第97节

l frame mounted on the roof.

The car bodies were made of framed polished wood panels with metal

reinforcements, mounted on two sets of four-wheeled bogies. Everything

in sight was gleaming, spotless.

'Incredible,' breathed Steve. 'Who cleans all this?"

Fran laughed. 'Cleaners! Who d'you think?"

Of course. Stupid question. An underground army of Mutes ....

A scanning device sensed their presence and obligingly opened the

sliding double doors. Steve followed Fran inside. The cars were

fitted with folding seats, but the row of polished brass poles that ran

down the middle of each car showed that they were designed to encourage

stand-up travel. Fran punched in a six-figure code on the key-pad

mounted on a side partition by the doors, causing them to close as the

driverless vehicle whined into life.

Steve put a hand around Fran's waist and held onto the same pole as the

trolley gathered speed and moved towards its chosen destination at a

stately ten miles an hour. 'Quaint,' he said, surveying the antique

wooden interior. 'Is this another Family exercise in nostalgia?"

'Yes. These are scaled-down versions of the trolley-cars that used to

run above-ground in a place called San Francisco. Several decades

before the Holocaust."

'Never heard of it." Steve looked out of the window as they came to a

wide intersection with curving rows of columns supporting the roof.

Between the columns he could see twin tracks running away into other

tunnels.

Other directions. He turned back to Fran. 'How big is this system?

Does it run under the whole of Cloudlands?"

'The most important parts."

'Like the estates?"

'Among other places."

'So basically, it will take you anywhere you want to go."

Fran answered with a teasing smile. 'Provided you have the right card

and know the codes."

When they stepped out of the elevator at Grand Palisades, the P-G's

guests were already filing down the carpeted steps' into the viewing

theatre. This time, there was an ensign posted by the door and armed

with a scan board and a light pen. He checked everyone off as they

entered and gave them a seat number. It was a full house. Steve and

Fran had drawn seats in the centre of the fourth row, but as they

settled in, he saw people preparing to sit on the aisle steps by the

exit doors.

This time Steve was better prepared for what he was about to see. He

had cottoned on to the idea the characters in movies were impersonated

by 'actors' in the same way that Side-Winder had disguised himself as a

Mute. So he was not at all perplexed when John Wayne put in an

appearance as a marine sergeant in an army where they didn't wear

racoon-skin hats.

The movie was called Sands oflwo-Jirna- a story about men trying to

capture a heavily-defended island. The one disappointment was the lack

of colour. The movie was set in a drab grey world, but it was still an

enthralling experience.

The big surprise came in the shape of the enemy.

The tenacious defenders of the island were japanese, but the only

connection with the Iron Masters he had encountered were the samurai

swords carried by the officers. In every other respect, the soldiers

were part of a recognisable modern army with modern weapons.

Steve was completely baffled. If they'd reached that stage a thousand

years ago, why were they now riding around in suits of armour,

brandishing spears and firing bows and arrows? What was it about the

past that made them and the First Family want to put the clock back?

The curtains closed, the music ended. Everyone stood up and waited

until Jefferson the 31st and the top-ranking brass left, then joined

the general exodus. Steve waited while Fran gathered her skirts

together then followed her along the row of seats.

She took his arm as they reached the aisle. 'Did you enjoy it?"

'Yes, amazing - but it looks like you didn't."

'Oh, no, it's not the film." 'She took a deep breath and gritted her

teeth. 'It's sitting down in this goddam corset. It's practically cut