by Dennis Young
I’ll bet you do, thought Talice. One more in the bed wouldn’t bother you at all, would it?
She nodded to him. “I’ve got some opportunities coming up I’m pretty sure will come through. But I’ll keep it in mind. I still have your card.”
Mikal drew a cardholder from his coat pocket. “New company. New products and services. Fast-paced, great benefits… you’d like it.”
Talice glanced at the card. “I feel we’ve had this conversation. One that didn’t end so pleasantly.”
Mikal waved off her comment after an uneasy moment. “Old business, and as you saw then, everything was good. Same as now.”
Then why do I get the feeling you’re just as much a predator as you were then? Geez, you’re fucking two of my best teammates and they don’t even know how low you are.
She glanced at her wristcom. “Ladies, it’s great to see you again, and I’m glad you’re doing well.” Talice rose. “Mikal, good to see you, too. And remember, these girls are former Marines. And my teammates.”
Jance and Konee looked from Talice to Mikal, then to each other.
“I understand,” he replied. “Good to see you, Talice.”
She nodded, touched Jance and Konee on the shoulders as she passed them by, and headed down the walkway. Once she was around a corner and out of sight, she hit her wristcom. Babs, I need a favor. Trouble in Paradise. Talice.
This day keeps getting weirder and weirder…
* * *
An hour went by. Talice kept walking. She was certain she wasn’t followed, but kept walking anyway. She had her reasons. Finally, her wristcom chimed.
Sorry, I was in conference. I’m open for business. Come on by. Babs.
Talice breathed a sigh and slowed her pace, stepping into an alcove. Need your help. Please send a shielded goundcar or van. Seriously, no joke. Talice.
A pause. Okay, I have your location. Stay where you are, ten minutes. Babs.
Talice waited. Impatiently, but she waited. A black groundcar with darkened windows stopped at the curb, then inched forward. The door slid open. Babs stuck her head out and waved. Talice climbed in, and off they went.
Babs started to speak and Talice put her finger on her lips and shook her head. Babs mouthed “What the…?”
Talice mimicked writing and Babs handed her a SLATE. Talice shook her head again, pantomimed writing on her hand. Babs dug into her carryall and produced a notepad and pen. Talice nodded thanks and began to write.
Tracers. Probably more than one, but one for sure. We need to pull into the emergency garage, because it’s shielded. Then the shielded exam room.
Babs read the note and shook her head, eyes worried, and a frown on her face.
Talice continued to write. We’ll need to burn the clothes I have on and I’ll need a full hard-sonic shower. Then probably a body scan.
Babs took the pen. Would you like a massage with that? Maybe a glass of wine?
They smiled together. Talice gritted her teeth at the last and pressed her lips together.
The rest of the trip was made in silence.
* * *
Talice stood in the sonic shower booth, arms outstretched, and chin uplifted. It wasn’t exactly pleasant. Like a million little needles poking you all at once, she thought. Every. Single. Second. If I stood here for an hour, it would probably take off every bit of my epidermis.
At last, the shower shut off and she stepped out of the booth. She was dry as a bone and tingled all over. If they could figure out how to duplicate that sensation without the skin removal, they’d have the greatest sex toy ever.
She toweled off, and skin flakes drifted in the light. She slid into a pair of surgical scrubs, brushed her hair back, and exited the shower room. Babs was waiting.
“Okay, your clothes are gone. I rescued your wristcom and this.” Babs held up the wristwatch Fawkes had given her. “I’ve scanned them both and they’re clean. Let’s get you scanned as well.”
It took thirty minutes. Talice sat in a scan chair much as the one on board Bird One. It wasn’t uncomfortable like the sonic shower, but it was a bit creepy, knowing this invisible probe could see every bit of her, inside and out. She simply waited in semi-darkness until Babs hit the overhead lights and came around the screen.
“Okay, you’re done. You’re clean clear through, my dear. But come on out, I want to show you some things.”
They stepped over to a lab bench where three nearly-invisible circles rested on a black cloth.
“Damn. They were good.” Talice stared at the tracers.
“Audio only, so that’s a good thing. One of the techs here disabled them. We can put them under a microscope and get the serial numbers, then find the manufacturer and check where and when they were sold, and to whom. But even if these could get through our shielding, which I’m sure they can’t, whoever put them on you knows you’ve found and disabled them.” Babs looked up. “You want to tell me about this now?”
Talice looked around, seeing two techs working in a corner. “Your office?”
Babs nodded and led the way, closing the door behind them. She took her desk chair as Talice paced.
“I ran into some old teammates today. Jance and Konee.”
Babs grinned. “Great! How are they?”
“It’s not them I’m worried about. It’s who they were with.”
“…Go on.”
Talice told the tale of the civie social the three of them attended years ago. Of Mikal and his accomplices. Of tracking them to a hotel when Jance and Konee had disappeared, with all the worst things going on in her mind of what might be happening. Then finding… nothing.
“But I never forgot about this guy. And to this day, I know he’s not what he says he is.”
“So Jance and Konee were with him in what capacity?”
Talice finally sat, facing Babs. “They said they’re working for him in some hush-hush cyber-security company he apparently owns. He gave me his card, but I assume it’s gone with everything else, right?”
Babs nodded. “But we took a picture of it, front and back.”
“Ooohh, you’re good.”
“So this Mikal planted these things on you?”
Talice shook her head. “No, and that’s what bothers me the most. I never touched him. But I hugged both Jance and Konee.”
Babs thought for a quiet moment. “That means this was premeditated, and they’re in on it. Did you see them first or did they see you, then approach you?”
Talice shrugged. “We sort of met in the middle of the trafficway.”
Babs thought again. “Still… Talice, maybe this wasn’t the first time they’ve seen you lately.”
“… I never thought of that.”
Babs leaned forward onto her desk. “What do you want to do? You should certainly report this.”
“Yeah, but not to the locals. I have a meeting tomorrow with Major Fawkes. Drop those things in a bag for me and I’ll take them along.”
Babs nodded. “Good idea. What then? You’re being watched, no doubt.”
“The question is by whom and why? And how long has this been happening?”
“Do you trust the major?”
Talice considered. “Yeah, I do. We’ve been seeing each other under the pretense of dating. That’s how I get my assignments. Don’t spread this around, it’s classified.”
“Got it. Okay, but be careful, Talice. Something funny is going on and you need to find out what before it hurts someone. Like you.”
“I can’t imagine what the hell they want with me.”
Babs sat back, thinking. “Maybe he wants to recruit you.”
“For what? His bed? Hell, he’s got Jance and Konee both hanging on to him in public.”
“Then something else. Talk to Fawkes. Or Mac. Mac’s pretty good at reading situations and people.”
Talice nodded. “Good point. I’ll do that.” She sighed. “Thanks, Babs. I’ll get back to you soon.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes, Tal
ice stood. Babs watched her closely, worry on her face.
“I could use a ride home.”
Babs smiled. “I’m off in about twenty minutes, if you can wait. Take an extra box of patches while you’re here. And watch out for yourself, especially the next few days. Someone wants you for something, and with your current line of work, they may be looking for someone to do something nasty. And take a fall for them if necessary.”
Talice paused at the door and gave Babs a look. “Thanks. I’ll sleep better knowing that.”
* * *
The Office of Marine Major Harlan Fawkes…
Talice arrived ten minutes early for her meeting with Fawkes and waited in the common area. She spent the time looking at the holo-board and all the new faces on it. She recognized very few; a couple of recruits she remembered, who were now corporals; the list of new Butterbar lieutenants from the most recent graduating class; a couple of losses in the Company; that one stung. One was a lieutenant she had been forming a friendship with before she was discharged, and simply lost touch with him. Damn. Life’s just too cruel sometimes…
The Company orderly opened the door to the officers’ private area. “Major Fawkes will see you now, Ms. Wyloh.”
Talice followed the young man through the main office to a corridor with doors on either side. He opened the one with Fawkes’s name on the placard.
Talice entered. Did a double-take as the door was closed. Then another. “Mac?”
“Hello, Talice.”
Talice looked to Fawkes at his desk. “Just finishing up with Mac?”
Fawkes hesitated for a second, glanced to Mac, then back to Talice. “Actually, she’s here on my request.”
Talice sat, saying nothing.
“Feeling better?” Mac gave Talice a wink.
You don’t really want to know what I’m feeling right now. Talice cleared her throat and looked at Fawkes. “What can I do for you today, Major?”
Fawkes shuffled papers and set a SLATE aside. “Mac and I have just discussed the mission. I have the report you sent on the way home, the flight crew reports, and the medical info. I also have the report from Mr. Evans and the Braysons.”
Talice nodded slightly. “So as I asked, what can I do for you?”
“Actually, we want to talk about you,” replied Mac, after Fawkes hesitated.
Talice looked Fawkes in the eye, ignoring Mac’s comment.
“Mac has explained your… episode when you returned to Base. And your discussion afterward.” Fawkes drank from the coffee cup on his desk.
Again, Talice remained silent.
“And we want to discuss with you the way forward on future missions.”
“Have you given any thought to what we discussed?” Mac moved closer in her hoverchair.
Talice gave her a look, and Mac paused. “I’ve given it the thought it deserves, yes.”
Fawkes shook his head. “That doesn’t sound encouraging. We think you should reconsider the options.”
Talice nearly rose to walk out then and there. You son of a bitch. Using my own people against me. Fuck you. And I mean that in the least of nicest ways.
Mac turned to her. “Talice, you have the full trust of your team —”
“My team? I thought it was our team.”
Mac shrugged. “You know what I mean. And they do trust you. You lead well, you care, you sweat and worry and fight like hell beside them, every time. But with your… condition, you’ve got to think about a better way.”
“Better for who? You? The major? Your consciences?”
Mac sighed. “For everyone. The team. The mission. And yes, you.”
Talice looked to Fawkes, listening, his elbows on the desk and fingers steepled. “So I should take the TacOps position and lead from the ship. Right?”
“Like we discussed, right.”
Talice waited for a beat. “I still haven’t heard officially from Major Fawkes on this proposal.”
Fawkes sat back and blew a heavy breath. “I concur with Mac. You need to relinquish your position as ground leader and find a replacement suitable to you for the team.”
“And who should be the ground leader then?”
“Briggs already has plenty of experience at that,” said Mac. “Rory is a great second-in-command on the ground. You know this, Talice. These guys have learned it from you. They’re the best in the business.”
Talice nodded. “But they’ve never done it alone.”
“They’ve done it with you in Bird One, on a tricky pickup of a pain-in-the-ass operative. They kept their cool. Junior calmed the situation. Nobody got shot. All that because they knew you were with them, just not physically.”
Talice kept her eyes with Mac’s. “Have you told the major the real reason for this?”
Mac shook her head. “What do you mean?”
“Your little secret. About wanting to start a family.”
“…That has nothing to do with this.”
“Oh, the hell it doesn’t Mac!” Talice looked to Fawkes. “Has she told you?”
Fawkes nodded reluctantly. “We’ve discussed it briefly, yes. And she’s right. It has no bearing on this subject.”
Talice held his gaze. “You mentioned options. What are they?”
Fawkes and Mac shared a quick glance. “Actually, none. It’s this, or we move a different direction.”
“Again, meaning what? Stop talking around the subject.”
“Meaning we find a different team,” replied Fawkes. “You’re not the only mercenary group looking for work by a long shot.”
“Let me see,” mused Talice, her voice heavy with sarcasm. “Would this be considered, what is the ancient term… blackmail?”
Fawkes huffed a breath. “Hardly. You’re a gun for hire, Talice, nothing more.”
She looked to Mac again, then back to Fawkes. “And when do you need my decision?”
“Soon. I have a pending mission I need to set into motion. Say, twenty-four hours.”
Talice looked to Mac. “And you’ll be in on this mission?”
Mac nodded. “My last. I wouldn’t leave you hanging.”
Damn you, Mac. I loved and trusted you. Now you’re trying to take my only life away completely. Damn you.
Talice nodded, then rose. “Very well. I’ll have my answer to you in twenty-four hours. I’ll contact you through official channels.” She reached into her pocket and withdrew the wristwatch Fawkes had given her. She tossed it onto his desk. “Here. The engagement’s off.”
She turned and left, closing the door softly behind her.
* * *
“Talice! Talice, wait, please!” Mac had followed her out the office building door. Talice kept walking. The afternoon breeze stirred her hair and bit the corners of her eyes, now filled with tears.
“Talice!”
She stopped, but didn’t turn. Mac’s hoverchair let out a whine as she came to a halt, then maneuvered around to face Talice. “Let me explain.”
Talice shook her head. “No explanation necessary. You made it pretty clear, you and the major.”
Mac closed her eyes and shook her head slowly. “What was that comment about engagement? And what was that thing you gave him?”
“Oh, he didn’t tell you about that? Then ask him.”
“You aren’t looking at this logically.” Mac’s shoulders slumped. “You’ve got to listen to reason. You only see your side of the issue.”
“Don’t tell me what I see.”
“Dammit, you’re a danger to the team!”
Talice glanced to the passersby, then glared at Mac. “Thanks. Now you’ve just broadcast it all over the fucking Base. Get out of my way.”
She didn’t wait for Mac to move her hoverchair. She turned right and headed for the metrolink station, almost running. She didn’t look back.
Talice tagged the entry kiosk with her implanted chip and jumped through the first car door she saw opened. She went to the far end and grabbed a hanging strap as the train star
ted.
She didn’t know where it was going.
She didn’t care.
* * *
The tea shop was closing, but Talice still sat at a far corner table, staring into nothing. She wasn’t exactly sure where “this” was, other than on the southern outskirts of Anchor Prime, an area she’d never been in that she could recall. Twice she’d been told gently the staff was getting ready for lights-out, and twice she’d ignored their pleas. Finally, someone she assumed was the manager approached. She rose and headed out the door, giving a perfunctory thanks and good night.
She walked. The walkways were ill-lit and nearly empty. It was late, but she hadn’t even looked at her chrono for the time. It didn’t seem important. Nothing did.
She needed to head home. She was a bit shaky, partly due to stress, partly due to the fact she hadn’t eaten since morning, but mostly because she needed her S-H and maybe a fresh patch. And sleep. Definitely sleep. If it would come.
She entered the metrolink station and sat, waiting for the next train back into the center city. She was cold. And hungry. She sealed her jacket, shoved her hands into her pockets, and let her mind wander.
Bad idea.
Mac’s point is valid, and I know that. But using Fawkes to basically force me into taking the TacOps position was dirty. I’m not a danger to the team, as long as I’m on the ball with my meds. I can do this. Hell, I’ve been doing it. But I can’t believe she, of all people, would betray me like this. And Fawkes…
Her wristcom buzzed. I’d like to see you tomorrow when your mind has calmed a bit. I may have some information that would help you make your decision. Fawkes.
She shook her head and blew a breath. Great. Another lecture.
A gentle breeze from the track caught her attention. The train eased to a stop and the doors opened. A few people exited, and Talice followed two into the vacant car. She took a seat, thinking, then typed out a message. I’ll let you know. Talice.
That should be noncommittal enough. Fuck, I’m exhausted.
The train moved quietly away from the station. Talice closed her eyes. I need to talk to Dad. Soon.
* * *
Talice woke in her bed with better clarity of mind. More rested. With a plan beginning to form. With the possibility of some answers to questions raised over the last few days. Why can’t my brain work like this when I’m not in bed trying to fall asleep? She chuckled, half awake.
