[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
collect. Then we can rent a floater and get out of the city." He increased his
pace, calling back over his shoulder, "Get a move on, Ab- I'm in a hurry!"
Four legs working effortlessly, the blue-green alien complied without any
indication of strain.
Darkness owned that corner of Alaspin by the time they reached the modest
hotel Flinx was staying in. His room pass keyed the transparent doorway.
Panels slid aside, admitting both men and Ab to the unpretentious lobby.
Flinx headed straight for the lift; his rooms were on the third floor.
Pocomchi and Ab trailed close behind so close that when Flinx halted as if
shot, the Indian nearly ran into him.
"Flinx?" Pocomchi inquired softly, alert now himself.
An,amorphous, oppressive something had fallen like a thick curse over Flinx's
thoughts. For a moment he had difficulty classifying the source. Then he knew.
The mental stench of recent death permeated the entire building.
He told himself it might merely be a lingering aftereffect of the simiespin
experience, a sort of mental hangover. It could also be the result of his
often-morbid imagination. But he did not think so. He was trying to
rationalize away his fear of what must have taken place here.
Instead of taking the lift, he tried to lean in the direction where the
brain-smell was strongest.
It led him toward the opposite side of the lobby. Mirable's quarters and
office were here.
When he placed his palm over the call contact, he heard a reassuring buzz
within. But no one came to open the door or check on the caller. He repeated
the action, with the same result.
Page 52
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
He tried to tell himself she could be out of the building. That must be it.
His bill was paid for two more days in advance, but it would only be polite to
leave a message explaining his sudden
file:///D|/Alan%20Dean%20Foster/Foster,%20Alan%20Dean%20-%20End%20of%20The%20M
atter.txt (38 of 93) [2/9/03 10:29:57 AM]
file:///D|/Alan%20Dean%20Foster/Foster,%20Alan%20Dean%20-%20End%20of%20The%20M
atter.txt departure.
Picking the light stylus from its holder in the wall, he inscribed his
good-bye on the electronic message screen. Then he pushed the transcribe
button. When she returned, her presence would activate the screen machinery.
His light images would be turned into voice and played aloud for her.
Replacing the stylus, he turned to leave. Pocomchi caught him and nodded at
the doorway: "Listen."
Flinx obeyed. He heard something, then realized it was the message he had just
left. 'that meant
Mirable had to be in her apartment.
Why didn't she respond?
Experimentally, he placed a hand on the door and pushed. It slid back a few
centimeters into the wall. That didn't make sense either. If she was within,
surely she would have set the lock. Even on a relatively crime-free world-let
alone a boisterous planet like Alaspin - such a device was standard equipment,
built into the doorway of every commercial establishment.
The door continued to slide back under his pressure. He peered inward.
A voice called from behind him, "What's going on, Flinx?"
"Shut up."
Pocomchi was the sort of man who had broken limbs for less than that, but
something in Flinx's manner induced him to comply without protest. He
contented himself with watching the hotel entrance and the lift doors, while
keeping an eye on Ab.
Shoving the door all the way into the wall, F1inx noticed a dark spot near its
base. A thin stain indicated that a fluid-state switch had been shattered.
That tied in with the broken lock mechanism.
Slowly he walked into the room. Internal machinery detected his body heat and
brightened the chamber in greeting. It was decorated with the sort of items
one might expect to be chosen by a woman whose dreams were rapidly leaving her
behind. The flowers, the little-girl paraphernalia, a few stuffed animals on a
couch, all were nails desperately hammered into a door against which time
pressed relentlessly.
Then he saw the leg sticking out from behind the couch. The trussed body of
Mirable lay naked beyond. Most of the blood had already dried. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl ocenkijessi.opx.pl
collect. Then we can rent a floater and get out of the city." He increased his
pace, calling back over his shoulder, "Get a move on, Ab- I'm in a hurry!"
Four legs working effortlessly, the blue-green alien complied without any
indication of strain.
Darkness owned that corner of Alaspin by the time they reached the modest
hotel Flinx was staying in. His room pass keyed the transparent doorway.
Panels slid aside, admitting both men and Ab to the unpretentious lobby.
Flinx headed straight for the lift; his rooms were on the third floor.
Pocomchi and Ab trailed close behind so close that when Flinx halted as if
shot, the Indian nearly ran into him.
"Flinx?" Pocomchi inquired softly, alert now himself.
An,amorphous, oppressive something had fallen like a thick curse over Flinx's
thoughts. For a moment he had difficulty classifying the source. Then he knew.
The mental stench of recent death permeated the entire building.
He told himself it might merely be a lingering aftereffect of the simiespin
experience, a sort of mental hangover. It could also be the result of his
often-morbid imagination. But he did not think so. He was trying to
rationalize away his fear of what must have taken place here.
Instead of taking the lift, he tried to lean in the direction where the
brain-smell was strongest.
It led him toward the opposite side of the lobby. Mirable's quarters and
office were here.
When he placed his palm over the call contact, he heard a reassuring buzz
within. But no one came to open the door or check on the caller. He repeated
the action, with the same result.
Page 52
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
He tried to tell himself she could be out of the building. That must be it.
His bill was paid for two more days in advance, but it would only be polite to
leave a message explaining his sudden
file:///D|/Alan%20Dean%20Foster/Foster,%20Alan%20Dean%20-%20End%20of%20The%20M
atter.txt (38 of 93) [2/9/03 10:29:57 AM]
file:///D|/Alan%20Dean%20Foster/Foster,%20Alan%20Dean%20-%20End%20of%20The%20M
atter.txt departure.
Picking the light stylus from its holder in the wall, he inscribed his
good-bye on the electronic message screen. Then he pushed the transcribe
button. When she returned, her presence would activate the screen machinery.
His light images would be turned into voice and played aloud for her.
Replacing the stylus, he turned to leave. Pocomchi caught him and nodded at
the doorway: "Listen."
Flinx obeyed. He heard something, then realized it was the message he had just
left. 'that meant
Mirable had to be in her apartment.
Why didn't she respond?
Experimentally, he placed a hand on the door and pushed. It slid back a few
centimeters into the wall. That didn't make sense either. If she was within,
surely she would have set the lock. Even on a relatively crime-free world-let
alone a boisterous planet like Alaspin - such a device was standard equipment,
built into the doorway of every commercial establishment.
The door continued to slide back under his pressure. He peered inward.
A voice called from behind him, "What's going on, Flinx?"
"Shut up."
Pocomchi was the sort of man who had broken limbs for less than that, but
something in Flinx's manner induced him to comply without protest. He
contented himself with watching the hotel entrance and the lift doors, while
keeping an eye on Ab.
Shoving the door all the way into the wall, F1inx noticed a dark spot near its
base. A thin stain indicated that a fluid-state switch had been shattered.
That tied in with the broken lock mechanism.
Slowly he walked into the room. Internal machinery detected his body heat and
brightened the chamber in greeting. It was decorated with the sort of items
one might expect to be chosen by a woman whose dreams were rapidly leaving her
behind. The flowers, the little-girl paraphernalia, a few stuffed animals on a
couch, all were nails desperately hammered into a door against which time
pressed relentlessly.
Then he saw the leg sticking out from behind the couch. The trussed body of
Mirable lay naked beyond. Most of the blood had already dried. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]