Night's Pawn Read Free Page A

knew. "Three days ago in Hamburg. Bullet to the skull. Nasty, very nasty."
    "So who's running Der Nachtmachen now? Who do you represent?" She was studying him intently.
    "It's not really important," he lied casually. "The offer's still the same."
    "On the contrary. It's very important." She crossed the short distance between them, and gracefully lowered herself onto the sofa opposite him. "I want to know."
    As the first part of the Requiem was coming to an end, he knew his five minutes were slowly ticking away. Standing up, he placed his left boot on the low glass table and adjusted the straps. He moved slowly and carefully so as not to alarm her, wanting mainly to annoy her with the delay in his response. When he'd finished, he sat back down exactly as before.
    He smiled before speaking. "Technically, I'm the one who's running things now."
    Her eyebrows shot up. "You!" She was incredulous. "You're lying. The Nightmakers would never accept you. You're a runner and too fragging close to what they hate most."
    He shrugged slightly. "Think of it as a kind of military coup," he said, staring her straight in the eyes. "Besides, I said 'technically.' I issue the orders, but they come from Steadman's mouth. Rather, what's left of it."
    False understanding glinted in her eyes. "You're playing on that fanatic edge the inner circle always had, aren't you?"
    He nodded, aware that the "Introitus" had ceased. The next selection was about to begin after the pause he'd programmed. It was time to play his cards. He stood up.
    "Enough talk." His movement, pitch, and inflection snapped her onto the defensive. "We've made a decision. Der Nachtmachen no longer finds it acceptable for you to be the shadow-liege of The Revenants. Our unification offer is withdrawn."
    Shavan stood up to face him, her eyes taking on a Medusan quality. "No longer finds it acceptable?" she hissed. "You think you can bully me? Bully us?" He didn't need his astral sight to see the power building. "Saeder-Krupp has already agreed to the funding, my stupid friend. With their nuyen, The Revenants will yank the reigns of the Restoration out of the hands of the bureaucrats and put them back in the hands of the people!"
    He shook his head, turned, and step-vaulted over the float coach, putting it between them. Landing with a turn, he said, "Didn't I read that in your last propafax?" He pushed back his leather coat and jammed his thumbs into his pants pockets.
    Her voice and anger rose together. "You of all people know I'm right!" Her left hand shot out to point at him. "How many trillions have already been spent so that the contractors and analysts can build their villas?"
    He shrugged again. "I don't know, but I was always fond of The Revenants' little hideaway on the Riviera. Great view."
    Shavan's anger solidified as her arm slowly came down. "Why now? Der Nachtmachen has always supported our view. Steadman did, his people did, even you did—when you cared to comment. Why have you changed your minds now?" Her tone was clipped and hard, and without realizing it she'd shifted into German.
    "Why? We haven't changed, and you haven't been listening." Alexander slowly spread his hands wide. He walked clear of the furniture and dropped into lotus position again, in doing so declaring a duel. "Der Nacht-machen firmly believes in Europa Dividuus," he went on. "No question. You, however, made the wrong move."
    Standing about ten steps away from him, she dropped down too, mimicking his position. He nodded, they breathed, and the world changed. The furniture, devoid of life, became dark, hollow shadows and the boundaries of the room vanished to become walls of scintillating green energy. The shield that kept out prying eyes would become the limits of the astral battle, Alexander thought. Nothing could get out and nothing could get in. Nothing expected, that is.
    "You went to Saeder-Krupp," he said. "You wanted the nuyen, but you could have gotten that from just about anyone. You kept