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“I’m not going anywhere without you.” “That’s the plan. But pack now, please.” “Is this too big?” indicating her roll-aboard. “Perfect, but keep it light.” “Is it about something she told you?” “No,” he said, “it’s because I doubt we have much more time. Pack.” She set the empty roll-aboard on the nearest armchair, unzipped it, and began to select things from the drawers in the wardrobe. She added the Hounds designer’s jersey tube. Went into the bathroom, gathering things from the counter. “How’s Frank?” she asked, emerging. “Complaining, but he has to get used to it.” She noticed the Blue Ant figurine on the bedside table. Picked it up. You’re in, she thought, surprising herself, and carried it, with bottles and tubes of product, to the rollaboard. “Won’t you need some sort of follow-up for neural surgery?” “Woman in Harley Street,” he said, “as soon as I can.” “How soon is that?” “When this is over.” A phone began to ring. Yet another variant on Old Phone. Not hers. He took a phone from his pocket, looked at it. After the third ring he answered. “Yes? From now? Venue? No? Crucial.” He thumbed a key. “Who?” “Big End.” “What?” “We’re on. Ninety minutes.” “What’s crucial?” “We don’t know where. Venue matters. We need exterior, need privacy. But so do they. You ready?” “As I’ll ever be.” “Get a pullover. Back of the van’s unheated.” He’d brought out a second phone. “Message all,” he said, tapping a few tiny keys. The phone beeped. She glanced around Number Four. The insect-parts wallpaper, the shelves with their busts and heads. Would she see this again? “Are you taking the scooter?” “No further than the door,” he said, rising from the bed with the aid of his cane. “It’s Frank’s turn.” He winced. She’d just pulled a sweater on. “Are you all right?” “Actually,” he said, “I am. Be a dear and get the ugly T-shirt from the bedside hutch. And the other package, the smaller one.” “What’s that?” “Almost nothing. And a world of woe, for someone. Quick. There’s a vegan van waiting for us.” “What the fuck is up?” demanded Heidi, from the other side of Number Four’s door.
Hollis opened the door. Heidi stood, glaring, majorette jacket open over Israeli army bra. “Ajay just got a text, hauled ass down the hall, said he had to see his cousin.” She saw Garreth. “Was that you?” “Yes,” said Garreth, “but you’re coming with us.” “Whatever the fuck this is,” Heidi said, “I’m coming with—” “Us,” interrupted Garreth, “but not if you make us late. And put a shirt on. Trainers, not boots. In case there’s running.” Heidi opened her mouth, closed it. “Time to go,” said Hollis, zipping her bag shut. “Not without the party favors,” said Garreth.
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TITLES BY WILLIAM GIBSON Neuromance
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VIKING an imprint of PENGUIN BOOKS
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1. CABINET 2. EDGE CITY 3. SLUT’S
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45. SHRAPNEL, SUPERSONIC 46. TORTOI
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To Susan Allison, my editor
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accommodations. A peculiarly narrow
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They’d run with that tallness, em
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2. EDGE CITY Milgrim considered the
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lot. They always made that squealin
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positioned pocket, quite far down o
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3. SLUT’S WOOL She woke to gray l
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The Italian girl brought her a pot
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“Fully.” He forked baked beans
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small army of people who understand
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Milgrim preferred to regard that by
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public toilets as remarkably semico
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No exterior signage. The label, ins
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advanced, but the promise of it had
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6. AFTER THE GYRATORY The Neo’s p
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Milgrim nodded, looking around at t
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7. A HERF GUN IN FRITH STREET Bigen
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“Aldous will take you back to the
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8. CURETTAGE Milgrim, cleaning his
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9. FUCKSTICK When she opened Cabine
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of darts in her life, but didn’t
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interesting, required volunteers, t
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system. Then back, without exiting,
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squirrel suit. He was okay. Hot, to
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and splashed it into the sink. She
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“How so?” “Are they serious a
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to the hotel. We’ll phone you.”
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“Hollis?” She looked up. “Mil
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something he pointed out to me, in
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15. THE DROP Fitzroy,” Clammy sai
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“What were the other people like,
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16. HONOR BAR She was waiting for M
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founder and CEO.” “CEO,” he r
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“No,” Milgrim agreed, and took
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“But it was your rule, remember?
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18. 140 The Neo rang while he was s
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19. PRESENCES Tossing makeup and to
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20. AUGMENTED Milgrim glanced up fr
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“I know another Bollard, plus the
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pale Scandinavian wood, emerging in
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She’d actually seen suits like th
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She stepped back into the elevator,
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His therapist had suspected that hi
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his camera. Now it was Foley’s tu
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And two more black-suited minders.
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“Were you ever a model?” “No,
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sense of what she didn’t like tha
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The Neo rang, from a different pock
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he put his phone in his jacket pock
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“Depends how much it matters to h
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26. MOTHER RUSSIA Kleenex?” Milgr
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strap of his bag was securely over
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When the elevator stopped again, an
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“Found a gym. Hacky.” “Hackne
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28. WHITE PEAR TEA The cost of wifi
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“Borrowed laptop. Lost phone.”
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29. SHIVER Sleight,” Bigend said,
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30. SIGHTING Milgrim left the white
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In Basel, they had questioned him c
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lobby. Outside, the air had been sc
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seen him. He smiled ruefully, white
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32. POST-ACUTE The waitress was dep
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Hounds haven’t often done things
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haven’t been sold off, otherwise
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“Blue Ant didn’t send anybody.
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33. BURJ She got the iPhone out of
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“Bye, Heidi.” The pale gold bul
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Imagining explaining that to Winnie
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“Would he have to know?” “Did
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35. DONGLE As the train pulled out
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was heavier than he would have expe
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“A roll-in. Vinegar and brown pap
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“That’s less dangerous?” “N
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37. AJAY Inchmale’s spirit-beast,
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“ ‘Engrish,’ ” said Heidi,
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38. GETTING HOTTER Bigend was havin
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“I don’t know what he thinks,
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“Give it a speed-dial code,” sa
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40. ENIGMA ROTORS His room here ove
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unfamiliar. Voytek wore a wool card
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“Toilet. Loo.” “In back. With
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He held the door for her. “Welcom
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“Because of who and what they see
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hurt would constitute a dropped bal
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“That’s bad for you?” She loo
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“Not quite. He becomes a hookup a
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43. ICHINOMIYA Thanks for meeting o
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any more. I’ll understand.” Mer
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“Good,” said Milgrim, before Bi
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“I don’t think he did either, m
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“I don’t think he’d like that
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The tall woman’s large, startling
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military contracts, at least it is
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ut the manta, merely a black, devil
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Something moved, three feet above B
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And Milgrim fell, amazed and unthin
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49. GREAT MARLBOROUGH All was forwa
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50. BANK-MONUMENT Milgrim had never
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51. SOMEONE Hollis lay fully dresse
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ear lobby, do some work on my lapto
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yours. Total fanboy.” “That wou
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cushioned. “Archaic expression,
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“You told her that?” “And she
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“The food?” “What they manage
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53. CRICKET The phone’s cricket-n
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54. AIR GLOW Ferguson,” said Winn
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55. MR. WILSON There were few guest
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“Milgrim.” “How much does he
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56. ALWAYS IS GENIUS Milgrim, on hi
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“You refer,” Bigend said, “to
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58. DOUCHE BAGGAGE Voytek was very
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toward one wall, raising the racket
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under her majorette jacket. “Look
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60. RAY Milgrim, in his stocking fe
Page 238 and 239: “You and that Heidi,” said Fion
Page 240 and 241: “A sigil?” “The sigil of forg
Page 242 and 243: 62. WAKING Milgrim woke with a leg
Page 244 and 245: 63. CURLY STAYS, SLOW FOOD With Gar
Page 246 and 247: filigreed instrument Inchmale had u
Page 248 and 249: 64. THREAT MANAGEMENT The toilet in
Page 250 and 251: “Did you have story time first?
Page 252 and 253: 65. LEOPARD SKIN IN MINIATURE She s
Page 254 and 255: There was something on the bedside
Page 256 and 257: 66. ZIP Benny’s civilian bike, Mi
Page 258 and 259: “We saw him,” Fiona said. “He
Page 260 and 261: 67. A CRUSHED MOUSE Ajay, looking p
Page 262 and 263: translucently ancient waxed cotton
Page 264 and 265: 68. HAND-EYE Now it was Milgrim’s
Page 266 and 267: 69. THE GIFTING SUITE Here?” She
Page 268 and 269: keeping this on. I’m doing someth
Page 270 and 271: 70. DAZZLE The penguin smelled of K
Page 272 and 273: couldn’t identify at all. “I’
Page 274 and 275: “That’s for you to work out. A
Page 276 and 277: and Heidi, and you and the others,
Page 278 and 279: he’s sleeping with Hollis. I mean
Page 280 and 281: Milgrim lowered the helmet to his s
Page 282 and 283: “I’m sorry,” he said. “What
Page 284 and 285: 73. THE PATCHWORK BOYFRIEND In the
Page 286 and 287: 74. MAP, TERRITORY The heels of Mil
Page 290 and 291: 76. GONE-AWAY GIRL Milgrim stood, f
Page 292 and 293: 77. GREEN SCREEN The broken wheel o
Page 294 and 295: “Did you finish your Breast Chase
Page 296 and 297: 78. EL LISSITZKY Care for mineral w
Page 298 and 299: unless you’re right up on somethi
Page 300 and 301: Pep, following instructions, hadn
Page 302 and 303: And then he found Chombo, and Foley
Page 304 and 305: 82. LONDON EYE Thumbing the wings t
Page 306 and 307: 83. PLEASE GO What was that?” she
Page 308 and 309: 84. NEW ONE Fiona’s drone’s bat
Page 310 and 311: okay?” she’d asked, giving his
Page 312 and 313: getting him wherever he’s now got
Page 314 and 315: painfully with the orange leather u
Page 316 and 317: now.” “At Blue Ant?” Aldous n
Page 318 and 319: THANKS: My wife Deborah and daughte
Page 320: 45. SHRAPNEL, SUPERSONIC 46. TORTOI
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