“So you know some unpleasant people.”
This time she didn’t smile. “Very unpleasant. Why do you think I want the professional security along with the money?”
“You know about all four jackings?”
“Sure. I was even there today, remember?”
“I remember.” He tried to see past her, into the shadows. “Where’s the little pop-toy you keep in your bag?”
“In my bag,” she replied uninformatively. Under the bed? he wondered. In the bathroom?
“Don’t worry. It’s not for persuading you. It’s insurance against my friends.”
“I’d like to meet your friends.”
“On a professional level, I’m sure. That’s what I’m here to talk about.” Now that they were getting down to real business, he thought she was starting to sound more than a little nervous. He worked to reassure her.
“I secured this room myself. Nobody except me’s going to hear anything you have to say, and no one’s going to break in on us.”
The appendage Moses had applied to the wall that separated the workroom from Manz’s living area had required several minutes to bypass the protec screen the adjuster had emplaced. It helped that Moses contained all the necessary codes. Contact on his side caused his head to swivel. The listening appendage remained secured to the wall.
Clad in glad gossamer, Vyra eyed him questioningly as she removed her hand from the humaniform’s shoulder. The door to her rooms stood open. “Well?”
“Silence, please. I am recording.”
“I can see that. But recording what, and why?”
“Did you have a profitable day?”
“Don’t try to change the subject. My work at the Port unearthed nothing of significance, I’m sorry to say. How did you and Broddy make out?”
It was perhaps fortunate that the mechanical, though quite capable of executing the requisite mimicry, was not given to involuntary giggles.
“Our inquiries proved singularly uninformative. However, Manz is even at this very moment entering upon a new line of inquiry which appears to be far more promising.”
She hesitated. “I ought to command you to withdraw, but you’d probably recite some litany about being responsible only to designated corporate interlocutors. You’re sure this recording you’re doing is business-related?”
“What else?”
She started to reply, hesitated, and returned instead to her own rooms, leaving the mechanical to its work.
As li Trong rolled over onto her side to face Manz, several fractal patterns became intimately animated. A butterfly’s wings contracted.
“You’re full of surprises, Broderick Manz. I didn’t expect such delicacy of touch.”
He considered the ceiling. “Disappointed?”
“No. Just surprised.”
“What happened? Last I remember, you were going to give me some answers.”
“You got distracted.”
“You distracted me.”
“Disappointed?”
He grinned at her. “No. Just surprised. Want to talk now?”
“In a minute.” She rolled across him, lingered, and slid onto her feet. His eyes followed her as she disappeared into the bathroom. He could hear her humming as she activated the shower.
He’d been wondering if all those tattoos had numbed her nerves. They hadn’t.
Rising, he fumbled in the closet until he found his robe. Not that he felt the need to hide himself; it was just a mite chilly in the room. The biogeered silk was slick against his skin, and he enjoyed the feel as he eyed the drink dispenser.
After a moment’s thought, he drew forth a glass of cold grapefruit juice. The tartness smarted against his palate but helped to keep him alert. As he sipped, he wondered how he was going to hit Gemmel for the quarter mil. It shouldn’t be a serious problem. Drop in the well for Braun-Ives. They could reroute some of the preferred reward money. The ticket would be no trouble either, but depending on the woman’s background, the passport could be tricky to arrange. Maybe Hafas could help with that.
Embedded within the watery echo of the flushing john was a slight click. He frowned at the distinct sound. Two seconds later the room was rocked by an eruption of volcanic magnitude. Propelled by a gout of orange flame, wall insulation and shards of plastic exploded into the bedroom. Displaced air lifted him off the floor, threw him across the sheets, and slammed him into the padded headboard. He bounced once and tumbled to the floor on the far side of the bed, which had been skewed sideways by the force of the detonation.
With Vyra at his back, Moses tried the lockseal on the door from the workroom.
“Seeth the formalities! Get in there!” she ordered him.
“I comply.” A cutting torch emerged from the tip of one limb, and the humaniform proceeded to slice the lockseal down the middle. Without waiting for his assistance, Vyra slammed the freed door back on its guide and stepped into the ruins of Manz’s bedroom.
Dissipating, dust-laden smoke continued to issue from the demolished bathroom. She spared it a glance before hurriedly searching the rest of the room.
“Broddy! Don’t vape on me now, man. We haven’t even had time to talk.” A coughing sound drew her around the foot of the bed.
