”Found it in the Neo Edo’s safe. There’s some amazing stuff in that safe.”
Sven laughed darkly. “I’ll just bet there is.” He set the gladius aside and leaned back. “If it was just the Kid, I’d tell you to get the hell out of here.” He held Kit’s gaze. “You really want to teach the kid that bad?”
”Yes, I do,” Kit said quietly. “If I thought there was a way out of it …but I haven’t found one yet. I want her to have a fighting chance.”
Sven shook his head. “A woman scout. And a raw kid, at that. My friend, you’re crazy.” He gave Kit a lopsided smile. “But then, we always knew that. All right. I’ll do it. And Kit — keep the Musashi. God knows, I owe you a couple of favors here and there. Just let me look at it now and again and we’ll call it even.”
Kit, who couldn’t have taken the priceless Musashi sword-guard back up time in any case, decided he’d just found Sven’s next birthday present `hanks, buddy.”
”Sure. Any time you want to go off the deep end, you just let me know. When do you want her to start?”
”Any time you’re ready.”
Sven sighed. “Well, hell, I guess that’s now. Have you eaten dinner?”
Kit shook his head “No, and I suspect Margo’s half starved. Why don’t I call and see if the Delight has a table open?”
”Sounds good to me. I’ll meet you upstairs as soon as I finish locking up down here.”
The Epicurean Delight’s decor reflected its location in Urbs Romae: mosaic floors, frescoed walls (some of them painted by a muralist who’d spent a year down time studying with ancient master artists), and tables interspersed with genuine Roman-style dinner couches for those with the desire to eat lying down. Live music was provided by an accomplished lyrist dressed in Greek slave’s robes. The waiting staff, too, dressed as well liveried slaves. The evening’s clientele boasted six instantly recognizable millionaires, one anonymous Japanese billionaire and his current mistress, a member of Great Britain’s House of Lords and his current mistress, and three world-famous actresses who chatted animatedly about the down-time research they planned to do in London for their next film.
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