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I need to get some supplies in. I ll see you there in two and a half hours.
Seven forty-five. Hey, you know, I m looking forward to this.
Jack leaned forward, beckoning Dog closer. One thing we didn t sort out was
hardware. He reached into his coat, palmed the gun, and held it out
surreptitiously to Dog under the level of the bar. You know, I m still
naked.
Dog laughed. Not as naked as you were this morning.
Be serious, McCreedy. You know what I mean.
Dog nodded, the grin slipping from his face. Don t worry. I ve got it
covered.
From what he d seen so far, Jack didn t doubt it at all.
Dog hesitated and pulled his hand back. In the meantime, hold on to that,
he said.
Jack nodded and shoved it back in his coat.
Something was dragging him up through the layers of sleep. He worked his
tongue in his mouth, seeking moisture, and levered himself up on one elbow to
look at the time. Oh, God. He d fallen asleep without even trying. And he d
been dreaming. He didn t have time to work through the dream. He had to get
ready.
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As he stumbled toward the shower, he tried to remember as much as he could.
Briefly, he wondered if it had been one of those dreams, and where it would
have gone if he d stayed with it. Something had happened. He didn t know quite
what it was, but something had happened.
The splash of hot water brought him closer to consciousness, but it was still
way too early. He checked the bathroom, checked the cupboards, the drawers,
and the wardrobe, and piled things one by one on the bed as he found them. His
laundry was there, neatly folded, but that wasn t going to last long. He
decided what he was going to wear and shoved the rest into his bag. He dressed
hurriedly, pulled on his coat, made the final adjustments before stowing his
toiletries, then gave the room one last check. Something else. No. He could
grab a coffee in the lobby.
Satisfied that he d checked all that he could, he pulled his luggage out into
the hall and let the door close. One more pat-down and he verified that his
handipad was in place. It was funny, but no matter how many times he checked,
he was always convinced that he d left something behind. Maybe hotels had a
built-in unease generator to make people stay longer because they felt nervous
every time they were going to leave.
Down in the lobby, he pulled his luggage to a spot where it drifted to rest
next to a couch and ordered a coffee large and strong. At least they got that
part right.
He finished the cup and wandered over the desk to announce he was checking
out. The desk clerk checked his name and room number before frowning.
Are you sure you re checking out, Mr. Stein? he said.
Yeah, that s what I said.
The desk clerk shook his head. You are not due to leave yet.
No, that s right. There s been a change of plans.
I m sure, said the clerk, a tone of clear disapproval in his voice, that
you were informed of our advance notification policy if there are to be any
variations in your stay.
Yeah, sure. I m sorry. I didn t have any advance warning.
This is most irregular, Mr. Stein. The clerk picked up a phone and called
someone.
Hey, said Jack. What are you doing?
The clerk waved a finger at him. Jack had just about had enough. He reached
across and grabbed the phone out of the clerk s hand. Forget your call. Tell
me what the damage is, I ll pay, and then I ll leave. I don t care about
whether it s irregular or not. In the slow grind from unconsciousness to
wakefulness was not exactly the best time to do something like that to Jack
Stein, coffee or not. He placed the phone down firmly behind the counter.
The clerk swallowed. Yes, Mr. Stein. You realize, of course, you will be
charged an extra night s penalty.
Jack waved his hand. Yes, fine. Get on with it. Inside, he was fuming.
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There is your laundry, breakfast, yes? Some calls.
Just tell me how much.
The clerk s lips were set in a tight line now. He printed out an actual
statement. I would ask you to check this, please.
Jack barely glanced out it, pulled out his handipad, and flipped it open, his
teeth gritted. The clerk nodded and performed the transfer. Thank you, Mr.
Stein. I hope you enjoyed your stay and that we will see you again.
Jack s eyes widened in disbelief and he quickly turned away, stalking over to
his bag. He didn t care about the cost. If it meant he never had to see this
place again, he d be happy. As he headed for the doorway, his bag trailing
behind, Jack glanced back at the front desk. The clerk had picked up his phone
again and was talking into it with an animated expression. There was a lot of
hand waving going on. Jack had half a mind to stride over and wrench the phone
out of his grasp again, but he knew it would have been a pointless exercise.
As he stepped out of the front of the hotel and onto the street, he paused to
wonder whom the clerk had actually been calling, but he had some fairly good
ideas. Million Aire had his fingers everywhere, and the man had more of a
reason now to have his palm print firmly on Jack s business.
By the time he got to the place where he was supposed to be meeting Dog, that
hint of suspicious discomfort was still with him. Dog turned up a couple of
minutes later, arriving from the dock area rather than the city itself. He was
all business, and had clearly been at it for some time already.
Everything s loaded, he said. All ready. You okay?
Jack checked the area around them, but they appeared to be alone. He nodded.
Sure. The sooner we get out of here, the better.
Okay, let s go.
Dog turned and headed back the way he had come, Jack following close behind
him.
Oh, by the way, what was the name of that guy we were going to see at the
university again? H-something, wasn t it?
Jack slowed, a cold chill touching the place between his shoulder blades.
Yeah, Heering, why?
Thought so, said Dog. They found him in the early hours of this evening.
It was on the news broadcast.
Jack stopped dead in his tracks. What do you mean?
Bottom of the canyon. Right at the bottom of the spire. It happens now and
again. You get the jumpers. So they tend to keep an eye out. It s funny he
should turn up so quickly, though.
Jack was still trying to digest this new twist and hadn t moved from where he
stood. Dog turned back to him impatiently. Well, are you coming, or what?
Yes, just wait& . Had his visit to Aire prompted Heering s death?
What is it? said Dog. You can t do anything for the guy. He s dead.
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I know, said Jack. But someone did it to him, and I think it has something
to do with me.
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