Page 49 of Semblance

“Where?”

“It’s the more touristic centric region of Cambodia.”

“Oh,” I replied. “Right; I don’t know too much about the country aside from some crazy guy named Pot Pie who murdered millions of people.”

“Pol Pot,” Lincoln corrected me. “I guess Abraham gave you the twenty second verbal wiki.”

“He did,” I replied. “So what are you doing here? Are you going to be a third wheel on my date with Shadow?”

“Tempting, but sadly there’s work to be done,” Lincoln said. “I’m helping Abraham with some accounting issues before he can get his Cambodian businesses up and running.”

“So you’re one of the good guys as well.”

“Hardly,” Lincoln smiled. “But I have a hard time saying ‘no’ to the old man. After that it’s off to Japan for some Society business with James Takeshi, whom you met at Shadow’s birthday party.”

“Right, he was the owner of Takeshi Electronics.”

“One and the same.”

I paused for a moment, wondering if Lincoln would answer some burning questions I had about the Midnight Society. Ah fuck it; what did I have to lose?

“Who are you people?”

“We’re businessmen,” Lincoln replied.

“Why do I feel like the entire suit and tie image is a mask you wear,” I said. “I want to know more about the Midnight Society. Every time I ask Shadow or Abraham, they refuse to give me any information about it.”

“And what makes you think you can get information out of me?” Lincoln asked.

“How abouta good, old fashion barter?” I suggested. “I offer you some sort of payment and in return you provide me with the information I want.”

Lincoln chuckled at my proposal. “Sorry, not to sound like I’m on a golden horse, but I don’t think there’s anything of value that you could offer me in exchange. I swore a blood oath never to divulge any secrets to outsiders, and I take that blood oath very seriously.”

“I can give you information.”

Lincoln tapped his temple with his index finger and smiled. “There’s not much information that I haven’t digested already. I do have a good memory.”

“It’s not information you can get from reading a book,” I said. “I know that you have a thing for Calisto. At Shadow’s birthday party, I saw the way you hovered around Calisto for most of the night. I also know that she’s not your typical girl that you can easily figure out.”

“I guess I’m not as subtle as I thought myself to be,” Lincoln sighed.

“So here’s the deal. I’ll get closer to Calisto, find out what she wants in a man, feed you this information, and in return you answer my questions about the Society.”

Lincoln thought for a moment. “Three questions only,” he finally said.

“Agreed,” I nodded.

I extended my hand out to Lincoln and he gripped it with a firm handshake.

“Great. So I have my first question,” I said. Lincoln looked surprised.

“Now?”

“Yes. Consider it a deposit. If I’m going to be a spy, I’ll need some payment up front.”

Lincoln shrugged his shoulders. “Fine; What’s your question?”

“Why does Lucien hate Shadow so much?”

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