Interface by Neal Stephenson & J. Frederick George

Author:Neal Stephenson & J. Frederick George [Stephenson, Neal]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Thriller, SciFi, CyberPunk
ISBN: 9780553372304
Goodreads: 3579637
Publisher: Bantam
Published: 1994-04-01T00:00:00+00:00

Eleanor Richmond strode like a gunslinger into the horseshoe drive at 5:55 PM cradling a three-inch-thick stack of xeroxed handouts. Before she said a word, she held out one of the handouts up next to her face and stood motionless for a few seconds. She had learned this from watching pros in action. It gave the video people a chance to adjust the white balance on their cameras so that she, and everyone who followed her into the centre of the maelstrom, would not look pink or green on television. At the same time, it was a great pose for the still photographers. Dozens of motor drives whined, clearly audible in the astonishing silence that had suddenly fallen over this makeshift technological amphitheatre.

If the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse had chosen this moment to gallop through the horseshoe drive on their fiery mounts, the journalists would have chased them out of the shot with verbal abuse, and possibly interviewed them later, after the main event. The only figure who dared break into the frame was a helpful reporter from the Washington Post who scurried up to Eleanor, relieved her of the stack of handouts, and frisbeed them wildly into the crowd.

“My name is Eleanor Richmond. I am the Denver health and human services liaison for Senator Caleb Roosevelt Marshall. I have held that position for one month.

“When I began working for the senator I was convinced, based on his past records and statements, that he was a racist. I am now convinced that he does not have a racist bone in his body. I have never met a man more willing to judge people on their individual merits, or lack thereof.

“However even the most perceptive judge of human nature can occasionally be fooled by ambitious persons who practice to deceive. It is my unpleasant duty to report to you that several such people have risen to positions of influence on the Senators’ staff and, unbeknownst to Senator Marshall, have abused the power of his office for private gain.

“Going direct to the media is not the best way to handle this situation. I should have met with the Senator first. I have made repeated efforts to try and reach him but he has been unavailable. Unfortunately I cannot wait any longer to release this information, because it has a bearing on the matter of Bianca Ramirez, and if, by inaction, I were to cause damage to her family, I could never forgive myself. So I am releasing the information now and I am also offering my resignation to Senator Marshall at the same time.”

“Eleanor!” shouted all of the journalists at once, raising their hands.

“Excuse me, excuse me, but I think that I should be given an opportunity to speak,” someone said, coming up behind Eleanor.

She turned around and looked directly into the face of Shad Harper.

And then she hesitated. She had her back to the lights and cameras now; he was facing them, every pore in his face exposed to their pitiless illumination.

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