And it may take some time to learn what&#39;s real

Radiation?

Oh, right. That is what Helen called-

"Demon rays."

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Jamie vaguely hears Helen saying something as well, but he doesn't chime in himself; he's too busy remembering all over again that Adam's world - which is so painfully much like his world - is ninth in a series. A war series.

Jamie's world is probably next. Tenth. They could be playing a war on right there, at this very moment. Or, on the other hand, it could have been the world before -

No. No, it couldn't have been. Jamie won't let himself think that. And if war hasn't reached Adam's world yet, it can't have reached Jamie's either. It can't.

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Adam doesn't like where his thoughts are going.

He looks away from the others, turning around, and takes his glasses off, cleaning them absently on his jacket. But his voice is quite calm as he asks, "How does one get rid of Them?"

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Before anyone can answer, there is a loud clatter of feet.

"Adam! Adam! I draw the line at pet mice on the kitchen table!"

A few seconds later, a face appears in the basement door to accompany the sound of the feet - quite a pretty face, if wearing too much makeup, and surrounded by a lot of red hair. "A tame mouse! Eating biscuits on the table!"

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Vanessa would show up just at this very moment!

There is very little that Adam hates more than his sister poking her nose in where it's not wanted.

"It wasn't tame," he informs her. "It was quite, quite wild. I hoped it would tear you to bits."

He glances at the - the Homeward Bounders, all right - and says, without a jot of friendliness in his tone, "My sister. Vanessa."

If he's lucky they'll take a hint and keep their mouths shut.

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"Oh, you would have visitors!" says Vanessa, taking in the other three children for the first time. "You always do when I'm really mad at you!"

He times it on purpose, Vanessa is sure, just to make her look a fool. The best she can think to do is try to pretend it's all a joke, so she plasters a smile on her face and comes politely towards them.

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Er.

This would be the 'theoretical' red-haired, handsome young virgin that Adam was asking about.

Joris flushes red and backs up a step.

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uquars_gadget

Helen stiffens with suprise, withdrawing into her hair. She glances over to Adam, then back to Vanessa.

She's not sure what to make of this.

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Which leaves Jamie, wobbling rather, standing out in front.

:D? says Jamie.

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. . . that boy does not look well.

The smile drops off Vanessa's face as she really focuses on Adam's friend, taking in his pallor and the towel round his arm. "What's been happening to you?" she asks. "You look really ill!"

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"It's a long story," Jamie says quickly, doing his best to project confidence and health. "I had a bit of an accident."

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Joris bites his lip, then shakes his head quickly.

"It was me-"

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"Not to worry," Adam says quickly, before Joris can get started in on demon knives and guilt.

There's little hope of getting rid of Vanessa now, but Adam gives it a game try anyways. (He wishes Jamie would stop looking like he's about to fall over. It isn't helping.)

"Joris and me gave him first aid. He's Jamie, by the way. This is Helen, the one without a face."

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Vanessa ignores Adam with the ease of long practice.

"Let me look at it once," she says to the ill-looking boy. "Adam doesn't know the first thing -"

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Joris does know first aid.

But his quiet "I do," gets rather lost under Adam's much louder protest of the same.

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