"I’m not sure ..." Carlotta said, looking genuinely puzzled, even a little hurt. "I guess it’s cause I don’t want to see you walk blind into what’s coming down for you. You think you’re safe cause you work for the Man, but the Man’s had his day. The real future’s here, in this place." Carlotta lowered her voice and stepped closer; she was serious. "You’re on the wrong side, Laura. The losin’ side, in the long run. These people have hold of things that the Man don’t want trifled with. But there’s not a thing the Man can do about it, really. Cause they got his number. And they can do things here that straights are scared to even think about."