Rani realized the power money gave her and for a time she reveled in it. But she kept cool, knowing not to advertise her wealth. The notes were safely stashed in the locked money belt. Anyone who wanted them would have to kill her first.
Next she phoned Mohsin and arranged to visit London Hospital after work the next evening. She was on a roll, and needed to get her hands on some meaty hardware to keep that good feeling going.
Finally back home that night, having capped a fairly successful day by picking up a good lead on where Mohinder might be the next morning, she found a reception committee in all its splendor waiting for her. There was Imran and Sanjay, of course, and a handful of male cousins as well, all gathered in the front room. In the back room she could see the swirl of saris.
Oh. here we go, she thought. The men are going to put me in my place and then the women are going to tell me how good it is to be there. Stuff this!
Anger boiled up inside her as her cousin Dilip began a placatory speech to which she wasn’t even listening. She was livid. How dare they? I’m growing up and I know what I want. Well, maybe I don’t, but I like being on the streets. I like talking to the people in Beigel’s, I like putting some money the way of street people who need it and who look at me with real respect. Rakk it all, I’m becoming a samurai, I know I am. I’ve got rich friends who trust me with their money. And I believe they like me. I remember what that funny-speaking nobleman said when I was leaving. If I was just a nobody, he wouldn’t have told me about that. I mean something.
“Rakk off!” she shouted at the men before her. “I’ve got my own life. I’m not going to be a good little girl. Be like them?” She pointed to the back room. “Tied to the sink and allowed, honored, to pander to every wish of my menfolk when they care to come home? That is, when they aren’t rubbing white girls like Sanjay does, or if they aren’t spineless slints like my own brother, doing nothing to avenge dead family.”
“As for you, Dilip, why don’t you tell Kriss there how you cheated him on those chip deals last March? Kriss, those chips weren’t worth half what you paid for them, and Dilip and lmran had a really good laugh about that. I wasn’t supposed to hear because I was in the kitchen cooking supper like a good little girl. We women can't hear anything in the kitchen, right? They were too steaming to care anyway. So who are you to lecture me? Honor and duty? There isn’t one of you who wouldn’t kill the other to save sixpence, and you bloody well know it!”
The men were thunderstruck. Kriss looked at Dilip, who tried to avoid his gaze. Her revelation had set the men against each other, while Imran was looking away from everyone in shame. Silence descended on them. She seized the initiative and delivered a parting shot.
“You’re pathetic! You make rakking pennies from little deals, and half the time you’re swindling each other. Or like my brother, you’re stupid enough to let people sell you as fools and dupes, and then have family die because of it. But the world isn’t only losers like all of you. I’m eighteen years old. Old enough to get out of here and that’s just what I’m gonna do before you make me toss my dinner.” Rani turned and walked out, not daring to look behind her. When the men finally recovered their wits enough to chase after her, she was already far enough down the road to elude their pursuit.
Of course it was crazy. She knew already that the family would disown her-after they’d tracked her down and made some vain and insulting attempt to bring her back. They’d never succeed. Maybe she had no real skills, nothing she was especially good at, but she had youth and energy and a heart healing fast inside her chest. Tonight, that seemed plenty. The money would rent her a room for the duration. She was on her own now.
Rani finally tracked Mohinder down at Grits the next aftemoon. She was edgy now, unhappy about what had happened with her family. Waking from her restless sleep in the cold light of dawn site realized that she might well have burned her bridges. But if she could control her fear, she’d be all right. Maybe it wouldn’t show. Just don’t be too eager, girl, don’t give too much away.
“Like to do business with you, big man,” she chirped as she approached his table.
Mohinder’s chest puffed a little with pride. He chewed at his burger and eyed her coolly. “More business, huh? Well, what are you in for this time?” He sounded faintly amused.
Rani tried hard not to get riled. “A few things, actually. I know you don’t come cheap, Mohinder, not someone with your reputation. So let me say straight off, I can pay you what you’re worth.” Flatter him, Rani, her common sense was insisting. He looked suitably happy. “First thing, you know that Predator I sold you?”
He gave her an almost friendly look. “No problems, girl. Lovely gun. Thank you for that one.” He devoured the last chunk of the soyburger, which to Rani smelled like something had rotted to death inside the bun. Why didn’t some slint come up with an artificial scent that wouldn’t affect the greasy taste of those things? They could make a fortune.
“I can pay you double the price to get it back.” She gazed at him without blinking. Her expression said, I want this and I can pay. I have money. No kidding today.
She saw some respect in the way his cybereyes gazed at her, but he shook his head. “Rani, you can’t get Predators over here. I don’t know where you got this one, but it’s a precious thing. I haven’t even sold it, I kept it for myself. I can sell you something almost as good for your money, and I won’t rip you off, but that Predator is too good to let go. Sorry.” He slurped a great mouthful of scalding soykaf and almost had to spit it back into the cup.
She had her reply ready for the refusal. “Three times. I'll pay you three times what you gave me for it That’s my final offer.” She really didn’t want to go that far-it took out too much of her funds-but she knew how much the elf wanted to check out the gun.
“You’re persistent, huh?” He smiled at her, not taking offense. “Honestly, Rani, no way. That gun’s mine now. Not for sale. Just the sight of it can make people back down, you know? Big people. It gives me a real edge. And money can’t buy that. Not the way a Predator II can when you’re pointing it into the face of some snakeboy.”
She had half-expected as much. She dared not push the request any further, for fear of losing the other things she wanted from him.
“All right. Mohinder, so be it. But I need to get my hands on some good weapons. I mean good. the best. If I can’t get the Predator, I want the best pistol I can get by, say, Friday night. Best ammo, too. A crossbow wouldn’t go amiss either. Say a couple of each.”
“Also. I heard a news report that some baggies lost their stun batons in one of the Squeeze checkpoints south of the river last week. And, well, I would be terribly interested in any that may have found their way down here.”
He laughed until he realized she was serious. “Where you getting the money for this, little gopi?” he scowled at her.
“Oh come on, Mohinder! I don’t ask you where your dosh comes from, now do 1? Hey, tell you what, I’ve got an even better proposition for you to think about. I’ll be in the market for street samurai and willing hands for the weekend. Local work. You’re the best, so I talk to you.” Boy, was this man a sucker for flattery. She could see him virtually preening. Even his cybereyes seemed to be twinkling with pride.
Then, with some weird intuition, she took a complete leap in the dark. “I’ve also heard that you might be able to lay your hands on automatic weapons. Heavy duty. As I said, I can pay.”