Kathryn turned to Serveno. “Get Dr. Clarris set up downstairs, please. He has a valuable document that he wishes to begin studying right away.” Peter looked down at the ground. He could imagine nothing more terrible than sending his father on a wild research goose chase at the end of his life. But it was the only way to prevent him from actually completing the research. Short of killing him, that is, which of course Peter could not do.
Serveno, Peter’s father, and the remaining guards boarded a second elevator and also left the roof.
Peter glanced at the elf chopper pilot, who sat oblivious in the cockpit, listening to music on headphones. He looked back to Kathryn, and she stepped up to him. “Well,” said Peter.
“Well.”
“You’re good at this. This whole bargaining thing. Being a boss. Asking about the guy’s kid. That was good.”
She twisted her hips slightly, girlish, amused and annoyed that he could name all her tricks. “It was. I am good at this.”
“But you also handled yourself pretty well in a fight. Wanna go be a shadowrunner with me?”
“No.” She smiled. “No. I’m here. This is what I want. Nice, steady order.” She glanced away, then back at him. “How about you? What are you going to do? Want a job?”
Peter exhaled a large breath. He wasn’t sure if she was kidding. “That an actual offer?”
“You do good work. You’re a good person. Yes, it’s an offer. My staff would be confused for a bit, but they’d get used it. I’m the boss. I can make them get used to things.”
He smiled, flattered. Warm. “I’ll take that under consideration. But I was also thinking about going up to Byrne. Setting up some sort of tutoring program. Maybe… I don’t know. Trying to get the place cleaned up.”
“You’ll need a job either way. You could give away the huge salary I’ll pay you to any cause you want. Buy a lot of data chips. Paint. Whatever.”
“Hardball, eh? I’ll think about it. Really.”
“All right.”
They stood silent for a moment, enjoying the sight of each other’s eyes.
“Um,” Peter said, his voice high-pitched for a moment. He paused again and watched a swirl of snow cut over the roof and drop off the side of the building. “Could I take you to dinner some time?”
Kathryn smiled coyly and then crooked her finger. Uncertain, he leaned down, and she gave him a peck on the cheek. He stood up, again, very happy. “Yes. Yes, you may.”
“You’re serious about the job?”
“Yes, again.”
“All right. I’ve gotta go now. After I find a new place, I’ll give you a call in a couple of days.”
“Yes, you will,” she laughed.
He turned and crossed the roof to the helipad and climbed into the chopper. Kathryn looked at him through the glass. She waved and Peter waved back.
The elf turned and said, “Where to, chummer?”
Peter thought about it and realized he hadn’t a clue where to go next. “Could we just cruise around for a while?”
“You got it.”
The elf flicked a switch and the blades started up. Kathryn waited on the roof as the chopper lifted into the sky. She and Peter waved to one another once more, men she entered the building.
Peter settled into the seat as comfortably as he could. He looked down at the snow-covered buildings of the city. They seemed to rise and fall like the waves of a stormy sea frozen for one moment. So much to see, Peter thought. So much to fall into.
“Tell you what,” Peter shouted to the elf. “I’m going to take a nap. We got enough fuel for an hour?” The elf checked a gauge and nodded. “All right. Wake me up in an hour, and I’ll have a destination.”
“So ka.”
Peter closed his eyes, the steady thrum of the blades comforting him. He’d sleep, and when he woke up, he’d have a plan. Or he’d make one up on the spot. But what mattered was that when next he opened his eyes, he’d still be a troll. Thank goodness.
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[Shadowrun 05] - Changeling Page 29
