Crossroads Read Online Free PDF Page B

She was a stellar decker and computer programmer. To her, everything was all light and shadow, bits that could be manipulated with the right programs, the right toys, to make it into anything she wanted. Right then, I envied her control and composure.
    “How’s the girl?” I asked, changing the subject. The light turned green, and I pulled out onto the street.
    “She'll be fine. We’re evacing her to a private clinic in Maryland. They’ll take good care of her and we can make sure she's returned to her parents when she’s ready.”While we were talking, Jane must have been monitoring communications with the rest of the team, coordinating things with the clinic, and preparing data for the mission debriefing, all at the same time. Her ability to multitask was uncanny.
    “That’s good.” I said. I didn’t know what else to say about it. It was good. Mary Beth would soon be back with the parents who loved and missed her, but how would she handle being away for the last nine years? And how would her parents handle the almost-woman who would return to them in place of the little girl they lost?
    “You know.” I said to Jane, “she’s just the sort of thing I’m talking about.”
    Jane paused a beat before responding. She was probably handling another call at the same time. Or else the cell-net was baffled for an instant by the masses of ferro-crete and metal as I cruised down the street.
    “How’s that?” she asked.
    “Hundreds, hell, thousands of kids disappear every year, gone without a trace. Some of them get found, but most don’t. They vanish into the sprawl and get swallowed up.” I was almost one of them, I thought. “Most parents can’t afford to hire shadowrunners to track them down. The only reason we looked for Mary Beth is because the dragon told us to. Dunkelzahn’s last will and testament, the driving force of our existence.”
    When Dunkelzahn was assassinated following his successful bid for the presidency of the UCAS three years ago, Assets was left without an employer. The dragon was smart, though. He left a will, dividing up his vast fortune. His money set up the Draco Foundation and provided Assets, Inc. with enough resources to continue operating nearly forever. And his will left very clear instructions on what the dragon wanted done.
    “The will said ‘her survival is critical.’ What the hell does that mean?” I asked. “What did Dunkelzahn know about Mary Beth Tyre? Why is she so important?”
    “I don’t know.” Jane said, “but he had his reasons. Dunkelzahn usually turned out to be right in the end.”
    “Yeah? Then how come he’s dead?”
    Jane didn’t have a reply to that. There was silence over the line for a moment.
    “I’m sorry, Jane.” I said. “I really seem to have a talent for saying the wrong thing today. You knew Dunkelzahn, I didn’t. . .”
    “Null sweat.” she said, her voice quiet. “Sometimes it seems like an age since he died. Other times, it’s like it was yesterday.”
    “Look.” I said, “tell Ryan that I’m taking some time off. I need to be alone for a while to think, just to get away from the whole thing and get some perspective.”
    “How long?”
    “I don’t know. A few weeks, a month, maybe more. I’ll let you know.”
    There was another long moment of silence. “All right.”Jane said finally. “I’ll tell him, but I think you should talk to Ryan yourself before you go.”
    “I’m not sure I’d go if I did that. We can talk when I get back.”
    “ If you get back, you mean.”
    “That too.”
    “Okay, Talon. If you need anything . . .” She left the offer incomplete. That was Jane, always playing the team organizer. It was more than that, though. I think I was one of the few people in the world whom Jane considered a friend. I felt honored by that. Jane didn’t have a lot of friends. Neither did I.
    “I’ve got the telecom numbers.” I said and tapped the side of my head. “And I’ve always got access to a