by Pam Uphoff
Opening the portal right in front of the Stuttgartan Presidential Palace in broad daylight was, perhaps, a tad obnoxious.
Inquisitor Grigory Gorbachev's shield was well able to deal with the weaponry deployed in a rush when he walked through with his armored escort. He hadn't needed help from Axel, back in full armor and helmet sealed.
Once the Inquisitor's red robes registered, the shooting paused . . . mostly. Then altogether.
Two men approached. One in uniform, one suit.
Grigory addressed them directly.
"On September 16, 3739 a force from Tier Two Stuttgart crossed to Tier Five Siberia Max. Under the guise of mutual defense, they set up, and then revealed themselves as the invaders they were. The local forces have soundly defeated them.
"At the request of the local Alliance Director, and the Elected Governor of Siberia Max, I am here to offer an exchange of prisoners. I have been informed that you are holding their diplomats and their staff. Return them and we will return to you Colonel Lehr, ten more officers and the surviving three hundred and fifty-four Cyborg soldiers."
"I will consult with the President."
Grigory nodded benevolently.
The men retreated, the one in uniform pulling out a phone.
He kept his back to them, nodded several times, then returned to the shield.
"We also want our Portalmakers back."
"We are delighted to hear that you are missing one . . . some? I see no reason to enable further attacks by you."
"We have no interest in attacking Siberia Max."
"Again?" Grigory shook his head. "I think you are better off with your dimensional travel restricted until you've gotten over this impulse to attack Worlds in good standing."
"No one threatens us. Let alone a tiny Tier Five! Or you!"
"The civilian government of Siberia Max started by assisting you, much to their later regret. Now bring out their people. Let me see how you have treated them."
"We will send an Executioner . . ."
Grigory smiled. "Oh, yes. What an excellent idea. I know he'll want to speak to the four widows Siberia Max somehow acquired. Perhaps I'd better keep Lehr and his officers. The Executioner will also want to question them as to why he wasn't summoned before 29 Vinogradov was chipped, without trial or judgement."
"You are a Tier Five. Just this portal you are standing in front of is illegal. Do you dare face an Executioner?"
Grigory eyed them. "Are you in touch with the Home World? Have the Three Hundred re-established contact with you?"
"Yes, and no use pretending they'll rescue you! They've summoned all the Families' next for training. They're too busy to care about a tiny world."
"You hope. They'll be sending out notifications soon enough. And then I'll be 3 Gorbachev or lower and I assure you that any Executioner you send will face me and bow."
The listeners looked alarmed . . . the ones in back shifting a bit further away.
"Now. Bring out our diplomats."
Two cars pulled up and six men were pulled out, arms bound behind their backs, two of them with their heads shaved. Week old cuts on the right sides of their heads.
Grigory snorted. "Psychologically interesting technique. But do you expect me to believe you've chipped them, when it appears you don't have enough zivvy to chip a new Portalmaker?
"Ape, bring the first four officers through."
"You think we'll swap four for six?"
"No, I figure, eleven for six, and then you get the Cyborg soldiers as a bonus. So let's start with these four, and you send me one servant and one exec. Your choice."
The officer grabbed a man and shoved him up to the shield, stepped back.
Axel's shield slipped around him and slid him right through Grigory's shield.
Then the infuriatingly strong man did the reverse and sent the two officers through the other way. So bloody well strong and trained he can make holes in my shield like it's easy!
Then the next man for the other two officers.
Mouse went back and returned with four more, and that got them the other exec and the other servant. Then the last two. "For Lord Evgeny Gorky. Then we'll bring Colonel Lehr through to swap for Ambassador Lord Marlin Aslanov."
That worked smoothly enough.
Apart from the heavy assault vehicles coasting quietly up to either side behind a screen of people.
Zilla fetched Colonel Lehr. Limping, one arm in a cast, and the impressive bruises on his face were nothing compared to his ribcage.
Lord Marlin was shoved up against the shield, on one side, Lehr on the other, double shields and they were shoved through.
Grigory, turned then and walked away, the Team backing up and all of them through the portal except Axel, who stood by, ready with a shield, while the worst injured Cyborgs, loaded into their own vehicles, with more healthy Cyborgs driving, crossed over. Grigory stepped to the side to watch. The last of the running vehicles passed, and the rest of the soldiers wrapped themselves in spatter cloth and marched through.
All but the five Cyborgs that the Police Cyborgs approved of, and the lieutenant who got Berezin's girl away before they came back to finish her off.
Last one, and Axel stepped through and to the side, all shields up as the assault vehicles accelerated toward the portal, jerked as they hit persistent shields. One came in from the side, a skidding turn and acceleration . . . as the portal shrunk down and disappeared.
Lord Marlin sagged. "Did you really mean that about the chip?" He rubbed his wrists where the binders had chaffed the skin.
"Oh yes. Let's run you all past the doctor, then a quick debriefing."
Lord Evgeny stretched, then finally grinned. "And did someone actually steal two Portalmakers? Hearing that was almost the only highlight of the trip."
"And feed us?" One of the Execs spoke up as his bindings were cut.
Grigory ushered them towards his car, and spotted Axel loading up with the Team. NONY painted on the back of his armor.
Ha! Like you'll ever be allowed to be anonymous.
"In fact I'll wine and dine all six of you. But I don't think I'll give you the interesting wine."
Bonus Scene # 3
"I know you Vinogradovs were working in the best interests of Siberia Max . . ." Councilman Yuri Petrov looked around the Grand Hall . . . "But, but surely there was a better place to take all the hosta . . . my family . . ." He gulped to regain his composure. I shouldn't have come.
The idiot cousin, Lord Andre Vinogradov shrugged. "We were pleased to serve the Council . . . and Siberia Max . . . ah, hell, man, come and have a drink. You look like shit. I have no idea where Axel is right now, other than probably not chasing tail, like I always thought. It's going to be tough . . . or maybe easy . . . being respectful to the Head of Family, now that we know more about him."
Petrov allowed himself to be steered down a corridor to what was obviously a working office, and collapsed in a chair that was probably nearly as old as the building.
Took the offered shot glass and slugged back the vodka.
"But . . . what do I do? I yelled at that man. I was obnoxious as all hell, because I thought I was so above him. And he risked his life to save, not just my family, but all the hostages. And everything he did was in service to the people here. While I strutted around, nose in the air, prattling about the value of these old things . . ."
"Eh, you know, he cares about these old things, but he really cares about people and here-and-now. And the future. Damn. It's hard to believe he's related to an idiot like me."
Petrov nodded. "I sent him a mental slap, like I would to discipline a servant. He absorbed it and ignored it. Ignored my demands. I was furious and insulting. I threatened him . . . And he saved my Fiona. Saved Vitali and Mitya. Now what do I do?"
He looked hopelessly at Andre. Who might not be the idiot he appears, how can I possibly trust my judgement now?
Andre shrugged. "Stop insulting him, and praise the work being done to restore the House? Ev
en if he's taking longer than you think he ought?"
Yuri looked around . . . "But . . ."
"Look, every once in a while I overhear his half of a conversation, and . . . is your staff starting to have trouble finding the foods you want?"
"I have heard some complaints about the price and lack of variety . . . and in Council we have considered that we import most of our food . . ."
"Exactly. So don't bitch if the repairs are a bit slow. He may be making sure we don't all starve."
"Oh."
"Or get attacked by yet another World."
"Surely two were enough . . ." Old Mentalist Lord Yuri Petrov, Councilman, Twelfth Plat District winced. "I'm going to have to apologize, aren't I?
"Yeah. Keep it simple, no need to embarrass yourself. Just let him do whatever he wants with the wretched building. The whole damn thing isn't worth your wife or your sons. Is it?"
Yuri looked around . . . and nodded. "No. It isn't."
Bonus Scene # 4
“All right, I’ve sorted out the legal stuff and there are thirty-two properties we can sell. Or keep and lease out. Does anyone want to be slum landlords?”
Lady Anastaciya glowered. “I trust you are joking, Axel.”
“Mostly. There is an apartment complex on the far east that . . . is at the limit of the Power Broadcast. But mostly businesses to the south and southeast. Which still would involve maintenance, and evicting non-paying renters.”
“Oh, God! Just sell them all!” Nikoli rolled his eyes. “Split the money and send it to the bank to invest.”
That got nods, and when he asked, verbal agreement.
“All right. That will wrap up The Vladimir Vinogradov trust. Now, here are the figures on the Historical Trust . . .”
Axel was delighted that the Twins had agreed to have their wives in on the meetings. That it would save a lot of repeating and explaining on their part had been a large part of their deciding to include then. But the Twins had finally realized that their wives were actually quite bright. And the Ladies were starting to feel—for the first time in their married lives—that they had some control over their lives, and the respect of their husbands.
No doubt they’d have preferred higher account balances and income, but this was enough to have changed a lot of their shrewish behavior.
“So, I’ll get appraisals and put everything up for sale . . . do you know? I’ve been hiring out a lot of the servants. If you kept that apartment complex, we could move some people out, reducing costs here and . . .”
Nikoli jumped in. “I’ll talk to the tax people about deductions for housing costs . . .”
Veronika nodded. “Ask about forming a business . . .”
Good heavens. This could all work out very well.
Bonus Scene # 5
"This is an amazing place!" Leon could feel his face splitting in a grin and tried to tone it down. Must not throw myself at my hero and rescuer! Try to act like an adult!
Lord Axel was looking around the park in the middle of the Rehab Center. "I haven't actually made it out here since last Spring. Dr. Solovsky's done a good job."
"Fedya's in charge of the grounds . . . plus he's planting an orchard. He says he grew all the trees from seeds in food, and the flowers and bushes from the hand-fertilized seeds of imported plants, because there's no bees here. And he built all the play equip . . . I mean rehabilitation exercise stations . . . umm . . ." Oh, he's grinning. Good.
"Anyhow, Robert's back on his feet and improving every day, and Miss Blondie's got the Center's paperwork straightened out. Miss Krümel's been making supply runs and driving patients back and forth. Miss Shy and Miss Hallo Du are helping out, but kind of at a loss for what to do from now on out."
"Huh. I'll have to think about finding jobs for them . . . or opening shops. And restaurants. So, space for twenty-four patients. Are they staying for a month each?"
"Doctor, I mean, Mr. Solovsky says that two weeks is the optimal time for most of the patients, then they can return home, and just avoid alcohol for two more weeks." Leon shrugged. "Sorry. I'm babbling. This," a wave around the square, "is something I'd never imagined. And . . . Henrik and Boleslav came back out and showed us how to make a quad."
He had to stop and take a deep breath. "And we didn't need the machinery at all to see the Multiverse. He said they couldn't make portals . . . but I think they're trying to."
Mein Gott! I shouldn't have said that!
The man stopped walking and eyed him. "Without the standby power supply to the portal guides? Damn. I'll have to get them their own experimental station way far away from people. Just in case they get energetic."
Leon boggled. Did a Master Mentalist just say that? And I heard he's 29 Vinogradov? He ought to be in government! Not that I'm going to complain about him being a, a, spy? Agent of the . . . Security Bureau? Agent of the Inquisitors? With things so messed up right now, I have no idea who he serves.
I wonder if he knows?
Bonus Scene # 6
"So the various judges rescinded all warrants, dropped all charges, and on examination of the medical scans agreed that you'd never been chipped, and your legal status as a Mentalist and Lord are restored."
Axel nodded. "Thank you, Grigory. I was not looking forward to the rather tangled mess of . . . what was a crime and what was an act of war, and so forth. Not to mention the chipping."
"Bah! We have documented seven other incidents of false chipping being used to demoralize prisoners before questioning them." Inquisitor Grigory Gorbachev shrugged. "I ran all eight of them by the Justice of the Imperial Count in a bundle with testimonies and medical scans, and got that issue out of the way. Then I went around to the City Criminal Court to deal with the other charges.
Grigory growled. "The Cybernetic Center's administration is officially horrified. The paper documentation was all photocopies of a two year old criminal case with the names and dates changed. The judge retired to Regulus last year and the new fellow has sicced his staff on the CC's Administration and they're all swearing they had no idea! Sweating like pigs. If they find any more illegal chipping, I'll personally execute every single person who kept their mouths shut."
"They're programmed, by and large." Axel shrugged. "I find them horrible and dangerous—following orders like robots—so we mainly need to be sure they don't fall into the wrong hands."
"Indeed. However, Dr. Petukhov's death has been officially ruled Justifiable Homicide. So you can officially show your face in public without getting arrested." Grigory grinned wryly. "Not that anyone was planning on arresting you anyway."
"I dunno about that. I can think of at least two people who would do it for the sheer fun of it."
"Murphy and Ape?"
"Yes. Not sure but the Boss might like to, now and then."
"He was livid. I had to sit on him and remind him about the zivvy dissolver, before he decided on who to kill first. Now he's so relieved that, yep, I can see him enjoying arresting you." Grigory grinned, then. "So having dealt with the legalities, Nephew, tell me about this young lady."
"Miss Dina Gagarin. Her father and brother are policemen, retired and current."
"Senior Detective Vlad Gagarin?"
"Yes. Very competent fellow."
"A bit hot tempered. Killed a Stuttgart Agent."
"Good. I was afraid he might be terminally honest. He really hated having me hiding in his sister's room. Dina disguised herself, went out to meet me in a snow storm and chattered me right past the goons around my house, and snuck me in through their back door."
"And you're grateful and think you owe her?"
Axel grinned. "I fell for that woman the first time I met her. The way she planned and executed the rescue just added respect."
Excerpt from Agent of the 300
Axel spotted the Octagon getting settled around the table, and strolled over. "So, what's this thing you guys have found?"
Henrik looked around with a grin. "I should have expected you'
d be the one they'd send to check it out. It's looks--to us--like a golden string from world to world. They don't look like portals, and it's a long term, possibly permanent phenomena."
"Huh. Well, my orders are to jump through, take a very fast look at it--recording all the while--and then either return, or toss the camera back through and spend three days exploring."
"Excellent, we're really curious. We'll try to attach within a hundred feet or so of where the string touches that world." Nods all around the table as the helmets went on.
Axel had his go-bag, with three days of everything he'd need, and even a few he might simply want.
Some other Mentalists were coming in, and their squads with them. That ass "Cat" whom he damn well knew was Lord Feliks Molotov was ordering Murph around . . .
:: And me off where I can't give you an alibi. ::
A mental snort. :: We're checking on a freaking Ski Resort, to see if there are tourists or staff who need to leave. Next round maybe we'll get the Dinosaur World. ::
:: Good God. And I thought we were poorly prepped for isolation. Good Luck! Watch Molotov, he's barely had any experience with plain old gang battles . . . Although I suppose he got some last week. ::
:: It was 'interesting' watching him in action. And that's all I'll say about it. ::
Axel stepped into the spatter cloth overalls. Heavy cloth with metal threads woven all through it, it protected the nervous system from the effects of a portal crossing. He wrapped the sleeves around his waist. The heavy cloth was hot, and he'd just as soon leave as much of it off as possible, until the last minute.
He picked up the recorder, a big robust thing that could handle a lot of abuse in the field.
Dr. Orlov sighed. "You ought to take your squad with you."
Axel shook his head. "They're still short handed. But I see they have Mentalists."
A snort as the Boss walked in. "I wish your 'Rangers' were a bit older. They're going to be really impressive when they're older. Actually they're impressive now, they just need their Mentalist Talents to grow and mature. Var and Dimitri are working out with the squads every morning, and leaving the trainer with nothing much to teach them."