by C. R. Daems
“What security do you want?” Ballard asked. Now he was frowning.
“I’ll leave that to you. I’ll be on a military cruiser and hopefully will never leave the space station. If I have to leave it, I’m sure we can recruit some marines to accompany us planet-side. Oh, from my experience, the cruiser isn’t guaranteed to be safe.” I smiled. Ballard shook his head then put it in his hands and rubbed his face.
“Director Paulus, before you came I had an easy, stress-free job.” He looked at me and smiled. “How long do I have to make arrangements?”
“At least a few days.” I patted his arm. “And you can take a week off to relax while I’m gone.” I turned to Martha. “Martha, see if Admiral Webb will see me,” I said and Ballard moaned.
* * *
Landing on the roof of the NIA building definitely reduced the risk to the Committee compound area and going to and from the NIA building. And attacking an armed shuttle in Eastar space would be close to suicide. If the attacking shuttle survived, it would be tracked and shot down before it could exit Eastar space.
Webb had agreed to meet with me late that same afternoon. I entered his office and barely stopped myself from saluting.
He smiled. “Old habits die slowly. I believe the Committee made a wise choice making you Director rather than using you as a troubleshooter,” he said, looking me over as he approached. “Help yourself to coffee and tell me why you are here.”
I mixed my coffee drink before joining him in the padded chair opposite where he had sat. “You of course know I’m working a case where Committee delegates are being killed. Not just the three here on Eastar but four more on their home planet.” I paused and he nodded. “Although I have no proof, I believe it’s an attempt to overthrow the government.” I held up my hand. “Not with the typical military coup but subtly by changing the Committee group’s votes. It’s probably been in progress for two or more years. If I’m right, I have less than a year to stop them.”
“Interesting and clever. A coup that’s not a coup,” he said with his fingers steepled below his chin. “How can I help, Anna?”
“I need transportation to Black Water as soon as you can arrange it and under sealed orders. The group who is orchestrating the coup doesn’t like me.”
He laughed. “You do have a tendency to annoy the criminals’ wonderful plans for money and power.”
“Making matters worse, I know we have a mole in Committee Security, and I believe there is one with connections to the NIA,” I said. “Consequently, I’d like our correspondence to be hand carried.”
“You’re referring to the Hadley incident?” he asked and I nodded. “Are you going to be in the building for an hour or so?” When I nodded again, he continued. “Stop by here on the way out.”
I left and used the stairs to go down two levels to Weaver’s office.
“I wonder if Commander Weaver can spare me a minute or two,” I asked the senior chief who was Weaver’s secretary.
“One moment, ma’am.” He rose, went to the door, knocked, and peeked in. He opened the door and Commander Damon exited, smiling.
“Good morning, Director Paulus, and congratulations. The Committee is lucky to get you.” She beamed and her curly hair danced as she vibrated excitement.
“Thank you, Damon. Come join Commander Weaver and me,” I said, waving toward the office door. As I entered, Weaver stood.
“I heard you were in the building, Director. What can I do for you?” Weaver said and Damon went to his sidebar and mixed my coffee drink and brought it to the table. “You were right about Commander Damon. And I can see why you picked her for the Eastar Station Chief.”
“What I would like is to talk to your best software person,” I said.
“Lieutenant Commander Carlson,” Damon said and Weaver nodded.
“Can you call him to the office?” I asked.
Weaver clicked on his tablet. “Peters, have Commander Carlson come up here,” Weaver said. “I assume this has something to do with your current assignment.”
“Yes. This conversation is P1A restricted. I believe we have a mole in my organization and one either here in the NIA or with a close connection.” Before anyone could respond there was a knock on the door and a man entered. He braced to attention and saluted.
“Commander Carlson reporting as ordered,” he said in a strong baritone voice.
“Sit, Carlson. Director Paulus would like to talk with you.”
“Commander, I have two tapes of people walking down a hallway. Is it possible to use software on the first tape to capture one or more individuals and to use those images to scan the second tape for a match?” I asked.
He answered without hesitation. “Yes, ma’am. If the tapes are digital it should be easy.”
“Any reason you can’t travel?” I asked.
“No, ma’am.”
“Good. You will be gone around seven days and will have only a few hours’ notice. This conversation is restricted to the people in this room and is under P1A authorization. You will be told more when we are traveling upcountry.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I rose. “Thank you, Commander Weaver, Damon. Sorry for the short notice and lack of explanation.” I left, collected my security, and walked back to Webb’s office. At the desk, a lieutenant commander was waiting.
“Ma’am, this is the information you requested.” He handed me a sealed manila envelope.
“Thank you, Commander,” I said, turning and making my way to the elevator to the roof.
* * *
Back in my office I opened the envelope and found a note and another sealed envelope addressed to Captain Taylor.
The UAS cruiser Typhon has been placed on alert for deployment to Westar. They have twenty-four hours to be operational and should be ready to depart any time after noon tomorrow. Captain Taylor is at your service for as long as you need the Typhon. Good hunting.
Admiral Webb
I loved that man. He had always supported me and my actions. I placed the envelope back into my jacket pocket.
“Martha, I’m going for a stroll. Maxine, come along,” I said as I left my office and headed for the Core members area. There I saw Bennett was out so I approached Scherer’s secretary. “Good morning, I was wondering if I could have a word with Majority Leader Scherer sometime today.”
“Good morning, Director Paulus. Wait one moment, I’ll check,” the middle-aged woman said as she stood and went to the office door, knocked, then peeked in. A minute later, she returned and smiled. “Mrs. Scherer will see you now.”
“Thank you,” I said. I indicated Maxine should wait and proceeded to enter the office. “Good morning, Mrs. Scherer. Mr. Bennett isn’t available so I thought I’d update you.”
“Sit, Anna. Coffee?” She pointed to the sidebar when I nodded. I mixed my coffee drink and returned to the empty chair opposite her.
“You have an update?” she asked, watching me intently.
“I’m planning to go to Black Water to resolve an issue and thought I should inform you,” I said and waited for her comments or concerns.
“Isn’t that an unnecessary risk considering our political killers want you dead?” she asked, her stare becoming even more intent. “Do you want to use our spacecraft?”
“No, ma’am. I’ll be using a UAS cruiser Admiral Webb is providing. Normally I would explain what I wanted and send someone else, but I believe we must find the people responsible before the year is up or they will have succeeded. In that case, the Core members will be replaced, a new director appointed, and a new agenda in place.”
“How long do you anticipate you will be gone?”
“Seven or eight days. I’ll leave Colonel McKenzie in charge. There shouldn’t be a problem. Committee Security has competent people in charge of the various groups and can run without me.”
“Be careful, Anna.” She grinned. “I like my position as Majority Leader and our new Director. Even Glaser likes you and he’s a har
d nut to please.”
* * *
“The plan is for us to leave tomorrow at eleven hundred hours. Martha has made reservations at the Clarmont Cliffs resort in case anyone is watching. Better they plan to attack us there than here at the Committee compound,” I said to Seth, Ballard, Maxine, and Martha before getting ready to leave for home.
“I’ve sent two of our agents undercover to the resort to watch for any unusual activity. They were told you would be arriving tomorrow late,” Seth said. “If we are lucky, we might get a lead to follow if the UnCab send people up there as guests.”
“Good thinking. Seth, I’ve informed Mrs. Scherer that you are in charge while I’m gone. I’m hoping to be back in seven or eight days. It should be peaceful with me gone,” I quipped, then almost laughed when I realized how true that was. My presence had caused all the excitement.
“It relieves the boredom and keeps everyone alert,” Ballard said. “Besides, you're the first director we don’t have to work around… Actually, I don’t think we could.” That produced several snorts and nodding heads.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
UnCab: An Elusive Target
“The information I’m getting is that Paulus is aware of what we are doing and every bit the threat we had anticipated. And as difficult to kill as the rumors. Why?” Harold looked to Maria.
“You’re supposed to be our fixer, Maria,” Steve said. “How hard can it be to kill one woman?”
Maria’s expression didn’t change even though Steve’s remark dripped with scorn. “You’re right, Steve. Killing one woman should be simple. The problem is this isn’t just any woman. To begin with, she has been dealing with people trying to steal that krait since she was six and trying to assassinate her since she was in her teens. As a consequence, she’s had marine security for over fifteen years and now c-agents twenty-four/seven. And several times she would have been killed if she hadn’t been carrying an Mfw and been an excellent shot. Word has it she’s killed more assassins than her security. In fact, I have it on good authority it was Paulus that foiled my first assassination attempt—”
“How?” Steve interrupted, sneering at Maria. “Is she immune to gas?”
“No, experience,” Maria said in a normal voice. “The successful attempt to capture her used gas. Since then she has carried a small mini gas mask with her at all times. Then there is the fact she is a prodigy—”
“What the hell does that matter?” Ryan shouted. “You can’t outthink a bullet.”
“True, Ryan, but she can outthink the thugs we send to kill her. She’s always aware of her surroundings, she responds like a combat veteran, which in a sense she is, and she’s quick to assess the danger and to improvise. Those are the reasons she’s survived countless attempts on her life, including ours.” Maria looked to each man in turn. “And of course, our thugs aren’t fanatics who are willing to die for our cause, otherwise we could strap a bomb to one.” She grinned, imagining the scene. “We’ll succeed eventually. My mole tells me she is planning a vacation upcountry. That will give me time to plan and plenty of opportunities to kill her.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Black Water Gambit
We left the Committee building at eleven hundred hours and boarded two military shuttles, fifteen strong: my normal four-person detail when I left the building, eight additional c-agents, Lieutenant Commander Carlson, Maxine, and me. Master Sergeant Saul Cohen was the ranking c-agent, his round face sporting a close-trimmed mustache and beard which had white patches like looked like frost. He had been a c-agent for fifteen years and spent twelve years in the military police before that.
We arrived at the space station a little over two hours later, cleared customs without any problems, and were at the entrance to the Typhon ten minutes later. The duty officer and the two marine guards straightened when they saw us enter the boarding area. I didn’t blame them. It was certainly unusual for civilians to be in the boarding area of a military cruiser, much less fifteen who looked armed.
“Good afternoon, Commander,” I said to the startled lieutenant commander. “Would you please inform Captain Taylor his passengers have arrived along with his orders.”
“Can I see some identification, ma’am?” the commander asked.
“No, Commander, you may not. Please inform the captain his passengers have arrived.”
He shrugged and contacted the XO and gave him the message, deciding the XO would know what to do. A few minutes later, a full commander appeared. He was middle-aged, tall, and athletic looking.
“I’m Commander Hudson, the Typhon’s XO. Can I help you, ma’am?” he asked, frowning. I couldn’t blame him. He hadn’t been told what to expect, and he faced a horde of men and women dressed in civilian clothing, and led by a very young woman.
“I have sealed orders from Admiral Webb for Captain Taylor.”
“Do you have identification?”
“Commander Hudson, you are on alert status awaiting me. I’m here. So, please allow me to enter so that I can talk to Captain Taylor or contact the captain.”
“I’d like some identification—”
“Maxine, call Admiral Webb,” I said, turning to Maxine. Hudson looked like he had just been asked whether he would prefer hanging or a firing squad.
“Ma’am, I’ll get the captain,” he hurriedly said and stepped a few steps away as he reached for his handheld Comm device. Smart move. No XO or captain wanted a call from Admiral Webb, but he had unknown individuals asking to enter, many of whom appeared potentially dangerous. I would have given him my identity if it would have helped but it wouldn’t and I wanted to keep my presence below the radar. Several minutes later Captain Taylor arrived, took a hard look at me, and shook his head.
“I was wondering why we were on alert status,” he said as I held out the manila envelope with his name on the front. He tore open the envelope, read it, and nodded. “They are cleared to enter,” he said, looking toward the duty officer. “Commander Hudson, see if you can find these folks rooms in the officers’ quarters, then join me and my guest in my office. He was silent on his way to his office.
“Well, Director Paulus, can you tell me what is going on?” he asked. I went over to his sidebar and found coffee and mixed my drink.
“Would you like one?” I asked. He nodded. “Anna, please. We have a group of assassins killing Committee members and don’t like me hunting them. They have already tried to kill me a couple of times so I want to keep a low profile, especially since they appear to have high-level connections. I believe there might be a lead on Black Water. But I don’t want it leaked where we are heading.”
He laughed. “You are the most talked about and controversial officer in the navy. And your krait makes you easy to recognize.” He pointed to Red, who was wound around my neck with his head pointing in Taylor’s direction.
“Then it’s good I’m no longer on active duty. I’m a civilian now,” I said and smiled. Taylor was right. A couple of captains had their careers put on hold or were retired after a confrontation with me. And although their actions and not mine had landed them in trouble, I was seen as the problem.
“Retired?” he asked.
I wanted to laugh. Even Taylor, who knew me, couldn’t help but feel I had somehow been at fault and it had finally caught up to me.
“Inactive,” I said, enjoying his confusion.
“But, you’re chasing…” He stuttered to a stop, not sure what to think. Just then there was a knock on the door and Hudson entered.
“Commander Hudson, meet…” He stopped, not sure what my title.
“I’m Anna Paulus, the new Director of Committee Security. My companions are Committee Security c-agents.”
Taylor laughed. “Anna, I think you have gone from the most talked about officer in the navy to the most talked about woman in the UAS. Commander, Director Paulus is the NIA officer who cracked the hijackers’ ring, and the raiders before that. And number one on every criminal’s organization Most Wante
d Dead list. Commander, let’s get the Typhon moving. I’ll announce our destination is Black Water when we are halfway to the Wave entrance.”
* * *
“Director Paulus, I’m not totally clear on my responsibilities,” Carlson said as Master Sergeant Cohen, Maxine, and I sat in my small conference room.
“There are three men who arrived on the passenger ship Whippet on the one hundredth day of this year and went by the names Reed, Sanchez, and Hill. They are not listed as leaving on the Whippet when it left or the merchant ships which were in port at that time. The NIA has checked and they apparently didn’t stay on Black Water and didn’t leave on the next passenger ship, the Blue Shark. I want to find them either on Black Water or leaving on some spaceship.”
“How can I help?” Carlson asked, frowning in thought.
“My theory is they left under different names. We can capture the three men’s faces from the space station surveillance tapes. Then I’d like you to run facial recognition software against the surveillance tapes when the Blue Shark departed to see if we get a match. If not, then we’ll try merchant ships around a ten-day window from the time the Whippet departed.”
“You think they acquired new identification and used the documents to exit?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I believe,” I said. “But I do not want our identities disclosed, or what we are searching for, or why. I’m operating under P1A authority so we won’t have to give an explanation. If possible, I don’t want the people I’m searching for to know until we want them to, nor do I want them to know who is searching.”
* * *
When the Typhon docked at the Black Water space station, I left with Commander Carlson, Maxine, and four c-agents and made my way to the station’s offices.
“Can I help you?” said a middle-aged woman behind a marble counter. Two policemen stood to the left where a steel gate blocked entrance into the offices. The woman glanced nervously to the two police before her eyes came back to me.