They were sitting in a small chamber whose leather furnishings and woven rugs were in total contrast to its stone walls and floor. Lord Lucifer held a large Sirian cigar between his fingers, and was sipping a century-old Alphard brandy, while Chandler took a long swallow of his beer and then set his glass down on an exquisite table of Domarian hardwood.
"Understand, Mr. Chandler," said Lord Lucifer, "I'd help you if I could. I would very much enjoy working with a man of your abilities." He sighed. "I have no love for any human who has sold out to an alien race, and I would certainly like the opportunity to expand my operations to Hades itself, but there is simply no way you can succeed."
"You've never seen her," replied Chandler. "As far as I can tell, nobody on this world except me even knows what her abilities are. So why are you so afraid of her?"
"I know the power she wields," answered Lord Lucifer. "It is not necessary for me to know how she wields it."
"All right. Tell me about her power."
"The Democracy has never been stronger than it is right now, Mr. Chandler," said Lord Lucifer. "It is expanding in all directions, gobbling up worlds right and left. It was all set to assimilate Hades about fourteen years ago."
"Just a minute," interrupted Chandler. "I thought the Democracy had no interest in the Alpha Crepello system once the Ports were mined out."
"That's the official story. In point of fact, the Seventeenth Fleet was positioned to, shall we say, pacify the inhabitants of Hades. Then she showed up. I don't what she did, but suddenly the Fleet retreated and Hades was an independent world again. I also know that the Democracy has sent in five or six of their top operatives, and none of them has ever been heard from again." He took another sip of his brandy. "I don't have to know what her abilities are, Mr. Chandler. I know that she can hold the Democracy at bay, and that's good enough for me. In fact, I'm surprised they were able to convince you to come here."
"They didn't," answered Chandler. "I'm working for a private party."
"This Iceman you mentioned?"
Chandler nodded.
"Well, whatever he's paying you, it isn't enough." He took a puff of his cigar. "What have you actually accomplished tonight? You were fortunate enough not to die at dinner, and you've killed one of her operatives. And my answer to that is: so what? There are two hundred million more Blue Devils where Boma came from."
"But only one Oracle," said Chandler. "I wonder if it's possible to lure her away from Hades?"
"How?"
"I don't know yet. Perhaps by killing more of her operatives?"
Lord Lucifer shook his head. "I'm sure they're all expendable." He paused. "Why don't you just find some way to obliterate the whole damned planet and be done with it?"
"First, because contrary to what you may think, I'm not a genocidal maniac. And second, because my instructions are to kill her only if I can't bring her out."
"Bring her out?"
Chandler nodded. "She's a very valuable commodity. Nobody wants her dead—unless it looks like they can't have her any other way." He paused. "That's the real reason the Fleet backed off when she arrived. They didn't want to risk harming her."
"You've piqued my curiosity more in fourteen minutes than she has in fourteen years," said Lord Lucifer. "What is it about her that everyone wants? What powers does she have?"
"Just one: precognition."
"She sees the future?"
"As I understand it, she sees a number of futures, and by her actions she's able to bring about the one she wants."
"That's some talent!" said Lord Lucifer admiringly. "How do you approach someone who knows what you're going to do long before you yourself know?"
Chandler shrugged. "I suppose I've got to put her in a position where there are no viable futures."
"I don't see how you can do it from Port Marrakech."
"I know. They wouldn't give me permission to land on Hades, so I thought I might at least establish a valid reason for being here while I probed for weaknesses."
"So that's why you killed the Surgeon."
Chandler nodded. "If a killer comes to town, he'd better kill someone quick or people will wonder what he's doing here." He grimaced. "Obviously it didn't work." He paused, frowning. "At least, I don't think it did."
"You seem puzzled," noted Lord Lucifer.
"I am. If I fooled her, why did she try to kill me? And if she tried to kill me, why did she fail?"
"Ah!" said Lord Lucifer, his expression brightening. "So she does have her limitations! Obviously proximity has something to do with it. She could foresee that you eventually planned to kidnap or kill her, because that would involve your being in her presence—but she couldn't see what could happen here, some 300,000 miles away from Hades." He stared at Chandler. "You look unconvinced, Mr. Chandler. Why? It makes perfect sense to me."
"If she can't see what will happen on Port Marrakech, how did she even know I was here?"
"Perhaps in one of those futures in which you confront her, you tell her so, and she worked backward to try to kill you."
Chandler shook his head. "Boma was in place at the Green Diamond the day after I accepted the commission—and that took place a hell of a lot more than 300,000 miles from Hades."
"An interesting point," agreed Lord Lucifer.
They sat in silence, each sipping his drink, for a few moments.
"You're going to have to go to Hades, you know," said Lord Lucifer at last. "If she knows you're alive, she'll just keep making more attempts to kill you . . . and you'll never get her to come out to Port Marrakech."
"I know," said Chandler. "My immediate problem is getting there. Then I'll worry about approaching her."
"Oh, getting there is easy enough," answered Lord Lucifer expansively. "I'm not the Lord of the Underworld for nothing. But what you do once you get there—that's the problem."
"You know what I have do to."
"I'm not making myself clear. I can smuggle you down to Hades easily enough—there's a transport ship for Blue Devils every other day, and depending on how much money you can spread around, we can disguise you as a co-pilot or navigator, or at least hide you in the cargo hold—but if you have no official status, you'll be picked up the moment you show yourself." He shook his head. "No, let me think further on the matter. There's got to be a better way."
Chandler stared thoughtfully at his beer glass. "Why are you going to all this trouble for me?" he asked at last.
"First, because I like you," answered Lord Lucifer. "And second, because the sooner you leave, the sooner there is, shall we say, a power vacuum at the top of our profession here on Port Marrakech, one which I hope to fill myself."
"Are you a criminal kingpin, a killer, or what?"
"I am an opportunist," answered Lord Lucifer calmly. "The Surgeon's death and your departure present me with an opportunity."
"Whatever your reasons, I want to thank you for your help."
"My dear Mr. Chandler, I have every intention of letting you thank me in a substantial manner before you leave Port Marrakech for Hades."
"How much do you want, and when can I leave?"
"I don't know the answer to either question yet," admitted Lord Lucifer. He paused and stared at Chandler. "Getting you there will be my problem. Staying alive until then will be yours." He paused. "There are a lot of Blue Devils on Port Marrakech. If she tried to kill you once, she'll very likely try again."
Chandler got to his feet. "I'd better be getting back. When you're ready, leave a message for me at the Wolfman's."
"Not the Green Diamond?"
Chandler shook his head and grinned wryly. "I've lost my faith in their cuisine."
"Poor Charles! I hope he doesn't take it personally." Lord Lucifer suddenly arose. "I'd better escort you back," he said. "It will keep you from getting lost, and it might also add to the longevity of some of my more aggressive subordinates."
Lord Lucifer led the way through the labyrinth of ascending tunnels. Eventually they passed through the chamber where Chandler had killed Boris and his companions; nothing remained but a few bloodstains.
"Here we are," said Lord Lucifer, when they reached the small circular chamber beneath the manhole through which Chandler had entered. "Do you know your way from here?"
Chandler nodded. "Yes. My driver should be waiting for me at the Green Diamond."
"Maybe I'll walk over there with you," said Lord Lucifer suddenly. "I never did get around to having my dessert and coffee."
They emerged into the alleyway, then walked the two blocks to the restaurant.
"There's the landcar," said Chandler, gesturing the Gin's vehicle, which was parked near the door to the Green Diamond.
Gin saw Chandler approaching and got out to open the door for him. As Chandler reached the vehicle, Lord Lucifer's voice rang out.
"Chandler—watch out!"
Chandler hit the ground instantly, his projectile weapon already in his hand as he rolled over. Gin was slower in reacting, and screamed an instant later as a laser beam seared the flesh of his left shoulder.
Chandler fired at the source of the beam, and a body that had been hiding behind another vehicle fell heavily to the pavement.
"Thanks," said Chandler, getting to his feet and walking across to the corpse.
"Just dumb luck," answered Lord Lucifer, joining him. "If I'd been looking in any other direction, I'd never have seen the movement." He looked down at the body. It was a human male. "You've got more enemies than you thought, Mr. Chandler."
"You don't think he worked for the Oracle?" asked Chandler.
"If he did, he was the first human I've even known her to use."
Chandler crouched down and began going through the body's pockets. "Let's find out," he said.
He withdrew a ID packet, and frowned.
"You look troubled," commented Lord Lucifer.
"I am," said Chandler. He tossed the packet to Lord Lucifer. "He worked for the Democracy."
"So?"
"It was the Democracy that hired the Iceman to bring her out. I'm just the subcontractor."
"Then why did they try to kill you?"
"I don't know," answered Chandler. He frowned again. "Something's very wrong here."