chest. “I hope it wasn’t too uncomfortable.”
“As a matter of fact it itched like crazy.”
“Sorry about that. You must have ensitive skin.”
“He’s a very sensitive guy, Sev.”
Fleming conceded a smile and concentrated on
*. checking the Nagra.
“Everything looks in order,” he announced, returning
the machine to its case. “Reception in the
van was excellent–we got a. first-rate copy. An
attorney from Justice was sitting in {md she’s of the
opinion there’s plenty to WOrk with Once again;
Doctor, thanks. Be seeing you, Milo.”
He shook our hands, gave ‘a-small salute and
walked away, cradling the Nagra like a newborn,
“Well,” said Milo, “You keep revealing neW-taL
ents. Hollywood’s bound to be knocking on your
door.”
-“Right,” I said, rubbing my chest. “Call my agent.
We’ll take a meeting at the Polo Lounge.”
, He laughed and undid his flak jacket.
“Feel like the Michelin tire man in this thing.”
“You should be so cute.”
– ‘We walked together toward the viaduct. The sky
had darkened and quieted. Beyond the gates engines
rumbled to a start. We stepped onto the bridge,
treading on cool stones Milo reached up,-plucked a
grape from the arbor, split it with his teeth, and
swallowed.
“You made a big difference, Alex,” he said.
tually they’d have gotten him on the drug thing..
But it’s the murder rap that’ll put him away. Combine
that with lowering the boom on Stinky.Pants
and I’d say it’s been a Frae weel for the good guys.’
“Great,” I said wearily.
Several yards later:
“You okay, pal?”
‘braking about the kid?”
I stopped and looked at him.
“Do you need to head back to L.A. fight away?” I
asked.
He put a heavy arm around my shoulder,, smiled
and shook his head.
“Getting back means diving into a mess o pounds paperwork.
It can wait.”
]271
I STOOD at a distance and. looked through the wall
of plastic.
The boy lay on the bed, still but awake. His
mother sat by his side, rendered nearly anonymous
by spacesuit, gloves and mask. Her dark eyes wandered
around the room, settling momentarily on his
face, then upon the pages of the story book’ in her
hands. He. struggled upright, said something to her
and she nodded and helda cup to his lips. Drinking
exhausted him quickly; he fell back against the
pilloTM.
“Cute kid,” said Milo. “What did that doc say his
· chances ar6?”
“He’s severely infected. But the I.V. is pumping
in high-dose antibiotics and they feel it ‘Will eventually
dear up. The original tumor has enlarged–it’s
begun to press against the diaphragm, which
· isn’t good–but there’s-no evidence of any new lesions.
Chemotherapy will start tomorrow. Overall,
the prognosis is still good.”
343
He nodded and went into the nurses’ office;- ‘-The
boy was .asleep, now. His mother kissed
his forehead, drew the blankets around him, and
looked at the book again. She flipped a few pages,
put it down and began straightening the room.
That done, she returned to sitting bedside, folded
her hands in her lap, and remained motionless.
Waiting.
The. two marshals emerged from the nurses’ office.
The man was thick-waisted and middle-
aged, the woman petite and dyed-blond. He looked
at his watch and said “It’s’ ti.me” to his partner.
She walked over to the module and tapped on the,
phstic.
Nona looked up.
The woman said, “It’s time.”-
The girl hesitated, bent over the sleeping child
and kissed him with sudden intensity. He called
out and rolled over. The movement caused the I.V.
pole to vibrate, the bottle to sway. She steadied it,
stroked his hair.
‘Come on, honey,” said the female marshal.
The girl stiffened, stumbled out of the module.
She took off the mask and gloves and let the sterile
suit fall around her ankles, revealing a jumpsuit
underneath. On the back was stenciled PRO’ERT¥
SaN on,co COUNT j.rL md a serial number. Her
copper hair was drawn back in a ponytail. The
golden hoops had been removed from her ears.-Her
face looked thinner and older, the cheekbones more
-pronounced, the eyes buried deeper. Jailhouse pallor
had begun to dull the luster of her skin. She Was
beautiful, but damaged, ILke a day-old rose.