by Dennis Young
Talice smiled at his low-key enthusiasm. “You’re really getting into this. Okay, who?”
Jian drained his glass before answering. “Ollie, for certain. Maybe Dosu, but I don’t know him that well, except that he’s about as reliable as anyone I can think of. Not Niky, of course.”
“And Briggs is too old for you, and if Rory gets a new leg, that’s a year out of the loop.”
Jian nodded. “And we’re starting to look at Marines who are thinking about not re-upping.”
“And you’re comfortable with Tooley? He’s still pretty green, in merc terms.”
“But he’s got his uncle on the line for funding.”
Talice nearly laughed. “You’ve found that out, huh? I’m impressed.”
“Well, one thing I’ve learned from you, Captain, is always be thorough in your intel.”
“Jian… it’s Talice. Until we’re actually on a mission, this is you and me as people.”
He shrugged. “Hard to get used to, but if you insist.”
“Okay, what else?”
Jian hesitated, then took her hand. “I wondered if you’d like to go skiing for a few days, up north.”
Talice gave him a crooked smile. “I’m not a skier, but sitting by a fire with my feet up and a drink in my hand sounds interesting. What else did you have in mind?”
Voices rose at the front of the restaurant.
“What the…?” Talice shushed Jian as he started to speak.
Sounds from the bar. The barista upped the volume on the overhead vid.
“… not certain as to the exact circumstances, however, initial reports indicate a shooting at the Proper Name, a high-end nightspot near the Parliament Building. Emergency units are on the scene, and there is unofficial word of at least one fatality…”
Talice glanced at the door. No one coming in, everyone paying attention to the vid, nothing suspicious, but… damn. This type of thing hasn’t happened in years.
“Do you know that place?” asked Jian.
“Never been there, but it’s only about three blocks from here.” Talice slid out of the booth. “Pay the bill, I gotta check on something.” She ducked into the ladies’ room and typed out on her wristcom. Mac, see the news? Any chance someone we know? Talice.
The reply came back in a few seconds. Watching now. Yes, sounds about right. Don’t do something stupid. Mac.
Fuck. She exited and grabbed Jian’s hand, then headed for the door. “Let’s see if we can help.” And my alarm bells are going off like it’s Founding Day.
Jian took her aside and paused. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Yes, and I hope I’m wrong. Why the hell would Jance pull such a stunt? So there’s no time to lose.”
They ran south, passing pedestrians going the other way, some with fear etched on their faces, running as well.
* * *
They were stopped a block from the nightclub by a police cordon and told nothing other than “it’s an ongoing operation”. Talice scanned the sparse crowd, watched flashing emergency lights, and looked on with Jian as three gurneys were wheeled into waiting medivacs. One of the victims was screaming, another crying. The third Talice could hear asking an attendant to not tell her husband she had been there. Talice could only grimace at the thought of a cheating spouse. Yet here I am, sleeping with two men.
A fourth gurney followed, this one with a body bag.
“One dead,” she whispered, shoulder to shoulder with Jian. He nodded, eyes watching all around.
Her wristcom buzzed. Unofficial word is a councilman was killed. No name yet. Mac.
You’ve gotta be fucking kidding. Talice took Jian’s arm. “Let’s go find a coffee shop.”
She almost dragged him across the street to a place she’d passed by many times, but never stopped in. It was empty except for the staff, and they took a table at the back. Talice showed her wristcom messages to him.
Jian raised an eyebrow. “Coincidence?”
Talice’s lips drew a taut line. “Not likely. We know Jance was in the company of one of the councilmen that caused the reason for our mission.”
“So she took him to a nightclub to kill him?”
Talice thought about it. “Jance always liked the theatrical. You saw what she did to Babs on Crius. And she was deep into Nemesis before that.”
“Briggs and Rory told me. Therefore…”
Talice nodded after a minute. “Yeah, she’ll go after the other councilor next. She’s convinced these guys were somehow involved in the sex stuff on Crius.”
“This is just… weird. She’s playing both sides against the middle.”
“Jance plays this for the thrill,” replied Talice. “And for the most part, she’s good enough to avoid real criminal activity. But this is just murder.”
“And we’re assuming it’s her, right?”
“Well, if not, there’s a new player.”
Jian thought about it. “Is it possible she’s trying to draw you out?”
Talice gave him a long look before she spoke. “How do you know about that?”
Jian looked away, then back. “Mac gave me a heads-up.”
“And that’s why you asked me out? To keep an eye on me?” Talice frowned. “I don’t need a bodyguard, Jian. And I’m a little disappointed you think I do.”
He shook his head emphatically. “I asked you out because I wanted to talk about the team. And yes, I was worried. Mac is, too.”
Talice was quiet, not answering. She typed out a message. Meet me at the TWN building at 0800 tomorrow morning. Talice.
The reply came back quickly. What, we’re going on the web? What the hell? Mac.
Talice typed again. TWN is the network Jance is using for her little stunt. My guess is, they have no idea what they’re getting into. Talice.
Ding. We discussed this. You told me you didn’t sign up for it. Mac.
Talice sighed, typed again, with Jian watching over her shoulder. You know Jance. She just might kill them all because she’s not getting her way. Talice.
Another message chimed. Point taken. See you there. Mac.
“Wow.” Jian sat, watching Talice’s face. “What now?”
Talice rose. “Now I go home and try to get some sleep. Odds are not in favor.”
“Want some company?”
“Jian, I—”
“I mean, just for… company.”
No, because we both know what will happen. Talice shook her head. “Thanks, but I need to think this through. You be on standby in the morning, first thing. And…”
Jian waited.
“I just realized, all our gear is still at Northland Base. Good. That simplifies things.”
“How about if Tooley and I go there and get things in order. No one has even cleaned up our HCSs, I’ll bet.”
“Good thinking. Mac and I will join you there later tomorrow. I’ll tell her to pull the team in, no questions.” She gave him a quick kiss. “Thanks for everything tonight. I mean that.”
They walked out the door together. “See you soon,” he said, then headed east.
And that gives me a chance to talk to Fawkes tomorrow, too. Some things need to be cleared up, and I’d better do them now. I may not have a chance once this craziness gets rolling.
* * *
TWN Building, Anchor Prime…
Talice’s sleep pattern consisted of short naps interrupted by thoughts boiling up and waking her every hour or so. Her alarm sounded at 0600, and she stumbled her way into the bathroom, managed to turn the shower on, then sat, forcing herself to wake. By 0730 Hours she was on the metrolink enroute to the center city, dressed in business casual and mostly alert. Three cups of tea had helped.
She’d thought about camis. And a sidearm. Finally, her better judgement won out.
Mac met her in the lobby and steered her to a quiet corner. “I checked on this TWN. They’re dirty.”
“As in…?”
“They started out a few years ago with this ‘real life’
programming. Daredevil, extreme sports, that sort of thing. Now they do stuff in the Outback and jungles, hunters and such. They’ve filmed serious encounters with wildlife and a couple of near-fatalities. Nothing illegal, but the Theian Comm Commission has fined them pretty heavily a couple of times.”
“Vicarious living.” Talice shook her head in disgust. “People don’t have the guts to do things themselves, so they watch you and me get killed. Fuck ‘em. Maybe this is a chance to beat them at their own game.”
Mac considered. “Then we play hardball, Princess. It’s how they think.”
Talice nodded as she commtexted Emil Lucas. She received a reply to “come on up” to TWN’s main office. He met them at the front desk. Talice introduced Mac as her “agent-slash-advisor”, which Lucas accepted without comment.
A quick tour through the facilities was followed by an offer of refreshments in the main conference room. Talice and Mac sat close together, waiting for whoever might appear. Talice hoped it wouldn’t be Jance in the flesh. Things might get interesting if it was.
Lucas returned with three well-dressed associates, introduced as Ms. Admeyer, Network Manager, Mr. Brochman, Programming and Content, and Ms. Tomlinsen, Legal. All three sat opposite Talice and Mac, and Emil Lucas to one side.
Lucas slid a copy of the NDA across to Talice. “First things first. Everything discussed here is confidential. For that, we need your signature. And that of Ms. Macauley.”
Talice gave the document a cursory glance. Mac ignored it. “I want to know what you know about this ‘mutual acquaintance’ first. I’m not about to enter any agreement without knowing who I’m dealing with.”
“The NDA is for everyone’s protection,” said Tomlinsen smoothly.
“But this other person knows who Talice is, and has apparently contacted you with very specific information, based, at least in part, with that knowledge. Why can’t we know their identity?” asked Mac.
Talice nodded. “You’re asking me to sign something without any understanding of what it is you’re saying I must sign. In the Marines, we call that an ‘untenable position’.”
“You’re a Marine?” asked Tomlinsen.
“Former. Retired several years ago at the rank of Captain. Mac was Master Sergeant.”
“You’re awfully young to be a retiree,” said Brochman. “No offense.”
Talice smiled. “None taken.”
The room was quiet for a passing moment as the TWN people traded glances. Finally, Tomlinsen spoke. “Very well. This person’s name is Jance Sukano. She was also a Marine, I’ve been told. She is offering a paid combat demonstration, you and her, at a location to be determined by mutual agreement. That’s about all I can say.”
“Except what the payoff is,” replied Mac.
Tomlinsen looked to Brochman, who shrugged. Then to Admeyer, who nodded at the last. “She’s right. The NDA is really meaningless until we get to the nuts and bolts.”
Brochman spoke. “The deal is a vid-and-web program, sold on ViewerPay. Winner gets half the take, the network the other half, and all rebroadcast rights. Winner gets ten percent of any rebroadcasts.”
“What about the loser?” asked Mac. “You said a demonstration.”
“Loser gets nothing.” Brochman pursed his lips. “That’s the only way Ms. Sukano would make the deal.”
“Did she tell you why?” Talice grimaced. “Define the parameters of this ‘demonstration’, please.”
“Tomlinsen shook her head. “That’s covered in the NDA for sure. No details.”
Mac gave Talice a look. “Sneaky, isn’t she?”
Talice nodded, then looked to Tomlinsen again. “Would you like me to tell you what’s really going on?”
“If you have information about this agreement, I’d like to know where you got it,” said Admeyer, before Tomlinsen could answer.
“I got it from Jance Sukano, first hand. I know Jance. You might say I know her intimately, but not in the sexual sense. We served together, and she was under my command for a short time. She and I have had more than one… encounter.”
“This would void the agreement,” said Tomlinsen, looking quickly to Admeyer, who only shook her head.
“I don’t think there’s any stipulation that says the participants can’t discuss the agreement between themselves,” said the Network Manager.
“But she… Ms. Wyloh hasn’t agreed to anything,” countered Tomlinsen. “A clear breach of contract by Ms. Sukano.”
Talice grinned at Mac.
Admeyer looked at Talice. “You understand the situation you’ve put us in?”
Talice started to speak as Mac held up a hand. “We’ve done nothing. We’ve only now become aware of an agreement between your network and Ms. Sukano. Talice is absent of malice.”
“This is bullshit,” said Brochman. “Do you have any idea how much we’ve already invested in this? We can’t get hung up on legalities that technically may not even exist!”
“Would you like to know what your real problem is?” asked Talice, nearly laughing.
“Please, enlighten us,” said Tomlinsen, icily. Whatever air of cordiality had been in the room was quickly dissipating.
“This isn’t a demonstration. This is a real combat situation. Jance Sukano wants to kill me. As in dead. For real.”
The room was quiet again. Finally, Admeyer hissed, “That’s absurd.”
“Not to mention illegal,” replied Mac. “Jance Sukano is a criminal, wanted by the Theian Marines, and whatever local authorities are on the planets Crius and Eos in the sectors where Marine combat operations eliminated a terrorist group called Nemesis. Ever heard of them?”
“…What???” Tomlinsen glanced at Lucas, who was beginning to squirm in his chair.
“Didn’t you even check out who she is?” Mac made serious eye contact with all three of the higher-ups. Then she looked at Lucas. “She offered you a deal, and you jumped on it?” Her eyes returned to Tomlinsen. “You’re a lawyer? Really?”
“Further,” said Talice, “it was my team of former-military professionals who rescued about three dozen women from sex-trafficking on Crius a year ago, while operating in conjunction with the Marines. Maybe you heard about that.”
“So you’re a mercenary now?” Tomlinsen’s face was incredulous. “What the hell does that make Jance Sukano?”
“A damned clever and resourceful merc herself,” said Mac. “Who’s just played your network like a… what did they call those things?”
“Fiddle,” said Admeyer. “We’ve been played like the proverbial fiddle.”
Talice nodded knowingly. “And I’ll bet there’s a clause in the contract that says Jance gets something, even if I don’t agree to it, right?”
“Penalty clause.” Tomlinsen nodded reluctantly. “Fuck.”
Talice and Mac both laughed.
“You don’t know who you’re dealing with, do you?” Talice was still chuckling. “Do you realize you’ll have the Marines on your butts, not to mention a thousand lawsuits.”
The room grew quiet again. All eyes eventually went to Emil Lucas.
“I… didn’t know,” he squeaked.
“You brought this to me…” Brochman stopped talking with a glance from Tomlinsen.
“We’ll deal with internal matters later,” said Admeyer.
I’ll bet you will, Talice thought. Jance’s little friend Emil will be headed for the unemployment office soon, would be my guess.
Mac looked across the table to Admeyer. “What now? What are your estimates on viewership? The winner’s half comes off the top, right?”
Admeyer paused. “Well, we have expenses—”
Mac interrupted. “Based on Mr. Brochman’s comment, you could expense this to the point nothing’s left. Which I’ve seen done, by the way. Funny how that works.”
“What are you saying?” asked Admeyer.
“You know exactly what I’m saying. What’s in the contract? Numbers, please.”
“Not u
nless you sign the NDA,” replied Admeyer.
“But the NDA isn’t an agreement to the contract, right?” asked Talice.
“No, it only protects this meeting discussion. Besides, you know just about everything in it now,” said Tomlinsen. “So what difference does it make?”
Talice looked to Mac, who nodded, took the document in hand, read it over quickly, then applied her thumbprint to the icon at the top.
“Formal written signature, too, please,” said Tomlinsen.
Talice took an offered pen and scrawled her name at the bottom of the NDA, then passed it to Mac, and back to Lucas. “Two copies, please.”
Lucas headed out the door to obtain said copies. The parties sat in silence for the few minutes it took. Lucas reentered the conference room and handed Talice her copies. Then sat.
“Emil, excuse us for a moment, please,” said Admeyer. Her tone left no room for discussion.
Lucas rose once more, and nearly slinked out the door.
Admeyer met Talice’s gaze. “What the hell am I supposed to do with him? Or this?” She held up the NDA.
“Grace, please,” said Tomlinsen.
“We entered into a multi-million creditmark contract with a criminal?” Admeyer shot a look at Tomlinsen, then Brochman. “And neither of you thought to check this out?”
“We did a standard background analysis. Apparently not deep enough, though,” replied Tomlinsen.
Talice held a hand for calm. “Look… I know what Jance wants. And I’m beginning to understand why. If there are enough waivers signed, and it’s conducted someplace where no one else can get hurt… I might agree.”
“Talice…” Mac laid a hand on Talice’s arm.
“Mac, we’ve got to do something, or what happened last night might be just the beginning.”
“That attack at the nightclub? That was Jance Sukano?” Admeyer paled.
“We don’t know that,” said Mac, quickly. “It’s under investigation by the locals. Nothing has been determined, but we know Jance and some of her associations.”
“You people are too fucking dangerous to be let out,” said Tomlinsen.
Talice chuckled. “You have no idea.”
“I… don’t know if we want any part of this.” Admeyer sat back, obviously shaken. “I don’t care how many responsibility waivers or agreements are signed, somewhere along the line, this looks like murder. Or suicide.”
