Spin State by Chris Moriarty

Author:Chris Moriarty
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
ISBN: 9780553898262
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2003-09-30T10:00:00+00:00

There was a problem finding Korchow’s street. The cabbie kept circling through lunch-hour traffic, insisting that he knew the address, that the turn was in the next block, or the next one. Finally Li got out and walked.

She stumbled onto the shop abruptly, turning a blind corner into a narrow flagstoned alley and bumping up against a spotlit window full of old carpets and inlaid furniture. A gold-lettered sign read ANTIQUITIES and below it, in dark red, she saw the same intricate lozenge design she had seen on Korchow’s card.

He sat at a small desk toward the back, in a carved laminate chair that was either an astronomically expensive generation-ship artifact or a very professional forgery. A tank silk raincoat and a stylish gas mask lay neatly across a nearby table, as if Korchow had just come in or was just leaving.

“Major,” he said. “What a surprise. I hope you didn’t have too much trouble finding me?”

“I did, actually. Pretty out-of-the-way place to run a business from. Must cut into your profits.”

Korchow smiled. “I have a certain reputation among discerning collectors. Can I get you something? Tea?”

He bustled through a curtained doorway into the back of the shop, and Li heard the clink of glass on china, the sound of running water. He returned with two covered teacups, an ornately carved glazed-iron teapot, and a sleek black box that he set carefully on the desk between them.

He served the tea, which was excellent. Then he picked up the box and handed it to her. “I thought you might like to see it,” he said. “You seemed quite put out by it the last time we met.”

She turned the device over, feeling the weight of it, trying unsuccessfully to scan it.

“Second button from the left,” Korchow said.

She pressed it. The box beeped discreetly. A bioluminescent display window began counting thousandths of seconds. Li’s security programs flashed a yellow alert on her retina and went dead as her internals cut out.

Korchow leaned across the desk and took back the box. “Some things are better kept private,” he said.

“What do you want from me?” Li asked.

“Nothing complicated. Just to do business. Business that could be to our mutual advantage.” He paused and fingered the controls of the jamming device.

“It’s working fine,” Li snapped. “And it’s giving me a headache. So just tell me what you want and get it over with.”

“I represent parties who are, shall we say, interested in recent events in the Anaconda mine. Particularly in the aspects of the explosion that your, er, office seems to be investigating.”

“You want information about Sharifi,” Li said.

“Among other things.” Korchow smiled. “I can see how difficult this is for you, Major. You’d rather halo-jump into enemy territory than sit over tea talking to a Syndicate spy. I understand better than you can imagine. But we are not always called to serve in the ways we prefer. This is the price of owing allegiance to a greater good.” Steam curled from his cup, veiling his narrow, intelligent face.

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