Danger Money

by John Van Stry

  "Sorry about the jaw Tresha," I said as I shot her with a pain killer. "Especially as I'm going to have to ask you a few questions."

  "Why should I tell you anything?" She lisped bravely, I could smell the fear, she reeked of it. And I could see the pain in her eyes when she talked, I had broken her jaw after all.

  "Don't talk until the pain killer has had a little time to work," I admonished her. "I really don't want to make this any worse than it has to be okay?"

  She looked at me wide eyed and just stared.

  "Okay," I sighed, "Be that way. Now what I want to know is simple. Who do you work for, and where is your command post?"

  "Go to hell!" She hissed then winced.

  "Do you know who I am?" I hissed at her very quietly with my face only inches from hers. "Do you know what I do?"

  She didn't take it well, she started to quietly cry.

  "I guess you do huh?" I said in a more normal voice and sat down next to her. I tried to stroke her head and comfort her, but that only made it worse. "Oh calm down, if I was going to kill you, you'd be dead already! Really, get a grip! Okay?"

  She composed herself a bit, then looked at me again.

  "Now, if you want to save the others on your team, tell me what I want to know."

  "Why should I trust you?" She lisped.

  "Because you have no choice, because not everything you know is true, because I let you live. I don't know, pick one. Now who do you work for?"

  "Tri-Star."

  "Good, that means this is still a company matter. I was afraid you might be somebody else."

  "That matters?" She looked surprised.

  "Of course, I haven't gone rogue. I'm just hiding out until things calm down. Now, where is your command post?"

  "I can't tell you that, even if I do believe you."

  "Well, at least you have guts. I suppose I could make you tell me," she stiffened when I said that. "But I've done enough to you already I think. What's your leaders name?"

  No response.

  "Oh come on, that won't get you in trouble! Give it up."

  She thought about it a moment, "Jocel."

  "Thank you," I smiled. "So what did they tell you about me anyway? I have to admit I'm kind of curious."

  "That you were deadly, dangerous, and to be brought back alive if possible."

  "Really?" I said surprised looking over at her, "Alive? I figured they would have wanted me dead, period."

  She gave me another one of those wide-eyed looks.

  "Oh, you're lying," I chuckled. "Was that to make me feel better or just to try and save your skin?" I got up and started to assemble my gear, what little I had acquired so far that is.

  "Never mind," I sighed and looked over my meager kit. "Close your eyes and relax. It'll be a while before your friends find you." And I grabbed my stuff and left.

  When I got out to the street I planned my little trap. It was fairly simple, so hopefully it would work.

  "Jocel?" I asked using the headset.

  Silence.

  "Jocel? Anybody? You want Tresha back?"

  More Silence.

  "She's alive you know. I needed to ask her a few questions, but well she isn't talking much. Seems I hurt her a little more then I meant to."

  Still no reply.

  "Well anyway, I figure you should have a fairly good fix on me by now. She's about twenty meters due north of my present position, in the concrete blockhouse. I'd bring a doc and get here quick, I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to a fellow employee and all that."

  I did a five count.

  "You know, everything you heard about me probably isn't true. After all, could I really be that bad?"

  Then I dropped the headset and ran. I got out of sight just as the first one snuck up on the scene. It was the other Ferret, which didn't surprise me one bit, he was probably her mate.

  I carefully withdrew and watched the whole thing from as far away as I could. They took about two hours approaching that blockhouse, and during that time I was able to pick out the female Leopard in question. Eventually they came out with Tresha, and I could see the look of relief on the male Ferret's face with my binoculars from two blocks away.

  I could also see the Leopard shaking her head in confusion. Wondering why I hadn't killed I was sure. Especially when I had blown my cover so thoroughly. They loaded Tresha into their car, and found the bug I had planted in her clothes. They also picked up the headset and took it with them.

  I had expected them to find the bug, but I had tinkered with the head set. Actually I had just stepped on it first. But the transmit switch was loose now, and every time the headset shook or vibrated, it broadcast. So I tracked that back to their base.

  It turned out to be an old warehouse on the edge of the port district. Not a bad location really, it was outside of the Port proper, so they wouldn't have to spend time going through the security checks that were part of entering the Port's main warehouse district.

  I found myself a good place to watch and settled in for a long wait.

  Over the next twenty hours I counted six of them. That made seven total if I added in my Ferret friend, who stayed inside the whole time. My stomach growled its hunger and my legs complained from the total lack of motion. I couldn't do anything about the food situation, but I could stretch my legs some and work out the kinks.

  Eventually they were almost all out of the building, I guess they were trying hard to pick up the trail. I carefully picked my way in at that point, pausing only to relieve myself in an ally. I got inside with a minimum of trouble, there were only the two Ferrets inside presently so I didn't expect too much trouble.

  I found the stuff I was looking for with a minimum of searching, they had several canisters of a pacification gas. I took them and a mask and crawled up into the rafters to wait and see what happened next. The male Ferret was spending all his time with the female, who still seemed rather upset. At least somebody had fixed her jaw, a day or two and she'd by fine.

  I must have dozed off, not much of a surprise really as I'd been awake for nearly two days. I awoke with a start, I knew where I was, I knew what I was doing, and I was still hidden. I carefully looked around to see what had bothered me. I heard it again before I had even peeked out of the shadows.

  "I told you I don't know nuthin' bout him, OKAY?"

  It was Rashera's voice, they must have brought her in for interrogation. I guess they were getting desperate, I had dropped totally out of sight again as far as they were concerned.

  "Listen lady, and I use that term loosely," I heard the voice of the female Leopard for the first time.

  I kind of liked it.

  "We know you've been screwing him, and we know about your little side jobs at work. So tell us what we want to know or we'll turn you over to the Port police."

  "So I was sleepin' with him occasionally, that doesn't mean I know anything else about him. As for the other stuff, I have no idea at all what you mean!" She hissed and snarled the last out angrily and I heard and almost felt a very loud slap.

  "Watch it, try that again and I'll mess you up good. Understand?"

  Obviously Reshera had tried something. I couldn't see them from the corner I was hiding in, too much junk piled around. So I put on the mask and opened up the first canister. I set it by one of the outflow vents for the Air Conditioner then grabbed the other two and started to crawl down to the floor.

  Once I got there I opened the next up wide and set it by the front door. Then I stalked carefully towards the ongoing interrogation, where Reshera was working her way through some of her more colorful descriptions of the other's heritage, upbringing and social conduct. It wasn't having much of an effect from what I could hear.

  I listened and waited for the right moment then stepped out and tossed the last hissing canister to Jocel, who caught it reflexively and then had a moment to register shock on her face as she passed out. She was followed in seconds by the rest of the group.

  It turned
out that all seven of them were there, luckily for me. I took my time and carefully tied them all up, I wasn't going to take any chances. I got Reshera outside and conscious, and told her to go home and forget everything, me included.

  "I'll miss you Hon," she sighed as she walked away.

  "No, no you won't," I mumbled to myself and went back inside, I was sure she’d have another distraction lined up soon enough. I spent the next hour searching rather carefully until I found what I was really looking for. The cash box. They had more than enough money for me to buy the passage I wanted, once I added my own stash to it. All non-traceable too, typical for a special ops outing. I packed that and a few other odds and ends in a bag that I borrowed, then went to look over my newest friend.

  She was rather attractive as Leopards go. Not a raving beauty, but she had a certain grace and presence, which she still managed to convey while glaring at me gagged and bound spread eagle on one of the crates. I walked up to her and undid the gag.

  "Hello Jocel," I smiled and gave her a little bow, "Allow me to introduce myself ..."

  "I know who you are Jotun!" She snarled unhappily.

  "Then you should be rather happy that you and your team are all still alive. And likely to remain that way I might add," I sighed.

  "Please, you're just a cold sadistic bastard who likes to kill and hurt people. So don't patronize me okay?" Then she hissed a challenge at me.

  It got me all right, I was on top of her with my teeth grabbing her throat in a flash. I waited for her to submit, among Leopard culture a challenge rarely went unanswered. But it rarely led to death either.

  "Don't push my buttons Jocel," I growled softly, "I may not kill you but I just might hurt you!" Then I slowly released my grip and lay down on top of her prone body.

  "Get off of me!" she snarled.

  "No." And I grabbed her head with both hands and gave her a buss and a little nip. That really pissed her off.

  "You bastard, I'll get you for that!"

  "Probably," I replied sadly. "But not before I take care of some company business."

  "What do you mean?" She looked interested all of the sudden.

  "Anybody ever tell you how cute you are?" I smiled and butted heads with her.

  She snarled and tried to bite me, not wanting any of it.

  "Don't worry," I purred, "I stashed the rest of your people out of earshot. I didn't want any interruptions."

  "You mean witnesses," she hissed at me.

  "That too, but more for your protection than mine," I groomed her throat a little and she growled angrily. But she wasn't able to twist enough to stop me.

  "Stop that!" She snarled again.

  "There was a time when a lovely fem like yourself would have been flattered by the attentions of the Corporation's head Assassin," I purred quietly.

  "Not this cat."

  "Ohhhh?" I rumbled "And just what were you going to do to me when you caught me?"

  She stopped breathing for a second and I knew the answer.

  "Well? Come on, let’s hear it!" I growled in her face, she growled herself but wouldn't make eye contact.

  "What's a matter? Can't bring yourself to admit that you were going to kill me? That you're an Assassin, just like me?" I hissed quietly in her ear.

  "No I'm NOT like you!" She yelled, "I don't enjoy it like you do!"

  "So you say," I got up and grabbed my bag. "But then I don't enjoy it anymore either," I said sadly. "Otherwise you and all your friends here would be dead. Remember that when you finally catch up with me, I showed you mercy when we all know I should have killed you instead.

  "Maybe you can do the same for me someday."

  "Not very damn likely!" I heard her call out behind me as I left.

  I have to admit I had to restrain the urge to go back there and strangle her for that. I still had a bit of a temper, but I had a conscious and ethics as well now. At least that was the reason I gave myself for not doing anything.

  I was able to buy myself a position on a ship leaving that very evening. Which was another instance of my luck holding out. I used my other ID to buy the position, so hopefully my trail would be cold for at least a little while.

  I was even wondering how long it took them to free themselves as I started learning my new trade as a freight handler.

  14

  I had a lot of time to think on my trip back to earth. Getting a ship that was heading there hadn't been the hard part. Most ships leaving Alexandria were headed that way, bringing back valuable raw materials. The question that was most on my mind had to do with the race I was running.

  It wouldn't take them long to figure out which way I was headed. After that figuring out the ship and my new ID wouldn't be too hard either. On the one hand it looked like they were trying to keep this strictly a company matter. But on the other hand this was Earth we were talking about. At least they would have to send the message by ship, there still wasn't any FTL radio so everything went by courier or packet. And I had a decent head start there.

  I'd have to get a new ID as soon as possible, that much was clear. I'd also have to get to Earth as soon as possible, the Moon was just too easy a place to be cornered. So I spent the next two months in transit worrying about how I'd manage to get down to Earth once we got there.

  When we got to the Moon it took only three days to unload. We were then given four days leave until we had to load for the trip out. A trip I wasn't going to be making myself. I still hadn't figured out how I was going to get Earthside when the First officer solved it for me.

  "Hey Gantrel, you ever been to Earth?" He asked.

  "Excuse me sir?" I asked flabbergast.

  "Do you want to go down and do some sight seeing with the rest of us?" He asked again.

  "Un, Sure. I'd love too."

  "Meet us by the main hatch in half an hour then." And he left.

  I quickly finished up what I was doing, grabbed my stuff and ran to meet them.

  "I though Animorphs weren't allowed on Earth." I ventured as we started off for the shuttles.

  "Oh you're not liked much there Gantrel, don't forget that while we're down there. But a few places let Animorphs in and out as long as they behave. Only a few places are very restrictive, say the old US for instance. They're not very big on your type."

  "Oh, thanks. I'll remember that."

  The trip down was rather pleasant, we landed in a central American country and were passed through with very little trouble. Mostly because we weren't carrying that much. This was supposed to be a short excursion after all. I wasn't carrying much of anything myself, I had planted it all on the First Officer, on the general assumption that since he was a Human, they wouldn't search him that carefully.

  I wasn't wrong either. I and the other morphs were searched quite carefully, if not quickly. Once we had left the Port area, I carefully reclaimed the few items that I thought I might need. We then headed into the city to see the sights and hit the bars. The First Officer was a decent chap, and I really felt sorry later that night when I ditched him and the rest of the crew. At least I had bought a few rounds and got them all fairly drunk.

  The first order of business was to get far away, fast. That wasn't too difficult, I remembered from my last time on Earth that ground transportation was quite popular for shipping. Also with the American Common Market, cargo wasn't inspected as it crossed borders. Only when it was loaded and unloaded. So I headed to the shipping docks back in the Port area and snuck in.

  It took a while but I managed to find something bound for Quebec before the sun rose. I broke in and then found a good place to sleep.

  I awoke when they started to move the container onto a rail car. I took advantage of the noise to punch a few extra air holes in the top of the container where they hopefully wouldn't be noticed. Once things settled down I went back to sleep. It was a long way to Canada from where I had started out, about twenty hours. It got fairly hot inside that container during the day, but when night came it cooled righ
t back down. When the train stopped and I felt the container moved off I got ready to leave.

  I broke out when I thought it was safe and carefully snuck out of the yard. Getting out of the yard took a while, but they were more concerned with contraband than people. I went out and found a place that served food to people like me, then stole a car. My best view of Quebec came in the rear view mirror as I headed south.

  I still had a good memory of the area from my last mission, so I drove until I got within twenty miles of the border, then hid the car and found a place to sleep. The next night I just walked across one of the several thousand or so miles of unguarded border. Then I stole another car and headed for Newark. I would like to have gone to New York, but morphs weren't very welcome there. On the other hand I had learned that Newark was full of them.

  Of course Newark was also a filthy pit of a city that no self respecting Human would even set foot in. Somebody had set off a fizzler there about seventy years ago during some Pan-Arab crisis or other. It was supposed to have been a bomb for New York of course, but the Government had gotten wind of it, so the terrorists took what they could get.

  Rumor had it that the radiation had been cleaned up years ago, the present problems came from the toxic waste all the neighboring communities had tossed there afterwards. After all, nobody Human lived there anymore right?

  It took me four days of driving by night to get to the city. Of course I did stop in some towns and do some resupplying, Binghamton I think it was. Anyway a little midnight shopping did wonders for my gear situation, thank providence for small towns I guess.

  So I rolled into the outskirts of Newark with just about everything I felt I needed. After I ditched the car I found some public transportation deeper into the heart of the city. I was surprised at all the Humans still about this late at night and if any were surprised to see a Leopard they sure didn't show it.

  Once I got into the heart of the city I started to see more Ani's and less Humans. But there were still more of them then there were of us. Of course they all looked to be the bums and dregs while we looked to be the upper class in this hellhole. I checked the hotels and managed to find one that took cash and didn't ask questions. Strangely it wasn't one of the ones that catered strictly to my kind, I had to room at some human flophouse.