13 Degrees of Separation

by Hechtl, Chris

  “Do you have anyone in that direction?” Teela asked. The man shrugged. “Aren't you going to find out?”

  “Not our problem. By now he's long gone,” the man said. The witnesses scowled blackly, but then nodded, wringing their hands in frustration.

  Adam looked around, annoyed with them. “So no one is going to do anything? Nothing? Adam demanded. “Nothing at all?” he snarled, looking from one face to another.

  The natives looked away, suddenly ashamed.

  “Well, if you won't, I will,” Adam snarled, clenching his fists. He turned and stalked off.

  “Hang on a minute,” Teela said, raising a hand. He turned on her with a glare. “Adam...”

  “Every minute we waste here talking about it means she gets further away. We need to pick up the trail!” he snarled.

  “I know that. But we can't go off half cocked. Get some gear. We'll start at the scene of the crime and look for clues. Stick to your training.”

  Adam eyed her coldly. She suddenly felt herself straighten, Adam was rarely ever like this, he was usually laid back and lazy. But now... now something had changed. “Look, I'll call dad,” Teela said.

  “Do that,” he said moving off. She keyed the wrist communicator and then hurried to follow.

  It was a bit difficult, but they finally found the scene of the attack. Adam knelt at the side of the little parrot sized robot flopping around. It's wing was broken. It made strange cooing sounds.

  “What the hell is it?” Kringer demanded, wrinkling his nose. He sniffed the robot, then chuffed. “Oh, it's that dingbat robot bird. Put it out of its misery. And mine,” he grumbled.

  “No, it's a clue,” Adam murmured, reaching for the bird. The bird twisted, but Adam pinned it with one hand and then tucked it's wing in. He picked it up and set it on its feet. The broken wing hung there on its side. It looked at the wing then to Adam, then around to the others.

  “Think it will be any use?” Teela asked.

  “It's here for a reason.”

  “It's Jane's,” a woman said, coming up behind them. They turned to her. She flapped her apron nervously. “The girl's always talking to it and fiddling with it.”

  “So it belongs to the Vinatelli girl. Was she the one kidnapped?” Teela asked. She looked at Adam. From his scowl he had known it was Jane's.

  “I don't know,” the woman replied. She frowned. “Wait, kidnapped?” Her eyes went wide.

  “Yes. Jane Vinatelli,” Teela said. One of the other witnesses identified her,” she said.

  “Great,” Adam said. He noted Duncan coming. He waved the older man over as he gingerly picked the little robot up. “Duncan, here, over here,” he said.

  Duncan came over frowning. “We're getting conflicting reports. Whoever did this was good. We're not getting many signs on the ground,” he said.

  Kringer was scenting the air. He had a familiar scent, a stink he tried to block out. He sniffed the perimeter, then stopped at a tree. He frowned, looking up and growling. “That's because he took to the trees,” Kringer snarled.

  Duncan turned in surprise. “What's with him?” he asked.

  “Never mind that,” Adam said, handing the little robot over. “Can you fix him?”

  Duncan took the robot and tucked it under his arm. “Why?”

  “It's a witness. Can you check it's memory for footage?”

  “Sure. Good catch kid,” Duncan, said, looking down at the little robot in his arms. “I hadn't thought of that.”

  “See if you can fix it too. If we can get it flying it might lead us to the girl,” Adam said.

  “Ah,” Duncan replied, now nodding. “Good idea. I'll check it at the truck,” he said turning.

  “We're going to track the scent,” Adam said, following Kringer.

  Teela had pulled gear from her dad's truck. She turned to see Adam and Kringer on the move. She followed.

  <=={----------

  Duncan plugged the little robot into a universal port and dumped it's memory. He scowled at the images and froze them. One was a clear shot of the ape man's enraged face. He froze that and then ran a trace through the police database. He wasn't sure of a hit but he had to try.

  While the facial recognition program ran he worked on the little robot. It took a bit of work, but he managed to tack weld it's tiny wing back together. The little bird flapped it daintily, checking it out. “It'll hold for now. We need to get you more parts,” Duncan said.

  The bird cocked it's head this way and that at the man, then whistled. It looked to the sky. “Go,” Duncan said gruffly. “Before the trail becomes too cold. Get with Adam and my daughter. Work with them.”

  The bird nodded and took off. Duncan shaded his eyes as he watched it go. He then turned to the computer. There was a hit in the database. He scowled as his fingers pulled the report.

  <=={----------

  Duncan called them and told them he Id's the perp as an ape man, a wanted fugitive. “Consider his extremely dangerous you three. He's got a record as long as your arm.”

  “Lovely,” Teela sighed.

  “Don't go hand to hand with him. He like bear hugs. Hugs that can snap your spine.”

  “I'll remember that,” Teela said. “Stay out of arms reach. Good survival tip. Cuffing him will be fun though.”

  “When in doubt, shoot to kill. And follow that bird,” Duncan said.

  “Roger that,” Teela said, looking up to the silver and gold speck in the sky. “Shouldn't be too hard.”

  “I want regular reports. I'm working on getting a posse organized. You'd think with all the kids people would be concerned.”

  “She's a shy one,” Adam said, leaning over to take Teela's bracelet arm and speak into it. “I think that's why someone grabbed her. They didn't think she'd be missed.”

  Duncan rubbed his jaw for a long moment. They could hear his fingers rasping against his unshaven chin. “Possible. She's got talent, I'll give her that. I've got a deputy in her workshop, the kid's damn good. You three be careful. Watch your backs,” he growled. “This beast man Biff likes to drop on you from above. Be careful of trees and high places,” he warned.

  “Roger dad, thanks. Out.”

  “Good luck, out,” Duncan replied. The bird flew on a mission, straight as an arrow. Adam spotted it in the air. They used it and Kringer to track the girl's captor.

  <=={----------

  Kringer balked when he scented a familiar scent and recognized the area. “There is something about this, something isn't right.”

  “Well, for one thing, we're on foot and he obviously had a vehicle,” Teela said in disgust. This is taking forever,” she said. The bird preened on a branch nearby. It had landed to get plugged in. Adam had drained a back up radio battery to get the bird recharged.

  “We could stop, find a vehicle, or wait for one to come,” Kringer said hopefully.

  “Kringer, you were gung ho before, what happened?” Adam asked, looking at the young Neocat. Kringer crouched, bristling. He toyed with a stick, not looking at his friend.

  “He got scared. It finally sunk in that this ape could kill us,” Teela said in disgust.

  “I'm not sure it's that,” Adam said slowly. “We've been going in circles for a day now.”

  “You noticed?” Teela asked. Her dad was still having trouble getting his people moving. They were just leaving town now. She looked around, brushing moss away. “Damn swamp.”

  “Yeah,” Adam said. He'd come close to getting eaten twice that morning. “Is that it? Echo's of being in the swamp? Or the smell?” he asked, looking at the cat. “Come on buddy, talk to me,” he said.

  The bird cocked it's head this way and then and then cheeped. Teela looked at it and snorted.

  Kringer had trouble with the swamp location, he wanted to avoid it. He was remembering things, remembering what he'd left the swamp to forget. “Are you scared Kringer?” Adam asked softly.

  “Who isn't?”

  “Why?” Adam asked simply. “It's no
t the swamp is it? I noticed you didn't like the smell back at the site of the crime. Something's been eating at you,” he said.

  “You mean something other than blood suckers?” Teela asked, using a lighter to get a leech off her bare arm. It curled and wiggled then fell off. Adam winced, looking away.

  “He killed my mother,” Kringer said softly. He shivered.

  Adam looked at his girlfriend in surprise then back to Kringer. “He. The ape man Biff?”

  “Biff. I never knew his name,” Kringer growled softly. He turned, eyes wide. “Don't make me face him. He'll kill me. He'll kill you. I don't want that,” he said, ears flat on his skull. He shivered.

  Adam crouched by his side. He wanted to pet Kringer, make him feel safe, make him feel okay, but he knew now was not the time for coddling.

  Adam knelt there for a long moment. When Teela cleared her throat he clucked his tongue. She quieted in irritation. “Do you remember when those two things tried to eat me this morning?” he finally asked.

  “Yes,” Kringer replied sullenly.

  “Do you think I was scared?”

  “The... Yeah. But there was no time to be scared for the second...”

  “Yes it happened fast. I had to react. I had to. I had no choice, it was him or me. Life is like that sometimes. Sure I was a bit scared after, I didn't have the shakes, I realized we didn't have time for it. I'm going to have nightmares, I know that.”

  “But you're still going. I wish I was as brave as you,” the Neocat said bitterly.

  “You think that's it? It's that easy? Buddy, real courage isn't bravado, it's not looking for trouble and diving in. It's doing what is right even though you are scared. Even though you know you can die. Doing it anyway. Don't let your fear rule you. You'll always be running away if you do. You have to rise to the occasion and overcome it,”

  There was an aching long silence as the cat digested that. He played with the stick, tossing it and then he skipped a rock. Adam looked at Teela.

  “Mom would have wanted me to live,” Kringer said petulantly.

  “I tell you what, you lead us to where the girl is then go. We'll take it from there.”

  “You aren't serious Adam!” Kringer demanded.

  “We'll deal with it,” Adam said, nodding his chin to Teela.

  “Fine. That way,” Kringer growled and then pointed. They moved on.

  <=={----------

  They camped out overnight in the bush. It took another day to find out where they were going. They tracked the girl to snake mountain, one of the offline Planetary Defensive installations. It was a planetary graser complex that had been abandoned after the power network had been worn out and later destroyed in a hurricane. Torn cables covered the mountain, giving it it's name. It's graser mount stood up, pointed to the sky. The tip looked like the head of an old earth cobra.

  “You have got to be kidding me. Here?” Teela demanded. She shook her head. “Why here?”

  “Why not?”

  “Well, we're supposed to come here and fix it soon. Dad was setting up the security entourage for the exploration team just before the girl was nabbed.”

  “I wonder who's behind this. And why?”

  “My guess? The raiders,” Kringer said softly. He pointed to the mountain.

  “Explain,” Teela said, crossing her arms.

  “Mom was killed by the ape man. He was working for the raiders. They put us in a ring to fight. Mom fought the ape man while they laughed, drank, and jeered. I got away.”

  “Oh.”

  “I wish you had told us that sooner,” Teela said.

  “Something's you just want to forget,” Kringer replied.

  “I see,” Teela murmured. “I'd want to forget that too I guess,” she finally said. “And I don't fault you for running when you were outnumbered and a kid. You did the right thing.”

  “I didn't ask for approval,” Kringer growled.

  “No. I suppose not.”

  “But... thanks.”

  “I'm glad to be out of the swamp,” Adam said, picking a clinging vine off his shoulder. He brushed leaves out of his hair. “I see why you turned green,” he joked.

  “How did this come about?” Teela asked.

  “Do we care?”

  “Always ask the right questions. It might help. Besides, we've got time,” Teela replied.

  “True,” Adam answered. He frowned thoughtfully. “Transients. People who were outcasts I bet. Homeless people, maybe shipwrecks or those who were stealing stuff before.”

  “And?”

  “And they probably found this place and set up shop. I noticed the mountain's not overrun with a lot of jungle growth. I don't know why. That's odd.”

  “True.”

  “I'm betting over time, a pecking order emerged. A um... warlord I guess. Someone bigger and meaner than the rest.”

  “Uh huh,” Teela said. “Go on. I'm with you.”

  “And I'm betting they got into raiding for supplies and well, just the sheer fun of it.”

  “Right.”

  “The self justification defense like your dad likes to say.”

  “Okay.

  “Pope,” Kringer said. They turned to him. “His name. Pope. Or what they called him. Sometimes Skeletor when he wore the mask. He scared the crap out of me.”

  “And now the enemy has a name. Now we need to put a face to the name.”

  “You do that. I'm not interested,” Kringer said, fading back into the bush.

  <=={----------

  Kringer followed them into the low brush. He found a nice tree with deep exposed roots off to the left of the main entrance. A guard was posted in the shadow of the entrance, but he was too busy smoking something and talking to someone deeper in the tunnel. There was plenty of grass and shrubs between them and the well worn path to the door. “I think we found the right place,” Adam murmured. “Go back and call it in,” Adam sent Teela back to call for help. “What are you doing here?” he asked, looking at the Neotiger as the tiger passed Teela and dropped into her place.

  “Just shut up,” the tiger growled. “We all die sometime.” His grass green eyes roved the defenses. It wasn't fair that the two humans had body armor and weapons and he didn't. All he had was his utility belt.

  He studied the mountain, trying to focus on it. There was a crude moat on either side of the front entrance, it forced anyone approaching it to go up the road, fully exposed to the defenders. That was certainly out. He sniffed, getting the faint scent of humans off to the right.

  “Thought it over?” Adam asked, looking at the tiger. The green fur was standing on end, bristling. The tiger had his mouth partially open, nose wrinkled, ears back. He was scenting the air.

  “Yeah. I figure if I can rip the throat out of that ape, I've lived a good life,” Kringer said.

  Adam's eyes flared briefly wide and then he slowly nodded. He nearly shot Teela as the woman came back and dropped into the root hollow they were using as a hide. “Spirit of space Teela!” he said, holstering the pulser.

  She looked at the weapon and then to Adam and shrugged. “Help's coming. My dad's rounding up a posse. He's trying to keep it quiet though, we don't want to tip them off.”

  “Okay.”

  “What's his problem?” she asked, looking at the bristling tiger.

  Adam looked at her and then to the tiger. “It's... complicated. Revenge usually is.”

  “Um... okay,” Teela said wrinkling her nose.

  “ETA? On your dad and the Calvary?” Adam asked.

  Teela shook her head. “No idea. He said to wait until they get here.” She turned a severe eye on Adam. “And I'm to sit on you if you even think of going in.”

  “Um...” Adam frowned as Kringer suddenly moved. “Too late I think,” Adam said, following the tiger.

  “Ah shit,” Teela snarled, following in their wake. “Guys!” she stage whispered, looking around. “This is stupid! Get back here! Guys!” she hissed. She sighed, closing her eyes
briefly. “Great we're following a cowardly green tiger turned hero. What next?”

  “I heard that,” Kringer's voice drifted back to her.

  <=={----------

  Jane closed her eyes, fervently wishing someone would come riding in on a white charger and save her ass like in the stories. But every time she opened her eyes, here she was, in hell.

  Apparently they wanted her to repair the defenses of the mountain complex. She did what she could but the complex lacked power and parts. Without power you couldn't diagnose what was wrong, without parts you couldn't fix what was broke. She'd been a wreck the first couple of hours. They kept her on a short chain, literally chained by her neck to whatever was handy around her.

  Pope protected her, kept her on task, but he was a bastard. He did seem almost... guilty about letting the men have their way with her. It didn't stop him from letting them do it though. Her first three days here he'd let his bastard of a brother and his friends have their way with her. She'd been raped repeatedly. Even the sick sadistic black haired woman had taken a go at her, raping her with the handle of a knife. She shivered, trying to drive the imagery out of her mind.

  Pope had been casual about the rape, kneeling next to her as she had sobbed in a crumpled heap after the second day. He rather politely told her that he was doing this for multiple purposes. He looked back of his shoulder to the crowd of snoring men. “First it let my men get their jollies off. A release valve of sorts,” he said. “Second, he took her hair and pulled it back until she whimpered. “Second, it teaches you to pay attention and to mind your manners. Right?” She nodded. “Good girl,” he murmured, letting her hair go and stroking it a few times as if she was a pet.

  “Third, this will as a reminder to you that if you don't do as you are told, well,” He frowned. “I really can't see protecting you if you don't. I'll just let your fertile imagination think of what they will do next.” She'd shivered uncontrollably for hours after he had left.

  He'd let her sleep for a couple hours, then kicked her to her feet. Another female slave was cooking nearby. A third was serving the group. From the look of them they were actually relieved she was here, sharing in their nightmare. She hated them, despised them for sometime before her genius mind thought it over. In their defense they had just had two days of peace. It took her another grudging day to get over the pain to come to understand that, and understand she didn't blame them.