Alongside Night(36)
“The proprietor said, “That’ll be ten cents. How’d you do?”
Elliot showed the man his target. He had shot a number of bull’s-eyes, fewer holes farther out, none out of killing range. The proprietor nodded respectfully.
“Lor,” said Elliot as they exited to the promenade, “after this place I’d believe you if you told me someone was here hawking nukes.”
Someone was.
The display mock-up had a sign underneath labeling it: “100
KILOTON ATOMIC FISSION DEVICE.”
The salesman in Lowell-Pierre Engineering was telling them, “…but of course much smaller than the megaton capabilities of the hydrogen fusion devices.”
“You provide the plutonium?” Elliot asked him.
“No, of course not,” said the salesman. “You’d have to find your own source. But even if you did, you’d have to accept one of our supervisors to ensure that the device would be used 120
Alongside Night
only for excavation or drilling, before we would sell you one. We don’t hand over nuclear weapons to fools who want to blow up the world.”
“But you’ve sold these things?” asked Lorimer. “Really?”
“Of course,” said the salesman. “Do you think we’re in business for our health.”
The freight elevator arrived for them without being summoned; Lorimer conjectured that they were being monitored from a remote security location. After returning to the Terminal floor, they again approached the steel door protecting the Cadre complex; it also opened, the same guard who had let them out pointing a Taser at them. “Password,” he said.
“‘A is A,’” Elliot replied.
“That’s yesterday’s password.”
“But I wasn’t given a new one.”
“Give me the password, or you don’t get in.”
Elliot looked helplessly to Lorimer, who paused for a moment, then replied, “‘Swordfish’?”
“Go on through,” the guard said.
Elliot glanced at her suspiciously. “The commandant gave it to you while I was getting my gun, right?”
“Horsefeathers,” she declared.
After each had registered, Elliot checked with the security desk as Harper had told him. There was no message, and Elliot began wondering why he had been brought to Aurora, whether the Cadre were doing anything to help him, and where the hell Mr. Harper was anyway. As they walked to the elevator, Elliot told Lorimer that he was still free. “What about you?”
“I don’t have anything until an appointment on Monday.”
“Any suggestions?”
“Well, how about a swim?”
“I don’t have a suit,” said Elliot.
“Neither do I,” said Lorimer unblushingly.
Elliot did blush.
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“Or,” she continued, “we can try out some of that grass.”
“Uh—I’d better keep my head clear for a while.”
“Oh. Okay. Why don’t we go back to your room and fuck?”
They entered the elevator, Elliot unclipping his badge and inserting it into the control panel. He studied Lorimer’s expression, then punched for the third floor. “Am I really that dense?” he asked.
They were resting naked in each other’s arms when the alarm was sounded.
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Chapter 13
“G-raid alert! G-raid alert! This is not a drill.”
The room television had been centrally activated, an authoritative gray-haired man in Cadre uniform appearing on the wallscreen. Elliot slid Lorimer’s hand off his behind, then his leg out from between hers, abruptly sitting up.
“Commence evacuation sequence,” said the gray-haired man. “Cadre are to implement Procedure Five immediately. All allies will please identify themselves to the nearest computer station for further instructions.”
Elliot and Lorimer were out of bed quickly, pulling on their clothes.
“Remain calm,” the man continued. “There is no danger if you follow our procedures. Repeat: G-raid alert. This is not a
…”
The message repeated itself in the background as Elliot and Lorimer dressed. Elliot struggled with a shoe. “Any idea what a G-raid is?” he asked Lorimer.
She shook her head. “Gas attack? Ground assault?”
“Maybe the government. G-men. Yeah, that’s probably it.”
“Too corny.” Lorimer tossed her hair forward. “Zip me.”
After fastening the dress, Elliot slipped an arm around Lorimer’s waist, spinning her around. “Listen, whoever-thehell-you-are, what say we shack up somewhere for the next few catastrophes?”