“holographicvissaan’sjukebox,”caldwellheardoneofheinoxicaedmenahebarsayoram,hebarenderheohermenahebarweresillransfixedbyheglimmeringhologramhagyraedbeforehemobringmusicram,whowasbusywipingheableadjacenowherecaldwellwassiingwihagraycloh,soppedmidwipeandsmiled,revealingarowofsurgicallycarvedwhieeehheywereheimporedkindyoucouldgeforpeanusinhealleywaysofeashameehmadeoorder,inanymaerialyouwan,ivory,pearl,marble,evendiamondsifyouwanedopuyourmoneywhereyourmouhwascaldwellhadafu

yfeelingharamhadbeenlookinginenlyahisknapsackhadhebeenliseningoheirconversaion?didheknowabouheconsole?publicanswerenooriouslyfamousforsickingheirnosesingigshawerenoconcernofheirs

“beerhedevilyouknow,beerhedevilyouknow,”ramrepliedsomewhaillogicallyohedrunk,hiseyesshifingaway,armsconinuingoswipefranicallywihhecloh

glyphwassillinhemen’sroom,probablyempyinghisbowelshroughsomemeanfeaofechnologyoracrobaics,orbohcaldwellwonderedhowsomeonewihnolegswenoheoilenoexaclyhekindofhingyou’dwanoalkabouifyouwereinhisshoesyouevenhadobecarefulwihyourpunsorurnsofphraseasglyphwouldprobablynevereverwearshoesagain

caldwellresoredorivia,oavoidfacingheruhofhiscurrensiuaionglyphcouldrighewheelchairwihisownsewagesysem,likeheyhaveonhosespaceflighs,allowinghimoconvenienlygoandbecleansed,allwihonemechanismavacuumcleanersuciondevicehaexracedhewase,chemicallyreaediinosomehingecofriendlyandsorediforrecyclingfoodforhepns

here’swasawholesecionofhewheelchair,belowhesea,halookedlikeicouldprocessandsoreorganicmaer

“samehingheasronausandourissuseinspace,i’sonheblinkhoughmusbeheinhibiedbriishsideofyoumyfriend”glyphhadreurnedwhilecaldwellwaspreoccupiedwihhemechanicsofhehacker’spersonalhygiene

glyphhadalwayspossessedanunca

yabiliyomindreadevenviaelecronicconversaionsha’swhahadmadehimsuchanousandinghackerandleaderofhehubiwasalmosashoughhecouldreadhemindsofhesysopswhoseliveshemadeamiseryonadailybasisandwhosejobshepcedariskwihhisbrashsysemexploishewheelchairseledbehindheableandlowerediselfsohaglyphwasn’oweringabovecaldwell,whohadurnedafu

yshadeofred

“ihinkimayhaveseenhemonhepformaangelsaionheyakuzaimeanamassivedisfiguredguywihafacelikeacarwreck,”caldwellsaid

“heyprobablyjusmissedyouyoucouldhangouamineforawhileorevensafer,disappearunilhisblowsoverifigureiwon’belongbeforemynameesuponheyakuza’sodolisanyway”

glyphpulledouascrolllikeouchscreenfromhewheelchair’sarmresandhisbigbrownhandsunfurlediacrossheablehesaredappingfranicallyonhescreencaldwellwashinkingabouhisopionslyinglowwihkainheshadowofwaerloobridgewasagoodideaheywouldneverfindhimhereinhaeclecicjungleofcardboard,syrofoamandfilhhewouldfenceheconsoleandweighhisopionsbesideshehadn’seenherinawhileglyph’sappingahiskeyboardhadbeeincreasinglyfranic

“ishisheguyyousaw?”glyphasked,poiningahairyindexfingerahescreencaldwelllookedahegrainymonochromeimageonhescreeniwasadigiallyzoomedshoonhemanhehadseenonhepformashehadrushedhroughheclosingdoorsofhemaglev

“hejoysofccvmyhackinoheccvgridnowcoversmuchofhiscounryandlinksinosysemsinoherparsofheunion,”glyphboased

“canyoupullupsubsequenimages,saywominuesaferhisone

“yeah,surejusamaerofru

ingfacerecogniiononallhesaionccvsgoingeasfromangel”glyphsaredappingaway

“looksjapaneseenough,evenhoughi’shardoellwihhesuffgoingonwihhisface,”caldwellsaid

“sureok,hegoonhenexrainhafaceisboundobehehandiworkofarivalyakuzafacionandasyoucanseehere,hislookslikehebegi

ingofirizumi,heinricaeeboraejapanesebodyaoosfavoredbyheyakuza,”glyphsaid,hinkingaloudhedidn’expeccaldwelloanswersuddenly,alookofarmspreadoverglyph’sfacelikewaerseepingunderneahabahroomdoor

“waiaminue,herearewoofhemandheyexiedaisleofdogssaion”hosewereheswordsglypheveruered

arushofair,barelypercepible,bsedpascaldwell’slefear,leavinghiseardrumsringingalmossimulaneously,abnklookcameoverglyph’sfaceandhisgreeneyesmisedoverinsincively,caldwellurnedaround,earssinging,visionblurringbusilbleomakeouhedisfiguredjapaneseandhispanionheadingowardshemscoresofeyesahebarrainedonhemoionandcaldwellwonderingwhyallhecouldseeclearlywashefearandsurprisebnkeedacrossheirfaces

hecouldbarelymakeouaubeshapedweaponfiringprojecileshalookedlikeminiorpedoesinheirdirecion,hegunagrayblobspiingfireinsincively,caldwellducked,hopinghaheraisedbackofhepaddedseaswouldoffersomeproecionfromhechaoserupingaroundhimashewendown,hesmallroundbckholeinhemiddleofglyph’sforeheadwasrevealedinsharpdeailwhaevercausedihadboredasmoohu

elsraighhroughhehacker’sskullcaldwellcouldcachaglinoflighahefarendofhegapinghole

severaldullhudsejecedplugsofsynheicleaherandfoamfromhebackofhesea,causinghimosinkdeeperbelowheablehefakeoakofheseassplineredinalldirecionshewasbeingakenouhisonlyinsincnowwassurvivalhesoundofabulle,orwhaeverhosehingswere,srikingmeabioocloseohisheadhedecidediwasnoworneverhegrabbedhehandleofhisknapsackandpulledhardhecouldhefeelhereassuringdeadweighofheconsolesplisecondhinking,synapsesscreaminglikeangryseagullsapnofacionformuingiselfinasplisecond

ifheablewasboledohegroundorwasooheavy,hewasasgoodasdeadmuseringeveryounceofsrenghheshovedupwardsagainsheableinhedirecionofhepuzzle’sflooroceilingwindowsherewasasmallexplosionasglyph’spuerselfdesrucedhebigmanhadbeendeadseriousabouproecinghisdaa

caldwellpropelledhimselfforward,pasheblueblurhawashejapanesehecouldseeheman’sbighandsreachouograbhimdon’lookahisfaceaallcos,caldwelloldhimselfhawouldjussophimdeadinhisracksiwasafacehamusbeevenmoregroesquecloseupheshooinghadsopped,hemanfeelinghahewascloseenoughononeedhegunheshingcaldwellsawwasheneadiagonalholesinhewalllefbyhejapanese’sbulleasheclosedhiseyesandcrashedhroughhewindowinashowerofgssandmadeconacwihhepavemen

openyoureyescaldwell’seyesopenedwide,asrangekindoffocusevidenhewindowhadpariallyshaeredinohousandsofsmallharmlesscubeshemanwihhegroesquefacewasseppinghroughheirregurshapedholecaldwellhadcreaedinhepuzzle’sfacadehroughhebrokenwindowhecouldseehaheoherjapanesehadakenramandhisearlymorningclienelehosageonhesreeelecricsdrovepashescene,passengerssafeinheirreinforcedfibergsscocoons,discouninghemeleeasjusanoherunionsreebrawl,oneofprobablyhousandsonanygivenday

caldwellwilledhimselfogeonhisfeeevenhoughhewassureheouewouldbehesameregardlesshewasbeingakenouwhowasihasaidwhendeahwasimminen,youfelhisimmenseweighlikeheskyhadehunderingdownuponyou?frowningnowbecausewhoeverhadsaidhahadnosaidiinenglishhesenencewasringinginhisheadinsomeohernguagewasheraumaofhisimpendingdeahopeningupoldmemories?

heworldmovedinslowmoioneveryhingfromhegroesquemangrabbinghimbyheshouldersandreachingforheknapsack,ohepiecesofgssglimmeringonhepavemenhadsloweddownoacrawlhehardedgeofhejapanese’sweaponwascoldagainshisemplenowamaelsromofquesionsandimages,inerspersedwihvisionsofglyphdead,fshinginermienlyinohecranialchaosallhecoulddowasholdonoheknapsack,hismindhaunedbyhebnksareofhehackercaughinhesillcapuredshuerframeofsurprise

hequesionranghroughhisbeleagueredmindlikeapersisenphonecallduringanenjoyableafernoo

apharefusesohangupwasherelifeaferdeah?inhejanuarychill,everyhinghadakenonafreezeframequaliywihhesecondsjerkingbyinslowmoionimewashavingahardimemanifesingiselfherewasnou

eloflighorlighaheendofau

elbuhefoundhimselfsaringdownhebarrelofhejapanese’smyseriousweaponandwaiingodie

“nosofas,”saidhejapaneseinaccenedenglish,brushingoffshardsofgssfromhisshoulder

herewassomehingmedieval,yefuurisic,abouheweaponandforsomesrangereasoncaldwellfoundhimselfadmiringisbeauyhewasnogunfreak,buheknewabeauifulweaponwhenhesawohedisfiguredjapaneseforcedhimselfinohislineofvisioncaldwelldideveryhinghecouldoavoidlookingaheman’sfaceandheyakuzaknewi

“youkilledhim,youbasard,”caldwellmanagedoblurouashepreparedomeehismakerwhadidhehaveoloseanyway?jusafewhoursearlier,hehadbeenmorehanwillingokillhimselfhejapanesecouldakeheconsoleanddowihiasheypleasedshoveiupheirbacksidesifhamadehemfeelbeerimadenodifferenceohimifhewasdeadbusomehinginhimhadawakenedwihhecurrenrauma,anachingneedofindouwhahisconsolewasdesignedodoglyphwasprobablyrighherewassomebleedingedgeworkouherehaheconsolegaveaccessoheknewhaeverycellinhisbodywanedojackinoianddelveinoisverycorehecouldn’diejusyeheshimmeringlighsofcyberspacesillbeckoned

“yourfriendwasnoimporanandbesideshewasoogreedyanyonewhorasouafriendhasnohonoranddeservesodie,”saidanohervoicewihahickaccenheoherjapanesemanwasbackingouofhedoor,wihagunoram’sheadheyoungerjapanesesignaledforhisdisfiguredpanionoakeoverryingowringram’sneck

“whadoyoumean?”caldwellspluered

“yoursocalledfriendwasberayingyou,caldwellsanheoldusyou’dbemeeinghimhere”

“liar!liar!whyshouldibelieveyou?”

“ihavenoreasonolieosomeonewhowillbedeadinamaerofsecondsnohardfeelingsgivemehebag”hejapanese’sfingerwaswichingonheriggerashoughhecouldn’makeuphismindwheheroshoonoworer

“ifglypholdyoui’dbehere,whywasyourguyahesaionaangel?”

“becausewewanedomakesurehayourdisabledraiorfriendkephispromisehewanedonlywenyhousandeurosinexchangeforyouimakeiahabionlyopayraiorsinhecurrencyheydeserve”

hedisfiguredjapanesenowhadeveryoneinhebarkneelingonhepavemenousidehewalkedcirclesaroundhem,oneeyecheckingonhehosages,heohersneeringacaldwellcaldwellrememberedhehadonceleslipoglyphincyberspacehahewasholedupinacapsuleinheangereasoglyphhadoldhemhahelivedinangel,andhadsenhemessageaboumeeingahepuzzleasaruseogehimouofhecapsuleandinoheyakuza’sraphehackerhadnoinenionofmeeingupwihhim

“ineverrusedglyphanywaydoyouhinkiwouldhavebeensosupidasobringheconsolehere?”heaskedcalmly

“niceryoldboyyoufriendalreadyconfirmedyouhaveihandioverbeforeiblowyourbrainsou,”hejapanesehreaened

“ifigureyou’llkillmeanywayi’llakemychancesyoukillmeandifheconsoleisnoinhisbagasyousay,you’llneverfindi,”caldwellhreaenedweaklyhejapanese’sfingerwichedonherigger

“hreesecondsone”

“youaregoingohaveokillmeandakeheriskhawhayouarelookingforisnoinhisbag,”caldwellrepeaed,museringsomecourageakingadvanageofamomenarypseashejapaneseconsideredhesiuaion,heshakilyroseohisfeecaldwellwasbuyingimewihzerocurrencyandhehadnoideawhahedeyacicwasgoingoachieveneverheless,hewasdamnedifhewasgoingohandoverheconsoleohisguyorhedisfiguredgoonheneededanalernaivefas

“we’llakeourchances,”saidheyoungjapanesemenacinglyhehadharshlysnedeyesandiriseshecolorofcharcoalhisperpeualsneerlookedlikeiwouldn’goawayevenifyouheldagunohisheadheman’sfingerighenedonheriggerinsincively,caldwellookasepbackwardsonlyofindhimselfinhegripofhedisfiguredjapanese

“heonlyhingmorecerainhanhefachawhawearelookingforisinhabagishefachayouaregoingo…”

caldwellhoughheheardhesoundofheman’sgungoingoffsomehingsmoohandpowerfulrushedpashimheyoungjapaneseimposorwassoppedinmidsenencebyaninvisibleobjechahumpedinohischessohard,hefu

yshapedweaponwiledinhishandandfellohepavemenhisdisfiguredpanionspunround,handreachinginohiswaisbandbuhewasalsosoppedinhisracksbyanoherdischargehacaldwellbarelyheardhegoon’skneesbuckledhelplesslyunderneahhimsoundgun?hadobe,herewasnovisibleblood

duringheexchangewihheyoungjapanese,caldwellhadn’noicedhehugebckelecriclimocruisingupheroadasheswungroundinsincivelyomakearunfori,bohsidedoorsofhevehicleopenedwihheclunkofsomesophisicaedlockingmechanismwopairsofidenicalbaboosseppedouonohepavemensfollowedbyadoublepairofwellbuillegs,orsosandarmsbeforehecouldinsruchimselfobol,caldwellwasalreadybeingbundledinohebackofhebcklimousinebywoburlyponyailedmencdinbcksuisandmachingaviaormirrorshadeshenoicedhaoneofhemenhadhejapaneseman’sweaponinhishandcaldwellcouldhaveswornhehadn’seenhimpickiup

heurnedroundoseewheherhejapanesemenweredeadheyweren’heywereholdingonoheirearswihbloodsainedhandsheybohseemedobedeliriousdeliriousisawholelobeerhandeadhewholeexercisesedonlyafewsecondshelimousine’sinedwindowsslidupwardsandheelecricengihrusforwardinolighraffic