~Ý 2Ý ~

Toni put away the last of the condiments, gave the bar's surface a final unnecessary wipe, and looked around to see that everything was in place.Ý But she couldn't concentrate.

She felt more shaken by that fight than she liked to admit.Ý It was a harsh reminder that she wasn't twenty-five or thirty any more.Ý And - - apparently - - that she hadn't learned much in the intervening years.Ý Walking into a scrum at any time would have been stupid, but now was a particularly bad time to make cretting mistakes.Ý The Maglev issue had ignited old feuds and the KlonDyke would need both caution and luck to maintain its precarious neutrality.

She sighed and trundled out the cranky, ancient coin sorter - - a big metal gizmo on screeching casters which had apparently been cobbled together from an antique fare box.Ý She hated this job the most and always put it off until last.Ý She scooped handfuls of coins from the till into the hopper where they slid, with loud rattles and chings, through slots and cogwheels and then dropped into stacks.Ý After a few minutes and one jam caused by a worn coin, Toni had five stacks to reconcile with cash sales.Ý Of course, her totals almost never matched.Ý The sorter made mistakes and so did the bartenders.Ý Well, she shouldn't have a big recount tonight.Ý The fight and the rain had damped trade down.

Footsteps crossed the stage, echoing in the empty bar, then boots thumped loudly as the Security Chief jumped off onto the main floor.

"Locked tight," she called out, walking towards Toni.Ý With a heavy coat that emphasized her broad shoulders, and her black watch cap pulled down over her short, blonde hair, Alberta looked every inch a soldier.Ý She halted in front of the bar.Ý

"I told the Boss to ban the Patrol.Ý Permanently.Ý Arrogant, poxing shits."

Alberta sounded angry, but not very hopeful.Ý She knew the KlonDyke was in no position to offend the Harbour Patrol.Ý Toni just nodded as she checked the sorter's sums against the till.Ý By some miracle the totals agreed.Ý She pulled her attention away for a second and poured Alberta a half pint, sliding it across the bar.Ý Then she unclipped the loonie rack, grabbed some tubes, and started stacking coins into the first tube.

Alberta held up her glass and stared into the dark amber ale.

"And I want de Groot and his goddamned Freevies out, too!Ý Mary's wasting her time trying to smooth things between de Groot's League and her Downtown friends.Ý That fight was nothing.Ý We're gonna see slagging over that damned Maglev."

Toni nodded again.Ý Alberta took a deep draught, then put the glass back down on the bar and gave Toni a wary glance.

"You all right?" Alberta asked.

"Yeah.Ý But I'm lucky that Zit kid pulled me out.Ý She asked for a job, by the way."

"Here?"Ý Alberta looked startled.Ý "She lesbian?"

"Didn't ask."

"Well, it doesn't matter," said Alberta, shrugging.Ý "A Guild kid wouldn't last."

"You did."

Alberta bristled.Ý "I was army and this is work I know.Ý Anyway, you don't want a brawler.Ý Girl was lucky not to get hurt."

"So was I," said Toni dryly.Ý

The bouncer made a rueful face.

"Yeah.Ý No thanks to me, nursing a goddamned puking drunk in the toilet.Ý I got no love for that ghoul of Choi's, but he came in useful tonight."Ý She gave Toni a piercing look.Ý "Defending you."

Toni ignored the edge in Alberta's voice and kept her face bland as she snapped together a tube of twenty-five loonies and dropped it in the cash safe.Ý She didn't blame Alberta for loathing the enforcer.Ý But Alberta must be upset.Ý She rarely mentioned Blade or his owner, Choi, within Toni's earshot.Ý Maybe she believed the rumors that Toni worked for Choi.

Abruptly Alberta spoke.Ý "Boss thinks the 'Dyke is being tapped."

Toni was startled into looking up at her.

"What?!"

"Yeah.Ý But she's got no proof.Ý Just a 'bad feeling.'"

Toni felt prickles of worry in her gut.Ý From most people she'd dismiss "bad feelings", but not from the KlonDyke's manager.Ý Mary had uncanny intuition.

"If you're asking my opinion, I'd pay attention.Ý Mary has good instincts."

"Yeah, well, she got me worried.Ý Anybody taps tong meetings here they got hot plastic data.Ý But I gone over the meeting rooms with a third level and checked every goddamn signal going in and out of the building.Ý Nothing.Ý Now Mary's bringing in a datadoc to look for a snare inside.Ý And she wants me to watch all the sets."

"All of them?" said Toni incredulously.Ý "There must be two dozen."

"Thirty-one," scowled Alberta.Ý "I'm supposed to watch for 'suspicious activity', whatever the hell that is."

So why was Alberta telling her this? wondered Toni uneasily.

"It's got to be Choi," said Alberta.

Toni felt herself tense.Ý That was why.Ý She realized that she'd caught her breath and resumed packing coins before she spoke, keeping her voice calm and level.

"Choi makes sense.Ý I'm sure he wants to know what happens at Consortium meetings.Ý He's also devious as hell.Ý I can see him setting a very sophisticated tap and then using the data so carefully he doesn't get caught."

"That's what I figured."

"Any other suspects?"

Alberta snorted.Ý

"Sure.Ý Screaming Eagles.Ý Any of the independents.Ý Factions inside the tongs.Ý Cascadia Rail for all the hell I know."Ý She looked over at Toni, then said abruptly:Ý "I raked your apartment today - - checked your set and then did a level three search."

Toni's gaze snapped up.Ý Her apartment!Ý She never let anybody in there!Ý She pictured Alberta intruding on her sanctuary and a wave of white rage hit her.Ý Dimly, underneath her wrath, she knew that Alberta was only doing her job, but it didn't change how she felt.Ý She had to wait long seconds, forcing her breath in and out, before she could speak through clenched teeth.

"What did you find?"

Alberta shifted uncomfortably on her stool.Ý "Nothing.Ý You're clean, far as I can tell.Ý Look, I'm sorry, but I had to check.Ý I think our tapper is Choi and I think he's using someone."Ý She took a deep breath.Ý "I especially don't trust Blade and I don't want you letting him in here any more after hours."

Toni's heart pounded in her ears.Ý She held herself very very still.

"Are those Mary's orders?"

"No."Ý Alberta scowled.Ý "She 'trusts your judgment.'Ý But I don't."

"Then run fucking surveillance on him!"

"Done it!" snapped Alberta.Ý "And I've checked that office floor to ceiling, practically taken the set apart.Ý But I don't want Blade here.Ý Anywhere.Ý Anytime.Ý And that's what I'll keep telling the Boss."

"Fine.Ý You do that!" hissed Toni.Ý She leaned down and slammed the cash safe shut, then kicked the coin sorter back under the bar.Ý She looked up at Alberta.Ý "You planning to try to stop me?"

Even to her own ears, Toni's voice sounded dangerous.Ý Alberta looked at her for long seconds, then let out a hissing breath.

"Not tonight.Ý Anyway, your damn ghoul's here already, waiting in the back."Ý She stepped stiffly away from the bar and zipped her coat up.Ý "You sure got him well trained."

Abruptly Toni's self-control snapped.

"I don't 'train' anyone!" she yelled.Ý She whirled, grabbing her coffee mug, and stomped off towards the office.Ý At the side door she turned and spat back over her shoulder, "And you fucking stay out of my apartment!"

Hot coffee slopped out of the mug, splashing Toni's hand and the lobby carpet as she crossed to the office, cursing steadily.Ý Her own shrill words echoed in her head, making her all too aware that she'd made a fool of herself.Ý Goddamn Alberta!Ý And goddamn her own cretting temper!

In the office, she hurled herself into the chair and pounded the desk a few times.Ý Then she leaned back, massaging her temples, and tried to assemble some calm.Ý Don't think about the apartment, she told herself.Ý Or the brawl.Ý Or Downtown.Ý But it was hard not to.Ý Toni knew where her rage came from - - fear.Ý Fear that it was all falling apart.Ý

Lately she'd been dreaming about her childhood again. ÝShe'd grown up with gang war:Ý bombs spewing dust and shrapnel and blood onto the streets, children maimed in sudden crossfire, whole tenements wiped out by broadly aimed biologicals.Ý She still remembered the stench from a block where contaminated bodies were left to rot because no one dared go near.Ý The smell permeated her whole building for weeks and seeped into her nightmares.Ý

This is not Chicago, she told herself, then sat back in the chair, slowed her breathing and focused on how the mountains had looked outside her window this morning.Ý Row upon row of trees, on mountain after mountain, fading into infinity...Ý

It was an old meditation routine and after a few minutes she began to level out.Ý When she felt stable she booted the set and started the daily report.

A moment later the office door opened, but Toni didn't look up.Ý She moved her chair slightly closer to the desk, making more space on her right between the chair and the curtained windows.Ý Blade came up behind her, kneeled down next to the chair and waited.Ý It was always an odd sensation.Ý The giant enforcer, sitting back on his heels on the floor, still matched her height in the chair.

She switched the set to voice mode and took her coffee cup in her left hand, placing her right hand on the chair's armrest, palm up.Ý Blade placed his left hand beside hers.Ý She turned her hand over, then moved it on top of his.Ý There was a pause, then very slowly and cautiously he curled up his fingers, engulfing her hand in his.

As she sat in the semi-darkness listening to the whispering set and watching gaudy graphs flow up and down, Toni finally felt her anger and fear fade.Ý Holding hands was comforting.Ý Ironic, really, since she'd designed the routine for him.Ý She blinked, then realized that she'd almost nodded off.Ý That outburst of temper had drained her.Ý She pulled herself awake with an effort and refocused her attention on analyses and supply orders.

She didn't look at Blade's face.Ý After so many years she didn't have to.Ý When emotions leaked out from behind that inhuman mask there was pain, anguish, and a deep, pathetic helplessness.Ý She didn't like to look any more.Ý It reminded her too much of the others she'd worked on.Ý And it never changed.Ý He always looked the same, never varied the routine.

Alberta was right not to trust Toni.Ý Toni couldn't be trusted by anyone, even Blade.Ý Especially Blade.Ý She had trained him, just as certainly as she had trained the others.Ý And she wouldn't hesitate to use him just as callously as his Master did.