Four-Day Planet · Meeting Out of Order (2/2)

I gave a small mental howl myself when I thought of all the nice things I could have bought for ten sols. One of Joe Kivelson’s followers stooped and scooped up the fallen pistol, firing a couple of times with it. Then we all rushed Joe into one of the elevators and crowded in behind him, and as I turned to start it down I could hear police sirens from the street and also from the landing stage above. In the hall outside the meeting room, four or five of Ravick’s free-drink mercenaries were down on all fours scrabbling for coins, and the rest of the pursuers from the meeting room were stumbling and tripping over them. I wished I’d brought a camera along, too. The public would have loved a shot of that. I lifted the radio and spoke into it:

“This is Walter Boyd, returning you now to the regular entertainment program.”

A second later, the thing whistled at me. As the car started down and the doors closed I lifted the handphone. It was Bish Ware again.

“We’re going down in the elevator to Second Level Down,” I said. “I have Joe and Tom and Oscar Fujisawa and a few of the Javelin crew with me. The place is crawling with cops now.”

“Go to Third Level Down and get up on the catwalk on the right,” Bish said. “I’ll be along to pick you up.”

“Roger. We’ll be looking for you.”

The car stopped at Second Level Down. I punched a button and sent it down another level. Joe Kivelson, who was dabbing at his cheek with a piece of handkerchief tissue, wanted to know what was up.

“We’re getting a pickup,” I told him. “Vehicle from the Times.”

I thought it would save arguments if I didn’t mention who was bringing it.