Early Byrd Read Online Free PDF Page B

because her face was so
friendly and her smile so pretty. She looked like Mom. "We're
hostages," I explained. "My brother and I. He's in
five-nineteen."
    Her eyebrows rose past her bangs.
"Hostages?"
    "Sort of, but not exactly." I took a few
moments to explain about how there wasn't an exact English word for
it, and what the differences were. "It kind of sucks," I explained,
a single tear squeezing its way down my cheek despite my best
efforts. "I mean . . . we didn't want to, and Mom and Dad didn't
want for us to. But . . ."
    "My dear heavens!" Linda the assistant hotel
manager—for by now I'd read her nametag—gushed, her face now pale under her makeup.
"I . . . I . . ."
    "It is indeed an unpleasant situation," a
new voice interrupted as Mr. Li opened his door and stepped into
the hall between us. "But it is as it must be." He sighed and
looked at the floor. "Being on the losing side of a war has its
consequences."
    She frowned, then looked back and forth
between my tutor and me. "It's absolutely horrible!"
    Li nodded. "I can only agree. And yet . . ."
His eyes narrowed. "Things could be much worse, for each and every
one of us. While Robert here has done nothing wrong—he wasn't to my
knowledge instructed to keep this matter secret—there has been no
official announcement yet. For obvious reasons."
    "Yes," she agreed, nodding vigorously. "Very
obvious! Now on top of everything else they're taking our children
as hostages!"
    Li took a moment to swallow before replying.
"They mean it as a gesture of respect. The English word
'hostage, ' as the boy
said, is an inaccurate and unfortunate representation of an alien
concept. He's to be educated and raised as one of their elite."
    "How many more child-hostages will they be
taking?" she demanded next. " All of them?"
    "I . . ." Mr Li shook his head. "You don't
understand, ma'am. It's not—"
    "You're a damn collaborator, is all you
are!" the woman hissed. Then she spat in Mr. Li's face.
    "Please," he tried again. "You must—"
    But it was too late. By then she was well
past us, legs pumping and arms swinging, making for the main desk.
"Collaborator!" she cried again. "I hate you!"
    "Mr. Li," I finally said, breaking the
awkward silence. "I—"
    "Hush!" he said, raising a warning finger.
"You've not misbehaved, as I said. That's not at all the same,
however, as saying you've done nothing unwise." His brows lowered,
then he pursed his lips and nodded. "I must," he finally said,
clearly coming to some sort of decision but uncomfortable with the
answer. "I simply must." Then he looked at me and swung his room's
door wide open. "Come inside," he ordered. "Sit on my bed and wait.
I'll be with you in just a moment."
    I did as instructed, not that I had much
choice. Li's hand now grasped mine, and while his grip was gentle I
could sense iron bands lying closely underneath the soft flesh. He
led me to the bed, which I sat on as instructed. Then, hesitating
one last time, he picked up the room's phone and dialed a number.
"This is Li," he said in his near-perfect Gonther. "Lord Rapput
said I might call upon him in the event of difficulties. I fear
that moment has come." There was a long silence, then Li explained
about Linda the hotel manager. "I don't believe the boy did
anything willfully wrong. He'd received no instructions not to
speak freely. But the consequences of a premature leak—"
    "Yes, Li!" a voice chimed in so loudly that
I could make out its words halfway across the room. It was Rapput.
Or perhaps Uncle Rapput, I ought to be calling him now. "You
overheard every word?"
    "Yes, my lord," Li answered, nodding even
though Rapput couldn't possibly see the gesture.
    "You've acted rightly," Rapput decided after
a moment's hesitation of his own. "She shall be arrested
immediately and held until there’s a greater understanding between
our cultures on this delicate issue."
    "Of course, my Lord," Li agreed.
    "Yes," Rapput repeated. "You've done well
indeed, Mr. Li. Thank