Part 21 (1/2)

Malcolm Ramkartra was looking at him with a studied expression, respectful, and more than a little disconcerted.

'Oh yeah,' Greg said. 'But it costs.'

Each of the observers had become a whirlpool of excitement. One of them began to follow Leol Reiger.

'Who was that?' he asked Suzi.

'Leol f.u.c.king Reiger, real bundle of fun. Likes to think he's a premier-grade tekmerc, but he's just a jumped up hardliner with an att.i.tude problem.'

'I thought the two of you were trying to out-cool each other to death.'

Suzi's face hardened. 'Listen, he might be a prize p.r.i.c.k, but if he's in on this deal there's serious trouble brewing.'

'Yeah, he's not working with the observers for a start.'

'Oh, b.o.l.l.o.c.ks. A third group involved.' She sucked in air, letting it whistle through her teeth. 'Greg, I don't like this.'

'Tell you, me neither.'

Leo! Reiger and Chad sank out of his perception range. They had taken one of the gla.s.s cage lifts down the side of the well.

'What now?' Suzi asked.

187.

'I still want to talk to one of those observers. But first I think we'd better make use of the small lead we've got.'

'Are you going to warn Baronski?' Malcolm Ramkartra asked.

Greg thought for a moment. Leol Reiger's mind bad been screaming for vengeance as he disappeared. 'No. Reiger has gone to regroup, that's all. We've got a small breathing s.p.a.ce. Baronski isn't our concern, if we try and safeguard him, Reiger will come after us, and I don't know what he's loaded with.' He gave Suzi an enquiring glance.

'G.o.d knows,' she said. 'But he won't be travelling lightweight. He'll have hardline backup, and he'll have made sure it's enough to get him into Baronski's apartment.'

'So scratch Baronski, maybe the observers will protect him when they see Reiger coming back. Then, maybe not. Our advantage is we know about Whitehurst, let's exploit that.' Greg pulled his cybofax from his top pocket, and give it Julia's number. He squinted at the screen when she came on; she was sitting in the back seat of her Rolls. The real Julia. 'How were the speeches?'

'Boring, I'll trade places with you next time.'

'Deal. Listen, are you up to date?'

'Yes, her name's Charlotte Fielder, and you're going to see Baronski.'

'Seen him. Trouble is, there's one very p.i.s.sed off tekmerc here called Leo! Reiger who wants to see him as well.'

'Do you need a.s.sistance?'

'No, he's gone now. But Baronski is being watched, and not by Reiger. That means at least two other groups are on the same trail we are.'

'Dear Lord. Who, Greg?'

'I don't know. I was hoping you could tell us.'

Julia sucked her lower lip in concern. 'No, sorry. I'll get my team on it.'

'You do that. But at least we've got a lead on Fielder from Baronski. He told us that she's gone off with someone called Jason Whitehurst, a trader. Do you know him?'

'Jason? Yes, I know him, I even do business with him. He places some of my gear in Africa and the Far East; he runs 188.

some complex exchange deals, but he's reliable. I've met him at a few functions. . Quite a nice old boy. You'd get on well with him, Greg, he's ex-miitary.'

'No messing? Well, that boy who left the El Harhari with Charlotte Fielder was Jason Whitehurst's son, Fabian; so she's definitely with Whitehurst. The thing is, Baronski can't contact her. Apparently Whitehurst lives in an airs.h.i.+p, and he's not answering call~. I need its co-ordinates.'

'Jason's son?' Julia asked.

Greg picked up on the puzzlement in her voice. 'Yeah.'

'I don't think so, Greg, Jason's gay.'

'Christ,' Suzi muttered. 'You said it, Greg, that old fart Baronski cheated you. How about we go back and find out who the kid really is?'

The neurohormone hangover was beginning to bite. He tried to concentrate. 'Irrelevant; Charlotte left with that boy, and Baronski believed he was Jason Whitehurst's son. So whatever this Fabian character really is, he and Jason are operating together. And Jason is definitely plugged in somewhere down the line; why else did he pull his vanis.h.i.+ng act? Julia, a.s.semble a full profile on Jason Whitehurst for us, and find out where the b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l that airs.h.i.+p is.'

'OK, it's already underway.'

'Fine, call me back when you have something.' He tucked the cybofax back into his top pocket. 'Right, let's go and lift one of those observers.'

'I wonder who's paying Leo!?' Suzi asked as they walked towards the well.

'One at a time, Suzi, pLease.'

aunted?' Fabian's eyes widened in delight. 'How can an asteroid be haunted?'

'I've no idea; it was only a rumour,' Charlotte replied idly. She hugged one of the den's cus.h.i.+ons. It was fun doing it on the cus.h.i.+ons, there were lots of combinations they could be used in, imagination and gravity the only limits. None of her usual patrons could have coped with her inventiveness; even with their expensive clinic treatments joints creaked, muscles soon tired. But Fabian was more than capable, and becoming increasingly proficient under her tutelage. 'How does anywhere get to be haunted?'

It was gloomy in the den, Fabian had turned the biolums off, leaving just the light from the fish tanks and the flat-screens to illuminate them. A black and white videoke scene they had recorded earlier was playing on the biggest flatscreen, showing Charlotte going through one of Charlie Chaplin's slapstick routines. Fabian had stolen a dinner jacket and trousers from his father's wardrobe for her to wear. They were baggy enough to complete the 'little tramp' image, but even after five goes she couldn't get the movements quite right. The holographic exoskeleton which ch.o.r.eographed her limb movements was inordinately difficult to follow. She was beginning to respect just how gymnastic Chaplin must have been.

'If something really terrible happens to a chap, like a murder or something, then his spirit is so heavy with grief 1 that it lingers,' Fabian said. 'That's what I heard, anyway.'

'Hmm, don't think there have been any murders in New London yet. They used to say that shooting stars were the souls of emperors ascending to heaven; perhaps they all migrated into the asteroid.'

Fabian giggled. 'Napoleon, Caesar, and Queen Victoria all spooking up the habitation cavern together, they'd have a right old time.'

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

Charlotte counted that observation as quite a victory. The Fabian who'd leered at her during the Newflelds ball would have launched into a lecture about how shooting stars were actually meteorites breaking apart in the atmosphere as they were coming down. So, stupid, how could they be spirits going up?

She wanted Fabian on her side, not that she had any choice when it came to allies. However, she did have some considerable advantages. He was a fifteen-year-old s.e.x maniac, and completely in love with her. On top of that, he was fascinated with s.p.a.ce. And she could satisfy each desire. Got him by the heart, b.a.l.l.s, and mind. Poor old Fabian.