This was at a cusp where it could all go to hell, with repercussions for years.
Timurhin and his crew ate out regularly. He owned the restaurants, so he might as well benefit, and it kept his eyes and ears on happenings. Not a bad move, really. He was also fairly easy to track, in that big Skoda limo he favored. It was dangerous to get too close, but easy enough to watch from a distance.
So I had Silver purchase and tailor some garb for me, found a spot from where I could stake out his departures. That evening, his limo pulled out and Silver tracked him with a couple of carefully placed remotes. We pulled places off the list as he traveled, narrowed it down to two.
I drove to the area in a rental car with fake ID and transponder, orbited and waited, until she called and IDed Lava Creek. I found parking, stepped out and across the evening street, heavy with humidity and clutter in the twilight. I carried a small bag.
I crossed the street, approached down the service road behind the place, sort of an oversized alley, but reasonably clean. I pulled the apron and vest from the bag, pulled them on, tossed the bag aside. I tied both, turned and climbed up the steps and walked in the rear.
The technique I used is based on confidence. If you act as if you belong, people assume you do. Routine and standard are comfortable. Stepping out of those bounds is not. Blend in, act normal, and most people are reluctant to raise a fuss.
So, wearing the appropriate clothes, I walked into the service area. A few seconds found me what I needed, and I scooped up a tray and accessories. They actually taught us this in training, for cover and for poise.
With a tray full of frosty water glasses, two bottles of mineral water and some menu pages—the place ran a single sheet of entrees at a time—I stepped through the staff door, scanned the screen and found table four. I spun the tray up over my shoulder and headed out, just as someone said, “Excuse me—”
“I’ll be back in a moment,” I said with a cheery wave.
Then, of course, I had the dining room for cover. Staff are taught and ingrained not to make a scene in front of the customers, and that’s more the case with an elaborate establishment.
I got only two quizzical looks as I walked across the room, and had no trouble with the broad spaces. Classier establishments tend not to crowd tables together.
“Good evening, gentlemen, and ladies. May I offer some lemon wedges with your water?”
Timurhin said, “Thank you. I’d like a bottle of Remington Fifty-Eight, the lady would like an Effervesca, and anyone else?”
His goon, much classier than most and probably a veteran of some kind, said, “A Coke is fine for me, please.”
“Coke, Effervesca, Remington Fifty-Eight, at once, sir.”
I placed the glasses, slipped a bottle under my arm and flipped off the cap, poured for all, placed the tray of lemon down, slid the note under the corner of Timurhin’s napkin. I gave a brief, courteous bow and departed with the tray.
I walked through the door, right through the damping curtain, and the first person asked, “Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?” He was one of the cooks, sweaty and a little pudgy and right in my face.
“I just served Table Four and they need a bottle of Remington Fifty-Eight, a Coke and an Effervesca.” I smiled and kept walking.
I wasn’t stopped.
Ideally, of course, no one would have noticed me at all. However, no one was going to mention anything to the rich, dangerous guests if they didn’t complain. It would be assumed I was some kind of mob messenger, and no one would say a word. Randall might have a plant, but he knew I was after him, and another turn of tension would be beneficial to me.
So now I had to see how it played out.
Back at the house, I watched the news while Silver dug news and police nets for connections that might lead back to us. I was always nervous about her doing that, but she’d never had a trace that we knew of. Her passive receivers were tiny but molecular-edge tech. We’d get nailed in any system if caught with them. Still, she was able to find leads on many networks, both digital data and old-style direct RF.
I didn’t see anything of note, so I crawled off to bed. Not masquerading as a couple was a lot easier on me.
The next morning, I made my run of “packages,” bought some supplies including soft drinks and some wonderful dark, heavy bread, and made a couple of passes against possible tails. I was actually on the street on my way back when she buzzed.
“Yes?”
“Another one,” Silver said.
“Stand by.”
Damn. That was interesting. Two hits, hard attempts on me, and another hit. I decided to consider better defensibility. Though where could we go other than a military installation?