12: Delivery

The barmaid came back, towing another, who had a broad red streak in her hair.

“You must be Reena,” I said.

She nodded.  The first barmaid moved off along the counter.

“And who are you?” she asked.

“Castor.  I’m a friend of the Walrus.”

She looked at me for a moment, then reached into a pocket.  She reached out and dropped a small, cloth-wrapped bundle on the bar.  I grabbed it quickly to get it out of sight.  “What is it?”

She chuckled.  “I can tell you’re not a pro courier, then.  Wouldn’t have asked.”

I shrugged.  “He just said I had to come here, talk to you, fetch something for him.  Why, is it some drugs or something?”

“Nothing so tame.  Listen, you tell the Walrus that that little package has cost seven lives just to get to this point, and will cost more to get to its destination.”

I nodded.  “Just as long as mine ain’t one of them.”

“Can’t make any promises, pal.  Oh, and you tell the Walrus that he’s a lousy son of a hippo, and he should have come here himself so I could yell at him.”

I finished my drink and politely left the bar, not keen to keep up the conversation with such a wound-up person.  A short lift-ride later, I stepped out onto the second floor and walked to Sector White.  Doherty was waiting outside the Starbucks, standing with one hand in a pocket and the other wrapped around a cardboard cup.  He saw me coming and started walking.  He led me all the way back to the lifts again.  I knew the drill.  Twelfth floor down to second, then back up to the ninth; if anyone had followed me from Reena’s, I would have lost them on the lifts, and we were going to do it again.  I kept my distance all the way until he got to the lift doors, then closed in behind him as the doors opened.  We slipped inside and the doors closed again.

“You got it?”

“Yeah,” I said, dialling for the ninth floor.  “I’ll walk you back to the ship and hand it over there.  There’s a camera in here, in the ceiling, but there’s more privacy out at the docks.”

He chuckled.  “Ain’t you worried their computers are gonna recognise you?”

“Only if the station’s security were scanning this part of the tape.  If they left it scanning all the time, it’d tie up the computer’s brain something fierce.  Besides, I had a beard earlier, so it would have been a no-match.”

“So you’re still off the grid?”

“Pretty sure.  Haven’t bumped into anyone I know, paid cash for everything, haven’t tried to access any terminals.”

We walked back to the Dauntless, and in the corridor I handed the fist-sized bundle to Doherty.  He pocketed it and passed back two rolls of banknotes.

“Minus the money for clothes.  I’m pretty skint at the moment, so I had to use your pay.  Sorry.”

“No problem, mate.  I’ll count what’s left later on.”

We arrived back at the ship in barely a minute.  McBride was waiting just out in the corridor.  He looked surprised to see me.  Doherty gave him the package and went inside.

“Thought you’d make the drop at Starbucks,” said McBride.

“Too many eyes.  I may seem like some idiot you found in a desert wasteland, but I have done this before,” I laughed.  “Anyway, Reena didn’t seem so bad.  Bit on the grumpy side, soon as I mentioned you.  Said you were a lousy so-and-so, and should have gone there yourself so she could yell at you.  Also said that the package had already cost several lives to get to this point, and will cost more.”

“Oh, I bet it will.  We’re just pawns in a much larger game, my son.  With any luck, it won’t cost any of ours.  Anyway, like I said before you left, don’t you worry too much about what my ex-wife has to say about me.”

I laughed.  “You didn’t say she was your ex-wife.”

“Oh.  Well, now you know why I didn’t want to go myself.”

“Yeah, the puzzle pieces are starting to fall into place.  Anyway, what’s so special about that thing?  What is that thing?”

McBride fingered the cloth wrapping.  “Can’t really say, my son.  But I’ll be honest enough and say that it’s worth a lot.  More than the several lives it’s cost so far.  Thanks for fetching it for me.  Did Doherty give you your money?”

“Sure did.”

“I see you’ve had a shower and shave, so I take it you’ve got a hotel room?”

“Do indeed.  Don’t worry, I’ll be just fine.  You take care, McBride.”

“You too, Sam.”