Endworld - Atlanta Run Part 17

Chapter Thirteen.

Blade's grip on the blackjack tightened as the Storm Policeman stepped up to them. The trooper was staring intently at the hobo.

"Hey! Glisson! It is you, isn't it?" the policeman asked.

Blade nudged the old-timer with his elbow.

"Yeah, it's me," Glisson answered in a fearful tone.

"Don't you remember me?" the trooper inquired. "Corporal Schwartz? I conducted you to the Civil Directorate about seven or eight years ago.

Remember?"

Glisson studied the trooper's features, then beamed. "Sure. I remember you. You were the young private who was asking me a lot of questions about life on the road."

Corporal Schwartz grinned. "I always was the curious sort." He glanced at the light. "I'd better cross before the light changes."

"Nice seeing you," Glisson said.

Corporal Schwartz took a stride, then stopped. "Where's your Escort?"

Blade quickly nodded at the far curb. "Already crossed."

"Oh." Schwartz began to turn, to look at the opposite curb, when the light changed. He hesitated for a second, smiled, and hastened on his way.

Blade hurried to the sidewalk with Glisson right behind him.

"That was too d.a.m.n close!" the hobo declared once they were safely on the curb.

"Didn't you know you're famous?" Blade quipped.

"Very funny," Glisson snapped.

"Lead on," Blade instructed. "We'd better reach the Visitors Bureau before another of your fans spots us.""Smart-a.s.s son of a b.i.t.c.h," Glisson mumbled.

"Let's go," Blade said impatiently.

They strolled toward a row of gla.s.s doors at the base of the Civil Directorate, mingling with a constant stream of humanity flowing into and exiting the structure.

"The Visitors Bureau is on the ground floor," Glisson informed the giant. "We go in those doors and hang a right."

"Do the Storm Police frisk everyone who enters the Direcorate?" Blade asked, thinking of the blackjack in his right hand.

"No. Why should they?" Glisson responded. "There's never any trouble inside the wall. The rebels only hit patrols on the outside."

"Play it cool once we're inside," Blade advised.

"Joe Cool, that's me," Glisson said.

Blade was both perplexed by, and grateful for, the manifest lack of interest the citizens of Atlanta displayed in Glisson and himself. They all seemed to be too wrapped up in their own lives to care about a pair of strangers. He attributed their att.i.tude to the hectic lifestyle prevalent in the metropolis; the people were constantly on the go. Aside from a few cursory stares engendered by his exceptional size and physique, the residents of the city ignored him.

Glisson slowed as he approached the gla.s.s doors, dragging his heels apprehensively.

"Keep going," Blade commanded.

"Maybe we should reconsider," Glisson commented. "We could be asking for grief."

"We see this through," Blade stated. "I have someone to find."

"We could try and find this person by ourselves," Glisson proposed.

"In a munc.i.p.ality this big?" Blade retorted skeptically. "It would take years."Glisson frowned and walked to the gla.s.s doors, hesitating briefly before yanking on the handle and stepping inside.

Blade followed, feeling a degree of comfort in the sea of citizens busily hurrying to and fro. A huge lobby fronted the gla.s.s doors, crammed with people. On the opposite wall were five elevators, all in use. Underfoot was a plush green carpet.

"This way," Glisson declared, turning to the right. After 40 feet they came to an amply lit corridor containing an apparently endless succession of office doors.

"Which one?" Blade queried.

The tramp marched over to a closed door on the right. "This is it."

In large black letters on the door were the words "VISITORS BUREAU: Open 24 Hours."

"They're open twenty-four hours a day?" Blade queried.

"Atlanta never shuts down," Glisson said. "Many of the people are a.s.signed to s.h.i.+ft work." He opened the door and went in.

A wooden counter ran the width of the room within two yards of the door. Handling paperwork or fielding questions behind it were six employees. Another four pencil-pushers were at desks beyond the counter.

"May I help you?" offered an attractive woman in a smart yellow dress.

Pinned to the fabric below her right shoulder was a small gold and white badge with a single word imprinted on the plastic: "ESCORT."

Glisson sauntered to the counter. "You sure can, sweet lips."

The woman took instant umbrage, her thin nose crinkling distastefully, her mouth twisting downward for a second until she caught herself and forced a mechanical smile on her lips. "Tolerance for all, sir, is a virtue,"

she said pleasantly. Her alert brown eyes matched her complexion, and her curly hair formed an oval cap to her heart shaped face.

"Where'd you get that from, sister?" Glisson asked. "A fortune cookie?"

The woman glanced over the hobo's head at the giant in the leather vestand fatigue pants. "Are you with this gentleman, sir?"

"Unfortunately," Blade replied, and saw her grin. "And calling him a gentleman is stretching the limits of reality."

She burst into laughter.

"There's no need to be insulting," Glisson said angrily.

"My name is Eleanor," the woman disclosed in a professional manner.

"I am here to..." she began. Then she abruptly stopped, examining the tramp's features. "Haven't you been here before, a long time ago?"

"I've been here gobs of times, you pretty thing," Glisson answered.

"I'll have to ask you to behave yourself," Eleanor cautioned.

"And if I don't?" Glisson baited her.

"Please," Eleanor said. "As a personal favor for me?"

Glisson leaned on the counter and leered at her. "What do I get if I'm a good little boy?"

The sound of Blade's right hand landing on the hobo's back in a transparently friendly gesture produced a distinct smack.

Glisson straightened and looked at the Warrior, his eyes widening.

"If you're a good little boy," Blade stated mockingly, "you get to keep your teeth. Does that sound fair to you?"

Eleanor's eyes were twinkling.

"I was just having some fun," Glisson protested.

"Have you forgotten the reason we're here?" Blade inquired.

"Why are you here?" Eleanor asked.

"I'm searching for a relative of mine," Blade told her. "An officer informed me that you could find her using something called the Central Directory."Eleanor nodded. "The Central Directory is a listing of the name, address, identification number, medical record, and personal history of every citizen in Altanta. We access the information through our computer."

"You have files on everyone in Atlanta?" Blade repeated in wonder.

"Comprehensive files," Eleanor replied. "A complete rundown on everyone is at our fingertips."

"Doesn't it bother you knowing that your government is maintaining a record of everything you do?" Blade inquired.

"Not at all," Eleanor answered. "We are all working toward a prosperous world," she said, sounding as if the line was memorized. "Civil rights for all means privacy for none. Privacy is selfishness."

"Can you jump through a hoop too?" Glisson cracked.

Eleanor looked at him quizzically. "A hoop?"

"Pay no attention to him," Blade said, shouldering the tramp aside. "I really would like to find my cousin as soon as possible."

"What's your cousin's name?"

"Llewellyn Snow," Blade disclosed.

"Do you know her identification number?" Eleanor queried.

"No."

"Her profession?"

"I know nothing about her except she lives in Atlanta," Blade said. "At least, that's what I was told. I hope I'm not wasting your time."

"Not at all," Eleanor a.s.sured him. "I'll ask the computer for a list of all women by that name."

"Your computer can talk?" Blade declared in alarm, thinking of the time the Warriors had encountered a hostile society in Houstin administered by a sentient "supercomputer."Eleanor chuckled. "Computers can't talk, silly. I ask our computer for imformation by typing the proper codes."

"A talking computer?" Glisson interjected, and cackled.

"This won't take but a minute," Eleanor said, walking to a nearby desk topped by a computer terminal.

"What are we going to do once we find this Snow woman?" Glisson questioned.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Blade responded.

"I can see you have this all planned out," Glisson said sarcastically.

"I'm getting tired of your complaining," Blade stated sternly. "If you figure you can do better on your own, be my guest."

"Don't be so d.a.m.n touchy," Glisson remarked. "Chill out."

"It's not chilly out."

"You're hopeless. Do you know that?"

Eleanor was tapping the computer keys and staring at a green display monitor.

"Don't take this the wrong way," Glisson mentioned, "but I hope Snow isn't in the Central Directory."

Blade glanced at the tramp.

"If she isn't," Glisson added quickly, "we can get the h.e.l.l out of Atlanta.

And the sooner we split this burg, the healthier I'll stay."

Blade watched the Escort typing. She appeared to be puzzled, and as her fingers flew over the keys she became even more perplexed. Several minutes elapsed, until with a sigh of frustration she stood and returned to the counter. "I'm sorry," she declared.

"Why?" Blade responded.

"I'm having trouble with the computer.""What kind of trouble?" Blade probed.

Eleanor gazed at the terminal, clearly mystified. "The Central Directory does list a Llewellyn Snow as being a resident of Atlanta-"

"d.a.m.n," Glisson grumbled.