with
Renaissance, who had already left the courtroom for the VIP
Atrium.
‘I’m sorry we didn’t get the right verdict,’
she said. ‘Judges just don’t like to label things as genocide.’
‘Yes,’ murmured Renaissance ruefully.
‘Especially when only four people have
died.’
Renaissance stopped and glared in the middle
of the luxuriously well-furnished lounge. ‘Five.’
‘If you’d like, I can file an immediate
appeal. Not on those grounds. But some of the world’s best
scientists will be waking up soon. I can have them testify on the
kinds of lethal toxins that could wipe out a population.’
‘No, never mind. Not unless one of those
scientists is Dr Gustav Fall and you can get him to tell the court
exactly which one of those toxins was in the canister.’
‘Unlikely.’
‘And Stamford TF’s cooperation is only
fractionally more reliable. If Blast dies now, they will claim that
we didn’t move fast enough or provide the best care, and they will
wash their hands of the whole incident. They will do it cleverly,
for they are a company well versed in using others for its own
advantage.’ Despite the urgency in her message, Renaissance sat
down in a plush yellow sofa-chair, hooking an arm over the
cushioned back. ‘But you can be of use outside the courtroom.’
‘How?’
‘Simply by doing what lawyers do best. Send a
bill.’
‘The United Nations doesn’t send bills.’
‘That’s fine, I doubt the receiver will pay
it anyway. I want you to send a bill to Stamford TF. Put whatever
figure you feel is appropriate. Include in the bill the legal costs
for extracting Blast from the Guatemalan criminal justice system
and the medical costs for taking care of Blast during her stay at
the Leanov Gekko Veterinarian Clinic in Switzerland.’ Renaissance
smirked. ‘And don’t offer friend prices.’
Oahn Kim frowned. ‘I don’t get it?’
‘The United Nations network is secure but I
can’t be as confident about Stamford TF’s. In fact, if Mas has the
resources to shoot down one of its magno-choppers, chances are she
can hack its communications as well.’
‘So, you’re laying a trap?’
A United Nations pilot stepped into the
exclusive atrium and picked Renaissance out from the sprinkling of
other VIPs around the room. ‘Your Air Shuttle is ready, mam.’
‘Thank you.’ Renaissance stood up and eyed
the Chief of Lawyers. ‘I would have bought you breakfast, but I
must be going to San Francisco without delay.’
‘Before I didn’t think there was much
difference between Hurt World and the Peace Keeper Strike Force,’
said Kim, ‘but now I see it. Smithers will only move when he has
established a clear target, whereas you will turn your people into
the target.’
Renaissance shrugged. ‘It’s a hungry hunter
that doesn’t get close enough to be the hunted. Now that Mas is
back, I have to wonder what has sparked her appetite. One way or
another, it is likely to have the world hurting.’
*
The Air Shuttle engines purred with the
latest magnotronic charged engines. From New York to San Francisco
was a smooth thirty minute flight. Renaissance’s position as the
head of the Hurt World saw her crisscrossing the skies on a daily
basis and she was one of the select few permitted to fly at forty
five thousand feet, the coveted number at which the congested skies
suddenly cleared, the altitude set aside for royalty and government
and those they trusted enough to allow at the same height. In some
countries there was no one. A hundred countries had granted Hurt
World access to that altitude; not that it could do its job that
high up.
Renaissance was sharing the lavishly decked
out cabin with her Manager for Operations, Spiros Pardos. Pardos
didn’t look comfortable in the bright purple lounge chair, sitting
forward, rubbing his thick moustache, the only hair above his stiff
red collar.
‘Gustav Fall has doubled the security at his
Tunisian laboratory,’ he said. ‘Like
Renaissance, who had already left the courtroom for the VIP
Atrium.
‘I’m sorry we didn’t get the right verdict,’
she said. ‘Judges just don’t like to label things as genocide.’
‘Yes,’ murmured Renaissance ruefully.
‘Especially when only four people have
died.’
Renaissance stopped and glared in the middle
of the luxuriously well-furnished lounge. ‘Five.’
‘If you’d like, I can file an immediate
appeal. Not on those grounds. But some of the world’s best
scientists will be waking up soon. I can have them testify on the
kinds of lethal toxins that could wipe out a population.’
‘No, never mind. Not unless one of those
scientists is Dr Gustav Fall and you can get him to tell the court
exactly which one of those toxins was in the canister.’
‘Unlikely.’
‘And Stamford TF’s cooperation is only
fractionally more reliable. If Blast dies now, they will claim that
we didn’t move fast enough or provide the best care, and they will
wash their hands of the whole incident. They will do it cleverly,
for they are a company well versed in using others for its own
advantage.’ Despite the urgency in her message, Renaissance sat
down in a plush yellow sofa-chair, hooking an arm over the
cushioned back. ‘But you can be of use outside the courtroom.’
‘How?’
‘Simply by doing what lawyers do best. Send a
bill.’
‘The United Nations doesn’t send bills.’
‘That’s fine, I doubt the receiver will pay
it anyway. I want you to send a bill to Stamford TF. Put whatever
figure you feel is appropriate. Include in the bill the legal costs
for extracting Blast from the Guatemalan criminal justice system
and the medical costs for taking care of Blast during her stay at
the Leanov Gekko Veterinarian Clinic in Switzerland.’ Renaissance
smirked. ‘And don’t offer friend prices.’
Oahn Kim frowned. ‘I don’t get it?’
‘The United Nations network is secure but I
can’t be as confident about Stamford TF’s. In fact, if Mas has the
resources to shoot down one of its magno-choppers, chances are she
can hack its communications as well.’
‘So, you’re laying a trap?’
A United Nations pilot stepped into the
exclusive atrium and picked Renaissance out from the sprinkling of
other VIPs around the room. ‘Your Air Shuttle is ready, mam.’
‘Thank you.’ Renaissance stood up and eyed
the Chief of Lawyers. ‘I would have bought you breakfast, but I
must be going to San Francisco without delay.’
‘Before I didn’t think there was much
difference between Hurt World and the Peace Keeper Strike Force,’
said Kim, ‘but now I see it. Smithers will only move when he has
established a clear target, whereas you will turn your people into
the target.’
Renaissance shrugged. ‘It’s a hungry hunter
that doesn’t get close enough to be the hunted. Now that Mas is
back, I have to wonder what has sparked her appetite. One way or
another, it is likely to have the world hurting.’
*
The Air Shuttle engines purred with the
latest magnotronic charged engines. From New York to San Francisco
was a smooth thirty minute flight. Renaissance’s position as the
head of the Hurt World saw her crisscrossing the skies on a daily
basis and she was one of the select few permitted to fly at forty
five thousand feet, the coveted number at which the congested skies
suddenly cleared, the altitude set aside for royalty and government
and those they trusted enough to allow at the same height. In some
countries there was no one. A hundred countries had granted Hurt
World access to that altitude; not that it could do its job that
high up.
Renaissance was sharing the lavishly decked
out cabin with her Manager for Operations, Spiros Pardos. Pardos
didn’t look comfortable in the bright purple lounge chair, sitting
forward, rubbing his thick moustache, the only hair above his stiff
red collar.
‘Gustav Fall has doubled the security at his
Tunisian laboratory,’ he said. ‘Like
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