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"Call ain "Of course I forgot"

"Let’s get to business," Neil said "You were tasked with finding so for me in Japan"

"Ah," Pruuessed froant reward"

"I wanted to ensure my place atop the priority list"

"Quite Well, I believe I’ve succeeded" Prumble returned the flask to his coat and fished around in a deeper pocket

Neil reminded himself to relax The stale air inside the vehicle s man finally pulled out the item from his pocket and presented it to Neil

A child’s toy A furry green s, and one hand raised infor," Neil said

Pruers inside a s the hidden contents: a small ceramic cube

"My teae device in Neil’s open palm "Recovered from the facility in Japan, as requested"

Neil took a close look at the object The cube, a few centirid of dark graphene leads lined one edge Inside, Neil knew an array of crystalline sheets held data in holographic forle cube could hold a vast amount of information "I need to validate this"

Prumble cleared his throat "The others are safe in my office"

"Naturally," replied Neil He turned and rapped his knuckles on the van’s door When it opened, he summoned his assistant over "My briefcase, please"

The silver case in hand, Neil slid the door closed again He placed his thu the locks Inside, a portable terminal screen lit up

"What will happen to my associate?" asked Prumble

Neil looked up from the device "Mr Osmak has served his purpose You ork directly with rimaced "That’s a bit unfair"

"He’ll be paid handsomely," Neil said "I prefer to minimize the people involved in my affairs Loose lips sink ships, as they say"

The fat hed at that A sly chortle, full of irony "That puts round, then"

The manifest from the data cube recovered without error and appeared on the screen "Perhaps," he said "Who does your recovery work?"

"What, can’t picture s have happened"

On the screen, he saw a handful of o, Japanese names--that confirot it, Neil thought He forced himself to quell a rush of exciteht be nothing at all

Pruh "I contract with a variety of--"

"Names, Mr Prumble Security is a priority for me"

Prumble licked his lips "Maybe I should keep that to myself Forthe promise of a life in orbit before hi man stared at Neil, his face a picture of concentration "Are you wagging that prize in front of me?"

"Names"

Another bead of sweat tricked down the man’s forehead He mopped at it with his filthy handkerchief "Fine A pilot called Skyler Luiken, and his crew"

"Trustworthy?"

"Extreh I can’t vouch for his entire tea for ood ood man His crew is … unique"

"How so?"

"They’re immunes Every last one of them"

Neil couldn’t mask his surprise He knew that some people were immune to SUBS, a few dozen out of the million people still alive He’d hired a few, in the early years of the disease, to be studied by hisconclusive caroup of theood business h his mind They could stay outside for days instead of hours, and would never have to worry about an environ "They could be very useful," he said "And their aircraft, good ship?"

The fat htcliff leaves theht Of course such a creould suffer additional scrutiny Still, there ays around that

"Well," he said, "we have the genuine article, it seems" He removed the data cube and held it before Prumble "I’ll havethree"

"There’s still," Prumble said, "the matter of payment"

"When we have the data, you will be paid in full Plus a retainer, for future requests"

Pru words back Neil knew the ement Life in the slums of Daras one constant look over the shoulder, and such a state of entle push toward agree man reached and shook A firm, if sweaty, clasp

"We’re in business," Neil said "Put the hood on, please"

Prumble compiled

Satisfied, Neil put the cube back in his case and pulled the van door open Outside the cramped vehicle he stretched and called his assistant over

"Sir?"

"Any news frohtcliff?"

The man nodded "The climbers have resumed, for now"

"Fantastic," Neil said "What did we have to give Blackfield for his cooperation?"

"Carney offered to let hireed"

"What an idiot," Neil said He suspected Russell was si at all "Perhaps I should have Alex arrest hi"

"They say a crowd is celebrating in front of Nightcliff"

"No doubt singing Blackfield’s nauessed

His assistant shifted, nervous