In other words, they were nowhere.
“Achronyx, there’s nothing here.”
“Clearly there is something. If there were nothing, we would be experiencing a different dilemma entirely.”
Tabitha chuckled. “I missed you.”
“I have no idea what you mean,” Achronyx replied. “There is something there. I’m picking up shield signatures even though I cannot tell what is being shielded.”
The barren rockscape below them didn’t hold much promise at first glance. Tabitha gave Harry a pointed look as he entered the bridge between Hirotoshi and Ryu. “This is your black-market outpost? Where is the outpost?”
“It’s there, you’ll see. It wouldn’t be much of a hidden outpost if just anyone could find it, would it?” Harry tapped the side of his nose with a finger. “It’s underground. Besides, we’re not quite there yet. The landing site I gave you is a little ways away from the trading post. Can’t be turning up in an Empire ship. The place will empty out quicker than a Pepsi factory during a state visit.”
Tabitha ignored his attempt to lighten the mood. “What’s it like down there? Do we need to suit up?”
Harry shook his head. “It’s inhospitable, but there’s enough atmosphere to breathe if you don’t mind the dust.”
Tabitha nodded and turned to look at Hirotoshi. “Okay, I’m gonna go get us some protection against the dust. You two take Harry down to the med bay and get a tracker in him before we land.”
Achronyx brought them down in the middle of a dust storm. Tabitha exited the ship last and paused to pull the hood of her cloak up and put her goggles on over it to hold it in place. She grimaced as she tightened her scarf around her mouth. “You weren’t kidding about the dust,” she bitched as she slid down the fine dust of the dune after the others.
Harry rubbed the bruise on his neck where Ryu had injected the tracker. “It’s part of the charm of this place. It gets better when we get there.”
Ryu pulled his hood low to protect his eyes. “Let’s just get going so we can get out of this storm.”
Harry led them across the low dunes toward the hulking shadow of a cliff in the near distance. Tabitha trailed at the back, keeping a close eye on the group via the infrared function in her goggles. As they got closer to the cliff, they were able to make out the outline of a rope bridge between them and the cliff through the storm.
“We’re nearly there now,” Harry called back.
The rest of his words were stolen by the wind. Tabitha hoped he wasn’t saying anything too important. She trudged one labored footstep at a time through the deep dust, her nanocytes working to compensate for the underabundance of oxygen. She almost fell on her ass when they cleared the drift unexpectedly and the effort she had been applying to each step became suddenly unnecessary.
“Where the hell did the gravity come from?” She got to her feet and smirked when it became clear she hadn’t been the only one caught out.
Hirotoshi and Ryu dusted themselves off and turned as one to hear Harry’s explanation.
Harry shrugged and set off toward the bridge. “Can’t say I didn’t warn you. Operators of this place are watching. Come on, before they get suspicious.”
Visibility remained poor. Tabitha switched her goggle overlay to show radar and scanned the area around the bridge. The radar highlighted a huge chasm between them and the cliff face, which she could now see in more detail.
They crossed the bridge one at a time, and it bucked and twisted beneath them in the scouring wind. When they reached the other side, the wind died away suddenly as they entered yet another layer of Iona’s shielding.
The cliff was easily seen without the thick dust to screen it from sight. The bridge led to a path, which in turn led to a staircase carved into the cliff face. Tabitha could see signs of activity farther up, but at the foot of the cliff, it was empty.
“This place is like an onion,” Tabitha quipped. “No wonder Achronyx had trouble finding out what was down here.”
“Iona is a safe haven for anyone who wants to conduct business that is likely to draw the wrong kind of attention from the Empire.”
Not for long. As soon as we’re done with Traveler’s Rest, this place is going to get a housekeeping visit of its own.
Ryu coughed politely to hide his snicker.
Harry became alarmed. “Please understand that there are literally thousands of dangerous people here at any one time. Even you three would struggle to win at those odds.”
Tabitha laughed. “You wanna bet?”
Harry shook his head. “I most definitely do not. I want to get in there, speak with my asset, and then get my daughter back home where she belongs.” He stalked off toward the cliff face.
Ryu took point, Harry went next with Hirotoshi behind him, and Tabitha brought up the rear. They ascended the staircase single file without incident until they reached the top, where they were greeted by an impressive array of gun barrels.
Tabitha brought up her Jean Dukes, which had exactly the effect it should on the guards. “I guess we aren’t staying incognito, then.” She picked out the guard with the biggest gun and waved the barrel of her Jean Dukes at him. “Hey, who’s in charge here?”
Big Gun’s eyes flicked toward a Leath who was standing off to one side with his arms folded, observing the new arrivals with an expression of barely-concealed malice.
Tabitha took another glance at the mob. No humans. “You didn’t mention they don’t like humans here,” she whispered aside to Harry.
“I’ve never actually been here,” he replied shakily.
Tabitha muttered a curse. “How do we get in to meet your contact if they don’t allow humans?”
Hirotoshi had a suggestion. “You do love making a scene, and you’ve been so restrained on this mission.”
Tabitha smirked. “Yes. Yes, I have. And by the way, I saw what you did in the arena. That shit was like some bad eighties movie, and I have the video. What I’m about to do goes nowhere under pain of…well, pain.” She pushed through the mob and flounced toward the Leath without a care.
The Leath stared down at Tabitha with complete contempt. “What do you want, human? Your kind are not welcome here.”
“Well, I was hoping to commit a crime today, and I heard Iona was the place to do that. I wasn’t expecting this warm welcome, though.” Tabitha put a hand on her hip and tilted her chin, returning the boss’s stare with a cold-eyed appraisal of her own. “I hate—and I mean hate—speciesism. It’s a deal breaker for me, I’m afraid. I thought it would be the war that prevented us from having a civilized discussion, but I can tell you now that we aren’t going to see eye to eye on this.”
Tabitha’s nonchalant attitude was confusing the hell out of the guards. She smirked at the boss and waved a hand at the baffled guards. “I mean, humans commit crime too. Who are you to deny me the opportunity to get a slice of this?” She scowled at the Leath and turned to the guards. “Do you know what you’re missing out on? Humans are the best.”
“You would say that,” a voice called.
Tabitha twinkled at the guards. “All I want is to hide out on Iona and do a little business where the Empress can’t see what I’m doing. My credits are as good as anyone else’s. Now, are you going to let me in?”
K’nthel System, Iona
Harry followed at Tabitha’s heels as they crossed under the enormous carved stone pillars supporting the entrance and headed into the atrium of the trading post. Every inch of the cavern was carved with what Tabitha decided to call “space scrimshaw,” including the hard to reach places between the access to the upper and lower levels.
Tabitha ran a hand down the nearest wall. “This place has a distinct Indiana Jones feel—kind of Temple of Doom-y. I like it.”
The others looked at her blankly except Ryu, who made a face.
Tabitha shrugged. “Never mind. Where are we meeting your contact?”
Harry pulled back his sleeve to show Tabitha his wrist holo.
“I gave all the info to Achronyx.”
I’m sending your route map now.
The map came up in Tabitha’s HUD, complete with directions to a small café on the lower level. Thanks, Achronyx. She twirled a finger in the air and headed for the passage that would take them there. “Let’s go.”
The cavern at the end of the passage opened up into a massive space filled with everything from shabby stalls and rows of roughly-constructed shacks selling contraband to shining storefronts with bright holosignage advertising their services.
Tabitha took note of the ones proclaiming violence for hire. Achronyx, pay special attention to the flashiest businesses. Start compiling evidence to give to Bethany Anne.
I’m already on it, Achronyx replied.
Good. They made their way through the crowded marketplace, keeping one eye on the route ahead and the other on their belongings. Strangely enough for an outpost exclusively populated by criminals, not a single person tried to pickpocket them. Sell them stuff, yes, but apparently honor among thieves was a thing here. Tabitha figured it was either that or there was somebody in charge who didn’t allow crime on Iona.
They found Harry’s contact, a nervous-looking Ixtali who jumped up when Harry entered the café. He spotted Tabitha and the Tontos with Harry and skittered backward, his mandibles working erratically. “I said I would speak to you, Harry! I cannot believe you brought them with you!”
Harry moved quickly to reassure the Ixtali, who was glancing around for an exit. “It’s okay, Hexen. They’re not here to cause trouble. My daughter has been taken. I believe it has something to do with my investigation into the Loren.”
Hexen looked around. “Not here.” He picked up his robe and motioned for them to follow him, leading them to one of the upper rooms, an office containing a desk, a computer, and not much else. Hirotoshi stood guard outside while Hexen rushed over to close the window. He pulled down the blind and placed a couple of small devices on the windowsill. “Jammers. You can’t be too careful,” he told Tabitha in response to her questioning look.
Tabitha shrugged in agreement and leaned against the desk. “Harry tells us you might know something about the Loren’s disappearance. It looks to be connected to the kidnapping of Harry’s daughter, so let’s skip all the dancing around and get to the point.”
Hexen inclined his head. “As you wish.” He reached into the voluminous sleeve of his robe and extracted a small crystal memory drive, which he handed to Harry. “That is all the information you requested. I’ll expect payment by our usual method.”
Harry accepted the drive and nodded. “You’ll receive it as soon as I verify the information. Can we have some privacy, please?”
Hexen stood. “Of course. I have to be elsewhere anyway.” He indicated the desk. “Feel free to use the computer to verify the information before you leave.”
Harry sat at the desk after the Ixtali broker left. He inserted the drive and opened the contents. “There’s not much here. No names, no locations. Where is Hexen? Has he left the building already?”
Achronyx?
Hexen left immediately and is currently in a transport which has filed a route plan ending on the top level.
What’s up there?
It is the most heavily-shielded part of the outpost.
You can’t scan it, can you?
No, Achronyx admitted. But we may be able to find out by other means.
Tabitha’s gaze alighted on the computer as he spoke. Great minds, Achronyx.
Tabitha used a thumb and forefinger to remove Harry from the chair by his ear and sat down to work. “Information might be your thing, but computers are mine. Hexen is going to be sorry he let me within sniffing distance of his secrets.” She cracked her knuckles and began to type.
Hirotoshi poked his head in through the door almost half an hour later. “How much longer, Kemosabe?”
Tabitha looked up from the screen. “Are you psychic or something?” She stretched her fingers. “You’re right on time. We have a name.”
Harry leaned over her shoulder to get a look. “Well, I’ll be a motherfucker.”
Tabitha looked up at Harry and reached back to push him away with a hand to his face when she saw how close he was. “Boundaries, Harry. Do you recognize the name?”
Harry nodded grimly. “It’s not who I expected, either.”
“You didn’t know who to suspect. That is why we are here. Now, who is,” she leaned in to check the name, “Brandon Tallinger?”
“My business partner, that’s who. I’m going to kill the bastard! That’s it, I’m outta here.” Harry stalked toward the door.
“I wouldn’t,” Hirotoshi warned.
Harry paid him no attention and stormed out of the door. A few seconds later there was a crackle and a thud.
Tabitha raised an eyebrow at Ryu. “Did you fit him with the tracker?”
Ryu nodded solemnly. “Of course, Kemosabe. It was a given he would try to escape at some point.” He turned to Hirotoshi. “We should retrieve him before he wakes up.”
Tabitha checked that the copying of Hexen’s files was finished, then removed the drive and headed after Hirotoshi and Ryu. They waited for her in the corridor, holding Harry up between them. He was awake, but still groggy from the zap.
She patted Harry’s cheek as she walked past. “Should have just had a little patience. We were leaving anyway.”
K’nthel System, Traveler’s Rest, Docking Bay
They’d been cleared to dock. Hirotoshi and Ryu were remaining behind to prepare the Achronyx for an impromptu flight while Tabitha took Harry to confront his treacherous business partner.
Harry hesitated at the elevator door, rubbing his neck. “How far can I go before, you know, tzzzz?”
Tabitha winked. “Why test it? You are not going to go running off to murder your partner because we need the information he has to find your daughter. We already established on the way back here that Tallinger wouldn’t hurt Stacy. Just hold tight. He’ll be facing the Empress’ Justice soon enough.”
Harry nodded. “Thank you for letting me come with you.”
She strutted past Harry and dragged him into the elevator by his sleeve before the doors closed on them. “There are reasons I’m allowing you to be present while I question him. Your relationship may come in useful.”
“In what way?” Harry asked, pressing the button for their destination.
Tabitha smirked. “In that you can tell me if he’s lying his ass off. Also, if he isn’t a complete bastard, your being there will unsettle him and make it easier for me to get what we need.”
Harry snorted. “Fuck him, I’m unsettled. He’s always been an uncle to Stacy. How can he involve her in this? I’m not going to lie, it’s just not something I would have believed if I hadn’t seen the proof with my own eyes.”
Tabitha felt for him; betrayal stung. But that was what criminals who ran with other criminals did to each other. She’d seen enough of it to know. “Harry, he’s going to be dealt with according to the law, same as you when we’re done. That’s what I’m offering. If all you want is vengeance, I can just ship you off to trial right now. I thought you wanted to rescue your daughter?”
They rode the elevator in silence the rest of the way. The doors opened on a long corridor lined with offices. They stepped out, and Harry indicated one of the doors on the left. “That’s his office.”
Tabitha nodded. “Okay then, let’s get some answers.”
They went into the office, where an elegantly dressed receptionist sat behind the desk talking into her headset. She held up a finger. “One moment, please.”
Tabitha marched straight past through the door marked with her target’s name. Harry came in after her and closed the door. “Hello, Brandon,” he stated flatly.
A middle-aged human who had to be Tallinger stood up abruptly and slammed his computer closed. “Harry? What is this? How dare you come barging in here!”
Tabitha pulled her badge out as s
he walked over to Tallinger and brandished it in his face. “Why would you be getting a visit from a Ranger? Hmmm, let me see…”
Tallinger paled when he realized who he was dealing with. “I didn’t… I wouldn’t…”
Harry could contain himself no longer. He lunged at the friend who had betrayed him. He grabbed Tallinger by his shirt and shook him roughly. “Where is Stacy? I know you had something to do with her kidnapping.”
Tallinger opened his mouth to speak, but Harry shut it again with a punch. “Don’t you fucking dare lie to me!”
Tabitha caught Harry’s arm on the backswing for another punch. “That’s enough. Let him speak.”
Harry glared at Tallinger with utter hate and shoved him away. “Speak then, before the Ranger loses her power to persuade me you’re more valuable alive. Where is my daughter?”
Tabitha folded her arms and tapped her foot expectantly as Tallinger’s eyes darted between her and Harry. He didn’t know that Tabitha had no intention of letting his kidnapping ass get away with what he’d done.
Eventually, Tallinger sighed. “I haven’t got her.”
“Then who has?” she demanded. “And where are they keeping her and the Loren?”
Tallinger’s eyes shot wide open. “How did you know about that?”
Harry got into his old friend’s face. “No thanks to you. Now, who has Stacy?”
Tallinger shook his head. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
A lightbulb went off in Tabitha’s brain. “It’s the Skaine monk, Scroat, isn’t it? I knew it!”
Tallinger frowned. “That’s the part I don’t know. My contact is anonymous. I arranged for the Loren to be taken down to the surface, but I hadn’t accounted for it behaving like a Loren. It won’t comply without Stacy to negotiate a new deal, so they had her taken, after a few mistakes.”
Harry growled. “Mistakes?”
Tallinger nodded miserably. “The other missing courtesans they took when I refused to identify Stacy to them.” He clutched at Harry, pleading, “Please, Harry! You have to believe that I had nothing to do with Stacy being taken. I only saw the money when they came to me with the transport job. I didn’t think, Harry, okay? I’m sorry.”
Labyrinth (Deuces Wild Book 3) Page 8
