Read Online Slant by Greg Bear - Free Book Online Page B

sinks. Higher still, the civic function spaces and blocks take up the eastern flank of the tower at the two hundred meter level. She debarks from the helix and inspects herself in a gleaming porphyry column. The curve of the column makes Mary appear even taller and thinner than she actually is, but her clothing has kept itself in order, unwrinkled and fitted. She is about to enter the PD block when her neck hair bristles and she turns at the presence of a man a few feet behind her. She must appear startled and apprehensive, for Full First Ernie Nussbaum, chief investigator for her division, makes n apologetic face and holds up his hands. "Sorry, Choy!" he says as she takes a long step ahead. Mary shakes her head, forces a smile. "Sorry, sir. You surprised me." "I didn't mean to invade your space." "My mind was elsewhere," Mary says. "What can I do for you, sir?" "I'm on a jiltz and I thought you'd be useful. It's not far from here, in this tower." "I have a meeting," she says, pointing to the translucent entrance of the civic hall. "I've reassigned that duty. I had hoped to catch you here.., outside." "An active jiltz, sir? I didn't think I rated such confidence yet." "You've donetoo many jiltzes in your career to be left cold so long. LA is a tough town." "Thanks," Mary says. She feels a sudden quickening of confidence; Nussbaum is not known to be a softy, yet he has singled her out for a criminal investigation. She falls in step with Nussbaum, gives him a side glance. He is not tall,
    46 GREG BEAR
    His eyes are his best feature, meltingly brown and sensitive, but his mouth is straight and broad and comically serious, like Buster Keaton's. The combination is striking enough to make him attractive. In LA, Mary thinks, he would be a true hit--with so many transforms and redos, a confident natural phys stands out. They turn and walk east through lunchtime throngs. Corp workers from Seattle Civic and the local flow offices on these levels are socializing at small eateries, slowing Nussbaum's deliberate pace. This does not seem to bother him; apparently there is no rush. Mary checks herself for attitude, her day's variation from status alertness (a sleepless night convinces her there's probably some deficit here) and limberness. She wishes she could dytch now, perform a small exercise warmup and focus mind and muscles. "This isn't a pleasant case," Nussbaum says. "We don't see this sort of thing often in the Corridor, but it happens. Actually, I thought you could provide some deep background. It's right up your alley." They stop before a tube lift. Mary knows this sector of the tower well enough to recognize that the lift will take them to top residential, between fifteen hundred and two thousand feet above sea level. "What's it like to back down from a transform?" he asks as the lift curtain ripples aside. In the lift, accelerating rapidly, Mary says, "Not too difficult. I wasn't too radical; not nearly as radical as the styles this year." "I remember. Very dignified. A male public defender's wet dream." Mary inclines with an amused smile. "I didn't know men your age still have wet dreams. Sir." Nussbaum makes a face. "Still have your cop's feet?" Mary hides a small irritation with a larger mock shock. "Sir, you're embarrassing me." "I like your feet, what can I say?" Nussbaum says. "Days I wish I had feet like that. Great walking-feet, never give out, no flats no strains, stand for hours. But my crowd--they'd definitely frown on that." "Christian?" Mary asks levelly. "Old Northwest. Loggers and farmers.., once." "I kept my feet," Mary confirms. "I'm mostly going back on skin color and my face. The rest.., very convenient, actually." "Who's taking care of you?" "I'm on fibe with a doctor in LA," Mary says. "But that's probably enough talk about me, sir. Why would this, whatever this is, be up my alley?" Nussbaum pokes a thick, dry, expertly manicured finger at the lift controller and the elevator slows for their stop. "Choy, I am