Alongside Night(29)
Past the Terminal door was a long corridor, fluorescently lit, with a large sliding portal opposite the Terminal and a single door at the corridor’s far end; Mr. Harper led Elliot to the latter. The door was constructed of steel—without any visible doorknobs, hinges, or buzzer—however, Elliot noticed a small mirror above the door, correctly deducing that it concealed a video camera.
When the door slid open, Elliot found himself facing a burly-100
Alongside Night
looking man pointing a weapon he recognized as a Taser, a nonlethal electrical-dart paralyzer. The guard wore black turtleneck sweater and black slacks, a photo-identification badge with his picture on it but no name or other markings, and a red “SECURITY” brassard on his arm. Nonregulation hair and beard.
“Identity,” said the guard, pointing the Taser directly at Harper.
“‘A is A,’” Mr. Harper replied, obviously bored with the procedure. The guard lowered the weapon. “Go on through.”
They turned a 45-degree right bend in the corridor, ending up at an alcove with a security commandant behind a desk that housed another Taser. Both men were uniformed like the first guard—though the commandant’s arm brassard identified him as such—with photo badges clipped to their turtlenecks. The alcove also housed folding chairs, a row of lockers, and several machines Elliot recognized from preflight security checks; he spotted a metal detector and a fluoroscope.
“Still clean,” the commandant said. The guard with the Taser nodded.
Mr. Harper and Elliot passed through the metal detector, then were fluoroscoped. Harper was passed without comment, but Elliot was asked to surrender his pistol and ammunition case. The guard placed them in a locker, handing Elliot the key. The nature of Elliot’s belt was also discovered; the commandant asked what was inside. Elliot hesitated momentarily, then answered honestly, “Gold coins.”
“Will you give us permission to inspect?”
“Do you have to?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Commandant Welch can’t pass you otherwise,” Harper explained.
Elliot agreed reluctantly, opening the belt, then watching Alongside Night
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the inspection closely. Inasmuch as the belt turned out not to be concealing any weapons, cameras, recorders, transmitters, or radioactive materials, it was immediately returned intact.
“You’re cleared,” the commandant said. “Proceed to registration.”
Elliot picked up his jacket and overcoat, then followed Harper farther down the corridor. “Do you have to go through this every time you come in?” he asked.
Harper nodded. “Even if it’s only walking down to Aurora Terminal.”
“Poor Dr. Taylor.”
“Registration” turned out to be a small office not far from the security alcove, empty but for five cubicles that looked like voting booths except for a chair inside; curtains on each booth could be drawn across to assure privacy. Inside each cubicle was a computer station. There were no computers present, of course; Elliot knew enough not even to wonder where they might be.
Each station had a video display, a modified typing keyboard, an instant-photo camera aimed at the chair, a facsimile printout unit, an optical scanner, and a light pen; the cubicle also housed a dispenser for the photo badges.
While Elliot watched, Harper went into a cubicle and without sitting down or drawing the curtain immediately typed in a bypass program. After placing his palm on the optical scanner, he was automatically reissued his photo badge. Harper told Elliot that he would meet him when he was finished, then left, clipping the badge to his jacket. Elliot sat in the cubicle, the video display activating as he sat down.
LAISSEZ-FAIRE, NEW ALLY. WELCOME TO AURORA. WE HOPE YOUR
STAY WITH US IS PLEASANT AND PROFITABLE.
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THE ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT RESULTING FROM THIS INTERVIEW WILL
CONSTITUTE YOUR BASIC CONTRACT WITH THE REVOLUTIONARY
AGORIST CADRE AND WILL BE FULLY ENFORCEABLE AFTER ARBITRATION AS PER MUTUAL SUBMISSION AGREEMENTS. PLEASE ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS FULLY AND HONESTLY, IN THE
UNDERSTANDING AND BONDED ASSURANCE THAT ALL INFORMATION
YOU GIVE WILL REMAIN FULLY CONFIDENTIAL AND IS PROTECTED
AGAINST ACCESS FROM ANY NONAUTHORIZED SOURCE. The computer display proceeded to give Elliot instructions on how to use the keyboard, scanner, and light pen to supply answers, to correct errors, and to ask questions relating to the contract or further instructions.
About an hour later, Elliot was certain that the computer now knew more about him than he did, and using the light pen on the optical scanner, he had signed a contract with it. The computer asked Elliot if he wanted a hard copy of his contract, to be issued to him at his own risk; Elliot decided that he did want one and in a few seconds one slid out of the facsimile printer.