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outside and found thirty-two of the most healthy, athletic, brilliant, and beautiful young people society had to offer. He brought them back to Little Cam, which is when this place really started to boom, and began injecting them. They hadchildren, their children had children,
their
children had children, and those children had me.”
    I take Roosevelt back and stroke his soft fur, feeling the pattering of his heart in my palm. “And precisely as everyone had hoped during those hundred years of research, experimentation, and selective breeding…I am immortal.”

FOUR
    “S o,” says Harriet as she grinds her cigarette onto the exam table and flicks it in the trash, “that’s it then? Here you are, immortal, perfect Pia. Seems like the end of the road. Or is there an immortal, perfect hunk around here somewhere?” She looks around as if she expects one to be lurking behind the refrigerator full of saliva samples.
    “What do you mean?”
    “Well, the way I hear it, the purpose of this place is to create a new race of
ubermenschen—
”
    “Uber what?”
    “Immortals. But all I see is one scrawny girl with an attitude bigger than her bra size—”
    “I am
not
scrawny,” I say, throwing my shoulders back and glaring at her.
    “Yes, yes.” She waves a hand dismissively. “You’re perfect, I forgot. Anyway, my question is this: Where’s
Mr
. Perfect?”
    I nod in understanding and draw a deep breath. “Well,once I’m finished with my studies and become part of the Immortis team, we’ll make one.” Saying my dream out loud like that makes my heart flutter in anticipation, and I smile proudly.
    For some reason, she busts out laughing. She leans on the exam table, head in her hands, and every third laugh comes out as a snort. When she looks up again, she must see the look on my face, because she stops. “Sorry, Pia. Sorry, I just…” She nearly cracks again, but gets herself under control. “To hear you say that…I’ll bet you’re the first kid in history who can honestly say something like
that
.”
    “There’s nothing wrong with what I said!”
    “No, no.”
    I can tell she’s still trying not to laugh, and I’m getting angrier by the minute. “I wish you would stop that.”
    “Stop what?”
    “Stop making fun of me. Everything I say, you act like it’s…it’s stupid.”
    She frowns and comes toward me. I flinch as she takes my hand in hers. “Oh, Pia. I don’t think you’re stupid. But you have to understand. I just got here a day ago. I came here under the impression I’d be doing routine research and documentation. But instead I find
you
. A young woman of astonishing beauty who tells me she’s immortal. And perfect. And she can prove it, to boot! It’s a lot to take in.”
    I see by her face that she’s telling the truth, but I’m still angry. “It’s not your business, anyway. Like you said, you’re here to do routine research. Not study me.”
    “No?” She cocks her head. “I once studied a white tigress at the San Francisco Zoo that had as much attitude as you.Beautiful creature, extremely rare, and she knew it too. Wore it like a badge on that snowy coat. I never knew an animal could be disdainful until I met Sasha.”
    I think she might be making fun of me again, but I’m not sure, so I ask instead, “What’s San Francisco?”
    “What did you say?” asks a different voice.
    We both turn in surprise to see Uncle Paolo standing in the doorway. I know immediately that Harriet Fields is going to be in
trouble
. I give Uncle Paolo a huge smile. “Hi! Doctor Fields was just telling me about San Francisco.”
    She swivels her head and gives me a look to burn wet kapok wood. “I most certainly was
not
, young lady!” She looks back at Uncle Paolo. “I wasn’t.”
    “Doctor Fields,” he says coldly, still watching me. “May I speak with you in my office?”
    She groans and throws up her hands. “Oh, come
on
! I’m new here! Cut me some slack already!”
    “Dr.