Page 27 (1/2)

It passed by degrees, and when it was over, he dried his eyes with a towel and blew his nose, keeping his face averted

"You want to go have some coffee?"

He shook his head "Just leave ot time," I said

"Maybe I’ll call you later"

"All right I’ll go ahead and take care of some business andin the meantime?"

"No" The tone was dull, his et the fuck away from me and leave me alone I don’t need your help"

I opened the car door "I’ll check back with you," I said "Take care"

He reached over and grabbed the door handle, slaine with a roar, and I stepped aside, as he backed out of the slot with a squeal of tires and shot out of the parking lot without a backward glance

That was the last I ever saw of hiy Departround in the heart of a maze of small offices Miles of corridors branch out in all directions, connecting the non- of the facility: , plant operations Where the floors above are renovated and tastefully done, the decor down here runs to brown viny! tile and glossy paint the color of vanished bones The air sli as sewer pipes

There was a steady flow of pedestrian traffic that day, people in hospital uniforround city, starved for sunlight The Pathology Departhted, handsoray, with fifty to sixty lab technicians working to accommodate the blood, bone, and tissue specimens that filtered down from above The computerized equiping daintily against the artificial air Even the typewriters see discreetly the secrets of the human condition There was order, proficiency, and calnation of illness was under control Death was being held at bay, measured, calibrated, and analyzed Where it had claimed a victory, the same crew of specialists dissected the results and fed the road, paved with hieroglyphics I stood in the doorway for a moment, struck by the scene These werekillers of another order than those I hunted down

"May I help you?"