A light breeze lifted the discarded plastic bag and hurled it up into the branches of the tree where it clung for a few seconds then went spinning back down onto the road. The exhaust of the black hover car crushed it flat as it passed over then turned to the curb. The driver exited, closed the door and walked slowly and confidently across the road to the multi-storied resident tower.

Hunter carried his tray with the plate of pasta, some bread and a glass of milk out to the balcony where he set himself comfortably onto the recliner and began to eat. Visiting with Diane at her place was a huge step up from the subsidized accommodation he was given for decommissioned HEEP officers but they had to be careful because of the monitors.

Diane had warned that she could risk her job if they made it too much of a habit being together. She had gone on to another meeting at HEEP after they left Frost, and agreed to let him eat at her place. Twirling his fork in the pasta, he raised it to his mouth.

The wire came around his neck so quickly he had no time to react. It jammed the fork between his jaw and his chest. Hunter instinctively swept the plate of hot pasta over his head, dumping it in his assailant's face. The wire loosened and he rolled forward off the recliner onto the balcony.

As the assailant charged, strands of noodles in his hair and on his clothes bouncing with the action, Hunter managed to get part way up still holding the fork and he thrust his arm forward while rolling to the side. The roar was loud as the man crashed into the balcony railing, the fork dangling from his thigh.

Scrambling to his feet, Hunter grabbed the man in a headlock before he could turn around. The two figures danced awkwardly across the balcony, finally tripping over the recliner and crashing down in a heap. The man cried out again, having fallen on the fork and driving it a little deeper into his leg.

"Give it up, pal or I may just toss you right over the railing."

"My leg! Your weight is pushing- arrrgh . . ."

Hunter stood and hauled the man up, shoving him down onto the recliner. He looked at the bloodied pants and reached down, yanking the fork free and holding it to the man's face.

"Start talking or your leg will be the least of your worries."

********

Dr. Frost sat stunned as Hunter related the events of the attempt on his life by a man working for his friend Horace Torrance - the same man that had accosted him.

"I can't believe it."

"I've got him secured in my quarters at DOQ but I can't keep him there forever."

"The police?"

Diane, who had met and accompanied Hunter to Frost's office, said no, adamantly. "The whole Galapagos story would come out again because of who we are. It may anyway since it was probably recorded."

She had to give a quick explanation to Frost of HEEP security in their complex quarters.

"Then the cat's out already!"

"Not necessarily. Everything is recorded but not reviewed live. A team comes in once every couple of months and goes through the recordings. They did that a week or so ago so we have some time."

Frost held up his hands. "Time! Time for what?"

"To get funding in place. Meanwhile, I want a safe laboratory to start work . . . I'll put my own credits into the start up but I'll need a lot more."

"The laboratory is not a problem but Vatten Industries was my best option, I really have no others."

"Then let's get it from them." Hunter said.

"What! How? You just said--"

"Doc, I've got your friend's assassin locked up safely and I guarantee he will name your buddy Torrance as the author of the attack on me. That should be enough to get the funds rolling."

"That's extortion! Blackmail!" Frost shook his head.

"And what your pal tried was murder. I don't think he'll mind."

********

Chesterton knuckled his lower lip as he listened to Horace's report. Arlen was missing.

"Do you think this Hunter might have killed him?"

"He's capable but I don't know . . . how much did Arlen know about all this?"

Horace flapped his hands. "He knew about the request for financing but only that it was for a special project - I had to tell him some things. I mentioned our ship's visit to Galapagos."

Chesterton rolled his eyes. "What about me?"

"No! Absolutely not. Just enough to get Frost's ear when he spoke to him."

"And now Dr. Frost has come asking for credits once again. What did he say?"

"Just that it would be a tremendous investment and move Vatten Industries into the global market."

"How did he sound this second time?"

"What do you mean? He was just Winston Frost."

"Tone, Horace. Was he more confident or still begging?"

He looked blank then his brow ceased. "You know, he did seem less uncertain about asking now that I think of it."

Chesterton nodded. "I have a feeling they have your Arlen under wraps and ready to implicate you in the attempt on Hunter's life."

"Me! Preposterous!"

"Not really. HEEP has every employee's unit wired for audio and video. You can bet if Arlen failed or succeeded, it was recorded."

"What- why didn't you say something?" Horace wiped his face with a trembling hand. "Why haven't we heard anything then?"

"Not sure. Something I'm missing. Hunter lives in the subsidized DOQ. It never occurred to me he might be staying with Sommers. How did Arlen know?"

"He knew! It's his business to find things out. What difference does it make? What do we do now?"

"Agree to the credits, Horace. This is even better. Let them have you build their necessary equipment and do their research here. When it's ready and has proven efficacy, we'll take over.

Horace wiped his forehead again and made a cringing face. "Won't they suspect?"

"Sure but it's all part of the dance and in the end they'll be playing our song. Meanwhile, I'll find out what I can about Arlen and see that he isn't a problem."

********

Hunter set his weapon to one quarter charge and entered his quarters at DOQ. Arlen was standing at the kitchen console unwrapping a meal from the autovend.

"I'm home, dear."

"Very funny." Arlen took his meal and sat on a side bench along the wall.

"You're lucky you're still here to appreciate funny, Downs, your little escapade was recorded. I could have chucked you over the railing and still claimed self-defence." Hunter set the auto lock on the door and shut his weapon off.

"Yeah? Well if they recorded me they got you too."

"No ifs, Downs and that's why I didn't toss you over. How's the leg?"

"Okay . . . I should thank you for treating it I guess."

"Don't thank me, I'da cut it off. Dr. Sommers did the treating."

Arlen chewed thoughtfully on his food, watching Hunter punch in his own request for a meal.

"How long is this gonna go on?" Arlen waved a hand around.

"Depends."

"On what?"

"None of your business." Hunter sat across from him in the small room and began eating.

"Why haven't you turned me over to the authorities?"

"None of your business."

"I'm a bargaining chip aren't I? You and that doctor dame and Frost are all working together. That's why you're looking for money."

Hunter kept eating, his mind assessing the risk of answering. Arlen laughed and clapped his hands.

"That's it! You've got old Horace by the shorts. He finances you or you turn me in and expose him. It's all about that permission thing isn't it?"

Hunter snorted. "Promession, dodo and yes to both. Old Horace, as you call him, is on the hook for conspiracy to murder as long as you're around."

"That's rich. You can't keep me here forever."

"Won't have to." Hunter said ominously.

Arlen started to stand and Hunter's weapon appeared, fully charged.

"Whoa! Hold it. I'm just tossing out the garbage." He went to the console and slipped the meal container into the disposal.

"Sit back down, and on your hands." Hunter went over and slipped a metal band on Arlen's arm, pushed a button and waited until a small light turned red.

"Don't try and take that off or leave here while the red shows. When it's green you can remove it and go outside."

"When does it turn green?"

"When I push this remote that I carry . . . otherwise it explodes and that gadget is probably all we will find."

Arlen looked at his arm. "Why didn't you use it before?"

"You hadn't guessed why you were here before."

Hunter put his waste in the disposal and went to the door. "I'll be back later - don't go anywhere."