Chapter 10 Chapter nine

Turk drove past an old downtown area of ​​wooden houses painted bright red by Chinese immigrants and squat third- and fourth-floor ocher-brick apartments quarried from the cliffs above Candle Bay.It was dark and the streets were deserted.Meteors occasionally draw a line across the dark sky. He finally contacted Liz half an hour ago.On the phone he couldn't say what he had to say, but after a few awkward questions, she seemed to understand him.See you where we know each other, he said, in twenty minutes. The place they knew was a twenty-four-hour pub and restaurant called Left Bank, in the retail area west of the pier.Lise had been there with a group of people from the consulate six months earlier.Turk's friend saw a friend at the table, dragged him over, and introduced the two.Turk noticed Liz because she didn't have a boyfriend, and because she was the woman who attracted him the first time they met, and she had a kind smile from the heart.He is wary of a woman who smiles all the time, and a woman who never smiles scares him.Liz smiled softly but wholeheartedly, and none of her jokes were malicious or contemptuous.He also liked her eyes.Those eyes rolled at the corners of the eyes, with a light green-blue iridescence, showing amorous feelings between glances.

Later she mentioned that she was planning to go over the mountains to Kubrick's grave, and Turk gave her a business card.Better than going by car.True, by car you have to take Maddie's Pass; but that road is not safe at this time of year.There are buses, but they are full of people and slip into the ravine from time to time. He asked her what she was doing in a seedy little gas station town like Kubrick's Tomb, and she said she was looking for an old colleague of his father's, a guy named Duvale, but didn't elaborate.Maybe that's it, Turk thought, strangers at night, two boats passing by but she called a few days later and booked a flight.

He wasn't looking for a lover, never had been.He just loves the way she smiles and how he feels when he smiles back, and when they're forced to hide from an unseasonable storm by a mountain lake, it's like God gave them a free pass Same. And this pass was taken back again, obviously retribution came. ☆ There were only night staff in the bar, all the tables were empty, and the waitress who gave Turk the menu looked grumpy and anxious to get off work. Liz arrived a few minutes later.Turk immediately wanted to tell her about Thomas' disappearance and its possible significance, and the possibility of their contact causing something terrible to happen to Thomas.But before he could start rehearsing the words, she started talking about her and ex-husband Brian.Gately meeting.This is also related to Thomas' disappearance.

Turk met Brian.Gately several times.That's what's interesting about docklands like this one on the left bank of the river: you'll see American businessmen sitting next to merchant sailors, Saudi oil bosses chatting with Chinese wage earners or sleazy artists from the French Quarter.Brian.Gately looks like a common temporary expat in this part of town, who travels all over the world (both worlds) but never really leaves Dubuque, Iowa (or whichever he is). where you grew up).Not bad, a little bland, as long as it doesn't challenge any of his preconceptions. But tonight Liz said Brian was threatening her.She described the situation of meeting him, and finally said: In short, it was intimidation. It was not that Brian threatened directly, but he told me what others told him, which was tantamount to intimidation.

So now there are some people from the Department of Genetic Safety in the city who are particularly interested in people in the fourth year.Especially the woman in the photo. They know where I've been and who I've talked to.The implications of this are fairly obvious.I mean, I don't think anyone has followed me here, but it can't be ruled out.There may also be a locator installed on my car.I have no way of knowing. It's all possible, Turk thought. Liz, he said softly, could be worse. Worse? I have a friend whom I have known for a long time.His name is Thomas.Kim, he's in his fourth year.It's not public news, but if he trusts someone, he'll be honest.I think you'll want to talk to him.But I have to make it clear to him first.I went to him this morning and he promised to think about it.But when I called at night, I couldn't find anyone.When I got to his place, he was gone.was kidnapped.Apparently taken away by men in a white van.

She looked at him with wide eyes, oh my god.She shook her head.What happened to him, was he arrested? Not an official arrest, no.Only the provisional government has the power to arrest people, and on the surface they will not rush in to arrest people in plain clothes and without a search warrant. So he was kidnapped?This should be reported immediately. Yes, but the police will never know.Thomas is in danger because of his status.All it took was a blood test to prove he was in his fourth year, and that alone was enough to send him back to the U.S. for permanent care, or worse.A neighbor told me about the van, but she would never tell any of it to a government official.Where my friend lives, the neighbors are usually people who clearly violate the law. There are many ways of making a living that are prohibited by the agreement, and most of them are illegal households.

Do you think Brian knows something about this? Maybe, maybe not knowing.Sounds like Bryan level is not far off. The Consulate's Genetic Safety Office is a bit of a joke compared to what they do on Earth.They run face-recognition software in the port, occasionally issue a search warrant for a fugitive canine replicator or black-market genetic enhancement operator, but that's about it.At least so far.She paused.He told me it would be wise for me to go back.Back to America. Maybe he was right. do you think i should leave If you are concerned about your safety.Maybe you should be worried.

She sat up a little more.Obviously I was concerned for my safety.But I worry about other things too.I'm here for a reason. Apparently these people don't mess around, Liz.They're stalking you, and we'd better assume they're the ones who kidnap Thomas's men. And they are to Su Lian, the woman in the photo.Moy was interested. So they might think you're involved in some way.This is where it gets dangerous.That's what Brian wants to tell you. I am involved in it. Sensing her determination, Turk decided not to push her, at least not tonight.Well, maybe you don't have to leave.Maybe you just need to lay low for a while.

If I hide, I can't do my work. If you mean going to talk to someone who knew your dad and asking questions about fourth year, obviously you can't do that.But there's no shame in keeping quiet until we figure it out. Would you do it if you were you? No fucking shit, Turk thought.He'd pack up and catch the next bus out of town.This is what he always does when he feels threatened.But there was no reason to tell Liz about it. For a brief moment, he guessed that this might be the reason for the disappearance of Liz's father.Maybe the thought of the fourth year was like a door for him out of whatever secret crime he couldn't bear.Or maybe he didn't buy into any artificial longevity advice at all.Maybe he just walked away.That's what people do.

Turk shrugged. Lise looked at him with a sad look, which he could feel in his throat.So you're telling me, Brian is right, I should go back to America. I regret every minute we're not together, but I don't want you to be hurt. She stared at him for a long time.Two more couples walked through the door, perhaps tourists, but who knows?Their privacy is compromised.She reached across the table and touched his hand.Let's go for a walk.she says. ☆ Really, he thought, all they knew of each other was stories and short descriptions, short versions of everything.Before tonight, it seemed that this would be enough.Their best conversations had been wordless, and suddenly that wasn't enough.

Where is your car parked?she asked. Parking lot on the street. Me too.But I don't know if I should drive my car, it's probably equipped with a tracking device or something. They also most likely bugged my car.If they had followed me this morning, I would have taken them straight to Thomas.Thomas, an old man living a meager life in a bungalow area, was an easy target.Just a quick blood test (forced, no doubt) that would reveal he was a fourth year guy, and nothing more would be said. But why would they do that?Why take him away? Go ask him.I can't think of any other reason. Do they think he knows something? If they were serious, he would have had his blood tested as soon as they were out the door. no.We're assuming these guys did it, but that's not what the Department of Genetic Safety does.Even here there is measure.You can't just smuggle people away and interrogate them for no reason. Well, I guess they think they have a reason.But Liz, what you see in the press release from the Department of Genetic Safety is not all.This department is much bigger than Brian's little puzzle.It makes news when they bust a replication syndicate or bust a longevity scam; but they do other things too, unpublished. are you sure? I heard so. Listen to someone in the fourth year? Well, listen to what Thomas said. Informal kidnapping.This is crazy. He didn't answer this sentence. I don't want to go back to my apartment, she said, and I guess it's not safe where you live. And I haven't swept the dust away yet.Turk said, just to see a faint smile across her lips.We can rent a room. It also doesn't guarantee that they won't find us. If they're going to get us, Liz, they probably are.Maybe things will change, but for now it's best to assume they know where we are.It's just that I doubt they'll do anything drastic, at least not yet.The person they are looking for is not you, and the Department of Genetic Safety cannot just arrest you or do anything to you.So what do you want to do, Liz, what's your next step? I'm going to do what I should have done months ago. what is it I'm going to find Avran.Duvally. ☆ They walked along the undulating sidewalk toward the harbor lights and the faint rumble of lorries passing around the docks.The streets were deserted, the remnants of dust caked on sidewalks and walls, muffled the sound of their footsteps. Turk says: You're going to Kubrick's grave? Yes, this time it will be a direct flight.Would you like to give me a ride there? Maybe.But we should talk to someone first.And, Liz, if you're serious about this, there are some things you should do first.Such as letting someone you trust know where you are and what happened.Bring enough cash to get you around for a while, and then leave your electronic credit card or something alone. She gave him that half-smile look again.Where did you learn it, did you take a criminal behavior class? It comes naturally to me. And one more thing.I can afford time and money enough to keep my anonymity for a while.But you have work to do and business to take care of. This is not a problem. I am not kidding. Me too. And that's the difference between us, Turk thought.She has a purpose: she has a promise to complete the post-mortem investigation of her father's disappearance.He just put on his shoes and walked.This is not his first time, and no matter how you look at it, it will not be the last. He wondered if she knew that about him, he thought.