know."
Tilting Bink's head up, absently he scratches his chin. The dog's eyes close, tail doing a lazy wave. Karl knows he won't get out of this one—nobody's luck's that good. "So what do you think I can do that they couldn't, besides adding to the glut on the liver market?"
Tate squirms in his chair. "I've told her about your talent."
Karl sees it had to be that, sighs, "Stupid question."
Seeing the look on Karl's face, Tate raises a placative hand, "She wanted you, Karl. You're the only one she wanted."
Karl gets to his feet. Anger deciding for him, he moves for the door. On his way out he turns, "Well, Honey, you can't have me."
THREE
Tate catches him on the roof.
Karl signs to the pilot and the engine whines as the rotor winds up. Released, Bink presses close to the backs of his calves.
Tate gets in his face, "Since when are you a dilettante?"
Refusing to be intimidated, Karl keeps his eyes on the skyline. Miraculously, a rift opens in the haze, and the sun glints off platforms, setting alloy aglow with a dull sheen. "May you consume offal and expire."
The rotors raise a gust. Bink whines, trembles, fear sent strong through Karl's legs.
"Clever. Okay, I don't scare you. Glad to hear it. How about self-interest? They won't give you a dime on the dollar for that place, you know that."
Karl's had enough, doesn't want to hear about it—probably set the whole thing up anyway. He turns, faces him a meter from a sheer drop to the water. "I ought to toss you off, you know that?"
"Maybe you should. I deserve it, giving a damn whether or not you and Bink end up in a trailer park behind the LP yard in Eureka. Oh, I'm sure you'll like it. I hear there's a space available down t
Tilting Bink's head up, absently he scratches his chin. The dog's eyes close, tail doing a lazy wave. Karl knows he won't get out of this one—nobody's luck's that good. "So what do you think I can do that they couldn't, besides adding to the glut on the liver market?"
Tate squirms in his chair. "I've told her about your talent."
Karl sees it had to be that, sighs, "Stupid question."
Seeing the look on Karl's face, Tate raises a placative hand, "She wanted you, Karl. You're the only one she wanted."
Karl gets to his feet. Anger deciding for him, he moves for the door. On his way out he turns, "Well, Honey, you can't have me."
THREE
Tate catches him on the roof.
Karl signs to the pilot and the engine whines as the rotor winds up. Released, Bink presses close to the backs of his calves.
Tate gets in his face, "Since when are you a dilettante?"
Refusing to be intimidated, Karl keeps his eyes on the skyline. Miraculously, a rift opens in the haze, and the sun glints off platforms, setting alloy aglow with a dull sheen. "May you consume offal and expire."
The rotors raise a gust. Bink whines, trembles, fear sent strong through Karl's legs.
"Clever. Okay, I don't scare you. Glad to hear it. How about self-interest? They won't give you a dime on the dollar for that place, you know that."
Karl's had enough, doesn't want to hear about it—probably set the whole thing up anyway. He turns, faces him a meter from a sheer drop to the water. "I ought to toss you off, you know that?"
"Maybe you should. I deserve it, giving a damn whether or not you and Bink end up in a trailer park behind the LP yard in Eureka. Oh, I'm sure you'll like it. I hear there's a space available down t