“Who is it?”
“It’s Max.”
“Enter!”
The door slid open and Barski came in. He felt sad for the loss of their comrade and friend, but it was nothing compared to Kaufman.
“What is it?” asked Kaufman.
“That gang member that Nowak shot, he’s alive!”
“What? How?”
“Doctors say the bullet hit the side of his head, has damaged part of the skull and imbedded there. Looks like we just caught a break.”
Kaufman sprung up on and sat at the side of his bed.
“Will he be able to talk?”
“Yeah, they say he’ll be up and able to walk and talk with a few hours, god damn miracle.”
Kaufman lowered his head, it was good news that they may be able to get information, but tragic that it was the criminal who survived a life threatening bullet and not their man.
“What have the press reported about this so far?”
“They mentioned the death of Nowak and that a suspect had been taken to the city hospital for emergency treatment after a life threatening gunshot wound.”
“Alright! Get Wilson and Morrison dispatched to the hospital immediately, I want him guarded, no one gets in to see him except his doctor, and I mean no one! No nurses, visitors, nothing!”
“What are you thinking?”
“Last Maric knew, his associate was dead, we need to make sure he still thinks that is the case. This man may be the key to finding and bringing down their operation, if they think for a moment that he is still alive, we may lose them once again.”
“Wilson and Morrison?”
“Yes, they didn’t know Nowak, and they won’t take any crap, they’ll be more clear headed than any of the rest of the crew right now.”
“But only one of them has a badge?”
Kaufman looked up at Barski, he knew what he had to do, but it was a stomach-churning thing.
“Nowak is down, we need another officer, transfer his badge to Wilson. One last thing, do not mention any of this over the comms unless by our encrypted channel.”
Barski looked at his old friend and commander with shock. He knew what had to be done, but it left a sour taste in the back of his mouth. Despite this, he could see the determination in Kaufman’s eyes. Kaufman got up and rushed to the desk in his room. He flicked through the list of names in his logbook, tapping the call button for Lieutenant Rivers.
“This is Rivers.”
“It’s Kaufman, I need to speak to you on a secure line immediately.”
“I’m with a field support team now, I’ll call back on an encrypted channel.”
The intercom cut off. Kaufman looked up to Barski who had still not moved. It seemed he was still dazed by the day’s events.
“Max, I need your head in the game, get to it!”
“Uhh, yeah, will do, Sir.”
Barski shook his head, trying to regain his composure. He straightened his back and lifted his posture before leaving Kaufman’s room, just as his intercom light flashed again.
“Kaufman!”
“This is Rivers, we are on a secure line, what can I do for you?”
“The suspect who was shot in the gunfight with my officers earlier today, he is alive and is apparently going to make a full recovery.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“Sir, that man is a key member of Maric’s Gadson gang, he could be vital in leading us to the rest of the gang.”
“So what do you want me to do?”
“As far as Maric is concerned, that man was dead or dying the last time he saw him. I need you to publically announce that he was unconscious when found and never regained consciousness.”
“You want me to go on air and lie to the public?”
“Yes, and I also need you to ensure that the hospital staff are firmly behind the story. I’ll need him transferred to my ship as soon as he is well enough to leave the hospital. Nobody can know that he is alive, it is vital to this case!”
“I’ll have to run this past the Prime Minister, I do not have the authority.”
“Damn it, Rivers, you know he won’t agree! These men are murderers. They kill cops, civilians, and they are destroying the peace through the colonies. We need this man, now either you do this for me, or I will contact the President and have him force it done!”
“Alright, alright, I’ll do it.”
“I need this done right, Lieutenant, it could be the best lead we’ve had on the gang since all this started, I won’t lose it because of some bullshit bureaucracy.”
“Ok, yes, I’ll get on it now.”
“Good, I have two men heading for the hospital now, remember that it is vital that as few people know that he is alive as possible, and all that do are forced to stay quiet, this is a matter of vital security for the whole Solar System. Be sure they know it!”
“Yes, Sir.”
* * *
It had been a gruelling day, but there was one hard task left to overcome. The IBI cars rolled into a quiet crematorium on the edge of the city on Europa. They had no time to plan a ceremony, for they would soon be leaving the colony and could not take the body of their fallen comrade with them. All attended the service except for Wilson and Morrison who kept guard over their suspect, who had still not been identified.
The IBI officers had no regulation uniforms to honour their friend in. Their organisation had not existed long enough to create such an infrastructure. They borrowed what smart wear they could from the ship’s inventory, intended more for undercover work than what they were now attending. It was a short ceremony, only Kaufman making an address.
“Nowak was a great officer and a fine policeman before our service together. In the short time I had time to befriend the old hand, I can honestly say he was more than just an asset to this outfit. He died in the service of his President and defending his fellow officers. Let us remember him, continue with his work and ensure that he did not die in vain.”
The ceremony was over within minutes of them arriving, but none of them minded. Nowak’s death had weighed heavily on all of them. As the oldest and most experienced of the crew, he was in part a father figure aboard Intrepid. Kaufman was eager to get his hands on the suspect they had detained and he looked forward to the interrogation.
The six IBI cars pulled up outside the hospital, two continued on down a ramp to an underground loading station. Kaufman got out, his black suit in stark contrast to his pale face, all colour drained by the dire events of that day. He flashed his badge to one of the two security guards who stood at the door and carried on through into the hospital. Wilson met him in the hallway.
“How is he?” asked Kaufman.
“Mostly recovered, still a little weak, but he’s had all the care he needed and is ready to move, Sir.”
He turned and led Kaufman down the hallway to their suspect, escorted by Barski and Weber. The corridor was empty, being a loading bay for deliveries and waste management.
“The staff clear on their obligations?” asked Kaufman.
“Yes, Sir.”
They reached a doorway in the dim corridor. The room was usually used as a storage cupboard. Wilson and Morrison had done a good job of containing and controlling the situation. Wilson took up position next to the door beside Morrison, as Kaufman went through. The room had been hurriedly made up as a recovery area for the suspect. The man lay in a bed fully clothed and the doctor was checking him over.
“Doctor, is he ready to move?”
“Yes, but I must strongly advise against it, he needs rest and further recovery time.”
“That’s all I needed, Doc, I assume Rivers has made your role clear?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“You be sure that you keep your word. We are operating on Presidential orders here to save lives and bring order, if you make any attempt to hinder that, there will be grave consequences.
“I am aware of that, Lieutenant.”
“Good, get him
up, we’re moving out.”
The criminal had a grin on his face, almost laughing at the treatment he was getting.
“Get up, now,” said Kaufman.
He said nothing, just continued with his idiotic and sinister smile.
“Doctor, get out!”
“I will not!”
Kaufman turned to the doctor, grabbed him by his collar and yanked him in close.
“You are trying my patience, Doctor! You may save lives, but so do I! So stop playing your morally superior games with me and go and attend to someone who deserves your care!”
He threw the doctor across the room. The man staggered to regain his footing until the wall abruptly stopped him. He paused for just a second, before turning tail and fleeing from the small room. Kaufman turned back to the suspect. The very sight of the man made him feel sick, but he knew he had a job to do.
“Get up, now!”
“No, I don’t play your games, Mr Detective.”
Kaufman pulled out his gun, holding it low beside his leg.
“Come on, we both know you’re not going to use that, you have laws by which you must play by.”
Kaufman could not take the arrogant murderer’s words any longer, but neither could he shoot him, he was too valuable. He twirled the gun in his hand, grasping it by the barrel, and took several paces towards the man. The suspect froze, not knowing what to expect. Kaufman slammed the butt of his pistol into the man’s groin, causing him to spasm in pain. He immediately grabbed the foul thief and pulled him by the collar of his shirt from the bed, throwing him through the door.
“Let’s go!” shouted Kaufman.
Weber looked surprised at the way the man had been tossed into the corridor and who was still reeling in pain, but Barski, Morrison and Wilson only looked at the man in disgust. Kaufman grabbed his arm and hauled him along the corridor. The man was coming to accept that he had no choice in the matter and put up little resistance.
Within the hour Intrepid had lifted off from the colony of Europa. For all its wealth and beauty in architecture, all aboard were glad to be leaving that fateful place. The prisoner had been secured inside one of the few spare bedrooms on board the ship, a quiet and isolated spot for Kaufman and Barski to conduct their interrogation.
Kaufman had come to trust his crew and rely on them, but he had no idea how far they were willing to go to get the job done. None of them had known Nowak as well as he had, and many would think that any brutality shown against their suspect would be in return for his death. In part Kaufman knew that to be true, and he would get some satisfaction in dealing out some pain, but he knew that it was also necessary.
The crew sat down for a meal, but not Kaufman and Barski, they had no appetite and were keen to get started. They went into the room where their suspect had been detained and locked the door behind them. The man looked away as they went in. He was already beginning to fear Kaufman, knowing that he wasn’t averse to breaking the law. The two officers sat down at the desk before him.
“I am Lieutenant Kaufman, this is Sergeant Barski, we’ll be all that exists in your life until we are satisfied that you have provided us with the information that we need.”
“I ain’t telling you shit!”
“A dear friend of mine was killed in a robbery which was perpetrated by yourself and your associates, I will not stop until I have what I need. Now, what is your name?”
The man said nothing.
“Let me put it simply, you can either answer my questions, or I will personally ensure that your remaining time in this life is spent in excruciating pain and suffering.”
“I tell you anything I’m a dead man anyway.”
“Death? Death would be a luxury for you. I will make sure that you are sent to the Lalvern Prison, I can only imagine the kind of life you would be subjected to there.”
“Maric has friends, he’d just have me killed. I wouldn’t last five seconds.”
“Fine, then I’ll make sure it is publically known that you helped with our investigation and leak some information as to your known whereabouts. As far as Maric knows you are dead, the minute he knows otherwise he’ll be on your ass!”
“Dead? Really?”
“Yes, it was publically announced on Europa just an hour ago. Listen, I’m going to give you twenty minutes to think this over while I go and get a drink. I know you didn’t kill that officer earlier so I’m willing to give you a chance. Agree to help us and I will see to it that you serve a ten-year service in the Marine Corps instead of prison, as well as a new identity. Or, you can resist, and you can live the last few days or weeks of your life in pain and misery.”
Kaufman and Barski got up and walked out of the room. The man’s confidence had completely gone, replaced by a fearful expression. He would certainly be deep in thought about his options, fifteen minutes would be all that he needed to dwell on the horrifying end he could meet. The door shut behind the two men as they made their way to the canteen. The crew sat around eating, but it was far quieter than they had come to expect, with only the faint murmur of a few quiet conversations.
Walking across the room, Kaufman went straight for the coffee machine. It was an automated device and never produced anything that tasted like what they could get back at home, but it was a vast improvement on going without. He sat down at the table with his colleagues to drink his coffee, but nobody spoke to him or Barski. They didn’t blame him for the loss of Nowak, just felt too fed up to talk about it.
Finally the fifteen minutes were up, it was time to see if their detainee was pliable enough to do as they pleased. Kaufman had no desire to resort to torture, but there was no limit to what he would do to pursue their mission. Back in the city when he was just a sergeant he had to be careful with the rules and laws, but in the depth of space and being in charge of the ship, he was the law.
Ultimately he would have to deal with the consequences of any actions that he took which were of a dubious nature. However, Kaufman was aware that positive results would counteract any wrong doing on his part. At such a desperate time, all that mattered was getting the results.
Kaufman went into the room where their detainee was being held, Barski at his side. The man was more nervous and edgy than before, sweat trailed down his face despite the fact that the temperature was normal. Eric and Max sat calmly down before the man whose hands were still shackled to the table where he sat.
“Time is up, we need an answer.”
“You’ll promise a new identity and absolute anonymity for me?”
“Providing the information you give us leads to the successful detainment of the Gadson Gang, including Anton Maric.”
“Hey, I can give you the info, not my fault if you screw it up.”
“You leave that to us, give us good intel and you’ll have exactly as promised, as well as the ten-year sentence to be served in the Marine Corps, or other service to the Alliance authorities as they desire.”
“How do I know you can get all that for me?”
“This organisation was founded by the President himself, I can get whatever I need. Look, you either agree to this deal which is more than generous, especially considering your alternatives, or life becomes a more painful experience than you can ever imagine.”
“Yes, yes, ok, what do you want to know?”
Kaufman placed a voice recorder on the desk, which would document the entire conversation both as an audio file and converted to written form.
“Let’s start with your name.”
“Carlos Perez.”
“Alright, Carlos, we are going to have a world of questions for you, but right now we are working to a tight schedule, so let’s keep it to the essentials. Are you a member of the Gadson Gang?”
The man nodded.
“Mr Perez, please answer these questions verbally so that they can be documented.”
“Yes, I’m in the Gadson Gang, have been for two years.”
“Do you know the whereabouts of Anton Maric?”
“Yes.”
“Please elaborate.”
“For the last six months we’ve been based out of an old colonisation ship on Ganymede.”
“Can you give me more information on its location?”
“It’s a hundred miles out from the mining facility Archibald. Show me a map and I’ll show you the location.”
“How long will Maric and the gang be at this location?”
“They will have made their way back there right after the job on Europa, it’ll be at least a few more days till they leave again, maybe more.”
“Thank you. I understand the loyalty you have to the gang, but trust me, they’re heading for a fall. You continue to co-operate with us and you’ll have a second chance in life.”
The man nodded, he was as expected still heavily conflicted, but he was smart enough to understand that he had no choice in the matter. Despite being a hardened criminal, it seemed that he had little tolerance for pain, fearing Maric more than any authority. Kaufman left the room and walked back to the canteen where most of the crew were still sitting.
Going up to the far end of the table, the crew went quiet as they could see that he had something to say. Their spirits were so low and would only be reversed by achieving a great success. Kaufman had been in this exact position during his last case as a detective in Los Brezos, the continuous disappointment and guilt of deaths on his hands.
“I know you all regret Nowak’s death as much as I do, it was a tragic loss. However, we are paid to take these chances and make these sacrifices. Nowak wanted nothing more than to bring these gangs to justice, for they broke every principle he had. A few moments ago the detainee we have began talking.”
The room was still silent as all the crew clung on to his every word. They were hungry for victory, and he felt it more than anyone. As the leader of the task force and the ship, everything hung on his shoulders.
Starforce Ganymede Page 18
