All of these thoughts passed through my mind in a matter of moments, and I knew that I would have to make the attempt. Outside, the sun grew into the sky, spilling light across my path.
Petals open, birds sing, I coil…
Chapter 9
ick—I felt for the computer, reaching toward its innards, the sense of its constant operations coming to me as the extremities of waves touch the feet, barely, softly—etder—upon the beach. Then, striding ahead, their force growing upon my legs—icketder—I moved out toward the point of strongest impact, where—Swerving, not slowing, moving like a deranged elephant, a huge truck in the near lane upon the opposite side of the highway left the road and bounced across the median strip, headed directly toward me.
My reaction was slow, since I had already begun my engagement with the computer. I lunged across the cab into the driver’s seat, using the steering wheel to pull myself into place, my feet groping for the pedals. I sought frantically after the mechanism which would switch my truck’s control to manual, since it seemed to be taking no action to avoid the oncoming vehicle.
But I was not fast enough. It was upon me and—gone.
I checked the side-mirror. I listened for the crash. A pair of negatives. It had simply ceased to be, as if it had been silently vaporized. A phantom.
I sniffed the air, suddenly suspicious. No. No floral aromas had accompanied it. But it was the sort of thing that Ann could have managed, and I couldn’t think of any other explanation.
I waited. I sat there leaning upon the wheel, watching the road. If one had that effect on me, where were the others? It wasn’t like Ann to be skimpy in these matters. A whole convoy ought to be headed toward me by now.
Unless it were indeed something else. A hologram? No. It was just too damned substantial, and I couldn’t see how that pinpoint accuracy and timing could be achieved, anyway, in the absence of a lot of complicated projection equipment. I looked skyward. There were no hovering ’copters. Anyhow, I didn’t see how they could have located me to set the thing up.
I waited. I sniffed. Nothing happened.
All right, then. I had a job to do.
Ticketder—I was back where I had been, bright lights now gleaming beneath the waters like the sunken city of Ys. The ocean, I knew, represented the data-net. I would swim into that city…
… Rushing toward me, driving on the wrong side of the road, a bright red sports car, moving at an incredible speed—
My fingers tightened upon the wheel. My left foot automatically fell heavily upon the disengaged brake.
I did not remove myself from the computer, however. I moved immediately to monitor the radar unit, and I saw that, despite the evidence of my eyes, there was nothing there. There was not a trace of that small vehicle present.
And it, too, passed away. One moment it was before me, the next it was not.
—rick.
The hell with it then. If whatever game was being played was ultimately this harmless, then it did not warrant my attention.
Back to Ys.
I began my plunge.
No! Another truck! Only I could not be certain about this one for several moments. It overtook me on the left and moved to cut in far too soon. This seemed a possibly genuine thing, until the radar assured me that it was another ghost.
I began to grow angry. Despite their unreality, the things kept distracting me from the task at hand. They broke my concentration, they set me back…
And more than that. There was something about traffic accidents that I found extremely unsettling. I mopped my brow on the back of a trembling hand. I could worry about the why of it later. Right now I wanted to rid myself of the assaults. Even if I closed my eyes, I would be aware of their presence, as I had been of the illusions during my flight. But in this case, the awareness would be sufficient. They were touching upon some traumas I was not all that eager to unearth at the moment.
I sniffed again. No. But it did not matter. It had to be her.
“Ann?” I said aloud. “Why are you doing this to me, Ann? Didn’t we used to be… friends? I seem to remember… The Boss can’t possibly know that you’ve found me, that you’re reading me—yet. Give me a break, will you? There’s something I have to do. I’m not out to hurt Barbeau, to hurt Angra. I just want Cora back, and they’ve got her. If you want to tell them something about me, tell them that if they let me have her I’ll go away and they’ll never hear from me again. I mean it. “You’re the telepath, look in my mind and see if I don’t mean it. Lay off on the trucks, will you? They’re getting in my way.”
An odor of violets seemed to fill the cab.
“Okay?” I said. “Please? Just give me some time for the things I have to do. I’d do it for you. Hold off.”
The aroma persisted. There was no reply, but no new vehicles were rushing toward me either. I couldn’t tell whether she was thinking about what I’d said or just biding her time for another onslaught.
But waiting would solve nothing, I decided after several minutes. Tentatively, I began the Coil Effect again.
Clickterclick. Tick. Derick.
Down. Through the clear, gleaming water, turning even as I passed into some more tenuous substance, arrays of lights hovering like disciplined squadrons of not-water fishes… Moving, threading my way among blazing columns, along snaking cables…. There was a fascination here. There always was, but this was something different. Something stronger. More than fascination. There was a sense of expectancy rising within me, anticipation… Something was different about my continents-spanning microworld, and it almost seemed as if I should know what it was. But I did not. I continued to the point of passage to the larger system—a place of spark-emitting narrowness between a pair of glistening walls, darkness beyond…
“Yes.” A reply within my mind, which I read in Ann’s voice. And all of the overtones which accompanied it. She was going to give me my break. But not just to be nice. I could feel her presence strongly now. I could feel the fascination she felt for the phenomenon she was witnessing within my mind. She followed me down the slow spirals that began beyond the shining walls. Something inexplicable seemed to be impending, for the network held my mind in such a grip as it had never seemed to possess before. I felt that it was also holding Ann’s mind in the same fashion.
Moving, around, around … A terminal… Through it… Another… Up and down … Now the wild roller coaster effect…
Ann was like a child, clinging to my back. I felt her fear. I also felt a powerful curiosity, almost a longing.
Turn, turn aside … Something… Summoning…
No!
Something, something out there… Calling, beckoning … I wanted to break my journey and go to it, but the thought of Cora, of my mission, made me resist, made me fight what was rapidly becoming an obsession. Something…
I tore my mind away, shaking free. I knew my goal. I could not afford to be turned from it. I plunged ahead…