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.’ He indicated the controls on the side of the case.Casey helped Artois ease the flimsy filaments over her head like a balaclava.The fine mesh network adapted itself to the contours of her features, dividing her face into neat squares of flesh like a graph.Halliday connected the case and activated the slide.Casey stared, big-eyed, as the VR queen’s face underwent a rapid and startling transformation.No longer was she a fine-featured, raven-haired beauty.Now her hair was blonde, her face fuller.Halliday played with the slide and the faces of perhaps a dozen different women chased each other across the malleable canvas of the capillary unit.Artois caught sight of Casey’s hang-jaw expression.‘What? All I can see is a faint light.’‘These are pre-programmed personas,’ Halliday explained.‘If you adjust the settings you can alter individual features, customise your appearance.’ He passed her the control and indicated a mirror in the corner of the room.She peered at her changing appearance.‘It can’t adjust your height, so if I were you I’d get rid of those heels.Get some flats.Change your style of dress.It’d be a good idea to change your appearance on a daily basis.’Artois turned to Halliday, wearing the face of a middle-aged brunette, her expression serious.‘Why do you think someone wants me dead, Mr Halliday?’He shook his head.‘Impossible to say.’‘Do you think this might have anything to with Canada’s disappearance?’‘Again.’ He shrugged.‘I’ll be able to tell you more in a day or two.’She nodded, turned to the mirror and transformed herself into a mousy-haired middle-aged woman of nondescript appearance.‘You stand out a mile in that coat,’ Halliday told her.‘Leave it here and take this.’ He passed her a shabby raincoat he’d picked up at a Salvation Army sale last year, and the transformation from VR star to ordinary citizen was complete.‘I wouldn’t go back to your apartment for a while.Buy some clothes and whatever and book yourself into a hotel.’‘What about tomorrow night? I thought I was going to show you Canada’s room?’‘If you’ll trust me with your keycard, I’ll let myself in and take a look around.’Artois nodded and passed him a silver card.‘You’ll also need twenty-four-hour protection.’‘The studio provides security.’‘I mean real protection.Not some studio amateurs.I’ll arrange it.I know a guy who runs a security firm.Expensive, but the best.’He sent Casey out to call a taxi.‘If you need me, you have my number.I’ll be in touch if I need to question you, okay?’Artois looked at him.He had to admit, the chu was effective.He no longer found her intimidating.Now she was just another ordinary citizen.He wondered why he had a problem relating to young, attractive women.‘Barney was right,’ she said now.‘You are good.’‘Tell me that in a week when all this is over, okay? It’s early days yet.’She slipped the control case of the capillary hologram unit into the inside pocket of the raincoat.‘How much was the chu, Halliday?’‘I’ll put it on the bill.’Casey leaned around the door.‘Taxi’s here.I’ll show you down, Vanessa.’Artois nodded at Halliday and left with Casey.He sat at his desk and poured himself a strong coffee, then got through to Szabo Security and arranged twenty-four-hour protection for the VR star.When Casey came back she made straight for the bedroom.Seconds later she stepped back into the office, wearing Artois’ silver Gucci coat.She grasped the lapels and swirled in the middle of the office.‘You two got pretty close,’ Halliday said.‘We talked a lot, me and Vanessa,’ Casey said.‘You know, she might be a star and that, but underneath she’s a real person.We talked about Canada, and I told her that I hadn’t seen my sister for years.We have a lot in common.Did you know she’s from Georgia, too?’‘No kidding?’‘Hey, you think I can keep this coat?’ She did another twirl, burying her cheek in the soft silver lame.‘She’ll be wanting it back, Casey.’‘Aw, please, Hal.She won’t miss it.’ She paused, looking at him.‘Hey, who you think wants Vanessa dead?’He lifted his shoulders in abeats-me shrug.‘Okay,’ she said.‘Stupid question.’ Then she waved.‘Hey again - guess what came through at last?’He lodged his boots on the corner of the desk and massaged his tired face.‘Go on, surprise me.’‘The file, dummy - and you waiting for it for so long.’The file.The file he’d ordered about a century ago.He tapped the keyboard of his desk-com.‘Remember, if there’s a glitch, you take me to Silvio’s.’‘And if it operates smooth.’ he said, dimming the lights, ‘beef noodles for Hal.’He pressed the play command and joined Casey on the chesterfield.Seconds later the wallscreen flared
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