Book 4: 3rd World Products, Inc.

by Ed Howdershelt

  With a shake of his head, Wallace said, “Ed, this morally-challenged woman is supposed to be one of my best people. Can you believe it?"

  I looked Angela up and down once and grinned at her.

  "Yeah,” I said, “I sure can believe that. See you later. Steph and I have to find our flitter trainee and get her day started."

  "Dr. Mills and Myra are in the dining hall,” said Steph. “I'll join them and let them know you're on your way there."

  Nodding, I said, “Good idea. They're probably talking about us."

  Steph said goodbye to Wallace and Angela and vanished. Angela touched my arm.

  "May I go with you?” she asked, “I'd really like to try out my new glider and I'm too wound up to sleep right now anyway."

  "Sure,” I said, then said to Wallace, “Later, Cap."

  "Yeah, later, Ed. Send her back for an afternoon nap, though. She goes on duty at five."

  He headed away down hallway three as we walked toward the dining hall. Once Wallace was out of sight I stopped walking and looked to see if we were alone. Steph raised an eyebrow at me as Angela waited to see what was on my mind.

  "Angela,” I said, “Myra Berens is an NSA spook sent here to collect info about flitters and probably anything else of interest."

  "I know about Berens."

  "Good. What's the official ceiling for a flitter these days?"

  "One hundred miles,” she answered instantly. “And the official story is that they've never been able to fly higher than that. Everybody's been briefed about the new limit, but nobody's told us why there is one."

  "Why do you think someone slapped a limit on altitude?"

  "You mean you don't know?"

  "Do you think I'd ask you if I did?"

  "Well,” she said, “I think it's at least partly to keep certain people from getting ideas about putting weapons in space."

  Shrugging, I said, “That's about all I could come up with, too. Oh, well, let's go try to scare a trainee and a spook, shall we?"

  With a grin she said, “Sounds good to me."

  As we approached the dining hall doorway I said, “By the way, Mills thinks Steph and I are having an affair. She's not happy about it."

  Angela gave me a big-eyed look as she asked, “Are you? I mean, could she..?"

  I simply gazed at her a moment, then said, “You were supposed to ask why Mills is unhappy."

  "Okay, that too, but is it even possible?"

  "Probably, but Steph hasn't shown any interest."

  Chuckling, Angela said, “You sound disappointed."

  Grinning, I said, “That's possible. You've never seen Steph in a bikini, have you?"

  She shook her head. “No, but I can see what she's got by the way her clothes fit, and she's gorgeous. You have my sympathy if you need it."

  Grinning back at her, I said, “Thanks, ma'am. I'll let you know when I can't stand it anymore. What kind of sympathy are we talking about, anyway?"

  As we entered the dining hall and headed toward the ladies, Angela gave me a sidelong look and said, “I guess we'll see about that when the time comes."

  Mills eyed the metallic thing on Angela's arm warily and didn't seem inclined to even touch it. Myra, on the other hand, thought it was beautiful and stroked it wonderingly with her fingertips.

  "It's a test unit,” I said. “They picked Angela because she hasn't flown a kite in a while. We're going to see if that thing'll survive a crash landing."

  Myra and Angela laughed as Mills glanced at me somewhat sharply.

  "That's nothing to joke about,” she said.

  "Then don't joke about it,” I said. “Let's go, people."

  The flitter met us at the front door and a few minutes later we were two thousand feet above range nine. Some of the obstacles and puzzles had been changed, but Mills seemed not to notice. Instead, she paid more attention to Angela's preparations to use her kite for the first time.

  Steph turned the flitter's left side to the oncoming breeze.

  Giving Angela a little salute, I said, “See ya,” then dove off the flitter as I said, “Glider on red."

  I heard Angela say, “Oh, holy shit! Can I still do this?"

  My ruby wings caught the wind and I sailed into a turn so I could look back. Angela had called up her glider; the emerald wings of her PFM's default mode shone brightly in the sunlight. She seemed to gather herself for a moment, then she ran off the flitter's deck with a loud scream.

  As she passed over me, dangling in her harness, she grinningly yelled, “It's working!” then she seemed to suddenly remember to put her legs inside the harness field ‘bag'.

  Half a dozen vultures were spiraling upward in a thermal some distance away and I headed that direction. When I glanced back, I saw that Angela had managed a turn and was following me as the flitter descended toward the range.

  Nosing up a bit, I slowed slightly to let Angela catch up with me. She pulled alongside me and grinned hugely as she let out another excited yell.

  "Steph, did you hear that? I think she's happy."

  "Yes, Ed, I heard it. We all heard it. Angela seems to need no comm unit within a few hundred yards. Her bio readings were almost two hundred percent for nine minutes, twenty-eight seconds. She should be able to sleep well later."

  I laughed. “No doubt. Stand by while I sideslip closer to her."

  As I neared Angela I yelled, “Steph's on the line! Are you having fun yet?"

  She laughed and yelled, “Yes! Hell yes! Tell her thankyouthankyouthankyyoouu!"

  Steph laughed and said, “Mission accomplished."

  "She heard you!” I yelled, “Anything else?"

  Angela laughed and yelled, “No! That's all! Just 'Thank-you, Stephanie!'"

  Nodding, I slipped a bit farther away from her and said, “Steph, you made her day. Possibly her month."

  "Just doing my job, sir."

  The vultures were less than thrilled to see us enter the thermal column. Two of them peeled away and headed north pretty much right away. Another one soon decided to leave, as well. The other three seemed content to stay on the far side of the column from us as we all circled upward.

  I decided to see if vultures were color blind.

  "Green on,” I said.

  The vultures showed no concern.

  "Yellow on."

  Two of the vultures faltered in flight. The third one seemed to have better nerves than his buddies.

  "Blue on."

  Veering northward, two of the vultures left the thermal. The third seemed determined to hang in there on the far side of the column. Had the blue made them leave or were they just getting too nervous about the big weird bird across the way?

  "Color off."

  Seeming to have no wings at all had no effect on the lone vulture.

  "Black on."

  Yup, that did it. The vulture suddenly said to hell with it and abandoned the column, flapping off to join the others in another thermal not too far away.

  Just before noon I left the thermal and headed down from four thousand feet. Mills was finishing the last range problem as I touched down in the staging area. A few minutes later Angela came in way too fast and had to flare three times to kill her speed. She nosed up to stall her kite, said “Glider off,” and then dropped four feet or so to the ground.

  As she walked toward me I said, “That was kind of a flashy landing, lady."

  She shook her head. “No it wasn't. I came in way too fast and too high. I'd have overshot and hit the trees with a rag kite. Or stalled out and stood it on its tail."

  I grinned. “You aren't using a rag kite, so remember that trick. Better name it before someone else does, too."

  "Oh, sure. How about 'Angela's Abysmal Approach'?"

  Shrugging, I said, “So come in a bit higher next time and pop your parachute, instead."

  Angela stopped and looked back at her landing zone, then looked upward.

  "That's a damned good idea,” she said thoughtfully. “Mayb
e useful someday, too, for a landing where there's not enough room for a kite. Thanks for the idea, Ed."

  I'd meant the suggestion sardonically, but what the hell. She liked it, so I liked it.

  Steph brought the flitter to a halt near us and said, “All aboard for lunch."

  As we stepped aboard, Myra said, “I'll have to try hang gliding someday."

  Stopping to look at her before I sat down, I asked, “You serious, lady, or just making conversation?"

  She met my gaze and said, “If you can do it, I can do it."

  The flitter began moving toward Carrington base as Steph said through my implant, “She's had parachute training. It may not be that big a step for her."

  I nodded, then looked at Angela, who sat very still, then at Steph, who shrugged.

  "Steph,” I said, “Do you think we could let her have one of the PFM's with both glider and parasail functions?"

  Angela rolled her eyes and said, “You'd better clear this with Linda, Ed."

  "Planned to, ma'am. I wasn't exactly thinking of stealing one, y'know."

  Through my implant, Steph asked, “Should I make her a PFM, Ed?"

  "Yeah,” I said as if thinking aloud. “And with the protective field, too, for when she comes skidding to a stop on her hands and knees. Can't let her mess herself up or her boss will get snippy with my boss."

  "Protective field?” asked Myra.

  "Yeah. Tell you about it later if you get a PFM.” I looked at Angela again and grinned as I said, “Just another test unit, right? And a willing volunteer who'd give it an unbiased trial run, right?"

  "Don't ask me. I'm not in charge of a damned thing outside my unit. But if I see one of those on Myra, Ed, I'll have to know that it's been authorized."

  "If she gets one, it will be, because she'll get with Linda about it and Linda will issue it to her."

  Myra's gaze narrowed. “Is this your way of getting off the hook, Ed? Why the hell would Linda Baines want to issue me one of those things?"

  "Inter-agency goodwill? Rampant generosity? Concern for your personal happiness?"

  Everybody got a giggle out of that, including Myra.

  I continued, “Could be that Linda will want them talked about before they're put up for sale, Myra. 3rd World isn't a rabidly non-profit outfit like the US government. They get into things for the money. She could write it off as advertising or something for now and sell the government a pile of them later."

  Looking at Steph, I said, “How about posting a copy to Linda of everything everyone has said since you said 'all aboard', Steph?"

  "Done, Ed."

  "Thank you, milady. Myra, it's still not too late to back out, you know."

  "Oh, fuck you, mister. If I get one, I'll be up there, too."

  "We'll see. First you have to get one, lady. I don't know which will impress me more; seeing you ask Linda for one or seeing you jump off the deck with us at three thousand feet."

  Myra smiled sweetly and asked, “Can you spare me time to see her after lunch?"

  I looked at Steph and asked, “Can we?"

  "Yes, I think so. Most of the afternoon will be reiteration with variances and Dr. Mills has proven to be both competent and adaptable."

  Looking with feigned extreme surprise at Mills, I asked, “She has? Really?"

  Mills gave me a withering look and said, “I've had a good teacher."

  As we neared the front doors of the base complex, my watch beeped.

  "Hi, Linda. I have company at the moment."

  "No problem. I just called to ask you and Steph to bring Myra to my office at one for a talk and possibly a PFM fitting."

  "We'll be there."

  "Okay. Later."

  "Bye."

  Linda clicked off as I stood up to step off the flitter. Myra gave me an odd look but said nothing as I handed her down. Mills disdained taking my hand and hopped down on her own, then strode to the building's doors. Angela shook her head at Karen's actions and also hopped down as I handed Steph down.

  "Kind of cranky today, isn't she?” asked Angela. “I'll see everybody later; I'm going to try to grab a few hours of sleep.” Turning to Steph as she tapped the PFM on her arm and grinned hugely, Angela said, “Again, Stephanie, thank you very much."

  Returning her grin as they shook hands, Steph said, “You're very welcome, Angela."

  Mills had forged ahead into the building. We followed along at a distance and Angela left our little group at the second hallway intersection with a happy little wave at Steph and me, which attracted the attention of someone in the general store.

  The woman who leaned out of the store's doorway to see what was going on was Joan. She waved at me and beckoned me to stop, then ducked back inside.

  A moment later she came out of the shop and hurried toward me with money in her hand, saying, “You forgot your change yesterday."

  I looked at the $3.31 she placed in my hand and thanked her. She glanced at Myra, then faced me again and said, “I think you were right. Thanks,” then scampered back to her store.

  "Right about what?” asked Myra.

  "Don't know,” I said, stuffing the money into my pocket. “Could have been what I said about her or about him."

  "Him who? What did you say?"

  "Personal opinions about private stuff, Myra. Lunchtime."

  In the dining hall we saw Mills at a table with three other people, apparently having a fairly animated discussion. We chose an empty table. Mills came over to tell Steph to let her know when she was ready to leave. Steph responded that Karen should simply return to the flitter after lunch.

  "But won't you be with them?” Mills noddingly indicated Myra and me.

  Steph said firmly, “I will be aboard the flitter when you arrive, Dr. Mills."

  Mills simply stood looking at her for a moment. Steph met her gaze until Mills nodded and returned to the discussion table.

  "Trouble?” I asked.

  "Not trouble,” said Steph. “I'm not enjoying Dr. Mills’ presence, however. I used to wonder why you seemed to automatically like or dislike certain people, Ed. I believe I'm gaining an understanding of such matters. I would like to end my association with Dr. Mills as quickly as possible."

  I nodded. “You got it. She grates my nerves a bit, too."

  Chapter Forty

  Linda ushered us into her office without closing doors behind us and looked at her watch as she said, “I can give you about half an hour. Myra, your unit will have parasail, glider, and protective fields. That's all I'm authorizing at the moment, so it will have to do. Good enough?"

  Myra had been caught completely off-guard by Linda's abrupt offer.

  "Uh, yes, ma'am. That would be fine. Thank you."

  Linda then handed Steph a folder and said, “Look at page three, please."

  Steph opened the folder, looked at the page, then nodded and said, “No problem, Linda."

  "Thank you, Stephanie,” said Linda, taking the folder back. “Will everyone help yourselves to coffee and have a seat?"

  I said, “I'll get the coffee,” and moved to do so as Linda and Myra sat down.

  "Myra,” said Linda, “There will be no levels of security applied to the PFM you'll receive. Play with it to your heart's content and let everyone see it. You'll be given a factory-issue test model with a letter of ownership in your own name and instruction in using the device. You'll also sign a waiver of risk and responsibility before you leave this office. Will you need authorization from your office for the PFM?"

  "No, but I should probably at least let Mr. Maxwell know that I'm being offered one."

  Linda nodded and said, “Call him now. Like I said, time is short today."

  As I served the coffees, Myra spoke to her boss, who asked to speak to Linda.

  After listening to him for a moment, she said, “Yes, Stan, a Personal Portable Field Manipulator with hang glider, parasail, and personal protection capabilities.” Another moment later she said, “Yes, that's all it does. No
. I'm not authorized to mention other possible capabilities until they've been tested and approved. Yes, it's safe. Some of my people already have them. Okay. Bye, Stan."

  She handed the phone back to Myra, who said, “It's me,” and listened for a few moments. “Okay,” she said, then, “Goodbye, Mr. Maxwell."

  Putting her phone away, Myra said, “All set."

  Linda picked up her coffee and sipped it. A PFM streaked into the room and settled on Linda's desk. On the side of it were the words 'PPFM Model 01-A' and '#000000004' in smaller print. In even tinier print below the serial number was a toll-free phone number.

  Myra rose from her chair to have a closer look at the device, but didn't reach for it.

  "You'll have to be the one to pick it up,” said Linda. “It will bond with the first person who touches it."

  A moment of rather obvious hesitation passed before Myra seemed to steel herself to reach for the PFM. She lifted it from the desk and gazed at it for another moment, then looked at Steph and Linda before looking at me.

  Linda lifted her arm to show her own PFM and said, “Just put it on your arm and say 'PFM attach'."

  Myra bit her lip and looked at her own left arm, then back at the PFM. She seemed uncertain as to whether to proceed.

  Linda said, “If they weren't completely safe, I wouldn't have one, Myra. And you can always take it off.” She reached for her own and said, “PFM detach,” then lifted the device to show it to Myra before putting it back on her arm and saying, “PFM attach."

  "It doesn't have to go on an arm,” I said, “You can stick it anywhere you want."

  Both Linda and Myra gave me rather sharp glances.

  "Oh, relax,” I said. “Jesus, you people have dirty minds. I meant under your clothes. On a leg. Like that. The thing has to be able to hear voice commands, y'know."

  With another long look at the PFM, Myra pressed it against her forearm and said the magic words, “PFM attach,” then she squeaked nervously as it reshaped itself slightly and the bonding field locked the PFM to her arm.

  She shook her arm experimentally, turned it sharply sideways, and then even tried to pry the PFM loose, but she couldn't get her nails under it. She even whacked it twice with her right hand before she stopped messing with it, said “PFM detach,” and lifted the device from her arm with a tiny, but poorly-concealed sigh.