Doctor Who_ Prime Time - Mike Tucker [21]
The grip on Saarl’s arm was painful now. He shook himself free.
‘I had no idea you were so ambitious.’
Lukos sipped at his drink. ‘You should know by now not to underestimate me.’
Saarl’s eyes narrowed. ‘Where do I fit into all this? I am involved, aren’t I?’
‘Oh yes, my dear, you’re involved. But it’s early days. I’ve not yet finalised the programming, but when I do you’ll be the first to know.’
Saarl nodded and reached for the bottle again. Lukos stopped him.
‘I rather think that you’ve had enough, my dear. We want you looking your best for the cameras tomorrow, now don’t we?’
For a moment it looked as though Saarl was going to explode, then he nodded and hauled himself out of the chair.
‘All right, Lukos. I’ll see you in the morning.’
Lukos watched him cross the room to the lift. He liked keeping Saarl on his toes. Liked making him feel as though he had to stay on his guard. He would take great pleasure in handing him his notice when the time came.
As the lift door slid shut Lukos began to laugh.
The Bar Allegro nestled amongst the towering office blocks of the city centre. During the day it was just another faceless grey building but at night, with the business quarter quiet and empty, it shone out like a beacon, its garish neon signs lighting up the street.
Unlike many of the bars on Blinni-Gaar the walls of the Bar Allegro weren’t covered with monitors. It was a bar for the offworIders, and it was rare that any of the locals used it.
Not that it mattered. It was always full and tonight, with the wind blowing the rain horizontally across the street, it was packed.
Annie Halfrace had been running the bar for nearly twelve weeks now. The previous owner, a lumbering thug called Greebel, had finally got himself on the wrong side of the authorities and been shipped off to one of the penal compounds. Annie had been head waitress, but the certificate now hanging behind the bar gave her full ownership of one of the busiest drinking holes on the planet.
It hadn’t been what she was after. She had just hoped to get a bit of work waitressing for a couple of years and then take one of the big cruise ships out to the rim, see a bit of the galaxy. Now she appeared to have a full-time career, but the money she was making made it very difficult to just give it all up.
At the far end of the room were the kitchens. She watched several of the staff vainly trying to push through the crowds, plates of steaming food held high over their heads, and shook her head. No, it had definitely been the right career move.
She stared around at the heaving bar. Dozens of different life forms jostled for space in the clouds of cigarette smoke, shouting and bellowing, the babble of conversation almost drowning out the background thump of music. Booths and alcoves, their occupants shrouded in shadow, stretched along one wall. Annie liked the booths. She was a romantic at heart and always liked to dream about what went on in the darkened recesses.
She let her eyes wander across the gloomy wall, then started. Two pinpricks of light gleamed from the shadows.
Like eyes. She strained to see and suddenly felt her spine tingle. It was as if there were dozens of eyes peering out from the shadows, watching her. Curious, she started to edge forward.
Shouting from the bar suddenly caught her attention. A small scruffy man was leaning over the counter, waving his arms at one of the bar staff.
Annie groaned. Joonas Brett. Joonas was well known at the Allegro. Cheap-rate cargo pilot and professional drunk. He had been responsible for most of her unpleasant days when she was a waitress and it was looking as though he was going to continue that tradition now she was the manager.
Taking a deep breath she pushed her way through the crowds of drinkers and tapped Brett on the shoulder.
Joonas swung around, fists clenched, eyes straining to focus on her.
Then his face broke into a broad grin.