Transition

Chapter 7- Bathtown

Diane looked around the small laboratory Dr. Frost had appropriated for her. It definitely needed a cleaning but it was perfect for her needs. It had been a blood analysis lab at one time, among other things and some equipment still remained. Diane examined various pieces, pleased to see an incubator and a standard water bath.

Against one wall a sheet was draped over a few more pieces she hoped she could find useful and she smiled at Dr. Frost.

"This is ideal, Winston. You are amazing."

"I've always hoped to resurrect this place once again. It is its own world - undiscovered by anyone else since I closed it. The Ultracentrifuge is a good one and there's a direct reading electronic balance. A few other items used in blood analysis were removed long ago but I think there is still a good microscope under there. Everything will need a good cleaning and some recalibration but--"

"Winston it's perfect. Really. I can get my own things in here and be up and running in a day or two."

Dr. Frost took his glasses off and wiped them on his shirt front. "I'm concerned that we are still doing business with Horace. The promise of the funding came through when I asked again without having to use your friend's threat and I don't know why."

"I imagine it is as Hunter said, they want my- our data. I imagine they will wait until we have proved the research demonstrably and then attempt some kind of take over."

"But aren't you worried?"

"This is too far-reaching to hold back now, Doctor. That's a bridge I'll cross when I come to it." She brushed some dust from her hands, smiled and suggested they leave then followed him up the narrow staircase to street level.

The steel door was locked and Winston busied himself with a piece of equipment concealed in the door frame.

"What's that?"

"Alice. I'll tell you about it back at the office."

"Alice?"

"Your assistant while on site here. I'll explain later."

********

Hunter decided his best chance to find Chesterton, since he didn't appear to be in any listings, was to find Hargreave. The kid had mentioned that Chesterton sold his story to some media and something about a film. Chances were that he would have a location or know somebody who would.

After running a number of searches on his pad he found a Cliff Hargreave, consultant, living in Bathtown, a seedier part of the sprawling city. It was the only one matching all he knew about the kid so Bathtown it was.

Traffic, bad air, bad food, smoke and noise were the main features of Bathtown. Gaudy neon with virtual advertising, hawkers and hucksters plying the crowded main street peddling their blue smoke and spin pills gave the whole scene a carnival atmosphere.

He was approached three times by sex droids in the space of a couple of blocks, each with the same overdeveloped attributes and common spiels. He found Hargreave's address and climbed the stairs to the third floor of the grungy building. The name on the door hung at an angle and instinctively he tried to straighten it - it fell off on the floor.

The door opened as he picked it up and a young woman with silver hair stared at him.

"Sorry, it fell off. Is uh, Cliff Hargreave here?"

The woman turned and Hunter stepped inside, tossing the name plate into a corner. In the dim light he could see she was naked and beyond her, he saw Cliff spread out on a bed working a canister of blue smoke.