The Bridge Trilogy Part 77

"The what?"

"She says it's some kind of nano-a.s.sembler thing."

Zona Rosa's features snapped into focus as her heavy eyebrows shot up. "Nanotechnology?"

"This is in your bag?" Masahiko asked.

"Wrapped in plastic."

210 William Gibson 'One moment." He vanished.

"Who is that?" Zona asked.

"Masahiko. Mitsuko's brother. He lives here."

"Where did he go?"

"Back to the hotel we're porting from,"

"This s.h.i.+t you are in, it is crazy," Zona said.

"Please, Zona, help me! I don't think I'll ever get home!"

Masahiko reappeared, the thing in his hand minus the duty-free bag. "I scanned it," he said.

"Immediate identification as Rodel-van Erp primary biomolecular programming module C-slash-7A.

This is a lab prototype. We are unable to determine its exact legal status, but the production model, C-slash-9E, is Cla.s.s 1 nanotechnology, proscribed under international law. j.a.panese law, conviction of illegal possession of Cla.s.s 1 device carries automatic life sentence."

"Life?" Chia said.

"Same for thermonuclear device," he said, apologetically, "poison gas, biological weapon" He held up the scanned object for Zona's inspection.

Zona looked at it. "f.u.c.k your mother," she said, her tone one of somber respect.

211.

31. The Way Things Work

"See how things work, Laney? 'What goes around, comes around 7 You can run, but you can't hide'?

Know those expressions, Laney? How some things get to be c1ich~s because they touch on certain truths, Laney? Talk to me, Laney."

Laney lowered himself into one of the miniature armchairs, hugging his ribs.

"You look like s.h.i.+t, Laney. Where have yOU been?"

"The Western World," he said. He didn't like watching himself do those things on the screen, but he found he couldn't look away. He knew that wasn't him, there. They'd mapped his face onto someone else. But it was his face. He remembered hearing something someone had said about mirrors, a long time ago, that they were somehow unnatural and dangerous.

"So you're trying your hand at the Orient now?"

She hadn't understood, he thought, which meant she didn't know where he'd been, earlier. Which

meant they hadn't been watching him here. "That's that guy," he said, "that Hillman. From the day I met you. My job interview. He was a p.o.r.no extra."

"Don't you think he's being awfully rough with her?"

"Who is she, Kathy?"

"Think back. If you can remember Clinton Hiliman, Laney . .

Laney shook his head.

"Think actor, Laney. Think Alison s.h.i.+res . . ."

"His daughter," Laney said, no doubt at all.

"I definitely think that's too rough. That borders on rape, Laney. a.s.sault. I think we could make

a case for a.s.sault."

'Why would she do that? How could you get her to do that?" Turning from the screen to Kathy. "I mean, unless it really is rape.'

"Let's hear the soundtrack, Laney. See what you're saying, there. Cast some light on motive.

'Don't,' he said. "I don't want to hear it."

'You're talking about her father the whole time, Laney. I mean, obsession is one thing, but just

droning on about him that way, right through a white-knuckle skull-luck-"

He almost fell, coming up out of the chair. He couldn't find the manual controls. Wires back there. He pulled out the first three he found. Third did it.

"Put it on the Lo/Rez tab, Laney? Rock and roll lifestyle? Aren't you supposed to throw them out

the window, though?"

"What's it about, Kathy? You want to just tell me now?"

She smiled at him. Exactly the smile he remembered from his job interview. "May I call you Cohn?"

"Kathy: f.u.c.k you."

She laughed. "We may have come full circle, Laney."

"How's that?"

"Think of this as a job interview."

"I've got a job."

"We're offering you another, Laney. You can moonlight."

Laney made it back to the chair. Lowered himself in as slowly as possible. The pain made him gasp.

"What's wrong?"

"Ribs. Hurt." He found a way to settle back that seemed to help.

"Were you in a fight? Is that blood?"

"I went to a club."

"This is Tokyo, Laney. They don't have fights in clubs."

"That was really her, the daughter?"

"It certainly is. And she'll be more than happy to talk about it on Slitscan, Laney. Seduced into

s.a.d.i.s.tic s.e.x games by a stalker obsessed 214 William Gibson with her famous, her loving dad. Who has come around, by the way. Who is one of ours now."

'Why? Why would she do that? Because he told her to?"

"Because," Kathy said, looking at him as though she were concerned that he might have sustained

brain damage as well, "she's an aspiring actress in her own right, Laney." She looked at him hopefully, as though he might suddenly start to process. "The big break."

"That is going to be her big break?"

"A break," Kathy Torrance said, "is a break. And you know something? I'm trying, I'm trying really

hard, to give you one instead. Right now. And it wouldn't be the first, would it?"

The phone began to ring. "You'd better take this," she said, pa.s.sing him the white slab of cedar.

"Yes?"

"The fan-activity data-base." It was Yamazaki. "You must access it now."

"Where are you?"

"In hotel garage. With van."

"Look, I'm in kind of rough shape, here. Can it wait?"

"Wait?" Yamazaki sounded horrified.

Laney looked at Kathy Torrance. She was wearing something black and not quite short enough to show