Freedom Incorporated

by Peter Tylee

  *

  Sunday, September 19, 2066

  UniForce Headquarters

  08:45San Francisco, USA

  Esteban sat heavily. He stroked his stubble with one hand and gripped his pistol with the other. He was too angry to express the feeling properly. The thought of shooting James in the back of the head had occurred to him, but that wouldn’t accomplish anything. Wouldn’t it? Maybe it’d make me feel better.The frustration crawled under his skin like a nest of maggots, sending him insane.

  One bullet had grazed his upper thigh, singing his skin. The burn painfully chafed against his ruined trousers when he walked. But the bullet that’d smashed through the periphery of his chest had caused much worse damage. It’d agonisingly shattered two ribs and the doctor had removed the fibrous bones, saying there was nothing left to repair. He’d said Esteban was lucky the fragments hadn’t punctured his lung and had done no major damage. But Esteban saw things differently. Lucky? What a crock of shit.If he’d been lucky, he wouldn’t have been standing anywhere near the hailstorm of bullets that bitch had fired. The only thing bringing a smile to his lips was the knowledge that he’d killed her.

  “So, how’s it going?” Esteban sounded pasty due to a haze of painkillers.

  James hadn’t heard him enter and the unexpected question startled him. He spun to see Esteban sitting in the spare chair, a thick bandage strapped around his chest and a torn, bloodied shirt covering little of the gore. “Jesus, what happened to you?”

  Esteban grunted dopily. “Apparently I was lucky.”

  “By the looks of that you were,” James said, sharing the doctor’s philosophy.

  Why doesn’t anyone understand?Esteban wondered whether he was the only UniForce employee with genuine intelligence. “I wasn’t lucky. I got fucking shot.”

  James hadn’t encountered the product of violence so closely before and he stared with open mouth at the wound. “Does it hurt?”

  “No,” Esteban replied. The drugs were too effective for that. “I feel wonderful.”

  “Did it hurt when you got shot?”

  What a stupid question. “What the fuck do you think?” Esteban pointed at James’s computer with his gun. “What’s up with the Raven?”

  “Glad you asked,” James said. “I’ve found him, and he’s found them.”

  Esteban sat forward in the chair, ignoring the doctor’s warning to rest his side. “Where?”

  James handed him the address. “There. He’s waiting, apparently for some kind of sign.” James snorted. “I’m not sure what, it’s cloudy. I’m not even convinced he completely understands it himself. But he sure as hell isn’t going to attack until he gets what he’s waiting for, and he’s pissed that it hasn’t happened yet.”

  But Esteban wasn’t listening. Now I have the element of surprise.A wicked gleam settled in his eyes and he stormed from the room, leaving James alone with his equipment.

  Chapter 12

  Two words to remember – empires fall

  Katharine Ainger

  Monday, September 20, 2066

  03:02Sydney, Australia

  “You ready?” Simon asked, feeling nerves jingle in his extremities.

  Dan nodded once then looked at Jen.

  “Yeah, as ready as I’m ever gonna be,” she said. “Do I get a weapon?”

  Dan cocked an eyebrow. “Why, do you want one?”

  “Don’t worry, I’m not planning on a shooting spree. I’d just feel safer, that’s all.”

  So Simon handed her his backup firearm and quickly instructed her how to use it safely. “And that’s all there is to it.” He flipped the safety back on. “Leave it there unless you plan on actually firing it, okay?”

  Jen nodded, hid the weapon, and they each took a turn in the portal. Dan was using his next identity, Brent Bertrouney. Jen had to make do with one of her old ones. She would’ve used one of Samantha’s, but didn’t think anybody would believe she was Korean. Because although Dan assured her it wouldn’t cause a problem at Australian customs, the Americans would undoubtedly raise an eyebrow.

  Christopher was on duty at his usual station and Dan headed straight for him. “Hey, Chuck.”

  He brushed a weary hand disbelievingly over his long face. “Are you telling me you’re stillat this thing you’re doing?”

  “Yes, but it’s nearly over.”

  “You must owe me eight bottles of high quality scotch by now,” Chuck reminded him, updating his mental tally.

  Dan would’ve agreed to 20, 50, or even a 100. It was irrelevant. He needed to get past irrespective of the financial cost.

  “No, better make that 10,” Chuck corrected. “I’m going to start charging per capita.” He winked as he waved his scanner toward Dan. “So, Mr Brent Bertrouney is it?” He smiled, amused by the details on his monitor.

  Dan nodded, “That’s right.”

  “Did you know that in ‘addition details’ your profile reports a penile length of 30 centimetres and a girth of eight centimetres?”

  “What… are you jealous?” Dan asked, somehow keeping a straight face.

  Chuck held up his hands, grinning. “Okay, whatever mate. Just show me your guns. Weapons,” he quickly corrected.

  All three travellers piled their weapons onto the counter and Chuck tagged them on Dan’s profile. “Have a good trip.” Then he lowered his voice for Dan’s benefit and added, “She’s a real looker mate.” He was referring to Jen, and his half-hearted whisper carried to everyone. Jen had the grace to blush, and so did Dan.

  “Thank you,” Jen said, bravely accepting the compliment to save Dan from stammering something even more embarrassing.

  Dan was busy nursing a sparkle of hope. He wondered whether they might actually succeed and earn the chance to construct a new life. But as they approached the international portals, his sparkle transformed into an inferno of apprehension.

  *

  Sunday, September 19, 2066

  UniForce Headquarters

  09:15San Francisco, USA

  Michele was nervous. Jackie had postponed their meeting twice and eventually rescheduled for Sunday morning. The waiting was becoming intolerable.

  It’d been weighing on her mind all night. Should I?It was an impossible question to answer unless she could divine the future like a seer. But, to be safe, she intended to go through with it. She needed to tell someone, the stress of keeping secrets was too much. She hadn’t slept properly in days. Michele was in such a bad state that not even the colourful patterns on her glass wall or her promotional cube could keep her entertained. She slouched in her chair, chewing her lips. And waited. Impatiently. She needed Jackie to call and confirm the time they’d tentatively set aside.

  Her phone finally rang and Michele leapt for the receiver. “Hello, Michele speaking.”

  “Are you ready?” It was Jackie.

  Michele nodded into the camera. “Yes, I’m ready.”

  “Okay,” Jackie said with a catch to her voice. “Then come to my office.”

  They hung up and Michele scuttled through the corridors to the nearest portal, popped up several flights of stairs, and waddled into Jackie’s office. She closed the doors behind her.

  Jackie looked impassively at her, trying to smile with her eyes so she wouldn’t stretch her botched face-lift. She waved Michele to a chair. “Take a seat.”

  “Thanks.” Michele’s nervousness tripled and her stomach fluttered. It felt as though someone had sent her to the principal’s office, despite the fact she’d requested the meeting herself.

  But Jackie was in high spirits. She’d just stitched a deal to secure UniForce’s future in the personal security market and she was therefore feeling excessively pleased with herself. In fact, she’d predetermined that Michele’s news wouldn’t dampen her elation. Besides,she reasoned.What can Michele possibly have to say that’s so important?But that was a trap. Many had fallen into it. Although stupid, Michele could still bear bad tidings. “So what do you want to tell me?”<
br />
  Michele heaved a breath and Jackie’s attention shifted to her plump breasts. Her allure was a hundred times more powerful than that of Sasha, her rabbit-sized dog. Besides, Sasha had recently grown bored with lapping up peanut butter. A flush of excitement tingled in Jackie’s groin but she ordered herself to concentrate.

  “Esteban hasn’t contracted an assassin to kill Dan.”

  “What?” Immediately Jackie’s attention snapped back to the meeting.

  “He’s using an assassin to kill the Raven,” – she shivered when that name passed her lips – “but he’s doing the others himself.”

  Dark red splotches boiled through Jackie’s thick layer of makeup. “He can’t do that.” She seethed with anger. “I revoked his field status.” I bet he wants to collect the assassination fee himself.She gritted her teeth.Well we’ll just see about that.

  “I think it’s because of his personal involvement,” Michele prompted, wanting to rat him out completely. She needed to be on Jackie’s good side and distance herself from Esteban, lest Dan resurface. At least then she could stick by Jackie, who knew how to take care of herself.

  Jackie ground her teeth and jaw muscles ripple under her skin. That was truly the final straw. She’d taken as much insubordination from Esteban as she could handle. Now, what to do about it?She knew he was a dangerous man, but it’d finally dawned on her that the problem was only going to worsen with time. She needed to take swift, permanent action. And firing him won’t be enough.The prospect of assassinating him was intriguing. She’d helped dozens of other companies dispose of their awkward problems, why not do the same with one of her own? She could contract an assassin to remedy the problem and dust her hands of the issue. Promote… who?That was her next problem. She didn’t have enough staff to fill the vacancies. Quality staff anyway.She still had to find a co-ordinator for the recently minted personal security branch. And then there was Michele. Jackie couldn’t help rolling her eyes. She now regretted promoting Michele as far as she had. What UniForce needed was strong leadership. True, Michele has improved revenue…But Jackie had quietly uncovered her plot to oversell bounty lists. Lack of business ethics had inflated the revenue stream, not strength of leadership. She’d also discovered how much was missing from the official records – that generous portion which had slipped into an accounting black hole. She wondered who was hoarding it. Esteban, or Michele?

  She reasoned it was high time she received something in return. And she was in the perfect mood for it too. I can fix the problem with Esteban later.It wouldn’t be hard; all it would take was five contracts. The four that Esteban failed to set up, and one for Esteban himself. But first…

  “Michele, you look tense. Why don’t you come here and I’ll give you a massage?” Jackie felt vulnerable soliciting her subordinate for sex, but she wasn’t going to let a bit of discomfort stop her from experiencing more pleasure than she’d had in months.

  An invisible shudder itched Michele’s back teeth. She’d detested the previous time with Jackie and couldn’t fathom why it should be any better now. But neither was she going to say no to someone above her in the chain of command. So she nodded and played her part. “Okay, I have been a stiff recently.”

  She waddled to Jackie’s chair and knelt on the carpet. It was difficult in her tight black skirt and she tore a ladder in her stockings.

  Jackie applied her fingers to Michele’s supple neck and shoulders, massaging her tenderly. Michele played along by parting her lips and moaning with feigned pleasure. But she quickly tired of the exploratory backrub and decided to hurry the distasteful experience along. She climbed onto Jackie’s lap and kissed her, thrusting her tongue deeply into Jackie’s mouth.

  “Ahem.” Someone cleared his throat, interrupting Jackie’s sojourn into the wild side of same-sex lovemaking before it could truly begin.

  Michele turned with a start and Jackie’s eyes widened when she saw Dan waltzing into her office, aiming a firearm. But the grievance in Dan’s eyes incited more fear than his weapon. His pupils were black fires of pure hatred.

  Slipping past UniForce security had almost become mundane. It wasn’t at all difficult to sneak in unnoticed.

  “What are you doing here?” Jackie demanded.

  The fear contorting Michele’s expression signalled that she at least had a rough idea.

  Next entered Simon, also with a pistol, and behind him came Jen.

  Dan waved at each in turn and emotionlessly intoned, “Meet Simon West and Jennifer Cameron.”

  Jackie pushed Michele to her feet, straightened her blouse and adjusted her collar. She was too embarrassed to be worried about the intruders. She was confident in her supreme ability to negotiate her way out of intense situations – without bloodshed.

  “Sorry to interrupt you like this.” But Simon’s tone betrayed that he wasn’t sorry at all. “Jackie Donald, I presume?”

  “That’s what the nameplate on the door says, doesn’t it?” she snapped, returning to her usual demeanour.

  “Who’re you?” Simon asked, looking at the Penguin.

  “It’s Michele Roche,” Dan said before Michele’s tardy brain could process the question. “She’s the head of the bounty hunter branch.”

  “How convenient,” Simon said. “You’re both under arrest.”

  Jackie scowled. “By whose authority?”

  “The Republic of Australia,” Simon replied, proudly puffing out his chest.

  “That’s ludicrous,” Jackie retorted, dismissing the notion with a curt wave. “I’m an American and I have rights. You can’t come here and-”

  “You can shove your rights up your arse,” Dan said, taking a menacing pace forward.

  Jackie stood, her scowl deepening with fury. “This is preposterous. You dare come here and place meunder arrest? Do you understand who I am?” She glared at them. “What am I supposedly under arrest for?”

  Simon had rehearsed his answer to that question, but now, presented with his chance, his speech evaporated from his mind. Instead, he blundered on, tripping frequently over the jagged words. “We have evidence implicating you, directly, in more that, what, more than 30 assassinations. That is, non-sanctionedassassinations,” Simon stressed. “We have evidence that proves you not only had knowledge of, but proves you actively promoted UniForce’s illegal assassination branch.” Ineloquent, but it did the trick. “You’ll be going to prison for the rest of your life – may it be particularly short.”

  “You wouldn’t dare,” Jackie sneered, looking down her nose.

  “Care to bet on that?” Dan took another pace forward, lining his pistol’s sights up with the centre of Jackie’s forehead. “Fuck the rest of that shit.” He waved at the chair. “Sit down.”

  “No,” Jackie barked. She dared not obey his orders. She’d learned that on a management camp. Never yield. Get them used to accepting your orders instead of the other way around.

  “Sit your baggy arse in the bloody chair or I’ll blow off your fucking kneecaps.” Dan was shouting and a fleck of saliva escaped from his mouth. He meant it. Here stood a person that was responsible for selling Katherine’s death to PortaNet. And as far as Dan was concerned, she was just as guilty as everyone else involved in the sordid deed.

  She could see that he meant it. His resolve was scrawled all over his face. So she reluctantly sat.

  “You too,” Dan said, pointing the gun at Michele.

  “Where?”

  “On the floor,” Dan ordered. “Over here where I can see you. And no sudden moves. Don’t even sneeze or I’ll put a bullet in your brain. Got it?”

  They both nodded.

  Dan wasn’t yet certain what he planned to do. But he wasn’t going to take them back to Australia under arrest. That wouldn’t achieve anything. Nothing good anyway. Their power extended further than the law could reach. A few pulled strings and they’d be right back where they were, while the arresting officers wallowed in a truckload of shit. Dan flared his nostrils. No, there has
to be a better solution.And if it ended with Jackie’s blood, then so be it.

  *

  The Raven nearly drooled in anticipation when he felt the tingle in his temples and was ecstatic when the vibration spread to his back teeth. He knew it was coming. It was imminent. And the timing couldn’t have been better: Dan Sutherland and Jennifer Cameron were out of the house. So is that police officer they’re working with.

  He stood and stretched his legs, trying to work feeling back into his buttocks. He’d been sitting on the hard ground with only a thin cushion to protect him from numbness. By the time he could feel his posterior, the omen was in full swing. Again, it took the form of a gelatinous eye. That was fine with the Raven. He didn’t care if it was an eye, a beetle, or a spiny toadfish as long as he got the sign. He wanted four words, four short words that would enable him to complete the contract.

  “I give thee sanction.” The words boomed larger than life and resonated in every bone, muscle and cell in his body. It spoke to the fibre of his soul and recharged him with vigour.

  Then, as suddenly as the eye had appeared, it vanished, leaving the Raven to time his swoop to the second. He hungrily looked at the house. Only a faint tinge of light escaped from the heavy curtains, barely enough to plot a course. The moonlight helped, but not much filtered through the soupy clouds. But it didn’t matter. The Raven wasn’t shy of the dark. It was his cloak. It protected him from the prying eyes of whatever lurked in such a devastated suburb.

  “David Coucke,” he whispered the name. “Samantha Lee…” The Raven relished saying the names of his victims. “Prepare to meet the Raven.”

  *

  “That’s strange.” Cookie frowned at the digital television they were using as a monitor.

  “What’s that, baby?” Samantha entwined her arms around him, feeling a bit like a discarded toy when he brushed her aside. They’d been waiting nervously for news since the others had left. Sleep was out of the question. They couldn’t possibly rest when so much was riding on the success of the operation. Cookie had been hunching over his computer since they’d left, leaving Samantha to fret alone. She’d hovered from room to room, trying to find something with which to occupy her mind for the infuriating wait.