The Beast of Tsunam (Rev Smalley: Galactic P.I. Book 1)

by Combs, Scott A.

  “She’s willing to help,” said Jimmy out of breath, “but you’ve got to come quick. She says she can’t stall the authorities. The Prime Minister has issued security around the teleport wing due to the problems the Tsunamians are stirring up.”

  This was working out better than if he’d planned it. “I’ll go now,” he said. “Will you take care of my things while I’m gone?”

  “Sure boss. No problem,” said Jimmy watching Magnus leave.

  Jimmy looked into the box of memorabilia and saw the smashed picture. In the picture Rev had his big arms around Cassie giving her a kiss on the lips and Magnus was looking on with an odd look. Jimmy wondered for a moment, looking at it closely, deciding that the picture left him feeling apprehensive. The more he looked at those dark lavender eyes in the photo, the more it looked as if he was glaring at the couple kissing. An angry hateful look. Most wouldn’t think so but Jimmy knew when Magnus was angry in his quiet manner. Why display a picture that obviously was upsetting? A thought came to him⁠—⁠unless you wanted to remember how much you hated someone. This thought left Jimmy with a cold shiver running down his spine.

  * * *

  CASSIE WAS RESTING after Rev made her finish the protein bar she hid. She argued but Rev wouldn’t budge. Besides he wanted answers to some of the big questions before leaving the underground complex.

  “Is there enough equipment to analyze my blood sample?” Rev asked out of Cassie’s earshot.

  “I believe so,” said Flint quietly.

  “Can you also verify what you found out about Cassie?”

  “I’ll need a sample from her.”

  “I told her you’d be right over.” Flint got his blood sample and left, leaving them alone. Rev sat down next to her and marveled at how beautiful she was even after being abducted for nearly a week. He stroked her face to remove a smudge.

  “Am I dirty?” she asked wishing she had a mirror.

  “You look beautiful to me.”

  They both started to talk at the same time. “You first,” said Rev.

  “I want to apologize,” she said.

  “For what?”

  “Magnus. I wasn’t ready for you to cling to me.”

  “So you⁠—⁠”

  “Don’t say it, please.” She looked ashamed.

  “But why didn’t you tell me you broke up after I left?”

  “I never really was with him,” she said. “I was compelled. He did something to me that I can’t explain. It was like a drug.”

  “How so?”

  “I was angry at you and he said some nice things. Then he touched me and all I could think about was being with him. I know it sounds crazy but you’ve got to believe me.”

  “After all that’s happened in the last week, I can’t rule out some connection to these events. There are just too many coincidences.”

  “You think Magnus is a part of all this?” she asked.

  “I don’t know anymore,” he said shaking his head. “I’d like to get the hell off this rock and let the Tsunamians figure out who’s in charge. Since they won’t let us go, then we’re going to have to make a big stink, punishing the guilty party before we can leave.”

  “How bad is it?”

  “Want to fight dirty?”

  “Great. My kind of fight.”

  “We have to be very careful. I’m not sure yet who the bad guys are.”

  “Trust no one?”

  He nodded. “It’s going to take Flint a little time to figure out just how we tie into this mess. If you don’t mind, I’m dead dog tired and in need of a little TLC?”

  “You forgive me then?” she asked, giving him her best soulful gaze. She was irresistible when she puckered up and smooched the air. Rev kissed her and laid down holding her.

  “I forgive you. But I need to rest for awhile. My brain needs to digest all the facts.”

  She felt the warmth of his body cuddling her. His arm wrapped around her chest and she felt safe. Soon his breathing changed and she knew he was asleep.

  Rev once told her that he did his best thinking when he slept. He called himself a lucid dreamer. He’d let his subconscious work out the problem while his body recovered. His superiors never gave Rev enough credit in the thinking department; always expecting him to use blunt force to solve their problems. Mostly they thought he was just a go-to guy for things that needed muscling. She knew he was smarter than he made himself out to be. In fact, he was probably the smartest man she knew. Even smarter than Magnus, but Rev wasn’t arrogant about showing his abilities. She was thankful he was here to protect her.

  Rev started snoring. She carefully lifted his arm up and slid off the cushion without waking him. He was a large rough man and yet had a childish side. Maybe she didn’t deserve a man like him.

  Cassie sought out Flint to see how his analysis was going. She found him busy in the lab hovering over the consoles reading the raw data. “Find out anything?”

  “Yes. The parasites can’t infect Earth hosts for one.”

  “That’s good to know,” she said.

  “What’s interesting about these creatures is the way in which they can connect to the brain of their host. They can control the host completely right down to its autonomic responses if they wish.”

  “So they can kill their own host if they wanted?”

  “Apparently. But I can’t see why they would want to.”

  “What else have you found out?”

  “I was right about you and those other women.”

  “What other women?”

  “Rev didn’t tell you?”

  “Tell me what?”

  “I’m not sure I should say.”

  “If you don’t I’ll twist your arm,” she joked. “You can’t keep important information from me. I’m involved. Besides, Rev wouldn’t keep anything from me unless it was harmful. Is it harmful?”

  “I can’t see how dead women can be harmful except emotionally.”

  “Then tell me what you found out.”

  After Flint filled her in, Cassie let various emotions run through her as she thought about the implications. “Every woman he’s ever been with is lying here dead in a room somewhere?”

  “Yes. All of them who were alive to date. I mean until just recently,” he said correcting himself.

  “Jesus. Didn’t it piss him off?”

  Flint spun around and gave her a look. “I’m not a good judge of emotions,” he said, “but I believe he’s thoroughly upset over the discovery.”

  “You haven’t seen him thoroughly upset yet. Believe me, you’ll know. When it happens find a safe place to hide.”

  The analyzer beeped. Flint read the data. He made a humming sound and then he twirled completely around. “Just as I thought.”

  “What?”

  “Rev is unique.”

  “I could’ve told you that,” she said.

  “I mean his physiology is unlike any Tsunamian’s eugenics material.” Flint raised an arm and scratched what would be his temple in deep thought. “I think I’ve got it.”

  “Got what?”

  “The reason Rev is the cure for these parasitic aliens.”

  Cassie waited to be enlightened a tad impatiently.

  “Let me explain. The Tsunamians’ physiology is disease free, either by inoculation or eradication. Before the bodies are assembled they go through a cleaning stage. It’s not that they can’t contract diseases, it’s just that they don’t have any.”

  Cassie thought she was following this. “So your saying they haven’t wiped out disease⁠—⁠just removed it.”

  Flint nodded. “Has Rev ever been sick since you’ve known him?”

  “Never.”

  “My point exactly. His body can fight any infection. Viral, bacterial and parasitic. He’s a super disease killer, which makes him immune.”

  Chapter 32

  REV FELT THE WEAPON PRESS against his temple. Its energy cells whined in his ears. He knew this moment was coming. “What
took you so long to find us Magnus?” Rev opened one eye and moved slowly to a sitting position.

  “I would kill you right now if you weren’t so damned important to the Charrel,” hissed Magnus.

  “Charrel? Never heard of ’em before. They must be those squirmy devils I’ve encountered lately.”

  “They want to look into why we’re so poisonous to them since we’re the only remaining specimens of our kind. I’m not anxious to be dissected so I volunteered you for the job.”

  “Thanks old buddy,” said Rev getting to his feet.

  “Please make me shoot you,” said Magnus jabbing the weapon into the back of Rev’s head. “Raise you hands.”

  Rev did as he was told then watched Cassie being dragged into the room along with the limp form of Flint by two Tsunamians. Rev flinched and Magnus reminded him of the weapon with a light tap.

  “I assure you Cassie is fine but I’m not so sure about your little friend. He put up quite a struggle when we arrived. I’m afraid we might have broken him.”

  Rev flexed his muscles and Magnus sensed he was about to retaliate. “You try to resist and my man will bore a hole through her pretty little head.”

  Rev relaxed and realized he couldn’t possibly reach Cassie before either of them would be shot. “What’s the plan?”

  “You’re to be held captive until the Charrel decide how to best use you. As for Cassie, I’m guessing they’ll use her along with your new girlfriend to extract the serum necessary for their creature project.”

  “My new girlfriend?”

  “I took the liberty of bringing Ms. Stewart with me just in case Cassie had an accident. They were very enthusiastic about having more women to produce their elixir.”

  Rev was taken aback. “Reese? Why her? We hardly know each other.”

  “I realize you haven’t bedded her yet, but who’s to say she doesn’t fancy a strong bald man if you don’t want her. Besides, I didn’t need her permission to have her.”

  “You’re a real bastard Magnus.”

  “Actually, we’re both bastards since we never knew who our fathers were. But why be so touchy about the lives of a couple of women when you and I will be alive for hundreds of years and hundreds more women?”

  “I’d like to shorten your life expectancy a little,” said Rev.

  “I know you would but I don’t see you being in the picture for much longer. Now let’s get you safely into the room before I have a change of heart.”

  Rev kept watch on Magnus for a hint of his letting down his guard but that didn’t happened. Flint dangled by a limp arm as they toted him along to a holding cell. Cassie was rubbing the side of her bruised face and gave Rev a look indicating she was ready to fight back. Rev shook his head and she acknowledge him but wasn’t happy about it.

  Cassie then decided to speak. “Did you plan all this Magnus?”

  Magnus knew he was being goaded but he couldn’t resist his own ego. “Mostly. I only just met the Charrel since I began my little covert trips to Tsunam.”

  “What do you get out of it besides a traitor’s death?”

  “Oh, I get much more than that,” he said. “I get all the technology and knowledge the Tsunamians possess. Not to mention the wealth I’ll obtain from selling it.”

  “So what do the Charrel get?” asked Rev.

  “They get to expand.”

  “You mean the millions of spare bodies stored below?”

  “It’s actually more like billions. A whole stockpile of endless reserves.”

  “Why do they need you?” asked Rev. “They already have control of the bodies.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong. But they will soon,” he boasted.

  They were crammed into a transmat elevator and walked off into another facility. Rev recognized it as being Regency Tuloff’s security building. Instead of it being tidy and immaculately clean, there were laser blasts and dead bodies strewn about. Charrel infected Tsunamian were clearing the floors of the dead as they passed along the hallway. When they reached the holding cells they found themselves pushed into the small room and the forcefield engaged.

  “I’ve told your captors,” gloated Magnus, “how you escaped the last time so you’ll have to think of something new this time.”

  Magnus left and a guard stood post watching their every move. Flint had been tossed roughly into the holding cell and had bounced to the far wall. He came to rest in the darkest corner.

  Rev noticed a shape in the dark that couldn’t have been Flint. When he reached the corner he recognized the form of a man curled into a fetal position.

  “Help me Cassie,” Rev commanded and she came to his aid. “You take Flint and I’ll take Regency Tuloff.”

  “The Regency?” she asked. “I thought he was involved with the Charrel.”

  “No,” said Rev. “He’s always been loyal to his planet. But I don’t know why he’s been spared from being infected.” Rev helped the diplomat into a comfortable sitting position against the wall. It was clear that the man had been beaten to within an inch of his life. His eyes were blackened and puffy and his left arm stuck out strangely from a break. His head had welts all over it and his lips were split and bleeding.

  “Regency,” whispered Rev. “Can you hear me?”

  At that moment there was a resounding click from Flint. His transparent arms retracted and his insides flickered.

  “Looks like Flint’s rebooting finally,” said Rev. “Now if we can get Tuloff to do the same thing.”

  “I’ve got a little drink left,” said Cassie, handing Rev a bottle she had strapped to her belt.

  Rev poured just a few drops on Tuloff’s lips. It took a moment but Tuloff produced a swollen tongue from his mouth that lapped the fluid.

  “That’s good,” said Cassie. “He’s alive and Flint’s⁠—⁠” she hesitated trying to find the right words. “Well, whatever he is, he’s coming to.”

  * * *

  FLINT WAS AGITATED and buzzing around, testing the integrity of the holding cell. There were no loopholes this time. The cell had a double-layered forcefield in place. They were going to be held there for as long as their captors wished.

  Flint stopped his search looking over at his partner. “Am I a poor investigator?”

  “I never thought so,” replied Rev.

  “Then how come I thought Regency Tuloff was involved in the conspiracy?”

  “He was made to look that way. Sometimes you have to follow a more scientific approach of deduction.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Your instincts,” he said patting the little automaton affectionately.

  Cassie shook her head. “Don’t listen to him. I thought he was in on it too. Shows you just how good my instincts are.”

  “If you think about it, who else would’ve directed us so cleverly to find Cassie.” He turned and looked at Tuloff. “It was you who gave us clearance to all the underground facilities?”

  Tuloff’s strength returned. “Yes, but it started long before that,” he said. “I knew Magnus had been sneaking through our defenses for months. We became aware that he was in contact with the Charrel and planning to take over the government. Our head politicians were infected one at a time until I was the only cabinet member left. I needed help. I chose Earth because it is the most tenacious of all the Alliance planets. Magnus was very crafty and I needed someone just as clever as he was to get to the bottom of the conspiracy. Then I found out Magnus and Rev are the last of the Earth’s eugenics soldier project. I read your service record. It’s quite impressive. I also knew you would do anything to recover Cassie and that made you dangerous and the right man for the job.”

  “Why didn’t you brief me on what you’d found out before I killed your men?” asked Rev.

  “Are you referring to the man in the interrogation room?” Rev nodded. “He was a Charrel infiltrator and you did me a service by bringing about his death. Some of the others weren’t though, and I regret not telling you before they
were lost.”

  “I’m very sorry,” said Rev.

  “The fault lies with me. The island battle was staged, of course, and the men you killed volunteered for the assignment. They’ll be remembered as brave warriors for the Tsunamian cause.”

  “Why the big charade?”

  “I couldn’t have it leak out about the imminent overthrowing of our government. Instead, I had to let you discover things on your own. I was concerned when you sided with the Deviants. You were very close to being destroyed when you fought for Taki. My men were expendable as long as you continued to infiltrate the enemy. But if you turned to their cause . . . Well, that’s another story.”

  Rev snapped his fingers. “Taki is the source of the infection!”

  “Your instincts are correct,” said Tuloff. “He’s the leader of the Charrel as far as our intelligence could dig up. He hasn’t openly proclaimed it but we know he was the first to be infected. His type have tried to coexist with us for the last ten thousand years and we tolerated them since they weren’t aggressive. Now Magnus⁠—⁠in just a few months⁠—⁠has organized the Charrel somehow and they’ve infiltrated our society.”

  “That’s amazing,” said Cassie. “Without Magnus they would have blended quietly into your society?”

  “The Charrel were content with being a small minority. They’d gathered a following of individuals who weren’t infected who possess odd behaviors.”

  “Like Willa,” said Flint. “I bet she’s not a Charrel.”

  Tuloff agreed. “He’s right. We tested her and she’s still Tsunamian. The odd thing is not all who come in contact with the Charrel get infected. But it’s only a matter of time before the Charrel kill those who can’t be turned. Another oddity is that some of us lately are becoming more resistant to the Charrel. Like me for instance. I’m not compatible and it’s probably why I’m still alive and in this cell. The Charrel want to test me thoroughly before disposing of me.”

  Flint raised his transparent hand and waved. “I bet I can tell you why.”

  Rev smiled at the little automaton and pulled his arm down. “Go ahead.”

  “It’s because you’ve come in close contact with Rev sir.”