withdrew a spray vial from a pouch at his belt. “You've heard of Scramble? A drug that breaks down all your barriers and allows someone to swap with you, no matter how much you resist.”
“Yes, I know. The BIE uses it for executions.”
“Or we use it for situations like this.” After a deliberate pause, Daragon smiled at her, still holding the spray vial. “I'm willing to take that action right now. It'll let Eduard rip your soul right out of his body and put it back where it belongs.”
Finally Madame Ruxton whirled, staring down at her own weakened body in the hoverchair. Her appearance was completely uncharacteristic of Eduard's usual happy-go-lucky demeanor. “What've you paid them? I can double whatever you offered. What kind of pull do you have with the Bureau?”
Eduard just shrugged his bony shoulders.
She snapped at Daragon and all the other Beetles. “I'll pay you twice what he's paying you. Right now, in cash.”
“Twice nothing is still nothing.” Daragon's voice was all the more threatening for its bland tone. “And attempted bribery of a BTL officer is an actionable offense. We have a room full of witnesses. Shall I take you into custody now?”
One of the lawyers leaned close to her. “I'm afraid that was very unwise, Madame Ruxton.”
“If you swap immediately with Eduard, perhaps we can . . . forget the entire matter.” The other Beetles pressed closer.
Her teeth clenched, her eyes flashing behind Eduard's familiar face, Ruxton sighed with such vehemence that she spat out her breath. “Oh, very well!”
She leaned down to the hoverchair and touched her own temples. Looking up at her with weak eyes, Eduard felt as if she ripped his consciousness free and slammed it back into his own body.
The real Madame Ruxton sulked back into her hoverchair-bound form.
Eduard reeled, disoriented to be young and healthy and energetic again. Each breath seemed like liquid honey in his lungs. His muscles tingled, so alive again.
The attorneys nudged the old woman's life-support chair away as her family members followed, simpering . . . perhaps even delighted at what had happened, now that their inheritance was one step closer again. The lawyers tried to make excuses as Madame Ruxton railed at them.
Daragon gestured for the other Beetles to leave him with Eduard. Once they were alone, though, Daragon's stony face tightened into a scowl, then a wry half-smile. “That wasn't the brightest thing you've ever done, Eduard.”
Eduard did not even try to excuse his mistake; he hung his head with an abashed smile. “I assumed I knew what could happen, but I didn't imagine half of the contingencies. Guess I was clueless.”
“You were out of your league. Far beyond anything you ever learned from the Splinters. You're not living in a monastery anymore, and the real world is not like the Falling Leaves.”
“I know that. Too well.” Eduard sighed, but his healthy body felt so good he could not remain dejected for long. A goofy grin crossed his face. “I'm glad I could count on you.” He playfully punched Daragon on the shoulder, unable to contain his relief and his energy. “It's so good to see you again!”
Daragon frowned with an almost motherly concern for his estranged friend. “I may have been gone a year, Eduard, but I've tried to keep tabs on you and Garth and Teresa. You worry me the most, though—as usual. Impulsive, cocky, reckless. Is this really the way you want to live?”
Eduard drew a deep breath, unable to stop grinning. He traced a finger over the ghost pain in his chest from where the old woman's operation scars had been. “Daragon, you're all nice and cozy with the Bureau, all your needs taken care of. I'm on my own out here—do you know how much Ruxton paid me for that? I can live for a year on those credits!”
“You almost didn't live for a day. Her lawyers had already tried to pay off the doctors, even before your surgery.”
Eduard digested that for a moment,
“Yes, I know. The BIE uses it for executions.”
“Or we use it for situations like this.” After a deliberate pause, Daragon smiled at her, still holding the spray vial. “I'm willing to take that action right now. It'll let Eduard rip your soul right out of his body and put it back where it belongs.”
Finally Madame Ruxton whirled, staring down at her own weakened body in the hoverchair. Her appearance was completely uncharacteristic of Eduard's usual happy-go-lucky demeanor. “What've you paid them? I can double whatever you offered. What kind of pull do you have with the Bureau?”
Eduard just shrugged his bony shoulders.
She snapped at Daragon and all the other Beetles. “I'll pay you twice what he's paying you. Right now, in cash.”
“Twice nothing is still nothing.” Daragon's voice was all the more threatening for its bland tone. “And attempted bribery of a BTL officer is an actionable offense. We have a room full of witnesses. Shall I take you into custody now?”
One of the lawyers leaned close to her. “I'm afraid that was very unwise, Madame Ruxton.”
“If you swap immediately with Eduard, perhaps we can . . . forget the entire matter.” The other Beetles pressed closer.
Her teeth clenched, her eyes flashing behind Eduard's familiar face, Ruxton sighed with such vehemence that she spat out her breath. “Oh, very well!”
She leaned down to the hoverchair and touched her own temples. Looking up at her with weak eyes, Eduard felt as if she ripped his consciousness free and slammed it back into his own body.
The real Madame Ruxton sulked back into her hoverchair-bound form.
Eduard reeled, disoriented to be young and healthy and energetic again. Each breath seemed like liquid honey in his lungs. His muscles tingled, so alive again.
The attorneys nudged the old woman's life-support chair away as her family members followed, simpering . . . perhaps even delighted at what had happened, now that their inheritance was one step closer again. The lawyers tried to make excuses as Madame Ruxton railed at them.
Daragon gestured for the other Beetles to leave him with Eduard. Once they were alone, though, Daragon's stony face tightened into a scowl, then a wry half-smile. “That wasn't the brightest thing you've ever done, Eduard.”
Eduard did not even try to excuse his mistake; he hung his head with an abashed smile. “I assumed I knew what could happen, but I didn't imagine half of the contingencies. Guess I was clueless.”
“You were out of your league. Far beyond anything you ever learned from the Splinters. You're not living in a monastery anymore, and the real world is not like the Falling Leaves.”
“I know that. Too well.” Eduard sighed, but his healthy body felt so good he could not remain dejected for long. A goofy grin crossed his face. “I'm glad I could count on you.” He playfully punched Daragon on the shoulder, unable to contain his relief and his energy. “It's so good to see you again!”
Daragon frowned with an almost motherly concern for his estranged friend. “I may have been gone a year, Eduard, but I've tried to keep tabs on you and Garth and Teresa. You worry me the most, though—as usual. Impulsive, cocky, reckless. Is this really the way you want to live?”
Eduard drew a deep breath, unable to stop grinning. He traced a finger over the ghost pain in his chest from where the old woman's operation scars had been. “Daragon, you're all nice and cozy with the Bureau, all your needs taken care of. I'm on my own out here—do you know how much Ruxton paid me for that? I can live for a year on those credits!”
“You almost didn't live for a day. Her lawyers had already tried to pay off the doctors, even before your surgery.”
Eduard digested that for a moment,
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