“About two months after this photo was taken I was born and my mum died - clean swap. Caring about someone I never knew doesn't make sense, but that's how it is. This photo means a lot. There must be some invisible mother-daughter wiring that runs from her image in a straight line to my heart.”

“More climbers die during the descent than on the way up.”Karakaredes seems to be considering this. After a minute he says, “Yes, but here on the summit, there must be some ritual . . .”“Hero photos,” gasps Paul. “Gotta . . . have . . . hero photos.”Our alien nods. “Did . . . anyone . . . bring an imaging device? A camera? I did not.”

“As mothers and daughters, we are connected with one another. My mother is the bones of my spine, keeping me straight and true. She is my blood, making sure it runs rich and strong. She is the beating of my heart. I cannot now imagine a life without her.”

“You may claim no affiliation with them, but perhaps some have crossed your path.And perhaps you'd like to help us find them.""Oh,sure.You killed my mother. You can imagine I'm dying to help you out."Thomas manages to ignore me again. He glances at the first photo projected on the wall. "Know this person?"I shake my head. "Never seen him before."Thomas clicks the remote. Another photo pops up. "How about this one?""Nope."Another photo. "How about this?""Nope."Yet another stranger pops up on the wall. "Seen this girl before?""Never seen her in my life."More unfamiliar faces. Thomas goes through them without blinking an eye or questioning my responses. What a stupid puppet of the state. I watch him as we continue, wishing I weren't chained so I could beat this man to the ground.”

“I was in America, someone wanted a photo with me, I put my arm around her and she told me not to touch her.”

“God, what if TMZ got hold of the truth about me? What a liar I am, I mean? What kind of role model am I? I make Vanessa Hudgens look like Mother Freaking Teresa. Minus the whole nudity thing. Because I'm not about to take naked photos of myself and send them to my boyfriend.”