She left the beacon tracker alone: all that mattered right now was how fast she could get to Budapest.
31
FOLLOWED ORDERS FOR ONCE
“She did it,” said Mei Lo, shaking her head as she sat at her desk at MCC headquarters. “Jessamyn Jaarda followed orders for once.”
“She carried out her captain’s dying wish,” said Mendoza.
Mei Lo raised an eyebrow.
“All right,” conceded Mendoza. “She followed orders.”
Mei Lo shook her head once more. The news, purportedly from the Republic of Chicago, was game-changing.
“Do we even know if there is such a thing as a ‘Republic of Chicago’?” she asked General Mendoza.
“Our knowledge of Terran governmental divisions is pretty thin,” replied Mendoza, “but the chieftain of Clan Wallace mentioned something about anti-big government sentiment in the Chicago region.”
Mei Lo shook her head. “For the life of me, I can’t think what might motivate anyone on Earth to lie to us.”
“There are always reasons to send confusing or inaccurate information to your enemy,” said Mendoza. “Raise our hopes, dash our hopes … misinformation seems to be a habitual pattern with the Terran Chancellor.”
“Hmmph,” grunted the Secretary General. “Hard to say which of those tasks is accomplished through this message.” She scanned through it once more. If what it reported was true, then Jessamyn had been alive as of two days ago. Further, as evidenced by the vids sent with the message, Jess had been keeping herself extremely busy breaking the No Contact Accords. In the course of following orders.
“The vids are real, though,” said Mendoza. “We have a ninety-nine point four percent probability that the person in those vids is former first officer Jessamyn Jaarda.”
“Oh, it’s her, all right.” The Secretary didn’t need personality profilers and voice recognition programs to tell her Jess and no one but Jess had recorded those vids.
So, the rebel pilot had been alive as of two days ago. And had been invited to come to Budapest to prove her claims.
“Do you think she would risk it?” asked the Secretary. “Putting in an appearance in the lion’s den?”
Mendoza looked aside. “I would never presume to guess what move Jessamyn Jaarda might or might not make.”
“But she no-showed for that interview opportunity in Chicago, if our source is to be believed.” Mei Lo sighed. “That doesn’t sound like Jess.”
“You know her best, Madam Secretary.”
Mei Lo pinched the bridge of her nose between her forefinger and thumb. Hades, that was true enough. If anyone now living on the red planet could be said to know Jess, it was the Secretary.
“I’ll need to contact her parents,” said the Secretary.
“I didn’t hear that, Madam Secretary,” replied Mendoza.
“Oh, for the love of fuzzy slippers.” Mei Lo sighed in exasperation. Technically, as the leader of a government which had declared Jaarda a wanted criminal, Mei Lo ought not to contact Jess’s parents with news of what that criminal might or might not be up to.
“You didn’t hear it from me, Madam Secretary, but the time might be right for revisiting the case against former first officer Jaarda. Especially in light of the content of the vids she recorded.”
The Secretary laughed, a brief snort. “MCC will be ready enough to declare her a hero if Lucca Brezhnaya has her killed.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” said Mendoza.
The Secretary’s jaw tightened. “Indeed.”
32
THAT’S WHAT I’M AFRAID OF
Mr. Zussman, sporting a hastily installed scan chip and a carefully applied disguise, was able to procure a transport in Penzance. Jumble had recommended against buying anything on St. Mary’s or Land’s End, where sparser populations meant secrecy was harder to come by.
Once Ethan, Pavel, and Mr. Zussman were aboard their new transport, Pavel suggested they check in with Jumble and Brian before plugging in the itinerary for Budapest.
“We spoke with the ferryman who took her to St. Mary’s,” said Jumble. “He said she’d asked how to get to Land’s End, so we’re on our way to see what we can find there.”
Pavel scratched his head. “Okay. Well, tell us as soon as you hear anything. I guess we’ll continue on to the capital.”
Half an hour later, Jumble commed in. “Brian just got a call from someone in Sennen who says he loaned Jess a transport and got spooked he might never see his ship or compensation again.”
“How’d the guy know to call Brian?” asked Pavel.
“Jessamyn said Brian would make good on the value of the craft if Jess didn’t return.”
Pavel swore softly.
“Listen,” said Jumble, “We’re going to meet up with this chap, pay him for his ship, and see what he knows. We’ll comm you as soon as we have anything. Jumble out.”
Ethan spoke. “I have entered coordinates for the most direct route to Budapest.”
“I believe,” said Mr. Zussman, “that an indirect approach might draw less attention. It is likely the Chancellor has had traffic into the capital under increased surveillance since issuing her invitation to Jessamyn.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” said Pavel. “Let’s make it indirect. But as fast as possible.”
~ ~ ~
Mr. Zussman had correctly predicted his former employer’s behavior, although he could not know it at the time.
Lucca Brezhnaya, after tauntingly “inviting” the red-haired Marsian to speak in the House of Parliament, spent one sleepless night worried Jessamyn might just try it.
The Chancellor called in reinforcements on two fronts. First, she placed heightened surveillance upon all ships within the global traffic system, doubling the number of individuals normally employed to keep traffic moving safely. An alert was posted for heightened inciter activity, and a special lookout was to be maintained for any vessel in the Star Shark category.
Next, Lucca employed two teams of Red Squadron Forces to flag all ships with an itinerary for Budapest. When told there were thousands of flights coming and going each day, Lucca merely smiled.
“Then you’d better prioritize as to whom you will pull over for random stop and searches. Identify the travelers and start with the most likely suspects, moving down the list.”
Her head of security nodded. “Very well, Madam Chancellor.”
“And see to it no one flies into the capital off-grid. Is that clear? You are to use deadly force if necessary, but keep un-beaconed ships out of my airspace. Understood?”
“Yes, Madam Chancellor.”
Lucca slept much better after that.
~ ~ ~
Brian Wallace knocked softly on the door of the farm cottage. Jumble stood behind him, rocking on his heels and humming what sounded like a sea chanty.
A dog began to bark, and from the far side of the door, the two men heard a woman’s voice.
“Shush, you. I’ve had just about enough of your interference tonight.”
The dog stopped barking and the door opened.
“Oh, good, it’s you then,” said the woman. “Gemma Penrose. And you’ll be Mr. Wallace and Mr. Boslough. Won’t you come through? I’ve got the kettle on to boil.”
She flicked off the vid screen and introduced the two men to David.
“From Paris. Comes for the surfing down Sennen Cove,” said Gemma. “Now go on, David, you’ve something to say to these gentlemen.”
“Terribly sorry,” said David. “Only, I worried I might never see my craft or my money again.”
“No harm done, lad,” said Brian Wallace. “Just see ye keep a tight seal on those lips ‘til the news media shows the girl speaking from the House of Parliament, mind?”
Jumble spoke. “We’d like some help tracing her movements. Could you provide the code for your ship’s beacon identifier?”
“Wait a moment,” said David. “How do I know you’re
not government spies?”
Brian Wallace laughed aloud. “Ye don’t, lad.”
Jumble stepped into the light and removed his cap. “I’m better known as Jumble around here,” he said. Then he turned to the proprietor. “And I knew your mum and her sister, Ms. Penrose. Believe I met you when you were a small thing breeding rabbits at this very farm.”
Gemma laughed. “It’s sheep now. I leave the rabbits to do their own breeding, pesky things.” She turned to David. “Jumble’s as solid a man as you’ll find on the Isles of Scilly.”
“Never been,” said David. “Surf’s better here.”
“It is at that,” said Jumble, smiling.
“We’d like to make sure the wee lass gets to the capital in one piece,” said Brian. “Any help ye can offer would be very much appreciated.”
David uncrossed his arms, nodded, and provided the vehicle registration, a description, and most importantly, the beacon code. Brian and Jumble thanked him and returned to their transport.
“Come back anytime you fancy a farm holiday,” said Gemma, waving.
Brian was on a comm to Ethan before Jumble had started the vehicle.
“The lass is flying a borrowed transport, but we’ve grabbed the identification for the vehicle. If we can hack into traffic control, we may be able to find her,” said Brian.
“Endeavor to do so before anyone else can,” said Ethan.
“I’ve got a plan,” said Brian. “Me cousin’s sergeant-at-arms owes me a favor.”
33
SWIFT ESCAPE FROM HENCE
Jessamyn was staying well within traffic lanes and had responded twice to comms from European Air Traffic Control telling her to lower her speed in the traffic lanes located below one thousand meters. From which she derived the useful information that higher speeds were permitted at the higher altitudes. Flying with a beacon was certainly educational.
She amused herself passing larger vehicles, although one of her swerves jostled the hover surfboard from its straps, and she had to put the ship on autopilot in order to take care of the board. Her mind went from the board to the surfer to the hair she’d given him. She wished she’d thought to leave Pavel a lock of hair. Or a nicer goodbye note. Clearly, Jess was the worst girlfriend in the history of Mars. She sighed. None of it could be helped now. Anyway, Pavel knew how she felt about him.
Another twist of guilt. He knew, all right: she’d turned down how many proposals of marriage last count?
Her comm panel pinged and a red light flashed on her panel.
“Seriously? You’re telling me to slow down when I’m on auto pilot?” She checked her speed. It was fine.
“This is Air Traffic Security,” said a voice over her comm. “Please make your way to the surface.”
Jessamyn’s stomach wrenched. How far was she from Budapest? Lyons lay just ahead. She wasn’t even halfway to the capital. To one side of her transport, she saw flashing red lights mounted on a vehicle with “Red Squadron Forces” emblazoned along the side.
“Shizer!” she murmured. The ship beside her was fast—her borrowed vehicle would be no match for it. “Shizer!” she repeated. “Beginning descent,” she said over the comm. Flicking it off, she swore again. She wasn’t going to be able to fly her way out of this one.
She wove down through the traffic lanes at an excruciatingly slow pace. And then she made a difficult decision. It was time to tell Pavel and the others what she’d done. She fussed with her earpiece to make the comm.
But there was no answer. There was nothing but a strange static she’d never heard before.
~ ~ ~
The Deputy Director of Operations for Red Forces, Budapest, breathed out a sigh of relief. She’d compiled a list of over fifty transports bound for Budapest to be intercepted within the hour. Within the metropolitan area itself, she had identified another forty-two crafts. Metropolitan law enforcement would be the first line of defense there. As an afterthought, she gave an order to jam private comm frequencies on all suspect vehicles.
And then she sat back, poured herself another kávé, and prepared for a long night.
~ ~ ~
From the cockpit of their newly acquired ship came a comm Pavel, Ethan, and Zussman had been hoping to avoid.
“Please make your way to the surface.”
Ethan, at the helm, turned to Pavel and Mr. Zussman. “Suggestions?”
“You can ignore it twice,” said Pavel. “After that, we gotta do what they say.”
“By ignoring the first two comms, we gain perhaps five minutes,” said Mr. Zussman.
“You think someone ratted us out, one of Jumble’s associates back on Tresco?” asked Pavel.
“That is immaterial,” said Ethan.
“I should advise a very delayed descent,” said Mr. Zussman. “I shall contact Brian and Jumble and inform them of our situation.”
“Ares and Pluto,” said Pavel, holding his head in his hands. “Some rescue this is turning out to be.”
“We are well-disguised,” said Zussman. “And properly chipped. We may encounter nothing more than a brief delay.”
“That’s a Red Forces ship,” said Pavel, pointing at their escort. “We’re screwed.”
Zussman spoke again. “I regret I am unable to make contact via Mr. Jaarda’s ingenious earpieces.”
Ethan, taking them down through the traffic lanes as slowly as possible, made an additional attempt to contact Jumble and Brian. “Our comm frequency is being jammed.”
As Pavel, Ethan and Mr. Zussman neared the ground, Zussman made a suggestion.
“Take us down to that empty field,” he said. “The one surrounded by the tall trees.”
Ethan did as Zussman suggested, and moments later they were on the ground. From outside, security officers, two dressed in red uniforms, ordered all passengers to disembark with hands held overhead.
“At least they’re not wearing armor,” said Pavel.
“If you would both be so good as to follow my lead,” murmured Mr. Zussman, opening the hatch and descending. Upon reaching the ground, Zussman began swearing and blustering, demanding to know what this was all about.
The officers in red ignored the question and requested chip scans.
“This is preposterous,” said Mr. Zussman. “I have a very important meeting.”
The former butler continued on in that vein, insisting forced scans were illegal without a proper warrant. The two officers did their best to ignore him.
Then one of the secures brought out a pocket wafer and spoke into it. “This is Delta 34. I have three males, one of whom is in a chair. Get me Whitcomb in Plymouth.”
~ ~ ~
The Deputy Director of Operations of Red Squadron Forces in Budapest was having a busy evening.
“This is DDO Schloss,” she said, taking a comm marked high priority.
“This is Whitcomb in Plymouth, ma’am. Our local secures have pulled down a vehicle with three fugitives who appear to have come from Penzance, registering a route to Vienna. One is in a hoverchair.”
“Send me scan chip identification immediately,” barked the DDO. The Chancellor would be very interested to hear about this. Rumors had been circulating about her nephew in the company of a twobody in a hoverchair. “I want the detainees routed to London for further questioning.”
“It appears they just departed the scene of the arrest, ma’am,” said Whitcomb. “We’re … hmmm … we’re having difficulty hailing them.”
“The Chancellor for you, ma’am,” a junior officer whispered to DDO Schloss.
“I have to go,” Schloss told Whitcomb. “Call me when the detainees reach London.”
Schloss terminated the comm. Hastily, she ordered a trace on the uploaded scan chips.
“Find out everything you can about these individuals. There is a high probability the ID’s are stolen or falsified, but get me what you can,” said Schloss.
Then she took the Chancellor’s comm. “Madam Chancellor, I’m pleased to be able to
apprise you of an interesting turn of events.”
~ ~ ~
The officer detaining Pavel, Ethan, and Zussman pointed a wafer at each of them in turn, capturing their likenesses.
“Images uploading momentarily,” said the secure.
Zussman took an angry step toward the officer taking pictures.
“Stop right there,” said the officer, one hand unholstering a weapon, the other gripping his wafer.
“I’m taking down your designation,” said Zussman, haughtily. “I’m going to report you for harassment.” As he said this, Zussman gave Pavel a tiny nod, and then the butler struck out with a powerful kick, sending the weapon spinning from the secure’s hand.
At the same moment, Pavel tackled the other officer, knocking him to the ground. It took only a moment for the officer under Pavel to reverse their positions, but as soon as the secure was on top, Ethan did a fly-by in his chair, knocking the man once more to the ground.
Zussman and the weaponless officer circled one another cautiously. The secure launched a blow, which Zussman allowed to land, but then Zussman grabbed the attacking arm and twisted it quickly. Pavel heard the crack of bone, followed by a scream.
Instinctively, Pavel turned to the injured secure, thereby granting his opponent a window of opportunity. Half a second later Pavel was doubled in pain, gasping from a blow to his groin. The officer with the broken arm cried out for help, and the one who’d kicked Pavel reached for his weapon, aiming it at Zussman’s approaching form. Gasping in pain, Pavel leaned forward and shoved the armed secure, causing him to stumble forward. The shot aimed at Zussman flew wide. Zussman, on his new opponent instantly, followed a strike to the jaw with a kick to the stomach. The officer went down, gasping for air. At this point Ethan swooped forward, landing his chair on the officer and pinning him to the ground.
By now Zussman had retrieved both weapons. Keeping one weapon aimed at each officer, he spoke to Pavel. “Young master, if you would be so good as to pick up the wafers and scanner?”
Pavel struggled forward, grunting in pain, but he captured the items and quickly stripped them of the ability to send data. Pavel then passed the items into Ethan’s care.
Mars Rising (Saving Mars Series 6) Page 11