Lance:I"lltellher.I"drathershout"Eureka"butacceptthecaveat.Hesentanimageofalargecrocodile,jawswideinamazement,followedbyakangaroobouncingfromapictorialmapofAustraliatothemoon.Youneverknowtillyoutry,doyou,cobber?
"Enough!"Doroteasaidsuddenly."Let"sgetPeterhometobed.Don"tyoutrytomoveamuscle,youngman."
Foronebriefmoment,Peterlookedasifhewasgoingtodisobey.Thenhis.e.xpressionsturnedwoeful."Idon"tthinkIcouldrightnow."
"Nothingagoodnight"ssleepandaheartybreakfastwon"tputrightinnexttonotime,"Doroteasaidbriskly,b.u.t.thefierceglanceshegaveRhyssasuggestedthatalotmorerecuperationtimemightberequiredinspiteofDon"soptimisticinterpretationofthemonitors."Now,howdowegethimbacktotheCenter?BorisandSaschaareapparentlyuptotheireyeb.a.l.l.sintheirriotcontrol."
TheCentervehicle"scoming,Sirikitsaid,arippleofamus.e.m.e.ntinhervoice.Juststayput!
Eventhroughtheheavyroofsheetingofthepowerstation,theycouldhearthevibrationsoftheapproachingheli.Thentheroofdooropenedandafigurechargedthrough.
"Youallrightdownthere?Iwastoldtocomepickuppieces!"DaveLehardtcried,descendingthreestepsatatime.
Rhyssanearlyweptwithrelief.WhathadBoris,theslymutt,said?
"Someoneyoucouldtrust!"
"Hi,Peter,"Davesaid."WhathaveyouallbeenuptothatyourPRmangetscalledoutofhisbedintheweesmallhoursofthemorning?"
Thenhekneltdownbytheboy,his.e.xpressionverygentle."Youlookdonein.Tellmelater,huh?"Withtendersolicitude,hegathereduptheexhaustedboyand,movingwithexquisitecare,startedupthestairswithhim.Rhyssafollowed,immenselygratefulforhisunexpectedpresence.
Chapter9.
WithinminutesoftheEvent,anIncidentRoomwasinplaceonthewidemallinfrontofthea.s.sembly__atrium.CrowdcontrolTalentsandLEOspecialistshadquicklydefusedthevolatiletemperoftheincipientmob.AlthoughanumberofattendeeshadmanagedtoevadetheLEObackup,therestwerebeingsystematicallyID"d.
ThefocusoftheIncident,sometwentywomenofvariousethnicgroups,hadbeenimmediatelysequesteredinoneoftherehearsalroomsbehindtheatriumand,despitetheirloudlamentationsandprotestationsofinnocence,werebeingadroitlyquestionedbyaspecialTalentteam.
BythenBorisandSaschahadarrivedinthebigheli.Alreadythetapesfromthehieyes,discreetlysetinthehighceilingofthehallbytwoindustriouselectricianswhohadcomewiththeRIGsetupteam,werebeingviewedintheIncidentRoombytheoriginalprecogs,AuerandBerthaZoccola.BorisandSaschatookupobservationpositions.
Theportable"swallswerepackedwitha.n.a.lyzerskeyedintotheLEOmainframe.Debriefingreportsbycrowd-controlTalentswerebeingmadeatthevariousstations,whileLEOpersonnelavidlyreadrapsheetsspewedoutbychurningprintersasthewristIDscanswereprocessed.
FrequentlytheLEOcommissionerwasinterruptedinhisviewingtoinitialwarrantsb.u.t.themainmeatoftheIncidenteludedall.ReveredVenerablePonsitProsithadonceagainflittedoffintime.
"Somyprecogcenteredonthewomen,"herthawa.s.saying,studiouslyavoidingeyecontactwithAuer.Thedourmanwaspullingathislowerlip,oblivioustoherasthereplaycontinued."WhilehiswasforFlimflam.Whenareyougoingtobustthatguy?He"sobscene,amiserablemaggotofaman,leechingoffemotionsyouknowthat"sallheis!Anemotionleech,growingfatwheneverhehasamobtosuck!Thebiggerthebunchhemanipulates,thebiggerhis.h.i.t."Shewavedherarmsinexaggeratedcircles.
"AsI"veexplainedbefore,hertha,heinadvertentlyservesapurpose,"Boris.e.xplainedpatiently."Heworksthemup,yes.Hemaygetavicariouspleasureholdingacrowdinthepalmofhishand,buthishistrionicsdefusealotofpentupgarbageinacatharsisnotgeneratedbypa.s.sivewatchingofthetridfare.Occasionallyherunsprettyclosetodogmaticinsult,butusuallyhe"sinnocuousandsaysnothing."
""Saysnothing"isright!"herthamutteredindignantly.
Boriswenton."Hehadregisteredsponsorsfortonight,someEastIndianMysticalConceptGroupwhichisproperlyregisteredandscreensaslegit.Wehadnogroundstodenythem,orhim,therightofreligiousa.s.sembly."
"Religiousa.s.sembly!"herthawasoutraged."Religionheain"tgot.Andreligiousa.s.sembliesaresupposedtobeuplifting,notdowntrodding.
He"sarouser,aleech,aspewerofblasphemy.He"sdangerous."ShewaggledafingerviolentlyunderBoris"snose."There"relawsagainstincitingtoriot,andhecausedonetonight."
"Unfortunately,hertha,yourprecogabsolveshimofprimaryblame."
Boristriedtoexudepacification.Hervoicewasgettinglouderwitheachdenunciatoryremark,andshehadneverbeennotedfortact.
"Whogavehimstrands,Commish?"shedemanded."Youcan"ttellmehedidn"tuse"emwithcriminalintent!"
Boris"spatiencesnapped,andhesentacrispsummonstoSascha,whowasoutsidehelpingthetelempathskeepcontrol."Onthatcount,we"veasearchandfindwarrantoutforhimrightnow."
"ItwasmetwiggedFlimflam,herthaZoccola,"Auersaid,glaringfuriouslyatthelittlewoman."He"snoneofyourbusiness."
Saschaarrivedanddeftlyrenderedherhelplesswithaheavyleanonherspeechcentersjustlongenoughtoescorthertoadebriefingpositionattheoppositeendoftheroom.
"WegotanotherwildonemanufacturingthatstrandstuffforFlimflam?"
AueraskedBorisinalowvoice.
"Couldbe,Auer,"Borisrepliedunhappily."That"stheonlywayfringefanaticslikePonsitPrositcouldobtainstrands."ThetanglingsubstancewasarecentLEOinvention,producedfromanaberrantchemicalcompoundtoprovideafastdryingmid-rangerestraint.Topsecret,itsformulaandprocessingwereofacomplexitythatoughtnottobeeasilyduplicatable."There"sarealsmartheadouttheresomewhere.Forensicsaysthestuffisprettyd.a.m.nedclosetoourformula.Moretoxic,whichisbad,andlessdurable,whichisfortunate.You"veagoodfeelfortechnicalmatters,Auer.Keepyourmindopenforus,w.i.l.l.you?Reporteventheslightesttwinge.We"vegottofindthisbozoa.s.soonaspossible.Idon"tcarewhatsortofTalentemergesfromResidentialgenesbut,whateveritis,itshouldberegisteredwithus."
"Ican"timagineFlimflamhavingenoughcredittohirethatsortofsmarts.Ah,andIseeYa.s.sim"sgothimselfanewladrone?"Aueraskedcynically,pointingatthereplay.
Borisregardedhimwithapproval."YoucaughtthatoneframeofYa.s.sim?"
Auershookhisheadbutpointedtothetapebeingplayedoverandoveronthescreen."IkeepuptodateontheLEOvisitors"list.Everyladrone,hitter,andsa.s.sinknowntobeconnectedwithYa.s.simwasheretonight.Hehadtobe,too.Didjagetmany?"
"Agoodcropbutnooneofparticularimportance,"Borissaidandthengrimaced."Youknowthosenewindestructibledooreyeswe"vebeeninstalling?ItcouldhavebeenYa.s.sim"speople,ormaybethenewTalentwhosuppliedFlimflamwithstrands,buteveryoneofthemwasdisabled.Verycleverly,withabitofwire,ahairpin,evenatwistedlengthoffoilnothingirreparablebutenoughtocloudthecount.We"reID"ingeveryonewhodidn"thaveachancetoleaveaftertheIncident,butwe"reshycountsonexactlywho,andhowmany,cametotheparty."
Auernoddedagain,sympatheticinhisownsourwaytothecommissioner"sfrustration."I"llkeepitallinmind,Commissioner.
Leaveyoutoit."
Boristurnedhisattentiontotheheadoftheteamquestioningthefocusgroup.Norma,anyluck?
No,sir,they"restillontheboil.We"regettinganger,frustration,envy,someanxietyandworryoverbeingdetained,mainlymaternal,butreally,sir,wecanonlygetthedominantemotions.They"reangryatbeing"done."AndnotbyoldPonsitPrositFlimflam.Troubleis,noneof"emspeakmuchBasic.Couldwehavealinguistdownhere?
Someonewho"sgotNeerest,Paki,andAsianlanguages?Ranjit,maybe?
I"llsendhimalongpresently.Anythingelse?
Yes,sir.Nineofthemareinvolvedinsomekindoffeud.We"vehadtoseparatethemtwicealreadytokeepthemfromscratchingeachotherorpullinghair.Somethingaboutbeingchosenanditwasn"trighttointervene.Doesn"tmakeanysense.
"Beingchosen?"Borisspokealoudaswellasmentally.
Sir?
Thankyou,Sergeant,you"vejusttriggeredathought!BoristurnedtothescreenasyetanotherreplayoftheIncidentbegan.Heforwardeditquicklyandthenreducedthespeed,hiseyesonthescreen.
You"vegotsomething?Saschawasathisshoulder.
mytheoryiscorrectthatFlimflamwasfingeringpeopleforsomeoneYa.s.simprobably,sincehismenwerethereinforceIwanttoknowwhatthecommondenominatorofchoicewas,Boristoldhistwin.Mostofthemweremales.e.xceptourfocusgroup,whichwereah,hereweare!
Thetwobrotherswatchedasthereducedspeedclearlyshowedthestrandfallinginthecenterofthefocusgroup.
Itdidn"tbitawoman!Unlessshewasamidget,Saschasaid,pointingtothethinhandsclawingupoutofthema.s.s.Boristappedoutanenlarge,sharpeningthedefinitioninthecenterofactivity.Achild?
Nochildinthegroupbeingheld.Twentywomen.Icancountthatmanybeads.
Sascha:Aresometugging?
Yes,andsomeresisting.Normasaidthewomenarecontentious.Inanoverlayofthought,BorisrepeatedNorma"s.e.xactwords.
Sascha:AndfeelingcheatedLook!Knifeseveringthestrand.Nowallbellbreaksloose.
"Okay,whowerethenearestcrowdcontrollers?"Borisasked.
Ca.s.sCutlerandSuzanneNbembiweresummoned,stillwearingtheirundercovergear,althoughCa.s.shadwipedofftheheavymakeupanddiscardedthetangleofcheapjewelry.Borisspunthetapebacktotherelevantscene.
"Ca.s.s,Suzanne,goodstrongdamperworktoday."
"Itwasveryclose,Commissioner,"Ca.s.ssaid,rollinghereyes."Couldhavebeenabadonewithoutthatprecog."
"Eitherofyoutwoseeachildwithourfocusgroup?"
"No,"Ca.s.srepliedquickly,andthenfrowned."Atleast,Idon"tthinkshewaswiththem.WefirstnoticedhertryingtogetawayfromBulbar."
"Wewouldhaveintervenednogirlchildshouldbecaughtbythatscuzbutshefreedherself,"Suzadded."Knewwellenoughhow."
"Shedodgedbehindusforamoment,onherwaytoanexit.l.u.s.tthentheIncidenterupted.Funnyaboutthat..."Ca.s.sfaltered,frowning.
"Ifeltsomething,Commissioner,whenItouchedher.Ashieldsolidasawall,andthat"soddenoughforaLinearkid.
ShemightevenhavesomelatentTalent."
"Westillhaven"tfoundthereasonfortheriot.Couldshehavesomethingtodowithitifshe"sapossiblelatentTalent?"Borismused,tappingthemonitor.
Ca.s.sgaveadiffidentshrug,butbothsheandSuzwatchedthereplayclosely.Borisspeededitup,stoppingatthemomentwhenthehandsappeared,lookingmoreballeticinslowmotionthanfranticastheslenderfingerssplayedinpanic;thenthesequencewenton,showingfingersclutchingatthestrand,theflashoftheknife,andthescrimmageofthewomen.
"Canyougettheperimeterofthescenejustbeforetheystartedtoboil?"Ca.s.sasked.
Boristriedeverycombinationofreview,b.u.t.thehieyehadbeenfixedontheprecoggedsiteoftheIncident,andalthoughthedefinitionwa.s.sharp,theangleobscuredwhatCa.s.swantedtosee.
"RanjitYoussefreportingasrequested,sir."TheyoungLEOofficerpresentedhimselfarespectfuldistancefromtheabsorbedcl.u.s.teraroundthescreen.
"Andwhatdidthesearchofthea.s.signedquartersreveal,Lieutenant?"
Borisaskedformally.
"Commissioner,thecountofillegalchildrenundertheageofteniseighthundredandthree,includingfivenewborns.Infact,allthechildrenapprehendedareunderten."
AlthoughtheLEOcommissionerwasnotactuallysurprised,thetotalwasconsiderablyhigherthanestimated.Heproppedhimself.a.gainstthedeskedgeandfoldedhishandsoverhischest,rubbinghisjawpensively.Eighthundred?herepeated.
Andthree,Saschaadded,hismentaltoneequallygrim.
Boris:Andalltobesacrificedtoproducemoreunderfeddisposablekidstobeabusedonewayoranother.Howcanthetrafficbestoppedwhenpeopleblindlyfollowanarchaicethnicimperative?
"AnywithlegalwristIds?"BorisaskedRanjitaloud.
"Thenineyearolds,sir,butsofarnoID"smatchthegeneticprintregisteredforthenumber.TherearealsofarfewerpreteensandteensthanaResidentialpopulationshouldgenerate."
"Asusual.Howmanyoftheillegalsundertenwerefoundinthequartersofthefocuswomen?"
"Thirtytwo,sometooyoungtorunforit.Theolderoneshadsomewarningtheyalways...o...b..taclampisalreadyinitiated.NoonewithoutawristbandwillmoveoutofthisLinear,"Ranjitsaid,"eventhroughdisposalchutes."
"Ah,yes,disposalchutes,"Borisaddedwithafurthersighofresignation."And,Itrust,thecargolines?Good."HetappedasequenceandthescreenshowedthearchitecturalschematicofLinearG,slowlyrotatingtodisplayeveryangleoftheimmenseziggurat.
"NormaBanfieldneedsyourlinguisticabilities,Lieutenant.She"sintherehearsalhalltotheleftofthestage.She"sgotamessofethnicswithlittleBasic,andtherearetwofactionsatleastwillingtopullhair."
"Pullhair?"Ca.s.ssatupright,awispofamemorysurfacingfromtherecentexplosion.
"Gotsomething,Ca.s.s?"Borisasked.
"I"llworkonit."Shesaggedintoasmuchofarelaxedstateastheactivityintheroompermitted.Suzbeganasoothingma.s.sageofherneckmusclestoencouragerecall.
"I"lldowhatIcantohelpLieutenantBanfield."Ranjitsalutedandleft.
Ca.s.sstood."Iwannachecksomethinginthehall,sir,unlesssomeofficiousmoronha.s.sentthecleanersinalready."
"Gotoit."Borisgesturedbroadlyandturnedbacktotheschematictotryandfigureoutwhererefugeesmighthideinthemazeofcorridors,closets,andconduits.Sascha,getyourteamstostartsearchingducts.Scaredkidscansqueezeintothed.a.m.nedestplaces.Idon"twantasingleillegaltogetcaughtbyYa.s.sim"sslimybooks.
Done.Sascha"seyesblankedbrieflyashegavetheorders.
"Igot.i.t,"Ca.s.scried,reenteringtheroom.Shegaveaneerieyodelandheldthetrophyup."Herscalp,byallthat"sholy!"
Withtwofastidiousfingers,Boristookthehankofhair,thedullseveredstrandtangledrighttotheb.l.o.o.d.ypatchofskullskin.
Loufan!Findoutallyoucanaboutthepersonwhogrewthis!
Thetechnicianhurriedtothecommissioner"sside,receivedthetresswithoutexpression,andwentbacktohiscubicle.
Commissioner,Ranjitsaid.Afterapolitepausetobesurehewasnotinterrupting,hewenton.They"rehidingsomething.
Norma:Someone.Iconcur.Someoneimportanttothem.
Ranjit:Ithinkthat"sthereasonforthedissension,sir.
Norma:Iwouldgoalongwiththat.MayInudgethem,sir?
Boris:Byanyfairmeans,Lieutenant,Boristoldthem.Hegrinnedtohimself,knowingRanjit"sscrupuloussenseofhonor,andthenfeltthementaltouchthatmeantSaschahadoverheardtheexchange.