Read Online Merkiaari Wars: 01 - Hard Duty by Mark E. Cooper - Free Book Online Page B

would not have needed him to make the connection, it would have seen the obvious. Still, Eric had the data now; that was important, and besides, he had enough problems with a dull but obedient computer living in his head. He did not want to think about having a real A.I constantly with him. He didn’t think his sanity would survive it.
    “I understand you wish to join the Freedom Movement,” Zhang went on after a moment. “Why? You are not from Thurston. Why do you care what happens here?”
    Eric took a sip of coffee and frowned when the usual caffeine alert appeared on his display. He ignored it as he always did. “You know the answer. I don’t care what happens here unless it inconveniences me. I’m a merc. Money interests me, nothing much else does.”
    “But you have money.”
    “Not enough.”
    “What is enough?” Zhang shrugged. “I’m a businessman and I’ve yet to find that elusive figure.”
    Eric laughed. “Same here. I don’t want to join the Freedom Movement, I don’t do causes. If the movement didn’t exist here, I would go to a planet where it did. I’m not the type to follow a cause. I follow the money, period. Now that’s not to say I won’t stick around for a while you understand.”
    Zhang grinned but sobered quickly. “So it’s just another contract for you. I can understand that. My friends will want to check you out, but assuming all goes well, I think you can consider yourself hired.”
    Eric raised a hand. “I don’t come cheap, not even on the Guild’s pay scale, but I can be had. Two mil for the duration of ah... of hostilities.”
    Zhang paled and then laughed. “Two million credits for one man is ridiculous. I could hire ten for that!”
    “Ah, but they wouldn’t be me. And besides, you wouldn’t get ten on an open ended contract. I did say I would stick around for the duration. For all you know that could be years.”
    Zhang frowned. “True. Why would you agree to that?”
    Eric grinned and retrieved the data crystal he had compiled over the previous week from a pocket. “I’m glad you asked. This is a free sample of my work. Give it to your friends. If they like it, I want the two million up front deposited to my account. You’ll find details on here.” He passed the crystal to Zhang. “In the very unlikely event they don’t like what it contains, no hard feelings and I’ll be on a ship away from here by the end of the month. Deal?”
    Zhang nodded slowly. He was looking at the crystal pensively. “I will enquire.”
    Eric stood and offered his hand. “Nice doing business. I’m off to catch a show. Might even try to bag one of your dinos. Heard you have safaris.”
    Zhang nodded, still seeming distracted.
    Eric walked away watching Zhang on one of the cameras feeding him live imagery. He smiled to himself as Zhang took out his wand and made a call. Eric froze the image and captured the name and number displayed on the wand. You never knew what could turn out to be important.
    Saint James Hotel, Thurston, Border Zone
    Eric returned to his rooms after the latest in a long list of leisure pursuits he had indulged in. He would rather have been on his way back to Snakeholme, but with no contact from Zhang or his friends, he had to stay here and pretend to be having fun.
    Take in the sites like a tourist, check .
    Go on a three day safari, check.
    Take in a couple of shows, yawn and check.
    Practice on the range, making errors like a Human just in case he was being watched, check.
    It had whiled away the time, but he could have gone into hibernation mode if that was all he wanted. No, it was more to keep up appearances than to fill time. Surely he was being monitored, if not electronically then by Human means. He did still watch for surveillance, but he hadn’t detected any. It annoyed him, because without any kind of reaction to his presence he couldn’t gauge his progress.
    Eric checked at the desk for messages. None again, but that was expected. Zhang could