The Sheriff of Yrnameer Read Online Free

been processed,” said the blob. “I’m Joshua.”
    Cole blinked his one blinkable eye, and the blob gradually coalesced into what indeed appeared to be an appropriate assignee for the name Joshua: a youth, human, perhaps sixteen years old, kneeling next to Cole and peering down at him with an expression of earnest concern.
    Cole couldn’t for the life of him figure out what such a youth would be doing in this area of InVestCo 3 at this hour, or at any hour, really. Then Cole couldn’t figure out what he himself was doing there. Then he remembered, and the part of his brain that makes one try to sit up too soon after being knocked out took control. Cole got as far as engaging his stomach muscles, then groaned and sank back down.
    “Is he gone?” he asked.
    “Who, sir?” said Joshua, his Who, sir? solving the earlier mystery of who the sir was. Cole realized he was chuckling. “Heh heh,” he said, and patted Joshua weakly on the arm. “That’s just adorable.”
    “I think you shouldn’t move, sir. You must have had an accident or something.”
    “I had a Kenneth.”
    Joshua didn’t seem to notice. He was scanning the alley nervously. “The distress monitors must have registered it,” he said. “Someone will be here for you soon.”
    Cole didn’t have the strength to explain about the deactivated monitors.
    Joshua’s worried expression grew more so. “I can’t stay. I’m sorry. The others … I have a responsibility to them. I’m sorry.”
    He rose to his feet.
    “I’m sorry,” he repeated.
    Cole listened to Joshua retreating down the alleyway, finally breaking into a run. Then Cole dropped off again.
    When Cole woke up again it was still night.
    He emitted a few experimental groans, which went well enough that he graduated to some profanity. His leg, where Kenneth had been holding him, was numb. His skull hurt, but didn’t have any suspicious soft divots. His right eye was still locked wide open in aposition of perpetual astonishment. He wondered how he’d managed to remain unconscious like that. He used his fingers to pull his eyelids closed, trying to moisten his desiccated eyeball. His eyelids snapped open again with each try.
    He got to his feet, a slow process that involved more moaning and profanity. It wasn’t until he was standing that he noticed the money. He stared at it for a few moments in surprise—for one thing, it was still there. For another, it was now stacked in neat little piles. Cole started chuckling again.
    Cole lurched and stumbled along the sidewalk of the Bourse, his right leg still asleep, his eye still wide awake. What was it he had promised Kenneth? Right: to get the money, and not to run away. Right.
    “Gotta run away,” he slurred as he dragged himself along. “Gotta get out of here. Find Samantha, find Tangy, get the hell off this stupid rock. What are you looking at?!”
    Even at this time of night the area was still crowded with business creatures of every species, stuffed into their suits, clutching their briefcases, pretending they didn’t notice Cole as they made their way to or from their offices. The InVestCo planets were never closed for business.
    He checked his watch. Five hours until dawn. Plenty time enough to make the rendezvous with Samantha and Tangy and get to the ship. He just had to reach them. Everything would be all right when he reached them.
    Personal pop-ups swarmed around him, the tiny holograms moving with his uneven stride, their voices demanding his attention.
    “Eye trouble? Maybe you should visit Dr. Bizmore,” suggested one.
    “Please take me off your list,” mumbled Cole.
    “Hey, pal, looks like
you
need to do some
laundry
.”
    “Please take me off your list.”
    “Hair a mess? Try—”
    “Need a drink? Why not head to—”
    “Need cash quick? Call—”
    “Moist genitals!”
    “Please take me off your list. Take me off your list. Take me off. Your. List.”
    He had to update his blockers.
    “Need to update your