They spoke of the worlds where he was most recently thought to have been, and the crimes he was most recently thought to have committed. Both had heard the rumor that he had robbed a mining colony on Bemor VIII; both discounted it. Both also had heard that a caravan of unmanned cargo ships had been plundered in the Antares region; Cain thought it might well be the work of Santiago, while his companion felt he was far more likely to have been on Doradus IV at the time, masterminding a triple assassination. They exchanged information about the planets they themselves had been to without finding any trace of him, and of the other bounty hunters they had encountered who had added still more planets to the list.

“Who’s after him now?” asked Giles Sans Pitié when their tallies had been completed.

“Everyone.”

“I mean, who most recently?”

“I hear the Angel has moved into the area,” answered Cain.

“What makes you think he’s come for Santiago?”

Cain merely stared at him.

“Stupid remark,” said Giles Sans Pitié. “Forget I made it.” He paused. “The Angel’s supposed to be just about the best.”

“So they say.”

“I thought he worked the Outer Frontier, somewhere way out on the Rim.”

Cain nodded. “I guess he decided Santiago’s not there.”

“I can name you a million places Santiago isn’t,” said Giles Sans Pitié. “Why do you suppose he thinks he’s on the Inner Frontier?”

Cain shrugged.

“Do you think he’s got a source?” persisted Giles Sans Pitié.

“Anything’s possible.”

“It’s more than possible,” he said after a moment’s consideration. “He wouldn’t move his base of operations halfway across the galaxy if he didn’t have hard information. What planet is he working out of?”

“How many worlds are there out there?” replied Cain with a shrug. “Take your choice.”

Giles Sans Pitié frowned. “Still, he might know something worth listening to.”

“What makes you think he’ll talk to you, even if you find him?”

“Because the one thing bounty hunters never lie about is Santiago; you know that. As long as he stays alive, he makes all of us look bad.”

“Maybe the Angel does things differently where he comes from,” suggested Cain.

“Then I’ll just have to explain the ground rules to him,” said Giles Sans Pitié.

“I wish you luck.”

“Interested in throwing in with me until we catch up with the Angel?”

“I work alone,” said Cain.

“Just as well,” said Giles Sans Pitié, suddenly remembering his rum and taking a long swallow of it. “Where did you hear about him?”

“In the Meritonia system.”

“I think I’ll head out that way later this week,” said Giles Sans Pitié, rising to his feet. “It’s been an interesting conversation, Cain.”

“Thanks for the rum,” said Cain wryly, staring at the empty bottle.