Free Chimera by Will Shetterly

human, I suppose."
    She gave me a cool smile. "I'm not going to fire you, Mr. Maxwell."
    "Damn."
    As the four of us trudged north, I hoped the cat would find this house of a friend of a friend quickly. She looked at the park and frowned. I wondered what she saw, but the only things there were trees, benches, a playground, and several hundred people sleeping on the grass.
    "What's so interesting?" I asked.
    "Homeless humans. But no homeless critters."
    "There are stray critters around. But they aren't going to sleep where they can be rounded up easily."
    "Why doesn't anyone round up the humans?"
    I couldn't tell if that was a joke. I said, "Because they're free."
    "Free to die of hunger or exposure."
    "That's freedom."
    "And the rich are free to keep all they can grab."
    "That's part of freedom, too." I nodded at the camp of sleepers. "They own their bodies. The healthy ones can sell a kidney or a lung, or indenture themselves for a few years."
    "You think that's right?"
    "Right doesn't have much to do with the way the world is." I liked the sound of that line, but she kept looking at me. "What?"
    "Nothing." She turned away with a grimace, as if she had bitten into something disgusting. I checked my watch. Twenty hours, twenty minutes. I would never go into debt on three kings again.
    At Huston, we turned right. When we walked half a block, the cat said, "Hey. I knew this street sounded familiar."
    She was looking at a small pink stucco house with a gravel walkway going around back. All of its lights were out.
    Blake said, "Looks like your hostess went to bed."
    The cat started toward the door. "Cyn said she might be out tonight. But she hid a key by the back door."
    I said, "I'll walk you up."
    The cat shook her head. "If she's in, you'll wake her. Leave Mister Transistor on the porch. I'll be fine."
    Blake nodded. "We'll wait until you're in."
    "I don't want to turn on the lights if she's asleep. I'll wave when I find the key."
    I said, "Call me in the morning. First thing."
    The cat said, "Don't worry. I'll get my money's worth."
    The copbot followed her up to the porch as Blake and I watched. The cat told it, "Stay," and walked around back. The bot took a sentry's stance by the porch.
    A moment later, the cat stepped out from the back of the house, waved once, then ducked back out of sight.
    I said, "That's a relief."
    Blake glanced at me. "You don't like your client?"
    "I don't like a lot of them."
    "I like her."
    I blinked at that. "You do?"
    "I'm always a sucker for a smart-ass." She smiled as if she didn't have any particular smart-ass in mind.
    I began to believe this might be a great night after all. "I was going to say you didn't have to stick around. But if you'd like a cup of coffee—"
    "Tea?"
    "An excellent choice. Maxwell's All-night Cafe serves the best cup of tea that you can find in the Valley at—" I checked my watch. "Two-thirty-three a.m."
    She cranked the smile up another notch. "Perfect."
    Heading for my apartment, I asked, "Mind if I smoke?"
    "Not at all."
    I tapped out another—I confess, I don't remember the sister as well as Lucious Lucinda, but she still took good care of me. After that first puff of heaven, I said, "Thanks for stopping the headless horselessman."
    "You're funny."
    "There's something a guy likes to hear."
    "And you're fishing for compliments."
    I shrugged, a little embarrassed at being caught out.
    She laughed and relented. "It would've been a shame if the bot damaged that nose."
    "That's more like it. Why're you a cop?"
    "A recruiter approached me in college. I liked the idea of using my computer skills to help people. That sounds hokey."
    "Not at all. I'm glad you're staying for tea."
    She grinned. "Hey, part of my job is making sure you haven't had unexpected company."
    "No one's tried to kill me lately."
    "Oh? What about the critters at Wonderland?"
    "They just play rough. Dead men don't pay debts."
    "Someone might think the cat passed you the earring."
    "You think that's what