Oracle (24 page)

"I'm working on it."

"To be more precise, Joshua Jeremiah Chandler, alias the Whistler, is working on it. Am I correct?"

The Iceman stared levelly at him. “I see no reason to lie about it. He's younger and stronger and a hell of a lot quicker than I am."

"But I hired you."

"In point of fact, you didn't hire anyone. Your operative did—and I sent the best man for the job."

"Well, it may interest you to know that the best man for the job has gone off the deep end,” said 32.

"I very much doubt that."

"Have you been in contact with him since he reached the Alpha Crepello system?"

"No. But I didn't expect to be, not this soon.” The Iceman drained his glass, then relit his cigar, which had gone out.

"I'd be surprised if he ever contacts you again,” said 32. “Do you know what he did when he landed on Port Marrakech?"

"Port Marrakech?"

"One of Alpha Crepello III's terraformed moons."

"Suppose you tell me,” said the Iceman.

"He murdered the best assassin on the moon and took over his business. Then he moved his base of operations to Port Maracaibo, where two nights ago he killed the woman who ran most of the brothels and rackets on that moon.” 32 paused. “Damn it, Carlos—the man has become the criminal kingpin of both moons, and I financed him!"

The Iceman shook his head. “You're not telling me everything."

"I certainly am. What he's done is a matter of record."

"I know the Whistler. He has no intention of leaving his home world; in fact, he only takes assignments to pay for that jungle world he lives on."

"I tell you, the man has turned,” insisted 32. “He's in business for himself now."

"Slow down a minute,” said the Iceman. “He began just the way I'd have begun. He set himself up on the first moon. This would assuage any fears Penelope had that he had come after her, and would make it easier for him to buy information about her.” The Iceman paused. “Obviously he was successful. But if he was, there was no reason for him to move to the second moon."

"He's turned renegade."

The Iceman shook his head again. “He wasn't on the first moon long enough to consolidate his holdings. Something made him change his base of operations.” He stared at 32. “Something you're going to have to tell me about if this conversation is to proceed any farther."

32 stared at him, then sighed deeply. “Someone tried to kill him."

"One of your men?"

"No. But one of the Democracy's. We're not the only department concerned with the Oracle."

"Come on,” said the Iceman disbelievingly. “They were your men and you decided it was the most efficient way to eliminate him.” He paused. “So the Whistler found out you were trying to terminate him, and he moved to another moon. The only thing that surprises me is that he didn't change his identity."

"He did."

"Then how do you know he was there?"

"He killed a woman known as the Jade Queen. A number of people who worked for her gave us his description."

"I assume you haven't picked him up?"

"He's vanished completely,” said 32. “But it's just a matter of time before he surfaces again. He hasn't had time to establish his authority there yet."

The Iceman looked amused. “The years haven't made you any wiser, I see."

"Where do you think he'll show up?"

"He's probably on Alpha Crepello III by now."

"Then why did he kill the Jade Queen?"

"I have no idea."

"I don't buy it,” said 32. “Every move he's made since arriving has been directed toward taking over the criminal networks on those two moons."

"Have it your way,” said the Iceman nonchalantly. “I didn't come here to argue with you."

"You came here because I paid you to."

"That's right,” agreed the Iceman. “And for three million credits, the very least I can do is listen to your ramblings politely."

"Look,” said 32 irritably. “I told you we had a problem. Even if you're right about his reaching Alpha Crepello, we still have a problem."

"I'm still listening."

"Word has come down that we don't want to risk bringing the Oracle out. My new orders are to terminate her."

"I wish you luck,” said the Iceman.

"I need more than luck,” said 32. “I need results.” He paused. “Will the Whistler kill her?"

"Only if he can't find a way to bring her out,” answered the Iceman. “In case it's slipped your mind, that's what you paid for."

"Can you contact him and tell him the situation has changed?” asked 32. “After what happened on Port Marrakech, I doubt that he'll believe me, even though I had nothing to do with the attempt on his life."

"I doubt it,” said the Iceman thoughtfully. “If he's on the planet, he'll stay under cover until he reaches her.” He paused. “Your best bet is to send someone else in after her, and hope your new operative reaches her first."

"I've sent eight men in,” said 32. “The first seven were killed."

"What about the eighth?"

32 grimaced. “The eighth was a criminal that I had released from jail. Brilliant planner, brutal killer.” 32 paused. “I had him wired all the way—camera in his eye, transmitter in his ear, even a bomb in his skull to keep him in line."

"And?"

"The son of a bitch found a way to disconnect me!” said 32 furiously. “He's already held me up for more money, and he's operating without any guidance or constraint!"

The Iceman grinned. “I like him already."

"He's also got orders to kill your man if he shows up on Hades."

"Hades?"

"That's the trade name for Alpha Crepello III."

"Why is he supposed to kill the Whistler?"

"Because the Democracy has decided that it would rather have her dead than alive and abroad in the galaxy."

"It won't work,” said the Iceman after some thought. “The Whistler's as good as they come. Your man won't lay a finger on him."

"I don't care if he kills him or not!” snapped 32.

"Then I'm at a loss to understand your problem."

"Damn it, Carlos—I've got two men down there. One of them is going to try to bring her out, and if she's willing to go with him, then that's the last thing we want. The other knows that ten million credits have been deposited in some secret account that even I haven't been able to trace, and he knows he's facing a death sentence if we get our hands on him.” He paused, trying to regain his composure. “My assignment is to terminate the Oracle, and I have no reason to believe either of the men on Hades will accomplish that."

"You could be right,” agreed the Iceman calmly. “It looks like you've wasted a lot of money."

"It's partly your fault,” said 32.

"Oh? How do you figure that?"

"There's only one man who knows Penelope Bailey well enough to do the job. You were the one I hired, Carlos; if you took the money, you should have done the job yourself."

"I'm a fat old man with a limp,” answered the Iceman. “I got you the best there is."

"He may be the best assassin, but he doesn't know her. You do."

"Look,” said the Iceman. “I want her dead even more than you do. She killed someone I cared about, and she cost me my leg.” He paused, and put his cigar out. “But I also know her capacity for harm. She's potentially the most dangerous being in the whole damned galaxy, maybe in the history of the galaxy, so I passed up a chance for personal vengeance to hire you the man most likely to get the job done."

"Well, he's not getting it done. He's killing criminals and taking over their operations."

"I'll bet you the three million you promised me that he's either on Hades or en route to it."

"But even if you're right, he's not going to try to kill her."

"Not at first,” acknowledged the Iceman.

"You know her capacities,” said 32. “If she knows he's there, and she isn't willing to leave with him, what are his chances of killing her?"

"Just about nil."

"My own man might be able to sneak up on her,” continued 32, “but he has no reason to. He's been paid plenty, and he has no reason ever to contact me again."

"You can't sneak up on her,” said the Iceman. “She doesn't have to see you to know you're there. She can see what's going to happen next, and if she doesn't like it, she can change it."

"You see?” said 32. “That's the kind of thing that the Whistler and Jimmy Two Feathers don't know! That's why I need you!"

"Jimmy Two Feathers?” repeated the Iceman, surprised. “You sent the Injun in after her?"

"You know him?"

"I know of him. He's a seed-chewer."

"That's why I had him wired."

"Well, you can forget about him,” said the Iceman. “If he's not under your control, he's floating off in limbo somewhere."

"There are no seeds on Hades."

The Iceman stared at him. “You really believe that, don't you?"

"We monitor every cargo shipment to Hades."

"If there's a planet they can't smuggle seed to, it hasn't been discovered yet."

"That's neither here nor there,” said 32. “If he's on the seed, that's all the more reason why you have to go in."

"I don't have to do anything,” said the Iceman. “You're paying me three million credits to listen to you, nothing more."

"There's lots more."

"I'm a rich man. I don't need it."

"And there's the chance for vengeance."

"You don't take vengeance on a hurricane or an ion storm,” said the Iceman. “They're forces of nature. If you survive an encounter with them, you count yourself lucky and you make sure that it never happens again.” He paused. “Penelope's the same thing—a force of nature. I'd love to see somebody kill her, I don't think it can happen, and I'm not dumb enough to volunteer. I had my shot at her when I was a lot younger and stronger, and I was lucky to come away alive."

"You sound very cool and dispassionate,” said 32. “But I researched you thoroughly, Carlos. You followed every lead you could get your hands on for fourteen years. You traveled all over the Inner Frontier looking for her. That's not the behavior of a man who's afraid to face her again."

"In the beginning I hunted her with a passion,” admitted the Iceman. “I won't deny it.” He paused. “But a man can't survive on hatred for fourteen years. After a while the blood cools and the passion fades, and toward the end I was hunting her more out of curiosity than hatred. I wanted to find out what she had become, how she had managed to stay hidden all these years, what her plans were."

"She's only two systems away from here,” said 32. “And you still don't know the answers to your questions."

"When she's ready to move, we'll all know."

32 finished his brandy, and looked across the desk at the Iceman. “We can't afford to find out,” he said. “We've got to kill her now."

"Maybe all she wants is to be left alone."

"If you had those powers, would you want to be left alone to live in obscurity?” demanded 32.

"No, but..."

"But what?"

"But I'm human,” said the Iceman. “She probably isn't, not anymore."

"That's all the more reason to terminate her."

"If you say so."

"Ten million credits,” said 32.

The Iceman made no answer, but stared at some fixed point on the wall.

"Well?” said 32.

"Be quiet,” said the Iceman. “I'm thinking."

"Computing expenses?"

"I said be quiet!"

32 looked at the Iceman, then shrugged and was silent.

The Iceman remained motionless for almost a minute, then turned back to 32.

"You've got a big problem on your hands,” he said.

"That's what I've been explaining to you."

The Iceman shook his head. “It's not the one you think."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's been so long since I've seen her that I tend to forget what she can do,” said the Iceman. “You've got two men on Hades..."

"One that we know of."

"Take my word, you've got two there,” said the Iceman.

"All right, for the sake of argument,” said 32. “What has that got to do with anything?"

"Why are they still alive?"

32 looked confused. “I don't think I understand the question."

"Why didn't the Injun's ship crash when it landed? Why was the Whistler able to kill whoever it was he killed on the moons?"

"You think she wants them alive?” asked 32. “Why?"

"There's only one reason I can think of,” answered the Iceman. “She's being held against her will, and wants them to bring her out."

"Against her will?” repeated 32. “How is that possible?"

"I don't know ... but I know if she didn't want to leave, the Injun wouldn't have been alive long enough to get your tampering undone. The surgeon would have sneezed or flinched at the wrong moment, and he'd never have survived.” He paused. “You were right. If you can't call the Whistler off, you'll have to kill him. And probably the Injun, too. If she wants to leave Hades, then you've got to stop her."

"My orders are to kill her."

"Fuck your orders,” said the Iceman. “You had her when she was six years old and you couldn't keep her even then. I tried to kill her when she was eight, and I failed. But now, somehow, the inhabitants of Hades have actually managed to keep her there against her will all these years, even though her powers have doubtless matured.” He stared at 32. “You let her off that planet and there will be hell to pay. She doesn't need a navy to conquer a world; all she has to do is choose the one future out of a million in which its star explodes, or a meteor plows into it. Give her an army of five thousand men and she would win any battle against any force in the galaxy, just by picking and choosing which outcome she wants for each skirmish. She probably can't be killed, but she can be contained—they're containing her right now."

"If you're right, then these are the perfect conditions under which to assassinate her,” persisted 32.

"You still don't understand,” said the Iceman. “Let's say she's locked up in a cell. If you tried to shoot her, she'd cough or sneeze or twitch or do something that would bring about the one future in which you blew the lock off the door."

"We've still got to try."

"No!” snapped the Iceman. “Once and for all, try to understand what I'm saying to you: they've found a way to contain her. We'd be crazy to tamper with it."