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."And if we don't?"The other raised a finger and two walking hulks silently moved in from the main room to flankhim.Above their formal wear, their impassive faces showed the evidence of innumerable fights."Youcan leave peacefully," the little man said, "or in pain."Slowly, deliberately, Lathe brought his left fist chest-high, covering it with his right hand.Thelittle man's body went rigid as the red-eyed dragonhead ring caught the dim light."Call Kanai," Latheinstructed him quietly."I think he'll be willing to see us."aaTTnnssFFffooDDrrPPmmYYeeYYrrBB22.BBAAClick here to buyClick here to buywwmmwwoowwcc.AAYYBBYYBBr rA handful of the nearest booths in the convoluted floor pattern had openings which faced thedoor.Lathe and Skyler let a waiter take them to one of those, ordered a beer apiece, and settled downto wait."We're sure spending a lot of time on this mission hanging around bars," Skyler noted as theywaited for their detox tablets to neutralize any potential drugs in their drinks."You think he'll comealone?"Lathe shrugged."That is the question, isn't it? It may depend on how deeply they're involved withthe criminal element in town.""That barman Phelling talked about them drumming up business here.Could be the localcriminals keep them informed on potential collie targets.""You really believe that?"Skyler smiled lopsidedly."Probably not.Though if they've really quit the war to becomemercenaries they're taking an awful risk on Jensen's righteous indignation.""We'll save that threat for our trump card," Lathe said dryly."Right."Conversation lagged, and Lathe took the opportunity to study their booth and its surroundings.From the shoulders up they were shielded from the rest of the room only by the privacy plasticwhich, while not even remotely bulletproof, at least fogged images enough to make aiming difficult.The booth's seatback was thick enough to provide a somewhat better shield, though again its strengthwas dubious.The table itself bothered him more.Thick and heavy, it was bolted solidly to the floorvia a metallic central stem.An immediate and formidable obstacle to a fast exit from the booth, shouldsuch a move become necessary.He was surreptitiously testing the strength of its connectors whenSkyler cleared his throat."I believe this is our company arriving now."Lathe looked up.Moving toward them from the anteroom was a slim oriental man.He stepped tothe edge of their privacy shield, glanced at Skyler, then turned his attention to Lathe."I'm LonatoKanai," he said, raising right hand to left shoulder in formal blackcollar salute.His dragonhead had thevertically slit eyes of an ordinary commando."Comsquare Damon Lathe," Lathe said, returning the salute."Commando Rafe Skyler.Sitdown."Kanai did so, something in his face and movements suggesting wariness."I suppose we might aswell dispense with the obvious question of where you came from," he said, "and go right to theimportant one: why are you here?""Here in Denver or here in the Shandygaff?" Lathe asked.Kanai smiled faintly."Either, or both.""We hear you're for hire.We want some details."The smile vanished."We handle.difficult jobs for our clients," he said, his voice oddly stiff."Penetration, goods recovery, intelligence ""Against whom?" Skyler interrupted.Kanai's lip twitched."Against whomever the client wants."aaTTnnssFFffooDDrrPPmmYYeeYYrrBB22.BBAAClick here to buyClick here to buywwmmwwoowwcc.AAYYBBYYBBr r"Government targets?" Skyler persisted."Rival criminal bosses? Or just ordinary citizens whoget out of line?"Kanai's brow darkened."We don't touch the ordinary citizens," he growled."Ever.Only those incharge.""The government?" Lathe asked."The government isn't in charge in Denver," Kanai snorted."The roachmen keep pretty much toAthena while the parasites run the city.""Parasites like Manx Reger?""Like him and a dozen more.He's furious with you for whatever you did to his men this morning,incidentally.You'd better stay clear of northwestern Denver.""I'll keep that in mind," Lathe said."Why doesn't the government do something about theseorganizations?"Kanai eyed him."You are new here.The roachmen don't do anything because they can't.Organized crime was entrenched in Denver long before the war, and it would cost billions to eradicateit.""And the people as a whole can't do anything?""The people generally accept it." Kanai shrugged."You have to understand that the bosses hereare parasites but not bloodsuckers.They want long-term profits, not a dead city.Their payment scaleruns lower even than the roachmen's taxes which in turn are lower here than in a lot of other areasbecause there aren't as many official government services.In exchange the bosses provide protectionfor their clients, certain financial services, and other benefits.It really does qualify as an invisiblegovernment and at ten percent or less of their income most people consider it a fair bargain.""Reger's men were charging twenty-five percent," Skyler murmured."Spot-market rates," Kanai said."Must have thought you were outsiders trying to move in.""How long has this system been running?" Lathe asked."Openly, since the end of the war.Covertly, probably a lot longer.As I said, the people heregenerally accept the situation.""Like they accept the Ryqril," Skyler said [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]