Daydream Notes

Jason is deciding what his next move should be. He really wants to hedge against further police activity, and is considering hiding in the jungle or remote South Pacific islands. He then tallies his resources: some money, is handsome, has Charisma, and 42 years as a six. He also has his collected experiences. He decides an apartment would be nice for now; but he can't put his own name on anything, as landlords are required to update the police on residences. So, somebody else that has an apartment, like a woman he seduces. After rolling it through his head a bit, he gets a quibble (apparently these are software piloted, so like a johnny cab) and directs it to fly to reno, to a specific hi-tone club he knows. He calls it up, and charms the matre'd by remembering the man's name. It all goes wrong, though, as he gives his name and the Matre'd says "try booking us in two weeks." Once again, denied, he grinds his teeth and sends "sheets of pain...

A man in a luxurious quibble sits in the parking lot atop the police HQ. He reads the above-fold headlines, then carefully places the newspaper on the back seat. He's General Felix Buckman. He's a police general. The novel sketches the command structure (above Felix are Grand Marshall, and above that a mysterious Director) but the impression the book gives is that Buckman is the head of all natpol in at least Los Angeles if not California. He's coming in to start his day when the day shift is just ending. He's mid fifties, known by all, concerned for his subordinates well-being. He walks through the office of now empty and clear desks for agents, and notices one desk still messy: this is McNulty's desk. To Buckman, McNulty is an enthusiastic dummy; a necessary kind that must be tolerated. Buckman starts reading what he's working on; apparently there is a Jason Taverner, and he doesn't exist. His assistant, Herb Maime, meets his boss as he reads...

The guy immediately ahead of Jason evidently went to a shit forger, as he's immediately grabbed and thrown into a police quibble. But, Kathy does good work, as they pass inspection. The men attempt to give him grief about his tracker dot on his natpol card being scraped off, but he just says "I don't know what an electric dot is" and they let him pass. Kathy was lurking in the darkness. She pops out to say "see, I did good work". Jason realizes she's done it again; by proving the cards are good, Jason now owes her one, and has lost his status as Kathy's victim. Trapped again, Jason and Kathy head back to Kathy's shit apartment, while she tells him about her pet turtle (kept at the good apartment.) But somebody's waiting back at Kathy's: Mr. McNulty, her handler. He gets off Kathy's shitty couch and extends a hand to Jason; he reaches to shake it and McNulty corrects him: no, I'm not offering to shake your hand, I w...

Kathy and Jason are holding hands as they walk down the street. Kathy is talking about love and auras; Jason is numb to the world. She eventually tunes in to his non-replies being non replies, but Jason is at a distance now, constructing his own psychological models. He's concluded that Kathy is a solipsistic narcissist who's chief skill is manipulation, and any attempts at communication will just prompt a deflection or some other defense reaction. Her sheer hostility to any logic was the castle moat. She asks if he feels like catching a captian kirk. He's like sure, whatev. She asks if he wants to return to her place and screw like minks. This pegs his desire to get the fuck away from Kathy, consequences be dammed. A conversation about honestly quickly leads to Jason saying he thinks Kathy should be in a mental hospital and he wants nothing more than to get away from her. And so he walks away, into the crowd. Wondering if he's just doomed himself, Jaso...