World Without End Read Online Free PDF Page B

At least, that's what his mind believes to be true.
    Beyond the front door is what can only be called a two-room changing chamber. The first part has a floor made of white marble and a set of four lockers, two on each wall, for the three-man cleaning team. They work solely for the owner and have been handpicked for their discretion. They are well paid and must submit to blood tests at the beginning of each month. In this age of technology, disease runs rampant a man in his position needs to be careful. When the owner is in Austin, as he has been for the past few months, they come to clean the condo every two weeks. If you are granted the rare opportunity to meet the man inside, this is what you must do:
    Strip out of your clothes and hang them neatly inside the locker. Now face the long, rectangular monitor. The owner will want to check your skin for sores or lesions. Exposed cuts, even ones that are in the process of healing, are cause for rejection. Make sure your nails are trimmed. And do not try to hide anything. Security cameras placed in the corners watch your every move.
    The stainless-steel shower has two doors that operate on locks controlled by the owner. Enter. The door will shut and lock itself, and the water will be turned on for you. It is hot. Pick up the bottle of PhisoHex and the scrub brush and then face the monitor. Start scrubbing your skin, paying particular attention to your fingernails, a known breeding ground for bacteria. If the owner is satisfied with the manner in which you have washed, the water will be shut off and the lock on the shower's second door will be released. Step out into the second room and begin the elaborate process of suiting up.
    The regimen is specific. Do not deviate from it for any reason.
    Towel yourself off and then toss the towel inside the biohazard bag.
    Use the iso-foam alcohol on your skin. Make sure you cover each part of your skin; the camera is watching you, and you will be told about the areas you've missed. Tyvek suits, folded and sealed inside plastic bags, are stacked in a stainless-steel container next to the shower.
    Rip open the bag and place the provided sterile Tyvek strip on the floor. Place one foot on the strip and then put the bootie on your other foot. Now step down with the booted foot and place the second bootie on your exposed foot. Slip into the Tyvek body suit and secure the hood around your head. The Tyvek body suit will keep your body hair and any remaining dead skin cells from contaminating the condo.
    The glove process is elaborate and time-consuming. Two pairs of gloves are required. Again, rub your hands with the iso-foam alcohol and then put one glove on, rolling the cuff down. Repeat with the other. Now rub more iso-foam alcohol on your gloved hands and repeat with the second set, making sure that the gloves are sealed under the cuffs of your Tyvek suit. Secure the breathing filtration system across your mouth and nose, and then put on your goggles. If the owner is satisfied by the procedure, you are granted access.
    The lock on the door clicks open. Come inside.
    The HVAC unit is a constant, low rumble. The air-conditioning units give the rooms a cold, refrigerated feel. As always, the owner is alone.
    Outside, the morning temperature has already reached ninety degrees.
    The man's breath fogs the air and then disappears. If he is bothered by the cold, he doesn't show it. He stares out the window, the sunlight bright and warm against his pale face. He can stand like this for hours and stare. Thinking. Meditating. Right now, he is thinking about the origin of the name the CIA has given him: Angel Eyes.
    The man's real name is Amon Faust. The CIA doesn't know this, of course. They know nothing about him. But Faust knew about them, about the trap waiting for him at the airport.
    This morning, Faust was dressed in white linen pants and an off-white sweater. When inside, he preferred wearing white, the only color that could be bleached. His head