Outland Read Online Free PDF Page A

shrugged as he continued.
    "It just happens here every once in a while. I don't have to tell you that."
    "No, you don't."
    "Some people just let this place get to them." Montone chewed on his lower lip. "Damn shame, though. No reason for it. The guy . . . name was Tarlow, I think." He checked his scanboard. "Yeah, Tarlow. Damn shame. His year was almost up."
    "What about an autopsy?"
    Montone shook his head, looked regretful. "Impossible. I told you. Messy." He went down his board a last time.
    "So, that's about it. Oh yeah. Tell your wife Transportation got the tickets for her that she wanted. See you when you get to the office. Don't worry. You'll get used to it. We all do, sooner or later."
    He smiled perfunctorily. The screen blanked, read, END MESSAGES O'NIEL, W.T.
    When Montone had mentioned "Transportation," what little color there was had faded from Carol O'Niel's face. She'd recovered her composure with admirable speed, however, if not for admirable reasons.
    The Marshal stared a moment longer at the blank screen, expressionless. Then he reached out and flipped the monitor off. It died to black.
    His attention on Montone, he hadn't seen his wife's momentary lapse. "What tickets?" he asked casually.
    "Oh, Mr. and Ms. Reynolds," Carol told him easily as she worked at the dishes. "The nice couple from the bakery. They wanted tickets on the shuttle for a friend of theirs." She smiled tightly. "You know, they're low on the priority scale and so I said I'd see what I could do for them. It worked out fine."
    "That was nice of you." He downed the last of his coffee. Or whatever it was. "I gotta go." He rose, moved over to the central table.
    His son didn't wince at the kiss, though the beard tickled his face, as always. "See you for dinner, sport. Don't forget. Seven frames of math. Two hundred through two-twenty on the tape."
    Paul nodded. "I promise." He grinned slightly. "If the Teaching Program can understand my numbers."
    "Braces bothering you again? Well, don't worry. It won't be for much longer. You don't want to grow up with crooked teeth, do you?"
    "I don't see anybody else wearing them."
    "That's because . . ." He stopped himself. He'd been about to say, "that's because there aren't any other kids here." Instead, he said, "Because nobody else right near us needs them. You're just lucky.
    "Anyway, the whole mine wears braces."
    Paul looked uncertainly at him. "Huh?"
    "Sure. You've seen those melted-in beams, the ones that rib the outer walls of all the buildings and the scaffolding for the heavy equipment?" Paul nodded, intrigued. "Well, those are the mine's braces, just like yours. Without them, all the walls would be crooked and weak. Just like your teeth would be if you stopped wearing them too soon."
    "I guess I'd better keep them, then."
    "I guess you'd better." He turned, starting for the door. "Don't forget that math."
    "I won't, Dad."
    Carol watched the byplay between father and son, fighting to keep a hold on her emotions. She rushed to intercept him at the doorway.
    "You be good today," he told her, kissing her lightly. She pecked back at him.
    "I will."
    O'Niel was sensitive. to many things. To movement, to eyes, to muscular changes in others. Little things. It was what made him so good at his job. He pushed her back a ways, and stared into her tired face.
    "Look," he said softly, "I know this is a bleak assignment. I know what this is for you . . . how difficult. Just . . . give it a chance. It isn't so bad."
    She stared back at him, searching his face, hiding feelings behind her eyes.
    "I know. It's just that it's so, so . . ." He waited. The words didn't, or couldn't, come. She finally gave up trying to articulate her feelings, shrugged helplessly.
    He kissed her again, a comment far more soothing than any words, turned to leave.
    "Bill?"
    He looked back at her as she walked deliberately up to him, put both arms around his neck and kissed him again, fiercely this time.
    "I love you."
    "Well, I love you,