Asa shrugged.
“And the real estate,” Sisko went on. “Buildings in Manhattan, penthouse apartments, mansions in Malibu, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Chicago, Boulder, Boca Raton. Bank accounts, stock portfolios, brokerage accounts, offshore accounts, foreign properties. And I liked your algorithms. There’s some good work there. ”
Asa’s jaw sagged. “Holy shit,” he said. “I don’t know whether to kill you or offer you a job.”
“Neither,” Sisko said. “I won’t let you kill me and I’m not looking for work right now. But if you need a consultant later, when things calm down, I’d tweak that latest algo to increase precision and speed. I’m expensive, though. Be warned.”
“I’ll think about it.” Asa turned back to Noah. “There’s the matter of payment.”
“Money is no object,” Noah said.
“It isn’t an issue for me, either,” Asa said. “That’s not the point. Although I will expect a huge advance. Upfront expenses, that kind of thing.”
“Anything else?”
Asa’s mouth curved in a thin smile. “Yes. If you want to take advantage of my cred and my resources, you have to give me something that I give a shit about. Aside from money. I have plenty of that.”
Noah waited. “What do you want?”
Asa’s eyes glittered. “Depends on what you’ve got.”
The three of them stared at him, blank.
Asa made an impatient sound. “Don’t insult my intelligence. There’s a crucial detail that you all left out. What’s in the safe? And what’s my cut?”
The pause was glaringly awkward. “Nothing of monetary value,” Noah said.
“I didn’t ask what it’s worth,” Asa said. “I asked what it is. What it’s worth is based on a constantly shifting set of relationships between who wants it, why they want it, how badly they want it, and the extent of their resources. Calculating that value is my thing. I’m very good at it.” He tapped impatiently on the table. “So what’s in it?”
No one answered him. Asa leaned forward. “Understand this,” he said softly. “I owe you nothing, and I will not be your tool. Do not fuck with me.”
A muscle pulsed in Noah’s jaw. He hesitated so long, Caro had almost concluded that he had decided not to speak at all.
“Obsidian has made a new generation of genetically and technologically enhanced supersoldiers,” Noah said finally. “More powerful than in our day, according to Mark. Their memories were suppressed. They’ve been folded back into normal civilian life until they’re called for. That safe holds their control frequencies and activation codes. All twelve hundred of them.” He gestured toward Caro. “And she set the code.”
Asa’s eyes widened. “She’s the only one who can open it?”
Noah nodded.
Asa whistled. “Control of twelve hundred cyborg supersoldiers? I could monetize the living fuck out of that.”
“No,” Caro snapped. “Absolutely not. Nobody will do that.”
They looked at her, startled at her vehemence. “Why not?” Asa asked.
“They’re slaves. If you even have to ask, then you’re so far gone you wouldn’t understand my answer anyway,” she retorted. “Those twelve hundred people are human beings.”
Asa made a noncommittal sound. “Worth saving?” he murmured. “I’ll do what I can. But they’d be a hell of a lot better off monetized by me than by Obsidian.”
“The slave soldiers aren’t part of the bargain,” Caro said. “Now or ever.”
“Who even asked you, sweetheart?” Asa sounded only mildly curious.
“I’m not your sweetheart,” Caro said coldly. “And I have the brainwaves that open the safe. That makes it my call.”
Asa’s eyebrow tilted up, genuinely startled. “You talk tough for someone who needs a life or death favor.”
“You could help us to help them,” she said. “You’ve got the resources.”
Asa held up his hand. “Count me out. That would wreck my image of selfish villainy, and isn’t that what you needed from me in the first place? I’m sure you guys can figure out how to redeem the twelve hundred without me.”
“Let’s hope so,” Noah said. “Selling them is not an option. But we still need your help.”
Asa rolled his eyes. “Fine. Wouldn’t want to compromise your principles. If you’re not going to split that ocean of profits, what else can you offer to tempt me?”
Noah hesitated for a long moment. “I can’t interest you in a simple, straightforward contract? Monetary payment for services rendered?”
“Nah,” Asa said. “Boring. Come on, big brother. It’s been thirteen years. Thrill me. You guys have special abilities, right? Genetically enhanced this, tech-augmented that? I might find it handy to call in favors from people like that from time to time. Things come up all the time.”
Noah shook his head. “I can’t speak for the rest of the—”