FM Busby Long View 2 Young Rissa

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he nodded. "Come to my office-I'll pay you there."
"I will come. Since I do not know its location, I am sure Hawkman Moray will
assign me a suitable escort." \iSo you need not bother to set up any cheap
dalNardo ambushes...\i
Bleeker swallowed. "I'll expect you. Now, if that's all-"
Laughter escaped her, a brief burst that caught her off guard. "No-one more
thing. You seem convinced dal Nardo will kill me. Is your conviction worth
five million to you?"
The man frowned. "You'd bet on your own death?"
"On my life, rather-five million, even money. Will you risk it-money-where I
risk my life?"
"You have that much?"
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"And more. I-" Liesel waved a sheet of paper. Rissa scanned it and said, "And
of course the
Hulzeins stand behind any wager I make." Liesel spread the fingers of both
hands. Ten? All right.
Including her own five, or added to it? Assume the latter. "And with that in
mind, perhaps you would like to make it fifteen?"
The man's eyes narrowed. "Gambling isn't my habit-"
"Of course, if you have not the courage ..."
"I'll take ten! If the bet's bonded."
"Surely." She moved a switch. "My terminal is set to record-set yours also,
and we will repeat the terms."
Bleeker's nod was hesitant, but moments later the wager was duly recorded, and
Rissa said, "That is all now, I think. Good night." She cut the circuit and
looked to Liesel.
The older woman touched Rissa's hand with one finger. "A few times you ignored
my cues, but overall I couldn't have done it better myself. Ten million, old
tight-gut Bleeker bet! You took me right on that one; I hoped you could get
him to
\c" 127 "
\cfifteen. Now he's got a fresh worry to distract him. Yes, Rissa-you did
well."
Sparline said, "The best is that he's left hanging from his own kite, needing
to learn if we're out to gut him. He'll be in touch again, Rissa. And then-"
Liesel's palm slapped the table. "He'll call Maison Renalle!" She turned the
communicator to her and punched buttons. "There. Now his call gets relayed
here, but he won't know it. Rissa, you'd better have this terminal in your
room, and facing a blank wall."
"Yes," said Rissa. "A moment." She adjusted switches and, as she had done in
the city, recorded an answer for incoming calls. "I will leave it set to
record from now on." Then she said, "I
wonder what is keeping Hawkman. He must be very hungry."
"He'll have eaten," Liesel said. "Some snack or other. I doubt he'd join us
here this late, unless he looks elsewhere when he comes in, and can't find
us."
Sparline said, "Liesel-what's next for Bleeker? When he calls again?"
"Hadn't thought much, yet-give him more string, first, and see if lack of wind
brings him down by itself, before we need to act. But I \iwill\i think on
it-possibly, here's our chance to catch him between more worries than he can
manage and absorb his holdings, or at least get voting control."
"Then your bet on my life is merely to harass Bleeker?"
"Rissa-" Liesel shook her head. "Didn't Erika teach you? \iEvery\i move serves
as many uses as possible. And by the way-I assume we're splitting the bet down
the middle, you and I?"
"If you like-I do not care. If you prefer, I will take it all."
Liesel stood, moved to Rissa, and held the girl's head against her bosom.
"There, now-I've chilled you, haven't I?-mixing cold business with the hot
risk of your very blood. Didn't mean to-
but that's how we are, looking for every advantage, always. But believe me-we
do value your life."
Before Rissa could answer, Liesel moved away. "I'm tired; good night." She
left, and Sparline
file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%...%20View%2002%20-%20Young%20Rissa
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file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%20F.%20M%20-%20L....%20M%20-%20Long
%20View%2002%20-%20Young%20Rissa%20v1.0.txt smiled at Rissa, then followed.
Rissa drained her wine and went to her own bed.
\c\b" 128 "
\b
\cNEXT morning she woke early and rose at once. Dressed and briefly groomed,
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downstairs she found no one in the dining room or the room where she and
Sparline had breakfasted. She followed the sound of voices to the kitchen.
Inside were two cooks and several young servitors and other retainers. At her
entrance, the talk ceased.
She smiled. "Please-you must not allow me to interrupt you." The buzz of
conversation resumed.
She turned to the older cook-a fattish woman, gray-haired and red-cheeked.
"Out there-" She motioned with her head. "I found no one to breakfast with. I
wonder if I might have a snack here."
"Sure, Ms. Obrigo-sit where you please."
In a corner, without his habitual hood and glasses, Castel sipped coffee. Her
guess had been right; he was albino. She went to his small table. "Castel,
would you mind if I sit with you?"
He did not rise, but nodded. "Sit, and welcome." She took the chair facing him
and the wall behind him. Castel said, "What would you like to talk about? Or
do you want silence?"
She shook her head. "Not silence-and any subject will do. No-first, I have a
question. Who of you is most skilled in unarmed combat?"
He paused, and a girl served Rissa her breakfast. It was much as usual-meat,
eggs, toasted buns, coffee, juice-except that here the dishes and cutlery were
plain. She looked around and saw that others now eating were served equally
well. A thought came; she said to Castel, "But should not this be yours? You
have been waiting longer."
He laughed. "I've eaten. Don't worry-in this kitchen it's first come, first
served. Of course the dining rooms have priority."
"I am glad that status does not intrude here. Now-rny question?"
"Unarmed, you say? There's several good ones, but-remember Ernol? The dark
one? I'd say he's the best, all
\c" 129 "
\caround. But can I ask-why? I mean-excuse me if I misjudge you, but you must
know you can't use a substitute in a duel."
Mouth full, unable to speak, she gestured. Then; "Of course not-what I need is
someone to practice with. I have been shadowfighting, but that is only part of
training and preparation."
"Ernol's your man, then. And don't worry-he'll take it easy; he won' t hurt
you."
Again, to swallow, she had to pause. "If he does not try his utmost, he will
be no use to me.
Will dal Nardo take it easy?"
"But-"
"Oh, we will-assuming Ernol is willing to help me-use practice rules. No
deliberate disabling or mutilation, and so forth. But if he can throw me, I
expect to land hard-if I do not, I shall be disappointed in him."
Castel grinned. "If Ernol throws you, not holding back, I guarantee you'll
land hard enough to suit you!"
She had eaten rapidly; she mopped up the last of the egg, then filled her [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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