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Chapter 18

An old maroon sedan rolled up to the curb in front of the Superstore. Behind the wheel was the person Richard should have gone to as soon as he escaped the Foundation.

"Good God you look worse than ever!" Jack howled as Richard eased himself into the passenger seat.

"Spare me the comments."

Jack shook his head, dropped the car into gear and hit the throttle, sending them back into traffic. "Remind me again why you put yourself through this shit? Oh... wait... never mind. It all has to do with money!"

Richard looked out the window and watched the City fly past. "Seriously, that's enough," he muttered.

"Why did you take so long to contact me? You're lucky you're not in the Trench."

"I was scared and confused. I had no idea what to do."

"For the love of..." Jack's thick eyebrows twitched in frustration. He wound the car around a corner. "This is ridiculous."

"Have you spoken to Sam?"

"Not yet, but I know Security has."

"Meaning?"

"You can't be that dumb."

"Did they tell her I'm dead?"

Jack shrugged, flicked on a blinker, changed lanes and slowed. "Who knows? Those idiots haven't had to deal with something like this in decades."

"Did she believe them?" Richard asked.

They rolled up to a parking spot in front of Jack's office – a squat, two-story concrete building. "Christ you're persistent. I said I don't know."

"But you know something. Have you talked to her?"

"No. I just said that!"

"Why not?"

"Won't take my calls." Jack heaved himself from the car. After a moment he leaned back in the door. "Now before you go and get upset, I imagine the silence has to do with rules from Security."

Richard frowned and got out. "Have they interviewed you yet?"

"Of course!"

"What did you tell them?" Richard asked as they walked toward the entrance.

"That my nephew is a greedy idiot and he deserves what he got. AND you're incapable of killing anyone, otherwise you couldn't be a Locum. Wasn't much else to say. Handed over your last physical and they were on their way."

"What if they're still watching you? Waiting for me to get in touch? There are cameras everywhere that use recognition software."

"Not around here."

"What do you mean?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "How can you not know this stuff? Client/doctor privilege makes it illegal to monitor a medical office in any way – on land, in the air, by camera – you name it. Wasn't always like that but changed as soon as the Privacy Act was passed." He paused and looked around. The street was quiet. "So I'll go out on a limb and say we're okay."

"You can lay off the sarcasm."

"Nothing wrong with a bit of levity." Jack pushed open a big oak door and ushered Richard inside. The stark white office was empty but the Vid screens were on. The News was playing. Its subject stopped Richard in his tracks. Bernie had been found dead at the Superstore.