第42节

and everything that

was on offer and had gone back for more. He looked around at the other

tables as he raised the first heaped spoonful and almost missed his

mouth as he spotted John Chisum sitting at a table over on his left.

Steve stared open-mouthed, unable to decide whether to go over at once,

or stay put and clear his tray first. He stayed put but kept his eyes

on Chisum while he ate, making only monosyllabic contributions to the

conversation around the table. Chisum did not look his way. He sat

with one arm over the back of his chair, talking to the guys seated

opposite him. He wore the same green uniform Steve had seen him in

before but now, a chrome yellow diamond patch had been inserted between

the white and red chevron on his sleeve. And when he swivelled around

to look at somebody one of his companions was pointing at, Steve saw he

had another yellow patch on the back of his jumpsuit. Seamster

yellow.

Surely that couldn't mean...? Unable to bear the suspense any longer,

Steve grabbed his tray and threaded his way through the seated diners

towards Chisum.

As Steve approached, the two guys sitting opposite Chisum got up, shook

hands with him and walked away.

Chisum began speaking to the guy next to him as Steve put his tray

down.

'Hey - John - remember me?"

Chisum broke off his conversation and glanced back over his shoulder.

As their eyes connected, Steve saw the neutral expression on Chisum's

face change to one of thinly disguised anger.

"What gives? You just visiting - or what?"

Chisum turned back to his neighbour and slapped him on the shoulder.

'Must go. I'll check with you later." He stood up abruptly without

looking at Steve and began to walk away.

Steve dodged round the table and grabbed Chisum's arm. 'Hey, John

C'mon! What'd I do? What the heck's going on? I' Chisum stopped and

turned around, his arm stiff and unyielding in Steve's grasp. 'Let go

of my arm, scumbag." The harshness in his voice matched the expression

on his face.

A couple of guys from Steve's work-squad sitting at the next table

looked at each other, pushed their chairs back, and ranged themselves

alongside him. Clan Dover and Ty Morrison. Dover, the bigger of the

two, aimed a finger at Chisum's nose. 'You'd better watch your mouth,

medic. Otherwise you'll find yourself in urgent need of

life-support."

Chisum eyed his interlocutor contemptuously. 'Go suck a bucket of

lumpshit ' The people at the surrounding tables stood up and moved out

of the way as the two Seamsters made a grab for Chisum. Steve moved in

between and wrestled them off. 'Whoa! Hold it, guys! Hold it down!

Listen, I really appreciate your help but, uh - I can handle it. Just,

uh leave it with me. Okay?"

'Okay,' said Dover. 'But get that jerk-off out of here.

He's spoiling my digestion."

Steve hustled Chisum through the crowd that had gathered round them

before he could reply. 'Come on, move! Let's get out of here!"

Chisum tried to wrestle free. 'Hey! Get your fucking hands off me?!

What the hell's the matter with you?!" he demanded angrily.

Steve managed to propel him into the corridor outside the main entrance

doors and pinned him against the wall. 'Calm down, will you? I just

want to talk!" Chisum stopped struggling. 'Look, fly-boy. I don't

want to talk to you. Can you understand that? Or have you swapped

your brains for shit since you've been working down here? I'll give it

to you one more time. I -don't - want - to - talk - to - you. I don't

- want - to even - see - you. You got that? And if you're planning to

fall sick, don't do it on A-1 to A-5. You may get the wrong

prescription. Comprendo?"

Steve let go of Chisum and stood back totally perplexed. 'I don't get

it, John. Why? What did I do?"

Chisum gave a sniffy laugh. 'Why? Because you're big trouble, that's

why! What did you do? You tell me!

Whatever it was you said to your goddam kin-sister left her so upset,

she turned rat-fink and blabbed it all to some hot-wire in the Black