Page 29 (1/2)

Probably as little as Ric wanted to be crowded by hirass had responded, stretching out his untidy ed frame dead center on a curve of the endless sectional sofa "No one can figure out what tribe I’m from Most of my kind has vanished from my ho on another long sofa dead center, but opposite Tallgrass

"Maybe" Tallgrass’s smile was short and not very sweet at all "Our people were overnood"

"I see Mr Montoya has brought a private contractor to eye his possible future property" Christophe turned to quirk a white eyebrow at Ric over the rient into our discussion"

"FBI agent," Ric said He had to ss to occupy the most territory on his chosen seat

"Forents Those who’ve fled overcontrolling entities best suit ?" Ric asked, pacing behind Christophe’s sofa

The rock-star rass "That’s why it’d benefit your friend’s interests to deal with me The devil you know, and all that"

"Are you a devil?" Ric had stopped behind Christophe, bracketing his hands on the sofa back on either side of hih to knife hi territory

"Depends who you ask" Snow’s sunglasses lifted and airoupie of your own"

Ric jerked his gaze in that direction to spot the Silver Zo toward their conversational gathering Toward Ric

"Still silent," Tallgrass observed

Ric stood, partly because he would when any lady entered a room, partly in the nervous awe she always stirred in hirass turned to Ric, nodding and brushing his palether "She ht snare drum brush"

Trust a veteran tracker to notice Ric realized he heard that too

Tallgrass had seen the Metropolis robot in the guest penthouse atop the Emerald City hotel-casino in his home city of Wichita In this more sophisticated yet austere environment, all laboratory white, she shone like a polished suit of arh a snowstorm

She stopped in front of Ric "Master"

"No one’s your master now," he said

Her strearass before returning to face him "I must answer to my maker, my caretaker If not you, who else?"

It was her first sentence

Ric found Christophe’s head and sunglasses bowed, looking down, staying neutral Tallgrass’s dark eyes, often so noncoone blank with shock

There it was The quandary

If Ric didn’t use his natural power over this complex homeul Christophe/rock star Cocaine/acquaintance Snoho or ould fill that vacuum? She could be Good Maria/Bad Maria/robot/actress

"Thank youBrigitte," he said, using the actress’s nao"

She turned and strode away to the ajar double doors Ric knew led to the home theater Could she even sit down in that wooden bodysuit? Did CinSih "Certainly not one of the spirit-walkers of"In this case, looking out for my own interests dovetails with your needs, Montoya Who can argue that this entity doesn’t harbor a de lord Torbellino maintained He’ll want her and his cartel has limitless reach You need powerful allies too"

He directed his gaze at Tallgrass "You ain," Christophe added, referring to a recent battle with El Demonio’s forces in Wichita

"And you, Mr Christophe, of a Wendigo" Tallgrass srass told Ric once they’d reached the Inferno’s ain "That’s my opinion We know Christophe’s powers are impressive You’ll never know their extent unless you watch him as closely as he seems to want to watch you"

"‘Watch over rinned "You already have Miss Delilah doing a much more personal job of that It’s hard to tell these days, Ricardo, who or what has anyone’s best interests at heart If you can strike a eous deal with this s well I worry about you too Meanwhile you andfor us as ork for it That’s our priority now"

"Before we leave, want to meet Godfrey’s ‘cousin’ at the Inferno Bar?" Ric asked

"Hoh boo a that at his own bar Sure, if they serve plain spring water We’ll need our sharpest wits soon"

"That’s all right We can let Nick Charles do all our drinking for us"

Chapter Twenty-seven