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ure。 A tiny implant in the base of his skull calculated exactly which doses were required to maintain equilibrium and fed the data to a graft set into his left wrist。 Here the information appeared as a graphic readout。 Mungo merely followed the dictates of his wrist and swallowed whatever he was told。 And thus he ran on and on； much after the fashion of the well…oiled machine。
On this particular night Mungo's wrist was pleading for a mega dose of tranquillisers。 The wrist's owner was in a veritable fug。
'Erased？ Erased？' screamed Mungo。 'That is impossible。 Inconceivable。 Do you hear？' The less modified board members； who felt the need for their full eight hours' shut…eye； shuffled about in their jim…jams nodding and mumbling。
'It is sabotage；' cried Gryphus Garstang。
'It is iconoclasm；' agreed Lavinius Wisten。
'It is the end of civilisation as we know it；' Diogenes 'Dermot' Darbo pinched at his hooter。 'Oh yes； indeedy。'
'Shut up。' Mungo raised a shaking fist。 'Shaman。 Where is Fergus Shaman？'
Fergus cowered to the rear of the pyjama party。 'Here； sir。' He raised his hand。 Mungo grabbed it and hauled him forward。
'Shaman； an entire year has been erased。 I want it back； do you understand？'
During his many years on the board Fergus had managed to side…step many an impossible demand。 This time it didn't look all that simple。 'I。。。 how？' was about all he could muster at such short notice。
'I don't care how。 Just do it。'
'If I might just interject。' The voice belonged to Jason Morgawr。 Jason was tall； young； well…favoured in the face department； a genius in bio…genetics and founder of the Earthers Inc。 Amateur Dramatics Society。 The executive board hated him to a man。
'I regret；' said he； 'that it can't be done。 The virus has destroyed all the cells relating to the Earth year of 1958。 But surely this is the least of our problems。' Those who witnessed the look upon Mungo's face had it firmly ingrained into their memories from that day forth。
'Least of our problems？' roared Mungo Madoc。
'This sabotage was only discovered an hour ago； but it is clearly apparent that the virus is already spreading。 If it's not stopped it will continue to move forward。 It will eventually catch up with the present day。'
'What are you telling me？' Mungo sank into his chair。
'I am telling you that if it catches up with the present day we will go off the air。 The Earthers series will close down。' Mungo's mouth opened and closed and went on doing so。
Garstang turned upon Jason。 'Do you have a solution？'
'We can try to isolate the infected area； shut down all the cell systems surrounding it。'
'Then do it。 Do it。'
'We are trying。 But nothing like this has ever been attempted before。 The storage cells aren't separate units They all pose microcosms of the whole。 If we start tampering too much with them we have no idea what might happen。'
'And the saboteur？ Murderer？'
'All evidence points towards one Jovil Jspht。'
Fergus flinched。
'He was seen in the archives earlier today。 Showed a fake security pass and has since vanished without trace。'
'I know that name；' Mungo said。 'He's the maggot man； all those memos。'
'We'll track him down。' Gryphus made martial fists。 'I'll get my men on to it at once。'
'It could take years。' Mungo began to giggle most queerly。 'If he's gone off…world we may never find him。 Maggots。。。 maggots。。。'
Gryphus Garstang wasted very little time in assuming control。 He organized a search of Jovil's rooms； offered Jason unrestricted funding to search out a solution and summoned the house physician。 The now gibbering Mungo was led away。
'Gentlemen；' Gryphus addressed his troops。 'This is a crisis situation。'
12
。。。the God had been drinking heavily all day。 In my line of business； which is one of extortion； you get to see a lot of bars and you get to recognize the regular faces。 If you want to see your old age； you do So； I first notice the God in Fangio's on East 32nd I was collecting 'dues' A half hour later on West 13th I walk into Johnme's Bar and Grill and he is there also Then he is in Laughing Sam's and then again in the Cool Room So either this guy has a lot of twin brothers or something is going down I don't figure him for a Fed； you get a nose for those guys and when he came across to me I knew he wasn't looking for a handout neither He asks me do I do the horses and I says sure； so then he sticks a racing sheet in my paw and says； be lucky。 And then he just kind of shuffles out Now I've been around some and a little more and I reckon I know all the angles but I check the sheet out He's got doubles ringed and outsiders and a whole accumulator based on a single dollar stake All looks pretty crazy to me and I go to bin the rag But something inside says to me； what's a dollar good for anyway； so I make a call and place the bet Biggest damn mistake I ever made in my life
The Suburban Book of the Dead
'Enjoying the job？' the Dalai Lama asked。 Rex looked up from the floor。 He had but recently been thrown there by the two security men who had called to collect him when he missed the Dalai's appointment。 The one Gloria had failed to mention。 'The job；' said Dan。 'Enjoying it？'
Rex climbed to his feet。 Having endured the previous day an air crash； potential death from the knives and forks of the Devianti； witnessed a cold…blooded murder and all but been tortured to oblivion； Rex wondered whether perhaps he had misunderstood the question。
'It gets you out and about；' he said warily。
'And the pay is very good。 You certainly came up trumps in the bonus department。'
'I don't think I'll bother with the pension plan。'
The inmost fellow waggled a cautionary finger in Rex's direction and exercised his fingers on a terminal keyboard。 They were in Ms Vrillium's office。 It looked no better at a second viewing。 'How did you e by these names？' Dan gestured towards the screen。 'Very enterprising； the entire Devianti gang it would so appear。'
Rex slouched over to the desk and viewed the terminal without enthusiasm。 Bloodaxe and Eric were known to him； but as to the rest。。。
'How did I e by them？'
'Under questioning。 Would you like me to play back the extract？'
'No；' Rex replied； 'I wouldn't。'
'Well； nevertheless you named them all；' Rex shook his head。 He couldn't think of a convincing lie so he thought of the credits。
'I'm on my way to being a wealthy man。'
'You certainly are。 A little tampa perhaps； I understand you missed breakfast。'
'My thanks。' Rex watched the Dalai as he ordered up the meal。 He looked much taller than he did on the TV But powerful men always appear taller than they really are。 Except for the short ones； of course。 But the charisma was undeniable； there was an almost fearful presence about him。 This was a man who wasn't to be messed about with。
'Did you know that you were brain dead for thirteen seconds？'
Rex shivered。 'I knew something had happened。。。 brain dead。。。'
'You saw something during this time？ Felt something？'
She was beautiful。 Her eyes the palest of blue。 The smile soft upon the full red mouth。 Her breath s