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. It s late, Cussick said.Across from him, Nina s face flitted with panic. They re not closing for a long time, sheprotested pathetically. And in the back they don t close at all.Dance with me again, before we go.Cussick shook his head. Sorry, honey.I d fall over.Nina was on her feet. Max, will you dance with me? Sure, Kaminski said. I ll do anything.Enjoy ourselves in the time left. Holding her clumsilyby the arm, he half-led, half-dragged her through the departing people, to the front of the room.There,a few sodden couples swayed back and forth.The two hermaphrodites, now both women, were dancingcalmly with male patrons.Presently, tired of that, they switched sexes, became men, and wanderedamong the tables looking for female partners.Sitting at his table, Cussick said:  Can they control it?Tyler sipped her drink. Probably.It s quite an art. It s depraved.One by one the lights dimmed out.When next Cussick looked he saw Kaminski slumped over at atable, no longer dancing.Where, then, was Nina? For a time he couldn t locate her; then he identifiedher familiar blonde hair.She was dancing with one of the hermaphrodites, face glazed with desperateexcitement.Arm around her, the slender young man danced dispassionately, expertly.Before Cussick knew it, he was on his feet. Wait here, he told Tyler.Gathering up her purse and coat, Tyler started after him. We better not get separated.But Cussick could think only of Nina.His wife and the hermaphrodite were walking hand-in-handthrough what instinct told him was the entrance to the still-functioning back rooms.Pushing a groupof loitering couples aside, he followed.For an instant he waded through a dense darkness and then hewas standing in a deserted corridor.Head down, he ran blindly forward.Around a turn, he stoppedshort.Nina, leaning against the wall, a glass in her hand, was talking intently to the hermaphrodite.Herblonde hair was a disarranged cascade.Her body slumped with fatigue, but her eyes still flashed,bright and feverish.Striding up to her, Cussick said:  Come on, honey.We have to go. He was dimly aware that Tylerand Kaminski had followed him. You go ahead, Nina said, in a strained, metallic voice. Go on.Take off. What about you? he demanded, shocked. What about Jack? The hell with Jack, she said, in sudden agony. The hell with everything with your wholeworld.I m not going back I m staying here.If you want me, for God s sake stay with me.The hermaphrodite turned slightly and said to Cussick:  Mind your own business, chum.In thisworld, everybody does what he wants.Cussick reached out, grabbed hold of the creature s shirt, and lifted him from his feet.Thehermaphrodite was amazingly light; he struggled and twisted, and in an instant had slid out ofCussick s hands.Stepping back, the hermaphrodite flowed into a female.Her eyes mocking, shedanced lithely away from him. Go ahead, she gasped. Hit me.Nina had turned and started off down the corridor.The hermaphrodite, noticing, quickly hurriedafter her, an eager expression on her face.As the creature followed Nina down the hall to a side door,Tyler slipped up close and caught hold of her.With an expert motion, Tyler twisted the creaturearound and yanked her arm back in a paralyzing lock.The hermaphrodite instantly flowed into thefigure of a man.Cussick stepped forward and socked him on the jaw.Without a sound, thehermaphrodite sank down, totally unconscious, and Tyler released him. She s gone, Kaminski said, balancing himself with an effort.Other people were hurrying up; thehermaphrodite s partner appeared, clapped his hands in horror, and dropped down fearfully to paw athis inert companion.Glancing around, Tyler said rapidly to Cussick:  She s familiar with this place.If you expect herto leave with you, you ll have to talk her into it. Urgently, she gave him a shove. Get going.He found her almost at once.She had crept from the corridor into a side room, a blind alley withonly one entrance.There, he cornered her, slammed the door and locked it after him.Nina crouched inthe corner, frail and pitiful, eyes bright with fear, trembling and gazing mutely up at him.The room was simple, hygienically clean in its ascetic purity.The curtains, the position of thefurniture, told him the unbearable truth; only Nina could have arranged this room.This was her room.Her imprint, her image, was stamped on every inch of it.There were noises outside.Kaminski s hoarse growl swelled up:  Doug, you in there?He stepped outside into the hall and confronted Kaminski and Tyler. I found her.She s all right. What are you going to do? Tyler asked. Stay here.You two better go.Can you find your way out? Certainly, Tyler said, understanding.Taking hold of Kaminski she led him back a step. Goodluck.Come on, Max.There s nothing we can do here. Thanks, Cussick said, standing firmly planted in front of the door. I ll see you later, both ofyou.Kaminski, protesting and bewildered, retreated at the insistence of the slim girl holding tightly tohis arm. Give me a call, he mumbled. When you get back; when you re out of here [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]