Willa saw her chance and pulled with all her strength, dragging Braz away from the gory feast. Rev made it to her and slung the EIA agent over his shoulder, indicating to Willa and Flint to retreat the way they had come.
When they got to the hallway he spoke. “What happened?”
“I—I got lost and fell into the hands of the militia,” she stammered pointing to what remained of the group. “We tried to make it to the transmat portal but those creatures blocked our way. I swear they tried to corral us into a group like we were cattle.”
“How’s Braz?”
“Not so good,” she said with tears in her eyes. “He was thrown from the wheelchair and hasn’t snapped out of the anesthesia.”
The building shook tremendously with the sound of an eruption that stunned everyone. The beasts looked up in time to watch the floor crack and the ceiling cave in. In a blistering flash the room was engulfed in flames with the walls tumbling like dominoes. The force of another explosion knocked everyone off their feet as hot gases fumed from vents in the floor. The gas ignited into a huge wall of flame. They watched in horror as fire threatened to incinerate them.
Rev threw Willa down and covered her with his body. Braz was laying limp with his face to the floor. The rushing flames plumed overhead searing the man’s back.
Rev stood up patting the fire out from his clothing. “You all right Willa?”
“I’m fine but you look a little singed.”
“We have to leave before Tuloff levels the building.”
Off they went with Braz over Rev’s shoulder again. Within minutes they reached the transmat portal bay. Taki was the only one waiting as they reached the tubes.
“I couldn’t leave without knowing if you made it!” Taki’s face cracked into a dirty smile.
“Thanks,” said Rev, “but it wasn’t necessary.”
Willa opened the door to the tube and started to nudge Braz inside. He moaned and started to come to.
“I couldn’t save her,” he mumbled.
Rev went to his friend. “Save who?”
“Cassie.”
“It’s okay Braz. I know you tried to save Cassie.”
Braz became more alert. “You know I wouldn’t leave a partner behind in the prison unless I—”
“In the prison? But I took her body back to Earth days ago.”
“You took a clone back to Earth,” wheezed Braz. “Tuloff still has her. Don’t know why.”
“I knew it,” said Rev to Flint. “She’s not dead. That explains the lack of dental work.”
The bay exploded with a blast so strong that the floor rippled like a stone dropping in a pond. Molten metal and concrete flew through the air hitting two of the three transmat tubes, shattering them to pieces.
“Taki,” shouted Rev. “Take Braz and Willa. Go. Go now!”
“You aren’t staying are you?” asked Taki over the noise of the building falling down around them.
“Hell no,” said Rev. “You first. Get to safety.”
Taki nodded and wedged himself in the remaining tube with Willa and Braz. Rev watched his friends folding up and winking out of sight when he pushed the send button.
“Time to go Flint,” said Rev. Flint nodded. “Can you set new coordinates?”
“Certainly I can,” said Flint pulling up the destination screen on the transmat console. “But why?”
“I’ve got unfinished business back on Earth.”
Chapter 22
“WHOA,” SAID REV RAISING HIS hands in surrender. Flint lifted two translucent appendages likewise as four Earth Coalition officers pointed their weapons at the two.
“You’re under arrest.”
“For what?” asked Rev closing the door to the Stroustop tube.
“For unauthorized and unscheduled travel,” said the leader. “You’re in violation of Article Sixteen, Sub-paragraph Two, which clearly states that all trans-galactic teleportation must follow all safety regulations laid down by law in the Alliance guidelines of Five-M dash Forty-three.”
“Oh, that,” said Rev. “There’s no leeway in the law if we have a good excuse?”
All four officers shook their heads. The leader holstered his weapon and pulled out a digi-pad. He flipped through screens until he found what he was looking for. He produced a short, well-chewed on stylus from his breast pocket. He licked the sharp point and started scrawling on the screen.
“You’ve disrupted all normal lines of transportation,” he paused to look at another screen, “ . . . for the last twenty minutes. We’ve had people floating around in hyperspace limbo while you just barged through unannounced.”
“It wasn’t our intention to inconvenience anyone,” said Flint. “We were running away from monsters—”
“Monsters?” interrupted the leader scribbling a note. “Won’t matter—but I’ll put it in the report. You’ll still get ten to twenty in the pen for what you’ve done.”
“Years?” said Rev starting to feel that one more crime like bashing in the heads of four government officers wouldn’t add more than another five years to his sentence.
“Can’t we just explain?” said Flint.
Rev lowered his hands and moved a step closer to the officials. The three officers still holding their weapons jerked their arms intensifying their threatening posture. “No, I guess not,” said Rev putting his hands back up.
“Your name?” demanded the leader.
“Galactic Private Investigator Smalley and this is my partner Cap’n Flint.”
“You’re obviously human. What’s he?”
“Tsunamian automaton,” said Flint proudly.
“Tsunamian?” said the leader. “Won’t do to have dangerous alien technology floating about. He’ll have to be quarantined and then disassembled.”
“I don’t think so. Like I said he’s my partner and no one’s going to dissemble him unless they want to have a broken nose trying.”
“It’s not wise to threaten officers of the Earth Coalition.” The leader pointed to the closest officer to Flint. “Take the automaton to quarantine.”
A shiny tag told Rev his name was Rogers. The doomed Rogers moved from the pack and got close enough for Rev to break the man’s nose with lightning fast reflexes and an upraised elbow. The officer dropped his weapon and held his nose which gushed blood down the front of his face and uniform. Rev scooped the gun off of the floor, twisted Rogers around and threw him into the remaining officers. One of the officers shot his weapon. Rogers moaned as the laser pulse cauterized a neat little hole through his left leg. Rogers tumbled into the group, tangling limbs in a heap on the floor.
Flint flew in and disarmed the officers with three translucent arms, then pointed the weapons at their original owners. Rev watched astonished at how fast the little automaton moved. “How many arms do you have?”
Flint looked sheepish as he extended more than a dozen arms that made him look like a fully-loaded pin cushion. Rev shook his head as Flint retracted all the extra arms. “We don’t wish to hurt anyone,” said Rev strolling around the heap of men.
The leader glared at Rev. “I warned you,” said Rev lowering his hand to help the leader up.
The leader slapped the hand away and got up and put his digi-pad away. The other officers helped Rogers into a comfortable position against the wall. “Now you’re looking at another five years in the pen on top of your original charges.”
“What do I get if I bore a hole in four officers’ thick skulls?”
The leader’s jaw opened and he was going to say something but stopped due to an equal mix of anger, fear, confusion and astonishment.
“Listen,” said Rev pulling the leader’s credentials out of his shirt pocket and flipping the leather cover open. “Officer Reynolds. I’m an agent for the EIA and we’ve been on assignment to Tsunam where we’ve had a very distressing few days. Can you see it in your heart to just give us a little professional courtesy?”
Rev put the cre
dentials back in the man’s pocket and produced his own, handing it to Officer Reynolds.
Reynolds looked at the badge and ID. “That’s an old badge, son. I haven’t seen one like this since my rookie year on the force.”
“Yep,” said Rev. “I’m older than I look.”
“You’d have to be over a hundred to have a badge like that.”
“A hundred and thirty to be precise.”
Reynolds frowned and then scoffed. “You ain’t one of them eugenics boys are you?”
“One of the last two alive.”
“Shit. I never thought I’d ever meet one,” he said. “You some kind of celebrity or something?”
“Hardly,” said Rev handing the weapon back to Rogers who winced in pain as he took it. “Flint give them back their weapons.” The AI complied.
“As I was saying,” said Rev. “We need to get to the EIA and report in. Something of galactic importance is about to happen on Tsunam. If we don’t tell the authorities what we know, then we could be looking at a civil war on Tsunam. Any delay could impact our relationship with the Alliance. You can see we’re in a hurry so we’ll say goodbye.”
Rev turned to head out the door and Flint flew to his side. They heard Officer Reynolds click the button on his communicator. “This is Officer Reynolds. We have a ten-three in transmat terminal two. Send reinforcements.”
“I thought we had an understanding?” said Rev turning around again.
“We do,” said Officer Reynolds. “We understand you’re under arrest for illegal teleportation and now resisting arrest along with assault and battery.” He set his weapon on stun, pointed it at Rev’s massive frame and fired.
Rev was hit right in the center of his chest. Every nerve in his body transmitted pain. Then he fell into unconsciousness.
* * *
“WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE stop that bell from ringing,” said Rev waking up cradling his throbbing head. His head pounded as if he had a thousand tiny dwarves in his head wielding metal on anvils. He sat up feebly and wiped some blood from his nose. Flint flew over and hovered in front of his face inspecting the small flow of blood trickling out of Rev’s nostrils.
“Rogers?” asked Rev swiping the blood with a finger.
Flint nodded. “He kicked you in the face before they took us here.”
“I don’t really blame him.”
“I think he’s hurt more than you,” said Flint. “He should’ve used his good leg.”
Rev laughed and the feeling of the little dwarves’ hammers pounded harder. He slumped his head back onto the cool surface of a stainless steel table that was bolted to the floor. He was sitting on an equally plain metal chair inside a very small room. The only decoration in the room was the one-way mirrored wall and an observation camera mounted to the ceiling.
“How long have I been out?”
“Not long. Ten minutes maybe,” said Flint. “They stunned me but it only affected me for a few seconds. I hope it’s all right that I surrendered for the both of us?”
“No problem,” said Rev. “I should’ve burned a hole in their thick skulls. Now look at us.”
“Should’ve, could’ve, would’ve isn’t a good philosophy to live by,” said Flint. “You were only trying to do the right thing. Bureaucratic red tape will end up destroying the universe.”
“That’s fairly profound for a machine,” said Rev.
“Still, we’re held against our wills and without a plan of escape,” said Flint. “I could blow a hole in the door but I predict a ten percent chance of escaping successfully.”
“Ten percent isn’t very good,” said Rev. “I think we have to rely on a little divine intervention.”
“You believe a supreme being will come to our aid?”
“Certainly. If we’re meant to escape, it’ll happen.”
“If not?”
“Then we’re about to get cozy in prison for about thirty years.”
“And Tsunam will be turned upside-down in civil war,” said Flint. “Billions will die just because we couldn’t stop it from happening while we’re in jail.”
“What do you want me to do?” asked Rev and the light went out.
“Now what?” said Flint as emergency lighting flicked on.
Rev could see through the one-way glass now; puzzled men in dark suits were looking up at the lighting and then the emergency power failed.
“Looks like they forgot to pay the electric bill.”
“Electric bill?” asked Flint.
“In the old days people had to—never mind,” said Rev. “I think this might be our divine intervention.”
“The Maker turned the lights out?”
The lock to the interrogation room released with a snap and the door opened. A thin beam of light shown on their curious faces. “Rev?” questioned a female voice. “I’m here to rescue you.”
“Reese?” Rev prodding Flint. “The prettiest redhead goddess on the planet.”
“Thank you but I hardly think I’m that pretty.”
“Right now you’re a sight for sore eyes.”
“We don’t have much time,” she said. “I’ve locked the feds in the next room, the power is temporarily off. You’ve got to go now before others realize what I’ve done.”
“Won’t you be caught helping us?” asked Flint.
“Maybe,” she said, “but I highly doubt they’ll figure out the sabotage was due to me.”
“How’d you know it was us?” asked Rev.
“Who else could it be? Unauthorized teleportation from Tsunam. A complete disruption of all scheduled arrivals and departures. And my favorite—every security cop in a twenty mile radius is flocking into the building. You’re a walking disaster.”
“Me?”
“You’re the man who finds trouble wherever he goes,” she said.
“She knows you pretty well,” said Flint.
“You might be trouble,” she said. “But you don’t deserve to sit in jail for the rest of your life. Something tells me you wouldn’t have done it unless you had no other choice.”
“We were running for our lives,” said Flint.
“Besides, someday I might need the help of a man like you.” She winked.
“I’m all yours,” said Rev.
“With the mess you’re stirring up,” said Reese, “a girl can see her future as a courtesy hostess turning for the worse. Is it true what I hear about a war breaking out on Tsunam?”
“It’s very possible we’ve stumbled onto a plot to overthrow the Tsunamian government.”
“What are you waiting for?” she said waving them to the door. “An engraved invitation?”
With that, the pair followed her down into the main concourse and across the departure counters to an exit where she pulled Rev aside and looked up into his eyes.
She moved closer until she was nestled into his body and smelled his scent. His musky smell enticed her and she wondered how long it had been since a real man held her. Four years, five; maybe even longer. She realized her standards for men were too high. She hated to think of herself on her usual dates. They were wealthy businessmen pampering her with gifts but they didn’t have an air of danger. They were predictable. She rubbed Rev’s chest and felt hard pectoral muscles. She thought, Now here’s danger with a capital D.
“I’d like a little favor?” she asked.
“Sure,” said Rev.
She reached up with both hands and cupped his face pulling him closer until she kissed him hard and long. Rev felt his groin stir as she explored his mouth with her tongue. They parted.
“I wanted to make sure Magnus was right,” she said.
“About women?”
“No. He said you had no future. He warned me not to get involved with a walking dead man.”
Rev’s face pinched up from anger. Reese stroked his cheek until he let the mood pass. “Sugar,” she said. “Dead men don’t kiss and you’re far from being a dead man.”
Rev smiled.
> “Now go before I ask for another favor.”
“And what might that be?” Rev asked with a grin from ear to ear.
“Later.”
Chapter 23
“YOU DO REALIZE THAT THE Earth Coalition is a provisional government,” said the prestigious looking man on the viewer screen of the EIA command center, “and that we are being watched closely: all we do and say as a species?”
Magnus wanted to tell the political prig just what he thought of said scrutiny but held his composure, not evoking a hostile response. “I do indeed, Mr. Prime Minister.”
“Then tell me why your man—what’s his name?” he demanded.
“Investigator Smalley, Mr. Prime Minister.”
The Prime Minister frowned and continued. “Why this Smalley is starting an all out war against the Tsunamian government.”
“I don’t have all the facts yet,” defended Magnus. “But as soon as I do, you’ll be advised of the situation.”
“Our government can’t wait for you to sort out this disaster,” said the Prime Minister. “The Alliance committee has been convened to investigate possible sanctions against Earth. We could be set back to a lower status and our rights to representation are at risk. If we don’t . . . ”
Magnus looked around the command center and gestured for the technicians to cut the audio feed. The Prime Minister’s face continued to rant with his hands waving. It was evident that he was becoming angrier by the color in his cheeks which had now turned a bright shade of pink. Magnus flipped his hands indicating that everyone should leave. When the technicians were gone, Magnus released the feed and the sound turned back on.
“ . . . and furthermore we have very little confidence in your abilities to continue as head of the EIA,” said the Prime Minister evidently unaware Magnus wasn’t listening.
The Beast of Tsunam (Rev Smalley: Galactic P.I. Book 1) Page 18