Chapter 23

CaldwellwokeuptofindhimselfslumpedoverGlyph’smakeshiftworktop.Theterminalhadloggedhimoutofhisnetbaseandhewastotallyexhaustedfromhismemorytrip.Bluelightstreaminginthroughthetrailerwindowstoldhimitwasthecrackofdawn.HelookedathiswatchandtheclockononeofGlyph’sconsolestoconfirmit.Itwas6.10AMonboth.ThatwasthekindofaccuracyyougotwhenyougetthetimeviaradiowavesinrealtimefromtheAtomicClockinSwitzerlandbywhichalltimewasmeasured.

Katwasstillfastasleepbreathingwithafaintraspingsound.Stillcurleduplikeacontentfetus.Shehadsomehowchangedpositionthoughandherheadwasnowatthebottomofthebed.Weird.HerSimFilmhadendedandcoloredlightfromthedefaultscreensaverflashedintermittentlyoverhereyelids.Caldwellheadedintothemodifiedshowercubicle.Therewasashowerseatintherewithsteelgrips,whichGlyphobviouslyusedtohoisthimselfoutofhiswheelchairandontotheshowerseat.Itlookedlikeawheelchairbutitwasmadeentirelyofplasticanddevoidofwheels.

Caldwellshoweredandgotdressedinhisoldclothes,everyminuteheighteningtheexcitement.Therewasnohotwatersohewasnowwellandtrulyawake.Anicecoldshowerhadawayofdoingthattoyou.Hecheckedhisknapsack.Theconsolewasintherewrappedinitspackingmaterial.It’sallIhave.It’sallIneed.Herolledtheknapsack’sbinationlocks.Withthebination,onlyaslashercouldgainaccessintoitandhehadnoplanstobeinthevicinityofanyofthose.

CaldwellsatonthebedandcontemplatedwhetherornottowakeKatorleaveheranote.Whilehewasdeliberating,asthoughreadinghismind,sheturnedroundandstaredathimwithsleep-puffedeyesringedwithmarksfromthegoggles.

“Don’tknowwhyyouneedtosleepwiththemon,”hesaidtoherashertiredeyesadjustedtothenaturallightstreamingthroughthewindowsofthetrailer.

“Can’tsleepwithoutthem.Youknowthat.Stayedupallnight?”

“Prettymuch.I’mofftotheairportnow.”

“Sosoon,”shesaid,yawning.

“Afraidso.Butpromisemeyou’llstayheretillIgetback.”

“Alreadydid.Besides,Ilikeithere.”Shesmiled,tracesofsleepstillembeddeddeepwithinherpaleskin.

“I’veleftsomeinstructionsonhowtologinonGlyph’smainconsole.Ialsoriggeditsothatthemessageavatarisconfiguredtopromptyouwhenyouhavemessages.I’veunpluggedtheothers.TheHoloFlikisthatgrayprojectorthingontheceiling.”Hepointedupattheceilingwhereasmallholographicprojectorunitwashanging.“TheSimsgoinaslotonthatbox.”

“Thanks,IthinkIcanhandleit,”shesaid.Katwasalreadypreppingforgoodbye.Therestwasjustsemantics.

“OKtakecareofyourself.”

“Iwill.Youtoo.”

Hehuggedher.Sheheldonverytightlikeamothersendingheronlysonofftowar.Itwaslikeshewasafraidhewasn’tingback.Finallysheletgo,fightingbacktears.Afteronelastlookather,hestoodupandleftGlyph’strailer.Outside,thepolicecordonsweregone.Theever-efficientFoulerhadseentoitthattheyhadbeenremovedatdawn.Thisguyseemedtooeagertoplease.SuspicionroseinCaldwelllikebileinagallbladder.

***

OnthewaytoHeathrowUnionAirport,flankedonallsidesbymegacorpdronesreturningtowork,awaveofexcitementwashedthroughCaldwellforthefirsttimeinalongwhile.ThehumanautomatonsthatmadetheUniontickwereeverywhere,scurryingbackandforthviatheentrances,exits,platformsandpeoplemovers,likeamacabrebiologicalorchestra.Severalquestionsremainedthough.CouldhetrustFouler?WasthegirlMeiLinforreal?Hehopedshewas.WouldhebeabletotrackherdowninHongKong?Shecouldhelphimfillinsomeofthegapsinhispast,whatithadbeenlikegrowingupinHongKong.AndifhismemorieswerecorrectandnotplantedbyFoulerandhiscronies,therehadbeensomekindofaconnectionthere,somethingthatwentfarbeyondtheunrestrainedragingofteenagehormones.

AttheHeathrowUnionAirportTerminal10station,CaldwellsteppedoffthetranslucentMagLevpulsingintermittentlywithadvertisingandmadehiswaytothedeparturearea.Foulerwasstandingataspecialcounterwithnoairlinelivery.Helookeddifferentstandingup,taller,morefragilebutpositivelymoredangerous.NexttohimwerethetwoheaviesfromFouler’slimousineandanattractiveyoungwomancarryingaredleatherattachécase.ThegirlwasprettyinaprimandproperBritishwayandlookedvaguelyfamiliar.Thetwotoughsmadenosecretofthefactthattheythoughttheworldofher.Foulerwashisusualdapperselfinabeigepin-stripedsuit.Hehadn’tshavedthoughandafiveo’clockshadowclungtohislongsharpjaw.

“Goodtoseeyoudidn’tgetotherideas,Cad,”hesaidgood-naturedly.Hehadprobablymanagedjustafewhourssleepbutitdidn’tshow,exceptinthethrobbingveinsrunningupthebackofhishands.

“Afterthelasttwenty-fourhours,unlikely,”Caldwellsaidaffablyenough.HehadmadeaconsciousdecisiontogiveFoulerabreakthismorning.IfFoulerwasplayinghimitwoulddonoharmtoappeartobecooperating.

“IwantyoutomeetMs.Levin.Shewillbeacpanyingyouontheflight,aswillAgentJonesandAgentJackman.

“Goodtomeetyou.Doyouhaveafirstname?”Caldwellaskedtheprimandproperblonde.Hefiguredtherewasalsonoharminbeingfriendlywiththegirlwhowasprobablygoingtomesswithhisheadduringtheflight.

“Idon’tthinkyouneed”Foulerstarted.

“It’salrightBruce,”shesaid.“MyfirstnameisSeven.MyparentshadaweirdsenseofhumorandinkeepingthenametheychoseformeIamhumoringthem.”

Caldwellfoundithardworkkeepingastraightfacebuthemanagedsomehow.Hewassorelytemptedtoaskhersomethingaboutbeingopenallhoursbuthebithistongue.Forthefirsttimeinalongwhile,hewasinanupbeatmood.

“OK,lookhereCad.We’vehookedyouupwithoneofouragentsinHongKong.AgentJonesandAgentJackmanwillputyouintouchwithourcontactinHongKongandthey’llbeleavingonthenextflight.OurHongKongagentwillsortyououtwitheverythingyouneed.”

“OK.Soundssuspiciouslylikeaplan.”

Foulerignoredhimandcontinued.

“Thedealisthis.Assoonasyouidentifythisnetworkandfindawayin,youpullback,cleanupallyourtracesandgetyourHongKongcontactAgentHsutoinformus.We’llthentakeoverfromthere.Donotattempttoplayaroundinthenetwork.Yourjobisjusttogetaccessandco-ordinatesonthisthing.Imustwarnyou,incaseyou’veforgotten,thattheChinesehavesomeofthemostsophisticatedelectronicIntrusionCounter-AttackEntities(ICE)intheworld.Thesethingsdon’tjustkeepyouout.Theytrackyoudownuntilyouareaflatlineincyberspace.”

“Understood.”

“DonotattempttoloseAgentHsu.We’llhaveaGPStagonyouandwillbeabletoknowyourwhereaboutstowithininches.”

WiththatFoulerstrodeoffdowntowardstheescalator,hisstripedbeigesuitflutteringinthesubtlecurrentsoftheair-conditioning.AgentJonesandAgentJackmanstoodgawkingafterhimlikechildrenabandonedinacrowdedshoppingmall.

“ComeonMr.Caldwell,”urgedMs.Levin,grabbinghimbythearm.“Ihaveadatewiththatimportantbrainofyours.”