Mardock Scramble полностью

A gap opened where the two gloves met, and Balot slowly pulled her hands apart. The gloves separated neatly, and at the same time an Oeufcoque-style design rose to the fore. He must have been paying attention to the eCatalogue, as Balot only needed to make two or three minor alterations to the design before she was satisfied with her look.

She waited in the lobby for the Doctor, and when he emerged he was the very embodiment of someone who has lived in the amusement world for far too long and forgotten what normalcy was.

He wore a long cowboy-style coat topped by a mafioso scarf. His hair was dyed a glossy silver, and it was slicked back. His heels clicked as he swaggered toward reception to deposit his key, and he really did look as if he were ready to head on out for a proper night on the town.

The two of them stepped out of the motel to wait out front. Before long the limousine arrived to pick them up, right on time.

It was hardly her first time in a limousine, but Balot suddenly felt tense nonetheless.

“Right, let’s go. Balot?” The Doctor tapped her shoulder lightly. It’s time to put on your act, he was saying.

–Okay.

Balot nodded as she touched the electronic voice box on her choker. The limousine driver had a pleasant smile underneath his short-brimmed hat as he opened the back door for her. Balot climbed in and called out to the Doctor.

–Aren’t you getting in, Uncle?

If Balot found it funny to refer to him in this way, she did a good job of keeping it secret.

The Doctor got in the car and the driver closed the door behind him. Then the driver sat down in his seat, and the car drove off.

The Doctor’s voice echoed around the car for the duration of the ride to the casino. As if to say I’m going to show you both just what sort of player I am. Balot added little to the conversation and mostly nodded. She played the part of the niece who had come to the big city to experience the bright lights and was being well looked after by her uncle. She exuded the easy confidence that came with having relatives living in the high-class Senorita District, at the foot of the rolling hills.

Before long the limousine stopped outside the casino entrance. Right next door was a large hotel. Beyond that were other large and impressive buildings: conference facilities, the headquarters of a number of prominent organizations. There were also TV and radio stations. The pleasure quarter spread all around.

The Doctor handed the driver a hundred-dollar bill and told him that he’d call the office to order their return limousine when they were ready.

The truth was different. The Doctor pointed toward the casino parking lot, a mischievous grin on his face. A familiar red convertible was waiting there. “I asked one of the Broilerhouse staff to have it ready for us there last night.”

Balot was genuinely impressed. The Doctor always planned these things down to the last detail.

“Now, let’s go and have some fun.” The Doctor accompanied Balot to the entrance.

The tension that Balot had felt while she was waiting for the limousine to arrive seemed to disappear.

Above the grand entranceway that faced the strip was a sign in the shape of a giant egg, inscribed with the casino’s name: EGGNOG BLUE.

The egg was split down the middle, with a 3-D digital display of chips pouring forth.

As they passed under the entrance, they felt an unusual sensation. They realized immediately what it was.

They’d had their possessions scanned in an instant. Infrared, surveillance cameras, X-ray imaging—had they been carrying anything undesirable, it would have been spotted immediately and they would have been intercepted.

The casino didn’t let anything slip through. Not that this seemed to bother the Doctor, who walked straight in with easy assurance.

It was a large casino. There was a long corridor that led to the hotel next door and a winding pathway that led to a children’s amusement park. There was also an indoor shopping court, its walls lined with giant television screens that showed the entertainment—boxing matches and magic shows.

Balot had been inside this casino a number of times before, but always on Shell’s arm, and with the Doctor by her side pointing out this and that, it was almost as if she were visiting it for the first time.

From the gaudy entrance to its décor, the casino was clearly designed to be welcoming to the masses, a family-friendly joint rather than one that catered to a minority of shadowy, elite big spenders. The theory, with legal casinos at least, was that those that catered toward ten thousand customers each spending a hundred dollars were more likely to thrive than those who went after the one high roller who spent a million. Eggnog Blue was a case in point: the joint was buzzing.