"If it hadn't been for the Pulse, Griffey would've broken Aaron's record." "Stop talking crap and go get the damn meat from the freezer." "Hey!" "You forgot to lock this last night!" "Fico." "Fico." "It's a girl." " Argh!" " Argh!" "Morning, Normal." "I and I need to take a personal day next Friday." "You and who need to do what?" "'Tis the 75th anniversary of the great Bob Marley's birth." "I'd like to attend the memorial concert they're havin' in Portland." "Well, I'd like to take off every June 12th but I don't." " What's June 12th?" " The birthday of my personal hero and perhaps the nation's greatest visionary, George Herbert Walker Bush." "Born 1924 in what used to be called Milton, Massachusetts, before the Pulse." " Sketchy, get your tail over here." " I'm on a break." " Shut up." "Put this on." " What is it?" "It's the shape of things to come." "It's the prototype for the new Jam Pony safety jerkin, which each of you will soon be required to wear at all times." ""Jam Pony." "Ride with pride."" " Right." "I designed it myself." " I can tell." "Ah-ah." "It will make our riders more visible to other vehicles and lend a more uniform appearance to the generally scruffy look of you bums." "Even though people are hungry they'll throw food at us if we wear something this bogus." "You'll wear it and you'll like it." "You can also say goodbye to the graffiti in this place and hello to a nice fresh coat of institutional beige and digital locators so I can keep tabs on you deadbeats at all times." "Where's the money come from for this fascist wet dream of yours?" "From our soon-to-be new owner Mr Gurmook Sivapathasundaram, who's on his way from Bangalore, India, as we speak." " He's buying this place?" " Yes, as an investment." "He's empowered me to institute reforms to get Jam Pony running more efficiently." "Start with fixing the can in the ladies' room." "In due course." "First order of business," "I want all unauthorised signage, graffito and the like removed from your lockers." "I don't want Mr Sivapathasundaram walking in and finding a great big fat mess." "Hey, it's me, Brin." "I know I'm not supposed to contact you, but I had no choice." "I had a close call with Lydecker's people in LA." "I need your help." "I'll explain everything when I see you." "When?" "I'll be there." " Nice view." " Oh, yeah." "Nice day." "You look like hell." "We have a problem we need your help with." "You know I'm always happy to do what I can." "Familiar with the Vatican situation?" "Only what I read in the paper." "The new Pope's come out against our friends in the Italian parliament." "He's popular." "Keeps at it, he's gonna bring down the whole Mediterranean Coalition." "Consider it done." "Can't have any accountability." "You know my kids." "Have they ever let you down?" "You know I appreciate everything you've done for us." "Then maybe you can do something for me." "Get the committee to come up with more funds so I can bring Manticore to stage three." "I'm behind you on this." "You know it, Deck." "But with these people it always comes down to the same thing" " X5." "You need to be able to tell 'em you're progressing." "What do you think I'm in Seattle for?" "The weather?" "I'm closing in on one right here in the city." "Kendra?" ""Mr Multiples is back in town."" "Oh, God." " Zack?" " Lydecker." "I tried to stop him." "Uh!" "But he got Brin." "Let's have a look." " I need to change your bandage." " You need to back off." "It's OK." "He's a friend." " Another friend?" " That's right." "Why did you bring me here?" "I came to you for help." "And that's what you're getting." "Now tell us what happened to Brin." "You said Lydecker had her." " He knows all about who we are." " I wanna help you." "You can trust him." "Tell us what happened." "She got careless." "She got caught." " End of story." " What's that supposed to mean?" " She's gone, Max." " So we're just gonna let Lydecker have her?" "You want us to go after her and give him a hat trick?" "We can't just do nothing." "We're not gonna breach OPSEC for a half-assed rescue attempt." "You need to accept what happened and move on." "Is that clear?" "You're not my CO, Zack." "You know what?" "You can worry about OPSEC for both of us." " I'll do whatever it takes to get her back." " How?" "She's probably halfway to Manticore." " I don't think so." " Stay out of this." "This girl's gonna do what she's gonna do, no matter what you or anyone else says, so you got two choices." "Back off or pitch in." "What he said." "You don't just put a genetically-enhanced killing machine on the next bus to Manticore." "Since I find no record of military convoys leaving the city or any unusual air traffic," "I think there's a chance she's probably being held somewhere in Seattle," " maybe at Lydecker's base of operations." " Yeah?" "Well, where's that?" "Gimme a minute." " You guys wanna head back to Jam Pony?" " He can't." " Not for a half hour." " Why not?" "Normal said if I made two more runs before lunch, he gonna make me employee of the week." " That's awful." "Normal's starting to terrify me." " For real." "If he's allowed to go unchecked, we are a heartbeat away from compulsory urine tests." " What would he be testing for?" " Knowing Normal, probably flavour." "If this deal with the Indian goes through," "Normal gets more power, control and the money to back it up." " We'd better look for new jobs." " Only there aren't any." "Everything was chill until Sivapatha-Spinderella decided to make Jam Pony part of his business empire." "Maybe he'll change his mind when he sees it." "Or maybe we could help him." " What do you mean?" " I don't know." "Original Cindy gotta think this bitch through." "Our friend Lydecker's a first-rate spook." "Whatever operation he's got here, he's covering up good." "Did you look in Yellow Pages under "black helicopter operations"?" "Another Manticore wit." "OK, so we can't find his crew." "Maybe we can find his crib or where he hangs." "Maybe he's part of a bowling league or something." "Here are his DOD records." ""Donald Michael Lydecker."" ""Born 1968." "Enlisted in the army right out of school."" " "Married his hometown sweetheart."" " Touching." ""Accepted to OCS." "Graduated top of his class."" ""Assigned to the 3rd Ranger Battalion."" ""Saw action in Panama, Kuwait, Somalia."" ""Made captain." "Assigned to Delta Force." "Legion of Merit." "Purple Heart."" " Yeah, yeah." "We get the point." " Looks like he was on the fast track until '95." "His wife was murdered." "The killer was never found." "Probably did it himself." "His behaviour became erratic." "Half a dozen disciplinary infractions." ""Insubordination, disorderly conduct, DUI." Bought himself a dishonourable discharge, and last but not least an ADAP admissions form from 1996." " ADAP?" " Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programme." " Rehab for the military." " It must have turned things around for him if he was assigned to head Manticore." "Probably still working it." " As in "My name's Don." "I'm an alcoholic"?" " Place to start." "You coming?" "Our objective is what?" "All the black coffee we can drink?" "Find the man who'll lead us to our objective." "Or did you sleep through Recon 101?" "Notwithstanding what I told GI Joe here, you know you're going after a man who spent the last ten years trying to hunt you down." "I've spent the last ten years looking for him, and Brin and the others." " It's what's kept me going." " Just make sure it's not what gets you killed." "Do you need me to wash the floor again?" "No, the floor looks clean to me." "But we want Jam Pony to be all it can be for when Mr Sivapathasundaram comes, right?" "Right." "Is there any special dress code tomorrow?" " No." "Look businesslike." " Maybe I'll lose the afro puffs." " I don't wanna come across too... ethnic." " You'll have to use your own judgment." "I know India can be a conservative place when it comes to the role of women and sexuality and so forth but when Mr Sivapathas undaram." "When he looks at me, he'll see a hardworking employee, not a diesel-domme, trolling for an obedient, white bottom-girl to be my love toy." " You've got Original Cindy's word on that." " I appreciate that." "That's very comforting." "Your employee of the week made some Blue Mountain coffee fresh from Jamaica to show my appreciation for the honour." "Thank you, Herbal." "That's very thoughtful of you." "So what you t'ink?" "Should I hang out in the background in case this Supapapa-Superman have a problem understanding I and I or something?" "I think that Mr Sivapathasundaram is going to be pleased, as I am, by the fact that we've all pulled together here." "Look at that." "A little hard work never hurt anybody." "Bip-bip-bip." "That's yummy." " I'm an alcoholic and my name is Don." " Hi, Don." "I'm new in town." "I have some business here." "I've been coming to this meeting for the last couple of weeks." "I've listened to a few of you stand up and tell your stories." "Tonight I'd like to take my turn." "Drinking damn near destroyed my life." "I woke up one morning, took a look around, and I was lyin' on the floor." "I decided never to touch another drop." "I've been sober ever since." "I hear a lot of you talk about takin' things one day at a time." "As far as I'm concerned, that's a cop-out." "You make a decision and you take charge of your life." "You don't a higher power to help you." "You don't need a sponsor." "What you need is strength of mind, willpower and character." "Alcoholism is not a disease." "It's a failing." "You've turned it into a church." "You worship at the altar of self-pity." "I come to these rooms for one reason." "To remember what I don't wanna become." "Helpless, impotent and weak." "Thank you." "As you were." " What the hell are you doing?" " Follow me." "Has Mr Sivapathasundaram showed up yet?" "Not yet, boo." "So you're not feeling too good, huh?" "I can honestly say I haven't felt this ill since I had cholera as a small boy." "Listen." "Tell Mr Sivapathasundaram I'll be there as soon as humanly possible." "Go do your business." "Force the fluids and let Original Cindy worry about Mr Sivapathasundaram." "Peace." "I'm out." "Oh, God." "Gross." "Damn, this stuff is strong." "Jam Pony was founded way back in 1999 by an aspiring hip-hop MC named Bootney Lee Farnsworth as a way to make ends meet." "Excuse me." "The man I'm supposed to meet, Mr Ronald." " Where is he?" " He had a medical emergency and has asked me to familiarise you with our operation in his absence." "This way, please." "Over here is the nerve centre of Jam Pony, our dispatch desk." "Hot run to Consolidated Bacterial Research." "Careful with that." "We are bonded to transport live viral and bacterial agents as well as organ-transplant material." "I myself delivered a human brain to a waiting recipient just last week." "It was very gratifying." "Herbal!" "Out the back!" "Come on." " What the hell?" " We have to get out of here." "We can't go back in there." "We're gonna have to stay here until help arrives." "All right?" "We're gonna be OK." "Max, that wasn't the plan." "That wasn't the plan." "I saw an opportunity." "I took it." "Some men in black SUVs kidnapped a girl yesterday on Waverley Avenue." "Your men." " We wanna know where they took her." " You must have me confused with..." "Tell us where she is or you'll have a very long day." " I'm just a businessman." " Where is Brin?" "Brin?" "You're one of them." "One of mine." "X5." "Nobody else would know the names you kids called each other." " Where is she?" " I don't have her." "You're still so angry?" "You haven't changed much, have you, Zack?" "We'll play "pin the name on the barcode" later." "Answer." "And who might you be?" "Jondy, maybe?" "Tinga?" "Max?" "Listen up." "I don't wanna see Brin fall into enemy hands any more than you do." " You are the enemy." " I told you, Zack." " I don't have her." " Stop lying." "You put your prisoner in a threatening environment and then you use threats and verbal abuse" " to try to weaken him psychologically." " Shut up!" "And eventually you'll employ nonverbal techniques, including torture." " I said shut up!" " Why don't we just cut to the chase and..." "Ah!" "One down, nine to go." "What do I have to do to have you accept that I'm telling you the truth?" " I don't have her." " Then who does?" "Any number of foreign governments'd love to get their hands on Manticore technology." "Someone kidnapped her to sell her to the highest bidder?" "Is that so surprising?" " Each one of you is worth millions." " Why should we believe you?" "A weapons system like Brin doesn't come up for sale every day." "Let me contact my people." "Then we can find out who's brokering the deal." "Think about it." " What do you think?" " We should kill him right now." " I think he's telling the truth." " You're not seriously buying into that crap?" "It's plausible." "We should check it out." "Logan has contacts with the military." "Maybe he can shake something loose." "Go." "I'll stay here and work on Lydecker." "I think something tragic might happen while I'm gone." "You should take point with Logan." "We're going to die terrible, horrible deaths, like those poor kids out there." "You know, a disaster of this magnitude, I gotta believe help is on the way." "Then again, with Seattle's economy in ruins and resources stretched so thin, it could be a while." "It just kind of depends." "Attention." "This is Sergeant Peterson of the Seattle Police Department." " Thank God." " We have been advised by the Center for Disease Control that this building is under full quarantine." "Anyone attempting to leave the building will be shot on sight." "Thank you... for your cooperation." "How was that, then?" " Cool." " All right." "Cool." "We better hope they don't torch the building like those villages in Africa with Ebola." "We cannot just stay here and die like dogs." "There's some steam tunnels under the building." "If we can get down there we might be able to get past the police perimeter." " It's better than being incinerated here." " We'll need something to cut with." "My guy's in a time crunch on this, so get back to me ASAP." "I'll be here." "We got a lead." "My contact's gotta confirm some details and get back to me." "Risky piece of business, grabbing Lydecker." "It wasn't the objective." "Max caught a case of mission creep." "And now you caught a tiger by the tail." "You'll look out for her, right?" "It's not something anyone has to ask me to do." "It's my responsibility to look after all of them." "If I would have done my job, Brin wouldn't be in this jam." "So, what is it between you and Max?" "I don't know." "Something." "I just don't know what." "Yeah." "What do you have for me?" "You got this how?" "I appreciate the help." "OK." "The Chinese military's been trying to buy biosynth technology on the black market for the last few months." "Word is their order's been filled." "A deal's in the works." " So Lydecker was on the level?" " Looks like it." "Operation's being run by a Major Jake Sanders." "He works out of Fort Xavier, an abandoned base just outside of town." "Guy's gone rogue." "Runs his outfit like his private fiefdom." " Where is this place exactly?" " 13-and-a-half miles northwest of here." "FYI, it's a secure installation, as in lots of guys with guns." "They're in it for the money and they'll kill for it." "This is what we do." "We're soldiers." "You're really worried about Max?" "The biggest threat to her safety is you." " How do you figure?" " She should have left Seattle a long time ago." "She knows it's not safe here but she stayed anyway because of you." "She ignored her training and let her judgment be clouded by feelings, and one day... it's gonna get her killed." " Can I have some water, please?" " Fresh out." "I'd spit on you but it'd be a waste of good saliva." "I recognise the voice now." "You're the journalist from the genetics conference." "Rachel..." "Glasser, wasn't it?" "How severe are they?" "The seizures, I mean." "Bad, sometimes." " We have treatments now, you know." " Do you make house calls" " or should I go to Manticore for my meds?" " Would it really be as bad as that?" "How can you even ask me that?" "You tortured us, beat us down." " You were in training to become a soldier." " We were children." "And you're remembering it through a child's eyes." "I remember Eva dead on the floor, shot by the gun in your hand." "You'll never know how it pained me to have to do that." "Spare me." "The best of you ran away that night." "Yeah, well, we wanted to start a rock band." " Do you wanna spend your life running?" " What I do." "Well, you don't have to, you know." "You can always come home." "Get it through your head." "I'd rather die than go back there." "Catching up on old times?" "He was right." " She's being held at Fort Xavier." " That's Jake Sanders' command." "I can't believe it." "We served together." "We'll be sure to send him your regards." "Here's a layout of the base." " We'll move out when it gets dark." " You'll never get out alive." "I know Sanders." "I can get us on the base." "I can call in a TAC team." "And then what?" "Take her back to Manticore?" "I would give my life rather than to see Manticore technology end up in the hands of the enemy." "You may have a chance." "You're coming with us." " What?" " With him along we can waltz right in." " He'll double-cross us in a heartbeat." " He may want to but he can't." "We're the only hope he has to get Brin away from Sanders." "Isn't that right, Donald?" " He'll know how we look." " Worry about it when we get Brin back." " For the record, I don't like this." " Noted." "One wrong move... and you're an organ donor." "Keep it simple." " Base perimeter has been sealed." " I'm here to see Major Sanders." "I'll have to ask you to turn your vehicle around." "Get on the horn, Corporal, and tell him Don Lydecker is here to see him." "I'll be right back, sir." "He's in the mess hall." "He's asked that you join him." "Good job, Corporal." "Holy crap on Tuesday's toast." "Don Lydecker." "How the hell are you?" " Good to see you." "It's been too long." " How's the spook business?" " Listen." "Is there a place we can go to talk?" " Something wrong with right here?" "You might think so when I tell you what I have to say." "Shoot." " You've got one of my kids, Jake." " I don't know what you're talking about." "You're planning on selling her to the PRC and it kind of worries me." "Pat him down." "I thought you might have a problem with this." "I know how touchy you are about your kids." "You've got it all wrong, Jake." "I'm not here to make trouble." "I want in." "You never fail to surprise me, Deck." "Times are tough." "We all have to plan for our retirement." "The problem is, I already got the merchandise and I just cannot see your leverage here." "These kids wouldn't exist without me." "With the two I brought with me to sweeten the pot..." "Really?" "It mustn't end like this." "I have yet to make my pilgrimage to the holy city of Benares and bathe in the Ganges." "You're not gonna die, man." "And neither am I. We've both got too much to live for." "I always wanted to learn how to swim, and sleep with two girls at the same time." " You ever done that?" " Yes." "Way to go, Mr Sivapathasundaram." "Where's Mr Sivapathasundaram?" " He was a no-show." " Did he call?" " No." " Oh, for crying out loud." "Argh!" "You really should go home and rest." "If he calls I'll let you know." " When I want your advice I'll ask for it." " Where are you going?" "To get Mr Sivapathasundaram's number off the board in the back, if that's OK with you." "Just asking." "Fill in for a couple of hours, get a little taste of power and it goes straight to your head." "Thank God." "Guess you can postpone that skinny-dip in the Ganges for a while, eh, Mr Siva..." "Get away from me." "Get out of here." "I'm getting out of here." "Yeah!" "Good timing, you showing up with those two now." " How do you mean?" " Well, maybe you should see for yourself." "Brin?" " Brin, it's me, Max." " Max?" " Is it really you?" " We're here, baby sister." "Zack." "You came for me." "What's wrong with her?" "It's a form of progeria, similar to Werner's syndrome." "It's a spontaneous rapid mutation of the genome, expresses in the form of highly-accelerated ageing." "Three of the X5 group developed it." "She's the fourth." "As far as I know." "We're gonna need to ice her down, bring down her core temperature, slow down her metabolic rate." "Is she gonna last long enough for me to lay her off to my clients?" "Two or three days, maybe." "All I need is to have her breathing when the taillights disappear." "But, Deck, they're not gonna wanna pay much for damaged goods." "Dead or alive, her genetic code is worth millions." "And besides, we have the other two to sell." "They're the top of the X5 group." "Do you know something, Don?" "I wondered what drove you to hunt us down all these years." "Thought maybe you were afraid for your dumb-ass fed job." "Or was it some whacked sense of patriotism?" "Or professional pride because you felt like such a chump for losing us in the first place?" "But now I know." "You're just a bottom-feeding pimp peddling flesh for the Benjamins." "It's a little more complicated than that." "Permission to address your men?" "Go right ahead." "All right, listen up." "Under no circumstances is anyone to interact with the prisoners." "Handling them requires special training which you don't have." "Do not open their cell and under no circumstances allow yourself within arm's length of them." "Understood?" "Same old Deck." "Next time we do this we're gonna have to have more men in here." " Told you he'd double-cross us." " Never fails to disappoint, does he?" "I got an itch." "Any of you fellas wanna scratch my back?" "Yeah, right." "Hey." "Cut it out." "Oh." "You gonna shoot me?" "Cos I don't think your boss'd be too happy about that." "I said cut it out!" "Relax." "Or do you want me to gnaw through your bars?" "Much better." "I've got Scotch, Scotch and..." "Scotch." " Just water, please." " Oh, that's right." "I forgot." "Well, let's get down to business, huh?" "I got the sick girl on my own, so I don't figure you deserve a cut." "As for the other two, I'll give you 20 per cent for bringing 'em in." " 50 per cent." " Half?" " Of all three." " Come on." "I got the buyers, the safe place to make the exchange, and I've got your blue-ribbon thoroughbreds locked in my brig." "So what is it exactly you think you've got that's worth half?" "What I've got... is a lot more where they came from." "Well, you know, when you put it like that..." "Ice?" "Sure." "So, have we got a deal?" "You know, Deck, I've known you too long to quibble over percentages." "Life's too short." "Uh!" "That it is." "This is Command." "Authorisation code Longbow Portent." "Max!" "Max!" "No!" "No!" "Get her down!" "Hurry!" " Open the door." " No." "She's worth nothing dead." "Open it!" "What the hell are you waiting for?" "Get her down!" "Major Sanders, we have a situation." " This is Lydecker." " Where's the major?" " He's in the can." "What's your SITREP?" " One of the female prisoners hung herself." " Do something, for God's sake!" " Open the damn door." " Do it now." " Watch the others." "Face the wall." "Do not, I repeat, do not open those cells." "On your knees, hands behind your head." "Hands behind your head." "We're gonna get you out of here, OK?" "I know you're monitoring comms." "I trained you to." "There's no sense running." " You'll never make it." " Why?" "Because you brought in your men?" "You think I didn't know you'd betray us and then betray Sanders?" "If you take Brin she'll die." "You can't do anything for her." "Let my people take care of her." "They've done it before with other X5s." "Ah, the sweet sound of gunfire." "You guys go ahead and duke it out." "We gotta split." "Hey, girl." "I know you can still hear me." "That was pretty impressive, how you got away." " I'm very proud of you." " Gee, thanks, Dad." " Turn it off." " Please, listen to me." "Brin doesn't have much time." "Help me get her to Manticore before it's too late." "I taught you always to have a plan." "What's yours?" "To get her to a hospital?" "They won't understand what they're seeing." "They won't be able to help her." "I can have her to Manticore in four hours." " There's still time." " Max, turn it off." "She's getting weaker." " We're together." "That's all that matters." " Can't just let her die." "Anything's better than going back there." "You said so yourself." "I don't wanna die." "Please, don't let me die." "Lydecker, are you still there?" "Brin, you're gonna be all right and some day, no matter what happens, I'm gonna come for you." "That's a promise." "Max." "Listen, have you heard from Mr Sivapathasundaram?" "Is there no way to get ahold of him?" "Yes, please tell him to call me." "I think they're giving me the run-around." " Maybe he's just a flake." " Maybe so." "He seemed to check out, though." "There's a lot of playa playas out there, and they just ain't worth hating' on." "Yeah." "Still, it was a great opportunity." "I just wish it could have worked out." "Well, just look on the bright side." "Maybe this Mr Sivapathasundaram brought us all just a little bit closer together." "Oh, God." "I feel ill." "You and me both." "You're not gonna make me eat dinner all by myself, are you?" "Do you think we did the right thing, Logan?" "Letting him take her back there?" "You took her out of a bad situation and you let her choose for herself." "Yeah, I guess." "How'd you leave it with Zack?" "He grunted something that sounded like "goodbye" then disappeared into the night." "Well, you should cut him some slack." "He probably had a rotten childhood." "The worst part is he swung with Lydecker's ride." "Tinted windows, class two armour." "He could have fenced it for a fortune." "He probably drove it off a bridge into the water somewhere, so it couldn't be dusted for prints." "He obsesses." "You need to be more careful yourself, you know." "Cos now Lydecker knows what you look like." " How's she doing?" " Recovering nicely." " We've repaired the defective genes." " How long till she's operational?" "She'll require reindoctrination." "She was outside a long time." " What about the other two?" " They can't hide forever."