Gambler

by S. J. Bryant

  "So what's the money for? Has someone asked for a ransom?" Nova asked, shoving her own memories to the side.

  "There's an army. An army of soldiers; the best. They'll help me find her."

  Nova raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "Siaro, I know you want to find your daughter, but are you sure that's a good idea? Mercenary armies can't be trusted, and they don't specialise in kidnappings. I—"

  "These are different! You have no idea what I had to do to get that money. Anyway, what business is it of yours?"

  "I just mean… this kind of thing happens and maybe you're wasting all of your savings—"

  "Wasting? Wasting?! You think it's a waste of money to try and do everything I can to get my daughter back?"

  Siaro put his face right up to Nova's. She could smell his breath as the warm air brushed against her face.

  "Just tell me how you got the money and I'll be on my way," she said in a low voice.

  Siaro pinched his nose with his hand and looked at her through blood-shot eyes. "It's a loan, from Frank Albertoni."

  "The guy who runs the Opal Casino?" Nova's mouth dropped.

  "Yes. And in exchange I will have to spend the rest of my life doing his dirty work, including spying on Cracos and working in this hell-hole. So don't you dare tell me that I'm wasting my money."

  Tears spilled down Siaro's cheeks.

  Nova swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'm simply saying people go missing here all the time. You shouldn't get your hopes up just because some mercenary lied to you to get a few credits."

  "Get away from me."

  Siaro took a step back, his face twisted with a deep pain that forced Nova to turn away. She shuffled away from him, her head hanging low. She feared Siaro would find nothing but more misery down the path he'd chosen.

  ***

  Nova slumped into the pilot's chair and let out an audible sigh.

  "Get me Tanguin," she said.

  The screen in front of her flickered and after a few moments an image came up of Tanguin sitting cross-legged on her bed. The girl wore a long-sleeved shirt with a green vest, striped leggings, and her signature single glove.

  "How's the field?" Tanguin asked as soon as her picture appeared on screen.

  "Not so good," Nova said, sighing.

  "How can I brighten your day?" Tanguin said, lifting her hands.

  "I need to find out if Siaro's daughter was reported missing."

  Tanguin frowned. "That should be easy enough; Crusader could have done it for you."

  "I know," Nova said, leaning well back in her chair. "I just felt like talking to someone normal."

  "Pfft. Normal's overrated," Tanguin said as she gave directions to her computer, Delta.

  Nova grunted.

  There was silence as Tanguin scanned the many screens in front of her and gave commands to Delta.

  "Here we go. Yes, Siaro's daughter was reported missing a couple of weeks ago. Tabryn's police tried to find her. No luck so far, so they've given up the search."

  "Well, he's another dead end," Nova said, letting her head fall back so she was staring at Crusader's ceiling.

  "Weird," Tanguin muttered as her eyes read over the screens.

  "What?" Nova lifted her head to look.

  "There have been a lot of missing people there over the last few years."

  "You think I don't know about the missing persons on Tabryn?" Nova's rage flared, she had told Tanguin all about her childhood on Tabryn, and her reason for leaving the sandy planet.

  "No. I mean there's been a lot, more than there should be, even for a place like that."

  "How many?"

  "Ten reported in the last week, and only a small portion ever gets reported, and an even smaller number than that make it to the Cloud."

  "Yeah." Nova hung her head at the news. It didn't help her with the casino case. "I don't suppose you've picked up on any useful information for me through the Cloud?"

  "Afraid not, Nothing at all."

  Nova slammed her fist on the control panel. "Why couldn't it just be a simple in and out case? Why do I have to be stuck on this god forsaken planet?"

  "You could just leave the job," Tanguin suggested, turning to look at Nova.

  "You know I can't do that. Giving up on a job this early looks bad."

  "I know, but I thought one of us should at least mention the possibility."

  Nova nodded. "I should let you get back to work, let me know as soon as you hear anything."

  "Over and out," Tanguin said, saluting Nova with two of her fingers.

  CHAPTER NINE

  That night, Nova paced through the dark alleys of Tabryn. The address she wanted was in the outer reaches of Inner Tabryn — not quite in the slums, but too close for comfort. Zodac Xion lived in an upper-story apartment in a grey building with bars on some of the windows. The tall building crowded amongst many other identical structures, and the thin streets below were unlit.

  Nova stepped from shadow to shadow, keeping in the dark behind buildings and large bins as she approached the cold metal stairs which led up the side of Zodac's building. She climbed the stairs, careful to avoid the gaping holes where some of the metal had been cut away. The night was filled with the distant sound of sirens and the much closer sounds of the outer city. Breaking glass and the occasional yell echoed from nearby apartments. Nova ignored it all.

  Zodac's apartment was silent. He would be working at the casino until late, so Nova intended to make the most of his absence. The window of his apartment sat to the side of the staircase on the sixth floor. Nova climbed up onto the metal railing and from there stretched out against the wall. Her fingers crawled along the bricks until they encountered the open space which was Zodac's window. She placed her foot on the sill and leapt from the railing into the broken window. She rolled across the floor and jumped to her feet, knife in hand.

  Silence filled the room. She allowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness until she could make out the lumps of furniture and the piles of clothing scattered across the floor. She gripped the glowball at her waist and it cast a soft light over the room.

  The single couch was frayed; the stuffing pouring out of the cushion. A ragged rug covered in stains softened Nova's footsteps, while a small food generator sat to the side. It looked as though it hadn't been used for some time. She scanned the room and took note of a few cheap ornaments scattered about the place.

  She sauntered through a gaping doorway and into the bedroom. The stink of sweat and filth filled her nostrils and made her choke. She covered her face with her sleeve, her eyes watering, and wasn't surprised to see more empty bottles scattered across the floor. Stray needles and syringes lay about the room, forcing her to watch where she placed her feet and hands.

  A part of her was impressed that Zodac was still going to work. Clearly, he was lost deep inside the addiction. Most people would have given up on work, and most other things, by this stage.

  Nova kicked a stray bottle and it bounced against the far wall. The room looked just like Caila's had towards the end. A lump formed in her throat and she clenched her jaw to stop the tears, taking a deep breath through her nose to shake away the memories.

  An old screen covered part of the far wall, and compared to the rest of the apartment it was in excellent condition. It was a simple system that would usually require a scan of Zodac's chip in order to operate. Thanks to Tanguin, Nova had an override device that cut straight through the computer's security system.

  "One new message," said the mechanical voice from the speakers.

  "Play message," Nova said, staring hard at the screen.

  The screen flickered and a gaunt face appeared. The man before her had dark, sunken eyes and sickly grey-green skin. His red eyes darted away from the camera every few moments.

  "Z!" the man shouted at the screen before letting his eyes dart. "Come on man, you owe me for the last batch. You don't want the boss coming after you, do you? You want another hit right? You just gotta give
me the cash."

  The gaunt man twisted to look behind him and continued to stare that way for over five seconds. Nova could almost see his ears twitching like a frightened rodent. Just as quickly, the man spun back to the camera. "I can't keep calling you, Z. Pay up."

  The man flicked his hand and the screen went black.

  "End message," said the computer voice.

  Nova exhaled a deep breath as the message came to an end. Zodac was in trouble. He definitely needed money.

  "Take a few shots, Cal," she requested.

  The chip in Nova's brain went to work, transferring what she saw with her eyes to Crusader and Cal miles away. The technology allowed easy recording, and everything Nova looked at was instantly saved.

  She ambled between the two rooms, sure to focus on the empty drug containers and needles.

  "I'm going to wait it out here. I'm sure I can handle Zodac," Nova said. She sat on the floor in the centre of the apartment, rather than risk the couch.

  "That would not be advised. Evidence suggests instability," Cal said.

  "Yes, yes, I know. I'll be fine," Nova said, rolling her eyes.

  The robot fell silent and Nova contented herself with sitting on the floor and mapping out the apartment in her mind. If all went well, Zodac would be coming down off the Zine, weak and incoherent.

  The thought of being stabbed in the eye with a used needle made Nova's stomach churn and so she got up and fetched an old broom to sweep all of the syringes to the far corner of the room. Broken glass glimmered across the floor.

  She sat for hours, occasionally getting up to stretch her legs. The hour she expected Zodac to get home came and went, as did the hour after that. It looked as though Zodac wasn't coming home. Perhaps the drug dealer had got to him, or maybe he'd had just a little too much Zine.

  Nova stood and was preparing to leave when muffled voices floated in through the open window. She crept to the side, her body flat against the wall, and peered into the darkened street.

  "Fifty credits," said a shaky voice. Nova could just make out a gangly man in the uneven light.

  "Confirmed, Zodac," Cal said into her head.

  Nova nodded, focusing on the scene in the street. Two smaller shadows crowded next to Zodac.

  "It was thirty last time!" said a high-pitched voice that could only belong to a child.

  "Yeah well, the price has gone up," Zodac said.

  "We can't afford that," the girl squeaked.

  Nova's hands clenched into fists at her sides. The young girl could have easily been Caila, twenty years ago.

  "Then I guess there won't be any Zine for you."

  "But we need it!" the smallest shadow shrieked. She was no older than five and she lunged at Zodac's leg, her arms flailing.

  Zodac whipped out his leg and kneed the girl in the face. She tumbled backwards onto the rough road with a yelp. "Get off me you crazy little bitch. It's fifty credits, or it's nothing."

  Nova stifled a yell. She clutched the window sill, her heart pounding in her chest, and fought the urge to rush down to the street. She couldn't believe that Zodac was dealing to children so young and any sympathy she'd had for him disappeared.

  "Forty!" the older girl said, wrenching a handful of credits out of her pocket.

  Zodac snatched the money and thrust out a vial, no bigger than his thumb. "If she attacks me again, the price is double," he said.

  The older girl seized the vial and hauled the smaller one off the street. They hurried away and disappeared into the shadows. Zodac turned towards his apartment building and shuffled out of sight.

  Nova clenched her teeth and whipped around to face the door. Adrenalin poured through her as she crouched, ready to strike.

  Uneven footsteps clumped outside the flimsy door, keys jingled, and someone cursed. With a click the front door swung open. The dishevelled man shuffled through, bumping his shoulder onto the left doorframe and bouncing into the lounge room.

  He looked around his house with sunken, glazed-over eyes and ran his hands back and forth along the wall, searching for a light switch which didn't exist.

  Nova stood straight.

  "Hello, Zodac."

  He jumped and turned at the sound of her voice. "Who's that? I told Bemon I'd get the money."

  "I'm not here for the money, Zodac," Nova said. She stepped forward so that the light shining in through the window lit up her face.

  "Then what do you want?" Zodac took a step back, his hand roving about behind him. He could have been searching for a weapon, or he was still looking for the illusive light switch.

  "How do you live with yourself? Dealing to children?"

  Zodac waved his hand at her, reeling against the wall. "It's their fault for getting addicted. I was just helping them out."

  Nova stepped forward, pushing him back against the wall and crushing his throat with her forearm. "Do you have any idea what Zine will do to them? You've killed them!"

  Zodac's face turned red and a vein pulsed in his forehead. "It wasn't even Zine! It's a fake batch."

  "They seemed pretty addicted to me. So, what, you gave them their first hit but now you can't bear to part with your supply?"

  "Get away from me," he said, his voice choked.

  "You make me sick," Nova spat. "Where'd you get the money for the Zine?"

  She shoved him against the wall and stepped back, unable to bear the stench of his breath a moment longer.

  "I don't have any money, do I? That's the problem," Zodac said as his fingers closed around a wooden ornament.

  Nova held up her hands. "So where did you get the money the first time?"

  Zodac's jaw tensed and his eyes hardened. Nova could see him measuring her through the haze of his high. His fingers flexed about the ornament and in one quick action he hurled the wooden statue at her head.

  Nova ducked out of the way, just in time to be tackled to the ground by Zodac.

  He tried to pin her wrists to the floor, but his arms were weak. Nova pushed him off and spun out of his reach. She jumped to her feet, stunner in hand, and looked down at Zodac, still lying on the floor.

  "Just tell me where you got the money and I'll leave," Nova said, her breath returning to normal.

  "I don't have to tell you anything."

  "No, you don't. But it's strongly advised." She kicked her thick black boot into the man's stomach.

  "Bitch!" the man spat out as he gasped for more air.

  "The money," Nova said, relentless.

  "I got it from a friend," Zodac said through clenched teeth as Nova's boot rose for another kick.

  "Which friend?"

  "Just a friend, she works at the casino. The Lucky Coin."

  "Really? And does this friend have lots of money to waste on Zine-ers?"

  "Screw you." Zodac rolled out of the way of Nova's next kick and pulled himself to a crouched position.

  His eyes darted about the room, but they weren't focused. The stress was getting to him and it was obvious he needed another hit, soon.

  "Which friend?" Nova asked again, stepping closer to Zodac and raising her stunner.

  "Her name's Vira!" Zodac all but yelled.

  "And does Vira have lots of money to waste on you?"

  "No!" Zodac's shoulders slumped. "No, she lives just a few buildings over, no spare money at all."

  "So you're telling me that some slummer, just like you, somehow found it in her heart to feed you Zine?"

  "No," Zodac whispered.

  "What?" Nova stepped closer and tilted her head to the side, threatening.

  "She doesn't know." Zodac collapsed to his knees and his head hung low.

  "How can she not know?"

  "I told her—" Zodac's face dropped even closer to the floor. "I told her it was for rent. She's always had a thing for me, see. I told her I needed rent, that I'd pay her back. And I will!" Zodac looked straight at Nova as he said his last sentence.

  "You'll be dead before you get a chance. If the Zine doesn't g
et you, those girls you just cheated will."

  She turned on her heel and stalked out of the still-open door, a grim expression on her face.

  ***

  Nova stood in front of Crusader's storage-bay wall. A screen lit up its surface and she frowned at the images scattered across it. There was a photo of Zodac and the bottles of Zine Nova had found with a red line connecting him to the casino. On another side of the screen were pictures of the two other casino staff; Fenton and Siaro.

  Nova put a finger to the screen and drew a cross over Zodac's face. A red line appeared on the screen following her finger, covering his picture. She then dragged a picture of a pile of cred-sticks onto Siaro's face and drew a line across him as well.

  She found the interactive board helped to organise her thoughts and arrange information. It wasn't often her hunting required this much analysis. Usually her job was simple. Catch the bad guy and bring him, or her, in. She put her hands on her hips. There was nothing more she could do but investigate her last suspect: Fenton.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Fenton's house was in the more reputable part of the city compared to Zodac. The streets were paved and only the occasional beggar in shabby clothes marred the otherwise pristine neighbourhood.

  She strode up to Fenton's house, looking it over, examining the smooth outer surface and quaint garden. She opened the knapsack at her side and pulled out copies of the compromising photos she had found in Fenton's locker, sticking them to his door to create a rough collage of debauchery.

  She stepped back to admire her work, then nodded and walked to the other side of the street. She stood partly shadowed by a tall building and folded her arms across her chest. Two transporters came and went before she spotted the man sauntering towards her.

  The man wore a black long-sleeve shirt and black pants. He walked with a jaunty gait and swung his head from side to side, his chin tilted up as if he was looking down at the world. To the casual passer-by the man would appear carefree, but Nova saw straight through the façade. The sideways glances scanned for approaching danger, the jaunty swagger made his movements hard to predict. Nova inwardly nodded with approval.