'I can’t believe it!' Junior yelled.
It must be a good game. The Bears were finally showing the rest of the IFL that they were no longer has-beens. They were having their best season in almost thirty years! Marty Senior half-wished he could watch the game himself.
Grandma Lorraine sat down at the table. The pizza looked great. They d have a real family dinner for a change, Marty thought, even though Jennifer still wasn't home.
Pass the kelp tea. please.' Marty asked his daughter.
Marlene pouted behind her own set of vidglasses. No. she whined. 'I don’t want to, so nump off!’
Take him out of the game! ’ Junior pounded his fists on the table.
'Marlene!' Grandma Lorraine reprimanded sharply. ‘Don’t talk to your father like that!’
‘Grandma!’ Marlene barked, pointing at the word and number display on her vidglasses. ‘I’m on the phone, OK?’ Marty’s daughter looked away, long-suffering, as if no teenager should ever have to put up with this sort of thing.
Somebody’s beeper started to chatter as red lights went off on both of the kid’s vidglasses. Marty looked down at the flashing light in his pocket.
It was his beeper.
‘Dad!’ Junior and Marlene yelled together. Telephone! It’s Needles!’
Marty stood up and flipped off his signal. Suddenly his throat was very dry. He felt like everybody at the dinner table was watching him - even the kids behind their vidglasses. If this call was what he thought it was, he’d need a little privacy.
‘I’ll take it in the den.’ He walked from the room, sliding the door closed behind him.
He paused a minute as he passed the mirror to straighten his ties and make sure his hair was combed. This was a serious decision he had to make. It might change his whole future - for the better, Marty hoped. Maybe he could make things up to Jennifer, give her all those things she should have gotten. If only this deal were a little more straightforward - Marty stopped himself with a final check in the mirror. When Needles talked with him on the vidphone, he wanted to look his best.
He walked quickly in front of the video screen.
What was that? He blinked, and shook his head.
For a second there, he thought he had seen somethine out of the corner of his eye. In fact, he could have sworn that Jennifer had been peeking around the edge of the bathroom door. He was so nervous, he must be imagining things.
He picked up the remote control and banished the art channel painting to the corner of the screen.
Needles smiled his gap-toothed grin as his head and shoulders filled the rest of the video display and his identification code flashed on: NEEDLES, DOUGLAS J. ADDRESS: 88 ORIOLE RD. A6TB-94. That was his home address; not that Needles was ever home. From the row of vidmemos behind him, Marty could tell the other man was still at his station at work. Sometimes Marty wondered if Needles ever left the office.
‘Hey, the Big M!’ Needles began boisterously. ’How’s it hangin’, McFly?’
‘Hey, Needles,' Marty replied, trying not to sound nervous.
Needles didn't seem to notice. Instead, he launched quickly into exactly what Marty had to do if their little plan was going to work. Somehow, whenever Needles explained this sort of thing - in all the years they had known each other, ever since high school -it always sounded so easy.
So what do you say, Marty?' he finished breezily, once more flashing the grin that had gotten Needles to a position in the organization that Marty could never hope to reach.
Marty opened his mouth, but no noise came out. Despite all the things he wanted, he was having a real hard time saying yes.
'I - he managed at last. ‘Uh - '
'McFly!' Needles insisted. ‘What are you afraid of? If this things works, it'll solve all your financial problems.'
'And if it doesn't work, I could get fired!' Marty retorted, finding his voice at last. There was one thing his co-worker forgot to mention, something Marty had to get out in the open. ‘It’s illegal. Needles.’
Marty had another thought. Needles was calling from the office. Everybody knew the way their boss was with personal calls!
What if “the Jits” is monitoring?’ Marty asked, his voice suddenly hushed.
Needles looked Marty straight in the screen.