"Goodnight, R.K.," I said. "It was real."
He put his hand on my shoulder, "You're a great boy, Manny. I've been hearing a lot of nice things about you."
It was coming.
"I do as well as I can," I said modestly.
"I know that," he said, pompous and serious as an old gibbon. "I keep an eye on people. I'd like you to have lunch with me sometime."
In a way, I wished I could work for him. He was heading Up, but def. Myron was right, though. Renn would hire me just to get me away from Stupendous, then pigeon-hole me because he wouldn't be able to trust me.
I let my mouth flop open for just a second. "Why—I'd be delighted. How about tomorrow?"
"Love it, but I'm leaving tomorrow. Let's make it in about a month."
I must have looked surprised, and he said, "We're going back to Mars, you know. Some of the cast liked it so much—may even want to live there. I'm traveling up with them. The government has another ship going—they've been most accommodating."
Him and his fancy wire-pulling.