WEBVTT - Chapter Ten 0:00:02.279 --> 0:00:06.880 Chapter ten, Mannie, it couldn't have been much past ten 0:00:06.920 --> 0:00:09.400 in the morning when they arrived at the City of Wheels, 0:00:10.039 --> 0:00:13.000 Topaz and Skullfucker. Mike had helped him and Reggie into 0:00:13.039 --> 0:00:15.760 an open topped red buggy they had apparently driven out 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:18.400 to the ambush. The old vehicle beat the hell out 0:00:18.400 --> 0:00:21.040 of walking, but it had not been built with comfort 0:00:21.040 --> 0:00:24.079 in mind. Every bump and jostle on the road sent 0:00:24.160 --> 0:00:26.920 Payne shooting up from Mannie's fucked knee to what felt 0:00:26.960 --> 0:00:29.880 like a small forest of tears in his shoulder muscles. 0:00:30.280 --> 0:00:33.760 Mike the driver kept the vehicle at a conspicuously slow pace, 0:00:33.920 --> 0:00:36.520 but he heard all the same. The ten minute drive 0:00:36.680 --> 0:00:40.239 was agony, but then rolling Fuck came into view and 0:00:40.320 --> 0:00:43.640 all thought of pain faded from Mannie's mind. The main 0:00:43.760 --> 0:00:46.479 structure of the city had once been a colossal Bagger 0:00:46.560 --> 0:00:49.519 two eighty eight strip mining machine. It looked like a 0:00:49.560 --> 0:00:54.040 sideways skyscraper sized spider made of scaffolding and cranes. At 0:00:54.040 --> 0:00:56.480 the center of the vehicle was a four story building 0:00:56.520 --> 0:01:00.160 on a massive set of treads. Four spindley towers rose 0:01:00.240 --> 0:01:02.440 up out of that main structure and in a giant 0:01:02.480 --> 0:01:05.400 half circle in the air around it. A gantryway the 0:01:05.480 --> 0:01:07.960 length of a football field connected the spindles to a 0:01:08.080 --> 0:01:10.640 mighty steel arm at the end of the structure. It 0:01:10.680 --> 0:01:14.000 had once housed an enormous wheel bucket mining apparatus, but 0:01:14.120 --> 0:01:17.360 that had been replaced by a queer cube structure. It 0:01:17.440 --> 0:01:19.720 sat high in the air and gleamed in a shade 0:01:19.720 --> 0:01:23.679 of black that made Manny's stomach hurt. The overwhelming motif 0:01:23.720 --> 0:01:27.240 of Rolling Fuck was after market. The spindle towers had 0:01:27.240 --> 0:01:30.600 originally looked like scaffolding and mainly existed to offset the 0:01:30.640 --> 0:01:33.360 weight of that Titanic arm, but they'd been built on 0:01:33.520 --> 0:01:36.800 and added to with a series of tree house looking contraptions. 0:01:36.800 --> 0:01:39.360 He saw people, hundreds of them, climbing from door to 0:01:39.440 --> 0:01:42.080 door via a series of ladders, ropes, and what looked 0:01:42.080 --> 0:01:45.119 like vines. Below the main body of the city, a 0:01:45.120 --> 0:01:48.360 series of vehicles surrounded the vast rolling building that made 0:01:48.400 --> 0:01:52.120 up the city's foundation. Many saw long haul trucks, deuce 0:01:52.200 --> 0:01:54.680 and a half army transports, and at least one old 0:01:54.720 --> 0:01:58.440 Abrams tank. Hundreds of sets of solar panels glistened under 0:01:58.480 --> 0:02:04.320 the Texas sun. God Reggie whispered ah temporarily overwhelming his pain, 0:02:04.800 --> 0:02:07.600 but didn't realize any of the road tribes with this lodge. 0:02:08.200 --> 0:02:10.880 There were easily two or three thousand people visible in 0:02:10.880 --> 0:02:14.360 the sprawling camp. Mike glanced back at Reggie a somewhat 0:02:14.400 --> 0:02:17.480 stern look on his face. This is not a tribe, 0:02:17.840 --> 0:02:22.160 it's a city, oh, said Reggie. That's just how a 0:02:22.160 --> 0:02:24.560 lot of people back home refer to I get it, 0:02:24.919 --> 0:02:28.480 Mike interrupted, But there are actual indigenous tribes out on 0:02:28.520 --> 0:02:31.520 these roads, Comanche bands and the Panhandle roving up from 0:02:31.560 --> 0:02:34.880 New Mexico to Colorado. We've got defensive and trade agreements 0:02:34.880 --> 0:02:37.239 with a few different groups of Apache out west. The 0:02:37.360 --> 0:02:40.320 Navajo have the only stable territory south of Mormon Land 0:02:40.320 --> 0:02:43.560 and north of Albuquerque. Mike glanced back at the road 0:02:43.639 --> 0:02:45.920 long enough to steer around a pothole and turn them 0:02:45.919 --> 0:02:48.160 in the direction of what looked to be a greater station. 0:02:48.520 --> 0:02:52.920 Then he continued, anyway, there are tribes out west, but 0:02:53.000 --> 0:02:55.280 we're a city. The fact that we don't hold any 0:02:55.360 --> 0:02:58.200 land or control any territory is important to most of 0:02:58.240 --> 0:03:00.360 the folks here. Think of it as a kind of 0:03:00.400 --> 0:03:05.160 rebellion from people born to a settler culture. Ah. Reggie nodded, 0:03:05.400 --> 0:03:08.079 that's absolutely fascinating. I have so much I want to 0:03:08.120 --> 0:03:11.480 ask in good time, Buddy Mike said, Let's get y'all 0:03:11.520 --> 0:03:15.200 settled in first. Manny knew that every foreign correspondent he'd 0:03:15.200 --> 0:03:17.800 never met would kill to have the opportunity Reggie had 0:03:17.840 --> 0:03:21.239 just lucked into the road. People were a popular topic 0:03:21.280 --> 0:03:24.440 in world media. He supposed that wasn't surprising. They all 0:03:24.520 --> 0:03:28.520 led visually spectacular lives. Rolling Fuck was just the grandest 0:03:28.600 --> 0:03:31.720 variation on a theme. It was famous across the West 0:03:31.760 --> 0:03:35.160 for having the highest proportion of post human citizens. Something 0:03:35.200 --> 0:03:36.880 like a third of them were chromed enough to no 0:03:36.960 --> 0:03:40.560 longer fit into the Homo sapiens category. Manny had never 0:03:40.600 --> 0:03:43.280 heard of them traveling this close to Dallas before they 0:03:43.280 --> 0:03:45.840 were banned in all of the Republic cities. People with 0:03:45.880 --> 0:03:50.160 military grade mods were uncontrollable. That and cultural PTSD from 0:03:50.160 --> 0:03:53.760 the war made them pariahs pretty much everywhere. The main 0:03:53.800 --> 0:03:55.960 structure of the city was encircled by a ring of 0:03:56.000 --> 0:03:59.080 thirty ish large and heavily customed to r vs. A 0:03:59.120 --> 0:04:02.320 few dozen smaller vehicles, many of them bearing sundry armaments, 0:04:02.440 --> 0:04:05.520 were scattered throughout the campground. The only thing that resembled 0:04:05.520 --> 0:04:08.160 a checkpoint was a tidy, little one room trailer with 0:04:08.200 --> 0:04:11.400 a bright welcome sign above it. Mike steered them into 0:04:11.400 --> 0:04:13.920 park in front of it. The guard who approached them 0:04:13.960 --> 0:04:16.880 was a shirtless, dreadlocked person with dusky brown skin and 0:04:16.880 --> 0:04:20.320 an automatic shotgun to pass kissed them. Then the guard 0:04:20.360 --> 0:04:24.040 greeted Manny and Reggie, Welcome to Rolling Fuck. Rules are 0:04:24.279 --> 0:04:28.440 don't start, no ship, won't be no ship cool. Manny nodded, 0:04:28.800 --> 0:04:39.680 so did the brit All right, they said, enjoy. Manny 0:04:39.800 --> 0:04:42.719 was a little shocked by how loud it was. Several 0:04:42.760 --> 0:04:44.680 of the camps appeared to have been built mainly out 0:04:44.680 --> 0:04:47.400 of speakers. There were a handful of open air bars 0:04:47.440 --> 0:04:50.760 outside the main structure of the city, heterogeneous mixes of 0:04:50.800 --> 0:04:54.240 teaky torches, brightly colored silk shade structures, and scrap metal 0:04:54.279 --> 0:04:57.240 bar tables. Despite the early hour, quite a few people 0:04:57.279 --> 0:05:00.320 were drinking and dancing. Manny noted more p what we're 0:05:00.320 --> 0:05:03.039 doing the former than the latter. Most people were either 0:05:03.120 --> 0:05:06.120 naked or wearing a few pieces of light ornamental clothing. 0:05:06.480 --> 0:05:09.920 Nearly everyone carried a firearm. He looked over to the 0:05:10.000 --> 0:05:13.000 journalist and noticed that Reggie was blinking rapidly and working 0:05:13.040 --> 0:05:15.960 his jaw. His arm was still dislocated, and it seemed 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:17.840 to pain him as much as Manny was pained by 0:05:17.839 --> 0:05:20.960 his leg. Manny sense of professional pride lit up again, 0:05:21.200 --> 0:05:23.800 and he leaned forward to speak to their hosts. I 0:05:24.040 --> 0:05:26.480 don't mean to seem ungrateful, he said, but is there 0:05:26.520 --> 0:05:29.120 some way we could see a medic? We're pretty shredded 0:05:29.120 --> 0:05:32.800 back here? Yeah? Yeah, skullfucker Mike grunted topes, and I 0:05:32.839 --> 0:05:34.840 got some meta ship in our trailer. We'll get you. 0:05:35.000 --> 0:05:37.479 Just suck it up a bit longer, and oh. He 0:05:37.560 --> 0:05:40.520 popped open the glove compartment. Inside it, Manny could see 0:05:40.520 --> 0:05:43.320 a handgun, a battered can of Miller High Life, and 0:05:43.360 --> 0:05:46.840 a large bottle of pills. Skullfucker Mike passed the bottle 0:05:46.880 --> 0:05:50.640 back Boxy printed him out myself like two weeks back. 0:05:51.080 --> 0:05:53.680 Probably shouldn't take more than two or three unless you've 0:05:53.680 --> 0:05:56.280 got a robust, fucking Narco suite in your brain. Meat. 0:05:56.839 --> 0:06:00.600 Manny took two, Reggie took four. Mike added the little 0:06:00.640 --> 0:06:03.679 buggy through the organized chaos of the encampment and towards 0:06:03.720 --> 0:06:06.240 a large silver air stream parked about a dozen feet 0:06:06.240 --> 0:06:09.479 away from what Manny guessed was the backside of rolling fuck. 0:06:10.160 --> 0:06:12.599 He guessed that because someone had bolted a twenty foot 0:06:12.600 --> 0:06:14.960 tall license plate to that end of the city. It 0:06:15.080 --> 0:06:19.200 said honk please in glowing white letters. The Bucky slowed 0:06:19.240 --> 0:06:22.039 to a stop and skullfucker Mike hopped out. He put 0:06:22.040 --> 0:06:24.200 out a hand as Manny and Reggie started to stand, 0:06:24.760 --> 0:06:27.640 Hold up, guys, y'all are just covered in pieces of 0:06:27.680 --> 0:06:29.960 dead people. He went up to the air stream and 0:06:30.000 --> 0:06:32.400 came out moments later with one armful of towels and 0:06:32.440 --> 0:06:35.600 a large jug of hot, soapy water. Manny and Reggie 0:06:35.680 --> 0:06:38.159 washed their hands and faces, pulled off their shirts, and 0:06:38.200 --> 0:06:40.840 scrubbed the blood from their chests. The brit looked over 0:06:40.880 --> 0:06:44.640 at Topaz when it came time to take off his pants. Um, 0:06:44.640 --> 0:06:47.039 he said. When she made no motion to hide her face, 0:06:48.120 --> 0:06:53.400 she asked, would you mind turning around? Oh? She seemed surprised. 0:06:53.600 --> 0:06:55.880 Her face went a bit red, but not with embarrassment 0:06:55.880 --> 0:06:58.360 at their impending nudity. I didn't even think about it. 0:06:58.480 --> 0:07:01.599 Do people come from the world? She turned. Reggie and 0:07:01.600 --> 0:07:04.760 Manny scrubbed most of the blood off their aching wounded bodies. 0:07:04.880 --> 0:07:07.600 Skullfucker Mike brought them a pair of fluffy white robes, 0:07:07.800 --> 0:07:10.600 buddled them up and ushered them inside the air stream. 0:07:11.280 --> 0:07:14.200 It was tame by comparison to the grand weird wheeled 0:07:14.240 --> 0:07:17.480 city above them. The gleaming silver vehicle had been modified 0:07:17.480 --> 0:07:19.600 with a roof top greenhouse that was filled with pot 0:07:19.640 --> 0:07:22.400 plants and some squat bush with red berries Manny had 0:07:22.440 --> 0:07:25.280 never seen before. The back had been extended, and the 0:07:25.320 --> 0:07:29.000 stainless steel replaced by an enormous bay window. As he entered, 0:07:29.040 --> 0:07:30.960 Mannie was hit by a wave of cold air and 0:07:30.960 --> 0:07:34.920 the strong smell of marijuana. Roughly half the trailer's interior 0:07:35.000 --> 0:07:37.560 was taken up by a huge popissan bed covered in 0:07:37.640 --> 0:07:41.240 velvet blankets and dozens of furs. A circular table started 0:07:41.320 --> 0:07:43.000 right where the bed ended, and the rest of the 0:07:43.000 --> 0:07:47.080 trailer was a large glass walled combination bathroom bar. There 0:07:47.120 --> 0:07:50.120 did not appear to be a kitchen. Manny's leg had 0:07:50.120 --> 0:07:52.360 started throbbing as soon as he stood up to eggit 0:07:52.360 --> 0:07:54.360 the buggy, so he dropped into the first seat he 0:07:54.400 --> 0:07:57.320 could find, a little padded bench by the table opposite 0:07:57.320 --> 0:07:59.720 the bed. Reggie sat down on the other side of 0:07:59.720 --> 0:08:02.960 the table table. Manny noticed that he looked nervous, sweaty. 0:08:03.280 --> 0:08:07.360 The journalist's hand shook just a little. His skin seemed pale. 0:08:07.720 --> 0:08:10.960 Topaz came in after them, followed by skullfucker Mike. She 0:08:11.040 --> 0:08:12.960 hopped over the table with a grace of a deer 0:08:13.040 --> 0:08:16.040 jumping a fence, and in one smooth motion, spun round 0:08:16.080 --> 0:08:18.880 and settled into a cross legged sit on the plush mattress. 0:08:19.600 --> 0:08:22.000 Schoolfucker Mike walked up to the bar and pulled down 0:08:22.000 --> 0:08:25.320 a large white bottle with the words Rufies written across 0:08:25.360 --> 0:08:28.960 it in black marker. He took two pint glasses, filled 0:08:29.000 --> 0:08:31.040 them three quarters up with the white liquid, and then 0:08:31.080 --> 0:08:34.840 added a splash of cranberry juice to each glass. Scully 0:08:35.240 --> 0:08:39.520 Topaz sounded reproachful. Mike stiffened, then dropped his shoulders in contrition. 0:08:39.760 --> 0:08:43.200 He turned towards them, Sorry, guys, my manners are burnt out. 0:08:43.360 --> 0:08:46.360 Would either of you like a G teeny? Neither of 0:08:46.400 --> 0:08:48.840 them answered for a long second. It was Reggie who 0:08:48.880 --> 0:08:54.120 finally responded, gee teeny. Mike laughed, Yeah, that's what Topes 0:08:54.160 --> 0:08:57.000 and I call G HB and cranberry juice really hits 0:08:57.040 --> 0:08:59.520 the spot after shooting something, I can make you, guys, 0:08:59.559 --> 0:09:04.160 some human sized portions. No thanks, Manny and Reggie said 0:09:04.200 --> 0:09:07.120 at the exact same time. The big man handed one 0:09:07.160 --> 0:09:10.120 glass to Topaz and belted down the other himself. The 0:09:10.160 --> 0:09:12.920 woman took two gulps to finish hers. She handed her 0:09:12.960 --> 0:09:14.719 cup to Mike and he walked back to the bar 0:09:14.800 --> 0:09:19.000 to fill both glasses again. Reggie looked shocked. I'm fairly 0:09:19.040 --> 0:09:22.600 certain you just ingested enough GHB to kill two normal humans. 0:09:23.760 --> 0:09:25.959 Tope has shrugged. Let's say what we've had so far 0:09:26.000 --> 0:09:28.640 as only or so of a fatal dose for some 0:09:28.720 --> 0:09:31.880 one your size and metabolism and mods Scully is better 0:09:31.920 --> 0:09:35.520 at drugging people, though, skullfucker. Mike finished pouring two more 0:09:35.600 --> 0:09:38.840 g tenys and nodded, She's about right. The brit drinks more, 0:09:38.880 --> 0:09:40.719 though I'd say he could take a heavier dose than 0:09:41.200 --> 0:09:44.560 what what was your name again, Manny? Manny gasped out, 0:09:44.559 --> 0:09:46.880 and would it be too much to ask for like 0:09:46.960 --> 0:09:51.119 some medical care? We are both in tremendous pain. Topaz 0:09:51.120 --> 0:09:56.679 and skullfucker Mike looked ashamed. Geez, Topaz side fucking hell, guys, 0:09:56.720 --> 0:09:59.199 We're so sorry, added Mike. Then he grabbed a long 0:09:59.280 --> 0:10:01.880 knife from his belt and gouged it deep into his wrist. 0:10:02.280 --> 0:10:05.640 Reggie damn near jumped out of his chair. Manny kept still. 0:10:06.000 --> 0:10:07.880 The pills had started to help, but he was in 0:10:07.920 --> 0:10:11.320 too much pain to react to anything with Gusto. It's 0:10:11.360 --> 0:10:14.040 all right, Topez assured them, and the kind of voice 0:10:14.040 --> 0:10:16.280 Manny remembered his mom using on their cat when it 0:10:16.360 --> 0:10:20.440 was sick. I know it looks weird, but he's helping, helping, 0:10:20.880 --> 0:10:24.040 Reggie gasped as Skullfucker Mike positioned his open wound over 0:10:24.080 --> 0:10:26.640 a shot glass, jammed the knife and slightly to the left, 0:10:26.800 --> 0:10:29.120 and let a thick strand of his syrupy red blood 0:10:29.120 --> 0:10:31.600 fill the glass. He filled a second one in the 0:10:31.640 --> 0:10:34.000 same manner. Then he pulled the knife free, set it 0:10:34.040 --> 0:10:36.200 on the bar counter, and handed the shots to Manny 0:10:36.240 --> 0:10:38.840 and Reggie. By the time he reached them, many noticed 0:10:38.880 --> 0:10:41.360 that the big man's wounded arm had already scabbed over. 0:10:41.960 --> 0:10:45.240 Don't worry, skullfucker, Mike smiled. My blood's pretty sterile, and 0:10:45.280 --> 0:10:47.320 it's full of good robots. They'll take care of you. 0:10:47.800 --> 0:10:50.319 Manny took the shot right away. He knew it was 0:10:50.360 --> 0:10:52.320 working when he felt pain from the wounds in his 0:10:52.360 --> 0:10:55.440 back again. That meant Mike's blood had fixed whatever god 0:10:55.440 --> 0:10:57.640 awful thing had happened to his knee well enough that 0:10:57.760 --> 0:11:01.960 it barely throbbed. Mertus Santa, the curse slipped out. Man. 0:11:01.960 --> 0:11:05.080 He felt better, great, in fact, but kind of queasy. 0:11:05.120 --> 0:11:08.640 At the same time, he felt somehow in motion, almost 0:11:08.679 --> 0:11:10.960 as if his whole body were shifting and burbling, like 0:11:11.000 --> 0:11:13.760 the contents of his gut. The fixer glanced at his 0:11:13.840 --> 0:11:17.400 journalist and nodded to the empty shot. It's a it's good. 0:11:18.160 --> 0:11:21.920 Reggie looked terrified. His knuckles were white. The journalist gripped 0:11:21.920 --> 0:11:23.600 the edges of the table like he was holding on 0:11:23.720 --> 0:11:28.520 for dear life. I am fine, he gritted out, A 0:11:28.800 --> 0:11:31.800 damn it, Scully. Topaz said, you've scared the poor kid 0:11:31.880 --> 0:11:35.880 with your damned wizard blood shit, said skullfucker Mike. Sorry, 0:11:35.920 --> 0:11:38.080 we were trying real hard not to trip your head. 0:11:38.920 --> 0:11:42.120 Topaz nodded. The gesture looked a little telegraphed, as if 0:11:42.160 --> 0:11:45.239 she were out of practice with making it stock Sapiens 0:11:45.320 --> 0:11:48.040 like yourself don't always do well around folks like me 0:11:48.080 --> 0:11:50.480 and Mike. We moved too fast, or we've got too 0:11:50.520 --> 0:11:53.040 many weird extra parts. I don't know. It's probably different 0:11:53.040 --> 0:11:55.800 for every one of us, but your brains definitely read 0:11:55.920 --> 0:11:59.520 monster when you see us. Oh, Reggie croaked, You're not 0:11:59.720 --> 0:12:04.280 mom sters. You've both been very polite private hoasts ah, 0:12:04.360 --> 0:12:06.600 said Mike. It's got nothing to do with how nice 0:12:06.640 --> 0:12:08.920 we are, aren't. It's how your brain reacts to the 0:12:08.920 --> 0:12:12.319 way we look and move. It's because we're fucking monsters, Scully, 0:12:12.520 --> 0:12:14.640 She fixed her eyes on the journalist. I don't mean 0:12:14.679 --> 0:12:16.760 that in a bad sense, but like we've taken a 0:12:16.800 --> 0:12:19.480 big damn step out of anything near to nature. Nothing 0:12:19.600 --> 0:12:21.720 is supposed to be the way we are. It's normal 0:12:21.760 --> 0:12:23.800 for humans to feel weird when they're around us for 0:12:23.840 --> 0:12:28.240 the first time. Oh well, said Reggie. Maybe don't slice 0:12:28.280 --> 0:12:30.360 your wrists open in front of company in the future, 0:12:30.600 --> 0:12:33.560 or at least do it behind a screen. Mike nodded 0:12:33.600 --> 0:12:36.000 as if that had been a profound suggestion. Then he 0:12:36.080 --> 0:12:39.080 handed Topaz her second g teny and belted down his own. 0:12:39.600 --> 0:12:44.000 They were both visibly intoxicated now. Topas his eyes looked unfocused, 0:12:44.000 --> 0:12:46.280 and she sprawled out backwards on the bed and cuddled 0:12:46.280 --> 0:12:48.840 absent mindedly with one of the fur blankets on her bed. 0:12:49.400 --> 0:12:51.920 Mike drifted off to tapping his foot to a beat 0:12:51.960 --> 0:12:54.319 Manny couldn't hear, and drumming his fingers on the bar 0:12:54.360 --> 0:12:57.400 top to what looked like a completely different beat. The 0:12:57.480 --> 0:13:00.160 journalist stared at his bloodshot. It looked like it had 0:13:00.160 --> 0:13:03.360 begun to clot. A thin rind had formed across the top. 0:13:03.720 --> 0:13:05.959 Reggie was an obvious pain, but he was just as 0:13:05.960 --> 0:13:09.720 obviously too squeamish to drink a stranger's blood. Manny felt 0:13:09.760 --> 0:13:12.040 a lot better, though it was weird how fast Mike's 0:13:12.040 --> 0:13:14.640 blood had worked. He found himself worrying at the scab 0:13:14.679 --> 0:13:17.040 for a gash he'd received on his forearm, only for 0:13:17.080 --> 0:13:20.160 the scab to fall away and reveal clean new skin underneath. 0:13:20.400 --> 0:13:23.480 An hour ago it had been a bleeding wound. It 0:13:23.600 --> 0:13:26.600 really works, man, he told Reggie. Just trust me, choke 0:13:26.679 --> 0:13:30.640 it down. Reggie didn't look convinced. Think about what a 0:13:30.720 --> 0:13:33.160 story this will make for everyone back home, Manny said, 0:13:33.480 --> 0:13:35.400 you escaped to kill your drone and drink the blood 0:13:35.400 --> 0:13:37.400 of an immortal. You'll dine out on that for years. 0:13:38.240 --> 0:13:40.920 Reggie still looked pale and rather disgusted, but he put 0:13:40.920 --> 0:13:43.280 his fingers around the shot, closed his eyes, and then 0:13:43.320 --> 0:13:46.720 gulped it down. Many heard him wretch once and then twice. 0:13:47.080 --> 0:13:49.480 Tears beat it at the corners of the journalist's eye, 0:13:49.960 --> 0:13:53.760 but then he swallowed and slumped back in his chair. Schofucker. 0:13:53.840 --> 0:13:56.559 Mike was hard at work mixing up another batch of cocktails. 0:13:56.880 --> 0:13:59.240 These ones seemed to just be normal gin and tonics, 0:13:59.520 --> 0:14:02.640 four of them. There's not anything fucking crazy about those drinks, 0:14:02.760 --> 0:14:06.120 is there, Manny asked. Mike shrugged two shots of gin, 0:14:06.320 --> 0:14:09.720 splash a tonic. Nothing you normies can't handle. Neither of 0:14:09.800 --> 0:14:13.400 us asked for a drink. Manny said, yeah. Topez yawned 0:14:13.440 --> 0:14:15.400 from her place stretched out on the bed. But he 0:14:15.440 --> 0:14:17.920 almost died today. You should always have a drink after 0:14:17.960 --> 0:14:21.520 almost dying. Listen to Topez, said Mike, as he passed 0:14:21.520 --> 0:14:24.040 out the drinks. She's almost died more than almost anyone 0:14:24.080 --> 0:14:27.640 I know. Reggie came alive as his hands touched the drink. 0:14:27.880 --> 0:14:30.520 He gulped it down faster than either of the post humans. 0:14:30.840 --> 0:14:32.880 Manny took a couple of slight SIPs of his own. 0:14:33.080 --> 0:14:36.080 It was heinously strong before he sat the glass down 0:14:36.120 --> 0:14:39.720 and asked, polite as he could manage, So why are 0:14:39.720 --> 0:14:42.560 we here and why were you there? That kind of 0:14:42.640 --> 0:14:45.600 luck doesn't just happen, and now we're just all gonna 0:14:45.720 --> 0:14:48.760 what hang out in your trailer getting lit? Would that 0:14:48.840 --> 0:14:53.320 really be so bad, asked Mike Scully. Topaz said, in 0:14:53.320 --> 0:14:55.960 a warning tone, He's right, and it'd be rude of 0:14:56.040 --> 0:14:59.360 us to pretend we've got altruistic motives here. She looked 0:14:59.360 --> 0:15:01.840 Manny in his eyes. It was a little unnerving because 0:15:01.840 --> 0:15:04.120 her left eye was a notably different shade of brown 0:15:04.160 --> 0:15:06.760 than her right one, and then there were her metal fangs. 0:15:07.560 --> 0:15:10.080 Look kid, she said. We got a duty to help 0:15:10.160 --> 0:15:12.960 strangers in immediate need. It's rule number one for all 0:15:13.000 --> 0:15:15.760 the monsters here. But we were out there because we 0:15:15.760 --> 0:15:19.200 were looking for someone like you, a fixer. He felt 0:15:19.240 --> 0:15:21.960 dumb as soon as he asked to her credit, Topas 0:15:22.040 --> 0:15:26.160 just smiled. A citizen of the Republic of Texas, one 0:15:26.160 --> 0:15:29.760 who's not afraid of dangerous work, Mike added, and judging 0:15:29.800 --> 0:15:31.680 by the day you've had, I'm I guess you've a 0:15:31.720 --> 0:15:36.880 certain familiarity with danger. What about me, Reggie asked. Mike 0:15:36.920 --> 0:15:39.560 put a hand on the journalist's shoulder. Man He guessed 0:15:39.560 --> 0:15:41.600 it was meant as a calming gesture, but the Brits 0:15:41.600 --> 0:15:44.960 still flinched at the contact. Don't worry, Guy said, Mike. 0:15:45.080 --> 0:15:47.120 We'll get you back to Austin or wherever's got an 0:15:47.120 --> 0:15:49.520 airport that'll fly at home. Your friends the only one 0:15:49.560 --> 0:15:53.520 who's help we need. What help do you need? Manny asked. 0:15:53.960 --> 0:15:55.800 The best person to take that question is up in 0:15:55.800 --> 0:15:58.360 the city. Topaz said, you guys up for a bit 0:15:58.360 --> 0:16:01.400 of a trick men. He stood halfway to test the 0:16:01.440 --> 0:16:04.320 strength of his knee. It felt good as good as new. 0:16:04.400 --> 0:16:07.040 In fact, his back and shoulders, which had been peppered 0:16:07.080 --> 0:16:11.280 with shrapnel, just itched now. He didn't even feel particularly tired. 0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:14.080 On the other side of the table, Reggie looked to 0:16:14.120 --> 0:16:17.560 be doing well too. He worked his formerly dislocated shoulder 0:16:17.600 --> 0:16:21.160 in its socket and gave Manny the thumbs up. Apparently so, 0:16:21.440 --> 0:16:31.400 he said. Rolling Fuck had not been built by the 0:16:31.440 --> 0:16:34.920 mines or for the comfort of mortal men. That much 0:16:34.960 --> 0:16:38.400 was obvious. The second the elevator doors closed, the narrow 0:16:38.400 --> 0:16:40.840 metal box launched up with the force of a rocket. 0:16:41.040 --> 0:16:43.760 It climbed six stories in the space of about a second. 0:16:44.160 --> 0:16:46.200 By the time it stopped and the doors slid open 0:16:46.240 --> 0:16:49.160 with a pleasant ding, Manny and Reggie were both on 0:16:49.160 --> 0:16:52.920 the edge of vomiting. A ship topes, Mike said, you 0:16:53.000 --> 0:16:56.040 forgot to drop the speed back down to normal. Topez 0:16:56.080 --> 0:17:00.000 looked genuinely distraught. Fuck me with a splintery dick, she cursed. 0:17:00.200 --> 0:17:02.920 I'm sorry, guys. This is the nearest elevator to our trailer. 0:17:03.160 --> 0:17:06.800 It doesn't normally take humans. The city's got an elevator 0:17:06.880 --> 0:17:09.840 under each spindle, Mike explained. There's also a big lift 0:17:09.920 --> 0:17:11.880 under the main roller that's what we call the big 0:17:11.920 --> 0:17:14.320 building on treads in the middle, and another behind the 0:17:14.359 --> 0:17:17.240 rear roller. Humans tend to stick to the rollers. It 0:17:17.320 --> 0:17:23.280 gets weird up in the spindles. Weird, Reggie asked, weird skullfucker. 0:17:23.320 --> 0:17:26.320 Mike leaned down and hissed the word into the journalist's ear. 0:17:26.800 --> 0:17:28.639 He winked at the brit in a way that somehow 0:17:28.680 --> 0:17:33.240 suggested both coitus and violence. Topaz punched Mike's shoulder and annoyance. 0:17:33.480 --> 0:17:35.639 She gestured for Manny and Reggie to follow her down 0:17:35.680 --> 0:17:38.959 the narrow metal hallway. We live life on a different 0:17:39.080 --> 0:17:41.600 scale than the rest of you, she said. We see 0:17:41.640 --> 0:17:44.040 more colors, hear more sounds. Most of us have at 0:17:44.119 --> 0:17:46.359 least a thousand times as many nerve endings, and no 0:17:46.480 --> 0:17:49.399 fear of mortality to draw the line between pleasure and pain. 0:17:50.040 --> 0:17:53.639 The kind of environments we enjoy can be intense to 0:17:53.800 --> 0:17:58.080 unmodified humans. Right as she said humans, the group emerged 0:17:58.119 --> 0:18:01.440 from the hallway into a wide, open gantry way. There 0:18:01.480 --> 0:18:03.720 were no there was no ceiling above them now, and 0:18:03.760 --> 0:18:06.919 a huge rectangular metal frame loomed over them, connected to 0:18:06.960 --> 0:18:09.440 the other spindles of the vehicle city via thick metal 0:18:09.480 --> 0:18:12.440 tension wire. The surface of the spindles had been covered 0:18:12.440 --> 0:18:15.200 in colorful bits of metal and wood, welded and nailed 0:18:15.200 --> 0:18:18.080 into dozens of crude structures that stippled up the iron 0:18:18.119 --> 0:18:21.840 frames like technicolor mushrooms. Everything was covered in lights and 0:18:21.880 --> 0:18:24.480 screens and buzzed with the hum of a thousand speakers. 0:18:25.080 --> 0:18:29.040 Reggie's pace slowed, the journalist's jaw was slack. He mouthed 0:18:29.080 --> 0:18:31.439 what must have been a curse, and then asked their guides, 0:18:32.240 --> 0:18:35.800 Is it okay if I record Skullfucker might grinned and 0:18:35.800 --> 0:18:38.640 clapped him on the shoulder. Of course, it's okay. If 0:18:38.640 --> 0:18:40.440 you ask nice, I might even let you film me 0:18:40.440 --> 0:18:43.040 in one of the fondel boats. What the hell is 0:18:43.080 --> 0:18:45.840 a Reggie started to ask, but then the first fondel 0:18:45.880 --> 0:18:48.720 boat came into view. At least many assumed that's what 0:18:48.800 --> 0:18:52.280 it was. A very large lifeboat hung off the gantry 0:18:52.440 --> 0:18:54.160 as if it was the deck of a cruise ship. 0:18:54.720 --> 0:18:57.840 The interior of the boat was all soft cushions, pillows, blankets, 0:18:57.840 --> 0:19:00.959 and about two dozen writhing naked people. Some of them 0:19:01.040 --> 0:19:03.399 were surely having sex, but it was hard to tell 0:19:03.440 --> 0:19:07.600 exactly what was going on. Manny saw several tails curled 0:19:07.600 --> 0:19:10.880 around limbs or jerking spasmodically in the air. His eyes 0:19:10.920 --> 0:19:13.159 were drawn to one mechanical limb that looked like a 0:19:13.240 --> 0:19:16.760 large metal chicken's foot. He watched it kick repeatedly into 0:19:16.760 --> 0:19:19.120 the chest of a young woman. She cried with joy 0:19:19.200 --> 0:19:22.400 at every impact. The whole mass of coiled post humanity 0:19:22.440 --> 0:19:25.080 gleamed wet in the morning light, coated with a mixture 0:19:25.080 --> 0:19:29.480 of blood and what looked like motor oil. Christ Reggie whispered. 0:19:29.800 --> 0:19:32.080 Mannie was at a loss for words. He felt a 0:19:32.080 --> 0:19:35.399 bit nauseous. He never considered himself a prude, but something 0:19:35.440 --> 0:19:37.479 about what was going on in the fondel boat just 0:19:37.560 --> 0:19:41.200 seemed wrong in the physic sense, not the moral sense. 0:19:42.080 --> 0:19:45.160 Probably best not to watch, said Topaz. It can make 0:19:45.240 --> 0:19:49.880 humans sick er. Yeah, Reggie coughed. Is that a common sight? 0:19:50.560 --> 0:19:53.480 Mike shrugged, It's not uncommon. We try to keep stuff 0:19:53.480 --> 0:19:55.960 like that on the outside spindles away from the rollers 0:19:56.119 --> 0:19:59.080 as a courtesy. They walked on, passed the boat and 0:19:59.080 --> 0:20:01.760 threw another covered section of the gantry way, surrounded by 0:20:01.800 --> 0:20:04.960 a half dozen little buildings that looked like shops. Many 0:20:05.040 --> 0:20:07.560 saw fruits and vegetables hanging in one, an assortment of 0:20:07.640 --> 0:20:10.800 labeled decks and other electronic googas on tables in another. 0:20:11.280 --> 0:20:13.320 It had the look of a Middle Eastern bazaar, but 0:20:13.359 --> 0:20:17.240 with no shopkeepers present. Y'all want food. Topaz stopped and 0:20:17.280 --> 0:20:20.280 gestured at the shop filled with produce. Manny held up 0:20:20.280 --> 0:20:22.560 his left hand, which had his cash ship, and planted 0:20:22.560 --> 0:20:25.439 in it. I've got Republic of Texas currency and some 0:20:25.480 --> 0:20:29.040 Californian crypto, if you guys take either. Mike and Topaz 0:20:29.080 --> 0:20:31.639 both laughed, and then Mike grabbed an apple and tossed 0:20:31.640 --> 0:20:34.520 it Manny's way. Many caught the fruit, although it was 0:20:34.560 --> 0:20:38.800 a near thing. We don't use money, not within the city, skullfucker, 0:20:38.880 --> 0:20:41.119 Mike explained. We do sell a lot of what we 0:20:41.160 --> 0:20:43.720 grow for foreign money's but that's mostly used to book 0:20:43.760 --> 0:20:47.560 bands or buy stuff. We can make. Nothing costs anything here, 0:20:47.800 --> 0:20:51.320 not to us and not to our guests. Y'all are guests. 0:20:51.520 --> 0:20:55.240 Topaz clarified. Manny hadn't really had time to think about 0:20:55.280 --> 0:20:57.480 his stomach in the hour since their explosion he wake 0:20:57.560 --> 0:20:59.879