Chapter 10.

They drove past more houses, some built, some under construction, all dynamically engineered and brilliantly architecturally designed.

They drove past other parks, this time noticing roving packs of guests with guns, some b.l.o.o.d.y, some not.

They drove past a magnificent skeletal stadium, its promise explicit in the scaffolding that enclosed the growing sh.e.l.l.

All to the accompanying glowing descriptions of their guide, Mr. Cordial.

Finally, at the very end of the settlement, across a long field, crisscrossed by numerous fences, force fields, and other barriers and sentry posts, there loomed the most impressive building yet.

"Quite a building," said Machiko. "More a compound, don't you think?" suggested Attila when Machiko made this statement.

"True, quite true."

In truth, there were more buildings than one, all of different shapes and sizes, but all were connected numerously by catwalks and gondolas and tubings and what have you, making it look like some gigantic monadic hamster colony.

Machiko could see people walking back and forth, and a great deal of vehicular activity as well. It looked like a lively and productive industry, peculiarly stuck into a series of interconnected contemporary cathedrals. Gla.s.s and prismatic light; the occasional wisp of smoke stringing into the blue background of sky.

"Yes, there it is," said Mr. Cordial, gesturing absently. "Naturally we can't import the creatures we need for hunting purposes, so we grow and breed them there ourselves. A unique and still very experimental process, I might add, one that Mr. Evanston is watching over very carefully" He coughed. "Now, I'm sure that you're both tired and would like to make yourselves comfortable in your quarters before the other welcoming festivities our employer is preparing for you." He tapped on the part.i.tion between them and the driver, signaling him to drive past the intersection where a turn swung into the service road of the genetic-factory compound.

"We're here," said Machiko, "but we're not going to get to look inside?"

"I'm sure you must understand," said Cordial. "The activities inside those buildings are of a very sensitive and secret nature. Now, I'm certain that Mr.

Evanston will allow you a tour. In fact, he probably wants to take you himself. However, we can't just barge in without warning. I sincerely hope you understand."

Attila said nothing.

Machiko nodded her head. "All right," she said. But inside she still felt bothered. "Take us to our quarters, then."

Cordial relaxed. His entire att.i.tude toward his guests seemed to change.

Machiko sensed danger signals being dulled. Good. That was what she was hoping for.

"Thank you. I understand your curiosity, but I have my duties."

"Yes," said Machiko Noguchi, unmollified.

Their bags and clothes and other belongings were waiting for them at their room.

After all the luxury they'd experienced, the room itself was rather plain, one of ten lining a nondescript corridor in a brown-wrapper two-level building.

It was more like a barracks than a hotel, and while Attila seemed disappointed, Machiko was most emphatically not.

"We're hired soldiers here, in a way. I think that's what Livermore Evanston wants to remind us of." She sipped some tea Cordial had provided, looked out the window, and watched the limousinoid float away into the distance. The tea was iced, and it was exotic, rich, and cold; it sluiced away some of the stardust that had lined her throat. "Okay, AH. Spill,"

The android was sitting in a chair, looking thoughtful.

"I heard only a few words, but they were significant. I caught . . .

'hunting trip' 'all dead but me' 'bugs'"-he c.o.c.ked his head "and 'other hunters.'"

"That's all?

"Yes."

"Well, that's what we're here for, right . . . the bugs."

"But who brought the bugs?"

"I believe you know what I'm thinking ...."

"I've heard your stories about Ryus.h.i.+, but surely . . ."

"What do you think about that factory, Til?"

Attila shrugged. "Makes sense to me. Manufacture your own lions and tigers and bears."

"You think maybe Evanston was manufacturing bugs for hunting as well?"

"Why would he bring you to get rid of them?"

"h.e.l.l! They're bugs! Something always goes wrong with bugs!"

"I don't know. Why would he want to play with those things when he really hasn't even gotten Hunter's World off the ground?"

"Mysteries. Secrets." Machiko took a swallow of the slightly bitter tea, winked at her a.s.sociate. "I like it. Puts some spin on the game, eh?"

"Makes me nervous!"

"Yes, well-it's a h.e.l.l of a lot better than sitting behind some desk, monitoring mining operations."

"No comment here."

Machiko was about to ask him his opinion about the duck hunters in the park when there was a loud knocking on the door.

Attila got up and opened it.

Standing in the hallway were two tall, broad shouldered men. Each gripped in his big hands a keg studded with microrefrigeration nodes.

"Hey, now!" bellowed one. "Welcome to Project Bug Spray. I'm ex-Captain d.i.c.k Daniels, late of the Colonial Marines, and this here's Ned Sanchez. Ned used to work for a security firm on Earth that dealt with the things." His eyes tracked from Attila to Machiko. "And you must be Machiko Noguchi." His eyes traveled over her firm, slim body in a taunting, hungry manner that she abhorred. She felt herself tensing: not another one of these jerks.

"Yes."

"Nice to meet you. We hear you're going to be heading up this operation, sowe thought we'd come over and introduce ourselves. Kinda been sitting around on our thumbs since we got here, and it's nice to know there's some action on the way, now that you're here." All said through an over familiar leer. He had a musky, hair-out-the-unders.h.i.+rt presence, and an overbearing, muscular aura that seemed to say, Let's get these formalities over with quick and then slip between the sheets, babe.

"Well, aren't you going to invite us in?" he boomed. He held up his keg.

"We brought our own."

"I'm tired," said Machiko. "I only have a minute."

"That'll do!" A big grin split the man's swarthy, Roman nosed face, and he lumbered in, handing the keg to Attila and offering Machiko a large, firm handshake. He smelled of hair and beery lunch, but he had a natural power to him, reflected in the firm muscles and the self-confident gait. His blond hair was tousled, but he was no spring chicken. It looked as though this guy had been in some heavy-duty sc.r.a.pes and, from the scars on him, hadn't come out unbloodied. But unbowed? That was another story.

"Got some mugs or something?" he asked. Attila went to find something.

"Say, you're one solid woman. You'll have some beer with us, won't you?"

"I'm drinking tea."

"Oh, c'mon." He turned to Attila. "Get a brew for my new sweetheart, will you, guy?" he roared off at Attila. "We don't know what we're getting into here. Might as well party while we can, right, angel-eyes?"

With no warning Daniels stepped over and put his big arm around Machiko's back. She could immediately smell that he'd been drinking beer before he'd arrived. Somehow his big hand wriggled down to her backside and squeezed her right b.u.t.tock as though testing the ripeness of a melon. The buffoon was large, probably weighing over twice as, much as Machiko, and probably figured he could get away with this kind of behavior by sheer intimidation.

Machiko barely thought about what she was doing; her reaction was automatic. She pulled the hand away, grabbed his arm by the wrist, stepped away, and with practiced ease flipped Daniels over. He landed heavily on the floor. Machiko stepped on his face as she twisted his arm at a startling angle, just short of damage.

"Next time I break it, chum. Understand?"

"Jeez. I was just joking!" objected Daniels.

"You didn't answer my question."

"I understand, I understand!"

She let him go, and he got up.

Sanchez's eyes twinkled, and there was a slight smile on his face.

"I told you to cut that kind of stuff out, Daniels."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," said Daniels, getting up and dusting himself off.

"Guess there's a reason you're going to be in charge." He grinned uneasily.

"Can't really even say you're my type, but I'd park my b.u.t.t behind your command any day. n.o.body's gotten the better of d.i.c.k Daniels in a long time." A rollicking partyer from the feel of him.

"I'm not here for anyone's amus.e.m.e.nt, Daniels."

"Cripes. Give me that beer. I sure need it now" He took the proffered gla.s.s and downed a large gulp. Attila handed one to Sanchez as well.

Keeping himself well away from Machiko, Daniels eyed Attila. "What we got ourselves another tee-totaler here?"

"Not really," said Attila. Rather than getting into android territory, potentially volatile if you weren't sure of your company, Attila took a beer.

"I generally prefer to wait until dark."

"Good move," said d.i.c.k. "A smarter a.s.shole than yours truly. Here you go, Sanchez-to the pretty powerful personality we've hitched up with. I feel sorry for the bugs."

"If Ms. Noguchi doesn't mind, I'd like to try some of the beer I noticed in the refrigerator. That's a local brew of some potency, I believe. And if I'm not entirely wrong, it's a nutbrown ale."

Machiko raised an eyebrow. "Good call, Mr. Sanchez. You know your beers, then."

"From porter to lager," said the man easily. "My favorite is bitter. At room temperature."

"An Anglophile?"

"Nope. Limey b.a.s.t.a.r.ds are just as rotten as anybody. I just like their beer, that's all."

Ned Sanchez was slender, younger than his companion, and certainly darker, though there were suggestions of gray threading through his long black hair, tied in a ponytail at the back of his head. He was friendly and relaxed, but there was a hard and remote core of reserve to this man, and an unreadable nature to his fierce, empty black eyes. Otherwise, he had a face like a Greek demiG.o.d, and his beauty was not lost upon even so jaded a soul as Machiko's.

"Sure. I don't know about room temperature. The tea is cold. I don't generally drink beer, but once in a while I enjoy something of quality."

Sanchez shrugged. "I'll live through the experience of a cold ale. Little hot outside, anyway."

d.i.c.k slammed his big hand against his buddy's back. "s.h.i.+t. Neddy and me, we done some heavy maneuvers today with the guys, just funnin', you know, but keeping in shape-and he barely pops a sweat. Quick shower, and he's ready for another evening of brews and babes." He straightened himself with feigned pain and examined a fancied bruise. "I don't know, though. Maybe just an evening of brews might be safe."

"I didn't realize this was Sodom and Gomorrah," said Attila dryly.

Machiko watched as the android sipped at his beer, amused. Attila could drink as much as he wanted without effect. He almost literally had a "hollow leg." And these guys hadn't seemed to realize yet he was an android. Of course, it was rare one could, unless the law was to have androids marked . .

. and there was no such law here. "What? You gotta be kiddin' me. You get in a bunch of rowdy and rich men to shoot it up during the day, and you're going to have to keep them entertained at night. Pretty easy, that. Some gambling, some girls and lots of drink!"

"I can spare a little time," said Machiko. She felt herself relax slightly.

Daniels's good-natured response to getting tossed on his face amused her. A yautja would have demanded immediate satisfaction of honor in a tooth-and-nail battle to the Death. Calm down kid, she told herself. You've changed, remember? She invited her guests to sit down. Sanchez sat quietly and compactly, but Daniels sprawled out over the couch, feet up on the coffee table, completely at home. "How long have you been in town?" Machiko asked.

"A whole three days," said Daniels. "We've got ourselves a company of about fifteen total now, including you." He belted a laugh, then a long swig of beer. "And let me tell you, I never did see such a mangy collection of misfits in my life."

"Oh? I'm pretty impressed so far by you two."

"Us? Oh, yeah. Mind you, we've all got the experience and pedigree and what have you, and I guess we've all seen our share of action. I'm just generally talking about the social level of the other guys. Mercenaries. Real pigs." He opened his mouth and let loose a long and satisfying belch without excusing himself. Then he took another drink.

"Did we come for a tiddledy-winks tournament?" Machiko asked.

"Well," said Attila, "perhaps tiddledy-winks and tea." d.i.c.k Daniels looked at Attila for a moment, mouth open. Then he started laughing, and slapping his knee. "Good. d.a.m.ned good. Tea! Hey, Ned, you think that Evanston can rustle up some tea for-what did you say your name was, guy?"

"I didn't."

"I'm sorry. I didn't introduce you. This is . . ." Machiko caught herself.

"Attila. Oscar Attila, my a.s.sistant and personal secretary."

Obviously not feeling like getting up again, Daniels a.s.sayed a brief salute. "Howdy there, Mr. Attila." Ned nodded as well. Machiko noticed that the handsome man seemed to be retracting even further into some private s.p.a.ce.