toes. His face was calm and relaxed, his wide chest rose and fell in the rhythm of his even breaths. She sat on the end of the sofa with her legs pulled up and looked at him as he slept. She looked at him for a long, long time, feeling warmth spread around her heart.

Finally he must have sensed that he was being observed. He stirred and opened one eye, then another. He looked around, sitting up, and saw her smiling at him.

'I thought you'd left,' she said.

'I'm sorry,' he replied. 'I thought – '

'No, no, I didn't mean it like that. I was saying I'm very glad you're still here.'

'Oh, that's good. I'd hate to think that I disturbed you.'

'On the contrary,' she said. 'How did you sleep?'

'Great,' he smiled back. 'This sofa is the single most comfortable piece of furniture I have ever slept on.'

'That's good,' she said. 'Though you could have used the guest bedroom.'

'Nah, the sofa was perfect,' he said. 'What time is it?'

'I have no idea,' she said. 'All communication is still out.'

'It's eleven thirty,' Eiko's voice came from nowhere.

'Oh, now it's back on,' Amari said, 'thanks, Eiko. This is Daniel.'

'Nice to meet you, Daniel,' Eiko said in her tilting voice.

'She's my mind-reading computer,' Amari explained, spotting surprise on Daniel's face.

'Hey there, Eiko,' Daniel said in a hesitant voice, glancing around the upper part of the living room, 'is it really eleven thirty already? Blimey. Can I use your bathroom?'

'Of course,' Amaranthine said. 'It's that way, the first door on the left.'

When Daniel came back, he sniffed the air with delight.

'Mmmm, coffee,' he smiled at the sight of a big cup waiting for him on the low table. 'Thanks a million.'

Amaranthine was sitting on the sofa, with her legs crossed, clutching a big cup herself. Daniel picked up his mug and sat by her.

'So, that was one hell of a night, eh?' he said lightly.

She wanted to reply with something equally light, but somehow couldn't find anything to say.

'How are you feeling?' he asked, looking into her eyes.

'I'm fine,' Amari said, looking back at him. 'Just... fine, thanks... to... you... and...'

She didn't understand what was happening to her voice and her body. Completely out of the blue she was unable to utter a sentence that wouldn't waver; then her voice got totally stuck in her throat. Immediately, she felt a warm wave rise from her throat to her eyes, a wave so big and powerful that she could not stop it however hard she tried. Her coffee mug, the sofa and the whole living room blurred. Her hands started shaking, but Daniel was at her side in time to take the coffee off her hands and put it away.

'Hey, baby, what's happening?' he asked, taking her face into his hands again and rubbing off the tears that streamed down her cheeks. She was unable to form a single full word, every time she took a breath trying to calm herself and convince Daniel that she was fine, all that came out of her mouth was a spasmodic sob.

Daniel didn't try to calm her down anymore. Just like last night, with his sixth sense, he knew what to do. He sat very close to her and embraced her, letting his arms and chest talk. Letting her cry out the horror of last night, letting the fear and desperation, panic, shock and hopelessness that she faced just a few hours ago flow out of her body with the hot tears. Amaranthine clung to him, resting her head on his chest. He held her tight in his arms, stroking her head and her back. His gestures were gentle and patient, not a hint of rush in any of his actions, as if they had all the time in the world to just sit like this on the sofa, embracing each other and feeling each other's warmth. Very, very slowly, she calmed down.

When she finally looked up at him with her red, swollen eyes, she was capable of speaking again.

'I can never find words to thank you for what you did, Daniel,' she said, her eyes warm and shiny despite swelling. 'You saved my life.'

'It's nothing,' he said. 'Anyone would have...'

'No, they wouldn't,' she interrupted him. 'I don't know a single other person who would do something like this for me. Why did you?'

He didn't reply, but the muscles on his jaws twitched.

'Why did you come for me, Daniel?' she didn't give up. 'Why did you fly all the way from LA, from the other side of the country, to come and save me? You could have died a dozen times over.'

She looked right at him, forcing him to look back at her. For a split second, his incredibly blue eyes expressed... something. But it disappeared so fast that she couldn't identify it.

A big smile entered his face and his tone turned humorous.

'I couldn't afford to lose the best business partner I've ever had, could I?' he finally said with a playful smile.

Not playful enough for her not to detect certain dose of artificialness. Even though she couldn't identify the emotion that flashed through his eyes a second ago, she knew his words were not in synch with it. He wasn't lying to her. But he wasn't telling her the whole truth, either.

She half opened her mouth wanting to press on, but the uneasy tension that entered his body made her stop before she said anything. It was clear that whatever his motives, he didn't want to reveal them at this moment. She instinctively felt she shouldn't be pushing him any further.

'Well, I'm glad you value me so much,' she said, managing to infuse her tone with some of that playfulness. 'I must have done something right.'

Although he tried not to show it, she noticed that he relaxed. Discussing his heroic deed was obviously something he'd rather avoid.

And if that was the case, the last thing she wanted to do now was to make him uncomfortable. Because that could make him leave and she'd be alone.

'I don't know about you,' she said, 'but I'm getting seriously hungry. What do you say I treat you to a nice brunch? It's the least I can do.'

'Sounds great,' he smiled. 'Now that you mentioned it, I'm pretty hungry myself.'

'If you don't mind,' Amari said, 'I'd rather order our brunch in. I am still not very keen on getting out of the house. To tell you the truth, I'm not even ready to find out how this whole thing ended last night.'

'Sure, that would be great,' he said. 'Do you mind if I take a shower in the meantime?'

'Not at all,' she said. 'Make yourself at home. If you need anything, you can ask Eiko.'

When Daniel disappeared to the bathroom, she downed the rest of her coffee and considered what to treat him to.

'Eiko,' she said, 'can you ask Daniel if he likes seafood?'

'He loves it,' Eiko announced after a few moments.

'Excellent. Why don't we get a delivery from the Ocean Basket, then. The jumbo platter.'

'It's ordered,' Eiko confirmed a couple of minutes later. 'It'll be here in forty minutes.'

_Perfect,_ Amari thought. _I should have enough time to take a shower myself before it arrives._

Fifteen minutes later, Daniel emerged from the bathroom, with a grin on his face.

'You know,' he said, 'I never thought much of these mind-reading machines – no offence to your Eiko – but I am starting to like them. I was all worried I'd have to sit here in smelly clothes, but she washed and dried them faster than it took me to shower.'

Amaranthine smiled. 'She's got her advantages,' she said, looking up at him. She only now noticed that his clothes were very different from the loose shirts and pants he wore to work. _How come I've never noticed how muscular and toned he is?_ she thought. _It must be the short sleeves and_ _the more fitted jeans and jersey._ She tore her gaze away from him with effort. 'Nonetheless, she can't do everything. She can't, for example, make that amazing mojito they serve in Steel Magnolias. I programmed her and everything, but it just doesn't taste the same.'

'Oh, you can't blame her for it,' Daniel laughed. 'Like I told you, it's a secret ingredient that makes it so delicious. Steel Magnolias use a slightly enriched recipe.'

'Well, I have no choice, then,' she laughed, 'but to frequent that venue as often as possible. Our brunch is on the way. Make yourself at home, it won't be long. I'll take a quick shower, too.'

In the bathroom, Amaranthine didn't take time as usual planning what treatments she was going to have and programming Eiko to perform them. All she wanted was to refresh herself and get back to the living room as soon as possible. She wanted to be close to Daniel, every minute spent away from him, especially now that he was so close, in her own home, felt like a waste. She didn't even bother drying her hair. She put on a casual, cotton dress, and headed back to the living room, her long, wet strands cascading down her back and shoulders.

'Wow, that was quick,' Daniel said when he saw her, genuinely surprised. 'When I saw all those tools of torture in your bathroom, I reckoned it'd take you at least an hour to get out of there.'

'Ha, ha,' she said, detecting his sarcasm, 'you see, just cause a girl has certain things, doesn't mean she has to use them all the time.'

'I'm glad,' he said, smiling. 'Because I have some good news to tell you.'

'You watched the news?' she guessed, feeling a surge of fear and excitement.

'No more buildings were bombed,' he said, 'the terrorists were taken down over the Atlantic. They didn't get anything.'

The relief she felt was almost comparable with the one last night, when they got out of the deadly ring of terrorists and hovered home along the river.

'Do you want to watch the news?' he asked.

'Now that I know it's all over,' she replied, 'yes, I definitely do.'

They watched the news waiting for their food, sipping more coffee.

The reports varied from catastrophic visions of what could have happened if the terrorists had succeeded in stealing the Cure's formula, to triumphant odes in honor of the Air Force special unit that brought the enemy down in an incredibly crafty counter-attack. All channels were lost in conjecture as to why it took the terrorists so long to crack the security systems in Dr. Life's headquarters. Was it because the Cure's formula was indeed that well protected, or because it was not even stored there, the HQ serving as a dummy in case of such an attack? No one knew, but one thing was for certain: that delay gave the Pentagon the crucial advantage: precious time to plan and execute the counter-attack.

' _Whatever the case,'_ Constantine Spencer concluded at the end of _The Immortal News_ report _, 'I don't think any of us will ever again doubt Dr. Life and his aide Mr. Tsuneo Walker when they assure us that the Cure's formula and stocks are indeed perfectly well protected. If an attack as sophisticated as the one Manhattan witnessed last night, was unable to compromise access to the Cure, it's safe to say that nothing and no one will. The events of the night of April 23, 2106 should teach the terrorists that America has effective ways of protecting its secrets and treasures, and it does so in the name of all the democratic countries on this planet.'_

' _Coming next,'_ the reporter back in the studio announced, ' _is our special service on the possible outcomes of last night's attack, in which we will try and answer the question most of you are probably asking yourselves: what's going to happen next? What steps should the government undertake to find and punish those who were behind the attack that took the lives of fifty-six Americans, destroyed an iconic building in the very heart of Manhattan, and inflicted damages to five other ones?'_

'What do you think the government will do now?' Amaranthine asked Daniel.

'It's hard to tell,' he replied. 'Whoever did this, clearly didn't have enough information and resources to succeed, which means that either their funding was not sufficient, or their intelligence faulty, or both. Whoever is behind this, is not as strong as they thought they were, and I'd imagine their failure will not win them any friends. They won't be popular in their own country, so the US government could just as well let their own enemies have them. Question is, will they resist the expectations of the American people, who are already calling for a revenge war.'

'How can they ensure it doesn't happen again, though?' Amari said, recalling last night's horror and shivering even at the thought it could be repeated.

'They should focus on education in non-Cure countries,' Daniel said with confidence. 'If common people are educated, they understand that unless their countries become democratic and meet other requirements, they will be declined the benefits of the Cure. As soon as enough people learn this simple truth, they will take down their oppressive governments themselves, without the US ever having to get involved. Experience shows it's the only effective method of making permanent changes for the better.'

'Help them help themselves?'

'Exactly. Give them information and knowledge and let them turn it into a weapon. People rarely accept changes that are forced upon them by invaders, even if they would benefit from those changes in the long run. It's much better to help them make the changes themselves.'

'You're so right,' Amari said after a moment of silence. 'The US have been trying to bring changes to troubled countries since mid-20th century, and they always failed. But they never amended their tactics, they always stuck by the same strategy: a military invasion...'

'If you liked what Eiko can do, maybe I can show you more,' Amari offered, watching the delivery hover-waiter disappear in the distance. Their jumbo platter of perfectly cooked prawns, fish, crabs, baby octopus and other seafood filled the living room with an amazing aroma. 'What is your favorite place for having a meal?'

'What do you... oh, you mean one of those simulations,' he said. 'I'm more of a _here and now_ guy.'

'C'mon, just try one. You can't criticize if you don't try.'

'Ok, you've got me. But I'd rather you chose.'

'Ok,' Amari said, 'since we're having a seafood platter, let's try... this.'

The sun fast-forwarded across the sky and hung two feet above the horizon. Its glow changed together with its position, becoming soft and orange. Sound of waves and scent of the sea breeze reached their ears and nostrils. The carpet turned into the finest sand, white and soft like talcum powder. Seagulls flew high above their heads, and palm trees cast shadows across the beach.

'Help yourself,' Amari passed Daniel a side plate, examining his expression with a little smile.

'Thanks,' he said, taking the plate and acknowledging the change of atmosphere with a glance around the room. She couldn't figure out what he thought.

'It's not too bad, is it?' she asked.

'It's all right,' he still seemed unimpressed. 'So is this how you visit all the places you want to see?'

'A lot of them,' she said. 'It saves time and is safe. Plus a lot of the places on Earth are still inaccessible by hovercars, unless you have a pilot's license. Although I can't get all the things I wanted to download.'

'Like what?'

'There are some in Africa, like the Great Migration,' she said. 'There is just no software available – '

Amaranthine's idatron flashed. Nectar was trying to initiate a communication. She only allowed a verbal signal to come through.

'Amari, have you heard what happened?' his voice was highly agitated.

'Yes, I've just been watching the news,' she replied. 'And last night...'

'One of those bastards flew right into my office!' Nectar didn't let her finish. 'They only allowed me into the building five minutes ago. It's a complete disaster! And I'm afraid your office is not in a good state either. The widows were blown out, my desk smashed to pieces, heaps of dust and debris everywhere. We won't be able to operate from here for some time.'

As she listened, Amaranthine looked up at Daniel, a question in her gaze. Daniel shook his head.

'Let it be our little secret,' he whispered to her. She smiled at him.

'You're kidding!' she exclaimed, trying to sound convincing, which wasn't hard, as Nectar was too disturbed to notice anything. Besides, she doubted he'd believe the truth if she told him. 'I saw some damage done to the top of our building on TV, but I wasn't sure if they reached as high as our floor.'

'They damaged _only_ our floor!' Nectar clearly regarded the fact as gross injustice. 'I've got the insurance people coming in as soon as possible to assess the damage so we can get the repair team in. I don't want this to keep us out of our offices for longer than a few days.'

'What do we do until then?' she asked.

'Just work from home,' he said, 'and be on your idatron at all times.'

'Sure, I'll do that,' she said.

'This attack will keep the media busy for the next few days anyway,' Nectar added, 'so it'll give you a chance to come up with a good strategy for the next few months of _Carpe Diem's_ tour. In fact, do you know what, now that you have some time on your hands, I'd like you to go and watch a couple of concerts, stay around the band, gather some more info about their personal lives. I want you and Collins to brainstorm this and come up with something good. We need a lot of material to last us the duration of the tour, we need the best strategy. When the dust settles on that attack, when people get sick of listening about it day and night, we'll need something good to get their attention back on the band.'

'Cool, I can do that,' Amaranthine said. 'Sounds like a great idea, boss.'

'Ok. We'll be in touch soon.'

Nectar hang up.

'Sounds like we're going to Asia together,' she said, smiling at Daniel. She tried to make that smile come out natural, but she wasn't sure if she succeeded.

It was incredibly hard to hide the ecstatic happiness she felt inside at the thought of spending the whole of next week by his side.

Daniel took off in his hovermobile, having agreed to pick up Amaranthine the next day so that they could travel to Japan together. As usual, he steered his hovermobile manually. But he was very, very close to inputting the destination into his board computer and letting the vehicle take him home whilst he would have time to think.

He was experiencing a very unfamiliar mix of feelings. A mix he didn't know how to untangle and how to cope with.

When the news of the attack hit him in his hotel room in LA and he realized Amaranthine was in grave danger, he blacked out for a few moments. He didn't remember getting out of the hotel, or getting into his hovercar. He only regained consciousness and focus when he headed for New York and started planning how to save her.

The thirty minutes it took him to get back to New York were an agony. He listened to the reports constantly and his brain worked in full swing, frantically trying to come up with a plan that would allow him to get to her and get her out of the trap before the terrorists blew up her office building. When he got close enough to Manhattan, he circled it once, picking the best side to approach the skyscraper and get to her floor unnoticed. Then, without any further thought, he started executing his plan. He knew stealth was his only chance of succeeding. He took that chance, obsessed with one thought: _Amaranthine mustn't die._ The thought of her being killed horrified him.

He forced himself to focus and went for it.

He had an incredible amount of luck to get to her building and all the way up to the top floor without being taken down by the terrorists. It was a move beyond bold; it was pure madness. But he managed to pull it off. Even at the crucial moment, when he had to find a place to park his hovercar, he was lucky. Nectar's office window had been blown out, and his vehicle just fitted inside.

When he didn't find Amaranthine in her devastated office, he panicked, thinking she fell out of the building. But he refused to lose hope in finding her alive. He put himself in her shoes and quickly figured out she must have left the office in search of an emergency exit. He followed the signs to the staircase.

It wasn't until he heard her faint voice and then saw her, sitting on the floor amongst broken glass, with cuts and bruises all over her body, but alive, that he realized what made him undertake this mad plan. What beckoned him and forced him to rush to her rescue.

He was totally and utterly in love with her.

It was love that made him risk his life to come for her. It was the unbearable thought that he could lose her, that he could never see her again, that pushed him and gave him the courage to do what he did. He tried to remember if he ever felt that way about a woman, about anyone. But he couldn't.

He suppressed the urge to lock her in his arms and kiss her there and then, by the fire exit of a building that could be blown up at any moment. He forced himself to think clearly and get them out of hell.

When they got to her apartment, the urge to cuddle her in his arms, to kiss her neck, to touch her skin, returned, and again he had to suppress it. She was in shock, it was clear from the first glance. At this moment, she needed a friend, not some guy pressing his advances on her. But her vulnerability made her even harder to resist.

And then she fell asleep, curled up on the sofa like a child, looking more beautiful than ever, despite smudges of dirt and blood on her face and hands, despite her soiled and crumpled clothes and her hair covered in dust... He looked at her and daydreamed of the moment he would be able to express all his feelings and... be truly with her.

But the longer he sat by her side watching her sleep, the more his reason banged through the feelings, and the more he realized that what he was dreaming of was impossible. She was one woman he could never be with, however much he wanted her. First, because he saved her life and expecting more of her now that they were before, would be taking advantage of her gratitude. And second, because they belonged to two completely different worlds and their relationship was condemned to failure; there were too many differences between them. Even if it worked at first, it would inevitably end in a painful and bitter split-up. Daniel didn't want to live through such a scenario; he would rather remain friends with Amari than risk losing her as a result of a short romantic affair. A successful Mortal-Immortal relationship was a utopia, a dream, a fantasy that, if ever attempted, inevitably ended in a disaster.

Amaranthine stirred slightly, sighed, squeezed his hand and fell back into sleep. As she moved, the ruby in her pendant flickered on her chest. Daniel remembered where this jewel came from and what it meant to her. What it symbolized.

She would never become a Mortal, and even if she wanted to, he wouldn't allow it. Being immortal, adhering to her parents' will, was the only link she had with them.

Therefore, he would never reveal his feelings to her. Just like before – after _Carpe Diem's_ last private concert, when he saw her with Phoenix – he would distance himself from her and the time they spent apart would do the job.

He looked at her sweet, pale face, at the storm of her dark brown hair, still shiny despite all the dust that rested on it. He slowly slipped his arms under her neck and knees, and lifted her up. As he carried her to her bedroom, she embraced and hugged him, but didn't wake up. Despite the dirt and dust she was covered with, he could still smell her perfume, the faint scent of orange blossom, emanating from her skin and hair.

He decided to stay the night and sleep on her sofa. He expected she would need some company the next day to come to terms with what had happened. He wanted to make sure she was alright, especially if it turned out that her office building was really blown up.

He managed to keep his promise to himself the whole afternoon he spent in her apartment; he didn't reveal his real feelings. He enjoyed her company, but at the same time he knew he would have to leave her, and never spend so much time with her again. It was too dangerous.

And just when he was slowly beginning to accept the fact that from now on they wouldn't spend any significant amount of time together and his will wouldn't be tested in such a painful manner ever again, Nectar phoned.

So now he was on the way to his apartment, and tomorrow morning he would be back to pick her up. They would travel to Tokyo together and spend at least a week with each other; they would go to two _Carpe Diem's_ concerts and then brainstorm ideas for the marketing and PR of the band. They would have meals together and in the hotel they would stay in neighboring rooms. There would be nothing but a thin wall between them for at least seven nights.

Daniel sighed.
**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

'Are you sure you don't want to travel by Peregrine?' Nectar asked again. 'I've no problem paying for it. If you go in your hovercar, jetlag will get you.'

'No, it's ok, honest,' she repeated. 'I need to do some work on the way so I need peace and quiet. I can always get a jetlag-adjustment at the hotel.'

'All right then, as you wish,' Nectar, clearly preoccupied with other things, sounded content that she'd just take care of herself. 'Keep me posted how it goes in Asia. Hopefully you'll be able to return to your office in a few days.'

'Ok, I'll be in touch as soon as I've had a look around,' she replied. 'Don't stress over the offices, it could have been worse.'

'Easy for you to say. You haven't even seen this mess.'

'And I don't want to,' she said. 'I'll see you when it's all back to normal.'

'Aren't some lucky.'

_Ha, he would definitely not believe the truth if I told him_ , Amari thought. It was such a good idea to keep it a secret. It saved her from going over the details of that horrid night with the police, her boss and colleagues, and, worst of all, the media.

'Daniel will be here in three minutes' time,' Eiko announced.

'Perfect.'

She spent the three minutes going over her luggage yet again. It was quite hard to fit in outfits for all possible occasions, and at the same time not to look excessive, especially when she didn't know how long she'd be there for. She managed to limit it to two medium-sized suitcases and a large handbag. She summoned her hovercar and put the suitcases inside it. It would follow her and Daniel's two-seater to Tokyo.

'Morning, sunshine,' he greeted her with a big smile when she got into the passenger seat. 'How are you?'

'Great!' she smiled back, casting a quick glance at him, trying not to stare too much at his muscular, perfectly toned arms that showed from under his short-sleeved shirt again. 'You are dead on time.'

'Well, you know us, Mortals,' he joked, 'we don't like to waste our precious time.'

He started tapping into the touchscreen and after a few seconds his joystick retreated to the depths of the panel. Amaranthine took a deep breath.

'Daniel?' she braved it.

'Aye?'

'You can steer manually if you like.'

'You sure?'

'Positive.'

'Ok,' he said slowly, casting a glance at her as if to make sure she really meant it.

'Your piloting skills saved my life,' she said. 'I'd rather you kept them sharp.'

'Ok,' he said again, reassured now. 'Let me know if you change your mind.'

'I won't,' she said with confidence, relaxing in her seat and tearing her gaze away from the muscles of his arms that flexed as they took charge of the joystick. She looked ahead, beyond the horizon.

'So,' she said when they left the Statue of Liberty behind and only the Atlantic stretched ahead of them. 'I get a notion you didn't think much of Eiko's beach simulation yesterday.'

'Like I said,' he cleared his throat, 'I'm more of a...'

'... _here and now guy_ ,' she said. 'I remember.'

'Yeah.'

She was silent for a while. 'Can you explain that more?'

'What do you mean?'

'What does _here and now_ mean to you? And how is it different from what we did? I mean, we had a great meal and we had Eiko project a beach around us. Research shows that these simulations have the same soothing effect on our nervous systems as real interactions with nature. The sound of waves, gull's calls, the light of a sunset, the sea breeze. If we can have it all without leaving the apartment, why not use it?'

'Because it's not real. It's not the same as going to a real beach and listening to real waves and gulls and smelling the real sea breeze. It's just a simulation, not nature.'

'Many things haven't been real in human lives for thousands of years,' she said. 'It started with the fire. It was the first thing that changed our lifestyles, made us independent of nature's cycles. We didn't have to go to sleep at sunset and be exposed to coldness and predators at night. Our intelligence and skill in using fire allowed us to extend our day and our lives. Everything after that, from the wheel, the use of tools and animals, the steam engine, antibiotics, discovery of fossil fuels, IT Revolution and finally Immortality Revolution, were just further improvements. Aren't mind-reading computers and their simulation programs just the next logical step? Where do you draw a line beyond which you label things "unnatural"?'

'You've got a point,' Daniel said. 'But there is a trap in this way of thinking.'

'Which is?'

'Less and less people realize that simulations are just that: simulations. Those who create them know it. But for those who just use them, without thinking where they come from, simulations _become_ reality. And if they had never _experienced_ the real thing, the only picture they have is polished and perfect, without any faults. They think the beach has no mosquitos and sand flies, waves are always gentle and seagulls never drop shit on your head when they fly by.'

Amaranthine laughed. 'I think most people would take that last argument as an advantage of simulations, not an encouragement to go to a real beach.'

'Probably,' Daniel said. 'But that majority do not understand that bad things happen to us for a reason. Let's say a gull shits on your head. You run to your hotel to wash it off, and on the way back you discover something you wouldn't have discovered otherwise.'

'Like what?

'I don't know. Whatever. A poster announcing a live band playing that night, or a diving trip you've been dying to go on. And if you're really lucky, you spot a bar that sells the cheapest and coldest beer on the island.'

She laughed again.

'So,' she said, 'it's worth getting gull shit all over your hair for the sake of a cold beer?'

'That depends on the beer,' he smiled. 'But you might just be so lucky, that it is.'

_I wouldn't know,_ Amaranthine thought all of a sudden. _If I wished for a cold beer whilst doing a beach simulation with Eiko, I'd just order it. But then why would I want a cold beer when I'm experiencing the beach in room temperature?_

She was silent for a while.

'A penny for your thoughts,' Daniel said.

She looked at him, hesitating. She'd been thinking about asking him why he remained mortal, but she didn't want to cause awkward atmosphere. They had a two-hour flight ahead of them.

'What is it?' he asked.

'Nothing,' she still couldn't make up her mind. But she really wanted to know his reasons. To understand.

'You want to know why I remain mortal, don't you.'

'How did you know?' she was embarrassed, as if caught naked. 'I... I mean... you don't have to answer that.'

'I don't mind,' he said.

'Ok, if you're sure,' she said. 'I... presume you don't have children.'

'Nope.'

'And you're not religious. You don't believe being immortal is against God's will.'

'Nope.'

'So why not take the Cure until you decide to have kids? Why risk that... you know...' she was still unsure how to form her questions so as not to insult him.

'That I'll get too old before I meet the right person to have the kids with?'

'Yes,' she was glad she didn't have to say it. 'I mean, even if you do eventually want to have them and be mortal, you could extend your life until that moment comes.'

'In theory, yes,' he said. 'But I don't believe in these sort of half-measures. You are who you are and you have to make up your mind once and for all.'

'Why? Don't you believe people can change?'

'I do,' he said. 'But you have to be who you are at the given moment in time. You can't be biologically immortal, but in the back of your head think of yourself as a Mortal. How could you have any integrity if you did that?'

Amari considered his words. He was right – how could he function amongst Immortals, with their values of individuality, casual relationships and freedom from family responsibilities, if all the while he longed for something completely opposite? And how could he do it while his family remained mortal and aged at a stable pace?

'I'm beginning to understand,' she said. 'But aren't you ever worried that you may never find that person you want to have kids with? What then?'

'Tough luck,' he said, 'nobody promised all of us that we'd live happily ever after. I guess I just believe in fate. _Phit's fir ye, ah'll no pass ye beh,_ as my grandmother always says.

'What does that mean?'

'What's for you, will not pass you by,' he explained. 'But I also think the more we give out, the more comes back to us. Effort yields rewards. Good karma returns to us. A sacrifice in one area of life can result in something extraordinary happening in the other, often something we wouldn't expect in our wildest dreams. That's what I would call faith.'

'But you don't believe in God?'

'No, I don't. I believe in Nature's cycles, an unending flow of energy that constantly transforms things, people, plants and animals into different, fascinating forms. But I don't believe in any figure that would control it all, or interfere with our lives, in a good or a bad way.'

'So what about afterlife?'

'I have no idea. I think it's wiser to enjoy the present day than worry about the future.'

'But you must have had some thoughts about what happens to you after death.'

'I suppose. But it's not a set system of beliefs. Maybe the energy from my body will be used by an oak seed, and I'll end up being a tree for a few hundred years. Then someone will chop me down and burn me and the ash will serve as fertilizer for some crops that will then get eaten by animals, then by people and I'll return to human shape. Or maybe I won't. Who knows?'

'So you don't fear death, even though you don't know what's going to happen to you?'

'Not yet,' he smiled. 'It's human nature to be in denial of death until it draws near, isn't it? Otherwise we'd all go crazy.'

Amaranthine fell silent. Friday night's events came back to her for a moment with frightening vividness. Fear, hopelessness and despair overwhelmed her all of a sudden.

'Are you ok?' Daniel asked with concern.

'Yeah,' she forced a smile. 'I just had a flashback of Friday night... I was so scared, and I was sure I was going to die in there.'

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you...'

'No, it's not you,' she said quickly. 'You're right. We do live in denial of death, us Immortals more than anybody. The Cure made us pretty arrogant about these things, I guess. But we forget that we aren't really immortal, we just don't age. We can still die in accidents, and we are so unprepared for that. When I sat there, by the fire exit, before you came for me, I kept thinking what if there is something on the other side, but only if you imagine it while you are alive? What if the whole idea of believing in heaven is to give your consciousness something to do after your body dies? And if you share the same vision with others, maybe it does come true for you together?'

'Do you have such a vision?'

'No, I don't,' she said. 'And I think that was partly why I was so scared. I was facing this cold emptiness, a black hole. At that moment I wished I'd had a vision of afterlife.'

'Wow, I never thought about it this way,' Daniel said slowly. 'But then I've never had a near-death experience.'

'What do you mean?' she couldn't believe him. 'How was Friday night not a near-death experience for you? You could have died a dozen times over!'

'That was different,' he said too quickly, and then, before he could stop himself, he blurted out, 'I wasn't thinking about me then.'

Tokyo was exactly what Amaranthine needed.

The news of the April 23rd attack was being analyzed here probably no less than in America, but it was all in Japanese. She could, of course, activate the translation feature on her idatron, which would switch all visual and audio signals to English before they would reach her eyes or ears, giving this Asian city a more or less American look and sound. She could, if she wanted to. But she didn't want to hear any more about it.

She needed a break from the constant stream of new details, interviews with witnesses and the families of the victims. There was absolutely nothing else on any of the networks, constantly reminding her of her Friday night ordeal. Immortals, as in every rare case involving fatalities, horrified and fascinated at the same time, demanded more and more coverage and further details regarding the horrific night. The media met that demand, constantly bombarding the public with footage, comments, simulations and speculations. It was impossible to hide from it all. But when it was delivered in a language she didn't understand, it was easier to ignore it, to distance herself from it and get distracted by the new place.

She had visited Tokyo through one of Eiko's simulations before and she didn't expect it to be much different from what she remembered. After all, Eiko's software was state of the art. And she would probably be familiar with the area if their hotel was in one of the famous spots in the city center. But it wasn't. Daniel and his team had chosen a small boutique hotel on the border between the Mortal and the Immortal districts.

'This way it's easier to keep the band's whereabouts secret,' he explained. 'Immortals expect the stars of that caliber to stay in a hotel with no less than six stars, and those only exist within the Immortal districts. Mortals, of course, are convinced that we are staying in the Mortal quarters. No one is looking in between. It's our little trick.'

'Very clever.'

So now she was surrounded by a completely unfamiliar cityscape, which kept her senses busy and tired her physically and mentally; so much so that when she got into her room and lay down on the bed to relax, she immediately fell asleep.

She woke up a couple of hours later, refreshed. Friday's terrorist attack seemed to have happened weeks ago, as if her nap was some sort of time-jumping trance.

The hotel may have been only five stars, but it was, like almost all buildings in Japan's capital by now, a hovering one. The Japanese were the first to start applying hovering technology to buildings; they had finally found the perfect solution to their earthquake problem. Starting with the biggest cities, they gradually raised all the buildings off the ground, gaining more expertise in the industry than anyone else on the planet. The architect who designed _The Universe_ , 'the first hovering nightclub on Earth', and the majority of the engineers, were Japanese.

Amaranthine took a long bath, thinking of nothing else than the fact that she was away from New York, her devastated office and the nightmare she went through on the other side of the world. It felt like vacation, not work; _Carpe Diem's_ concerts were not until Friday and Saturday, the media were far too busy grilling the topic of the April 23rd attack, and it was a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, which she was going to spend with Daniel.

He told her a lot about Japan on the way over and said there were a few nice things he wanted to show her, but it would be a surprise.

_Daniel's ready when you are_ , resounded in her head as she was drying her hair.

_Great_ , she sent the reply to her idatron via a mental signal, _please let him know I'll be ready in less than twenty minutes._

And he says to wear comfortable shoes.

_Oh_ , she blinked with surprise. _Ok._

When she got down to the lobby, he was waiting for her at the bar. He looked great in a casual shirt, unbuttoned at the top, and black jeans. His hair was disheveled, as usual.

'Fancy a drink before we head out?' he greeted her.

'Sure, why not?' she smiled back and sat next to him on a high stool.

'A mojito?'

'Do you think they can make it the way Steel Magnolias do?' she asked.

'They most certainly can,' he said, signaling the order to the barman, 'since we've stayed here for a few days already, I had them trained on the secret recipe.'

'You revealed the secret mojito recipe to the staff here?' she was surprised. 'Steel Magnolias wouldn't like it if they knew.'

'Well, about that –'

'My lips are sealed,' she said, 'don't worry, I won't tell anyone.'

'I appreciate your discretion, but it won't be necessary,' he said.

'How do you mean?'

'Well, it's not so much me using Steel Magnolias' recipe as Steel Magnolias using mine.'

'You came up with that recipe? The secret ingredient, that was your idea?'

'Yeah, I made it up when I worked there,' he explained.

'And you kept yourself busy by enhancing traditional cocktails with mysterious additives that no doubt had your customers coming back for more,' she guessed, 'why didn't you tell me earlier?'

'I'm a very humble guy,' he said with a playful smile. 'I take after my father.'

'Is that so.'

'It is. But I didn't want you to think that I go around the world betraying somebody's trade secrets by training local staff. Or instructing my friends' mind-reading computers.'

'You programmed Eiko to make your mojito in my house?'

'Yes, I did.'

'Thank you.'

'It's my pleasure.'

Their drinks arrived and they looked just like the ones she had at Steel Magnolias. The pink leaves she still couldn't identify, gave the mojito the same rosy tint and that elusive floral scent.

'What should we toast to?' Daniel raised his glass.

'Having business partners who save your life in the event of a massive terrorist attack.'

'Cheers, then.'

'Cheers.'

The mojito tasted amazing.

'So,' she said, 'you intrigued me with the comfortable shoes request. What's that about?'

'You'll see,' he replied, and reached down under his stool, from where he fished out a backpack, clearly stuffed to the brim.

'Ok, Mr. Mystery,' she gave up. He clearly had a plan for the evening, and she was excited for every minute of it.

When they left the hotel, his hovermobile was not waiting outside. Amaranthine looked at Daniel, but didn't say anything. It must have been a part of his plan.

They waited for a couple of minutes. The air was fresh and clear, and the sun was still high but it was slowly making its way towards the horizon.

The hotel's connector cabin hovered towards them from below and brought them all the way down to the ground.

'We are going to walk to dinner,' Daniel explained as they got out, 'don't worry, it's not too far.'

It was a very strange sensation, walking right beside him along the wide paved path, with massive buildings high up above their heads. Fields, meadows and parks stretched on the ground as far as they could see. Amaranthine had never experienced anything like it.

There were lots of other people walking in both directions, slowly, leisurely. Others jogged along, or rode bicycles, which Amaranthine found bizarre; she didn't realize people still exercised outdoors in this day and age. There were couples holding hands and families with children, mostly very young ones. She gathered they were walking into the Mortal part of the city.

She wondered where he was taking her, but she didn't ask. Having someone else plan an evening and entertain her was nice so she decided to enjoy it as it unfolded. They kept walking, leaving the hovering buildings behind, and they could see the sky now. It was perfectly blue. Rows of trees covered in white and pink blossom grew on both sides of the path.

'Cherry blossom,' Amaranthine inhaled with delight. 'I've seen it so many times on Eiko's simulations, but they are definitely much more beautiful in reality. And they smell amazing.'

'I thought you might like them,' Daniel said. 'It's still one of the most popular pastimes here in spring. Just strolling along and watching the trees bloom. One of the simplest, yet one of the most enjoyable little things in life.'

Amaranthine just smiled in response. He was right.

They walked in silence for another quarter of an hour or so, each absorbing the view and the atmosphere.

The path led up a mild hill, covered by a big park. It must have been quite old, judging by the size of the trees. Around the massive trunks, in the shade of the long branches growing at ninety degree angles, there were grassy areas where people sat, right on the ground, with their blankets and baskets of food. The park was crisscrossed with narrow paths, cherry trees blooming on both sides of them. The paths looked like long, white tunnels and smelled so sweet that Amari would swear the little white flowers covering each branch were made of candy floss.

They reached the top of the hill and made a left into a very narrow path that seemed to lead into the thick of the park. It was a little darker here, although long rays of the sun came slanting through the canopy, lilluminating the area with beams of light and casting long shadows at the same time.

When they reached an opening, the view stretching out ahead had Amaranthine sigh in awe.

The sun was just a few inches above the clear line of the horizon. The big, golden ball hung there, as if waiting for them to come and admire it. There was no one else around.

'They call Japan the country of the rising sun,' Daniel said, 'but you'll see the sunset first. I hope you've worked up an appetite.'

He opened his backpack and took out a big blanket that he stretched on the soft grass. Next came boxes of food, a bottle of wine and glasses.

'This may seem like an awful cliché to you,' he smiled, 'but for a simple guy like me, there's nothing like watching a nice sunset whilst eating good food and drinking good wine.'

'It's absolutely beautiful here,' she said, sitting down. 'How did you discover this spot?'

'I spent one of my college summers here,' he said. 'It was a long time ago, but not much has changed here since.'

Daniel opened the boxes he had brought and the smell of fresh sushi immediately made her mouth water. He handed her a pair of chopsticks.

'Bon appetite.'

Amaranthine ate, drank the wine and watched the golden ball of the sun turn orange, and then red, tinting the surrounding sky, and slowly lowering itself behind the horizon. There was something amazingly peaceful in the whole experience. The time seemed to run slower, every minute and every second filled with pure pleasure.

She knew, though, that it wasn't just the beauty of the surroundings, the taste of the food and the intoxicating effect of the wine and the blooming trees. It was the company of the man who not only saved her life, but was now showing her how to appreciate it.

They walked back to the hotel as slowly as it was physically possible, but the moment when they had to say goodnight and go to their own rooms still came far too soon. They had a meeting with the team first thing in the morning, then they would spend time with the band members, gathering information for their new marketing strategy. Amaranthine knew she had to be as professional as usual and focus on the job, but she refused to think about it tonight. All she wanted was for this night to last as long as possible, and she was getting a notion Daniel wasn't in the rush to retire to bed either.

They decided to have one last drink at the bar.

'So how did you actually get into PR and advertising?' she asked three mojitos later.

'It actually all started at Steel Magnolias,' he said, 'after a couple of years behind the bar I was made the manager and I wanted to bring more customers in. I started experimenting with promotional offers, having various bands play live music, and advertising through different media.'

'Is that how you met Gary?'

'No, we met a few years earlier. We were in a band together in high school.'

'You were in a band? What did you play?'

'The guitar. And vocals.'

'I find it incredible how many things you've done in your life,' she said. 'You were a bartender and a manager, a musician, a rugby player, you travelled all around the world thanks to your pilot's license and now you are an owner of a successful PR company. All I've ever done is PR.'

'It doesn't mean I was good at all of those things,' he replied. 'You, on the other hand, chose your field and stuck by it, becoming the best of the best in it.'

'It's very flattering what you say,' she said, 'but I feel like I forgot why I was doing it all. They say you should work to live and not the other way around. I am beginning to realize that I've made that mistake. I've lived to work.'

'I'm very sorry, but we will be closing the bar soon,' the bartender said. 'Would you like to order your last drinks?'

'Thanks, but I've had enough,' Amaranthine said. 'Unless you want one?'

'No, you're right,' Daniel replied. 'Blimey, look at the time! It's two o'clock in the morning!'

'We should really get some sleep, eh?' she said. 'Or we'll be unconscious at the meetings tomorrow.'

'Yeah, let's go.'

They took the elevator to their floor and Daniel walked her over to her room.

'Goodnight, Amari,' he said. 'I had a great time.'

'Me too,' she replied. 'Thank you for taking me for that walk, and for the picnic, and the sunset. It was incredible.'

'I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. I ordered that sunset specially.'

She laughed. 'It's good to know you have a way of doing it. I'll now be expecting it every night.'

They both fell silent, looking into each other's eyes and not wanting to part. Finally, Daniel took a deep breath, gave her a friendly hug and kissed her on the cheek.

'Sleep well, Amari.'

His hands were strong and hot on her arms as he embraced her, sending a spasm of desire through her body, all the way to the tips of her toes. She felt her heart beat accelerate and she knew that there was no way she was letting him go to his room and close the doors between them.

He slid his hands down her arms and was about to take a step back. She didn't let him. Gently, but decisively, she locked his hands in hers and pulled him back towards her. When she looked into his eyes, she saw a trace of a battle. But as soon as their faces were less than an inch away, it was replaced by desire. She knew that he saw the same emotion in her eyes.

Daniel freed his hands from hers, took her face in them, then tangled his fingers into the hair on the nape of her neck. A shiver of pleasure travelled along her spine; she was going mad with anticipation. When their lips finally met, balls of light exploded under her eyelids.

The door to her room opened without her having to send a clear mental signal to the hotel's mind-reading computer. Her emotions were strong enough for the machine to pick up the intention and interpret it correctly.

They went in, still kissing. Daniel took off his backpack and dumped it on the floor right by the door, then picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.

What happened next was so unlike any of her previous experiences that Amari found it hard to believe she wasn't under one of Eiko's simulations. He stroked her head, her shoulders and arms, he kissed her in places she didn't even know could feel that good. He took it slowly, as if they had all the time in the world. He was firm and gentle at the same time and he burned with passion when he touched and kissed her.

And she responded. Responded in a way she had never done before. She returned his gestures, she focused on guessing what gave him the greatest pleasure and when she noticed his reactions, they made her happy.

None of them checked the time. What was time? Did it even exist? The only thing that seemed to exist at that moment was touch.

Daniel pulled the cover up, locked her in his arms and kissed her one more time.

'Sleep well, gorgeous,' he whispered.

'And you,' she purred back.
**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

It took her a few moments to wake up. It was like returning to Earth from some incredible, alternate reality. When she regained full consciousness, she realized that Daniel's arms were still around her. She turned around to look at him.

'Good morning sunshine,' he said with a warm smile. 'You look beautiful when you sleep.'

'You stayed all night,' she smiled back, 'I didn't know men like you still existed.'

'Why would I leave?' he said, 'what better place could I possibly be?'

She kissed him in response.

'Last night was incredible,' she said.

'I happen to agree.'

They fell silent, just lying in each other's arms, enjoying the warmth and proximity of their bodies. None wanted to break the moment, though both knew it was inevitable.

'We're going to have to get up at some point, huh?' she finally said. 'What time is it?'

It was nine. Their first meeting was at ten.

'How long does it take you to get ready?' Amaranthine asked.

'Five minutes,' he murmured, kissing her neck.

'I was hoping you'd say that.'

It was amazing again. Afterwards, they decided to take a shower together. Daniel took the shampoo out of her hands and soaped her hair himself. She didn't stop him; it just seemed such a natural thing to do. When he rinsed her hair off, she couldn't help but touch him again. None were prepared to wait till they were back in bed.

Daniel left her room at nine fifty-two.

It took all her might to stay focused during the staff meeting and not let her feelings for Daniel show. She kept getting flashbacks of their love making and she caught herself a few times imagining him naked and fantasizing about him. She could only imagine how hard it was for him; he chaired the meeting, so all eyes were on him constantly. She was mostly listening, occasionally asking questions and making notes as she'd not travelled with the band before. Daniel's team asked her about the attack, to which she replied with what was being said on the news. The secret her and Daniel shared made her want to be alone with him again even more. She felt like he was the only person that she could be herself around.

It was slightly easier at the meetings with _Carpe Diem._ It was much more casual; they chatted with each band member, brainstorming the ideas for the marketing campaign. Creating a cohesive and convincing public image of each musician was all about getting enough details that would keep the fans interested, but that the guys would be comfortable revealing publicly. By the end of the day Amari had a fair idea how she wanted to build the new campaign. Her and Daniel would work together on the exact wording of the future press releases and the channels of delivering juicy bits of gossip to the fans and the media. Keeping that process under strict control whilst making it appear like a series of random leaks was a fine art; Amaranthine had mastered it, though, and Daniel knew most tricks that worked with the Mortal audiences. They truly made a great team.

'So do you want to work on it this afternoon?' Amaranthine asked when they finished eating late lunch. Angela and Frankie were with them and asking the question in a matter-of-fact tone was a huge effort. She knew she couldn't handle it for much longer.

'Yeah, sure,' Daniel glanced at his watch. 'Shall I come by, say, four o'clock?'

'Sounds good,' Amari replied. 'I'll start inputting the data and drawing some simulations, so we have something to work with.'

'Excellent. See you later.'

It wasn't even fifteen minutes later that she heard gentle knocking on her door. She ran to it like an excited teenager, secretly meeting up with her first boyfriend right under the noses of her guardians. She could tell that Daniel felt exactly the same way.

He took her into his arms as soon as he crossed the doorstep.

'I daydreamed of this moment all day,' was all he managed to say before she silenced him with a kiss.

It became their routine for the rest of the week. They spent evenings exploring Tokyo's best restaurants and bars, their nights making love and they woke up together every morning. Then they would split for a few minutes to get ready for the day's work, and agonized for the few hours that they had to spend pretending to be just colleagues in front of other people. As soon as they were free to go, they returned to Amaranthine's room for more love making. They gave each other pleasure and accepted it. And every time it was time to part, they dreamt of the moment they would be together again.

They also talked for hours.

'Tell me more about Africa,' Amaranthine said, stroking his chest. 'What is it like?'

'It's the only place on Earth, where you always feel a connection to the soil,' Daniel replied. 'Even if it hadn't been proven that the human race originated there, I'd know it. It has the power to draw you back, even if you only spent a day in there. Once you go to Africa, you will always keep returning.'

'Would you take me there?' she asked.

He kissed her on the top of her head.

'Nothing would make me happier.'

'Me too.'

She felt it was true. Nothing would be better than visiting all the places in the world with Daniel and experiencing the same things together. Everything she'd ever seen as a simulation, she now wanted to visit in the real, and Daniel promised to take her anywhere she wanted to go.

But her time in Tokyo was drawing to an end; Daniel was also moving along with the band. Their next leg was China and South East Asia. Nectar wanted her back in New York, expecting the dust over the attack to start settling any day. 'People need entertainment, no matter what is happening in the world,' he said. Amaranthine knew he was right; since the Cure's formula had not been stolen, the terrorists were captured and damages were limited to one destroyed building in Manhattan when it could have been dozens, people slowly started going back to their normal lives. That meant a return of interest in _Carpe Diem,_ especially that their concerts in Japan were received with huge acclaim.

Amaranthine couldn't stand the thought of not seeing Daniel every day and not waking up in his arms. She dreaded the first night alone in her huge bed, without him by her side. She was prepared to fly back and forth two hours every morning and every night just to be with him, but deep down she knew that would be impossible in the long run. More importantly, she wasn't prepared to waste so much time that she could be spending by his side.

'Maybe you can persuade Nectar to let you work from here,' Daniel said with hope.

'I'll do my best,' she said, 'maybe I could at least spend half a week here, from Thursday to Sunday.'

'And I'll fly back on the other days as often as possible,' Daniel said. 'That could work. Let's hope Nectar buys it.'

'Just leave it to me,' she smiled, 'I have a way of getting what I want from men.'

'Do you now,' he took up the challenge, 'but I'm Scottish. I bet you can't make me do what you want.'

She grabbed him by his tie and pulled him towards the bed.

'Sit down,' she ordered, pushing him.

It took Eiko less than five seconds to transfer Amari's mental order to the hotel's computer. The lights dimmed, the music started. Amari undid her shirt, button by button, as she started dancing right in front of him.

Daniel realized he was staring at her with his mouth wide open.

'I told you I had my way with men,' she said afterwards, kissing his collar bone.

'So you do,' he smiled. 'As long as this was what you wanted.'

'It was exactly what I wanted.'

They flew back to the US together on Sunday night, having come up with an excuse for Daniel to be in New York on Monday. They went straight to her apartment and spent another night together. Amari was happy not to be facing the real life again on her own. Daniel also accompanied her to the office on Monday morning, yet again sensing that she needed him there. It was the first time she revisited Manhattan and her workplace after she nearly lost her life there only ten days ago. Having Daniel by her side made the whole experience bearable.

Her and Nectar's offices had been repaired and looked almost the same as they did before April 23rd. The whole office smelled of fresh paint. They had a meeting with Nectar, updating him on the developments regarding _Carpe Diem's_ tour and marketing. He seemed glad to hear what they were saying; clearly he was slowly getting over the drama of his office being smashed to pieces by some crazy terrorists.

'So how is it going with Collins?' Nectar asked after Daniel had left. 'Is everything running smoothly?'

'It seems to be running very smoothly,' Amari replied.

'Can you stand working with him for a full year?'

'It's going to be fine.'

'That's good. I want it to stay this way, we need this tour to be perfect, and we need them to keep performing the way they are.'

'About that,' she said, 'I think it would be a good idea for me to remain closer to the band. I think it would be beneficial for me to be present at most of the concerts.'

'You think this is necessary? I thought everything was running smoothly.'

'It is,' she replied, 'but nothing is given forever. I want to personally make sure we keep the interest up in the US, and the best way of doing that is by publishing reviews and footage from the band's concerts in other countries.'

'I need you here for the advertisers and the media.'

'I know that, Nectar, but I need to monitor how the crowds react to the band,' she insisted. 'It's crucial for my marketing strategy. I can work from the office Monday to Thursday and fly out Thursday evenings or Friday mornings to be there for the concerts. It's only a two hour flight.'

'Well, I mean, if you're happy to do it and you think it's necessary?'

'I'm happy to do whatever it takes to succeed. And my instinct is telling me that my presence there is essential. The stakes are too high now to leave the band out of sight.'

'Ok, it's your call, Amari. Do what you think is right.'

'Brilliant,' Daniel said when he heard the news. 'You really do have your way with men.'

'I told you so,' she joked.

They were flying westwards in his hovercar 'to see something incredible' as Daniel put it. Again, Amaranthine had no idea where he was taking her and what he had up his sleeve, but she looked forward to whatever he wanted to show her. It was unusual for her to be in someone else's power, kept in the dark and completely out of control. Something she would never in a million years expect to enjoy. But that was before she met Daniel.

He lowered the car now and sat it gently on the ground. They were in the middle of an enormous grassy field, not a building or a person in sight.

'Where are we?' she asked, unable to help herself.

'In Kansas, about 25 miles east of Topeka,' he replied. 'Don't worry, we are not waiting for a tornado to take you to the Land of Oz.'

She giggled.

'I have a present for you,' Daniel said.

'A present?' she couldn't hide her excitement. He's not given her any presents yet.

'Yes,' he said, taking a small flat package out of his pocket and handing it to her. 'But you are not allowed to open it until six-nineteen. You promise?'

'I promise,' she said, taking it out of his hand. 'I feel bad, though. I don't have anything for you.'

'Not to worry,' he smiled, 'I brought a present for myself as well.' He patted his other pocket.

'You really are a man of mystery,' she said, racking her brain to figure out what he was plotting. Why would he bring her to the very center of the United States, give her a present in the middle of a field and not let her open it till six-nineteen?

She quickly communicated with her idatron to find out precisely what time it was. Six-fifteen. She would find out what his surprise was in four minutes. She ordered Eiko to alert her when it was time.

'Why don't we sit down,' Daniel said, spreading out the same blanket he'd used in Tokyo to serve her the picnic. He didn't seem to have any food with him this time, though, and the sun was already very low, so it couldn't have been about another picnic over the sunset.

She sat on the blanket and he positioned himself behind her, putting his arms around her. She turned her head to kiss him.

'Ok,' he announced seconds before Eiko's alert rang in her head. 'Let's open them.'

She unwrapped the package. Inside there was something that looked like a pair of very primitive glasses. They were made of cardboard and they had black plastic sheets in the place of the lenses.

'Put them on,' Daniel urged her, unwrapping his own pair and placing it on his nose. She laughed at the sight of him. 'I wouldn't want you to hurt your eyes.'

'Hurt my eyes how?' she asked, but obeyed.

'Just look at the sun.'

The bottom of the yellow ball was already slightly hidden behind the horizon. Suddenly, the right side of it also started disappearing.

'Eclipse of the sun!' Amaranthine exclaimed. 'How did you know that I've always wanted to see one?'

'I didn't,' Daniel said, 'I just thought you might enjoy it.'

'You're incredible,' she kissed him again.

'I'm glad you like it.'

'Let me guess,' she laughed, 'you ordered it specially.'

'Of course,' he said, 'but the message got messed up on the way and they didn't make it long enough. It's only going to last for three minutes and forty-seven seconds.'

Amaranthine watched, mesmerized. A black circle inched its way forward, gradually claiming the solar disc until it covered it completely.

For a short while, it was night. The stars became clearly visible in the dark sky. It became instantaneously cool and she felt a touch of dew on her bare arms and legs. It also became very quiet, as if the surrounding nature took a deep breath and held it, not sure what was happening and why. A moment later, crickets started chirping.

When the black circle completed its journey, the majority of the sun was already hidden behind the horizon. Still, its last rays managed to bring the world back to life; the air warmed again.

'That was the most romantic thing I've ever experienced,' Amari whispered when all they could see was pink glow stretching across the sky, marking the spot where the sun had hidden. 'Thank you.'

'It was my pleasure,' Daniel whispered back, the side of his face pressed against her temple.
**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

Amari raised herself on her elbow and watched Daniel sleep. It was long before dawn and they hadn't gone to bed until well past midnight, but she woke early and wasn't able to get back to sleep again. And yet, despite a busy day ahead, she was glad to be awake. It gave her time to embrace once again what was happening in her life.

Her and Daniel had been together for nearly five months now, although it felt like an eternity. When she thought back and remembered their first night together in Tokyo, she couldn't believe it had not been years ago, rather than months. Was it possible that they did all of the things that they did, in five short months? Working full time at the same time? Clearly that was what happened, but it was too overwhelming to believe.

They have been inseparable. They did things that had been on her list for years but that she'd always put off. They did things she never knew she'd dare trying. And they did things that she'd never even heard of. With the picnic in Tokyo, Daniel started to show her how to enjoy life and he had never stopped since.

In every country and every city the band played a concert, Daniel planned something special for the two of them to do after their work was finished. They dived in the Philippines and Malaysia; they rubbed shoulders with wild orangutans in Indonesia; they saw the Taj Mahal in India and it was just as he'd described it: a wonder of the world, one of the few made by human hand. He took her to Tibet and Nepal where they skied on the glaciers. The more Amaranthine thought of all the things he showed her in the last five months, the more she couldn't get over the fact that she didn't do any of them before. For over sixty years, she just lived to work.

Today would be another day when she felt happy. Her and Daniel would have breakfast together, see to the organization of another _Carpe Diem's_ concert, be there to make sure all went smoothly, and handle the media the next day. Then another concert before packing up to move to another city. In between the cities, however, they had enough time for their excursions.

Thailand would be the same and Amari couldn't wait to find out what new attractions Daniel had planned for them. She knew there were some great diving spots there, as well as some amazing food and unique wildlife. At first she just allowed Daniel to take her places without knowing what she was going to see and do, but soon she started doing her own research and finding out little romantic spots they could explore together. She wanted to be able to return the favor, although it was extremely hard for her to keep it a surprise, because she had to rely on Daniel to get them to all those fascinating, remote spots; there was no local hovermobile traffic control system here apart from city centers and if Daniel didn't have a pilot's license, they would have had to use ground transport, which with their time limitations would make visiting most places impossible. She only now did realize what freedom and independence came with the skill of manual steering. Once petrified of it, she now vowed to herself to get a license as soon as _Carpe Diem's_ tour was over and they were both stationed in New York again.

The things they shared brought them closer together than years of going out and partying in New York ever could. At work, they finished each other's sentences. Amari sometimes wondered if anyone noticed their relationship, but it didn't really matter. They only spoke about it once and both agreed that they didn't care. After all, they did their jobs – better than ever, actually – so their personal lives were nobody else's business.

Daniel stirred and opened one eye. He looked up at her and smiled.

'Is it still early?' he whispered.

'Yes, it is,' she murmured back.

'Can't you sleep?'

'I can,' she kissed him. 'But when I woke up and saw you, I wanted to stay awake. You looked so peaceful.'

'I had a nice dream,' he said. 'Me and you were flying like birds, wing to wing.'

'Sounds great,' she smiled. 'Do you want to know what I dreamt about?'

'Sure.'

'That you cuddled me and made love to me in Thailand,' she whispered.

'Mmmm. I believe it's in my power to make that dream come true. Right this minute, as a matter of fact.'

They were one of the first people in the restaurant that morning and got a table by the window. Bangkok stretched beneath, bathed in the morning sun. They sat in silence and admired it, waiting for their order.

'The early bird, as usual,' a voice resounded behind them. They both turned to see a freckly face surrounded by a curtain of long, straight hair the color of copper. 'You are so predictable, bro.'

'Lyndsay!' Daniel jumped to his feet and gave the girl a big hug. 'How did you find me?'

'I put my stalking skills into some good use, what do you think?' the girl laughed. 'Thought you'd be delighted. Haven't seen you in donkeys.'

'I know. I'm sorry,' he said. 'Been busy at work.'

'I bet,' the girl chuckled, 'flying around the world with the most famous rock band of the century! You'd better get me a ticket to the concert here or you're not my brother anymore.'

'Of course I'll get you a ticket,' he said. 'But first let me introduce you to my partner. This is Amari. Amari, this is my baby sister, Lyndsay.'

'Pleased to meet you,' Amaranthine stretched out her hand and smiled. 'Would you like to join us for breakfast?'

'You bet,' Lyndsay shook Amari's hand. 'Thanks, and nice to meet you, too. Did you say you were... partners?'

'We work together,' Amari explained while Daniel pulled a chair for his sister from another table. 'We cover _Carpe Diem's_ PR and marketing.'

'Oh, cool,' Lyndsay said, sitting down and helping herself to some juice. 'I've heard my big bro hooked up with some big-ass Immortal agency from New York to teach the Immortals what good music is. But it's nice to see he gets to work with some decent Mortals as well.'

As Amari glanced at Daniel, she saw panic in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but she was faster.

'Actually, I'm an Immortal,' she said with a smile. 'But no offence taken. Not long ago I didn't have the best opinion of the Mortals, either. Fortunately, your brother managed to change that.'

'Holy shit,' Lyndsay gasped, 'but your name... it sounds kinda mortal. I thought it was Marie. I'm sorry.'

'Like I said,' Amari smiled again. 'No offence taken. My full name is Amaranthine, Amari for short. Now let's order you some breakfast, shall we?'

Daniel waved down the waiter and ordered for his sister. She still didn't dare look up at Amaranthine.

'So how are everyone back home?' Daniel asked.

'They're all cool,' the girl finally decided to try and act normal. 'Susan's due in a couple of months, shortly before Christmas.'

'Oh, of course,' Daniel said. 'My bigger younger sister is expecting her second baby,' he explained to Amaranthine.

'Oh, yes, you mentioned it,' she said. 'So how is she feeling?'

Lindsay was clearly shocked by the question.

'She's fine,' she uttered. 'Though she puked like a cat every morning for the first two months and she's as heavy as a mammoth.'

There was an awkward moment of silence. Amari looked at Daniel's face. She saw the same panicky expression as at his sister's opening faux pas.

_Ok, this is going to be far too awkward for both of us,_ Amari thought. She made up her mind immediately.

Her idatron flashed.

'I'm sorry, this is an important call,' she said, pretending to be taking in a mental signal.

'I'm afraid I can't stay for breakfast,' she said. 'There is something important that requires my attention. I'll see at the meeting, Daniel.'

'Do you need me on this?' he asked.

'No, it's just Elixir Vitae Communications, Nectar needs some figures. Nice meeting you, Lyndsay, I'll see you at the concert. Enjoy your breakfast.'

'Thanks a lot.' Lyndsay murmured again, but Amari couldn't help noticing the sigh of relief that came out at the same time.

'What the fuck is _Elixir Vitae Communications_?' Lyndsay exploded as soon as Amaranthine disappeared, stressing each word with mocking exaggeration. 'And what sort of name is _Nectar_?'

'It's her agency and her boss,' Daniel explained patiently. 'The best PR agency in the whole of the US, actually, and probably in the world, just so you know.'

'The one you hooked up with?'

'Yes.'

'I don't know how you handle this, bro,' Lyndsay said.

'Handle what, exactly?'

'Their bullshit, what do you think?'

'What do you mean?'

'You know, her asking about Susan like she cared about pregnant women. What does she know about having babies?'

'Probably as much as you do,' Daniel pointed out without malice.

'What's your problem? Why are you defending her?'

'Look, she was trying to be nice. Make a conversation. People do that, you know? Immortals, too. Why are you judging her, without knowing anything about her?'

'I know she's immortal, what else do I need to know? They are all the same.'

'You liked her when you first met her,' Daniel reminded. 'Right up to the point you found out she wasn't a Mortal. Don't you think people deserve a chance before they are written off? I happen to know her much better than you and I can tell you now she is a decent person. I've worked with her for over six months and she's been great.'

Lyndsay sighed.

'Fuck, have you got a crush on her or something?'

'Don't be ridiculous, sis. She's my business associate. I'd appreciate if you remembered that the next time you speak to her.'

'Ok, I'm sorry, ok? I just know how much shit we get from them. It's hard not to think of them all as assholes.'

'Well, please try.'

'Ok. But only because it's for you, big bro.'

Amaranthine made her way back to the hotel room. Her own room, the one she had rented out under her name but didn't spend a minute in it until now. Her and Daniel did it everywhere they stayed – reserve two hotel rooms but stay in only one. It was their routine, their way of keeping their relationship officially professional. Even if they didn't care about people guessing that there was something going on between them, they weren't quite ready to make it official, either. Until now, Amari hadn't given it much thought, she was too busy enjoying her time with Daniel and juggling work and their relationship. But meeting Lyndsay was a strange wake up call.

The topic of his family came up then and again in various conversations, so she knew that apart from his brother Gerry, he had two sisters and a little niece. He never spoke about them at length, but it was obvious he was close to them. She never met any of them apart from Gerry, and she didn't expect to, either. The way she saw it, they belonged to a different world, a world Daniel occasionally visited on his own, but he always came back to her and that was his real life. For her, he was a part of her world, the world of Immortals, even if he wasn't biologically immortal. His biological status didn't matter at the moment, the moment they lived in. She knew that one day they'd have to face it, discuss it, make a decision. But all she wanted now was to delay this moment as long as possible. For once in her life she allowed herself to be spontaneous, to feel real emotions, to trust someone entirely and completely, and not restrict her desires in any way. Daniel brought out the whole new side of her that she'd kept hidden all her life, or maybe didn't even know she had. Until the day he came and saved her life, giving her another chance to live it to the full. She took that chance and even if she knew deep inside that their relationship could only last so long, she refused to think about it and they never discussed it. They avoided the topic so carefully that they almost managed to convince themselves that it didn't exist.

But now it was brutally catching up on them, and Amari knew that the time of denial was coming to an end. They can't go on like this forever, without acknowledging and facing the inevitable truth.

The truth that the life choices they made and the values behind them were so fundamentally different that they could never be together. She knew he wanted children, something she considered unthinkable. To bring a new life into this planet and take full responsibility for it? Responsibility for the whole other being, at the same time giving up her own life and condemning herself to ageing and, ultimately, death? It was beyond her imagination. Not to mention she would never violate her father's will.

Why, oh why did his sister have to come and force them to think about the differences between them? Why couldn't they have more time together to just enjoy each other's company?

Eiko's mental signal snapped her out of her reverie. It was time to go to the meeting, which, to make things worse, she had to chair. She quickly went over to Daniel's room, gathered her things and dumped them on the bed back in her own room.

She went back again, making sure that any evidence of her staying there with Daniel was erased.

Giving the team the outline of the south-east Asian leg of the tour, she couldn't bring herself to look at him for longer than a quick glimpse while she spoke, for the fear of her face revealing her feelings. He was late and sat further from her, which was unusual. It felt like he was looking at her, but every time her eyes landed on him, his gaze was away. He didn't ask any questions and didn't add any details to what she talked about. She wished everyone would leave the room so they could be alone, but she knew that it would only make things worse; what they needed to discuss was going to take more than a few minutes, and emotions were inevitable. Worst of all, she didn't feel ready for that conversation.

With all her will, she managed to get through all of the points on her list, although she cropped the explanations to a bare minimum. The team, used to her detailed briefings, seemed surprised by her concise manner this morning and asked more questions than usual, so her trying to shorten the meeting had the opposite effect, and the longer it went on, the more impatient she became. Although she managed to stay professional, she had a notion that the team sensed something was off about her.

When it was finally over and everyone cleared, Daniel came over to her, but they had to stay on guard; damn conference room had glass walls and half the team were still outside, discussing something in a tight circle.

'I'm sorry about this morning,' he said. 'Lyndsay has no filter, it's gotten her into trouble all her life.'

'You don't have to apologize,' Amari replied, not looking at him. 'She's right about Immortals. I was like most of them until recently, remember?'

'That does not justify assumptions and being judgmental,' Daniel said. 'I had a talk with her and she knows she was wrong.'

'That wasn't necessary, she already apologized to me. Let's forget about it.'

'Thanks for being so understanding,' he said after a moment of silence. 'Look, I'm going to have to look after her a little these next two days, show her around and keep an eye on her so she doesn't get herself into some trouble. I hope you don't mind.'

'Of course not,' she attempted a smile. 'She's your sister, you should look after her. You never see your family, they must be missing you.'

'Thanks, Amari,' he said, still trying to catch her gaze. 'But if you need me for anything, please let me know. Work comes first.'

'Of course, don't worry,' she said. 'But I'm sure I can handle it for a couple of days. We've planned it all well, so unless there is a major emergency, everything should go smoothly.'

'Ok,' he said. 'Thanks again. I'll see you tonight at the concert.'

'Yeah, see you there,' she said, still averting her eyes and not looking at him.

She spent the afternoon in her room working, but didn't get much done. The room, although almost identical to the one they stayed in together, felt strange and unfriendly. Empty.

She couldn't smell Daniel's cologne in the air, his belongings were nowhere to be seen. His absence, after so many afternoons spent together, was unbearable. When she tried to forget about him and focus on work, she caught herself opening her mouth to consult her ideas with him. She knew she could do the job on her own, but she didn't want to. Suddenly everything she used to do on her own before he came into her life, and which she best enjoyed doing by herself, seemed mundane and difficult without him around.

There was also a strange feeling of being replaced, which she knew was ridiculous, but couldn't help. If it wasn't for his sister, Daniel would be with her right now, making love, working or sightseeing, like he did for the last five months almost every day. Instead, he was sightseeing with his sister; it was her who sat in the passenger seat of his hovermobile, enjoyed his stories and jokes, and shared meals with him. Amaranthine understood that the nature of his relationship with Lyndsay was completely different from theirs, and remembered that he'd known his sister for over twenty years, not nine months, so she had every right to claim some of his time; they were family. She understood it on the rational level, but emotionally, she constantly had to fight the feeling of jealousy, which kept creeping back in. She wasn't prepared for having to share Daniel with someone and wasn't used to her boyfriends having families and commitments; they were all just like her – immortal, single and unrestricted by anyone else's needs.

She couldn't figure out how important his family really was for him; what would happen, for example, if they found out about their relationship and disapproved of it? Would he break up with her? Would he sacrifice their happiness for the sake of his family's satisfaction? Was that the reason he hadn't told them yet about his new girlfriend? They both wanted to keep it a secret at work, but what if he had this extra motivation and he never mentioned it to her? That would mean that his family was his priority and he valued them more than her...

This thought upset and confused her even further. She couldn't know any of this for sure, and the way he was with her denied it, but it dawned on her that she had never seen him in his Mortal world, amongst his parents and siblings. He was probably very different then, different things mattered to him... Maybe that was the reason he hadn't visited his family for so long. Because he knew they would remind him of who he really was and that he didn't belong with her.

But now his family came to him.

As usual, they met in the band's changing rooms. Lyndsay was there, chatting to Joe and Gary. She had a huge grin on her face. Against her chest, she pressed a little notebook, which no doubt contained all of the musicians' autographs.

Daniel was talking to William, but as soon as he spotted Amari, he excused himself and came over to her.

'Hi,' he said, looking at her warmly. 'How was your afternoon?'

'Fine, thanks,' she replied, managing to look at him this time. 'Did you and Lyndsay have fun?'

'It was good, thanks,' he said. 'Although I wish it had been you next to me all day.'

She felt a warm bubble swell up around her heart.

'Really?'

'Of course. I missed you like crazy.'

The bubble burst and spread the warmth all over her chest.

'I missed you, too.'

'You didn't have to move your things,' he said. 'I got Lyndsay a separate room.'

'I didn't want to complicate things,' she replied. 'In case she walked in, you know.'

'That was very considerate of you,' he said, 'but I hope it doesn't mean I can't see you tonight.'

'No, of course not,' she couldn't be more relieved. 'Come to my room when your sister goes to bed.'

'I can't wait.'

It was the only conversation they had in private the whole night, but it was enough. It connected them again. She knew he felt the same way about her as she did about him. So far, her concerns about his family seemed to be exaggerated. Still, she wouldn't stop worrying until they were alone in a quiet room and had the whole night ahead just for themselves.

The concert seemed to last three times as long. _Carpe Diem_ played an encore twice, something they rarely did, but the reaction of the Bangkok crowd fully justified it. She should be feeling pleased, as this admiration for the band was brilliant for their marketing, tickets sales and revenue. As their PR representative, she should be over the moon. But, for the first time in her career, she barely cared. All she could think of was Daniel and how soon she'd be with him again.

Finally, the concert was over and they could start wrapping things up. In less than an hour, Amari would be where she wanted to be the most.

'That was brilliant, wasn't it?' Gary's voice came from behind. 'Come on guys, we've got to celebrate. Bill and Pat have invited us all for dinner and cocktails.'

'Awesome!' Lyndsay, bright red and sweaty from jumping in front of the stage for the last two hours, was about to explode from excess of excitement. 'Folks back home will shit themselves jealous when I tell them I had drinks with _Carpe Diem_!' she grabbed Daniel's arm and jumped up and down like a puppy. 'Isn't it the best, bro?'

'So long as you behave like a lady,' Daniel said, not finding a suitable excuse in time.

Amaranthine didn't have an excuse either. Not for both of them, anyway. They didn't socialize with the band enough as it was, always sneaking away to be together. They had no choice, and had to put the clients first, no matter how badly they wanted to get away.

The dinner dragged on worse than the concert. They were in the best restaurant in the whole of Thailand, but Amaranthine ate mechanically, barely even tasting any of the delicacies that were put in front of her. She barely drank as well, whilst everyone else, except for Daniel, seemed to have decided to go through every item on the cocktail menu, so they were all getting pretty drunk. To make things worse, their party was interrupted a few times by other customers of the restaurant, who wanted autographs or pictures taken with the band members. Those people were, of course, big names in the world of business, art and politics, even some royal family members, so Amari had to entertain them – they were very influential people, whose support for the band could prove useful. She was rapidly running out of small talk, though, and struggled to make her compliments to them sound genuine. By the sixth celebrity, having to be nice felt like some kind of sophisticated form of mental torture.

Finally, the musicians decided they'd had enough, so they all headed back to the hotel. Amari felt exhausted, but the prospect of being with Daniel gave her a new kick of energy. She'd almost lost all hope of seeing him tonight, but now, when their reunion was only moments away, she felt the same warm bubble form in her chest.

All the way to their hotel floor, Lyndsay rattled on about how jealous her friends would be when she told them the story. She went on and on about how cool the concert was and how she loved the band members. With all her filters now completely gone thanks to the alcohol, she spoke with the speed of a machine gun. Amaranthine was starting to get a headache, but was grateful she didn't have to say anything back.

They said goodnight and each of them headed for their room.

In less than five minutes, Amari heard a gentle knock on her door.

They clang to each other as if they hadn't been together for months, although it was actually less than twenty four hours. They ripped the items of clothing off each other as fast they could, frantically untying, unbuttoning and unzipping, until nothing remained between them and nothing prevented them from uniting into one.

They collapsed onto the bed, interlocked tightly, not wanting to separate for even a moment. The hours of agonizing were finally over and the desire and emotions that accumulated since the morning were unleashed. None of them had ever experienced such burning desire before.

Afterwards, they cuddled tightly despite the heat and didn't say anything until their pulses and breaths came back to normal, savoring the moment that they knew had to come to an end, but which they'd pay any price to prolong forever.

'I missed you so much,' Daniel finally whispered into her hair.

'I missed you, too,' Amari replied, realizing that he was the first person she ever said that to. No other man that's ever been in her life had she longed for as much as she longed for him. No one she wanted to be close to at all times like she wanted to be close to him.

The conversation that she thought they would have to have seemed completely unnecessary now. They both felt exactly the same about each other and the present moment was everything that mattered. The differences between them were insignificant in the face of the feelings they had for each other. Problems could wait until tomorrow, until next week or next year. Right now they would just follow their hearts and not let any issues spoil their enjoyment of each other.

Amaranthine smiled to that thought and submerged in the warmth of his body, his arms that held her tight and his lips pressed against her temple. Every muscle in her body relaxed as she drifted off to sleep.

It seemed only a minute since she fell asleep when she was forced back into consciousness by a noise coming from the hotel corridor. A young woman was screaming. She couldn't distinguish the words at first, but the voice sounded immediately familiar. She looked up at Daniel, who was also just waking up and seemed as confused as she was. In a matter of seconds, though, they both sprang up on the bed.

'Lyndsay?' Daniel's voice was hoarse from sleeping. He cleared his throat. 'What the hell is going on?'

He got out of bed and put on his jeans. Amari, still completely disoriented, grabbed the hotel bathrobe and wrapped it around herself.

The voice was clearly audible now, and accompanied by loud banging on the door of the neighboring room. Daniel's room, the one they stayed in together before Lyndsay showed up.

'Daniel, wake up, bro! Come on, are you dead or what? I need you!'

Daniel opened the door and went out to the corridor.

'Lyndsay, for God's sake, what's going on?'

'What? I would have sworn your room was over there. Never mind, I found you now.'

'Lyndsay, wait!'

'What do you mean wait, I need to talk to you right now, it's important.'

'You don't understand...'

It was too late. The girl stormed into their room before he managed to stop her.

At the sight of Amaranthine sitting on the rumpled bed in her bathrobe, she stopped in mid-step and mid-sentence, shocked. Then she turned around and looked at her brother who followed her inside.

'Are you fucking kidding me?' Lyndsay looked at them in turns, quickly putting the facts together. 'You? With her??? Have you lost your damn mind?'

'I don't mean to be rude, sis, but it's none of your business,' Daniel replied, crossing his arms on his chest. 'Would you mind explaining why you've decided to wake up the whole floor by shouting and banging on the doors? You'd better have a good reason.'

'You bet I've got a bloody good reason!' Lyndsay had no intention of calming down or lowering her voice. 'But since you're so busy shagging your immortal mistress, I won't bother you.'

'Mind your language, Lyns,' he hissed through gritted teeth, and sparks of warning lit his eyes. 'Now you either tell me what's going on or leave this room. Either way, be quick.'

'As you wish,' Lyndsay drawled out. 'Not that you care about your family anymore – and it's now clear why – but our sister had an accident and went into early labor. She's having the baby as we speak, ten weeks premature.'

Daniel was at her in one leap.

'What kind of accident?' he grabbed her arms, as if he was trying to squeeze the answers out of her. 'Is she ok? How is the baby? Where are they?'

'I don't know,' Lyndsay was calm, now that she'd managed to get to him. 'Mum called from the ambulance, she couldn't talk. Plus I wanted to let you know ASAP, but your idatron was switched off.' There was a clear note of blame in the last sentence.

Daniel let go off her and picked up his shirt from the floor.

'Go to your room and pack,' he said. 'I'll meet you down in the lobby in five minutes.'

Lyndsay obeyed, but she didn't deny herself a final look at Amaranthine, now completely awake, but too shocked to say anything. Then she turned around and walked out without a word.

'I need to go to my room and pack,' Daniel said without looking at Amari, busy putting on his socks and shoes. 'I am going to have to leave for a couple of days, maybe longer, I don't know. I hope you understand.'

'Of course,' Amari managed to regain her voice. 'I hope everything will be fine.'

'Thank you,' he came over to her and took her hands into his. 'I will keep you posted. And I'm sorry about Lyndsay again. She's drunk and...'

'Don't worry about it,' she said. 'If there's anything I can do to help...'

'I'll let you know,' he kissed her quickly. 'Try and get some sleep, you must be exhausted.'

In the next second, he was gone.
**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

Amaranthine glared at the door of the hotel room, behind which Daniel had disappeared. She was unable to take any action. She had no idea how long she remained motionless, desperately trying to process what had just happened.

At work, she often had to deal with emergencies, find solutions to problems that arose in the process of organizing an event or marketing it, and one thing she has learned about herself was that in moments like these, when everyone else panicked and had no idea how do cope with the crisis, she managed to stay completely focused and think even clearer than in a non-stress situation. Her quick and accurate actions saved the day on more than one occasion and her bosses, colleagues and clients regularly complimented her on it. Right now, however, she was utterly lost.

She had never come across an emergency involving human life or health, especially life or health of someone her boyfriend cared about. His family. She had never had a boyfriend who would be so close with his family. All the men she dated were guys whose parents gave up immortality to have them, in the hope, of course, that their children would remain mortal and make them grandparents. Most of them were up for a bitter disappointment, however, with the majority of 25-year-olds deciding to become Immortals. In most cases, the day they took their first dose of the Cure was the last day they had anything in common with their parents. Many never saw their families again. There was no room for family ties in a life of a new Immortal; all that mattered to him or her was establishing themselves within the Immortal community. Their parents, after all, would die within a few decades, whereas they had the eternity to look forward to.

Daniel, of course, was completely different from anyone she had ever dated. He was a Mortal and he had a big family he was close with. She knew that already, but his reaction to Lyndsay's news brought it all to full light. She knew that in that moment, he was prepared to give up everything that mattered to him and run to the rescue of his sister. She saw fear for her life and the life of her baby in his eyes and his every move, she heard it in every word he uttered since learning about the accident. She knew he would run any risk to save them.

As sad as it made her to see him go, and as lonely as she felt without him, she couldn't help thinking that this must have been his exact reaction to finding out that she was in grave danger. When the terrorists attacked Manhattan on April 23rd, he was on the other side of the US. And he did the same thing then as he did tonight – he rushed to the rescue, because he cared.

That thought suddenly made her want to run and try to help as well; she wanted to do something as big for him as he had done for her. If only she knew what to do and how... But she had no idea what actions were required and there was no way she could find out. She had no connection to the world of the Mortals apart from through Daniel; she would have to wait to hear from him, which she knew would be an agony. There was nothing worse than the feeling of being powerless when someone you cared for so much was distressed. She couldn't even do so much as be with him for moral support; Lyndsay's reaction to their relationship didn't hold any promises that his family would accept her. Her presence would probably make it even harder for him and the last thing he needed right now was her trespassing on his family affairs.

It was long before dawn when she went over to the bathroom to take a shower. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and saw a pair of swollen, blood-shot eyes looking sadly back at her. She didn't sleep at all after Daniel left, and couldn't stand the thoughts that went swirling in her mind. She hadn't heard from him, but she expected him to be busy, plus she knew he wouldn't want to wake her up. He weren't to know that she was awake all that time.

The make-up machine in the hotel was not able to hide the signs of her tiredness, but Amaranthine wasn't sure if even her own one would have. She didn't worry about it too much, though – Daniel's team, as well as the band and Gary would probably see it as a good thing that she lost sleep over Daniel's family problems. After all, they were Mortals like him and all of them had their own families; they could relate to the situation much easier than she could.

She considered how much she should tell the team; should she just give them the usual, dry announcement that Daniel 'would be absent for a few days due to an urgent family matter?' That would be a professional thing to do. No details, no speculations. As soon as they gathered around the table in the conference room, though, she changed her mind. Angela, Frankie, Maddie, Tom and Gary were more than Daniel's colleagues; they were his friends, almost as close to him as his family. They deserved more than the usual corporate script.

'I have got some bad news, I'm afraid,' she started. 'Daniel's sister, Susan, has had an accident and she went into labor ten weeks prematurely. Daniel and Lyndsay left last night to be with her and the rest of their family. He said he would keep us posted on their progress, so as soon as I hear from him, I will let you know. In the meantime, the best thing we can do is try to attend to business as usual, so that Daniel can focus on his family and not worry about a thing here.'

There was grave silence around the table, five pairs of eyes open wide and filled with shock and concern.

'Any idea how they are?' Gary asked quietly.

'Unfortunately not. Lyndsay got a phone call from their mother who was in the ambulance. She couldn't really talk and I don't think she knew what Susan or the baby's status was.'

'Let's hope everything will be fine,' Amaranthine said, trying to finish the announcement on a positive note. 'I'm sure they have been taken care of. Let's not worry ourselves until we have heard from Daniel. It will be good news, you'll see.'

Her words did not seem to have the effect she expected. Instead of hope, she saw doubt and even deeper concern. She didn't understand why, but since no one said anything, she couldn't ask.

'Ok, let's start,' she said, switching on her idatron. The agenda for the meeting appeared on the display.

'I'm sorry, Amaranthine?' Maddie said.

'Yes?'

'I wonder if you'd mind... well...'

'What is it?'

'Would it be ok if we said a prayer for Susan and her baby?'

'Right now?'

'Yes.'

Amaranthine had no idea how to react to the request. But there was something very honest in Maddie's voice that made up her mind.

'Of course,' she said, switching off the idatron again. 'Go ahead.'

'Thank you.'

The five Mortals sitting around the table rested their foreheads on their clasped hands.

'Good Lord,' Maddie said, 'please save our good friend's sister, Susan, and her little baby. Let them be healthy and enjoy the life that you gave them. Amen.'

'Amen,' said everyone else in unison.

Amaranthine, surprised by the briefness of the prayer, stared out into space in front of her for a few seconds after it was over. Suddenly she realized all eyes were back on her.

'Right,' she said, switching on the idatron again. As she glanced at Daniel's team, she noticed that they relaxed a little and some hope appeared in their eyes. _Perhaps having a religion isn't such a bad thing, if it helps people deal with trouble and stress,_ she thought. _Maybe that's the whole point of it._

'Ok, let's begin,' she said. 'First of all, let's discuss last night's concert. Did you notice any glitches, anything needing changed, fixed, improved?'

Amaranthine was never more grateful for the recording feature of her idatron than during that meeting. She hardly ever used it before, as her focus and memory rarely let her down. This time, however, her mind couldn't be less occupied with the task in hand; instead, it wandered off constantly to Daniel and his family. Most of the things the team were saying went in through one of her ears, remained in her brain for as long as it took her to respond accordingly, and was out again, lost in oblivion. Fortunately, she could have Eiko summarize it to her later.

Daniel called soon after she entered her hotel room.

'Hey, Amari,' she heard his voice, and she instantly knew he didn't have good news.

'Hey, Daniel,' she replied, 'thanks for calling.'

'No worries. How was the meeting?'

'It was fine,' she said. 'No dramas.'

There was a moment of silence before she managed to form a question.

'How are they?'

'The baby's fine,' Daniel said. 'He'll have to stay in an incubator for a few weeks, but he'll be fine.'

'And Susan?'

'She's in a coma,' he said, 'she lost consciousness when she fell down a flight of stairs and she's not come to. They had to do the caesarian because the trauma triggered premature birth, but she stayed unconscious all the time. She's stable, though.'

'What are the doctors saying? Do they have any predictions when she may wake up?'

'They are not sure. Unless she wakes up within the next 24 hours, it could be anything between a few weeks and...' his voice faltered.

'I'm sure she will wake up soon,' Amaranthine said, not finding any other words to console him. 'You'll see.'

'I wish I could be so optimistic.' She could hardly hear him when he spoke.

'You can be,' Amari reassured him, sensing that this was what he needed to hear. 'You are the greatest optimist I've ever met. Hey, try to look at the bright side. The baby will be ok and Susan's diagnosis isn't conclusive. Plus there is a big chance she will wake up within the next 24 hours, right?'

'Don't know if it's a big chance, but yeah, I guess.'

'Well, then,' she tried to infuse her voice with as much confidence as possible. 'There is no reason not to be an optimist for the next day and night at least.'

'You're right,' he said. 'Thank you.'

'Not at all,' she said, 'she'll be fine, you'll see.'

'You don't mind if I stay here for the next few days, do you?

'Of course not,' she replied. 'Take as much time as you need.'

'I miss you,' he said.

'I miss you, too.'

'I need to go, the rest of the family are here. I'll call you again when there's news.'

'Ok. Take care of yourself.'

'You, too.'

When he hang up, she stared out the window for a few moments. Bangkok was bathed in brilliant sunlight, and she knew life was bustling down below. Had Daniel been there, they would have headed out for a few hours and he would have something interesting to show her, some secret he discovered or read about and wanted to explore together with her. They would eat something she'd never heard of, watch some ancient ritual still performed by local people or simply wander the narrow streets holding hands and soaking up the atmosphere. Then they would return to their hotel room for some love making and get ready for the concert that night.

Amaranthine smiled sadly to herself and ordered Eiko to draw the curtains. Doing any of this without Daniel was unimaginable.

She noticed that the rest of the team were just as melancholic as she was since Daniel disappeared. Even Maddie, usually bubbly and overly enthusiastic, was serious and quiet. Everybody did their jobs, but in a robot-like fashion, quietly and mechanically, almost absent-mindedly. Amaranthine understood them completely, she could almost hear their thoughts: if there had been a positive development, if Susan had woken up, Daniel would have let them know immediately. In this case, lack of news was bad news.

Despite this depressing thought, weighing her down like a brick tied to her chest, she had no choice but to run the shop as usual, although she found being the engine of the team increasingly difficult.

When the concert was finally over, she rushed to her room, wanting to be alone and not have to keep her professional face on any longer. She also expected that Daniel may get in touch. She was right.

He called soon after she got in.

'She's still not woken up,' he said in the same dispirited voice.

'I'm so sorry,' Amaranthine said, not knowing what else there was she could say. The crucial 24 hours have passed, and now no one was able to predict how long Susan would remain unconscious. The usual 'She'll wake up, you'll see,' seemed out of place this time.

'I wish I could cuddle you right now,' Daniel said.

'Me, too,' she said through tight throat. 'But you should stay there for at least a few more days. I will contact Nectar and let him know I need to stay here next week. You don't need to worry about a thing, all is going according to plan.'

'I don't know how to thank you,' Daniel said.

'Don't be silly,' she said. 'It's nothing. I'm just doing my job.'

'You are doing much more than your job,' Daniel replied. 'I will come back as soon as possible.'

'Don't rush, Daniel,' Amari said. 'There is no need for it. Everything's in hand.'

She tried to contact Nectar to let him know she wouldn't be returning to New York on Monday, but he wasn't answering and she didn't want to leave a message; she would rather discuss it with him. She tried his office, but it was Ambrose who picked up.

'Ambie, hi, I'm looking for Nectar.'

'Hey, Amari. He's out with clients. Anything I can do?'

'I just need to let him know I will be working from here next week,' she said, 'but I'd rather explain why to him myself.'

'Ok, no problem,' Ambrose said,' 'if I see him before you two have spoken, I'll have him call you.'

'Great, thanks,' she said.

'Mind me asking if everything is ok? You sound a little stressed out.'

'It's nothing to do with the band,' she said. 'Daniel Collins needs some personal time for the next few days, so I'm going to cover for him.'

'That's a big favor to do for someone you don't even like,' Ambrose commented.

She was taken aback. She knew her office must have been buzzing with gossip about her and Daniel but she didn't expect Ambrose to fish for info in such an obvious manner.

'He's my business associate,' she replied. 'I need him to be in good mental and physical health if we are to do a good job here. I'd rather he took a few days off and came back ready for work than for his problems to affect his performance. It's a business decision.' She felt she said too much. As if she was explaining herself.

'Of course,' he said. 'I forgot how pragmatic you are. But if you want him back soon and in sound shape, you may want to suggest to him to visit an immortal doctor. I haven't heard good things about mortal health care.'

'What do you mean?'

'Do you remember my astronomer friends, Javid and Heng? The guys you met in _The Universe_ shortly before the Paramonos shit hit the fan?'

'Yeah, I remember them. What did they say?'

'Well, they used to be doctors and they both practiced in mortal hospitals. Apparently it's a requirement for all immortal doctors, so that they can learn what a hospital should _not_ look like. The stories they had about mortality rates, equipment, labs, surgery rooms...'

'Interesting,' Amari interrupted, 'but Daniel seems to be doing all right. He'll be back here in a few days and all will be back to normal.'

'I'd still get him to see an immortal doctor,' Ambrose insisted, 'but if you think he's all right... I'll let Nectar know that you need to speak to him.'

'Thanks, Ambie. I appreciate it.'

Ambrose's revelations made her all alert and confused at the same time. All she ever heard regarding mortal health care was the criticism that Mortals benefited from all of the Cure's derivatives which made them live longer and claim pensions for years on end, while paying very little in tax throughout their lifetime. That it was yet another area in which they leeched off of Immortals, especially that Mortals, deprived of the protection of the Cure, succumbed to illnesses much more often that the Immortals did. Not to mention additional aspects of their lives that required doctor and hospital visits: pregnancies, giving birth, infant and child care, vaccinations, and finally the whole array of geriatric disorders. Amaranthine used to regard this yet another reason to dislike the Mortals. But the days when she believed in all the anti-Mortal propaganda were long gone, she just hadn't verified this aspect yet. Ambrose's words made her realize that mortal health care was nowhere near as good as Immortals were led to believe. She decided to find out exactly what the facts were.

'Eiko, can you give me some data on the quality of mortal health care in Scotland, please.'

'Certainly,' Eiko's voice came from the idatron.

'Can you focus on cases of coma and compare the statistics of successful recovery with those of similar immortal cases in the state of New York.'

'Analyzing.'

As she waited for the data, Amaranthine's heart raced. If it was as bad as she suspected, if hospitals in the mortal areas in Scotland were under-funded to the point of preventing them to successfully treat cases such as Susan's, and if the rate of success in New York was significantly higher, she could try and help Daniel's sister. Finally, there was something tangible she could do for him. She would figure out how, and she could easily afford to pay for the treatment.

'Data coming through,' Eiko announced, and a second later her idatron lit up, displaying graphic representations of the statistics. Amaranthine needed no more than a couple of minutes to have a clear picture.

The ratio was mortifying. Only seven out of ten cases of long-term coma were successfully treated amongst Scottish mortal cases. In New York, the success rate was 99.6%.

Outrage mixed with exhilaration filled her veins and brain, making her thoughts reckless and chaotic. How could this be? How could all Immortals be convinced that the Mortals benefited from excellent health care financed from their pockets, and the facts be so completely different? What made her believe in all of this so readily for decades? She felt ashamed. Fortunately, she now had a chance to redeem herself for years of ignorance by saving Daniel's sister.

_How should I go about it? Call Daniel immediately and tell him the good news? He could certainly do with a dose of hope right now._ She almost called his idatron, but in the last moment she changed her mind.

It wasn't enough. She still had to find a way to get Susan admitted to an immortal ward, she needed all the details. First and foremost, she had to find out which facility was the best in the whole of the Immortal world.

She had Eiko gather more data and analyze it, and she spent the next few hours reading it all and strategizing Susan's transfer to the best clinic. Not knowing Susan's exact condition, medication or actions undertaken, she couldn't narrow it down to one clinic that would be best suited to treat her case, so she shortlisted five and researched each in detail. She read countless descriptions of successful treatments and her excitement rose with each story to the point she nearly called Daniel again to share it all with him.

She stopped herself, though. She still hadn't come across any mention of a Mortal ever being treated in any of the clinics. She didn't expect to; she knew they wouldn't advertise such facts. At the same time, statistically, she was convinced it had happened, but finding out that information would require face-to-face conversation with the director of each place to ensure absolute secrecy.

She checked the time; it was after eight in the evening in Bangkok. Sunday was just starting in the States, so she would have to wait until Monday night local time to be able to call and make appointments. She decided she would not wait until Daniel came back to work and she would be in New York for half a week again. Thanks to the time difference, she could attend to _Carpe Diem_ business during the day of the local time and then fly over for her appointments at night. She could get some sleep in her hovercar, besides, sleep seemed very insignificant right now.

Amaranthine was pacing the waiting room of the first clinic from her list. She was so eager to speak to the doctor and get the ball rolling for Daniel's sister that she arrived almost an hour too early. She sat down and tried to read, aware of the stares from the other two people who sat patiently, waiting for their turn. It was no use. The answers to all of the questions she had were right on the other side of the thin wall which separated the waiting room from the doctor's office. She stood up and started pacing again.

The door behind which her answers awaited opened and one of the patients who were in the line before her was called in. The door shut behind him.

Amaranthine paced for another twenty-five minutes. The last person to have the appointment before her, a woman with short black hair, stared at Amari with growing irritation. Then it was her turn.

_Another twenty minutes and I'll see the doctor, and ten minutes after that I'll have a plan of action,_ she thought. _Then I will make necessary arrangements and when that's done, I'll be able to make a phone call to Daniel that will put a smile on his face._ That was all she could think about recently. Ever since he left, Daniel hadn't smiled once, and she missed his smile. She wanted him to be happy again – and to be by her side.

She checked the time. Three minutes to her appointment. _Why do they have to be so damn punctual,_ she thought. _Can't they finish with the previous patient even five minutes ahead of schedule?_

At precisely two o'clock, the door opened and she was called in.

'Hi, I'm doctor Turrow,' the twenty-five year old looking man in a white coat extended his hand as soon as she entered. 'You must be Miss Quinn.'

'I am,' she shook his hand.

'Welcome to my clinic,' the doctor said. 'It's your first visit, isn't it.'

'That's right. I did very thorough research and I concluded you were one of the best people to come to with the case I have.'

'Thank you,' the man smiled. 'I will try to live up to my reputation. Why don't you tell me what brought you here.'

'A very good friend of mine,' Amaranthine started slowly, 'had an accident. She fell down a flight of stairs and has been in a coma since.'

'When did the accident occur?'

'On Saturday.'

'Four days,' the doctor calculated. 'What actions have been taken so far? What medication was administered?'

'I don't know the details,' Amaranthine said. 'I just know I'd like her transferred here so you can take care of her.'

'This can certainly be arranged,' the doctor smiled. 'Where is she now?'

'In a hospital in Scotland.'

'Which one?'

'I... don't know,' Amaranthine could see the surprise on the doctor's face, he wasn't even trying to hide it. 'But I will find out as soon as you tell me what the procedure is from your end.'

'It's pretty straightforward,' the doctor replied, 'all you need to do is give me your friend's details, her name, address, immortali day, insurance policy number, etc., and sign the transfer form. You'll need to provide the same data about yourself, since you'll be authorizing the transfer on your friend's behalf. The form includes an enquiry regarding the length and nature of your relationship with the person in a coma,' there was a note of suspicion in his voice as he uttered the last sentence.

'Of course,' Amaranthine said, 'I will provide all necessary details. When can the transfer take place?'

'Immediately after all the documents have been submitted and approved by our clinic and release documents issued by the facility in which the patient is currently placed.'

'Ok, that sounds great.'

'Is there anything else you would like to ask?' the doctor spoke slowly, mulling each word in his mouth, and probing her with his gaze. Amari realized she was staring at him without a word for a while, trying to figure out the best way to tell him about Susan's biological status. She was worried how he would react.

'Is everything ok, Miss Quinn?'

'Yes, of course,' she cleared her throat. 'Forgive me, doctor, if I seem a little off, but I am very concerned for my friend.'

'That's understandable,' he said patiently, 'but you needn't worry. We have an incredibly high rate of recovery, as you probably already know, otherwise you wouldn't be here.'

'That's true,' she smiled, gathering her courage. 'There is just one other detail that I should mention to you, although I'm sure it doesn't make much difference, well, maybe only as far as the payment method goes, but that is not a problem. I will cover all expenses. In advance, if you wish.'

'That won't be necessary, I'm sure,' the doctor said. 'I haven't come across an immortal insurance policy that wouldn't fully cover a case you described.'

'That is the detail I meant,' Amaranthine looked him in the eye, 'my friend isn't an Immortal... yet.'

'Oh, I see,' the doctor sighed. 'So she's under 25 years of age. That... could complicate things a little, but nothing we cannot overcome. So long as she hasn't had any children, she is eligible for temporary treatment with the use of the Cure.'

'Is that how you treat your coma patients?'

'The Cure is the most effective medicine ever invented, Miss Quinn,' the doctor said, clearly confused by the necessity to state such obvious facts. 'It enables all the organs in our body to constantly renew themselves. This is why we go on living. A coma is normally caused by damage to some part of the nervous system, and that damage is treated with concentrated doses of the Cure, applied in a way most suited to the nature and exact location of the damage. The most difficult aspect of the whole treatment is the diagnosis, finding the exact spot where neurological functions have been impaired. This requires equipment, knowledge and the experience that we possess. Therefore you needn't worry about your friend, as her recovery, should she be transferred to our clinic, is simply a matter of time.'

'Of course,' Amaranthine replied, but her voice sounded as if it came from a deep hollow. 'I understand. That's great news.'

'You can find all necessary forms on our globesite,' the doctor said, clearly signaling that the consultation was over. 'We are ready as soon as you are.'

'Thank you,' Amari stood up. Her handbag, which she forgot was on her lap, fell to the floor. 'Oh, I'm sorry.' She crouched down to collect the contents that scattered on the floor.

'I... will fill out the forms immediately,' she said, standing up and shaking the doctor's hand goodbye.

'I look forward to receiving your friend's application.'

Amaranthine stepped outside doctor Turrow's office, but as the door closed behind her, she was unable to take another step. She stood there for a while, clutching her handbag, fighting the feeling of desperation that overwhelmed her. In her whole life, life as an Immortal, everything had always been possible. Often hard, requiring a lot of effort, and determination, but possible. Achievable. All she needed to do was to draw a plan of action and execute it in detail. Life seen from the perspective of a Mortal, however, seemed to be full of unconquerable obstacles.

Susan could never be treated in an Immortal clinic, because she had had two children. It seemed obvious and logical now, but she hadn't exactly been thinking logically in her quest to help Daniel's sister. She let emotions lead her and make her believe everything could be done, because she'd always achieved what she wanted. But in this case she hit a brick wall.

Everything that went wrong in a body of an Immortal could just be fixed by the Cure, used in the right concentration and place. No wonder immortal clinics had such high rates of success; they had the ultimate panacea to all health problems at their disposal. But this panacea was out of reach for Mortals, even in life-threatening or very serious cases like Susan's. Had she only had one child, there could maybe be a way around it, as Amari knew Daniel's sister was married. Her husband could declare he'd never become an Immortal, making it possible for Susan to receive the Cure. With the second child, though, this door was ultimately closed. There was a child per each parent and therefore none of them could ever be given treatment based on the pure form of the Cure. TAMI was non-negotiable on this matter. Mortals were not eligible to receive any Cure-based treatment, or even any of the Cure-derived medicines. It was strictly out of bounds for them.

Doctor Turrow's next patient entered the waiting room and was immediately called in; Amaranthine had to move away from the door to let him in. Once she started walking, she continued until she got to her hovercar. She programmed it to take her back to Asia, then ordered Eiko to cancel all the four appointments she had made with other clinics. There was no point in attending them – she knew she would hear the same from them as she did from doctor Turrow. She needed a brand new plan, based on some loophole she had no knowledge of. But if such a loophole existed, she would find it and use it no matter what it would take.
**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

She started doing research immediately, in her hovercar on the way back to Asia. There had to be a precedent, even if it was just one in history, which would give her a basis for getting Susan placed in an immortal facility. A tiny crack in the system, a back door, a loophole. Surely there's something! There were no ultimate rules, each had at least one exception, that's how it always worked.

Hours passed, though, and nothing came up. No case, no mention of any exceptional circumstances under which TAMI's article 3 could be overruled. Not even a footnote, neither in immortal nor in mortal sources.

'Damn it!' Amaranthine cursed after umpteenth announcement from Eiko informing her that her mission was hopeless. She kept searching, refusing to take no for an answer.

She didn't reach Beijing, where the band were performing that week, until four o'clock in the morning local time. She wouldn't be able to continue her search until the afternoon, she needed to get some sleep before the press conference she had in the morning. She programmed Eiko to run some analyses and predictions, and snoozed off for a few hours.

As soon as she was free again, she went back to looking for options, but by the late evening it was clear her efforts were in vain. All she found were justifications of refusals in cases such as Daniel's sister. They all referred to TAMI, which couldn't be clearer on terms of use of the Cure: no person whose biological status was determined as "mortal" due to possession of offspring, was eligible for a Cure-based treatment under any circumstances. It was believed that any exceptions would lead to abuse of the system, and were therefore strictly forbidden. It was a part of the deal: you choose to be a Mortal, and to have a family – then you live your life as if the Cure didn't exist.

Amaranthine began to understand that she would have to think of a different way. There clearly was no legal option. But she was desperate, and desperate times called for desperate measures.

She seriously started considering bribery.

It was bound to have happened before. Susan was not the first ever Mortal whose life was important to someone with Amaranthine's position and resources. _Money opens a lot of doors,_ she thought, _it's always been true and it always will be._ Examples were abundant, with Mr. Paramonos a prime one. He must have bribed his share of people to be able to lead his double life for so long. And if people like him could do it and were prepared to take the risk for the sake of having kids, she was prepared to break the rules for the sake of saving Daniel's sister. It was a matter of one treatment, after which Susan would never get the Cure again. Immortals owed her that much.

As soon as she made her decision, she set Eiko to work again. This time, she was looking for very different type of information. She had her computer analyze dozens of clinics, thousands of cases, applying different criteria in order to find the one she would approach. She was looking for any anomalies, any facts or events that stood out, suggesting that a clinic was likely to break the rules and accept a Mortal for treatment in exchange for some cash. If they had done it even once in the past, chances were they would do it again.

Her tactic paid off after only a couple of hours. She found two clinics that seemed to meet the criteria, and after another hour of careful analysis, she was sure.

They were both excellent facilities, maybe not on par with her top five original choices, but still of the highest quality. What made them stand out, though, were their finances, which after a closer look strongly suggested additional sources of income. It wasn't anything strikingly obvious, but for an observant eye like Amari's, details of interior design, materials used for decoration, pieces of artwork, the owner's hobbies and lifestyles, whispered cash under the table. There was no way they could afford all those little luxuries based on the officially declared income.

She scheduled appointments with both for the next night and spent the rest of her free time rehearsing what she would say at the crucial moment.

Before she knew it, she was on her way back to the States, still running some last-minute simulations, as to the final amount she'd offer the clinics to take Susan in. Treating her mission as another business negotiation helped her stay focused and took her mind off the risks. She refused to consider what would happen if she got caught; instead, she convinced herself that if she covered all angles, it simply couldn't go wrong, so it was better to get them right rather than stress over what-ifs.

Still the emotions got to her as she spent another half an hour in the clinic's waiting room. She paced up and down, then sat down, then got up to pace again. Just like at Dr. Turrow's clinic, other patients looked at her with frowns.

She didn't pay any attention to them. She was confident that the two hundred and fifty thousand dollars she was going to offer would convince the doctor to admit Susan and treat her. As soon as that was agreed, she would be able to fly straight to Scotland and see Daniel. Give him the good news, see the smile on his face and the hope in his eyes. She tried not to think about him before she actually secured his sister's treatment, but she found it very hard; she hadn't seen him for over a week now and she missed him like crazy.

One more patient and then it was her turn. She forced herself to sit down and stare at the wall, doing the final rehearsal in her mind.

There was a sudden tumult on the corridor outside. A few people, walking fast and with deliberate noise of heavy boots. _What is going on,_ Amari thought, looking up at the door. The steps were approaching. She remembered there were other doors past the waiting room, but she had a strange feeling they were headed right here.

She was right.

Three men burst into the waiting room. Two uniforms and one in civilian clothes, clearly in charge. The receptionist jumped to her feet, white as paper.

'NYPD, ILV Division,' the man said, flashing his badge. 'I have a warrant here for the arrest of Dr. Stanley,' he lifted his idatron up to the receptionist's face, displaying the document. 'Would you kindly point me in the right direction.'

The receptionist, now whiter than snow, lifted a shaking hand and pointed at the door behind which Dr. Stanley's last patient disappeared. The man nodded and headed straight for it, flanked by his uniformed muscle.

Amaranthine stood up in spite of herself, speechless, trying to process what was happening. It didn't take her long to figure it out. She knew, even before the men entered the doctor's office and before the officer recited the man his rights. Before the two uniforms grabbed him, handcuffed his hands behind his back and walked him out the door.

ILV Division. Immortal Law Violations. This could mean only one thing.

The clinic she was trying to bribe just got busted.

She had a couple of hours to wrap her head round it on the way back to Beijing, but she gave up trying half way there. What were the damn chances of that happening five minutes before she was to have a conversation with that doctor and convince him to take her money in exchange for admitting Daniel's sister to his ward? She knew she should be considering herself lucky – had she made her deal before the bust, she would have lost the money at best, and at worst, she'd end up in the middle of an investigation and probably be charged, with at least a few year's ban on using the Cure. But all she felt at this moment was frustration over yet another failure. She was back to square one. All those hours of research and planning went down the drain. Her goal was almost within reach, she nearly saved Daniel's sister, and it slipped away, leaving behind a feeling of defeat and resignation. Not to mention, she was getting sick of NYPD detectives arresting people she was trying to do business with.

She didn't know what to do next. Going for the second appointment now was pointless; the bust was already all over the media and any clinic that bent the rules would lie low for months on end. Until the dust settled, greed would lose against fear. She would need much stronger arguments than just money to convince anyone to take the risk, and she didn't have them. Dr. Stanley was her best shot; she knew he had a gambling problem, which probably provided the initial impulse for treating Mortals illegally. The other doctor she selected took bribes to simply finance his luxurious tastes.

_An incoming call from Daniel Collins_ , rang in her head. Daniel calling at this time? As far as he knew, she was in Beijing, fast asleep in her hotel room. Why would he call now? Unless he had something very important to tell her – maybe Susan woke up from the coma and he was calling to share the good news?

'Daniel? Is everything all right?'

'Hi, Amari. Yeah, nothing urgent, just called on the off chance you might be awake. Eiko said you were, but I wasn't sure... were you awake?'

'Yes, of course,' she replied. 'How is it going?'

'No change,' he said, crushing her hopes. 'She's stable, but showing no signs that she may come to any time soon. We've decided to take her home.'

'Can you do that? I mean, doesn't she need to be cared for?'

'My Mum is a nurse,' he explained. 'She will look after Susan at home. The doctors believe this may help.'

'How do you mean?'

'They say it'll give her a sense of security. Being surrounded by family, familiar sounds, smells, even the baby's crying... it may trigger some response in her brain and motivate it to come out of the coma.'

'Right... sounds like a lot of work for your Mum, though. I mean, with the baby as well. Can she manage?'

'You don't know my Mum,' Daniel replied, 'she'd manage a dozen babies if she needed to. Besides, the whole family will be helping out, they've even created a sort of roster already. Nick and Chloe, Susan's husband and daughter, are temporarily moving into my parents' house.'

'Sounds like your family are extremely well organized,' Amari said. 'And supportive.'

'Yes, they're a good bunch,' she could hear a shadow of a smile in his voice. 'They deal with hardships of life by taking things into their own hands. Being busy helps them cope.'

'That's a very wise approach,' Amari said with genuine admiration. That would be her own idea of coping with obstacles.

'Anyway, that means I can go back to work in a couple of days,' Daniel announced. 'I will fly home regularly, of course, but apart from that I'll be working as usual.'

'I can't wait to see you,' Amari whispered, barely able to harness her excitement, 'but if you need more time, please don't rush back.'

'Thanks Amari, but there's absolutely nothing I can do to help here,' he said, his voice brittle and distant, 'Life must go back to normal, as far as it's possible.'

'You know nothing will make me happier than having you back,' she said. 'I just wish there was something I could do to help your sister.'

'Thanks Amari, I appreciate it,' he forced a smile, 'but unfortunately all we can do now is wait and hope.'

'I'll see you in a couple of days, then.'

'I'll be there.'

Excitement for seeing Daniel in less than 48 hours kept her awake in turns with disappointment and frustration that she had no way to help him. As a result, she was completely baffled the next day and focusing on conversations cost her tremendous effort. Her thoughts swirled in her head, desperately trying to come up with a new plan, a new possibility. There had to be something more she could do apart from 'waiting and hoping.'

There was no other possibility. No other option or scenario. No other chance. And yet, there had to be.

She just needed to find it.

'Ok, we're good to go here,' Daniel concluded, having finished testing the sound system. 'It's all set.'

'Great,' Amari smiled. 'Time for lunch. You wanna go for a little walk?'

'Sure, I could do with some fresh air.'

His hovercar dropped them off at Circular Quay and Daniel sent it back to the hotel to be parked. They walked slowly towards the old Sydney Opera House, passing some half-naked Aborigines who were making strange noises by blowing into long, thick tubes covered with colorful patterns.

'What are these things?' she asked.

'Didgeridoos,' Daniel smiled.

'Didge... what?'

'Didgeridoos,' he laughed. 'Aborigines have played them for centuries. You wanna try?'

'What, to play one?' she laughed. 'You must be joking.'

'I'm totally serious. It's fun, you'll see. There, that guy offers quick lessons.'

She was still laughing at the idea, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the man. They squeezed past a ring of tourists surrounding him and Daniel handed him the fare, signaling that it was for the two of them.

They sat on low stools next to their teacher and tried to follow his instructions, but Amaranthine couldn't stop laughing every time Daniel puffed out his cheeks and blew into the instrument. When she tried, it produced either no sound at all or some squeaky noises that made her laugh even more.

'You need to cover only half the hole with your mouth,' Daniel instructed her, demonstrating and blowing into his didgeridoo again, giving her another laughing fit.

When their ten minutes was over, they walked slowly away, holding hands.

Amaranthine was enjoying the sunshine, the light breeze from the sea and the feeling of Daniel's hand clasped around hers. She still couldn't believe he was back. She'd missed his spontaneity and all the strange, silly things he made her try.

He arrived as they were packing up after Beijing and they came to Sydney together. They didn't have much time for each other the first couple of days, as there turned out to be a problem with the sound system in the concert hall where _Carpe Diem_ were scheduled to perform at the weekend. It took Daniel and Frankie almost two days to get to the bottom of it and fix it. Now that it was up and running as it should be, they could finally steal some time away together.

She was glad to have him back, especially that he wasn't half as upset as he sounded on the phone for the entire time he was back in Scotland. They hardly brought up Susan since he got back; Amari sensed that Daniel was implementing his family's coping technique, 'keep busy and your worry will be easier to bear.' He also seemed to be enjoying her company as much as he did before.

She didn't tell him about her attempts to get Susan immortal treatment. There was no point putting his hopes up, she reasoned, since every one of her plans so far ended in a failure.

They sat down at a table in an outdoor restaurant and ordered local seafood specials. Sipping their coffees, they watched sun rays dance on the surface of the lapping water.

'I'll be right back,' Daniel stood up and kissed her. She loved that he kissed her goodbye every time, even when he was off to the restroom. She closed her eyes, thinking how good it was to have him back.

_I have an incoming call from Mr. Tsuneo Walker,_ Eiko's mental signal echoed in her head.

_Mr. Walker?_ Amaranthine sat upright, her senses immediately springing up to full attention. _Dr. Life's assistant?_

The very one. Should I connect?

_Of course,_ Amaranthine reached for her idatron and placed it in front of her. _Go ahead._

'Miss Quinn? This is Tsuneo Walker.'

'Mr. Walker,' she replied. 'What a pleasure. What can I do for you?'

'It's a small favor. I'm hoping it won't be too much of an inconvenience for you.'

'I'm sure it won't, sir.'

'A good old friend of mine,' he started slowly, 'asked me to purchase a few tickets for him and his friends for the _Carpe Diem_ concert in Sydney,' he explained. 'And I wondered if you would happen to have a discreet section available for this Saturday. I am aware it is a lot to ask for at such a short notice.'

'I am certain that can be arranged, Mr. Walker,' Amaranthine said, immediately knowing who he meant by 'a good old friend.' 'Let me ring you back with the confirmation in a few minutes.'

'I will be in your debt if you manage to do this, Miss Quinn,' he said. 'The outstanding popularity of the band is not a secret.'

'It will be my pleasure to assist you, sir.'

'You are a very kind woman, Miss Quinn. 'I shall await your call.'

_Give me Penny,_ Amaranthine ordered Eiko when he hang up. _No matter what she's doing. It's an emergency._

'Amari?' despite the insane hour in New York, Perenelle wasn't sleeping. 'Is everything all right?'

'Yes, all's good. Look, who have we got in the VIP section for this Saturday in Sydney?'

'Let me see... Australian prime minister, together with half of his cabinet. Why?'

'We need to move them.'

'Move them where?'

'The second best section,' Amari said. 'Doesn't matter if the view isn't as perfect, as long as they are safe. Have an emergency construction team do some temporary adjustments if needed. The VIP section has to be freed, it's your priority now until it's sorted.'

'Sure, don't worry, I'm on it. Must be someone super important.'

'Just someone more important than the Australian government.'

'I can think of quite a few people that are more important than them,' Daniel, who came back from the bathroom in the meantime and had overheard her last words, joked. 'So who is it this time? The president of India?'

'Someone a little more important,' she smiled. 'Let me just call them back and confirm they're in.'

Mr. Walker picked up immediately.

'It's all arranged, sir,' Amari said. 'I'll send you the layout of the venue, and the entrance route personally. I hope your friend and his party enjoy the concert.'

'It's a pleasure doing business with you, Miss Quinn. Please attach the invoice to your message.'

'I wouldn't dream of it, sir.'

'My good old friend likes to pay for his entertainment. It's a matter of honor to him.'

'In that case, I will attach the invoice as requested, sir.'

'Wonderful. As I said earlier, I'm in your debt, Miss Quinn.'

'Not at all, sir. I do hope to see you on Saturday.'

'I look forward to thanking you in person.'

'Sole fillet on a bed of spinach,' the waiter, who turned up with their order, looked at them inquisitively. Amaranthine raised her hand. 'Here, please.'

The waiter put the plates down and disappeared.

'So, who was it? Anyone we've met before?' Daniel asked.

Amaranthine looked around to make sure no one was listening.

'I know I don't have to ask you for discretion,' she said in a low voice, 'but this time I'll feel better if I stress how important it is that no one finds out the identity of our Saturday VIPs.'

Daniel raised his eyebrows. 'Wow, it must be a real big fish, I gather.'

'You must not tell even our team,' Amari said. 'Promise me.'

'Of course.'

'It's Dr. Life with a party.'

'You're kidding.'

'Nope.'

'Have you met him before?'

'Twice. First time it was a benefit I organized in honor of one of his friends. Then he came to the opening night of _The Universe_ nightclub. We even had dinner with him and his right hand, Tsuneo Walker, that night.'

'And now they contacted you asking for seats?'

'Yes. It's the first time they ever came to me.'

'Impressive.'

'What's impressive is how good _Carpe Diem_ are,' Amari said. 'He only ever attends the best events. I'm sure they'll let us use it for our publicity purposes, but only after. He would never come to us again if the fact that he was coming to a concert got out to the media before the event. He wants to enjoy his evening, he clearly must genuinely like _Carpe Diem's_ music if he wants to see them live.'

'I'm kinda starting to like him,' Daniel said. 'Your doc has good taste in music. And he won't be disappointed, that's for sure.'

'Only if no one finds out he's there,' Amari said. 'Also, I'm going to have to abandon you for most of that night to attend to him and his party.'

'Sure, that won't be a problem.'

She just smiled in response. The ease with which she could rely on Daniel, the ability to trust him completely and knowing that he would take care of things just as well as she would herself, made her think of the old days, when she worked alone and had to see to everything personally. If someone had told her then that working with a mortal partner was easier, just as efficient, not to mention far more enjoyable, she would have laughed in their face. And yet here she was, having lunch with the man who made those old days feel like they belonged to somebody else.

'What's the drummer's name again, Miss Quinn?' Dr. Life asked, pointing at the back of the stage, where John was performing one of his famous solos.

'John Moore, sir,' Amari replied. 'What do you make of him?'

'Absolutely incredible,' he answered slowly, squinting his eyes with delight. 'Pure talent that could only be compared with the likes of John Bonham or Keith Moon. It may seem strange to you, Miss Quinn, that a man of my age finds such enormous pleasure in listening to hard rock, but the way this band performs brings back the best memories of my youth. The 60s, 70s and 80s of the twentieth century bore the brightest stars of the music industry, in fact, we had so many outstanding performers then that I don't think we appreciated them enough. Had we known that their genius wouldn't be matched for the whole of the twenty-first century, we would have made sure we didn't miss a single concert.'

'I have heard those comparisons before,' Amaranthine said. 'But never from someone who actually attended the concerts of those famous bands.'

'Oh, they are absolutely accurate. And the way this boy handles his guitar,' he pointed at Patrick, 'I'd swear I'm seeing Jimi Hendrix again. Absolutely outstanding.'

'I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, sir.'

'Oh, that is pretty much guaranteed at an event that you are organizing,' he smiled. 'I think I may have said this to you before, Miss Quinn, but I'll say it again – we may make people immortal, but it's you who entertains them. You have a rare talent of recognizing potential in people and ideas, and making their success happen.'

'That's not exactly true, sir,' Amari replied, 'representing _Carpe Diem_ was the idea of my boss, Nectar Foster, and Daniel Collins, a Mortal who first spotted them. We've worked together to launch them into both the mortal and immortal markets.'

'That is very admirable,' he said, looking into her eyes with interest. 'And if I'm to be perfectly honest, one of the reasons I'm here tonight. You are a rare example that cooperation and harmony between the Mortals and Immortals are possible. There is far too much segregation and animosity between people of these two worlds these days. I must confess it's not what I had envisioned when I created the Cure.'

'I agree,' she said. 'And I do feel partly responsible for the state of things, I mean... Well, let's just say I wasn't particularly friendly towards the Mortals until I met Daniel Collins. Working with him has made me realize how wrong I was.'

He looked at her intently.

'I'd love to hear more about your partnership,' he said, 'if you are available. Perhaps Mr. Collins and the rest of your team could join us for dinner tonight?'

'That would be an honor for us, sir,' she said, but immediately remembered that Daniel was going to fly to Scotland straight after the concert.

'But?' Dr. Life noticed her hesitation.

'Oh, it's nothing,' she said, 'I've just remembered that Daniel was going to fly right after the concert to see his family. They live in Scotland. I'll just need to make sure I catch him before he leaves to let him know about your kind invitation. I am sure he'll be happy to postpone his trip until tomorrow.'

'I do hope he can do that,' Dr. Life said, 'you see, Miss Quinn, I have realized that my invention is a two-edged sword. It gives as much happiness as it causes pain. I guess it was naïve of me to think that it wouldn't have any downsides. I now want to make some amends and I think I could learn a great deal from you and Mr. Collins about what can bring Mortals and Immortals together.'

'Of course,' she said, trying to hide her shock, 'Mr. Collins and I will be happy to share our story with you.'

'I'd be in your debt, Miss Quinn,' he said. 'We've made reservations at _The Infinity_ for ten-thirty. I look forward to seeing you there. And the band, of course, are invited as well, if they have no other plans.'

'I will let you know the exact number shortly after the concert is over, if that's ok. Thank you.'

'It's my pleasure entirely. I should go back to my friends now, and I'm sure you have a thing or two to see to. I don't want to keep you.'

'Thank you, sir,' she replied, sensing he didn't want to be babysat anymore. 'I'll see you at _The Infinity_.'

She left the VIP section, instructing the security guards to get hold of her if Dr. Life or any of his guests needed so much as a toothpick. The guards were all humanoid mind-reading robots that she used to ensure the safety of her most important clients. They only responded to her personal orders and could easily communicate with Eiko. Amaranthine wouldn't trust human guards to be discreet about the identity of her VIPs.

She really should check on the Australian government to make sure they were happy in their provisional, secondary VIP section that Penny had arranged for them, but she couldn't bring herself to care about them at that moment. Something far more important was on her mind.

_I'll be in your debt, Miss Quinn_. Tsuneo Walker said it to her twice a couple of days ago, but she didn't take it literally; he was just being polite. But now Dr. Life said the same thing, and he actually needed another favor from her and Daniel. They could give him an insight into a matter that has suddenly become important to him. Amaranthine's business mind immediately identified a window of opportunity. Or at least a chance of it.

If we play this right, we could get Susan a Cure-based treatment from the creator of immortality himself.

She rushed backstage to find Daniel.

'My family are waiting for me, Amari,' Daniel said, 'They need me, I can't just cancel on them because some VIP decided he wants to buy me dinner and have a chit-chat about my work.'

'He's not just some VIP, Daniel,' she persisted. 'It's Dr. Life. It's not wise to reject his invitation.'

'It maybe isn't from your perspective,' he replied, 'and I understand why you would perceive fulfilling his wishes as your top priority. But for me, my family are more important. I'm sorry, Amari, but you will have to entertain him alone.'

'I can't believe you,' Amaranthine shook her head in disbelief. She didn't expect him to oppose the idea so strongly. She was desperately trying to convince him to attend Dr. Life's dinner, but he didn't see the point of it and she didn't want to reveal her plan to him as yet. It would be easier for Daniel, she decided, if he didn't know about her hidden agenda for the time being. All she needed him to do was to impress Dr. Life, which she knew he would just by being himself. She would do the rest. The request for Susan's treatment shouldn't come from Daniel, in fact it was her goal to have Dr. Life find out about her condition in such a way that he would offer to help himself.

'Tell me why it's so hard to believe,' Daniel said. 'I am a Mortal, remember? I chose not to use Dr. Life's invention. Therefore I don't feel I owe him anything. To my family, on the other hand, I owe a pretty big deal.'

'I know that,' Amari said, racking her brain for more arguments. 'But he's not inviting you for the sake of showing off his power or feeding his vanity. He wants to learn from us.'

'Learn from us?' Daniel chuckled, 'what could he possibly want to learn from us?'

'How it's possible that Mortals and Immortals can work together,' she explained, 'how we do it. He wants to understand it so that he can promote it amongst other people. He feels guilty for all the hostility that exists between the Mortals and the Immortals.'

'That's admirable,' Daniel said. 'But I can't really see how we can help him. I'm sorry, Amari, but going to Scotland to see my folks still tops my list for tonight. If Dr. Life really cares about the Mortal-Immortal wars and thinks we can help him stop them, he will agree to meet us another time.'

She had no answer to that.

'All right then, I won't pressure you anymore,' she said. 'I'm sure he'll want to meet us another time, it really is a big deal for him.'

'Thanks,' Daniel said, 'I hope you understand why going home is so important to me at the moment.'

'Of course.'

'ONE MORE SONG! ONE MORE SONG!' the demand of a hundred thousand voices echoed from the other side of the stage.

'The concert is nearly over,' Daniel said, 'we'd better wrap things up.'

'Alright,' Amaranthine said. 'I'll see you in a couple of days, then.'

'Yes,' he said, taking her face into his hands and kissing her. 'Call me anytime if you need me.'

'Music,' Dr. Life said, putting down his glass, 'has always brought people together. That's why _Carpe Diem_ are so important. They can become a bridge between the Mortals and the Immortals. And people like you and Mr. Collins are crucial to the process of designing and building that bridge.'

'I'm honored you should think so, sir,' Amari replied, 'but, with all due respect, I don't think that is enough.'

'How do you mean, Miss Quinn?'

'Entertainment is just one area of life,' Amari explained. 'And whilst it's true what you said about music, when the lights go off and the sound stops, people go back to their everyday lives, where the inequality based on their biological status hits them in the face nearly every moment of their day. I think we need more than one bridge.'

'You are referring to Mortals, I presume,' Tsuneo Walker joined in the discussion. 'Do you really believe they are treated unfairly in so many areas?'

'It's not a matter of belief, sir, it's a fact of life,' Amaranthine said. 'Like any minority in the world's history, they are discriminated against. Their contributions to the development of science go unrecognized. Their health care is far below the quality of immortal health care. They are ostracized and ridiculed by the immortal media, their life choices are deemed inferior. I'm afraid that in face of such unfairness, one rock band isn't going to make much difference. Not in the long run, anyway.'

There was a moment of silence at the table. Amaranthine became aware that everyone was listening to her revelations. Facial expressions conveyed different degrees of shock. She wasn't sure if the cause of it were the facts she was citing or the direct manner in which she addressed Dr. Life and his associate.

'I must agree with you,' Dr. Life said. He was the only one, except for Mr. Walker, who seemed to be aware of the things she spoke about. 'I have heard these signals before and the variety of independent sources that they came from got me thinking and researching some facts. I'm afraid that us, the Immortals, have a lot to answer for.'

'Is that why Mr. Collins refused to dine with us tonight? And the band?' one of the guests asked. 'Do they despise Immortals?'

'No, ma'am, that couldn't be further from the truth,' Amari said. 'Mr. Collins had to attend to an urgent family matter, and _Carpe Diem_ simply retired to their rooms for a much needed rest. They've had a very tiring weekend rehearsing and playing and Mortals are not as physically strong as we are. Their bodies regenerate much slower than ours.'

The woman nodded, but her face didn't indicate that she found the explanation acceptable. After all, it was Dr. Life's invitation that those Mortals decided to reject. Amari didn't expect them to understand. All that mattered was that Dr. Life seemed to understand and not be offended by their absence.

Desserts and more drinks arrived, interrupting the discussion.

'You mentioned earlier on tonight, Miss Quinn,' Dr. Life resumed the conversation, 'that the realization of the Mortals' situation came onto you suddenly and after you did some research, you changed your attitude towards them.'

'That's right,' she confirmed, 'it wasn't easy at first to dig up facts, but once I got on the right track, it all started to form quite a clear picture. I must say I found it unbelievable at first, but there's no doubt that the image of the Mortals that many of us hold is deeply distorted.'

'I would love an opportunity to hear the details of the process you went through,' he said.

'Of course.'

'I understand you and Mr. Collins are extremely busy at the moment,' he said, 'but would you be so kind and drop by my office when you are back in New York?'

'It would be my pleasure, sir,' she said. 'We will do that as soon as possible.'
**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

Amaranthine was in her hovercar on the way to meet Dr. Life on his ranch in Texas. As she approached the estate, she rehearsed in her mind what she'd say to yet again excuse Daniel. He agreed to go and see Dr. Life in New York, but the time and location of their appointment was changed by the doctor's secretary and the new time again coincided with Daniel's visit to Scotland. Amaranthine considered telling him why it was so crucial that he went with her, but at the last moment Daniel got a phone call from his mother – his sister's condition had worsened. As soon as he heard the news, he pretty much dropped everything and left, there wasn't even time for her to try and persuade him to put it off. She was seriously worried that Dr. Life would take offence and the only chance of bypassing the system to get Susan a Cure-based treatment would be lost. There was nothing she could do, though, except coming up with a convincing excuse for Daniel.

Problem was, she had nothing. Any story she concocted in her mind sounded lame and would make things even worse. She ordered her hovercar to slow down to give herself more time to think, but now she was bordering on being late. She didn't know what would be worse.

The ranch was massive; she could see it stretching for miles in each direction on her radar. As soon as she was within a kilometer of it, its security system demanded permission to take over control of her hovercar. She instructed Eiko to allow it. Her vehicle was immediately forced to lower itself almost to the ground, where dense forest surrounding the whole estate completely obscured the view into the depths of the ranch.

Her hovercar was flown down a long, narrow opening between the trees for a few minutes before it was finally landed in front of a big house.

There was no additional security visible, but she was sure that by now her vehicle had been scanned numerous times for every possible threat it could carry. As soon as the hatch opened and she got out, Mr. Walker appeared in the doorway and came down to the parking area to greet her.

'Thank you for coming over, Miss Quinn,' he said. 'Dr. Life awaits you in the stables.'

She followed him to the back of the house. A big yard stretched between a few outbuildings. Mr. Walker led her to a long, low structure on the right, from which a man was coming out leading a beautiful, black horse whose coat shone like anthracite.

'Miss Quinn,' he raised his hand in a friendly wave, 'pleasure to see you.'

'The pleasure is mine,' she smiled, 'it's an amazing ranch.'

'I must say I enjoy spending my time here,' he said, 'it reminds me of the old days, when people still used to live their lives on the ground and do things such as horse riding.'

'He's beautiful,' Amari said, stroking the horse on the velvet nose.

'You seem familiar with horses,' Dr. Life remarked, 'that's not very common amongst people these days.'

'It is amongst the Mortals,' she said. 'It's just us, the Immortals, who live way up above the ground so we've forgotten all the little pleasures of life. Not to mention we are obsessively afraid of anything remotely dangerous.'

'Is it one of the things you realized when you started your partnership with Mr. Collins?'

'Yes,' she nodded. 'Horse riding is one of those wonderful things he introduced me to. My life has been so much more interesting and fulfilling ever since I met him.'

'He sounds like the perfect man for my project,' Dr. Life said, a note of disappointment in his voice.

_Here we go,_ Amaranthine thought. _He thinks Daniel is avoiding him, making up excuses not to meet him. What do I say?_

'Sir,' she started, 'Daniel really does want to meet you, he asked me to tell you that. It's just bad timing, that's all. He needed to attend to something very urgent.'

'Of course, of course,' he said immediately, as if not wanting to waste time on listening to another excuse. 'You are here, so someone has to take care of business.'

'It's not actually work-related,' she said. 'It's a family matter.'

'Oh yes, you mentioned that before,' he waved his hand and started to brush the side of his horse. 'I hope everything is all right.'

'Actually, sir,' Amaranthine took a deep breath. _Now or never,_ she thought. 'Something is very, very wrong. I'm not saying this to throw a personal matter at you, but merely to prove to you that Daniel really does have an important reason not to be here.'

'What is wrong?' he asked, having stopped to brush his horse.

'His sister has been in a coma for three weeks, following an accident. The Mortal doctors have been unable to make her wake up and Daniel's family took her home and are taking turns in looking after her and her new infant. Her condition has just worsened, which is why Daniel isn't here.'

'A coma that lasts three weeks?' Dr. Life raised his eyebrows. 'Are you sure?'

'I'm afraid so, sir,' she said.

'That's what's been preventing Mr. Collins from meeting with me?'

'Yes, sir. His family is extremely important to him and the situation has been very hard on all of them. The diagnosis is inconclusive, but her chances are fading. It seems that without a Cure-based treatment she is not going to make it. Problem is, she has just had her second child, so the Cure is out-of-bounds for her. I've tried – '

'Isn't this a wonderful coincidence!' Dr. Life suddenly exclaimed.

'I'm sorry?'

'It's absolutely perfect,' he said, 'please follow me, Miss Quinn.'

He dropped the horse brush and started walking towards the house, not bothering to take the animal back to the stables. Amaranthine followed him, dumbfounded.

Inside the house, he headed straight for his office. Tsuneo Walker was there within seconds.

'Tsuneo, my friend,' the doctor said, sitting down at his huge mahogany desk and switching on his idatron, 'we must immediately return to New York.'

'Of course,' Mr. Walker accepted the request as a given, showing no sign of surprise. 'Will we be needing anything in particular?'

'No, just my lab coats,' he replied, 'we have a project to work on.'

'Certainly,' Mr. Walker said and left.

Dr. Life's idatron came alive, revealing a huge laboratory in the projection. A few people in white coats squinted over microscopes and countless glass tubes.

'What can I do for you, sir?' a woman's voice resounded. In the next second, Amaranthine saw her in the front of the projection.

'There is a project we have to work on,' Dr. Life announced.

'Of course,' she said in the same tone of voice as Tsuneo Walker did. Clearly such sudden turns of plans involving new projects were a common occurrence when it came to Dr. Life, and all his staff were well used to it. 'What will we be requiring?'

'Just one single room. We will be bringing in a female patient in a deep coma, previously not exposed to the Cure.'

'Should I arrange a transfer?'

'Yes, please,' Dr. Life said. 'It's a patient by the name of –'

He looked at Amaranthine for information.

'Glenmore. Susan Glenmore.'

'Susan Glenmore.'

'Where is she currently being treated?'

Same look again.

'I don't know the name of the hospital, sir,' Amaranthine said. 'Let me contact Daniel right now.'

'It's in Scotland,' she heard Dr. Life say as she was leaving the room to make the call. 'You can set off, I will send you the exact location in a few minutes.'

Amaranthine nearly dropped her idatron as she looked around for a place she could settle to tell Daniel the news. She wanted a full communication so that she could see his face when he heard it.

'Amaranthine?' his voice was muffled when he picked up. 'Give me a second.'

She heard the sound of closing doors and then his idatron being placed on a table. His image quickly became sharp. 'Is everything ok? Do you need me?' he was speaking quietly, as if he didn't want to wake someone up.

'No,' she said, 'it's not about work. It's about your sister.'

'Lyndsay? What do you mean?'

'No, not Lyndsay. Susan.'

'What about her?'

'Are you sitting down?' she asked. 'I really think you should sit down.'

'Ok, now you are freaking me out a wee bit.'

'Daniel,' she said, feeling hot moisture fill her eyes as she was finally able to utter these words, 'Dr. Life is going to cure your sister.'

'How long do you think it's going to take?' Daniel asked as they looked at Susan, all wrapped in wires, surrounded by beeping monitors, and a myriad of other mysterious devices. They waited for a few hours whilst Susan was subjected to all possible tests, screens and scans, most of which they'd never heard of. None of the people who performed these procedures bothered to explain anything to them, but the main thing was that they seemed to know exactly what they were doing, as if they were in the middle of a standard routine. Then they all left without a word, leaving Amaranthine and Daniel alone with Susan.

'It's too early to say,' she replied. 'But from what I gathered, they were talking in terms of hours, not even days.'

Daniel put his arms around her and gave her a hug that took her breath away for a moment. When he finally let her go, she looked into his eyes that were sparkling. He smiled, but it was a shy, constrained smile – she could tell he wasn't allowing his hopes to be raised too high just yet.

'I told my folks she was being taken for some more tests,' he said, looking at his sister. 'Just in case.'

She smiled. She understood perfectly. He was protecting his family from a potential disappointment just like she'd been protecting him for these last few weeks that she'd spent frantically trying to find a way to help, but didn't slip a word about it to him.

She studied Susan's face in more detail. She looked very peaceful, which stood in stark contrast with the sophisticated machinery she was surrounded with. Even with her eyes closed, she resembled her brother. The same dark, irregular eyebrows and high cheekbones, the same color of hair and shape of the mouth. They could almost be twins.

'How did you manage to pull this off?' he asked, looking at her with admiration. 'What did you say to him?'

'Honestly, I just told him the truth,' she said. 'And he wanted to meet you so much that when he found out what's been keeping you away, he made up this 'project' thing that he was supposedly working on and Susan was a perfect subject to test some new treatment on.'

'He's a strange guy,' Daniel said. 'He could just order his staff to treat whomever he likes, I mean it's not like anyone is going to question him, even if he broke the law. Instead, he chooses to make up the whole scenario to make his actions look legitimate.'

'I know,' she said, smiling. 'Very peculiar.'

'Can I ask you something?'

'Shoot.'

'You were hoping to persuade him to do it, weren't you? That's why you wanted me to meet him so badly.'

'Well, I must admit it crossed my mind.'

'Why didn't you tell me?'

'For the same reason you didn't tell your family where Susan really is,' she said. 'Just in case it didn't work out.'

'Thank you. And sorry for not going to meet him the first time. I should have sensed that there was an important reason for you wanting me to go. I should have trusted you.'

'Don't apologize,' she said. 'If you hadn't made your family a priority over Dr. Life, he may have not offered to help. He is doing this because he wants you to be available for him.'

'Well, I don't really care what his motivation is,' Daniel said. 'If he brings my sister back to life, I will do anything he wants.'

'I'll go and see if I can get us some coffee,' she said. 'Be right back.'

'Thanks, Amari.'

She walked down the long corridor. She couldn't help but try to peek into the rooms she was passing. They were all identical with Susan's room, at least judging by the details she could see through the narrow glass windows in the doors. Presumably, each contained a patient being treated for one condition or the other with one of the numerous drugs derived from the Cure. Dr. Life never stopped perfecting his invention and adjusting it for various specific treatments. He mixed it with other drugs in different proportions, thus changing its properties slightly. Pretty much every year a new variation would be patented and put into use. _Who knows,_ Amaranthine thought, _maybe Susan really was a perfect case for some new revolutionary treatment._ There was no way to tell, though, and it really didn't matter.

The whole place felt more like a research laboratory than a hospital. Every person that passed her was completely preoccupied with their work, which manifested itself with absent-minded facial expressions, and a sense of urgency in their body language. She realized that she was allowed to see the inside of a unique institution, one that resembled none other and functioned like no other.

She finally found the cafeteria, but the door was locked. It took her a long while to find someone who could let her in and help her to get the drinks. It seemed like the staff were not used to dealing with visitors, their number one priority was their scientific research, not the comfort of the families and friends of their patients, or, rather, test subjects. _This figures,_ Amaranthine thought, _I imagine they rarely treat Mortals here, and Immortals wouldn't have any relatives visiting._

She finally got back to Susan's room, carrying two cups of coffee. With both of her hands busy, she backed her way in.

'Ok, that was a mission, but – ' her voice dried out as she turned around.

What she saw nearly made her drop the newly acquired beverages.

Daniel was sitting next to his sister's bed, holding her hand. The flickering reflection from his wrist watch gave away the shaking of his hand.

Susan's eyes, deep blue just like her brother's, were wide open.

'You must be the one who saved my life,' she said. 'Thank you.'

'I cannot believe that they woke her up in less than six hours when our doctors couldn't do it in three weeks,' Daniel said. They were outside Susan's room, as she was subjected to more tests, following the return of her consciousness. 'She would have been in that coma for God knows how long if it hadn't been for you.'

'I'm glad to have been able to help,' Amaranthine replied. 'But you should thank Dr. Life, not me.'

'I'm dying to call my Mum and tell her,' he said, reaching for his idatron, forgetting that both their devices were confiscated by the security when they arrived.

'We should find out first how long Susan will have to stay here,' Amari suggested. 'It will be the first question your family asks.'

'You're right,' he said, 'and I should check if this place allows any more visitors. I'm sure the whole family will want to be on the next available flight, but Dr. Life and his staff might not be happy for them all to barge in here.'

He took his hand out of his pocket, but it involuntarily travelled back there less than five seconds later, as if he expected his idatron to magically find its way back so that he could just take it out and call his family. 'Oh, Amari, I can't wait to see my Mum's face when I tell her what happened. I want to jump up and down and scream about it.'

Amari smiled to herself. She remembered the feeling, it was less than ten hours since she was the messenger of the good news. She remembered his eyes light up first with disbelief, then hope and then finally happiness, and recalling that image once again filled with a thrill.

At the same time, she felt a rising anxiety that she was rapidly beginning to understand the source of. The moment Susan looked at her and thanked her, Amaranthine realized that it was only a matter of time before Daniel's whole family – his parents, his siblings, Susan's husband and children, plus an unknown number of other relatives – would come into the picture. They will want to visit their daughter and know the whole story of her revival. Then they will want to meet Amaranthine and express their gratitude.

That thought made her want to run away. She didn't quite know why, but she felt like she was about to take some sort of test that she'd never studied for. What would she say? 'It's nothing, you are welcome, I just wanted Daniel to be happy again'? 'Plus he saved my life, so this gave me a chance to pay him back'? or 'It had nothing to do with me, Dr. Life simply needed someone in your daughter's condition to test his new drug on, so it was a lucky coincidence'? She became aware that what she would say to them and how she would act, would make them have one or the other opinion about her. She didn't know what impression she would like them to have. This was not another client or reporter she would be meeting, it was Daniel's family. She'd never met any of her previous boyfriend's families before, and she had no idea how she should act. She also remembered Lyndsay's reaction when she found out about Daniel and Amari's relationship, and she had no idea what Lyndsay had said to the rest of them...

As the anxiety grew inside her, she realized she couldn't possibly face meeting them right now. She had to find a way to excuse herself and get away, she needed more time to think.

'Let me try and find Dr. Life first and ask him all that we need to know, before we try to contact anyone,' she offered. 'I don't think any of these people are authorized to speak to us or give us any details. You go ahead and stay with Susan, I think they are getting finished there.'

'You are a saint,' he said, kissing her. Then he disappeared behind the door.

Amaranthine looked around and wondered which way she should go to look for Dr. Life's office. One of the personnel caring for Susan pointed her the direction opposite to the cafeteria.
**CHAPTER TWENTY**

'Ok, whatever you're doing, it can wait,' Daniel announced, storming into their hotel room. 'Come on, we must go right now or we'll miss it. It's just started.'

'I thought there were millions of them,' she protested shyly, 'won't it take them long enough to cross the river that I can finish this report?'

'It's not an option and you know it,' he replied, giving her a quick kiss. 'So come on, pack up your gear. We're going.'

'Ok, you're the boss,' she shut down her idatron and got up with a sigh, but there was more relief and excitement in that sigh than docility. It was one of those moments when Daniel made an executive decision for both of them that it was time to go and have fun.

She adored those moments. Him taking charge, knocking work off the top of the priority list and replacing it with pleasure. She allowed him to command her in those times like she never allowed anyone else, ever, and deep inside, she knew why. He simply knew when she needed to relax, to leave work, no matter how important and urgent, and do something completely different. She also knew from experience that Daniel's escapades were well worth it; he always managed to show her something amazing.

This time it would be The Great Migration, 'the greatest show on Earth' as he put it. The annual journey of millions of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles crossing the grasslands of Masai Mara in Kenya, through the Tanzanian border back into the Serengeti Plain. Daniel had been monitoring the herds' moves ever since they arrived in Africa for this leg of _Carpe Diem's_ world tour, awaiting the moment when the animals would all charge the river, where flotillas of hungry crocodiles kept guard, looking forward to their annual feast. The moment had finally arrived and now it was time to go and watch the spectacle.

Amaranthine was ready in a few minutes. They were out the door, hand in hand, excited for yet another adventure.

'We are quite lucky it's happening so late this year,' Daniel said as they hovered west of Nairobi towards the Masai Mara grassland. 'They don't always stick around until the end of November. They could have gone as early as the beginning of October, but this year the rainy season on the Serengeti was delayed so they stayed here longer. If the weather patterns had been different, we would have missed it.'

Amari thought about this time frame for a moment. Beginning of October... wildebeest migration was the last thing on Daniel's mind then. For three horrible weeks Susan was in a coma and her prospects were disheartening. Amari hardly saw Daniel as he travelled back to Scotland every spare moment to help care for his sister. Her own mind was occupied with possible solutions to the situation, until Dr. Life took Susan into his clinic and had his staff wake her up in just a few hours. Susan was back with her family in less than a day, and a week later she was fully recovered. Daniel had flown back a couple of times, as if still not believing that his family's situation went back to normal when it had seemed so hopeless, but other than that he was with Amari at all times, and even though they had to spend most of the time working, having him by her side round the clock was a wonderful feeling, especially that after Susan's revival he threw himself back into work with whole new hoards of energy which she found extremely infectious. She felt they could do four people's work when they put their minds together.

'Ok, now,' Daniel said with a quirky smile, 'you have to close your eyes and promise not to open them until I tell you.'

'Why?'

'Why, she asks,' he rolled his eyes. 'Because I have a surprise for you, that's why. Now be a good sport and don't spoil it. Close your eyes.'

She obeyed. She sat back and relaxed, putting her sunglasses on to help her keep her eyes shut. She could order her idatron to black them out completely, but she was enjoying the natural light that simmered through.

She felt the hovercar lower and touch down. She was surprised. _Surely the best way to see millions of cattle spread across a plain is from the air?_ she thought. But she didn't say anything. She trusted him completely.

He helped her out the vehicle and walked her a few hundred meters. Not being able to use her sight, she focused on other senses. She could feel the hot African air tremble as they walked and she could smell the dry, dusty ground; there were other people around who mostly spoke foreign languages, but she could hear enough snippets of conversations in English to gather that they were extremely excited about witnessing the wildebeest migration. The voices were accompanied by an occasional hissing sound that she couldn't quite identify.

Daniel led her carefully, checking every so often that she wasn't peeking. She noticed they weren't walking in a straight line, but weaved their way through a huge slalom, coming in and out of large shadowed areas. Then they stopped.

'Ok, are you ready?' he said, grabbing her shoulders to turn her in the right direction. 'Open your eyes.'

The first thing she saw was one of those large shadows, or rather what was causing it, right above her head. In the next second she realized that the object covering the sunny sky was tied with numerous ropes to a large basket standing on the ground. She heard the same hissing sound and she finally recognized what was making it.

'Hot air balloon!' she exclaimed. 'Of course! How could I not have guessed that earlier!'

She approached the basket and examined the gas mechanism with great curiosity. 'This is the gas that was in use in cars, power plants and household devices for over a century before cold fusion became the main source of energy,' she said, fascinated. 'I remember some places used it even in mid twenty-first century. It's amazing that it survived in these,' she pointed at the other balloons. They covered the vast field, each in different colors and size, each surrounded by a group of excited wildlife enthusiasts eager to get in the air and head for the river.

'Well, you can't have a hot-air balloon without hot air and hot air comes from the gas,' she heard a voice tinted with local accent behind her. She turned around.

'Amari, this is Paulus, our guide and pilot,' Daniel introduced a young boy with a round face, half taken up by a wide smile that seemed to stretch from one of his ears all the way to the other. 'This is Amari.'

'Hi there, Amari,' Paulus shook her hand. 'I'm glad you like my balloon.'

'Hi, Paulus,' she smiled at the boy. 'Of course I love it, who wouldn't! When can we set off?'

'We're nearly ready,' the boy smiled again. 'I'll just get jackets for you. It can get a little chilly up there.'

'It's hard to believe, with the heat we've got down here,' she said. 'But you are the expert!'

'Right, let's get you in, then,' the guide said, opening the basket's door.

They climbed in and watched Paulus untie all the ropes constraining the balloon to the ground. He jumped in at the last moment. The basket was dragged along the ground for a couple of meters, but as soon as the boy fired some more gas up the chamber, it went straight up, quickly reducing the grounded balloons down below to tiny, colorful spots. It was a very different feeling from that of being in a hovercar – much less controlled but lighter, freer, and in harmony with the light breeze.

They soon saw Mount Kilimanjaro in the south-east, tall and perfect with its white peak. It seemed so close, but they knew it was hundreds of miles away. Soon after that, the blue, vast water of Lake Victoria emerged on their right. Between them and the lake was what they came here to see.

Paulus stopped filling the balloon's chamber with hot air and they slowly drifted, which felt like sitting on top of a massive feather that was heading for the ground. As they got lower, they realized that what they had been taking for some dark bushes in the south horizon, were actually herds and herds of animals.

As they fell even further towards the ground, they could distinguish individual animals, rushing along the flat, extensive plain of Masai Mara. As far as they could see, wildebeest ran, side by side, each surrounded by their companions, united by a common goal of crossing the Kenya-Tanzania border and reaching the Serengeti Plain. But first they had to survive the river.

Paulus directed the balloon into the middle of the running wildebeest and allowed it to drop even further down. From this perspective the herds seemed to cover the ground from horizon to horizon, a never-ending stream of big males with pointy horns, slightly smaller females, accompanied by their newest young, and their older siblings from the previous years.

'Whoa!' Amaranthine exclaimed. 'This is amazing!'

She looked at Daniel who stared down at the stampede with fascination that could only be evoked by your long-term dream coming true right in front of your eyes. He just grabbed her hand and kissed it, not finding words to express his feelings.

He didn't have to. She understood perfectly. Making your dream come true was one thing. But sharing that dream with someone you cared about so much was a whole other experience altogether. Paulus remained tactfully silent, almost absent, as they shared a long kiss.

Carried gently by the southern breeze, they followed the animals all the way to the river. Other balloons joined them, some gliding by so close that their envelopes – Amaranthine now knew that was the correct term for the balloon's main body part – nearly brushed against one another. Every time they came too close, Paulus berated them in a succinct, but efficient manner in the local language.

'Too many newbies in this business,' he commented, dodging away from another poorly steered balloon. 'They keep coming to try and film the migration for their computer programs, but they don't understand the wind, or the wildebeest.'

Amaranthine pointed her binoculars at the nearest balloon, the one that Paulus avoided having a collision with just a minute ago. Indeed, there was a filming crew packed into the basket; their camera was so big that the four of them had to lean out for space. She wasn't sure what they were trying to do, but it seemed as if they were urging their pilot to lower the balloon. Amari was just about to go back to taking in the sight of galloping wildebeest, when a logo on the camera caught her eye. It was the same logo that featured on her idatron. It belonged to the manufacturer of Eiko.

'What kind of computer programs are they filming for?' she asked Paulus.

'Sorry?'

'You said some of the inexperienced pilots were taking people out to film the migration for computer programs. Do you know what kind?'

'Oh, it's some kind of program that allows people to imagine they are here when they aren't.'

'You mean like simulation programs?'

'Yes, I think that's what they call them.'

'And why do they use inexperienced pilots?'

'Because none of us real pilots will take them.'

'Why not?'

'Cause we want people to come and see it for real,' Paulus seemed surprised at the necessity to explain such obvious things. 'They will never experience anything authentic if they just sit on their couches and put visors on, will they?'

She just nodded lightly, feeling a warm breeze go through her hair. A breeze that she knew would always remind her of this day and of Africa.

Paulus dropped the balloon even lower, hitting just the right air current that carried them right towards the spot on the river where reluctant wildebeest were approaching the water. The Eiko filming crew disappeared from view, pushed away from the center of the action by a gust of wind.

Paulus' balloon, on the other hand, hovered above the perfect spot until impatience and instinct triumphed over fear and the first herd of wildebeest charged the water with get-across-or-die-trying determination. The deadly reptiles, at first overwhelmed by the sheer volume of potential prey, soon responded with vigor and velocity that immediately resulted in a bloody pandemonium. The life-or-death spectacle would last for hours, fuelled by an endless supply of cattle. Amari and Daniel, fascinated, felt they could just stay there for hours to watch it unfold. Unfortunately, even Paulus' exceptional skills couldn't keep their balloon above the spot forever, and eventually they got pushed further south and had to head for the ground. The sun set slowly as they gracefully descended to finally reach the African soil again, this time on the Tanzanian side.

'That was incredible, thank you so much, Paulus,' Amari said as they disembarked from the basket. There was intangible melancholy in her voice. 'You know,' she said, handing the boy the jacket back, 'I felt torn between the wildebeest and the crocodiles. I didn't know whose side to take. I mean, instinctively you want to side with the buffalos, but when you think about it, the crocs are fighting for survival just like any other beast. It's not their fault that we find them scary.'

'In nature,' the boy replied, suddenly serious, 'there is no taking sides. That's the beauty of it. Life goes in circles; some die so that others can live. It's always been like this and it always will be.'

Amaranthine looked up at his face. His dark eyes were distant but peaceful; what he had said came straight from the depths of his identity, so deeply rooted in nature that he understood its rights instinctively. For a split second, she saw the world through his eyes.

'Thank you, Paulus,' she said as she shook his hand goodbye. 'Thank you for everything.'

They hardly spoke to each other on the way back to the hotel, each reminiscing on what they just saw. They were often silent together after doing something like this; words were not necessary. They knew exactly how the other felt and they knew that reminding each other of the experience in a few days or weeks' time would bring this moment of unity back, no matter where they would be or what they would be doing. Amaranthine cherished these moments and collected them in her memory like precious gems.

It wasn't until they reached the hotel that they started coming back to reality and talking about the work that awaited them that evening and the next day. They had to pack up and prepare for the transfer to Egypt. After that, it was Europe, the last leg of _Carpe Diem's_ world tour before the end of 2106.

Amaranthine felt uneasy at that thought; one of the places the band would play in was Daniel's home town, Edinburgh. He was excited to show her 'Bonnie Scotland,' as he referred to his country, and she looked forward to that a lot. What she still hadn't come to grips with, though, was the idea of meeting his family. Time and distance would not be acceptable excuses this time; she would have to do it. Susan wanted to introduce her to her husband and children; every member of the family was anxious to thank her for the role she played in Susan's recovery. Amari thought about it pretty much every day for the last four weeks and she decided she would just have to be social and polite and in a few hours it would be over. Daniel would be happy, his family would be happy and she would never have to see them again; she and Daniel would soon enough be off to South America with the band and then they'd be back in the States. One dinner with his folks would mean nothing; it was just something people did to thank someone who was of help and nobody had to read anything into this. Her biological status was not important here and her relationship with Daniel was their private business; she was sure his family would be tactful enough not to mention it.

'Ok, how about Cairo?' Nectar asked, 'can we manage to squeeze them in there?'

'Not a chance in hell,' Amari said, 'VIP sections are totally booked up till the end of the year, even the ones that are under construction. They'll have to wait till South America next year.'

'This is nuts,' Nectar said, frustrated. 'The president of the United States calls me asking for a favor and I'm supposed to tell her she's not important enough to get a ticket? Why can't they just play a couple of extra concerts in New York during the End of Year Festival? We could have an all-VIP concert and that would solve all our problems.'

Amaranthine sighed silently. Ever since Dr. Life's support for _Carpe Diem_ became public knowledge, they'd been swarmed with requests from VIPs to find them a spot, as if it suddenly became a celebrity must-do thing. Most of them were people not used to hearing words like 'no', 'unavailable' or 'impossible.'

'I've already tried to renegotiate this with them, remember?' Amari repeated for the umpteenth time, 'when we first started back in March. It was the first thing I tried to add to the calendar, but they won't even discuss it. They had this break promised to them from the start.'

'It's all about Christmas, isn't it,' Nectar barked. 'Some stupid Mortal superstitions that are more important than business. Do they even realize how busy this time of year is in the entertainment world? Did you tell them all of this?'

'Yes, I did,' Amari was slowly losing her patience. 'I explained everything, but they keep going back to the original agreement and my hands are tied.'

'I want you to try again,' Nectar said. 'Put some pressure on Collins, let him sort them out. I don't care what arguments you use, we need those extra concerts.'

'I'll try again,' she promised, just to get off the topic.

'Ok, keep me posted. Now, what's your strategy on the Joe and Will headlines? Have we got anything new to feed the press?'

Amari rubbed her forehead, thinking what to say. She didn't have anything new and she knew the media would soon get dangerously creative.

'We've only just run their childhood sweethearts stories,' she said, 'it should do for a few days.'

'That's not enough,' Nectar said. She knew he was right. 'We need them to speak about the chances of becoming immortal. That's what the media are waiting for.'

She knew that all too well.

Will and Joe, the childless members of the band, were under enormous pressure from their immortal fans, convinced that the boys' conversion to immortality was only a matter of time. The question: _When will Joe and William become Immortals?_ , endlessly paraphrased, had served as a front-page headline to almost every immortal service for the last month, and the speculations attempting to answer that question, densely populated the other pages. Some services also started a hot debate on John and Patrick, trying to diminish their value to the band and wanting them to be replaced by Immortal musicians. It had the potential of turning very ugly and even creating a rift between the band members.

'They refuse any comment at the moment,' she said.

'Then make the comment for them or something!' Nectar was on a verge of losing his temper. 'Why can't they just say they are considering it? Would that hurt them? It doesn't mean they have to follow it through, but the media would give us some breathing space.'

She had no answer to that. Nectar didn't understand that for these guys flirting with immortality wasn't an option. They were Mortals by choice and didn't feel like explaining themselves to anybody or lying just to keep the public happy. All they wanted to do was to play good rock music and to spend Christmas with their families.

'You know this wouldn't solve the problem, Nectar,' she said. 'If they declared they're thinking of becoming Immortals, they'd never hear anything but _When?_ and _What's stopping you?_ They don't want to go down that route and we can't force them.'

'I'm sick of hearing what we can't do!'

'Look, I'll try again to speak to them about the extra concerts,' Amari wanted to get off the idatron. She didn't appreciate her boss's outbursts. 'I have to go now.'

When he hang up, she run her fingers through her hair and tried to rub some pain out of her neck and shoulders. She hadn't had a moment of relaxation for days and the pressure from the media and her boss was heavier than ever before in her career.

_I have to speak to Daniel about those extra concerts again,_ she thought. She would never pressure them to make a declaration regarding possible immorality, but when it came to the End of Year Festival, Nectar was right. _Hopefully Daniel will see eye to eye with me this time and help me persuade the guys to sacrifice their Christmas family time just this once. After all, this isn't like any other year in their lives, so their families should understand that._

She switched on her idatron. Even though she'd gone through her inbox a few hours ago, the messages had already piled up, each more urgent than the previous one; even Eiko's prioritizing function would not save her from working late into the night.

As she worked through the new messages, one of them drew her attention. It was from an Immortality Clinic, but from a different address, not the one that Dr. Life's been using to communicate with her and Daniel in the last few weeks. She opened it, hoping it wouldn't be another urgent 'consultation' that they would have to attend. Ever since he met with Daniel, Dr. Life had seriously started drawing up his plan of bridging the gaps between Mortals and Immortals, and they could hardly refuse to help him after what he did for Susan.

' _Dear Miss Quinn,'_ the message said, _'it is with great pleasure that we inform you of your eligibility for additional services that you can use during your upcoming Cure-reapplication visit to our clinic. Please see the details below and should you have any questions, one of our consultants will be happy to answer them for you. We look forward to seeing you for your annual appointment on Friday, December 24_ th _, 2106.'_

She scanned the list of perks she was being offered. They were extremely exclusive procedures that she knew even very few Immortals had access to. Rejuvenation of teeth enamel, full-body skin firming, muscle toning and blood vessel elastication were just some of them. She could even spend a few days in the clinic getting every treatment on her eligibility list. She certainly deserved a treat after all the hard work she'd done this year, and it would give her new energy for the upcoming months.

'By the way,' Daniel asked, coming out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel wrapped around his hips, 'I never asked you if you had any plans for the break at the end of December. We could maybe go skiing in the Swiss Alps, what do you think?'

She looked up from the projection and smiled at him. She'd loved skiing since he taught her how to do it during their trip to Nepal. He'd promised then to take her to all the best slopes in the world.

She closed the message from her Immortality Clinic. She didn't want to bring up her biological status now. _I can always change the date of my appointment, two weeks won't make a difference,_ she thought. Skiing with Daniel would be so much fun.

But then she remembered that they would probably not have time to do it. If the band agreed to play the extra concerts, they would spend that time planning and working. It was the last thing she wanted to do, but she had no choice. And the hardest thing wasn't even putting the concerts together. First, she had to convince her clients to agree to play them and she needed Daniel's help.

'I don't understand why you are bringing this up again,' Daniel said, 'the Christmas break has been in the calendar from day one. We've discussed it umpteen times already.'

'I know, Daniel. But I don't think either of us realized that _Carpe Diem_ would be in such high demand as they are now,' she said, 'we've got VIPs, including the US president, calling every hour asking for tickets and we have to turn them all down. They are important people.'

'I'm sorry, Amari, but I think you are forgetting whom we are representing here,' Daniel replied. ' _Carpe Diem_ are a mortal band, remember? All four of them are Mortals, and like many Mortals, they happen to celebrate Christmas. And _their_ VIPs are their families. Not politicians or celebrities.'

'A mortal band,' she fired right back, annoyed that he wouldn't even consider persuading them, 'who are trying to break into the _immortal_ market, remember?' she said. 'Which was the sole reason I got involved in promoting them in the first place. The reason I met you and we started working together. They can't just ignore the fact that this is prime entertainment time in the immortal world, in fact the week leading up to New Year is probably the most important seven days in the entire year, not to mention the New Year's Eve party! Whoever puts up the best show on that night is on everyone's lips for the following month at least and we need that! We could arrange an exclusive concert and invite selected guests; we could steal the most prominent VIPs from other events. Dr. Life would probably come again. This would put us way ahead of the game, seal _Carpe Diem's_ spot on top of all charts. Don't they understand that? Don't they care about their careers?'

'You know they do, Amari,' Daniel mitigated. 'But their families are more important to them than anything. They've been looking forward to this break for months.'

'They could have the break in January, if it's so crucial,' she said. 'We could easily arrange that. But to disappear from the scene between December 24th and January 3rd is commercial suicide in this business.'

'I agree it would be beneficial to their publicity,' Daniel said, 'but I think you are exaggerating, Amari. People come to _Carpe Diem's_ concerts because they love their music. They won't suddenly stop just because there is no concert between Christmas and New Year.'

'Maybe they won't immediately,' she pressed on, 'but some of those VIPs we have to turn down may take offence and a lot of them are influential people, rooted in the mass media. If we don't keep them happy, they might cause us problems. Have you thought of that?'

'There is always someone criticizing _Carpe Diem_ ,' he pointed out, 'and so far it hasn't influenced ticket sales. I think keeping the band happy should be more of our priority than pleasing celebrities. And what the boys need now is to see their families and be able to spend a peaceful Christmas with them, especially as they were promised this break back in February, when they signed their contracts for this tour. We've got to respect that, Amari.'

'Well, it seems we have no choice,' she gave in, feeling that the battle was lost; she had no more ammunition to throw into the equation, and definitely nothing strong enough to refute this ultimate argument, the contract, which Daniel had negotiated before she got involved. She suddenly felt angry with him for signing that contract. He should have known better, having worked with Immortals before. 'I just want them to realize that they are missing a massive opportunity here. I don't want them to regret it later on, or blame me.'

'They understood your arguments, trust me,' he said, 'but their families still come first at Christmas. Before work, fame or money.'

She had no answer to that. She felt powerless and that frustrated the hell out of her. Over the last few days she heard the word 'Christmas' with the frequency of a hummingbird's wing beats, from the band members and Daniel's team. They were all very excited about it, but it wasn't the type of excitement that she herself would normally feel around this time of the year. For her, it was a period of intense work, the frenzy of preparation for big New Year's Eve events. This time last year she was pulling off 18-hour days getting _The Universe_ open, and every year prior to that she had a big project on her hands. A big, creative, innovative event that would wow the public, bring her agency another industry award for best entertainment, and secure business for the following year.

This year there would be nothing. Her biggest and only client, _Carpe Diem,_ the most sought-after rock band in the world, would not perform for eleven days in a row, missing the entire festive season. Giving the competition an advantage. Letting someone else entertain the stars, the business tycoons, the politicians, the artists. For the first time since she started in PR, Amaranthine would not have a show to choreograph and present to her clients, because John, Patrick, William and Joe wanted to see their families for Christmas.

'Hey,' Daniel smiled at her, trying to make peace. 'Look on the bright side, gorgeous. We'll be able to spend so much more time together.' He came over to her and put his hands on her arms, rubbing them from shoulder to elbow. 'What do you think of the skiing idea?'

She looked up at him, then took a step back and retreated to the safety of her work station.

A sudden chill spilled all over her body.

_What is going on with you_ , she asked herself. _You are forgetting who you are. You were actually prepared to become a Mortal for this guy, because postponing the Cure re-application would mean exactly that – being a mortal human being. For a couple of weeks, but still._ If the Cure didn't get re-applied into her body on December 24th, she would be biologically mortal from that day onwards until the time of the new appointment.

And the day of the new appointment would then become her new immortali day.

This thought had the effect of a freezing shower. She shivered, her skin covered with goose bumps, and all her instincts and reflexes pulled together to get her away from it.

'I can't do that,' she raised her chin and looked him in the eye. 'I have my annual Cure re-application appointment at an Immortality Clinic in New York. I'd rather not postpone it.' She shivered more at the sound of her own voice. It was icily impassive. And ultimate.

His face and body transformed. The warm fire in his eyes, evoked by the prospect of being with her for so many undisturbed days, dimmed and doused; his arms, extended to embrace her and pull her to his chest tensed and dropped to his sides. He stood there for a few moments, taken aback, processing the blow she struck him with, trying to fill the emptiness she left behind.

She shifted her gaze to her idatron and sat down at her desk. In the corner of her eye, she saw him slowly nod his head as if he was coming to terms with something overwhelming that's just dawned on him. Then he turned around on his heel and walked out of the room, his usual perky gait replaced with a heavy stride that bordered on staggering. The time it took him to reach the door allowed an easy opportunity for her to stop him. She knew that although she hurt him, he would turn around and talk to her if she only made the smallest gesture asking him to stay.

She did nothing.
**CHAPTER TWENTY ONE**

'Just get him a tie,' Angela said. 'You can't go wrong with a tie.'

'But it's so... obvious,' Maddie fussed. 'And mundane. I'd rather get him something special, like...' she raised her eyes to the ceiling in search of inspiration. 'God, why are men so impossible to buy for?'

'Why are men impossible now?' Frankie burst into the meeting room. He waved to Amaranthine, who was sitting at the far end of the long table, focused on her idatron, and sat down by the two women.

'Maddie's looking for ideas what to buy her boyfriend for Christmas,' Angela explained.

'Just get him a tie,' Frankie offered. 'You can't go wrong with a tie.'

'What is it with you and ties?' Maddie rolled her eyes. 'So boring!'

'At least there is a slight chance he may wear it,' Angela said. 'You go smarty-creative and it's going to end up on the bottom of his drawer. At least until he thinks you've forgotten about it and it's safe to get rid of it.'

Maddie's face clearly indicated that she wasn't giving up. A few seconds later, she came up with another idea.

'How about a board game? What do you think?'

'Does he play board games?'

'No,' she admitted, 'but it doesn't mean he can't start now, right?'

Amaranthine pretended to be engrossed with her work, but she couldn't concentrate. She had to listen. The others, who were killing time until the meeting started, probably thought she was going over the details of what needed to be discussed and decided upon. She never showed interest in anyone's Christmas plans and she kept her own plans to herself, so even though they'd been really nice to her since they found out what she did for Susan, they assumed she didn't want to be involved in those chats that had been their favorite pastime in the last few weeks.

She projected indifference, but in reality she felt frustration swell up in her like a tsunami wave. It seemed there was nothing else on anyone's mind these days apart from Christmas. They spoke of gifts, decorating trees, baking and cooking, over and over again. The most irritating mantra that she kept hearing was 'I hope it snows, I really want this Christmas to be white.' _If snow is so important to you,_ she thought _, why don't you just go somewhere that has it in abundance?_ She found it harder and harder not to comment out loud, but she silenced herself. They weren't speaking to her.

Most annoyingly, this constant Christmas rattling kept bringing Daniel to her mind. It had been very awkward between them ever since she said she wasn't spending the break with him. He busied himself on locations most of the time nowadays, checking sound systems and security, but she knew it was just an excuse; European venues were much more reliable than most of those they've used so far, so they hardly needed all that attention. At night, he went back to see his family; it was close enough now that they were in Europe, plus they had a lot less work. Ever since they'd confirmed to the public that _Carpe Diem_ wouldn't be playing over the festive season, the celebrities and most of the media seemed to have shifted their focus elsewhere; Amaranthine was just hoping it was a temporary trend and wouldn't be the end of the band's hike to fame.

She checked the time – it was 8:57am. The meeting would start in three minutes which meant Daniel would be there in two and a half. Not a moment sooner that he had to.

'Morning, Amari,' Tom and Gary walked in and took their seats.

'Good morning.'

She stood up and moved her idatron to the center of the table, so that everyone could see the projection. She was ready.

As the conversations stopped to let her begin, Daniel walked through the door.

'Morning everyone,' he flashed a smile, but didn't manage to keep it on his lips for long enough to make it look natural. Amaranthine wondered if the Mortals noticed recent changes in his behavior, and if so, if they suspected their source.

He sat at the top of the table, next to Amaranthine; his usual spot at team meetings. Everything seemed to be the same and yet all was different. She remembered the look he used to give her in those exact circumstances just a few weeks ago, a look that intimated: _I wish I could just walk over to you right now and kiss you in front of everyone. Better still, we should be able to walk into this room together, hand in hand, instead of pretending that we hadn't just spent the night in the same bed._

The only thing that remained the same from those days was his scent; his favorite cologne that blended so well with the natural smell of his skin. It felt more intense ever since they'd stopped sharing rooms. Since they'd stopped sharing their lives.

Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming urge to speak to him about their relationship, to clear the air. _Right after the meeting,_ she thought. _I can't stand this any longer._

'Shall we?' she began, bringing up the first screen on the projection.

The meeting was brief, at least compared to what they usually were. They went over all the details regarding French, German and Swiss venues, repertoires, press conferences and releases in under two hours. Amaranthine felt her heart speed up as the last question got answered and everyone was free to go. She knew she had to act quickly, before he would get up and disappear for the day.

'Daniel,' she managed to keep the professional tone, 'there is one other thing I would like to discuss with you if you don't mind.'

'Of course,' he replied and turned to Frankie who lingered by the door, waiting for him. 'See you downstairs, buddy. Won't be long.'

Finally, they were alone.

'What is it?' he looked her in the eye for the first time in days. His eyes were bluer than ever.

'Don't you think we should talk?'

'Talk about what?'

'About us.'

'Is there still such a thing as _us_?'

'Not if you have already written it off.'

' _I've_ written it off?'

'It seems so to me,' she said. 'You've been avoiding me for the last two weeks, you never speak to me about anything else except for work. I've hardly seen you, so yes, it does seem to me like you decided to end it.'

'Unbelievable,' he shook his head.

'What is unbelievable?'

'You really don't see that your decisions may have had something to do with how I feel?'

'If you mean getting on with my life and not turning it upside down – '

'No, that's not what I mean,' he cut her off. 'What I mean is not postponing something that could have easily been postponed, so that we can spend some time together like we've been wanting to ever since we started this relationship. How many times did we say, did you say, _If only we could just go away and not worry about work for a week, or even a weekend. If only we could walk hand-in-hand in the street and not have to hide our feelings, not have to pretend and worry about being spotted or recognized_? And now that we have just such a chance, you turn it down to do your own thing. You know what that tells me? It tells me that what we had together was not as important to you as you've claimed it to be.'

'That's so unfair, Daniel,' she said. 'Just think about what you are asking of me. I have attended those appointments for over 50 years – every year on the same day. This has been my life for a long time, and it still is. You can't expect me to just forget about it.'

'I was prepared to spend Christmas with you over my family, Amaranthine. For the first time in my life I was going to disappoint them, because I had plans for us to do things together and because I wanted to be with you more than anyone else.'

'I didn't ask this of you,' she was getting angry now. 'You can't blame me for not going along with your plan that you didn't even tell me about. You should spend time with your family if it's important to you. I don't want you to give up anything for me, and I certainly don't appreciate you trying to make me feel guilty about your sacrifice that I didn't even know about.'

'I thought you knew me a wee bit better, Amari,' he said after a pause. 'But I see that it was an illusion. Both ways. I thought I knew you better, too.'

'If I ever gave you an impression that I was prepared to give up who I was for the sake of our relationship, it was not intentional,' she said. 'I do like you, Daniel, a lot. I like you and I feel attached to you more than I've ever felt attached to a man. I enjoy your company more than anyone else's before. But I am an Immortal, that's what my life has always been, almost from the day I was born. I can't change that.'

'You talk about this as if you had no say in it at all. But that's just not true, Amaranthine.'

'I told you...'

'Yes, I remember,' he interrupted again, 'it was your father's will that you remain immortal. But with all due respect, Amari, your father is no longer here. He hasn't been here for decades. I don't understand how a person as strong-minded as you, can live their life according to the will of someone who has been dead for eighty years.'

'I told you my story because I trusted you. I can't believe you are using it against me.'

'I am not using anything against you,' he said. 'I'm just trying to make you realize that you don't have to feel bound by what your father thought was best for you. To be brutally honest, I don't think you feel bound by it. I think you are hiding behind it.'

'You can think what you want and judge all you want, Daniel,' she said with a discussion-ending tone. I don't want to talk about this anymore.'

'You never want to talk about it,' he said. 'You are even scared to think about it. You are scared of taking charge of your life and you are scared of your feelings. This is why our relationship is doomed.'

'You are being emotional,' she said, 'and I think you are letting your emotions blind your judgment.'

'Well, maybe you are right,' he blurted out. 'They do say love is blind, and I can finally see that they are right.'

Before she could react in any way, he burst out of the room and disappeared, leaving behind the scented warmth of his body.

She walked to the elevator unaware of her surroundings. When it opened in front of her, she stepped in unwittingly, unable to either press buttons or send a coherent mental signal to the device so that it could take her to her floor. She returned to Earth only when she reached the reception level and other people entered. She'd gone thirty floors down instead of fifteen up. The new passengers gave her confused looks when, instead of getting off, she programmed the elevator to take her up, way above any floor that they were going to.

As she stepped into her room, her heart skipped a beat. There was someone there, she could hear a noise in the bathroom. _Daniel?_ Did that mean he managed to harness his emotions and wanted to talk to her again?

'Hello!' she called.

'Oh, hello, ma'am,' a maid's head showed in the bathroom door. 'I'm nearly finished here.'

Amaranthine sighed. Of course it wasn't him. She should have known better.

Love. What the hell was he thinking? Didn't he understand that what people called love was just the body's chemical reaction to another person? A pleasant, but short-lived and elusive emotion that every mature adult should be able to recognize and treat with due distance and rationality? She knew that Mortals still romanticized human relationships, believing that a spark between two people could turn into a fire that lasted decades. That love could make them change who they were and make up for almost anything lost in life. Being an Immortal, Amaranthine knew that such things existed only in people's imagination and fictional stories that were born from it. Her and Daniel used to be great together, but love? It was an alien concept to her.

'There's no rush,' she said to the maid. 'Take your time.'

She ordered room service and settled at the desk to work out the final details of _Carpe Diem's_ concerts in Britain, their last part of the tour before the break.

As soon as her idatron activated, it notified her of a new message.

_Amaranthine_ , Daniel wrote, _I apologize for what I said after the meeting. Just like you said, I was blinded by emotions and as a result I said things I did not mean. You are right – none of us should be expected to give up their life and who they are for the other person. I had no right to speak like that about your father and I hope you can forgive me._

_I think it's best if I stay away for some time. Since all is going smoothly in Europe, I've decided to go on locations in South America to work on the venues there for the January and February concerts next year. I know you can handle it here without me until the break, but if you need me, I can be back within a couple of hours. Otherwise, I'll see you at Carpe Diem's last concert this year, on December 23_ rd _._

I believe a break will do us both good and help us move on. I know we can be professional and keep working together for the success of our clients. I hope you share that belief and that you bear no resentment against me.

Daniel

She stared at the text of the message for a while before she was able to form a response in her head.

_I guess it's for the best_ , appeared on the screen as she thought it out. She didn't allow Eiko to send it, though.

As she censored herself, the beginning of her one-line response took a new shape.

You are right. It is for the best.
**CHAPTER TWENTY TWO**

A change of weather that coincided with _Carpe Diem_ crossing the Channel, made Britain feel like a completely different world. The relatively warm and humid air, brought over the European continent from the Atlantic by the western winds for the last couple of weeks, yielded to the crispy aura that arrived from the north-east. The sunshine was blinding, but bitter cold turned any area of exposed skin to a bright red patch.

Amaranthine turned away from the window and finished packing her suitcase. She was calm and composed, and confident that her meeting with Daniel in Edinburgh in a couple of days' time would be professional and unemotional. _Carpe Diem_ were to play their final concerts this year in Glasgow and Edinburgh and she was travelling to Scotland with them this afternoon.

_Bonnie Scotland..._ She remembered the pride and affection in Daniel's voice every time he pronounced those words. Amaranthine felt a pinch of regret that he wouldn't be her guide to Scotland after all; they spoke about it so many times when they were together. She knew he looked forward to sharing with her all his special places, foods, dances and landscapes... But those conversations took place in a different era. It was a beautiful dream that they'd shared. A dream that, like any other, they inevitably had to wake up from.

She hadn't heard from him ever since he left for South America and she didn't contact him either. It seemed like he had managed to move on just like he'd hoped to.

Her idatron flashed and Tom's voice resounded in her head.

You coming in a convoy with us, Amari? Everyone is ready to go.

_I'm just about to leave,_ she responded with a mental signal. Her idatron would translate it into a voice message for Tom. _You can set off, I'll catch up with you in a couple of minutes._

She summoned her hovercar to the penthouse portal. Just before it appeared outside her window, the concierge arrived to load her luggage.

She didn't have to program her destination, as Eiko was already tracking _Carpe Diem's_ convoy and joined the nine hovercars almost immediately on their way to Glasgow.

Their journey took no longer than fifteen minutes and there was no way for Amaranthine to know when they crossed over to Scotland, but she recognized it immediately, as if she'd been here dozens of times. The weather was still icy and the air so clear that the landscape stretching beneath her looked unreal, like an over-edited photograph. It was the most spectacular view she'd ever seen.

As they approached their base in Gleneagles and she could see the buildings of the famous hotel and golf course complex, she was surprised at how old, but majestic, they looked. It felt like going back in time a few decades and yet everything looked well-maintained, clean and classic. 'Historic' was a word that kept springing to mind, and for a good reason. It was, after all, a two-century old place that bore witness to a number of very prestigious events and played host to the most eminent of guests and celebrities. Daniel had booked rooms here months in advance and she was beginning to understand why he was so keen to have _Carpe Diem_ stay here.

As their convoy landed and they disembarked, they were greeted by the manager, a man that attuned to the atmosphere of this place so well, that you'd swear he was just as old as the buildings. His hair, beard and moustache were white as snow, and the depth of his wrinkles betrayed his advanced age. But there was something far more unusual about him than visible signs of ageing.

It was his attire that had Amari stare at him uncontrollably as he moved towards her, shaking hands with everyone on the way.

He was wearing a traditional Scottish outfit. A kilt, paired with a black jacket and accessorized with knee-long, white, woolen socks, black laced shoes, snow-white shirt and a pocket-like thing hung in the front of the kilt on a thin chain. Daniel had told her about different types of kilt outfits, from full, traditional ones to more casual, worn to occasions like rugby games, but she never expected that all these elements put together on a man would look so good.

Amaranthine suddenly realized that her esthetic sense was categorizing this wrinkly Mortal as... attractive.

'Welcome to Gleneagles, Miss Quinn,' he extended his hand to her. The surprise of him knowing her name as if they'd met many times before, helped her snap out of her shock.

'Thank you, Mr....'

'Morrison. George Morrison, at your service.'

His surname pulled a string in her brain. A split-second flashback of Daniel telling her that each Scottish tartan had its long history linked to a clan name.

'Would that be your family tartan, Mr. Morrison?' she asked, pointing at his kilt.

'Indeed, indeed,' he grinned, a spark of recognition in his eye. 'Well spotted, Miss Quinn.'

She just smiled in response, hoping the small talk was over.

'Please come in,' the manager extended his arm towards the front door of his hotel. 'And make yourselves at home.'

Amari sat in the bay window of her room, sipping coffee and taking in the view outside. The setting sun highlighted the tree tops as it made its way towards the horizon, gradually making them look darker against the foil of the sky.

There was a knock on the door. Her outfits have arrived. She had to send her hovercar to New York earlier that afternoon to pick up some new winter fashion, as she had nothing that would keep her warm in this arctic coldness.

She laid her clothes on the bed. She could start getting ready now, but she decided to go back to her spot at the window and finish watching the sunset. There was something captivating about this place, something that made her feel calm and relaxed, as if she was thousands of miles away from the tiniest burden of everyday life. She had a notion that Daniel had chosen this room for them for that exact reason; he would have enjoyed its atmosphere and the beauty unfolding outside.

He was already in Edinburgh. He'd messaged her in the morning saying he would be there early to take care of things so she could relax and arrive much later than normal. It was nice of him to take over, especially since he knew his way around; after all, this was his hometown. It reminded Amari of the first ever _Carpe Diem's_ concert she went to with Daniel – she actually felt more like a guest than an organizer on this one.

The sun disappeared, but the spectacle wasn't over. Now the stars decorated the sky, so bright and numerous that if she decided to take a night walk through Gleneagles' famous golf course, she wouldn't need her idatron to light up the path. She now remembered Daniel saying that there weren't enough decent hotels in the countryside; they always had to stay in the cities where the artificial lights got in the way of the stars.

She peeled herself away from the window and started getting ready.

On her way to Murrayfield Stadium, Amaranthine found herself stuck in traffic; Edinburgh had only two hoverways, which wasn't quite enough for the number of vehicles cruising the city on a Saturday night. 'In a city with narrow streets and beautiful old buildings like Edinburgh the last thing we want is six levels of hovercars whizzing by our windows every minute of the day,' she remembered Daniel saying during one of their discussions a few months ago.

This leisurely pace suited her, though. She had purposefully programmed her hovercar to take her through the city center so that she could have a look at it. She entered the city from the east, passed the old sea harbor of Leith and was now gliding along the main artery of the city, Princes' Street, flanked by designer stores on the right and city gardens on the left, and surmounted with the majestic Edinburgh Castle. Down below a colorful crowd gathered around the stalls of the Christmas Market and people of all ages were getting entertained on the ice rink and the Ferris wheel. The whole place imparted festive spirit and was strangely magical... Just like Daniel had described it.

Having passed the city center, Amari's hovercar accelerated, and soon dropped her off at the Murrayfield Stadium.

Inside, everything was running smoothly. The stage was prepped, the security in place, early arriving VIPs happy with full glasses in their hands. Daniel had taken care of everything, although at that moment he was nowhere to be seen. All she had left to do was to grab a cocktail herself and converse with the clients.

'Hi, Amaranthine.'

She turned to see the familiar blue eyes sparkling in a face tanned golden brown.

'Hi, Daniel.'

'Can I talk to you for a second?'

Her heart raced against her will as she excused herself from the circle and they stood face to face.

'It's good to see you,' he said. 'You look beautiful.'

'Thanks.' His words weren't helping her control her heart rate. 'It's good to see you, too.'

There was an awkward moment before he spoke.

'Look, there's something I need to discuss with you. About tonight.'

'Sure,' she said, happy to have something work-related to focus on. 'It looks like you've taken care of everything, but if there's anything that needs done...'

'No, all is good for the concert,' he said, 'it's about later on tonight. Patrick and the boys had a request. They wanted to have a Christmas party for their families and friends after they finish. All of their folks are here to see them play, and with it being their last concert before the holidays... I couldn't say no.'

'Why would you?' she said, 'of course they should have a party.'

'It's a bit of a short notice, I know.'

Silence again.

'What is it?' she asked, unable to stand the tension.

'Do you think... I mean... Would you come along?'

'If you think I should,' she said, trying to read his face for clues, 'I mean, it's my job to look after my clients.'

'You know what I mean, Amari. It's a Christmas party, the families will be...'

'I can handle it, Daniel,' she didn't let him finish.

'My family will be there, too,' he said after another pause. 'I know they are hoping to thank you for what you did for Susan, but you really don't have to...'

'I'll be there,' she cut him off again. 'Just send me the details. Is there anything else?'

'No, I just wanted to give you the heads up about tonight.'

'Ok, then. I guess I'll see you after.'

'Yeah,' he said, still lingering. 'By the way, I hope you are comfortable at Gleneagles.'

'Yes,' she couldn't help but give a little smile. 'Very comfortable. Thank you.'

He gave her a long look, but then just nodded and walked away.

_Carpe Diem_ didn't keep their fans waiting. When they burst onto the stage, the crowd below exploded. Amaranthine had seen groups of hysterical girls and wild young men cause mayhem in front of the stage before, but this was something else. After John shouted 'Good evening, Bonnie Scotland!' to the microphone, the band weren't able to start playing for longer than their first song would usually last. The masses of Scottish fans clapped and cheered continuously, raising the volume every time John tried to speak. No other crowd had given _Carpe Diem_ an ovation like this before, even at the end of their performance. Here, they went ecstatic before the boys even played a note.

Not knowing how to react, John, Patrick, Will and Joe came to the front of the stage to wave and bow until the fans felt the greeting was enough. The first song began, John's voice shaky with emotion.

Every song they performed sounded like the band had grown wings, feeding off the energy of the crowd. By the end of the concert – _Carpe Diem_ didn't take a break, for the first time ever – even Amaranthine's VIPs were singing the lyrics with John and tapping the beat with Joe's drums.

'What a voice!' they shouted when the third encore was over and the band put their instruments down. 'What drumming!'

'These lads are going down in history, I'll be damned if they don't!' said another man from the VIP section, clapping his hands harder than anyone as _Carpe Diem_ boys waved and bowed in front of the stage again, all four dripping with sweat and exhausted, but with the biggest grins on their faces.

And then, just as they were to leave the stage, Gary run to the front of it and whispered something to John's ear. Amaranthine could feel tension rise amongst the thousands of people gathered at the stadium, she could hear everyone think the same thing – what was wrong? What was the emergency? Could something horrible have happened to spoil this perfect night?

All eyes were on John as he slowly stepped back to fetch his microphone. For a few seconds there was a desert silence in this venue packed full with fans of rock.

'I have something to tell you, folks,' John's voice resounded, slow and clear, reaching every person as if he stood right by their ear. 'It's snowing outside!!! Merry Christmas everyone!!!'

All eyes travelled upwards where the retractable roof started to open, letting in a cloud of snowflakes. The mayhem that followed made the greeting ovation seem like a shy cheer.

When the band disappeared behind the scenes and the crowds dispersed, Amaranthine saw to her VIPs getting safely to their hovercars. When she was finally free, she switched on her idatron and picked up Daniel's message. The venue for the party was a bar in the city center called _Lord Tennyson's_.

Amaranthine stayed behind, wrapping up loose ends with Murrayfield Stadium management and the security staff – things she would normally leave to deal with the next morning. She even collected all video material from the concert that'd only just finished, edited it herself and uploaded onto _Carpe Diem's_ globenet site. The upcoming Christmas break gave her a great excuse for doing all this so late at night; she simply told anyone who asked that she wanted to deal with everything before her vacation. The true reason for her procrastinating lay somewhere completely different, though, and she was aware of it.

_Carpe Diem's_ Christmas party.

Despite working with them for the last nine months, Amaranthine knew that their world existed in a different dimension from hers. She could handle doing business with Mortals, she even had a very satisfying relationship with one of them; a relationship that taught her a lot and that she valued even now when it was over. But going to this party was stepping onto their turf and into their private lives, lives in which they were surrounded by their families and customs; lives that were through and through mortal. She knew she didn't belong in there; she knew that however courteous and polite they would try to be to her, she would feel like an elephant in the room.

Balancing on being unacceptably late, she finally got into her hovercar and headed for the bar. From the drop-off point, she had a few hundred meters up the hill along the oldest street in Edinburgh, the Royal Mile. As she walked, she passed a few very old, traditional pubs, filled to the brim with blithe people. She heard snippets of toasts, Christmas wishes, songs. A few youngsters on the other side of the street were trying to have a snow fight, making balls out of quickly thickening, furry carpet of snow. The snow was still too dry as the low temperature persisted, but it didn't seem to spoil their fun. Big snowflakes rested on her shoulders and hair, sparkling like crystal in the street lights.

_Lord Tennyson's_ was an inconspicuous place, with a narrow entrance marked by a small signboard. She would have missed it if it wasn't for Eiko guiding her to the door. She stepped in, immediately submerged in the ambiance of this place. It was lit exclusively with hundreds of real candles – yellow, orange and red – and smelled of seasoned spices, warmth and fine wood.

A member of staff checked her ID and directed her to the function suite downstairs. She walked slowly, guided by the characteristic noises of a party, a blend of conversations, clinking of glasses, laughter and background music. She recognized the sound of a fiddle and an accordion.

There was a wooden partition at the end of the hallway; right past it was the bar's function suite. Amaranthine stopped, wanting to get an overview before stepping into the room.

Out of sight, she scanned the crowd, trying to fish out Daniel. In the middle of the bar sat John, Patrick and Gary, sipping whisky. At the far end William and Joe, accompanied by three young girls – one of them was Daniel's sister Lyndsay – holding each other's shoulders, more for support than out of affection, were singing a folk song called _Seven Drunken Nights_ , a very accurate choice for their current state. Every time they made a mistake in the lyrics, the fringe of girls, also far from sober, burst out laughing.

Having spotted most of the familiar faces, Amari looked closer at the other guests. They were, as she had expected, of all ages. She tried to guess who belonged to Daniel's family, but it was impossible to know; there were a few couples in their fifties and sixties who could be his parents. They stood in circles around the bar or sat at the low wooden tables, sipping pints of dark beer and glasses of wine.

She couldn't see Daniel from her hideaway. He must have been sitting further away, behind the others, in the dense crowd. She decided to head towards the bar and join Gary, John and Patrick.

She took a deep breath and stepped into the room, bracing herself for furtive glances, conversations stopping mid-sentence and awkward attempts of small talk. _Just one hour_ , she thought, _that's all I need to put up with. Show face, be professional and polite, and I'll be free to go back to my own world._

The first circle of guests she had to squeeze past consisted of two women and four men of middle-age appearance.

'Excuse me,' she said. _Here, that's where it's all going to start. As soon as they notice me. One glance and they'll know who I am and their looks will tell me that I don't belong in here._

To her surprise, nothing happened. Two of the men let her pass, not only without judgmental looks, but with brief smiles. Then they went back to their conversation. The others in their circle didn't even give her a second glance.

The second group was exactly the same. Then the third and fourth. Everyone simply got out of her way and carried on with their business. She got to Gary and the boys without anyone paying particular attention to her.

'Hi guys,' she said, 'sorry I'm so late. I had to take care of some business after the concert.'

'Amari!' they made space for her in their circle. 'It's so cool you made it.'

'Here, have a seat.'

'Let's get you a drink. What would you like?'

'I'll have a mojito, thanks,' she said.

'Jimmy! A mojito for the lady, if you will.'

'We were just saying,' Gary said as Patrick ordered her cocktail, 'what a journey it's been this year. And how smooth you and Daniel made it for us.'

'Thanks, Gary,' she smiled, 'just doing our job.'

'You're being modest,' John said seriously, 'but just so you know, we really do appreciate how hard you've worked. Not just on the publicity front, but looking after us directly. The media would have eaten those two alive if it hadn't been for you.' He pointed his whisky glass at Joe and Will who were struggling with the last verse of _Seven Drunken Nights._

'Thank you.' She couldn't think of anything else to say. She'd never had a casual conversation like this with them, which, she realized, was a little strange considering how long they've been working together. It seemed everyone just focused on their job – the boys to play good concerts, Gary to assist them, her and Daniel to take care of everything else with the help of Tom, Maddie, Frankie and Angela. She was surprised they noticed specific tasks she did on their behalf.

'You guys were particularly good tonight,' she said. 'And what a welcome from your Scottish fans, I've never seen anything like it.'

'Blew our minds, too,' Patrick grinned. 'It was a brilliant Christmas send-off.'

Despite her original intention to find Daniel as soon as possible and get over and done with meeting his family, Amari chatted to the boys for a good while, more and more surprised at how insightful and complimentary they were about her work. The details they noticed were incredible and left her gobsmacked at how little she really knew them.

Meanwhile, the band started playing again, just in time to stop Joe and Will from trying to perform another folk song. As well as the fiddle and the accordion, there were also a guitar and drums. The music they played was cheery and brisk, so much so that soon the little dance floor was full of people, amongst them Angela and Frankie performing a rather complicated routine of intricate steps, turns and jumps. Soon others formed into couples and followed their lead. Amari watched, fascinated.

'What is this dance?' she asked John. 'How do they know all the steps?'

'It's a ceilidh,' he explained. 'Every kid in Scotland knows a few of these. They're quite easy, actually, despite appearances. This one's called the _Gay Gordon's_. You wanna try?'

'You're kidding, right?' she laughed. 'No, I'll just watch if that's ok.'

'It's really much easier than is looks,' he said. 'If you watch closely, you'll notice how the steps keep repeating over and over. A bit like your line or square dancing.'

'I've always imagined Scottish dancing to be highly skilled,' she said. 'With elements of ballet.'

'That's highland dancing you're thinking about,' John said. 'This is ceilidh. There's a big difference. Anyone can dance ceilidh.'

She looked back at the dance floor, now filled with more than ten couples. She tried to observe the steps, but they still seemed far too fast and complicated to follow. Then a new piece of music started and there was a commotion as the dancers tried to figure out the new routine.

'This one's the _Military Two Step,_ ' John explained again. 'It's quite easy also.'

Indeed, the dancers figured it out quite quickly and soon moved in a more organized way, forming a circle and moving forwards and backwards in synch. A few more couples joined in, including Lyndsay and Joe and Maddie with her partner, presumably the boyfriend she went on about so much in the last few weeks. The audience standing near the dance floor clapped and cheered.

'Is Daniel still here?' Amaranthine asked, remembering that she hadn't seen him.

'Sure, he's around. Last time I saw him he was helping his sis out with the baby.'

'Helping out with a baby?'

'Yes, his newest nephew, Susan's son, remember?'

'Oh, yes, of course.'

'Ah, there he is,' John pointed behind her back.

Amaranthine turned around on her tall bar stool.

He stood in the far end of the room, where he'd probably been all along, except now she could see him thanks to part of the crowd having moved over to the dance floor. His sister Susan sat at a nearby table, engaged in a conversation with an older couple and a man her age. Daniel paced around, swinging a white bundle in his arms.

He was wearing a kilt made of deep purple and blue tartan. The white blanket in which the baby was wrapped was in stark contrast to his indigo-blue shirt. There was something incredibly caring about the way he held his nephew, as if he was holding the most fragile thing on the planet. She saw him smile at the baby, although it seemed like the little boy was sound asleep.

Suddenly he looked down at the table where his family sat and Amari realized that Susan was pulling his sleeve, drawing his attention to the fact that Amari was there. She felt embarrassed, unsure how long she had her eyes fixed on him from across the room. Susan waved to her and smiled, before taking her son from Daniel. Amari waved back and straightened up on her stool. She looked at him settle the baby in his mother's arms and giving him a kiss before he moved towards the bar.

He looked incredible. The kilt not only enhanced his features, it also seemed like it made him feel more comfortable than any other outfit she'd ever seen him wear. His disheveled hair, casual gait and facial hair all seemed to be a part of his attire. She felt an overwhelming desire to hug and kiss him.

'Sorry, I didn't see you come in,' he said with a smile. His eyes pierced her with their blue magnetic force. 'It's good you made it.'

'It's good to see you,' she said, unable to tear her gaze from his face.

'Let me get you another drink,' he said, glancing at her empty glass and beckoned the barman. 'Seems like our boys are so much on holiday that they forgot their manners.'

'Oi, brother,' John protested. 'We were looking after her all right, don't you worry. Even tried to make her dance ceilidh.'

'You wanna try it?' Daniel asked.

'No way,' she shook her head. 'I would break my both legs if I did.'

'At ceilidh? You're kidding. No one's ever broken their both legs dancing ceilidh. It's really easy, despite looking hard at first.'

'So John tells me,' she said. 'But I seriously don't think it's a good idea. Even if I didn't break my legs, I would spoil everyone else's enjoyment. It seems quite coordinated.'

'You're missing the best thing about ceilidh,' Daniel said.

'What's that?'

'The more mistakes you make, the more fun it is.'

'I doubt that.'

'You won't know till you try,' he teased her.

'Maybe another time.'

'Ok, fair enough,' he said, picking up two glasses of mojito from the bar and handing her one. She took a sip.

'Do you train staff in every bar you go to how to make your mojito?' she asked.

'Yep,' he smiled proudly. 'How well do they make it here?'

'Perfectly.'

'I see you've figured out how far my brother's mojito obsession goes,' Susan joined in the conversation, emerging from behind Daniel's back.

'There's nothing wrong with perfection, sis,' Daniel fired back, putting his arm around her. 'So long as you are a perfectionist over things that matter, that is.'

'That's my brother right there,' Susan shook her head, 'impossible to argue with. Hello, Amari, it's nice to see you again. It's been a while.'

'It has, hasn't it,' Amari shook her hand. 'I'm afraid business has been pretty hectic in the last few months.'

'I can imagine,' Susan said, 'but it's ok, you're here now and you don't have to worry about work for a few days.'

'Yes, I must say it's a nice feeling,' Amari said, realizing that she actually meant it. 'How are you feeling?'

'I'm great,' Susan smiled. 'I've been like new since I got out of the hospital. This is my husband, Nick,' she introduced the man who'd just joined them.

'It's a pleasure to meet you at last,' Nick said, shaking her hand with both of his. 'I just wanted to thank you for what you did for our family.'

'You're welcome,' Amari replied, realizing that this was the moment she had been dreading, and now could not understand for what reason. These people were... nice. Down to earth. They spoke their mind in a natural, straightforward manner that made it easy to respond. They made her feel comfortable.

'Can I borrow you for a sec, Amari?' Susan said, 'our parents would really like to meet you.'

'Of course,' she said, standing up. Her heart picked up the pace.

They walked over to the corner where the older couple sat. They both had completely silver hair.

'Mum, Dad, this is Amari,' Susan said as if she was introducing someone famous. 'Amari, this is my Mum, Cathy, and my Dad, Mark.'

She looked in turn into their eyes that shone with gratitude. She stretched out her arm for handshakes, but none of them stopped at that. Instead, they both gave her big, hearty hugs. However unexpected, their gestures felt strangely fitting and natural.

'We will never be able to repay you for what you did for our daughter,' Mrs. Collins said. 'All we can hope for is that that good karma will come back to you when you least expect it.'

'Thank you,' Amari said, looking up at Mr. Collins and finding it hard to believe that this tall, jolly man was the inventor of the hovering engine. 'I really didn't do much, it was a lucky coincidence.'

She felt something squeeze between her and Susan, brushing against her leg. She looked down and saw a little girl in a cute pink dress. She was clutching a big envelope in her hands and looking up shyly.

'Ah, there you are,' Susan put her hand on the girl's shoulder. 'Amari, this is my daughter, Chloe. Chloe, this is Amari.'

Not sure what to do, Amari extended her hand. The girl looked at her with her huge, brilliantly blue eyes. Then, instead of shaking her hand, she handed Amari the envelope.

'Thank you for saving my Mummy,' she said.

Unsure how to respond and aware of everyone looking at her, Amari sat down to put her drink away and open the envelope.

Inside, there was a folded card decorated with pictures of flowers, butterflies and hearts drawn with a child's hand. The biggest one, occupying the center of the card, depicted a group of people holding hands.

Amari glanced up at Susan, but the look on her face told her that she was also seeing Chloe's creation for the first time. She sat down, looking at it curiously.

'Why don't you tell Amari who they all are?' she suggested.

The girl wriggled herself between the two women and started pointing.

'This is my Mummy and my Daddy,' she said, 'and my baby brother, and grandma and grandpa, and uncle Gerry and auntie Lyndsay, and me.'

'And here?' Amari asked, pointing at a couple at the edge of the group, also holding hands.

'My uncle Danny and auntie Amari,' the girl said with a proud grin, revealing cute dimples in her rosy cheeks.

The moment of silence that followed told Amari that everyone was just as embarrassed as she was.

'Wow, you remembered everyone,' Susan said in the end, trying to salvage the situation, 'but Amari is not your auntie, sweetheart. She's uncle Danny's friend.'

The big grin disappeared from Chloe's face, her mouth taking a shape of an upside-down horseshoe.

'But Mummy, uncle Danny said Amari was beautiful,' she said in a little voice.

'And she is,' Susan smiled at her daughter.

'So why can't she be my auntie? I like her.'

Susan opened her mouth but nothing came out of it. She glanced around the table, begging for help with her eyes.

Amari cleared her throat. 'You can call me your auntie tonight, if you like,' she offered.

'Really?' Chloe's face transformed again. And before anyone managed to react, she threw her arms around Amari's neck and hugged her.

Flabbergasted, Amari froze to the spot. She had no idea how to react.

The little girl's arms were warm and soft around her neck and her chamomile-scented hair tickled her cheek. She looked into the eyes of Daniel's family which glistened with affection.

Amari put her arms around Chloe's back and pressed her to her heart.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' one of the musicians said to the microphone as soon as the applause died down. 'May we suggest, for the last dance of the night, that everyone joins in for _Strip the Willow_!'

'Strip the Willow!' Chloe exclaimed, jumping off Amari's lap, where she'd climbed a few minutes ago and refused to leave, clearly fascinated with her new 'auntie.' 'Mummy, can I dance it, too?'

_Wow, Patrick was right,_ Amari thought, _it seems that even kids in Scotland know a few of those ceilidh dances._

'Only if daddy dances with you, honey,' Susan said, 'why don't you go ask him,' she pointed at Nick who still stood by the bar with Daniel, Patrick and Gary.

Chloe ran to her father and pulled his sleeve, then started jumping up and down with excitement. Nick swept his eyes across the room; it seemed most people had abandoned their drinks and were now forming two rows on the dance floor and beyond it. Men and women faced each other with a couple of meters of free space between them.

Nick put his drink away, picked up his daughter and they joined the formation. Chloe squealed with delight.

Amari felt somebody's gaze on her. She looked back at the bar and met Daniel's eyes. _Damn, he looks handsome tonight_ , she couldn't stop thinking.

He put his drink away and briskly walked over to her. When he was next to her, he extended his arm and grabbed her hand.

'Come on, you have to try this one,' he said, 'it'll be fun.'

'Daniel, no, I have no idea what to do,' she protested, but as she realized that only very few guests weren't joining in the dance, her resistance abated. Also because now that she was finally close to Daniel and touching him, she wanted it to last.

'Don't worry,' he pulled her towards the end of the two rows of dancers. She joined the women's row, he – the men's. 'By the time they get to us, you'll know the steps off by heart. Just watch the front of the line.'

She followed his advice. As the first pair of dancers joined both hands together and started spinning, she peeked down the tunnel formed by the two rows of people, and tried to observe and remember what they were doing. Patrick had said that in ceilidh steps repeat over and over again, so hopefully she'd catch on. She was still nervous, though.

The dancing crowd clapped in time with the music and counted the first couple's spins. When it came to eight, the pair split and the woman extended her arm towards the first man in the men's row, whilst her partner did the same towards the first woman in the women's row. They locked elbows with their new partners, swirled round once, and then repeated the same move with their original partner in the free space between the rows. Then they split again and repeated the same routine with the next person.

They quickly moved down the tunnel of people, constantly spinning and picking next men and women from both rows to perform a twirl with them. When they were eight couples down, the next pair from the front of the formation followed suit.

Amari started to understand the rules. She relaxed a little, although was still self-conscious not to miss the moment when it would be her turn to perform a spin with the male dancer.

It all went well, though, and the move was quick and easy; she was back to her spot in a couple of seconds. The first pair swung eight more times at the end of the tunnel and took their places past her and Daniel, laughing, panting and holding their heads that must have been dizzy as hell.

The second couple were on their way, and then the third and fourth. Amari felt more and more at ease and by the time her and Daniel's turn came, she was bursting with excitement.

They looked at each other as they waited for the beginning of the tact, and when it came, they swung, all the while looking at each other's eyes and smiling, then laughing like kids. Amari was already dizzy after the eight spins, but the dance was only just beginning.

_Wahey!!_ she thought, _here we go!!!_

She caught the elbow of the next man in the row, the one who had started the whole dance with his partner. Then she met up with Daniel in the middle. Elbows locked, quick spin, and the next partner. Then Daniel again, then Gary, then Daniel and next was Susan's husband Nick. There were about two dozen men in the line, amongst them all of the band members, Maddie's boyfriend, Frankie, Tom and even Daniel's father. Their happy faces surrounded her from all directions, as she weaved her way between them and Daniel, all the way to the bottom of the formation. The simplicity and complete madness of this dance made her feel like she was five years old again.

When Daniel and her completed their final swings, she was short of breath and dizzy, but felt so carefree and light that she couldn't stop laughing. What a crazy idea this dance was! She looked at Daniel, who was also panting and laughing out loud.

The band finished playing and the dancers gave them a round of applause. _Not a bad strategy to play this as the last dance, and get everyone involved,_ Amari thought. _I can't see anybody here begging for more – we are all exhausted!_

The bar announced last orders, but Amari asked for water. _Strip the Willow_ was a bit of a shock to her system; she couldn't remember the last time she felt so spontaneous and unrestrained, and she didn't want to dull her mood with alcohol.

She looked at Daniel, who was helping Susan put a hat and jacket on Chloe, and realized she had felt like this before. Many times. Trying new foods. Skiing on glaciers. Going up in hot air balloons and diving, horse riding and swimming with dolphins. Watching sunsets and sun eclipses, Aurora Borealis and meteor showers, sailing and lying on real beaches... And making love.

Everything that Daniel showed her, made her try or taught her, made her feel _alive_. Made her feel like every minute of her life mattered, and was worth living to the full.

The bar bell, announcing end of service for tonight, jerked her out of her thoughts. It was one o'clock in the morning.

24th of December had started and hour ago. Her immortali day.

_I must go,_ she thought. _I mustn't_ _allow myself to keep thinking about Daniel. We've had an amazing relationship, but the differences between us are just too great to overcome. He seems to have moved on and so have I. I don't want to jeopardize our friendship and business partnership again._

She collected her things and said quick goodbyes, taking advantage of the fact that everyone was trying to say goodbye to everyone else at the same time.

She went over to Daniel and touched his shoulder.

'Goodnight, Daniel,' she said, summoning all her self-control to make it sound light and friendly, 'thank you for a wonderful evening.'

'I'm glad you enjoyed yourself,' he said, 'told ya you could do ceilidh.'

'Yeah,' she laughed, 'nothing like discovering a new talent in oneself. Thanks for, you know, dragging me over there to try.'

'Anytime,' he said.

'I must be going,' she said after a pause. And after a moment's hesitation, she added, 'Merry Christmas.'

'Merry Christmas, Amari,' he said. 'Have a nice break. I'll see you next year.'

She nodded and took a step back, but he didn't let her just leave. He pulled her towards him, wrapped his arms around her and hugged her for a few good moments.

She hugged him back, but as soon as he let go off her, she retreated without looking back. She didn't want him to see the tears that misted her eyes.
**CHAPTER TWENTY THREE**

Two hours later she was approaching her New York apartment and dreading the moment she'd arrive there. It would be empty and she would be alone.

Her encounter with the Mortals was the complete opposite from what she had expected and she still felt overwhelmed. She realized that the image of that meeting she had created in her mind was completely ungrounded and ringing with her still-lingering prejudices against the Mortals, and her total ignorance regarding their world.

They all treated her so well. They included her, made her feel welcome and judged her only on her actions, not on who she was biologically. The matter of her immortality didn't come up once. To them, it was irrelevant.

And then there were Daniel's folks, who quite simply treated her like she was part of the family. Even Lyndsay was friendly with her. She could just put it down to their gratitude for helping Susan, but it was too obvious there was so much more to it. She had a feeling they would treat her just the same, even if she wasn't involved in Susan's recovery.

Their acceptance and kindness, she was sure, was more down to how Daniel felt about her than anything else.

No one mentioned it, and yet things they said intimated that they all knew he cared about her. Hell, if a 5-year-old managed to get the gist of it, the whole family had to be aware that there was something between them, even if Lyndsay didn't spill the beans about catching them in bed together.

She arrived at her portal and stepped into her living room. She knew it would be empty and quiet, as it always was, but this was the first time it bothered her.

The first time she felt lonely.

_It's only because I'm exhausted and I've just come from a party that was full of nice people_ , she reasoned with herself. _I had a great time, listened to great music, had drinks and a laugh. Not to mention I danced like a mad person. I just need to wind down and I'll be fine._

She reasoned for a while longer, but she knew she wasn't believing herself. She went to bed but lay wide awake for a long time. The feeling of loneliness persisted.

It was hours later that she finally drifted off to sleep.

She woke up more exhausted than she was when she went to bed.

She stayed in bed for a long while, thinking again. _24_ th _December. My immortali day is here again. In a few hours, I'll be in my Immortality Clinic and for the 56_ th _time I'll have my life extended by another year. Just like my parents wanted me to._

She clutched her Ankh cross pendant in her fist as she thought of her family. She always felt closer to them on her immortali day, but today thinking about them wasn't filling the emptiness she felt.

She got up and started getting ready. She'd better get there earlier this time, all the extra treatments she was eligible for may take a long time.

When she was dressed, she sat on her sofa with a cup of coffee and sipped slowly. Time was passing quickly and it was getting close to her appointment, but she couldn't bring herself to rush.

Images of last night started coming back to her. All the faces that smiled at her as soon as she appeared. Genuine kindness and care. The feeling of being included, accepted as a part of a family. She'd never had that sort of feeling before.

And Daniel. Daniel in his kilt, looking so good she could hardly control herself not to touch him. Daniel holding the baby and playing with Chloe. Daniel looking at her and not saying what his eyes were saying. And hugging her at the end like he never wanted to let her go.

She put her cup down.

Why does it have to be so complicated?

Because she was immortal and he wasn't.

But he'd said he loved her. She dismissed it then, but now...

She looked back on her life and imagined the years to come. _What will I be doing? Probably the same as I've always done. Entertain other people and make a lot of money in the process. For how long? A hundred more years? Two hundred? Five?_

And in that time Daniel will meet someone, get married and start a family with her. He'll have children and look after them the way he looks after his niece and nephew. He'll show them and his wife all the fascinating things on Earth... They will live their lives to the full. _And I'll keep living mine to entertain hordes of selfish, arrogant, judgmental Immortals who have no idea how great life can be if you share it with others... And being free to sleep with anyone I choose, but never meeting anybody who'd truly care about me._

She got up, summoned her hovercar and ordered it to take her back to Scotland.

She spent the time it took her to fly over the Atlantic trying to come to grips with her sudden decision. She had no idea what made her turn her life upside down like that, but she had never felt more sure it was the right thing to do.

Suddenly, with this simple decision, the door to her life with Daniel became wide open. There were no more barriers between them, there was nothing stopping them from being together. Would it be forever? She had no idea, but the chance was there. It wasn't doomed to failure anymore.

_That's if he'll have me back,_ she thought. She was hoping he would, but suddenly a worry crept in. _What if I blew it by refusing to spend the Christmas break with him? What if, despite him still having feelings for me, he'd decided it wasn't worth trying again?_

But she didn't turn back. There was only one way to find out.

'Have you located the Collins residence yet, Eiko?' she asked.

'There are a few in Edinburgh,' Eiko replied. 'One in Stockbridge, two in Morningside, four in Portobello...'

'Cross-reference with first initials,' Amari interrupted. 'C for Cathy and M for Mark. Also, it's somewhere near a park or a meadow...'

'I've got a match,' Eiko said. 'There is a C. and M. Collins residence in Bruntsfield, near an area called The Meadows.'

'That must be the one.'

As the coast of Ireland appeared on the horizon, Amari's heart started pounding. In a few minutes, she'd face the moment of truth.

Mr. and Mrs. Collins' house was one of those traditional family homes built from sandstone. The well-kept lawn was covered with a layer of snow that glistened in the street lights. A colorful Christmas tree filled one of the bay windows flanking the main entrance and strings of fairy lights decorated the window frames.

Amari rang the doorbell and stepped back, trying to calm herself with a series of deep breaths, but the fresh winter air made her lightheaded. She could hear voices and music coming from the depths of the house.

The smell of home baking hit her like a warm wave as the door swung open. In the frame stood Susan, holding sweets and money in her hand.

'I can't hear you singing!' she said before looking at the person standing on the doorstep. It took her a few seconds to recognize Amaranthine.

'Amari!' she exclaimed, surprised but happy, 'I took you for carol singers!' she laughed. 'Come on in.'

Amaranthine hesitated. 'I don't want to disturb you,' she said, 'I was just hoping to speak to Daniel if he's here.'

At that moment, a gust of wind blew a little blizzard into the house. She had no choice but to step in and close the door.

'He's been gone for a little while,' Susan said, 'but he should be back soon. Come on in, I'll let him know you're here.'

She led Amari across the hall into a spacious kitchen where the family sat around a big table mounted with food.

'Everyone, look who's here!' Susan announced. 'Isn't it great?'

'Auntie Amari!' Chloe jumped off her grandfather's lap and darted across the kitchen to hug her. 'Merry Christmas Eve!'

Amaranthine picked her up, feeling her eyes water at this welcome. 'Merry Christmas Eve, sweetheart,' she replied, amazed at how good it felt to say it.

Everyone got up to greet her and before she knew it she was seated behind the table with a plate in front of her.

'Here, have something to eat, dear,' Mrs. Collins encouraged her. 'What would you like to drink?'

'A cup of coffee would be great, thank you.'

'I'll just let Daniel know you're here,' Susan said, leaving the kitchen. A moment later, a steaming cup of coffee claimed a spot next to her plate.

'Here you are, dear,' Mrs. Collins said with a smile, 'just cream, no sugar, is that right?'

'Yes, that's right,' Amari replied, shocked. _What has Daniel been telling them about me?_

She helped herself to some cookies, the ones that filled the house with the aroma of baking, and glanced around the table.

'Does Gerry have to work today as well?' she asked just to start a conversation somehow. She knew that he'd missed last night's party because of work.

'Yeah, you know what it's like at this time of year,' Mrs. Collins replied. 'But he'll be here tomorrow. He wouldn't miss the Christmas dinner for the world.'

'I can see why,' Amari said, tasting one of the cookies. 'If all your cooking is as delicious as these, it's well worth it.'

'Thank you, dear, that's very kind of you,' Mrs. Collins smiled at her and Amari realized that there was something incredibly lovely about her face. Despite the signs of ageing, she looked youthful and energetic. Her eyes had a warm shine to them and when she smiled, all the wrinkles that appeared bore witness to the fact that she'd worn a smile on her face all her life. _If I have to grow old, I hope I end up looking like her,_ Amari thought.

'And is Lyndsay away?' she asked again.

'Oh, no, that one is still in bed,' Mrs. Collins said, 'I'd imagine she has a hangover from hell after last night.'

Susan returned to the kitchen. 'Daniel will be here in about half an hour,' she said, at which Amari's heart jumped to her throat.

She was talking with Nick and Susan about _Carpe Diem's_ music when he arrived. She heard the main door shut and his quick steps across the hall. When he appeared in the kitchen door, his coat and hair sparkling with melting snowflakes, she felt her legs go numb. For a moment she was sure she wouldn't be able to stand up.

'Is it still snowing?' Susan asked Daniel, 'at this rate we'll have enough snow to build a snowman, right, Chloe?' The girl giggled with delight.

'Yeah, it's pretty steady,' Daniel said, taking his coat off and glancing around the table. His gaze rested on Amari.

'What a nice surprise to see you here,' he gave her a look that made her heart sink to the pit of her stomach. 'I see Mum's been feeding you all her specials.'

'Yes, and everything is absolutely delicious.' She was dying to know where he'd been but it didn't feel appropriate to ask.

'Why don't you give Amari a tour of the house, darling,' Mrs. Collins said naturally. Amari felt like hugging her.

'Sure, that's a good idea,' Daniel jumped at the opportunity, 'c'mon, I'll show you the living room first.'

He took her across the hall to the room which had the Christmas tree in the bay window. The rest of the family stayed tactfully behind.

'Would you like a drink?' he asked, inviting her to take a seat at the coffee table.

'Sure, that'd be great,' she answered automatically, although it was quite early for alcohol.

She watched him as he measured out spirits and juices into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. It seemed he had the full kit at his little home bar.

He handed her the cocktail. It had the same slight pink tinge and the faint flowery scent and taste. It was the best one she'd had yet.

'I think it's time you revealed your mojito secret to me,' she said after taking a sip. 'It's not fair that I should not know how my favorite drink is made.'

'Ok, if you really want to know,' he said, giving her a look that made her tremble. 'The pink leaves are rose petals.'

'Rose petals? Really, that's it? I can't believe I haven't recognized them earlier.'

'The mint makes it harder,' he explained.

'And where do you get fresh rose petals from at this time of year?'

'My Mum's greenhouse.'

'But I still don't understand why it didn't taste the same when Eiko made it,' she said. 'The rose petals were there, and the pink color, but I couldn't smell or taste them. Are you using some special kind?'

'The secret is not where the petals come from,' he explained, 'but how they are crushed. All good barmen know that rose petals must be crushed gently, with what we call a _push and twist_ movement, and only with a wooden or plastic muddler. This technique opens the cells in the petals, releasing the scent and taste. Your machine probably cut through them with metal blades, which wouldn't open the cells properly.'

'Wow,' she said, 'so that's your little secret. Magic touch.'

'Yep, that's pretty much it,' he smiled, 'but hush, don't tell anyone.'

'My lips are sealed.'

The air tensed as they both knew the small talk was over.

'You were the last person I expected to see today,' Daniel finally said in a quiet voice. 'I thought you'd be at your appointment.'

'Me, too,' she said.

'So what happened?'

'I'm not exactly sure,' she whispered, 'It just suddenly dawned on me that it was not where I wanted to be.'

He smiled and shook his head, but said nothing. She couldn't read anything out of his face.

'I came here instead,' she said, 'I thought you'd be with your family all day.'

'That was the plan,' he said. 'But then I realized there was someone else I wanted to be with today. And that I was prepared to do anything to be with that person.'

Their eyes locked. He took her hand and guided it to the nape of his neck. Under her fingers, she recognized a round plaster just above his top vertebra. Just like the one she would have in the same place right now if she had gone to her appointment.

'I was on my way from the clinic to your place when Susan called,' he managed to say before she threw herself into his arms.

'And do you remember when Lyns was three and she tried to keep up with Dan and Gerry and she fell into a pit full of nestles?' Susan said, pouring more gravy on her roast beef, 'poor thing screamed all the way home.'

'Ah, I _do_ remember that,' Lyndsay said, her mouth half full. 'Wish I didn't. I spent the whole afternoon in a bath full of tepid water that was meant to help but did bugger all.'

They all sat at the big kitchen table most of the day, listening to family stories and devouring the never-ending plates of meats, cheeses, vegetables and sweets that Mrs. Collins made sure kept finding their way to the table. Despite having a big dining room as well as the living room, no one was keen to move the party elsewhere. 'I don't even know why we have those other rooms,' Mrs. Collins said to Amari, 'nobody ever spends any time anywhere apart from the kitchen.' There was pride in her voice.

'The best parties are always in the kitchen,' Daniel said, swallowing another cookie, 'must be our nomadic instincts that tell us to stay close to the food supplies.'

'Whatever you say, dear,' Mrs. Collins said, 'but we're not having the Christmas dinner here. I expect the dining room to be set for tomorrow. And Amari, you are of course most welcome to stay over and join us tomorrow.'

'Thank you,' she said, touched. 'Nothing would make me happier.'

'Why is Christmas called Christmas?' Chloe asked all of a sudden, glancing up at Lyndsay, on whose lap she was sitting.

'I suppose it's named after Jesus Christ,' she replied, taken aback, 'cause I guess tomorrow is his birthday.'

'Who is he?' Chloe wanted to know more, 'and which party will he go to if everyone is having one?'

Lyndsay looked around the table of support. 'Why don't you ask granddad, sweetie.'

Chloe climbed onto Mr. Collins' lap and gave him an expectant look.

'Well, my dear,' he started, 'what we celebrate at Christmas isn't really anybody's birthday.'

'It's not?'

'No.'

'So what _do_ we celebrate?'

'Well,' he said, 'I want you to imagine how people lived many, many years ago when they didn't know how to build houses and keep them warm. Where do you think they stayed?'

'In the forest?' Chloe guessed.

'Smart girl,' Mr. Collins said, 'they stayed in forests and caves and they collected fruit and hunted animals to eat. Now imagine they didn't have light or fire. When the night came, they had to hide from predators and hope they wouldn't be found out.'

Chloe nodded, confirming that she was imagining.

'So how do you think they felt in the morning?'

'Cold?' Chloe guessed again.

'Yes, sweetie, that too. But they also felt very happy, because it was getting light and warm again as the new day started. And where did the light and warmth come from?'

'The sun!'

'Of course. So because they didn't know what the sun was, but they liked it, they started being grateful to it. They thought it was a powerful person, a God. People in different countries gave the sun different names. One of those names was Jesus Christ. Have you seen pictures of Jesus Christ with rays of sun around his head?'

'No.'

'Ok, I'll show you sometime.'

'But why is Christmas tomorrow?'

'Well, you know that when you play outside in the summer it's light until 10pm, right?'

'Uh-huh.'

'And how about now? Could you play outside until 10pm?'

'No.'

'Why is that?'

'Because it's dark and scary.'

'Exactly. The days are longer in the summer and shorter in winter. People noticed that even when they lived in caves. They thought the sun was losing a battle against the darkness. But then they also noticed that days become shorter and shorter, but around Christmas they again start being longer and longer.'

'So the sun wins?'

'Yes, exactly. The days become longer, there is more light, so people are happier. They gather together to share that happiness with those they love. And because they've done it for so long, it became a tradition. Now do you understand why we celebrate Christmas and why it's tomorrow?'

'Yes, grandpa,' Chloe said, 'but I still get a bedtime story, right?'

'Of course you do, darling,' he said, kissing her on top of her head.

_And to think most Immortals are convinced that the Mortals still believe in religious superstitions,_ Amari thought. _I myself thought that for decades._

'Speaking of bedtime,' Nick said to Chloe, 'I think it's come, darling.'

'Can auntie Amari read me a story?' she asked.

'You'll need to ask her,' Nick said, ruffling her hair, 'don't forget the magic word.'

'Aunt Amari, will you read me a story, please?' she asked in a sweet voice, tilting her head and bringing out her dimples with a smile.

'Of course,' Amari said.

Susan and Nick nodded their approval. 'You'll need to show me to your room, sweetheart,' she said, picking the girl up. 'And I guess we must brush our teeth first, right?'

Chloe stayed in a little room upstairs, next to her parents' bedroom where her baby brother slept. They tiptoed to his crib so that Chloe could kiss him goodnight. He slept with his arms up by his face and little hands relaxed. Amaranthine looked at him for a few long moments, smiling to herself.

She read Chloe bedtime stories until the little girl drifted off to sleep. 'Merry Christmas, sweetheart,' she whispered as she kissed her on the forehead. Then she joined the adults downstairs.

'They're both out, sleeping like angels,' she said to Susan who was helping her mother wash up. 'Can I help with anything?'

'No, dear, you've done enough already,' Mrs. Collins said. 'Just relax.'

Amaranthine gave a big yawn. 'I think I'm ready for bed, actually,' she said. 'Thank you so much for a lovely day and for letting me stay in your home.'

'You're most welcome,' Mrs. Collins said. 'Sleep well.'

They said goodnight to everyone and headed upstairs. Daniel's room was right above the living room and also had a bay window. She sank into one of the armchairs and looked outside. The street was quiet and filled with the moonlight that reflected on the carpet of snow.

Daniel came out of the bathroom and sat in the other armchair.

'It's so beautiful here,' she said. 'You were right about my simulations. They are not real life. Eiko could never have projected this. Or your family.'

She was silent for a while, toying with her pendant. Then she slowly reached behind her neck and took it off. She weighed it in her hand.

'You miss them, don't you,' Daniel said quietly.

'Yes, I still do,' she said. 'Despite all those years... and I can't even remember them.'

'Nothing at all?'

'No,' she said sadly, 'I never could, even though I was three and a half when they died. People usually remember something from that age. But I don't.'

'I'm sorry.'

'That's ok,' she smiled at him. 'I realized you were right. I always convinced myself that I remained immortal to fulfill their wishes, but really I clutched to that link so as to feel I still had a family, even if it was just a memory... or not even a memory. An image. I lived for something that could never return. But now I have a family again.'

'You make me so happy,' Daniel said, leaning forward to take her hands into his and kiss them. 'I have something for you.'

He went over to the bedside table and took a rectangular gift box from the top drawer.

'Hey, it's not midnight yet,' she said, surprised. 'I thought we weren't allowed to open presents till Christmas Day.'

'That's right,' he said, handing her the box. 'But this isn't a Christmas gift. And you most certainly are allowed to open it today. Happy birthday, baby.'

Amari felt her heart melt. 'Thank you.'

She untied the ribbon and opened it. Inside, there was a pendant on a white gold chain. It was a _yin and yang_ symbol, beautifully crafted from crystal and obsidian.

'Just to remind you every day why the life of a Mortal is beautiful,' he said. 'This symbolizes the universal duality of our world. Day and night. Water and fire. Man and woman. Love and hatred. Life and death. Without death, life loses its meaning, its color, its value. If you think you'll never die, you can never really live.'

'I love you, Daniel,' she whispered through tears of happiness.

'I love you, too,' he replied.
**EPILOGUE**

'I think she's still hungry,' Amari said, taking the crying baby from Daniel and setting her to her breast. The crying stopped immediately.

'She must be the hungriest baby in the universe,' Daniel smiled and kissed his wife. 'She's going to grow strong and beautiful just like her mother.'

Amari shivered from happiness, looking down at her nursing daughter. 'Could you check on Josh, please, honey. I thought I heard him call a minute ago.'

Daniel got up and disappeared down the hall where the kids' bedrooms were. He was back within a couple of minutes. 'He's out, darling. Maybe he was having a dream or something.'

The doorbell rang.

'Are we expecting anyone?' Daniel asked.

'Not that I'm aware of,' Amari said, surprised.

Daniel left to answer the door. He came back accompanied by a man Amari certainly was not expecting. 'Amari, Samuel is here to see you.'

Samuel? As in my foster father? What on Earth is he doing here?

'Sam!' she exclaimed, 'what a nice surprise! Are you on your own?'

'Yes, Dorothy stayed to look after the kids,' he said. 'I'm sorry to barge in on you like this, I just really needed to speak to you.'

'Of course,' she said, 'take a seat, I'll be with you shortly, I think Ellie is ready for her bed.'

'Oh, isn't she the cutest baby I've ever seen,' Samuel said, playing with Ellie's little hand.

'Here, I'll take her, let you two talk,' Daniel offered, taking their daughter from Amari's arms. 'Say goodnight to mummy, darling.'

'So, what brings you here?' she asked when Daniel took the baby away. 'I hope everything is ok at Sunny Oaks?'

'Yes, it's all good,' he said, but looked nervous. Amari had never seen him nervous before.

'Can I get you anything? A cup of coffee or tea?'

'Actually, do you have any whisky?'

'Sure,' she said, her jaw dropping a little bit. She'd never seen him drink either. 'Are you sure you're ok?'

'Yeah, yeah,' he answered hastily. 'You have a nice house.'

'Thanks,' she handed him the drink and poured herself a glass of juice. They sat at the coffee table.

'And um... you look nice in green,' he said, clearly procrastinating, 'I've not seen you wear green since you were a little girl.'

'Thanks,' she said again, 'I forgot I liked it until about three years ago.'

'There is something I need to tell you,' Samuel finally started, then took a sip of his whisky. He screwed his face at the taste and looked like he was going to spit it out.

'Sam, it's ok,' she put her hand on his. 'Just relax. What is it?'

'Well,' he started, cupping his hands around the crystal glass. 'Do you remember how we've always told you that you arrived at Sunny Oaks when you were three and a half years old?'

'Yes,' she said, sensing what the continuation would be. 'Wasn't that the case?'

'Not exactly,' he said, avoiding her eyes, 'you were actually a bit younger.'

'How much younger?'

'By a year and a half. You were only two.'

'So why did you tell me I was three and a half?'

'It wasn't easy for us, Amari,' he looked at her now, his eyes brimming with tears, 'but we were trying to protect you. Your father was in shock after your mother died and he was unable to look after you. It was the best we could do at the time.'

'What do you mean, my father? You knew him? You told me both my parents died in a car crash! And I saw... their death certificates!'

'I know, Amari,' he dropped his gaze again, 'the lies you were told have no justification other than your father was in such a state that it was the best we could do for you then.'

'How could living in an orphanage instead of with my family be the best?'

'It was your father's decision,' he said very quietly, 'he knew he wouldn't be able to look after you when he lost Lillian.'

'How... did she die?' Amari asked through knotted throat.

'At childbirth,' he answered. 'She was having their second baby. It didn't survive, either.'

'My parents had another child after me?' it was getting too much to take for Amaranthine. 'And they had me... _after_ TAMI?'

'Yes, they did,' Sam nodded. 'They gave up their immortality to have you. You were born in 2026, not 2025.'

'But... my birth certificate, I saw it, too, I've got it somewhere. And their death certificates... how did they get faked? And why?'

'Your father was an officer of high rank in the Secret Services,' Samuel explained, 'he had his ways. Dorothy and I were very intimidated by the whole thing, we weren't told everything at the time. We didn't know the whole truth until he was killed in action a couple of years later; he left us a letter. He... left one for you as well. But according to his will it wasn't to be released by his lawyers until you committed yourself to becoming a Mortal.' He took an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to her. 'I hope this explains more and answers at least some of your questions.'

She took the envelope with a shaky hand.

'I'm sorry we weren't honest with you all those years, Amari,' he said, tears swelling up in his eyes again. 'At first we didn't have a choice and then we couldn't find the right moment to tell you. I just want you to know that we always had your best interest at heart and love you as our own.'

'I know,' she said absent-mindedly, still trying to come to terms with the enormity of the news. 'Thank you for coming all this way, but I think I need to be alone right now.'

'Of course,' he said, getting up. 'If you... you know, would like to talk about it, or ask anything... you know where to find us.'

'Thanks, Samuel.'

When he left, she sat there for a while, unable to bring herself to open her father's letter. _This explains so much,_ she thought. _Why I can't remember anything about my parents, and why Samuel and Dorothy tried to make me stay at the orphanage longer than I had to... I was seventeen, not eighteen, when I left Sunny Oaks. But why would my father want me to remain immortal when he and my mother gave up their immortality to have children?_

The answer was in the sealed envelope in her hand.

She opened it carefully and straightened the pages that had waited for this moment for over eighty years.

Daniel returned to the living room to find Amari staring bluntly into space, pages of a hand-written letter spread out on the coffee table.

'Is everything ok, darling?' he asked, sitting next to her and glancing at the pages covered with orderly script. 'It isn't some bad news, is it?'

'That depends on how you want to look at it,' she said, still stunned.

'What do you mean?'

She handed him the letter. 'It's from my father.'

'Your father?' Daniel took the pages and looked at the date. NYC, April 15th, 2030. 'But I thought your parents died in 2028.'

'So did I,' she said. 'Just read it.'

Just like her, Daniel had to read each line twice to be able to take in the message they carried.

'I don't believe this,' he said when he finished. 'He wanted you to be immortal, because he felt guilty about the death of his wife and second child? Your parents were both Mortals and yet he made you hate all Mortals by blaming them for his and your mother's death?'

'I know...' she whispered, 'he just couldn't bear the thought of me dying, too. And if it hadn't been for you, I would have never found out the truth. It was you who made me stop living by my father's will and choose my own way.'

'I think on some level he knew you'd make your own choice,' Daniel said. 'Otherwise he wouldn't have left you this letter.'

'I think you're right,' she said, then sank into his arms. They provided warmth, safety and comfort. 'He must have remembered what it was like to meet the love of your life and create a family together. Even if his happiness only lasted a few years.'

They sat together in tight embrace for a long while, each in their own thoughts. Finally, Amari freed herself from his arms.

'C'mon, darling,' she said. 'Let's get to bed. Early start tomorrow. We've got some more Immortals to convince that us Mortals aren't pure evil. And we don't want to be sleepy at our weekly meeting with Dr. Life.'

Amari gathered the pages of her father's letter and put them back into the envelope. She knew that she'd read it many more times in the days to come.

_I think you may want to watch the news,_ Amari, Eiko's voice resounded in her head.

Now? It's late...

Not for this.

'Daniel?'

'Yes?'

'Eiko says there's some super important news on. Should we have a quick look?'

'Ok.'

The idatron activated and they settled to see what the fuss was about.

At first, all they could see was the 'breaking news' strip, so big that it took up a quarter of the screen. Then they saw an image of a planet. A planet that was blue and green just like Earth. But it was obvious, even at the first glance, that it was not Earth.

'NASA has just confirmed that a planet suited for human habitation was found in Nadeyya Galaxy. It orbits its star just like Earth orbits our Sun, within the circumstellar habitable zone, also known as the Goldilocks zone, and therefore provides the ideal range of temperatures for the development of life. Plants and animals as we know them here, on Earth. And humans.'

Amari and Daniel looked at each other's eyes as the magnitude of the news hit them. Did that mean...?

'That's right, ladies and gentlemen,' the reporter answered their silent question. 'It means that we no longer have to make the choice between immortality and having children. We can have both... All we need to do is move to Earth II.'

THE END

**ACKNOWLEDGEMENS**

I would like to thank my best friend, Magda Dundas, for the unlimited rounds of edits and for always being there for me.

Thanks also go to my good friend Chris Meade for honest feedback, creative ideas for improvements, and fixing the title!

Helen Turner, thank you for reading, pointing out mistakes and helpful suggestions.

Thank you, Jenni Brassel, for your professional insight and advice, it is very much appreciated.

Anna Gravdal, you've been great throughout. Thank you for the compliments and corrections, they all made this novel as good as it could become.

I'd like to thank my Parents and siblings for the support and unconditional belief in my abilities and my English teacher, Mrs. Pasicka, for everything she taught me.

Last but not least, this novel would not have seen the light of day if it hadn't been for my beloved husband, Steve, to whom it is dedicated.
**ABOUT THE AUTHOR**

I was born and grew up in Poland. After graduating from the Academy of Physical Education in Krakow with MA in Tourism, I moved to Edinburgh, Scotland, where I met my husband, Steve.

We left Scotland on November 20th, 2006, four weeks after our wedding, with the aim of working our way around the world. Travelling was something both of us wanted to do, but it wasn't until we found each other that we finally made our dream come true.

We started by backpacking around Africa for three months, then took the Trans-Siberian Railway all the way across Russia to Mongolia. After a week in Beijing, we started a one-year contract in South Korea. We were both teaching English as a second language.

In March 2008 we set off again. We spent fantastic 11 days in Japan, then two months in India, a few weeks in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. After that it was time to work again – this time in Sydney, Australia. Unfortunately, that's where the financial crisis caught up with us and we both lost our jobs. We decided to go back to South Korea to teach English and we did that until August 2011. We made a lot of friends there and Gwangju, the city we lived in, will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Cash replenished, we were ready to hit the road again. We had an amazing time in New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and the Philippines. Then it was time to visit home – first time in 5 years!

We didn't stay put for long, though. Soon we found ourselves living and working in the most conservative Muslim country in the world – Saudi Arabia. It was an incredible experience that opened our eyes to a lot of facts and misconceptions about this part of the world. We currently live and work in Bahrain.

Although all characters and events in 'Immortal' are 100% fictional, you may have guessed that a lot of my personal experiences and passions have found a way into this novel, not the least of them my love for Scotland.

I hope you enjoyed my book and if you did, please tell your friends and family about it. If you could also write a brief review on your favorite retailer's site, it would mean a lot to me.
