Rebel by Mike Resnick Read Free Book Online Page B

a long moment. "You didn't get that out of Charles Dickens. You're good, David."
    "Why, thank you, Steerforth," said Copperfield. "Who are you meeting?"
    "I'll tell you later."
    "Let me know if he really has eight hands."
    "Why should you think it's the Octopus?"
    "You can't be bought off, and right now he's got the only fleet powerful enough to scare you off," answered Copperfield.
    "Oh, I don't know," said Cole. "I scare pretty easy."
    Copperfield emitted a strange sound, his equivalent of a snort of disbelief. "So am I right or wrong?"
    "Yes."
    "Yes what?"
    "Yes, you're right or wrong," answered Cole. "And now the subject is closed."
    "But—"
    "You heard me."
    "Yes, Steerforth."
    Cole sipped a drink and watched the customers, wondering if the Octopus's representative had arrived yet and which one he might be. Finally, with about five minutes remaining until 2200 hours, he wandered over to the porchii table. Val arrived a minute later, standing at the far side of it, not even acknowledging his presence.
    Finally, when the moment came, Cole announced that he was betting five Maria Theresa dollars on the Level Three Blue Empress. The Mollutei in charge of the table took his money, spun wheels, rolled dice, turned up cards, and did four or five other things to prepare for the move. When he finished there were cheers and curses, some bets were paid off, others kept, pieces were moved higher and lower, forward and back, left and right—but Cole wasn't watching the pieces or the table. He was looking to see if anyone, human or alien, turned and left the moment he made his bet. As far as he could tell, no one did.
    A moment later he began walking back toward the Duke's table, and Val joined him.
    "Spot anything?" he asked softly.
    "Whoever it was is still there," she said.
    "No sense continuing to watch it," said Cole. "If he didn't leave the minute I placed the bet, there's no way to tell who he is. He could be the first one to leave the table now, or the tenth."
    "That's why I'm here," said Val. "Let's dip into the Platinum Duke's drinkin' stuff while you're waiting for them to contact you."
    "Sounds good to me," agreed Cole.
    They reached the table, and found that Sharon had returned and that she and David Copperfield were waiting for them.
    "Are we on speaking terms?" asked Cole as he sat down.
    "Oh, shut up!" snapped Sharon.
    Val chuckled.
    "What's so funny?" asked Copperfield.
    "She's on speaking terms with Cole, but he's not on speaking terms with her," said Val. "Good for you, Sharon! I find that proper and fitting."
    Sharon stared at Cole for a moment, then shrugged. "Screw it," she said at last. "I'd rather talk to you than look at you."
    "Lord knows most men are easier on the eyes," agreed Val.
    "Shall we seal our renewed romance with some Cygnian cognac?" asked Cole.
    "Why not?"
    Cole summoned the robot waiter, ordered a bottle, and sent him off to the private room where the Duke kept his finest stock.
    "I saw you at the porchii table," noted Sharon. "I didn't know you knew how to play."
    "Evidently I don't," said Cole. "I lost five dollars."
    "That's a big bet for him," put in Val.
    "Maybe you should try that game Forrice has fallen in love with," suggested Sharon.
    "You mean stort ?" asked Cole.
    "I think that's the name of it."
    "Four Eyes is a fool," said Cole. "The damned game has a fifteen percent break for the house."
    "Then why does he play it?"
    "Because until one of the frail flowers at his favorite house of good repute comes into bloom, he's got nothing else to do with his time," answered Cole.
    The robot returned, set the tray down on the next table, opened the bottle, and filled each of four glasses halfway, then passed them out.
    Cole and Sharon sipped theirs, Val downed hers with a single swallow, and David Copperfield simply stared at his.
    "Don't worry, David," said Val. "When you're all through pretending you like it, I'll drink it for you."
    "Thank you," he said gratefully.
    Cole took another sip,