Danger Money (17 page)

"Well, I'll give him some then," I smiled. "You should open up a clinic with all that stuff." I motioned to the pile in the back.

"I might. After all it is paid for!"

We both laughed at that. Shortly thereafter she left to check back in at the teaching hospital at her school.

The next week passed pretty quickly for me. I was getting stronger every day and by week's end was able to stand without difficulty. A few days after that I was able to go outside and start looking around.

The city hadn't changed much in three years, not at all that I could notice. I cleaned out my account and bought a few things, then I tapped into my emergency fund. It wasn't as big as the other account, there was only fifty grand in it. I gave half of that to Raff for helping out Sil. He didn't want to take it, so I threatened to beat him up if he didn't.

"Yeah right!" He laughed ponderously and slowly looked me over. "In your condition?"

"Its Sil's work you'd be ruining," I warned smiling. "Now just be sensible and take the cash."

"Some things money can't buy Jotun." He rumbled on slow and deliberate.

"Then use this for those things it can! Listen, you helped me out and I appreciate it."

"I helped Sil out," he corrected.

"And I appreciate
that
even more," I continued. "I'm just trying to show you that."

"Your money won't do that. I know how you earned it."

My eyes narrowed and I looked around to make sure no one was listening. Then I dragged him over to a table, we were at the bar he was bouncing for. That same one were I had seen that wolf reciting his poetry.

"What do you know," I asked looking straight at him, "and how?"

"I was there for most of the operations, I assisted" He said looking back at me. And down too. Even sitting he was a good two feet taller than me. "You talked quite a bit when she had you semi-conscious."

"What exactly did I say?" I asked tightly.

"Lots of stuff. Sometimes it was conversations, but mostly it was about jobs. Like you were reading a report."

"How'd she take it?" I could see he wasn't bothered by it.

"She's scared of you. What do you think? I would have let you die, but I couldn't suggest that to her. She loves you I guess."

I was shocked at that. All of it. "What do you think?" I asked looking back at him. I had left the pistol at home and part of my mind was suddenly quite aware of that fact. Old habits die hard I guess.

"About what?" He just stared at me as calm as ever.

"About me. If you even heard half of what I've done you shouldn't be sitting there so calmly. What do you have to say?"

"You're her friend, and she's mine. So I won't do anything, yet. But once you're better you had better move on. Or I will."

I sighed and sat back. "Raff, I'll be honest. I can't stay here too long. I've got unfinished business to take care of, whether I like it or not.

"And the truth is, I don't anymore. But I gotta warn you, old habits die hard. So I really don't know what's gonna happen to me next. But don't ever come after me, it's not a lifestyle I think you'd care for."

"You may be right about that. But I have to protect my friends."

"I am right. But a friendly discussion will be a lot more persuasive than anything else. Trust me on that, okay?"

He looked me over carefully. Weighing my soul. Raff suddenly climbed several notches in my estimation, I got the impression that only his speech was slow.

"For now I will. Later, who knows?" He said and smiled widely.

"I'll take what I can get," I smiled back again. "Now if you'll excuse me I think I have an explanation to make."

"What's there to explain?"

"My life." And I walked out the door.

12

I finally caught up with Sil at the School. I went and sat outside until she came out for a break. She saw me and came over to sit on the bench, obviously surprised by my presence.

"What are you doing here?"

"Hoping to see you." I said looking at the ground and not making eye contact.

"What's wrong?" She asked concerned, "You're feeling okay aren't you?"

"I talked to Raff today," I began.

"Oh?"

"And he told me about my talking. And what you heard."

She shuddered, "I heard a lot more than him. Especially that last week. I thought you guys had mental blocks on that stuff."

"Me too. Anyway if you want me to go, I'll go."

"No Jo, you don't have to leave its okay."

"Then spend the night with me," and I looked up into her eyes.

"Ummm," she hesitated ears twitching.

"I need you Sil, I really do. Sorry," I looked back down at the grass. "But if you find me revolting now, hey I'll understand. But you knew what I did before, it didn't seem to bother you then."

"But I hadn't heard it in detail, and so many cases! Jotun, I counted over fifty!"

"It's more like three hundred and fifty," I admitted and heard her gasp. "But it's over, one way or the other. I've got to go set a few things straight. But after that I'm done. No more."

"Why not be done now?" she took my muzzle in her hand and turned it back towards her eyes.

"I was used foully there at the end," I noticed her incredulous expression. "Hard to believe huh? But I was, even for what I do, and I have to set that straight. And revenge a few people who were just thrown away and wasted. My company didn't used to be like that. I started out as a response to the attacks of other companies. But that went awry I guess." I sighed and looked back down at the tip of my tail which was flicking against my leg.

"And I don't really have much of a choice. I'm compelled by my training. And sooner or later somebody will turn up looking for me."

"You sure about that?"

"If you misplaced or lost a nuke you'd go looking for it right?"

"You got a point there I guess Jo."

"So please, spend the night? I'm the same Leopard you slept with before, even if you're not the same Fox. I do have feelings you know, and I'm lonely."

"And you're whining!" she laughed ears perking back up. "Don't worry. I'll be there, I don't fear you Jo. Though Raff may think I'm crazy."

I went back to the room then, and waited quietly for her to arrive.

I didn't know what my next step would be really. I was healed for the most part, but I'd have to start exercising to get into top shape. I had lost some weight and muscle tone over the last month, or rather last three years I reminded myself. Fortunately hibernation hadn't apparently taken too much off of me, I guess that I had Sil to thank for that.

So a month or so to get back in shape. Then what? I didn't have enough money to go back to earth. Assuming I could buy passage of course. But that was where I had to go. And traveling in hibernation was definitely out of the question.

Also, who'd come looking for me? I know that I had left a trail that could be followed. That is if somebody wanted to spend enough money to follow it. How much would the Corporation be willing to spend to find me? I thought about that one for a while.

A lot I finally conceded. I was the top assassin, and I was known for having one hell of a temper at times. The people who set this up would be worried, and so would the Corporation. Once I surfaced I could expect a lot of attention real fast.

"No use worrying about the inevitable," I sighed to myself. So I went back to the number one concern, money. I'd have to talk to Raff about that I guess. He'd probably know who needed what, and my skills weren't exactly marketable on the city jobline. But I'd have to avoid any assassinations. That would stand out too much.

I puzzled all this over for a long time.

I picked up Sil's scent as she knocked on the door.

"Come in Sil."

"What are you brooding about?" She asked smiling, ducking under one of the ceiling beams.

"Oh, nothing. Just where do I go from here stuff."

"Any decisions?"

"Well, I need money and I need to go back to Earth. I can't find out anything out here, I'm just too far away."

"How are you planning to get there?" She asked as I stood up and walked over.

"Beats me. Lets go eat!" I smiled and did my best to forget about my troubles.

"Okay. What do you feel like?"

"
Lot
's of food! You pick."

"Follow me," She said with a smile and sashayed out the door tail swaying.

"So how has life been treating you these last few years anyway?" I said as I hurried to catch up.

"Not bad, but I've been real busy. School was tough and it took a lot to get though it."

"Well now you're an intern so it should get easier right?"

"Wrong, now it gets even harder. And it'll be worse when I make resident I expect."

"Why's that?"

"Look around you. These people don't have any Doctors down here. Sure they can go to some company hospital. And get company care at company prices. Most can't afford that."

"So they've started coming to you?" I had my arm around her and noticed I had been drawing looks. Suddenly I revised my opinion on who was being looked at.

"Over a year ago," She sighed. "But I do get a lot of respect and nobody harasses me."

"Why not?" I asked curious.

"Well there's Raff for one. And then there are those stories about a crazy Leopard who killed the last person who bothered me!" She smiled as she said that.

"People still remember that?" I was surprised, "Anyway, you weren't even in school then."

"You know how stories spread Jotun, at least you should! Anyhow, I encouraged it a little bit."

"You're kidding!" I said surprised.

"Sure why not?" She grinned, "It helps keep the nasties at a distance."

We continued to walk through the streets, it was dark now and it wasn't much longer till she pointed out our destination.

"Seafood? Sounds good to me." I grinned, and followed her in.

Dinner was a quiet affair. I was trying to stuff myself for all I was worth, and she didn't have much to say. Afterwards we walked around the town a little and stopped at some small quiet pub for a few beers before calling it a night.

Once back at her place I quietly took her in my arms and kissed her. She melted against me and held nothing back, it was a very enjoyable night.

I awoke when she did the next morning, and after a very hurried session she had to leave for school. I myself did calisthenics for a while, then headed off for the public baths. For the entire week after that all I did was train.

Sil did show up the next weekend, and we once again had an enjoyable time. I was quickly getting my stamina back, and she gave me a few follow up exams. The next two weeks were spent in the same fashion, with myself in seclusion. I figured that as long as I kept a low profile I was safe for now.

By the end of the third week I figured it was time to poke my head out of the nest and start seeing what I could find.

I couldn't find much, it turned out. I didn't have a real ID, so I wouldn't be able to find a job, book passage on any type of plane or ship, rent anything, or even get a library card. Of course cash would let you do a lot of stuff, and I could read at the library if I wanted to. But I needed an ID. A good one too.

So I went to see Raff.

"You look better," he said when I came into the bar.

"Clean living," I smiled at him and ordered a beer.

"Must be hard getting used to," he grinned back.

"Listen Raff," I dragged him out of earshot of the Badger working the bar. With a guy that tough back there I wondered why they even bothered with a bouncer. "I need a fake ID, a good one too. Best they make."

"So?" he looked dumbly at me.

"Don't give me the dumb act Raff. The only way I'll get off planet is with one and you know it. I also need a job."

"I don't think we need anybody killed." He growled down at me.

"Stuff it okay?" I growled back. Along with my health my temper had come back too. "I'm not looking for that kind of job, but anything else that pays big."

"I don't think I can help you Jotun."

"So tell me who can, and knock off the innocent act. I did a little checking and I know it's a farce."

He looked a little surprised at that. I was bluffing of course, I hadn't done squat. But I could see scars on his arms that didn't come from claws or knives, so it wasn't hard to guess.

"Okay, I'll introduce you to Sal. He can help you on both of those scores." He headed for the bar and mumbled, "Anything to get you away from Sil."

It turned out that the Badger behind the bar was Sal. So I grabbed a stool at the end of the bar and we talked quietly.

"What exactly do you need?" He asked looking me over.

"A good ID, one that will stand any test."

"That's not cheap ya' know."

"Of course I know." I growled quietly, "I also know how to check them. So it better be a really good one."

"It's your money," He chuckled.

"That brings me to my second problem. Cash, I need a lot of it."

"Soooo?"

"So I need a job that pays a lot of it. Under the table would be best of course."

"Jobs like that are usually pretty dangerous. And illegal."

"Soooo?" I looked him in the eyes, "No hits. Anything else is fine."

"How do I find you?"

"Tell Raff. He knows where to get me."

"That might not be a good idea. Raff don't like you very much you know. Can't figure out why he hasn't broken all your bones either."

"Because that would be a
bad
idea," I smiled evilly, "and he knows it."

"Raff afraid of you!" He chuckled, "I find that hard to believe!"

"Neither did Hobb," I said quietly, and had the pleasure of watching his eye's widen then narrow.

"Well that explains why Raff tolerates you. He hated that one more." He poured me another beer, "This one's on me. I'll find you a good ID. We'll see what's up in the way of work."

"Thanks." I sat back and drank it, thinking about my next step. I didn't doubt Sal's ability to find me a good identity, there were always people wanting to hide, and there were always people with connections willing to make money off of them. The big question for me was what then? As long as I did nothing, there was little chance I'd be found. But I needed money, and that meant doing things, illegal things really. There was already a rumor about me floating around. Intel may or may not have heard about it, but with me being seen with Sil people might start talking. And I didn't want her involved in this.

Then there was Raff, he'd start getting antsy the longer I stayed around here, he was tolerating me because of Sil, but he knew if I stayed there'd be trouble. So I could expect him to start pressuring me to go as well. And I'm sure he'd take the time to make sure he had his pressure nicely prepared too.

Then there was my corporation. Odds were good they'd figured out what ship I'd gotten on, so they probably had narrowed it down to a handful of planets. Sooner or later I'd do something that would end up in a file somewhere, and trip a computer's profiling alarm.

So a job around here was out, I'd have to leave this city and head to one of the others on the planet. One with a decent spaceport as well. And it would have to be soon. At least I'd been keeping a low profile, anyone asking questions about Sil wouldn't be getting many answers, the locals would cover for their Doctor, but I'd need to be sure to leave enough of a trail that if anyone did come looking, they'd find it and not waste anymore time around here.