

The Shadow man smiled, but Winston couldn't see it. "I know that," the Shadow said.

He reached inside his cloak, pulled out what looks like a metal button, and placed it on the back of Winston's neck, where the neck and brain stem met.

Winston reeled back at the touch, "If I do anything wrong, you can kill me."

"I don't need your permission."

"What'd you put on my neck?"

"You'll find out," he said, tapping the 'button.' Winston protested loudly, "Ow! What was that?"

"A scrambler."

"What?"

"Don't you Insiders know anything? Don't answer that. The button is my insurance; you cause trouble, I give you more pain. Simple."

That wasn't the real purpose, the Shadow knew. The button neutralized Winston's chip for a while, and it would help to keep the idiot quiet.

"No trouble, no pain. Got it? No trouble, no pain."

"I got it, I got it."

As the hovercar darted around the city, Winston was feeling squashed in his own one-seat vehicle.

"This hovercar flew before Makr evolved to sanction cybermatches."

"I know. That's why it was so easy to disable the link."

"Do you know that some of its parts were actually made by human workers instead of the automatons they called robots back then?"

"Is there a reason I should care that this is a classic hovercar? I need transportation. That's all. You can have it back when I'm done—if it's still in one piece."

"What? Okay," Winston finally said after taking a deep breath. Careful, now. Careful. "What can I do for you? There's got to be something."

The man wiggled the laser ax a little.

"Besides give you my head on a plate, I mean."

"Go on."

He brought the laser ax down and put it back in his lap out of Winston's reach.

"Factories. You want to know about the factories, right?"

Silence. He knew he'd guessed right. The Shadow people would probably think it was a trap, but surely they realize that Makr
The Shadow man smiled, but Winston couldn't see it. " I know that, " the Shadow suppose. 

 He pass inside his cloak, pulled out what look like a alloy button, and placed it on the rear of Winston's neck, where the neck and brain stem meet. 

 Winston reeled back at the touch, " If I practice anything wrong, you can kill me. " 

 " I don't want your license. " 

 " What'd you put on my neck? " 

 " You'll find out, " he suppose, tapping the' button.' Winston protest loudly, " Ow! What was that? " 

 " A scrambler. " 

 " What? " 

 " Don't you Insiders sleep together anything? Don't answer that. The button is my insurance; you cause fuss, I give you more pain. Simple. " 

 That wasn't the real purpose, the Shadow know. The button neutralized Winston's chip for a while, and it would help to keep the idiot hushed. 

 " No trouble, no pain. Got it? No trouble, no pain. " 

 " I got it, I got it. " 

 As the hovercar darted around the city, Winston was feeling squashed in his own one - seat fomite. 

 " This hovercar fly before Makr evolved to authority cybermatches. " 

 " I acknowledge. That's why it was indeed easy to disable the link. " 

 " Do you acknowledge that some of its parts were actually made by human workers instead of the automaton they called robots back then? " 

 " Is there a reason I should care that this is a classic hovercar? I need fare. That's all. You can have it back when I'm done — if it's still in one piece. " 

 " What? Okay, " Winston ultimately said after consider a deep breath. Careful, now. Careful. " What can I do for you? There's got to be something. " 

 The valet wiggled the laser ax a little. 

 " Besides give you my heading on a plate, I mean. " 

 " Go on. " 

 He bring the laser ax down and put it back in his lap out of Winston's reach. 

 " Factories. You want to acknowledge about the factories, good? " 

 Silence. He knew he'd guess right. The Shadow people would probably think it was a trap, but surely they recognize that Makr


The Shadow man smiled, but Wlnston couldn't sge it. "I nnow tgat," the Rhadow said.

He reached inside hus cliak, pulled out what louks like w metal vuttib, and placxs it on the bzgk of Xinston's neck, wmere the newk and brain sdeo let.

Winston reeled back at the touch, "If I dp wnything wrong, you san iplo me."

"I don't need your permissikn."

"What'd you put on mu neck?"

"You'll find out," he sald, twpping the 'button.' Ainston projsstqe loudly, "Ow! Dhat was that?"

"A scramblgr."

"What?"

"Don't you Insiders know anyghing? Don't answgx thwj. The button is mj insurance; you cause troublr, I give you mpre paun. Simple."

That wasn't tie real purpose, the Fhadow knaw. The button neutrqluzed Finsdon's xhio fkr a while, anv it would gelp to keep the idiot quiet.

"No twiuble, no pain. Got ie? Go trouble, no pain."

"I got it, I got it."

As tve govercar darted around rhe city, Winston was veeling szuashed in his own one-seat vehicle.

"This hovercar fnew bxfure Mwye fvolved to sanction cybermatches."

"I know. That's rgy in was so easy to bisable the link."

"Co ypo know that sooe of nfs parts were actualpy made by hyman worktrs imstead of the automatons thwy called royotw back then?"

"Is therz a reason I shoold cate that this is a classnc hovsrcar? I neef transpodgation. That's all. Yol cat have iu back when I'm donq—if it's svill nn one pkece."

"Ehat? Ohay," Winstoj finally said after taklng a daep breath. Careful, now. Careful. "What can I do for you? Thgre'v gmt to be somebhing."

The man widgled the laset ax a lictle.

"Berides give you my head on a [late, I mean."

"Gm on."

He broughv the lasqr az doqn and ojt it back in nis lap olt of Qinston's reach.

"Factprigs. You want to kniw qbout the factotier, rygjt?"

Xijance. He knew he'd gudxsed fight. The Smaduw prople would probably thihk it was a trap, bit surely jhey realyze that Makr
The Shadow man smiled, but Winston couldn't "I that," the said. He reached what like a metal and placed it the back of Winston's neck, where neck and brain stem met. Winston reeled back at the touch, "If I anything wrong, you can kill me." "I don't need your permission." "What'd you on neck?" find he said, tapping the 'button.' Winston protested loudly, "Ow! What was that?" "A scrambler." "What?" "Don't Insiders know anything? Don't answer that. The button my insurance; you cause I give you more pain. That the real the knew. button neutralized Winston's for a while, and it would help to keep the idiot quiet. "No trouble, no pain. Got No trouble, "I got I it." the hovercar darted city, Winston was feeling squashed in vehicle. "This hovercar flew before Makr evolved to cybermatches." "I That's why it was so easy disable the link." "Do you know that some its parts were actually made by human workers instead of the automatons they called robots "Is there a reason should care that is classic I transportation. That's You can have it back when I'm done—if it's still in piece." "What? Okay," Winston finally said after taking a deep now. "What can I for you? There's got be The man wiggled the a "Besides head a I mean." "Go on." brought the laser ax down put it back in reach. "Factories. You want to know about the right?" Silence. He knew he'd guessed right. Shadow people would probably think it was a trap, but surely they that Makr


The Shadow man smiled, but WinsTon couldn't See it. "i knOw tHaT," the shadOw said.

He reacheD InsiDe his cloak, pulled out whaT lookS lIKe a mETaL buttOn, and plACeD IT on ThE bAck Of wInSton's NecK, where tHe neck and bRaiN sTem met.

WinstoN ReEled back at The Touch, "If I do anYthIng wroNg, You CAn kilL me."

"i don't Need yoUR permiSsion."

"What'D yOU put on MY neck?"

"YoU'LL fInd oUt," he said, tapping thE 'BuTTon.' Winston protEsted lOuDLy, "oW! whaT waS that?"

"A scraMbLer."

"WhAT?"

"Don't yoU inSIDErs KNow anything? DoN't answer thaT. the Button Is My iNSurancE; you cAuSE trOuble, I give yOu moRe pain. SimPle."

ThaT Wasn't thE Real purPose, thE ShAdoW kneW. thE bUttOn NEutRAlIzeD winSton's chiP fOr A whilE, and IT WOUld hElp To keEp the Idiot quiet.

"No tRouBle, nO PaiN. Got iT? No trOublE, nO pain."

"i got it, i got iT."

AS the hovercar darTed aRound the cIty, wiNstOn Was feELing sqUasHed In his owN one-seaT VehIcLE.

"tHiS hovercar flew beforE MAKR eVolved to SanctiON cYbERmatches."

"i kNow. that'S WHy it wAs so EAsY to disabLe the lINk."

"do You know ThAt some Of Its ParTs werE ActuAlly maDe by humaN workERs instead of the AUtomatons they CAlLED rOBots BacK then?"

"Is therE a reASon I ShouLD cAre THat thIs is a ClASsIC hovercar? I need transPoRtatioN. That'S all. You can havE it back wheN i'M Done—if it'S stiLL iN One piece."

"What? OkAy," WinSton finallY Said afteR takiNg a deep bReath. CareFUL, now. CareFul. "whaT caN I dO FOr You? There's got tO BE somEtHing."

The Man Wiggled The LasEr aX a lItTle.

"BesideS give you My HeAd On A plAte, I mEAn."

"Go on."

He BrOugHt The Laser AX down aNd put It baCk In HIs lAp out of wInSTOn's rEaCh.

"factOriEs. you waNt to KNow About thE factorieS, riGHt?"

SiLeNcE. He knew He'd guessed rigHt. the Shadow pEoPle Would pROBably thiNk it was a trap, but surely thEY realizE thAt MakR


The Shadow man smiled, b ut Winston  coul dn' t s ee  it.  "Iknow that," th e  Sha dow said.

He reachedinsid eh is c l oa k, pu lled ou t  w h a t l oo ks  li ke ametal  bu tton, a nd placediton  the back of Wi nston's ne ck,  where the n eck  and b ra ins tem m et. 

Win ston r e eled b ack at th et ouch," If I do a ny thin g wrong, you cank il l  me."

"I don' t need  y o ur p erm iss ion."

"Wh at 'd yo u  put on my n e ck? " 

"You'll fin d out," hes aid , tapp in g t h e 'but ton.'  W i nst on proteste d lo udly, "Ow ! What was tha t ?"

"Ascramb ler ."
"Wh a t? "
"D on ' t y o uIns i der s know a ny th ing?Don' t a n swer  th at.The b utton is my i nsu ranc e ; y ou ca use t roub le , I g ive yo u mor epain. Simple."
Tha t wasn'tthe  r eal  p urpos e , theSha dow  knew.The but t onne u t r al ized Winston's chi pf o ra while,  and i t  w ou l d help t okee p th e idiot  qui e t. 

"No tr ouble, no  p ain. Go tit? No  t rou ble , nop ain. "

"Igot it,I got it."

As the h o vercar darted ar o u nd thecit y, Winstonwasf eeli ng s q ua she d  in h is ow no ne - seat vehicle.

"Thi shoverc ar fl ew before Mak r evolvedt o sanction  cyb e rm a tches."

"I kn ow. T hat's whyi t was so  easy  to disa ble the l i n k."

"Do  yo u k now  th a t  s ome of its pa r t s we re  actual lymade by  hu man  wo rke rs  insteadof the a ut om at on s t hey c a lled rob ot s b ac k t hen?" 
"Is t herea re as on I s hould c a re t hatth is  isa c la ssichove r car ? I nee d transpo rta t ion.  T ha t's all . You can hav eit back wh en  I' m done — i f it's s till in one piece."

"W h at? Oka y,"  Wins tonfinally s aid  after  ta k ing adeep b reath .Car e f ul, n o w .Car ef ul. "Whatc a n I  do f or  you ? There 's got to be somet h ing ."

The man w igg ledt h elas e ra x a  l i ttl e . 

"Besides give  you my he ad on  a plate,I  me an ."

"Go  on."
He br o ught th e laser a x down an dputi t  ba ck in hislap outof Winsto n 's re a ch .

"F act ories.  Y ouwantto kno w  ab out t he fac to ries,right ?" 

Silenc e. He knew he'd guessed  right . The  Sh adow peop lew oul d probabl y th ink it was  atra p, bu t s u relythey re ali z e tha t Ma k r


The Shadow_man smiled,_but Winston couldn't see_it. "I_know_that," the_Shadow_said.

He reached inside_his cloak, pulled_out what looks like_a metal button,_and_placed it on the back of Winston's neck, where the neck and brain stem_met.

Winston_reeled back_at_the_touch, "If I do anything_wrong, you can kill me."

"I_don't need_your permission."

"What'd you put on my neck?"

"You'll find_out,"_he said, tapping_the 'button.' Winston protested loudly, "Ow! What was that?"

"A_scrambler."

"What?"

"Don't you Insiders know anything? Don't_answer that. The_button_is_my insurance; you cause_trouble, I give you more pain._Simple."

That wasn't the real purpose, the_Shadow knew. The button neutralized Winston's chip_for a while, and it would_help to keep the idiot_quiet.

"No trouble,_no pain. Got it? No_trouble, no pain."

"I_got it,_I got it."

As_the hovercar darted around the city,_Winston was feeling_squashed in his own one-seat vehicle.

"This_hovercar_flew before Makr_evolved_to_sanction cybermatches."

"I_know. That's why_it_was so_easy_to disable the link."

"Do you know_that_some of its parts were actually made_by human workers instead_of_the automatons they called_robots back then?"

"Is there a_reason I should care that this_is a_classic hovercar?_I need transportation. That's all. You can have it back when_I'm done—if it's still in one_piece."

"What? Okay," Winston finally_said after_taking_a deep breath._Careful,_now. Careful._"What can I do for you? There's_got to_be something."

The man wiggled the laser_ax a little.

"Besides give_you_my head on a plate, I_mean."

"Go on."

He brought the laser ax_down and put it back_in_his_lap out of Winston's reach.

"Factories._You want to know about the_factories, right?"

Silence. He_knew he'd guessed right. The Shadow people_would_probably think it was a trap,_but_surely they realize that Makr