BACKTRACKER by Milo Fowler (e book reader txt) 📕

"Why the hell did you do that?" Reeves scolded themandroid.

"He is not expected," came the immediate reply."His name is not on the list."

"I don't care about that. Look at him! He's a human citizenof my city, and I'll not have him thrown about like so much garbage!"

"He is an undesirable." The machine turned and strodepurposefully toward Muldoon. "I will take him out to the alleyway."

"You'll do no such thing!" The mayor cursed, heavinghimself out of his seat with some effort. "Where's Lennox when I needhim?" he muttered, clamping his hand onto the mandroid's solid forearm."Cease and desist! You will not harm this man."

He's alone. Muldoon took in the scene before him. Themayor had been sitting by himself at his preferred table. The two monks werenowhere in sight. Had the Link been wrong? Are they even here?

"I said STOP!" Reeves bellowed as the mandroidproceeded, undeterred by his hold on its arm. While likely no one on the tiersbelow could hear the mayor's outcry above the jazzy fortissimo, there was noexcuse for this mechanical bouncer's bad hearing. It was obviously ignoringReeves. "I gave you a direct order!"

"I do not work for you."

Taken aback by this brash statement, Reeves did his best torecover, dragged along by the grip he refused to relinquish on the machine'sarm.

"Well, your boss works for me, so that means you do. Gotit?" He grit his teeth, dug his heels into the thick carpet. "Cease!Desist!"

"His name is not on the list."

Muldoon watched the machine approach. He slipped his hand into hisjacket and curled his fingers around the grip of his revolver. A few rounds should beenough to freeze up the automaton's central processors. And draw plenty ofattention. Pulse rounds often had a way of monkeying around with everypower source in a confined space like this.

"What's your name?" the mayor shouted at him. Hangingonto the mandroid, Reeves looked like a kid whose rotten big brother was aboutto kill his favorite pet.

"Harry Muldoon."

"Yes of course. Muldoon..." Recognition flashed throughthe mayor's eyes at the name, as if he'd heard it once before. A long time ago.He grunted, gripping onto the machine with both hands. "That's right. Thisis my friend, Harry Muldoon. He may not be on the list, but he is welcome tojoin me. I've been...expecting him."

The mandroid stood within a meter of Muldoon. It swiveledits head to stare down at the mayor. "Because of the situation with yourwife's boyfriend?"

"Huh? Oh, right. That." Reeves tentatively released itsarm. "He's with me. We're going to have a drink, talk some things over."He struggled to catch his breath. "You can go back to your post. Go on.Everything's fine here."

The glowing eyes returned to Muldoon. "His name is not on thelist," it droned, resolute.

"My mistake. Won't happen again, I promise." The mayorchuckled, patting the machine's arm. "Just an oversight, I'm afraid."

Without another word, the mandroid turned and stalked off, back tothe VIP sign at the top of the stairs.

"Might want to get somebody over here to clean this up,"Muldoon called after it. He gestured at the toppled tables and chairs.

The mayor sucked in his breath as the machine halted and rotatedits head to look back. But that was all. It fixed Muldoon with a direct starefor only a moment before turning away to resume its retreat.

"I see that your predilection for trouble hasn't waned overthe years." The mayor tugged a silk handkerchief from his breast pocketand dabbed at his glistening brow as he returned to his seat. "Now what'sthis about my wife?"

"Fiction. Had to tell that golem something." Muldoonfollowed, hand to his ribs. "So you remember me."

"By reputation only, I'm afraid. You were held in fairly highesteem by Daniel Armstrong, from what I recall."

"A good cop."

"That he was."

"Always managed to tolerate me. Before he left town."Muldoon gestured at the empty seat across from Reeves. One of three. "MayI?"

The mayor nodded. "Armstrong may have disappeared, but I'msure a detective like yourself would have no trouble locating him." Hedowned what remained in his wine glass in a single gulp and directed his gazetoward the band below.

"Last I heard, he was living it up on some little-knownisland in Southeast Eurasia."

"You don't say?" The mayor's tangled eyebrows hoistedthemselves upward. "How'd he manage to pull that off? Was I paying him toomuch?"

"I have my theories." Probably paid off by some localgangster. Lennox, maybe?

"I thought they hated us over there."

"With enough credit, buying friends is easy."

The mayor chuckled dryly, his gaze dropping toward the empty glassin his hand. "So what brings you to The Pearl tonight, Mr. Muldoon? Anyparticular reason why you risked life and limb to see me?"

Muldoon nodded, glancing over his shoulder. The mandroid stood rooted at the top ofthe stairs.

"Thanks for getting that robot off my back."

"Don't mention it."

"But I'm not here to see you."

The mayor looked surprised, then intrigued. "Oh?" He setdown the glass and met Muldoon's direct look.

"You've got a couple monks in town visiting, isn't thatright?"

Reeves nodded. "Yes, from one of the Eastern Provinces—I canbarely pronounce it on a good day." He chuckled. "We have conferencesscheduled throughout the week. They want to learn from us, find out our secretsto success and what-not. It seems that NewCity has become the governors' proofin the pudding, so to speak, for what is to come. It won't be long beforeAshland Solomon takes SYNCorp nationwide. But I don't know why I'm telling youall this," he caught himself. "I suppose I've been sitting alone toolong."

"So they're not here yet. The monks."

"No, but they're on their way. Of course, they also want tomake Gavin's acquaintance. It seems The Pearl has become as renownedas SYNCorp across the Provinces. It's all about the road to recovery thesedays, isn't it? The Revival." He traced the rim of his wine glasswith a thick, hairy finger, becoming lost in the effort. "You're here tosee them, is that it?"

"Already have," Muldoon admitted. "Inpassing." He watched the mayor as he said, "They came by my apartmentearlier this evening."

"You don't say? Why—if you don't mind my asking?"

"Making the