Norma's voice said: "Escape?"
He came back to her. "I—the alarm tripped off. This time they must have tried it through the front door, or a window. The last one must have tunnelled through—"
He had to leave her. Instead he stood silently for a second. She said nothing.
"There are spots the steel's never covered," he said. "You can tunnel through if you're lucky." A pause. "I—"
"It's all right, Johnny," she said.
"Norma—"
"It's all right I understand. It's all right."
Her voice. He hung on to it as he turned and walked away, found the elevator, started away from the room, the Building where she was, started off to do his duty.
His duty as a slaver.