"Shhh!" He laid a finger across her lips. "Don't say it. We'll find a way out for you—for us. We're going to be together."
"But you're here—you're free!"
"No. Only for tonight." Quickly he sketched the events that had brought him to the camp after his day of rebellion. At the end he added, "So you see, you're partly responsible for my being here. We have to stick together."
"It's too dangerous!"
"Maybe it's dangerous. Nothing could be too dangerous."
Impulsively she hugged him. "Careful," he warned her with a nervous laugh, "Women have been attacked for less."
"Really?" She stretched herself luxuriously. "You're frightening me...."
With an effort he moved a few inches away from her. He spoke firmly. "We have too much to talk about first. Tomorrow I'll be going back. We have to decide what we're going to do."
"What can we do?" Her tone was wistful, but without real hope. "Once you asked me what I thought about the Merger. I guess it meant something to you. It doesn't to me. Whether there's one big Organization, or two or twelve, doesn't make any difference. Nothing changes."
Hendley sensed the conviction behind her words, but he wouldn't accept their hopelessness. Stubbornly he insisted, "We have to do something. Where can we meet? At your room? Mine?"