had lost it.”
He reached for it, but Serassi jerked it away from his hand. “What is this book?”
“Nothing,” Rolf said, though he could feel himself start to sweat. “Just where we write down things we remember about child care so we don’t forget to tell you later. Right, Nok?”
But Nok’s face was even paler. Her fear spread to him like a disease as Serassi started to flip through the pages.
Nok caught his eye. “It’s too late,” she whispered. “She knows.”
But Rolf shook his head. It couldn’t be too late. They could always make up more lies. Stay one step ahead of Serassi, just until Cora gave the signal on the typewriter.
Serassi slammed the notebook onto the table, making them both jump. She pointed to a note in the margin. “You. Read this out loud.”
“Um.” He took a step toward the notebook, even though Nok’s eyes were flashing warnings. “Sure.” He leaned close, starting to read. “Be sure to remind Rolf that when he lies . . .” His voice faded, at the same time the blood drained out of his own face. Now he understood Nok’s fear. She’d written too honestly, never thinking Serassi might find the notebook.
“Continue.” Serassi’s voice was cold.
“. . . when he lies he has a tell.” His voice had gone hoarse. “He blinks hard, twice, when he lies about the baby care. S. and researchers might eventually figure it out.”
He straightened, and adjusted glasses that were no longer on his face, and cleared his throat. “This is clearly . . . ,” he started, “a misunderstanding. . . .”
He looked desperately to Nok, but she didn’t even try to lie anymore. She looked like she might burst into tears at any moment, and every muscle in his body just wanted to hold her.
“This is not a misunderstanding,” Serassi answered. “You have been lying to us. Making up these false practices in this notebook so we would think you were useful.”
Rolf started to protest, but Serassi slammed the book closed.
“This experiment is over.”
“No!” Rolf said.
Tears had started to fall from Nok’s eyes, as though she had already given up.
“You will come with me,” Serassi said to Nok. “We will keep you in a holding cell in the genetics laboratory until we can take the baby.”
Nok, crying harder, fiddled with the bow at the back of her apron and tossed Rolf looks for help. He balled his fists. He wanted to punch Serassi so badly. To kick her. To do something.
“Leave the apron.” Serassi’s voice left no room for debate. She took out a set of shackles.
Then a soft sound came from upstairs.
Clink. Clink. Clink.
Serassi didn’t seem to notice or care—just another one of the artifacts making noise, like the clock ticking or the microwave that dinged at random times. But Rolf knew that sound. Rolf had been waiting, every moment, just to hear that sound.
The typewriter.
Nok abruptly stopped crying and tossed him a desperate look, her fingers frozen on the bow at the back of her neck. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. This was it. Their escape, and they might not have a second chance! Whatever Cora’s message was up there, he had no way of seeing it. Now, it might say. Or The plan is off. Rolf realized that either way, it didn’t matter. Either way, the experiment was over.
They had to run.
“I’m not going to let you take her,” Rolf said.
The microwave dinged again, randomly.
Serassi cocked her head. In one step, she crossed the kitchen and grabbed Rolf by the neck, the shackles in her other hand. He sputtered, clawing at her hand, but she was too strong. Nok screamed behind him, clutching one of the plates.
“You do not tell me what to do.” Serassi’s hand tightened against his windpipe.
His anger pulsed harder. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t see anything but his hatred. What was the use of having honed his body if he was still powerless? No matter how strong he became, or how fast, the Kindred would always be stronger. His muscles tensed and his mind whirled, like the disconnected parts of a car when the gearshift wasn’t connected to the central engine. . . .
But wait. That was it.
Connect his mind and his body. It had helped him solve the complicated time equation. Maybe it could help him stop Serassi too. He looked frantically around the room. There was nothing large enough to throw to distract her so they could run. But there was the silver napkin ring