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.processtext.com/abclit.htmlThe big man nodded and opened his bag.''He is.Are you all right?""Can't complain.He's just had an ultrasound joltand a left to the jaw, though."The golden-eyed man examined John's ears and eyes, listened to his heartbeat.He filled a syringe froman ampule, knelt and gave him a large injection in the right biceps.He drew a pair of handcuffs from hiship pocket and fastened John's hands behind his back.He then proceeded to search the yellow-cladform, remov ing various small devices from cuffs, collars, sleeves and boots,"That about does it," he said, closing his bag and rising."As I told you before, he is a very dangerous,man.What did you do to warrant his attentions?""He was hired to get me.""Then someone must want you very badly, to pay the sort of fee he'd charge.""I know.I'm going to have to do something about it pretty soon."The other regarded him for a moment."If you would like my help in resolving this matter, I will be glad to give you a hand."Red drew his teeth across his lower lip and slowly shook his head."Thanks, Doc.I appreciate it But no thanks.This is a very special sort of thing."The big man smiled faintly and nodded."You know your situation best"He stooped and raised the supine figure effortlessly with one arm.His shirt tore across his back as hedid so.Slinging John over his shoulder, he turned and extended his hand."Thanks for my patient then, and best of luck with your problem.""Thanks.Good-bye, Doc.""Good-bye."He watched the other walk back to his car, deposit his burden, get in and drive off."Good to see John get his," said Mondamay, extending a metal hand, the firing tube now retracted, andplacing it on Red's shoulder."By the way, he was able to monitor your progress by means of abroadcasting device secreted somewhere on your vehicle.It was placed there at a repair shop yourecently visited.He'd mentioned it to me.Perhaps we had best locate it and remove it before we doanything else."Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html"Good idea.Let's have a look." They moved off toward the truck."How come you didn't detect it,"Must be an odd wavelength.I don't know.I'll starta scan."."You did not introduce me, Mondamay said."Huh? Oh, he was so busy with John that I didn't want to interrupt him.""Not the doctor.Flowers of Evil, here.I did not realize I was holding a sophisticated intelligence whenyou handed me a book.""Sorry.Extenuating circumstances.Mondamay, I want you to meet Flowers of Evil.Flowers, this isMondamay the killing machine.""I am pleased," Mondamay said."Likewise.I find your plight extremely distressing carrying around all those dead circuits, beingdeprived of function.""Oh, it's not all that bad.I enjoy what I'm doing just as much as what I used to do.""What is that?""I'm a potter, among other things.Any sort of precision work in the arts appeals to me.""How fascinating.I think I'm almost ready for some degree of manual ability myself.At least I'd like totry.I'd love to see your pots sometime ""Flowers," Red asked, "have you spotted the broadcast unit yet?""Yes.It's affixed to the underside of the body a littleforward of the left rear tire." "Thanks."Red moved to, the rear of the truck and crouched."You're right," he said after a moment."Here it is."Detaching the device, he crossed to the front of theground-effect car and fastened it to a spot within thefront bumper.He returned then to where Mondamaystood leafing through Flowers."Just to let them know we caught it," he said.".And this Paysage is certainly a lovely one, Mondamay was saying."Thank you.""It's nearly dinnertime," Red said."Come keep me company and tell me how things have been.I've a 1otI want to ask you."Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html"Delighted," Mondamay replied."By the way, I'm sorry about this whole business.""Not your fault.But I'd be grateful for some advice on it.""Certainly.And I'm anxious to hear your story.""Let's go then.""Don't send a charge up there! It's called a tickle circuit.Stop it!" ;Red halted."Huh?""Sorry.Didn't realize I was vocalizing.Flowers was curious about one of my subunits.""Oh."They crossed the veranda and entered the building.TwoIt was over.Randy had driven Julie to the bus station that morning, helped her with her bags, saidgood-bye.By now she was well on her way to her parents' home in Virginia.There was nothing of hersin sight in the apartment's small living room or kitchen, between which he wandered, preparing freshglasses of iced tea and drinking them.He had taken the last of his final exams the previous day and gonewith Julie to a good restaurant for a late dinner.He had even gotten a bottle of fine wine to go with it.Neither of them had said it was over, but the feeling was there.Now she was on her way back toVirginia, and he had to line something up for the summer.She had wanted him to go home with her; she'dsaid that her father could find him a summer job.But Randy had smelled a trap in this.He did not wantany strings on him yet.The arrangement they had had was fine, with an agreement as to its temporarynature from the beginning.But she had tried to change the rules with her offer, and he was not ready foranything like that.In the back of his mind, thoughts of the search still lurked, though postponement hadweakened that childhood resolution.And there was school.And all the things he wanted to do before heeven thought about settling down.No.Shehad offered.He had refused.Something had changed A different feeling was there.It was over.He moved to the window and looked three blocks through the evening in the direction of the campus.He wore a T-shirt, Bermuda shorts and thong sandals.People on the street below were similarly clad.Ithad been a bright-skied, humid day with more such days forecast to follow.His arms and legs werecoppery beneath scribblings of reddish hair.He drew the back of his hand across his broad forehead andit came away wet.He held the glass against his cheek and regarded the storefronts, parked cars, passingcars, bicycles.Insects still hummed within the trees.An orange cat licked at a melting ice cream cone onthe sidewalk below.Over.He could work in construction again if he wanted to return to Cleveland.But that was bad too,He might have to live at home Mr.Schelling had even gone out of his way to say how much theywanted him to and that was no damn good.Even if he managed to get a place of his own, they wouldbe after him.He had only met the man twice and could not bring himself to call him anything but "Mr.Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlSchelling," even though he had been married to Randy's mother for almost six months now.It was notthat he disliked him.It was just that he did not know him and did not care to.No, not back there [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]