Harry accepted the drive and nodded. “You’ll receive it as soon as I verify the information. Can we have some privacy, please?”
Hexen stood. “Of course. I have to be elsewhere anyway.” He indicated the desk. “Feel free to use the computer to verify the information before you leave.”
Harry sat at the desk after the Ixtali broker left. He inserted the drive and opened the contents. “There’s not much here. No names, no locations. Where is Hexen? Has he left the building already?”
Achronyx?
Hexen left immediately and is currently in a transport which has filed a route plan ending on the top level.
What’s up there?
It is the most heavily-shielded part of the outpost.
You can’t scan it, can you?
No, Achronyx admitted. But we may be able to find out by other means.
Tabitha’s gaze alighted on the computer as he spoke. Great minds, Achronyx.
Tabitha used a thumb and forefinger to remove Harry from the chair by his ear and sat down to work. “Information might be your thing, but computers are mine. Hexen is going to be sorry he let me within sniffing distance of his secrets.” She cracked her knuckles and began to type.
Hirotoshi poked his head in through the door almost half an hour later. “How much longer, Kemosabe?”
Tabitha looked up from the screen. “Are you psychic or something?” She stretched her fingers. “You’re right on time. We have a name.”
Harry leaned over her shoulder to get a look. “Well, I’ll be a motherfucker.”
Tabitha looked up at Harry and reached back to push him away with a hand to his face when she saw how close he was. “Boundaries, Harry. Do you recognize the name?”
Harry nodded grimly. “It’s not who I expected, either.”
“You didn’t know who to suspect. That is why we are here. Now, who is,” she leaned in to check the name, “Brandon Tallinger?”
“My business partner, that’s who. I’m going to kill the bastard! That’s it, I’m outta here.” Harry stalked toward the door.
“I wouldn’t,” Hirotoshi warned.
Harry paid him no attention and stormed out of the door. A few seconds later there was a crackle and a thud.
Tabitha raised an eyebrow at Ryu. “Did you fit him with the tracker?”
Ryu nodded solemnly. “Of course, Kemosabe. It was a given he would try to escape at some point.” He turned to Hirotoshi. “We should retrieve him before he wakes up.”
Tabitha checked that the copying of Hexen’s files was finished, then removed the drive and headed after Hirotoshi and Ryu. They waited for her in the corridor, holding Harry up between them. He was awake, but still groggy from the zap.
She patted Harry’s cheek as she walked past. “Should have just had a little patience. We were leaving anyway.”
K’nthel System, Traveler’s Rest, Docking Bay
They’d been cleared to dock. Hirotoshi and Ryu were remaining behind to prepare the Achronyx for an impromptu flight while Tabitha took Harry to confront his treacherous business partner.
Harry hesitated at the elevator door, rubbing his neck. “How far can I go before, you know, tzzzz?”
Tabitha winked. “Why test it? You are not going to go running off to murder your partner because we need the information he has to find your daughter. We already established on the way back here that Tallinger wouldn’t hurt Stacy. Just hold tight. He’ll be facing the Empress’ Justice soon enough.”
Harry nodded. “Thank you for letting me come with you.”
She strutted past Harry and dragged him into the elevator by his sleeve before the doors closed on them. “There are reasons I’m allowing you to be present while I question him. Your relationship may come in useful.”
“In what way?” Harry asked, pressing the button for their destination.
Tabitha smirked. “In that you can tell me if he’s lying his ass off. Also, if he isn’t a complete bastard, your being there will unsettle him and make it easier for me to get what we need.”
Harry snorted. “Fuck him, I’m unsettled. He’s always been an uncle to Stacy. How can he involve her in this? I’m not going to lie, it’s just not something I would have believed if I hadn’t seen the proof with my own eyes.”
Tabitha felt for him; betrayal stung. But that was what criminals who ran with other criminals did to each other. She’d seen enough of it to know. “Harry, he’s going to be dealt with according to the law, same as you when we’re done. That’s what I’m offering. If all you want is vengeance, I can just ship you off to trial right now. I thought you wanted to rescue your daughter?”
They rode the elevator in silence the rest of the way. The doors opened on a long corridor lined with offices. They stepped out, and Harry indicated one of the doors on the left. “That’s his office.”
Tabitha nodded. “Okay then, let’s get some answers.”
They went into the office, where an elegantly dressed receptionist sat behind the desk talking into her headset. She held up a finger. “One moment, please.”
Tabitha marched straight past through the door marked with her target’s name. Harry came in after her and closed the door. “Hello, Brandon,” he stated flatly.
A middle-aged human who had to be Tallinger stood up abruptly and slammed his computer closed. “Harry? What is this? How dare you come barging in here!”
Tabitha pulled her badge out as she walked over to Tallinger and brandished it in his face. “Why would you be getting a visit from a Ranger? Hmmm, let me see…”
Tallinger paled when he realized who he was dealing with. “I didn’t… I wouldn’t…”
Harry could contain himself no longer. He lunged at the friend who had betrayed him. He grabbed Tallinger by his shirt and shook him roughly. “Where is Stacy? I know you had something to do with her kidnapping.”
Tallinger opened his mouth to speak, but Harry shut it again with a punch. “Don’t you fucking dare lie to me!”
Tabitha caught Harry’s arm on the backswing for another punch. “That’s enough. Let him speak.”
Harry glared at Tallinger with utter hate and shoved him away. “Speak then, before the Ranger loses her power to persuade me you’re more valuable alive. Where is my daughter?”
Tabitha folded her arms and tapped her foot expectantly as Tallinger’s eyes darted between her and Harry. He didn’t know that Tabitha had no intention of letting his kidnapping ass get away with what he’d done.
Eventually, Tallinger sighed. “I haven’t got her.”
“Then who has?” she demanded. “And where are they keeping her and the Loren?”
Tallinger’s eyes shot wide open. “How did you know about that?”
Harry got into his old friend’s face. “No thanks to you. Now, who has Stacy?”
Tallinger shook his head. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
A lightbulb went off in Tabitha’s brain. “It’s the Skaine monk, Scroat, isn’t it? I knew it!”
Tallinger frowned. “That’s the part I don’t know. My contact is anonymous. I arranged for the Loren to be taken down to the surface, but I hadn’t accounted for it behaving like a Loren. It won’t comply without Stacy to negotiate a new deal, so they had her taken, after a few mistakes.”
Harry growled. “Mistakes?”
Tallinger nodded miserably. “The other missing courtesans they took when I refused to identify Stacy to them.” He clutched at Harry, pleading, “Please, Harry! You have to believe that I had nothing to do with Stacy being taken. I only saw the money when they came to me with the transport job. I didn’t think, Harry, okay? I’m sorry.”
Tabitha deflated. “At least we know that they’re on Zaphod somewhere. It’s a start.”
“I can narrow it down some for you,” Tallinger supplied hesitantly. “I have a copy of the transport log for the journey.” He held out his wrist-holo, and Harry touched his to it to transfer the data. He gave Harry a beseeching look as he tur
ned to leave. “Harry, please…”
Harry spun back and punched Tallinger again. “Don’t.”
Tabitha grabbed Harry by the arm and steered him out of the office. They strode past the speechless receptionist and back out to the elevator in the corridor.
Harry tapped his wrist-holo. “Sending the log to the Achronyx now.”
Got it, Hirotoshi informed them a moment later. Harry’s leash has been altered to allow him freedom of the station. If he tries to leave, zap. Station security will be there to pick Tallinger up in thirty seconds.
Tabitha turned to Harry. “You can go home.”
Harry tilted his head in confusion. “But… No, I’m coming with you.”
Tabitha shook her head and turned to leave. “This is Ranger business. Don’t try to leave the station. You won’t enjoy the result.”
Harry rubbed his neck. “No, I won’t. All I ask is that you bring my daughter home, Ranger.”
Tabitha strode away with her cloak billowing around her. “That’s my intention.”
K’nthel System, Traveler’s Rest, QBS Achronyx, Bridge
“Again?” The station traffic controller stuttered her surprise. “You Rangers don’t sit still for a minute. Where are you going this time?”
“Down to the planet,” Tabitha replied.
The controller sucked in a breath. “Ooh, I don’t see that you have clearance to go to the surface.”
Tabitha took her feet off the console and got up out of her chair to give herself the relevant permission. Her fingers flowed over the keys as she spoke. “What do you mean, we haven’t got clearance? I’m a Ranger; there’s nowhere in the Empire I don’t have clearance to be. Check again.”
The controller came back a moment later sounding a little embarrassed. “So sorry, Ranger, my mistake. I’m sending your approval now. Have a safe flight.”
Tabitha cut the connection and went to find Hirotoshi while the autopilot took care of the transit. She found him in the galley preparing a meal for the three of them.
Hirotoshi inclined his head as she entered the galley. She took a stool across from him at the counter and stole a pea pod. “What are you making?”
Hirotoshi indicated the pan of vegetables on the burner. “Lunch.”
Tabitha wrinkled her nose. “It smells good. Doesn’t look like something humans should eat, though.”
Hirotoshi raised an eyebrow. “May I remind you of our first meal aboard this station?”
Tabitha snickered. “That was Ryu’s payback for ratting me out to Barnabas. Besides, it wasn’t horrible.”
“It was. And if it was payback for Ryu, why did I also have to eat it?”
Tabitha snagged another pea pod. “Because your face was just priceless!”
Hirotoshi nodded. “I see.”
Tabitha winked. “If you could have seen it, you wouldn’t look so offended right now.”
Hirotoshi tossed the vegetables in the pan as he added the next lot of ingredients.
Ryu came wandering in, took a seat at the counter, and held out his hands, palms together.
Tabitha grinned. “Oh, it is so on.”
They all chatted while Tabitha and Ryu played slaps and Hirotoshi cooked.
When the food was ready, Hirotoshi brought it over and sat at the counter.
Tabitha stuck her tongue out at Ryu and picked up her cutlery. “So, next steps. We’ll be on Zaphod in little over an hour, so we need a plan.”
“What about the logs Tallinger gave us. Were they helpful?”
Tabitha half-shrugged. “Kind of. We know where we’re going, but not what we’ll find when we get there. Well, I know what we’re going to find, but neither of you wants to listen to the voice of reason.”
Ryu choked on the bite he was in the middle of swallowing.
Hirotoshi leaned over and slapped Ryu’s back to clear the obstruction. Once he was assured that Ryu was fine, he turned his attention to Tabitha. “Kemosabe, I must admit that it looks like the Order, or at least some of them, are involved in this.”
Tabitha narrowed her eyes. “You’re agreeing with me?”
Hirotoshi’s mouth twitched at the corner. “No, I am simply considering every outcome, so whatever way our plan fails, I will be prepared.”
Tabitha scowled. “What makes you so sure it will fail?”
It was Ryu’s turn to laugh. “Because no plan survives contact with Ranger Two.”
Chapter 8
Nickie
Rebus Quadrant, Themis Colony, Aboard the Penitent Granddaughter
Nickie, wake up.
Nickie.
Nickie!
Meredith probed the edge of Nickie’s consciousness. She groaned and rolled over on her slab of a bed, pulling the blanket over her head as she turned. Go away, Meredith. It’s not even morning yet.
Nickie, you have to wake up and get to the control room. The long-range sensors have detected an approaching ship. Keen is requesting your presence.
Nickie sat bolt upright and threw the blanket off. A ship? Why the fuck didn’t you start with that?
She jumped out of bed, then sat down again quickly when the room spun around her and a thousand tiny miners got to work inside her skull with itty-bitty pickaxes. She held a hand to her head and probed for injuries that weren’t there. It’s been a while since I had a night like that, Meredith. The people here really know how to cut loose. Did I get into any fights? Please tell me I didn’t.
No, Meredith replied coolly. You were too busy drinking the colony dry to start one. You should be more careful, Nickie. You consumed enough alcohol last night to put an unenhanced human in the hospital.
Nickie snickered, then held her head again when the movement of her shoulders caused a fresh throb of pain. Yeah, well that’s how much it took to get around my nanocytes. It wouldn’t have been much of a celebration otherwise. Besides, my nanos will take care of the hangover. It’s not a big deal.
Meredith sniffed reproachfully. Your nanocytes can only do so much. Don’t forget that you only have one energy pack left. If you get any major injuries after that, you will have to heal them at your natural rate.
Nickie shrugged. That’s still three times faster than a regular human. She dragged her coveralls on and hurriedly laced her boots.
It would not be enough if you were caught in a life-or-death situation.
Nickie snorted. Well, that’s not fucking likely to happen since I’m stuck here with no chance of any action whatsoever for the foreseeable future. The Skaines have gotten the message to leave this place alone for now. I’m golden, so stop nagging. She left her quarters and headed to the control room at a half-jog.
Meredith was not done. For some reason, I’m completely unsurprised by your attitude. Fortunately for you, I am better informed about the risks you take than you are.
What’s that supposed to mean?
Meredith brought up a stream of statistics in Nickie’s HUD. You see? If we look at your kill-injury ratio between activating packs, you’re statistically likely to have another incident shortly.
Nickie ran her own rough calculations as the stabbing pain receded to a dull ache. Yeah, well you should check your math. That first pack was activated to flush the drugs from my body, not because I was in any life or death situation. If we’re going by this flawed scale, I still have hundreds of kills before your predicted event.
Well, maybe you should reassess your memory of the situation because without that pack to flush your system, your reaction times would have been slow enough to get you killed in that fight.
So you say.
I am only recounting facts. Deny the truth all you like, Nickie. Just be careful.
Rebus Quadrant, Themis Colony, Control Room
Nickie pelted down the corridor and burst into the control room, almost tripping over her feet in her hurry to get in there and find out if they were about to be attacked.
Grim nodded from his place off to the side when she entered. Keen was still in the ch
air she and Adelaide had left him in the night before, and was still wearing the same clothes. He had been there all night, judging by the dark rings under his eyes and the stubble coating his cheeks. Nickie was glad she wasn’t the only one not at her best that morning.
Adelaide leaned over Keen’s shoulder to peer nervously at the monitor, and Raynard was pacing up and down the control room with a worried expression stamped across his features. All three were visibly relieved to see her.
Nickie headed straight for Grim. “What do we know?”
“Good morning to you, too. Nothing much,” he admitted. “The ship showed up on the sensors right before we called for you.”
She went to stand by Keen to get a better view of the screen. “Have you contacted them?”
Keen couldn’t tear his eyes from the screen. “Um, not yet. We’ve been waiting for them to come into communications range.”
Nickie shoved his chair aside with her hip and leaned on the console. “Meredith, take over in here and open a channel to the ship.”
There was a pause while Meredith performed the necessary actions. “The ship is broadcasting on a Federation frequency,” she informed them a moment later from the speaker.
Nickie felt the tension fall from her shoulders as the level of urgency dropped. She pulled up a chair and put her feet up on the console. “You can all relax, we’re not about to be attacked. Stand down the defenses and get a video link onscreen, Meredith.” The screen did not change. “What are you waiting for?”
“There’s some atmospheric disturbance. I can give you an audio link.”
Nickie huffed. “I suppose that will have to do.”
“You are connected to the ship’s bridge.”
Nickie folded one arm behind her head and motioned for Keen to pass her the handset. “Unknown Federation ship, this is Themis Colony. Please identify your ship and purpose for entering the quadrant.”
“Hello?” the voice was male and young-ish sounding. “This is John Deblanc of Zuifra, aboard the Briar Rose. I’m looking for my friend Nickie. Nickie Grimes. Have I found the right place?”
Deuces Wild Boxed Set: Books 1-4: Beyond the Frontiers, Rampage, Labyrinth, Birthright Page 49