F Paul Wilson - LaNague 02 Read Free

room. How’d you manage that?”
                “It wasn’t
all that difficult,” Tella replied with a self-satisfied grin. “They have all
these elaborate security precautions – the distorter grid, the guard, that
trite transparent furniture. But they don’t scan the people coming into the
room. I simply planted a recorder in the heel of Catera’s left shoe the night
before the meeting and retrieved it two days later. You just heard the
results.”
                Old Pete
laughed and looked toward the horizon. “I’d give anything to stick this under
deBloise’s nose and play it for him. But unfortunately that’s out of the
question. I’ve got to let them go blithely on their way thinking it’s all still
a big secret.” He paused. “You know, that’s the second time we’ve heard them
mention Dil. I think it’s about time you took a little trip to that planet to
see if you can find out what’s so important to them there.”
                “That might
not be the most practical approach,” Tella replied. “I could waste a lot of
time on Dil before I learned a thing. The Federation Office of Patents and
Copyrights would be a better starting point. We are, after all, looking for
what was called a ‘technological innovation,’ and only a raving madman would
fail to register something like that before marketing it. And I happen to have
a few contacts in that office.”
                “I suppose
that’s true,” Pete agreed with a nod. “Tell me: you ever do any industrial
espionage?”
                Tella
hesitated, then: “A few times, when I was starting out. That’s where I got my
contacts at the Office of P&C. Never was very good at it, though.”
                Old Pete
raised an eyebrow at this and Tella caught it.
                “I don’t
consider myself a thief,” he said defensively. “I dig up information that other
people would rather keep hidden but I do not steal the products of another
man’s mind. That’s why I joined up with Larry. He feels the same way.”
                Old Pete
lifted his hands an amused look on his face. “Did I question your ethics?”
                “Your
expression did.”
                “You’re too
touchy. I knew all about you and Larry Easly before I hired you. Research, you
know. I was looking for undercover operatives who took their work and their
reputations seriously and you two fit the bill. Now get to Fed Central or Dil
or wherever you feel you’ve got to go and find out what you can about this
device deBloise and his rats are meddling with.”
                Somewhat
mollified, Andy nodded and reached over to the player set between them. He held
a small box over the top of the set, pressed a button, and a tiny silvery
sphere popped out to be magnetically scooped into the box, which then closed
with a snap. He rose to his feet.
                “You’ve got
resources, Mr. Paxton,” he said, letting his eyes roam over the house and
island, “but you’re going to need more than you’ve got if you figure on putting
a kink or two into their plans.”
                “What makes
you think I want to interfere at all? How do you know this isn’t all just idle
curiosity to fill an aging man’s final hours?”
                Tella
grinned. “Who’re you trying to con? You mentioned research before. That’s my
field. You think I’d snoop around Fed Central for you before checking out who
you are, where you’ve been, and how you got there? In your whole life, as far
as I can tell, you’ve never done a single thing without an ultimate purpose in
mind. And this isn’t just politics for you – you’ve got a personal stake here,
but that’s your business. I’m merely warning you: You’re dealing with some
pretty powerful characters here. You’re going to need help, Mr. Paxton.”
                Old