Shadow Agents

by David Alastair Hayden

  “This isn’t about the bounty price,” Vega said. “I do not negotiate such matters until I have secured the mark. No, this is about a rogue procurement agent of yours and his accomplice, an extraction agent who goes by the name Mitsuki Reel.”

  A bead of sweat ran down Big Boss D’s face. “Ah, well… Because you haven’t accepted the guild’s offer, I am not authorized to divulge knowledge about any of our agents or, in Mitsuki’s case, trusted outside contractors.”

  “I am willing to pay you, personally, twenty thousand credits for information on the two of them, Mr. D.”

  The big man chewed on his bottom lip, frowning. "I really can't tell you what—"

  “Thirty-five.”

  Big Boss D edged forward in his seat, eyes glittering. He wavered a moment, then shook his head. “Sorry. I can’t. It’s too big a risk.”

  Vega sighed. “Those who refuse to do business with me, Mr. D, they do not live long, prosperous lives. Maybe you feel you’re comfortable in your underground bunker in Bei, surrounded by dozens of agents and guards. But there is no place where I cannot reach you. I think my direct call into your network proves that.”

  The man wiped sweat from his brow. “Now, it isn’t necessary to threaten—”

  Vega interrupted him. “I think we both know that it is necessary for me to threaten you. Tell me what I want to know and get paid. Don’t tell me what I want to know and suffer. And when I say suffer, Mr. D, understand I am talking about an extreme amount of pain leading to an eventual, messy death.”

  Big Boss D flopped back into his chair, groaning. “You…you are putting me in a difficult spot with my superiors, one that might get me demoted, maybe even killed if you don’t end up selling the mark to us.”

  “I understand that,” Vega said.

  “‘Nevolence, you’re a rotten bastard.”

  “So I’ve been told many, many times. I consider it a compliment.”

  “Death or death isn’t much of a choice.”

  “He’s thinking of risking it, boss. And while assaulting a base full of criminals sounds fun, we can’t afford to waste time and resources. Though I would enjoy slicing that pompous ass into bacon.”

  “Have you found the info we need on their network?”

  “Only basic biographies, boss, and some operational information. It’s more than we had but not nearly as much as you’d want. The information on the procurement agent is especially limited.”

  “Damn.”

  “I do, however, have some information you might find useful for this negotiation.”

  While Big Boss D muttered pointless counter proposals, trying to squirm his way out of the situation, Vega read over the information Faisal had given him. Then he put on his darkest grin and interrupted the stammering man.

  “By the way, Mr. D, how’s your mother? Is she still in good health? I believe you last visited her on Yulis Beta over a year ago, right? When she had neck surgery. I assume she’s recovered well…”

  Big Boss D’s eyes flared wide. “How…how did you find out about my—”

  “My methods are proprietary, Mr. D.”

  “You know what,” the big man said, wiping sweat from his face with the back of his hand, “how about I tell you what you want to know?”

  “Good idea.”

  “You can pay me whatever you think is fair.”

  “I offered you thirty-five thousand, but you made things difficult, so ten seems fair to me.”

  “I accept.”

  “That was overgenerous, boss. This guy’s a pretentious prick.”

  Vega started the money transfer. “You can’t blame him for being full of himself, Faisal. He’s the big man on his small world. And I want him to have some positive feelings about the transaction.”

  A few minutes later, Big Boss D responded. “Received. So what would you like to know?”

  “The two agents are mysteries shrouded in fake identities, and there’s hardly any reliable public information on them, so I would like you to send me extensive dossiers on both, including recent mission data and their operational methods, and perceived weaknesses and so forth.”

  “Done.”

  “And I’d like you to sum up the two of them as best as you can right now. In your own words. I’d like to know what kind of people you think they are. Start with the extraction agent.”

  The man furrowed his brow, then a few moments later, nodded. “The thing about Mitsuki is that there’s nothing’s more important to her than freedom. She’s mischievous, certainly, but at heart, she’s not a criminal. She just likes rescuing people stuck in bad situations. And she’s good at it. She’s the best damn extraction agent I’ve ever seen in action, and she’s had tons of offers to work on other worlds, but she always turns them down.”

  “If she likes rescuing people, why does she work with criminals instead of law enforcement or fire and rescue?”

  “She has issues with authority and…” He shrugged. “I don’t know anything about her past or what drives her. I don’t think anyone does.” He furrowed his brow. “Well, Gendin might know. People like to tell him things.”

  “The procurement specialist?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you never used Kompel on the wakyran because…”

  “The strain I have access to won’t work on wakyrans. And I don’t think any strains will.”

  “Okay then, what about the procurement agent who I have eleven identities for? Is his real name Siv Gendin?”

  "Only eleven identities?" Big Boss D chuckled, nervously. "He's got a lot more, I assure you. Yes, his real name's Siv Gendin, or so he's claimed since I found him at the age of ten. He's damned good at what he does, too. You want an item, he'll get it for you. Never fails. That's why I've kept him under wraps as best I can so the guild won't transfer him to a more prominent planet."

  “Interesting,” Vega said, though he was quite bored. None of this was proving helpful. “What motivates him?”

  Big Boss D shrugged. “He’s not a criminal at heart either, but he does what we tell him to do because he’s Kompelled. He does enjoy the work, though. He plans out elaborate stratagems and always has several fallback plans. He has dozens of safe houses and escape routes. He also does his best never to hurt anyone. I think there’s a family in the city that he supports.”

  “According to the info I was initially provided, and based on some notes I stole from your server, Gendin’s gear seems elaborately high-tech for a procurement specialist on a backwater planet.”

  “I doubt you know the half of it.” Big Boss D slicked his hair back and wiped his brow again. “I doubt I do either. It’s part of why he’s so good at what he does. Gendin’s got an advanced sensor array, spy drones, a powerful force-shield, and all kinds of other stuff you can hardly get anymore. He’s a walking fortune worth of gear. He’s probably worth more than he’s stolen for me.”

  “How did he come by all this rare equipment?”

  “The gear was stored in a locker beside his stasis unit, which we found in an abandoned military base that had been lost after the Tekk Plague. We unfroze him and discovered he could use the gear, so we recruited him.”

  A frozen kid found in an abandoned military base? Vega suppressed the wild ideas racing through his brain.

  “Boss, are you thinking what I’m—”

  “Hush.” Vega leaned forward with interest. “Why didn’t you take any of this gear from him?”

  “Couldn’t use it. All of it was DNA locked with the highest security protocols we’d ever seen.”

  “You can’t defeat a good DNA lock?” Vega asked, surprised.

  “One this high in caliber? Maybe. But at the risk of damaging the equipment. I had a hunch that it would better to use it via the kid. Up until this week, it has been the right call.”

  “Why did a kid have access to advanced military gear?”

  “He claimed his father was in the special forces and had transferred the equipment to him right before
he died. But according to our research, his father was an archaeologist. I guess that was just a cover identity.”

  Vega leaned further forward, the artificial blood pounding through his silicone veins. “He’s the son of Gav Gendin?”

  “Yeah, that’s him,” Big Boss D said.

  Astonished, Vega thumped back into his seat.

  “Shit me blind, boss! You know what that means…”

  “His chippy,” Vega said slowly, “was it locked as well?”

  Big Boss D nodded. “It threatened me. Said if I tried to take him bad things would happen.”

  “What model is the unit?”

  “Has to be an 8G, minimum, given the device’s capabilities. But I’d guess it’s probably a 9G.”

  Vega found himself speechless, his advanced brain racing through all the possibilities and problems this information presented. Even Faisal was quiet and contemplative for a change.

  “So you knew his father?” Boss D asked.

  Vega didn’t respond.

  “Mr. Kaleeb, is something wrong?”

  “What? Oh, I knew him only by reputation. Thank you, Mr. D. That was most helpful. Send the dossiers as soon as possible. Be thorough. Very thorough.”

  “Of course. I’ll send those along right away. I wouldn’t worry too much about Gendin. He won’t be a problem for long. If he took his dose of Kompel at the last possible time, then he should start going through withdrawal in the next few days.”

  “He’s the mastermind of the operation,” Vega said. “So I need to understand him. Be thorough in your report.”

  “I would assume that at this point Mitsuki Reel is in charge. Trust me, Gendin will be dead soon.”

  “Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. D.”

  Vega ended the connection and fidgeted nervously in his seat. “I know who the real mastermind is here.”

  Faisal zoomed in front of Vega who stared at his reflection on the sky-blade’s glossy surface.

  They both said the same name at the same time.

  “Silky.”

  “This is big, boss. Real big. Bigger than Big Boss D big.”

  12

  Oona Vim

  “You were right the first time, kid,” Silky said over the Outworld Ranger’s comm.

  Heart pounding, feeling as if she might vomit again, Oona slumped back into the command chair. She should have trusted her senses. She should have been able to duplicate what she’d seen the first time.

  Mitsuki stood and yelled. “You have got to be screwing with me, Silky!”

  “I would never screw with you, Mits,” Silky said. “You’re not my type.”

  "Cut the crap!" She pounded the weapons console. "How could you have missed Zetta?"

  “I have no idea. I recalibrated my sensors in case we ever ran across her again. Yet she still foiled me.”

  “Who exactly is this Zetta person?” Bishop asked. “Other than bad news.”

  “She’s the worst news,” Mitsuki replied. “She’s a badass Ekisian assassin with a mean streak. And if she’s got the drop on Siv then…” she sighed “…then he’s doomed.”

  “There is some good news,” Silky said. “She doesn’t intend to kill Siv. Or Mitsuki. And she won’t kill Oona. Kyralla and Bishop, apparently you’re expendable.”

  Kyralla groaned. “I knew it was a stupid plan.”

  “He couldn’t have known someone undetectable was onboard waiting for him,” Bishop said.

  “He should have listened to us,” Kyralla countered. “We told him the risk was too great.”

  “If she’s not going to kill him, then that’s good news, right?” Oona asked, growing hopeful. “That means there’s a chance we could save him, or maybe he could escape.”

  “He’s not getting away from her,” Mitsuki said.

  “Especially since she has an injector of Kompel with her,” Silky added.

  “How’s that bad news?” Kyralla asked.

  “He’s an addict,” Silky said. “And she has the drug. It’s not going to be easy for him to resist her.”

  “He’s managed well so far,” Bishop said.

  “Well yeah,” Silky replied, “when he was on the run, half-dying, and the stuff wasn’t in sight, things were easy. But he’s been craving it. And judging by his vitals, things are pretty bad right now.”

  Kyralla and Bishop exchanged despondent looks. Mitsuki leaned her head back and yelled a curse.

  Oona had sensed Siv’s struggle, the war within him that raged between his need for Kompel and his sense of honor and his desire to do what was right. And she knew a lesser man would have turned on them along the way, readily giving them up to the Shadowslip, not just so that he could live but so that he could get the drug he craved.

  Even a well-intentioned man with good willpower might have turned, or at least have given up. But Siv was exceptional in his desire to be free from the Kompel and to do what was right. And perhaps the guardian amulet had aided him. Regardless, she had faith that he would resist. The assassin might kill him, but he would not falter because of the Kompel. She trusted in that.

  “The smart thing for you to do,” Silky said, “would be to turn the ship around and get the hell out of here. Leave before she makes an offer, bargaining Siv’s life or the lives of the miners.”

  “Not a chance,” Oona said firmly. “Siv saved Kyralla and me. Without him, we’d be in the Tekk Reapers’ hands. He could have abandoned us then. And he could have given up on us because of the Kompel. But he didn’t. So we’re not going to abandon him now.”

  Kyralla frowned. “Sis, you are the galaxy’s best hope for restoring the Benevolence, especially now that the priestess can help prepare you to face the Trial of Corruption. Keeping you safe is—”

  “Not worth it if we can’t do the right thing.” She gripped the arms of the command chair tightly. “After all, what sort of galactic savior would I be if I’m willing to turn my back on my friends? Or those miners who are only in trouble because of us?”

  “Okay then, we fight.” Kyralla stared at her sister then added in her firmest voice, mimicking their dad. “But you are staying here on the ship.”

  “But—”

  “No buts,” Kyralla snapped. “The rest of us will do our best to save him. But if we fail, you have to promise to get the hell out of here, to fly far away and…and do the best you can to make us proud.”

  Oona relented. “Alright.” She sighed. “Besides, it’s not like I can do anything in a fight except get in the way.”

  “I think you’re all forgetting something here,” Mitsuki said. “That docking tube is still a kill zone. We don’t stand a chance of getting into that ship, and with Zetta onboard, our odds are even worse than before.”

  “Zetta probably has some nasty tricks up her sleeve,” Silky said. “On second thought, I’m certain she has some nasty tricks up her sleeve. I want Siv to survive, almost certainly more than any of you, but trust me when I say your best plan would be to cut and run.”

  Mitsuki slumped into her chair, shaking her head. “I have to agree with Silky. As much as I want to save Siv, it simply can’t be done.”

  Bishop hopped up and, grinning, pumped a fist. “I’ve got it. Honestly, I can’t believe I didn’t think of it earlier.”

  “Got what?” Kyralla asked.

  “A plan,” he said. “And it’s crazy, but—”

  "Crazy plans are how we got into this mess," Kyralla said pointedly.

  “Maybe,” Bishop replied, “but it’s the only way we’re going to get Siv out of there. Just let me check some specifications on the docking tube first.” He nodded several times while reviewing data in his HUD. “Yep, yep. I’ve got a plan. And I think it just might work.”

  “What’s the plan?” Mitsuki asked, disinterested. She apparently didn’t believe they had a shot. Oona, however, had faith.

  “We drive the Tezzin into their ship, using it as an assault vehicle,” Bishop said. He looked at Oona as if seeking her approval for
the go-ahead as if it were her call to make.

  Oona half shrugged and muttered a response. “If…if you think it will work…”

  Mitsuki scratched her cheek and chewed on her lip, clearly running the calculations of pulling it off in her head. Finally, she nodded appreciatively and said, "Okay then, will it fit?"

  Bishop nodded. “I just checked. We’ll even have a tiny bit of room to spare.”

  “Hot damn then!” Mitsuki shot out of her seat and started off the bridge. “Let’s go!”

  Kyralla darted up to the command chair and gave Oona a hug and a kiss. “Stay safe. And don't do anything stupid.”

  “I promise. Be careful. All of you.”

  The three of them rushed off the bridge. Oona pushed herself all the way back into the command chair, squeezing the arms tightly. She said a quick prayer for their success and safe return.

  After a few minutes, Oona began to squirm. The empty bridge made her uncomfortable. If they didn’t return, she would be here all alone, commanding the ship by herself. She was fourteen. She shouldn’t be piloting a ship, traveling to… She didn’t have a clue where she would go or what she would do if she were stranded on her own.

  The others could all do things. Everyone, except for Bishop, had combat training. And Bishop could fix pretty much any gadget. Kyralla was already becoming a fantastic pilot. Siv and Mitsuki had all sorts of criminal expertise.

  Silky had given her the command chair, but only because Siv was sick. All she could do was sometimes sense things or tell when someone was lying, and even then, she wasn’t reliable.

  Oona shook her head. She needed to be meditating right now and trying to track the assassin, not feeling sorry for herself. And reliable or not, she had to use whatever abilities she could to help the others. She might be only fourteen years old, but she was the hyperphasic messiah. Maybe it was time she started acting like it.

  She pulled her legs up into the chair, closed her eyes, and began breathing deeply. Then she reached out with her mind, searching for the assassin.

  13