"You can tell me about it," I said.

"No secrets, huh?" Elizabeth replied, putting the menu down.

"Empathics still have to guess what feelings mean," I said.

"So what's your guess, David?" she asked.

"I would guess it has something to do with me being Positive," I answered.

"Not everything has to do with your power," she said. "This is a relationship thing."

"I don't understand," I replied.

"I don't need to be empathic to know you aren't telling me something, David," she said.

I tapped the table with two fingers. She cringed, along with everyone in the area. I reined in my emotions as my watchers stared down anyone taking too much interest in me.

"An interesting stew of feelings," Elizabeth said shaking her head to clear it. "It is unfortunate Healers are a combination of the most powerful projectives with the least control over their projections."

"The Director has asked me for a favor," I said.

"And like every Institute Positive, you feel obligated to go where he points," she sighed.

"Positives are servants of humanity's survival," I recited.

"Institute propaganda," she said. "Or more accurately, the Director's propaganda."

"Is that what you think?" I asked coldly.

"No," she replied carefully. "But I'm a woman whose man is keeping secrets."

"Assigning a Healer to the Euro-Institute is a large enough gift that they have to accept the terms of the Director's proposed merger," I told her.

"I had to get involved with the only Positive who can, at will, heal a person's sex drive," she said studying me.

"I'm used more effectively in a hotel full of couples, but the hope of a cure IS useful propaganda," I said.

"So when did you plan to tell me you're leaving?" she asked.

"I've Healed you," I told her.

"Without asking me!" she said sitting up.

"I don't have to ask," I said.

"You violated the Lottery," she insisted. "The Institute only allows one Heal a week because of its affects on you! One couple every two weeks, David; that's the Lottery!"

"Read the fine print," I said. "I decide!"

She sat back and stared at me.

"Why did you decide I needed Healing?" she asked.

"I'm being based out of the new Euro headquarters," I said. "I wanted to leave you able to have the life you wanted."

"What's the use of Healing me when only Positives, someone a Symbolic has been in love with, and those you've Healed have normal sex drives?" she asked.

"The last Positive testing identified another Healer," I said. "The Institute has agreed to a Healing for the man of your choice."

I looked out the window when something hit me.

"You said Healers, why?" I asked. "The discovery of a new Healer hasn't been announced yet."

She smiled and shook her head at me. The wave of her satisfaction struck me, putting me on alert. Next to the Director or his youngest son, Jason, Elizabeth was the most focused person I knew.

She reached out to turn my hand over. Her fingers lightly ran circles on the inside of my wrist and down to the palm of my hand.