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Isle Of The Dead :: Zelazny Roger
Страница: 97 из 110How much will it take for you to pick up your marbles and go away?"
"What are marbles?"
"Forget it. How much?"
"I hadn't thought you would offer, so I never thought about it. A lot, though. I'd want a guaranteed income for life, a large one. Then some really large purchases in my name--I'd have to make a list. --You really do mean it? This isn't a trick?"
"We're both telepaths. I propose we drop our screens. In fact, I'd insist on it as a condition."
"Kathy has been asking me not to kill you," he said, "and she would probably hold it against me if I did. Okay. She means more to me. I'll take your money and your wife and go away."
"Thanks a lot."
He laughed.
"My luck is finally good. How do you want to handle this?"
"If you'd like, I can give you a lump sum and then have my attorneys set up a trust."
"I like. I want everything to be legal. I want a million, plus a hundred thousand a year."
"That's a lot."
"Not to you."
"Just commenting. --Okay, I agree." I wondered how Kathy was taking all this. She could not have changed so much in a few months but that this would not sound a bit sickening to her. "Two things," I added. "The Pei'an, Gringrin-tharl--he's mine now. We have a score to settle."
"You can have him. Who needs him? --What's the other thing?"
"Nick, the dwarf, comes away with me, in one piece."
"That little--" Then he laughed. "Sure. In fact, I kind of like him. --That's all?"
"That's all."
The sun's first rays tickled the belly of the sky and the volcanos flamed like Titan torches out over the water.
"Now what?"
"Wait till I pass a message to the others," I said.
--_Green Green, he'll deal. I have his pai'badra. Tell Nick. We depart in a few hours. My ship will come for me later today_.
--_I hear you, Frank. We will be with you shortly_.
Now only the Pei'an remained to be dealt with. It was almost too easy. I was still on the lookout for a trick. It would have to be an awfully elaborate one, though. I was inclined to doubt the possibility of collusion between Green Green and Mike. Anyhow, I would know in a few moments, when Mike and I dropped our screens.
But after all my preparations, to settle the whole thing like a couple of businessmen...
I could not tell whether I had chuckled or snorted. It was something that felt somewhere in between.
Then I felt that it was wrong. It? Something, I do not know what. It was a feeling that probably goes back to the caves or the trees. Hell, maybe even the oceans.
"What are marbles?"
"Forget it. How much?"
"I hadn't thought you would offer, so I never thought about it. A lot, though. I'd want a guaranteed income for life, a large one. Then some really large purchases in my name--I'd have to make a list. --You really do mean it? This isn't a trick?"
"We're both telepaths. I propose we drop our screens. In fact, I'd insist on it as a condition."
"Kathy has been asking me not to kill you," he said, "and she would probably hold it against me if I did. Okay. She means more to me. I'll take your money and your wife and go away."
"Thanks a lot."
He laughed.
"My luck is finally good. How do you want to handle this?"
"If you'd like, I can give you a lump sum and then have my attorneys set up a trust."
"I like. I want everything to be legal. I want a million, plus a hundred thousand a year."
"That's a lot."
"Not to you."
"Just commenting. --Okay, I agree." I wondered how Kathy was taking all this. She could not have changed so much in a few months but that this would not sound a bit sickening to her. "Two things," I added. "The Pei'an, Gringrin-tharl--he's mine now. We have a score to settle."
"You can have him. Who needs him? --What's the other thing?"
"Nick, the dwarf, comes away with me, in one piece."
"That little--" Then he laughed. "Sure. In fact, I kind of like him. --That's all?"
"That's all."
The sun's first rays tickled the belly of the sky and the volcanos flamed like Titan torches out over the water.
"Now what?"
"Wait till I pass a message to the others," I said.
--_Green Green, he'll deal. I have his pai'badra. Tell Nick. We depart in a few hours. My ship will come for me later today_.
--_I hear you, Frank. We will be with you shortly_.
Now only the Pei'an remained to be dealt with. It was almost too easy. I was still on the lookout for a trick. It would have to be an awfully elaborate one, though. I was inclined to doubt the possibility of collusion between Green Green and Mike. Anyhow, I would know in a few moments, when Mike and I dropped our screens.
But after all my preparations, to settle the whole thing like a couple of businessmen...
I could not tell whether I had chuckled or snorted. It was something that felt somewhere in between.
Then I felt that it was wrong. It? Something, I do not know what. It was a feeling that probably goes back to the caves or the trees. Hell, maybe even the oceans.