Danger Money

by John Van Stry

  I pulled away from the edge and scrunched down as deep as I could. Hopefully the rain would help screen me, the rocks were cold enough as it was, and any blood or scent trails had long ago been washed off.

  "Anything?" I heard one of them ask quietly, I once again thanked my ancestors for my ears.

  "Nothing, but I don't see how it could have gotten this far alive."

  "My thoughts too," chipped in a third voice. "The body will probably turn up down by the Delaware."

  "I don't know," said the first voice, "They build those guys tough ..."

  "Listen," Interrupted the second voice, obviously the one in charge, "We know it was shot from the blood, and that fall over the cliff messed it up good. Couldn't even walk anymore. If it didn't drown, it'll freeze to death."

  "Well if you say," was all I heard of the response as they moved off out of ear shot.

  I breathed a sigh of relief, then did everything I could to stifle the sneezing fit that hit me. I managed to be quiet, but the pain caused me to pass out. When I finally re-awoke, it was clear, and a little warm. The sun was out, and I felt as weak as a newborn kit. I crawled back out into the sun and looked up at the bridge.

  Bridge. I hadn't noticed that before. It was only an overpass, not very wide, and made of concrete. I noticed there were paths leading from it down to the edge of the gorge on the opposite side. None of them led all the way down however, but if there were trails like that on this side, maybe I wouldn't have too hard a time getting out of here. And the road meant transportation.

  I was trying to decide what to do when I suddenly realized I was being watched. I snapped out of my mental fog in a rush of adrenaline and looked at my discoverer. I pushed myself back into cover as I realized it was a Human.

  "Oh my god!" she exclaimed. "Are you alright down there?"

  I peeked out, mind racing. She wasn't armed and looked to be young. Not a child, but still young as Humans go.

  "No!" I croaked out, surprised by just how bad I sounded.

  "Wait here, I'll go get help!" she said and started to turn around.

  "NO!!" I cried, and she stopped and turned back to look at me across the gorge.

  "What?"

  "No, don't go! Don't get any help!" I pleaded.

  "Why not?" She looked concerned and a little wary, I had to think fast. Not easy in my condition.

  "Lynch mob." I managed to croak.

  "Lynch mob?" She was still concerned, but now more confused than suspicious.

  "I got attacked by a bunch of men the other day. They knocked me off the bridge. If they find out I'm not dead ..." I trailed off.

  She got real mad all of the sudden, I waited to see what she'd do next. Lynch mobs weren't uncommon in some areas. I just hoped this was one of them, and that she wasn't!

  "Those bastards!" She said, and I breathed a sigh of relief. "But I can't leave you there! You'll die!"

  And I sure couldn't let her leave, she'd talk. Then I really would die. "Do you have any rope?"

  "I think so," she started, "But you can't climb, and I'm on the wrong side of the gorge."

  "Go up top, tie it to your car. Then throw it from the bridge."

  "But how will you get up."

  "Pull me up with the car," I gasped.

  "Oh!" She brightened, "Wait there, I'll be right back!"

  "Like I can go anywhere?" I mumbled and laid back down.

  It took her longer than a moment, and I really started to get worried, but eventually a rope came down on my side of the gorge. It took me a few minutes to grab it, and as I wrapped it around myself, its condition made me start thinking that a climb might be safer after all. I had just finished tying it off when I felt a hard jerk and was pulled off my feet. I bounced off the wall a few times, and cracked my head on the bottom of the bridge, but I did make it onto the pavement. Where she stopped the car before I had been dragged more than ten feet.

  All things considered, I wasn't the slightest bit upset.

  "Oh, you okay?" She asked running up to me, then turned white as she got her first good look. "What did they do to you?" She gasped.

  "Beat me up, and tossed me over," I lied. "I'm not really sure, I was unconscious most of the time."

  "What should I do?" She really looked worried. I felt sorry for her, somebody should have told her not to talk to strangers, if she only knew what she was getting herself into.

  "I need someplace safe, where I can call my company and get help," I started crawling for the car, I could hear traffic coming.

  "My dad'll kill me if you mess up the car," She started.

  "Fine, open the trunk, I don't care!" I moaned and she turned white again. "Help me up."

  I have to give her credit, she wasn't afraid to grab my arm and let me lean on her. I got inside the trunk, and untied the rope, laying down as the car passed.

  "Close the trunk and go!" I gasped as I saw brake lights. "That might be one of 'em coming back to finish the job!"

  She slammed the lid, then I heard her jump in the car, and take off. I tried to relax, now what?

  After an eternity, she finally shut off the motor and got out of the front. I heard the sound of a garage door closing, and then she came over and opened the trunk. I had thought about killing her and just taking the car, six months ago it would have been automatic. But I wasn't so sure of myself anymore.

  Besides, I was weak and had lost my knife.

  "Where are we?" I asked quietly.

  "My folk’s summer house, it's safe, nobody's around."

  "For how long?"

  "A couple of days at least."

  "Fine," I grabbed her arm and she started a little, "Sorry, help me out please?"

  "Sure," she said embarrassed.

  It took longer than I would have thought, but we finally made it inside. I had her take me straight to the bathroom, I didn't want to get the house all bloody. Once there I asked for a first aid kit, and a phone. She went and got both.

  I looked at myself in the mirror while I waited. I was a real mess! I didn't look anything like myself, I was so cut up and swollen in so many different places. The bandage on my shoulder was still there, but was totally blood encrusted. There were patches of fur ripped out all over as well.

  "Here," she said entering the room again. "Is this good enough?"

  I took the phone first, "Its fine, thanks. uhh?"

  "Oh, Rosalyn," She smiled supplying her name.

  "Thank you Rosalyn, I'm called Draco."

  "You’re welcome Draco." She hesitated a moment, "Can I ask you a personal question?"

  "Sure," I wondered what it could be, a lot of things went through my head.

  "Why do you Animen always have such weird names?"

  I laughed, for the first time in days, then gasped. My ribs hurt too much! "I'm okay," I said waving her back, "just a few broken ribs. The answer to your question is simple, we don't pick 'em, the nursery attendants do." I tried to smile, "And some of them have very active imaginations."

  She smiled back and I started to dial the phone.

  "Um, excuse me for a moment," I said but she didn't seem inclined to leave. I guess I'd just have to be careful about what I said.

  The phone rang once and was picked up immediately, "Hello?" I recognized Azelett's voice, this was the emergency line and I was happy that she was still manning it.

  "Hi, this is Draco. Sorry I'm late," I started. I heard a sigh of relief on the other end.

  "Are you okay?" She asked concerned.

  "I ran into some really bad trouble, and I'm in bad shape." I heard an intake of breath, "Fortunately a very kind woman helped me. I'm at her house now, but I really don't want to press my hospitality."

  "Okay Draco," she sounded worried, "Just tell me where you are, and I'll be there right away."

  "Umm, I honestly don't know," I looked over at Rosalyn. "Where am I?"

  "Oh I can give them directions!" She smiled.

  "Fine," I turned back to the phone, "My savior here
will tell you where it is. I'll talk to you later.

  "Okay, put her on. I'll be there as soon as possible."

  I handed the phone to Rosalyn, who started giving directions. I eavesdropped as she went out into the living room, so I heard her say: "Listen, he really needs a doctor, those rednecks did a real job on him. I think he's been stabbed too, but I'm too afraid to ask. What? Oh, okay. You know, I've never met a Morph before, and they're not as bad as everybody says."

  There was a little more in that vein, obviously she didn't know just who she was talking to. I went back to trying to clean myself up, it wasn't easy, and eventually I just laid down in the tub and went to sleep. I woke up for a moment when somebody put a blanket over me, and quickly rolled up in it. I fell back asleep warm and reasonably content.

  I awoke to a knocking on the door, and opened my eyes to see Rosalyn and Azelett examining me from the doorway. Azelett looked sick as she looked me over.

  "Like I told the lady I talked to on the phone," Rosalyn was saying, "They must have done a real job on him."

  I started to carefully unwrap myself, it wasn't an easy job. Seeing my difficulties Azelett came over and helped.

  "Did you see any of it?" Azelett asked.

  "Oh, no. I found him in the gorge west of here that they threw him in. It's a miracle that he survived."

  "He won't think so when he gets back," growled Azelett. "He wasn't supposed to go sightseeing on Earth alone. Some of these off world guys just don't know any better it seems."

  "Hey," I protested weakly, "I was just minding my own business, I swear!"

  "This happen a lot?" Rosalyn asked.

  "More than we like, it seems some people just refuse to learn their place." She looked at the ruined blanket, and my body as well. "The company has authorized me to pay any damages on the spot, and don't be afraid to pad it a little," She smiled then. "He's paying for it, so the company sure doesn't care."

  "Well, I don't know. He's been through a lot already ..."

  "Give her a couple thou," I said quietly, "She deserves it for saving my life. I don't mind."

  They both looked surprised, and Azelett handed her the cash.

  "Give me a hand, and let's go. I don't want to cause anymore trouble here."

  "Sure," and Azelett took my arm and just hoisted me up over her shoulder with a grunt.

  Rosalyn just looked on in surprise as Azelett lifted my body into a fireman's carry.

  "Oh don't worry," She grunted, "I'm stronger than I look. Get the door please Miss?"

  We went out and down the stairs, with Azelett dumping me in the back of a small van. I grabbed her wrist before she walked off.

  "Thanks Rosalyn," I said. "You might want to get started on that mess I made in your bathroom, before your folks find out. They'd probably have a fit if they found out about this." I smiled weakly.

  "Oh, yeah!" She said wide-eyed and ran back into the house.

  "Why'd you do that?" Azelett growled.

  "If I wanted her dead I would have killed her myself," I sighed. "Let's go."

  She closed the back door of the van then went around and got in the front. She didn't say anything till we were well away from the house.

  "Rieselle, and Shotoon?" She asked quietly.

  "Both dead," I whispered.

  Her breath caught for a second. "You sure?"

  "I wasn't about to go back and check, but I heard their people report it."

  "How'd it happen?"

  "I don't want to talk about it right now." I growled. "How far to a doctor?"

  "How do you feel?" She asked keeping her eyes on the road ahead.

  "Dizzy, sick and in a considerable amount of pain. I've got a bullet in my shoulder and I think the wound is infected. Also I broke my leg and I don't know what else."

  She reached into a pocket in her coveralls and tossed back a vial. "Here take one of these," She turned and looked at me, "better take two."

  "What is it?" I tried opening it, but only one of my hands was really working right.

  "Painkiller, a strong one."

  "Do you want me dead by any chance?" I asked. I was still having problems with the vial. Finally I gave up and just bit the top off, shattering the hard plastic.

  "No! Why?" she asked confused, turning to look for a moment.

  "Watch the road," I said grabbing three of the pills and swallowing them. "Somebody does. We've been given up by somebody in our organization. Trust no one, I'm going to sleep."

  "Great," she mumbled.

  Whatever was in the pills was strong, I was feeling giddy in almost no time and passed out shortly afterwards. Several times, I came too, the first is when Azelett dragged me out of the van and into another vehicle. The next was when she dropped me while going up a stair.

  "Sorry!" She gasped as I moaned.

  "S'okay," I lisped, "Can't feel a damn thing anyway."

  When I finally came back to the real world, we were in a room in the dark. There weren't any windows, and it smelled damp and rotten.

  "Where the hell are we?" I asked trying to sit up.

  Big mistake, I nearly screamed with the pain.

  "In New York City, you've been out for about six hours."

  I noticed the bandage on my shoulder had been changed. "How bad is it?"

  "I couldn't get the bullet, it's pretty deep and the bone's been shattered. The leg is beyond me too, I just put a splint on it for now. You've got a fever and the wound is starting to fester, I drained it and gave you an anti-biotic, but you need a doctor."

  "So why aren't we back at base?"

  "This is as safe as I could find, there are government checkpoints up everywhere. Animen are being round up on sight, at least all the cats are. You poisoned an Earth Gov Senator, they're not sure if he's going to live, and he's going to be messed up for life even if he does.

  "You did kill the other one however, so your perfect record is still intact."

  I growled at the sarcasm in her voice, "I didn't sacrifice them! They were the first friends I ever had. Maybe the only ones." I looked her over slowly, "If you want out, go! Hell, find a phone and tell them where I am. I'm not going anywhere soon. If you think that little of me, I don't want you around."

  "I'm sorry," she turned away, her tail drooping and ears flattened in shame. "But I'm scared. The first two safe houses I set up were compromised. So were all the escape routes that I had planned on paper."

  "Then just where are we?" I waved around at the surroundings with my good arm.

  "I didn't commit everything to paper!" She grinned deviously. "I'm not that naive!"

  "Well, thank the powers that be for that!" I sighed. "So now what? Can you get a doctor here? What happens next?" My stomach growled then, even though my head was still splitting.

  "I guess you eat, here." She tossed me a ration pack, I opened it and started to force it down. It took a major effort of will to eat, it tasted like crap and my stomach was rebelling for all that I was starving.

  "Ugh, what is this stuff?"

  "Deep space emergency rations. They're cheap and easy to come by, but the taste leaves something to be desired."

  "Especially when you're sick." I sat up a little and drank the water she offered me.

  "I'll see what I can do about getting you a doctor, or whatever. But we're in it deep Jotun, real deep."

  "I know," I groaned. "If you have to run, run. Don't worry about me. This is quickly becoming everyone for themselves, what's left of us that is." I looked up at her, "I mean that too, if you have to cut me loose to survive, do it."

  I laid back and closed my eyes, "Good Luck."

  "You too," She whispered and placed her hand on my head as I fell asleep.

  The next time I awoke, the fever was back and Azelett was still gone. I checked my watch and saw that a whole day had gone by. I crawled over to the pile of food bags, and looked for the med kit. What was there wasn't much, and I fell asleep again before I could do anything more. I awoke a few times more
on and off, getting more and more feverish all the time.

  I was starting to have delusions now, Shotoon and Rieselle were the first to show up and they weren't pretty to look at either. I'd seen bodies cut to shreds by machine guns before and they looked worse. Other people showed up too, some of my old team members, some of the other assassins, both dead and alive. But mostly my victims came to visit, to crow at me in my moment of pain and defeat. To laugh as I died.

  Azelett showed up too, she looked normal and stuck me full of needles and looked worried. She kept trying to tell me things, but the noise of the others kept drowning her out. Eventually of course she helped them put me in my coffin and nailed down the lid.

  That was worse, the noise got louder and louder, but I was too weak to do anything. My victims weren't around to gloat any more at least, but I could hear the wailing of their voices. So this was eternity, a small, dark, noisy place. It was cold too, and I could barely move. At least the box was padded with stuff, lots of stuff. I noticed that I was packed in pretty tight, and getting tighter. I couldn't breath, I tried gasping for breath but my chest was being pressed too tightly. Things started to get quite cramped as I passed out of being. My last thoughts were, if I'm already dead, what's happening now?

  9

  I wasn't dead of course, just drugged. It turned out Azelett was able to come back for me. She put me in a box and had me shipped by unpressurized freight to the moon. It took three days and I was nearly dead when I got there, but I got there all the same.

  She didn't however.

  It took a month before I was even allowed to regain consciousness, another three weeks before I was allowed out of the hospital. Azelett had used some fairly potent drugs on me to slow my system down, then sealed me in plastic. The day I spent in Deep space transit hadn't been the tough part, it was the two days that the crate took in the company mail system to get to the right place that nearly killed me.

  Nobody in intelligence ever found out what happened to her, one of them even suggested that she might have been the spy. I would have killed him for it if I had been strong enough; instead I just gave the doctors a lot of interesting reconstructive work to do on his face.