Free Liquid Cool: The Cyberpunk Detective Series by Austin Dragon Page B

Run-Time said. "You'll be our detective."
    "Is this how they pay detectives? Wad of cash in an envelope?" I asked.
    "That's how we're doing it," he continued. "I have a lot of interests with the City, including the police, so I don't want my name anywhere near this. Fat Nat, the same. People got shot up and killed on this thing, so there is also public opinion to contend with. Pro-criminal businesses don't tend to do to well in this city. Fat Nat and I could get hurt bad business-wise if any investigation, no matter how logical, were to get back to us. That's why I told Fat Nat that you were our man. I wouldn't trust this to anyone else."
    I leaned forward and took the envelope. "I appreciate that," I said. "I know how important your business is to you. Okay, I'll poke around. No one will ever know anything. It's not like I'm a real detective."
    I could see Fat Nat and G glance at each other.
    "For this though, you are," Run-Time said.
    "Of course." I realized I shouldn't have added my little commentary at the end. "I'll get started. Should I contact you or Fat Nat?"
    "Me," Fat Nat answered.
    "I'm only the matchmaker between parties on this one," Run-Time said. "Whenever I can help a friend out, I will. And if that help can be provided by another friend, even better."
    I stood and the two men shook my hand again. I could see that they weren't particularly thrilled at my involvement. Run-Time's female VP returned to the office--I didn't even notice she had disappeared before--to escort me to the elevator capsule.
     
    When I left Run-Time's, I hopped into my Pony and went straight to Joe Blows on Sweet Street in Old Harlem. I double-parked on the street and waited until I saw the hover-car in question appear in the sky flying into the emporium's own parking structure. I not only knew what Fat Nat looked like, but what his hover-car looked like, too.
     
    "Cruz," I said to the front door girls.
    "Cruz?" one of them asked.
    "Yeah. Tell Fat Nat that Cruz is here to see him. He'll take the meeting."
    One of the three girls disappeared from the front desk to go into the back.
    "Looks new," I said.
    "Oh yeah," the girl said as she raised her cybernetic hand. "I lost my hand in the shoot-out. I get fitted for the skin next week."
    "Congratulations."
    "Why, thank you," she said with a smile.
    The third girl returned.
     
    She led me to the smoking rooms and I immediately saw Fat Nat, G, and several other men playing cards puffing on fat cigars.
    "Mr. Cruz," Fat Nat greeted. "You're fast. I'll give you that."
    "Can we speak in private?"
    Fat Nat was amused by my request and looked at his comrades at the table. "Sure, Mr. Cruz." He looked at the girl. "And you can go back to the front and back to work."
    The girl gave him a "whatever" face and walked back the way she came as Fat Nat threw his hand down on the table, delicately held his cigar with a gloved hand, and rose from his seat. "Follow me, Mr. Cruz."
    As I followed him, I noticed that we were not alone. G and every one of the other men were following like we were little kids following the teacher to the playground. He led us down a long, dark winding hallway to a single door. Fat Nat pushed it open. "After you, Mr. Cruz." I walked into the cluttered office and his merry men filed in.
    "What's this about, Mr. Cruz?" Fat Nat said as he sat on the sole desk in the office as his friends stood on either side of him with arms folded. "Not enough money?"
    "No, Mr. Nat, I am not here for more money. I'm here for you to level with me before I get started. I came here as a courtesy to you, to talk to you as a man, privately. But since you want to also include the Seven Dwarves here, then let's include them. What didn't you tell me at Run-Time's? What was Easy Chair Charlie into that you didn't tell me or Run-Time? What? It would be one thing if you were some place else and heard about it, but you were here. Your place was shot to hell and you even had a few customers killed, but the first