The Life We Lead: Ascending Read Free Page B

pistol was tougher. It was his
preferred weapon, but he would only have eight shots if the thing
didn’t jam, and he didn’t know how many visitors to expect. He
decided to keep it on him but hid an extra clip and cartridge of
darts in the room under the dresser.
    That should do it for now, until we see
who and what come, he thought.
    He made his way upstairs after setting a door
tripper to room nine that would appear innocent enough, but would
tell him if someone entered the room while he was gone.
    Forty minutes later, when he and a somewhat
better looking Daen set off to meet Petior, James noticed he had a
tail again. The boy had apparently been waiting outside the
hotel.
    Poor kid, having to wait in the cold all
that time.
    James had a soft spot for kids who weren’t in
the best of economic situations.
    “Bryan, we have a tail,” he said loud enough
for Daen to hear him over the gust of wind. “Boy about ten, shabby
coat, gloves, mismatched shoes, about seventy-five feet behind us.
This is part of what I was talking about earlier. Right now, no
play,” he said as they walked.
    “Follow,” Daen replied, and he and James were
on the same page. They went on with their business as if the kid
wasn’t there.
    After a few more steps, Daen spoke, “And that
one at ten o’clock?”
    Daen was rather skilled himself. If he
wasn’t, he wouldn’t have been a member of the group.
    James looked up. “No change,” James answered
with a fake laugh, as if Daen had something funny.
    They walked the rest of the block to the bar,
where they found Petior waiting.
    “My Ameri`can friends! Ha ha, come drink!” he
said even before the door was closed.
    James quickly gave the bartender a look with
a slight tilt of his head as if to say, “Same arrangement as last
night.” The bartender nodded.
    “Man, I can’t have it. Not after last night,”
said Daen, looking decidedly green.
    “One drink with your friends,” said Petior.
“What are you, how you say, walking punsy?” to which he laughed
very loud.
    Daen whispered to James, “What did he just
call me?”
    “Either a pansy or a pussy, but either way,
it was funny.” James crossed to the bar, picked up the drink the
bartender pushed at him, clanged glasses with Petior, and slugged
his water down.
    “Whatever, man,” was all Daen could muster.
He drank with his eyes closed and gave a slight shiver, managing to
keep it down.
    It was apparent that Petior was about to
order another round, but James cut him off by placing cash on the
counter to cover the bill twice over, saying, “Petior, we are very
hungry and looking forward to tasting some excellent food tonight
and don’t want to spoil it with too much vodka first. Shall we
go?”
    “Da, da, good point making, da, let us go
now,” said Petior, but James was slightly distracted. Something was
coming. His stomach was swinging as though he were on a roller
coaster. The sensation was stronger tonight and again felt like
something about the bar.
    His eyes scanned the room and did a fast head
count. Seven customers, his party, the barman, and the plain
waitress. The layout hadn’t changed; nothing was out of place. This
wasn’t it, not yet, but he was on full alert.
    James bet it had something to do with the
kids tailing him. He’d felt this same feeling last night, but it
had been too early and could have been jet lag.
    He hadn’t yet mastered these little warnings
he got and wasn’t particularly keen for them to continue,
especially when some were false alarms. Tonight, he was conscious
enough not to let it show that anything was concerning him.
    Walking toward the door, he smiled and
clasped Petior with his left hand and Daen with his right. Upon
exiting, the first thing James looked for was a kid. He saw a girl
and quickly realized the kids were using a complex relay system
with disguises and all.
    This girl was about nine or ten and appeared
to be wearing boys’ clothes, but at least she wore newer