Black Glass by Meg; Mundell Page B

confess, but people seem to respond to the colour.’
    â€˜Alright, alright, the paperwork looks fine. You understand we’ll need fluid samples and a full background check — covering mental health too, of course.’
    â€˜Sure, that won’t be a problem.’
    â€˜Then consider this a trial period. You bill as you file. Monday mornings you run your ideas past Brian and myself. No moonlighting, no leaks — any issues, you come to us.’
    â€˜We’ll expect eight strong stories in the next eight weeks, including one series and a couple of print versions. The hard stuff, plus some sex, some fluff, heartstring bizzo, corruption, whatever … Visually arresting, low corn factor, nothing too dumbed down or highbrow. Work with integrity, excitement — material that gets us noticed.’
    â€˜Great. I can do that.’
    â€˜Excellent choice of words. So ... has Georgia cleared out her cubicle yet? Good. Then you might as well get started.’
    [Unmapped building interstice, South Interzone: Tally | Blue]
    What — what? Get off my, I’m sleeping, get … No, I’m sleeping, what the fuck are you doing?
    Well how am I meant to know that, I’ve slept up here the last three nights. Get off — you’re standing on my coat. Your bed is it, well I don’t see your name on it, I don’t see a bed either mate.
    Oh right. Yeah of course I can see it. Did you spray-paint that up there, what does it say? Blue? What kind of, well are you a graffiti dude or something, nah it’s alright just kind of hard to read, I said it’s good I mean better than most of that shit, I mean stuff.
    Pillow … what, this piece of …? Oh. Alright, here you go.
    No don’t worry about it. Me too … yelling like that I mean, I was just — it’s confusing when you wake up like that, I couldn’t remember where … Well okay sure I’ll stay on this side then I guess … yeah you stay on that side.
    Just around, up north. What about you? Alice huh, I like that name that’s where they have that big rock right, have you climbed up that big rock thing?
    Right — but people still climb it, don’t they?
    Oh, just stupid whitefellas. Right.
    Fourteen, soon I mean. What about you — no way April the what, man I’m the nineteenth! Yeah so what only by five days don’t get a big head, well I said soon, whatever, few months. Boy you like to be accurate huh.
    Just here on holiday … What’s so funny, I am on bloody holiday plus I’m looking for someone. So I might stay a while. Here look: wait I’ll turn it on, now check out this picture here.
    Yeah I know she is, watch your mouth alright, that’s my sister. Grace. You seen her? Are you sure?
    Nah. We just lost each other by accident, way up country. Okay give us the camera back. Don’t fiddle with it, Jesus I only got one picture of her.
    Hey it’s flickering this light here what does this mean? Ah Jesus, how much do batteries cost, I need some batteries. I need some money.
    What kinda work? Yeah well what’s wrong with questions, you ask them too don’t ya.
    Okay sure tomorrow.
    You got enough room? Cool …
    Hey look up there. Whoa in that gap, that chopper guy is speeding what a freakin’ maniac, speed kills right, what goes up must come down … Hey Blue?
    You still awake? Hey Blue! Okay, okay, jeez. Well who woke up who before, eh? Alright. I said alright. G’night.
    [West foyer, Silvacom Tower, Elizabeth Street, Commerce Zone: Damon | Luella Martin, state liaison agent]
    He’d arranged to meet her in the foyer at ten-fifteen, but couldn’t see anyone who matched her name: just a muted trickle of public servants making for the lifts, clasping donut bags and umbrellas, and some telcom nerds chortling over a bulky folder. As he navigated the revolving door, the steady gazes of the security staff drew him towards the