Raven's Song

by Launnie Roush

  “Send him in,” she instructed as she sat in seiza on the floor’s edge.

  The agent entered, strode to the edge of the practice floor, and sat in seiza before Caitlyn. “Caitlyn Floyd-Von Raben, I’m Agent Jesse Garret, Petty Officer Second Class,” the man introduced himself with a small bow.

  “It’s an honor to finally meet an agent face-to-face. They’re the stuff of legends,” Caitlyn returned. Though several investigators had taken on Del’s case, all of her contact with them had been through Cell.

  Jesse smiled proudly, “We try our hardest to please.”

  “Now, before you begin, does this have anything to do with my son?” Caitlyn asked, her voice full of hope.

  “It might.”

  “Please don’t toy with me. This is a very sensitive subject, and I won’t tolerate any flippant attitudes in regards to it,” Caitlyn warned.

  Jesse nodded then told her, “I’m here in regards to Del Von Raben.”

  Caitlyn leaned forward excitedly. “What can you tell me?! Is it good news?!”

  “According to my findings, he’s alive and in relatively good health.”

  “Truthfully?!”

  Jesse nodded then watched with mild surprise as Caitlyn, a formidable kendoka and strong woman by reputation, began weeping softly and openly, her upper body slumping slightly.

  “It’s more than we could ever hope for!” she suddenly gushed, her sudden joy seeming to radiate off of her in waves.

  “I wouldn’t say that,” Jesse corrected, “I also know where he is and could tell you right now.”

  Caitlyn nearly shot to her feet so great was her joy, “You glorious man! Tell me now so we can bring him home!”

  “I’ll tell you . . . for a price of ninety million dollars.”

  It looked as though someone had kicked Caitlyn in a vital part of her anatomy, “You want me to pay you?!”

  “Of course. Agents are allowed to engage in freelance work, which all my recent findings regarding your son qualify as. I can also promise you I’m your only hope of gettin’ your son back.”

  Caitlyn stared at Jesse in disbelief, “I can’t believe you’d be that cold-hearted! Please, tell me where he is, and I’ll forgive your cruelty!”

  “Pay me first.”

  A terribly feral expression flew across the Caitlyn’s face, and suddenly she was flying at Jesse. He had just enough time to yelp a single syllable of panic when his host barreled into him. He crashed onto his back, and Caitlyn straddled his torso, her hands clamping viselike around his throat. Jesse was struggling to free himself from Caitlyn’s grasp when she lowered her face close enough for him to feel her hot, angry breath on his face.

  “I should tear your heart out right now!” she seethed.

  Jesse’s responded with a tiny gag.

  In lieu of further verbalizations, Caitlyn took a hand from Jesse’s throat, balled it into a fist, and bashed her captive’s face several times. She then pinned Jesse by his shoulders as the man groaned and spat blood. One of his eyes was already swelling shut, his nose was canted at an odd angle, and blood oozed from his nostrils. His skin was an angry red from the treatment it had received from her fists, and his breath was coming in quick gasps.

  “I’ll see you arrested for this!” Jesse lisped weakly.

  “How dare you try and threaten me?! You come in here and tease me with news of my sweet baby, then try to extort money from my family by using him as leverage! Scum! Coldhearted shit! You’re nothing but vomit from your mother’s crotch, you filthy little piece of trash! How dare you even speak Del’s name?! I’ll let you up, you’ll leave my dojo without another word, and if you ever offend my eye with your presence again, I’ll tear you to pieces and feed you to your own fucking family!” Caitlyn raged at the terrified man beneath her as hot tears blurred her vision.

  “Lemme up!” Jesse wailed, and Caitlyn complied.

  Jesse quickly gained his feet, hurried to the door, and as he stepped through he turned back to glare at Caitlyn. “You’ll never see that wormy little mongrel brat again!” he spat.

  Jesse was about to deliver a rude gesture to Caitlyn, but quickly fled the building when she started to stand. Once alone, Caitlyn took several deep breaths to calm herself, then decided her next course of action. She quickly activated her Cell and put in a call to Max.

  #

  Jesse gingerly prodded his brutalized face with a fingertip. An acute pain radiated from his devastated nose when he touched it, causing a sharp hiss to fly from his mouth through clenched teeth.

  She pummeled me pretty bad, but I still won that little standoff, he thought morosely.

  It was one p.m., five hours after Jesse had fled from Caitlyn’s dojo, and he was now traveling northeast out of East Chieftown in the back of a Lux-car. He ceased his explorations of the battered terrain of his face and had just stretched out in hopes of falling into a light doze when the Lux-car came to a sudden, jarring halt, causing him to pitch forward onto the floorboard. He was just about to pull himself back into his seat when a thunderous sound came from outside the vehicle, and the machine rocked as if pounded by a massive fist.

  He squirmed his way over to the driver’s side door and tugged on the emergency release, causing the door to pop open with a pneumatic hiss. He hauled himself out of the stalled vehicle and stood blinking as his eyes adjusted to the early afternoon light. Once he could see, he discovered that the Lux-car had suffered severe damage to its front end. Flames were dancing inside a large breach in the vehicle’s fuselage, and sooty black smoke billowed into the air. Two sinister-looking, gray-skinned SIRs armed with falchions were staring him down.

  I-SIRs! he realized.

  Jesse turned away from the I-SIRs with the intention of vacating the wreck site but discovered three more of them coming from behind the Lux-car. He turned once again towards the front of the Lux-car to find four more joining the standoff. One of them cradled a strange cylindrical object in the crook of its arm, and Jesse assumed that this was the device which had so severely damaged the Lux-car. Though his terror was rapidly gaining strength, he forced himself to act.

  “Who do you show allegiance to?” he asked with authoritative strength.

  “The Leibe Party,” the I-SIR with the cylinder answered, the sound of a casual male voice issuing from the machine.

  “You should know that I’m a Shark Agent of POSC rating, and I’m placing you all under arrest,” Jesse announced.

  “Your charge?” asked the I-SIR with the cylinder, which appeared to Jesse to be the “spokesman” for the group of rebellious machines.

  “I’ll be arresting you for destruction of private property.”

  “That cannot be allowed,” the spokesman said as he and his comrades started towards Jesse in unison.

  Jesse’s mouth went dry as he realized that he was completely unarmed. He attempted to activate his Cell’s phone function, but his terror rendered him unable to place any calls. He began backing towards the Lux-car with the intention of sealing himself in the passenger compartment until aid arrived when a mighty cry uttered by a multitude of unseen persons filled the air. The I-SIRs faltered in their advance when a large group of men and women suddenly began swarming over and around the Lux-car and bore down on them. Jesse fell cowering to the ground as people leapt off the Lux-car and over his person.

  They were clothed in the royal blue assault gear of the VSF troopers and brandished scimitars in their hands as they charged towards the I-SIRs in front of them. The I-SIRs brought their weapons to bear and entered heated combat with the troopers. No more troopers were appearing from the other side of the Lux-car, and Jesse counted at least twenty of them bustling about in front of him. The I-SIRs were now greatly outnumbered and within moments had been disarmed and subdued.

  The troopers began deactivating and lugging the I-SIRs away from the Lux-car. Jesse was still lying on the ground but quickly got to his feet and straightened his clothing when one of the troopers started towards him
. The trooper, a man a bit older than Jesse, smiled warmly as he sheathed his weapon. Jesse’s lingering terror was replaced with indignant anger upon recognizing the trooper as Maximilian Von Raben.

  “So this is the illustrious Maximilian Von Raben we’ve all heard so much about? Veriform’s star warrior and commander?” Jesse inquired.

  “You forgot the part about me bein’ the sexiest man in Raven. Sorry for any discomfort or inconvenience this may’ve caused you. The Liebe Party’s never attacked an individual person before, so this little ambush caught us off guard,” Max explained, a bit of embarrassment coming into his voice.

  “Are you the commander here?” Jesse asked, to which Max nodded, “Then I want those I-SIRs turned over to the Shark military immediately.”

  “You’re the only Shark officer present, so I’d be turnin’ them over to you, right? Thing is, they might have a reactivation protocol, and you could be in danger of bein’ attacked once they reactivated themselves.”

  “Alright, that’s enough!” Jesse blasted, “I know damn well what you’re after, you smug fuck! This was loads of fun while it lasted, but you can’t use your wind-up killers to threaten me! That’s right! Everyone suspects the Liebe Party of bein’ nothin’ but the Von Raben and Fulsom crybabies sendin’ corporate spec-op units to bomb each other’s business assets, and now I have proof that you Von Rabens are behind these damned I-SIRs!

  “Your daddy’s damn robots don’t scare me, Von Raben! In fact, I’ll make it my personal business to see your whole family executed!” Jesse raged.

  Max regarded his accuser calmly, “There’s no connection between these I-SIRs and either Veriform or my family, and you’ll see that for yourself when the Sharks get their hand on these I-SIRs. Thing is, I’m deadly serious when I say those I-SIRs really could deactivate themselves, I’ve seen it happen. The trooper who was guardin’ them barely survived their escape. Let me and my troopers cart ‘em off, and we’ll turn them over to the Bulls as soon as we get back to town, but if you insist on keepin’ ‘em here, I really can’t guarantee your safety. Now, wouldn’t it be better if me and my crew handled the SIRs, you took all the credit for their capture once we turn ‘em over to the Bulls, and you repay me for savin’ your life and helpin’ your career along? Maybe by givin’ me some information I might find valuable?”

  Jesse crossed his arms across his chest and coolly leaned back against the damaged Lux-car, “You’ll never make me talk, you whiny little shit! Game’s over!”

  Max drew his scimitar and brought its edge to Jesse’s neck before the cocky agent even had time to blink. “You don’t want to know how far I’m willin’ to go to get my son back!” he glowered.

  Jesse’s pride and arrogance were quashed by the return of his terror, and he was mortified to feel his bladder let go, soaking the front of his pants as if he were an untrained toddler. “I’ll tell you if you lower your weapon!” he stammered.

  Max’s eyes narrowed as he pressed the edge of his weapon harder against Jesse’s neck.

  “Please, I swear on the Creator I’ll tell you!”

  Max lowered his sword to his side, “Talk!”

  “Alexander Fulsom hired the Spiders to kidnap Del. He then turned the boy over to the Alsford family, the principal shareholders of Mundi Incepta. They promised to keep the boy’s location a complete secret, but I found out he’s alive and in Dis right now,” Jesse reported.

  Max’s complexion paled slightly as dread appeared in his expression, and he pondered this revelation for a moment before asking, “Why would the Alsfords go along with all this?”

  “I really don’t know.”

  “And you’re certain this information’s true?”

  “From the mouth of Richard Fulsom himself,” Jesse insisted.

  Max sheathed his sword and gave Jesse a small smile, “Well, let’s hope for your sake he was tellin’ the truth.”

  Max turned and went off after the now departing VSF troopers, and soon Jesse was left alone with the disabled Lux-car.

  “FUCK YOUR MOTHER!”

  After screaming his useless expletive, Jesse slumped tiredly against the Lux-car and let a triumphant smile light up his face. Max had forced a vital secret from him, but he still had one other he had gotten from Richard Fulsom. One regarding a trap in Von Raben Manor that could spell complete disaster for the Von Rabens. One he now planned on keeping to himself.

  Can’t wait to see how they handle this one! he thought with hateful glee.

  TWENTY FOUR

  Frederic was sitting on a bench alongside his daughter in a park adjacent to Max’s home. They were watching Caitlyn play with her five-year-old daughter Eve as they anxiously awaited news from Max. The little girl laughed and squealed with joy as her mother pushed her on a swing that hung alongside other occupied swings on a rustic swing set. The park was rather full for it being early evening, but none of the citizens visiting the place even seemed to notice the famed CEO, and for that Frederic was happy.

  The sound of a rapidly approaching Lux-car drew his attention to the street, where he discovered one of the vehicles coming to a sharp stop in front of Max’s house. Max himself popped out of the Lux-car and hurried into his house.

  “Mama, push me!” Eve cried out.

  Frederic turned his attention to the swing set just as Caitlyn snatched her daughter up and sprinted to her house. Frederic and Anna were quick to follow, but had some difficulty keeping up with the woman. They finally caught up to her in the bedroom she and Max shared. She was squeezing her husband tightly with one arm, her face buried in his shoulder.

  “Mama, you’re crushing me!” Eve cried out from between her parents.

  Caitlyn passed the child off to Anna, who took the girl from the room. Turning back to Max, Caitlyn asked, “Did he tell you where Del is?!”

  “Ronald and I’ll be goin’ to check into it.”

  “Check into it?”

  Max nodded, “Jesse gave us a location where Del might be, so we’re goin’ to see if he’s there, and, with any luck, bring him home.”

  Upon hearing this Caitlyn went into the closet and quickly returned, haphazardly stuffing some clothes into a duffel bag. Max went to her and without a word snatched the bag from her and tossed it aside.

  “What’re you doing?!” she demanded.

  “Answer me the same question,” he countered.

  “I’m going with you and Ronald.”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “How dare you try and tell me what I will and will not do!”

  “Caitlyn, please–”

  “If there’s any chance our son’s at this place you’re planning on going to, then I’ll be by your side when you go.”

  “I can’t let you come with me.”

  “Why not?! We’ve been in countless battle together! We’ve killed together and saved each other’s lives over and over, so why can’t I go with you this time?! Give me one spectacularly good fucking reason why I should stay here and play the timid little wife for you?!”

  “Dis.”

  This answer caused Caitlyn to appear as if someone had slapped her. “What?”

  “Jesse told us Del’s in Dis.”

  Caitlyn was visibly shaken as she plopped down on the edge of the bed she shared with Max, “My baby’s in Dis?”

  “Possibly.”

  “And you got permission to go inside?”

  “No. Ronald and I are breakin’ in. That’s why you can’t go. If something were to happen–” Max was cut off when Caitlyn shot forward and pressed her hand over his mouth.

  “Please, let me go,” she pleaded, “one of us needs to stay with Eve, and I think Del will respond better to me. You know, the mother-child bond, and all of that.”

  Max gently pulled her hand from his mouth and held it to his cheek. “I get it, I really do, and you’re right, it really should be you that goes. I just . . .”

  “Just what?” Caitlyn pressed.

  “I can’t lose you, too,” M
ax told her, his voice cracking.

  Frederic stepped forward and gently grasped his son’s shoulder, “There must be some other way. Economic sanctions and appeals to the governors for aid would be a good start.”

  “That’d take too long, and any action on our part might alert our enemies to the fact we’re wise to them,” Max reasoned.

  “But do either of you have to go? We could send one of our more skilled troopers,” Frederic continued.

  Max let out a sigh and pulled his wife close, “No, one of us has to go, and Caitlyn’s right; Del’s gonna need his mommy.”

  #

  “I hate this damn coverall! It’s chokin’ me to death!” Ronald griped.

  “Can’t be helped,” Caitlyn reminded him.

  It was nearly midnight, almost twelve hours since Max had forced Jesse into giving up his secrets, and she and Ronald were in an air transport which was bound for Dis. The transport was filled to capacity with prisoners from Raven who talked quietly amongst themselves, allowing her and Ronald to do likewise. To avoid detection they wore the same red prison coveralls and heavy steel manacles as the genuine prisoners.

  When Ronald had presented the infiltration plan to Max, he had been pleased with its simplicity. Because directly communicating with Dis, Mundi Incepta, or the Scarab government would catch the attention of the Spiders, they had to use a more indirect, albeit dangerous, avenue of communication. In short, Ronald and Caitlyn would disguise themselves as prisoners from Raven, sneak into Dis, and once their intrusion was detected, they would demand an audience with the warden and force them to return Del. A covert verbal order from Bert got them placed on the Raven prisoner transport, and with that they were on their way.

  In an attempt to lighten the mood, Ronald had jokingly likened their endeavor to a “buddy adventure movie”, going as far as to name their pairing “The Saviors”. Caitlyn was admittedly less than pleased with his seemingly flippant attitude towards the rescue mission. After he assured her he was deadly serious about the mission and was simply joking around in order to cope with his overwhelming anxiety, she forgave him and even began referring to their pairing by the title. What’s more, she completely sympathized with his anxiety, the merest thought of failure sending a tsunami of paralyzing terror through her.