<meta name="LineWrap" content="true"><TITLE>SR_Bk1 0035</TITLE><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0036.txt">Next (Page 36)</A><BR> "You have to go into Boltpike with the cup and find where the voice is the loudest. Your relative anonymity will be of great help--if one of us were seen wandering about Boltpike listening to a cup of coffee, there'd be trouble for sure."<P><P>"Yeah, but like--when we get there, to where the voice is loudest, then what?" Daptin asked, staring at the cup.<P><P>"At that point things will be getting clearer for you," Elaine said. "You should be able to perceive some sort of entryway--a door, a hatch, a curtain, a window--something. This will likely be a one-way portal of some class. So remember--and this is vitally important--do not go all the way through the portal. No. Just go halfway, and you should be able to see Tavmatey. At this point, she can come back to The Avert Cities with you. But be careful--we don't want you getting stuck too."<P><P>Daptin's stomach growled loudly. <P><P>"Hungry, Daptin?" Cursive asked.<P><P>"Um yeah," Daptin replied. "The only thing I ate today was a Twix."<P><P>"Twix?" Cursive asked. "Isn't that a candy bar from the future?"<P><P>"Uh, no. As far as I know, Twix has been around for a few years. Maybe you're thinking of a new flavor they're working on?"<P><P>"No..." Cursive said, looking down. "I guess it was some other candy bar from the future I was thinking of."<P><P>"Do you time travel?" Fake asked.<P><P>"Yeah," Cursive said distantly. "Sometimes."<P><P>"Cool," Daptin said, nodding.<P><P>"I'd like a Twix," came Tavmatey's little voice from the cup. "I think I remember it. Caramel cookie treats?"<P><P>"With chocolate," Fake said.<P><P>Tavmatey didn't reply, so Fake looked around and then moved her face closer to the cup.<P><P>"With chocolate," she repeated.<P><P>"Yeah," Tavmatey said.<P><P>"I'll order out for the briefing," Cursive said. "Any preferences you two, foodwise?"<P><P>"Pasta beverage and crullers might be good," Fake suggested.<P><P>"Um--maybe some eight eggs with filberts or something? Or custard grain?" Daptin said.<P><P>"You can have pizza, pizza, pizza, pizza, pizza, pizza, or pizza," Cursive said.<P><P>"Some selection," Fake said.<P><P>"Could you repeat the list, Cursive?" Daptin asked.<P><P>"Pizza. Wow," came Tavmatey's voice.<P><P>"Well I'm ordering from Xould Pete's Camera. And they have pizza," Cursive said, almost belligerently.<P><P>"Fine! Like why'd ya ask then?" Daptin wondered.<P><P>"To see what foods you like. You can tell a lot about a guy from what he eats," Cursive said.<P><P>"What about a gal?" Fake asked.<P><P>"Why, are you a gal, Fake?" Cursive asked, taking her cigarette from her lips.<P><P>"You could say that," Fake said.<P><P>"Well," Cursive said, looking from Fake to Daptin, "what will we have to drink?"<P><P>"Pepsi, Pepsi, Pepsi, Pepsi or Pepsi?" Daptin asked.<P><P>"What, are you funny? Xould Pete's Camera is a great restaurant. They have every drink ever," Cursive said shaking her head back and forth in a flippant manner. <P><P>"Well then I suppose I'll have a Mr. Pibb. They do have that, I trust?" Daptin said.<P><P>"Of fucking course!" Cursive said. "And you, gal?" <P><P>"Hmm... how about... Diet Cool Ranch Tempura Honeysuckle Nectar Beer Classic?" Fake asked.<P><P>"You made it up," Cursive said.<P><P>"I drink that all the time here," came Tavmatey's voice.<P><P>"Come on, don't make up stories," Elaine said toward the cup.<P><P>"Just trying to make conversation. So I never drank it. But it sounds good," Tavmatey said.<P><P>"Now something real," Cursive said. <P><P>"It is real--from the future," Fake said. "As a mortal, I'll be fabulously wealthy, and I'll eventually bottle my delectable drink. So it exists somewhere in superreality--and if they have everything, they should have the cool ranch honeysuckle whatever I said."<P><P>"You're a little wise ass, but I like you," Cursive said to Fake. "For you, antimatter iced espresso."<P><P>"Fine," Fake said, a bit irritated.<BR><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0036.txt">Next (Page 36)</A>