cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第27部分

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ok　this　time。　Where　are　you　parked？'
　'Over　here。'　I　pointed　the　key's　remote　control。
　Doors　unlocked　and　the　interior　light　went　on。　Typically；　we　did　not　touch。　We　never　had　when　someone　might　see。
　'Sometimes　I　hate　this；'　I　said　as　I　got　into　my　car。　'It's　fine　to　talk　about　body　parts；　rape　and　murder　all　day　long；　but　not　to　hug　each　other；　hold　hands。　God　forbid　anybody　should　see　that。'　I　started　the　engine。　'Tell　me　how　normal　that　is？　It's　not　like　we're　still　having　an　affair　or　mitting　a　crime。'　I　yanked　my　seatbelt　across　my　chest。　'Is　there　some　don't…ask…don't…tell　FBI　rule　no　one's　let　me　in　on？'
　'Yes。'
　He　kissed　me　on　the　lips　as　a　group　of　agents　walked　by。
　'So　don't　tell　anyone；'　he　said。
　
　Moments　later；　I　parked　in　front　of　the　Engineering　Research　Facility；　or　ERF；　a　huge；　space　age…looking　building　where　the　FBI　conducted　its　classified　technical　research　and　development。　If　Lucy　knew　all　of　what　went　on　in　the　labs　here；　she　did　not　tell；　and　there　were　few　areas　of　the　building　where　I　was　allowed；　even　when　escorted　by　her。　She　was　waiting　by　the　front　door　as　I　pointed　the　remote　control　at　my　car；　which　was　not　responding。
　'It　won't　work　here；'　she　said。
　I　looked　up　at　the　eerie　rooftop　of　antennae　and　satellite　dishes；　sighing　as　I　manually　locked　doors　with　the　key。
　'You'd　think　I'd　remember　after　all　these　times；'　I　muttered。
　'Your　investigator　friend；　Ring；　tried　to　walk　me　over　here　after　the　consultation；'　she　said；　scanning　her　thumb　in　a　biometric　lock　by　the　door。
　'He's　not　my　friend；'　I　told　her。
　The　lobby　was　high…ceilinged　and　arranged　with　glass　cases　displaying　clunky；　inefficient　radio　and　electronic　equipment　used　by　law　enforcement　before　ERF　was　built。
　'He　asked　me　out　again；'　she　said。
　Corridors　were　monochromatic　and　seemed　endless；　and　I　was　forever　impressed　with　the　silence　and　sense　that　no　one　was　here。　Scientists　and　engineers　worked　behind　shut　doors　in　spaces　big　enough　to　acmodate　automobiles；　helicopters　and　small　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　dismembe