“James. Good to see you,” says Blackburn, coming from around his desk to shake my hand. He’s on a first-name basis with me since I saved his wife. I’m not on a first-name basis with him because he’s as close to God as we have in California.
“Thanks. And thanks for calling off your dogs. Did you hire all of them on my account? I’m flattered all to hell.”
Blackburn points to a seat by the desk. I sit. He goes back around and settles down.
“Not you specifically. It’s more because of . . . well, everything. Your coming in so easily was unnerving, of course, but Aelita’s behavior was worse. I’m good at seeing what people really are, but I suppose that skill doesn’t extend to angels. Anyway after the . . .”
“Massacre?”
“Yes, the massacre here, I decided that we finally needed to update security. The old ways of respect and even fear for the office of Augur are long gone. The twenty-first century is a fine place, but it’s a little medieval too. We need our Great Companies to keep the neighbor’s dog from crapping on the lawn.”
“If ‘Great Companies’ means expensive mercs, I guess so. Still, with your money I think you could do better. At least one of your guys wanted to start trouble, not put it down.”
“I know,” says Blackburn. “That’s why I called when I did. And he’s not usually like that. He’s usually a good man. It’s just that you scared him.”
“Me? Look at me. I’m dressed like a Deadwood dance-hall girl. How am I going to scare pros?”
“Because you’re still James Stark and everyone knows the things you’ve done. And gotten away with.”
“Now you’re making me blush.”
Blackburn gives me a smile. I can read people too. He’s indulging me because he wants something.
“If you’re really so interested in my security, why don’t you come and work for me? I hear you’re having some trouble with your revenue stream,” Blackburn says.
“Is it that obvious these aren’t my clothes?”
“I’m offering you Aelita’s old position as head of my security team. Wouldn’t you like to step into her shoes and show how much better you’d be at the job?”
“Don’t you already have a new security chief?”
“Yes. Audsley Ishii. A very competent man. But I’d rather have Sandman Slim on my side.”
“On the payroll, you mean.”
“Exactly. What do you say?”
I shake my head.
“I tried the salaryman thing back with the Golden Vigil. I work a lot better on my own, thanks. And right now I’m kind of busy trying to save, you know, the world.”
“I thought your chasing Aelita was a more personal thing.”
“It’s pretty damn personal, but she’s not what I’m chasing right now.”
Blackburn leans back in his chair. Steeples his hands.
“You mean the bauble.”
“It’s a god-killing weapon.”
“I’ve heard the stories. All unsubstantiated.”
“Do you think when the Angra Om Ya come stomping back, you’ll bribe pissed-off elder gods with brunch and VIP night at Disneyland?”
Blackburn’s hands go from a steeple to a dismissive little wave.
“Come on, Stark. You’ve seen the celestial realms. You don’t really believe all this nonsense about old gods and ultimate weapons, do you?”