Free Flinx in Flux by Alan Dean Foster Page B

technology.
    “All human as near as I could tell. If they were alien, they had terrific disguises. They hauled me offworld. When I woke up, it was hot and sticky and somewhere out there, I guess.” She waved absently in the direction of the Ingre. “That’s when the questions started. About my work, how advanced it was, what the company’s plans were for future expansion and development, and a lot of basics like our lab layout and security setup and so on.
    “I told them I couldn’t answer because everything they were asking me was covered by the Interworld Commerce Secrets Act. They didn’t say anything. They just turned me over to this one tall woman who started beating the crap out of me. I’m not a real brave person. So I started telling them what they wanted to know, as little as possible about each subject.
    “I knew I’d keep telling them until I’d told them everything, and I had a pretty good idea what would happen to me when I’d finally answered their last question. So I made it clear one night and ran like hell. It was pitch-black, and things kept biting me and stabbing at me, so I went into the river and found my log and started downstream. I didn’t know where I was or where I was going. I just wanted to get away.”
    “You’re lucky you made it as far as the river,” Flinx said somberly. “Alaspin has its share of nocturnal carnivores. The insects you know about.”
    She scratched reflexively at one leg. “I woke up here, jumped to conclusions, and thought about killing you. Now I’ve had a bath, I feel two thousand percent better than I did the last time I was conscious, and you’re going to help me get off this world and back to my people. I’m sure they’re searching for me, too, but not around here. In addition to being well liked personally, I’m irreplaceable. I’m sure there’ll be a reward for my return. I imagine there always is in a situation like this.”
    “I’m not interested in any reward.”
    “No? You’re that prosperous, at your age?” He chose to ignore her slip.
    “I have an inheritance. Enough for my needs. What about you? What makes you so popular?”
    She grinned ruefully. “I’m a gengineer. In fact, I’m the best gengineer.”
    His expression didn’t change. It didn’t have to for Pip to react to his emotional surge. The flying snake leapt from its position on the bedpost, flew once around the startled Clarity, and then settled abruptly back on the bed.
    He turned away, unsure how well he had concealed his reaction. Not perfectly, it seemed.
    “What’s wrong with your pet? What’s the matter? Did I say something to upset you?”
    “No, nothing.” Even as he spoke he sensed the transparency of the lie. “It’s just that someone very near to me had trouble with some gengineers a long time ago.” Hastily he donned the innocent-child smile that had served him so well in his childhood days of thieving. “It’s nothing now. Just old history.”
    She was either more perceptive or more mature than he thought, because there was genuine concern on her face as she came toward him.
    “You’re sure it’s okay? I can’t change what I am.”
    “It had nothing to do with you. What occurred all took place before you were born.” Now he smiled again, a crooked smile, confident she would not know the reason behind it. “Before I was born, in fact.”
    No, neither of us was born when the Society began their experiments. You were already several years old when the experiment coded “Philip Lynx” came into the world with his DNA tossed like salad in a bowl. I can’t tell you that, of course. I can’t tell anyone. But I do wonder what you’d make of me if you knew what I was. Would you have any idea if I’m a good result or a bad one?
    It would have helped had he grown up a scientist. Instead he had spent his childhood as a thief. It was difficult to tell which would have revealed his origin to him sooner.
    Her fingers touched his shoulder. He