Vicky Peterwald: Survivor (Vicky Peterwald Series Book 2) Read Free Page A

one continued to sit behind it for a full five minutes while Vicky watched it, and busy people ignored them.
    “Computer,” Vicky finally said. Her computer was made of the same self-organizing material as Kris Longknife’s Nelly. Unlike Nelly, it did not talk back.
    It also did not offer suggestions.
    “Can you connect to this building’s net?”
    “Yes, Your Grace.”
    “Do so, please.”
    “I am connected to the public portion. There appears to be a much larger private net behind a firewall.”
    “Can you get through that firewall?”
    “No, Your Grace.”
    “Can you locate the office of the mayor of Sevastopol?”
    “Yes, Your Grace.”
    “Guide us there.”
    “You will need to take the bank of elevators that services floors fifteen through thirty.”
    No one interfered with their boarding an elevator. They shared it with many busy people. Some got off. Others got on.
    None so much as made eye contact with Vicky.
    “Their welcoming committee seems very well organized,” Vicky observed dryly.
    “Very well organized,” the commander agreed. “One has to wonder if they’ve been practicing for days.”
    A young woman, arms full of paper files, almost laughed at that, but she covered her mouth and turned away before Vicky could say anything in response.
    They got off on the thirtieth floor.
    Down the hall, at a corner office, they found an unmarked door that Vicky’s computer insisted was the mayor’s office.
    The commander opened the door.
    A young woman studied her computer screen intently. She did not look up.
    “Do you have an appointment with the mayor?” she asked, eyes still on the computer.
    “I suspect not,” Vicky admitted.
    “The mayor is a very busy man. He only sees people by appointment,” she said, eyes still only for the screen.
    Vicky could have mentioned that Mannie had waited on her the last time they met, but she chose not to argue with the gatekeeper.
    She also did not show any willingness to go away.
    The woman finally glanced at Vicky. “I may be able to slip you in later in the day. Please be seated.”
    There were plenty of seats in the outer office.
    There was no one sitting in them.
    Vicky decided that she would not sit in one either.
    There were three doors out of the waiting room besides the door she’d come in.
    She remembered a story she’d read when very young. It involved a man and two doors. Behind one was a gorgeous woman.
    Behind the other was a man-eating tiger.
    Today, Vicky faced three doors.
    Might there be a half-naked hunk behind one of them?
    Alas, more likely one only led to the restroom. The other might shield a broom closet. The third led to the mayor.
    Vicky studied her three doors. Was the light fooling her or did the carpet leading to one of them show more wear?
    She picked her door, praying to any interested God that a lot of people hadn’t beaten a pathway to the head.
    The commander stepped in front of Vicky and opened the door.
    “You can’t go in there,” the secretary said, coming out of her chair.
    Vicky had chosen well.

CHAPTER 5
    M AYOR Manuel Artamus’s office was quite spacious. His expansive wooden desk had a magnificent view, but his back was to the windows. Vicky doubted he ever swung his chair around to gaze out over the city he managed.
    Facing him, and behind Vicky, were two walls paneled in light wood. On them, eight large screens showed people working hard at their desks.
    None of them looked up as Vicky walked into the office. That none included Mannie.
    Vicky sized up her situation. If she addressed Mannie at his desk, she’d have her back to the eight other people. If she turned to face them, Mannie got her back, something she doubted he’d care for.
    She covered the distance to the side of Mannie’s desk and turned so she could face him and them at the same time.
    Commander Schlieffen moved to cover her back.
    She had plenty of time to do this; the important people of the planet of St. Petersburg continued to ignore