“HolographicTVisSatan’sjukebox,”CaldwellheardoneoftheintoxicatedmenatthebarsaytoRam,thebartender.Theothermenatthebarwerestilltransfixedbytheglimmeringhologramthatgyratedbeforethemtoblaringmusic.Ram,whowasbusywipingthetableadjacenttowhereCaldwellwassittingwithagraycloth,stoppedmid-wipeandsmiled,revealingarowofsurgicallycarvedwhiteteeth.TheyweretheimportedkindyoucouldgetforpeanutsinthealleywaysofEastHam.Teethmadetoorder,inanymaterialyouwant,ivory,pearl,marble,evendiamondsifyouwantedtoputyourmoneywhereyourmouthwas.CaldwellhadafunnyfeelingthatRamhadbeenlookingintentlyathisknapsack.Hadhebeenlisteningtotheirconversation?Didheknowabouttheconsole?Publicanswerenotoriouslyfamousforstickingtheirnosesingigsthatwerenoconcernoftheirs.
“Betterthedevilyouknow,betterthedevilyouknow,”Ramrepliedsomewhatillogicallytothedrunk,hiseyesshiftingaway,armscontinuingtoswipefranticallywiththecloth.
Glyphwasstillinthemen’sroom,probablyemptyinghisbowelsthroughsomemeanfeatoftechnologyoracrobatics,orboth.Caldwellwonderedhowsomeonewithnolegswenttothetoilet.Notexactlythekindofthingyou’dwanttotalkaboutifyouwereinhisshoes.YouevenhadtobecarefulwithyourpunsorturnsofphraseasGlyphwouldprobablynevereverwearshoesagain.
Caldwellresortedtotrivia,toavoidfacingthetruthofhiscurrentsituation.Glyphcouldrigthewheelchairwithitsownsewagesystem,liketheyhaveonthosespaceflights,allowinghimtoconvenientlygoandbecleansed,allwithonemechanism.Avacuumcleanersuctiondevicethatextractedthewaste,chemicallytreateditintosomethingeco-friendlyandstoreditforrecycling.Foodfortheplants.
There’swasawholesectionofthewheelchair,belowtheseat,thatlookedlikeitcouldprocessandstoreorganicmatter.
“Samethingtheastronautsandtouristsuseinspace,It’sontheblinkthough.MustbetheinhibitedBritishsideofyoumyfriend.”GlyphhadreturnedwhileCaldwellwaspreoccupiedwiththemechanicsofthehacker’spersonalhygiene.
Glyphhadalwayspossessedanuncannyabilitytomindreadevenviaelectronicconversations.That’swhathadmadehimsuchanoutstandinghackerandleaderofTheHUB.Itwasalmostasthoughhecouldreadthemindsofthesysopswhoseliveshemadeamiseryonadailybasisandwhosejobsheplacedatriskwithhisbrashsystemexploits.ThewheelchairsettledbehindthetableandlowereditselfsothatGlyphwasn’ttoweringaboveCaldwell,whohadturnedafunnyshadeofred.
“IthinkImayhaveseenthemontheplatformatAngelstation.TheYakuzaImean.Amassivedisfiguredguywithafacelikeacarwreck,”Caldwellsaid.
“Theyprobablyjustmissedyou.Youcouldhangoutatmineforawhileorevensafer,disappearuntilthisblowsover.Ifigureitwon’tbelongbeforemynameesupontheYakuza’sToDolistanyway.”
Glyphpulledoutascroll-liketouchscreenfromthewheelchair’sarmrestandhisbigbrownhandsunfurleditacrossthetable.Hestartedtappingfranticallyonthescreen.Caldwellwasthinkingabouthisoptions.LyinglowwithKatintheshadowofWaterlooBridgewasagoodidea.Theywouldneverfindhimthereinthateclecticjungleofcardboard,Styrofoamandfilth.Hewouldfencetheconsoleandweighhisoptions.Besideshehadn’tseenherinawhile.Glyph’stappingathiskeyboardhadbeeincreasinglyfrantic.
“Isthistheguyyousaw?”Glyphasked,pointingahairyindexfingeratthescreen.Caldwelllookedatthegrainymonochromeimageonthescreen.ItwasadigitallyzoomedshotonthemanhehadseenontheplatformashehadrushedthroughtheclosingdoorsoftheMagLev.
“ThejoysofCCTV.MyhackintotheCCTVgridnowcoversmuchofthiscountryandlinksintosystemsinotherpartsoftheUnion,”Glyphboasted.
“Canyoupullupsubsequentimages,saytwominutesafterthisone.
“Yeah,Sure.JustamatterofrunningfacerecognitiononallthestationCCTVsgoingEastfromAngel.”Glyphstartedtappingaway.
“LooksJapaneseenough,eventhoughit’shardtotellwiththestuffgoingonwithhisface,”Caldwellsaid.
“Sure.OK,hegotonthenexttrain.ThatfaceisboundtobethehandiworkofarivalYakuzafactionandasyoucanseehere,thislookslikethebeginningofirizumi,theintricateelaborateJapanesebodytattoosfavoredbytheYakuza,”Glyphsaid,thinkingaloud.Hedidn’texpectCaldwelltoanswer.Suddenly,alookofalarmspreadoverGlyph’sfacelikewaterseepingunderneathabathroomdoor.
“Waitaminute,therearetwoofthemandtheyexitedatIsleofDogsstation.”ThosewerethelastwordsGlypheveruttered.
***
Arushofair,barelyperceptible,blastedpastCaldwell’sleftear,leavinghiseardrumsringing.Almostsimultaneously,ablanklookcameoverGlyph’sfaceandhisgreeneyesmistedover.Instinctively,Caldwellturnedaround,earsstinging,visionblurringbutstillabletomakeoutthedisfiguredJapaneseandhispanionheadingtowardsthem.ScoresofeyesatthebartrainedonthemotionandCaldwellwonderingwhyallhecouldseeclearlywasthefearandsurpriseblanketedacrosstheirfaces.
Hecouldbarelymakeoutatube-shapedweaponfiringprojectilesthatlookedlikeminitorpedoesintheirdirection,thegunagrayblobspittingfire.Instinctively,Caldwellducked,hopingthattheraisedbackofthepaddedseatswouldoffersomeprotectionfromthechaoseruptingaroundhim.Ashewentdown,thesmallroundblackholeinthemiddleofGlyph’sforeheadwasrevealedinsharpdetail.Whatevercausedithadboredasmoothtunnelstraightthroughthehacker’sskull.Caldwellcouldcatchaglintoflightatthefarendofthegapinghole.
Severaldullthudsejectedplugsofsyntheticleatherandfoamfromthebackoftheseat,causinghimtosinkdeeperbelowthetable.Thefakeoakoftheseatssplinteredinalldirections.Hewasbeingtakenout.Hisonlyinstinctnowwassurvival.Thesoundofabullet,orwhateverthosethingswere,strikingmetalabittooclosetohishead.Hedecideditwasnowornever.Hegrabbedthehandleofhisknapsackandpulledhard.Hecouldthefeelthereassuringdeadweightoftheconsole.Split-secondthinking,synapsesscreaminglikeangryseagulls.Aplanofactionformulatingitselfinasplitsecond.
Ifthetablewasboltedtothegroundorwastooheavy,hewasasgoodasdead.MusteringeveryounceofstrengthheshovedupwardsagainstthetableinthedirectionofThePuzzle’sfloor-to-ceilingwindows.TherewasasmallexplosionasGlyph’sputerself-destructed.Thebigmanhadbeendeadseriousaboutprotectinghisdata.
Caldwellpropelledhimselfforward,pasttheblueblurthatwastheJapanese.Hecouldseetheman’sbighandsreachouttograbhim.Don’tlookathisfaceatallcost,Caldwelltoldhimself.Thatwouldjuststophimdeadinhistracks.Itwasafacethatmustbeevenmoregrotesquecloseup.Theshootinghadstopped,themanfeelingthathewascloseenoughtonotneedthegun.ThelastthingCaldwellsawwastheneatdiagonalholesinthewallleftbytheJapanese’sbulletasheclosedhiseyesandcrashedthroughthewindowinashowerofglassandmadecontactwiththepavement.
Openyoureyes.Caldwell’seyesopenedwide,astrangekindoffocusevident.Thewindowhadpartiallyshatteredintothousandsofsmallharmlesscubes.Themanwiththegrotesquefacewassteppingthroughtheirregular-shapedholeCaldwellhadcreatedinThePuzzle’sfacade.ThroughthebrokenwindowhecouldseethattheotherJapanesehadtakenRamandhisearlymorningclientelehostage.Onthestreetelectricsdrovepastthescene,passengerssafeintheirreinforcedfiberglasscocoons,discountingthemeleeasjustanotherUnionstreetbrawl,oneofprobablythousandsonanygivenday.
Caldwellwilledhimselftogetonhisfeeteventhoughhewassuretheoutewouldbethesameregardless.Hewasbeingtakenout.Whowasitthatsaidwhendeathwasimminent,youfeltthisimmenseweightliketheskyhadethunderingdownuponyou?FrowningnowbecausewhoeverhadsaidthathadnotsaiditinEnglish.Thesentencewasringinginhisheadinsomeotherlanguage.Wasthetraumaofhisimpendingdeathopeningupoldmemories?
Theworldmovedinslowmotion.Everythingfromthegrotesquemangrabbinghimbytheshouldersandreachingfortheknapsack,tothepiecesofglassglimmeringonthepavementhadsloweddowntoacrawl.ThehardedgeoftheJapanese’sweaponwascoldagainsthistemplenow.Amaelstromofquestionsandimages,interspersedwithvisionsofGlyphdead,flashingintermittentlyintothecranialchaos.Allhecoulddowasholdontotheknapsack,hismindhauntedbytheblankstareofthehackercaughtinthestill-capturedshutterframeofsurprise.
***
Thequestionrangthroughhisbeleagueredmindlikeapersistentphonecallduringanenjoyableafternoonnapthatrefusestohangup.Wastherelifeafterdeath?IntheJanuarychill,everythinghadtakenonafreeze-framequalitywiththesecondsjerkingbyinslowmotion.Timewashavingahardtimemanifestingitself.TherewasnotunneloflightorlightattheendofatunnelbuthefoundhimselfstaringdownthebarreloftheJapanese’smysteriousweaponandwaitingtodie.
“Notsofast,”saidtheJapaneseinaccentedEnglish,brushingoffshardsofglassfromhisshoulder.
Therewassomethingmedieval,yetfuturistic,abouttheweaponandforsomestrangereasonCaldwellfoundhimselfadmiringitsbeauty.Hewasnogunfreak,butheknewabeautifulweaponwhenhesawone.ThedisfiguredJapaneseforcedhimselfintohislineofvision.Caldwelldideverythinghecouldtoavoidlookingattheman’sfaceandtheYakuzaknewit.
“Youkilledhim,youbastard,”Caldwellmanagedtoblurtoutashepreparedtomeethismaker.Whatdidhehavetoloseanyway?Justafewhoursearlier,hehadbeenmorethanwillingtokillhimself.TheJapanesecouldtaketheconsoleanddowithitastheypleased.Shoveituptheirbacksidesifthatmadethemfeelbetter.Itmadenodifferencetohimifhewasdead.Butsomethinginhimhadawakenedwiththecurrenttrauma,anachingneedtofindoutwhatthisconsolewasdesignedtodo.Glyphwasprobablyright.Therewassomebleeding-edgenetworkouttherethattheconsolegaveaccessto.Heknewthateverycellinhisbodywantedtojackintoitanddelveintoitsverycore.Hecouldn’tdiejustyet.Theshimmeringlightsofcyberspacestillbeckoned.
“Yourfriendwasnotimportantandbesideshewastoogreedy.Anyonewhoratsoutafriendhasnohonoranddeservestodie,”saidanothervoicewithathickaccent.TheotherJapanesemanwasbackingoutofthedoor,withaguntoRam’shead.TheyoungerJapanesesignaledforhisdisfiguredpaniontotakeovertryingtowringRam’sneck.
“Whatdoyoumean?”Caldwellspluttered.
“Yoursocalledfriendwasbetrayingyou,Caldwell-san.Hetoldusyou’dbemeetinghimhere.”
“Liar!Liar!WhyshouldIbelieveyou?”
“Ihavenoreasontolietosomeonewhowillbedeadinamatterofseconds.Nohardfeelings.Givemethebag.”TheJapanese’sfingerwastwitchingonthetriggerasthoughhecouldn’tmakeuphismindwhethertoshootnoworlater.
“IfGlyphtoldyouI’dbehere,whywasyourguyatthestationatAngel?”
“Becausewewantedtomakesurethatyourdisabledtraitorfriendkepthispromise.HewantedonlytwentythousandEurosinexchangeforyou.Imakeitahabitonlytopaytraitorsinthecurrencytheydeserve.”
ThedisfiguredJapanesenowhadeveryoneinthebarkneelingonthepavementoutside.Hewalkedcirclesaroundthem,oneeyecheckingonthehostages,theothersneeringatCaldwell.CaldwellrememberedhehadonceletsliptoGlyphincyberspacethathewasholedupinacapsuleintheAngelarea.SoGlyphhadtoldthemthathelivedinAngel,andhadsentthemessageaboutmeetingatThePuzzleasarusetogethimoutofthecapsuleandintotheYakuza’strap.Thehackerhadnointentionofmeetingupwithhim.
“InevertrustedGlyphanyway.DoyouthinkIwouldhavebeensostupidastobringtheconsolehere?”heaskedcalmly.
“Nicetryoldboy.Youfriendalreadyconfirmedyouhaveit.HanditoverbeforeIblowyourbrainsout,”theJapanesethreatened.
“Ifigureyou’llkillmeanyway.I’lltakemychances.Youkillmeandiftheconsoleisnotinthisbagasyousay,you’llneverfindit,”Caldwellthreatenedweakly.TheJapanese’sfingertwitchedonthetrigger.
“Threeseconds.One”
“Youaregoingtohavetokillmeandtaketheriskthatwhatyouarelookingforisnotinthisbag,”Caldwellrepeated,musteringsomecourage.TakingadvantageofamomentarylapseastheJapaneseconsideredthesituation,heshakilyrosetohisfeet.Caldwellwasbuyingtimewithzerocurrencyandhehadnoideawhatthedelaytacticwasgoingtoachieve.Nevertheless,hewasdamnedifhewasgoingtohandovertheconsoletothisguyorthedisfiguredgoon.Heneededanalternativefast.
“We’lltakeourchances,”saidtheyoungJapanesemenacingly.Hehadharshlyslantedeyesandirisesthecolorofcharcoal.Hisperpetualsneerlookedlikeitwouldn’tgoawayevenifyouheldaguntohishead.Theman’sfingertightenedonthetrigger.Instinctively,CaldwelltookastepbackwardsonlytofindhimselfinthegripofthedisfiguredJapanese.
“Theonlythingmorecertainthanthefactthatwhatwearelookingforisinthatbagisthefactthatyouaregoingto…”
Caldwellthoughtheheardthesoundoftheman’sgungoingoff.Somethingsmoothandpowerfulrushedpasthim.TheyoungJapaneseimpostorwasstoppedinmid-sentencebyaninvisibleobjectthatthumpedintohischestsohard,thefunnyshapedweaponwiltedinhishandandfelltothepavement.Hisdisfiguredpanionspunround,handreachingintohiswaistbandbuthewasalsostoppedinhistracksbyanotherdischargethatCaldwellbarelyheard.Thegoon’skneesbuckledhelplesslyunderneathhim.Soundgun?Hadtobe,therewasnovisibleblood.
DuringtheexchangewiththeyoungJapanese,Caldwellhadn’tnoticedthehugeblackelectriclimocruisinguptheroad.Asheswungroundinstinctivelytomakearunforit,bothsidedoorsofthevehicleopenedwiththeclunkofsomesophisticatedlockingmechanism.Twopairsofidenticalbatbootssteppedoutontothepavementsfollowedbyadoublepairofwell-builtlegs,torsosandarms.Beforehecouldinstructhimselftobolt,Caldwellwasalreadybeingbundledintothebackoftheblacklimousinebytwoburlypony-tailedmencladinblacksuitsandmatchingaviatormirrorshades.HenoticedthatoneofthemenhadtheJapaneseman’sweaponinhishand.Caldwellcouldhaveswornhehadn’tseenhimpickitup.
HeturnedroundtoseewhethertheJapanesemenweredead.Theyweren’t.Theywereholdingontotheirearswithbloodstainedhands.Theybothseemedtobedelirious.Deliriousisawholelotbetterthandead.Thewholeexerciselastedonlyafewseconds.Thelimousine’stintedwindowsslidupwardsandtheelectricenginethrustforwardintolighttraffic.
ＷＷw.xiＡosＨuotxt.NetTxt小＿说天/堂