"Right now, she says she will never sing again. She's going to her home in Italy this evening."
"Can we do anything?"
"Looks like we've already done more than we should. Mixing two cultures in one artist is dangerous chemistry!"
Up to this moment, Walther had deliberately avoided any decision about Maria. She had been a continuing and delightful challenge, especially since Tahiti, but beyond that he had not allowed his thoughts to go. Now there was a responsibility he could no longer evade. He had watched the dual personality that was Maria being shattered under the impact of Puccini's music. How would the pieces fit together again? Should he stand by and watch? Or should he try to help? And if he could help her, how would it all end? The gulf between two cultures could be wider than the mathematics of space between two galaxies, or the bridging power of sex.
Against Willy's advice, Walther decided to catch the same stratoway with Maria, and take his chances on what might happen.
But a phone call from Uniport abruptly changed his plans. It was from their underworld contact, who informed Willy that the "Board of Directors" was meeting that evening; if Walther wanted to attend, he would have to take the next stratoway to Uniport. Someone would meet him at the station.
Uniport or Italy? Willy intervened to make the decision easier.
"This will be your only chance to get into the vaults," he counseled. "Besides, Maria must think some things through for herself."
His emotions in turmoil, Walther boarded the next stratoway for Uniport. As North Wales and England blurred into the ocean beneath him, he had the feeling that he would never see the River Dee country again.
A tall, thin young man, with eyes as colorless as waxpaper, met him at the Uniport station and hurried him into a monorail car. Walther tentatively began a question, but the young man stopped him with an opaque stare.