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15
。。。 where did it all go？ All those millions？ Into the foundation； I suppose。 It was somewhere in California； although I couldn't tell you exactly where。 But the killings we made on Wall Street and all the others。 Vegas； for example。 All above the line profits went straight into the foundation。 Laying the stones； the God says。 And he never put afoot wrong。 Never high profile。 Always the same suit and always drunk。 I learned fast； never ask questions and never try to pull a fast one。 He kept it all in his head。 No written records。 So when the IRS caught up with us there wasn't a damn thing they could do。 The God had it sewn up tighter than a drum。 He knew when they were ing； what their names were and which of them would take the bribe。 Some operator。
The Suburban Book of the Dead
'My son。 My dear boy。 I don't know what to say。' Dan seemed genuinely lost for words。 'Does your sister know you're back？'
Rex shook his head。 'I thought I had better e up to see you first； sir。'
'Quite right。 But let me just get this straight。 You say that you got blown into some sewer or whatever； wandered about for hours on end and then found yourself in the sub…basements here at the bunker？'
'That's about the size of it。' Dan closed his eyes and studied Rex's aura。 The lad appeared to be telling the truth。 'Remarkable。 And fortuitous。' Dan topped up his glass。 'Another。'
'I don't mind if I do。' Rex held out his glass for a refill。
'And you met no…one during these wanderings？'
'No； sir。'
'Dan；' said Dan。 'Call me Dan。'
'No…one； Dan。'
'Quite remarkable。'
'I was wondering； Dan； if there might be any chance of me putting in for a desk job。 I really don't think I have the makings of a religious affairs person。'
'Not a bit of it；' Dan leaned across his desk and gave Rex shoulder pats。 'You were born to the job。 Believe me； I know these things。'
'People keep trying to kill me；' Rex plained。 'This I find most upsetting。'
'These are difficult times for us all。 e over here and let me show you something。' Dan led Rex to an alcove and drew aside a red damask curtain。 A glass panel afforded a view into an inner chamber。 Here upon a bed of ample proportions two untried Lamarettes disported themselves。
'Naked ladies；' said Rex approvingly。 'Why are they painted orange？'
'Saffron； my dear boy。 What do you think？'
'Very nice。'
'A little bonus。 Call it perk of the job。 Why not go in and amuse yourself for an hour。 We can talk later。'
Gryphus Garstang decided to keep Rex's performance in。 But only for ic relief。
The Phnaarg in question paced the boardroom of Earthers Inc。 Beneath his feet herbs released pleasing fragrances into the overcharged atmosphere。 'It's all ing back now；' he stormed。 'Is it all ing back to you； Fergus？'
'In dribs and drabs；' answered the unhappy one。
'Time Sprout。' Garstang ceased his pacing and waggled a menacing finger beneath Shaman's nose。 Time Sprout； Fergus。'
'Yes indeedy；' crowed Diogenes。 'Indeedy do。'
Lavinius Wisten flexed his sensitive fingers。 'If we had gone with my original idea of love amongst the shelter folk none of this would have happened。'
'But that is the point；' argued Fergus。 'Nothing has really happened。 The virus will be stopped。 I have Jason Morgawr's word on that。' Morgawr； who was sitting in on the meeting； glared him daggers。 'I really can't see what all the fuss is about。'
Garstang touched a module on the Goldenwood table。 A frozen image of last night's Nemesis 'special' filled the far wall。 Fergus shrank into his leafy chair。
'Are you absolutely sure you can't see what all the fuss is about？'
'Well； it looks like he dodged the draft； didn't he？'
'But he shouldn't be there； should he？'
Fergus shook his head doubtfully。 'But see；' he went on； 'he isn't there any more； is he？ He's gone now and probably for good。'
'Sure of that； are you； Fergus？'
'Certainly；' lied Mr Shaman。 'The mechanics of it all are returning to me now。 We won't see him again。'
'The ratings are up；' said someone。 Garstang glared about the table。 Heads were nodding； some thoughtfully； some solemnly； although it was hard to tell at a glance which were which。
'Up？' Garstang reseated himself in Mungo's chair。
'Up。' Lavinius Wisten prodded skyward。
'Let me see those figures。'
Diogenes opened his briefcase and tinkered with a small technical thingamebob。 A holographic image sprang up above the table。 'All the excitement；' Diogenes explained。 'Rex Mundi has rather captured the public's imagination with all his thrilling escapades。 Escaping alive from the crashed air car； then the nuking of the Hotel California and Elvis turning up on the Nemesis show。 It's all good stuff。' Graphs and pillar charts rotated before them。 'It's all on the up and up。'
'The up and up。' Garstang pinched at his nostrils。
'A case of giving the public what they want to see。 Plenty of sex； violence and intrigue。 The viewers are switching back on。 We are talking mega millions here。'
'See；' said Fergus。
Garstang made a conspiratorial face。 'How much of it is down to us？' he asked。
'Ah；' went Diogenes； 'you mean field operatives； script advisers； that kind of thing？'
'The kind of thing which doesn't go beyond this boardroom；' Garstang stared pointedly towards Jason。
Morgawr smiled his winning smile。 'My lips are of course sealed；' said he。 'We are all on the same side here。'
'Quite so。 Well； Diogenes？'
Diogenes thumbed his controller and two holographic heads floated in the air to revolve slowly。
'God's Nose；' cried Fergus。 'Are they ours？'
Diogenes nodded and then tittered foolishly。 'And the beauty of it is that neither of them knows about the other。'
'Oh； very clever。' Garstang laughed。 'Very clever indeed。 Isn't that clever； Fergus？' Fergus Shaman nodded。 It certainly was very clever； but with all the loose ends kicking about； it was also potentially very dangerous indeed。
Rex Mundi lay on the bed of ample proportions； plucked a curly orange hair from his teeth and sighed deeply。 The two beauties had long since departed and he was now alone with his thoughts。 These were； however； in the light of recent events； somewhat confused。
He felt sure that he had lied through his unwashed molars to the Dalai regarding his wanderings beneath the Earth。 But for the life of him he couldn't recall a moment of it。 His memory was quite blank。 Rex gazed up into the mirrored ceiling。 He dearly needed another bath。
The bedside console purred。 'Rex；' the Dalai's voice was slickly sweet； 'sorry to bother you but I dearly would like another word in your ear。'
I bet you would； you fly…pecked dump of rat's do； thought Rex。 But he was now learning to guard his thoughts so well that those the Dalai received said； Certainly sir； I'll be right there。
'Certainly Dan； I will be right there；' said Rex Mundi。
Dan wore a dapper line in quilted loungewear； embroidered all over with symbols Rex neither understood nor cared about。 'You feeling a little better now？' the perfect master enquired。
Rex nodded and laboured with some difficulty to remove the idiot grin which was firmly plastered across his face。 'Very much so； thank you。'
'Good。 Then on with God's business； as it were。 A little matter has e up and I would like your assistance with it。 Sit yourself down。' Dan indicated the floor。 Rex seated himself； with never a wayward thought。
Dan tapped his desktop terminal and a hard photographic copy peeled into his outstretched ringers。 He examined it for a moment before handing it to Rex。 'What do you know about this man？'
Rex peered at the portrait。 'The man in the golden suit。 He was at the Hotel California just before。。。'
'Before the enemy missile struck。'
'Enemy missile？'
'The Fundamentalists。 Out to destroy my mission of mercy。'
'So that was it。'
'We tried to warn you；' Dan continued。 'Picked up the missile on radar； buzzed straight through to your air car。 We must have missed you。 Then we picked up a trace on the air car's monitor； assumed it was you and brought it back on automatic。'
'Oh；' said Rex。 'I see。'
'But it wasn't you in the air car。 It was him。'
'So； who is he then？'
'That is what I want you to find out。'
'You want me to interrogate him？ That is hardly in my line。'
'Not interrogate； Rex。 I regret that he is no longer on the premises。'
Rex shook his befuddled head。 This was already beyond him。
'He was here。 In fact； he made a special guest appearance on the Nemesis show。'
'Ah；' Rex drew a finger across his throat。 'Then he's 。。。 yes； well munication with the dead is surely more your field than mine。'
Dalai Dan gave Rex a withering look。 This man is a saint； thought Rex hurriedly。 Dan's face softened。 'Quite so；' said he。 'There was a slip…up。 Interdepartmental。 The unions plague me； Rex； they demand and demand and they cock up。 This person was allowed to leave the building unchallenged。 I should very much like to know his present whereabouts。'
1 remain a little confused about this。 How did he leave the building？ Did he take one of the pany cars？'