Skyfall Read Online Free PDF Page B

think, that’s what I reckon. You don’t want to make the wrong choice at this point. Not with your prospects. I worked with your brother for a while last year. Brilliant bloke. You two planning on doing anything together?’
    â€˜No,’ replied Lari, aware of the other couple listening intently to every word. ‘Janil and I have … different interest areas.’
    â€˜Pity. What a team that’d make, eh? You two and your father. All the Mann boys working together. That’d move things along, no doubt about it. Still, as long as you’re in the family field somewhere, I suppose. What’s your field of expertise, then?’
    Lari couldn’t help himself.
    â€˜Art.’
    He stared at the man, daring him to ask.
    Art?’
    â€˜Painting. Sculpture. That sort of stuff.’
    â€˜Oh.’ The lift slipped into another hub as the man digested this.
    â€˜Wouldn’t have thought there’s a lot of call for artists in DGAP,’ he finally ventured.
    â€˜There isn’t. That’s the point.’
    â€˜Ah.’ Another pause. ‘Genetics not your thing, then?’
    â€˜Obviously not.’
    That killed the conversation and the only sounds were the throbbing hum of the lift’s magnetic resonators and the low murmur of the newspanel. The current story was about security cracking a terrorist cell that had been planning some minor act of vandalism.
    â€˜Bloody shifties,’ the man muttered.
    Lari didn’t respond.
    â€¦ The city Prelate this morning praised the security personnel who put themselves in harm’s way to protect the wider community …
    â€˜Makes you feel better though, doesn’t it? Knowing security are right on top of those bastards.’
    â€˜I guess so.’
    â€˜Absolutely.’ The man hesitated as though making his mind up. ‘So, you’re hoping for a placement outside the family field, then?’ His tone was carefully casual.
    â€˜If they make me. Don’t care, really.’ He knew that his father would be furious if this conversation got back to him, but right at that moment he didn’t care. Beside him, the DGAP man was looking thoughtful.
    â€˜You know, son, I could probably find a position for you with me, in maintenance. It’s not research, I know, but at least you’d still be in DGAP …’
    â€˜Thanks, but no.’
    After what seemed an age, the maglift finally surged upwards again, then slowed.
    Dome 832 South. Commercial.
    â€˜This is my stop.’ The man rose. ‘Nice talking to you, mate. Say “hi” to your dad for me, eh? Ander Gunt.’
    â€˜I will.’
    â€˜Thanks. Have a good day, now.’
    â€˜You too.’
    Ander Gunt stepped out, the doors closed, and the lift dropped again.

    Voices. Detached, cold voices from the cold sky.
    â€˜Temperature?’
    â€˜Acceptable.’
    'Blood pressure?’
    â€˜Acceptable.’
    'Respiratory function?’
    â€˜Slight impairment. Nothing to cause concern.’
    â€˜Cortex activity?’
    â€˜Acceptable.’
    The words mean nothing. The voices betray nothing. She gets no sense of them being real. They’re spirits, is what they are. They’re the night spirits that Ma Lee used to warn her of. They’re wraiths of the nightvault. There’s no connection behind them. No trace of the earthmother.
    Once, she tried to answer the voices, hut her body wouldn’t respond. Her voice wouldn’t work. Only her mind, trapped in the cold, formed the questions …
    Where am I?
    Where is Jani?
    â€˜Muscle response?’
    â€˜Acceptable.’
    â€˜Bone density?’
    â€˜Acceptable. For a subject.’
    â€˜Acceptable …’
    â€˜Acceptable …’
    She falls …

Janil was working the inscan and calling the results, which his father then entered into the data manager. On his terminal, the standard list for subject admission scrolled on