Free Getting Back by William Dietrich Page A

company trying to attract customers."
    "That's not what they're trying to do."
    "They don't need customers?"
    "Their customers need them."
    What the hell did that mean? "Listen, Raven, what do you really know about this outfit?"
    "It changes lives, Daniel."
    "How?"
    She said nothing.
    "Please see me," he asked again. "I don't want you to get hurt by signing on with the wrong group."
    "I told you I could take care of myself."
    "Please. I need to talk with you."
    "About what?"
    "About…" us, he wanted to say. "About the Outback."
    She looked at him gravely, evaluating again. "If you're sure. I thought you didn't like the idea of Australia."
    "You told me I didn't know what I liked."
    "I tried to make you think. Now you've found me. It's happening as it's supposed to. So I'll talk to you again about it, if you insist. But it's your idea, not mine."
    "I've got your address, I could- "
    "No." She shook her head decisively. "I'll meet you… I'll meet you at Cordoba Mall. A coffee place, Anthony's. I want to explain the situation so you don't make a mistake. Okay?"
    It was something. "Tomorrow at eight?"
    "Tomorrow at eight. Bring a sense of adventure."
     
***
     
    He half expected her not to show up. Instead she came and was prettier than ever. Raven was wearing a dark dress with a floral print and gold jewelry set off against her black hair, and the dress caressed her in a way to confirm his speculation about her figure. The effect was a quiet elegance completely at odds with the jumpsuit she'd worn for underground exploring. She was like a woman who'd gone from camping to cocktails. She ordered black coffee, declining his invitation for a light dinner or dessert, and eyed him speculatively. She was subdued, as if undecided about something. Him, he supposed. Her smile was completely false.
    "Thanks for coming," he said politely.
    "You must have made an effort to find me," she observed as the waitress left. "I didn't leave you much to go on. I didn't think you'd want to see me again and I wanted to give you an excuse not to."
    "Why didn't you think I would want to see you again?"
    "I wasn't at my best in the tunnels. I get moody sometimes. I don't blame people if they're put off by it. It's just the way I am. A loner."
    "I wasn't put off. I thought you were interesting. I just wasn't sure you liked me."
    She was saved from having to answer immediately by the arrival of their coffee. She spooned some sugar into hers, stirring it thoughtfully, and then looked up at him. "I like you, Daniel," she finally allowed. "But it makes me uncomfortable, frankly, that I like you. I don't like everyone I meet."
    "Oh." He was uncertain how to respond to this. "But then I got in trouble at work," he finally continued. "About some of the things I told you about."
    She shrugged. If she'd betrayed his confidence she didn't want to admit it.
    "It got me thinking," he went on, watching her. "I'm not really happy at my job. They're not happy with me. Maybe I need a break. So I got curious about this Australian thing you mentioned, this Outback Adventure. I've never heard anything about treks like that. I wonder if it's even true. So I tried to find them and couldn't. They're not easy to find."
    "I know." She looked at him speculatively. "I mentioned it because I thought you might be interested, but then as we talked I changed my mind. I doubt it's for you."
    "But it is for you?"
    "Not necessarily. They probably wouldn't pick me, either."
    "Pick you?"
    She avoided his eyes again, playing with her coffee spoon. "I told you it's not like the usual adventure company. It's limited entry, a privilege. You have to find them, and apply, and then they don't take everyone. It's very exclusive."
    "But how do people find them?"
    She shrugged. "Through an acquaintance." She was careful not to say "friend," he noticed. "Sometimes people just stumble across it, the ones looking for something. Sometimes the company finds you. It pops up on your screen."
    "That's