"Oxygen and sulfur," he continued, bolder. Once he uncovered the first piece (and then the only possible answer), the puzzle unfolded magnificently in his arms. It was a matter of clawing into it to find the rest.

His voice was trembling.

"Operating and system." (Katurian was never very good at computer terms.) "Anticipating like beginning, like the first letters. Or the first part of a word."

He finally looked to Edward. There was something like pride in his eyes, something like invigoration. He had broken into Edward's thoughts. For one moment, he had broken into Edward's thoughts.

"Did he do this?"