It takes some time and diplomatic ability to sort out the girls' quarrel, neither of which Tenenbaum has very much of. And she has two new children to check on, mercifully both still sleeping -- it pains her to leave them, because the first day or two after being cured is always rough, but this is an emergency. And then she also has to locate her shoes, which have found their way into the sparse dress-up box again, and make the children promise faithfully to do their schoolwork while she's out (maybe half of them will), before she finally gets out of the door.

P A R E N T H O O D

Maybe twenty minutes after the call ended, she hits Sinclair's doorbell. It's not been so long -- probably Jack won't have returned. But she still can't help looking over her shoulder.

C'mon, hurry up and answer before a splicer tries to eat her or something.