Elvissey by Jack Womack Read Free Book Online Page A

program guidlines and can only result in
patiental intensified confusion induction. Inhale."
    Their thing slid deeper into me. "Get it out," I shouted,
not wanting to cry.
    "Tear salinity, acceptable," my doctor said. "Calm yourself, please, preparatory to withdrawal. Greater pain may
result otherwise."
    "Ready automatic release," said my nurse.
    "Ready," said the table.
    My wrists, fresh-accessoried with blue-black bracelets,
slipped loose of their bonds. My intruder slipped out as I
rose. Glimpsing a red jewel newly adorning its chromed tip,
I felt my throat bile over. As I dragged myself off the table
I nearly collapsed, feeling physical agony as intense as my
emotional pain, and would have tumbled groundward had
I not caught myself. The room spun round me, as if to
launch itself skyward with I, its fuse.
    "Smile," my nurse's voice said. "Your day awaits."
    "Madam still thinks mass movements undocilable, eh?"
Leverett said; aiming a finger toward his temple he twirled
it, and smiled. "Unreason's sleep breeds madness, poor
thing. We'll calm the Elvii too, whatever she imagines. Regooding works in all areas of human endeavor, depending
upon approach."
    Leverett, sixty-six, appeared fifty; he'd overseen Dryco's
New Projects division since soon after century's turn. His suit
looked as if he'd bought it the summer after graduation, and
had slept in it every night since, though all knew he had
them made to so impress; his hair was tousled artfully by one of many assistants who were appointed to come by and
tousle it. Leverett's suit and hair were of like hue, though I
couldn't immediately distinguish which had been dyed to
match.

    "Marvelous weather," he said. Eyeing windowways I
watched a waterspout kilometers distant take root in the
harbor's gray field. Leverett's office was splendidly plain: its
bleakness was enhanced by one desk, mismatched chairs, a
stack of printout, a Harvard banner and portraits of his
position's two predecessors. "Hairs the chest."
    "Undesirable," said John, leaning forward in his chair; as
he shifted closer to Leverett's desk a flock of paper clips flew
from their nest and rested on his shirtfront.
    "How'd they magnetize you?" Leverett asked as John
plucked the clips loose. My husband, as did all in Security,
had strips of Krylar dermally implanted across his torso, that
missiles might be deflected without recoursing to bulky
outerwear; Security once did all that was possible to stresslessen its workers in body and mind.
    "Passing side effect of morning's tests," John answered,
"I'm told." I'd met my husband after clinicking; John's session had been no more enjoyable than mine. "Departure
date solid yet?"
    "Wednesday next. Expectations must be mounting skyhigh, considering what lies ahead," Leverett said, smiling so
unceasingly, if with more subtly evinced awareness, as Mister
O'Malley's sister. "Travelready?"
    "We're hep, dad," I said, demonstrating the command I'd
gained in properly wording those whom we might encounter. "Keen to lay rubber."
    Comprehending my rewordings without overmuch confusion, Leverett allowed his smile to broaden until his skull
seemed set to drop from his jaw. "AO, Isabel. Clear as air,"
he said. "Plaintext English suffices here, needless to say.
What necessaries remain, at present? So many tracks, my
train gets lost sometimes."

    "Evening meet with Biggerstaff set for this eve," I said.
"Course finals, Friday."
    "Fine, fine. Your teachers prepped to apple?" We nodded. "Couldn't have selected better than you two if we'd
tried." Fisting one hand, he struck his other, rejoicing at the
sound of skin hurting skin. "Oh, Godness. Superfluous to
say where I'd go, if I wasn't essentialled here-"
    "Where?" John asked, employing Jakeish methods: inquiring of the obvious where no inquiry was expected, that
unpracticed reactions might be studied, and appraised, and
filed into memory for possible later use. "Where would you
goy„
    "There.