Part 39 (1/2)

Yamazaki was on the chair to his right, reattaching the sleeve of his plaid jacket with bright gold safety pins from an Evil Elf Hat emergency sewing kit. Laney had never actually seen anyone use a hotel room's emergency sewing kit for anything. Yamazaki had removed his damaged gla.s.ses and was working with the jacket held close to his face. This made him look older, and somehow calmer. To Yamazaki's right, the red-haired technician, who was called Shannon, was sitting up very straight and reading a complimentary style magazine.

Rez was sprawled on the bed, propped up on the maximum available number of pillows, and w.i.l.l.y Jude sat at its foot, channel-surfing with his video units. The panic at the Western World apparently hadn't made the news yet, although the drummer said he'd caught an oblique reference on one of the clubbing channels.

Arleigh was standing by the window, pressing an ice cube in a white washcloth against her swollen lip.

Did he give you any idea of when he might turn up?” Rez, from the bed.

”No,” Arleigh said, ”but he made it clear he wanted you to wait.”

Rez sighed.

”Let the people take care of you, Rez,” w.i.l.l.y Jude said. ”It's what they're paid for.”

0.

0.

-203.

Laney had taken it for granted that all of them were expected to wait, along with Rez, for Blackwell. Now he decided to try to return to his room. All they could do was stop him.

Blackwell opened the door from the corridor, pocketing something black, something that definitely wasn't your standard-issue hotel key. There was a pale X of micropore across his right cheek, the longest arm reaching the tip of his chin.

”Evening, Keithy,” Rez said.

”You really mustn't p.i.s.s off like that,” the bodyguard said. ”Those Russians are a serious crew. Ma.s.sive triers, those boys. Wouldn't do if they got hold of you, Rozzer. Not at an. You wouldn't like it.”

”Kuwayama and the platform?”

”Have to tell you, Rez.” Blackwell stood at the foot of the bed. ”I've seen you go with women I wouldn't take to a s.h.i.+t-fight on a dark night, but at least they were human. Hear what I'm saying?”

v~J do, Keithy,” the singer said. ”I know how you feel about her. But you'll come around. It's the way of things, Keithy. The new way. New world.”

”I don't know anything about that. My old dad was a Painter and Docker; had a docky's brief Broke his heart I turned out the sort of crim I did. Died before you'd got me out of B Division. Would've liked him to see me a.s.sume responsibility, Rez. For you. For your safety. But now I don't know. Might not impress him so. Might tell me I'm just minding a fool with a bloated sense of himself”

Rez came up off the bed, surprising Laney with his speed, a performer's grace, and then he was in front of Blackwell, his hands on the huge shoulders. ”But you don't think that, do you, Keithy? You didn't in Pentridge. Not when you came for me. And not when I came back for you.”

Blackwell's eyes glistened. He was about to say something, but Yamazalci suddenly stood up, blinking, and put his green plaid sportscoat on. He craned his neck, peering nearsightedly at the pins

204 William Gihson he'd used to mend it, then seemed to realize that everyone in the suite was looking at him. He coughed nervously and sat back down.

A silence followed. ”Out of line, I was, Rozzer,” Blackwell said, breaking it.

Rez clapped the bodyguard's shoulder, releasing him. ”Stressed. I know.” Rez smiled. ”Kuwayama? The platform?”

”Had his own team there,”

”And our crashers?”

”That's a bit odd,” Blackwell said, ”Kombinat, Rez. Say we've stolen something of theirs. Or at least that's all the one I questioned knew.”

Rez looked puzzled, but seemed to put whatever it was out of his mind. ”Take me back to the hotel,” he said.