“Get me Timekeeper Kernis,” she ordered.
●
The whole team was assembled in the holochamber but there was no sign of their field unit commander.
“She’ll be here in a few minutes,” Timekeeper Kernis said. For the last fifteen minutes, he and Tamisa had set up a new plan, as a result of Ross’ decision to split up his team. When they finished, Tamisa sent out a message to her team to gather in the holochamber. Then she briefly stepped out, leaving Kernis alone to further study the new timetable.
When she returned a few minutes later, wearing a red dress made in the fashion of Noriado 2, everyone’s jaws dropped in amazement. Even in the modest local garment, she looked stunning. No one had seen her before in anything other than a combat uniform. Their eyes all sparkled appreciatively. Only Villo didn’t seem impressed. He was immersed in a study of the holomap and the positions of their enemies. Tamisa pretended not to notice her team’s reaction, but in truth, she was as satisfied by it as she was disappointed by Villo’s disinterest.
“Yes,” she said addressing Villo, as if he had just asked a question. “It seems that mission parameters have slightly changed”.
“He has divided his team,” he answered, looking mystified.
“Yes, he has,” Tamisa said with a contented grin.“ He changed his strategy and I have changed ours.” She subtly looked over to Timekeeper Kernis, who nodded in approval.
“If we react quickly and use this opportunity accurately, the mission might end a lot faster than we had expected. Also, there will be significantly less violence. Given the circumstances and the potential backlash we’ll be facing from the IFCO, I think this could be a great advantage.”
“Could it be a trap?” Dieter Muench asked. At the same moment, Villo made a gesture to speak, but then chose to remain silent. Tamisa figured he was going to ask the same question. She looked at Kernis.
“We don’t think so,” she said after a brief hesitation.
“I believe Ross is confident that the locals do not pose a great enough threat for him to have to keep his team together,” Kernis added. “He believes it’s more advantageous to have some members of the team resting, while the others keep an eye out for risks of any kind and eliminate any threat at an early stage. Basically, he is saving up their energy for Carthan.”
“So we split up and intercept them in parallel,” Tahara guessed.
“No,” Tamisa said. She couldn’t contain a satisfied smile when she saw the team’s confusion.
“Why not?” asked Villo. He sounded angry. Timekeeper Kernis proceeded to explain: “Field Unit Commander Faber believes it is better to use our collective force to neutralize Isabel Mensah’s team first, and then go after Ross and the others.”
“That increases the risk,” Villo said sharply. He was clearly not happy with the turn of events. “Proceeding this way gives Ross more time to mobilize. He could get away. Attacking them simultaneously reduces the risk that Mensah’s team could somehow communicate with Ross and announce our presence. It’s the safer approach.”
“It’s the more violent approach,” Tamisa said in a conciliatory voice. She was taken aback by Villo’s passionate dismissal of her plan. “We reduce the risk of any fatalities. We neutralize Mensah’s team quickly and efficiently. Then we use Mensah as a bargaining point to subdue Ross. Instead of immediately attacking Ross, we surround his team and announce that we’ve captured Mensah. We threaten to eliminate her unless they lay down their weapons.”
“What?” he snapped. The outrage in his voice offended Tamisa. Why was he getting so worked up about the change of plans? On the one hand, she felt the need for her former mentor’s approval, but on the other hand she was growing tired of his friction. She feared that his attitude would make the others also doubt her plan.
“Look, the important factor is that we have prepared for them, while they haven’t prepared for us.”
“You can’t know that for sure.”
Kernis seemed to want to say something, but in the end he decided against it.
“Even if Ross suspects that we would interfere, the rest of his team surely doesn’t,” Tamisa said. “There is no way for them to coordinate effectively under these circumstances.”
“So Ross will just pull out the white flag if we threaten to kill Mensah?”
Tamisa could sense the sarcasm in his voice and it only served to anger her. She made a great effort to stay calm. Luckily, the timekeeper spoke for her.
“We know that Sheldon Ayers is very close with Isabel Mensah. Even if Ross would be willing to sacrifice her for what is most likely going to be a losing effort anyway, we have reason to believe that Sheldon Ayers would refuse to go along. Without Ayers, the battle is lost. If he decides to surrender, then their mission is over. At least in that respect, he is the leader of the team.”
“And you think Sheldon Ayers has more scruples than Ross,” Villo said. Tamisa could not decide if it had been a question or a statement, but Timekeeper Kernis continued unfazed.
“We know that mindguards are vital to the success of a mission. Even if Ross figured out that we would not kill Mensah, and even in the extremely unlikely event that he could somehow manage to get away before we reach him, it would still leave his team severely incapacitated. Without Mensah, the minds of Ross and the bodyguards remain unguarded. He could choose to go on like that, but it would be a very unrealistic scenario. The other option would be to have Sheldon guard the carrier and the bodyguards, thus significantly weakening his defense. Either way, their mission is compromised.”
“And,” Tamisa continued, encouraged by Kernis’ support, ”even in the unlikely case that Ross, Ayers and the carrier escape, they will be caught off guard. They can’t travel to Carthan under the circumstances, they’ll have to stop somewhere to regroup and set up a new route. That’s when we use the NF scanners to locate and ambush them.” She smiled as if she had just given Villo the best possible news, but the expression on the man’s face made it clear that he did not share her enthusiasm.
“I’m afraid you might be underestimating Ross. You are also downplaying his eventual escape.”
“Villo, the mission is as good as done. And we will have completed it without any casualties.”
Villo looked at Kernis.
“I believe Unit Commander Faber’s plan is sound,” the timekeeper said.
Villo shook his head. “Our mission is to stop Maclaine Ross.”
“Our mission,” Tamisa said, “is to prevent the delivery of this information package. We are to intercept and apprehend Maclaine Ross and his team. Our orders explicitly state to use deadly force only as a last resort, if the risk of failure or the threat to our own lives becomes too great. I am looking to reduce that threat and thus the necessity of excessive force.” She spoke slowly because her voice was trembling. She could barely contain her resentment. She didn’t know what had gotten into Villo, but she had clearly underestimated his obsession with Maclaine Ross and the hatred he felt for the bodyguard. Villo again looked at Kernis; that was the last straw for Tamisa.
“You need to stop looking at him and start looking at me right now!”
He reluctantly looked away from the timekeeper and faced his field unit commander.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t agree with -”
“I don’t require you to agree with my order, Mr. Kantil.”
Tamisa was beside herself with rage. She immediately regretted lashing out at him in front of the whole team, but by then it was already too late. She was past the point where she could control herself. He had it coming. Timekeeper Kernis cleared his throat.
“Because time is of essence and we need to wrap this up shortly, I would like to once again go over the mission timetable,” he said. He looked at Tamisa and three other members of her team - Akio Tahara, Adrian Lucas and Winston Calladan - all of whom were dressed in clothing that was indigenous to Noriado 2.
“Field Unit Commander Faber and Enforcers Tahara, Luc
as and Calladan will infiltrate the establishment where Isabel Mensah, Ray Manner and Francois Gaultier are currently positioned. The innkeeper and the patrons have already been informed of our presence by Enforcer Muench. They have assured him of their full cooperation.”
Tamisa couldn’t help but feel proud that even on a barbaric planet such as Noriado 2, the influence of the Enforcers was evident.
“Field Unit Commander Faber will intercept Francois Gaultier, which will be your signal to incapacitate Ray Manner and Isabel Mensah,” the timekeeper said. He looked at the others who were dressed in regular combat uniforms. “It is most likely that the offensive will be over very quickly and your assistance will not be required at this stage. Advance only if backup is requested. After this first stage of the mission, Enforcer Tahara will take the prisoners to the ship’s containment area, while the rest of the team will mobilize towards the position of the carrier. You will attack the building using a three layer formation. The first layer, consisting of Enforcers Calladan and Lucas, will be assigned with immobilizing Simon Bayles and Luther Brinks while, simultaneously, Enforcers Kantil and Muench, alongside Field Unit Commander Faber, will enter the building and subdue Maclaine Ross and Jason Elden. Enforcers Harris and Hemmers will stay concealed in the proximity of the house, on the northern and eastern sides, in case of an eventual escape. You are to interfere only if anyone from the other two layers calls for back up.”
“Is everything understood?” Tamisa asked. She purposefully looked at Villo, but the man was staring at a spot on the holomap, as if hypnotized.
“Yes, ma’am,” answered everyone but Villo.
“Dismissed,” she said. She was about to request to speak with Villo privately but he left the room in such a hurry that she never had the chance to say a word. She decided to put it off for after the mission.
Chapter 20
When a beloved person dies, things change for us for a short time. We become more aware of life and our surroundings. We look differently at the world around us. At the sky, at nature, at people, aware for just a moment of our own place in the world and our own transience. It is a singular feeling, like being woken from a dream and getting reaccustomed to reality. It is a feeling that offers a painful, yet comforting clarity. When a beloved person dies, we feel as though our eyes have finally been opened to the true nature of life; we feel changed. In reality, we are not changed, and the feeling disperses very quickly. Therefore, we must cherish it.
Sheldon Ayers, Thoughts, Reflections and Patterns
Francois Gaultier was sitting at the bar, drinking a local beer and silently swearing in his native tongue because it tasted like complete shit. Were it not for the enhancements to his immune and digestive systems, Francois was sure the insalubrious ale would put him in the hospital. He was also sure this planet didn’t have anything that even resembled a hospital. These people probably killed their ill and their elderly.
He couldn’t wait to ditch the hot girl and get the hell back to Anderra, where there were parties, beer that didn’t taste like it was brewed from horsehide and chicken shit, and women who didn’t look like they were put together from horsehide and chicken shit. Desert planets had the worst looking women in the universe, which was understandable, since they lived in abject poverty. They probably carried venereal diseases that would frighten the most time-tested gynecologist, but Francois was immune to such maladies, so that didn’t bother him.
What did bother him was that they were ugly and reeked to high heaven. He had an impressive sexual appetite and usually found someone to fuck on every mission. Even if the women weren’t always good looking, during intercourse, he’d have his retinal insertions display a hologram of a beautiful woman, so that problem could easily be fixed.
The one thing he could never get over was the stench. Even when he had his neural insertions transform their smell into the most pleasant odor, he still didn’t feel comfortable just knowing it was there. Since their holocloud was disconnected in the desert, his neural and retinal insertions were of no use to him. After taking a look at the selection of prostitutes, he decided to stay away.
He was sitting at the bar because he didn’t much care for the company of Ray Manner, who was at a table with Isabel. He felt like he always made a great effort to get along with the former prison inmate, but the man had a very unpleasant personality. Francois had asked Ross to put him and Manner on different teams whenever possible. On this occasion, the Head of Operations had insisted on this particular formation. Francois didn’t have the authority to refuse a mission and, even if he did, he wouldn’t have walked away from this impressive pay. So all that was left to do was to put up with Manner, the bad beer and the lack of sex possibilities for a little while longer, then kick back and enjoy the money.
He was thinking of the pretty, young carrier, Horatio Miller’s daughter. He would have really liked to sleep with her. She wasn’t his usual type, but she was very athletic and had a cute little way of smiling. She also seemed very sensitive and Francois loved going to bed with sensitive women. Of course, it would have to remain a fantasy, because Mac would fire him on the spot and then probably hand him out a good beating.
Francois wondered if Mac was going to chew out Alex when they got back. The kid seemed to have taken a liking to Sophie, and he had made no effort to hide it. But Mac was known for being a lot tougher on his bodyguards than he was on his mindguards, that’s why Sheldon Ayers could get away with bloody murder.
He took another swig and decided to give up on the beer altogether. Perhaps he should try the local hard liquor. He was about to signal the bartender, when the door slowly creaked open. Francois looked in the direction of the sound and almost fell off his barstool.
She was gorgeous. A crimson dress accentuated her curvy figure. Her full lips were the color of red wine. Her curly hair made you want to run your fingers through it. He wanted to grab a handful of that hair and just throw her on the nearest bed. She was dressed like a local, but everything else about her suggested she was not from there. For one, she looked clean. She also possessed a confidence that he hadn’t seen in any other woman in Kamona.
Everyone’s eyes followed her, like an actress on a stage. Francois was intoxicated. Who was this woman? If she was a traveler, what the hell was she doing in a place like Noriado 2? Something felt very wrong about the entire situation. Francois’ gut feeling struggled to send alarm signals to his brain. Unfortunately, his brain was in over its head.
The woman walked right up to the bar and ordered a drink. She received a brown beverage, from which she took a sip. How an angel like her could stomach any liquor served in this bad-luck tavern was beyond Francois’ comprehension. A voice inside his head desperately screamed that something wasn’t right, but it was muted by his heartbeat and the noise of blood rushing to very important parts of his body. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at Manner and Mensah. He noticed that Mensah looked tense.
Within a fraction of a second, he felt the gentle contact of his teammate’s mind, building protective walls around his own. Did she believe the woman was a danger to them? How could she be? She seemed like a princess from a fairytale, not a desert dweller. He looked at her again as she placed her sensuous lips on the rims of the glass and took another taste from that unworthy beverage. He couldn’t fight it any longer.
Screw Ross, he said to himself. I’ll just take my chance. Ain’t much of anything going on around here since Brinks scared these peasants.
He smiled at her and she repaid him in kind. Her smile was seductive and vicious. “Can I pay for that drink?” he asked. She measured him from head to toe, as if trying to decide if he was worth her time. She got closer to him until he could feel her breathtaking perfume.
“There won’t be any time for drinks… Mr. Gaultier,” she whispered.
It took him but a brief moment to break her spell and realize he is in danger, but that moment was his undoing. With incredible speed, she placed a hand on his crotch. In i
t, she was holding a small circular device. He had just enough time to realize it was a neurostunner before the intense pain confirmed his suspicion. Normally, his body’s physiological enhancements should have been able to absorb and, to a certain degree, repel the effects of a neurostunner. He was certain, however, that a device such as this had never before been employed directly on someone’s genitals. Unfortunately, for all his advancements, titanium testicles were not yet available.
He fell to the ground paralyzed. From that position, he could only helplessly follow the events that unfolded in the room.
●
From the moment the beautiful woman set foot inside the pub, Isabel Mensah knew that danger was imminent. A short while before her spectacular entrance, three men had come in and proceeded to sit down at one of the tables close to Isabel’s. They were dressed like locals, but the mindguard noticed how nervous the other patrons were around them.
When Manner looked at her, she moved her gaze around the room in a coded pattern which they used to signal a threat. Manner signaled back that the message had been understood. In a few minutes, so as to not raise suspicion, he would stand up and casually walk to the bar to deliver the message to Francois. Unfortunately, the woman walked in before Manner had a chance to warn their partner.
From the start, Isabel’s instinct had told her that the three men were there because of them. It was clear that their purpose was to intercept the information package. What she couldn’t figure out was who they were. They were not desert dwellers, that much was immediately evident. She thought perhaps they might be from another thoughtprotection agency, hired by one of Horatio Miller’s competitors for the purpose of industrial espionage. However, that behavior was very uncommon among thoughtprotection agencies. No matter what many in the IFCO believed about them, they were not mercenaries.
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