Fool Me Once (Privateer Tales) Read Online Free PDF Page A

from pictures, but I think it’s pretty neat. Bet you never seen anything like that where you come from.”
    I hooked my arm into his. He wasn’t so bad and at least his shirt was clean. The streets weren’t particularly empty and we walked from one pool of light to the next. There were small groups of people who mostly looked to be wrapping it up for the night.
    “This time of night is as quiet as it ever gets here. In ten hours or so it's really hopping. All the vendors will have their goods out on tables up and down the streets. You'll hardly be able to walk through here. About ten at night, the entertainment folks take over. Best bands on the planet come here to play, then it folds up at two in the morning. We start the next day with the food vendors in the morning.”
    “Ten? Two? What are you talking about?”
    “Oh baby, we don’t go on military here. Ten is 2200 or 1000 and two is 0200 and 1400. You get used to it.”
    Dinner was good, although I couldn’t eat much. My stomach still wasn't used to getting much food each day. Benny continued to fill me in on the details of life on Puskar Stellar. He remained a gentleman through dinner and walked me back to the ship. Somewhere along the line I’d switched from being a mark to being a real person to him.
    “You show all the girls this good of a time on their first date?” I asked him.
    “Nah, you’re just the first one to be nice to me.”
    I leaned over and kissed him on his head. “You’re sweet Benny. You around tomorrow?”
    “Always am.”
    “Take me out to see a band?” I asked.
    “Seriously?” He asked, confused. “I thought you were just trying to get some free rent on the ship.”
    “Tell you what. You clean those pants, take a shower and put on a decent looking shirt and we’ll go on a proper date. Heck, you pick the spot and I’ll even buy.” I was bluffing. Benny had been a good guy, but there was no way I paying for anything.
    “You’re on, Doll. Benny’ll take care of you good.” I liked his raspy voice, but when he leaned in, he smelled awful .

     
     
     
IF THE SHOE FITS, BUY IT IN EVERY COLOR
                 
     
    I woke up the next day at 1400 local. I loved how I smelled, or more accurately, didn’t smell, and ran my hands through my hair. It felt good to be clean.
    Locate closest mineral exchange. Find current value of platinum .
    There are five mineral exchanges within two kilometers of current location. Platinum is trading at forty-two point two oh nine per gram, the ship answered from the bridge.
    I picked up a reading pad. I needed to remember to bring one with me so I wouldn’t have to raise my face shield while I was out. I had no clothing other than my vac-suit. It was one more item I’d need to take care of.
    The five hundred gram bar of platinum that Liam Hoffen traded for my cooperation while he took over the Red Houzi base got strapped to my midsection beneath my breasts. It wouldn’t do to lose it. A stack of gold coins worth six thousand m-creds went in a pouch beneath my belt. My first day out would be my safest. Once word got out that I carried valuables, trouble would find me.
    I closed the ship's door and walked down the ramp, hoping I’d distracted Benny enough the night before so he hadn’t put the word out on me yet. He'd given away his intent when he mentioned that my ship was unregistered. Dinner and the promise of a date should buy me a couple more days. Money makes people unpredictable, but I'd given myself the best shot I could.
    My eyes hurt from the sun. Until last night I'd never been outside a pressurized environment. The sweet smell of the air was intoxicating, but the brightness was blinding. I instinctively held my hand up to cover my eyes. It helped. The next thing I noticed was the noise filtering over the top of the high walls of the Budget Park. I could tell I was in for a lot of new experiences.
    Exiting onto the brick streets, I was surprised by the transformation.