another name Neko recognized as associated with that of Sally Tsung, a runner and magician of no little reputation in certain circles. Neko had once heard the ork mentioned as muscle for one of Tsung's operations. As he recalled, that run had been successful, but one run did not a career make. Perhaps Kham's presence meant that Sally Tsung was involved in this operation, or possibly Tsung's decker Dodger. That would shift the balance in this muscle-heavy crowd. If one or both of them were on the run, Neko decided it would be a good omen.
The elf walked around the table and took the empty seat at the head. 'Good evening, gentlemen, and lady,' he said, with a condescending nod to Sheila. A broad-shouldered female ork the others referred to as The Weeze snarled, and the elf amended his salutation. 'Ah, excuse me, ladies. I'm glad to see that you are all punctual.'
'Unlike some people,' Greerson said.
Neko noted that Kham glanced openly around the table, obvious% assessing the gathered runners. The ork stared curiously at Neko for a moment, a slight frown on his face. He seemed puzzled by Neko's presence in this crowd of heavy muscle. Neko offered him a slight smile. Let the ork wonder.
'I have for each of you a paper describing the deal,' the elf said, passing a sheet to each of them. 'Please read it quickly, as the paper is unstable and will decompose in a few minutes.'
Greerson barely glanced at his sheet before tossing it to the table. 'Price is too low.'
Neko checked the compensation line on his sheet, and surreptitiously compared it to the sheets held by one of the razorguys and The Weeze, on either side of him. Both were the same as his. Likely, Greerson's was too. Though the sum was more than Neko was used to receiving for a simple bodyguard run, he said, 'Greerson-san is correct.'
The elf's stony expression did not change. 'The fee was previously agreed upon, Mr. Greerson, Mr. Neko.'
Greerson raised one stubby leg onto the table's edge and levered his chair back until it rested on two legs. 'First price is always negotiable, especially when you got this many bodies involved.'
'The number involved is not your concern. You were informed of your remuneration for this run. If you had a concern regarding compensation, you could have expressed it earlier.'
'If I'd had any idea how many bodies you were talking, I would have. The money's definitely too low for me to play traffic cop.'
Kham addressed the elf. 'If da dwarf won't play, we can replace him wit anodder of our guys.'
'Replace me?' Greerson laughed. 'I didn't know you had fifty more warm bodies, orkboy.'
'Don't need fifty to replace you, halfer,' Sheila growled. She was the ork who had sho'wn blatant dislike upon seeing Greerson. Clearly, the two had a history.
'You're right, orkgirl. If you're a typical example of the quality, you'll need more.'
Kham gave Sheila a look that quieted her, then said. 'Look, Greerson, ya don't wanna work, dat's okay. Buzz, and let da rest of us get on wit da biz.' The dwarf tried to start a stare-down, but Kham turned and addressed the elf. 'Look, dis crew's all muscle. We facing any magic in da opposition?'
'Do not concern yourself,' the elf replied quickly, having apparently anticipated such a question. 'Any magical problems will be more than sufficiently countered.'
'Heard that before,' said the blond cyberboy.
'And it was a lie then, too,' his dark-haired comjM panion added. JB
The elf gave them a plastic smile, shared it with the rest of the runners, and said, 'Gentlemen, and ladies, I assure you that this run has a low probability of trouble.'
Greerson spoke for them all. 'Then why so much firepower?''
Again, the elf answered rapidly. 'Insurance only. My employer is a cautious sort. You are all to be present simply as fire support in case of trouble. Trouble, I might add, that is most unlikely to come.'
'And if it does?' asked the raven-haired cyberboy.
'What then?' the blond cyberboy queried. JB
'Then, you perform as per contract.' '™
'For which we will receive a combat bonus,' Greerson stated.
The elf stared at him. 'That is not stipulated in the contract.'
Making a sour face, Greerson said, 'Maybe you ought to think about putting it in.'
Narrowing his eyes, the elf spoke through gritted teeth. 'There are other runners.'
'Which you won't be able to line up on your short fuse, elf. You've got top talent here.' Greerson paused to scan the orks. 'Well, mostly, anyway. You won't be able to match this line-up in your time frame.'
'.'Your suggestion has the smell of extortion, Mr. Greerson.' The elf's voice was low, almost threatening.
'Call it what you want, elf. I'll still only think of it as good business.'
'I am not authorized to increase the up-front payment.'
'That's fine. I'm not a bandit. Deposit a suitable amount in a secured account and I'll be satisfied,' Greerson offered cheerfully.
'I must confer with my employer.' 'You do that. But confer to a substantial monetary conclusion, otherwise you may find nobody to dance with you when it's time to rock and roll.'
'You realize that all participants must share in any increase, Mr. Greerson.'
'Sure. I ain't greedy. So long as there's a double share for me, everything will be fine.'
Sheila snorted. 'Double for a halfer? Seems like that only adds up to a single share.'
Without looking at her, Greerson said, 'Did I say double? I meant triple. I forgot the charge for excessive aggravation.'
Sheila started around the table, but Rabo and The Weeze scurried around to block her. Greerson remained seated, unflappable. The cyberboys watched tensely, though their placid expressions did not change. The elven Mr. Johnson looked on with detached amusement. As the orks restrained their own, Neko wondered if his trip to America was turning out to be what he had hoped. A dead runner had no prospects, and an unstable team made for dead runners.
The fair-haired cyberboy asked for a clarification on One of the points in the synopsis, and Mr. Johnson elaborated. There were a handful of other questions, Johnson fielding each in turn and dismissing the runners' concerns. Sometime in the middle of a discussion of the timing for the rendezvous with Johnson outside the city, the papers started to crumble. The meeting followed suit. After going around the table and asking each runner if he or she agreed to the run, the elf left. Greerson and the cyberboys vacated the premises with identical dispatch, leaving Neko alone with the orks. Neko took the opportunity to approach Kham.
'I thought we might coordinate efforts to cross the border to the rendezvous point.'
The big ork looked down at him, the. expression on his misshapen face slightly quizzical. He rubbed the stub of his broken lower tusk. 'Ya wanta cooperate?' 'That is a wise course, is it not?' Neko said, giving his most polite smile.
'Yeah, sometimes.' The ork nodded. 'Why ya talking ta me and not dem odder guys?'
'You are the Kham who has run with Sally Tsung and The Dodger?'
The ork's expression changed to a frown. 'Ain't seen ya around town before.' 'I have only recently arrived.' 'So how da ya know who I run wit?' the ork asked suspiciously. 'I am in the biz.'
The ork didn't like that answer, for his eyes narrowed to slits. 'You know da dogboy?' 'I do not understand your reference.' 'Verner.' At Neko's blank look, Kham added, 'His street name is Twist.'
So ka. This ork was smarter than he looked, to turn the probe around so quickly. Would the ork prefer an affirmative or a negative response to his question? The metahuman's physiognomy was different enough that Neko could not easily read his expression. Let the truth serve. 'I have been involved in some of his biz.'
The ork's smile was particularly toothy. 'Den maybe ya won't be a liability.'
Neko had been thinking reciprocal thoughts about the ork. 'You need have no fears in that regard.' 'Confident pup.'
The comment seemed uncalled for. 'Pup is slang for a young dog, is it not? My name means 'cat' in English, so that makes your remark inaccurate. And if I understand the contextual use correctly, it is doubly inappropriate.'
'No need ta get in an uproar, catboy.' In a bewildering shift, the ork's mood changed and he laughed. 'Why'd ya wanta know if I know Sally and da elf?' 'A personal matter.'
With another mercurial shift, the ork became serious. 'Look, kid. I may not like da elf much, but I ain't gonna set him up, and if yer looking ta make trouble fer Lady Tsung, yer gonna be lying in da streets instead of walking
