Fugitives, p.25
Fugitives, page 25
part #9 of Steven Gordon Series
Sonya was stunned, ‘How do you know that? No one knows that!’
‘It is written all over your face. It isn’t exactly a new story either, is it?’
‘No, I don’t suppose it is.’
‘Did you ever get to kill any of them?’
‘No.’
‘Alright, this is how it’s going to go down. If you so much as lie to me once, I will know and this pow wow is over. That was just a little demonstration of my abilities. Am I being understood?’
They both nodded. ‘You obviously aren’t here to kill me, so what is it you want?’
‘A job.’ Sabrina supplied.
A broad smile slowly spread across his face. ‘You mean you have nowhere to go, nowhere to run too that you would be safe.’
‘The only place we have a chance of being safe is across that barrier. So, we are prepared to offer our services.’
‘Regardless of what form that might take.’ Sonya added.
‘Well I have seen you both near naked, and I have to say I was impressed. However, that will not be happening. I only sleep with women that like me, neither would I fancy having my throat slit while I slept. I am guessing you have both done that before. If you worked for me it would be in a professional capacity. Right now, I need a pilot and navigator. Do either of you have any experience?’
They were both stunned, but neither were fooled.
Sonya half raised a hand, ‘I have a pilot’s licence, and I can navigate.’
‘So do I.’
‘Are either of you Federation accredited?’
It annoyed Sonya, ‘Obviously not.’
‘Nothing is that obvious. You sneaky bastards have a tendency to get around.’
Sabrina suddenly couldn’t hold her curiosity back any longer.
‘Why were they trying to kill you?’
‘It is a long story.’ He stood, ‘Come with me.’
They followed him to the armoury where he took a nine millimetre and a clip of ammunition. He then led them down to the hold, loaded the weapon, and handed it to Sabrina.
He opened his shirt, ‘Shoot me in the chest. Just the chest.’
She wasn’t sure what to do. At first they both thought that he was going to kill them, and the turn of events was unexpected. She looked to Sonya who shrugged, ‘Shoot him.’
She snapped off half the clip in rapid succession, right into his heart. He didn’t move so much as an inch. He was still standing.
‘Are these real rounds?’ She slipped the clip out and checked them. The empty casings were on the floor.
‘Give the weapon to your friend.’ She handed it over. ‘You shoot me in the chest, just the chest.’
She snapped off almost all of the rounds into his chest. Charlie caught the thought as it snapped through her mind and her eyes dropped. The next round missed, and Sonya found herself lifted high into the air by the back of her neck. She screamed in agony.
‘Did I, or did I not, say the chest?’
‘Yes, I’m sorry.’
He dropped her like a stone. ‘Don’t make that mistake again.’
He recovered the weapon and made it safe. ‘Follow me.’
He took them back up the stairs and put the kettle on. He turned; Sabrina had helped Sonya back up the stairs. She was rubbing her neck.
He walked over, ‘Show me some skin.’
Her fear was genuine, and she immediately began to unbutton her blouse.
‘Jesus Christ! Just your neck where it hurts.’
‘Oh!’
She exposed her neck and bent down. Charlie could easily see the bruises begin to form. He placed his fingers over the marks for almost thirty seconds.
‘I just injected some nanites onto your skin. They will repair the damage. No rubbing, do you understand that?’
‘What did she do? Sabrina asked.
Charlie ignored the question. ‘Tea or coffee?’
‘Tea please.’ Sabrina answered. ‘Milk one sugar.’
‘Coffee please. Black but sweet.’
Charlie made the drinks and carried them back to the bridge. They followed. He put a cup down at the other two seats on the bridge and sat back in his own chair with his feet up.
‘Take a seat ladies. I suppose you are wondering what all that was about.’ He plucked some spent rounds from his shirt and tossed them one each. They both inspected the flattened rounds. He quickly told them about the Jamaican warehouse incident, and how he had been tortured. He was surprised by how shocked they were.
‘Only about one percent of my body is original, and guess what bit?’
Sonya almost choked. ‘You mean the bit I was about to shoot off?’
‘That would be it.’
Sabrina suddenly caught on and began to laugh. Sonya joined her.
‘It isn’t funny you know.’
That made them laugh all the louder. ‘I am so sorry.’ Sonya spluttered. ‘I promise I will never do anything like that again.’
‘I bloody hope no.’
When the hilarity subsided, Sonya summed it all up for them.
‘So that is why you hate the intelligence agencies with a passion.’
‘Wouldn’t you?’
‘I believe I would. I am sorry, but I have no idea who gave the orders. I will presume that whoever it is was responsible for the Jamaican warehouse incident, and your torture.’
‘I am the only witness. I don’t understand why he keeps trying to kill me though. The only two people I saw are already dead.’
‘In the espionage game, association can be enough. I would presume he has already covered his tracks.’
‘A very long time ago.’
‘Then you are still the nearest thing to a witness. I am sorry for what happened to you.’
‘It wasn’t your fault.’
‘There is no longer any pain.’
Charlie stood and moved over to her. She leaned forward and he placed his hands on her neck again. It took almost a minute for him to retrieve all the nanites.
‘Feel better now?’
‘Yes. You are frighteningly strong.’
‘Now you know why.’
‘Yes. I have to presume this is all a closely guarded secret.’
‘That’s right.’
‘Which means one of two things. You are either trusting us or you are going to kill us. It is obvious that neither of us would stand a chance against you. Have you killed before?’
‘A lot more people than either of you have. I was responsible for the deaths of millions on the Albany home world. It was my plan that succeeded in bringing forth its destruction.’
‘Woah! That was you!’
‘A lot of people don’t know that. A lot of people know nothing about me, and that’s the way I like it.’
‘You like to work in the background.’
‘That is exactly right. How much do you ladies get paid?’
‘About thirty grand a year,’ Sonya shrugged.
Charlie drank more of his coffee before saying anything else. They both now seemed a little star struck.
‘I have a proposition for both of you; want to hear it?’
‘Yes please.’
‘I will employ both of you. You will act as my personal guard at all times when you are with me. You will both go back to school and learn navigation and become accredited Federation pilots. This ship and any home I have shall become your home. You will become my companions, and I don’t mean that in a sexual way. You will, however, tell other people differently and will be responsible for keeping other females off my back. I will decide who gets to know the truth. That means you clear it with me before speaking to anyone.’ He shook his head, ‘In fact, just let people assume. If you’re asked, just smile in that way women do. Understood?’
They were both smiling. It was Sabrina who made the obvious comment. ‘I’m sorry, but you aren’t really that attractive,’
‘I wasn’t talking about Human females. I can handle them myself.’
‘Oh! You mean like that princess?’
‘Just like her. You ladies are in for a bit of a shock once we cross that barrier. I will pay you a hundred thousand a year. With that comes your total loyalty. If you are contacted in any way I will find out. You had better tell me first. If you don’t, I will kill you. Am I making myself very clear?’
‘Yes.’ They both reassured him in a more sober frame of mind.
‘If you wish to leave at any point, then you will be free to do so, but I want a three-year guarantee from you first. I will take your word.’
Sabrina put down her tea and walked over and offered her hand.
‘It is a promise. You have my word that I will work for a term of three years and keep secret anything I find out in those three years. I will never reveal anything to anyone.’
Sonya appeared at her shoulder and offered her hand. ‘I too make the same pledge.’
He shook hands with them.
‘Now, I do have some special people in my life. One in particular is going to freak out when he learns that you are assassins. His name is Darrick and he is the Modloch Emperor. You will always be polite to him; you will always bow. He is far more frightening than I am, believe me. He will test your loyalty to me at some stage. Providing you are loyal to me, he won’t kill you.’ Charlie stood, ‘Let’s get another cuppa and I will fill you in on everything else you will need to know. The rest of my companions arrive in a few days. You will have a few weeks to get acquainted with them.’
Chapter 55
Sabrina was already texting before the two men made it halfway across the floor. They slid into the booth beside them. Both were good-looking, strong men who had caught the eyes of more than one female as they passed. Sabrina and Sylvia both shoved themselves right to the back of the open-air booth and went on the defensive.
‘No further.’ Sonya snarled.
The men paused on the edge of the seats. The darker haired of the two spoke for both.
‘They want you home.’
‘You are too late.’
‘We can bring you back from here without breaking a sweat. You have no choice in the matter. We were impressed that you both used your own passports. Why did you do that? Are you both insane? Have you contacted your own families yet?’
‘Don’t have a family, so fuck off. You won’t be able to take us anywhere either. We don’t work for you anymore.’
He barked a laugh, ‘Who do you work for?’
‘Me.’
Before they could react, Charlie grabbed them by the back of the necks and squeezed. There were two gut wrenching cracks and the men went limp.
‘They both have something in their right hands. What is it?’
Both women slid across their seats, and prised free the objects. They placed them on the table.
Sabrina rolled the small cylinder, ‘Hypodermic vials. They can deliver anything from a sedative to a poison.’ She began to unscrew the top and a liquid vial slid out. There was small print on it, but the top was coded red. It was all they needed to see.
‘Poison. You just saved our lives.’
Charlie stepped away for a few minutes and talked into a radio. It didn’t take long for the emergency services on the station and the security officer to arrive. The bodies and the vials were taken away. Charlie also left but told them he would be back soon.
In Sabrina’s mind, Sonya watched the back of the retreating man for a little too long. When Sonya looked back, Sabrina had a small smile on her lips.
‘What?’
Sabrina shrugged, ‘Do you like him?’
‘He terrifies me. Didn’t you just see that? It was what he almost did to me. He isn’t Human.’
‘I think we are both safe for the moment. We both have a new bank account, and a hundred grand in it.’
‘Why did he pay us in advance?’
‘I did ask, he said it was because we could be gone for more than a year and we have to get anything we need now.’
‘Makes sense I suppose. Still, as you British would say, what does he need a bloody bodyguard for?’
‘Ask him.’
‘You ask him. I don’t think he likes me.’
‘You almost shot his dick off.’
‘How did he know?’
‘I knew, I was watching you as you looked down. It was obvious to me what you were going to do.’
‘Do you think he will let us go after the three years are up?’
‘I do. He is the type that keeps his word.’
‘You aren’t frightened by him at all?’
‘I am petrified. I feel as though I have landed in a lion’s cage and he simply isn’t hungry yet. We are the epitome of everything he hates most in the world. We even tried to kill him. Yet here we are, outside the lunar Burger King sucking on a coke, alive, well, and with a good paying job.’
‘I can’t believe they did that to him for nothing more than the sheer pleasure of it.’
Sabrina sucked up the last dregs of her coke. ‘That was beyond brutal. How is he still sane? We were never briefed about anything like this.’
‘They obviously don’t know.’
‘He has kept this secret well. It is little wonder they have never got the better of him yet.’ Sabrina grinned, ‘Would you do him if he asks?’
‘I would do you with a strap-on while he did me, if he asks.’
They both managed to laugh. Sabrina pointed with her small finger. ‘Make sure you don’t buy one before you leave.’
‘Nor you.’
Charlie reappeared and disappeared into the restaurant. He came out not long after with a burger and sat next to Sonya. He pushed two refills across to the women. Sonya flinched away. Charlie caught the movement and turned his head to look at her. She felt her terror rise.
‘Calm down.’
She managed a weak smile, ‘I’ll try.’
Sabrina was also feeling uncomfortable. ‘How did it go?’
‘The security staff here are top notch. They will deal with it and add the vial to their security checks. Anyone boarding a shuttle with anything like that again will be immediately arrested.’
‘They can do that?’
‘Aye.’
‘That’s a big burger.’
‘Aberdeen Angus, my favourite.’
They let him eat in peace for a while. Their fear and stress levels were coming back down. Charlie pushed away the fries and sucked on the coke.
‘You two need to learn to relax a little more around me. I’m not going to hurt either one of you, in any way.’
Sabrina pushed her coke away. ‘It may take us a while to learn to trust you. We just had a demonstration of exactly how powerful you are. That was a demonstration for our benefit, wasn’t it?’
‘They were about to inject you with those vials. You are now both my employees. It is my job to protect you.’
‘I thought it was our job to protect you.’
‘Aye, from young Modloch females, and any other bloody female that comes along.’
‘You were serious about that?’
‘Damn right I was.’
‘Oh!’
‘Ah! You thought I needed real bodyguards.’
‘To be honest, yes.’
Charlie simply shrugged, ‘If you see I am in danger, then of course yes, we will protect one another. I would expect that from both of you.’
Sonya put her cup down. ‘Look Charlie. We know we are now completely in your power. We know you hate us. We will do whatever is required to survive. Even kinky sex shit if that’s what it takes, just don’t torture us or hurt us, or kill us.’
Charlie smiled, ‘That’s probably the best offer I have ever had in my life, but I’m just not interested.’
‘Are you gay?’
‘Not even slightly. I love women, a lot, and I mean a lot. I have already mentioned this once though: it wouldn’t matter how attractive I think both of you are, I never sleep with woman who aren’t attracted to me.’
Sonya flicked a hand, ‘I don’t get it, sex is sex.’
‘Have you ever been with someone you really liked?’
‘No, not really.’
‘But you aren’t attracted to women are you?’
‘No, I am not.’
‘So, some day you still hope that special someone comes along.’
‘I don’t know, I’m not really sure.’
‘You must have once?’
‘Yes of course.’
‘Did you in your imagination believe it would be better, even nice.’
‘I did feel that way.’
‘It would have been as well. To me, to my mind, for sex with a woman to be good, she has to be attracted to you. It might sound very strange coming from a man, but it is important to me. I like to enjoy sex and it is a hundred times better if your partner is enjoying it too.’
‘I suppose it makes sense, but it has never been my experience with sex.’
‘Well you aren’t a spy anymore. There are lots of men across the barrier. Feel free to pursue any romantic interests you have.’
‘You wouldn’t mind?’
‘Why would I?’
‘We belong to you now.’
‘No, you work for me, you belong to yourselves. Work it out for yourselves, welcome to your new life.’
He got up from the table and left them to it. Sonya looked over.
‘I am still frightened.’
‘I feel a little lost, maybe frightened too. How do you fancy going and blowing some of our not so hard-earned cash?’
‘I think that is a good idea.’
Chapter 56
Komoru did not look happy. Charlie was in her private quarters sitting across from her on a comfortable couch. A crossed leg swung idly with irritation. He took a sip of the tea he had been offered, waiting for the broadside. The leg stopped.
‘You are telling me that you have hired the two women who tried to kill you? The snipers?’
‘That’s about it, aye.’
‘Why! Please, please, please explain to me what goes on in that big fat head of yours.’
‘Wow! You really are learning to talk like a westerner.’
‘Oh Charlie, help me here!’
‘It seemed like a good idea at the time and still does. They came looking for me.’
