to remember to look out for my own interests."

"You're looking pleased with yourself," Cat said, materializing at his side.

"Cat! Hey! Good to see you! I was starting to think I had lost you for good."

In fact, Aquint hadn't seen Cat since the night he told him about his transfer to Sook. The next morning his young friend had vanished, and Aquint had actually started to wonder if their partnership had been severed as quickly and wordlessly as it had formed.

"Thought I'd run on ahead and get a feel for the place."

Cat shrugged. "Camping out with the army types is one thing, but you and I know cities. The more you can find out about a new city, the better off you'll be in the long run."

"Excellent," Aquint said, nodding almost to himself. "That will fit in nicely."

"Nicely with what? And you still haven't told me why you're grinning like someone who just beat the taxman." "We've got a potentially sweet deal going here, Cat m'lad," Aquint said. "I may actually start enjoying being in the army."

Cat slowed his pace and peered at his elder. "Don't tell me you're letting this officer thing go to your head," he said with his normal accusatory disapproval. "What happened to 'keep our heads down and serve our time'?"

"Not to worry." Aquint waved. "What I'm saying is that we may be able to go back into our old business right under the army's nose." "How do you figure that?"

"They've got me working a warehouse," Aquint explained. "What's more, the operation has been suffering a. ten-percent loss to pilferage."

"That's high." Cat frowned. "Sounds like someone already has an operation set up."

"That's what it sounds like to me," Aquint said. "And get this, the officer in charge used to be a shopkeeper. You know how easy those types were to flimflam." "So how do we figure into this?" "Already in motion," Aquint said. "I'm going to be

heading up the investigation to deal with the problem. Working undercover, of course."

Cat's mouth curled into a smirk.

"Sort of a 'set a poacher to catch a poacher' deal, huh?"

"It would be, except all he knows is that I used to run a freight business," Aquint grinned. "It's actually more like setting a weasel to guard a henhouse. I figure we can cut ourselves in on whatever action we uncover, and end up getting paid from both ends."

"It could work," Cat said thoughtfully. "Might be a little risky, though."

"That's why I have you, my young shadow-loving friend," Aquint said, draping his arm across Cat's shoulders as they resumed their walk. "Now help me here. That fellow we worked with in Callah ... the fat slob with the bad teeth ... didn't he have a cousin or something that was his contact here in Sook?"

THE DINING ROOM of the inn was furnished with modest but clean and sturdy tables and chairs and had large shuttered windows that opened onto the street for light and ventilation. Aquint could not help but think as he entered the room with Cat that it was not at all the seedy den of thieves one would think of when meeting with a black marketeer. It was midday, but the place was barely half full, making Aquint suspect either the quality of the food or inflated prices. Cat did not hesitate, but immediately led the way to a medium-sized table near the far wall, where a stocky man in merchant's garb was dining alone.

"Vahnka, this is Aquint, the man I was telling you about," he said without preamble.

The man briefly ran his eyes over Aquint. If he was surprised at the Felk army uniform, he gave no indication.

"Please, join me, gentlemen," he said, gesturing to the empty seats at his table. "So. The lad here tells me that you know my cousin Tyber up in Callan. You know, I've always envied that grink his looks. Tell me, is he still married to that little redhead?"

Aquint looked at him levelly.

"The Tyber I worked with is built like a toad with pimples and bad teeth. I don't believe he's ever been married. In fact, from what I heard, his tastes run more to young boys."

"Too true," Vahnka said, mopping up some gravy with a butt of bread. His rustic Sook accent was mild. "He's always been a bit of an embarrassment to the family. Still, he has a good business head on his shoulders."

"Testing me?" Aquint said. "Is that really necessary? You've got at least three men in the room ready to step in if I try anything."

Vahnka paused in his eating to peer at Aquint.

"You spotted them?"

"Haven't bothered to try," Aquint said with a shrug. "It's a precaution I would have taken if I were meeting with someone I didn't know. I just assumed that you'd do the same."

"Quite right," Vahnka said, returning to his meal. "Still, one can't be too careful these days. So, I'm told you have a proposition for me. Are you buying or selling?"

"First, I have a question," Aquint said. "Are you handling the merchandise that's being lifted from the army warehouses?"

Vahnka peered at him carefully. .

"Pretending for the moment that I know what you're talking about," he said, "why should I admit any involvement to you?"

"Because if you aren't the outside man in that operation, we can end this conversation now, and I'll keep looking for the person that is," Aquint said. "If you are, then we might be able to do some business together. As a token of good faith, I'll give you some inside information right now. For free."

"Free information is usually like free advice," Vahnka said. "More often than not, it's worth its price. I'll listen, though."

"Whoever is the outside man needs to find a new inside contact," Aquint said. "The one they've got now is sloppy." "How so?"

"He's been lifting too much too often," Aquint said. "Sook has only been occupied a short period of time, and the army has already gotten wind of that pilferage operation and has assigned a special officer to go undercover to investigate it."

Vahnka leaned back in his seat. "That is an interesting bit of news," he said. "Of course, we already know all the officers in the local garrison so Whoever they assign will have trouble conducting his investigation unnoticed. Still, if it's true, it would be an inconvenience. How did you come by this information?"

"Because I'm the officer," Aquint said with a smile. "Don't let the enlisted man's uniform fool you. I'm newly assigned and newly promoted. I've only been in Sook since yesterday, so I'm not known locally. That and my previous experience with warehouses made me a natural choice."

"So you've decided to try your hand at crime," Vahnka said, thoughtfully.

"More like continue it," Aquint said. "My warehouse operation in Callah had several sidelines the authorities knew nothing of. That's how I came to know Tyber." "So, what exactly is your proposal?" Aquint gave a small shrug. "I should think it's obvious. I think it would be best for all concerned if I became your new inside man. Once I've gained a reputation for my honesty, I'll be able to provide you with information on all supplies arriving or departing, so that we wouldn't have to rely on simple pilferage. That is, if your contacts are reliable."

"Assume we have the contacts," Vahnka waved. "But going back to something you said, how exactly do you plan to establish your honesty?"

"By exposing the existing operation and reducing the level of pilferage to a fraction of what it is now."

"Forgive me for being slow," Vahnka said with a frown, "but how can reducing the level of pilferage increase our profits?"

"By using the information I have at my disposal to target those items that are of the greatest value. That way we can skim the cream and not bother with the low-profit dregs. Just out of curiosity, what items are most in demand right now?"

Vahnka laughed. "That's easy. Weapons and armor. Every paltry state in the south is short of almost everything needed to equip an effective fighting force. They want that gear. They know the Felk are coming. Whether they can or will put up a fight remains to be seen. Right now they're just a separated,