Soldier of Fortune: Gideon Quinn Adventures Book One

Chapter 49

Later, Gideon and Mia watched as Ellison, still with his pulse, steamed away on the Amber Queen.

The crew of the riverboat, including Juban, their giant friend from The Old Man and the Sea, weren't particularly impressed by the fagin, but allowed that he could work off his fare to Upper Allianz, which was as near to Stolichnaya as the Queen sailed.

Once Ellison was aboard, Gideon took Juban aside and asked which Avonian cities the Queen would be stopping in, along the way.

As the boat followed the river's curve under Dickens Bridge and out of sight, it was Mia who spoke first. "So," she said, looking up at Gideon, "now what?"

"I think that'll be up to them," Gideon said, turning to where a Corps green sedan with CIOD insignia was pulling up at the end of the pier.

At his side, he could feel Mia stiffen with the dodger's instinctive response to authority. He couldn't say much, though, as he was just as tense as she was.

Even Elvis, back in his habitual spot on Gideon's right shoulder, had gone still.

The three waited, a triad of anxiety, as the car came to a stop under the glowing lamp at the end of the dock.

Scanning the vehicle, Gideon felt a tug at the corner of his vision when his eyes passed over the silhouettes in the front seat, but then General Satsuke was emerging from the back, along with DS Hama, and drew his attention from the featureless shape of the officer riding shotgun.

"I see you found our young friend," Hama called as he jogged up to the waiting threesome, leaving Satsuke delivering an order to someone inside the car. "Tiago would not have been forgiving, were I to have lost his friend," he told Mia with a formal little bow before turning to Gideon. "Dare I ask what became of the fagin?"

"By all means," Gideon said, "dare."

Hama waited, but when it appeared Gideon was also waiting for his cue, he sighed and asked, "What happened to the fagin?"

"He just shipped out on the Amber Queen, sailing northeast to Upper Allianz," Gideon replied.

Hama stared. "Did it not occur to you that by allowing him to escape, you are also allowing him the opportunity to set up a new hive elsewhere?"

"It did," Gideon agreed, "but as the Amber Queen will be stopping in Faraday in two days, I'm sure the local police will be able to collect him on your behalf."

At this point, Mia made a noise that almost managed to sound like a cough.

Hama ignored her. "Would it not have been simpler to hold him here, that the Nike police might take him under warrant?"

"Simpler, yes," Gideon said, looking out over the dark ribbon of the Avon. "But this way Ellison has two days of hope, two days to plan how he's going to start over. I'm also willing to bet he'll put a few brain cells into contemplating a return to Nike to even the score." He turned back to Hama. "And after two days of building up his ideal future, the Queen will dock in Faraday, and he'll find the police waiting, and realize that future is never going to happen."

At which point Hama hoped never to be on Gideon Quinn's bad side.

"Perhaps," he said after a beat, "this conversation should also have never happened." At Gideon's raised eyebrow, he shrugged. "I want nothing to add to the amount of paperwork your presence has already generated."

As he spoke, he heard the tread of boots on the dock and looked to see General Satsuke approaching. "Speaking of paperwork," he continued, "I don't see my cycle anywhere, and you've no idea what the requisition forms are like, should I need a new one."