The Wings Of Pegasus Part 37

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,buthis.h.i.+strionicsdefusealotofpentupgarbageinacatharsisnotgeneratedbypa.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,yourprecogabsolves.h.i.+mofprimaryblame."

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.As.h.i.+eldsolidasawall,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.