Read Emergence (Fox Meridian Book 5) for Free Online Page B

had become the ones people flocked to and the ‘perfect bands’ manufactured by media companies had fallen out of favour.
    The trio had obtained plastic tubes of light beer and located a band doing a rock set on a stage not too far from the looming countdown clock at the northern end of the square when Fox heard the voice behind her.
    ‘Hey! Stuff this bad always sounds better on a little Bliss.’
    Fox turned and had to look down to see a little man in a luminescent green poncho who immediately flashed a small plastic bag at her. She recognised the contents: small pills, brightly coloured, like sweets. Bliss. It had an effect similar to cannabis, but it hooked you faster and stronger and, since it was synthesised rather than grown, it was easier to produce.
    Shrugging, Fox asked, ‘What else you got?’
    The little man’s eyes flicked over Sam and Marie, who were now also looking his way. ‘Got some Harmony. Got a little Kiss and some Cupie if you want to see the New Year in with a real bang.’
    ‘Interesting,’ Fox said. And then the man’s head was snapped back on his neck as Fox drove the heel of her hand up into his jaw. He blinked at her. His knees buckled and he would have fallen if Fox had not grabbed his arm, twisted him around, and pulled him up again.
    He let out a squeal of protest. ‘Hey! You better let me go or–’
    A wall of blue-and-white armour appeared in front of him and he stopped speaking instantly. Fox was expecting to have to explain herself, but what actually happened was that one of the officers cracked open his dome-like helmet and said, ‘Inspector? Didn’t expect to see you here.’
    ‘It’s not “inspector” any more, Grodin,’ Fox told him, ‘but thanks for remembering me.’
    ‘What’ve you got?’ Grodin asked, looking down at the dealer.
    ‘He’s hawking Cupie. He’s got some other shit on him, but I’d have just told him to fuck off if it wasn’t for the Cupie.’
    Grodin sniffed. ‘Ed Wuss. This’ll be your third bust, Ed. Better hope you don’t get a female judge.’
    ‘Oh…’ Fox shook her head in mock sorrow. ‘Third time and carrying Cupie… Next time you see that ball drop, Ed, it’ll be next century.’ She pushed Wuss toward the two officers. ‘All yours.’
    ‘They were quick getting here,’ Marie commented when Wuss had been dragged away, protesting his innocence the whole time.
    ‘Yeah,’ Fox agreed, ‘faster than I thought, but not surprising. NAPA watch this event pretty closely. If you slap someone on the back too hard, you’ll have uniforms telling you to calm it down before you’ve stopped laughing.’
    ‘So, when you hit him, you knew you’d have people coming to see what was happening?’
    ‘Uh-huh.’
    ‘There was a mass brawl here about a decade ago,’ Sam said. ‘Since then, NAPA have cracked down on any kind of violence very rapidly.’
    ‘Plus, if Ed there had been selling Titan, they’d have thrown the entire legal code at him. They only allow alcohol sales here because people would just smuggle the stuff in if they banned drinking.’
    ‘Oh…’ Marie said, frowning. She shook her head and turned back to the band. ‘Anyway, that guy was obviously tone deaf. This lot aren’t bad.’
    ‘I’ve heard a lot worse. Huh, did you know Nishi Sakura is doing concerts in New York soon?’
    ‘Oh yeah. Sold out concerts. Her new album’s the pearl, seriously. It might even be better than Songs on the Wind .’
    ‘You’re a fan?’
    ‘Uh-huh. Never been to one of her concerts though. They’re supposed to be amazing .’
    ‘Palladium is doing the security for them this time around.’
    Marie’s head flicked around. ‘Lucky! I suppose you’d be working, but–’
    Fox grinned at her. ‘I’m not needed. It’s all Ryan’s baby. No need for a detective at a thing like that.’
    ‘Oh… Okay…’ Marie turned to Sam. ‘You don’t mind if I seduce Ryan to get into a Nishi Sakura concert, do you?’
    Sam pursed his