Gold Rush

by Clay Moore

  “You sound as if you admire them.”

  “I do, but there is one concern. An organization of this kind is expensive. The appropriation has not been increased to account for the new activity. There is a shadow part of the organization. It makes money for the Secret Service. The money does not show up on the budget.”

  “Can we use that?”

  “It’s supposition.”

  “We need an informer in the Eridani Secret Service.”

  “Yes, ma’am, I have done everything and have been blocked. One of my agents was discovered and executed. The others were turned down.”

  “If we can’t be direct, we have to be deceitful.”

  “It would have to be one indirection.”

  “How much will it cost?”

  “A million marks maybe two.”

  “How much do we have in the black purse.”

  “More than enough to cover the operation.”

  “Do you have someone for the job?”

  “Harminio Andrews.”

  “That Casanova?”

  “I want to capture someone who is hardly seen but has the secrets. I want a woman. Harminio will find me one. Then he will milk her for all the information he can before he kills her.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Hotel Clement

  HOTEL CLEMENT.

  The taxi pulled up to the taxi pad in front of the Hotel Clement. Brian paid his fare plus tip. He got out of the cab, threw his overcoat over his arm. He also grabbed his briefcase. A bellhop had removed his suitcase and had it on a suitcase trolley. The bellhop followed Brian after he had looked at the facade of the Hotel.

  For Brian, it is hard to determine where one building ends, and another begins. The cacophony of architectural styles did show the clear delineation from one building to the other. The foundation building was built in the renewed Bauhaus style. The Hotel itself was styled in a comic book fashion. Thus you saw two 20th century styles juxtaposed. The significant part of this Hotel looked like a scene out of a Bob Kane Batman comic book.

  Brian walked quickly and confidently. Two large glass doors parted for him and his luggage. In the middle of the lobby was a simple Kiosk. He entered the code he was given when he made his reservation. The kiosk spat out an electric blue plastic bracelet. Brian put the plastic Bracelet in his pocket. Brian felt that wearing an ID bracelet was marking him for thieves. Then he moved to the bank of elevators. Before he entered, he noticed a highbrow restaurant and a down to earth coffee shop. On the other side were a boutique for women, a men's haberdasher, and a love shop with all sorts of naughty goodies.

  He continued in the bank for what seemed like all the elevators in the world. He found the car that would make his floor. He stepped up to the door. He could see no button. Then the doors opened for him. He calmly walked in the elevator. The Bellhop followed him.

  The bellhop never attempted conversation with Brian. He just waited patiently while the car traveled to floor one hundred. When the vehicle opened, it was on Brian’s floor. Brian walked out.

  On the wall in front of him was a sign that indicated that suit 1009 was to the left. Brian turned left. Brian thought he understood the significance of the bracelet. The bracelet had the chip encoded with the door key and how long it was to open the door. When he got to the room, he walked through the opening door without stopping. He stopped in the middle of a living room. He looked around. Then he reached into his right trouser pocket and whipped out a twenty crown note. He handed the note the Bellhop when he came back from putting Brian’s bags in the master bedroom.

  The Bellhop took the banknote and then saluted Brian. Then the Bellhop practically danced out of Brian’s suite. The suite had three bedrooms, two baths, the living room, a card-room, A full kitchen in case you brought your own chef, and finally a dining room. Since Brian offered to pay in crowns, he got the room for 900 crowns a day. The price in Alphacent Marks was 2000 marks a day.

  He quickly unpacked his clothes and put them in the closets. He put his shaving kit in the master bedroom’s bathroom. He quickly realized that he was in some kind of paradise bathroom. It looked like you could fit a family of four into the shower. The whirlpool tub could easily fit two with room for some action if you like.

  Brian took his briefcase and put it into the card table’s container under the felt top. There were no cards and chips, but those can be bought from the hotel’s gaming shop. Brian did not see that when he walked through the lobby earlier. Now that he was ensconced in the Suite. He had no idea of what to do next. He decided that he would take off his coat and see what was on the entertainment channels.

  At this time of day, it was filled with talking heads, a group of talking heads saying stupid things. All he got for that perusal was a general election had been called, and all depended on getting the vote out. He decided to take a stroll down in the lobby area. When he got there, he noticed a sign saying banquet halls. On a whim, he decided to see what kinds of conferences were going on. It was the usual, corporate meetings, negotiations, and classes to teach a new skill. Then he came to a long wall. There were a grand doorway with a maid and three smaller doors into the space beyond the wall. Brian talked up the maid. While she was under his thrall he stole her master bracelet. One never knew when one needed an anonymous door opening source. At the grand entrance, he saw the placard announcing a charity ball for the victims of the windstorms on Halfsted.

  Brian heard about this. Halfsted has a desert which has constant windstorms. The desert is uninhabited. No one has died from the windstorms. This charity ball was a scam. He smiled and nearly ran into a raven-haired woman dressed in a deep red dress. She wore a shoulder-slung briefcase. She had on sensible flats and large golden earrings. Her makeup seemed applied by a professional.

  She seemed to be just as surprised as he was. They did the shuffle trying to get out of each other’s way. Finally, they stopped and started laughing at what they were doing. Suddenly Brian knew that she was not who she claimed to be.

  “I’m sorry, but you are?”

  “I am the Contessa Dona Magret.”

  Amarantha whispered into his ear. “She is the divorced wife of Herve Altrain. Her reputed wealth is over a billion crowns.”

  “I am Brian Butler, an agent of the Pendit Corporations. I’m just a glorified Salesman.” He took her Hand and bowed over it.”

  “Mister Butler, you are so gallant.”

  “I wish that my director could hear that.”

  “She just did if she is listening in,” said Amarantha.

  “Are you going to the Ball tonight?”

  “Yes, I always come every year. It is so tragic.” She walked to the kiosk and entered her code. Two plastic tickets were dumped into the tray.

  “Are you coming?”

  “It was sold out before I arrived this morning.”

  “Come with me to my suite. I think that we can work some things out.”

  Brian followed her up to the one hundred and twenty-sixth floor. There, he learned things.

  AMONG THE CLOUDS

  Brian walked into the Contessa’s suite behind her. The Bellhops brought in her chests. Brian was surprised that she did not bring her own maid. He was alone with her. She went to the patio door and flung it open. She took a deep breath.

  “Call me a snob, but I like living among the clouds,” she said.

  “I do a lot of traveling. I just have a passing acquaintance to them.”

  She squinted at him and walked towards Brian flipping her shoes as she went. “You are not what you seem Brian Butler.”

  “One could say that about you, Contessa.”

  “Please call me Dona. Contessa is for out there.” She waved at the suite’s door. “So is this.” She indicated her dress and something else. She turned around and asked Brian to unzip her. She walked away and allowed her gown to fall off of her.

  Brian was surprised to find appliances placed around her body. They made her seem fatter, more matronly. Now he knew
what he saw earlier. Dona was indeed 32 years old. The image she portrayed to the world was someone in her late forties to early fifties.

  “Why the subterfuge?”

  “I was tired of the suitors after my divorce. My husband, that ass, announced the wealth that he endowed me with on our divorce. The uppers have a blind spot when it comes to women. Women are for sex and squeezing out children.”

  “I like the sex part.”

  “Most men do,” she said taking off the last of the appliances. She stepped closer to him. “They don’t like the consequences, though.”

  Brian showed her the fleshy part of his left arm. Dona saw the red mark on his arm.

  “Ameurgen, one year dose,” explained Brian.

  “You mean you have taken birth control?”

  “Yes. It’s the same drug for men or women.”

  “Your company does this for you?”

  “Yes. It prevents extortion attempts when I am calling on business.”

  She came close enough for Brian to wrap his left arm around her. Her breasts were her own. He slipped his right hand into her panties. She was warm and ready, but ready for what.

  “What are your intentions, Madam.”

  “I intend for you to take me into my bedroom and make love to me.”

  Brian scooped her up in his arms. He carried her into the master bedroom where he made passionate love to her on the bed.

  THE TROUBLE WITH ALPHACENT

  They lounged in bed afterward still reveling in the feel of their skin touching the other. Occasionally Brian and Dona kissed. Brian finally turned to her and said: “Did that knock the rust off?”

  “You don’t know how much.”

  “I know. Most of the other planets I understand and can do business with, but on Stella and Alphacent I can’t get to first base.”

  “I don’t know about Stella. I have had extensive knowledge of Alphacent. The first thing to know is height.”

  “How tall they are?”

  “No, where do they live. Over floor one hundred and you are an upper. From Floor 40 to floor 99 you are a Mid. Ground to floor 39 you are low, or sometimes called a groundling.”

  “The second thing is that you must dress the part. An upper level wears an impeccable business suit. That means Eridani Tailors or Alphacent dressmakers. A Mid wears what you might call a bad suit or out of fashion. Low wears work style clothing.”

  “You mean to tell me that what I wear and where I live tells people to take orders from me.”

  “Sure, most Officials are Mid. An upper might have the power to deal with you, so you don’t bother an upper.”

  “That was why I was able to walk past customs officials.”

  “You wear that suit today?”

  Brian nodded.

  “Then you would be right. For mid-level officials, you can either bribe them or intimidate them. If you look really upper, you threaten automatically.

  “We need to talk about the Dance tonight. I would like it if you would be my escort. Can you dance?”

  Brian looked at her and smiled. “What do you think?”

  “That will teach me to question your instructors. Will you wear one of the Tuxedoes I brought?”

  “I have my own.”

  “I figured that. I want to send a message to my Ex.”

  “‘I’m rich, and I have a replacement for you’?”

  “Something along those lines.”

  “I wonder if you might know this man.”

  Brian walked to his suit and retrieved his slate. He put a picture up of Witherspoon on the slate’s screen He turned it around. She looked at in some puzzlement. Then her face revealed knowledge. “He is Harry Witherspoon. He is a mid that won’t be able o pass as upper even if he lives on floor 200. He is supposed to be a mining engineer of some sort.”

  “Some sort. Do you know who Harry Witherspoon is working for?”

  “He’s been seen hanging around with Dag Dankly. Now that is a piece of work. He suddenly got funding for a smelting works on the planet. At the Same time, we were informed on the Board of Planetary Interests that some dark purse money had been spent on a small smelting plant. We had found a source of gold and wanted to extract it from the ore.”

  “Dark Purse money?”

  “Planetary Interests is almost run like a government or organized crime syndicate. Dark purse money is money they can use without telling the Board of Directors much more than its general use. I think it is also its dirty tricks money.”

  Dona rolled over to her stomach. “On Alphacent information is not free. Can you think of a way to compensate me?”

  Brian rolled over and showed her

  DAG DANKLY

  Brian found one of the Tuxedoes that fit best. It was made for her husband after University where he lettered in Rugby. The design was so old it was new again. Dona had taken the Wig off to reveal long red hair. Now she looked her age of 32. Her dress was a dark red weave of shimmer silk. It came to her mid-thigh. She had shown him the shorts she wore in case Dona showed everyone that she was a female. The Dress had a plunging décolletage. The dress’ essentially was backless. Brian had trouble figuring out where to place his hand as he escorted her from the apartment. Dona took matters into her own hands and put his hand on her rump. The corridor leading to the Front door of the hall had velvet rope lining the hallways. The paparazzi were behind the ropes with their various devices.

  As Dona and Brian came down the hall, the paparazzi knew her, but not him. The mystery was too much for them, and they tried to swoop down on the pair. Hotel guards did everything they could. Brian moved Dona though the line and into the hall. Inside they were shown to their table. Where their order was taken for one of four different dishes. Brian took the beef Wellington and a naked salad. They also ordered Champagne.

  Their champagne and meal arrived. They ate the delightful dinner. Some couples passed by and chit-chatted with Dona. Then they moved on to their table. Brian asked a question with a raised eyebrow.

  “Friends from the old days. Since I have reemerged, it may happen again. Does it bother you?”

  “No, just filing the information away.”

  “You don’t sound much like a sales manager or whatever. What are you?”

  “I am a Special Agent of the Eridani Secret Service.”

  Dona sat stunned for a moment. “Why are you here.?”

  “What is the attitude of the General Eridanian towards gold.”

  “You guys are crazy about it.”

  “We caught Harry Witherspoon in an illegal gold mine. They had to be shipping it off world. I am following him to determine who he works for. I am to leave a message for anyone else in plain language. ‘Don’t on pain of death.’”

  Dona sat still for a moment getting her breath back. “I’ve never felt that before.”

  “There must be some allure about being a killer for good.”

  “How can you be this killer. You’re so gentle and attentive in bed.”

  “I can be a little rougher.”

  “No, don’t. Sweet and gentle gets me going. I like that the best.”

  Brian picked up the dance card and read it. It contained the music order for the first twenty dances. He changed the subject.

  “The first dance is a Frisk.”

  “At least here, it is starting to be in all the dance venues.”

  “You want to dance it?”

  “Why not.”

  “Have you ever danced the sexual version?”

  “Yes, it can be quite explosive.”

  “Let’s do that. Do what I do.”

  With the dance agreed upon They finished the pastry that came as a desert. Coffee came with the cake. Then the orchestra went into the bandstand. The Orchestra had to do some tune-up. The director turned and said: “Al zent, a frisk.”

  Brian took her hands and hurried for a spot on the dance floor. They set up by being a pace apart. When the first chords struck they stepped into each other. Brian encou
raged her to lean back against his arm. Then with his free right hand, he rubbed her belly and came up to massaged her breast in time to the music. Then a change in chord signaled her turn to frisk him. She started at his neck. She sunk low on her haunches drawing her hand down his body. Then a change of beat and chord announced a unison dance. She stood in front of Brian. Brian was rubbing his hand down her sides. She reached behind her and grabbed Brian by his man-handle. She rubbed on that as she did knee bends in time to the music. They continued like that for the dance until it ended in warm applause. Brian and Dona trotted back to their table.

  “What you said earlier. I believe you are that which you said you were.”

  “I’ll parse that sentence tomorrow,” said Brian.

  Brian noticed a commotion in the far corner of the hall. He saw a gargantuan man holding a leather leash to an underage girl. She did not look happy. She was clothed just enough to be legal on the streets. Then Harry showed up at the table. Both of his marks at the same place.

  “That Big man is Dag?”

  Dona looked. Then she turned back. “Yes.”

  Then something happened. He cuffed the slave with the back of Dag's hand. She flew back and hit the wall.

  Brian stood up his sense of rightness could do no less. Dona grabbed his right arm. She was whispering in his ear.

  “There is nothing you can do within the law. She is his property.”

  Brian sat down and stuck a finger at Dona. “Alphacent proclaims to be a progressive society. How can they justify slavery?”

  “They don’t. Slavery is a problem elsewhere. The slave child’s status was a slave when she arrived. She is still a slave. If an Alphacent citizen were to own her, they could free her under Alphacent law. If you go up there and shoot it out with him. You might get all of your targets, but you will end up dead. Win the mission but lose your life.”

  Brian sat back in his chair. She was right he did not want to win the mission and lose his life. It was the harsh reality of the life he was leading. He was going to see evil like this and not be able to do anything about it right away. He slumped in his chair.