Dark Market

Chapter Nineteen

It took a few moments for him to realise Echo was staring at him. Hands on hips, in a form hugging outfit that made you look, then look again.

'I'm stood here setting fire to the furniture and you haven't even twitched, what gives?'

'I'm saving the world from crashing into the sun,' he whispered, 'I just didn't want anyone to know.'

She raised an eyebrow. 'As long as it's a sensible explanation. So?' She swivelled her body, presented each side of her torso to him.

'You can't see right now,' Savage said, 'but under this desk my feet are in a bucket of water. It's the only thing stopping me burst into flames when I look at you.'

She gave him a smirk he'd sit up and beg for.

'What are you working on?' she said.

'Just getting my shit together.'

'About time, it stinks in here.'

'Ha ha very funny,' he said.

The lift doors opened.

'Boss man,' she said. 'Head down.'

Savage kept his head up. Armstrong strolled casually past and said, 'Good morning,' on the way to his office.

'Weird,' she said.

'What?' A message on screen told Savage the search had finished. Nothing in the system pointed to Six Degrees.

'Him being nice,' she said.

'I'll check on it for you.' Savage strode over to Armstrong's office and walked in through the open door. Remembered to knock, for the look of the thing, as he went in.

'John,' Armstrong looked up. 'Vi and I can't thank you enough.'

'How're the girls? Settled in?'

'Loving it. Our room service bill is clocking up. I'll need to re-mortgage just to pay it off.'

'Talking of which,' Savage said, 'you need to do your figures. Find out if Crystal is owed anything. You do not want that man on your back. I would also suggest you think about relocating. Back to the states maybe.'

'But we love it here. What about the girls' schooling? The house?'

Savage just shook his head. 'Crystal won't forget. I won't always be here.'

'Can't you do something more permanent?'

'Like what?'

Armstrong made pistol fingers again. Took a head shot.

'No comment. I need you to show me where the money that you've been stealing is kept.'

'When?' Armstrong re-holstered his imaginary pistol.

'Now.'

'I have a meeting in an hour.'

Savage tilted his head.

'Okay, okay.'

'One more thing. The Six Degrees algorithm. I'll need to confirm it's existence.'

'You spoke to Vi, she told you.'

Savage gave a him a long look. 'You love your wife, I know, but you're both still strangers to me. I need proof.'

'Okay,' Armstrong said, 'Of course. Sorry John.' He motioned toward his computer. 'Shall we?'

Savage pulled a chair across the room. While the computer opened it's eyes, worked out where it was, and what had happened the night before, Savage closed the blinds that looked out over the main office, empty apart from one petulant pout.