by Gary Weston
Fritz said, ‘Ok. Maybe. But are you sure you can actually make up the antidote from that formulae?’
Corey grinned. ‘The Masters didn’t make me their top chemist for nothing, Fritz. I can make the antidote. Tell me. If you were dependent on drixolate to stay alive, and there are millions who are, as we both know, what would you pay for a one-pill cure?’
‘Just about anything, I guess.’
Corey leaned forward. ‘And what would you do for a one-pill cure, Fritz?’
Fritz grinned. ‘Just about anything, I guess.’
Corey smiled. ‘Exactly, my old friend. You and I can have it all.’
‘And nobody can stop us,’ said Fritz.
They leaned back with their beers and laughed, contemplating a very rich future.
Deep Space Intelligence:Raven’s Revenge
Chapter 135
Manhatoff City, the Planet Tryzon,
The streets were busy, as usual. The promise of snow didn’t stop the tourists or locals from enjoying the night-life, and the bars were doing a brisk trade. Music styles from several different planets filled the air, and by standing in the wrong place, the confusion of sounds could be quite disturbing if listened to for too long. Jason Wilson didn’t even listen to the familiar din.
Wilson, a native to the city, having been born there twenty three years earlier, was on his way to the Nagging Bladder, a bar where he was to meet up with a few friends. Nugget, Finger and Topper would no doubt have consumed several beers already. Wilson intended to have just one beer in the Bladder, then they would be moving on to see if they could get lucky with the female tourists in one of the clubs.
The Bladder was full to capacity when he finally got there, and the music was bouncing off the walls. As he made his way through the throng of revellers, one or two of the young women gave him the eye. Perhaps they wouldn’t have to venture into the overpriced clubs to meet the ladies, after all.
The evening went well, and Nugget and Topper were soon getting acquainted with a group of girls in their late teens, who were trying to look more sophisticated than they actually were. Finger was the shy one, but seemed to attract the more mature ladies who wanted to mother him. Wilson was concentrating on a girl named Mandy, or Candy. It could have even been Randy, but the music was so loud, he couldn’t be sure.
Having parted with something like his day’s pay on buying drinks for the girl, he was disappointed when at the end of the night, she told him she was due to catch the shuttle flight to her home planet the very next day and still had a few things to pack. His cheeky offer to help her didn’t get him anywhere. He did spend a little time with the girl outside, playing tonsil hockey before she went off giggling with her friends.
Wilson considered returning to the bar for a consolation beer but decided to go home instead. The streets were less crowded and the weather was turning cold with the promised snow whipping around in the biting wind. He decided on a short-cut, and was halfway along the alley when he heard the footsteps behind him. He hurried on without turning to look back. The footsteps became faster, and this time he did glance back, only to be suddenly grabbed by one man, and have his exposed neck injected with something by another. Before he could say anything or call out for help, he was unconscious. The following morning, he woke up to find himself behind bars of the custodial kind.
Chapter 136
‘Thank you for flying with Starstruck Spaceliners, and we hope you enjoy your stay on Tryzon.’
The woman with the silk scarf wrapped around her face nodded to the attendant and made her way with the others to collect her luggage. On the other side of the barrier she could see the man and woman waiting for her. Filling a hover-cart with her cases and bags, she went through the checkout, the cart following tamely behind her.
‘Come here and give your mom a big kiss.’
Tilly Jordan held Sally Jordan, her stepmother and lifted the edge of the scarf and kissed her on the cheek. ‘That flight seemed to take forever.’
Ian Jordan, her stepfather, said, ‘You’re here now. That’s the main thing. And how about a hug for me?’
Tilly hugged and kissed him. ‘I’ve missed you both so much.’
‘Do we get to see what you look like?’ Sally asked. ‘Pictures aren’t the same as the real thing.’
‘Not here,’ said Tilly. ‘Come on. Take me home.’
Ian drove them through the city streets, and to Tilly, it was as if she had stepped into a time-warp. Tryzon had originally been a mining planet, but when the ore ran out, they turned to tourism, with the excellent skiing. One of the attractions was the old city itself, with buildings going back nearly a hundred and fifty years. Tilly hadn’t visited since she’d had her face shot away, and only twice before then. Her work as a D S I agent had kept her too busy for that. Her visit to her adopted parents was as much a part of the healing process as the surgery. They were the only two people on the planet who knew her and what she looked like before being shot.
Memories came flooding back to her, and when they pulled up at the Jordan household, it really was like coming home.
The small front garden was covered in snow, as was the roof. The live again tree looked very dead, but Tilly knew it was just waiting for the end of winter when it would become a riot of rainbow colours. Almost every home had one in the garden somewhere, and for one glorious week, the colours and scent of the trees would lift everyone’s spirits and signal warmer weather to come.
Little had changed inside the home, either. The Jordan’s had things just the way they liked them, and saw no reason to change anything.
Still wearing the scarf, Tilly, helped by Ian, took the luggage into the spare bedroom. It was the “guest” bedroom, but enough personal items associated with Tilly made her feel as if the room had been maintained just for her.
Back in the living room, Sally was preparing a meal that would have fed twice their number. A jug of Red Ruin, the one wine produced near the equator on Tryzon, stood in the centre of the table and Ian poured three beakers, passing them out.
‘You can’t drink wearing that scarf, Tilly,’ said Ian.
Tilly took a deep breath and removed the scarf. She said nothing, letting Sally and Ian stare at her for a moment.
Ian raised his beaker. ‘Here’s to us getting our beautiful daughter back with us,’ he declared, and they drank a toast to that.
Chapter 137
The two men stared at the light-blue liquid in the glass beaker. It was their fourteenth attempt.
‘It still isn’t changing colour,’ said Fritz. ‘Are you sure it’s meant to change colour?’
Corey said, ‘Will you stop asking me that? You are driving me nuts.’
‘I’m just trying to help.’
‘Well don’t. Wait. Look.’
Corey picked up the beaker and shook the liquid. ‘Come on, my beauty. Come on.’
‘It’s changing. You did it.’
‘Not quite,’ said Corey, still shaking the beaker. ‘Come on. And there she goes. Completely clear.’
Fritz said, ‘Great. Let’s try it out.’
‘Not yet,’ said Corey. ‘We have to make sure it’s stable. If it changes colour, we need to tweak the formula.’
Fritz asked, ‘How long?’
‘Overnight should do it. We need to check on the test subjects.’
Corey carefully placed the beaker on the bench and he and Fritz left the laboratory. They walked down a dingy, badly lit corridor to a row of prison cells, ten of them separated by thick metal bars. As Corey and Fritz approached, five men jumped at the bars.
‘Ok,’ said Fritz. ‘Just stay calm.’ He picked up a glass test-tube and removed a stopper. ‘You know the routine. Hands out, palms up.’
The men had no choice. If they had any chance of living, they would have to do as they were told. To make sure the men didn’t grab at Fritz, Corey picked up the laser rifle and covered his partner in crime. Fritz went along the row of cells, letting a few drops of
drixolate fall onto the extended palms. The men carefully withdrew their arms, and rubbed the liquid into their skin.
One man asked, ‘How about food? We haven’t eaten all day.’
Fritz said, ‘Oh, I do apologise our five star accommodation and service hasn’t met your high standards, sir. I’ll rectify the situation immediately.’
Corey said, ‘Get them fed, Fritz. We need them healthy.’
‘Ok. All of you. Put your plates on the shelves. Do it.’
Between the bars in the front of the cells were slots with small shelves for serving the prisoners. The men each placed their battered metal plates on the shelves and stepped back. Fritz collected the plates. At the beginning of the week, the cells had been fully occupied, one man in each cell. They were down to five men. Five test subjects had died and not in a good way. Those still alive had witnessed the men being taken away one at a time at gunpoint, never to return. In the morning, one chosen at random would be the next test subject. Whether he lived or not, depended on the formula being right. Fritz took the plates away to fill with food for the men. For one, it could well be their last meal.
Chapter 138
The liquid was still clear. Corey picked up the beaker and held it up the light looking for traces of blue discolouration. He saw none.
‘We’re ready. I feel lucky, today.’
Fritz laughed. ‘Let’s hope our next test subject feels lucky, also.’
Corey filled the injector and pressed the button on the end. Air bubbles were expelled along with a small spray of the liquid.
‘Come on.’
They went to the cells. All five men were still alive, the drixolate keeping their internal organs functioning. Fritz picked up the gun and covered Corey who unlocked the next cell in the row.
‘You. This way,’ growled Fritz, pointing the way with the barrel of the laser rifle.
They came to the solitary confinement cell. Corey opened it and stepped aside as Fritz jabbed the man in the back. The man stepped into the cell, and as his back was turned, Corey put the tip of the injector to his neck and pressed the button.
‘Hey,’ said the man spinning around. ‘What the hell have you just done?’
Corey said, ‘Just a little injection.’
‘You bastards. What was that stuff?’
Fritz sneered. ‘Something that one way or another, could be your salvation. Just chill out.’
Corey and Fritz stepped out of the cell and locked the door.
Fritz said, ‘A stroke of genius using this old prison, Corey.’
‘Due to be demolished in a couple of months. We will be well gone by then.’ Corey checked the time. ‘Back here in nine hours. We will know if I got it right this time.’
They went their separate ways, Fritz to take care of domestic duties, Corey to his room to rest and wait. The hours dragged by slowly, but finally, the time had come. They returned to the solitary confinement cell. Corey unlocked the heavy steel door and Fritz stood with the laser rifle at the ready. He didn’t need it. The man was on the bed, close to death. He twitched a couple of times, and turned his head to stare at his captors. With a shaking hand, he reached out to them, pointing at the rifle. Corey nodded at Fritz and stepped aside. Fritz aimed at the man’s head and pulled the trigger. A single beam of red power pierced the man’s temple, exited the back of his skull and put a neat hole in the mattress beneath him. They stared at the dead man for a moment. Another setback, another dead body.
Fritz said, ‘Looks like the formula needs another tweak.’
‘Get rid of that,’ said Corey, turning around and walking out of the cell.
Chapter 139
Four men were left in the cells. Six had died as the drixolate had been used up in the bloodstream. Their internal organs had decomposed one at a time, just the heart keeping the body alive until that too packed up.
‘What have you done with Nick?’
Corey and Fritz ignored the question. A slight adjustment to the formula had been made and once again the liquid loaded into the injector was clear. The next test subject had been chosen. He was led to the solitary confinement cell and Corey injected the man in the back of his neck, while Fritz pointed the rifle at him.
Once again, Fritz and Corey found other things to do before the effects of the drugs should work. Either the lack of drixolate would kill the man, or the new formula would clear it completely out of his system. They returned to the cell. The man was sitting on the bed.
‘Are you sons of bitches ever going to feed me?’
Corey and Fritz exchanged grins. It had worked.
‘How are you feeling?’ Corey asked.
The man on the bed shrugged. ‘I had a bit of a headache earlier on, but I’m fine, now. Hey. I just remembered something. Where’s my drixolate?’
Corey said, ‘That’s something you will never need to take ever again.’
‘Yeah? How come?’
‘Because I cured you.’
‘Crap. There is no cure. Everyone knows that.’
Corey said, ‘Any internal pain? Burning sensations?’
‘None. I feel better than I ever felt in my life.’
Corey smiled. ‘Excellent. Of course we can’t let you live now you have seen us. Fritz.’
Fritz put a hole in the man’s head and the wall behind him was splattered with blood. The dead body fell off the bed onto the floor.
‘Fritz…’
‘I know. Get rid of the damn body.’
Chapter 140
Tilly Jordan didn’t leave the house much. She had become used to spending time without people, and that would be hard to adjust. When Ian was working at the ski lodge, she spent time with Sally, helping her with a few domestic chores. They would also sit and drink coffee, imported real stuff, not the syncoff, and chat about the future and Tilly’s plans. The offer still stood to live with Sally and Ian and start a new life on Tryzon, knowing Ian would readily employ her. Tilly didn’t dismiss the offer completely, and promised Sally if the D S I work didn’t pan out, she would consider the offer. She told Sally she had to prove something to herself first.
On one break from being domestic goddesses, they sat and watched the local news. The main topic was the missing men.
‘How long has this been going on for?’ Tilly asked.
‘Over the last week or so,’ said Sally. ‘It wasn’t until the police made a connection with the first three that it got the media’s full attention.’
‘Connection? They were related in some way?’
Sally said, ‘No. I meant connected by disappearing the same way, within a few days of each other, and without a trace.’
‘I see.’ Tilly’s D S I instincts were inevitably kicking in. She had promised herself just a nice reunion holiday with her step-parents, but something told her this was a situation the D S I should know about.
‘Mom. I’ve been thinking it’s about time I ventured out into the big cold world again. Do a little window shopping in town, maybe.’
‘Would you like me to come with you?’
Tilly shook her head. ‘I need to know I can walk the city streets and not feel like everyone’s staring at me. I need to do it alone. You don’t mind, do you?’
Sally smiled. ‘I understand perfectly. I’ll have some lunch waiting for you.’
‘No need, Mom. I’ll be incredibly brave and have a bite to eat in the city somewhere.’
‘You come back whenever you’re ready. Wrap up warm, though. What laughingly passes for the forecast says changeable with snow.’
Sally took that advice and set out on foot and walked for a couple of miles, then hailed a driver-less hovercab. Her thumbprint on the sensor paid the fare and she told the cab to take her to the main police station. As she stepped out, a woman got in and the cab was away again.
City Police H Q was an ugly slab of a building, built for purpose, with little consideration for aesthetic appeal, of which it had none. Tilly was pleased it maintained a human being at th
e reception. It was one of those police forces which followed the ancient hierarchy of command, based on the long dead Earth ways. The system had been tried and tested on several planets, and worked reasonably well. The man at the reception desk was in his early sixties, looking clean and professional in his black uniform.
‘Miss?’
Tilly showed him her D S I identification, and the officer’s eyes widened when he saw it.
‘D S I. To what do we owe this pleasure, Miss…?’
‘Tilly Jordan. I’d like to speak with the officers in charge of the missing people case.’
‘That would be Detective Inspector Moyra Jett. One moment.’ It took only a moment, then the officer said, ‘Down that corridor. Third on the right, Miss.’
‘Thank you.’
Tilly knocked on the door and a woman’s voice told her to enter. Jett, the woman behind the desk, and two men in street clothes, looked up suspiciously at her. Only Jett offered to shake Tilly’s hand.
‘You have information on the missing men?’ Jett asked.
‘Sadly, no. Actually, I’m here on vacation. I only just heard the news about the missing men. I’m here to offer assistance if you want it.’
‘Please. Take a seat, Agent Jordan. This is Detective Sergeant Bill Webster and Detective John Poacher.’
The men nodded at her, Poacher even managing a smile.
‘Tell me to back off if you want,’ said Tilly. ‘I’ll understand.’
‘A D S I agent’s experience could be a good thing,’ said Jett. ‘As long as we all work together as a team.’
Tilly recognised that as being more than just a suggestion. ‘Of course. Have you made any progress?’
Jett sighed. ‘Not much. Ten men between the ages of twenty-four and thirty eight have gone missing over the last few days. All last seen in the city centre. All drixolate dependent, being supplied by prescription. All single men, none were presently married or living with families of their own, but one or two still lived at their parents homes. No witnesses to their disappearances.’
