Then he finally recognized Wallace, a member of the organization as he recalled, although he hadnât seen him at the last meeting.
âHey, Wallace,â he said, waving at him and forcing a smile so it could all seem like a coincidence. âOver here.â
Wallace, holding his hat, which covered his round, prematurely balding head, half ran across the street that separated them.
He forced himself to shake hands with Wallace, while keeping his smile intact, a difficult task that made him feel like a juggler. Meanwhile, he noticed an oddly embarrassed look on Wallaceâs face. Would the organization choose someone as ineffectual as Wallace to follow him and report on his activities?
âSo what are you doing in this neck of the woods?â Wallace said, in what Andrew thought was a pitifully transparent attempt to sound spontaneous.
âI had some business near here and then I came here to eat.â
âOh, me too,â Wallace said quickly, as if grateful that Andrew had provided him with his own cover story as well.
âCare to join me?â
âSure,â Wallace said, smiling more sincerely this time, which Andrew found convincing enough since Wallace had few friends and seemed to cling to anyone who showed a momentary interest in him.
âItâs a self-service cafeteria. I hope thatâs all right.â
âOh sure. I ate here once before with you after a meeting. Didnât you take your Memo today?â Wallace said jokingly.
Andrew forced a laugh then entered the restaurant. He didnât attempt to talk to him again until theyâd both gotten their food and were seated at a table on the upper level, where it was a little less noisy.
âSo you never told me what
you
were doing around here today,â Andrew said, before chewing a generous bite of chicken and couscous.
âOh, business too, just like you.â
âReally? Something to do with the organization?â
âItâs a little embarrassing, but yes.â
âOh? Whatâs embarrassing?â
âI thought there was a meeting today.â
âReally?â
âYes. I got confused so I went there for nothing as it turns out. And then I got hungry and went to this place just like you.â
Andrew looked hard at him. Two preposterous coincidences delivered in a convictionless voice by a dubious man who was now almost chugging his beer. Andrew was concerned, but before he could think of what to say next, Wallace put down his empty beer bottle and spoke again.
âCan I ask you a personal question completely off the record while weâre kind of on the subject?â
âGo ahead,â Andrew said.
âWell donât be offended, but do you ever have any doubts about the organization?â
âDoubts? What kind of doubts?â
âDoubts in general about their modus operandi.â
âWhat about it would give me any doubts?â
âDonât you think some of their methods are a trifle controlling, even militaristic?â
Andrew shrugged. Lately, heâd had similar thoughts himself, thoughts heâd generally try to kick out of his mind. For a second he wondered if Wallace had been given a different pill, which allowed him to read minds. âTheyâre dealing with something that will have a profound effect on the world. They have to be very careful.â
âYes,â said Wallace. âI considered all that. Still, the way they walk up and down the aisles like soldiers to make sure weâre not taking any notes. And all the loyalty oaths theyâve made us sign, all the documented information weâve had to turn over to them, whereas we donât even know any of their full names.â
âWhat about Dr. Rossi?â
âI donât know his first name, do you? I mean, donât you find that just a little disturbing? Arenât they supposed to be doctors, so why are they acting like drug
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