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He didn’t understand what these formalities were, he wanted to find out as soon as possible how Vicky was, and dump the dangerous object that was in his pocket.
    “So, first name?”
    “Isaac.”
    “Surname?”
    “Leroy.”
    “Age and date of birth.”
    “Twenty-nine, 28th of December.”
    “Parents’ names?”
    “Alexander Leroy and Anna Kramer.”
    Isaac kept on and on answering questions. It was ok, but he wanted to sit down. He kept shifting from one foot to the other.
    The officer looked up from the report.
    “I’m sorry, have a seat! I don’t usually stand on ceremony during an interrogation. A
    habit – pardon me, sit on the chair.”
    Altogether the questioning and drawing up the report took about twenty minutes. Isaac
    explained why he was standing; he didn’t know they were going to storm the agency.
    Captain Robert (the officer turned out to be a captain) explained to Isaac that he had been stunned when the office was stormed because only two people were standing – the terrorist and Isaac. The security guard in the agency had switched on his walkie-talkie, so when they stormed the place the assault team knew that all the hostages were lying down. That was why they had taken Isaac for an accomplice.
    However, the testimony of the other victims had completely convinced Robert that Isaac
    wasn’t involved in the terrorist attack. Robert had checked that Isaac was there to download his energy, having first drawn up a provisional contract. Robert had read it and he had discovered that Isaac’s only relative, Victoria Frank, was in the hospital, waiting for surgery, and the contract stipulated that the cost of the surgery should be paid out of the Collective Mind money, and thus his final doubts about Isaac had evaporated.
    “You can collect your things now,” Robert added calmly. “By the way, what’s this
    gismo?” he asked, holding out the V-Rain. “I can tell you quite frankly that I deleted it from the inventory of your things, otherwise we would have had to hold you for another week, until we’ve figured out that this little thing wasn’t connected with the attack in any way. I’m really sorry, we dealt with Cavalier first and sent him to Marseilles, and then a whole horde of people descended on us: our bosses, prosecutors, the deputy prefect, journalists. It took us a long time to get round to you. And then, your sister’s surname isn’t the same as yours. I didn’t know she was your stepsister. But I checked all the information on you today, so that you could get back home, even if it is late. Off you go, it’s already ten o’clock.”
    “It’s my invention. Harmless. It’s just to keep the rain off.”
    Isaac raked up his things, and the V-Rain squeaked plaintively. All this amiability from Robert made him feel uneasy
    “Isaac, I’m very sorry,” the captain suddenly added in a quiet, fatherly voice. “The news I have from the hospital isn’t too cheerful. Your sister has been in a coma since this afternoon.”
    The ground suddenly crumbled under Isaac’s feet. He started crying. His mouth still felt dry, but tears the size of large hailstones rolled down his cheeks. He couldn’t say a single word, small change scattered onto the floor and his hands, full of various little bits and pieces, shook so badly that he simply couldn’t find his pocket.
    It wasn’t fair! Bastards! Nobody specifically. Everybody. Isaac loathed them all.
    “I spoke to the doctor, don’t despair, of course it’s bad, but her life isn’t in any danger.
    You’ll definitely find the money for the surgery. And you should also see a doctor yourself, our medic said you have a slight concussion.”
    No one was waiting for Isaac in the dark street. There was nothing for him in the future either. Rage against the whole world overflowed him, anger at the world, at his own
    helplessness. He picked up a stone and dashed it into a shop-window. The siren howled and he turned into an alleyway. He finally