Wild Cards V by George R. R. Martin Page B

down.”
    â€œYou’ve been busy.” Bagabond had swung her snarled hair back down across her face and hunched within the pile of ill-fitting dresses and pants she wore. She knew that with her rough voice and trembling manner she now looked at least sixty years old.
    â€œSo have you.” Jack looked at her hesitantly making her way down the carpeted stairs. He grinned broadly. “You could win a Tony for that, you know. I met this Broadway producer, he’s looking for an actress.”
    â€œFriend of Michael’s?” Bagabond straightened as she sat on the edge of the Victorian horsehair sofa. The ginger sat tensely at her feet. The black leaned against Jack’s leg and looked up at him.
    â€œYes, a friend of Michael’s. Why won’t you come over and spend some time with us? Get to know Michael. You’d like him.”
    â€œWhy don’t you get to know Paul?” Bagabond drew her feet up under her and looked at Jack sitting on the equally antique chair opposite her.
    â€œI don’t think a yuppie would see much in a blue-collar transit worker.”
    â€œ I don’t think Michael would approve of my style sense.” Bagabond spread out her layers of mismatched clothing along the couch.
    â€œSo there we are, hmm? I don’t like it and neither do you, but we’ve become trapped in our undercover lives as normal people.” Jack looked sad. “Have you seen Cordelia?”
    â€œYeah.” Bagabond shrugged. Another shrug, another avoidance of responsibility. She straightened her shoulders. “I tried. I don’t know.”
    â€œWhen you see her again, tell her … tell her I understand. I grew up there too, after all.” Jack ran the palms of his hands down his sharply creased black denim jeans. “So, you tracked me down. What can I do for you?”
    Jack reached down to scratch behind the black’s ears, and they both listened to the loud purring for a few moments.
    â€œRosemary wants to see you.” Bagabond had pulled her knees up and drawn her armor back around her. She refused to meet Jack’s eyes.
    â€œNo.”
    â€œJack, she’s just trying to keep everything cool. She could use some help.”
    â€œFor Christ sake, Bagabond, she’s on the side of the bad guys. She’s the head of the frigging Mafia.” Jack got up and began pacing on the Oriental carpets. The black got up to join him, then looked at Bagabond and lay back down. Bagabond got a flash of warning from the cat. She didn’t know if it was for her or for Jack. “What the hell does she need me for anyway?”
    â€œWell, you could help with surveillance. You could keep your ears open for anything strange going on.”
    â€œOh, right. Am I supposed to be her lead into the gay community? No, maybe she thinks the reptiles are against her too. Or maybe she just wants me to bite off a strategic foot or two.” Jack turned to face Bagabond. “No fucking way. ”
    â€œJack, she just needs someone on her side—”
    â€œSomeone on her side! She’s got the whole Mafia. I find it a little hard to believe that one were-alligator would make all that much difference.” Jack walked over to the sofa and looked down on Bagabond. She refused to look up to meet his eyes. “Suzanne, you stay out of this. She doesn’t care about you anymore. She’ll use you too. Get you killed. And not even blink.”
    The black stood up and moved between Jack and Bagabond. The ginger began growling deep in her throat, the hair on her back standing up. Jack retreated a few steps.
    Bagabond slid off the sofa onto her feet and stared back into Jack’s green eyes.
    â€œShe’s my friend. I guess she’s my only friend.”
    She stalked to the stairs. The cats followed her. The ginger never took her eyes off Jack as she backed across the narrow room. The black walked a few steps, then stopped and looked back