The Missing Man (v4.1) (9 page)

The corridor widened, and George felt a draft of
fresh air without dust, and saw a glimmer of light through a hole. They climbed
through and saw a doorway, and a broken door. “I don’t know,” Ahmed,”
he said vaguely. “Did I?”

They climbed up the broken door and a flight of
stone steps and. found themselves in a deserted yard at the center of the ruin.
It was very quiet. In the distance around the edges of the block police copters
buzzed, landing in the streets.

“Sure you did,” Ahmed said. “You
abolished Fate. I heard you.”

George looked up at the moon. It was bright and
it shone across ‘. the entire city, like the evil Fate in his dream, but it was
only the moon, and the city was quiet. Suddenly George leaped into the air and
clicked his heels. “I did. I did.” He bellowed. “Hey, everybody!
Hey, I did it! I abolished Fate!”

He landed and stopped leaping, and stood
panting. The red glow in the sky over New York blinked on and off, on and off
from the giant sign they could not see.

“Congratulations,” said Ahmed, and
rested an arm briefly across his shoulders. “May I offer you a
tranquilizer?”

“No, you may offer me a meal,” George
said. “No, cancel that too. Judd gave me money yesterday. Steaks, hot
showers, hotel room. Wow. I’ve got a job.” He turned abruptly and walked
away. “See you tomorrow.”

Left alone, tall and tired, smeared with dirt
and itchy with cobwebs, Ahmed stared after him, feeling betrayed. Where was all
the respect George used to give him? George was a short fat kid once, and
treated Ahmed like a boss. Now he was beginning to loom like a Kodiak bear, and
he walked away without permission.

Ahmed looked up at the lopsided moon.
“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the smartest guy of all? Don’t answer
that, lady. It’s been a long day. I’m tired.”