CHAPTER FOUR

THE LADY STRANGE MADE ANSWER MEET

"I should be smoking. That's what people do in the movies afterthey just had a life-threatening experience. They light up acigarette with trembling fingers. But I don't smoke. Wait, I candrink. Of course, I don't drink all that much. I think I had morebeer last week in that shithole dive than I did in my whole lifebefore. Still, it tasted nice. Do you have any beer?"

"We have a few bottles of wine."

"No. I need beer."

"Maybe you should lie down..."

"No, you know what I need? That goddamn snake-bitch in a cage.Where is she?"

I had no real answer because I didn't know. Father had told me totake Layla to his chambers. I had left him with Jamie and Alexandra.As I lead the trembling Layla away, Alexandra's sobs faded away butechoed in my memory. They were stuck there with the image of her as amurderous psychotic.

I settled on the best answer I could. "Father and Jamie will takecare of her. Could you tell me what happened?"

"You want to know what happened? I was just sitting there whenthis fucking circus freak comes out of nowhere and tries to bite me.And then this other circus freak charges in and breaks the fight up.That's what fucking happened."

I squeezed my lips together. Under other circumstances I wouldhave objected to my loved ones being described as 'circus freaks.'But circumstances had taken an abrupt turn.

"And you say she's your girlfriend?"

"It's..."

"If you say the word 'complicated' one more time, I'll break yourneck!"

"Layla, I want to explain everything, but first you need tocalm..."

Father entered -- not exactly the person I needed to calm Layladown. She backed off a step. Father looked briefly at her, thenturned to me. "Alexandra wants to leave," he said. "Jamie won't lether."

"I better go and see her."

"And what if you can't convince her to stay?"

"Well, there's nothing we can do if she..."

"Whoa, whoa," Layla interrupted. "What do you mean, 'there'snothing you can do?' You surely can't be thinking of letting hergo?"

Father turned to her. "She is not a member of our community."

"Really? She's not in your zoo?"

"No," Father said in an even voice. "I represent the entirety ofour zoo."

Father and Layla stared at each other for a few moments, then shesaid, "I'm having a freak-out right now, but I am aware that yourescued me. Thanks."

Father nodded.

"But I still don't understand. Why can't you keep her here?"

"If we try to keep her here, then powerful forces will come toremove her. We won't be able to stop them. No one could." He turnedto me and said, "You're the only one she will listen to. Tell herthat now is not the time to leave. I will stay here with Layla." Helooked at Layla. "Unless I make you uncomfortable..."

"Everything has made me uncomfortable tonight," she responded. "Imight as well hang out with you."

"Very well."

Father told me to go to the North Entrance, Level Three. I ran ablue streak there. I found Jamie standing between Alexandra and theexit. Jamie was pointing her crossbow at the floor, but itsdrawstring was still pulled back with an arrow.

"You will stand aside!" Alexandra demanded. Her tone wasimperious; I had heard her speak with such authority before. She hadused her excellent voice to intimidate the Nobles. Now she was tryingto intimidate Jamie.

No good. "You think you can try to kill somebody on my territoryand get away with it?" Jamie said. "Uh-uh."

"And you think that my father will stand by and let you detainme?"

"Lady, you ain't at 817 Fifth Avenue. I control this entrance, andI'm telling you..."

I said, "Everyone, be calm." Boy, hadn't that request been made alot in the last hour?

"You can't leave," I told Alexandra. "Not until..."

"I will leave when I want," she said. "I am AlexandraBradbury."

I placed my hands on her shoulders and turned her until we werefacing each other. "We have to know why you did that. I need to know.And I want to understand. But you can't just...you can't do what youjust did and then walk..."

Alexandra slapped my hands off her shoulders. Her red eyes blazedwith anger. "You forget who you are," she declared. "You forget who Iam."

She pulled out black scarves from a pocket in her cloak. As shespoke, she wrapped the scarves around her face. "My father could sendthe finest assassins into this dungeon and destroy your preciouscommunity. You presume to tell me what I can or can't do when I holdyour world in the palm of my hand? The High Tower has leveled entirekingdoms. A gang of misfits cowering in the darkness is no threat tothem."

She tightened the scarves into a mask. Then she pulled out herdark glasses. "If you value your life here, do not make demands ofme." She covered her eyes with the dark glasses. "And do not assumethat I am bound by our relationship."

She pulled the hood over her head. "Now tell her to standaside."

I could see my face in her glasses. I looked like I just had dirtshoved into my mouth. I eventually said this --

"I never forgot who you are. Before I could do that, I would haveto know who the fuck you are." I turned to Jamie. "Let her go."

Jamie didn't try to argue. She had just seen something uglycreated between Alexandra and me. Now was not the time to keep thetwo of us in the same place together.

She pulled a lever. The secret entrance opened. Alexandra left.Jamie closed the door.

"Jacob, I'm sorry," she said, but I was already leaving. I stompedthrough the tunnels. Anybody who was in my path stepped quicklyaside. No one dared to speak with me.

When I reached my chambers I fell on my bed and cried. At onepoint Father entered and tried to comfort me.

"Get out!" I bellowed. He did.

I cried until I exhausted myself. I fell asleep on a wetpillow.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I had no dreams. As always when you go to bed after an upsettingevent, sleep felt brief. When I opened my eyes I immediatelyremembered the physical and emotional violence of the night before. Ilooked up at the stone ceiling as if it was a screen displaying amovie of Alexandra's face.

"I'm not sure which one of us had a worse night."

I turned my head and saw Layla sitting next to my bed. "What areyou doing here?" I asked.

"I was a little too wired from last night to go home. So Vincentallowed me to use his chambers." She paused, then said, "He's a niceguy."

"Yeah. I know." I looked at a wind-up clock. The time was a fewminutes past eight in the morning.

I said, "Don't you have a job that you need...oh, yeah."

"Right. I am unemployed. I sacrificed a paycheck on the altar ofmy righteous indignation. I still have enough money for room andboard, though. For a little while, anyway. Speaking of which, whydon't you take me back to my apartment?"

"Huh?"

"Come with me to my apartment. I'll fix you breakfast."

"That won't be necess..."

"We need to talk, Jacob."

"We can talk here."

"I don't feel..." She looked around my chambers. "...fullycomfortable here yet."

I rubbed my eyes. "I'm not up for it, Layla."

"Come on. I'll make you bacon and eggs. Besides, without your helpI'll get lost in these goddamn tunnels."

I looked at her. A tiny smile was on Layla's face. I was gratefulenough for that smile to say, "Okay."

We encountered Father as I lead her out of the Tunnels. "I'mtaking Layla back Above."

"I was going to suggest you do just that," Father said, thenturned to Layla. "It was a pleasure meeting you. I wish it could havebeen under better circumstances."

Layla said, "You have a real sexy voice, you know that?"

"I need it," Father said with a straight face. "Until we meetagain, Layla."

Layla and I continued on our way. We didn't say anything to eachother, except to give directions. I was brooding too much fortalk.

What had happened between Alexandra and me? I had been anxiousbefore our meeting, but I had also felt that despite everything --Crown, Masilela -- we would still be capable of love. Instead, notonly had she exhibited a sudden, inexplicable rage, but also she hadrejected me in the coldest way imaginable. I knew her harsh words tome had been as calculated as her threats had been to the Noblesmonths ago. In a way, she had been play-acting the haughty daughterof privilege. But she had played the role well and gotten the effectshe desired. For a moment I had genuinely hated her.

My hate had given way to grief that was now replaced by a numbconfusion. I still needed to know why she had attacked Layla. As Ipondered this riddle, I never, oddly enough, thought to considerLayla herself. Had something about her triggered Alexandra's rage?This question never occurred to me because, for the moment, Layla wasa peripheral character in my little drama. She was just somebody Ihad met -- somebody to whom I felt a sense of obligation, but nothingtruly deep. I had honestly expected her to move to the sidelines ofmy life at some point. I had no idea that I would soon see more ofher, and in what manner.

At that time, my thoughts only shifted to her when we reached herapartment. It was what I had expected of an ex-assistant for a D.A.-- cheap but livable, located in the lower-middle-class side of town.She inserted her key into the lock.

The doorknob turned on its own and twisted the key in her hand. Weboth jumped back from the door as it opened. After last night, I wasexpecting anything.

Anything except for a woman with short blonde hair and glasses. Ihad never seen her before, but Layla obviously had.

"Jesus, Beth!"

"Where the hell were you?" the blonde woman demanded to know.

"I...I told you that I would be out tonight."

"The whole damn night? And into the morning?"

"Something came up, all right?"

The eyes of the blonde woman slid in my direction. "Something cameup, huh?"

Layla's face changed from surprised to irritated. "You mind metelling what you're doing here?"

Beth turned her eyes back to her. "I came here because I assumedthat you would be back before sunrise. I ended up sleeping on yourcouch..."

"Well, you didn't have to do that."

"I assumed that it was all right. I mean, mi casa is su casa,right? You can come to my apartment any time you want."

"I've never done that."

"I know. I gave you a damn key, but you still won't spend onenight with..."

"Okay, okay. Beth? Not the time."

"It's never the time with you, Layla. You tell me that you want arelationship, but you keep your distance, you stay out all night andnot call me..."

"I don't have to report to you!"

"You don't feel any obligation to me!" Beth gave me anotherglance. "You could at least tell me if you feel like driving stickagain."

There was an uncomfortable moment of silence that made me want toturn invisible. Layla broke the silence by saying, "That's it. Leaveso you can cool off."

"I'll do you one better." Beth reached into her pocket and pulledout a key. She held it toward Layla.

Layla kept still at first, then took a key from her own pocket.The two women scooped up the offered keys, and Beth headed for thestairs without looking back. I never saw her again.

I didn't know what else to do except follow Layla into herapartment like a dog afraid of getting whipped. Even with theapartment's small size, it seemed under-furnished. One of the fewpieces of furniture was, of course, a stereo. (Can't have anapartment without a stereo.)

Layla walked right up to the stereo, picked a CD, inserted it intothe player and turned up the volume. She leaned against the woodencase around the stereo and didn't move for an entire song. The song'sinstrumentation was a croaking guitar and a simple snare-and-bassdrum kit. As the guitar snorted the same chords again and again, anaged man growled that he had been shot, he had been cut, he had beenhit with a chair, but nobody got him down. He repeated the lyricslike a harsh mantra against the world.

When the song was over, Layla turned off the stereo and looked atme.

"T-Model Ford," I said. "Nice."

Layla smiled a bit. "You know about Ba'albaki and T-Model Ford. Iguess you're pretty well-educated."

"We don't have TV down in the Tunnels."

"That would help."

Both of us kept quiet until I said, "We do have gay people downBelow."

She gave me an unblinking look.

"A couple of gay guys. Alex and Tom. Oh, and a lesbian couple,too. Cynthia and Jane."

"Wow. Four whole gay people."

I smiled, now feeling silly. "Of course, considering what you'vetold me, you're not what they call gay."

"I'm what they call bi. I'm also what they call stupid for gettinginvolved with that woman."

"Well, what just happened wasn't really anybody's fault."

"Of course it wasn't," Layla snapped. "But it was stupid to getinvolved with any one so soon after Joe's death. I wasn't ready tocommit myself. I was just acting out of loneliness and thinking Icould move on when I can't. And why am I explaining myself to the guywith the crazy snake-woman for a girlfriend?"

"I have no idea."

She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it. She ran her fingersthrough her hair and sighed. "Sorry you had to see the uglyfinale."

"S'right."

"Tell you what -- why don't I make those eggs and bacon I promisedyou?"

"Go ahead."

She went into her kitchen which, like the rest of her apartment,was small. I stood at the doorway as she opened a fridge and pulledout a carton of eggs.

"You know," she said as she cracked eggs and dumped the yolk intoa pan, "a lot of guys would really encourage their bisexualgirlfriends to find a cute girl for a threesome. Hell, I've datedthose kinds of guys. But Joe never once suggested it, never broughtit up. When I asked him why, he just laughed and said, 'I'm barelyman enough for you.'"

I chuckled. "Sounds like Joe."

She cracked one more egg, then said, "You know...it wasn't yourfault that he got killed."

"If you knew what happened, then you wouldn't say that."

"I do know what happened." She looked at me. "Vincent told meabout the Tower."

"Oh...well..."

"Joe didn't get killed because of you. This Crown guy murdered himto make a point to Bradbury. It was a fight to see who was the bigdog, and Joe just happened to be in the middle of it."

"But if I hadn't broken into 817..."

"You're right that you shouldn't have done that. But that wouldn'thave kept Joe from investigating Garner's death. Crown might havekilled him, anyway."

"I...I don't know."

"I do know. If you feel obligated toward me out of guilt, stop it.You owe me nothing."

Layla opened the freezer and pulled out a plastic bag containingstrips of bacon. She placed the strips in another frying pan andturned on the oven. "Of course," she said as she did this, "yourgirlfriend had Masilela killed for the same reason."

"I see Father told you about that as...wait, what do you mean 'thesame reason?'"

"She wanted to show the Nobles who was boss, right?"

I stared briefly at Layla, then said, "Yes. How did you knowthat?"

"Just makes sense," she said as she shifted the eggs and baconwith a spatula. "Of course, there's also the question of whetherMasilela was a threat to the Tower or just a bastard. I bet he wasboth."

I couldn't get it. How was Layla able to know these things?Alexandra had to tell me the same information, but Layla was able tofigure it on her own.

"Personally I don't care," she said. "Based on what I've heard,the world is all the better without having Masilela in it."

"Maybe."

"No maybe about it. I would tell Alexandra that she did the rightdamn thing." She looked at me over her shoulder. "Except..."

"Yeah. Except."

"Can you explain to me what was going through her mind there?"

"I have no idea."

"Then maybe you should ask her."

"I'm not sure we're ever going to see each other again."

"Oh, you will. You've got it bad for her. Could you explain thatto me as well?"

I could hear the truth in Layla's voice. My love for Alexandra hadalready taken several blows. It could sustain this one. And as Iconsidered her imperial act of last night, I realized that she hadbeen trying to hide something from me.

I planned to see her that very day. And to make a request.

"Come to the Tunnels tonight," I said to Layla.

"Why?"

"Just come. I want to show you something. At least, I hope I'll beable to."

"Again, why?"

"So you'll understand the things you don't understand."

Layla looked at my earnest face, then said, "I'll check myappointments, but I think I can squeeze you in." She turned back tothe oven and laughed nervously. "God, I can't believe that breakingup with my girlfriend is the least dramatic thing to happen in thelast twenty-four hours."

"You wanted to know everything."

"And, boy, am I getting everything."

"I'm glad you got to see the Tunnels, or part of it."

"It's an amazing place," Layla said. She was silent for a fewmoments as she tended to the cooking food. Then she told me --

"But it's also crap."

I felt like somebody had thumped me on the nose. "What?"

"The Tunnels," Layla said with her back turned to me. "The wholeidea behind them is crap."

I was temporarily at a loss for words before saying, "So that'swhy you wanted to come here. You want to insult my home freely."

"I'm just giving you my honest opinion."

"Your honest opinion is bullshit."

Layla looked at me. "I don't believe in hiding."

"We don't hide."

"Right. It was so easy to find you."

"The Tunnels are a refuge. A shelter. Our secrecy is needed tomaintain the Tunnels' safety."

"So if somebody really needs to use your place, how does he findhis way there?"

"Well, obviously some people have."

"Lucky them." She turned away from me and flipped over a strip ofbacon.

"Look...I've had the same doubts as you. There was a time when theTunnels seemed too small to me. But I know now that the world needs aspecial place like the Tunnels."

"It has two places like that -- you and the High Tower."

"Oh, wait now. Edward Bradbury tried the same line on me."

"He's Alexandra's father, right?"

"Yeah. What he said didn't hold true then and it doesn't hold truenow."

"The Tower and the Tunnels are different."

"What I said."

"You wouldn't kill to protect your territory."

I couldn't respond to that at first. Layla briefly glanced atme.

Then I said, "We wouldn't kill just to protect our secrecy. Wewouldn't kill a nosy book-dealer."

Layla nodded. "You're right there."

"It comes down to power. The Tower is built on great wealth andinfluence. It will do anything to hold onto its privileges. TheTunnels are just the Tunnels. We're for people who have nopower."

"And do you empower them?"

"We..." And that's where I hit a wall. I struggled for an answer,an argument, a rebuttal. I could only watch Layla finish her cookingand slide the food onto plates. Then she turned to me and said --

"I'm a woman, I'm bisexual and I'm an Arab living a mile away fromGround Zero. I have plenty of reasons to go to the Tunnels. But Ihaven't and I won't. To me the Tunnels are a way of accepting yourpowerlessness. And I think that's as bad as abusing power."

She removed knives and forks from a drawer, then set breakfast ona tiny table in the corner. She sat on one of two chairs next to thetable. When she saw my moody expression, she said, "Jacob, I'm sorrybut that's how..."

"Someone once told me, 'The world is all the same.' That theTunnels weren't really different from the city Above."

"I agree. But you people in the Tunnels act like you have a rightto hide from Above."

"But the person also told me that the city needs the Tunnels, thatit needs a special refuge for the powerless." I paused, then said,"My father certainly needs it."

Layla folded her hands under her chin and said, "Maybe. But Ithink there is a place for Vincent in the wide open as well."

I sighed. "That's something I've wondered, too."

"Of course..." Layla placed her hands on the table. "...I justfound out about the Tunnels. So maybe I shouldn't talk smack aboutthem."

"No, no. You're asking real questions."

"It is a beautiful place, just based on what I've seen."

"Oh, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Just remember -- Joe protectedthe Tunnels, but I bet he thought some of the same things youdid."

"Joe was also a bit sentimental. I'm not."

"Oh, I bet you're just a teddy bear inside, Layla."

She smiled and held up a fork. "Sit down and eat your fuckingeggs."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Despite what she had said about the Tunnels, my breakfast withLayla perked me up a bit. I liked her. She took no shit. She had areckless side to which I could relate. She could handle big bizarretruths about underground communities and secret societies.

So I couldn't figure out why Alexandra tried to kill her. Only oneperson knew why.

I had stayed away from 817 Fifth Avenue ever since I last metAlexandra. I had been tempted several times to just stand outside thebuilding and stare at the top floor, but I resisted thetemptation.

Now I was back. I received some looks from people who worked andlived there. I was a young man who had brought trouble in the past,but they were under orders from the wealthiest resident to leave mealone.

During the last time I came to 817, you needed a special key toreach the top floor. The control panel had been changed since then.The top floor button lit up as easily as all the rest. The key hadprobably been Crown's idea. I remembered his cold colorless eyes andcouldn't help thinking that the world would no more miss him thanMasilela. Did that mean Alexandra had been right to...

I shut off those thoughts as the elevator rose. When I reached thetop, I entered the front hallway to Bradbury's apartment. I walked upto the front door and raised my hand. The door opened before I couldknock. Edward Bradbury faced me, still looking tired and impeccablydressed.

"Come in," he said and stepped aside. I'm sure his people hadgiven him notice of my coming the moment I had entered 817.

I entered his fancy yet tasteful apartment. He closed the door,turned to me and said, "What the hell happened last night?" His voiceremained mild as he said it, but the anger was there.

I kept a neutral face as I answered, "What makes you thinkanything happened?"

"Because Alexandra returned here very upset." I didn't ask how hewould know about any of her moods behind that dark covering. Afterall, she was his daughter.

I wasn't ready to tell him about Alexandra's murderous rage -- notuntil I was sure what had caused it. Furthermore, I didn't want himto know about Layla and that she knew about him. That's why I said--

"If Alexandra hasn't told you, then I won't tell you."

"That wasn't in our agreement, Jacob."

"We didn't really agree on anything, Edward. You were the one whowanted a favor from me. You wanted to know why Alexandra killedMasilela."

I sauntered over to a chair and flopped myself down on it. "Andthat," I said, "I can tell you."

Bradbury remained standing as I related what Alexandra had told melast night. I gave him the Cliff's Notes version of how Masilelawould have become a threat to the Tower. I skipped over whatAlexandra had wanted to omit -- that the Tower could easily exceedits self-imposed boundaries.

After I was done, Bradbury slowly nodded. "Yes. That makes sense.Now why didn't she explain this earlier?"

I snorted. "Isn't it obvious? She knew that you would come to me.And that would give her an excuse for her to come to theTunnels."

Bradbury looked at me with his deceptively cloudy eyes. "And," hesaid, "to make us meet again."

"Huh?"

"Well, it's possible that she wanted us to renew ourrelationship."

"Our...our what?"

"I'm her father. You're her lover. Shouldn't we have some kindof...communication?"

I twisted my face with incredulity. "You mean, talking just likeany guy and his girlfriend's dad?"

"Not exactly. But she might have a reason for us to be talkinglike this."

"Well, that would make sense...except for the fact that she killedsomebody to keep us apart."

"But remember -- I wanted to establish a relationship with you onmy terms. Maybe she's trying to create a relationship between us onher terms."

"On what kind of terms?"

Bradbury shrugged. I shook my head in exasperation. "For yourinformation," I said, "not everybody is like you. Not everybody hashidden agendas."

"Actually I think of myself as a rather simple fellow. But you'reright. Not everybody has a hidden agenda. You, for example, tend tobe very straightforward."

He walked over to me with his hands in his pockets. "Alexandra,however, is an extremely unique individual. Her upbringing, her gift,her own personal needs -- imagine all those things coming together inone person's soul. And now she has blood on her hands. Can youhonestly say that you 'know' her?"

Oh, Eddie, I thought, if you had seen what I had seen lastnight...

"That's why I need to know more. Whatever happened between the twoof you last night, I hope you're still close enough to..."

"Oh, no, wait. I gave you what you wanted."

"If I am to protect her, then I have to..."

I quickly stood up. "You don't want to protect her," Isnapped.

Bradbury paused, then said, "What?"

"You're just afraid that she'll exceed your control. She's notyour daughter. She's one of your possessions, just like thisapart..."

Bradbury slapped my face. I had never seen anyone move that fast.One moment his hand was tucked casually in a pocket, the next it hasjust gone across my cheek.

"Don't you dare say such a thing." Bradbury's voice was low andbarely contained in its rage. "You think I regard her as a merething? I love her more than anything or anyone else."

I wasn't impressed. In fact, I felt a strong urge to throwBradbury through a window. I was so sick of his crap, so sick of theHigh Tower, so sick of the problems his group had caused me. I wantedto smash the biggest obstacle between Alexandra and me.

I resisted the urge, but not just because Bradbury's securityforce was probably close to us. He was still right about one thing --he was the only one in the Tower willing to give Alexandra safety forher own sake.

And he was no longer the biggest obstacle between Alexandra andme. Just like him I needed to know what was happening in her mind andher soul.

Bradbury took a long breath, then said in a softer voice, "I admitthat I don't want her to exceed the boundaries I've placed on her. AmI different than any other father in that regard?"

I said nothing, but rubbed my red cheek. Bradbury winced and said,"I apologize."

"Forget it. So...where is she?"

That was the moment I heard music from an another room. Somebodyhad just turned on a record player. A choir could be heard singing inLatin. Based on the sound, I guessed that the composer wasPalestrina.

We looked at each other. Was it my imagination, or was there a bitof nervousness behind Bradbury's tired facade?

"We both love her," he said, "but we can never forget what's shecapable of doing."

He made a small motion of his head to indicate that we were donetalking. Time to talk with Alexandra.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I had been in Alexandra's room twice before. In the two monthssince I had last been there, she had made no changes. The simple cotstill pressed itself against a wall. Even though there was a workingbulb, candles provided the only illumination in the room. Like myfather, Alexandra favored old vinyl records over CD's. The voices ofmen and boys floated from a small speaker. "Agnus Dei, qui tollispeccata mundi, miserere nobis." Lamb of God, you who take away thesins of the world, have mercy on us.

And just as when I first saw her, Alexandra was kneeling on thefloor and looking away from the entrance. Only this time it wasdifferent -- this time it was harder to enter and close the doorbehind me. As I walked toward her, I felt that I should run away.You're involved in something even more dangerous than before, thevoice of caution said. Time to cut your losses and end this misguidedaffair.

Yet there I was at her side again. She was reading a leather-boundbook. She had taken off her dark glasses, but the scarves and thehood still covered the rest of her head.

I knelt on the floor. She didn't look at me. I cleared my throatand said, "You probably heard me talking with your father."

She made no response.

"We're both worried about you. In our own separate ways." Ipaused, then added, "Of course, I have extra reason to be worried,don't I?"

Alexandra closed the book and placed it on the floor. She turnedher red eyes in my direction.

"Look, I...I know what was said last night. But I still care foryou. And I think you still care for..."

She flung back the hood of her cloak. With her one violent tearshe ripped the scarves off her face. I remember the last time shemade such a sudden move -- right before she bit into Crown.

She lunged for me, her mouth thrust toward my face. Iinstinctually grabbed her shoulders. I could see nothing but hergreen face, and felt nothing but fear.

She kissed me. It wasn't the delicate kiss I had given her twomonths ago. She filled my mouth with her warm breath, and her tonguecrossed my lips. She shoved a hand down my jeans and held tight to mygroin.

I hardened in a second. I pulled her to me and worked one of myhands under her blouse. I felt her soft breasts. And, yes, I couldfeel the scales there as well, but their intricate patterns were likeelectricity under my fingertips. I grabbed the cloth and shredded herblouse into a dark rag draped over her back. The skin from her neckto the navel was exposed; all of that strange, beautiful skin markedby deformity but also blessed by God.

We fell to the floor. I helped her remove my jacket. She pulledher lips from my mouth so she could pull the shirt over my head. Thisgave me a moment to ask a question that you, dear reader, might beasking already --

What the hell is going on?

The question submerged as she kissed me again. Somehow it rose tomy mind again. I could have so easily gotten lost in Alexandra'sbody, but then I remembered the other Alexandras -- the dark recluse,the beautiful speaker, the woman empowered by her father's fortune,the one who was trapped by it, the cold Alexandra, the passionateAlexandra in my arms, the Alexandra with the fangs...

I pushed myself away from her, backing up to a wall. She crawledafter me for a few feet, but then stopped. We both panted and staredat each other. She was on her hands and knees. Her naked breasts roseand fell with each heavy breath.

"No more," I croaked. "Don't play with me any more."

"I...don't...play with you," she said in an equally hoarse voice."Others...play...with me. The world plays...with me. Godplays..."

She sat on the floor with her knees raised toward the ceiling. Shepulled the torn blouse over her breasts.

I didn't know what to say. I was now facing the possibility thatthere was no rationale for Alexandra's actions. Was she simplyinsane? Was I any less insane for thinking I could make a life withher? I couldn't move or speak until the weight of thesequestions.

It was Alexandra who broke the silence. "Do you want to know why Itried to kill Layla?" Of course, I never told Alexandra the name ofLayla. She didn't need to be told.

At that moment, the question seemed strangely irrelevant. However,I kept still and quiet as Alexandra spoke --

"When you left me in your chambers, I felt a sudden urge to seeyour library." She pointed at the book on the floor. "You know of myattraction to words. When I reached the Library...I saw her. She didnot yet see me. You know that I can see the future on occasion; youknow that I once had a vision of planes being flown into two mightytowers. As I looked at this woman, I had another vision. Itfrightened me so much that I was overwhelmed with a desire to killher. I never felt like that before -- so enraged, so driven by my ownwrath."

I finally spoke. "What...what did you see in your vision?"

She fixed her red eyes upon me. They were filled with torment asshe said --

"I saw her kill you."