by James Cox
"This also came for you, sir," said the first man as he proffered a chip.
"That will be all," said the weak-chinned man, "For now."
The blue-garbed men nodded and left.
"This is not good."
The burner looked up from his terminal and regarded his superior.
"I've been officially summoned." He thought around this complication and reached a decision. "You will continue on this track. Find her."
"But..." protested the burner, "No! Not my job! I'm..."
"Do it! Find her and we'll find the others as a matter of course. I'll rejoin you as quickly as I am able but we must not let this trail cool. It holds the keys to more problems than the one we were given."
The burner thought to protest but the other man had already reached the door.
"Slib. I will." Then, after the door closed, "Nubb!"
***
Robin woke slowly. She ached in several places specifically and all over in general. She had fuzzy memories of a long trip and a man with an aid kit but the fine details escaped her. Something disturbed her, vaguely, but she couldn't recollect what. When the aches abated a little she opened her eyes.
She didn't recognize the room but she felt certain it didn't belong in a hospital. A hotel, perhaps, used to contain the overflow. She didn't know what overflow but the explanation felt reasonable. She yawned and her stomach growled at her. Thoughts of food diminished all her other aches to mere annoyances. She found a nice robe draped over a chair, donned it and left the room. The door led to a hallway with several other doors. None to the left opened so she headed the other way. She heard the vague murmur of conversation ahead of her and as she walked she began to smell food. She walked onward and into a nice dining room with a group of men talking. When she entered one of them turned to face her.
"Robin! My darling! It's wonderful to see you. I've missed you so."
Robin felt her jaw drop as numbness washed over her. It permeated her body, her mind and her soul. She tried to keep her legs under her but succeeded at only half-collapsing against the wall.
Claud Everett sat before her! He smiled as though greeting an old friend and terror replaced the numbness she felt. Stark, abject, absolute terror.
"I'm glad you're finally awake, my heart," said Everett, "We've so much to discuss. Oh." He gestured and three men approached her. "These are Donnel, Jack and Nels. I'm sure you'll make friends of them."
Robin felt the beginnings of paralysis as the first man, Donnel, reached for her. Not for nothing had Carl drilled her without mercy, though! Even as her mind gibbered Robin found her strength and lashed out. Her first kick lacked full force but his knee still crunched and buckled. He grunted and stumbled and Robin darted past him and toward the other two.
The second man, Jack, blocked her kick and moved in to attack. Robin took a punch in order to land one, blocked a second and snapped a kick at the last man. She fought hard and with all her heart and soul but her opponents were just too skilled. Robin ended up off-balance with both arms painfully locked as the first man, standing now, unrolled something and wrapped it around her neck.
Fire and agony pulsed through Robin's body as the nerve lash activated. The man deactivated it, pulled it tighter and activated again. Before long she collapsed to the floor.
Soft steps. Everett. A hand in her hair pulling her up.
"Robin, Robin." Disappointed. "You really mustn't do that, my darling. Donnel truly does enjoy causing pain. Much more so than receiving it."
Agony again washed through Robin. Then Donnel began pulsing the lash. Again, and again, and again. Unable to stop herself Robin screamed. She screamed and screamed until her throat was raw. When the induced pain finally stopped she saw Nels - and recognized him as the medic in the van - tending Donnel's knee. Jack helped her to the table and handed Everett the lash.
"There now." Smiling. "Won't you have some breakfast, my dear? We have so many things to discuss."
When Robin refused he held up the lash. When she still made no move he activated it. She bit down hard but didn't scream. Nor did she collapse when he finally released it.
"Oh my precious Robin," said Everett, "A surprise for me! How... wonderful."
He moved the setting up a notch. The pain was ten times worse. Robin's determination wavered and she started a whimper. Before she screamed Everett deactivated the lash. Then, when she caught her breath he switched it on again. The agony washed through her and again he stopped her just short of screaming.
After an eternity Everett stopped. Tears formed wet tracks down Robin's face. Obscenely, Everett kissed one away and dried the rest. Robin wanted with all her soul to vomit but she didn't have the contents for it.
"There you are, my heart," said Everett, pushing a plate toward her, "Now eat. I treasure every moment with you, darling, but I have other matters to attend as well. Eat."
She managed a few nibbles which satisfied him.
"She better be worth this, Everett," said Donnel coldly, "The last whore that hit me... Let's just say she begged on hands an knees for me to kill her. I finally did."
Robin put down her fork and pushed her plate away.
"Enough, Donnel," said Everett sharply, "She is worth that and more. Certainly more than your miserable self. Her beauty pales to nothing compared to her talent and skill. Do you recall Eileen?"
Donnel leered and nodded.
"Her talent was insignificant compared to Robin's." Everett faced Robin. "Tell me, my darling. Did you create Kelle Halley for me?"
Robin thought fast. "Who?" She tried to sound genuine.
Everett reached for the lash.
"Yes," said Robin, "Yes. I did."
"You see," asked Everett of a disbelieving Donnel, "She is truly amazing." Ice infused his voice. "And make no mistake. She is mine!" He smiled at her. "Until she disappoints me. Now come, my heart."
Robin walked in despair and misery. The little food in her stomach lay like leaden lumps. She tried to cheer herself that she could contact Carl and Robert but that seemed unlikely. At least not in the very near future. Everett led her to a door not unlike any of the others in the hallway. He opened it and led her inside. Two figures sat, bound and gagged, on a hard cot against the far wall. She didn't recognize the distinguished-looking man but the woman...
Lorna Gallaway stared at Robin. Her eyes widened but Robin shook her head microscopically. Everett removed Gallaway's gag.
"Now you behave yourself, Lorna," he said, "We'll talk now."
Everett moved to ungag the man but stopped himself.
"You know these people, dear Robin. Yes?"
Robin hesitated. "I've never seen them before."
Everett reached for the lash. Robin let her eyes widen but held her silence. Once again he took her just to the point of screaming before releasing it. She held her eyes wide and shook her head again. This time Everett let her scream several times before deactivating the lash. He pulled her to her feet.
"Interesting. I suppose that is settled." Here he smiled. "Since you don't know them they are of no use to me."
Everett drew a blaster and pointed it at the man. He tried to wriggle away, mewling past the gag, but Everett merely pulled the trigger. The man's body slammed back against the wall then slid bonelessly to the floor, minus the parts of his head that splashed the wall behind him.
Gallaway's jaws worked as Everett pointed the blaster at her. Her face turned ashen and her eyes widened. Everett centered the blaster on her forehead and increased the pressure on the trigger.
"Wait," screamed Robin, "Wait! I know her! I know her! Don't... D-don't..."
Everett held his position a moment longer before putting away the blaster. When he turned to face Robin his face held a sadness-tinged smile.
"I know you do, my heart. Do you not remember, my darling, what I said about lying to me?"
The pain hit before Robin could think to speak. He took her to screaming, stopped and set the lash even higher. She though
t she heard another voice but only pain filled her reality.
Robin took a desperate breath. Then realization. The pain had stopped. A strong hand lifted her into a chair. Her eyes focusing on Everett as he removed the lash.
"Still awake, dear Robin." He spoke with certainty. "Here is the key to Lorna's shackles. I'm certain the two of you have things to discuss. I'll give you until lunch. Afterward you will come to my computer room. Sadly, Eileen was prettier than she was talented. You know what I want, my heart, and you will deliver it to me." He turned to Gallaway. "Otherwise... Let us not dwell on that. I may lash you. I may lash her. I may kill her. I may just give her to Donnel for... amusement. Give me what I want and I shall allow you to visit her."
Robin nodded. Everett rose and left. She wasted no time in freeing Gallaway. Robin didn't want to touch the body on the floor but Gallaway took the thin sheet off the bed and gently draped it over him. She looked at Robin.
"I take it you really were i-jacked."
Robin swallowed hard. "I wish it was that simple." She looked down. "Who... Who was he?"
"Richmond Garry. He worked for me, occasionally. He was a good man." She spoke with difficulty. "He received a message you were offplanet."
Robin felt a heavy weight settle on her. "You came for me?"
"I thought you were either in grave trouble or in league with... with..."
Robin buried her face in her hands.
"Who is he," asked Gallaway.
Summoning strength she didn't know she had Robin began talking.
***
Micah and Ferrel relaxed over a well-earned meal. A delectable dessert put the perfect finish on an incredibly busy day. No less than eleven mis-routed deliveries arrived at their latest warehouse. Receiving them, vanishing them and covering trails afterward easily filled the entire day.
"Will they notice," asked Micah.
"Six-sigmas solid on the beam, my brother," exclaimed Ferrel, "We acquired information, money and merchandise and subsequently erased both the information we slirped and all traces of our own selves. I hope to tell you they will notice!"
"Slib, then," said Micah, ignoring Ferrel's bombast, "Make that when will they notice?" He signaled the waiter for another ale. "I strongly doubt we should try this technique soon, otherwise we may be the ones noticing things."
"Ahh. In my amazingly accurate opinion it will probably take them a few days to discover the extent of what we've done. During that time and for a bit afterward we should stay low and slow. On that I wholeheartedly concur."
Micah nodded. "Robin, then?"
"We are of one mind, my brother!"
***
"Sammi Taw?"
"Truth pure and pristine," said Ferrel, "I couldn't find a picture but the rest of the data is too ruddy accurate not to be her."
Micah reviewed Ferrel's findings: Samantha Taw, data and computer tech specialist, recent resident of Tolgos' Bridge, missing after the explosion there. Ferrel burned past the initial news reports to extract every particle of information available on one Samantha Taw.
"There is no way she could not know we'd know," said Micah, "So she obviously meant for us to find it."
Ferrel nodded.
"She knows we'd know." Micah ticked off points. "She planned on it. It stands to reason, then, that she wants us to try to find her."
"But why?" Ferrel ticked off points of his own. "Hypothesis: she is aware of what we're doing and she wants us to stop it." Another finger. "Hypothesis: her superiors are, at the very least, aware of our less recent exploits. Hypothesis: they want us and badly. Fact: we have managed to evade them quite adeptly. So far."
"Conclusion," finished Micah, "dangle a bait we'd love to take. Then, when we show up..."
"Unpleasant consequences," said Ferrel, "Pious question: ignore or go?"
Micah re-read the news reports. "They're still not sure what caused the explosions." He quieted and Ferrel didn't break it. "How fast can we get there? If they haven't found our latest rounds of chaos and we can beat their reinforcements then I say go."
Ferrel powered up his terminal and downloaded some travel schedules.
"We can be there by midday tomorrow," he said, "IF we leave now."
Micah pondered a moment.
"Let's go!"
***
Robin knocked on Gallaway's door and entered with her tray. Gallaway now occupied a room almost as luxurious as Robins courtesy of a pair of very hard-to-burn targets. Thanks to a third Everett also allowed Robin to take Gallaway her meals. Both of them now had brown hair, Everett's favorite, along with too-revealing clothes.
"Anything," asked Gallaway.
Robin shook her head. "Either he's got me on easies or I've gotten better." She mouthed the words 'No friends.'
Gallaway nodded and swallowed. "I'm sorry you have to do this." Then she mouthed 'Sloppy burn?'
"It's not that bad, really. At least he lets me work without constantly hovering over me." Then 'Tried it,' silently. Her involuntary flinch at the memory let Gallaway know the result of that.
"Bottomfeeding bastard!"
Robin grimaced and cut her eyes toward the suspected audio pickup.
"Well he is," said Gallaway around a mouthful of food, "I just wish I could help."
Robin forced a chuckle. "How fast can you learn how to burn sites?"
"Not fast enough." Gallaway worked on finishing her meal.
Robin took out a 'stick and handed Gallaway the pack.
"But maybe I can help," said Gallaway unexpectedly, "Let me tell you something about Richmond."
Robin winced and gave the other woman a hurt look. After that first evening they reached an agreement: Gallaway not to talk about him and Robin not to feel guilty about it. At least Gallaway kept her side of it.
"We didn't visit socially very often," continued Gallaway, "but when we did he usually gave me good advice. One of his favorites was 'Don't ignore the obvious.' He said he found over half the skips he was assigned by visiting their homes first."
"Please, Lorna. I feel..."
"Me too!" Then, lightly, "I wonder if my office has decided I'm not coming back soon."
Robin shrugged. "I hope the CA decided that about me."
"Didn't I tell you?" Gallaway looked genuinely puzzled. "They cold-sevened your case. They did a full disclosure on me and I filed counter-motions to suppress all related information. For you that was basically everything in your file. They granted it. That means they can't charge you with anything now, at least not related to your original arrest."
"Polar. But why?"
"I didn't ask and they didn't tell. The CA doesn't invite me to their Declaration Day parties. I think I beat them once too often."
"Good! They deserve it!"
Gallaway smiled and the door beeped.
"Feces," said Robin. She checked her chrono. "I guess it's time for me to leave."
Gallaway rose and gave her a hug. "Stay tough, Robin. We'll make it." Then, with a touch of mischief, "And if you're going to swear you need to learn how to do it right."
Donnel waited outside Gallaway's door. Apparently Everett had listened to their conversation and chose to show his displeasure. Donnel glowered and Robin glanced at his knee. His expression hardened and he gestured toward her door. Before Robin could enter her door Donnel leaned against it, blocking her.
"Y'know something, sluttie? I figured out your problem. You never had a real man. Maybe we oughta fix that."
"Maybeso," said Robin, "Let me know when you find one."
She spoke around a paralyzing fear but those paralyzed her less now. Donnel's face darkened and he hissed a short breath.
"Now get out of my way," said Robin.
He didn't move but when she brushed hard past him he didn't resist or strike back. Once inside the room she sagged against the wall and let the fear wash out of her. When her legs steadied she sat, lit a 'stick and had a good think.
The next morning Robin sat at her terminal, mind f
ocused on her plans. She had her favorite music browser playing and Everett's list of objectives for the day. Now she had several more of her own, though. After a few probes she put her objectives into good order. Before she began her burns she turned to her slow terminals and started some downloads. Nothing unusual there, Everett's logs would show her hitting her favorite warez sites.
Her first, second and third burns went well but the fourth heated up. She got most of what he wanted but she'd need to return later. No matter. She spiked her tunnels, killed the net software and jacked out of the net entirely, something she did occasionally.
This time she planned more. She knew that all of Everett's monitors centered on the netjack and hard-splices. He knew she couldn't burn hardware with the tools he allowed her and similarly that she would own everything inside the terminal and connections. Correct on both. Now, with time to wait until the traces from her last burn cooled, she slirped her downloads into her main terminal and started working.
Robin thought hard about what Gallaway said. At first she thought it a misguided attempt to cheer her, then she considered the words. Then what to do about them. With not too many minutes until Everett would appear for lunch Robin finished most of what she needed.
"Well, my dear," asked Everett.
Robin set aside a dessert as extravagant as the meal before it. She summarized what she did and gave details on the tricky parts.
"That is not the way I'd have done it, my heart" he said.
"Then you do it," she snapped, "J-just let Lorna and me go and do it however you want."
Everett shook his head, rose and moved behind her chair. Robin tensed, then flinched as he started tracing a scar. Amazingly, the first time he did that she had to remember to jerk away.
"Darling Robin," he said from far too close, "You know that will never happen." Another scar. "The only way you'll leave me is dead."
Of course she suspected it, distantly, but to actually hear it sent a wash of despair through her. She tried hard not to show it.
"Dear, darling Robin," he said softly, intimately, "That is not the tragedy you think, my dove." He moved his hands down to her shoulders. "The old Robin is dead. I can offer you things she never would or could have dreamed." Then, barely a whisper, "Think on that."
