BACKTRACKER by Milo Fowler (e book reader txt) 📕

Mayor Reeves cleared his throat. "Would you look atthat?" He held up his glass. "Empty already!"

Lennox didn't turn his gaze from Kuan. "Help yourself,Mayor."

Reeves reached forward, interrupting the staring contest betweenLennox and Kuan as he grabbed for the wine bottle at thecenter of the table.

"Don't mind if I do!" His fingers trembled as he graspedthe bottle by the throat. A frozen grin stretched his face, but there wasunmasked apprehension behind his glassy eyes as he glanced at Lennox."Always the good stuff here at The Pearl!"

"So glad you like it. I'll have George send a bottle homewith you." Lennox sipped from his own glass andwatched the holy man across from him.

Tell me, Mr. Kuan, what sort of blades do youhave hidden up those baggy sleeves? Are you just waiting for the opportunemoment to slash our throats and institute your brand of archaic theocracy herein NewCity?

"You make a good point," he conceded at length."But think about it. Where would we be without them? Can you even imaginewhat our city would be like if those zombies were the ones running thetrain station or the hospital or even the corner diner? Just think of the chaosthat would ensue. People like us are not interested in the service jobs held bysynthetics. We have more important things to do. And the undesirables are toofar-gone to do their part anymore."

"You must see the connection, Mr. Lennox. Do you not?"

"Between the Link and the SYNs?"

Kuan nodded adamantly. "If there were no Link, then we wouldhave no need for these soulless creatures. With them, we have no need for thelives we once led, and so our minds become consumed by the Link while thesesynthetics perform the duties we wereonce responsible for ourselves."

"It is a...vicious cycle," Yeng added.

"I find it interesting that you include yourselves in theirpredicament." Lennox paused, smiling at their perplexed expressions."You say we. You associate yourselves with the zombies."

Kuan's dark eyes were grim. "We may separate ourselves fromthe mainstream of society, but we are not far-removed. Our hearts break for thepredicament, as you say, of these unfortunate men and women. They areour brothers and sisters, even as they are unaware of this truth. We all arechildren of the Master."

"As you are, Mr. Lennox," Yeng said brightly. "Youare our brother, as well."

"Welcome to the family," Reeves toasted, draining hissecond glass.

Lennox attempted a bow in his seat. "I'm honored. Consider meyour token black sheep." He waved his hand at their baffled expressions."Never mind," he chuckled. Time to shift gears. "So,gentlemen, how long do you plan to stay in town?"

Yeng deferred to Kuan, who answered, "The remainder of thisweek, with many thanks to Mayor Reeves for his generosity andhospitality." He bowed to the mayor as did Yeng, each with a humblecountenance. Did they practice in front of the same mirror?

"Not at all, not at all," Reeves attempted to bow inreturn, but his protruding gut didn't allow for much mobility. "Just doingmy part here in facilitating the Revival. We want NewCity to be a placewhere everybody feels welcome, you know? SYN, Zombie, Human, Way-Follower, You-Name-It. This is the onlyplace to be, right, Gavin?" He winked at Lennox, then hoisted his empty glass."To The Pearl—a literal pearl amongst swine!"

"Yes," Kuan nodded, turning his gaze toward the dancefloor below where tuxedos and glamorous dresses weaved about to theupbeat BigBand music. He watched them, but his eyes didn't focus on anyone inparticular.

Lennox drained his glass and stood to excuse himself. It wasabrupt, he knew, but there were matters that required his tending. He wouldhave to wait for a more opportune time to speak with the mayor one-on-one.

"Consider this a standing invitation. Anytime you're in theneighborhood, feel free to drop by." He glanced at the two wine glasses ignoredby the holy men. "Drinks on the house."

"Leaving us so soon?" Yeng looked confused. Kuan didn'tturn from the view. It had hypnotized him.

"Mr. Lennox is a very busy man, of course. We're lucky tohave held his attention this long!" Mayor Reeves laughed uproariously,shoulders bouncing.

"I'll have George bring up another bottle." Lennoxextended his right hand as he clapped Reeves on the back.

The mayor shook his hand, chuckles subsiding. "Thanks,thanks. And I'll have it all to myself, by the looks of things!" Anotherfit of laughter.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Lennox," Yeng said as hestood to bow. Lennox returned the gesture. "This establishment is anamazing achievement. We look forward with great anticipation to hearing more ofyour plans for NewCity's development in the near future."

"Definitely." Lennox flashed his smile again. He turnedto Kuan—

Suddenly standing beside him.

"May I walk with you, Mr. Lennox?"

Uncertainty tightened Lennox's abdomen. "Of course." Hissmile returned as he retreated a step and swept out his arm toward the stairs."After you."

Kuan bowed once to the mayor, then strode away from the table withhis hands tucked into the generous sleeves of his robe.

"Gentlemen," Lennox nodded to Reeves and Yeng, thenmoved abreast of Kuan. "No hard feelings, I trust."

"Of course not, Mr. Lennox. As a Follower of the Way, I amaccustomed to fielding differences of opinion. It is only my hope that throughour discussion, I may have opened the eyes of your heart to another way ofthinking—a more humane way."

"Rest assured, Mr. Ti, your words did not go unheeded."

Kuan turned to fix him with a thoughtful stare. "I prayso."

They reached the top of the stairs. Lennox had assumed that'swhere the holy man would turn back; but instead, he descended at hisside, matching his steady pace. What does he want? Lennox glancedsidelong at Kuan's baggy sleeves. A mental image returned of that white monk inthe alley, flying through the air, striking the heads from those unsuspectingmandroids, deflecting the bullets fired at him point-blank.

Get a grip.

Here. Not there. This was a completely different reality. Not ThePit. The Pearl. Here, Lennox was a respectable public figure. Here, the worldmade sense. It was civilized. There was no monk-assassin heading his way—as faras he knew.

Even so, he found his fingers sliding into his pocket, fingeringthe cold silver finish of the cigarette lighter. A quick escape was that close,if he needed it.

"Mr. Lennox, if you would