Queen of Angels Read Free Page B

talk about is IPR, Martin said. Where did you get my number? I represent Mr. Thomas Albigoni. Lascal paused for some sign of recognition, then continued smoothly without it. Carol Neuman gave him your name and phone number. She thought you might be able to help him. I dont see how. I havent worked at IPR for a year. How is Carol connected with Mr. Albigensi Albigoni. Thomas. Mister. She was a therapist for his daughter. They became friends. I understand youre no longer in the silky with the regulators. That could make you doubly useful to us. Just a short talk. Say, over lunch? Martin looked at the mess in his small kitchen. He had not mustered the energy to tell the apartment arbeiters to dean it up. He had not eaten since early evening of the day before. You seem to think I should know who Albigoni is. Hes a publisher. Oh? LitVids? And books, Lascal said pointedly. Far more lit than vid. Is he after an expose? No. Another matter entirely. Martin rubbed his nose. In that case, and considering its Carol, maybe Ill accept. Do you know Lascal named a shoreline La Jolla restaurant, very expensive. I know it. About one hour from now? just ask for Mr. Albigonis table. Martin gave an assenting grunt and put the receiver down. He leaned back in the weak cushions of his aging armchair. On the battered coffee table sat a ceremonial and condensed printed copy of his twenty year old atlas of the human brain, a seminal work from his salad days. Sometime during the previous night he had drunkenly opened it to a plate of the olfactory nerve and system. Next to the plate be had drawn a crude cartoon of a vampire, teeth trickling teardrops of blood, with branching arrows connecting cartoon and pink and white cauliflower flesh of prepyriform cortex, olfactory bulb and rhinencephalon. From the armchair he could see into the apartments small bedroom. In one corner beyond the bed a tall metal case supported stacked cubes of data. Martins life had centered on those cubes until President Raphkinds downfall and suicide had ushered in the new era of constitutional cleansing and investigations. He had not been part of the Raphkind scandals not directlybut his research bad been targeted. Federal had shut down IPR and tucked him away from his true calling. He turned up the sound on the AXIS report pushed himself forcibly from the armchair and walked into the bathroom to shave and dress. Martin had once hiked the Country of the Mind. Now he was reduced to accepting luncheon dates with curious strangers just to get out of the apartment.
    Why put on eyegla.sses? Why look out and ahead? You wont go there. I wont. We are all Moses staring into Canaan. Who in hell cares our children get there? My this has been a bitchy evening, hasnt it?
    4
    LItVld 21 (Science and Philosophy Nets) Scheduling 12/23/47 1: AXIS MultlNet Coverage 24 hr reports four tiers. A Net: PubAcc David Shine and Team. B Net: PubAcc Direct Data Downlink. (Hobby-Tech). C Net: Australian SquInf 0: Analysis (Pay). D Net: Lunar Squlnf 0: Analysis (Pay). 2: DesIgner Babies Conference Thcson AZ 0800-2200. (Member Conference Pay). A Net: Health and public acceptance. B Net: Future social change. C Net: Religious. Historical and Scientific Images of Humanity. 3: Public Science Issues Forum PubAcc MultiNet 0900-2100 A Net: Diane Muldrow-Lewls-Taper. Playback Interviews with Science/Tech Pers. (Expanded Schedule for subjects). B Net: Senate Transform Law Debates. Discrimination In Eastern States? C Net: Arbelter Design Conference. Cleveland. Ohio. D NET: NAXOTKCH NEWS (CheSfl for Recording. $20.00 P..) E Net: END SELECTION.
    ___________________________________________________________
    Selection made: 1/ AXIS Multlnet A Net B Net switch at will. No fee. ___________________________________________________________
    LltVid 21/1 A Net (David Shine): AXIS has been on the road for fIfteen years. at a cost of over one hundred billion dollars. a lot of treasure for such a distant piece of metallic fluff many