Altered Carbon Read Online Free PDF Page A

investigation. In
addition, I shall cover the cost of sleeve rental for this period. In the event
that you conclude the investigation successfully, the remainder of your storage
sentence at Kanagawa—one hundred and seventeen years and four
months—will be annulled and you will be refreighted to Harlan’s
World for immediate release in a sleeve of your own choosing. Alternatively, I
undertake to pay off the balance of the mortgage on your current sleeve here on
Earth and you may become a naturalised UN citizen. In either case the sum of one
hundred thousand UN dollars, or equivalent, will be credited to you
.
    I
believe these terms to be generous but I should add that I am not a man to be
trifled with. In the event that your investigation fails and I am killed, or
that you attempt to in any way escape or evade the terms of your contract, the
sleeve lease will be terminated immediately and you will be returned to storage
to complete your sentence here on Earth. Any further legal penalties that you
incur may be added to that sentence. Should you choose not to accept my
contract from the outset, you will also be returned to storage immediately,
though I cannot undertake to refreight you to Harlan’s World in this case
.
    I am
hopeful that you will see this arrangement as an opportunity, and agree to work
for me. In anticipation of this, I am sending a driver to collect you from the
storage facility. His name is Curtis and he is one of my most trusted
employees. He will be waiting for you in the release hall
.
    I look
forward to meeting you at Suntouch House
.
     
    Yours
sincerely
,
    Laurens J. Bancroft
.
     

CHAPTER THREE
    Suntouch House was aptly named. From Bay
City we flew south down the coast for about half an hour before the change in
engine pitch warned me that we were approaching our destination. By that time
the light through the right side windows was turning warm gold with the
sun’s decline towards the sea. I peered out as we started to descend and
saw how the waves below were molten copper and the air above pure amber. It was
like landing in a jar of honey.
    The
transport sideslipped and banked, giving me a view of the Bancroft estate. It
edged in from the sea in neatly manicured tones of green and gravel around a sprawling
tile-roofed mansion big enough to house a small army. The walls were white, the
roofing coral and the army, if it existed, was out of sight. Any security
systems Bancroft had installed were very low-key. As we came lower I made out
the discreet haze of a power fence along one border of the grounds. Barely
enough to distort the view from the house. Nice.
    Less than a
dozen metres up over one of the immaculate lawns the pilot kicked in the
landing brake with what seemed like unnecessary violence. The transport
shuddered from end to end and we came down hard amidst flying clods of turf.
    I shot
Ortega a reproachful look which she ignored. She threw open the hatch and
climbed out. After a moment I joined her on the damaged lawn. Prodding at the
torn grass with the toe of one shoe, I shouted over the sound of the turbines.
“What was that all about? You guys pissed off with Bancroft just because
he doesn’t buy his own suicide?”
    “No.”
Ortega surveyed the house in front of us as if she was thinking of moving in.
“No, that’s not why we’re pissed off with Mr.Bancroft.”
    “Care
to tell me why?”
    “You’re
the detective.”
    A young
woman appeared from the side of the house, tennis racket in hand, and came
across the lawn towards us. When she was about twenty metres away, she stopped,
tucked the racket under her arm and cupped her hands to her mouth.
    “Are
you Kovacs?”
    She was beautiful
in a sun, sea and sand sort of way and the sports shorts and leotard she was
wearing displayed the fact to maximal effect. Golden hair brushed her shoulders
as she moved and the shout gave away a glimpse of milk white teeth. She wore
sweat bands at forehead and wrists and from the dew on her