by Tripp Ellis
Max made her way into the corridor and dragged the bodies of Crash, Ganz, and Rav into an airlock and spaced them. Then she grabbed a bucket and a mop from the maintenance closet and swabbed the deck, cleaning up the blood and chunks of flesh. She poured a little bleach into the cleaning fluid before she sloshed it on the deck. It was an old assassin’s trick—the bleach causes the entire area to react with chemiluminescent substances, obscuring any traces of blood. Sure, it looks a little funny if your entire ship glows blue when the cops spray it with a chemical luminescent, but it's better than having them find blood spatter. The last thing Max needed was some overzealous cop starting an investigation from a routine inspection.
It was rare that customs agents pulled over a vehicle without probable cause, but it did happen. Max had no idea what to expect when they reached Beta Arcturus 9. But better safe than sorry. Max was a cover your ass type of person. She liked having contingency plans. She was the type of person that always sat facing the entrance, no matter where she was. Every structure she entered, she immediately began planning exit routes. She would envision conflict scenarios and start devising ways to deal with them. It didn't matter if she was just going out to lunch, she knew exactly where she was going if plasma bolts started flying. It was one of those things that years of combat ingrained in her. Preparation was always the key to victory. The battle is won before it is fought. But sometimes, no matter how great your preparation, you just have to wing it. No plan ever survives the battlefield.
13
“If you dragged me halfway across the galaxy just to go to a strip club, I swear to God, I’m going to kick your ass,” Max said.
“Be patient,” Zero replied.
Max and Zero huddled in an alleyway across the street from Flashers. Colored lights sparkled against the wet sidewalk. They were in the seedy part of Vel Norga—one of the largest cities on Beta Arcturus 9.
The journey had only taken a few hours. They had left the SpaceHawk across town at the spaceport, and caught an automated cab to the red light district.
Max's skeptical eyes blazed at Zero. She unholstered her plasma pistol and placed the barrel against the little man's head. "I think you're wasting my time. I think you dragged me halfway across the galaxy to set me up."
Zero trembled with fear. "No. I didn't. I swear.” He took a breath. "Skinner will show. Just give it time.”
“Why do you think that?"
“Because he's sweet on one of the girls here. He can't stop talking about her. Savannah.”
It wasn’t long before Skinner stepped out of an automated car and strolled into the club.
Zero's face lit up with glee. "What did I tell you?"
Max holstered her pistol and crossed the street, dodging the flow of driverless cars. They had to brake. Sensors would detect the instant a person stepped into the roadway, and predictive modeling algorithms scanned the sidewalks evaluating the probability that a pedestrian may cross the roadway.
A burly bouncer stopped Max at the door. "No weapons."
Max looked up at him with a pouty face. "Aw, you're not going to leave an innocent girl defenseless, are you?"
"I don't make the rules, sweetheart."
"How about I give you the charge magazine?"
"There's a locker where you can check your weapon. Hand it over, or you're not getting in."
Max frowned and reluctantly unholstered her pistol. She placed it in the big guy's palm, and he escorted her to the cash register. He gave the pistol to the girl behind the register, and she put it in a locker behind the counter. She slipped Max the key. "Ladies get in free, but its 75 credits for the gentleman."
"Pay the woman," Max said to Zero.
“75 credits is galactic robbery!” Zero said.
The register girl lifted a bitchy eyebrow, “Then don't come in."
Zero grumbled then placed his hand on the pay pad. It scanned his biometric information and debited 75 credits from his account.
"This place is hiring, if you're interested," the register girl said, looking Max up and down. "Talk to Bobby. You could make good money here."
Max smiled. "Thanks."
“I’d pay to see that,” Zero said with a lecherous grin.
"You don't have enough money, Zero."
“You got that right. At least, not after paying this cover.”
Max pushed into the hazy club. Colorful beams of light swept over the crowd and spotlighted the various stages. Music pumped, and gorgeous exotic women displayed their toned bodies for all to see.
Max caught sight of Skinner. She was careful to stay out of his view. She took a seat across the club from him. She had a direct line of sight. In this environment, he was going to be too preoccupied to notice her.
Max shook her head transforming into a blonde again.
"That's a neat trick. How do you do that?"
“Just a talent I was born with.” Max winked.
“I bet your boyfriend never gets bored. It's like a different girl every night."
"I don't have a boyfriend."
"Good to know," Zero flashed an optimistic grin.
Max's eyes narrowed and her face tensed as she watched Skinner. “I've got half a mind to walk over there and beat the information out of him.”
“He'll never give up Riley’s location. He's one tough son-of-a-bitch. You're going to have to follow him and see where he goes."
“We don't have a lot of time,” Max said. “As soon as Zane finds out we're not headed for the X50 Summit, Riley's as good as dead."
A gorgeous redhead threw her arms around Skinner and planted a fat kiss on his cheek. Her eyes sparkled and she looked genuinely happy to see him, but that could've been a result of the stack of credits he handed her. She sat on his lap and the two shared a drink and some laughs for a few minutes. Then she stood up and peeled off what remained of her skintight clothing. This had to be Savannah.
Zero was quite enamored with her mesmerizing movements. He looked like his eyes were going to pop out of their sockets as he stared from across the room. Max could only imagine his reaction had he been up close and personal with the exotic entertainer.
A blue Teplavian woman sauntered up to Zero and pushed her ample chest into his face. “Would you like some company?”
Zero nodded, in a trance.
“No.” Max’s stern voice rumbled across the table.
“Yes,” Zero countered.
“No.”
“You're not the boss of me,” Zero said. “Besides, we’re undercover. We need to blend in."
“You’re a cop?” the dancer shrieked.
“No, no. We are not cops. We’re trying to stay incognito. We're hoping no one recognizes us.” Zero leaned in and whispered in the woman's ear, “We are a little famous. Trying to keep everything on the down low.”
The dancer arched a skeptical eye at him. “I don't recognize either one of you."
“We’re big on Vega Epsilon.”
“Right,” she said, her voice thick with sarcasm. She spun around and sauntered away.
“Hey, wait!” Zero cried. But it was too late. She was on to her next customer.
“See, I just saved you a ton of money,” Max said.
“You just cost me a good time. She was totally into me.”
“Kind of like she's totally into that guy," Max said, pointing at the next table over. The dancer had already extracted payment from the man and was moving through her seductive routine.
“You are no fun to party with.” Zero pouted.
"We’re here on business.”
“No. You're here on business. I'm being kidnapped."
Max's eyes snapped to him, blazing with fury. "Kidnapped? Oh, don't get me started. You're lucky I don't have my pistol right now.”
“Yeah, that reminds me. I could just get up and head for the door. You couldn't do a damn thing about it.” Zero started to stand.
“Sit back down!" Max barked.
His ass hit the chair before the la
st word left Max’s lips. “Yes, ma’am.” He hung his head like a scolded child.
The waitress brought another round of drinks, and Max continued to spy on Skinner. It took a few hours, but he apparently spent his limit. He pushed up from the chair and hugged the redhead. She gave him another kiss on the cheek, and Skinner slipped her a card key to his hotel room. She batted her sultry eyes at him as he bid her farewell.
Max watched Skinner stroll towards the exit, averting her gaze as he passed by the table. Skinner was completely oblivious to Max's presence.
Zero ogled the beauty on the main stage.
Max reached across the table and smacked Zero’s shoulder. “We’re Oscar Mike.”
Zero frowned and pulled himself out of the chair, following after Max. She kept her distance as she tailed Skinner out of the club. She stopped at the counter and retrieved her weapon.
Skinner slipped into an automated car and sped away. Max flagged down the next car and piled into the back seat with Zero. “Follow that grey Vultra, license B6-3450-FH.”
“How did you catch the plate number? You've got some kind of vision,” Zero said, impressed.
“I'm sorry, ma'am," an automated voice said. "I need an actual destination. Please tell me the street number of your destination, the cross streets, or the name of the establishment."
Max clenched her jaw, frustrated. She was stuck sitting at the curb hassling with an AI while Skinner disappeared into the night.
14
“I need you to follow the Vultra,” Max said. “It's an emergency!”
The car responded. "Okay. You said this is an emergency. Is that correct?"
“Yes, that's correct."
“I will attempt to follow the vehicle. A grey Vultra, license B6-3450-FH. Is that correct?"
"Yes," Max yelled in frustration. "Go. Now!”
“Without a destination, I cannot estimate the total fare.”
“That's fine.”
“Please place your thumb on the pay pad to authorize payment and consent to unspecified charges.”
Max placed her thumb on the pad. The name Abigail Alexander flashed on the screen alongside Max's picture.
Zero’s face twisted up. “Abigail?”
“Shut up."
“I thought your name was Max?”
“What part of shut up do you not understand?”
“Can you morph finger prints?” Zero started to connect the dots. “I mean, you can change your hair color… what about your eyes?”
Max glanced at him, and her eyes transformed from blue to brown, then back again. She shook her hair and it turned brunette.
“Whoa, that’s a pretty neat trick.”
Max was an all-cash type of person, but there were situations in which she had to bio-authorize payment. She had the ability to mimic any fingerprint pattern that she sampled. She kept a burner identity that she used for such transactions. Max would deposit enough money in the burner account to use for a month or two, then dump the identity and get a new one. It was safer that way. She liked to move about the galaxy without leaving a paper trail.
The payment cleared, and the car finally sped away from the curb, zipping through traffic. It weaved in and out of other automatic cars on the roadway. Bright lights from the bars and clubs flashed against the windows. Skyscrapers towered overhead forming a canyon of steel and glass. The sleek, angular city was beautiful at night. The architecture was stunning. It was functional artwork.
Max’s eyes fixed on the roadway ahead, keeping an eye on the Vultra. They were catching up.
The automated voice spoke again. "If this is a medical emergency, may I suggest Arcturus General Hospital. Emergency facilities are operational 24 hours a day."
“Keep following the Vultra.”
“Yes, Abigail.”
Zero chuckled. “If you can sample fingerprints, why not just run up a tab on somebody else's nickel?”
“I’m not a thief,” Max said. "I hate thieves."
The automated car chased the Vultra to an industrial section of the city. Grimy warehouses and processing plants. Max watched Skinner's car drive to a security checkpoint at a massive refinery. After checking his identification, the guard waved Skinner through. The car dropped him off at the main entrance, then left.
“Pull over here," Max said.
The car complied, stopping a few blocks from the guard gate. “Total fair, 325 credits. Thank you for your business."
Max pushed Zero out of the car and stepped onto the curb. Their ride sped away.
“Now what?" Zero asked.
Max surveyed the refinery, formulating her game plan. The night air was still and heavy. They were far away from the hustle and bustle of downtown. The streets were empty. Gray clouds billowed out of tall smokestacks. A glowing force-shield lined the perimeter. The only way in was through the main gate, or so it seemed.
“What's Skinner doing here anyway? This is a rather odd place to visit in the middle of the night. Do you think this is where they are keeping Riley?”
Zero shrugged. “Like I said before. I just fly the transports. The rest of this stuff is beyond me. I’ve never met the big boss.”
Max’s eyes fixed on a manhole cover on the sidewalk. She knelt beside, slipping her fingers into the grip holes and heaved the heavy iron cover aside. Years of grid and corrosion had sealed the rim of the cover, but Max moved it with ease.
Zero looked impressed.
A rush of hot swampy air smacked Max in the face like a wet rag. It was like Satan's breath coming up from the depths of hell. The damp musky smell filled her nostrils.
Zero’s face crinkled in disgust. “You're not seriously thinking of going down in there, are you?"
Max’s eyes flicked to another manhole cover well within the perimeter of the refinery. “Looks like the easiest way in."
“I'll just wait here for you.”
Max glared at him.
“Okay, okay.”
Zero reluctantly climbed down into the sewer. Max followed after him and pulled the cover over top.
The storm drain was pitch black. Zero climbed down the ladder and stepped onto a ledge beside the flowing water. It was slick and coated with algae. He slipped on the slimy ledge, and he almost fell into the murky sludge, but Max grabbed onto his sleeve before he took the plunge.
“I can’t see shit down here.”
“It's probably better that way," Max said. Her eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness, giving her a clear view of the area. Enhanced night-vision—another benefit of her genetic modification.
Max pulled out her mobile device and used it to illuminate the area. She figured it would be easier than pulling Zero out of the water every few moments.
The walls were covered in slime. Gooey stalactites hung from the ceiling, looking like stringy snot. Cringe-worthy insects crawled in and out of crevices. Large rat-like varmints squealed through the passageways. There was no telling what was in that water. All kinds of bacteria and fungi, not to mention snakes and other slithering creatures.
Max marched along the ledge and turned at the next junction. She made her way to the next ladder and climbed the rungs. She cautiously lifted the manhole cover just enough to peer out and scan the area. It looked clear. She shoved the iron cover aside, grinding against the concrete. She climbed out of the hole and scurried to a nearby storage tank, taking cover.
Zero followed behind her.
Max advanced down an alleyway, obscured by horizontal pipes and smaller vertical tanks that looked like oversized water heaters. She made her way into the main structure and weaved through a maze of pipe, conduit, and steam.
Max caught sight of Skinner talking to several other men in a small clearing. She hid out of sight behind a large column of pipe.
The men Skinner was talking to didn't look happy. The man in the center was clearly in charge. He wore a white suit that was impeccably tailored. He was surrounded by two minions, dressed in black. It wasn't long before one of them pu
lled out a plasma pistol and shot Skinner in the head.
15
Skinner's body crashed to the ground. A crimson mist of blood hovered in the air. There wasn't much left of the man's skull. Charred globs of flesh hung from his neck.
“What the hell are you thinking?” The leader of the group yelled.
The minion looked utterly confused. “You said to kill him."
“You fired a plasma pistol in a highly flammable environment. You could have gotten us all killed," the leader said. He smacked the minion on the back of the head.
“What was I supposed to do?” He cowered and rubbed the back of his head.
“Stab him to death," the leader said, exasperated.
"But, I don't have a knife.”
“And that’s my problem how?” The leader shook his head. "Clean this mess up."
Max clenched her jaw. Her stomach tightened with an uneasy sensation. Zane was nowhere in sight. She got the distinct impression that Riley wasn't anywhere near this facility. Skinner was her only link to the girl. Max felt like she might never find her. To make matters worse, she felt the presence of someone behind her.
“Drop the weapon. Now!” the voice behind her commanded.
Max slowly set her pistol on the ground and raised her hands in the air.
The minion marched Zero and Max into the clearing.
“Hey, Boss. Look what I found.”
The boss’s smarmy eyes looked Max up and down. “And who might you be?"
“I'm not with her," Zero said.
The boss glared at him. "I wasn't talking to you.”
“You can call me Max. And you are?”
“Zym Frako." He said it expecting some kind of recognition.
Max stared at him blankly, which seemed to disappoint him.
“Well, Max, it seems either you didn't see, or chose to ignore, the no trespassing signs. How did you get into my facility?”
