BACKTRACKER by Milo Fowler (e book reader txt) 📕

him on the back. The smilesremained on the faces of the two robed men even as their eyes shifted with ahint of confusion.

"Only the good stuff, only the good stuff," Reevesassured him. "Won't you join us?" He gestured toward an open seat attheir table.

"Oh yes, Mr. Lennox, please do," said the monk on theleft. He looked like he was going to bow again. Lennox hoped he wouldn't.

"Mr. Lennox is a very busy man," Sally said with afriendly wink.

Lennox noticed the SYN for the first time, standing off to theside. Unobtrusive, watching silently, until now.

"Nonsense, Sally. Nothing is more important than the here andnow. And no one in NewCity is more important than its venerable mayor and hisdistinguished guests." He nodded to Reeves and allowed himself to beguided to the seat saved for him.

"I'd be the first to argue differently." The mayorchuckled, his broad shoulders rocking as he sat down. "Regarding myself,that is."

The holy men waited until Lennox seated himself. Their deferencedid not go unnoticed.

"You see? Even my friends know the pecking order aroundhere." The mayor burst into another fit of laughter while his guestsgrinned and stared with the same confused look darting through their eyes.

"Have George bring up a bottle of the house Merlot,"Lennox leaned over to tell Sally. His smile was locked in place, and his eyesdidn't leave the mayor.

She came close to him. "Will there be anything else,sir?"

He dismissed her with a slight wave of his hand. She watched him amoment longer than was necessary, but he didn't mind. Synthetics had theirquirks, more so as they aged, approaching their expiration date. She steppedaway from the table with her eyes on the floor and retreated toward the stairs.

"So what brings you to The Pearl tonight, gentlemen?"Lennox regarded the two strangers with mild interest. Sally should havementioned that the mayor had company. As it was, he would have to forego thetopic of conversation he'd planned to delve into with Reeves: among otherthings, setting up a face-to-face with the governor. It was high time Lennoxmet the woman. "Surely it can't be the local celebrities."

"Insomuch as I dragged them in here—then yes, blame it onme." The mayor tamed his joviality and cleared his throat. "Mr.Lennox, I'd like to introduce two very good friends of mine, Kuan Ti and YengZhu, both visiting our humble city from..." He frowned. "How do youpronounce the name of your Province? I'm afraid to offend you further with myterrible accent."

The one on the left—Kuan—smiled. "You honor us, MayorReeves." He turned his dark eyes to Lennox. "But there is not asingle Eastern Province to stand in comparison with your NewCity or ThePearl, a magnificent centerpiece. Your pearl of great price, yes?"

Lennox nodded, knowing he'd heard the reference before. He justcouldn't place it.

"Mayor Reeves has told us much about the work you have doneto restore your city," added the other one, Yeng, who smiled just aswide. "The Plague ravaged most of the continent, and many of the Provinceshave yet to recover, despite the many years that have passed. Yet here you havemanaged to accomplish so much."

"He's a man of vision, our Mr. Lennox," the mayoroffered his two credits' worth. "He knew what this city needed, and he didwhat had to be done. But believe me, there were plenty of bureaucrats dedicatedto standing in his way."

"Not you, Joe," Lennox said.

Kuan and Yeng darted their eyes to the mayor, then back to Lennox,intrigued by his abbreviated use of the mayor's given name.

"Am I glad of it!" Reeves laughed heartily. "I'd beeating crow now like the rest of them!"

"Why would this be?" Yeng asked. "Why would theywish to stand in your way—in the way of progress?"

Lennox shrugged. It was old news, water under the proverbialbridge. "They had their reasons. Some saw it as frivolous,unnecessary—a swanky nightclub in the middle of a town that was falling apart?They cited humanitarian reasons, the usual. They didn't think I had the city'sbest interests at heart." He shook his head and traced the swirlingpattern in the white tablecloth with his finger. "We almost didn't makeit."

He felt Reeves watching him. If he wasn't careful, Lennox coulddescend without warning into a very dark place, one with the potential to casta shadow on everyone at the table. But at the moment, he couldn't think ofanything to liven the discussion. His thoughts insisted on returning to thatalbino monk in the alley—

"Thank goodness for Ashland Solomon and SYNCorp," themayor blurted out and chuckled, the only one who seemed to understand the humorof his statement.

"Yes," Kuan nodded, his pensive expression matching thatof Lennox. "These synthetic beings... They serve you well?"

Lennox looked up with the spark of a man at ease with hissurroundings. "Take a look around. They run the place. I'd say they dotheir jobs well enough."

"They...run it? You mean—?"

"Everybody from the waiters to the band down there, they'reall some variety of genetically engineered life. And believe it or not—"Lennox lowered his voice as he leaned in. "Plenty of the tables around ushost their share as well." He smiled at the surprised expressions on thetwo holy men's faces. They restrained themselves from noticeably glancing aboutat the other patrons nearby. "The Pearl is all about equal opportunity. Idon't care where your DNA came from, so long as you've got a healthy line ofcredit. A synthetic can spend it just as well as anybody else—maybe evenbetter." He winked. "Ashland Solomon was our first major investor,and after she made it known that her company was standing firmly behind us, theothers fell into place—including our open-minded mayor here. The rest, as they say, is history."

"History in the making," Reeves was quick to add."Our work in NewCity has only just begun. The Revival!"

"Yes," Kuan nodded, but he seemed preoccupied withsomething that had been said. "SYNCorp has provided you with yourworkforce, as well as your clientele, it would seem. Do you own them, then? Arethey your slaves?"

"Not at all. They earn a salary, and they're free to spendtheir credit wherever they like. SYNCorp, in turn, receives a substantialsubsidy from the government. Everybody wins."

"And what about the souls in this city