Hunter.”
She blushed. “I suppose you’re right. I get caught up in all the cloak-and-dagger from time to time. I forget that you auditors carry weapons and are well-prepared for this kind of thing.” She bit her lip. “You’ll phone me the minute it’s over to let me know you’re fine?”
He agreed. She gave him her phone number which he entered into his portable communicator. Without Ms. Hunter tagging along, he’d have a minute to stop by another vid phone on the way and brief his handler at Steele.
“Be careful, Mr. Coe,” she said.
Four.
Alpine Pharma Laboratories has a long and rich history of working to improve people’s health and well-being. Our researchers have helped to find new ways to treat, prevent—and ultimately eradicate illness—from the first vaccine for the common cold, to the bio-engineering of foods to prevent heart disease, to the complete eradication of all cancers. Our scientists also have helped develop many products to slow the aging process, extend the length of human life well into the 100s, and keep our aging population looking and feeling young. While we are proud of our past, we are enthusiastic about the future...
He switched trains multiple times as before. Not only did he have to dodge any potential Quantum people—but now some unknown third interlocutor as well. He went to a different vid phone this time; it was on Barge Avenue in what had one time been a meat packing district—back when real meat was plentiful. Now it was comprised mostly of abandoned brick buildings with crumbling facades and a burgeoning homeless population. The vid phone was on the side of a Korean market. He dialed the number and waited. He was surprised it was still in working order.
The shadowy form of his Steele handler materialized on the screen.
“They know about me,” Coe said.
“Quantum?”
“They’ve got someone on your end,” Coe said.
“Impossible.”
“I was informed of the mole today,” he said. “By my own boss.”
“Do they suspect it’s you?”
“I’m okay for now,” he said. “In fact, I’ve been assigned to find the mole.”
“That’s quite an existential quandary, Mr. Coe.”
“It’s a real hoot,” he said without enthusiasm.
“Can you throw someone to them?”
Coe thought for a moment. “There is a guy,” he said. “Seems to be out of favor with management.”
“Auditor?”
“Yes.”
“Perfect,” the handler said. “We’ll find out who the mole is here. Anything else?”
Coe decided not tell him about the meeting. “No.”
Without saying goodbye, the vid screen turned dark. Coe looked around. He felt as though he were being watched. There was no one. But the feeling persisted.
He caught the next train down to the Canal District. He stepped down from the train platform. The rain needled his face. He first noticed a vagrant in a long black over coat and wearing a red hood over his head. He lay in the fetal position across a bench. He was facing the platform. Coe thought he could feel him watching. The vagrant made no effort to follow him. Coe opened his umbrella and pushed his way into the pedestrians clogging the walkway who were staring down into the canal or photographing the Neo-Classic facades of the buildings. A man in a trench coat and fedora made eye contact with him as he passed. Coe suspected he might have turned around and begun to follow him. He saw the outline of an elephant—the East India Pub sign—just ahead in the distance. With some difficulty, he was able to elbow his way to the pub, and around to the corner where he found the bank of vid phones. He checked his watch. He had five minutes to spare. His vid phone booth was unoccupied. He stepped in.
Without warning, a man appeared at the booth door. It was the man in the trench coat. He knocked on the glass and said, “Excuse me.”
“What do you want?”
He smiled. “Can I use this booth? It’s an emergency.”
Coe shook his head. “I’m using
She blushed. “I suppose you’re right. I get caught up in all the cloak-and-dagger from time to time. I forget that you auditors carry weapons and are well-prepared for this kind of thing.” She bit her lip. “You’ll phone me the minute it’s over to let me know you’re fine?”
He agreed. She gave him her phone number which he entered into his portable communicator. Without Ms. Hunter tagging along, he’d have a minute to stop by another vid phone on the way and brief his handler at Steele.
“Be careful, Mr. Coe,” she said.
Four.
Alpine Pharma Laboratories has a long and rich history of working to improve people’s health and well-being. Our researchers have helped to find new ways to treat, prevent—and ultimately eradicate illness—from the first vaccine for the common cold, to the bio-engineering of foods to prevent heart disease, to the complete eradication of all cancers. Our scientists also have helped develop many products to slow the aging process, extend the length of human life well into the 100s, and keep our aging population looking and feeling young. While we are proud of our past, we are enthusiastic about the future...
He switched trains multiple times as before. Not only did he have to dodge any potential Quantum people—but now some unknown third interlocutor as well. He went to a different vid phone this time; it was on Barge Avenue in what had one time been a meat packing district—back when real meat was plentiful. Now it was comprised mostly of abandoned brick buildings with crumbling facades and a burgeoning homeless population. The vid phone was on the side of a Korean market. He dialed the number and waited. He was surprised it was still in working order.
The shadowy form of his Steele handler materialized on the screen.
“They know about me,” Coe said.
“Quantum?”
“They’ve got someone on your end,” Coe said.
“Impossible.”
“I was informed of the mole today,” he said. “By my own boss.”
“Do they suspect it’s you?”
“I’m okay for now,” he said. “In fact, I’ve been assigned to find the mole.”
“That’s quite an existential quandary, Mr. Coe.”
“It’s a real hoot,” he said without enthusiasm.
“Can you throw someone to them?”
Coe thought for a moment. “There is a guy,” he said. “Seems to be out of favor with management.”
“Auditor?”
“Yes.”
“Perfect,” the handler said. “We’ll find out who the mole is here. Anything else?”
Coe decided not tell him about the meeting. “No.”
Without saying goodbye, the vid screen turned dark. Coe looked around. He felt as though he were being watched. There was no one. But the feeling persisted.
He caught the next train down to the Canal District. He stepped down from the train platform. The rain needled his face. He first noticed a vagrant in a long black over coat and wearing a red hood over his head. He lay in the fetal position across a bench. He was facing the platform. Coe thought he could feel him watching. The vagrant made no effort to follow him. Coe opened his umbrella and pushed his way into the pedestrians clogging the walkway who were staring down into the canal or photographing the Neo-Classic facades of the buildings. A man in a trench coat and fedora made eye contact with him as he passed. Coe suspected he might have turned around and begun to follow him. He saw the outline of an elephant—the East India Pub sign—just ahead in the distance. With some difficulty, he was able to elbow his way to the pub, and around to the corner where he found the bank of vid phones. He checked his watch. He had five minutes to spare. His vid phone booth was unoccupied. He stepped in.
Without warning, a man appeared at the booth door. It was the man in the trench coat. He knocked on the glass and said, “Excuse me.”
“What do you want?”
He smiled. “Can I use this booth? It’s an emergency.”
Coe shook his head. “I’m using
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