photo was the face of Edward Paladin. Height and weight were
correct. No space for eye-color, hair-color, or age, of course; when
you were dealing with ego. Walk softly, stranger, for here there be
tygers.
The only problem with the pass was that it was salmon pink.
NBC Performer's Passes were bright red.
Cheyney had seen something else while Paladin was looking for
his pass. 'Could you put a one-dollar bill from your wallet on the
coffee table there?' he asked softly.
'Why?'
'I'll show you in a moment,' Cheyney said. 'A five or a ten would
do as well.'
Paladin studied him, then opened his wallet again. He took back
his pass, replaced it, and carefully took out a one-dollar bill. He
turned it so it faced Cheyney. Cheyney took his own wallet (a
scuffed old Lord Buxton with its seams unravelling; he should
replace it but found it easier to think of than to do) from his jacket
pocket, and removed a dollar bill of his own. He put it next to
Paladin's, and then turned them both around so Paladin could see
them right-side-up-so Paladin could study them.
Which Paladin did, silently, for almost a full minute. His face
slowly flushed dark red ... and then the color slipped from it a little
at a time. He'd probably meant to bellow WHAT THE FUCK IS
GOING ON HERE? Cheyney thought later, but what came out
was a breathless little gasp: -what-'
'I don't know,' Cheyney said.
On the right was Cheyney's one, gray-green, not brand-new by any
means, but new enough so that it did not yet have that rumpled,
limp, shopworn look of a bill which has changed hands many
times. Big number 1's at the top corners, smaller 1's at the bottom
corners. FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE in small caps between the
top 1's and THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in larger ones.
The letter A in a seal to the left of Washington, along with the
assurance that THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER, FOR ALL
DEBTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE. It was a series 1985 bill, the
signature that of James A. Baker III.
Paladin's one was not the same at all.
The 1's in the four corners were the same; THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA was the same; the assurance that the bill could be
used to pay all public and private debts was the same.
But Paladin's one was a bright blue.
Instead of FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE it said CURRENCY OF
GOVERNMENT.
Instead of the letter A was the letter F.
But most of all it was the picture of the man on the bill that drew
Cheyney's attention, just as the picture of the man on Cheyney's
bill drew Paladin's.
Cheyney's gray-green one showed George Washington.
