Jacinto took a step in her direction and Virtue held up a hand. “All right,” she said. “Just a minute.” She fumbled with her jacket and plucked off a large button, handing it to Cain. “Are you satisfied now?” she demanded.

“For the moment.” he said, deactivating the incredibly miniaturized holographic mechanism and putting it in his pocket.

“I’ll want that back when I leave,” she added.

“We’ll see,” said Jacinto ominously.

“What’s this ‘we’ll see’ shit?” said Virtue heatedly. “I came under a flag of truce!”

“As a message carrier, not a journalist,” responded Jacinto.

“You have my word that your property will be returned to you.” said Santiago. “And now.” he added, glancing firmly at Cain and Jacinto, “if my friends can control their enthusiasm, I would be interested in hearing what you have to say.”

“The Angel wants to meet you tomorrow morning,” she said.

“I’ll just bet he does,” said Silent Annie, returning with Virtue’s drink.

“The Angel wants to kill me,” said Santiago. “Why should I care to present myself to him?”

“He’s willing to discuss it,” said Virtue.

Santiago looked amused. “To discuss killing me?”

“To discuss not killing you,” she replied.

“A subject near and dear to my heart,” replied Santiago. “What does he propose to say?”

“That he’s willing to be bought off,” said Virtue.

“For how much?”

“It’s negotiable,” answered Virtue. “I get the feeling that he’s talking in the neighborhood of two or three million credits.”

“The reward for me is up to twenty million credits. Why should he settle for so much less?”

She grinned. “Nobody knows what you look like. He can turn in the body of the first derelict he finds, claim that it’s you, and still get the reward.”

“I’m sure it’s been tried before,” said Santiago.

“Probably,” she agreed. “But people tend not to argue with the Angel.”

Santiago studied her thoughtfully. “Where does he want to meet me?”

“A place called the Barleycorn Tavern.”

“How did he find out about it?”

“It’s where Peacemaker MacDougal killed Billy Three-Eyes,” replied Virtue. “It’s the only location on Safe Harbor that he knows.”

“What time does he want to meet me?” asked Santiago.

“Nine o’clock.”

“You’re not seriously considering meeting with him?” demanded Cain.

“I haven’t decided yet,” said Santiago.

“It’s a setup,” said Cain.

“Perhaps,” agreed Santiago.

“Then don’t go. Make him come out here.”

“And kill ten or twelve of my men?” said Santiago with a smile. “I can’t spare them.”

“They can’t spare you!” snapped Cain.

“Possibly the Angel really wants to make a deal,” said Santiago. “After all, twenty-three million credits is better than twenty.”