somewhere he had blundered; but he didn't know how. experimentally he wriggled his fingers. they moved a fraction of an inch, but no more. he was helpless and couldn't say anything. he wasn't quite sure at the moment that he wanted to.

"you were right, i didn't recognize you physically," continued the man. "nevertheless, you gave yourself away. the name you used this afternoon, chals putsyn, is my name. do you remember now?"

of course. he'd chosen chals putsyn at random, because he'd had to say something, and everything would have been all right—except it actually hadn't been a random choice. the associations had triggered the wrong words into existence.

his mind flashed back to the time he'd discussed names with borgenese. what had he said?

putsy. but it wasn't putsy—it was putsyn.

"you're very much improved," said the real chals putsyn, staring curiously at him. "let me recommend the retro treatment to you. in fact i'd take it myself, but there are a few inconveniences."

yeah, there were inconveniences—like starting over again and not knowing who you were.

but putsyn was right: he was physically improved. a freezer knocked a man down and kept him there for half an hour. but luis had only been down a few minutes, and already he could move his feet, though he didn't. it was a phenomenally fast recovery, and perhaps putsyn wasn't aware of it.

"the question is, what to do with you?" putsyn seemed to be thinking aloud. "the police are intolerant of killing. maybe if i disposed of every atom...." he shook his head and sighed. "but that's been tried, and it didn't make any difference. so you'll have to remain alive—though i don't think you'll approve of my treatment."

luis didn't approve—it would be the same kind of treatment that luise had been exposed to, but more drastic in his case, because he was aware of what was going on.

putsyn came close to drag him away. it was time to use the energy he'd been saving up, and he did.

startled, putsyn fired the freezer, but he was aiming at a twisting target and the invisible energy only grazed luis's leg. the leg went limp and had no feeling, but his two hands were still good and that was all he needed.

he tore the freezer away and put his other hand on putsyn's throat. he could feel the artificial larynx inside. he squeezed.

he lay there until putsyn went limp.