"Your aide"-Reith indicated Helsse--"took out a Type Eighteen contract against me. I intend to warn Dordolio; your penury carries a vicious sting."
Lord Cizante turned a frowning glance upon Helsse. "What of this?"
Helsse stood with black eyebrows fretfully raised. "I endeavored only to fulfill my function."
"Misplaced zeal! Would you make Blue Jade a laughing stock? If this sordid tale gains circulation..." His voice suddenly trailed off. Helsse gave a shrug, and poured himself a goblet of wine.
Reith rose to his feet. "Our business appears to be at an end."
"A moment," said Lord Cizante curtly. "Let me consider ... You realize that this so-called assassination is a mare's-nest?"
Reith slowly shook his head. "You have blown hot and cold too often; I am totally skeptical."
Lord Cizante swung on his heel. The incense stick fell to the rug, where it began to smolder. Reith picked it up, placed it on the tray. "Why do you do that?" asked Helsse in sardonic wonder.
"You must supply your own answer."
Lord Cizante strode back into the room. He gestured to Helsse, took him into the corner, muttered a moment, and once again departed.
Helsse turned to Reith. "Lord Cizante has empowered me to pay over to you a sum of ten thousand sequins on condition that you depart Cath instantly, returning to Kotan by the first cog out of Vervodei."
"Lord Cizante's impertinence is amazing," said Reith.
Anacho asked casually, "How high will he go?"
"He specified no precise sum," Helsse admitted. "He is interested only in your departure, which he will facilitate in every detail."
"A million sequins, then," said Anacho. "If we must acquiesce to this undignified scheme, we might as well sell ourselves dear."
"Much too dear," said Helsse. "Twenty thousand sequins is more reasonable."
"Not reasonable enough," said Reith. "We need more, much more."
Helsse surveyed the three in silence. He said at last: "To avoid wasting time I will announce the maximum sum Lord Cizante cares to pay. It is fifty thousand sequins, which I personally consider generous, and transportation to Vervodei."
"We accept," said Reith. "Needless to say, you must cancel the contract with the Security Company."
Helsse smiled a small tremulous smile. "I have already received my instructions in this regard. And when will you depart Settra?"
"In a day or so."
With fifty strips of purple-celled sequins, the three left Blue Jade Palace, and climbed into the waiting black landau. Helsse did not accompany them.
The landau wheeled east through the cinnamon dusk, under luminants which as yet cast no illumination. Off in the parks, palaces and town houses showed clusters of blurred lights, and in one great garden a fete was in progress.
The landau rumbled across a carved wooden bridge hung with lanterns, to enter a district of crowded timber buildings, with tearooms and cafes jutting over the street. They passed through an area of bleak half-deserted tenements, and at last came into the Oval.
Reith descended from the landau. Traz sprang past and threw himself on a dark silent figure. At the glint of metal Reith ducked to the ground, but failed to escape a violent purple-white flash. A hot blow pounded his head; he lay half-stunned, while Traz struggled with the assailant. Anacho stepped forward, pointed his sting. Out sprang the thin shaft, piercing the man's shoulder. The gun clattered to the cobbles.
Reith picked himself up, stood weaving. The side of his head smarted as if by a scald; the smell of ozone and burnt hair filled his nostrils. He tottered over to where Traz held the hooded figure in an armlock while Anacho removed his wallet and dagger. The man wore a half-hood; Reith raised it, revealing, to his astonishment, the face of the Yearning Refluxive to whom he had spoken the night before.
People here and there about the Oval, at first cautious of the struggle, now started to approach. There came the shrill hoot of the patrol whistle. The Refluxive struggled to free himself. "Release me; they'll make me a terrible example!"
"Why did you try to kill me?" demanded Reith.
"Need you ask? Let me go, I beg you!"
"Why should I? You just tried to murder me! Let them take you."
"No! The association will suffer!"
"Well then-why did you try to kill me?"
"Because you are dangerous! You would divide us! Already there is dissension! A
few weak souls have no faith; they want to find a spaceship and go off on a journey! Folly! The only way is the orthodox way! You are a danger; I thought it best to expunge your dissidence."
Reith took a deep breath of exasperation. The patrol was almost upon them. He said: "Tomorrow we leave Settra; you've had your trouble for nothing." He gave the man a shove which sent him staggering and crying for the pain in his shoulder. "Be thankful we are merciful men!"
The Refluxive disappeared in the darkness. The patrol ran up: tall men in striped suits of red and black holding staffs terminating in incandescent tips.
"What is the trouble?"
"A thief," said Reith. "He tried to rob us, then ran off behind the buildings."
The patrol departed; Reith, Anacho, and Traz went into the inn. As they supped Reith told of his arrangements with Zarfo Detwiler. "Tomorrow, if all goes well, we depart Settra."
"By no means too soon," remarked Anacho sourly.
"True. Already I've been spied on by the Wankh, persecuted by the gentry, shot at by the 'cult.' My nerves won't allow much more."
A boy wearing dark red livery came up to their table. "Adam Reith?"
"Who wants him?" Reith asked warily.
"I have a message."
"Give it here." Reith tore apart the folded paper, puzzled out the sense of the florid symbols: The Security Company sends greetings. Be it known that, since you, Adam Reith, have attacked an authorized employee in the innocent pursuit of his duties, spoiling his equipment and inflicting pain and inconvenience, we demand a retributive fee of eighteen thousand sequins. If the sum is not immediately paid at our main office, you will be killed by a combination of several processes.
Your prompt cooperation will be appreciated. Please do not depart Settra or seek to deny us in any way, as in that case the penalties must be amplified.
Reith flung the letter down on the table. "Dordolio, the Wankh, Lord Cizante, and Helsse, the 'cult,' the Security Company: who is left?"
Traz commented: "Tomorrow may hardly be soon enough."
CHAPTER TEN
THE FOLLOWING MORNING Reith communicated with Blue Jade Palace by means of the queer Yao telephones, and was allowed to speak to Helsse. "You have naturally canceled the contract with the Security Company?"
"The contract has been canceled. I understand that they have decided to take independent action, which of course you must deal with as you see fit."
"Exactly," said Reith. "We are leaving Settra at once and we accept Lord Cizante's offer of assistance."
Helsse made a noncommittal sound. "What are your plans?"
"Essentially, to escape Settra with our lives."
"I will arrive shortly and take you to an outlying wheelway station. At Vervodei ships leave daily for all quarters and no doubt you will be able to make a convenient departure."
"We will be ready at noon, or before."
Reith set out on foot for the Cercade, taking all precautions, and arrived at the rendezvous with fair assurance that he had not been followed. Zarfo stood waiting, his white hair confined in a bonnet as black as his face. He immediately led the way to the cellar of an ale house. They sat at a stone table; Zarfo signaled the pot-boy and they were presently served heavy stone mugs of a bitter earthy ale.