"Unless she gets lost."
"She won't. There are markers pointing to the outlets. How about a
drink? I could use one."
Scowling, Brown nodded and pushed Garth into the truck. "I bunk in
here, with the Commander. You'll have to find a place with the men,
somewhere. Oh, by the way--" He pushed folded slips into Garth's hand.
"Here's the rest of that forty. And here's a drink."
Garth gulped brandy better than any he had tasted in years. He didn't
bother with a glass. Brown watched him with an almost imperceptible
curl of the lip.
"Thanks.... When do I get that ten thousand?"
"When we're back here. I don't trust you quite enough to let you have
it now."
Garth wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, considered, and
drank again. "I won't run out on you. You're after that Ancients'
power-source, aren't you?"