Station, стр. 49

One man's head had been stretched and elongated,resembling an ancient Scythian or one of those firsthand renderingsof alien abductors. The woman he came with had a similar Elevation,with a neck that had been stretched, a callback to the NationalGeographic videos Hadder had seen on several indigenous tribes inMyanmar.

Hadder took a deep breath, cracked his knuckles, andmoved towards Biomass, his custom blood red tuxedo shiftingsilently with him. As he approached the main door, Hadder saw thattwo men guarded the entryway, one checking guest lists and theother acting as muscle. The man making decisions looked to be atall skeleton covered in skin, as if he had been pulled directlyfrom King Tut's tomb, all the water drained from his body and justenough muscle to support the overall structure. The creature wore aschoolboy outfit to complete the look and showcase his veiny legs.The man that stood behind him, however, was the complete opposite.Thickly muscled, he wore the traditional black suit of a bouncer,one that Hadder had worn many times in his youth. Down his head wasa mohawk of thick bone that escaped the confines of flesh to peerup towards the heavens. Hadder took note of that potential dangeras he stepped to the forefront.

"Name," asked the mummified man, looking Hadder upand down with disdain.

"Marlin Hadder."

As he flipped through his pages of names, Hadderheld the larger man's stare. "That bone hawk looks awfully close toa weapon, friend. I thought those were outlawed in theSetting."

The big man shook head. "Just for looks. The girlsfucking love to pet it."

"But if it came to it…" prompted Hadder.

The big man smiled. "Yeah, if it came to it." Goodto know, thought Hadder.

The mummy concluded his search. "Not on the list.Fuck off and fuck you for wasting my time." The skeleton stunk ofchemicals, and his voice wheezed like that of someone in the throesof emphysema.

Hadder smiled patiently, like an adult dealing withan unruly child. "Please tell Lester Midnight that Royal Winters, afellow Key, sent me. He knows they haven't spoken in some time, buthe thinks that Mr. Midnight would like to meet me, a fellowartiste."

The talking bones snickered. "Take a look here,Gondo, a fellow artiste. But he don't look like anyartiste. He looks like a fucking lame." The skeleton movedclose to Hadder, standing a head taller, invading his space,looking down at him with disgust. "And let me tell you something,plain man, Lester Midnight is the only artiste in Station;he has no fellow. Now, fuck off before I have Gondo here make thatboring face of yours match your outfit."

Hadder didn't move.

The skeleton tried to smile, said over his shoulder,"Gondo, please take this plain man and…"

He didn't get a chance to finish his order as Hadderexecuted a perfect Muay Thai leg kick to the creature. With no massto cushion the blow, Hadder's shin shattered the mummy's leg,almost passing clean through, only to be stopped by a few shreds ofdried skin. The skeleton crumbled in a heap, screaming like abanshee that had been lit on fire. Hadder backed up quickly,readying himself for a series of blows from Gondo. Seconds later,he realized that those blows weren't coming.

Gondo looked down at the squealing man and chuckled."Shut up you worthless sketch of a man! You have no respect for thecity's history." He looked to Hadder. "Truth be told, I've wantedto do that for a long time. It was almost as satisfying to watchit, though. If Royal Winters sent you, go on in. I'll have someonesend word to Lester for you. Have some beverages, and check out thedisplays. If Lester wants to speak to you, he'll find you."

Hadder nodded thanks to Gondo and stepped over thewhining bag of bones on the ground, making sure to come down on hisoutstretched hand on the way in. Standing in the entrance, Hadderstraightened his clothes, something he always did when anxious, andmoved forward, walking into the mind of a maniac.

Lester Midnight's Biomass was a true freakshow, a living Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum. Only thecreatures that adorned the walls and nooks of Biomassweren't the unlucky recipients of genetic mutations, bad genes, orhorrific accidents. Instead, they were accomplices in theirdisfigurement, willing palettes upon which Lester Midnight wreakedhis stomach-churning brand of art.

The entire building was mainly one large middlechamber surrounded by side rooms. As Hadder cleared the firsthallway and entered the main showcase, he was greeted by a womanstanding on a pedestal. Tall and lithe, she stood utterlyunclothed, proudly displaying her artistic Elevation. The woman'sskin was completely transparent, allowing anyone an unencumberedview of her inner workings. Hadder watched her lungs as theyheaved, saw the direct effects of her pounding heart beneath herribcage, and observed muscle flex as she moved. To enrich the show,the woman steadily ate from a basket of fruit next to her, givingthe audience a peek into the entire digestive process.

A strange little man with an Elevated pixie nosesaddled up to him and spoke conspiratorially. "There's a man in oneof the outer rooms with the same Elevation. If you stay longenough, they'll perform a sex show. You haven't really seen theintricacies of sexual performance until you've witnessed theTransparent go at it."

"Good to know," said Hadder as he moved on, glad tobe away from the repugnant little man.

Continuing through the main chamber, Hadder washammered by all manner of visual assaults. One woman had been"reptized," her skin now scaly, her eyes like a viper, and her facepulled forward like that of a lizard. A far cry from the sensualElevations of Helen and Nestra, Hadder felt no attraction to thischangeling, only revulsion.

Many "exhibits" were residents that had been sewedtogether at various locations, with pretentious titles like "TheSharing Ideal," and "True Commitment." Other exhibits wereresidents who had their bodies rearranged, legs and arms reversed,heads turned around, and mouths that been placed on chests.Visitors walked around and gawked, some laughing, others cringing,and several discussing the artistic merits of each piece. "What doyou think LM was trying to say with this one?"

Hadder rolled his eyes and continued on. At the backof the main exhibit hall, near an open door that read "Biomass"above it, Hadder had to