Going to the bathroom, Terrence noticed a large plastic bag from some department store on his bedroom floor.
“Did you go shopping today?” he asked when he came back.
Vita turned on the TV and nodded.
“Kind of. It’s Plan B.”
“Really? What is it?”
Vita got up. She had chosen a sports channel. Synchronized swimming. Even after the effects of Synth had disappeared, it looked strange.
She walked back into the room and sat down, the bag on her lap. Terrence peeked into it. There was a white powder in another locked plastic bag.
“What is it? Plaster? Flour?”
“No. Synth. Took me all afternoon to crush those god-damn pills . . .”
Vita laughed and Terrence felt his heart stop.
“Wait . . . Wait . . . How much Synth is there in this bag?”
“About 700 grams. It should be enough.”
Thoughts collided in Terrence’s mind in terrifying train accidents.
“Enough for what?”
“For Plan B.”
“What is Plan B?”
He had almost screamed. This was more than bad craziness. This was prison. For life, maybe. This was serious. This was no-more-fucking-around serious.
“Relax. Everything is under control. I mean it. We’re going to free this city first, and if we are successful, we will know we can free the Earth . . .”
“Listen, I can’t . . . I really can’t . . .”
He took a deep breath.
“I love you. I really, really do. From the first time I saw you. But I can’t help you commit a crime . . . I work for the government, you know that and . . .”
Vita took his hands in hers. Her black pupils reflected tiny versions of him. Her hands were soft, her eyes were deep.
Are you mind-controlling me? Are you dick-controlling me?
“I just need you to drive me somewhere. It’s absolutely safe. I don’t even have to tell you what I’m going to do. You’re perfectly innocent. More than you even think. You drive me and I come back later. And nobody will know it’s me, and nobody will know it’s you. I swear. I know these things. I can feel these things.”
She sounded so convincing.
Are you mind-controlling me?
“Give me some time to think, OK? Just a day or two. I can’t decide now. I can’t. I’m afraid of losing you, and I’m afraid of going to jail.”
She smiled.
“Neither will happen. Do you want one?”
The pill was tiny in the flat of her hand. He picked it up and swallowed it.
Are you dick-controlling me?