A Game of Universe by Eric Nylund Read Free Book Online Page B

explained.
    “There is one man however, who can help me find what I seek. He values his privacy, so normal means of communication are impossible. I must see him in person.”
    “So take a commercial flight. Charter a private ship. You have the money.”
    “This individual has his own planet, outside the normal commercial zones, and private charters have … disadvantages.” Disadvantages like Omar probably had all the available pilots staked out. He wasn’t a complete idiot, and neither were the other Grail champions.
    She frowned at my less than informative reply. “I don’t see what good I can do you. I don’t own a ship.”
    “Let me be straight with you,” I said. “I must find a particular item in less than a year and return with it to Golden City. To increase my flexibility, I intend to purchase my own ship. Therefore, I require a pilot, a pilot who won’t ask questions or make a fuss about flight plans and other legalities. In exchange for this pilot’s services, after the year, I will sign the ship over to her. Understand?”
    She raised one eyebrow and the triangle-cut sapphire in the corner of her eye sparkled. “And if this pilot was in debt?”
    “I’d pay that off, of course.”
    “My own ship?” She considered, then asked, “Just how dangerous is this scavenger hunt of yours?”
    “Extremely,” I answered.
    I liked this Virginia, despite her compulsive honesty, but if she wouldn’t work with me, I’d have to eliminate her. She knew too much, too much about the card game, too much about my mission, and too much about me. Her hand rested on her lap, close to that weapon. I recalled how nimble her hands were in our card game, so I readied myself to move quickly if she declined.
    She studied me for a moment. “I think I’m going to regret this,” she said, “but OK. You got yourself a deal.” She drained the cup, stood, and offered me her hand.
    I shook it. It was warm and soft and strong. “Excellent. We should leave immediately.”
    “There are a few things I’ll need from my room.”
    “Very well, I’ll clear your debt and meet you in the lobby, in say, five minutes?” I kept her hand in mine, so she wouldn’t trip in her heels, and walked her to the door.
    She lingered in the entry as if she had something else to say, then drew closer, and pressed her body against my chest. Her eyes sparkled brighter than the jewels framing them. She kissed me. It was warm, wet, lasting too long to be a polite good-bye, but not long enough to be an invitation. She withdrew, flashed me a quick smile, and jogged down the corridor. Her heels—she left those behind.
    I had been with this woman before. One doesn’t forget a kiss like that. The smell of jasmine in her hair, and the way she yielded slightly in my arms, it was all familiar … and frustrating that I couldn’t recall where or when I had known her.
    You should have killed her, Fifty-five said. Absorbed her personality if you needed a pilot. She knows our plans. And giving her a ship! Are you out of your mind?
    It’s not as crazy as it sounds. If I am successful, then we’ll be rich enough to buy a fleet of ships, and if not, we won’t be around to worry about it.
    I packed my equipment into two large suitcases that were shielded from the casino’s sensors. Then, using the suite’s terminal, I linked to the bank and squared my debts. For the two hundred thousand the gambler borrowed, I paid twice that for a day’s accumulated interest. Next, I located Virginia’s account, hidden in a file marked “Golden eggs.” There were thousands of similar accounts. So much for Erybus being a reformed man. Half the Golden City staff was slave labor.
    Before you rescue our pilot, Fifty-five said, shouldn’t you take some precautions? I can think of a dozen people who would like to see you dead.
    I stripped off my tuxedo, and slid into a shadow skin. It analyzed the ambient light, and canceled it with an identical, but inverted wave