by M. D. Cooper
At least Reece had her next target. “What comparable sanitizers currently exist?”
Miral shook her head slowly, frowning. “All the usual suspects I’m sure you’ve heard of. Alcohol variants, oxides, and so forth. All the disinfectants that one would purchase at the local store, plus the higher-grade versions of the same items made for industrial use.”
Trey said, “There’s no direct competitor, then. Just a variety of the old stand-bys.”
Miral nodded. “Yes, that’s accurate.”
“So, if someone didn’t want to see this new product come out,” Trey asked, “who do you think that would be?”
Miral gave him a long look. “You’re not here about the research. Not exactly. You’re here about something else, aren’t you?”
“It’s about the research,” Reece assured her. “And your progress. But it’s also about getting a feel for who might not want this product to come around. Due diligence in researching impediments in getting a product to market.”
Reece gave a careless shrug to reinforce the idea that this kind of thing was standard practice in developing a new product.
“I see.” Miral didn’t sound entirely convinced. “That’s a different area of expertise from mine.”
A soft, high-pitched beep indicated that Dr. Miral’s five minutes were up.
She stood. “Was there anything else? I should process the next batch.”
Reece wished there was something else. She hated coming away empty-handed, whether it was at work or at Marky’s betting lounge. “No, that’s all. Thank you for your hard work. Rexcare appreciates it.”
Miral smirked but didn’t express whatever inspired the expression. Instead, she said, “Always happy to cooperate with the company bankrolling me.”
Reece laughed at the honesty. “Good luck with your research.”
“And good luck with whatever you’re after.” Miral gave Reece and Trey a look that said she knew it was more than what they’d admitted, but she didn’t care.
Fair enough. Reece didn’t care about the squiggly bits in Dr. Miral’s thingy-processor, either.
“Thank you for your time.” Trey gave a small, professional smile.
Reece did the same.
They retreated and didn’t speak until they were outside.
“I like her,” Reece said on their way to the taxi. “She’s smart. Not just book smart, but clever.”
“I like her, too,” Trey agreed.
“You can’t like her,” Reece declared.
“Why not?”
“Because you like Nizhoni, and she’s the complete opposite of Dr. Miral.” She got into the waiting car.
“I like you too, to a point,” he noted. “I like a wide variety of people.”
“Maybe you just like everyone,” Reece suggested.
“I don’t.”
“Who do you dislike?” she looked at him, genuinely curious.
“There was a guy the other day on the metro. He kept spitting on the floor. Nasty. If I didn’t look the way I do, I’d have told him off. But since I do look the way I do, I can’t afford to appear threatening.”
Reece looked at him a long moment before answering. A deep sadness pooled in her stomach that Trey couldn’t behave like a decent person because of people’s misperceptions of him based on the way he looked. “That’s a person definitely worth disliking. And he’s lucky. I probably would have shot him.”
She wouldn’t have, but saying it made him laugh.
Other people would make assumptions about him, but at least she could give him a reason to smile.
TANGLES AND TOUSLES
DATE: 05.13.8948 (Adjusted Gregorian)
LOCATION: Ohiyo, Akonwara
REGION: Machete System, PED 4B, Orion Freedom Alliance
“Where to now?” Trey asked once they got into the taxi.
“Allied Solutions headquarters.” She directed her answer to the driver but waited to see if Trey understood her choice.
Trey nodded.
She noted the time it would take to arrive at Allied Solutions. Thirty-five minutes. Ugh.
Reece smirked.
Instead of replying, he nodded and looked out his window. She waited for him to ask who they’d ask to see and what they’d say to them, but he didn’t. Maybe he already thought he knew.
She smiled to herself, with a touch of her old wickedness. Fine. If he knew so much, she’d let him take the lead at Allied Solutions. He wanted more of an active role, after all.
Thirty minutes to go. Reece settled into the seat and got comfortable. If Trey didn’t want to ask questions, she could take a nap.
So she did.
* * * * *
A poke in Reece’s shoulder woke her.
“I don’t know how you do that.” Trey looked at her in puzzlement.
“What?” She straightened and used her Rexcare credentials to pay for the taxi.
“Fall right to sleep, then come right back to being fully awake.”
“It’s a skill gained from lifelong practice.” She reached for her door, then paused. “Oh, wait. Did you want to say, ‘Let’s go’?”
He rolled his eyes and opened his door, so she followed suit.
“This one’s all yours,” she announced as the taxi pulled away.
“All mine, what?”
“Your show. Your jam. You wanted some authority, so here it is.” Reece gestured broadly at the imposing height of the Allied Solutions skyscraper. It wasn’t quite as big as that of Rexcare’s headquarters, but was a tall, tall building nonetheless.
“Is this some sort of test?” Trey asked, looking suspicious. As he should.
“Yep. Don’t fail.”
“What if I do?”
She quirked her shoulders. “Rexcare gives you a performance evaluation and you’re never seen again.”
“That…that’s not funny.” He frowned at her. “That sounds like the kind of thing that would actually happen here.”
She gave him a wry grin. “It is. But not to you. Not for this, anyway. I guess you haven’t been here long enough to pick up on that context. Sorry. Seriously, though, you’re taking the lead. I’ll only jump in if things go seriously sideways.”
“Right.” He lifted his chin. “Let’s go.”
The dragon’s lair of reception at Allied Solutions was only slightly less terrifying than that of Rexcare.
“We’re here to see Hopfer Yinin,” Trey announced when one of the dragons—a middle-aged woman with an icy gaze—stared at him.
Reece assigned him a point. Hopfer Yinin was a fifth-generation corporate man, destined for the life the moment he took his very first breath. So much so that he’d actually been born with a first and last name, both.
Secretly, Reece always got a giggle from these corporate types and their two names. Why would Hopfer Yinin need two names? Who else in the relative vicinity would be named Hopfer, of all things? Double naming seemed so pretentious.
“What time was your appointment? The dragon woman gave Trey a steely stare.
“Oh, I didn’t have one. He told me to come by when I had time.” Trey smiled his most winning smile.
“And what’s the nature of the business?” Dragon Lady’s voice dripped with cold disdain. Clearly, she didn’t believe Trey was telling the truth.
Which, of course, he wasn’t.
“He made me an offer,” Trey said. “It’s quite sensitive, so I’m sure you’ll understand if I don’t provide you details. But I have access to something that he wants,
which belongs to a competitor of his. Of yours, actually. I’m sure you understand.”
Trey smiled his most charming smile.
The Dragon Lady remained unmoved. “Remove yourself from the premises, or I’ll have you escorted out.”
She gestured toward some burly guards to demonstrate her point.
Reece supposed that starting a brawl in the middle of Allied Solutions’ lobby counted as things going sideways, so she stepped up. “Tell him Reece from Rexcare wants a meeting. Now.”
She leveled a glare colder than the dragon lady’s by about a hundred degrees.
The woman rolled her eyes, then tapped a message in, keeping her unblinking gaze on Reece.
Reece felt her eyeballs drying out while trying to return that steely look.
Finally, the receptionist glanced down. “He will see you now.”
Reece nodded and proceeded to walk past the guards. Once in the elevator—which began to rise to the desired floor on its own—Trey sighed. “I guess I didn’t pass the test.”
“You scored points for bravado, though not for technique.”
“I guess it would help if they knew me,” he said.
She chucked him gently under the chin, as if he were a down-in-the-dumps schoolboy. “Don’t worry about it. After today, they’ll know you.”
A slow smile stole over his face. “I guess they will.”
She nodded with satisfaction. “Yep.”
“Was it like this for you?” he asked. “Someone showed you the ropes?”
She grinned. “Nope. I worked it all out for myself.”
Some of his confidence leaked out. “So I’m deficient, then, is what you’re saying?”
“Again, nope. It’s just that I come from here. I had to climb my way up, bit by bit. Don’t let that bother you. Being an outsider, you have a unique perspective. You aren’t blinded by all the things Machete people take for granted. You see it all in the same light. That’s an advantage, too.”
“Yeah?” He seemed skeptical.
“Yeah. You’ll see.”
The elevator stopped, and the doors opened.
“Do you know this guy, this Hopfer Yinin?” Trey asked.
“Not personally. I’ve seen him around. Crossed paths, but never dealt with him directly on anything. Like I said before, Allied Solutions doesn’t go head-to-head with Rexcare in many areas. They’re a significant player in the game, but not a direct competitor.”
“Maybe they’re looking to change that,” Trey suggested as they proceeded to Hopfer’s office.
“Almost certainly. But that might not have anything to do with this.” She gestured to the door. “It’s all yours. You’re still running this show.”
“Eh.” Trey kept his hands at his sides. “I think, in this particular case, I’ll defer to your experience. But I reserve the right to jump in when I have a good point to make.”
Reece smiled. “All right. I think you can still handle the door, though.”
Trey shrugged and touched the alert button.
“Come in,” a deep voice said.
Reece winked at Trey.
She opened the door.
She focused her attention on the man behind the desk, who didn’t rise as they approached. “Hello. Good to see you again. I’m Reece, and this is my partner Trey.”
Hopfer gestured toward the chairs across from him. “Have a seat. Your unexpected arrival has me curious, so please don’t keep me in suspense.”
She’d hoped for a little more time to sound him out and get a feel for the questions she should ask. No such luck. “I’m looking into a little matter for Rexcare. One of those little details that pops up and you can’t ignore it just in case, you know?
She smiled and gave a conspiratorial wink.
Disappointingly, Hopfer did not return the expression. “How can I be of help?”
“Well, it’s a delicate matter. Rexcare is expanding, as we always are, and we received an application from someone claiming to have spent some time as an employee here. As you know, being a fixer isn’t just any job, so we investigate applicants before we even speak to them.”
“And?” Hopfer asked, guarded.
“And we don’t think this person was ever an employee here. Or at least, if he had been, it was an off-the-books kind of thing. Either way, we wanted to inquire and give you the chance to answer off the record.”
“What’s the name?”
What was the name of this fictional person? She didn’t want to pick the name of someone who might actually exist. She knew Allied’s current fixers and some of their previous ones, but certainly not all.
“Cliff,” Trey said.
Hopfer shook his head. “Not one of ours. On the books or off.”
“Well, that’s unfortunate.” Reece put on a deep frown. “I wonder what he’s trying to pull.”
“Actually,” Hopfer said, “isn’t Cliff one of Donnercorp’s new fixers?”
“Is he?” Reece hadn’t heard of such a person.
“Yeah, I think so.” Hopfer’s eyes darted to the side to access his Link. “Yes. I thought so. He paid one of my colleagues a visit recently about a bogus patent challenge.”
Reece sat forward, affecting a deeply serious expression. “They did that to you, too?”
Hopfer’s eyebrows went up. “They did it to you? I wonder what they’re trying to pull. They keep taking these little shots at us. It’s like they’re trying to tie us up in minutiae or confuse us. It’s strange.”
“I don’t know. I didn’t realize the application had any relationship to that patent challenge, but now it seems like it might.” Reece frowned thoughtfully. “I wonder what they could be up to.”
“I don’t know,” Hopfer said. “For the past six months, they’ve been plaguing us. If we put in a public bid on something, they’ll underbid us, even to the point of taking a loss.”
“Really.” Reece rubbed her chin. “We haven’t seen that. Yet. We’ll keep an eye out for it, though.”
“If you come up with anything, I’d take it as a personal favor if you let me know. They’re trying to do something. I just don’t know what.”
Reece nodded. “I’ll look into it, and if there’s anything not bound by confidentiality, I’ll let you know. Or I’ll just let you know in vague terms that’s something’s up.”
“I’ll do the same.” Hopfer had warmed up considerably. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
She searched her mind for something useful to ask, since it seemed like a shame to let such an open-ended offer pass her by. He’d already given her a big break, but if she could think of a way to add to that….
But she couldn’t. “No, thank you. It’s good of you to offer. I’m glad I came by. I think we can help each other out with this.”
Hopfer nodded, suddenly energized. He was kind of good looking when he wasn’t so humorless. “I’m glad you came by, too. How about we each make a summary report of Donnercorp’s behavior and swap?”
“I think you read my mind.” Reece laughed. She stood and offered her hand. “We look forward to working with you. We should have that report in a day or two.”
Hopfer shook her hand, then Trey’s. “Good. We’ll talk soon, then.”
On their way back down in the elevator, Reece gave Trey a reproving look. “You kind of went silent in that meeting.”
“After my failure to bluff my way in, I kind of lost my mojo,” he admitted. “You had it handled, so I figured I’d let you have this one.”
“Let me,” she repeated, amused. “You did come up with the name of Cliff, though! Where did you get that name?”
“I remembered it from a writeup I read about recently. A fixer from Donnercorp named Cliff. The name kind of popped into m
y head and I figured the name of a real person would have more of a thread of truth than some made-up name.”
“It sure did!” Reece slapped him on the shoulder. “That name got us rolling with something. I think this is the angle we’ve been waiting for.”
“You keep saying the next thing is the thing we’ve been waiting for,” Trey observed, his enthusiasm level far below hers.
“Those were just guesses. I can feel this one in my gut.”
“You sure that isn’t whiskey?” He remained unimpressed.
“I haven’t had any all day. I’m serious. This is our big break.”
“If you say so. How should we celebrate?”
Reece grinned. She knew just the thing. “We go to the Ringtoad.”
“Weren’t you supposed to work with Reggie and Sequoia?”
“Yup. I think some dirty fighting at the Ringtoad is exactly the crash course training they need.”
Finally, Trey laughed. “Are you sure they’re ready for that?”
She paused. “Maybe not completely. We’ll go tag-team.”
He laughed again. “Three on a team?”
“Two teams of two. You’ll be there. Might as well make yourself useful.”
“Too unfair.” He shook his head.
“Fine, we’ll disable you. You won’t be allowed to use your hands, or something. How’s that?”
“Well, it sounds more fair.” Trey didn’t sound entirely convinced, but she’d work on that.
The elevator made a soft sound as it reached the bottom floor and the doors opened.
* * * * *
In spite of initial wariness, Reggie and Sequoia gradually warmed up to the idea of going a few rounds tag-team style at the Ringtoad.
Kippy’s bar cooperated, in that it had a full house of patrons. Kippy himself was in fine form as he teased a little here, goaded a little there, and got people to think that throwing down for a wager had been their own idea.
Kippy really had that down to an art form. His ridiculously good looks didn’t hurt, either. Regardless of a person’s romantic preferences, his perpetually tousled dark hair and bourbon colored eyes gave him a charmingly roguish look, and people naturally gravitated toward him.