Chapter 1

I knew it would be neither cheap nor comfortable, but the price was steeper than I had anticipated. Still, even this heavily inflated price was well within my means. So the not cheap part was acceptable. The not comfortable part I was still debating with myself.

The man on the other side of the table was unsavory if anybody ever deserved this label. His overall had seen better days and no washing machine for a few months. He had apparently a distant relationship with a shower. Every 2 or 3 month or so a visit, at least if the odor was a clue, and his long scraggly beard displayed the remains of the meals from the last week. But he was also the first one to be able to bring me to the other side of the continent. And considering that the ground here was becoming increasingly hot for me, that was the most important consideration.

I tried to suppress a sigh, and lifted my credled to him. He only shook his head.

“Cash only. I don’t want to leave any tracks.”

Figures, a little bit of paranoia without enough knowledge to do any good. But I had to take what I could get.

“You know that credit bills are easier to track than electronic money? At least if one of the sides knows what they are doing.”

With that I opened the flap on my messenger bag and reached inside.

“If you want anonymity you either need deep creds, bullion or trade. I can offer you gold or norwest creds. What do you want?”

He seemed a bit surprised but then came to a decision. I bet he would fudge the conversion.

“Gold. Let’s see, 30k. That would be eight ounces.”

Yep, nailed it. “30k are roughly 5.4 ounces.” With that I got the small bag out, opened it and counted 10 coins into my other hand.

“These are Gold Eagles. Each weights .5454 ounces. Pure gold value is a tad above 30k. Any numismatist will give you 60 to 100k for them.”

I could see greed moving into his eyes, as he looked at the bag in my hand.

“I would have to find somebody. That is more work. Give me five more.”

Oh humanity. How low have you fallen.

“Every pawnshop on this continent will give you at least 40k for them. And at the rate credits are deteriorating, in a month you get 50k. Or I can give you the 30k in cash. When we reach New York they will have lost 3% of their value. So 10 Eagles. Or 300 grand? You decide.”

“Damn it! All right.” With that he grabbed the gold coins out of my hand. “But don’t expect any service.”

He stood up from the table and moved on to go, only to stop and turn back to me.

“17:30, bay 9. Be there or stay here. I won’t wait.” Then he moved out of the bar.

I emptied my soft drink, dropped a fifty on the table and left the bar.

On the way out several eyes followed me, but it was just the typical horny male, and the occasional horny female. I could detect no deeper interest.