<meta name="LineWrap" content="true"><TITLE>SR_Bk1 0098</TITLE><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0099.txt">Next (Page 99)</A><BR>"<P><P>"Very observant," Emily said, sniffling and seeking to see if her car was upright. It wasn't.<P><P>"Where's your car?" Ferrajalt asked Dolthethmen.<P><P>"Fuck!" Emily said. "They got my car!"<P><P>"Relax," Dolthethmen said from across the lot. "Mine is rightside-up, and it has a full tank of gas, unlike yours, Emily--remember?"<P><P>"Hmm!" Emily said in mock, flirty frustration.<P><P>"Okay everyone--get in," Dolthethmen said.<P><P>Soon they were all inside the car.<P><P>"Lucky those two dropped out," Ferrajalt said. "They wouldn't have fit."<P><P>"Have some manners, Prince," Hate said. "If they were your friends you might not be so flip."<P><P>"Just stating facts," Ferrajalt said.<P><P>Dolthethmen started the engine, and it sounded fine.<P><P>"We're on our way," Dolthethmen said.<P><P>They pulled out of the parking lot and drove up the street, but as they passed the Noyage Parlour, Dolthethmen stopped.<P><P>"What's wrong?" Emily asked.<P><P>"Nothing--I just want to check something."<P><P>Dolthethmen left the car running and got out. He walked up to the doors, opened them, and peered in. Then he entered the building.<P><P>"Look, what the hell is he doing?" Ferrajalt asked Emily.<P><P>"How should I know? He's fucking nuts," she responded.<P><P>Soon Dolthethmen reappeared in the entrance area and nodded toward the folks in the cars. Then he stepped away again, soon to return, leading Ambivale and Hasnafter by their arms. The two shuffled along like zombies, blank expressions on their faces.<P><P>Dolthethmen opened the doors and yelled "See! I had a feeling! They went through the wall, and just wound up inside!"<P><P>"Son of a bitch!" Ferrajalt exclaimed, as he and the others climbed out of the car and ran forward to see what the deal was.<P><P>"They're okay," Dolthethmen said. "Right Hasnafter?"<P><P>"Yes. We are okay," Hasnafter said in a very robotic manner.<P><P>"Am?" Dolthethmen asked.<P><P>"Yes. We are okay," Ambivale said, in an equally monotone fashion.<P><P>"Do you want to come with us?" Emily asked, putting her hand on Ambivale's shoulder. "We're going up to Derolbam City to see about fixing all this."<P><P>"No," Ambivale said. "I would like to stay here."<P><P>"Has?" Emily asked.<P><P>"No," Hasnafter said. "I would like to stay here."<P><P>"Gee Dolthethmen," Ferrajalt said. "You sure it was a good idea to find them?"<P><P>"Look," Dolthethmen said. "I want to find out who it is that was behind--uh--behind putting them through that wall and zonking them out like this. Well Hasnafter? Who was it?"<P><P>"A man who is listening to music. No more," Hasnafter said.<P><P>"A man who is listening to music. No more," Ambivale said.<P><P>"Okay, I've had enough of this. Let's get a goddamned move on! Come on!" Hate said.<P><P>"Okay, okay," Dolthethmen said. "You two sure you'll be okay here? We'll come back for you if we can."<P><P>"We'll be fine," Hasnafter said, a little less robotically, with an almost sinister look on his face.<P><P>"Okay--let's go!" Dolthethmen said, and they were on their way again.<P><P>--------------------------<P>CHAPTER 23<P>--------------------------<P><P>"Well hey," Carne said. "Those sticker bushes weren't so bad! No doubt my Moisture Detection Friend would have whined and complained about such an experience, but you and I, Pacer, are made of tougher stuff regarding such experiences."<P><P>"And we're still in the same general area as were were before we went through the bushes," Pacer said. "That's somewhat impressive."<P><P>"I know. The gravel road before us is of the same kind of gravel. But... well, not quite. I like this gravel better. It's sharper, more rocklike. I like that."<P><P>"Who's Vontolleny?"<P><P>"Huh?"<P><P>"That skywriting up there. It says 'Vontolleny is cool.' See it?"<P><P>"Um... oh yeah.<BR><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0099.txt">Next (Page 99)</A>