Sam was tired, too, but sleep was fugitive, vanishing from his grasp as had his former dreams of a happy corporate life. Carefully disengaging from Hanae, he sat up. He wasn’t really hungry but had nothing better to do, so he set a meal pack to heating. As he leaned back to wait, Roe appeared at the outer edge of their crate-walled sanctuary.

“Better get some sleep, chummer.”

“Too much to think about.”

“Oh, ho. Tough work, thinking.”

“Sometimes,” he agreed. Roe seemed relaxed, though as exhausted as the rest of them. Perhaps her tiredness would lower her guard enough to let slip some clue to what he had gotten Hanae into. “I’ve been thinking about that fellow in the van.”

Roe gave a tired chuckle. “Kurt sleeps like that all the time. He’ll be fine when it’s time to roll.”

Was she deliberately misunderstanding him? “Not him. The Renraku executive whose name no one seems to know.”

“Names can be dangerous,” she warned. “I thought you understood that.”

“I do understand. I’m not asking because you’ve made it clear you don’t want me to know.” Sam didn’t have to pretend concern. “I’m just worried about him. He’s been unconscious all night.”

“And it looks like he’ll stay that way a while longer.” She reached out and snagged one of the ration packs. With a deft flick of the wrist, she opened it and snapped the eating tool free of the cover. “Don’t get the wrong idea, Sam. We’re not sedating him or subjecting him to mind-control drugs or anything like that. It’s a side effect.

“Simulating an illness was a good way to get him out of the arcology, and he agreed. He came up with the idea for his own ailment, and even got the drug that would fake it. From his med file, we knew that the injection might induce a temporary catatonia, so we brought along what we needed to make sure he’d come out all right. He was very anxious to leave and thought it was a reasonable risk.

“Paid off, too. His vital signs are stable, so don’t you worry Trust us,” she cajoled, offering the tray from which she’d been eating. “He trusts us.”

Sam took the offered food, but said nothing. They traded the packet back and forth until it was all gone, then he opened a Fizzygoo for her. She accepted it with a look of distaste, then lifted it in a toast and downed half the container.

“What happened to the albino?”

She eyed him for a moment, but he couldn’t read her expression. She shrugged. “Got sloppy and got caught while we Were getting your compatriot out.”

“His loss just a part of the marginal costs of business, like Greta?”

Roe carefully placed the Fizzygoo packet on top of one of the crates before speaking. “Look, Sam. We all know the risks when we take on a job like this. Renraku is in the big leagues. They play rough. We runners live on the edge, betting our lives that our skills, knowledge and luck are enough to keep our butts from being boiled. Sometimes we lose.”

“Why didn’t you do something to recover her? Why did you leave her behind?”

Roe closed her eyes and hung her head. “Didn’t you see? She was head-shot. Medicines real good these days and magic can do quite a bit, too, if the mage knows the right spells. But she didn’t have a hope in hell.”

Sam shook his head in disbelief at her callousness “Don’t you feel any loyalty to her? To the others?”

“As much as they feel for me.”

“In other words, none.”

She looked away, then said softly, “They’re getting paid.”

“Just like you.”

“No credit, no fun in this world,” she said with a laugh. Sam didn’t hear much joy in that laugh. “Then you’re only in this for money.”

“Why not? Pays better than doing it for free.” Sam’s disappointment surprised him. He should have expected no more from her.

The feathered serpent unfurled its wings, arching its neck upward in a sudden burst of motion. The ebony talons of one hind paw scraped gouges in the cement floor as it sent waves of resentment tinged with something else. Sam thought the emotion felt a little like fear. Roe was up in a flash, searching the darkened end of the building toward which the serpent gazed.

At the far end of the bay, one of the great doors rumbled upward. A black limousine purred into the building, its polished paintwork, chrome, and dark windows reflecting the dinginess of the surroundings as it rolled to a stop. Protective guards snapped automatically into place over the tires.

The rear door opened, and after a moment, a man emerged. Lean and dark, he moved with elegant grace. His clothes, too, were impeccably tailored, showing neither wrinkle nor spot. Scanning the chamber once, he strode purposefully toward the van.

Roe met him halfway, and the two talked quietly for a few minutes. Sam couldn’t hear much, but he did make out Greta’s name. The man seemed pleased. He spoke briefly again, and Roe responded, once gesturing toward Sam and Hanae. Within moments, she was escorting the visitor in their direction. Sam stood as they approached, stepping away from Hanae so not to be disturb her.

“Sam, this is your benefactor, Mr. Drake.”

“Pleased to meet you, sir.” Sam offered his hand.

Drake ignored it as he looked Sam up and down. “Ms. Roe has told me of the modification to the plan. I trust you understand your position.”

Sam was confused by the reference to a modification. “Excuse me?”

“Ms. Roes arrangement with you was done without my knowledge. I would never have approved.”

Sam didn’t know whether to be startled or apologetic.

“But I am not heartless, Mr. Verner. And I know this kind of business requires a certain flexibility. You and your lady friend may take advantage of our guest’s transportation arrangements so long as you do not endanger his reaching his destination. I will impose no additional costs or obligations on you beyond requiring that you swear not to interfere with Ms. Roe’s execution of her contract with me. Is this satisfactory?”

What could Sam say? Roe doing her job for Drake only helped him and Hanae. “Yes.”

“Very well then. Both you and Ms. Roe must understand that, from this point on, you are her responsibility.”

Sam nodded.

Drake smiled his satisfaction “Since we understand each other, Mr. Verner, I wish you and your lady friend a pleasant journey.”

With that, Drake returned to his car and was gone again in less than a minute. Roe had drifted back to the feathered serpent. Reluctant to go near the beast, Sam refrained from confronting her about why she had pretended that Drake was part of the offer to extract him from Renraku. Had she wanted to increase her status in his eyes? Or was it just a petty lie, indicating that he couldn’t trust anything she said? He didn’t understand what would motivate such behavior, but the increasing suspicion that he was surrounded by duplicity made Sam uncomfortable and very, very nervous.