The answer might lie in the database. Sam closed the file and ran a search for references to Drake, Hart, or Tessien.
He came up empty. Fingers poised on the keys, he tried to think what to do next.
“You are searching for information on Katherine Hart,” Fuhito said. He must have been able to see the screen from where he stood. Sam swiveled the chair to face him.
“That’s right. We want to know who she works for, among other things. She’s involved in something we want to stop. Can you help us?”
Fuhito drew himself up, obviously having made a hard decision. “I will tell you who they work for.”
“I thought you wouldn’t compromise your company,” Ghost said.
“I will not. The Elf bitch and her worm work for Haesslich directly. They are under his personal contract.”
“By the worm, you mean Tessien?”
Fuhito nodded.
“Why are telling us this?” Sam asked.
“Hart is a worse threat to United Oil security than you two. The Dragon gives secrets to her, a money-grubbing mercenary of flickering loyalty. Her presence is an affront to our security organization, an insult to the company.”
“Why don’t you tell your bosses?” Sam asked. Fuhito maintained a sullen silence. Either he had done so and been ignored, or he was afraid to. “All right, then. What about Jarlath Drake?”
“I know nothing about any Jarlath Drake. Is he another of Haessjich’s adventurers?”
“We ask the questions, chummer,” Ghost warned.
Fuhito turned on him with sudden heat. “I must know about this Drake. You will tell me if he is a threat to United Oil security.”
Ghost laughed softly, “Take it easy, Tiger. The only threat you have to worry about right now is us.”
Snorting, Fuhito replied, “You are no threat. You will not leave the grounds alive.”
Ghost holstered one of his guns and stepped up to Fuhito, passing an open hand across the man’s face. Locks of hair drifted toward the floor. The Indian’s fingertips came to rest tightly on the man’s neck, marking the course of his jugular vein. Sam could see Fuhito pale and his eyes go wide with fear. Ghost’s smile was tight and hard; not a tooth showed.
“Ever try to kill a ghost?”
The tableau broke as the security monitor beeped, and the words “Time, time, time,” marched across the screen. Ghost stepped away from the shaking Fuhito and moved to the door. Sam stood up, took out his gun, and pointed the Lethe at the United Oil man.
“It’s been enlightening, Mr. Fuhito, but it’s past your bedtime.” he said, pulling slowly on the trigger. The dart struck home and Fuhito jerked, his expression flickering from surprise to contempt as he slumped. Ghost caught him before he hit the floor. The two runners arranged Fuhito at the desk, draped to appear as though he had fallen asleep.
By the time they closed the door, the knowbot monitoring he length of inactivity on secure files had blanked the screen, logging Fuhito out.
As they hurried down the corridor back to the pens, Ghost whispered, “I think you’ve lost your invisibility He’ll spill to Haesslich in the morning”
“I disagree. I saw enough of his kind in Japan when I was with Renraku. They’re loyal to the company, but also concerned about personal honor.” They were into the vehicle park before Sam had a chance to say more. “Mr. Fuhito is actually Major Fuhito, Haesslich’s second in command of security,” he said. “Being caught by a couple runners who slipped in and out of his domain without setting off a single alarm will shame him deeply. I called him mister instead of by rank, so he’d think we didn’t know who he was. He may take that to mean we wont say anything about who we caught. If none of us talks, tonight never happened. His kind find it real easy to take that line. Fuhito must be ambitious, which is why he works late at night. He wants to move up in the world, but he wants his world orderly. Haesslich and his personal agents are a troublesome headache to him, too random and unpredictable. Such wild cards are disturbing to a man like Fuhito. He wants them gone from his world, and that’s a service we night provide in a number of ways. Whether we eliminate Haesslich’s agents, expose them, or simply foul up their plans, we embarrass Haesslich.
“The Major will be looking for a way to use the Dragon’s embarrassment to his own advantage. If Drake is involved with Wilson and Haesslich and the big boys of United Oil know nothing about that, I think the Major may get what he’s hoping for. If Haesslich’s private operatives mess up a United Oil operation by compromising a lucrative acquisition like Wilson, the Dragon will not earn points with United Oil executives. With Haesslich’s stock going down, Fuhito’s goes up. We, working to expose Drake’s operation, will do some of the Major’s work for him, making it easier for him to take Haesslich’s job. No, Mister Fuhito will be very quiet about his night visitors.
“At least now we know that we can hunt down Drake without worrying about getting on the wrong side of United Oil.” Sam looked around. “Now, how do we get out here?”
“Null perspiration, paleface. Just follow me.”
43
Hart stood by the cockatrice pen. The animals seemed sluggish, but it was still early and the day overcast. She felt a bit sluggish herself and would have liked to go back to bed. It was a good day for sleeping. Business rarely allowed one to indulge slothful habits, and today business by the name of Haesslich had called her and Tessien to check security at the dockyard. He hadn’t said why exactly, but he wanted things locked up. She suspected some sort of special shipment coming or going within the next few days.
Tessien arrived in its usual flurry of dust. It radiated its own irritability in response to her greeting. Yes, indeed, she thought, a wonderful morning.
Tessien was too large to enter the security building, so they’d hold the meeting out here. She wondered how long Major Fuhito’s struggle to balance Japanese politeness, company honor, and personal annoyance at outsiders would keep them waiting. The dockyard was still gearing up for the day and there was not much activity. She watched the cockatrices scratch about at the ground in the enclosure.
“They are drugged.”
“What?”
“The (unintelligible sense) have had their senses artificially dulled.” Tessien broadcast its annoyance at Hart. The serpent didn’t like explaining itself.