‘What do you want?’
‘Miss Catto?’
‘Yes.’
‘I regret to inform you that our organization can no longer offer you protection of any form. This withdrawal of service applies to all guard and security organizations in the city.’
A.A. Catto looked at the screen in bewilderment.
‘You mean I’m not protected?’
‘That’s correct.’
‘And nobody will protect me?’
‘That’s right, Miss Catto.’
‘For god’s sake, why?’
‘You are the subject of an Assassin’s Claim to Victim.’
‘What the hell’s that?’
‘In simple terms, a professional assassin has applied for permission to kill you, and permission has been granted.’
‘But why?’
‘I have no information on that.’
‘Who is this assassin?’
‘The claim was filed in the name of Jeb Stuart Ho. He described himself as an executive of the brotherhood.’
A.A. Catto looked round desperately.
‘Isn’t there anything you can do to help me?’
‘Nothing, Miss Catto. All we are allowed to do is give you formal notification of the claim. I must terminate this conversation.’
A.A. Catto shook her head helplessly.
‘I don’t understand. What have I ever done to these people?’
‘I have to terminate this conversation right now.’
The screen went blank. A.A. Catto felt terribly cold. She looked imploringly at Nancy.
‘Did you hear that?’
‘It’s worse than I thought.’
‘What can I do?’
‘We’d better get out of here.’
‘Where can I go?’
‘You could come to the Leader. You might be safe there until we organized something. You got plenty of credit?’
‘Unlimited. If they haven’t taken that away.’
Nancy stood up and began fastening her suit.
‘They can’t take that away.’
‘Thank god.’
Nancy began to organize. She was mentally kicking herself for becoming so involved. The only consolation was that there might be some rich pickings, in it. At least the assassin didn’t have carte blanche to kill her.
‘You’d better throw anything you need into a bag. Oh, and wake him up.’
She pointed at Reave.
‘We’ve got to move fast. He may be on his way here right now.’
A.A. Catto hurried across to where Reave lay huddled, and kicked him. He whimpered and tried to push himself further into the corner.
‘Please, I couldn’t take any more.’
A.A. Catto snapped at him impatiently.
‘Get up. This is important.’
Her voice softened.
‘Please get up. I forgive you for now. There’s someone coming to kill me. We’ve got to get out of here. Please, Reave. Get up and help me.’
Reave got painfully to his feet.
***
Billy Oblivion lay on his bed feeling better than he’d felt in weeks. Darlene had finally started to make a real effort, there was a bit of credit stacked up, and all was right with the world. The only thing that troubled him slightly was the way Darlene had gone so militantly to work. She seemed to be turning tricks every hour of the day she could. Billy couldn’t figure out what had got into her, but while it lasted, he didn’t try very hard.
Billy wasn’t trying very hard at anything. After a handful of dormax and two-thirds of a bottle of tequila he didn’t have a worry in the world. A couple of times he’d thought about getting up, going down to the desk and getting the desk clerk to reconnect the room screen. Even that seemed to be too much trouble when he looked at it from inside the pleasant haze of booze and sleeping pills. As long as they held, out, Billy could think of nothing more pleasant than to sprawl on the bed and examine the interesting cracks and patterns on the ceiling.
The building trembled slightly as the lift was set in motion. Billy grinned to himself. One day someone would step into the Leader Hotel’s lift, push a button, and the whole building would fall down. Billy giggled, and took another shot of tequila. Somebody was flat picking an amplified guitar somewhere down the hall. Billy tapped his toe in time to it. It really seemed a pleasant way to pass the time.
The lift came to a halt at Billy’s floor. Billy listened, he wondered if it might be Darlene. He held up the tequila bottle. There was only about an inch left. If it was her, she could go down to the desk for another one. A thought suddenly got through to him. She might have a trick with her. If she did, that would mean he’d have to get out of the room. He’d end up in the foyer feeding drinks to the goddamn desk clerk. That was the only trouble with Darlene’s new attitude to work, it was a drag having to scoot in and out of the room all the time. Maybe if she kept on working the way she was, they could get two rooms, one for living in, and one for business.
A key rattled in the door. It was Darlene. Billy propped himself up on one elbow. The door opened. Darlene stood in the doorway. She was wearing her red working outfit. Billy grinned at her.
‘You look good enough to eat.’
Darlene flounced across the room.
‘I’ve had enough people eating at me. I feel like I was a meal.’
She pulled off her red boots and threw them across the room.
‘Can’t you do anything but lay about all day?’
Billy knew he really ought to get mad and hit her. Darlene was getting completely out of line. The trouble was that he just couldn’t get it together. He let his head fall back on to the pillow.
‘I really don’t need this.’
Darlene was pulling off her stockings.
‘You think I need it? You’re just turning into a bum. There was a time when I used to feel good walking around for you. I didn’t mind turning tricks, I thought we were going to get someplace.’
Billy groaned.
‘How can we get anyplace? We’re non-people. We don’t have credit.’
‘We ain’t going to get anyplace if you keep getting too loaded to walk.’
Darlene pulled her red dress over her head, and carefully folded it over a chair. Billy focused on her. She looked really good. She was naked apart from the garter belt that still hung round her hips. Her black skin colour contrasted sharply with the thin strip of red. He patted the bed beside him.
‘Honey, don’t give me a hard time. Come on over here and relax.’
Darlene pulled open the door to the tiny shower. She turned on the water and took off the garter belt. Before she stepped inside she looked down at Billy.
‘If you think I feel like fucking you after turning five tricks in as many hours, you better think again.’
The door of the shower banged behind her. Billy sighed, picked up the tequila bottle and swallowed about half of what was left. Things with Darlene were getting out of hand. He repeated the phrase to himself a few times. He liked the ring of it. His brain was too fuzzy for any kind of concentrated thought. When he was straight he’d work it out. One thing was sure. It couldn’t go on like this. It was a determined kind of phrase. Billy liked it. He was still repeating it to himself when Darlene came out of the shower.
The flash of Darlene naked and dripping wet was the kind of thing that stopped Billy leaving her. He shook his head. That was the trouble with dormax. They made you horny, but left you incapable of making the effort to do anything about it. Darlene was busily towelling herself. Billy raised his head.
‘Are you going out again?’
‘Maybe. I don’t know yet.’
‘You don’t want to overdo it. Why don’t you stay up here with me for a while?’
Darlene flung the towel on the floor.
‘For Christ’s sake don’t start that again.’