McPherson forces down a few deep breaths, thinking court injunction, court injunction. Meanwhile, across the room, the Parnell people are still in paroxysms of joy, the dishonest bastards. They know better than anyone else that they can’t possibly build the Stormbee system for only $699 million. It’s just a ploy to get the bid; later they can get into the matter of some unfortunate “cost overruns.” It can only be a deliberate plan on their part, a deliberate lie. That’s the competition, the people he has to put his own work up against: cheaters and liars. With the Air Force going along with them all the way, completely a part of it, of the cheating and lying. In control of it, in fact. Feeling physically ill, McPherson sits down heavily and stares through the booklet, seeing nothing at all.

Chapter 35

35

Sandy Chapman is in the middle of an ordinary business day, snorting Polymorpheus and listening to The Underachievers with his friend and client John Sturmond, watching the hang-gliding championships at Victoria Falls on John’s wall video and talking about the commercial possibilities of a small-scale aural hallucinogen. Suddenly John’s ally Vikki Gale bursts in, all upset. “We’ve been ripped off!”

Turns out that she and John fronted nearly a liter of the Buzz to a retailer of theirs named Adam, who has now disappeared from the face of OC. No chance of finding him, or collecting the bill, which means they are out some ten thousand dollars. Gone like a dollar bill dropped in the street, and with no lost and found. And no police to call. It’s gone. The price you pay for bad character judgment.

Vikki is collapsed on the couch crying, John is up striding around, shouting, “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I knew I shouldn’t have trusted that guy!”

Heavy gloom ensues. Sandy sighs, roots around in his Adidas bag and pulls out a large eyedropper of California Mello. “Here,” he says. “There’s only one solution to a situation like this, and that’s to get as stoned as you can.”

So they start lidding. “Think of it as an event,” Sandy drones. “An experience. I mean, how often does it happen? It’s great, in a way. Teaches you some about the realms of experience and emotion.”

“For sure,” Vikki says.

“I’m with you there,” says John.

“Besides, I fronted you, and okayed the front to this thief Adam, so I’ll halve the loss with you. We’ll just have to sell more and make it back.”

“For sure.”

“That’s really tubular of you, man. Absolutely untold.”

They lid some Funny Bone. Now the whole thing strikes them funny, but they’re too mellow to laugh.

“It’s a high-risk industry.” Giggles.

“Investment portfolio just walked off on us.” Chuckles.

“We’ve been completely fucked.”