Read Online White Bone by Ridley Pearson - Free Book Online

yours? It’s not
your
man who reports such people? She was
inside
my company’s computers. Do you understand the gravity of this?”
    “He’s not my man. He’s freelance. It’s true, he reports to me, but—”
    “My point, exactly.” Xin Ha sat casually on the edge of his desk. “And did he report to you?”
    “I get a dozen such reports a week. Twice that in tourist season.”
    “You ignored his report about the woman.”
    Guuleed searched for a way to deflect the accusation.
    “She caused my investors to panic. Do you understand the cost of closing the clinic? Hmm?” He smiled, the look prohibitively sweet. “I think not. A very dear cost to you if you don’t rectify the situation, to be sure. Please, do not think for a moment I enjoy any of this. A man’s family? It’s horrible! I detest even the thought of it. But examples must be made, hmm? I’m willing to bet you make such examples to your men as well. We each have a cross to bear.”
    He was staring in the area of Guuleed’s collarbone, as if unwilling to make eye contact. With a huge effort, Guuleed forced his body to stay still.
    “You’re thinking we could have done this by phone. Hmm? And you would be right, except for the rumor I referred to earlier. Do you know the rumor that is troubling me?”
    “No,” Guuleed admitted. He’d anticipated a different man, a different conversation altogether. A one-way conversation. “You know what’s troubling me? Your threatening my family.”
    Xin Ha failed to react; it was as if he hadn’t heard Guuleed. “First, this American!”
    “We are taking care of him. A visa problem. He is being deported. He’s not your concern.”
    The man might have nodded; he sucked through his teeth. “Second . . .” He began moving around the room in no particular pattern. Guuleed never took his eyes off him. “There is a rumor, a trustworthy source, that private drones have been deployed.”
    Guuleed’s bowels went to water.
    “That mess with the hunting of the lion last month. Bleedinghearts to the rescue! An American donated at least three drones! They can see through cloud, read your wristwatch. They carry photo and radio surveillance into formerly unreachable places. On top of the drones, surveillance may now include mobile phones, possibly satellite phones. Do you understand why you’re here in person?”
    “From the sky we look like any other safari base camp. We are registered as a business. We know what we’re doing.”
    “If a single automatic weapon is photographed . . . a grenade belt . . . a box of ammunition . . . a scope. You understand?”
    “Yes.”
    “You will break camp. Relocate. Your existence depends upon it. Your family’s existence depends upon it.” His pallid skin turned a dismal pink when flushed. “You must make up for my losses. Do you see what you’ve done? How many you have put at risk?”
    Guuleed wondered if he killed the man right here—regardless of how quickly the man’s guards would kill him—might his family be saved?
    Xin Ha lunged toward him and Guuleed flinched, something he never did, something that left him feeling ashamed, humiliated. Xin Ha laughed in his face. Guuleed forced the lid down to contain his temper.
    “Out!” Xin Ha said, finally meeting eyes with him.

13

    M r. Knox, it’s the front desk. Just a reminder, sir, of your four P.M. departure to Kibera.”
    Knox checked the room’s clock radio: 16:05. Knox felt the floor shift beneath him. “I didn’t—” He caught himself. He hadn’t ordered a car to Kibera, wherever that was.
    “The tour of Kibera. You signed up with the concierge.”
    He knew the name now. Kibera, one of the world’s largest slums. He hadn’t signed up for anything. Had Winston signed him up? Dulwich?
    “Is there a problem?” asked the concierge.
    Or maybe the damn kid from the airport was trying to play tour guide.
    “Right. Sorry, I fell asleep. Give me a minute. I’ll be right down.” It