To Do or Die (A Jump Universe Novel)

by Mike Shepherd

The corporal who was the senior rank present reported immediately upon their return to barracks. They had skinned knuckles and two black eyes.

  The thugs, at least the eight found when the medical detachment arrived at the site of the encounter, were knocked out cold or suffering from broken legs, arms, and other contusions.

  Doc and the corpsmen called in the local medical authorities and turned the wreckage over to them without a word said or an observation asked for.

  None of the local cops were called in.

  But the next morning, there were several dozen cops, billy clubs clearly in evidence, patrolling the embassy’s perimeter.

  Mary and Trouble were standing at the front gate, observing this new normal, when Colonel Longknife and FSO Graven joined them.

  “Ever get the feeling we’re under siege?” the colonel asked no one in particular.

  “How are we going to get people past that?” Mary asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Trouble said, “but the next time Ruth and you go out, I want that woman Marine that took out two of the thugs in the backseat with you, and I want half a squad of Marines never more than three blocks from you.”

  “No problem, sir, but how do we get out?” Mary repeated.

  “I think I can solve that,” Colonel Ray Longknife said. “Assuming Ms. Graven will allow me the use of her motor pool.”

  “I can’t wait to see how you handle this,” the FSO said with a demure grin.

  That night, Marines left the embassy in a dozen groups of half-squad strength. None of them were gone for more than an hour, and all returned in good order.

  There were, however, a lot of skinned knuckles, several black eyes, and two with broken ribs who hadn’t dodged quickly enough where clubs or pipes were concerned.

  One Marine had a bad knife wound. He was, of course, one of Mary’s boys, from Du’s street kids. He’d been off the streets and in the Corps for several years now. Still, it was Dumont and his crew that visited the fellow in sick bay.

  And kidded him unmercifully.

  Mary was dropping by to check on him just as Du and his buddies were leaving.

  “Several of those thugs took knives to our fistfights,” Dumont observed.

  “Are you surprised after the way we trounced them last night?”

  “I shouldn’t have been. I won’t underestimate these shits again, Mary. Next time we do this, I’ll have a sergeant with each team carrying an automatic. If it comes to it, I want someone who can lay down covering fire.”

  “Pick levelheaded ones, Du. I don’t want this escalating any faster than it has to.”

  “But you don’t want any dead Marines, either.”

  “You’re reading me right on that one.”

  The next morning, there were even more security types stalking around the embassy’s wall.

  The colonel and Becky stood at the gate, grinning as they began the morning’s exercise.

  The embassy ambulance, lights flashing and siren blaring, sped up to the gate as the Marines pulled it open. Despite a dozen black uniforms waving their arms for the ambulance to slow down and be inspected, it charged their line.

  They leapt aside just in time to avoid having tire marks all over their pretty black uniforms.

  Then they were racing for their cars to give chase to the rapidly departing ambulance.

  The colonel eyed the developments, then muttered into his commlink.

  A second later, a sedan loaded with Marines raced through the gate. The Security forces hadn’t yet re-formed their roadblock, so they were hustling to jump into cars and give chase before they had done more than wave at it as it whizzed by.

  After a number of pace cars tailed by careening chase cars had begun the morning fun, Colonel Longknife and Captain Trouble counted the police cars across from the gate.

  “Getting kind of thin,” the colonel said.

  “I think the gals can make a run for it now,” the captain agreed.

  Rather sedately, Mary drove up to the gate. Ruth was riding shotgun and threw Trouble a kiss that his uniform forbade returning. In the back were not one, but two female Marines, though neither would pass muster.

  One most definitely.

  As they drove out, Mary waved at the taxi driver known as the Bear, and he jumped into this cab to give chase.

  However, his chase would have to wait as two large sedans loaded with six Marines each drove out on the bumper of Mary and Ruth’s small rental car.

  The Bear honked his horn, but had to take last place in the parade now leaving the embassy.

  Having done what he set out to do, Colonel Ray Longknife again eyed the thugs in police uniforms who were now closing their ranks and settling in to stare at him. They had few cars left, but it was not cars that worried the colonel.

  “We’ve dissipated their forces with our diversions, sir,” Captain Trouble observed.

  “Yes, Captain, but we’ve dissipated the forces at our disposal as well. See to our guard stations, please. We’ve made our move, now it’s their turn.”

  “Yes, sir,” the Marine said, saluting. “But we planned our move. They’ll be scrambling to catch up.”

  “I agree, Captain,” Ray Longknife said with a nod, “but ham-handed reactions by hotheaded fools may not be the problems we want.”

  “If you say so, sir,” the Marine said, and stepped off smartly to see to their first, and only, line of defense.

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  MARY TOOK A hard right turn and gunned down an alley. Behind her, one sedan full of Marines hurried on its way, but the other one slowed down, giving a street stall a wide berth, but not so wide that the Bear could make it around.

  The fake taxi driver rode his horn, but the Marines took their time letting him get to the alley. By the time he did, Mary was well on her way, twisting and turning right, then left, then left and right. She never did catch sight of the Bear in her rearview.

  His demanding, blaring horn fell farther and farther behind.

  Once she was sure they had no tail, Mary headed for where they wanted to go.

  “Our escort is four blocks ahead of us,” Debbie, the redheaded Marine in the backseat, told Mary. She might have done major bodily harm to the thugs beating up Ruth, but she was also a whip with a black box, and had only gotten better under the bad influence of Lek from Mary’s detachment.

  “There are two security black-and-reds in the area, Captain, but they don’t seem to be doing anything but cruising the neighborhood. None of them are close to the Marines.”

  That was good. Mary had a use for those Marines, as well as what was hidden in the trunk of their sedan.

  They drove to the farmers’ market and parked several blocks away. As they approached the market, Mary found out why Cyn, the blond Marine’s, dress was so skimpy.

  “We’ve got one pair of cops at the entrance to the market,” Debbie said, glancing at her handheld.

  Cyn grinned and sashayed forward. “Let me handle them.”

  “How’s she going to handle them?” Ruth asked.

  “Best not to ask,” Debbie said, “but I think we can count on them not to notice us.”

  The two cops didn’t notice them as they walked into the market. Their eyes were fully occupied trying to look down Cyn’s dress.

  “Do you think she can handle them?” Ruth asked.

  “Cyn tells me that she’s been breaking hearts since she got the nice pillows in middle school,” Debbie said. “Lord, but I envy her those curves.”

  Since Mary didn’t think Debbie had been all that poorly served in the issuing of lady parts, she assumed the two Marines knew what they were up to. Considering what Mary planned for this evening, she had no right to complain about girls using all that God gave them to leave the boys panting in the dust.

  Debbie held back, both to keep an eye on things and to avoid spooking Alice by adding another person to their group.

  Alice was waiting for them at the soap stand. “I have to hurry. Tonight there’s a
big party, and they want everything spick-and-span.”

  “Will the biologists from the Farm be there?” Ruth asked.

  “I think everyone will be there. At least, the girls are all atwitter about things.”

  “Have you got anything for us?” Ruth asked.

  “I have pictures of all of the scientists at the Farm, all fifteen of them,” she said, pulling her handheld out of her pocket and pressing a few buttons. “There, now you have them. The last two in the file are the ones I think are happy there. The others aren’t.

  “The kids also spotted most of the cops on this side of town. Most just walk their street beat. There are some that hang together in groups of four and spend their time in coffee shops or places like mine. I don’t know what they do, but here are their usual locations.” Again Alice tapped her commlink, and Mary’s beeped happily as the new file arrived.

  “Likely they’re the thugs,” Mary observed.

  “They are the ones that beat up us kids if we cross their paths. But we’re good at running.”

  “What about jobs at the Farm?” Ruth asked.

  “Two boys got hired. One of them told me the manure always comes from the same farm. Bothell Farms it is. I don’t know if that means anything. Now, I’ve got to get back.”

  Alice turned to go.

  Mary walked along with her for a few steps. “If you see me at the house tonight, don’t look at me, and don’t look surprised.”

  “Girls can’t come to the party, at least not those that don’t work there,” Alice said, puzzlement and worry fleeting across her face.

  “I may get a job there, just for tonight,” Mary said. “That’s my worry. You just make sure you don’t notice me.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” the young woman said, and increased her pace.

  Mary fell behind.

  “What was that all about?” Ruth said.

  “You, or one of the Marines may get to drive back alone tonight. I’m staying out a bit late.”

  “What are you up to?” Ruth demanded.

  “Nothing you’d approve of,” Mary said with a tight smile. “You or that wonderful guy you’re married to.”

  Ruth frowned. “Care to share, girl to girl, or best friend forever to BFF?”

  “I’m going to the party tonight. I’m going to talk to the guys who say they want out.”

  “In bed?”

  “If that’s the only way I can.”

  “Mary, I don’t think that’s a good idea. Did you clear it with anyone back at the embassy?”

  “Nope. I suspect it will be easier to get forgiveness tomorrow than get permission today.”

  “Mary, you’re taking a big risk.”

  “Says the woman that got beat up and nearly killed.”

  “Well, yes, but I didn’t know they’d dare do that.”

  “And now that you do, would you have done it any differently?”

  Ruth scowled. “I really hate drug plantations.”

  “I really hate Savannah. Now, you get the new information back to the embassy, and I’ll get together with the other Marines and see about getting dressed for the party tonight.”

  Mary and Ruth were still arguing when the four of them got back to the car. As promised, Cyn had easily wrapped the cops around her little finger, then slipped away before they knew she was leaving.

  And, as it turned out, Cyn was no more interested in leaving Mary than she had been about staying with the cops.

  “Where’s the party?” she asked, then glanced down at what little she was wearing and grinned. “I think I’m dressed just right for this shindig. No?”

  “No,” Mary said. “I’m going on Lek’s elbow. I’m not putting another Marine at risk.”

  “You on one elbow, me on the other, we’ll almost make that old guy look sexy.”

  How come Trouble never gets this kind of back talk?

  Mary’s experience of leading Marines was that sometimes she just had to let them do what they were going to do anyway. Maybe it wasn’t like that with real Marines, but it was with the mixed bunch that she’d been dealt in the war and been proud to serve with ever since.

  Cyn had a point, that two might be better than one, and short of decking her, that was the way it was going to be. Unfortunately, when you let one headstrong girl get away with mutiny, there are others waiting in line.

  “I’m staying, too,” Debbie announced.

  “Lek’s only got two elbows for eye candy,” Cyn pointed out before Mary got a chance to.

  “Yeah,” Debbie agreed, “And with you tying up one and the captain here leaning lightly on the other, how’s he going to check for bugs and other fine electronic stuff? I’m your back up, Mary, and I’ll listen to no arguments from any of you. You need me on the black boxes tonight, and that’s where I intend to be.”

  Mary saw the benefits of it and found herself glad to be surrounded by Marines ready to improvise while she stuck her neck out.

  TWENTY-NINE

  ONE VERY DISAPPOINTED Marine got stuck with the job of driving Ruth back to the embassy.

  The rest started planning their night out once Mary collected Lek and his carful of Marines. Afoot, her team went looking for a place to while away an afternoon while keeping a low profile.

  Fortunately, it wasn’t long before they picked up a kid who knew just how to do it.

  He might have been ten, maybe twelve. It was hard to tell considering how many meals he’d missed. But he spotted them before they spotted him.

  At least, he spotted Mary.

  “You one of the fine ladies that brung us the learnin’ ’puters?” he asked as he passed Mary on the street.

  Mary produced a handheld as proof of her answer.

  “What you doing on this side of town? I thought you was with Major Barbara?”

  “Sometimes I’m there. Sometimes I’m here.”

  “Well, you better get off of the street, ’cause a bunch of black boots are due to take a walk down these streets, and if you can’t say what you’re doing walking them, you’re in for trouble.”

  “Can you show us where to go?”

  The kid did.

  The place he led them to was a pastry shop that specialized in the different breads that the various cultures liked. Some were black and round, others were light and long. They were all represented in the shop, along with soups that only added to the delicious smells.

  There were also several kinds of cheeses, many under glass. Mary suspected that was to avoid mixing their aromas with the rest.

  You could also order sandwiches.

  The boy ushered the Marines into a back room, where a stooped little old woman took their orders for lunch and just as quickly, served them.

  The boy explained they were left-hand types, but they served food for right-handers as well. “They even serve for them head-downer types and beanie-and-shawl ones.”

  Mary took that to mean that the store was run by Catholics, but was left to wonder how they kept a kosher and halal kitchen at the same time.

  The food was delicious and beat anything the embassy cafeteria had served. Lek produced a couple of decks of playing cards, and the eight of them were deep into games when a pair of black-uniform types swaggered into the room.

  Mary was proud of her Marines. They didn’t miss a play, but kept on laying down and picking up cards, ignoring what passed for police here.

  As it turned out, the police ignored them. Mary did see the little old lady leave money on the table near them.

  It disappeared, and so did the thugs.

  Mary was glad she’d left so generous a tip for lunch.

  The card game continued into the afternoon, but for an hour they had to make do without Lek and Debbie. They sauntered off to take the measurements of the bawdy house and found it not only silent of any electronic gear other than the usual screens and players you’d expect at such an establishment, but the streets around it had no surveillance cameras.

  “Somebody don’t want to be
seen enjoying themselves?” Mary asked.

  “I’m not surprised. This whole place is kind of light in the electronic stuff,” Lek answered. “Not a lot of cameras. I think they like using the old-fashioned ways, busting heads and kicking butts.”

  Mary couldn’t argue with that. From her perspective, it made things easier. Here a blonde distracts, there an old woman coughs up the usual squeeze, and Mary goes her way, doing her best to rip the place’s guts out.

  She kind of liked that. What did they call it? Poetic justice?

  They had supper there, too. The old woman, now aided by a younger and very pretty daughter or granddaughter, helped them choose from the best she had. The Marines paid well, were polite, and left the old woman smiling happily.

  No sooner had they finished eating than Mary’s handheld beeped. Pictures cascaded down the screen. Someone in the basement had identified by name every one of the scientists at the Farm. The download also provided their professional training and where they got it.

  “Impressive,” Lek said. He’d gotten the same message.

  “So what are they doing here?” Mary asked no one in particular.

  “Maybe that will make it easier to get them out of here,” Lek offered.

  It was that time. When Mary and Lek went to the bathrooms, Mary left an especially large tip.

  The old woman seemed puzzled by the largesse, until the two of them emerged dressed for the night and sin.

  The old woman had frowned at first at Cyn’s getup, but the young woman had been well behaved and seen to it that the Marines behaved themselves, too. Since Cyn was a corporal and most of the boys her junior in rank, it came rather easy.

  Now the woman took in Mary’s makeup and short electric blue dress with its revealing bodice. She blinked several times, then made a decision.

  “I don’t know what you are doing. No, I don’t.”

  “Good, Grandmother. Very good,” Mary said, putting several hundred more dinars down on the table. “Say nothing of what you have seen here.”

  The old woman made the money disappear. “What has there been to see?” she asked, and disappeared back into the front of the restaurant.