Pet Noir (15 page)

I hopped up on her lap, ready to do the purring and cuddling thing. She let out a piercing scream.

My reaction was entirely instinctive. I launched off her lap and scrambled across the room.

“How did you get in here?”

She stood up, grabbed her coffee mug, and threw it at me. It hit the wall inches from my head, splattering cold coffee dregs. I winced and ran under a glass-topped end table beside the couch.

“You nasty, filthy tom! Get out of here!”

The door shooshed open, and Elsa came at me with a sheaf of papers in her hand, rolling them into a tube. Her eyes were crazed with anger.

I dashed behind the sofa and out the door, tearing down the hallway with Elsa's curses spurring me on. Not until I was through the cubicle zone and out of the Megalink complex did I slow down to a trot.

I continued down the corridor in the direction of the lift until I saw a potted palm hiding some ductwork. Slipping behind the large terracotta planter, I paused to catch my breath and lick a few sticky coffee spatters from my ruffled coat. Elsa took cream and sugar.

Her reaction wasn't personal, I figured. She was venting her frustrations about Hoyden. I couldn't blame her, but I couldn't very well help her, either, not on my own. I'd have to talk Devin into getting involved.

When I was sufficiently composed I glanced out from my hiding place before stepping out. Elsa was coming down the corridor, heading for the lift, her face sad and angry. I ducked back behind the pot and held my breath.

She passed by; she hadn't seen me. I watched her get in the lift with a half dozen others.

It was getting close to lunchtime, and traffic was increasing. I had no trouble following the crowd into the next lift, and sure enough some of them were heading to the rotunda. I glanced around warily before getting out, feeling a natural reluctance to run into Elsa. No sign of her.

I made a beeline for Security, as much as you can make a beeline in a curved walkway. Had to dodge a few legs. The lunch crowd was getting thick.

Devin was coming out of Security just as I arrived. He looked at me and grinned.

“There you are. Knew you wouldn't miss lunch. Hungry?”

I meowed, my tone calculated to express my disappointment in his assumption that all I could think about was food. His grin widened.

“How about Ling-Ling's? They've got a special on jade shrimp today.”

My mouth started watering.

It took a herculean effort, but I walked past him into Security, then turned and meowed in no uncertain terms. Devin frowned, but followed me back to his office.

“Now what?” he muttered as the door slid shut behind us.

“Something smoky's going on over at Megalink. I saw Elsa Grippe being hassled by her boss again. He threatened her job if she didn't go out with him.”

Devin flopped into his chair and put his feet up on the desk. “Gee, that's very sad, except it's none of our business.”

“He's blackmailing her, Devin.”

“She don't like it, she can file charges.”

“Maybe she's afraid to. Maybe he has her intimidated.”

“So maybe she'll go out with him. I don't see that it's a big problem.”

“Mrs. Boss might disagree.”

“He's married?”

“Two adorable kids. I saw their picture in his office.”

“Well, that might make him a sleaze, but it doesn't make him a criminal.”

I got up on the desk so I could look Devin in the eye. “I also saw Elsa taking covert notes about Megalink's database. Something's going on there, Devin. I can't talk to Elsa, so maybe you should.”

He tilted his head to give me a wry look. “You don't think she'd mind being approached by a total stranger on these rather private topics?”

“I think she might welcome outside help. I get the feeling she hasn't got anyone to talk to about this stuff.” I hopped down to the floor and headed for the door. “Let's go hang out in the park. I bet we'll run into her there. You can turn on your charm. Tell her she's got nice legs.”

Devin sighed and stood up. “OK. We'll stop by Ling-Ling's for take-out on the way.”

“Of course.”

He shambled over and punched the access pad. “I hope this doesn't get me slapped in the face, Leon.”

“Just don't jump in her lap. She doesn't like surprises.”

~

We spent the afternoon in the park. After we ate lunch I licked out the containers. Devin laughed when I got one of them stuck on my head. I tried to back out of it, but didn't get it off until I knocked the side of my head against a bush.

I got him back when he stretched out for a nap on a bench down by the Puddle. It wasn't even deliberate, I swear. He was snoozing, and I was chasing a butterfly around by the shore. When it flew up over the bench, it was just natural for me to follow. I was on the hunt; I didn't have time to think about things like the incidental comfort of humans. His stomach made a good launch pad, I used it.

It occurred to me that this would be a good time to cruise the park for Elsa. Maybe she'd taken off work early and brought Leila out for some air. With Devin's curses fading behind me, I slunk beneath bushes up the hillside, then began criss-crossing the park in a methodical search pattern.

Didn't see Elsa or Leila, but about halfway through my search I ran into Devin who had decided to take a walk. I gave him a cheery meow and kept a good two meters away.

After a couple of half-hearted tries at grabbing me he settled into a comfortable stroll. I continued my search and he more or less followed, though he stuck to the footpaths when there was one around. He chuffed a little going up the hills. I decided he really should get more exercise, and made a mental note to talk to him about it later.

We came across some kids carving their initials into a tree. Devin flashed his Security badge and chased them off. He also busted a guy in a greasy one-all—mechanic, probably—for throwing his Zip Fix cartons on the ground. Littering in the park is a serious offense.

While Devin was explaining to the chump the dire consequences of his action, I made a careful inspection of the evidence. Wouldn't want any shrimp to go to waste.

Having thus justified our presence in the park, we silently agreed it was time for another siesta. Devin returned to his bench and I found a nice cool spot under a nearby bush. I'd been all day without a nap, and I was more than ready. I turned around a few times and made sure the dead leaves were fluffed up, then curled up and was out like a light.

“Psst. Leon. Where are you?”

I raised my head, blinking. “Under here.”

“Is that her, up on the hill by the trees?”

I got up and peered out in the direction Devin was looking. Elsa had changed her business attire for a casual, pale green clingsuit, and was teasing Leila with a wad of pink feathers on the end of a sparkly wand. My heart pounded at the sight of that sleek beauty romping the hillside. Elsa didn't look bad either.

“Yeah, that's her. Let's go.”

I got up and stretched, then made a casual show of sniffing for mice underneath the bushes as I worked my way toward the ladies. Devin strolled in the same direction.

When we got close I went all the way under a bush, figuring Elsa might find the sight of me a mite unsettling. Devin walked on up to her and crouched about a meter away.

“Cute cat,” he said, nodding toward Leila. “What's her name?”

Elsa gave him a long, suspicious look, then glanced away and waggled the feather toy. “Leila,” she said as Leila pounced. “She's a Burmese.”

“Mm.”

I glanced at Devin, silently willing him to get on with it and ask her what was going on at Megalink. He didn't have to court her. He could say she had nice legs if he wanted.

“My name's Devin. Devin Munroe.”

Elsa played tug-of-war with Leila a little more, then looked up at Devin. This time she smiled.

“Elsa Grippe.”

“Hi.”

Humans take forever getting acquainted. It's because their sense of smell sucks. More observant species—cats for example—know most all they need to know about each other without making a sound. A little sniff here and there, a turn of the ear like so, and we're halfway to intimate friendship. Humans are handicapped, though, so they have to talk a lot to compensate.

It was mildly interesting to watch Devin go through his song and dance. He used a different approach with Elsa than he usually took with the girls up at Molly's. Gentler, more respectful, instead of the direct admiration he expressed for Candy and the other waitresses.

As they chatted Elsa got more and more lax with the feather toy, until she finally set it down. I saw that as my cue to move. Keeping out of Elsa's sight, I circled around behind her and showed myself to Leila, who sat twitching her tail for a minute, then walked up to me.

“Hiya gorgeous,” I said. “Good to see you again.”

She lidded her eyes at me, then glanced back at Elsa and Devin. “That is your human?”

“Sort of. He's OK. I think he can help Elsa out, if she'll let him.”

“How? Will he fight the other one?”

“Uh, probably not.”

I hoped not. Devin was a lot smaller than Hoyden.

“How can he help her, then?”

“Uh … humans have ways of working things out besides fighting. He's going to try to help her using the legal system. It's sort of a different kind of fighting, done without touching.”

Leila looked puzzled. “You mean they just stand and howl at each other? How stupid!”

Thinking of what I'd seen on the court feeds, I had to agree. “Yeah, well, humans are weird.”

“Mais oui.”

Leila blinked slowly at me, then came closer, rubbing her pretty head against my shoulder. My pulse went sky high, but I knew this wasn't the time. I had to keep tabs on Devin's progress.

Glancing that way, I saw that Devin had moved closer to Elsa and was sitting cross-legged, within touching distance. She was leaning toward him as they talked. I'd watched enough human interaction to know that was a positive sign.

“Do they also mate without contact?” Leila asked.

I chuckled. “Oh, they get around to it. They just take their time about it.”

“Silly creatures.”

She rubbed against me again, purring. I gave her a gentle nip on the back of her neck. She seemed to like it—she let out a low, throaty yowl.

Unfortunately, that got Elsa's attention. She turned and saw us, and like lightning she was on her feet running toward us.

“Get away from her!”

“What's the matter?” Devin asked as he hurried up.

“That nasty stray! He keeps bothering my Leila!”

Elsa swooped at us. Leila and I jumped apart, and I beat it underneath the nearest bush. I didn't like the look in Elsa's eyes.

“Um, he's not a stray,” Devin said.

Elsa was trying to catch Leila, but Leila wasn't cooperating. She ran under a different bush, one full of pink flowers. Her dark fur instantly blended with the shadows, making her vanish.

Elsa turned to face Devin. “Is he yours?” she demanded.

“Um, he's my—roommate.”

“Is he fixed?” she demanded.

Devin looked startled. “Uh, no. I don't think so.”

“You don't even know if your pet has been fixed?”

I didn't like the trend of this conversation. I backed deeper into the shadows.

“He's not my pet, really,” Devin said, looking uncomfortable. “I sort of inherited him.”

Elsa stood frowning at him, her chest moving up and down with her deep, angry breaths. “Well, keep him away from my Leila!” she said finally, and bent down to look under the pink flowers.

If humans were like cats, Devin would have been all over her the minute she assumed that pose. Instead he shoved his hands in his pockets and meandered toward me, his gaze searching the bushes. I stayed hidden.

“Leila? Come out, honey.”

Devin paused to look back at her. “You'll think about what I said?”

Elsa glanced up, frowning, then her face went still and she dropped to her knees. “What's the use?”

“We can help you. File charges and we can put a stop to it.”

She shook her head sadly. “I'd lose my job.”

Devin went over and squatted next to her. “He can't do that. If he's threatened to, he's in violation of the Fair Employment Code.”

“He'd make my life miserable—”

“More miserable than it already is?”

“—so I'd have to quit to get away, and then he'd make it impossible for me to get another job.” Elsa sighed. “This was supposed to be a fresh start for me, moving to Gamma. Instead it's become a nightmare, and I don't see a way out.”

Devin took her hand. “Let us help. You're not alone.”

She closed her eyes and was still for a long moment, then withdrew her hand. “Thank you, but you don't understand. Anything you try to do will be stopped before it leaves Gamma. I've tried complaining to corporate headquarters, but my messages didn't get through. Hoyden controls Megalink on Gamma Station, and Megalink controls all the communications.”

“Not ours,” Devin said. “Security has its own com feeds.”

She gave him a startled look. Devin nodded.

“In the first place, we have jurisdiction over what happens on Gamma, so we don't have to get outside authority to book him on a local offense. In the second place, we can also get information out of the station on our independent feeds, so if there's something bigger going on we can bring in Intergal. All you have to do is file charges and we can bring him down.”

Elsa was staring at the ground, frowning in thought. She seemed about to give in, then suddenly she shook her head.

“No. I can't.”

“But—”

“I have to go. Come here, Leila.”

She reached under the pink flowers and caught Leila, hauling her out by her middle. Leila made an indignant protest. I had to keep myself from going to the rescue.