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want to go riding in the Purple Sea Cow again, at high speeds, speeds great enough that were you to hit
anything, the body-shell of the squib would disintegrate. But before that happens it s still plenty of
fun. And you two can walk into prastical parlor or a scenera smokery or a drugbar and everyone s
reaction will be, What a beautiful girl. And, beside you, Denny can leer a leer which says, Hey,
guys, look what I get to lay. And their envy will be enormous. So to speak.
Rising to his feet, he said, I guess I ll go. To Charley he said, I m glad you got away from
Gram. I knew he wanted you and I assumed he d get you. That makes me feel a lot better.
He still may, Denny said, grinning and sipping beer.
Then get out of this apartment, Nick said. If I can find her, they can find her.
But they don t know her address, Denny said, propping his feet up on the table; he wore
genuine leather shoes . . . which had probably cost him plenty. But which gained him entry to the most
notorious scenera smokeries on the planet, including those in Vienna.
That was it. They both looked dressed and groomed for a tour of drugbars and smokeries. Alc was
not their only thing it was merely one more of their illegal things. Smokery-hopping was legal, and
so, by assuming certain trappings, certain makeup, they could circulate with the elite of a world in
which even New Men and Unusuals participated. Everyone, government workers included, liked the
new derivation of opium, called scenera after its discoverer, Wade Scenera, a New Man. It had, like
miniature plastic statuettes of God, become a planet-wide craze.
You see, Appleton, Denny said, handing the virtually empty can of beer to Charley, she carries
completely false ID cards, all the official ones he gestured you know, the ones you have to have,
not like, say, a Union Oil credit card. And they re faked so good that they ll fit into those little slots in
those little electronic boxes the pissers carry. Right, you little bitch? He affectionately reached to put
his arm around her.
I m a bitch all right, Charley said. And that s what got me away from the Federal Building.
They ll find her here, Nick said patiently.
Arrogantly, and at the same time exasperated, Denny said, Look, I explained it to you. When
they picked up you and her at the printing plant they
Who is this apartment in the name of? Nick asked him. Frowning, Denny said, Me. He
brightened. They don t know as far as they re concerned, I don t exist. Listen, Appleton, you have
to have more guts; you re a crybaby, a crasher. Boy, if I was in the sky, I d sure hate to have you
around. He laughed, but this time it was an insulting laugh, one of denigration.
You re sure her name has never come up officially in connection with this apartment? Nick
asked.
Well, she s paid the rent a couple of times by check. But I fail to see how that
If she signed a check, Nick said, for this apartment, her name would be fed automatically into
the New Jersey computer. And not just her name it would receive and store the information as to
where her name had come from. And she has a file with the PSS, like the rest of us. They ll ask the
New Jersey computer to spill out everything it has on you they ll match it up to the police file . . .
for instance, were you two ever in the Purple Cow when you got cited?
Yeah, Denny grunted. Speeding.
They took her name, too, as a witness.
Denny, his arms folded, slowly slumping back against the sofa and down into it, said, Yes.
Nick said, That s all they need. They ve got the connection with you, then with this apartment,
then God knows what the PSS folder on her may show.
A look of consternation flew across Denny s face, a shadow, moving from right to left. His eyes
shone with suspicion and agitation; he looked, now, as he had looked the time before. The mixture of
fear and hate toward the authorities, the father symbols. Denny was thinking rapidly; the expression
on his face changed, now, second by second. But what could they get me on? he said hoarsely.
God. He rubbed his head. I m grassed by this alc; I can t think. Could I talk my way out of it?
Goddam it I have to take something. He disappeared into the bathroom, rummaged in the medicine
cabinet. Methamphetamine hydrochloride, he said, getting a bottle down. That ll clear my brain.
My brain has got to be clear if I m going to get out of this.
So you ve lost the grassy from the alc, Charley said tauntingly, by gulleting the mess.
Don t lecture me! Denny said, coming back into the living room. I can t stand it; I ll go
crazy. To Nick, he said, Take her away from here. Charlotte, you stay with Nick; don t try to come
back here to the apartment. Nick, you got any pops on you? Enough to rent a motel room for a couple
of days?
I guess so, Nick said, and felt delight swim through him he had twisted Denny up enough to
ace himself out.
Then find a motel. And don t fone me the line s probably tapped. They re probably ready to
close in right now.
Paranoid, Charley said coldly. She then glanced at Nick and
And two blackers, black uniformed police, black pissers as they were called, entered the
apartment without touching the knob or using a key the door simply swung open for them.
The black pisser on the left held something out to Nick. Is this a photograph of you, sir?
Yes, Nick said, staring at the photograph. How had they gotten it? The picture one print lay
in a bottom drawer of his dressing cabinet at home.
You re not getting me, Charley said. You re not getting me. She strode toward them, and,
raising her voice, she yelled, Get out of here.
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