Bharat watched Cliffside retreat as the maglev train accelerated, then turned to Rafe. “What was all that about?”
“One second,” Rafe said. He was tapping evenly on the seat ahead with two fingers. He looked to be counting.
Jan felt a rush of trepidation. “Rafe,” he said, carefully and politely, “why are you counting?”
“No reason,” Rafe said, still tapping away.
Behind them, back in Cliffside, an absolutely spectacular explosion ripped skyward. A roiling cloud of smoke and flames mushroomed noticeably as Rafe glanced out the window, cackled, and settled his hands in his lap.
Bharat’s disapproving gaze darted between the explosive cloud fading behind them and the man in the pink pajama bottoms. “Was that him?” He blinked. “Did he just blow something up?”
“Couldn’t let them look through my HUe after I left,” Rafe explained, with a shrug. “Too much evidence in there.”
“Of what?” Bharat demanded.
“Oh, you know.” Rafe grinned sheepishly. “Stuff.”
Jan eased back in his seat. As he watched sandy ground and scrub-like trees fly by, he waited for the train to come screeching to a halt. He waited for CSD Vindicators to stomp into the car and arrest them, but that didn’t happen either. He watched the screens at the front of the car for his mugshot, flashing, but the screens stayed off.
“If I may make a suggestion,” Bharat said icily, “perhaps we’d have a better chance of retrieving the senator’s disc if we avoided blowing up the local settlements?”
Jan glanced at Rafe, glanced at Bharat, and shrugged. Rafe hadn’t ruined everything yet, just most of it. This was honestly going better than most jobs with Rafe.
And it would be nice to see Emiko again.
:04 Emiko
Three hours later, Jan, Bharat, and Rafe exited their chartered autotaxi into the middle of the Luxury District of Star’s Landing, having not been hunted down, shot at, or arrested. As Jan stared up at the shiny, glass and metal, three-story-condo-cum-mini-mall, it was nice to confirm Emiko was doing well for herself.
A sign on the front had eight businesses listed, but the sign for Emiko’s had the largest type. Summer Breeze Salon and Spa. It featured a palm tree that looked positively delighted.
The last member of his old crew who hadn’t betrayed him had apparently been running this combination salon, bathhouse, and massage parlor for years now, and according to the financial records Rafe borrowed, Summer Breeze Salon and Spa was doing extraordinarily well. Far better than even the most successful salon, bathhouse, and spa should be doing, even with the level of clientele who kept it busy: wealthy businessmen and investors, Ceto politicians, and Advanced visiting from Phorcys.
Given the extravagant numbers Rafe had retrieved, Jan was all but certain Emiko was laundering money through her spa. She was always laundering money somewhere. Back before everything fell apart, after Jan’s capture, Emiko’s clever financing and creative investing had kept their entire operation afloat.
Rafe stepped up between Jan and Bharat. “Sweet pad. She’s gotta have some top-notch hookers in there, yeah?” He snapped a bite off his frosted cinnamon stick. “We got time for a taste?”
Bharat narrowed his eyes. “This is a house of prostitution?”
“No,” Jan said. “That’s not something Emiko allows.”
Rafe slapped Jan’s shoulder. “Ha! How else you think she’s bringing in five times what a shack like this should, mate? No massage costs that much, unless it has a rub and tug.”
“It’s something else,” Jan informed everyone.
“Yeah, well, whatever, mate! I know you’re sweet on her.”
“Bharat,” Jan said, pointedly ignoring the man in the pink pajama bottoms, “can you top me off?”
It had been seventeen hours since he and Bharat had departed Senator Tarack’s spacecraft. Jan didn’t know how long enlisting Emiko would take. Also, given the unknowns, he welcomed any opportunity to reset his ticking clock.
“You’ve still got eight hours,” Bharat said.
“Yes,” Jan agreed, focusing his patience. “Convincing Emiko to side with us could take some time. I do not wish to reveal that I’m working with a new partner until I have her convinced she can trust you. That could take longer than eight hours, especially if you and Rafe are busy securing us a home base.”
Bharat watched him for a moment, scowling past his impressive beard. “You’d better not be planning anything.”
Jan fixed Bharat with what he knew was a wide and disarming smile. “I’m always planning something. But this time, I assure you, my plan is entirely for your benefit.”
Bharat shrugged. “Done.”
Jan didn’t feel any different. “Now?”
“You’ve got twenty-five hours again. Use them.”
Jan flipped his wrist over, then double-tapped the wrist chrono imbedded beneath his flesh. A timer started. He’d have to take Bharat’s word for this, because really, what other choice did he have? It wasn’t like torture nanos came with a brochure.
“What happens twenty-five hours from now?” Rafe asked.
Jan ignored the question. “Rafe, why don’t you show Bharat the terminals at the local library. Browse local real estate back in Duskdale, and find a vacant safe house for Bharat to buy. We could be on this job for some time, and I’d like a base within easy driving distance of the Bowsprit.”
“Shit, yeah, we can do that.” Rafe slapped Bharat’s arm. “C’mon, mate, let’s go buy me a house.” He took another bite of his cinnamon stick and sauntered off, not looking back.
Bharat glanced at Jan as if to say You do know how much I hate you now, right? and walked after Rafe. Bharat seemed almost tolerable now,
