Realtime Interrupt

by James P. Hogan

  "No real problems. What happened at Xylog?"

  Corrigan shrugged. "Everyone's fighting like mad dogs there. I just left them to it. They're welcome. Some things aren't worth making lawyers millionaires over."

  Lilly nodded. "Somehow I can't see Tom feeling that way," she said.

  "Oh, he's going for the throat—every ounce of blood he can squeeze. Then he says he and Evelyn are going off to see all of the real world and enjoy it. After that, who knows? I shouldn't think we'll lose touch."

  Lilly turned and took in the scene of the town with the sea and the mountains. "It's pretty," she agreed. "So did you get fixed up with the project that the professor of yours from Trinity is running here?"

  "It looks like it. And he got a fax this morning from Eric Shipley. They're both interested, so it looks as if Eric might be moving over with Thelma too."

  Lilly turned back, they looked at each other for a moment, and she moved a step nearer. Corrigan slipped an arm around her shoulders and drew her close for just a second. Then he reached out with his other hand and pulled open one of the doors. "In fact, Brendan's inside now," he said. "Come on and start meeting some new friends. They're all real this time, I promise."

  "You're sure?" Lilly checked dubiously.

  "Oh, definitely. No computer on earth could simulate these people."

  They went through into the hotel. With their unique experience of sharing a world that most people would never know had even existed, they were natural companions for life. That much didn't need saying. And there was no particular rush to figure out exactly what they intended doing with it. Here, time ran to suit itself.

  About the Author

  James P. Hogan is a science fiction writer in the grand tradition, combining informed and accurate speculation from the cutting edge of science and technology with suspenseful storytelling and living, breathing characters.

  Born in London in 1941, he worked as an aeronautical engineer specializing in electronics and digital systems, and for several major computer firms, before turning to writing full-time in 1979. His first novel was greeted by Isaac Asimov with the rave, "Pure science fiction . . . Arthur Clarke, move over!" and his subsequent work quickly consolidated his reputation as a major SF author.

  He has written over a dozen novels, including Paths to Otherwhere and Bug Park (both Baen), the "Giants" series (Del Rey), the New York Times bestsellers The Proteus Operation and Endgame Enigma (both available from Baen), and the Prometheus Award Winner The Multiplex Man (all available from Baen). Hogan currently splits his time between residences in Ireland and Florida.

  More information about James Hogan and his work is available from his website at http://www.global.org/jhogan