There were others present, invisible but for the reporting of the entertainment-trade journalists: the movie and game people, maybe a hundred thousand professionals. Some watched the watchers, sampling and polling. Others were down in the bottish battles, collecting designs. He could see the spoor of SpielbergRowling, GameHappenings, Rio Magic, and the big Bollywood studios.

Tim Huynh could see more. After all, he was running GenGen equipment. He could see nets that merged with the background, collecting and collecting — then subtly affecting. Those must belong to the Fantasists Guild, the richest artists' cooperative in the world. (Their motto: "We don't need no stinking middlemen!")

And of course the police were here, a half-dozen jurisdictions from campus cops up to the FBI.

Greater Scooch-a-mout — > Lesser Scooch-a-mout: Hey, my man! We have ten minutes to win belief and decision. Then they're going to start shutting us down.

Alfred watched it all from under Pilchner Hall. Rabbit's riot had emptied the bio labs. The Indo-European inspection equipment was in place, and already sending back results (faked results, but that was Alfred's doing). The stooges who had installed that equipment were now well away from the GenGen area, off where their eventual arrest would provoke diversionary suspicions. But —

"We need at least fifteen minutes more," said Alfred. The faked data stream from the investigation would complete sooner than that, but cleaning up and getting out would take additional time.

Rabbit shrugged. "Don't worry, old fellow. I told Huynh ten minutes just to keep him on his toes. Even after the campus police crack down, you'll have another half hour before the GenGen crew begins to trickle back underground."

Mitsuri — > Braun, Vaz: I think Rabbit is right about the timing. His library operation is a masterpiece. We couldn't have organized a distraction like this without pressing every red button in the Americans' security apparatus.

Braun — > Mitsuri, Vaz: The riot has grown too large. The traffic still blocked their mobiles. Without sufficient mechs on-site, they hadn't been able to fully control Pilchner Hall — and two unwelcome children had created the first real problem of the evening. Now one of those children lay unconscious by the caisson, right where Alfred had brought him down.

Vaz glanced at where Rabbit sat on the edge of the pit, its furry feet dangling into the dark. "What about the girl, Rabbit? Right now she is running around in the tunnels, out of control."

Rabbit smiled broadly. "So call me the lord god of unintended consequences. When things get complicated, there are side effects, and Miri Gu is just one of them. You're the Local Honcho. Why don't you go after her?"

Braun — > Mitsuri, Vaz: No. That would put you well outside of our contingency plans.

In fact, Alfred was tempted. Instead, he had sent down just one mobile to track the girl. It might be enough to distract her. And if she caught up with the stooges, why then they had another option available, something that should surprise Rabbit. Out loud, Vaz said, "I don't think so. Do you have any other suggestions?"

"The obvious, old fellow: Be flexible, like me. Who knows what opportunities may develop? You can't locate Miri Gu, but big deal. That must mean she's nowhere that interests you and your friends, right?" He waggled his ears inquisitively.

Braun — > Mitsuri, Vaz: I want Mr. Rabbit out of there. He is trying to coopt us , and all the time distracting us with his impudence.

And that could be very distracting. Rabbit had started on another carrot. The creature grinned around large incisors as it chomped away, as if to say "Don't mind me; sming all you please!"

From far beyond the walls, Alfred could hear the sounds of Rabbit's diversionary riot. Counterforce analysts reported that Homeland Security was watching UCSD with intense interest, but was otherwise calm. Günberk and Keiko took that as good news. But does that mean Alice Gong is still functioning ? For Alfred, that was the question of the moment, far more important than his run-in with the two children.

In any case, it was time to get the inquisitive rabbit out of here. It had to be done without making Günberk and Keiko suspicious. Fortunately, Günberk was already pushing in the right direction. Braun floated a needs-and-goals matrix into view. The colors were shaded to reflect probability, but it was strikingly pure: for the library riot, Rabbit-critical items glowed bright red, a hundred tasks that only he could do if the diversion were to proceed. For the underground labs, there were a dozen Rabbit-critical items, mainly involving getting the stooges underground, guiding them around, and getting them out of the operational area. And every one of those was some shade of green.

Vaz — > Braun, Mitsuri: Good point, Günberk.

Mitsuri — > Braun, Vaz: Okay. Cut Rabbit loose, but gently. I suggest you blame this move on your obnoxious remote colleagues .

Alfred gave Rabbit a smile. "You are right, Mr. Rabbit. Some of us are sadly inflexible."

"Hey, no problem." Rabbit waved magnanimously.

"In fact, you have made things so safe for us down here, my bosses want you to concentrate on topside operations."

"What are you doing — Hey!"

Vaz reached down and undipped the fiber-optic line from its scamful bridge.

For a moment the image of the Rabbit was frozen, like some dumb graphic that had lost its remote source. Of course, Rabbit still had its Internet link to here; this pause was a moment of simple astonishment. When it passed, the creature hopped to its feet. "Why did you do that?" Its voice and facial expression were almost without affect. Apparently, Rabbit had never conceived the possibility of having to confront real surprise and embarrassment.

The fiber-optic plug dangled loose in Alfred's hand. It took an effort of will not to flash a gloating smile at the creature. He slipped the line into a transceiver on his belt. What went in and out the fiber would now go through his private milnet.

Braun — > Mitsuri, Vaz: Bravo, Alfred!

Mitsuri –> Braun, Vaz: Be nice! We still need him for the riot.

Rabbit paced along the edge of the hole, its paws waving in a blur that might have been fists. "You are breaking our agreement." The voice was still flat.

Alfred put on his kindliest expression and spoke without a hint of triumph. "Please, Mr. Rabbit, look at our agreement. We both need the other to profit — and we are each best in our own domain. The equipment is now inserted in the labs. If you will maintain the riot environment for a few more minutes, you will have everything we promised you."

The Rabbit stared expressionlessly. "You need me down in the labs. Surely…"

He isn't all-knowing ! "Conceivably. I'll keep you apprised of our situation. What do you say?"

There was a sudden cascade of expression across Rabbit's face: anger, then a knowing smile quickly covered up as though the operator had not wanted it seen, then an elaborate, overly patient sigh. Yes, the long-suffering Rabbit. "Ah, paranoia triumphant. Very well, I will bow to your wishes — " which it did elaborately, dancing on the edge of the pit " — and retreat to keeping you safe from surface threats." A flash of unherbivorous teeth: "But I do expect all the agreed payoffs. You know my capabilities."

"I do. And I realize there may still be complications," and attempts by you to create complications . "One of our people will run liaison with you and your surface ops."

Vaz — > Braun, Mitsuri: Keiko?

Mitsuri — > Braun, Vaz: I'm on it.

Rabbit gave a last flippant wave, and suddenly the little room with the plastic walls and the concrete floor was free of all taint of Rabbit. Alfred shut down the remaining Internet links. Now there was just the pile of old clothes, the handcart, the hole in the middle of the floor… and their one human casualty.