To the Stars Trilogy Part 6

Nor was it crowded; solitary individuals were scattered about, with one or two small groups sitting together. The air was hot and smelled strongly of antiseptic and smoke, with an underlying bite of stale food. On the rear wall was a twice-lifesize figure of a cook, constructed of garish and chipped plastic. As Jan walked slowly toward it the arm moved up and down in hesitant greeting and the comput-er voice spoke to him.

"Good evening... madam. What is your pleasure this... morning?"

The s.e.x discrimination circuit did not seem to be working very well-but at least it got the time of day right. Then the chef's paunchy stomach lit up with the selection of dishes; not the most appetizing location, Jan thought. He considered the selection~qually unappetizing-and finally touched the illuminated word TEA and the light went out.

"Will that be all... sir?" Second time around the com-puter got it right. He should order something else, even if he didn't eat it, in order to appear normal. He touched the glowing SAUSAGE ROLL.

"May you enjoy your repast. That will be... forty pence. Jolyon always~ happily at your service.

As soon as Jan had inserted the coins into the ma-chine a silver dome on the wall-mounted serving trolley lifted up to display his purchases. Or at least moved halfway where it stopped, humming and vibrating. He pushed it the rest of the way and extracted the tray with cup, plate, and receipt. Only then did he turn around and look closely at the room.

Sara was not there. It took him a moment to discover this because, outside of the small groups, all of the single customers appeared to be women. Young women. And most of them were glancing his way.

Quickly lowering his eyes he found the deserted end of one table and slid onto the bench mounted on the floor beside it. There were automatic dispensers fixed to the center of the table which functioned with varying degrees of success. The sugar nozzle, with much grinding, produced only a few grains; the mustard pump enthusiastically sprayed out far too much onto his sausage roll. The food was protective coloration in any case and he had no intention of eating the thing. He sipped at the tea and looked around. Sara came through the door.

He had not recognized her at first glance, not with the garish makeup and absurd coat. It was white, imitation fur, puffing out in all directions. It would not pay to watch her too closely; he put his attention back to his plate and automatically bit into the sausage roll and instantly regret-ted it. He quickly washed it down with some tea.

'All right if I sit here?"

She was standing across the table from him, holding her tray but not setting it down. He nodded briefly, not knowing what to say in this unusual circ.u.mstance. She took this as acceptance and set the tray with her cup of coffee down, then seated herself. Her mouth was thick with lipstick, her eyes surrounded by greenish makeup, her face expressionless under this coating. She took a sip of her coffee, then opened her coat briefly.

Under the coat she wore nothing else. Re had a brief glimpse of her firm, tanned b.r.e.a.s.t.s before she closed it again.

"Like a good time, wouldn't you, your honor?"

So this was why the rest of the girls were here. He had heard that pickup places like this existed, schoolmates had frequented them. But this was his first encounter and he was slow with the correct response.

"Sure you'll like it," she said. "Not too expensive.

"Yes, good idea," he finally choked out. The idea of the determined woman from the submarine in this highly unusual situation almost caused him to smile. He did not, keeping his face as emotionless as hers.

The ruse was a good one and not funny in the slightest. After this she said nothing else; obviously conversation in public was not one of the services being offered. When she picked up her tray and rose he stood up as well.

A light over the table began flas.h.i.+ng on and off and a loud buzzer sounded alarmingly. Some faces turned to look in his direction.

"Pick u~ your tray," Sara whispered sharply.

Jan did; the light and sound stopped. He should have realized that no one would clear up after him in the automated establishment. Following her example he slid his tray into the slot beside the front door and went after her into the cold night.

"It's not too far, your honor," she said, walking quick-ly along the dark street. He hurried to stay by her side. Nothing else was said until she reached a grimy apartment building not far from the Thames. Sara unlocked the door, waved him through, then led the way to her rooms. When the light came on she touched her finger to her lips signaling silence, then waved him inside. Only after locking the door and examining all of the windows did she relax.

"It is good to see you again, Jan Kulozik."

'And you, Sara. A little different from the first time."

"We do seem to meet under unusual circ.u.mstances-but these are unusual times. Excuse me for a moment. I must get out of this humiliating outfit. It is the only safe way that a woman of my apparent cla.s.s can meet someone of yours; the police smile on the practice. But it is still disgraceful for a woman, absolutely infuriating."

She was back in a moment wearing a warm robe. "Would you like a real cup of tea? Something better than the muck in that palace of a.s.signation?"

"No, a drink if you have it."

"There is some Italian brandy. Stock. Very sweet but it contains alcohol."

"If you please."

She poured for both of them, then sat on the sagging couch beside him.

"It wasn't an accident, my seeing you at the party?" he asked.

"Far from it-the entire thing was carefully orches-trated. It took a lot of money and time to set up.

"You aren't Italian, are you? I have no way of telling."

"No, I'm not. But we use them a lot when we need to. Their lower echelons are very inefficient and bribable. They are our best channel outside of our country."

"Why did you go to all this trouble to see me?"

"Because you have been thinking a lot about what you were told that day in the sub. And acting too.

You almost got yourself in deep trouble. When you did that it was decided that the time had come to contact you.

"Trouble? What do you mean?"

"The business in the lab. They caught the wrong man, didn't they? It was you who was tampering with the computer files?"

Jan was afi'aid now. "What are you doing? Having me watched?"

'As best we can. It's not easy. Just an informed guess that you were the one involved. That's one of the reasons it was decided to contact you now. Before you were caught doing something you shouldn't."

"Your concern across the countless miles from Israel is very touching."

Sara leaned over and took his hand in hers. "I can understand why you are angry-and I don't blame you.

This entire situation has come about by accident-and it was your accident that started it."

She sat back and sipped her drink and, for some reason, the brief human contact calmed him.

"When we saw your yacht sunk and the two of you in the water there was some furious debate as to what we should do. When the original plan failed we jury-rigged a second one to compromise you.

Giving you enough infor-mation so that if you revealed any of it you would be in as much trouble as we would be."

"Then it was no accident that you talked to me as you did?"

"No. I'm sorry if you think we took advantage of you, but it was our own survival as well. I'm a security officer so it was my job to do it..."

"Security! Like Thurgood-Smythe?"

"Not quite like your brother-in-law. The opposite if anything. But let me bring you up to date first. We saved you and the girl because you were people in need. That was all. But once saved, we had to keep track of you to see what you would say about the matter. Thank you for doing what you did. It is greatly appreciated."

"So well appreciated that you have been keeping tabs me ever since?"

"This is a completely different matter. We saved your life, you did not reveal our existence. The two acts cancel out, that matter is over with."

"It will never be over with. That little seed of doubt you planted has been growing well ever since."

Sara shrugged with both hands held wide. An ancient gesture that conveyed resignation, the hand of fate-yet contained also an element of what-is-done-is-done.

"Have some more to drink. At least it is warming," she said, reaching over with the bottle. "While watching you we discovered who you were, what you did. There was enthusiasm in high places. If you had returned to your normal life you would never have heard from LIS again. But you did not. So I am here this evening."

"Welcome to London. What do you want from me?"

"Your help, technical help that ~5"

"What do you offer in return?"

"Why the entire world. Nothing less." Her smile was wide and happy, her teeth smooth and white. "We will be pleased to tell you the true history of the world, what really happened in the past and is happening in the present. What lies are being told and what unrest developing. It makes a fascinating story. Do you want to hear it?"

"I'm not sure. What will happen to me if I do get involved?"

"You will be an important part of an international conspiracy that is hoping to overthrow the ruling govern-ments of the world and restore democracy to those who have been deprived of it for centuries."

"Is that all?"

They both laughed at that and some of the tension went out of the air. "You had better think carefully before you answer," Sara said. "There are very great dangers involved."

"I think I made the decision the moment I lied to Security. I'm in too deep now and I know so little. I must know it all."

- 'And so you shall. Tonight." She went to the window, opened the curtains, and looked out. Then closed them again and sat down.

"John will be here~in a few minutes and will answer all your questions. This meeting was difficult to set up so it was agreed to make the most of it if you went along. I've just let them know that. John is not his real name of course. And you will be called Bill for the same reason. And he will be wearing one of these. Just slip it over your head."

She pa.s.sed over a soft, masklike object.

"What is it?"

"Face-changer. It has built in thickenings and pres-sure plates. Your chin will be wider, nose flatter, cheeks hollower, that kind of thing. And dark gla.s.ses will hide your eyes. Then, if the worst happens, you can't identify John-he can't accuse you."

"But you know me. What if you are caught?"

Before Sara could answer there ""as a rapid bleeping from the turned-off radio. Four quick notes and no more. The effect was remarkable.

She was on her feet in an instant, tearing the face-changer from his hand and running swiftly into the other room. "Take your jacket off, open your s.h.i.+rt," she called back over her shoulder. She returned in a fewmoments wearing a very transparent black gown trimmed with pink lace. There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" she asked, calling through the thin paneling.

"Police," was the short, shocking answer.

Nine.

When the door was opened the uniformed officer ignored Sara, just pus.h.i.+ng past her and crossing to Jan who was still sitting in the chair, gla.s.s in hand. The policeman had a riot helmet on with its transparent faceplate lowered. His uniform was thick, padded with layers of woven ar-mor, while his fingers stayed close to the large automatic that swung arrogantly from his hip. He stopped in front of Jan and looked him up and down slowly.

Jan took a sip from the gla.s.s and was determined to show no guilt, no matter how bad the situation was.

"What are you doing here?" Jan snapped.

"Sorry, your honor. Routine." The policeman's words were m.u.f.fled by the faceplate and he swung it open. His expression was blank, professional. "We've had some gentlemen molested by the tarts, sir, and their fancy men. Can't have that in a law-abiding city. Straightened up now, but this one is a new one.

Foreigner. Italian, just over here for a while on a temporary. Don't mind her making a bit of extra crumble on the side, novelty for the gentlemen you might say, but we also don't want any trouble. Every-thing all right, sir?"

"Quite all right-until you came barging in."

"I can understand your feelings, sir. But it is illegal, don't you forget, your honor." There was steel beneath the calm words; Jan knew better than to force the issue. "Just looking after your best interests.

Have you been in the other rooms yet?"

"Then I'll just have a look-round. Never know what you'll find under these beds sometimes."

Jan and Sara looked at each other in silence while the policeman stamped heavily through the rooms and finally returned.

'All in order, your honor. Enjoy yourself. Good night."

He let himself out and Jan found himself shaking with rage, flushed and angry. He raised his fist to the closed door as Sara grabbed him a~ound the shoulders and pressed her finger to his lips.

"They do that all the time, your honor. Bust in, boom, looking for trouble. They lie, all of them. Now we have a nice time and you forget."

She held him tightly while she talked and his anger waned as he became aware of the warmth and closeness of her firm body throtigh the thin material of her gown.

"Have another of this good Italian drink" she said, pulling away and crossing to the table. She rattled her gla.s.s against the bottle with her left hand while she quickly scribbled a note on a pad with her right. When she came back it was the note ~he gave him, not the drink.

MAYBE RECORDER OTHER ROOM. YOU AN-GRY LEAVE NOW.

"I'm not sure I want another drink. Do you usually have the police bursting through your door at all hours?"

"It ineans nothing..."

"lt means a lot to me. Get my coat. I'm getting out of here."

"But money. You promised."

"Two pounds for the drinks is all you'll get."