As ridiculous as it might seem to argue with an automaton, I did just that, all the way through the winding corridors, up the flights of stairways, doing whatever I could at all possible moments to get through to Jack.

"Jack, listen," I begged, "you know this is wrong." Nothing, no expression, his frown gone. "Jack! Hugh is mad, he's ill, we must stop him!" Again nothing. Why wouldn't he listen to me? "He'll destroy everything." I wanted to weep but it seemed so ...