Free Into the Shadows by Gavin Green Page A

it.
"From a rumor I heard," Gwen commented as she wiped at her thick
glasses with a napkin, "a major division within Realm had some sort
of falling out with Everett Financial after some other low-key
investor got involved. There's a whisper that whoever that Realm
division leader was, they hired mercs from out of town to hit
Everett. I don't know if that story holds water, though."
    "A hit squad, over business deals going sour?
Sounds like overkill to me."
    "Yeah, petty to the nth, right?" she said
with her strange smirk. "Like a child queen who yells 'Off with
their heads' to anyone who looks at her wrong."
    I held off taking another sip to grin at her.
"I bet you like those kinds of stories."
    "What can I say," Gwen said with a shrug,
"I'm a romantic."
    I chuckled at her odd sense of humor and then
took a drink. We sat for a few seconds in silence before I
commented, "Working for Realm is sounding less and less
appealing."
    "Unless you're only interested in money," she
said casually. "I'm sure they pay well and offer lots of perks. In
the opinion of certain circles, though, the company is morally
gray." She frowned at me. "Or is it ethically gray? Oh well, either
way, they're gray."
    "Hell, Gwen, you're morally gray."
    She shrugged and put her glasses on. "True,
but my priorities are different. I couldn't care less about money
and power like Realm does. I care about certain things, and
everything else doesn't matter."
    "Oh really," I said as she stood up. "And
what are those certain things?"
    "A girl doesn't reveal all her secrets,
dummy," Gwen replied while she smoothed her pantsuit. "Don't worry,
Leo; I have a list, and you and a few others are somewhere on it.
But I'll warn you: your name will get moved if we stop having our
fun little chats."
    "Yes, ma'am," I said with a grin.
    "Good. Now, I'm going to go find Crane and
see if I can make him cry."

    UNINVITED
    The next morning's weather matched the mood
of Dan's funeral - gloomy and subdued. The timing of his and
Craig's burials were too close together, so I couldn't attend both.
I knew Dan longer, so, there ya go. I got home and felt numb, like
I did after military funerals. I didn't even want a drink.
    Since it was a Friday, but right about the
time people with regular jobs went to lunch, I decided it was the
best time to call Dominique Rondeau and politely decline her job
offer. A little while later, Keegan called; he knew I just went to
the services of a couple guys I knew from my other job. Since there
was a band that weekend, he'd have steroid Mac at the door and he'd
bar-back. Everything was covered, so I had the weekend off and he'd
see me the week after unless I decided to stop in for a drink. I
couldn't have asked for a much nicer boss, which made me feel
better for following my instincts about Realm.
    I turned my phone off and took a nap. I felt
lazy when I woke up, and puttered around the house in just sweats
and an old USMC t-shirt. I did a little cleaning with the ol'
Pledge, made myself a simple dinner, and zoned out on crappy TV
shows while nursing a strong drink. Just before the ten o'clock
news came on, I was jolted out of my haze by a knock on my front
door. My first thought was of Hector or Miss Loretta when I jumped
up to answer it.
    When I pulled my door open, I immediately
realized it wasn't one of my neighbors. Holding my screen door open
was a young woman; I shifted so that the lamp light from behind me
fell on her face.
    "Hi there," she said happily with a smile. "I
do remember saying that we might meet again."
    A little shorter than average, wavy brunette
hair, very pretty, lots of cleavage - it was the hottie from the
bar I helped out a couple weeks before. "Hey, I remember you.
You're . . . uh . . ."
    "Macie, I'm Macie. Really, Leo, I thought I'd
left more of an impression !" On that last word, she suddenly
thrust both of her palms into my chest, and I literally went flying
backwards. I landed hard on my back, between my polished coffee
table