56
Albert took his seat in front of a bank of computer monitors in the observation room. There were about a dozen other people in there. They parted for me like a celebrity.
Some of them clapped, a few of them patted me on the shoulder. I was beginning to get a feeling for how it is to be Halli Markham. I could see why she doesn’t always look so thrilled when strangers shout out her name.
“Can we clear the room for a while?” Professor Whitfield said to everyone, for which I was grateful. Soon it was just him and me and Albert.
The area was about three times as big as the little sound-proof room I’d just been in. This place had computers and video monitors and other sorts of equipment lining all the walls. Albert sat at the wide, U-shaped desk and typed speedily on the keyboard.
“There
