Theskyabovetheportwasthecoloroftelevision,tunedtoadeadchannel."It'snotlikeI'musing,"Caseheardsomeonesay,asheshoulderedhiswaythroughthecrowdaroundthedooroftheCha t."It'slikemybody'sdevelopedthismassivedrugdeficiency."ItwasaSprawlvoiceandaSprawljoke.TheChatsubowasabarforprofessionalexpatriates;youcoulddrinkthereforaweekan dneverheartwowordsinJapanese.Ratzwastendingbar,hisprostheticarmjerkingmonotonouslyashefilledatrayofglasseswithdraftKirin.HesawCaseandsmiled,histeethawebworkofEa stEuropeansteelandbrowndecay.Casefoundaplaceatthebar,betweentheunlikelytanononeofLonnyZone'swhoresandthecrispnavaluniformofatallAfricanwhosecheekboneswereridged withJoeboys,"Ratzsaid,shovingadraftacrossthebarwithhisgoodhand."Maybesomebusinesswithyou,Case?"Caseshrugged.ThegirltohisrightgiggledandnudgedThebartender'ssmile widened.Hisuglinesswasthestuffoflegend.Inanageofaffordablebeauty,therewassomethingheraldicabouthislackofit.Theantiquearmwhinedashereachedforanothermug.ItwasaRus sianmilitaryprosthesis,aseven-functionforce-feedbackmanipulator,casedingrubbypinkplastic."Youaretoomuchtheartiste,HerrCase."Ratzgrunted;thesoundservedhimaslaugh ter.Hescratchedhisoverhangofwhite-shirtedbellywiththepinkclaw."Youaretheartisteoftheslightlyfunnydeal.""Sure,"Casesaid,andsippedhisbeer."Somebody'sgottabefunnya roundhere.Surethefuckisn'tyou."Thewhore'sgigglewentupanoctave."Isn'tyoueither,sister.Soyouvanish,okay?Zone,he'saclosepersonalfriendofmine."ShelookedCaseintheeye andmadethesoftestpossiblespittingsound,herlipsbarelymoving.Butsheleft."Jesus,"Casesaid,"whatkindacreepjointyourunninghere?Mancan'thaveadrink.""Ha,"Ratzsaid,swab bingthescarredwoodwitharag,"Zoneshowsapercentage.YouIletworkhereforentertainmentvalue."AsCasewaspickinguphisbeer,oneofthosestrangeinstantsofsilencedescended,ast houghahundredunrelatedconversationshadsimultaneouslyarrivedatthesamepause.Thenthewhore'sgigglerangout,tingedwithacertainhysteria.Ratzgrunted."Anangelpassed.""Th eChinese,"bellowedadrunkenAustralian,"Chinesebloodyinventednerve-splicing.Givemethemainlandforanervejobanyday.Fixyouright,mate....""Nowthat,"Casesaidtohisglass, allhisbitternesssuddenlyrisinginhimlikebile,"thatissomuchbullshit."TheJapanesehadalreadyforgottenmoreneurosurgerythantheChinesehadeverknown.TheblackclinicsofChi bawerethecuttingedge,wholebodiesoftechniquesupplantedmonthly,andstilltheycouldn'trepairthedamagehe'dsufferedinthatMemphishotel.Ayearhereandhestilldreamedofcyber space,hopefadingnightly.Allthespeedhetook,alltheturnshe'dtakenandthecornershe'dcutinNightCity,andstillhe'dseethematrixinhissleep,brightlatticesoflogicunfoldinga crossthatcolorlessvoid....TheSprawlwasalongstrangewayhomeoverthePacificnow,andhewasnoconsoleman,nocyberspacecowboy.Justanotherhustler,tryingtomakeitthrough.Butt hedreamscameonintheJapanesenightlikelivewirevoodooandhe'dcryforit,cryinhissleep,andwakealoneinthedark,curledinhiscapsuleinsomecoffinhotel,hishandsclawedintotheb edslab,temperfoambunchedbetweenhisfingers,tryingtoreachtheconsolethatwasn'tthere."Isawyourgirllastnight,"Ratzsaid,passingCasehissecondKirin."Idon'thaveone,"hesa id,anddrank."MissLindaLee."Caseshookhishead."Nogirl?Nothing?Onlybiz,friendartiste?Dedicationtocommerce?"Thebartender'ssmallbrowneyeswerenesteddeepinwrinkledfles h."IthinkIlikedyoubetter,withher.Youlaughedmore.Now,somenight,yougetmaybetooartistic,youwindupintheclinictanks,spareparts.""You'rebreakingmyheart,Ratz."Hefinish edhisbeer,paidandleft,highnarrowshouldershunchedbeneaththerain-stainedkhakinylonofhiswindbreaker.ThreadinghiswaythroughtheNinseicrowds,hecouldsmellhisownstalesw eat.Casewastwenty-four.Attwenty-two,he'dbeenacowboyarustler,oneofthebestintheSprawl.He'dbeentrainedbythebest,byMcCoyPauleyandBobbyQuine,legendsinthebiz.He'doper atedonanalmostpermanentadrenalinehigh,abyproductofyouthandproficiency,jackedintoacustomcyberspacedeckthatprojectedhisdisembodiedconsciousnessintotheconsensualha llucinationthatwasthematrix.Athiefhe'dworkedforother,wealthierthieves,employerswhoprovidedtheexoticsoftwarerequiredtopenetratethebrightwallsofcorporatesystems,o peningwindowsintorichfieldsofdata.He'dmadetheclassicmistake,theonehe'dswornhe'dnevermake.Hestolefromhisemployers.Hekeptsomethingforhimselfandtriedtomoveitthroug hafenceinAmsterdam.Hestillwasn'tsurehowhe'dbeendiscovered,notthatitmatterednow.He'dexpectedtodie,then,buttheyonlysmiled.Ofcoursehewaswelcome,theytoldhim,welcome tothemoney.Andhewasgoingtoneedit.Because--stillsmiling--theyweregoingtomakesureheneverworkedagain.TheydamagedhisnervoussystemwithawartimeRussianmycotoxin.Strapp edtoabedinaMemphishotel,histalentburningoutmicronbymicron,hehallucinatedforthirtyhours.Thedamagewasminute,subtle,andutterlyeffective.ForCase,who'dlivedforthebod ilessexultationofcyberspace,itwastheFall.Inthebarshe'dfrequentedasacowboyhotshot,theelitestanceinvolvedacertainrelaxedcontemptfortheflesh.Thebodywasmeat.Casefel lintotheprisonofhisownflesh.HistotalassetswerequicklyconvertedtoNewYen,afatsheafoftheoldpapercurrencythatcirculatedendlesslythroughtheclosedcircuitoftheworld'sb lackmarketsliketheseashellsoftheTrobriandislanders.ItwasdifficulttotransactlegitimatebusinesswithcashintheSprawl;inJapan,itwasalreadyillegal.InJapan,he'dknownwi thaclenchedandabsolutecertainty,he'dfindhiscure.InChiba.Eitherinaregisteredclinicorintheshadowlandofblackmedicine.Synonymouswithimplants,nerve-splicing,andmicro bionics,ChibawasamagnetfortheSprawl'stechno-criminalsubcultures.InChiba,he'dwatchedhisNewYenvanishinatwo-monthroundofexaminationsandconsultations.Themeninthebla ckclinics,hislasthope,hadadmiredtheexpertisewithwhichhe'dbeenmaimed,andthenslowlyshakentheirheads.Nowhesleptinthecheapestcoffins,theonesnearesttheport,beneathth equartz-halogenfloodsthatlitthedocksallnightlikevaststages;whereyoucouldn'tseethelightsofTokyofortheglareofthetelevisionsky,noteventhetoweringhologramlogooftheF ujiElectricCompany,andTokyoBaywasablackexpansewheregullswheeledabovedriftingshoalsofwhitestyrofoam.Behindtheportlaythecity,factorydomesdominatedbythevastcubesof corporatearcologies.Portandcityweredividedbyanarrowborderlandofolderstreets,anareawithnoofficialname.NightCity,withNinseiitsheart.Byday,thebarsdownNinseiwereshu tteredandfeatureless,theneondead,thehologramsinert,waiting,underthepoisonedsilversky.TwoblockswestoftheChat,inateashopcalledtheJarredeThe,Casewasheddownthenight 'sfirstpillwithadoubleespresso.Itwasaflatpinkoctagon,apotentspeciesofBraziliandexheboughtfromoneofZone'sgirls.TheJarrewaswalledwithmirrors,eachpanelframedinredn eon.Atfirst,findinghimselfaloneinChiba,withlittlemoneyandlesshopeoffindingacure,he'dgoneintoakindofterminaloverdrive,hustlingfreshcapitalwithacoldintensitythath adseemedtobelongtosomeoneelse.Inthefirstmonth,he'dkilledtwomenandawomanoversumsthatayearbeforewouldhaveseemedludicrous.Ninseiworehimdownuntilthestreetitselfcame toseemtheexternalizationofsomedeathwish,somesecretpoisonhehadn'tknownhecarried.NightCitywaslikeaderangedexperimentinsocialDarwinism,designedbyaboredresearcherwh okeptonethumbpermanentlyonthefast-forwardbutton.Stophustlingandyousankwithoutatrace,butmovealittletooswiftlyandyou'dbreakthefragilesurfacetensionoftheblackmarke t;eitherway,youweregone,withnothingleftofyoubutsomevaguememoryinthemindofafixturelikeRatz,thoughheartorlungsorkidneysmightsurviveintheserviceofsomestrangerwithN ewYenfortheclinictanks.Bizherewasaconstantsubliminalhum,anddeaththeacceptedpunishmentforlaziness,carelessness,lackofgrace,thefailuretoheedthedemandsofanintricat eprotocol.AloneatatableintheJarredeThe,withtheoctagoncomingon,pinheadsofsweatstartingfromhispalms,suddenlyawareofeachtinglinghaironhisarmsandchest,Caseknewthata tsomepointhe'dstartedtoplayagamewithhimself,averyancientonethathasnoname,afinalsolitaire.Henolongercarriedaweapon,nolongertookthebasicprecautions.Heranthefastes t,loosestdealsonthestreet,andhehadareputationforbeingabletogetwhateveryouwanted.Apartofhimknewthatthearcofhisself-destructionwasglaringlyobvioustohiscustomers,w hogrewsteadilyfewer,butthatsamepartofhimbaskedintheknowledgethatitwasonlyamatteroftime.Andthatwasthepartofhim,smuginitsexpectationofdeath,thatmosthatedthethough tofLindaLee.He'dfoundher,onerainynight,inanarcade.Underbrightghostsburningthroughabluehazeofcigarettesmoke,hologramsofWizard'sCastle,TankWarEuropa,theNewYorksky line....Andnowherememberedherthatway,herfacebathedinrestlesslaserlight,featuresreducedtoacode:hercheekbonesflaringscarletasWizard'sCastleburned,foreheaddrenched withazurewhenMunichfelltotheTankWar,mouthtouchedwithhotgoldasaglidingcursorstrucksparksfromthewallofaskyscrapercanyon.Hewasridinghighthatnight,withabrickofWage' sketamineonitswaytoYokohamaandthemoneyalreadyinhispocket.He'dcomeinoutofthewarmrainthatsizzledacrosstheNinseipavementandsomehowshe'dbeensingledoutforhim,oneface outofthedozenswhostoodattheconsoles,lostinthegamesheplayed.Theexpressiononherface,then,hadbeentheonehe'dseen,hourslater,onhersleepingfaceinaportsidecoffin,herup perliplikethelinechildrendrawtorepresentabirdinflight.Crossingthearcadetostandbesideher,highonthedealhe'dmade,hesawherglanceup.Grayeyesrimmedwithsmudgedblackpai ntstick.Eyesofsomeanimalpinnedintheheadlightsofanoncomingvehicle.Theirnighttogetherstretchingintoamorning,intoticketsatthehoverportandhisfirsttripacrosstheBay.T herainkeptup,fallingalongHarajuku,beadingonherplasticjacket,thechildrenofTokyotroopingpastthefamousboutiquesinwhiteloafersandclingwrapcapes,untilshe'dstoodwithh iminthemidnightclatterofapachinkoparlorandheldhishandlikeachild.Ittookamonthforthegestaltofdrugsandtensionhemovedthroughtoturnthoseperpetuallystartledeyesintowe llsofreflexiveneed.He'dwatchedherpersonalityfragment,calvinglikeaniceberg,splintersdriftingaway,andfinallyhe'dseentherawneed,thehungryarmatureofaddiction.He'dwa tchedhertrackthenexthitwithaconcentrationthatremindedhimofthemantisestheysoldinstallsalongShiga,besidetanksofbluemutantcarpandcricketscagedinbamboo.Hestaredatth eblackringofgroundsinhisemptycup.Itwasvibratingwiththespeedhe'dtaken.Thebrownlaminateofthetabletopwasdullwithapatinaoftinyscratches.Withthedexmountingthroughhis spinehesawthecountlessrandomimpactsrequiredtocreateasurfacelikethat.TheJarrewasdecoratedinadated,namelessstylefromthepreviouscentury,anuneasyblendofJapanesetrad itionalandpaleMilaneseplastics,buteverythingseemedtowearasubtlefilm,asthoughthebadnervesofamillioncustomershadsomehowattackedthemirrorsandtheonceglossyplastics, leavingeachsurfacefoggedwithsomethingthatcouldneverbewipedaway."Hey.Case,goodbuddy...."Helookedup,metgrayeyesringedwithpaintstick.ShewaswearingfadedFrenchorbita lfatiguesandnewwhitesneakers."Ibeenlookin'foryou,man."Shetookaseatoppositehim,herelbowsonthetable.Thesleevesofthebluezipsuithadbeenrippedoutattheshoulders;heaut omaticallycheckedherarmsforsignsoftermsortheneedle."Wantacigarette?"ShedugacrumpledpackofYeheyuanfiltersfromananklepocketandofferedhimone.Hetookit,letherlightit witharedplastictube."Yousleepin'okay,Case?Youlooktired."HeraccentputhersouthalongtheSprawl,towardAtlanta.Theskinbelowhereyeswaspaleandunhealthy-looking,butthefl eshwasstillsmoothandfirm.Shewastwenty.Newlinesofpainwerestartingtoetchthemselvespermanentlyatthecornersofhermouth.Herdarkhairwasdrawnback,heldbyabandofprintedsi lk.Thepatternmighthaverepresentedmicrocircuits,oracitymap."NotifIremembertotakemypills,"hesaid,asatangiblewaveoflonginghithim,lustandlonelinessridinginonthewave lengthofamphetamine.Herememberedthesmellofherskinintheoverheateddarknessofacoffinneartheport,herlockedacrossthesmallofhisback.Allthemeat,hethought,andallitwants ."Wage,"shesaid,narrowinghereyes."Hewantstoseeyouwithaholeinyourface."Shelitherowncigarette."Whosays?Ratz?YoubeentalkingtoRatz?""No.Mona.HernewsqueezeisoneofWag e'sboys.""Idon'towehimenough.Hedoesme,he'soutthemoneyanyway."Heshrugged."Toomanypeopleowehimnow,Case.Maybeyougettobetheexample.Youseriouslybetterwatchit.""Sure. Howaboutyou,Linda?Yougotanywheretosleep?""Sleep."Sheshookherhead."Sure,Case."Sheshivered,hunchedforwardoverthetable.Herfacewasfilmedwithsweat."Here,"hesaid,andd uginthepocketofhiswindbreaker,comingupwithacrumpledfifty.Hesmootheditautomatically,underthetable,foldeditinquarters,andpassedittoher."Youneedthat,honey.Youbette rgiveittoWage."Therewassomethinginthegrayeyesnowthathecouldn'tread,somethinghe'dneverseentherebefore."IoweWagealotmorethanthat.Takeit.Igotmorecoming,"helied,ash ewatchedhisNewYenvanishintoazipperedpocket."Yougetyourmoney,Case,youfindWagequick.""I'llseeyou,Linda,"hesaid,gettingup."Sure."Amillimeterofwhiteshowedbeneatheac hofherpupils.Sanpaku."Youwatchyourback,man."Henodded,anxioustobegone.Helookedbackastheplasticdoorswungshutbehindhim,sawhereyesreflectedinacageofredneon.Fridayni ghtonNinsei.Hepassedyakitoristandsandmassageparlors,afranchisedcoffeeshopcalledBeautifulGirl,theelectronicthunderofanarcade.Hesteppedoutofthewaytoletadark-suite dsararimanby,spottingtheMitsubishi-Genentechlogotattooedacrossthebackoftheman'srighthand.Wasitauthentic?ifthat'sforreal,hethought,he'sinfortrouble.Ifitwasn't,se