The CRES code

Chapter Thirty Eight - Drinks at the Interesting Weasel

     Randall had had similar conversations at two other tables, with results that he thought were encouraging, when Loach entered the room. The former mob boss stood in the entrance for a few moments until he was able to catch Randall's eye, then nodded his head towards an unoccupied table in a shadowy corner of the room. Randall nodded, made his excuses to the three masons he'd been talking to, and went to join him there.

     "I see you've been busy," said Loach as he sat, moving the chair so that he had the solid stone wall to his back.

     "Making contacts," replied Randall. "The necessary first step in a political campaign. Getting myself noticed."

     "Yes," said Loach. "Getting yourself noticed. That's the part that makes me nervous."

     "The priests will be expecting us to lie low. Find some out of the way little town and hide. They'll think that someone deliberately making himself visible can't possibly be one of the people they're looking for."

     "Are you sure of that? We could have accepted the first priest's offer. Money in exchange for our head phones and the information on them. We declined because we wanted to overthrow VIX. They know we can't do that hiding in a small town. They know we'll need a powerful transmitter. Either an old one left behind from our time or one we built ourselves."

     "They don't know the reason we declined their offer. Maybe they think we just wanted to keep our head phones."

     "You think they're that stupid?"

     "I'm hoping they'll think that taking control of the solar system is such a huge task that we won't dream of being able to do it."

     "That's a risky assumption to make, and I don't like taking risks."

     "I'm not going to sit back while you take all the power for yourself. What, you take control of a city wide crime syndicate while I get a menial job sweeping floors and washing dishes? I am a man of substance. I was then and I will be again."

     "No matter the risk?" Loach leaned forward and glared at Randall, his eyes hard and cold. "If they find you, they'll find me. They'll probably guess we'll want to stay together. I won't have you putting my life at risk. I've killed people for less. A lot less."

     "You won't kill me. Only I can operate the Gorsty Common facility. Only I have the access codes. If we don't take VIX down, it won't matter how careful we are. They'll find us sooner or later. You know that."

     "So I just have to hope and pray that the priests don't see you prancing around like a trained gibbon and figure out who you are?"

     "I care too much for my own skin to take any foolish risks. Don't worry, I won't give us away. Now, tell me what you've been up to since we last met. Have you made any progress infiltrating the local Mafia?"

     Loach studied the other man intently for a few moments, trying to assess the risk he represented and weighing it against his value as an ally. Then he sat back in his chair and gave a deep sigh. "I've made contact with the local underworld," he said. "Gotten myself hired by them. Gaining their trust is going to be the hard part. Organisations like that take on new people all the time. Give them a couple of jobs, see how they handle themselves. Then they either accept them or kill them. They're still undecided about me. What about you? Got yourself a following yet?"

     "The beginnings of one." Randall nodded his head towards the table at which Deeks, the rat catcher and the wool merchant were still sitting, each of them glancing accasionally at Randall and his new friend. "You'll probably hear some stories about me over the next few days. Stories about how I defeated an orc chieftain in single combat."