by T. R. Harris
“Tell me you’re not involved in this,” Kevin blurted out.
“Involved in what? They haven’t told me anything.”
Kevin looked startled. “You don’t know about the Unity Stone?”
“I know what it is; what about it?” My heart began to pound even harder as I recalled the conversation Miranda and I had about the statue at the Hillcrest property. This was too much of a coincidence not to mean something.
“It’s been stolen,” Kevin said, “and it’s causing quite a shitstorm across the entire planet, hell, across the whole galaxy. You didn’t know it was stolen?”
I felt deflated. So there it was. This did have something to do with Miranda, and now I was involved; however, in what way I was afraid to ask. I did anyway.
“They think I’m involved?”
“That’s what they’re saying. Are you?”
“Hell, no,” I answered, without emotion. “But I do have a pretty good idea who is.”
“Who?”
I didn’t get a chance to answer. Instead, the Velosians took me by the arm and hustled me down a hallway and into a bare-bones interrogation room. After a couple of minutes, Kevin entered, along with the Zorphin Krimious and the most-vocal of the two Velosians.
“Sit down,” Krimious commanded.
Both Kevin and I obeyed.
“If this has anything to do with the Unity Stone, I can tell you who’s probably behind the theft,” I offered right off the bat. I saw little benefit in not being forthcoming.
Krimious raised an eyebrow, which crinkled the green knobs on his forehead.
“So you do admit complicity in the crime?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Let him speak first, Jason,” Kevin said to me, placing a hand on my forearm.
“Thank you, Advocate.” Krimious referred to a datapad he carried. “Here are the facts as we know them: The Unity Stone was stolen approximately nine hours ago from a secure vault at the official offices of Morgus Orn, the Velosian representative to the Union Council. The thief – or thieves – gained access to the vault using a code that we believe was acquired from a computer located at the Council Member’s residence. According to data taken from the entry lockbox located at the property, you, Jason King, accessed the home twice over the past four weeks, including the most recent visit only two days ago.”
“I didn’t go there two days ago. I’ve only been there once—”
“Are you not the agent assisting the Council Member with the sale of his property?” asked the Velosian.
“That’s right, but the last time I was there was four weeks ago, for a showing to the Wilson family.”
“And yet the data is incontrovertible that your code was used to access the lockbox two days ago,” said Krimious.
“That wasn’t me. I didn’t do it.”
“Then who did?”
“I’m pretty sure it was a Human female named Miranda Moore. She is supposedly a relative of the wife of Undersecretary Mark Wilson and she was present when I first showed the property. During the showing she saw a photo of Council Member Orn with the Unity Stone and asked about it.”
“How does that implicate the female in the theft?”
“I believe she stole my lockbox code.”
“Those codes are to be protected at all times from theft, and are the personal responsibility of the agent for which they have been assigned. If the code was stolen, then you have committed a major dereliction of your professional responsibilities. What proof do you have that the code was stolen?”
“For starters: The fact that I didn’t go into the home two days ago. I was playing in a softball tournament on that day.”
“What is softball?”
“It’s a sport … just look at the timestamp on the lockbox. You should be able to tell when the code was accessed.”
The alien referred to his datapad again. “Mid-14:32.”
“See, that was right in the middle of the day. Zorphin Transit Minister Billork Kly Gon-Mok is a team member, and he can verify that I was at the game when the code was used.”
“That is all very convenient,” the Velosian stated. “But it does not prove that you did not have an accomplice in the theft – this female Miranda Moore.”
“Mon Crick is correct,” said Krimious. “Your code was still used to gain access to the property, and you could have given it to someone else, while using the sports activity as a covering event.”
“But I didn’t. The key is biometric; was there genetic evidence, as well? Usually, all it takes is a simple finger swab to access a lockbox like the one on the Council Member’s home,” I said. “And since I still have all my fingers, what kind of sample was given two days ago? That’s in the database, too.”
Krimious frowned when he looked at the datapad again. He said nothing.
“Please, Enforcer Sin, what was the source?” Kevin asked, much more politely than I would have at the time.
“It states here that it was a reproductive fluid.”
“No shit?” I said. “You mean sperm?”
“Evidently.”
Kevin looked over at me, frowning.
I just shrugged. This was no time to be coy. “This Miranda Moore and I engaged in sexual activity over four weeks ago. She obviously got my lockbox code – and the other thing – at that time, and then used them later to enter the home.”
“That is supposition on your part,” the Velosian said.
The Zorphin Enforcer Krimious Sin was still looking intently at his datapad. Finally he looked up at me. “Do you know the present location of this female?”
“No, I don’t. She wasn’t at the closing on the Wilson’s home, and her cousin—”
“What is a cousin?”
“It is a relative; she’s supposedly the daughter of Jennifer Wilson’s stepfather’s sister.” I saw the eyes of both aliens gloss over. “Never mind that, but she told me that she was a spy for the Humans, yet none of my contacts at the Embassy can confirm that. I believe now that she came to Sylox just to steal the Unity Stone.”
Both aliens sat up straighter in their chairs. “She is a Human spy?” the Velosian asked.
“I told you none of the people at the Embassy can confirm that.”
“Again, Mon King, that does not prove she isn’t one,” said Krimious, his voice now thick with concern.
I looked at Kevin. He also looked more worried than normal.
“What’s going on? Why do all you guys look like you just swallowed a bug?” And then I wondered what the aliens ate as a staple. Bugs, maybe?
“It’s because the theft is causing a major crisis within the Union,” Kevin explained. “I’m really surprised you haven’t heard any of the news broadcasts.”
“I’ve been in a closing today, or getting ready for one. I haven’t had the news on.” I didn’t feel it was the right time to tell them about my brief kidnapping a few hours before.
Kevin was still talking. “The Unity Stone is a symbol of non-aggression between the Velosians and the Simoreans. Now that it’s missing, the two parties are about to go at it again.”
“But it was stolen.”
“That doesn’t matter. They’re really serious about this thing, and now that there may be a Human component involved, this could blow things all out of proportion, especially if this Miranda Moore woman does turn out to be a spy acting on behalf of the Human government.”
“But she’s not. I think she’s just a common thief, more interested in a twenty-nine thousand carat diamond than any political motivations.”
“That may be so,” Kevin said, “but that doesn’t change the fact that we have a major political crisis on our hands, and now we have Humans right in the middle of it. Even if she isn’t a spy, she’s still one of us, and she took something that could potentially spark a galactic war.”
“And if the Humans are more actively involved than just through the actions of a rogue individual, then there will be a major price to be
paid,” the angry Velosian added. He seemed to have already made up his mind that this was a conspiracy of some kind and with the Humans right in the thick of things.
I debated whether to tell Krimious that Miranda might be on Hyben, probably having gone there to fence the gigantic diamond. I hadn’t had a chance to research how the aliens on Hyben considered diamonds, yet I did know that trying to hock something as valuable and well-known as the Unity Stone would be virtually impossible….
However, a batch of smaller ones could be sold off, and without raising suspicions. Something that size could be cut down into a massive fortune in smaller ones.
Now I could see why others were willing to pay a quarter-mil to get it back. Looking at it now, the fee I’d negotiated with the thugs was way below-market for something like this.
“Are you now convinced that Mr. King didn’t have anything to do with the theft?” Kevin was saying.
“No!” cried the Velosian.
“Yes,” said Krimious. He looked at the pale-skinned Velosian and frowned. “Mon Crick, I understand this a sensitive issue for you and your people, but I believe our efforts would be better spent trying to locate this Human female.”
“King is not innocent. His code was used—”
“No rational being would use sperm as a biometric code marker, Mon Crick,” Krimious interrupted.
“It was a way for his accomplice to acquire the required genetic material—”
“There are far easier – and less messy – means of doing that, if Mr. King had been a willing participant in the crime.”
“Yet he admits he was a willing participant—”
“In the sexual activity, yet not the crime.” Krimious now turned to me. I have to admit, I was feeling more than a little embarrassed right about then.
“Jason King, you must understand that this is such a volatile issue, and that we as Enforcers are under tremendous pressure to solve the crime before events spiral out of control. Unfortunately, news of your confinement may have already filtered beyond official channels, so my releasing you without charges could cause serious repurcussions. However, I am convinced – that although you have had intimate contact with the likely perpetrator – you are simply a victim and not an accomplice—”
“How can you reach such a conclusion, Krimious?” The Velosian was apoplectic.
“Please, Mon Crick, I understand the release of Mr. King will not be popular with the Velosians, but I have no choice.” Krimious looked at me with desperate, alien eyes. “Mr. King, is there a possibility you could help us locate this Human female? You apparently know her on a personal level, and she does belong to your species.”
“I’ll do what I can,” I said. My mind was racing, trying to think of a way I could negotiate some kind of finder’s fee from the Enforcers, too. After a second, I dismissed the idea. I didn’t want to press my luck. Instead, I said: “I know it’s in all our best interests for her to be found, and as soon as possible, so do I have your permission to follow up on whatever leads I come across?”
“And why would you not simply reveal these leads to us as they appear?”
“Like you said, she is one of us. Also, my fellow Humans will trust me more than they’d trust you.”
“You cannot possibly be entertaining the idea of officially enlisting the assistance of this Human, Krimious?”
“Mon King is a prominent figure on Sylox, as evidenced by his association with your Council Member, Mon Crick. I will release him, yet I will allow him only eight days to locate the female and recover the statue.”
Krimious then turned back to me, his face stern. “After that time, I believe it will be necessary to offer you as a placeholder for this Miranda Moore, as a way to appease the forces that are demanding action.”
“But my client is innocent!” Kevin protested.
“Unfortunately, Advocate, by that time innocence will not be a major concern. If a responsible party is not offered up by then, there will be war, and I believe the Velosians fully intend to involve the Humans in the conflict, whether that is right or wrong.”
Kevin and I looked at the Velosian. He met our gazes with a smug, almost evil look of his own. I knew that even if I was able to serve Miranda Moore up on a platter, this alien would do all he could to tie me to her. So any evidence I come across to link Miranda – and only Miranda – to the theft would have to be beyond reproach. It would be the only way I could save my hide, as well as keep the Earth from falling victim of a vindictive alien race with the means of smashing the entire planet into stardust.
No pressure, Jason, I thought. Nothing riding on this … except possibly the survival of the entire Human race.
Chapter 16
Kevin and I left the Enforcer Command building the way we came in, through Receiving – and immediately ran into a pair of news crews, one Zorphin, the other a mixed race crew, but both from the most popular stations in the Capital.
“Mon King, is it true you used your association with Council Member Orn to execute the theft of the Unity Stone?”
“Why have you been released? Did you post security so as to make arrangements for your incarnation?”
“Why would the Humans wish a war between the Simoreans and the Velosians? Such a conflict could destroy the Union.”
We hurried to Kevin’s transport, as my attorney kept repeating, “My client is innocent. That is why he is free today. It has all been a terrible misunderstanding.”
Kevin’s statement didn’t register an iota with the broadcast reporters, who kept repeating the same lame questions, as if asking them enough times would make them true.
We pulled out of the parking lot with a huge, brightly painted news van right behind us.
“I can’t go home; they’ll be there already.”
“They’ll know where I live, too, if not now then in a couple of minutes.”
“Take me to the office. Quint and I made a few modifications – leftover habits from our prior occupation. I’ll be able to get out unseen.”
“Let me know where you go,” Kevin said as he entered the ribbon – and then made a quick, unexpected exit at the next ramp. The new van was caught off guard and missed the exit. They would have to circle back around.
Kevin spun the car back around in the opposite direction and reentered the freeway. We saw the news crew get off at the Juirean Street exit. They didn’t appear to notice us as we sped past on the ribbon going in the opposite direction.
Rookies, I observed, even though my mind was now a conglomeration of sickening thoughts that went far beyond our shaking of the news van. There goes the business! Publicity like this would be almost impossible to come back from, even if I showed up with Miranda and Unity Stone hanging from one of the many advertising dirigibles that filled the sky of Sylox City.
And Quint would be pissed. He had absolutely nothing to do with any of this, yet if the business went under, he’d be royally screwed, as well. But right now I needed answers and information. And there was only one reliable source for both.
Kevin slipped his transport into the underground parking garage at my office, and as expected, two more news crews where at the building waiting. Luckily they couldn’t access the garage, but as Kevin let me out, I spotted a bird-size drone hovering near the ceiling by the elevators.
I had no idea if the aliens would grasp the meaning of my prominently displayed middle finger aimed at the drone, but it did make me feel better.
By this time Quint had sent all the employees home and shut the office. This was all part of our SOP – standard operating procedure – in case one of us got into trouble. It wouldn’t do for a bunch of people to witness my return to the office.
There was a secondary entrance to the office, which was accessible from the floor above our suite, so I was able to enter the locked office without being seen. I’m sure the reporters were more than a little upset when the elevator coming up from the garage continued past my floor and stopped at the one above. They would be
scrambling for the stairs or the next elevator. By then I was gone.
Call it paranoia or just being careful, but Quint and I had always retained an extra, unregistered transport in a utility garage off the main building, just in case we needed to get out unseen. In the five years we’d had this office, neither of us had ever had to use the transport, and I wasn’t even sure if the battery was still charged. But seeing that the vehicle was electric-powered, that turned out to be a non-issue.
After grabbing some supplies from the office, I raced to the utility garage and I was out the building and headed for the Zanzibar Enclave in only six minutes from the time Kevin had dropped me off. However, I also had to contend with the drones. They were everywhere, and I couldn’t guarantee anything with them hovering around. But so far, it looked good.
I knew I couldn’t go home. Even though the Enclave was located behind secure gates, I had no false illusions that the news people couldn’t finagle their way in somehow and be at my door waiting. And with each passing minute, more and more of them would be joining the feeding frenzy.
This was big news. Prominent Human land agent Jason King involved not only in the theft of the most influential artifact in the galaxy, but also the betrayal of trust with his highest-ranking client, none other than Council Member Morgus Orn of Velosia. Hell, if I were a reporter, I’d be all over the story myself.
I had to find a base of operations to get my act together. I knew that I’d have to get to the spaceport soon and off the planet in my Noreen if I expected to catch up with Miranda – that was if she really was headed for Hyben. And if she is, then why didn’t her handlers – the ones she’d obviously double-crossed – just phone ahead and have an army waiting there to greet her? That I did not know.
I only had eight days to complete my mission and most of one of them was already gone. But before I ran blindly off across the galaxy, I need more intel. And who better to get intel from than the head spook on Sylox.
I used the untraceable phone Quint and I had stashed in the escape vehicle years ago and made a call.
**********
