But I am especially lucky to have such great friends and family who read this book in draft form and offered advice. My thanks to these readers, in geographical order from east to west: Kathy Bieschke, who lives right here in our home; Gary Delafield, Elizabeth Delafield, and Mary “Gold Star” McClanahan in State College, Pennsylvania; Kevin McCullough Wabaunsee of Chicago, who shared his experiences working in a neuroscience lab, including the secrets of rat sacrifice; Kurt Dinan in Hamilton, Ohio; Dave Justus and Matt Sturges in Austin; and Nancy Kress and Jack Skillingstead in Seattle. Adam Rakunas, in far-off Santa Monica, not only read the book, he allowed me to rustle the miniature bison from his story “Oh Give Me a Home” and shrink them to apartment-sized critters.

In a surprise twist, the best copy editor on the planet, Deanna Hoak, moved to my little town so we could go over the manuscript in person.

Finally, Kathy, Ian, and Emma put up with me when I was distracted and missed me when I was gone.

See? Damn lucky.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

AFTERPARTY

Copyright © 2014 by Daryl Gregory

All rights reserved.

Cover art by Getty Images

Cover design by Base Art Co.

A Tor Book

Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

175 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10010

www.tor-forge.com

Tor® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:

Gregory, Daryl.

    Afterparty / Daryl Gregory.

            p. cm.

    ISBN 978-0-7653-3692-7 (hardcover)

    ISBN 978-1-4668-2928-2 (e-book)

  1.  Drug abuse—Fiction.   2.  Science fiction.   I.  Title.

    PS3607.R48836A69 2014

    813'.6—dc23

2013025194

e-ISBN 9781466829282

First Edition: April 2014