Rez stared at her.
I think is not good, here to discuss the business, the Russian said, rubbing his birthmark. But I am Starkov, Yevgeni. He extended his hand, and Chia noticed the laser-scars again. Rez shook it.
Chia thought she heard the big man groan.
I used to watch him in Dayton, Maryalice said, as if that proved something.
The big man took a small phone from his pocket with his free hand, squinted at the call-display, and put it to his left ear. Which Chia saw was missing. He listened. Ta, he said, and lowered the phone. He moved to the window, the one Chia had found behind the wallscreen, and stood looking out. Better have a look at this, Rozzer, he said.
Rez joined him. She saw Rez touch the monocle. What are they doing, Keithy? What is it?
Its your funeral, the big man said.
41. Candlelight and Tears
Office windows flickered past, very close, beyond the earthquake-bandaged uprights of the expressway. Taller buildings gave way to a lower sprawl, then something bright in the middle distance: HOTEL KING MIDAS. The dashboard map began to bleep.
Third exit right, Laney said, watching the cursor. He felt her accelerate and heard the speed-limit warning kick in. Another glittering sign: FREEDOM SHOWER BANFF.
Laney-san, Yamazaki asked, around the headrest. Did you apprehend any suggestion of Rezs death or other misfortune?
No, but I wouldnt, not unless there was a degree of intentionality that would emerge from the data. Accidents, actions by anyone who isnt represented The clanging stopped as she slowed, approaching the exit indicated on the map. But I saw their data as streams, merging, and whatever it was merging aroundseemed to be where were going.
Arleigh made the exit. They were on the off-ramp now, swinging through a curve, and Laney saw three young girls, their shoes clumped with mud, descending a sharp slope planted with some kind of pale rough grass. One of them seemed to be wearing a school uniform: kneesocks and a short plaid skirt. They looked unreal, in the harsh sodium light of the intersection, but then Arleigh stopped the van and Laney turned to see the road in front of them completely blocked by a silent, unmoving crowd.
Jesus, Arleigh said. The fans. If there were boys in the crowd, Laney didnt see them. It was a level sea of glossy black hair, every girl facing the white building that rose there, with its white, brilliantly illuminated sign framed by something meant to represent a coronet: HOTEL DI. Arleigh powered down her window and Laney heard the distant wail of a siren.
Well never get through, Laney said. Most of the girls held a single candle, and the combined glow danced among the tear-streaked faces. They were so young, these girls: children. Kathy Torrance had particularly loathed that about Lo/Rez, the way their fan-base had refreshed itself over the years with a constant stream of pubescent recruits, girls who fell in love with Rez in the endless present of the net, where he could still be the twenty-year-old of his earliest hits.
Pass me that black case, Arleigh said, and Laney heard Yamazaki scrabbling through the bubble-pack. A flat rectangular carrying case appeared between the seats. Laney took it. Open it, she said. Laney undid the zip, exposing something flat and gray. The Lo/Rez logo on an oblong sticker. Arleigh pulled it from its case, put it on the dashboard, and ran her finger around its edge, looking for a switch. LO/REZ, mirror-reversed in large, luminous green letters, appeared on the windshield. **TOUR SUPPORT VEHICLE**. The asterisks began to flash.
Arleigh let the van roll forward a few inches. The girls directly in front turned, saw the windshield, and stepped aside. Silently, gradually, a few feet at a time, the crowd parted for the van.
Laney looked out across the black, center-parted heads of the grieving fans and saw the Russian, the one from the Western World, still in his white leather evening jacket, struggling through the crowd. The girls heads came barely to his waist, and he looked as though he were wading through black hair and candle-glow. The expression on his face was one of confusion, almost of terror, but when he saw Laney at the window of the green van, he grimaced and changed course, heading straight for them.
42. Checking Out
Chia looked out and saw that the rain had stopped. Beyond the chainlink fence, the parking lot was full of small, unmoving figures holding candles. A few of them were standing on the tops of the trucks parked there, and there seemed to be more on the roof of the low building behind. Girls. Japanese girls. All of them seemed to be staring at the Hotel Di.
The big man was telling Rez that someone had announced that hed died, that hed been found dead in this hotel, and it was out on the net and was being treated like it had really happened.
The Russian had produced his own phone now and was talking to someone in Russian. Mr. Lor-ess, he said, lowering the phone, we are hearing police come. This nanotech being heavily proscribed, is serious problem.
Fine, Rez said. We have a car in the garage.
Someone nudged Chias elbow. It was Masahiko, handing her her bag. Hed put her Sandbenders in it and zipped it up; she could tell by the weight. He had his computer in the plaid bag. Put your shoes on now, he said. His were already on.
Eddie was curled into a knot on the carpet; hed been like that since the Russian had kicked him. Now the Russian took a step toward him again and Chia saw Maryalice cringe, where she sat beside Eddie on the carpet.
You are lucky man, the Russian said to Eddie. We are honoring our agreement. Isotope to be delivered. But we are wanting no more the business with you.
There was a click, and another, and Chia watched as the big man with no left ear folded his axe, collapsing it smoothly into itself without looking at it. That thing youre holding is a heavy crime, Rozzer. Your fan-club turnouts bringing the police. Better let me be in possession.
Rez looked at the big man. Ill carry it myself, Keithy.
Chia thought she saw a sudden sadness in the big mans eyes. Well then, he said. Time to go. He slipped the folded weapon inside his jacket. Come on, then. You two. Gesturing Chia and Masahiko toward the door. Rez followed Masahiko, the Russian close behind him, but Chia saw that the room key was on top of the little fridge. She ran over and grabbed it. Then she stopped, looking down at Maryalice.
Maryalices mouth, with her lipstick gone, looked old and sad. It was a mouth that mustve been hurt a lot, Chia thought. Come with us, Chia said.
Maryalice looked at her.
Come on, Chia said. The police are coming.
I cant, Maryalice said. I have to take care of Eddie.
Tell your Eddie, Blackwell said, reaching Chia in two steps, that if he whines to anyone about any of this, hell be grabbed and his shoe size shortened.
But Maryalice didnt seem to hear, or if she did, she didnt look up, and the big man pulled Chia out of the room, closed the door, and then Chia was following the back of the Russians tan suit down the narrow corridor, his fancy cowboy boots illuminated by the ankle-high light-strips.
Rez was stepping into the elevator with Masahiko and the Russian when the big man caught his shoulder. Youre staying with me, he said, shoving Chia into the elevator.
Masahiko pushed the button. You are having vehicle? the Russian asked Masahiko.
No, Masahiko said.
The Russian grunted. His cologne was making Chias stomach turn over. The door opened on the little lobby. The Russian pushed past her, looking around. Chia and Masahiko followed. The elevator door closed. Looking for vehicle, the Russian said. Come. They followed him through the sliding glass door, into the parking area, where Eddies Graceland seemed to take up at least half the available space. Beside it was a silver-gray Japanese sedan, and Chia wondered if that was Rezs. Someone had put black plastic rectangles over the license plates of both cars.