wrinkles, and her blond hair was thick and lustrous.
These days, the most expensive medications in the world are the so-called gray drugs that can block the chemical signal that tells a cell when it’s time to die. Gray drugs are dangerous—you shouldn’t use them if you’re pregnant, and the pills can speed up the growth of tumors. But if the inhibitors are used carefully, it really does keep you from aging. Only the very wealthy can afford these injections, and the drugs give the users a distinct appearance.In the past, economic class was revealed by someone’s accent and clothes. Nowadays old age is the truest indication of poverty.
“So … let me look at you.” Placing her elbows on the desk, the woman leaned forward and studied my face. I was close enough to smell her rose perfume; it had a dark purple color in my mind. A small electronic device with an LED screen was next to her notebook computer. Much later I would discover that my supervisor always carried a full-frequency detector that sensed wireless transmissions.
“I was told that you were in a motorcycle accident.”
“That’s true.”
“You do look a little odd, but it’s not terribly noticeable.”
I stayed silent.
“How did you get here, Mr. Davis?”
“On the subway.”
“And you can take trains and drive cars, correct? Can you travel in airplanes?”
“I can do all that. I just don’t like to get touched by strangers.”
“I understand
completely.
” The woman’s southern accent was very strong at that moment. “People are always pushing and shoving, especially here in New York. When I was a little girl, I was taught politeness. Sometimes I think certain people were taught how to be
rude.
”
“So when can I get the money?” I asked. “Do I have to sign something?”
The woman reached into her leather portfolio bag, took out an envelope, and placed it on the desk. “This envelope contains one thousand dollars in cash. It’s yours. You earned it by entering this room and sitting down on that chair.”
“But I didn’t—”
“You will earn an additional two thousand for hearing my complete proposal. You don’t have to agree to anything, Mr. Davis. But you do have to listen.”
I picked up the envelope and looked inside. Yes, there was money and it appeared to be real. Ever since the accident, I hadbeen told that I was delusional by a series of physicians and psychologists. At that moment, it felt pleasant to meet someone who appeared to be insane.
“There is no Section Three lawsuit. I’m not a lawyer. And ‘Larson’ is simply a name of convenience. If you wish, you can call me ‘Miss Holquist,’ but that isn’t my name either. I work for the Private Clients Division of BDG … The Brooks Danford Group. We’re a major investment bank with a global orientation. Our private clients are ultra-high-net-worth individuals who control a wide spectrum of revenue streams. We don’t search for new clients. They’re recommended by our satisfied customers.”
“So why am I here?”
“To listen, and get paid.” She leaned back in her chair. “Mr. Davis, many of our international clients possess or control ‘black money’—that is, income illegally obtained or not declared for tax purposes. Some of the money comes from the bribes and kickbacks paid to government officials. But most of it is the profit earned by international corporations. Economists have estimated that up to twenty percent of the world economy is somehow connected to black money.”
“So it’s billions of dollars.”
She nodded. “We handle dollars, of course, but also euros and every other currency in the world. You need to understand that we’re just part of a system that parallels what we call the ‘public’ economy. There are black money stockbrokers, real estate agents, and investment counselors. In America, BDG is a well-known investment bank with buildings and computers and hundreds of employees. But overseas, we are
These days, the most expensive medications in the world are the so-called gray drugs that can block the chemical signal that tells a cell when it’s time to die. Gray drugs are dangerous—you shouldn’t use them if you’re pregnant, and the pills can speed up the growth of tumors. But if the inhibitors are used carefully, it really does keep you from aging. Only the very wealthy can afford these injections, and the drugs give the users a distinct appearance.In the past, economic class was revealed by someone’s accent and clothes. Nowadays old age is the truest indication of poverty.
“So … let me look at you.” Placing her elbows on the desk, the woman leaned forward and studied my face. I was close enough to smell her rose perfume; it had a dark purple color in my mind. A small electronic device with an LED screen was next to her notebook computer. Much later I would discover that my supervisor always carried a full-frequency detector that sensed wireless transmissions.
“I was told that you were in a motorcycle accident.”
“That’s true.”
“You do look a little odd, but it’s not terribly noticeable.”
I stayed silent.
“How did you get here, Mr. Davis?”
“On the subway.”
“And you can take trains and drive cars, correct? Can you travel in airplanes?”
“I can do all that. I just don’t like to get touched by strangers.”
“I understand
completely.
” The woman’s southern accent was very strong at that moment. “People are always pushing and shoving, especially here in New York. When I was a little girl, I was taught politeness. Sometimes I think certain people were taught how to be
rude.
”
“So when can I get the money?” I asked. “Do I have to sign something?”
The woman reached into her leather portfolio bag, took out an envelope, and placed it on the desk. “This envelope contains one thousand dollars in cash. It’s yours. You earned it by entering this room and sitting down on that chair.”
“But I didn’t—”
“You will earn an additional two thousand for hearing my complete proposal. You don’t have to agree to anything, Mr. Davis. But you do have to listen.”
I picked up the envelope and looked inside. Yes, there was money and it appeared to be real. Ever since the accident, I hadbeen told that I was delusional by a series of physicians and psychologists. At that moment, it felt pleasant to meet someone who appeared to be insane.
“There is no Section Three lawsuit. I’m not a lawyer. And ‘Larson’ is simply a name of convenience. If you wish, you can call me ‘Miss Holquist,’ but that isn’t my name either. I work for the Private Clients Division of BDG … The Brooks Danford Group. We’re a major investment bank with a global orientation. Our private clients are ultra-high-net-worth individuals who control a wide spectrum of revenue streams. We don’t search for new clients. They’re recommended by our satisfied customers.”
“So why am I here?”
“To listen, and get paid.” She leaned back in her chair. “Mr. Davis, many of our international clients possess or control ‘black money’—that is, income illegally obtained or not declared for tax purposes. Some of the money comes from the bribes and kickbacks paid to government officials. But most of it is the profit earned by international corporations. Economists have estimated that up to twenty percent of the world economy is somehow connected to black money.”
“So it’s billions of dollars.”
She nodded. “We handle dollars, of course, but also euros and every other currency in the world. You need to understand that we’re just part of a system that parallels what we call the ‘public’ economy. There are black money stockbrokers, real estate agents, and investment counselors. In America, BDG is a well-known investment bank with buildings and computers and hundreds of employees. But overseas, we are
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