by C. R. Daems
"Great job, Commander," I said to a grinning Abbott. "I give MAC five stars."
"What now?" Hadley asked. "If we arrest those merchants, we could stop the abductions."
"Temporarily, but it does nothing to free the women. We need another search."
"The itinerary for those six ships over the past three years?" Hadley asked. I nodded.
"Hopefully that will help us to locate the indoctrination system and one more piece of the puzzle," I said, wondering how much the merchants knew about the operation. Were they just paid transportation or were they a more integral part of the process?
* * *
I sat at one end of the couch with Alexa at the other after a satisfying dinner of rabbit prepared the Hungarian way with prunes, along with roasted potatoes, creamed corn, and a mocha mousse for dessert.
"Sounds like your idea worked?" Alexa asked after I explained MAC and the results it produced.
"It moves us one step closer. But it doesn't solve the basic problem, how do they pick the women. That has to be done centrally."
"Why?" Alexa asked.
"MAC sort of verifies that conclusion. In each case, a merchant shows up before the abduction occurs. In addition, the fact that the kidnapped women are spread pretty evenly around the UAS suggests it's not random or driven by the individual systems. I think each system identifies women who meet the general criteria. Somehow, that information is transmitted to the kidnapping ring, who make a selection and send it back with a merchant. The kidnapped woman is then abducted and put on the merchant's ship and delivered to a system were the initial indoctrination takes place. The kidnapped woman is then taken for a legal name change and subsequently to her first assignment." Red had been in my hair with his head lying on my forehead and seemed to agree with my assessment. Of course, he didn't communicate in any way. I just took his continued presence on my head as agreement. "But that's the piece I can't figure out. How do they get that information to the kidnapping ring?" I didn’t think the information was sent through the WaveCom. That would be like an arrow pointing directly to the group—fifteen systems sending multiple messages to one person or company would be like a flare on a moonless night. It could be through merchants, but were they the same six merchants or were others involved? With that thought, Red left my head and disappeared into my shirt, probably disgusted I couldn't figure it out.
* * *
Hadley had the search results ready twenty-four hours later. I gave them to Damon with instructions to get Abbott to incorporate the data into MAC. The next day we met again to review the result.
"That's interesting," Damon said. "It looks like they changed indoctrination systems in the year four hundred twenty-three. For the first two years, it appears to have been Shadows Rest; however, for the last three years it's Truth Star and Holy Star."
"Banner, send the following message to all NIA stations. Use Crazy Numbers."
We have identified the merchant ships Mary Dee, Dolphin Two, Wind Jammer, Benjamin, Lady Luck, and Dependable as supporting the kidnappers. For now, this information is to be kept confidential within the NIA. If leaked, it could compromise our ability to destroy the kidnappers' ring. You're to monitor all passengers on these ships and report your results to Commander Damon so she can update our Magic Act database.
"Yes, ma'am," Banner said and left in a run.
"David seems to enjoy being my aide-de-camp, but in truth, with as little work as I have, I could easily do what he does," I said, looking at Hadley.
"True, but then you would make the rest of us look bad. Admirals are supposed to give out work, not do it." She laughed. "Think of it as training the next generation of admirals. Banner is a perfect aide-de-camp. He's studying you and learning lessons that he'll use throughout his career and pass on to his subordinates."
"Admiral Hadley, is right, ma'am. Banner takes his duties seriously and admires you," Stamm said, looking far too serious.
"That's scary, since I don't know what I'm doing half the time, and the other half I'm screwing up some long-established tradition," I said to everyone's obvious amusement.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Star System: Eastar – Reasonable Proof
"Teresa, can you get me the itinerary of all the merchant ships that visited Eastar two months prior to Susan Guzman's abduction?"
"Sure, anything for the NIA's resident witch." She laughed. "What are you looking for?"
"I'm hoping Red will discover how they select the woman they want abducted," I said. "Someone has to create a dossier on women meeting the criteria we established. The kidnapping ring then uses that to select who they want. I would suspect pictures, maybe a vid, and information on all the criteria we suspect they are interested in—education, drug use, sexual habits, etc."
"You think the kidnapping ring has people on every system feeding them information on prospective candidates for abduction." Hadley frowned. "That's a scary thought. They would have to stalk women for months to get that information. This is the first time I'm glad I don’t have any daughters. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night."
* * *
Teresa called the next day. "I have that information you asked for. What do you want me to do with it?"
"Are you available today?" I asked, knowing she was interested and was closely following what I was doing.
"I'm an admiral. Consequently, I have little to occupy me after sending people off to work."
"At the risk of destroying your reputation as another bored admiral, join me in my office."
"It won't. I'm just giving you work." With a laugh, she cut the connection.
"Stamm, get Damon and Abbott. I have a task for them," I said and couldn't help a mental grin, realizing this was what Lulltrel did when she wanted me and how I responded, knowing Damon and Abbott were racing up the stairs at this very minute—unless they were in Rejuv. Three minutes later there was a knock on the door; Stamm peeked in, I nodded, and Damon and Abbott rushed in. I returned their salutes and waved for them to sit. Hadley arrived a minute later.
"The merchants are their weak point in the chain," I blurted, feeling excited. "Damon, Abbott, I need a new program. We need a new window for each abducted woman for the time period from two to four months prior to the abduction." When I looked around the conference room table, everyone was frowning in thought. "Admiral Hadley has the information you will need to program what I want."
"Ma'am, you want all the merchant ships that arrived in system two to four months prior to the date of a woman's abduction?" Abbott asked, trying to make sure he understood what I wanted. "And I assume you want a control to narrow that window." He gave a small grin.
I grinned back. "Exactly."
"What are you looking for?" Teresa asked.
"Commander Abbott will get MAC-2 to tell us how the kidnapping ring is getting their information on the pool of potential targets." I paused for comments. None came. "After you have the program working, Commander Damon will use the Susan Guzman abduction for the example. Determine the merchant or merchants to follow, then determine where they stop. No need to follow it longer than for a period equal to two thirds of the total time prior to the abduction. We will consider that the necessary turnaround time. And at each stop, track any of the other kidnapping merchants that are there when they arrive and before they leave. You will need to track those merchant ships also for our estimated turnaround time. If you need anything else, Admiral Hadley will designate someone to help retrieve any additional information you may require."
"You're trying to follow the merchant to the kidnapping ring."
"Possibly, but more likely to another merchant or merchants who will eventually end up at the kidnapping ring's system. I would think it would be very inefficient and noticeable for each merchant to have to travel directly to the kidnapping ring's system. But I'm hoping MAC-2 will be able to tell us."
"Then raid their headquarters and close them down," Teresa said, pointing her fingers like a gun. "Pow."
Teresa laughed. "If I were the kidnappers, I'd pay you whatever you asked to retire early."
Killing me is their preferred method, I mused.
* * *
It took three days for Hadley and Damon's folks to produce the map because of the complexities: each merchant that was identified at any of the stops had to be tracked and either eliminated or designated as a potential carrier of information. The sample was Susan Guzman. The Merry Dee was the only kidnapping merchant to arrive in the MAC-2's two-month window. When it left two days later, the Merry Dee traveled from Eastar to Holy Star, where it met with the Wind Jammer. The Merry Dee then went to New Zheng, which eliminated it from further consideration. The Wind Jammer, on the other hand, went to Truth Star, where it rendezvoused with the Benjamin. The Wind Jammer was eliminated from consideration when it went to Amend next. The Benjamin's next stop was Shadows Rest. Not conclusive, but at least one potential kidnapping ring site.
"Great job," I said after reviewing the final map showing the various merchant ships and their stops—about fifty in total. "Now we need to collaborate this result with a couple of additional samples. I would hate to have the wrong system, as it would alert the kidnapping ring without producing any tangible results. Pick two abductions that don't overlap the Susan Guzman time period and do another map. If all three appear to end at the same place, we'll know we understand their information retrieval system and where the decisions are being made." I knew it would be a lot of hard work, but everyone seemed excited about doing it. In reality, I wished I were helping—the bane of being an admiral.
* * *
Three days later, they were back with the results.
"Once you know what you are looking for, it's easier," Damon said. "We picked abductions on Sudan and Black Water. The Dependable was on Sudan three months before the abduction. Upon leaving, it went to Amend, where it joined the Lucky Lady. The Lucky Lady then went to Oxax, where the Benjamin was waiting. And the Benjamin's next stop was Shadows Rest," Abbott said.
"And the Dolphin Two was on Black Water two months before the abduction. Its next stop was Truth Star, where the Lady Luck waited. The Dolphin Two went to Eastar next, so it was eliminated. And the Lady Luck went directly to Shadows Rest.
"Those transfers seem a bit inefficient, although each merchant appears to have a primary area it trades in. However, if when two ships meet they pass on the information they have collected to date, then it would make sense," Damon said.
"Not only more efficient, it precludes raising any red flags if some busybody is snooping around," I said to everyone's amusement.
"The data is limited but encouraging, as the three samples produce consistent results. The information is collected at each system and then passed up the line to Shadows Rest, where the specific women are selected and sent back down the chain of merchants to the selected woman's system. "Now, Commander Damon, see if you and Commander Abbott can establish a link from Shadows Rest to Merry Dee and the abduction of Susan Guzman. And while you are at it, the abductions on Sudan and Black Water."
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
Star System: Eastar – Time for Some Action
"Mother, if you had pictures and a vid as well as personal information you didn't want discovered, how would you keep it?" I asked, wanting a second opinion. I had an idea, but it was dangerous and would negate our present progress if we failed.
"Well, I'd want it on one medium since it would be easier to carry, hide, and pass on to someone. That would mean digital storage, which would also allow it to be encrypted. I would think a computer, tablet, or data chip," Alexa said as if thinking out loud.
"You're on a spacecraft and don't want it found and eventually need to pass the information to someone who is also on a spacecraft," I said to clarify the conditions I had conjectured from what we knew to date.
"You could put it on your system's main computer and transfer it electronically without having to meet the person physically."
"That's what I was thinking. But then it would be impossible to find even if you had the system's password," I said, with a tone of defeat ringing in my ears.
"Not really. The system assigns a date and time to software and files when they are created and updated. That is true for anything added to the system. Therefore, you could ask the system directory to list files by date added," Alexa said. "But if it's encrypted or the file is password locked…"
"The kidnapping ring is passing information about potential kidnapping targets. I suspect they would encrypt the file not only to protect it from falling into the wrong hands but also to keep the kidnapping merchants transporting it from snooping," I said. "I would. The less they knew, the safer for the kidnapping ring."
Alexa nodded, then asked, "What do you know now about the kidnapping ring's operation?"
Red emerged from my open blouse then as if to hear and add his two credits; although he never communicated, I had a feeling he somehow did in some indirect or obscure way. Alexa pointed to him. "Red also appears interested."
"He probably already knows the answer to the problem and wants to hear whether I've progressed any." Although said in jest, I actually thought it was true to some degree. Red did things that defied rational explanation. "Not that anyone really cares, we identified many legal and illegal brothels the kidnapping rings use. In most cases, the systems fine the women and the owners and close them down. But they are up and running the next day. We'd identified several wealthy men who use the kidnapping ring's services. We could embarrass these men, but at most, they would get fined if they got punished at all. The men are seldom punished unless the girls are significantly underage, and the kidnapped women are all adults. It seems pretty conclusive the kidnapping ring has people on every system collecting information on women who meet the criteria we've established. They pass this information on to six kidnapping merchants who deliver it in some form to the kidnapping ring. The kidnapping ring makes choices, which they pass back to the system and the chosen women are abducted using drugs and transported to one of two systems for indoctrination. They are then taken to another system for a legal name change and then they begin their new career."
"Why don't the kidnapped women…revolt...run away and contact the police?"
"The kidnappers are very clever and evil. They give the women options…three to be exact, although in reality, only one is viable. They convince the women that they voluntarily signed a legal and binding contract. They would show that to the police, which would confuse the issue and involve lawyers and trials, which no one wants. While that was going on, the kidnapping ring would carry out the threats they made to each woman. They vary somewhat but would include making them drug addicts, abducting one of their younger sisters, killing their father and mother… It's very effective. They are shown women who revolted—mindless drug addicts who are willing to have sex for drugs in run-down brothels servicing the dregs of the system."
Alexa shuddered and her eyes were filled with tears. "Don't you know enough to destroy them?"
"We understand the basic operation and the systems they use for indoctrination, and we believe their headquarters is in Shadows Rest and we know a few of the core members. But to destroy their operation, we will need to know all the specific people and—more importantly—have proof. Right now, it's speculation. Otherwise, they will just disappear and reappear someplace else," I said, feeling as frustrated as Alexa sounded. "Maybe Guzman is right. I should just save as many as I can…" Red's tongue flicked against my cheek several times and I knew—with certainty—that wasn't a wise decision.
* * *
For the next week I thought of a hundred ways to close down the kidnapping ring, none of which I thought would do more than inconvenience them, nor would my actions help the women. I could stop
new women from being abducted for a few years but could do little for the women already under their control. I tossed and turned all night long and woke with a galaxy-sized headache, which plagued me all day as I struggled to find workable ways to destroy the kidnapping ring. I pushed food around my plate at breakfast, lunch, and dinner and was losing a half kilogram a day, which I could ill afford. By the end of the week, I could see that everyone was concerned and tippy-toed around me like a fragile piece of art that would shatter with the least amount of vibration—like walking too hard or talking above a whisper or closing a door tight.
At my normal staff meeting, Damon sat quietly until I looked in her direction.
"Ma'am, we can show a link from Shadows Rest to the Merry Dee and the kidnapping of Susan Guzman as well as the abductions on Sudan and Black Water."
I just sat there, numb, not saying a word as Banner quietly set down a cup of coffee. A tear slid down my face as I continued staring off into space, locked in my misery.
"That's it!" I slammed the conference room table with the palm of my hand, which produced a loud crack as I bolted to my feet. That caused everyone in the room to rocket to attention, not sure what was happening. "Enough pussy-footing around, trying to comply with rules and regulations while women are being abused by animals who don't believe in the law. Correction—hiding behind the laws they are breaking." I looked around the room and would have laughed if I hadn't been boiling with rage. Damon, Banner, and Stamm stood frozen, fear written on their pale faces. "Damon, get Abbott in here. Banner, order lunch for us all. I'm starving. Stamm, get Colonel Pannell and tell Admiral Hadley I would like to see her ASAP. Now!" I shouted and sat, feeling alive for the first time in weeks. As I waited, I wiped up the coffee that had spilled, topped off my cup with fresh hot coffee, and sipped while I waited.
