Chapter 15

           Thelittletrainshotthroughitstunnelateightykilometersperhour.Casekepthiseyesclosed.Theshowerhadhelped,buthe’dlosthisbreakfastwhenhe’dlookeddownandseenPierre’sbloodwashingpinkacrossthewhitetiles.

           Gravityfellawayasthespindlenarrowed.Case’sstomachchurned.

           Aerolwaswaitingwithhisscooterbesidethedock.

           `Case,mon,bigproblem.’Thesoftvoicefaintinhisphones.HechinnedthevolumecontrolandpeeredintotheLexanface-plateofAerol’shelmet.

           `GottagettoGarvey,Aerol.’

           `Yo.Strapin,mon.ButGarveycaptive.Yacht,camebefore,shecameback.Nowshelockin’steadyonMarcusGarvey.’

           Turing?`Camebefore?’Caseclimbedintothescooter’sframeandbegantofastenthestraps.

           `Japanyacht.Broughtyoupackage...’

           Armitage.

           ConfusedimagesofwaspsandspidersroseinCase’smindastheycameinsightofMarcusGarvey.Thelittletugwassnugagainstthegraythoraxofasleek,insectileshipfivetimesherlength.ThearmsofgrapplesstoodoutagainstGarvey’spatchedhullwiththestrangeclarityofvacuumandrawsunlight.Apalecorrugatedgangwaycurvedoutoftheyacht,snakedsidewaystoavoidthetug’sengines,andcoveredtheafthatch.Therewassomethingobsceneaboutthearrangement,butithadmoretodowithideasoffeedingthanofsex.