rr.armageddonthemusical-第24章
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'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？'
'Impossible。'
'Then he had his own transport。'
Dan 'shook his head。
'Then he stole a radiation suit and walked out。'
'No such suit has been reported missing。 We have made extensive checks。'
'Did anyone see him leave？'
Dan drummed his fingers upon the desk top。 'Not as such。'
'Well； with no suit and no air car； he didn't simply walk out into the night rain。 He must still be in the building。'
'But he's not。'
'Am I missing something？ I don't think I quite understand。'
'Then understand this。 He escaped from the building。 We don't as yet know how。 He is at large somewhere out there and I want to know where。'
'Yes； but I don't see how。。。'
'Bring him back for me； Rex。 Or simply tell me where he is and you will be amply rewarded。 Do I make myself clear？'
Rex smiled broadly。 'Would that include further indulgences with the saffron women？' Dan nodded wearily。
'Right then； Dan。 I am； as ever； your man。' Rex leapt to his feet。 'I shall require one or two small favours。'
'Go on then。'
'I' d like to take the photograph with me。'
'Take it with my blessings。'
'Thank you。 And I'll need an air car。'
'Of course。'
'But not one with the hourly check…in system。' Dan looked doubtful。
'Of course you can monitor my movements。' Dan nodded in agreement。
'And one further thing。 I will want access to MOTHER。'
'That；' said Dad； 'is quite impossible。'
'For a limited period。 Say twenty…four hours。' Dan scratched his shaven head。 I will do anything to help this great man； thought Rex。
'Twenty…four hours then。 And keep me informed of your progress。'
'Of course； sir。'
'Good then。' Dan wrung Rex's hand between his own。 'Go with God。'
Rex inclined his head。 'It's an honour to serve you； Inmost One。'
Dan gave him an encouraging wink。 'Good boy。'
As Rex backed from the room； Dan pondered upon the wisdom of his decision。 Giving any unauthorized person access to MOTHER was an extremely hazardous affair。 To be on the safe side he would monitor all Rex's requests for data retrieval。
You are certainly wele to try； thought Rex； but I wouldn't rate your chances。
The lads at the motorpool were quite warming to Rex Mundi； what with there being ever fewer air cars to service and everything。 When news reached them that Rex was taking to the air once more they were not slow to open a book on the oute of his latest jaunt。 The young…fellow…me…lad who escorted Rex across the tarmac even asked for his autograph。 'Have another day；' he called gaily as Rex climbed into the cockpit。 'Drive carefully now；'
Rex closed the canopy and eyeballed the dash。 'Rex Mundi。 Special assignment。 Destination Odeon Towers；'
'Identification confirmed。 Kindly fasten your safety belt。'
Rex did so and the car lurched into the murk。
Rex set the car down on the flat roof of Odeon Towers； to spare it the dismantling it would inevitably receive in the street below。 He lifted the roof hatch and climbed down the short metal ladder whic
