Star Risk - 02 Scoundrel Worlds by Chris Bunch Read Free Book Online Page B

Torguth. They claim to have nothing but Dampier's best interests at heart, and will commit any crime they think can be covered with the banner of patriotism. No one knows their master. Some say many of their members are of the police, which is why the Masked Ones are permitted to wreak their outrages unhindered.
    "So there you have the major participants in this building disaster of ours."
    "Quite a list," von Baldur mused. He looked down at the napkin he'd been scribbling cryptic notes on. "First, we shall need to talk to Sufyerd, and we shall need as much access to Strategic Intelligence as possible."
    "That shall be hard," Reynard said. "But I'll call in some favors and do what I can."
    "I think, sooner or later, we'll need to meet this L'Pellerin, as well."
    "If he doesn't want to talk to you first." Reynard looked at them a bit plaintively. "Do you have any ideas at all who might be guilty?"
    "At this moment," von Baldur said, "we suspect everyone on this planet except you, and I am not entirely sure of your reliability, either."
    Reynard chose to take the remark as humorous.
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    TEN � ^ � Imposing," Grok said. "But I'm not sure it's a good idea to have your spy service with a listed address."
    The building was a block of ornate stone, sitting on a solitary block.
    "Strategic Intelligence maybe needs to be on the map," Goodnight said. "After all, all these movers and shakers sometimes get lost, buried in their Deep Thinking, and we wouldn't want them to get lost and wander over to the river and drown, now would we?"
    The three�von Baldur, Grok, and Goodnight�went through the parking lot, toward the steps. Goodnight eyed a parked lifter.
    "Somebody around here's got expensive tastes," he said. "That's a Sikorski-Bentley."
    "So?" von Baldur asked, a bit irritated.
    "No reason," Goodnight said. "I just admire men�or women�who appreciate fine machinery. Especially on a civil servant's salary." His grin had a nasty edge to it.
    They went up the steps, past four sentries, who hesitated, then presented arms, goggling at Grok.
    "Guess there aren't many foreigners show up around here," Goodnight said. "Especially big fuzzy ones."
    Grok growled.
    They went inside the huge doors, where a caged pair of guards examined the pass Reynard had been able to arrange.
    "Yes, sir," one of them said, impressed. "You'll go on up to the top floor, and Division Leader Caranis's offices are all the way to the back. You can't miss them."
    "Thank you," von Baldur said, and they started for the lifts.
    "That's one, and two," Goodnight murmured.
    "One and two what?" von Baldur said.
    "I'll tell you later."
    They went up in the lift and got out on the top floor. They started down the corridor, then Grok realized Goodnight wasn't there.
    He went back, just as Goodnight came out of an office.
    "I was going to ask for the loo," he said, "but there wasn't anybody around. And three."
    "No," Grok said. "I won't ask."
    "Good. Don't."
    Division Leader Caranis was a well-built man a few centimeters shorter than Goodnight. He clearly kept himself in shape, and his uniform was nattily tailored.
    Goodnight wondered, since there hadn't been a war lately, where he got the four rows of ribbons, then decided he was becoming too much of a snotty bastard.
    Caranis had a broad face comfortable with smiles, although von Baldur noted the smile didn't go much above his lips.
    He looked around at the three.
    "I'm happy to meet such crusaders for justice," he said, and his voice was completely free of malice. "However, it seems that the Sufyerd case has been thoroughly tooth-combed, and there don't seem to be any loose ends, let alone any reason to believe the man is innocent."
    "You knew Sufyerd?"
    "Not really," Caranis said. "If I had, I might be looking embarrassed right now, since I pride myself on my ability to judge men, although no one involved in any area of intelligence should