Earl looked down at her upturned face. Did she know? Perhaps the real Nadine, within, sensed what was to come.
Or perhaps she didn't.
The tom tom beat of pain began within him. He forced his way through it, taking her into his arms.
"The pleasure is all mine, Nadine Holmes," he murmured.
Their lips met, tenderly, then crushed together with the fierceness of passion.
Their lips parted, lingeringly, regretfully. They drew back, to look into each other's eyes for a brief moment, a moment Earl knew the Cyberene had given them to make more bitter what was to come.
Earl saw the glow fade from Nadine's eyes. As he picked up his suitcases he heard someone approaching.
Victor Glassman joined them, his face gray, his expression wooden.
This was it. Glassman might be missed. There might be an investigation, but Project Brain would go on regardless of that now. And the only ones who might stop it were here.
Side by side they walked toward the barely perceptible refractive shimmer. Beyond it they could see the woodland, a Bluejay's flashing wings, a chipmunk standing upright, observing them. And then they were standing in the familiar hall, in the year 3042.