“Help yourself,” Chen said. “You are clearly much hungrier than I am.”
Evan grinned as he helped himself to a handful of Chen's fries.
“Hey, what do you expect? It's hard work moving into a new body.”
Evan slurped his shake. “Plus, I think my hunpo has a monster sweet tooth.”
CHAPTER 16
APRIL 4, 2075 11:30 PM GST
Klaproth Spaceport
Luna
After separating from the group, Yin quickly made her way across the market area to one of the side tunnels that led to the outer docking ring. Chen had filled her in on his plan during the transit to Luna and it was up to her to make sure that there were no more unplanned diversions. Her objective was to meet up with one of Gbadamosi’s men who, she had been assured, would help them get off Luna within the next twenty-four hours. She only hoped that they had that much time.
The holodisplay at the entrance to the tunnel projected a friendly looking female face and asked, “Destination?”
“Docking ring C, gate three,” Yin replied.
A map of the station appeared, showing Yin’s current location and a highlighting the path to her requested destination.
“Please proceed along the designated path.”
“Thank you,” Yin replied as she headed down the tunnel toward the first intersection.
As she walked along the tunnel, she noticed yellow dots appearing on the floor in front of her, guiding her way. When she came to the intersection, a yellow arrow appeared on the floor directing her to take the left passageway.
There were a few others walking the hallways, but it didn’t appear that they had colored dots and arrows guiding them.
They must know where they are going, Yin mused.
As she approached the entrance to docking ring C, Yin got the feeling she was being followed. She scanned the area and, although there were a few people passing through, nobody stood out. But her years as a GFN Peacekeeper had taught Yin to trust her instincts. She decided better safe than sorry and abruptly changed direction toward docking ring B.
As she walked, she slid a small plastic container from a pocket on the left arm of her jumpsuit. She pushed a tiny knob on the top of the container and a button-sized disk slid out into her palm. As she ducked around a corner, she tossed the disk in the air and it quietly flew up to the ceiling.
The mini-drone was connected to Yin's optical implant, and it sent her data about her environment and everything in it. Yin noticed a restroom sign up ahead and moved calmly toward it. As she continued down the hallway, she ordered her drone to monitor the area around her for 30 meters in all directions and it flew off to begin its scan. Once inside the restroom, Yin checked for other people and, finding none, ducked into the nearest stall.
Her implants allowed her to see and hear everything the drone observed while simultaneously viewing the drone’s other sensor data. The drone completed its initial scan and report in the short time it took her to get to the restroom.
Atmosphere normal, no contaminates or toxins detected.
No other drones or airborne nanites detected.
Multiple scanners embedded in the hallway walls, floor and ceiling.
Six unidentified targets in search area.
Four of the targets were continuing down the tunnel but two, one male and one female, were standing at the end of the hallway ten meters from the restroom door.
“Got you,” Yin mouthed as she ordered the drone to run a full scan.
A few seconds passed before she had the loiterers’ names and occupations. As she suspected, both were GFN Peacekeepers. They were members of Epsilon Six, an elite special operations team that specialized in off-Earth missions. Her AI identified the male as Petty Officer Second Class Tadeas Durand and the female as Petty Officer First Class Marcia Bianchi. They had arrived on Luna roughly three hours ago, along with a contingent of ten other Peacekeepers.
Well, they’re definitely not rookies, Yin thought. I wish I had something more than a surveillance drone on hand. I’ve got maybe thirty seconds more before they come in here looking for me.
Yin left the stall and started looking for another way out of the restroom. There was one small vent in the roof but even if she could reach it, she would never fit through it.
Oh well, the direct approach it is then.
Yin set her drone to orbit the Peacekeepers at a distance of ten meters, hopefully far enough out they won’t notice but close enough to listen in on whatever they might say to each other.
She washed her hands and face to keep up the I have to go to the bathroom charade before heading back out into the hallway. The Peacekeepers walked toward her, but they moved casually and acted uninterested in her.
Let’s see how this plays, Yin thought as she moved to the side to let them pass.
The Peacekeepers continued down the hall toward docking ring B while Yin moved the opposite direction, toward docking ring C.
So, they are here to observe only. I can work with that.
Yin picked up her pace a little as the little yellow dots on the floor once again guided her to her final destination. The video feed from her drone showed that the Peacekeepers had walked only a few steps past the restroom before turning back to follow her.
I wonder why they don’t have drones out yet? They must have tapped into the station security grid and are watching me that way. I bet that changes when they decide it’s time to take me.
Yin overlaid the station map on her right eye to confirm where she was and how much further she had to go.
A little over a hundred meters to go. They probably want to grab me and my contact at the same time. That can’t happen.
With her left eye, Yin checked her drone’s data feed to confirm that the Peacekeepers still followed her. Satisfied they were still at a safe distance, she focused on the station map in her right eye.
I need a blind spot.
Yin zoomed in on docking ring C looking for any place she might shake the peacekeepers. But, other than another restroom, a utility closet and a couple of maintenance hatches, there was only straight tunnel between her and her contact.
She closed the map so she could focus her attention on the tunnel ahead and quickened her pace. Her only hope was to get them as they came out of the tunnel behind her but, if they were monitoring station security feeds, they would probably spot her the minute she stepped to either side of the exit.
Yin checked the drone feed and noted that her pursuers were matching her pace and closing. They were now only twelve meters behind her.
I’ve got one chance at this.
As Yin approached the end of the tunnel, she recalled her drone so it hovered over her head. As an unarmed surveillance drone it was limited in what it could do, but it did have a built-in holoprojector. She normally used the projector to display surveillance data and images to someone without implants. The resolution wasn’t as good as a full-size projector but it might buy her a few seconds of surprise if she timed it right. She quickly queued up a command sequence and instructed the drone to stand by.
The Peacekeepers were only five meters behind her now and closing quickly. Yin saw Durand pull his weapon from his holster just as she activated the pre-programmed command sequence. The drone emitted a bright flash and Yin disappeared, at least from the Peacekeepers’ point of view—the drone's projector having created the illusion of a now empty hallway. This gave Yin the time she needed to duck to the right side of the doorway without being seen.
Peacekeeper Durand entered the hallway still disoriented from the flash. Yin grabbed his right arm and wrist and stomped hard on his right foot. She pivoted her body across his, locking his arm with her elbow. Yin pointed his hand, along with the weapon it held, toward peacekeeper Bianchi and pressed the firing stud. A burst of blue energy engulfed Bianchi, and she crashed hard to the floor.
Yin spun around and kneed Durand in the groin as she stepped around him, twisting his arm behind his back as s
he moved. As his hand approached the back of his head, he reflexively released his grip on his weapon. Yin stepped back and kicked him hard in the tailbone, sending him flying face first across the hallway. She thumbed the firing stud before he hit the floor—the blue flash again reassuring her that the weapon was set to stun and not to kill.
Red means dead, she recalled the words she had heard so often during basic training.
“Well done,” a voice echoed from the docking ring hallway to Yin’s left.
Yin raised her weapon toward the sound but didn’t pull the trigger.
A tall, dark-skinned man stepped forward with both of his hands behind his back as though he were inspecting a new cadet at the academy.
“I hope you don’t plan on shooting me because if you do then I won’t be able to get you out of here,” he said.
Yin lowered her weapon. “Sorry, Adee, you surprised me.”
Adekunle Gbadamosi smiled and brought his hands from behind his back, the left holding a gun identical to Yin’s.
“Of course, and one can never be too careful,” he said.
He slipped the gun into the holster on his left thigh as he closed the distance between them.
“It’s good to see you again, Yin, it’s been way too long. Although…I am surprised to see you here. Doctor Hao said your job ended planet side.”
“Unfortunate change of plans. I got identified in Xi’an and I didn’t want to hang around to see what they’d do if they caught me.”
“Well, that is unfortunate. The good news is that I have room for one more and you are more than welcome to come along,” he said extending his hand to hers.
Yin let him take her hand and laughed as he bent over to kiss it.
“Oh Adee, you always were the charmer, weren’t you?”
“Only when in the presence of beauty such as yours,” he replied as he released her hand.
Yin had met Adekunle Gbadamosi, otherwise known as “Adee” to his closest friends, nearly two decades ago when she was stationed on Mars. This was long before he built his own private fleet of space ships but well after he had made his first fortune on Luna. They happened to both be in the same bar one evening (which wasn’t an uncommon happenstance back then because the Mars spaceport had only one bar) and one thing led to the next and they ended up dating for about six months before she got recalled to Earth. They had seen each other here and there a few times since but they both knew that their relationship would never be more than one of convenience. Adee was a sworn, lifelong bachelor and Yin ended up marrying another guy.
“As much as I’d love to stand here and let you flatter me, we should probably move before company arrives.”
“Don’t worry, I reprogrammed the security grid in this docking ring so they can’t see us. Although,” Adee glanced toward the downed Peacekeepers, “those two probably have friends looking for them.”
“Yep, at least ten more based on their arrival logs,” Yin said.
“Interesting. Six are on my ship lying in wait for you so that leaves four more wandering around the station somewhere.
“On your ship? Why did you let them on your ship?”
“Well, my dear, if I hadn’t let them on, then I probably wouldn’t be standing here right now talking to you, would I? And instead of having a dozen peacekeepers to deal with, this station would be crawling with hundreds.”
He gave her a familiar grin and winked. “Don’t worry though. The six Peacekeepers on my ship will not be a problem but I am afraid we will have to push up our timetable if we are going to get out of orbit without a fight.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“No, I was hoping Doctor Hao had one. Will he be along soon with his fellow passenger?”
“Well, that’s another problem. Administrator Nayak detained them as soon as we stepped off the ship. I am supposed to let you know we will be delayed and then meet them back at the administrator’s office.”
Gbadamosi frowned. “Well, now that is unfortunate.”
“I don’t suppose we can just bust them out of here?” Yin asked.
“Smuggle them out, maybe. Bust them out, not likely. That would take more weapons and manpower than we have at our disposal.”
“So, what do you propose, Adee? I know you always have a backup plan.”
Adee grinned. “Let’s do this…you go back to the administrator’s office and tell them you couldn’t find me. I will clean this mess up and see if I can’t figure out a way to get you three out of here without raising too much of a ruckus.”
Yin nodded her approval.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” she said, “Chen asked me to give this to you.”
Yin handed him the data cube.
“Thanks, I’ll make sure this gets relayed to Mars as soon I get back to my ship.”
“You know what’s on it?”
“No, but I assume it’s something important since he went to the trouble to deliver it personally.”
Yin threw her arms around Adee’s neck and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks, Adee, I know we can count on you.”
“No promises that this will go easy but I am sure I can come up with something. Now you better get going before they come looking for you.”
“Okay, see you soon…and thanks again.”
Yin retrieved the drone hovering just above her and started back the direction she had come.
Adee called after her. “The station’s scanners will pick you up when you turn the corner, so act normal.”
Yin spun around revealing a wide grin on her face. “Now Adekunle Gbadamosi, when have you ever known me to act normal?”
“Good point. How about be careful then?”
“I’ll try,” as she continued down the hallway. “But no promises.”
CHAPTER 17
APRIL 5, 2075 12:20 AM GST
GSSA Headquarters
Zurich, Switzerland
Dianne Merkel intended to go home and get some sleep but she was just too worked up over the Telogene matter and her mind refused to quiet long enough for her to get any rest. She forced herself to take a thirty-minute power nap after the executive council meeting concluded but that hadn’t helped much either. So, she resolved herself to another twenty-four hours without sleep and took her third dose of stimulant. She took some comfort in knowing this was the last dose she could take and that by this time tomorrow she would be sleeping regardless of what else went wrong between now and then.
The holodisplay in front of her contained a summary of the events of the last two days, including details of how Doctor Hao escaped and an assessment of the fugitive’s likely objectives. Doctor Hao’s ingenuity, skill and tenacity were impressive, so she wasn't shocked to learn that he had bribed a GeoNet flight controller, one Zan Yun Zhao, to assist in their off-world escape.
The good doctor had apparently convinced Zhao to add the Telogene shuttle to the GeoNet’s classified flight database and provide him with the AI response codes necessary to avoid raising suspicion. Once tagged as a classified flight, the craft’s location and flight path would not be logged or relayed per the standard protocols, which made it effectively invisible to the GFN drones dispatched to intercept them.
The master AI that managed all global air traffic periodically challenged the shuttle’s status as a classified flight and allowed it to continue so long as the ship’s onboard AI responded with the appropriate authorization codes, which it did until the craft was well outside of the Earth’s atmosphere.
Dianne had issued an arrest warrant for Zhao hours ago but thus far they had no luck finding him either. Her agents were investigating any links between Doctor Hao and the controller but found nothing other than a large fund transfer from Doctor Hao’s personal bank account on Earth to an account on Mars back in March. She tried seizing the funds but the Mars account was emptied three days ago with no record of who withdrew the money or where it went.
That wasn’t the worst of it though. Even more worrisome was the assessme
nt of Doctor Hao’s objectives and the tactical analysis of his chance of success. The GSSA agents working the case gave Doctor Hao and his co-conspirators a better than ninety percent change of achieving their objectives if they got off of Luna. And, given the poor state of diplomatic relations between GFN and the colonies, it was fifty-fifty at best that President Duchon would hand them over without a fight.
In addition, Dianne’s team of investigators discovered that Adekunle Gbadamosi and Lily Harris were close friends at one time. The rumor was that Lily had secretly funded Gbadamosi’s asteroid belt mining venture and possibly even sold him restricted Telogene technology. What technology and to what purpose no one knew, and no hard evidence ever surfaced to prove that the transaction had taken place. But given his rather timely appearance it was clear to Dianne that there was a connection.
These people have thought of everything. How long have they been planning this? What is their end game? They must not get off Luna, no matter what!
Dianne gestured at her holodisplay and Christian’s face appeared a few seconds later.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“I need to speak with the E-Six team commander…now,” she demanded.
“Of course, I will contact Captain Bachmann immediately.”
“No, I don’t want to talk to the Captain. I want to talk to Epsilon Six directly.”
Christian stared at her.
“I…I don’t think I understand, ma’am,” he said. “Protocol dictates that all orders to the recovery team come from Captain Bachmann and…”
“Stop right there, Christian. I know you’re only looking out for me so I will let this insubordination go. But if you don’t get me on the line with the ground commander in the next two minutes I will have to reconsider that decision. Are we clear?”
“Yes, Madame Secretary. Please stand by.”
Dianne knew that Christian was correct, she had no business contacting Epsilon Six, and the orders she was about to give contravened the GFN chain of command. But she had to act before the fugitives made good their escape.
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