Chapter 10

           Hewasnumb,astheywentthroughcustoms,andMollydidmostofthetalking.MaelcumremainedonboardGarvey.Customs,forFreeside,consistedmainlyofprovingyourcredit.Thefirstthinghesaw,whentheygainedtheinnersurfaceofthespindle,wasabranchoftheBeautifulGirlcoffeefranchise.

           `WelcometotheRueJulesVerne,’Mollysaid.`Ifyouhavetroublewalking,justlookatyourfeet.Theperspective’sabitch,ifyou’renotusedtoit.’

           Theywerestandinginabroadstreetthatseemedtobethefloorofadeepslotorcanyon,itseitherendconcealedbysubtleanglesintheshopsandbuildingsthatformeditswalls.Thelight,here,wasfilteredthroughfreshgreenmassesofvegetationtumblingfromoverhangingtiersandbalconiesthatroseabovethem.Thesun...

           Therewasabrilliantslashofwhitesomewhereabovethem,toobright,andtherecordedblueofaCannessky.HeknewthatsunlightwaspumpedinwithaLado-Achesonsystemwhosetwo-millimeterarmatureranthelengthofthespindle,thattheygeneratedarotatinglibraryofskyeffectsaroundit,thatiftheskywereturnedoff,he’dstareuppastthearmatureoflighttothecurvesoflakes,rooftopsofcasinos,otherstreets...Butitmadenosensetohisbody.

           `Jesus,’hesaid,`IlikethislessthanSAS.’

           `Getusedtoit.Iwasagambler’sbodyguardhereforamonth.’

           `Wannagosomewhere,liedown.’

           `Okay.Igotourkeys.