Cruel Zinc Melodies

65

I went back inside. It was lonely in there. A couple of ghosts floated aimlessly. They weren’t interested in me. They were too feeble to be scary.

I shut down most of the lamps. Thoughtful Garrett, trying to save the boss a bit of silver.

It was freezing in there now. I closed vents and exits that I couldn’t watch directly. Saucerhead and his guys were good, if they bothered, but there are some slick operators in this burg. I didn’t want any of those faced with too much temptation.

I had no real plan. My hanging around belonged to the category ‘‘Seemed like a good idea at the time.’’

I settled against a wall not far from the main entrance and thought about clunky music.

I dozed.

Somebody called, ‘‘Garrett? You in here?’’ Then, in a softer voice, ‘‘You’re sure he didn’t go home, Tharpe?’’

‘‘No, sir, Mr. Gilbey. No, sir. He never would’ve gone off and left the doors unlocked.’’

‘‘Over here.’’ I went to work getting my feet under me. It was hard. I’d stiffened up. ‘‘I fell asleep.’’

Hand on the wall, I looked around. I saw three ghosts, little stronger than heat shimmers, uninterested in the new-comers. The air was warmer now.

Gilbey and his niece stood just inside the main entrance. A nervous Saucerhead Tharpe filled the doorway behind, reluctant to come any farther. Gilbey said, ‘‘I stopped by to see what headway you made today. Looks like some work did get done.’’

‘‘There’ll be a full crew tomorrow. They don’t show, they lose their jobs to the breeds who tossed up that guard shack out front.’’

‘‘We had a complaint about you pushing the workmen around.’’

‘‘And?’’

‘‘I see some work got done today.’’

I took time out to be smug.

Gilbey asked, ‘‘What about the other problems? I see some things that might be ghosts.’’

I explained that we did seem to have dealt with the giant bugs. ‘‘For now. I’ll be amazed if more don’t hatch out. You know how hard it is to get rid of roaches.’’

‘‘And the ghosts?’’

I talked about that, too.

‘‘Interesting. Answer me this. How do we make it so cold down there that we don’t hear from this thing anymore?’’

Heather Soames drifted off in pursuit of a shimmer that appeared to prefer to avoid her.

‘‘I think we just need to keep the bugs off. It’s been content to hibernate for the gods know how long. I figure, keep the bugs away and the cold run down, it’ll fall asleep for another thousand years.’’

‘‘No idea what it is yet?’’

‘‘My partner took over that research. I had a couple Hill types in here earlier. They weren’t excited so it can’t be something sorcerers whisper about or shop for behind our backs.’’

Heather caught up with a ghost. She poked it with a silver hat pin.

I swear, vague, pus-colored shimmer that it was, it began to sweat. Fine drops rained down on the floor planking, speckling briefly before evaporating. The ghost fled.

Then the music started. The zinc orchestral maneuvers. Bill had done a good job describing that clunky sound. What he had failed to capture was the ferocious volume.

It wasloud! this time. The building shook. Despite the fact that the World was so new that it was still only half-finished, dust and dirt drifted down from overhead.

Saucerhead called from the doorway, ‘‘What’s up, Garrett?’’

‘‘I think it’s under control.’’ I had to yell.

Meantime, Gilbey caught Heather and told her, ‘‘Maybe you shouldn’t do that.’’

‘‘You think?’’ Though she was stalking a second ghost at the time.

The music changed. A children’s game song became pounding jungle rhythm. And got louder.

Its mood I could not discern.

I’d started to sweat. The place was heating up.

I got busy opening things up again.

Outside temperatures had plunged since sundown. The barking wind was bitter.

The music did not falter.

Finished opening up, I rejoined Gilbey and his niece. Beautiful woman, Heather Soames. Bright. But solidly equipped with a taste for self-destruction.

Saucerhead remained in the doorway. He wouldn’t come inside but he wanted to keep track. He had his hands over his ears. For what good that did.

Then he moved, pushed aside. Barate Algarda and Furious Tide of Light had returned.