by John Bowers
“The second layer of power in the family is the children. Egor has two sons, Orel and Stepan; Georgy also has two sons, Kozel and Lebed; and a daughter, Diana. These five cousins run most of the family operations, and each has his or her own network.”
“I thought you said there were no women in power,” Nick said.
“Not in the government. This is private enterprise, if you will—blood trumps prejudice, and Diana is held in high esteem by her brothers and cousins.” Valentin cleared his throat. “She may also be their weakest link.”
“How so?”
“Her full name is Diana Petreykin Stepurin. About nine years ago she married Josef Stepurin, who was an up and comer in Bratva. But three years later he was executed and she was left a widow. The official story is that he was murdered by a rival in the organization, but we believe he was eliminated by one of her brothers.”
“For what reason?”
“We don’t know. And we can’t prove it. All we have at this point is rumors from the street, and no one is willing to step forward with any evidence. If we had proof, we might be able to drive a wedge into the family and crack their solidarity, which might eventually weaken their grip on the planet.”
Nick stared at the family chart for a moment, then looked up.
“So you’ve established that Bratva has infiltrated the Central Government and calls most of the shots, but what about their criminal activities? What are they into?”
Valentin turned another page, and Nick followed.
“Kidnapping. Gambling. Murder. Extortion. Prostitution. Drugs. Weapons. Human trafficking. Slavery.” Valentin looked up. “And everything that goes along with those activities. Torture, intimidation, and some of the most vicious murders you’ve ever seen, including beheadings, live dismemberment, and skinning. They are about as brutal as anyone in the galaxy.”
Nick turned the next page and saw flat photos of each member of the Petreykin family, starting with the two old brothers and followed by their children.
“How big is Bratva?”
“Nobody knows. Extensive, certainly. Membership runs into the thousands.”
“Gambling and prostitution—those are illegal on Beta C?”
“Not illegal, but controlled. Anyone who wants to run a casino or betting track, or anyone wanting to sell their body, has to be licensed by Bratva. Same with dangerous drugs. Freelancing is not allowed, and of course, Bratva takes a hefty cut from the profits of all the activities it controls.” Valentin cleared his throat again. “Including taxes.”
“Jesus.” Nick looked up. “Anything else?”
President White Wolf intercepted the question.
“That is the overview, Marshal. There is a lot more, but that should be enough to help you make a decision.”
Centauri Arms, Lucaston – Alpha Centauri 2
Nick’s apartment was located half a mile from the River Walk, which wound through Lucaston’s downtown where the tallest skytowers were located. Centauri Arms stood thirty stories high and Nick lived on the tenth. It was the most luxurious place he had lived since becoming a U.F. Marshal, definitely more than his budget would allow, but splitting the rent with Victoria Cross made it affordable.
After leaving the Cachet Hotel, he and Marshal Bridge returned to the Federation Building, where they spent an hour reviewing the President’s proposal. Neither man was excited about the prospect of a mission to Periscope Harbor, but it did come from the President—and it did involve national security.
Still undecided, Nick walked home from the Federation Building. He had promised the President he would sleep on it and give her an answer the following day.
It was late afternoon and his weekend was shot. He had planned to spend Saturday and Sunday in Trimmer Springs with Kristina, Victoria, and Mijo, but Founder’s Day was a one-day event and would be over in a few hours. He removed his gunbelt, rolled it up, and laid it on the breakfast bar in the kitchen. He peered into the nitro-cooler for something to eat but didn’t find anything that appealed to him. He wasn’t really hungry anyway.
He pulled out a bottle of cold water and retired to the living room, where he settled onto the sofa and drank half the bottle straight down.
Periscope Harbor.
Damn.
It was a foreign city on a foreign planet with strange people and unfamiliar customs. He’d been there once, briefly, during his hunt for Ken Saracen, the terrorist behind Suzanne’s murder. It was a pleasant coastal city with nice weather and a sizable tourist industry, modern and upwardly mobile—a nice place to visit, but not his first choice for an undercover mission. He wasn’t trained for undercover work in any case, and didn’t relish the idea of working alone in a totally hostile environment. He was a lawman, not a secret agent, and if he screwed up, what kind of long-term repercussions might result?
Marshal Bridge had been right—it sounded like a suicide mission.
Nick wasn’t afraid of risking his life—he did that every day—but this was just crazy.
He kicked off his boots and stretched out on the sofa. He closed his eyes and dozed.
He sat up when the outer door opened and Victoria Cross entered the apartment. She saw him and stopped, questions in her eyes.
“Hey.” He rubbed his eyes.
“Hey. When did you start napping in the middle of the day?”
Nick yawned. “I don’t remember. How was Founder’s Day?”
Victoria set down her purse and walked toward him.
“A little lonely without you there.”
She slid her arms around his neck and hugged him, then pressed her lips against his in a leisurely kiss. After the kiss she hugged him again, and he hugged her back.
“Wasn’t my call,” he said. “I’m actually a little pissed about the whole thing. How did Mijo take it?”
“He was disappointed, but he got over it pretty fast. He’s made a lot of friends at school.”
“Good. He needs that. His whole life has been pretty turbulent until now.”
Victoria settled onto the sofa and Nick sat beside her.
“What was the big emergency?”
He frowned and chewed his lip.
“I can’t tell you very much. Except that I’ve been requested to take a mission off planet.”
“What! You just got home!”
“Yeah, I know. But this might be important.”
“‘Might be important’?”
He squeezed her hand and sighed.
“All I can tell you is that it involves interstellar politics and I’m not trained for it.”
“Then turn it down.”
“I’d love to, but…”
“What?”
“The request comes from pretty high up.”
“How high?”
“Very high. Can’t say more than that.”
Victoria’s blue eyes bored into him. She was a trained lawyer and understood the veiled references.
“I didn’t realize the President was on Alpha 2,” she said quietly.
Nick’s eyes flashed surprise.
“I never said anything about the Pr—“
“Yes, you did. There is only high, higher, and very high. It doesn’t get any higher than that.”
Nick closed his mouth and didn’t reply.
“They don’t have anybody else?” she asked. “Someone who is actually trained for it?”
“They didn’t say, but they seem determined that I’m the one they want.”
“Wow. It must be pretty important after all.”
“The way they described it, I think so. But—”
“Can you at least tell me where the mission will be?”
“No, I don’t think so. The less you or anybody else knows, the better.”
Victoria didn’t bother to protest. She had worked for the Judge Advocate General while in the Star Marines, and as a U.F. Attorney for several years after that. She understood how the government worked, how classifications worked, how secrecy worked. She did
n’t need to be persuaded.
“Can you turn it down?”
“I can…”
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I have until tomorrow to decide.”
“Does Marshal Bridge know about this?”
Nick nodded. “He was at the briefing.”
“What’s his take on it?”
“He doesn’t like it either, but he’s on the fence. We both are.”
“If you take the job, when will you leave?”
“I don’t know. Probably right away.”
Victoria popped to her feet, grabbed his hand, and dragged him off the sofa.
“In that case, I might not see you for several weeks. I’d better take advantage of you while I can.”
“Take advantage?”
“Have my way with you. You know what that means, don’t you?”
“Mm-hm. Sounds vaguely illegal.”
She reached for his mouth again with her lips, kissed him hungrily, then pulled him toward the bedroom.
“If I do anything illegal, you can arrest me.”
Nick followed without objection. Maybe letting her have her way would clear his head for the decision he had to make. Even if it didn’t, he had no objection.
In the immediacy of the moment, Victoria completely forgot to ask him if he knew an Asian woman named Kiko.
Chapter 6
Sunday, March 29, 0448 (CC)
Cachet Hotel, Lucaston – Alpha Centauri 2
Nick returned to the Cachet Hotel on Sunday morning. Marshal Bridge wasn’t there, but it didn’t matter—Nick had made his decision.
Agent Blue intercepted him at the President’s suite. Two other FSS men were also standing guard, but Agent White wasn’t one of them. Blue gazed at Nick with cold, soulless eyes as he blocked the doorway.
“The President had to leave,” he said. “She instructed me to take your answer and proceed accordingly.”
“Where did she go?”
“Gee, I don’t know. I forgot to ask.”
Nick frowned, annoyed at the man’s attitude.
“If she’s gone, then why is the corridor filled with security people?”
“You don’t need to know.”
“Okay. What does ‘proceed accordingly’ mean?”
“That depends on you. Are you going to take the mission?”
“I was leaning in that direction, but now I’m not so sure.”
“What seems to be the problem?”
“Right now, you are.”
“What’s your problem with me?”
“You smell like an asshole, and I never cared for assholes.”
“I didn’t get this job by being popular. Are you taking the mission, or not?”
“Oh, I don’t know. If the President didn’t care enough to stick around and talk to me again, maybe I don’t care enough to take the mission.”
Blue turned and activated the door behind him. It slid open and he stepped through, beckoning Nick to follow. Once they were inside the suite, the door closed again.
Agent Blue turned to face him.
“If you don’t like me, that’s just fine, but this mission is important enough for the President and the Vice President to travel all the way here from Terra just to recruit you for it. They are busy people and this trip was top secret, so the press can never know they were here. That’s why they had to go.”
Nick stared at him a moment, forcing his antagonism to the rear. Blue’s attitude was typical of every officious asshole he had ever hated, but it clearly was nothing personal.
“If I say yes, does that mean you will be running the operation?”
“No. I will hand you off to the people who are, and you’ll most likely never see me again.” Blue’s right eye crinkled in what might have been an attempt at irony. “Does that make your decision a little easier?”
“Not really. I’ve worked with pricks before, so I guess I can do it again.”
“Does that mean you accept the mission?”
“Yes. Against my better judgment.”
Blue seemed to relax just a fraction. His eyes gleamed and he almost smiled.
“I told them you would.”
“What?”
“The President and Vice President were pretty concerned yesterday that you might not accept the mission. I told them you would.”
Nick frowned. “Why would you do that? You don’t know shit about me.”
This time, Agent Blue did smile.
“You’re just like me, Walker. That’s how I knew.”
“What the hell do you mean? I’m nothing like you.”
“How do you know? You don’t know shit about me.” The smile widened to a grin. “You’re a patriot, Walker. You always try to do the right thing.”
Nick glared at him a moment, then shrugged. It wasn’t a discussion worth having.
“Where do I go? Who do I see?”
Blue pulled a remote out of his pocket and pressed a button. One of the doors on the right-hand side of the room slid open.
“Follow me.”
*
The room behind the sliding door had been a bedroom. Someone had shoved the furniture against one wall and placed a conference table in the center of the floor. The window was draped and two walls were covered with maps and flat photos of various individuals. Two people were bent over the table, but turned as Nick followed Blue into the room. Nick recognized them both.
The first was Valentin, who had briefed him the day before. No surprise.
The second was a woman, and she was a surprise. His eyes widened as she stepped forward with a smile.
“Hello, Nick. Good to see you again.”
Connie Ventura kissed him on the cheek, then took a step back.
“I’m so glad to be working with you again.”
“Connie! ¿Que haces aquí?”
“I’ll be your FIA contact at Periscope Harbor. We won’t be working directly together, but I’ll never be far away.”
Nick nodded, feeling a little better about the operation.
“I was wondering where you ended up.”
He had met Connie Ventura a few months earlier on Tau Ceti 4, a resident FIA agent monitoring TC society development. Connie had tried to stay out of his way, but events had drawn her into his investigation, which resulted in a blown cover for her own mission. She had returned to Alpha 2 on the same starship with Nick and Victoria, but Nick hadn’t seen her since they arrived.
“I spent a few months on Terra waiting for an assignment. When this one came up, someone remembered that we knew each other and here I am.”
“Glad to see you.”
“If I may interrupt…?” Agent Valentin stood facing them, an impatient look on his face. “I hate to break up Old Home Week, but I do have a briefing to conduct.”
Nick nodded. “Sorry.”
Behind him, Agent Blue cleared his throat. Nick turned.
“That does it for me, Marshal. You’re in good hands here, so I’ll just say good luck.”
He stuck out his hand. Nick took it, his animosity fading.
“Thanks.”
Blue left the room and the door closed behind him.
Valentin glanced at his watch.
“We don’t have a lot of time. Your starship leaves in six hours.”
“So soon?”
“Yes. We have a number of things to cover, so let’s get started, shall we?”
“I’m all ears.”
Valentin looked him over from head to toe, his expression reflecting distaste.
“Since you have agreed to the mission, verbally at least, I assume you also agree to abide by the mission rules?”
“I guess so.”
“Then the cowboy gear has got to go. Sorry, but this operation will depend on your ability to blend in, to hide in plain sight. You have to look like any other street thug on Beta Centauri.”
Nick grimaced, but didn’t argue. He liked the Western clothing, was comfortable
wearing it, and considered it something of a trademark, but Valentin’s reasoning was sound. He nodded.
“We’ll give you another outfit, and when you reach Periscope Harbor there will be other gear waiting for you.”
“Okay.”
“That includes the guns.”
Nick frowned. This time the objection almost reached his lips, but Valentin cut him off.
“Nobody on Beta Centauri carries .44 Magnum revolvers. Most people there have probably never even seen one.”
“What do they carry?”
“A variety of laser and slug weapons, but no revolvers, and nothing in .44 calibre. If you prefer gunpowder weapons, you can have your pick of automatics…or you can choose a laser weapon, which might be more effective given the terrain.”
“I used to carry a laser, but I came to depend on the Ru-Hawk so much that I replaced it with another .44.”
Valentin shrugged. “Your choice. But not until you get there.” He held out a hand. “I’ll take your gunbelt now. It will be delivered to the U.F. Marshal office.”
Nick unbuckled the gunbelt and rolled it up, wrapping the pistols inside. As he handed it over, he felt almost naked, but reminded himself that it was only temporary. Valentin placed the gunbelt on the end of the table.
He cleared his throat.
“Very simply, this is an undercover operation—”
“I’ve never worked undercover before.”
“Never?”
“No. I’ve used an alias a few times, but never longer than a few days.”
“I’m sorry, Marshal, but undercover is the only way this will work. We can’t send you in there as a lawman and get permission for you to conduct a Federation investigation. This has to be done quietly, in the dark. Undercover.”
“The President said something about diplomatic status.”
“Yes, and we’re going to do that, but you won’t be carrying a card or reporting to the embassy. What it means is that, if you get in a jam, we can pull you out.” Valentin dipped his head. “And that will be mission failure. Any more questions before we continue?”
“Yeah. How do I get onto the planet? In view of what happened to the ambassador, I’m thinking I can’t use regular channels.”
“No, you can’t. You’ll go incognito, and we have it worked out. You don’t even need to know how we’re going to do it, until you get there.”