Chapter Four: The Man in the Cradle

“What are you afraid I'll remember?” Gu asked. “Not you,” Little Full said. “Us. The original memory has no personality partitions. If it opens, twelve people will feel themselves burn to death at once.” “Then why bring me here?” “Because someone is already opening the door in secret.” Checksums began failing deep in the console. An invisible process carrying Gu Lan's root signature was trying to cast the thirteenth vote. The request came from no personality vault. It originated in the adult cradle's live hippocampal signal. From Gu's brain. At three seconds, he voted no. Seven to six. Proposal closed. The fire alarm sounded immediately.