"What?"
"Someone—or something—picked our brains while we were out of our heads. Or—" Hume paused suddenly, looked directly at Vye. "I have a vague feeling that you were able to keep going a lot better than I was. That so?"
"Some of the time," Vye admitted.
"That checks. Part of me knew what was going on, but was helpless while that other thing," his smile of moments earlier was wiped away, there was a chill edge in his voice, "picked over my brains, sorted out what it wanted."
Vye shook his head. "I didn't feel that way. Just thick-headed—as if I were sleep walking and yet awake."
"So it took me over, but didn't go all the way with you. Why? Another question for our list."
"Maybe—maybe Wass' techs fixed it so I couldn't be brain-picked, as you call it," Vye offered.
Hume nodded. "Could be—would well be. Come on." He pressed the pace now.
Vye turned to look down the slope suspiciously. Had Hume another warning of menace out of the wood? He could sight no movement there. And from this distance the lake was a topaz sheet of calm which could hide anything. Hume was already several paces ahead, scrambling as if the valley monsters were again on their track.
"What's the matter?" Vye demanded, as he caught up.