Danger Money (8 page)

"Plays are my one vice," she admitted embarrassed. "I love the theater, the actors, everything about it."

We arrived at our seats then, and sat down among a surprised group of Humans. I nodded courteously, as did Sil, and we quietly took our seats.

"Ever read Hamlet?" She asked softly as we waited for the show to start.

"No," I admitted.

"You'll like it, lots of corporate type maneuvering and back stabbing."

She quieted down then as the orchestra started and the play began. I sat back and watched curious.

Afterwards we followed out the Human customers and discussed what we had seen.

"That was pretty impressive," I admitted. "That his Uncle could be so ruthless to get to the top, even kill his own brother. And that later he could turn them all against each other, and cause all their deaths."

"Well, he died too. So he wasn't too successful. But that's not the point of the play, it's about Hamlet and the tragedy that befalls him."

"I don't know, he blew it if you asked me. Too trusting of all the wrong people at the wrong time."

"But how could he have known? You have to trust people in life, he must have thought his family would be the ones safe to trust."

"I never had any family being a creche baby and all that, so I wouldn't know," I admitted sheepishly. "But that uncle, he was so like the corporate types I see every day it was chilling. During the Leverage Conflict I saw so much back stabbing going on it was unbelievable! This guy Shakespeare really understood Humans, that's for sure."

"Well of course silly," she laughed. "He was one!"

"Point taken," I laughed back.

But it gave me pause to think, I hadn't read much of Human literature. Mostly I read things that would help me in my job, and about current politics, nothing that probed a little deeper in to the psyche of their behavior. I resolved to read and see a lot more of what this Shakespeare fellow had done so many hundreds of years ago. After all, if it still held relevance today, it must hold some startling truths that I could use in my own self preservation.

Especially as it seemed all of my targets were Humans lately. That in and of itself was a departure from the normal state of affairs, as they had said in the play: 'something was rotten in the state of
Denmark
', or my corporation.

"What are you thinking about?" Sil asked interrupting my revelry.

"Oh, just that I should read more of these 'classics'," I said and smiled. "Let's go find a party someplace, and not at the Water Hole either!"

"Sure, I know just the place!" And grabbing my hand, she took off again.

We eventually ended up outside a brick building on the edge of the Animen quarter.

"What is this place?" I asked looking in the windows.

"Oh, some kind of art gallery, the place we want is downstairs, follow me." And she led me around the side and down a concrete stairway. There was a large bear at the door, which was closed.

"Who's your friend Sil?" he asked looking me over.

"He's okay Raff, he's with me," she said.

"This the one that beat Hobb?"

I noticed that he was standing in a defensive posture, I wasn't looking for any trouble so I kept my hands relaxed and in the open.

"He didn't start it Raff, Hobb didn't give him any choice."

"That's okay, I never liked him anyway!" He grinned and turned to me, "No fighten' in this place okay? Anyone starts anything, you just back away and the staff'll handle it. We don't like our customers to feel afraid, this is neutral ground."

"I can live with that," I assured him. "I'm here to relax."

"Then have a good time," and he opened the door and let us pass.

We walked down a short hall and through another door into a fairly large room. I couldn't help but notice the corridor was actually a man trap, I guess they made a serious effort to keep out the low life.

"Hobb ever come here?" I asked Sil.

"Once, after that he wasn't allowed. They didn't care for him much." she sighed.

"Caused you problems here too, huh?"

"You got that right. Let's change the subject, okay?"

"Sounds good to me," I looked around the dimly lit room, there was some smoke in the air, some of it tobacco, the rest was various types of narcotics. There was a stage at one end with someone speaking on it, and a bar along the entire adjoining wall.

There were also about a half dozen other exits from the room, where they went I couldn't tell.

"What is this place anyway?"

"Just a Club of sorts," she giggled.

"Of sorts?" I looked at the amused expression on her face, then I looked around at the people sitting at the tables. I was shocked to see quite a few Humans in the crowd, and that a lot of the clientele were pretty romantically engaged.

Sil lead me to a table against the wall that was near the stage, I sat down with my back to the wall out of habit, and glanced at the Wolf who was on the stage. He was reading poetry of all things.

"Poetry? From a wolf?" I said to her astounded.

"His own too!" Smiled Sil, "This is where our culture exists, down here out of the sight of the Bosses."

"I notice that there are a few of those Bosses in the crowd." I gestured with my head to some of the Humans.

"Oh, there are some who accept us for what we are and believe that Animen are more than just good workers."

"But they only come and show it here in the dark at night right?" I looked over them, a few noticed. The males wouldn't meet my eyes for more than a moment, and the females didn't want to look away. "You sure they aren't just here for sex and thrills?"

"Most everyone else is!" She laughed, "So why not them? But a lot of them come here for more than that. They listen to what we say and make friends, they come back and maybe start to bring a few others by once in a while. It's slow, but so goes the road to acceptance."

"You sound like an underground political pamphlet!" I warned.

"It doesn't hurt to want to be equal." She said seriously.

"I don't know," I said troubled. "It's a Human's world and I really don't want to get involved in their politics. Their Corporate games are lousy enough as it is."

"That's your government controlled education speaking. They feed all the young ones a lot of propaganda in those courses. If my Mom had sent me to the Government schools like the law said, I'd probably feel the same way."

"Why didn't she?" I asked curious.

"Couldn't afford it, and found a loophole to keep from getting stiffed with the expense. That's all." she said nonchalantly.

 "Hi, Sil! Who's your friend? And what are you two drinking tonight?" Said the Otter waitress coming over to our table.

"Oh, hi Beth! This is Jo, and I guess I'll have a beer." Sil smiled.

"I'll have a beer too," and I nodded over at one of the nearer tables, "And whatever they're smoking as well." I grinned

"Sure no prob, you too Sil?" She looked back at her.

"Yeah, why not. He's paying!" And we both laughed at that.

I watched her swish back across the room, "Another friend?" I asked smiling back at Sil.

"Oh, I work here on occasions too. So everybody knows me."

"They all seem to like you as well," I observed. "You do pretty well for yourself considering you have to do it alone."

"Doesn't everybody have to?"

"You know what I mean," I grumbled, "You weren't sponsored or raised by a Corp. You've done most of your growing up on your own, but you're going places, have a lot of friends, and seem happy most of the time."

"Nothing beats a positive attitude." She stated matter of factly, "That was the one thing my Mom taught me before she had to go, and I have to admit she was right."

"I'll have to remember that," I laughed.

We continued to make small talk, but shifted our attention to the stage. Our waitress returned with our orders, and we talked about the Wolf on stage as we started to relax. He was an interesting fellow all right, his poetry was kind of strange, but interesting too.

When he left the stage a small band of musicians took it, and started playing Fusion after that. I had heard that there were Animan musicians, but this was the first time I had ever seen any. They were pretty good too, even if they were self taught, which I suspected.

We continued to talk and I ordered us some food. I found out about where she was hoping to go to school. And where she wanted to go, if she could have afforded Doctor's training.

"The worst part about it," she admitted, "is that I applied just out of curiosity and was actually accepted! True it's an Animan school, and there aren't any Human students at it. But it has an all Human staff! It's where all the local Companies send their people for training." she sounded pretty forlorn over that.

"How much does it cost anyway?" I was curious myself, my training had run a small fortune.

"A quarter of a mil," she sighed dejected. "I could never get that much cash even illegally. But I can afford the Nurse Medic school. That's only seventy five thou."

"You've got seventy five thou?" I asked surprised, that was quite a bit of money to earn from working in bars!

"Not really," She admitted shyly. "I've got about twenty saved, and no, I didn't earn it all at the Bars. Some of the local's have chipped in, and I've done a few things I'm not proud of. So don't ask!" She warned looking cross for a second. She softened then and went on, "but I think I can get a loan backed by one of the smaller local hospitals. It'll mean working for them to pay it back, but I should be free in clear in ten or fifteen years."

"That's not too bad."

"I don't know, I hate the idea of being tied to a company so long."

"It's not that bad, believe me." I said smiling

"You've never known anything else, I have."

That hurt! "Ouch!" I said.

"Sorry, but it's true. I don't want to give up my freedom. But I know I can't survive like this forever. I want more than just a hidden apartment under a building and waiting tables, or worse, for the rest of my life." she mumbled into the table.

"Hey there's nothing wrong with that," I reached over and put my hand under her muzzle, lifting her chin until our eyes met. "Everything has a price in life, and even they have to pay," I nodded towards one of the Humans in the bar.

"You know, you're making them nervous," She grinned.

"Who?"

"That guy over there with that Coyote. Every time you nod or motion at him he jumps. I think he's afraid of you!"

"Hell, most people are. At least the ones I work with!" I grinned nastily, and flagged down the waitress.

"Yes Jo?" she asked coming by.

"Another round for us, and buy that couple over there a round or two on me. Tell them I'm sorry if I gave them something to worry about!"

"Why would they think that?" She looked crossly at me.

"Oh, he keeps nodding at them every time he makes a point about Humans," laughed Sil. "Tell the poor guy he doesn't mean anything by it. Okay Beth?"

"Sure Sil, no problem. He's a new customer, wouldn't do to scare him away!"

She swished off again, and a few minutes later delivered a round to them, and then came over to give us ours.

"He said thanks, and wanted to know if you two were trying to pick them up."

I looked at Sil confused. She laughed at my expression.

"Those doors over there lead to private rooms. A lot of groups use them if you know what I mean!"

"Oh," I thought a minute then gave her a dirty smile. "So you want to?"

"Sure, why not? It'll be fun!"

Ah, the impertinence of youth! So we got up and went over to our new friends. He was Reg, she was Shirley and they were very interested. So after a little small talk we adjourned to a very comfortable private room with a very large bed.