by Scott Moon
Sledge spoke up, his voice rough and low with dread. "That would be total corporate war."
"Not if they can turn Shaunte into their confederate. They're going to make her invite IE to Darklanding.”
Thad shook his head, barely able to control the motion with his poison-weakened neck muscles. Pain and dizziness flowed through him. "The mines are still operating at less than twenty-five percent of capacity. Darklanding isn't worth that type of investment. Interstellar Enterprises would lose money."
"You're forgetting A99. If there is even a small amount in addition to what you already found, there will be a massive shipbuilding facility in the system before long. A99 is a key element in building ship hulls and propulsion systems capable of deep-space journeys. Darklanding could become a jump-off point for an entire new wave of exploration," Proletan said.
Thaddeus started to laugh.
Sledge, Dixie, and Proletan looked at each other in confusion.
"He's losing it," Sledge said.
"No, I'm not. All of these dirty jackwagons are in for a surprise. Their little takeover is going to be a lot less fun with swarms of bloodthirsty spider-things eating their faces." He held up his wounded arm as evidence he wasn't crazy.
Sledge looked at Proletan. "Have you ever seen anything like that?"
Proletan shook his head.
"Help me sit up," Thaddeus said. "I'll need your help, and that includes you, Proletan. It's going to be all hands on deck for this fight."
Sledge and Dixie pulled Thad into a sitting position. He looked around the room and noticed that Carter was no longer in his cell. He pretended not to know Sledge was keeping him there.
He looked at the legendary enforcer for ShadEcon. “Can I trust you to fight on our side until these alien mutants are stopped?"
"It seems like a good way to get killed," Proletan said. "One might even say it would be an honorable way out."
"So are you in or not?”
Proletan nodded. "I will honor my parole and fight these monsters. I must warn you, however, that Interstellar Enterprises treats ShadEcon like a vassal state, protecting them and contracting them for the dirty deeds that need doing. If the IE achieves dominance in Darklanding, it won't be long before their lawyers have set me free and I can't imagine they will not order me to kill everyone who annoys them."
"But you will help me fight the spider mutants?" Thaddeus said, pretending to ignore the dark warning.
"Yes, that is what I said."
CHAPTER NINE: Unlikely Partners
Leslie Stargazer looked down at the young man handcuffed to her bed. She hadn’t put him there. He’d been a special delivery by Sledge, Dixie, and some scary dude with a hooded shirt—no sleeves, but a hood. Fashion wasn’t the stranger’s forte, she thought. Muscles and catlike agility was, however. Her first thought upon seeing the stranger had been to stay back and be ready to run despite feeling the most primal sexual urge she’d ever experienced—and she’d had a few.
“Is this really necessary?” her young captive asked.
“We’ll see. Depends on how good you are. What’s your name?” Leslie asked. “You should be glad I haven’t stripped you yet.”
“Kenneth Carter, Chief Security Specialist for Interstellar Enterprises, Wilok System.” He glanced at each of the restraints stretching him across the bed, wrists and ankles. “Don’t most people pay for this kind of thing?”
“I’ll send you a bill.”
“I don’t want a bill, I want to leave.”
She pouted. “Are you trying to hurt my feelings? Don’t you find me attractive?”
“Very much,” he said. “Bondage isn’t my thing.”
“I’ve never seen you in the Mother Lode,” she said.
“I’ve been here many times to make sure none of my team is being compromised. The thing is, every time I watch you and your girls dancing and flirting, I want to be compromised. But I’m shy.”
“Nice try. Flattery can take you far, if done right, but that was clumsy.” She stood over him, then traced the muscles of his arms and shoulders before looking into his eyes. “Wait, you’re serious, aren’t you?”
He looked away.
“Oh my God, you’re one of those alpha males too shy to pay for a hooker!” She couldn’t help but consider the differences between this young do-gooder and the hooded man. Both men confused her when she thought she was beyond that sort of thing. Prostitutes knew how to bury emotion. Maybe she’d been in the game too long.
He blushed.
“That’s sweet.” She crossed her arms. “I’m not going to remove the handcuffs.”
“I didn’t think you would. It doesn’t matter anyway. I’ve been gone too long. My boss will assume I’ve been compromised. You people have destroyed my career,” he said.
“You don’t seem that upset,” she said, intrigued by his calm demeanor and maturity despite his apparent youth.
“I earned this position. I can earn it again or find a new career. Am I happy about it? No. Would pissing and moaning get me out of this mess? Probably not.”
She sat on the edge of the bed, crossing one leg over the other. “I like your attitude, kid.”
“You’re no older than I am,” he said.
“You’re sweet.”
“I’m right,” he said. “You deserted from Space Forces after four years of getting slammed around by their dumbass admirals and civilian advisors. Came here. Hooked up with Chelsie and have been walking tall in Darklanding ever since. I do my research, Leslie Stargazer, or should I say Leslie Mortimer-Roberts. I have a dossier on everyone at the Mother Lode except Dixie and Pierre.”
A thrill went up Leslie’s spine. Kenneth Carter was dangerous. She hadn’t felt anything like this for a while. On impulse, she kissed him sweetly on his forehead. “I think I will un-handcuff you. But I need to take a shower first.”
“I won’t go anywhere.”
“Slow down, Carter. I don’t trust you that much. Unlike half the people around here, I understand the stakes of this game.”
***
Dixie’s thoughts alternated between Thad and monsters all the way to the Mother Lode. Sunlight streamed down, but she still worried a monstrous beast would jump on her. Dying would be bad enough, but death by mutant aliens sounded horrible. She’d be so mangled, no one would want to look at her when she was dead.
That wasn’t the way she wanted to be remembered—all chewed up and torn apart.
Leslie wasn’t running the floor today, having been tasked with watching the IE security chief in her room. That made more work for Dixie, who’d become accustomed to the Mother Lode brothel almost running itself under Leslie’s strict oversight and discipline.
Dixie checked on each of her girls, gave them a lecture on the rules, and a pep talk designed to get them off their asses and into their beds with more clients.
She climbed the stairs to Shaunte's office. The door was closed, but probably unlocked. Everyone knew that Thaddeus walked in unannounced more often than not. She knocked and waited. A moment later, Shaunte spoke through the intercom and told her to come inside.
The office was large for Darklanding, roughly three times the size of one of the girls’ rooms. There was a desk that wrapped around one end of the work space. Several computer screens, keyboards, and a collection of data pads covered the work area. Dixie eyed the new leather couch and wondered if Shaunte and Thaddeus had ever curled up there.
She still wasn't excited the sheriff had fallen for the Company Man, but there wasn't much she could do about it now. Her best attempts had done little more than titillate the Ground Forces officer turned sheriff. This meant that Dixie and Shaunte would always be rivals to a certain extent.
"What can I do for you, Dixie?" Shaunte said, folding her hands in her lap and sitting up straight as though giving Dixie her full attention but not wanting to spend all day on the interview.
"I think it's time for you and I to work together," Dixie said.
&nbs
p; "You work for the Mother Lode, and SagCon owns the place. That makes me your boss," Shaunte said. “We are already working together.”
Dixie rolled her eyes and gave her a ‘whatever’ expression. "I'm not here to talk about small potatoes. You once told me you knew I had more business ventures than anyone suspected. You're not wrong. I also know you have a few side hustles going."
Shaunte laughed. "Is that what you call them? A side hustle?"
"What would happen if the TerroCom soldier kickback ended? You and I both know that once Interstellar Enterprises moves in, that will be an iffy proposition at best.”
"There is no TerroCom Soldier contingent on Darklanding," Shaunte said.
"So you say," Dixie said. "I guess I'm wasting my time. You're not about to be crushed by Judy Ortega during her grab for all the A99 on Darklanding."
"There's never been A99 found on Darklanding.”
Dixie sighed. "Please, Shaunte. That's a secret that was never a secret. The moment P.C. Dickles and Thaddeus opened their submarine and paid off ShadEcon, the existence of A99 became the hottest rumor in town."
"It is not the policy of SagCon or its officers to confirm such rumors," Shaunte said. "Having said that, I think maybe we can work together. What can you bring to the table?"
"Knowledge."
Shaunte stood and walked to the corner of her table, crossing her arms and trying to appear taller than she was. "Everyone loves knowledge. They say it's power. Personally, I think its value is overstated. Knowledge and execution is the key."
"I have proof Judy Ortega is a murdering psychopath.”
Shaunte laughed out loud. "That's a bit melodramatic, even for you."
"You're playing a life-and-death game, Shaunte. What do I have to do to make you understand?"
"Don't tell me about risk versus reward. I was raised to this life from an early age. I know all about corporate espionage and power takeovers. I'm the daughter of Tiberius Plastes, after all.” She moved back to her computer and placed one hand on her desk. "What kind of proof do you have?"
“I’ll share it with you if we come to terms."
"Of course," Shaunte said. "What else do you have?"
Dixie handed her a data chip. "This has verifiable documentation of my financial net worth. I have resources."
Shaunte held up the chip. "You're going to show me your entire investment portfolio?"
"That data chip contains enough proof of funds for this venture," Dixie said. "I may or may not have other financial assets."
Shaunte nodded. "Good, because if you told me this was everything, I was going to call you a liar. Not a good way to start off a partnership."
"We have a common interest. If Darklanding fails or falls under the control of a hostile corporation, we lose everything," Dixie said. "Well, actually, I lose everything. You can always run home to daddy."
Shaunte's expression went ice cold. "I've worked with people I don't like before. Sometimes those are the most profitable arrangements. I understand the danger, but let's not blow things out of proportion. Judy Ortega is here to establish business dominance and create a financial empire. If she makes a proposal and will back it up with a legally binding contract, I'll take it."
"You haven't heard a word I said," Dixie spat.
"I have. I said if she makes a proposal with a legally-binding contract. So far, she's been evasive on the details and I suspect this is going to be a nasty fight."
A horrible sound came through the closed window, something like Maximus wailing in pain or perhaps mauling a kill.
Dixie stood, sweat beading near her hair line and in her cleavage.
“What’s that horrible sound?” Shaunte asked.
“Well, that brings up one other thing I needed to talk to you about.”
“Dixie, what’d you do?”
“Me! I didn’t do anything. Some monster thing bit Thad’s arm. He almost died, but he’s okay now.”
“What!” Shaunte shouted. “Where the hell is he and why hasn’t he called me!”
“He’s at the jail,” Dixie said.
Shaunte grabbed her hand bag and sprinted out of the room.
“Oops,” Dixie said, leaning into the doorway to watch Shaunte’s progress down the stairs. She turned to the desk. “It looks like you forgot to log off. I better just do that for you. Network security and all that. But since I’m here…we’ll just have a tiny little look at what Miss Shaunte Plastes has planned for Darklanding. Since we’re partners now and all that.”
CHAPTER TEN: Proof of Loyalty
Carter thought about Leslie Stargazer more than he should. His emotions were as confused as hers seemed to be. Did she see him as a potential lover or little brother who needed to be protected? The fact that she had removed the handcuffs and put on her clothes suggested whatever had happened was about something other than lust or intrigue.
They were too alike to be adversaries and lacked the spark of soon-to-be lovers. He’d never stepped into such a powerful friendship, if that’s what it was. His captivity in the Mother Lode had thoroughly confused him. He doubted he would ever untangle his emotions.
It didn’t matter. He had a job to do and fresh reasons for doing it. I’m not a double agent, he thought. I’m an agent for Kenneth Carter and no one else. Ortega hadn’t sent a rescue team. That suggested she’d already written him off or had never trusted him in the first place.
Getting back into her good graces was going to be difficult.
He proceeded past three checkpoints without a problem. Dressed as out of work dockworkers, they were more like lookouts than guards—with guns concealed under coats or behind garbage cans. They nodded to him. No words were needed.
The prodigal son was coming home. He only hoped the outcome would be as fortuitous.
No one loitered near the Interstellar Enterprises apartment building. Private security—his private security team—patrolled this area. That meant no warming fires, no camp sites, and no hanging about.
Reddish light painted the top level of the two-story building. Sunset was a beautiful time of day in Darklanding, despite the industrial skyline of the town and the columns of barely-filtered pollution from powerplants and refineries. Carter loved the rawness of the place. It seemed like anyone could claw their way to a fortune. He knew better, saw evidence of broken dreams all around him, but it felt possible.
Maybe he only believed it was because he was about to be out of work and homeless.
He stepped to the front door and pressed his thumb to a reader. The access panel glowed yellow, not green as he had hoped, but at least it wasn’t red. At least no one had sounded an alarm.
Inside, a man he didn’t know escorted him to the boardroom where Judy Ortega waited with her over-sized bodyguards.
“You used to brief me in your office,” Carter said.
“I no longer trust you,” Ortega said. “What took you so long to return? Why didn’t you take care of the matter we discussed?”
“I was handcuffed to a bed. How I got there is another story just as strange.” He told the entire tale without omitting anything, emphasizing his observations of Proletan’s parole to Michael “Sledge” Hammer.
“Interesting,” Ortega said. “While you were gone, I initiated negotiations with ShadEcon to bring Proletan over to our team for a long-term assignment. The sheriff’s refusal to allow a real bondsman to bond him out of custody is frustrating. Tell me, is the assassin worth the trouble?”
“He’s strange. I heard some of his conversation with the sheriff and Sledge. The man has a death wish only kept at bay by his honor and some ancient code of warrior conduct,” Carter said.
“He kills for money. I can count on him to do what he is told. That’s all I need to know,” Ortega said. “Get yourself cleaned up.”
“That’s it. No interrogation? I thought you didn’t trust me,” Carter said.
“I don’t, but your replacement isn’t here yet. Consider yourself on probation. My analysts wi
ll review your report tonight. Which is to say, I will most likely kill you in the morning.”
Carter smiled.
“Do you think I am making a joke?”
“My apologies, Mrs. Ortega. I thought you were referring to a piece of ancient literature,” Carter said, realizing he had no place in Ortega’s organization. Nothing he did would earn her trust and he didn’t respect her, never had. When there was time, he would be angry and bitter about the years he’d already given her.
“You have fifteen minutes before we leave for the build site. Remi has been doing your job. He’s even younger than you, but solid. For now, consider him your boss. That could change tomorrow,” Ortega said.
***
Ortega walked behind her former security chief, studying him carefully. Nothing seemed different, but she knew something was wrong. He was quieter, if that was even possible. A sense of serene acceptance resonated from him. In her opinion, he was entirely too relaxed for a man that had just spent several nights among the enemy.
Handling legal contracts and spending long days in high-stakes negotiations was easy compared to the mess she found herself in now. Her fascination with handling field operatives had started a decade ago when she stumbled upon a spy who had broken into her office. The man had tried to turn her into a double agent to save his own skin. She played him and won.
Once she tasted the thrill of espionage, she couldn't get enough. Now it was an addiction that demanded more and more of her soul. Deep down, she knew she wasn't well suited for this type of work. She doubted herself constantly. Why had she sent Carter to kill Dixie? Had it been an emotional decision?
Backing down now would make her weak in front of her team, especially in front of Carter, who was her single best asset on Darklanding. Proletan was famous, Sheriff Thaddeus Fry was infamous, but Kenneth Carter was every bit as good as they were at half their age. If she could keep him under control, he would be a priceless asset in the years to come.