“Sir! Are you okay? Are you hit?” she shouted.
He nodded in return, but he was as much shocked by the attack as by the miraculous timing of Nowak’s niece. He put out his arm to ask for assistance and she helped him to his feet. It was then that Kaufman realised the same fire burned inside Kaminski as had in her uncle. He nodded once more, still trying to open his windpipe enough to be able to speak.
He looked back at the body and stumbled over to investigate the man. He’d had little time to analyse him in the brief attack. The man was in his late thirties to early forties and in excellent shape, but he had a grizzled face that pointed to a hard life. He’d worn a cap to conceal his face and a week’s stubble hid much of the features of his face.
The sleeve of his t-shirt had lifted to reveal an old tattoo. Kaufman sighed in pain as he lowered himself to lift the sleeve. He immediately recognised the sword and triangle decorating the man’s upper arm. He turned back to Kaminski who didn’t recognise it. Kaufman was finally able to get a few words out in a hoarse voice.
“Special Forces. This tattoo is at least a decade old, so he’s probably long out of the service, but it’s worth checking into.”
Barski and several others of the team rushed around the corner with their weapons at the ready until they realised the situation was contained.
“You okay?” he asked.
Kaufman nodded and then noticed a wheeled bag. It was no different to what many travellers carried through the spaceport. He got back to his feet and staggered over to it. It was brand new and must have belonged to the attacker.
“He used a high power rifle, so this must be how he got it in.”
Kaufman laid the case flat and popped open the lid. His eyes widened as he looked down at the rifle. It was broken up into six component parts. The first thing he looked at was the ammunition.
“My, God! Our armour wouldn’t have a chance against this. This assassin knew where we would be and came well prepared.”
“Davis, you and your team stay at the scene here and await the locals. We’re heading back to Denton. In the light of this, we’ll stay aboard the Intrepid until further notice. Kaminski, officially you had no authority here, but that’s a shit load of trouble I do not need. Therefore, I am enlisting you as an IBI officer effective as of 0500 this morning. Commander Denton will make certain everything is in order.”
Kaminski smiled and nodded. It was the greatest reward she could have wished for.
Kaufman winced in pain as he walked towards the ship.
“Want a hand?” asked Barski.
“No, I’ll be fine.”
It was extremely painful to just walk and talk, but Kaufman would not let any weakness be shown. They had lost the Commander’s informant, but they had come out of a bad situation in a not too shabby state. As they arrived back at the ship’s loading bay, they found port security was already quizzing Denton on the situation. He still looked dazed. Kaufman strode right up to the three uniformed officers.
“Gentlemen, Commander Denton was a subject of an assassination attempt here. He must be taken on board our ship as a matter of urgency!”
“Sorry, Sir, but he needs to come with us.”
“No buts, officer. As a Captain in the Interplanetary Bureau of Investigation, I am in charge here. An assassination attempt has just been made against our Commander. Whatever security measures you had in place, they were not enough to stop a gunman getting a high power rifle in. This is a long way above your position. We have apprehended the gunman who was killed in the process. I have left a team with him until you have the people here to relieve them. If you have any further questions, they will be placed through the correct channels. You know where to find us.”
The man was stunned and unsure how to respond. Kaufman turned his attention to Denton, no longer caring for the port security.
“Sir, let’s get you aboard.”
The Commander nodded. Kaufman turned to see Barski knelt down beside Tremblay’s body. He was studying the entry wound, and he turned the body over to reveal a large exit wound.
“It went clean through. That’s some serious hardware,” he said.
“Military grade hardware and an ex-Special Forces operative, hardly an amateur job.”
“And yet we got the bastard!”
“The Commander was saved by luck as much as anything else. Let’s be thankful we got through this one. Come on, Sir,” Kaufman said.
The teams followed the Commander and his security aboard. Kaufman had been anticipating the visit for days, but he was still shocked at the attempt on their lives. Whatever Denton and Tremblay knew, it was even more dangerous than he’d anticipated. It was time to reconsider everything they were doing.
Chapter 4
Denton sat opposite Kaufman in his cabin aboard the Intrepid. Kaufman was feeling physically battered and his confidence more than a little struck by his near death experience. He didn’t want either of them to be seen by the crew until they had regained some composure. Both men sat silently for five minutes, still stunned and in deep reflection of the recent events.
Kaufman stood up and walked over to Denton’s body armour that was propped up against the sidewall of his cabin. He picked it up and studied the impact of the bullet. The round had skimmed off the armour on the shoulder down to almost its very base. Denton was millimetres away from being killed by the gunman and it humbled both of them. With all of their successes since the formation of the IBI, they had begun to feel invincible.
“This was not just an attack on your informant, Sir. It was an attack on our investigation. I was assaulted merely as a means of self-preservation, but you were as much a target as Tremblay. Until this point, only two people knew what you were onto. If you had you died, your work would have ended there. What is so important that it’s worth killing someone as high profile as yourself?”
Denton looked at the Captain but didn’t initially respond. His cool and sharp composure had taken a severe blow that day. Kaufman limped across the room and slumped back down in his chair.
“Sir, I appreciate you need rest but our lives are on the line here. You know something which could be deadly to everyone in this organisation!”
“It is far worse than even I had realised. I have long been investigating criminal links to a senator. I had assumed that the corruption involved only money for bribes and favours, but the deeper I dug the worse it got.”
“Who are we talking about here?”
“Senator Malory.”
Kaufman shook his head.
“His name is coming up too often of late.”
“Indeed. My initial investigations paint a rather blacker picture of the Senator than his public image would suggest. It would seem Malory is as much a gangster as he is a politician.”
“But many politicians partake in dubious activity. Scandal is nothing new to them.”
“No, this is very different. You remember when Malory ran for his seat a few years back?”
“Can’t say I do, I didn’t follow such things too closely.”
“Two other competitors were in that race. The most popular contender, which everyone was betting on, was involved in a major car accident. He was under the influence of Cosaline and alcohol, despite being known as a man of moderation.”
Kaufman listened intently. He was curious, but not yet sure at all of his Commander’s accusations towards the Senator. They would need rock solid evidence to pursue such a high profile official.
“The other competitor pulled out of the race just days before the election due to personal reasons. Now to most people this would all seem coincidental, but we both know that too many coincidences warrant a second look.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“That was just the beginning. As I dug deeper, I found mob connections to Malory and off-world bank accounts that are carefully guarded. The list goes on. I am no longer in any doubt that Senator Malory is dirty. To prove it, however, is a different matter.”
&
nbsp; “And Tremblay, what was his connection?”
“He was under investigation for various financial crimes involving tax evasion, money laundering and numerous other practices. Tremblay handled Malory’s books for a period of time, but I am not entirely sure of when though. Malory pulled strings and got the charges against Tremblay dropped. However, Tremblay feared for his life and that the Senator would have him killed in order to keep him quiet.”
“If the Senator has so much weight in the criminal world, why didn’t he just have Tremblay killed earlier?”
“He needed him cleared of any wrong doing beforehand in order to not draw attention to himself.”
Kaufman shook his head in astonishment.
“God damn, we are in the shit!”
“This is our job, Captain.”
“If you had told me this yesterday, I would have told you to ditch Tremblay and forget you had ever dug into Malory’s private life, but now we have no choice. You have been made yourself a target and that puts us all in the firing line.”
Kaufman slumped further into his chair. For all his high moral standards, he knew that there were some cases you did not pursue, that could not be won and you would pay a high price to even try.
“What do you believe will be the Senator’s next move?” asked Denton.
“He will want to make certain we are off his back. He will pull every string to ensure that happens and I doubt he will have any concern for how it is achieved.”
“So we just give up the case?”
“No, we know some of Malory’s dirty little secrets. Whether he gets his way right now or not, he will always be aware that we are still out there. He will ensure our downfall, whether tomorrow or in six months time. We have no choice now but to try and take him down.”
Denton was starting to understand the vast hurdle that lay in front of them.
“Where do we begin?”
“The first thing is we have to bring my crew in on it. If we cannot trust them, then we are lost before we even start. We’ll continue working on the Money Munoz case to appease the Senator, but we’ll pursue his case on the side.”
An hour later they sat in the briefing room with the fourteen other IBI officers. Denton had sent his security staff back to the IBI centre at The Spire. He trusted them to guard his life, but not with the highly sensitive information he was about to share. The two men sat silently. They were unsure of how to begin.
“On behalf of the crew, we are glad to see you made it through that attack unharmed, Sir,” said Barski.
Denton nodded. Barski looked confused at the whole situation. They could have come out of the assassination attempt a lot worse. He could see that something prayed on the Commander’s mind and that it must be very serious. Kaufman hit the intercom switch for an open channel across the vessel.
“This is the Captain speaking. All personnel are to report immediately to the briefing room.”
The IBI officers looked at each other in surprise. The support staff were never privy to briefing and case information. They were beginning to understand that a major announcement was coming, but they didn’t have a single clue as to its reason. The assassination attempt still left them flummoxed, that anyone would try to kill their leader. The engineering and maintenance crews stepped in, led by Fletcher, the ship’s cook. The civilian staff looked even more confused than the officers. Kaufman eventually lifted his head and stood up to address the group who were waiting anxiously.
“What is said in this room stays between us and us alone. What we are about to divulge is more sensitive in nature than anything you have previously worked on. So much so, that even knowing it puts us all in danger. However, the time has come that you must all know it. Information is power, and in this case, it could make or break us.”
The room remained silent. They still had no idea what their Captain was talking about, but they were utterly captivated.
“The Money Munoz case was merely a reason to get us to Earth. It is no doubt it is a valid case and one we must carry on with, not just because it is our duty, but also as it will cloak our true purpose here. Commander Denton has been investigating a strong lead into major criminal activities involving a Senator.”
Barski gasped, as did many others. He had seen how messy such cases had become as they unravelled in every press medium.
“What are we talking about here, bribes and deals under the table?” asked Davis.
Kaufman looked to their Commander and gestured for him to speak. Denton coughed and tried to clear his throat. He was a confident man and a good speaker, but the attempt on his life had knocked his calm resolve. He peered around the room and breathed slowly to calm his heart rate and accept that he was among friends.
“Sadly this is not a case of financial crime only. In starting this line of inquiry, I have opened a can of worms than none of us could ever have foreseen. My preliminary investigation has linked Senator Malory with the very worst of organised crime.”
“What are the mobsters funding, his campaigns?” asked Lopez.
Denton shook his head, still trying to digest the shocking information he now had to pass on.
“The Senator is not as such associated with the mobsters. He is one.”
Gasps and expletives rang across the room.
“Sir, the man you were escorting, Tremblay. Are we to understand that he was involved in your investigation?” asked Barski.
“Unfortunately, yes. He was the first solid lead I had managed to secure. At the time of his death, Tremblay and myself were the only ones aware of this case.”
“Then we are to assume that was the motivation behind the assassination attempt on yourself?”
Denton nodded, still in utter shock that anyone would go as far to take his life to protect their reputation.
“My, God,” said Barski.
“What are you saying?” asked Davis.
“Don’t you get it? One of the most powerful men in the country is willing to kill the highest official in this organisation to protect his secrets. We just became marked men!” Barski answered.
“Sir, you can’t believe the Senator was behind this?” asked Morel.
“Why? Because politicians are so squeaky clean? I have seen people kill for the smallest of things, you don’t think a Senator would if he had to?” said Wilson.
“Enough!” shouted Kaufman.
The room fell silent once more. He could feel the doubt among his teams. They had never been so divided.
“At this stage, since our only informant is dead, we have no evidence. I understand your reservations about what you are hearing, but we cannot ignore the threat on our doorstep. We will pursue this case to whatever end is necessary, no matter where it takes us. If Commander Denton is wrong, as I am sure even he hopes so, then so be it.”
“How can we investigate a Senator? The first the President hears of it we will be in the shit, and he’d probably disband our organisation. Any investigation of a Senator must be done within the Senate,” Laine added.
“If we take this to the Senate, then Malory will be cleared within days. We must have evidence!” said Denton.
Kaufman slammed his hand down on the table causing the room to silence once again. He had never seen any of the crew question or doubt his command.
“We will investigate the Senator in secret while we publicly work the Munoz case.”
“Sir, why are we going after a man who could end our careers and our lives, and has shown himself quite willing to do so?” asked Davis.
Kaufman looked at the Sergeant. He wished there was another option. He would gladly take it.
“We no longer have a choice. It is too late to go back and forget we ever stumbled across this information. We are walking a dangerous line here, but if we did not, then who? There are some evils we would all rather turn our backs on. Ask yourself what are we doing here? Did you join up just for the pay grade? If so, I advise you to hand in your notice now and walk away.”
Kaufman stared at the room of officers. He had attacked their sense of loyalty and duty, but they did not respond. They were humbled and shamed into realising that there was only one path to follow.
“This organisation was founded to root out crime where all other law enforcement could not reach or dared not go. Senator Malory is willing to kill to protect his position, what else do you think he is guilty of? Would you see such a monster walk free among us because you are scared of what he might do? We will not be bought and we will not be intimidated. A hard path lies before us, worse than any of us would ever want to see. Will you stay the path? Will you remember your oaths?”
The officers looked around at each other. No one wanted to show weakness. Many began to nod and accept what had to be done. Barski looked to his old partner, for he knew he spoke for the crew.
“We’re with you!”
Kaufman grinned. He knew he could rely on the crew he’d come to know as friends and companions. He had just as many doubts as they had, proving more than ever that Denton was the right man to lead them. His unwavering duty and moral fibre had remained unflinching in the face of destruction.
“Alright, then. We will officially work on the Munoz case. Davis you take point in the case. Morrison, your team will back them up. My team will begin work on the Malory case. No data linking us to the Senator will leave this ship. Nothing is to be duplicated or backed up to the Spire office. From now on, the Malory case will be known as Operation Randal. It will be referred to as the Randal case on any open channels.”
Kaufman turned to Commander Denton who was still sitting at the head of the briefing table. He looked exhausted but also relieved. He nodded in gratitude to Kaufman. He knew that the Captain could have burned him and to avoid all the flak.
* * *
The excitement of the new challenge for the crew was quickly replaced by an exhausting day of sifting through data. The teams didn’t leave the briefing room for anything but food and sleep. The Munoz case was every bit as daunting as the Malory one, only less dangerous. Denton was given spare quarters on the vessel and no one had left the Intrepid since the attack.
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