SIMS

SIMS Page 103

"Fan out!" Luca shouted. "They could still be in the building!"

He doubted it, but that might be just what they wanted him to do: figure they'd taken off and go on a wild search through the streets, leaving them safe right here, laughing at him. That was what they'd expect him to do, only this time he wouldn't.

"Everyone take a floor, take a hall, go from room to room. Look for a baby, a newborn baby girl."

Luca kicked back through the operating room doors and grabbed the old guard by his collar. "The nursery! Where's the nursery?"

"Th-third floor," the old man cried, cringing.

"Take me there!"

A few minutes later he was standing before a plate-glass window, staring at the rows of bassinets, only half a dozen of them occupied. To his right a frightened new mother cried out and asked him what was wrong. He ignored her.

These babies, all so human looking. But that didn't mean the sim baby couldn't be among them. No way to tell. The safest thing would be to kill all the girls, but he didn't know if he could do such a thing.

Movement on the screen of the monitor over the nurse's station at the rear of the nursery caught his eye. The sim operation film...the one Lowery had supposedly shot up...it was still playing. Suddenly the film cut off and a man appeared. Luca knew that face...the Reverend Eckert! Somehow he'd got hold of the film. Eckert was broadcasting it all over the world!

Luca turned and began a stumbling trot back toward the elevators. Only one thing to do now.

Run.