Children of Junk (Rogue Star Book 3) Page 3

  The war bot’s eyes flashed from red to green when it recognized Marcus’s voice. Iaka flipped the light switch, revealing Gruesome in all his frightening glory. Marcus grinned at the robot. Shinny, black enamel covered Gruesome from top to bottom, protrusions as sharp as knives covered its shoulders, shins, and forearms. The war bot made his old load handler look as harmless as a puppy.

  The cargo door clanked shut. “If you’re done ogling that robot we’ve got work to do.”

  Marcus patted Gruesome’s leg and led the way to the cockpit. The hold was empty of cargo and his footsteps echoed in the hollow space. It seemed wrong not to have something in the hold. The door slid open without a sound as they approached the corridor. He glanced back at Iaka and nodded toward the doorway.

  She smiled and shook her head. “So you’ve got one door that doesn’t squeak, screech, or clank, congratulations.”

  “Thanks.” They passed the doors to the galley and living quarters then climbed the short flight of steps up to the cockpit. The cockpit door hissed as it slid open prompting a shrug from Marcus. One door out of three wasn’t so bad.

  He stepped into the cockpit and sighed, home again. The scent of leather and oil washed over him as he sat in the pilot’s chair, settling into the familiar dents, forged from years of sitting. Iaka sat beside him in Solomon’s chair. It felt a little strange looking to his right and seeing her there. Marcus clenched his jaw and fired up the comm unit. He’d get Solomon back, one way or another.

  * * *

  “This is a surprise, Marcus.” Vlad’s familiar face with its white hair, deep wrinkles, piercing blue eyes, and ever present cigarette filled the monitor. “I didn’t expect to hear from you until you finished your vacation.”

  “I am finished with my vacation, though not by choice.” Marcus filled him in on Solomon’s kidnapping. “I thought you might know who I should talk to. I’m sending you some images captured on the hotel security cameras. There’s not much to go on, but I thought you might recognize something I missed.”

  Vlad frowned, took out his cigarette and flicked off the ashes. “I don’t recognize them or the gear. Everything looks pretty generic. There’s only one person out there that can help you, though if she’s involved it’ll be risky.”

  “They’ve got Solomon and I’ve got nothing to go on. If your contact can help I’ll take my chances. Who is it?”

  “Her name’s Madam Margret. She runs a strip club slash whore house called the Hungry Kitty. Perfectly legal and above board. She also runs all the illegal and legitimate business on the planet for the Nine Dragons. She’s a powerful woman, Marcus. Best mind your manners.”

  “When have I ever been less than a gentleman? I didn’t think the dragons cooperated on joint ventures, much less all nine clans together.”

  “They don’t.” Vlad stubbed out his cigarette and lit another. “Pleasure Planet 4 is a special case. They set it up as a safe haven. Somewhere the clans can get together to relax and discuss business. They’ve all sworn to keep the peace and you know how they are about keeping their word.”

  Marcus licked his lips as he thought. “If this is a safe place for them the last thing they’d want is to draw attention. Seems like whoever grabbed Solomon must have done it without their permission. They might appreciate me dealing with them.”

  Vlad nodded. “That occurred to me as well. It’s the main reason I’m sending you to Madam Margret. When you get to the club ask for her and tell the security team the Silver Fox sent you.”

  Marcus raised an eyebrow. “The Silver Fox?”

  “What can I tell you, it’s the nick name they gave me when I made peace with the Black Dragons. Good luck, my boy. If I can do anything else just ask.”

  “Thanks old man.” Marcus disconnected. Well, he had somewhere to start now. If he had to search, a strip club wasn’t the worst place to go. He turned to Iaka. “Did you find anything?”

  “Not much.” She looked up from the monitor. “Far as I can tell she is who she claims to be. Maybe she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  Marcus shook his head. He didn’t trust coincidences, but it was possible. A quick search turned up the address of the Hungry Kitty, the club was in the next resort east, about three hundred miles. He searched for a landing field and found one on the outskirts of the resort, nothing elaborate like the spaceport, just a small facility that catered to people with their own ships.

  Two minutes into his preflight check his comm beeped. He tapped the flashing red light on the console. “Officer Smith, I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”

  “Please, call me John. I wanted to tell you my men found nothing unusual at Mrs. Smart’s hotel. She made no calls with the hotel comm and the staff says she was a model guest, never gave them a bit of trouble and no visitors. I hope you’re having better luck.”

  “Too soon to say, but were heading East to check out a lead. I’ll touch base tomorrow if it pans out.” Marcus disconnected and resumed his preflight check. Maybe Iaka was right and the girl was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but then why take her at all?

  * * *

  “You know I’m coming with you, right?” Iaka stood, hands on hips, staring at Marcus while he disconnected the straps that held his hoverbike in place at the rear of the hold. “There’s no way you’re going to a strip club on your own.”

  Pained, Marcus looked up at her. “You don’t trust me?”

  “To not cheat on me, yes. To keep your temper under control and not get yourself killed if they don’t tell you what you want to know, not so much.”

  Marcus worked the last strap free and powered up the bike. If he remembered right she was the one that punched the director in the face the first time they met and she worried about his temper? At least she trusted him not fool around on her, not that he could imagine a woman beautiful enough to tempt him. “I appreciate your concern, but I’ve been dealing with people like this since I was a teenager. I grew up around crooks, remember.”

  Iaka frowned. “These people are dangerous and you don’t take them seriously enough.”

  He stood up and took her hands. He loved that she worried. “I take them very seriously. One person is less of a threat than two, plus if they know Vlad then they know a little about me. I’m from their world, even if I’m out of it now. You, on the other hand, come from Earth Force. You can see how that fact might make them nervous.”

  “I guess. You want me to wait here?”

  “Please. I’ll be fine and if I’m not you can come rescue me.” Marcus swung a leg over the bike’s seat and sat down. “I shouldn’t be long. Keep the ship sealed and if anyone gives you trouble fire up Gruesome.”

  He tapped a button on the bike’s control panel and the rear doors lowered. Iaka leaned down and kissed him. “Be careful.”

  He grinned and gunned the engine. The bike shot out the hold onto the tarmac. The little landing field wasn’t all that impressive, nothing, but a flat paved area with landing zones marked off with blinking lights. Off to his right a blue and white garage with three large bays waited to assist visitors with any mechanical troubles, a tanker truck parked beside it.

  Marcus turned left onto a short road that connected the landing area with the main highway to the resort. Five minutes on his souped-up bike and Marcus pulled off the highway into the crowded city traffic. He wove his way through the less nimble cars and trucks, occasionally getting an annoyed honk for his efforts. The ship’s computer automatically downloaded the club’s location into his computer and fifteen minutes after leaving his ship Marcus came to a stop in a space in front of a black and chrome three story building. In the air above it a twenty foot tall hologram of a topless female sporting fantastic proportions and black cat ears jutting up from her head. Classy, this place would fit right in on New Vegas.

  He powered the bike down and activated antitheft devices. It looked like a nice neighborhood, brick buildings three stories tall with shops or restaurants on the
bottom and apartments above. It was still mid-afternoon, so he doubted anyone would bother his ride, but he also didn’t want to walk back to the air strip, so why take chances? Leaving his bike Marcus climbed a short flight of stairs to a set of closed double doors. A sign said open at eight. He sighed, not wanting to wait until eight.

  A wrap on the door brought a bald, beetle-browed near human with enough muscle to wrestle a Gort. The man scowled at him. “Can’t you read? We’re closed. Come back at eight.” He slammed the door in Marcus’s face.

  He knocked again. When the ugly man opened the door Marcus said, “I’m here to see Madam Margret.”

  “What makes you think the boss wants to see you?”

  “Just tell her the Silver Fox sent me. She’ll understand.”

  The unfortunate bouncer’s brow crinkled even more, probably debating whether to toss Marcus to the curb or go ask his boss. “Wait here.” The door slammed again.

  Marcus sighed, relieved the bouncer asked first. Now he just had to hope Vlad’s introduction would get him through the door.

  4

  Solomon couldn’t see a thing in the back of the dark van and it stank of sweat and oil. Beside him Emily shifted, trying to get comfortable on the bare metal floor. Solomon leaned against her so she’d know he was still there, that she wasn’t alone. She leaned back and he sighed. A little ways away the kidnappers’ armor creaked when they shifted position. How could they see anything in the back of the van? Then he remembered their goggles, they must have a thermal mode. He considered and rejected trying to talk to them. These people didn’t seem big on conversation and he wasn’t charming enough to talk his way out anything.

  Solomon took deep breaths and tried not to panic. He’d gotten kidnapped before so he had experience at this sort of thing. What had he done last time? Right, he got beat up then Marcus rescued him. That wasn’t especially helpful. He assumed by now someone had told Marcus they’d kidnapped him, which meant his friend would be looking for him. Solomon let out a second, slow sigh. Marcus would find him, and when he did these people would be sorry.

  His revenge fantasies came to an abrupt halt at the same time the van did. A moment later the rear doors opened and light blinded him. Rough hands grabbed his ankles and dragged him out. He landed with a grunt in the dirt. “Get up!” A hand grabbed his collar and yanked him to his feet. A little squeak indicated Emily got the same treatment. He stifled the urge to fight them, it would accomplish nothing beyond getting him slapped around or worse.

  One of the kidnappers shoved him and he stumbled forward, blinking, try to clear the spots out of his vision. They pushed him towards a trailer. He blinked again. It was a fifty foot long freight hauler hovering by the side of the road. The kidnappers must be worried about someone spotting their van. Probably the hotel had surveillance cameras. They must not have a hacker working for them capable of shutting the system down. Solomon almost stopped in his tracks. Maybe that’s why the kidnappers grabbed them; they needed a hacker for some job they had planned.

  One of the masked men poked him in the back with his blaster barrel. “Move.”

  At the back of the trailer the double doors stood open and a short step ladder waited to help them up into the back. Inside Solomon counted four pallets piled just short of the ceiling. The lead kidnapper gestured towards the stepladder with his blaster and Solomon needed no further instruction. He climbed up the ladder and got in the trailer without killing himself despite have his hands cuffed behind his back. From somewhere deeper in the trailer came a cool breath of air. They must have installed a cooling system to keep them from overheating in the trailer.

  Emily came up next then four of the masked men. Two of the kidnappers held blasters on them while the other two positioned the pallets at the rear of the truck to block the view of anyone inspecting the cargo. The kidnappers still outside closed the doors, locking them in the dark again.

  One of the kidnappers said, “If either of you makes a sound you’re dead.”

  The hauler lurched forward and they were on their way again.

  * * *

  Solomon didn’t know how long they drove before the hauler finally stopped, but he really had to pee. The doors opened, once again dazzling him and blasting him with hot, humid air. The thrum of heavy equipment reached him and a moment later something removed one of the pallets. It only took a few minutes for them to remove all four, by which time Solomon could see again. Their captors in the trailer motioned them toward the doors and Solomon hastened to obey.

  At the rear of the trailer an empty pallet held up by an antigravity forklift waited. On the ground, standing beside the forklift, a man in his mid forties, fit, and wearing military fatigues, stood with his hands clasped behind his back waiting for them. The newcomer didn’t have a mask and Solomon wasn’t certain if that reassured him or worried him, but something about the guy sent his danger meter into the red. One of the masked men poked him in the back, forcing Solomon on to the pallet. Emily joined him and a couple seconds later they stood on the ground.

  A quick look around revealed the kidnappers had brought them to a clearing carved out of the jungle. The only sign of civilization was the rough, dirt road that brought them to the clearing and a large building covered in camouflage netting. The new man approached, a neutral, disinterested expression on his face. Small wrinkles surrounded dark, deep set eyes. The wrinkles combined with brown, leathery skin spoke of a man that spent a lot of time outside.

  “I’m sure you’re curious why you’re here, but that’s my concern not yours.” His voice had a harsh rasp, like someone who’d breathed in a lot of smoke. Solomon’s eyes widened. That’s why the new man made him so nervous, he reminded Solomon of Vlad. He had the same air of control the Mars crime boss exuded. “I’ll make this simple for you. You do what we say when we say and you won’t get hurt. Cause me or my men any trouble and, well, use your imagination. I need you alive with your hands and arms functional, that’s all.”

  The stranger jerked his head toward the building. “Let’s get the hell out of this heat.”

  They walked together toward the building, Solomon sandwiched between the head kidnapper and Emily. Behind them the armed men followed, blasters leveled at their backs. Sweat drenched Solomon when they finally reached the cool, shadowed interior of the building. There was nothing terribly impressive inside the shelter, eight cots, a desk with a portable computer, a pair of racks to hold their weapons. At the very back was a door with a dead bolt. Their cell he suspected.

  The leader led them to the cell door, undid the bolt and motioned them inside. The guy wasn’t much of a conversationalist. Solomon went in first with Emily right behind. Their captor followed them in and removed their cuffs before leaving and slamming the door shut. The bolt slid home, trapping them in the little cell. Solomon sighed, home sweet home. They had two cots, two chairs, and a small folding table. In the back they set up a privacy screen. Solomon sent a silent prayer to the universe and looked behind it. Bingo, a small chemical toilet.

  Solomon emerged from behind the screen feeling much relieved. He barely moved out of the way before Emily raced to take his place. He shook his head, some gentleman; it never crossed his mind to see if she wanted to go first. Solomon sat on a cot and a few minutes later she emerged from behind the screen.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  She nodded and sat beside him. “What are they going to do with us?”

  Solomon shrugged. He simply had no idea. “Whatever they want they seem to need us in one piece. My best guess is there’s a system they want hacked. Why else kidnap a pair of hackers? They certainly didn’t take me hoping to get money. What about you?”

  “My family isn’t rich. I doubt they could raise more and a few thousand credits on short notice.”

  “So it’s a job. We do the job then they let us go, hopefully.”

  “Hopefully?” Her voice raised a notch.

  “I’d be more confident if the leader had worn a mask
. We know what he looks likes now so that’s a bad sign.”

  She whimpered and pressed tighter against him. Solomon put his arm around her in a rough imitation of offering comfort. He should have kept that last observation to himself.

  * * *

  In the little windowless room time meant nothing, they sat, they dozed, and generally tried to keep from going insane. Solomon’s stomach growled and he wished they’d kidnapped him after breakfast. After the universe knew how long the bolt slid open. Solomon sat up and swung his legs over the side of the cot. He glanced at Emily, it looked like she was asleep, but he wasn’t sure. The door opened and the leader stepped through the doorway. “Get up.”

  Solomon hopped to his feet, Emily groaned, and rolled off her cot. She didn’t look too steady when she got to her feet. Her nap must have left her fuzzy headed. He hoped she’d snap out of it soon.

  “Turn around.”

  Solomon did as he said. He wanted to go and steady Emily, but didn’t dare. A second later they jerked his hands behind his back and the cuffs replaced. A masked man repeated the procedure with Emily. Once they were secure a kidnapper grabbed his arm and led him through the shelter and out into the clearing. Dim sunlight created long shadows of the jungle trees. It wouldn’t be long before dark. In the clearing sat a sleek, black and white star ship about half the size of the Star. It looked fast and sported a pair of heavy, forward facing, blaster cannons under the cockpit. It could probably put up a good fight if it came down to it.

  He frowned. The side of the ship said planetary security along with a serial number. Did they have a friend on the inside or did they steal a patrol craft? The rear cargo bay door opened and a figure in a security uniform walked the ramp. He wore a helmet with an opaque eye shield covering half his face. From what Solomon could see he looked human, or close enough. Everything about the ship and pilot looked legit which led him to believe the pilot was a corrupt security officer.