by Michael Rose
“Younger’s not….”
Sullivan laughed. “That answers my first question. The man who intervened is working for Zednik, then. But you said he’s not what? Not one of Zednik’s henchmen? He’s a hired gun, then?”
Hans gritted his teeth. He’d already made one mistake, and he wasn’t going to make another. “I’m not saying anything.”
“You don’t like this Younger fellow, do you?”
“Not saying anything.”
“Is it because Zednik goes out and hires him when you or your brother could do the job just as well?” Sullivan shook his head. “All the years you’ve been with him, and he still doesn’t have faith in your abilities.”
“You’re not going to trick me into talking.”
“It’s no trick, Hans. Face facts, he doesn’t respect you. And here’s another fact: Zednik is going down. You’ve seen what I can do. Believe me, I will take him down. And your choice is simple. You can either help me and leave this place a free man, a man who will finally be able to profit from his skills and connections, or you can keep defending Zednik. If you decide on the latter, then you and your brother will die along with Zednik.”
Hans licked his lips. “Can I have some water?”
“How about this,” said Sullivan. “I’ll start asking questions. For every question you answer to my satisfaction, I’ll give you a sip of water.”
Hans said nothing.
“Think about it,” said Sullivan, getting up. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
He left the room and went down to Brain, who was still sitting at the table. “What do you know about a man named Younger?” he asked, opening the refrigerator next to the table.
“He’s a hired assassin. Did Hans tell you he’s working for Zednik?”
“Not in as many words, but it came out.”
“Then we’re in trouble. He’s a sniper. He probably has this place covered.”
Sullivan grunted. “We’d better not go outside, then. Your men have come and gone, but he’s not killed them. You or I must be the target.”
“Probably both. We’re damned lucky he didn’t get us the night of the raid.”
“Not lucky. If Younger had killed one of us, it would have put your men on alert. He wouldn’t have been able to take Kate.” Sullivan took a bottle of water from the refrigerator and an empty plastic cup from the table. “Well, I think Hans might start talking now. Have your men keep a wary eye out.”
“Will do.” Brain took another drag on his cigarette. His cheek twitched slightly as he exhaled.
FRANZ WOKE UP to find himself in a bed. It wasn’t his bed, but he recognized the room. He was at Zednik’s compound on the outskirts of the city. As he sat up, a faint hint of lavender reached his nostrils.
“You awake?” he heard a voice say from the darkness.
Someone stood up from a chair and moved to the window. He heard a whirring sound, and as the curtains were mechanically drawn back by the motor, the light from outside revealed Zednik’s tall figure standing by the window.
“What happened, Franz?” he said, moving over to the injured man and sitting on the edge of the bed.
“A man. We got into an argument and took it outside. Then I got hit and… and I don’t remember anything after that.”
“What man?” Zednik already knew what man, of course. Younger had told him everything.
“I don’t know. Some drunk.”
“Perhaps it was you who was the drunk.” Zednik took his tablet out, unfolded it and tapped on the screen. “This man?” he asked, showing Franz the picture of Sullivan.
Franz leaned forward. The bright light from the window was behind the tablet. He squinted. “I think so. Wait… is that that Sullivan guy?”
Zednik put his tablet away. “Yes, Franz, it is ‘that Sullivan guy.’ And you and Hans let him slip away.”
“Where is Hans?”
“Sullivan probably has him.”
Franz tried to get up but lay back down as his head began to swim. “Then where’s Sullivan?”
Zednik stood. “He’s working for Eugene Brain.”
“We have to get Hans out.” Franz started coughing.
Zednik picked up a glass of water from the side table and handed it to the injured man. “Drink this.”
Franz took a sip. “It tastes funny.”
Zednik withdrew the glass. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let a failure like this go unpunished.”
“What have you…?”
Franz began to see black spots in front of his eyes. They grew in size until he could see nothing. He heard the door to the room open, close, and then all was silence.
17
IT HAD BEEN two days. This prison, at least, was more tolerable than her last. It was a beautifully appointed room with an attached bathroom. But despite the comfortable furnishings, Kate was not at ease. Aside from a few fitful hours of sleep each night, she had stayed near the window, looking out on what the daylight hours revealed to be a luxurious compound. She was on the second story of the house and high walls, almost as tall as the top of her window, enclosed a courtyard with a fountain in the center of it. She could just see beyond the top of the wall and knew, from her observations, that this compound was isolated from the rest of the city. She could see the roofs of a few small buildings and beyond, only desert.
An older man with kind eyes but a sad face had been bringing her food. She could tell that he wasn’t a soldier. He was probably one of Zednik’s servants. Twice she had been able to peek out through the open door of the room as he left, and both times she could see that the hallway was guarded by a man with a rifle slung over one shoulder.
On the evening of her second day of captivity, the man entered with a tray as the sun was skirting the wall of the compound, soon to set. She tried again to speak with him. Every other time he had simply smiled, laid down her food and withdrawn.
Kate smiled kindly at him as he entered. “My guy Friday. What’s on the menu tonight?”
The man smiled back and set the tray on the small table by the window.
“Surely you can speak to me?”
“I’m sorry, miss, I have strict orders.”
Kate got up from the table and put her hand on his arm. “Please. It’s so quiet and lonely here. Just a minute of conversation?”
The man moved to the door and spoke with the guard in hushed tones. He closed the door and returned.
“What did you tell him?”
“That you want to confide something in me and that the information might be valuable to my employer.”
“And what will you tell him when he asks you what I confided?”
“Simply that you’re having female issues and require some extra amenities.”
Kate smiled again. “What if Zednik has this room under surveillance?”
“He doesn’t. Mr. Zednik is very careful about his privacy. None of his homes have any cameras or listening devices in them. He’s afraid they could be used to track his movements. He’s rather paranoid about technology in general, actually.”
“He’s kind of a freak, isn’t he?”
The man pursed his lips. “He’s very particular.”
Kate looked away, toward the window. “He’s a monster. How can you work for someone like that?”
“On Abilene, one doesn’t say no to a well-paying job. And any job that doesn’t require me to do anything despicable is acceptable to me.”
“You speak very well. You’re not like the other people on this planet, are you?”
“I suppose not. Early on, I realized that if I wanted a life away from Abilene I would have to improve myself, my mind. I hoped to be able to emigrate to an Assembly planet. Unfortunately, there aren’t any planets that want to take a chance on someone from this place.”
“But there are better planets than this that aren’t part of the Assembly. You could go to one of them.”
“I had hoped to do that one day. I began working for Mr. Zednik so I could save u
p some money. I didn’t realize that employment for him is not an optional position. You work for him until he decides to release you.”
“So you’re stuck.”
“Yes.”
“What’s your name?”
“Emerson, miss.”
“Is that your first or last name?”
“Last. My first name is Abraham.”
“Abraham Emerson. It’s a very elegant-sounding name.”
“I chose it myself. My parents, my father… I left that name and that life behind long ago.”
“Abraham, I have to tell you something. There’s a man coming for me, a man who won’t stop to worry about who you are. He’ll only see that you work for Zednik.”
“You speak of Richard Sullivan?”
“You know about him?”
“I overhear a lot while I’m serving Mr. Zednik.”
Kate put her hands around his. “Abraham, when this happens, when Rick comes, I want you to come here and stay with me. I’ll be able to protect you, to tell him you’re not like Zednik’s other men.”
Abraham smiled his sad smile. “I thank you for your concern, Miss Alexander.”
“When I’m free, I can take you back to Silvanus with me. My father can set you up in a position; you can have the life you deserve. Will you do it?”
“I will consider it.”
“Please, Abraham. Don’t die for a man like Zednik. Come to me when the shooting starts.”
Abraham got up from the table. “I’ve stayed too long; they’ll be suspicious.” He crossed to the door and knocked on it. As the guard opened it from the outside, Abraham turned back toward Kate. “Enjoy your meal, Miss Alexander. I’ll see that you receive the items that you have requested.” He bowed his head and departed.
FRANK ALLEN HADN’T been hard to find. The agents had moved hotels since Sullivan’s first encounter with Allen, but when Bureau agents were around, word spread fast. From across the street, Sullivan watched the hotel. He’d had some of Brain’s men create a distraction so he could sneak away from the warehouse and had spent the last six hours tracking and observing the agents. He’d heard that one of the agents had been killed, and he had watched Ives and Wagner leave. He checked his watch. Presumably, they were going to get dinner. If Allen was in the hotel, he’d be alone.
Sullivan walked across the street and entered the hotel. He took a bottle of Dacian whiskey from his shoulder bag, placed it on the front desk and smiled at the desk attendant.
“I have a gift for my friend, but I forgot what room he’s in.”
“Sorry, can’t help you.”
Sullivan took another bottle from his bag. “I have an extra bottle here. My friend’s a lightweight. He only needs the one.”
The attendant took one of the bottles and put it behind the desk. “I suppose your friend wouldn’t want to miss a nice gift like this.”
Sullivan put the other bottle back in his bag. “No, he wouldn’t.”
“What’s his name?”
“Frank Allen.”
The attendant narrowed his eyes for a moment then turned to his computer screen and tapped at his keyboard. “Room three oh seven.”
“Thanks,” said Sullivan.
“Wait a minute.”
Sullivan turned back.
“We run a decent place here. Can you promise me there won’t be any trouble?”
“I’ll make sure he doesn’t drink too much,” said Sullivan.
The attendant shook his head and turned back to his computer.
Sullivan rode the elevator up. He got off at the third floor, found the room and knocked.
Frank Allen opened the door and, before he could draw his gun, Sullivan was inside and disarming him. Sullivan put his hand over Allen’s mouth and pinned his arm behind his back.
“Just wait, Agent Allen. Just relax. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Allen stopped struggling. He was strong, but Sullivan was stronger and had him at a disadvantage. He knew he wouldn’t be able to break out of the hold. Sullivan removed the hand over Allen’s mouth. “What do you want?” said Allen, trying to slow his breathing.
“I only want to talk, man to man. If I let you go, do you promise not to try and fight me?”
Allen tested the strength of the hold again. Sullivan was definitely too strong to take on without a gun. “I promise, Rick.”
Sullivan let Allen go. “Sit over there,” he said, motioning Allen to the chair by the window. “And close the drapes.”
Allen complied with the request. He relaxed as Sullivan put his gun away.
“What is it you want to talk about, Rick?”
“The future.”
Allen leaned back in the chair. “My favorite subject.”
“Look, I know you have your job to do. You want to take me in.”
“You killed two people on Earth, Rick.”
“But now you know why.”
“I know. They were crooked, I get that. But it’s not your job to carry out their punishment.”
“I had no choice. If that vote had gone through, Edaline’s leaders would have gotten the approval and protection of the Stellar Assembly. Any hope for change would have been destroyed.”
“Well, you certainly saw to it that Edaline stayed out of the SA. You accomplished your goal. So why not come in peacefully?”
“I’m not finished yet, Agent Allen. The people of Edaline are still not free. The government still has the power of the military backing them up. The only way to remove them is by force.”
“So you’re going to lead a one-man crusade against Edaline’s government?”
“No. I’m going to join the resistance, help organize it. But it’s not just about Edaline. You and I both know there are other planets—this one, for example—where the people suffer at the hands of the brutal and the corrupt. But if I can start something on Edaline, if people around the galaxy can see that there is hope for change, hope for a better life….”
Allen shook his head. “Very noble, to be sure, but nothing will happen if you die in the process. Or get captured. Come in peacefully, Rick. You’d rather be in SA custody than Edalinian custody, believe me on that. Then you can start a campaign for change from prison. You’ll be a semi-celebrity, reporters will write about you, your story will get out.”
Sullivan shook his head. “Agent Allen, there’s only one thing that will convince me to give up on this and surrender to you.”
“What’s that?”
“I need your help.”
“Well, if that’s what it takes, I’ll do what I can to further your cause, get your message out….”
“That’s not quite what I mean. What kind of operational clearance have you been given?”
“I’ve been given clearance to pursue and arrest anyone who has violated SA law.”
“Good. If you help me do something, I’ll surrender.”
“What is this something?”
“Do you know of a man named Orion Zednik?”
“Yes. I’ve met him, actually.”
“Eight months ago, he kidnapped a woman named Kate Alexander from her home planet of Silvanus. She was held in a cell next to mine until I helped her to escape.”
“He kidnapped her on Silvanus?”
“Yes.”
“That’s an Assembly planet. If I can get Miss Alexander to corroborate this story, then that is enough to arrest Zednik, if that’s what you’re after.”
“Suppose he’s taken her again. Would it be a continuation of the crime committed on Silvanus, even though the second kidnapping happened on a non-SA planet?”
Allen pursed his lips. “Well, it’d be for a judge to decide, but the way I see it, he kidnapped her and is currently detaining her. I’d say it’s part of the same crime.”
Sullivan nodded. “Here’s the deal I’m willing to make with you, Agent Allen. If you help me rescue Kate from Zednik, I’ll surrender peacefully.”
“Look, Rick, if I conduct a Bureau operation again
st Zednik, I can’t have a wanted fugitive at my side. It doesn’t work that way.”
Sullivan raised an eyebrow. “This is Abilene, Agent Allen. If this works out, you’ll go back to Earth with me and Zednik in custody. Kate Alexander will be safe and on her way home, and no one will worry about how you got it done."
“You care about her, don’t you?”
“More than you know.”
“I don’t understand you, Rick. You’re a good man, I can see that. How do you justify the things you’ve done?”
“Sometimes righteous causes need a little help from the Devil.”
“But doesn’t serving the Devil make you unrighteous?”
Sullivan stood. “Agent Allen, at some point in their lives, whether they want to or not, all good men serve the Devil. But I’m not asking you to do that. I’m just asking you to stand side by side with one of the damned.”
Allen stood and crossed over to Sullivan. He put out his hand. “I may regret this.”
Sullivan shook Allen’s hand. “I won’t.”
“What’s the plan?”
“I’m still working on it.”
Sullivan took Allen’s gun from his coat and handed it back to him. Allen took the weapon and holstered it.
“Thank you, Frank. I’ll be in touch.”
Allen nodded and shook Sullivan’s hand again before the other man turned and walked out of the room. As Allen moved to close the door, his foot kicked something. A bottle of Dacian whiskey rolled across the floor and came to rest against the wall. Allen picked it up, broke the seal and took a long drink.
18
YOUNGER HADN’T BEEN seen around for a few days. This worried Sullivan. Did Zednik know of Sullivan’s plan? Had he recalled Younger to help defend against it?
Either way, the plan wouldn’t be easy to pull off. Zednik’s compound was isolated and well protected from a ground attack. But Sullivan hadn’t planned a ground attack. Brain had dedicated a freighter to the operation, and that would be their way in.
Parked just outside the city behind a sand dune, Sullivan, Allen, Wagner, Ives and three of Brain’s men waited and listened as Brain and the rest of his forces pulled their trucks up to the front of the compound.