A PHONE CONVERSATION

[FEMALE VOICE:] "Sir . . ."

[MALE VOICE:] "Five in the morning, Newhouse."

"Sir, the boy escaped."

"WHAT!? How?"

"The other young man . . . Callum Devereaux . . . he engineered it. It was a mistake keeping them together, I told you."

"Have them tracked."

"Already done."

"You've got them, then?"

"The transmitter was found seven floors down, in the incinerator. They dropped it down the garbage chute."

"How the hell . . . we buried that chip so deep in the boy's ear . . ."

"Wire hanger, sir. Devereaux carved it out of the boy's head with a wire hanger."

"Jesus."

"We never imagined Devereaux would hurt the boy. Doesn't fit Devereaux's profile. Fatal error in our security analysis."

"How did they get out?"

"Ventilation duct."

"Unsecured?"

"You're not going to believe this. We found an unsecured duct on the third sub-floor that . . . that doesn't appear on any of the schematics."

"What?"

"We're researching it. All we know right now is that as far as our computer models of the location are concerned, this duct doesn't exist."

"This is rediculous."

"The duct also doesn't connect with the facility's HVAC system. It actually leads to a basement in the building next door, which connects to a network of neighborhood basements . . . one of which has a manhole leading to the sewers."

"Oh, God."

"Sniffers traced them to that point. But obviously, the sniffers are no good in the sewers."

"Where was the guard detail during all this?"

"The boy . . . you know he broadcasts. At 1:16am, when the hanger penetrated the boy's inner ear, the video surveillance sergeant felt a corresponding sharp pain in his head, intense enough to blur his vision and inhibit gross motor functions. Twelve minutes later, when he regained neural competence, there wasn't anything left to see on camera. They were gone."

"So . . ."

"At this point they have a three-and-half hour lead. We're calling reservists together for a search party. Public Utilities can't seem to find the relevant map of the sewer sector . . . something about budget cuts in their records department. So we're flying blind."

"They could be . . ."

"Anywhere in a five mile radius."

"Blockade all sewer egresses . . . search potential hiding places . . . we can flush them out . . ."

"Look, sir, no disrespect, but you're a scientist. Don't tell me how to do my job. You're not qualified."

"I don't like the tone in your voice, Ms. Newhouse."

"Sir, don't make this a pissing match. You don't want to know how big my dick is."

"Newhouse!"

"Police and military presence of the magnitude necessary for an effective blockade and search operation would compromise the covert profile of the facility, and dangerously risk impairment to the classified nature of the project."

"What's the plan, then, Newhouse? You know they're going to fry my ass for this . . . and you'll be roasting on that same barbecue with me, I swear . . ."

"Look, we're not going to find these guys by chasing their tails. We've got to get out in front of them. They've been surrounded by psychiatric professionals for the past year. Instruct your staff to give me full cooperation, especially the mind readers. If your people have been doing their jobs, someone must know where Devereaux and the boy are going."

"What do you mean, IF my people have been doing their jobs?"

"Sir . . . watch your ass."

"What the hell?"

"I'm not out to get you, sir. But someone is. Devereaux's exit strategy relied on the secondary effect the painful transmitter extraction would have on the security detail. Devereaux grew up in a trailer. He was raised by a religious nut who named him after her favorite soap opera character. He left school in tenth grade. He couldn't have orchestrated something like this on his own. He's simply not smart enough."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm guessing he had help."

"From who?"

"Can't say. But the scenarios are limited. Not many people know enough about the facility and the boy to make an escape like this work."

"Christ! Are you saying . . ."

"Watch your ass, sir. Watch your ass."

IN THE NEXT INSTALLMENT . . . ANOTHER BLOGGER TAKES ON A ROLE IN OUR STORY OF ADVENTURE AND INTRIGUE . . . WHO WILL IT BE?