cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第22部分

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ll　planes。　Hundreds　of　Bureau　personnel　were　employed　at　ERF；　yet　they　had　virtually　no　contact　with　any　of　us　across　the　street。　We　did　not　know　their　names。
　'I'm　sure　there　are　a　million　people　who　would　like　to　ask　you　out；'　I　said　as　we　boarded　an　elevator；　and　Lucy　scanned　her　thumb　again。
　'Usually；　not　after　they've　been　around　me　very　long；'　she　said。
　'I　don't　know；　I　haven't　gotten　rid　of　you　yet。'
　But　she　was　very　serious。　'Once　I　start　talking　shop；　the　guys　turn　off。　But　he　likes　a　challenge；　if　you　know　the　type。'
　'I　know　it　all　too　well。'
　'He　wants　something　from　me；　Aunt　Kay。'
　'Would　you　like　to　hazard　a　guess？　And　where　are　you　taking　me；　by　the　way？'
　'I　don't　know。　But　I　just　have　this　feeling。'　She　opened　a　door　to　the　virtual　environment　lab；　adding；　'I　have　a　rather　interesting　idea。'
　Lucy's　ideas　were　always　more　than　interesting。　Usually　they　were　frightening。　I　followed　her　into　a　room　of　virtual　system　processors　and　graphic　puters　stacked　on　top　of　each　other；　and　countertops　scattered　with　tools；　puter　boards；　chips　and　peripherals　like　DataGloves　and　helmet…mounted　displays。　Electrical　cords　were　bundled　in　thick　hanks　and　tied　back　from　the　blank　expanse　of　linoleum　flooring　where　Lucy　routinely　lost　herself　in　cyberspace。
　She　picked　up　a　remote　control　and　two　video　displays　blinked　on；　and　I　recognized　the　photographs　deadoc　had　sent　to　me。　They　were　big　and　in　color　on　the　screens；　and　I　began　to　get　nervous。
　'What　are　you　doing？'　I　asked　my　niece。
　'The　basic　question　has　always　been；　does　an　immersion　into　an　environment　actually　improve　the　operator's　performance；'　she　said；　typing　puter　mands。　'You　never　got　a　chance　to　be　immersed　in　this　environment。　The　crime　scene。'
　Both　of　us　stared　at　the　bloody　stumps　and　lined…up　body　parts　on　the　monitors；　and　a　chill　crept　through　me。
　'But　suppose　you　could　have　that　chance　now？'　Lucy　went　on。　'What　if　you　could　be　inside　deadoc's　room？'
　I　started　to　interrupt；　but　she　would　not　let　me。
　'What　else　might　you　see？　What　else　might　you　do？'　she　said；　and　when　she　got　like　this；　she　was　almost　manic。　'What　else　might　you　learn　about　the　victim　and　him？'
　'I　don't　know　if　I　can　use　something　like　this；'　I　protested。
　'Sure　you　can。　Now　what　I　haven't　had　time　to　do　is　add　the　synthetic　sound。　Well；　except　for　the　typical　canned　auditory　cues。　So　a　squelch　is　something　opening；　a　click's　a　switch　being　turned　on　or　off；　a　ding　usually　means　you've　just　bumped　into　something。'
　'Lucy；'　I　said　as　she　took　my　left　arm；　'what　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？'
　She　carefully　pulled　a　DataGlove　over　my　left　hand；　making　sure　it　was　snug。
　'We　use　gestures　for　human　munication。　And　we　can　use　gestures；　or　positions　as　we　call　them；　to　municate　with　the　puter；　too；'　she　explained。
　The　glove　was　black　lycra　with　fiber…optic　sensors　mounted　on　the　back　of　it。　These　were　attached　to　a　cable　that　led　to　the　high…performance　host　puter　that　Lucy　had　been　typing　on。　Next　she　picked　up　a　helmet…mounted　display　that　was　connected　to　another　cable；　and　fear　fluttered　through　my　breast　as　she　headed　my　way。
　'One　VPL　Eyephone　HRX；'　she　cheerfully　said。　'Same　thing　they're　using　at　NASA's　Ames　Research　Center；　which　is　where　I　discovered　it。'　She　was　adjusting　cables　and　straps。　'Three　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　color　elements。　Superior　resolution　and　wide　field　of　vision。'
　She　placed　the　helmet　on　top　of　my　head；　and　it　felt　heavy　and　covered　my　eyes。
　'What　you're　looking　into　are　liquid　crystal　displays；　or　LCDs；　your　basic　video　displays。　Glass　plates；　electrodes　and　molecules　doing　all　kinds　of　cool　things。　How　does　it　feel？'
　'Like　I'm　going　to　fall　down　and　suffocate。'
　I　was　beginning　to　panic　the　way　I　had　when　I'　d　first　learned　how　to　scuba　dive。
　'You're　not　going　to　do　either。'　She　was　very　patient；　her　hand　steadying　me。　'Relax。　It's　normal　to　be　phobic　at　first。　I'll　tell　you　what　to　do。　Now　you　stand　still　and　take　deep　breaths。　I'm　going　to　put　you　in。'
　She　made　adjustments；　tightening　the　display　around　my　head；　then　returned　to　the　host　puter。　I　was　blind　and　off　balance；　a　tiny　TV　in　front　of　each　eye。
　'Okay；　here　we　go；'　she　said。　'Don't　know　if　it　will　do　any　good；　but　can't　hurt　to　try。'
　Keys　clicked；　and　I　was　thrown　inside　that　room。　She　began　instructing　me　about　what　to　do　with　my　hand　to　fly　forward　or　faster；　or　in　reverse；　and　how　to　release　and　grab。　I　moved　my　index　finger；　made　clicking　motions；　brought　my　thumb　near　my　palm　and　moved　my　arm　across　my　chest　as　I　broke　out　in　a　sweat。　I　spent　a　good　five　minutes　on　the　ceiling　and　walking　into　walls。　At　one　point；　I　was　on　top　of　the　table　where　the　torso　lay　on　its　bloody　blue　cover；　stepping　on　evidence　and　the　dead。
　'I　think　I　might　throw　up；'　I　said。
　'Just　hold　still　for　a　minute；'　Lucy　said。　'Catch　your　breath。'
　I　gestured　as　I　started　to　say　something　more；　and　was　instantly　on　the　virtual　floor；　as　if　I　had　fallen　from　the　air。
　'That's　why　I　told　you　to　hold　still；'　she　said　as　she　watched　what　I　was　doing　on　the　monitors。　'Now　move　your　hand　in　and　point　with　your　first　two　fingers　toward　where　you　hear　my　voice　ing　from。　Better？'
　'Better；'　I　said。
　I　was　standing　on　the　floor　in　the　room；　as　if　the　photograph　had　e　to　life；　three…dimensional　and　large。　I　looked　around　and　did　not　actually　see　anything　I　hadn't　before　when　Vander　had　done　the　image　enhancement。　It　was　what　this　made　me　feel；　and　what　I　felt　changed　what　I　saw。
　Walls　were　the　color　of　putty；　with　faint　discolorations　that　until　now　I　had　attributed　to　water　damage；　which　might　be　expected　in　a　basement　or　garage。　But　they　seemed　different　now；　more　uniformly　distributed；　some　so　faint　I　could　barely　see　them。　Paper　had　once　covered　the　putty　paint　on　these　walls。　It　had　been　removed　but　not　replaced；　as　had　the　cornice　box　or　drapery　rod。　Above　a　window　covered　with　shut　Venetian　blinds　were　small　holes　where　brackets　once　had　been。
　'This　isn't　where　it　happened；'　I　said　as　my　heart　beat　harder。
　Lucy　was　silent。
　'She　was　brought　in　here　after　the　fact　to　be　photographed。　This　is　not　where　the　killing　and　dismemberment　took　place。'
　'What　are　you　seeing？'　she　asked。
　I　moved　my　hand　and　walked　closer　to　the　virtual　table。　I　pointed　at　the　virtual　walls；　to　show　Lucy　what　I　saw。　'Where　did　he　plug　in　the　autopsy　saw？'　I　said。
　I　could　find　but　one　electrical　outlet；　and　it　was　at　the　base　of　a　wall。
　'And　the　drop　cloth　is　from　here；　too？'　I　went　on。　'It　doesn't　fit　with　everything　else。　No　paint；　no　tools。'　I　kept　looking　around。　'And　look　at　the　floor。　The　wood's　lighter　at　the　border　as　if　there　once　was　a　rug。　Who　puts　rugs　in　workshops？　Who　has　wallpaper　and　drapes？　Where　are　the　outlets　for　power　tools？'
　'What　do　you　feel？'　she　asked。
　'I　feel　this　is　a　room　in　someone's　house　where　the　furniture　has　been　removed。　Except　there　is　some　sort　of　table；　which　has　been　covered　with　something。　Maybe　a　shower　curtain。　I　don't　know。　The　room　feels　domestic。'
　I　reached　out　my　hand　and　tried　to　touch　the　edge　of　the　table　cover；　as　if　I　could　lift　it　and　reveal　what　was　underneath；　and　as　I　looked　around；　details　became　so　clear　to　me；　I　wondered　how　I　could　have　missed　them　before。　Wiring　was　exposed　in　the　ceiling　directly　above　the　table；　as　if　a　chandelier　or　other　type　of　light　fixture　had　once　hung　there。
　'What　about　my　color　perception　right　now？'　I　asked。
　'Should　be　the　same。'
　'Then　there's　something　else。　These　walls。'　I　touched　them。　'The　color　lightens　in　this　direction。　There's　an　opening。　Maybe　a　doorway；　with　light　ing　through　it。'
　'There's　no　doorway　in　the　photo。'　Lucy　reminded　me。　'You　can　only　see　what's　there。'
　It　was　odd；　but　for　a　moment　I　thought　I　could　smell　her　blood；　the　pungency　of　old　flesh　that　has　been　dead　for　days。　I　remembered　the　doughy　texture　of　her　skin；　and　the　peculiar　eruptions　that　made　me　wonder　if　she　had　shingles。
　'She　wasn't　random；'　I　said。
　'And　the　others　were。'
　'The　other　cases　are　nothing　like　this　one。　I'm　getting　double　imagery。　Can　you　adjust　that？'
　'Vertical　retinal　image　disparity。'
　Then　I　felt　her　hand　on　my　arm。
　'Usually　goes　away　after　fifteen　or　twenty　minutes；'　she　said。　'It's　time　to　take　a　break。'
　'I　don't　feel　too　good。'
　'Image　rotation　misalignment。　Visual　fatigue；　simulation　sickness；　cybersick；　whatever　you　want　to　call　it；'　she　said。　'Causing　image　blurring；　tears；　even　queasiness。'
　I　couldn't　wait　to　remove　the　helmet　and　I　was　on　the　table　again；　facedown　in　blood　before　I　could　get　the　LCDs　away　from　my　eyes。
　My　hands　were　shaking　as　Lucy　helped　me　take　off　the　glove。　I　sat　down　on　the　floor。
　'Are　you　all　right？'　she　asked；　kindly。
　'That　was　awful；'　I　said。
　'Then　it　was　good。'　She　returned　the　helmet　and　glove　to　a　counter。　'You　were　immersed　in　the　environment。　That's　what　should　happen。'
　She　handed　me　several　tissues；　and　I　wiped　my　face。
　'What　about　the　other　photograph？　Do　you　want　to　do　that　one；　too？'　she　asked。　'The　one　with　the　hands　and　feet？'
　'I've　been　in　that　room　quite　enough；'　I　said。
　
　
　8
　
　I　DROVE　HOME　haunted。　I　had　been　going　to　crime　scenes　most　of　my　professional　life；　but　had　never　had　one　e　to　me。　The　sensation　of　being　inside　that　photograph；　of　imagining　I　could　smell　and　feel　what　was　left　of　that　body；　had　shaken　me　badly。　It　was　almost　midnight　by　the　time　I　pulled　into　my　garage；　and　I　couldn't　unlock　my　door　fast　enough。　Inside　my　house；　I　turned　the　alarm　off；　then　back　on　the　instant　I　shut　and　locked　the　door。　I　looked　around　to　make　sure　nothing　was　out　of　place。
　Lighting　a　fire；　I　fixed　a　drink　and　missed　cigarettes　again。　I　turned　on　music　to　keep　me　pany；　then　went　inside　my　office　to　see　what　might　await　me　there。　I　had　various　faxes　and　phone　messages；　and　another　munication　in　e…mail。　This　time；　all　deadoc　had　for　me　was　to　repeat；　you　think　you　re　so　smart。　I　was　printing　this　and　wondering　if　Squad　19　had　seen　it；　too；　when　the　telephone　rang；　startling　me。
　'Hi；'　Wesley　said。　'Just　making　sure　you　got　in　okay。'
　'There's　more　mail；'　I　said；　and　I　told　him　what　it　was。
　'Save　it　and　go　to　bed。'
　'It's　hard　not　to　think　about。