Danger Money

by John Van Stry

  I couldn't find much, it turned out. I didn't have a real ID, so I wouldn't be able to find a job, book passage on any type of plane or ship, rent anything, or even get a library card. Of course cash would let you do a lot of stuff, and I could read at the library if I wanted to. But I needed an ID. A good one too.

  So I went to see Raff.

  "You look better," he said when I came into the bar.

  "Clean living," I smiled at him and ordered a beer.

  "Must be hard getting used to," he grinned back.

  "Listen Raff," I dragged him out of earshot of the Badger working the bar. With a guy that tough back there I wondered why they even bothered with a bouncer. "I need a fake ID, a good one too. Best they make."

  "So?" he looked dumbly at me.

  "Don't give me the dumb act Raff. The only way I'll get off planet is with one and you know it. I also need a job."

  "I don't think we need anybody killed." He growled down at me.

  "Stuff it okay?" I growled back. Along with my health my temper had come back too. "I'm not looking for that kind of job, but anything else that pays big."

  "I don't think I can help you Jotun."

  "So tell me who can, and knock off the innocent act. I did a little checking and I know it's a farce."

  He looked a little surprised at that. I was bluffing of course, I hadn't done squat. But I could see scars on his arms that didn't come from claws or knives, so it wasn't hard to guess.

  "Okay, I'll introduce you to Sal. He can help you on both of those scores." He headed for the bar and mumbled, "Anything to get you away from Sil."

  It turned out that the Badger behind the bar was Sal. So I grabbed a stool at the end of the bar and we talked quietly.

  "What exactly do you need?" He asked looking me over.

  "A good ID, one that will stand any test."

  "That's not cheap ya' know."

  "Of course I know." I growled quietly, "I also know how to check them. So it better be a really good one."

  "It's your money," He chuckled.

  "That brings me to my second problem. Cash, I need a lot of it."

  "Soooo?"

  "So I need a job that pays a lot of it. Under the table would be best of course."

  "Jobs like that are usually pretty dangerous. And illegal."

  "Soooo?" I looked him in the eyes, "No hits. Anything else is fine."

  "How do I find you?"

  "Tell Raff. He knows where to get me."

  "That might not be a good idea. Raff don't like you very much you know. Can't figure out why he hasn't broken all your bones either."

  "Because that would be a bad idea," I smiled evilly, "and he knows it."

  "Raff afraid of you!" He chuckled, "I find that hard to believe!"

  "Neither did Hobb," I said quietly, and had the pleasure of watching his eye's widen then narrow.

  "Well that explains why Raff tolerates you. He hated that one more." He poured me another beer, "This one's on me. I'll find you a good ID. We'll see what's up in the way of work."

  "Thanks." I sat back and drank it, thinking about my next step. I didn't doubt Sal's ability to find me a good identity, there were always people wanting to hide, and there were always people with connections willing to make money off of them. The big question for me was what then? As long as I did nothing, there was little chance I'd be found. But I needed money, and that meant doing things, illegal things really. There was already a rumor about me floating around. Intel may or may not have heard about it, but with me being seen with Sil people might start talking. And I didn't want her involved in this.

  Then there was Raff, he'd start getting antsy the longer I stayed around here, he was tolerating me because of Sil, but he knew if I stayed there'd be trouble. So I could expect him to start pressuring me to go as well. And I'm sure he'd take the time to make sure he had his pressure nicely prepared too.

  Then there was my corporation. Odds were good they'd figured out what ship I'd gotten on, so they probably had narrowed it down to a handful of planets. Sooner or later I'd do something that would end up in a file somewhere, and trip a computer's profiling alarm.

  So a job around here was out, I'd have to leave this city and head to one of the others on the planet. One with a decent spaceport as well. And it would have to be soon. At least I'd been keeping a low profile, anyone asking questions about Sil wouldn't be getting many answers, the locals would cover for their Doctor, but I'd need to be sure to leave enough of a trail that if anyone did come looking, they'd find it and not waste anymore time around here.

  I shook my head and finished my beer looking around the room at the customers. Having to worry about other people for once did complicate life. But I owed it to my team.

  The following day I walked into the bar and Raff just pointed to a booth in the back. I walked over and looked at the Rat sitting in it. I had never met a Rat before.

  "Hello," I said sitting down.

  "Hi," she said looking at me. "Who do you want to be?"

  "Don't you mean who are you?" I was caught a little off balance by this remark.

  "I don't care who you are. I just need to know who you want to be. And if you've got thirty grand." She smiled.

  "I've got it. When do I get my ID?"

  "Got a name?"

  "Sure, Indra." I smiled.

  "Indra? What kind of name is that?" She looked puzzled.

  "Why should you care?"

  "Well it does sound like something that could only come out of a creche," she shrugged. "So Indra it is. Show up here tomorrow, early."

  "That quick?" I growled suspiciously and laid my ears back.

  "Cool it Cat," She slid away a little. "I work fast. I have to. But it'll be good, I guarantee it."

  "What about getting my vital statistics on it?" I was still suspicious.

  "That's the easy part, and why you gotta get here early before they open. The hard part is the tab and the database info. So just be here. With the cash."

  "Sure," and I got up and left.

  I spent the remainder of the day in the local library researching all of the cities on the planet. I was mostly interested in shipping and cargo operations in each, and the type of outfits that served them. There were really only two places worth going and I finally just flipped a coin when I couldn't easily decide.

  I ended up back at the warehouse around four, and waited for Sil to show.

  "Hi, Jo." She smiled when she finally made it. "Sorry I'm a little late. Busy day."

  "That's okay," I smiled back. I meant it too, I was taking up too much of her time, I was sure. "How long you off for this weekend?"

  "I've gotta be back tomorrow morning," she sighed, "no rest for the weary I guess."

  "Well, lets go get some dinner, then I'll see what I can do to make you feel better!" I grinned.

  "Sure sounds good!"

  I took her down to a local place I had noticed earlier in the day. The food was as good as it had smelled and not too expensive either.

  "So how goes your life?" She asked as we ate.

  "Not to bad, but I'm nearly out of money." I admitted.

  "So soon?" she looked surprised.

  "Buying an identity is just about going to wipe me out," I said ruefully. "So I'm gonna have to find something pretty soon."

  "There are lots of jobs out there Jo."

  "But I need transport fare back to earth, that isn't gonna be cheap."

  "Yes, I can see that. Maybe you shouldn't go." She didn't look up as she said that last part.

  "Sorry, I've got to. You know that. Anyway I have no idea what I'm going to do yet, or how I'm going to get back. I just wish I knew how long I had."

  "For what?" she looked up, ears twitching curiously.

  "Until they start looking around here for me." I replied quietly.

  "Don't borrow trouble," she advised and changed the subject.

  Later that night while I was giving her a backrub, I told her I would be leaving soon
.

  "Why, this place is cheap. Why go elsewhere?"

  "I can't afford to get you tied to me any more than you already are Sil. Like it or not, I'm gonna start developing a rep around here if I stay. If people think you're important to me, it could be bad for you when the corporation comes looking. Besides," I chuckled, "You need to spend more time on your schooling."

  "I can't say I disagree with any of that," she replied truthfully. "But I still feel I owe you for all this Jo, and that I shouldn't turn my back on you. Even if you do worry me at times."

  "I worry me at times!" I laughed, "Will you miss me?"

  "Of course," she admitted. "Will I still get to see you?"

  "Maybe, but not for a while. At least Raff will be happy."

  "That he will I guess."

  "Just do me a favor and stay away from here, if you need anything from this place, send Raff to get it. And if anyone ever does come asking about me, tell them everything. I came, you owed me, you helped me, and I left. And make sure they know that Raff doesn't like me."

  She shuddered a little, "Do you, do you think someone will?"

  "I honestly don't think so, you're too high profile, but if they do I want you to be honest with them, and be sure to let them know you were afraid of me and more afraid I'll come back. They'll believe that."

  She nodded, "Okay."

  I leaned down and kissed the back of her head, "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

  I slept well that night, I didn't expect that I'd ever see Sil again, and I knew it would be better for her that way.

  When she left the next morning I said a quick goodbye and told her I would miss our Sundays together and her too. Then I left for my appointment. I hated long good-byes anyway.

  The door to the bar was locked when I got there. I knocked on it and was rewarded with the sound of somebody quietly padding up to it. After a little fumbling with the bolt it opened and I saw the Rat from the day before standing there nervously.

  "Well don't just stand there!" She hissed reaching for me, "get in here!"

  I dodged her grasp and stepped inside. The place was quiet, and I didn't hear anyone else inside. Scent wise I was pretty sure I smelled another Rat, but it was faint.

  "You have the money?" She asked quickly heading to the back of the bar.

  "You have the ID?" I replied.

  "Of course," she said heading past the booths and into the back rooms. "Let's see the cash first."

  "When I've seen the ID, and how you're going to initialize it." I definitely smelled another Rat, and a Badger too.

  "Don't you trust me?" She asked spinning around with a grin.

  "No" and her smile quickly disappeared as she noticed the gun in my hand, pointed at her head. "Who are your friends?"

  "Who are you talking about?" She asked nervously.

  "The Rat and Badger in the next room," I watched her grimace. "You weren't planning on robbing me now were you?" I growled quietly.

  "They're here to make sure you don't kill me and just take the ID bracelet," she said nervously. "If you shoot me now you won't get out alive I guarantee it!"

  "Sure," I growled and put the gun away. "Lead on."

  She breathed a sigh of relief and turned to continue. I jumped her as soon as her back was turned and clamped a hand on her mouth. I used the other to cut the blood flow to her brain and a moment later carefully lowered her unconscious body to the floor. It was so quick she never made a sound.

  After a moment I continued on leaving her gagged and bound in the hall. I had expected something like this might happen. After all fake ID's could be a real rip-off business, but I hadn't expected Raff to set me up with a bad crowd. Live and learn I guess.

  As I came to the back room I picked up the scent of the Rat even stronger then. He was hiding behind the door of the last room on the right. Probably supposed to come out after we passed. I gave the door a hard kick and was rewarded with a thud as it hit him. Leaping inside I followed up with a quick combination as he rebounded off the wall.

  Grabbing his gun with my left I grabbed his throat with my right. It only took me a second to find the Carotid and he quickly passed out as well. I quickly trussed him and dragged him out into the hall, where I met the Badger coming through the door.

  "Freeze," I said pointing the gun at the Rat's head. "Or your buddy here gets it."

  "Then I'll kill you before you can shoot me!" He growled menacingly.

  I suddenly smiled as I recognized him, "Are you forgetting what I did to your Weasel friend?"

  He started at that and the hallway was suddenly filled with the smell of his fear. He turned to run but barely made it past the door. I gagged and tied him too.

  Inside the room was a very sophisticated piece of equipment, An ID embosser! It was a smaller one true, easily moved by a couple of people, and I could see that it already had a tap into the local net conduit set up. With this they could generate and emboss the entire tag right here.

  I spent a little time getting familiar with the equipment and learning how to use it. Not too tough really, all I needed was a password. I looked up over at the female Rat who was watching my examinations. The male was also slowly coming around, the Badger however would be out a while. I had been a little rough with him.

  "Nice equipment," I smiled at her and enjoyed the look of panic on her face as I showed my fangs. "I guess you weren't going to try and rip me off after all. But I do have one question," I got up and walked over in front of her and removed the gag.

  "Actually more like two. Why did you need my name up front?"

  "For my protection, what else?" She gasped, the gag had made it very hard to breathe.

  "Not blackmail?" I grinned again and she shrank back from me a little bit.

  "No of course not!" she protested weakly.

  "Riiigggghhhtt," I slowly drawled. "Now the second question. What's the password to that machine there?"

  She stared resolutely at me.

  "Oh come now," I chided her. "Why don't you make this easy on yourself? I can make you talk long before Sal shows up. And I'll still pay even." I took out the cash and showed it to her.

  "Well?"

  "You'll just kill us!" she hissed.

  "Then why are those two still alive?" I motioned to the others, of which the male was watching very closely.

  "To make me talk, what else?"

  "Okay, be that way." I sighed and walked over to the Male.

  In this business you learn a lot of things. Making people talk is one of them. It was fairly obvious to me that the two of them were a pair. So if I did anything to him, it was bound to hurt her. It didn't take long to start him crying out in pain, I would like to have ungagged him to get the full effect, but I was afraid the noise might be heard outside.

  Also I didn't enjoy it anymore.

  "Alright I'll talk!" She said shortly thereafter.

  The password worked, and I used it to make myself two ID's. Though I made sure she didn't see me make either, the second would be my backup.

  "Well, here's your money." I said dropping the cash at her feet. "Your boyfriend there will be fine, I didn't break anything, I just wanted you to think I did." I smiled.

  "After I untie your hands I'm going to leave. If you follow me or come after me for what happened today, I won't be so nice."

  She just glared at me.

  "Hey, you knew this was a tough business when you got into it." I untied her hands then and walked to the door. "Oh, by the way," I said turning to look at the three of them. "I'm going to Kalamath. I'm telling you this because eventually someone is going to come looking for me, and they will do some very nasty things to get an answer. So I figure it would only be fair that you should have one to give.

  "Of course if you were really smart, you'd all take a vacation." And turning around, I left.

  I had one more stop to make on my way out of town, I headed down to the warehouse district, there were a few shops down there that specialized in repairing heavy mac
hinery, and it didn't take me long to find the one I wanted.

  "Excuse me," I called out walking up to a large bear welding a broken strut on some kind of vehicle.

  "What are you doing here?" He growled flipping up the welding shield, it was Raff of course.

  "I need a few favors Raff," I put up my hand as I saw his nostrils flare, "I'm leaving town."

  "When?"

  "Immediately."

  "Sounds good, what do you want?"

  "Keep an eye on Sil, if people start nosing around her, company intel people, I want you to talk to them."

  "And tell them what?" He eyed me cautiously.

  "Sell me out," I grinned at him. "Tell them where I got the fake ID, tell them I left town, tell them you think I was headed to Kalamath if you want. Just don't tell them I'm leaving because I don't want Sil to get in trouble, tell them you threatened to give me up, you didn't like the way I was scaring Sil into cooperating."

  He looked at me a minute, then slowly nodded.

  "Sil was right about you." He said after a minute.

  "Disappointed?" I asked.

  "Nothing to be disappointed about," he said turning his back to me and flipping down the welding shield as he went back to work.

  I left and walked cross town down to the bus station, showed my new ID and bought a ticket to Chinook, the other major spaceport on this world. I had no intention of going to Kalamath, as places go it was a hell hole, but it was just the kind of place I would have been expected to go.

  13

  The trip to Chinook was a long one, nine days. Bus was not the way most people traveled there, it was over three thousand miles away with a lot of stops in between. Most people took a shuttle, but the bus was cheap and the preferred method of travel for second class citizens like myself.

  I had to lay over in six different cities on the trip, one layover was for the entire night. I took advantage of the time to change my wardrobe and buy some tools. When I got to Chinook I was going to have to find an income, and quickly. I had no contacts there, and only a vague idea of what I was actually going to do. The questions and problems were numerous of course. First of all I was too old to pass myself off as a freeborn without a lot of questions being asked. So because of that I had made my age ten years younger on my ID. At least the time I had spent in the hibernation tank made that one a little easier to pull off and thankfully, age was hard to tell on Animorphs. We were designed to stay in our prime as long as possible. I'd have to keep an eye on my appearance though.