Hawk and Rodney were just finishing with Theresa, Jocasta-ever the scientist-was watching over their shoulders. Hawk was using his big knife, but as delicately as a scalpel. The umbilical cord came away from my sister's belly in a spray of blood and liquid that wasn't blood. Rodney pressed a slap patch into place over the raw flesh that had been exposed, while the shaman touched the end of the umbilical, which instantly burst into flame and shriveled. Theresa stirred and moaned- a heart-rending sound-but didn't awaken.