One Last Job: Part Four
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Writer’s Note: One Last Job: Part Four was published originally in Jump Point 3.12. Read Part One here, Part Two here, and Part Three here.
Ardoss’ finger rested on the trigger of his gun. He always knew it would go down like this. Well, maybe not exactly like this.
He’d finally tracked down his partner, Pietro Marquez, with the help of ship pilot Jonah Ruskella. Jonah was a delivery boy for the pirate Mickey Black who chose to turn on his employer.
But everything had gone wrong. Ardoss’ cover was blown, the ship had been temporarily hijacked, and now that they were finally here, it turned out that Mickey had double-crossed Pietro and the promised cargo was missing.
Now, they stood in an old, abandoned fueling station, guns drawn on one another, Jonah caught in between. After everything Ruskella had risked for Ardoss, he couldn’t let Pietro shoot him.
As Ardoss watched a bead of sweat trickle down his ex-partner’s face, he couldn’t help but think to when the Advocacy had first assigned him as his partner. Pietro had been a fresh-faced rookie.
That young man was gone. Ardoss hadn’t really noticed until this moment. His black hair was graying and thin. Lines surrounded his mouth and eyes and the youthful exuberance was gone. Now all that was left was an older man, tired and scared.
“I remember this place,” said Ardoss. “It was held by a pack of contraband runners.”
“Slave traders,” said Pietro.
“Contraband’s contraband,” said Ardoss.
“You always did simplify everything, Ardoss,” Pietro said. “Things don’t fall into neat little piles of good guy and bad guy, contraband and not contraband. It’s so much messier than that.”
“I’m beginning to see that,” said Ardoss. His hand began to tense. They couldn’t do this forever. Eventually, someone was going to shoot.
“I don’t think you do,” said Pietro. “If you can’t see what Mickey Black is doing, you’re blind.”
Ardoss realized the man was tired. He wasn’t some master spy who had betrayed his principles. He was trapped. Ardoss didn’t want to kill him any more than he wanted to kill Jonah. It wasn’t their fault.
“I’ve had my eyes opened,” said Ardoss. “Mickey Black is a monster. I want to help you any way I can. You don’t have to run. We can take him down.”
Pietro laughed. “You don’t take down a man like Mickey Black. Do you know how big his organization is? Thousands of people. Everything from couriers like Jonah, to spies like me, to hitmen you don’t even want to think about. He’s a nightmare. A walking, talking, breathing nightmare. There’s something coming. It’s big, bigger than big. It’s going to change everything. I’m just a small piece of it.”
“You don’t have to live in fear,” said Ardoss. “Just talk to me. Tell me why.”
“I don’t even remember anymore,” said Pietro. “It doesn’t matter. My life is over. I have to get away from here.”
“You had to know someone was going to find out,” said Ardoss. “Things like this don’t stay secret. And the Advocacy won’t stop. Even if you go into Banu territory, they’ll keep searching.”
“It beats being dead,” said Pietro.
“A life of fear?” said Ardoss. “Sleepless nights? Always on the move? Looking over your shoulder? You and I have both seen those guys. Eventually, they take their own lives or isolate themselves so far from the known universe they lose their mind, don’t know what’s real anymore. That’s not a life, Pietro. That’s its own prison. Let me take you in. Give the Advocacy everything you have on Mickey Black and we can take him down.”
“There will always be someone to take his place,” said Pietro.
“Sure there will,” said Ardoss. “But he’ll be one less. We can make it harder for them. Look for people they’ve forced into their service. We can help, Pietro. You know we can.”
“Seeing as I’m stuck between a couple of gun barrels right now,” said Jonah, “I’d like to chime in.”
Pietro glanced at Jonah.
“I’m in the same place as you,” Jonah said. “Constantly afraid of what Mickey Black might have me do next. Scared I’ll get arrested or my family will be hurt. But I’m standing up. I want to stop living in fear. I know you feel the same way. You have to. This is not a life, not one worth having anyway. We have to at least try.”
“Listen to him, Pietro,” said Ardoss. “He’s got a wife and kids at home. He’s thinking about them. You need to think about your own family. Do you want them worrying about you, never knowing where you are? Or do you want to protect them?”
“I want to keep them safe,” said Pietro.
“Of course you do,” said Jonah. “That’s all you’ve ever wanted. What any of us want.”
“You’ll put them in protective custody, won’t you?” said Pietro, lowering his gun. Jonah took the gun and pocketed it. Ardoss lowered his own.
“Yes,” said Ardoss. “Mickey won’t find them.”
“I’ll tell you everything,” said Pietro. “Pickups, info drops, who I met with and where. You should know he’s planning —”
But what he was planning, Ardoss would never find out from Pietro. A shot rang out across the docking bay and Pietro dropped like a puppet with its strings cut.
Jonah dove for a stack of crates as Ardoss dropped to the floor.
Ardoss crawled under cover and scanned the area, looking for a shooter. There were too many vantage points here. He should have surveyed the station first, but there wasn’t time. Now he saw several crannies. Old ducts, abandoned crates, elevated crosswalks, doors into adjacent rooms. And worse, it echoed. It made finding the source difficult.
Another shot rang out and ricocheted. The shooter was good, having hit Pietro in one shot. But wherever the shooter was perched, there wasn’t a line of sight to Ardoss. He made a choice.
He rushed forward, crouching, and knelt by his old partner.
Blood soaked through Pietro’s clothes and his skin was pale. They were out in the open here. He lifted him by the shoulders and quickly dragged him back to his cover.
Pietro spoke barely above a whisper and Ardoss had to crouch low to hear it.
“The Senate,” said Pietro. “The Senate.”
Then he was gone. Ardoss stared at him, unsure what to make of what his old partner had said. Mickey Black was planning something and it had to do with the Senate.
They had been so close. Pietro had agreed to turn on Mickey, knowing it would eventually mean his death. They just didn’t count on it being so soon.
Ardoss looked down at Pietro. It was a waste. Pietro was a good man, or at least he tried to be. If only Ardoss had known sooner what was going on, maybe his partner would still be alive.
He peeked out of his cover, trying again to see where the shots had come from. Who else knew they were here? There was no way anyone could. Pietro had waited until Jonah contacted him to give him the coordinates. Not even Mickey could know.
That left only one other possibility. There was a spy on board Jonah’s ship.
His vantage point was lousy. He couldn’t see much of anything from where he was. Cautiously, he left his cover, gun drawn, and began to creep across the old cargo bay.
But before Ardoss could investigate further, another shot rang out and he staggered backwards. It felt as though a man twice his size had just punched him in the chest. He looked down to see red blossom down his suit from his left shoulder.
Another shot rang out, ricocheting off a bulkhead. Shaking off his momentary daze, Ardoss managed to duck behind some old crates. They stank of rotting food.
“It’s higher up,” said Jonah, crouching beside him.
Ardoss had forgotten he was there.
“How can you tell?” said Ardoss. Jonah was a coward. Ardoss couldn’t imagine him looking for the shooter.
“There’s an energy burn on the floor, just there,” said Jonah, pointing.
Ardoss blinked and followed Jonah’s finger. Sure enough, there was a burn mark on the floor. If the shot had come straight across, the burn would be behind them or further back on the floor. The shooter was most certainly up higher.
“I don’t get it,” said Ardoss. “That sniper got Pietro in one clean shot. Then he misses? Is he playing with us?”
“It’s more likely he’s under fire,” said Jonah.
“Char?” said Ardoss.
Jonah nodded. “I asked her to keep lookout in case Pietro lied. She’s a crack shot. ”
“Then why is that sniper still firing?” said Ardoss as another blast rang out.
Jonah shrugged, “You assume it’s the sniper.”
The gunshots stopped. Jonah cautiously peeked his head above the crate and Ardoss pulled him back down.
“Char, did you get him?” said Ardoss. “Char?”
“No,” she said. Her voice bitter. “She’s still in here. Stay on your toes.”
“Wait,” said Ardoss, “she?”
“Yes,” said Char, “now keep your eyes open.”
Ardoss felt the adrenaline pumping. Pietro was dead and this woman was still hunting them. How many did she plan to kill? Just Ardoss? The whole crew? What about the other passengers?
That’s when he realized it had to be the businesswoman. She was so quiet and unassuming, the perfect cover for an assassin. It made him sick to think about the time he had spent in close quarters with her. He crept out from the crates, gun still drawn, his left arm useless.
Jonah grabbed his good shoulder. “You’ll be shot.”
“Already been shot,” said Ardoss. “We have to find her. She’s not going to just leave us be. We know too much.”
Jonah worked his jaw, but didn’t say anything else.
Ardoss stuck his head out. He needed to know where she was, what her options were.
Then, movement.
Ardoss leveled his gun. It was not as high up as he expected, not in the ducts or on a crosswalk. She was on top of some crates. Maybe.
He didn’t think a trained gun would be so sloppy.
Char’s head poked out from behind the crates. She pointed to Ardoss then behind him. He turned on his heels, still crouched. His shoulder throbbed, but thankfully the intense pain he knew was coming was still being kept at bay. Too much adrenaline, he figured.
He glanced back to Char, but she was gone, creeping among the abandoned cargo. He moved behind the stack of moldy food where Jonah still hid. Jonah just looked at him as he passed, eyes wide.
There was another stack of crates further along, and some old tanks. A perfect place for her to hide.
How many shots had she fired? How many rounds did she have? Enough to take down one or two people? More?
Ardoss knew he would be the main target, then Char. Jonah would be last, if she didn’t just go ahead and kill the teen and Thrumm after that, to remove any witnesses.
The stack was shadowy and stank. There were too many dark corners for someone to hide. Ardoss scooted along the edge of one crate and around a fuel tank.
There he found himself face to face with his partner’s killer.
Her business suit was torn and bloody in places. Sweat matted her short hair to her forehead. Her skin was flushed and her chest pumped heavily.
“Drop the gun,” she said. She aimed the pistol Jonah had tried to use on him earlier.
“Not likely,” Ardoss said.
“I’ll shoot,” the woman said.
Ardoss smiled. “If you had any more rounds, you would have killed me already.”
The woman grinned, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by a snarl. She dropped the gun, and lunged.
She put all her effort into impacting his left shoulder.
There was the pain.
He cried out and crumpled to the deck. She scrabbled over him and went for his gun. Ardoss rolled over and grabbed her leg with his good hand, yanking hard.
The woman cursed and kicked at him. The first kick hit his forearm, but he held fast. The next connected with his knuckles and his grip loosened. She shook free and crawled to the gun.
Ardoss started to crawl towards her, but the gun was in her hand. She flopped over on her back and fired.
The shot went wild and Ardoss used the moment to roll for cover. He glanced behind him.
The woman was on her feet.
“I’ll make this quick,” she said, “I promise.”
He crouched to pounce on her, but he never got the chance.
There was a scream, primal and terrified as a dark blur collided with the assassin. Two forms fell to the ground and the gun skittered across the deck.
Ardoss went after the gun, all but throwing himself after it. His fingers closed on the grip and he spun around.
Jonah lay on top of the woman, knees straddling her hips, hands on her shoulders.
Jonah punched her and immediately grabbed his hand, rubbing the knuckles.
“Feel better?” said Ardoss.
“No,” said Jonah, “my hand hurts.”
Ardoss laughed.
Jonah glared at him and then he began to laugh.
“Did I miss something funny?” said Char.
Ardoss looked. She stood behind Jonah and the assassin, gun slack in her hands, eyes wide.
“Pietro?” said Char.
“He didn’t make it,” said Ardoss, his laughter gone. Jonah stopped as well.
“She got you,” said Char.
Ardoss glanced down. “At least it wasn’t a few inches over.”
“Small consolation,” she said.
“So how did we miss an assassin on the ship?” said Jonah. He rolled off the woman.
Char crossed the few feet between them. She pointed her rifle at the woman’s head. “Start talking.”
The woman licked her lips, smearing blood across them.
“None of your business,” she said.
Char cocked the gun. “That’s not a good answer.”
The woman glared.
“If you kill her, we won’t get our answers,” said Ardoss.
“Who said anything about killing her?” said Char. She swung the butt of her gun around and slammed it against the woman’s knee.
The assassin screamed and clutched her leg.
“Pietro was never meant to leave alive,” she said, panting.
“What?” said Jonah.
Char nudged the woman’s knee with the barrel of her gun. “Go on.”
The woman winced. “The drop-off was a farce,” she said. “It was a setup. Mickey knew Pietro would only trust you, so he set the whole thing up, arranged for passengers, made sure I could book passage.”
Jonah slumped. “Why?” said Jonah. “Why all of this?”
The woman shrugged. “I do what I’m paid to do. Mickey’s going to kill you when finds out you’re working with an Agent.”
“Don’t count on it,” said Char. “What do you want to do with her?”
“I’ll need to take her back to the Advocacy,” said Ardoss.
“I want a deal,” the woman said. “I gave you information. You have to protect me.”
“Why?” said Ardoss. “You did your job.”
“And when Black finds out you’re still alive, I’m dead,” the woman said.
“I’ll think about it,” said Ardoss.
“You’ve as good as killed me, then,” she said.
“You should have thought about that before you signed on with Mickey Black.”
Char nodded and kicked her.
Local authorities collected the politician Thrumm at the next port. Advocacy Agents took Ardoss’ statement. He advised them the assassin was a material witness and should be protected. The Agents also took custody of Pietro’s body. Ardoss had started working on the request for his partner to be given full honors on the flight back. He had just sent it off when his new orders from Junior Director Vami arrived on his mobi.
Return. Immediately.
Not likely, he thought.
Ardoss wanted to warn the Advocacy that Black had some-thing planned against the Senate, but he had no evidence. He couldn’t follow Vami’s orders until he found it.
The three of them sat in the cockpit, drinking a bottle of Sky whiskey from Croshaw.
“What will you do now?” said Jonah.
“I’m supposed to go back to my office and quietly retire,” said Ardoss, “but I don’t think I can do that.”
“You want to go after Mickey Black,” said Jonah.
Ardoss nodded. Mickey had destroyed one of the best men he’d ever known, and he wasn’t going to let the bastard walk away from that.
“Pietro said he had plans,” said Ardoss. “Something to do with the Senate. But without evidence to back up the story . . .”
“You want to find that proof,” said Char.
“And nail him to the wall with it,” said Ardoss. “I want to make sure he can never hurt another living soul.”
Just then, the ship’s comm started to beep. Jonah held up a finger and Ardoss stepped out of the way of the vid.
Jonah hit a button and Mickey’s ruined face filled the screen.
“Jonah, my boy, I heard the mission was done,” said Mickey.
The pilot clenched his jaw. “You killed Pietro.”
“Yes, sorry about that, had to be done,” said Mickey. “Terrible business, but I couldn’t risk him blabbing.”
“I don’t like being used,” said Jonah.
“I’ll use you however I see fit,” said Mickey. His voice was dangerous. “What did you do with my assassin?”
“I had to turn her in to local authorities,” said Jonah. “Pietro is dead and so is his partner. The Advocacy wanted answers.”
Mickey’s eyes went wide. “I didn’t actually think you’d do it.”
“I didn’t,” said Jonah. “Your woman did that.”
Char glanced at Ardoss. He felt pretty good for a dead man, but he stayed silent. He hoped the Agents would keep the assassin safe.
Mickey looked impressed. “I had hoped to get my hitwoman back. She was rather good, but I suppose you can’t win all the time. I’ll have to take care of her, of course, but that’s my problem, not yours.”
“I did what you asked and nearly died in the process,” said Jonah. “I want my money.”
“It’s coming lad, it’s coming,” said Mickey, “but see, you didn’t do exactly as I asked. My woman killed the Agent, not you.”
Jonah stared, his eyes full of rage.
Mickey shrugged. “Hey, a deal’s a deal. I asked you to do something and you didn’t. You still owe me.”
“You knew I wouldn’t,” said Jonah.
“Every man has to make that choice,” said Mickey. “You made yours.”
“What do you want?” asked Jonah.
“Go to these coordinates for further instruction,” said Mickey. “And Jonah, I really am expecting you to see it through this time. All of it. Screw it up, and you’ll be so deep in debt with me, your kids will be paying it off long after you die.”
The screen went blank before Jonah had a chance to argue. He turned and looked at Ardoss.
“That’s what he wanted,” said Char, “to hold something over you.”
“Well, Ardoss,” said Jonah, “looks like you’ll get your chance to get even. I’ll do whatever I can to help you end this bastard.”
“Great,” said Ardoss, tossing back the last dregs of whiskey in his glass. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”
The End
Ardoss’ finger rested on the trigger of his gun. He always knew it would go down like this. Well, maybe not exactly like this.
He’d finally tracked down his partner, Pietro Marquez, with the help of ship pilot Jonah Ruskella. Jonah was a delivery boy for the pirate Mickey Black who chose to turn on his employer.
But everything had gone wrong. Ardoss’ cover was blown, the ship had been temporarily hijacked, and now that they were finally here, it turned out that Mickey had double-crossed Pietro and the promised cargo was missing.
Now, they stood in an old, abandoned fueling station, guns drawn on one another, Jonah caught in between. After everything Ruskella had risked for Ardoss, he couldn’t let Pietro shoot him.
As Ardoss watched a bead of sweat trickle down his ex-partner’s face, he couldn’t help but think to when the Advocacy had first assigned him as his partner. Pietro had been a fresh-faced rookie.
That young man was gone. Ardoss hadn’t really noticed until this moment. His black hair was graying and thin. Lines surrounded his mouth and eyes and the youthful exuberance was gone. Now all that was left was an older man, tired and scared.
“I remember this place,” said Ardoss. “It was held by a pack of contraband runners.”
“Slave traders,” said Pietro.
“Contraband’s contraband,” said Ardoss.
“You always did simplify everything, Ardoss,” Pietro said. “Things don’t fall into neat little piles of good guy and bad guy, contraband and not contraband. It’s so much messier than that.”
“I’m beginning to see that,” said Ardoss. His hand began to tense. They couldn’t do this forever. Eventually, someone was going to shoot.
“I don’t think you do,” said Pietro. “If you can’t see what Mickey Black is doing, you’re blind.”
Ardoss realized the man was tired. He wasn’t some master spy who had betrayed his principles. He was trapped. Ardoss didn’t want to kill him any more than he wanted to kill Jonah. It wasn’t their fault.
“I’ve had my eyes opened,” said Ardoss. “Mickey Black is a monster. I want to help you any way I can. You don’t have to run. We can take him down.”
Pietro laughed. “You don’t take down a man like Mickey Black. Do you know how big his organization is? Thousands of people. Everything from couriers like Jonah, to spies like me, to hitmen you don’t even want to think about. He’s a nightmare. A walking, talking, breathing nightmare. There’s something coming. It’s big, bigger than big. It’s going to change everything. I’m just a small piece of it.”
“You don’t have to live in fear,” said Ardoss. “Just talk to me. Tell me why.”
“I don’t even remember anymore,” said Pietro. “It doesn’t matter. My life is over. I have to get away from here.”
“You had to know someone was going to find out,” said Ardoss. “Things like this don’t stay secret. And the Advocacy won’t stop. Even if you go into Banu territory, they’ll keep searching.”
“It beats being dead,” said Pietro.
“A life of fear?” said Ardoss. “Sleepless nights? Always on the move? Looking over your shoulder? You and I have both seen those guys. Eventually, they take their own lives or isolate themselves so far from the known universe they lose their mind, don’t know what’s real anymore. That’s not a life, Pietro. That’s its own prison. Let me take you in. Give the Advocacy everything you have on Mickey Black and we can take him down.”
“There will always be someone to take his place,” said Pietro.
“Sure there will,” said Ardoss. “But he’ll be one less. We can make it harder for them. Look for people they’ve forced into their service. We can help, Pietro. You know we can.”
“Seeing as I’m stuck between a couple of gun barrels right now,” said Jonah, “I’d like to chime in.”
Pietro glanced at Jonah.
“I’m in the same place as you,” Jonah said. “Constantly afraid of what Mickey Black might have me do next. Scared I’ll get arrested or my family will be hurt. But I’m standing up. I want to stop living in fear. I know you feel the same way. You have to. This is not a life, not one worth having anyway. We have to at least try.”
“Listen to him, Pietro,” said Ardoss. “He’s got a wife and kids at home. He’s thinking about them. You need to think about your own family. Do you want them worrying about you, never knowing where you are? Or do you want to protect them?”
“I want to keep them safe,” said Pietro.
“Of course you do,” said Jonah. “That’s all you’ve ever wanted. What any of us want.”
“You’ll put them in protective custody, won’t you?” said Pietro, lowering his gun. Jonah took the gun and pocketed it. Ardoss lowered his own.
“Yes,” said Ardoss. “Mickey won’t find them.”
“I’ll tell you everything,” said Pietro. “Pickups, info drops, who I met with and where. You should know he’s planning —”
But what he was planning, Ardoss would never find out from Pietro. A shot rang out across the docking bay and Pietro dropped like a puppet with its strings cut.
Jonah dove for a stack of crates as Ardoss dropped to the floor.
Ardoss crawled under cover and scanned the area, looking for a shooter. There were too many vantage points here. He should have surveyed the station first, but there wasn’t time. Now he saw several crannies. Old ducts, abandoned crates, elevated crosswalks, doors into adjacent rooms. And worse, it echoed. It made finding the source difficult.
Another shot rang out and ricocheted. The shooter was good, having hit Pietro in one shot. But wherever the shooter was perched, there wasn’t a line of sight to Ardoss. He made a choice.
He rushed forward, crouching, and knelt by his old partner.
Blood soaked through Pietro’s clothes and his skin was pale. They were out in the open here. He lifted him by the shoulders and quickly dragged him back to his cover.
Pietro spoke barely above a whisper and Ardoss had to crouch low to hear it.
“The Senate,” said Pietro. “The Senate.”
Then he was gone. Ardoss stared at him, unsure what to make of what his old partner had said. Mickey Black was planning something and it had to do with the Senate.
They had been so close. Pietro had agreed to turn on Mickey, knowing it would eventually mean his death. They just didn’t count on it being so soon.
Ardoss looked down at Pietro. It was a waste. Pietro was a good man, or at least he tried to be. If only Ardoss had known sooner what was going on, maybe his partner would still be alive.
He peeked out of his cover, trying again to see where the shots had come from. Who else knew they were here? There was no way anyone could. Pietro had waited until Jonah contacted him to give him the coordinates. Not even Mickey could know.
That left only one other possibility. There was a spy on board Jonah’s ship.
His vantage point was lousy. He couldn’t see much of anything from where he was. Cautiously, he left his cover, gun drawn, and began to creep across the old cargo bay.
But before Ardoss could investigate further, another shot rang out and he staggered backwards. It felt as though a man twice his size had just punched him in the chest. He looked down to see red blossom down his suit from his left shoulder.
Another shot rang out, ricocheting off a bulkhead. Shaking off his momentary daze, Ardoss managed to duck behind some old crates. They stank of rotting food.
“It’s higher up,” said Jonah, crouching beside him.
Ardoss had forgotten he was there.
“How can you tell?” said Ardoss. Jonah was a coward. Ardoss couldn’t imagine him looking for the shooter.
“There’s an energy burn on the floor, just there,” said Jonah, pointing.
Ardoss blinked and followed Jonah’s finger. Sure enough, there was a burn mark on the floor. If the shot had come straight across, the burn would be behind them or further back on the floor. The shooter was most certainly up higher.
“I don’t get it,” said Ardoss. “That sniper got Pietro in one clean shot. Then he misses? Is he playing with us?”
“It’s more likely he’s under fire,” said Jonah.
“Char?” said Ardoss.
Jonah nodded. “I asked her to keep lookout in case Pietro lied. She’s a crack shot. ”
“Then why is that sniper still firing?” said Ardoss as another blast rang out.
Jonah shrugged, “You assume it’s the sniper.”
The gunshots stopped. Jonah cautiously peeked his head above the crate and Ardoss pulled him back down.
“Char, did you get him?” said Ardoss. “Char?”
“No,” she said. Her voice bitter. “She’s still in here. Stay on your toes.”
“Wait,” said Ardoss, “she?”
“Yes,” said Char, “now keep your eyes open.”
Ardoss felt the adrenaline pumping. Pietro was dead and this woman was still hunting them. How many did she plan to kill? Just Ardoss? The whole crew? What about the other passengers?
That’s when he realized it had to be the businesswoman. She was so quiet and unassuming, the perfect cover for an assassin. It made him sick to think about the time he had spent in close quarters with her. He crept out from the crates, gun still drawn, his left arm useless.
Jonah grabbed his good shoulder. “You’ll be shot.”
“Already been shot,” said Ardoss. “We have to find her. She’s not going to just leave us be. We know too much.”
Jonah worked his jaw, but didn’t say anything else.
Ardoss stuck his head out. He needed to know where she was, what her options were.
Then, movement.
Ardoss leveled his gun. It was not as high up as he expected, not in the ducts or on a crosswalk. She was on top of some crates. Maybe.
He didn’t think a trained gun would be so sloppy.
Char’s head poked out from behind the crates. She pointed to Ardoss then behind him. He turned on his heels, still crouched. His shoulder throbbed, but thankfully the intense pain he knew was coming was still being kept at bay. Too much adrenaline, he figured.
He glanced back to Char, but she was gone, creeping among the abandoned cargo. He moved behind the stack of moldy food where Jonah still hid. Jonah just looked at him as he passed, eyes wide.
There was another stack of crates further along, and some old tanks. A perfect place for her to hide.
How many shots had she fired? How many rounds did she have? Enough to take down one or two people? More?
Ardoss knew he would be the main target, then Char. Jonah would be last, if she didn’t just go ahead and kill the teen and Thrumm after that, to remove any witnesses.
The stack was shadowy and stank. There were too many dark corners for someone to hide. Ardoss scooted along the edge of one crate and around a fuel tank.
There he found himself face to face with his partner’s killer.
Her business suit was torn and bloody in places. Sweat matted her short hair to her forehead. Her skin was flushed and her chest pumped heavily.
“Drop the gun,” she said. She aimed the pistol Jonah had tried to use on him earlier.
“Not likely,” Ardoss said.
“I’ll shoot,” the woman said.
Ardoss smiled. “If you had any more rounds, you would have killed me already.”
The woman grinned, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by a snarl. She dropped the gun, and lunged.
She put all her effort into impacting his left shoulder.
There was the pain.
He cried out and crumpled to the deck. She scrabbled over him and went for his gun. Ardoss rolled over and grabbed her leg with his good hand, yanking hard.
The woman cursed and kicked at him. The first kick hit his forearm, but he held fast. The next connected with his knuckles and his grip loosened. She shook free and crawled to the gun.
Ardoss started to crawl towards her, but the gun was in her hand. She flopped over on her back and fired.
The shot went wild and Ardoss used the moment to roll for cover. He glanced behind him.
The woman was on her feet.
“I’ll make this quick,” she said, “I promise.”
He crouched to pounce on her, but he never got the chance.
There was a scream, primal and terrified as a dark blur collided with the assassin. Two forms fell to the ground and the gun skittered across the deck.
Ardoss went after the gun, all but throwing himself after it. His fingers closed on the grip and he spun around.
Jonah lay on top of the woman, knees straddling her hips, hands on her shoulders.
Jonah punched her and immediately grabbed his hand, rubbing the knuckles.
“Feel better?” said Ardoss.
“No,” said Jonah, “my hand hurts.”
Ardoss laughed.
Jonah glared at him and then he began to laugh.
“Did I miss something funny?” said Char.
Ardoss looked. She stood behind Jonah and the assassin, gun slack in her hands, eyes wide.
“Pietro?” said Char.
“He didn’t make it,” said Ardoss, his laughter gone. Jonah stopped as well.
“She got you,” said Char.
Ardoss glanced down. “At least it wasn’t a few inches over.”
“Small consolation,” she said.
“So how did we miss an assassin on the ship?” said Jonah. He rolled off the woman.
Char crossed the few feet between them. She pointed her rifle at the woman’s head. “Start talking.”
The woman licked her lips, smearing blood across them.
“None of your business,” she said.
Char cocked the gun. “That’s not a good answer.”
The woman glared.
“If you kill her, we won’t get our answers,” said Ardoss.
“Who said anything about killing her?” said Char. She swung the butt of her gun around and slammed it against the woman’s knee.
The assassin screamed and clutched her leg.
“Pietro was never meant to leave alive,” she said, panting.
“What?” said Jonah.
Char nudged the woman’s knee with the barrel of her gun. “Go on.”
The woman winced. “The drop-off was a farce,” she said. “It was a setup. Mickey knew Pietro would only trust you, so he set the whole thing up, arranged for passengers, made sure I could book passage.”
Jonah slumped. “Why?” said Jonah. “Why all of this?”
The woman shrugged. “I do what I’m paid to do. Mickey’s going to kill you when finds out you’re working with an Agent.”
“Don’t count on it,” said Char. “What do you want to do with her?”
“I’ll need to take her back to the Advocacy,” said Ardoss.
“I want a deal,” the woman said. “I gave you information. You have to protect me.”
“Why?” said Ardoss. “You did your job.”
“And when Black finds out you’re still alive, I’m dead,” the woman said.
“I’ll think about it,” said Ardoss.
“You’ve as good as killed me, then,” she said.
“You should have thought about that before you signed on with Mickey Black.”
Char nodded and kicked her.
Local authorities collected the politician Thrumm at the next port. Advocacy Agents took Ardoss’ statement. He advised them the assassin was a material witness and should be protected. The Agents also took custody of Pietro’s body. Ardoss had started working on the request for his partner to be given full honors on the flight back. He had just sent it off when his new orders from Junior Director Vami arrived on his mobi.
Return. Immediately.
Not likely, he thought.
Ardoss wanted to warn the Advocacy that Black had some-thing planned against the Senate, but he had no evidence. He couldn’t follow Vami’s orders until he found it.
The three of them sat in the cockpit, drinking a bottle of Sky whiskey from Croshaw.
“What will you do now?” said Jonah.
“I’m supposed to go back to my office and quietly retire,” said Ardoss, “but I don’t think I can do that.”
“You want to go after Mickey Black,” said Jonah.
Ardoss nodded. Mickey had destroyed one of the best men he’d ever known, and he wasn’t going to let the bastard walk away from that.
“Pietro said he had plans,” said Ardoss. “Something to do with the Senate. But without evidence to back up the story . . .”
“You want to find that proof,” said Char.
“And nail him to the wall with it,” said Ardoss. “I want to make sure he can never hurt another living soul.”
Just then, the ship’s comm started to beep. Jonah held up a finger and Ardoss stepped out of the way of the vid.
Jonah hit a button and Mickey’s ruined face filled the screen.
“Jonah, my boy, I heard the mission was done,” said Mickey.
The pilot clenched his jaw. “You killed Pietro.”
“Yes, sorry about that, had to be done,” said Mickey. “Terrible business, but I couldn’t risk him blabbing.”
“I don’t like being used,” said Jonah.
“I’ll use you however I see fit,” said Mickey. His voice was dangerous. “What did you do with my assassin?”
“I had to turn her in to local authorities,” said Jonah. “Pietro is dead and so is his partner. The Advocacy wanted answers.”
Mickey’s eyes went wide. “I didn’t actually think you’d do it.”
“I didn’t,” said Jonah. “Your woman did that.”
Char glanced at Ardoss. He felt pretty good for a dead man, but he stayed silent. He hoped the Agents would keep the assassin safe.
Mickey looked impressed. “I had hoped to get my hitwoman back. She was rather good, but I suppose you can’t win all the time. I’ll have to take care of her, of course, but that’s my problem, not yours.”
“I did what you asked and nearly died in the process,” said Jonah. “I want my money.”
“It’s coming lad, it’s coming,” said Mickey, “but see, you didn’t do exactly as I asked. My woman killed the Agent, not you.”
Jonah stared, his eyes full of rage.
Mickey shrugged. “Hey, a deal’s a deal. I asked you to do something and you didn’t. You still owe me.”
“You knew I wouldn’t,” said Jonah.
“Every man has to make that choice,” said Mickey. “You made yours.”
“What do you want?” asked Jonah.
“Go to these coordinates for further instruction,” said Mickey. “And Jonah, I really am expecting you to see it through this time. All of it. Screw it up, and you’ll be so deep in debt with me, your kids will be paying it off long after you die.”
The screen went blank before Jonah had a chance to argue. He turned and looked at Ardoss.
“That’s what he wanted,” said Char, “to hold something over you.”
“Well, Ardoss,” said Jonah, “looks like you’ll get your chance to get even. I’ll do whatever I can to help you end this bastard.”
“Great,” said Ardoss, tossing back the last dregs of whiskey in his glass. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”
The End
Anmerkung des Autors: Ein letzter Auftrag: Teil Vier wurde ursprünglich in Jump Point 3.12 veröffentlicht. Lies Teil Eins hier, Teil Zwei hier und Teil Drei hier.
Ardoss' Finger lag auf dem Abzug seiner Waffe. Er wusste immer, dass es so ablaufen würde. Nun, vielleicht nicht ganz so.
Mit Hilfe des Schiffspiloten Jonah Ruskella hatte er schließlich seinen Partner Pietro Marquez aufgespürt. Jonah war ein Lieferjunge für den Piraten Mickey Black, der sich entschied, seinen Arbeitgeber zu verraten.
Aber alles war schief gelaufen. Ardoss' Deckung wurde aufgeflogen, das Schiff war vorübergehend entführt worden, und jetzt, da sie endlich hier waren, stellte sich heraus, dass Mickey Pietro hintergangen hatte und die versprochene Fracht fehlte.
Nun standen sie in einer alten, verlassenen Tankstelle, Waffen aufeinander gerichtet, Jonas steckte dazwischen. Nachdem Ruskella alles für Ardoss riskiert hatte, konnte er sich von Pietro nicht erschießen lassen.
Als Ardoss zusah, wie eine Schweißperle über das Gesicht seines Ex-Partners tropfte, konnte er nicht umhin, daran zu denken, wann die Advocacy ihn zum ersten Mal als seinen Partner eingesetzt hatte. Pietro war ein frischgebackener Anfänger.
Dieser junge Mann war weg. Ardoss hatte es bis zu diesem Zeitpunkt nicht wirklich bemerkt. Sein schwarzes Haar war grau und dünn. Linien umgaben seinen Mund und seine Augen und der jugendliche Überschwang war vorbei. Jetzt war nur noch ein älterer Mann übrig, müde und verängstigt.
"Ich erinnere mich an diesen Ort", sagte Ardoss. "Es wurde von einer Gruppe von Schmugglern gehalten."
"Sklavenhändler", sagte Pietro.
"Schmuggelware ist Schmuggelware", sagte Ardoss.
"Du hast immer alles vereinfacht, Ardoss", sagte Pietro. "Die Dinge fallen nicht in ordentliche kleine Haufen von guten und schlechten Menschen, Schmuggelware und nicht Schmuggelware. Es ist so viel unordentlicher als das."
"Ich fange an, das zu erkennen", sagte Ardoss. Seine Hand begann sich zu verspannen. Sie konnten das nicht ewig machen. Irgendwann würde jemand schießen.
"Ich glaube nicht, dass du das tust", sagte Pietro. "Wenn du nicht siehst, was Mickey Black tut, bist du blind."
Ardoss erkannte, dass der Mann müde war. Er war kein Meisterspion, der seine Prinzipien verraten hatte. Er war gefangen. Ardoss wollte ihn nicht mehr töten, als er Jonas töten wollte. Es war nicht ihre Schuld.
"Ich habe mir die Augen geöffnet", sagte Ardoss. "Mickey Black ist ein Monster. Ich möchte dir helfen, wo immer ich kann. Du musst nicht weglaufen. Wir können ihn erledigen."
Pietro lachte. "Man macht einen Mann wie Mickey Black nicht fertig. Weißt du, wie groß seine Organisation ist? Tausende von Menschen. Alles von Kurieren wie Jonah, über Spione wie mich, bis hin zu Killern, an die man nicht einmal denken will. Er ist ein Albtraum. Ein wandelnder, sprechender, atmender Albtraum. Da kommt etwas. Es ist groß, größer als groß. Es wird alles verändern. Ich bin nur ein kleines Stück davon."
"Du musst nicht in Angst leben", sagte Ardoss. "Rede einfach mit mir. Sag mir, warum."
"Ich erinnere mich nicht einmal mehr daran", sagte Pietro. "Es spielt keine Rolle. Mein Leben ist vorbei. Ich muss hier weg."
"Man musste wissen, dass jemand es herausfinden würde", sagte Ardoss. "Solche Dinge bleiben nicht geheim. Und die Advocacy wird nicht aufhören. Selbst wenn du in das Gebiet von Banu gehst, werden sie weiter suchen."
"Es ist besser, tot zu sein", sagte Pietro.
"Ein Leben in Angst?", sagte Ardoss. "Schlaflose Nächte? Immer in Bewegung? Du schaust dir über die Schulter? Du und ich haben beide diese Typen gesehen. Schließlich nehmen sie sich das Leben oder isolieren sich so weit vom bekannten Universum, dass sie den Verstand verlieren, nicht mehr wissen, was real ist. Das ist kein Leben, Pietro. Das ist sein eigenes Gefängnis. Ich bringe dich rein. Gib der Anwaltschaft alles, was du über Mickey Black hast, und wir können ihn erledigen."
"Es wird immer jemanden geben, der seinen Platz einnimmt", sagte Pietro.
"Sicher wird es das", sagte Ardoss. "Aber er wird einer weniger sein. Wir können es ihnen schwerer machen. Suchen Sie nach Leuten, die sie in ihren Dienst gezwungen haben. Wir können helfen, Pietro. Du weißt, dass wir das können."
"Da ich gerade zwischen ein paar Gewehrläufen festsitze", sagte Jonah, "möchte ich mich einschalten."
Pietro blickte auf Jonas.
"Ich bin am selben Ort wie du", sagte Jonah. "Ständig Angst davor, was Mickey Black mich als nächstes tun lassen könnte. Aus Angst, dass ich verhaftet werde oder meine Familie verletzt wird. Aber ich stehe auf. Ich will nicht mehr in Angst leben. Ich weiß, dass du genauso denkst. Das musst du aber. Das ist kein Leben, kein Leben, das es wert ist, es zu haben. Wir müssen es zumindest versuchen."
"Hör auf ihn, Pietro", sagte Ardoss. "Er hat eine Frau und Kinder zu Hause. Er denkt an sie. Du musst an deine eigene Familie denken. Willst du, dass sie sich um dich sorgen, ohne zu wissen, wo du bist? Oder willst du sie beschützen?"
"Ich möchte, dass sie sicher sind", sagte Pietro.
"Natürlich tust du das", sagte Jonah. "Das ist alles, was du je wolltest. Was jeder von uns will."
"Du wirst sie in Schutzhaft nehmen, nicht wahr?" sagte Pietro und senkte seine Waffe. Jonah nahm die Waffe und steckte sie ein. Ardoss senkte seinen eigenen.
"Ja", sagte Ardoss. "Mickey wird sie nicht finden."
"Ich werde dir alles erzählen", sagte Pietro. "Abholungen, Infoboxen, mit wem ich mich getroffen habe und wo. Du solltest wissen, dass er plant -"
Aber was er vorhatte, würde Ardoss von Pietro nie erfahren. Ein Schuss ertönte über die Andockbucht und Pietro fiel wie eine Marionette mit geschnittenen Schnüren.
Jonah tauchte nach einem Stapel Kisten, als Ardoss auf den Boden fiel.
Ardoss kroch unter Deck und scannte die Gegend und suchte nach einem Schützen. Es gab hier zu viele Aussichtspunkte. Er hätte zuerst die Station überwachen sollen, aber es blieb keine Zeit. Jetzt sah er mehrere Risse. Alte Kanäle, verlassene Kisten, erhöhte Gehwege, Türen zu Nebenräumen. Und noch schlimmer, es hallte. Das machte es schwierig, die Quelle zu finden.
Ein weiterer Schuss ertönte und ricochete. Der Schütze war gut, nachdem er Pietro mit einem Schuss getroffen hatte. Aber wo immer der Schütze sich befand, gab es keine Sichtlinie zu Ardoss. Er traf eine Entscheidung.
Er eilte vorwärts, hockte sich hin und kniete bei seinem alten Partner.
Blut sickerte durch Pietro's Kleidung und seine Haut war blass. Sie waren hier draußen im Freien. Er hob ihn an den Schultern und zog ihn schnell wieder auf seine Deckung zurück.
Pietro sprach kaum über ein Flüstern und Ardoss musste sich tief hinsetzen, um es zu hören.
"Der Senat", sagte Pietro. " Der Senat."
Dann war er weg. Ardoss starrte ihn an, unsicher, was er von dem halten sollte, was sein alter Partner gesagt hatte. Mickey Black plante etwas und es hatte mit dem Senat zu tun.
Sie waren so nah dran gewesen. Pietro hatte zugestimmt, Mickey anzumachen, weil er wusste, dass es schließlich seinen Tod bedeuten würde. Sie haben einfach nicht damit gerechnet, dass es so früh ist.
Ardoss blickte auf Pietro herab. Es war eine Verschwendung. Pietro war ein guter Mann, oder zumindest hat er versucht, es zu sein. Wenn nur Ardoss früher gewusst hätte, was los war, wäre sein Partner vielleicht noch am Leben.
Er blickte aus seiner Deckung und versuchte erneut zu sehen, woher die Schüsse kamen. Wer wusste noch, dass sie hier sind? Es gab keine Möglichkeit, dass jemand das konnte. Pietro hatte gewartet, bis Jona ihn kontaktierte, um ihm die Koordinaten zu geben. Nicht einmal Mickey konnte es wissen.
Das ließ nur eine weitere Möglichkeit offen. Es gab einen Spion an Bord von Jona's Schiff.
Sein Aussichtspunkt war lausig. Er konnte nicht viel von allem sehen, von dort, wo er war. Vorsichtig ließ er seine Deckung, die Waffe gezogen und begann, über den alten Laderaum zu kriechen.
Aber bevor Ardoss weiter ermitteln konnte, ertönte ein weiterer Schuss und er taumelte rückwärts. Es fühlte sich an, als hätte ihm ein doppelt so großer Mann gerade in die Brust geschlagen. Er blickte nach unten, um zu sehen, wie rote Blüten seinen Anzug von der linken Schulter aus nach unten blühten.
Ein weiterer Schuss ertönte, der von einer Schottwand abprallte. Ardoss schüttelte seine momentane Benommenheit ab und schaffte es, sich hinter einigen alten Kisten zu verstecken. Sie stanken nach verrottendem Essen.
"Es ist höher oben", sagte Jonas und kauerte neben ihm.
Ardoss hatte vergessen, dass er da war.
"Woher weißt du das?" sagte Ardoss. Jonas war ein Feigling. Ardoss konnte sich nicht vorstellen, dass er nach dem Schützen suchte.
"Da liegt ein Energiebrand auf dem Boden, genau da", sagte Jonah und zeigte darauf.
Ardoss blinzelte und folgte Jona's Finger. Tatsächlich war da eine Brandspur auf dem Boden. Wäre der Schuss direkt angekommen, wäre die Verbrennung hinter ihnen oder weiter hinten auf dem Boden. Der Schütze war ganz sicher höher.
"Ich verstehe es nicht", sagte Ardoss. "Dieser Scharfschütze hat Pietro mit einem sauberen Schuss erwischt. Dann verfehlt er? Spielt er mit uns?"
"Es ist wahrscheinlicher, dass er unter Beschuss steht", sagte Jonah.
"Char?" sagte Ardoss.
Jonah nickte. "Ich bat sie, Ausschau zu halten, falls Pietro lügt. Sie ist ein guter Schütze. ”
"Warum schießt der Scharfschütze dann noch?" sagte Ardoss, als eine weitere Explosion ertönte.
Jonah zuckte mit den Schultern: "Du nimmst an, es ist der Scharfschütze."
Die Schüsse hörten auf. Jonas schaute vorsichtig mit dem Kopf über die Kiste und Ardoss zog ihn wieder nach unten.
"Char, hast du ihn erwischt?", sagte Ardoss. " Char?"
"Nein", sagte sie. Ihre Stimme war bitter. "Sie ist immer noch hier drin. Bleib auf Zack."
"Warte", sagte Ardoss, "sie?"
"Ja", sagte Char, "jetzt halte deine Augen offen."
Ardoss fühlte, wie das Adrenalin pumpte. Pietro war tot und diese Frau jagte sie immer noch. Wie viele wollte sie töten? Nur Ardoss? Die ganze Crew? Was ist mit den anderen Passagieren?
Da wurde ihm klar, dass es die Geschäftsfrau sein musste. Sie war so still und bescheiden, die perfekte Tarnung für einen Attentäter. Es machte ihn krank, über die Zeit nachzudenken, die er auf engstem Raum mit ihr verbracht hatte. Er schlich sich aus den Kisten, die Waffe noch gezogen, sein linker Arm nutzlos.
Jonah packte seine gute Schulter. "Du wirst erschossen."
"Wurde bereits angeschossen", sagte Ardoss. "Wir müssen sie finden. Sie wird uns nicht einfach in Ruhe lassen. Wir wissen zu viel."
Jonah arbeitete an seinem Kiefer, sagte aber nichts anderes.
Ardoss streckte den Kopf aus. Er musste wissen, wo sie war, welche Möglichkeiten sie hatte.
Dann die Bewegung.
Ardoss richtete seine Waffe aus. Es war nicht so hoch oben, wie er es erwartet hatte, nicht in den Kanälen oder auf einem Steg. Sie war auf einigen Kisten. Vielleicht.
Er dachte nicht, dass eine trainierte Waffe so schlampig sein würde.
Char's Kopf ragte hinter den Kisten hervor. Sie zeigte auf Ardoss und dann hinter ihm. Er drehte sich auf die Fersen, kauerte immer noch. Seine Schulter pocht, aber zum Glück wird der starke Schmerz, von dem er wusste, dass er kommen würde, immer noch in Schach gehalten. Zu viel Adrenalin, dachte er sich.
Er blickte zurück zu Char, aber sie war weg und schlich sich zwischen die verlassene Ladung. Er bewegte sich hinter dem Stapel mit verschimmelten Lebensmitteln, wo Jonah sich noch versteckte. Jonah sah ihn gerade an, als er vorbeikam, mit großen Augen.
Es gab noch einen weiteren Stapel Kisten weiter hinten und ein paar alte Tanks. Ein perfekter Ort für sie, um sich zu verstecken.
Wie viele Schüsse hatte sie abgegeben? Wie viele Runden hatte sie? Genug, um ein oder zwei Menschen zu erledigen? Mehr?
Ardoss wusste, dass er das Hauptziel sein würde, dann Char. Jonah wäre der Letzte, wenn sie nicht einfach den Teenager und Thrumm danach töten würde, um alle Zeugen zu entfernen.
Der Stapel war schattig und stank. Es gab zu viele dunkle Ecken, als dass sich jemand verstecken konnte. Ardoss stürzte am Rand einer Kiste und um einen Kraftstofftank herum.
Dort fand er sich von Angesicht zu Angesicht mit dem Mörder seines Partners wieder.
Ihr Geschäftsanzug war teilweise zerrissen und blutig. Schweiß verfilzte ihr kurzes Haar bis zur Stirn. Ihre Haut wurde errötet und ihre Brust stark gepumpt.
"Lass die Waffe fallen", sagte sie. Sie zielte auf die Pistole, die Jonah zuvor bei ihm benutzt hatte.
"Nicht wahrscheinlich", sagte Ardoss.
"Ich werde schießen", sagte die Frau.
Ardoss lächelte. "Wenn du noch mehr Kugeln hättest, hättest du mich schon getötet."
Die Frau grinste, aber es war im Handumdrehen weg, ersetzt durch ein Knurren. Sie ließ die Waffe fallen und sprang los.
Sie setzte alle ihre Kräfte ein, um seine linke Schulter zu treffen.
Da war der Schmerz.
Er schrie auf und knitterte zum Deck. Sie krabbelte über ihn und griff nach seiner Waffe. Ardoss drehte sich um und packte ihr Bein mit seiner guten Hand und zog hart.
Die Frau fluchte und trat ihn an. Der erste Tritt traf seinen Unterarm, aber er hielt sich fest. Der nächste war mit seinen Knöcheln verbunden und sein Griff löste sich. Sie schüttelte sich los und kroch zur Waffe.
Ardoss begann, auf sie zuzukriechen, aber die Waffe war in ihrer Hand. Sie fiel auf den Rücken und feuerte.
Der Schuss wurde wild und Ardoss nutzte den Moment, um nach Deckung zu rollen. Er blickte hinter sich.
Die Frau war auf den Beinen.
"Ich mache es schnell", sagte sie, "Ich verspreche es."
Er kauerte, um sich auf sie zu stürzen, aber er hatte nie die Chance dazu.
Es gab einen Schrei, urtümlich und verängstigt, als ein dunkler Fleck mit dem Attentäter kollidierte. Zwei Formen fielen auf den Boden und die Waffe huschte über das Deck.
Ardoss verfolgte die Waffe und warf sich fast hinter ihr her. Seine Finger schlossen sich am Griff und er drehte sich um.
Jonas lag auf der Frau, die Knie spreizten ihre Hüften, die Hände auf ihren Schultern.
Jonas schlug sie und packte sofort seine Hand und rieb die Knöchel.
"Geht es dir besser?", sagte Ardoss.
"Nein", sagte Jonah, "meine Hand tut weh."
Ardoss lachte.
Jonas starrte ihn an und dann begann er zu lachen.
"Habe ich etwas Lustiges verpasst?", sagte Char.
Ardoss sah nach. Sie stand hinter Jonas und dem Attentäter, mit einer Schusswaffe in den Händen und mit großen Augen.
"Pietro?" sagte Char.
"Er hat es nicht geschafft", sagte Ardoss, sein Lachen war vorbei. Auch Jonas hielt an.
"Sie hat dich", sagte Char.
Ardoss blickte nach unten. "Wenigstens war es nicht ein paar Zentimeter über dem Ziel."
"Kleiner Trost", sagte sie.
"Also, wie konnten wir einen Attentäter auf dem Schiff übersehen?" sagte Jonah. Er rollte von der Frau ab.
Char überquerte die wenigen Meter zwischen ihnen. Sie richtete ihr Gewehr auf den Kopf der Frau. "Fang an zu reden."
Die Frau leckte ihre Lippen und schmierte Blut über sie.
"Das geht dich nichts an", sagte sie.
Char hat die Waffe gespannt. "Das ist keine gute Antwort."
Die Frau starrte.
"Wenn du sie tötest, bekommen wir unsere Antworten nicht", sagte Ardoss.
"Wer hat etwas davon gesagt, sie zu töten?" sagte Char. Sie schwang den Kolben ihrer Waffe herum und schlug ihn gegen das Knie der Frau.
Der Attentäter schrie und packte ihr Bein.
"Pietro war nie dazu bestimmt, lebendig zu bleiben", sagte sie keuchend.
"Was?" sagte Jonah.
Char stieß das Knie der Frau mit dem Lauf ihrer Waffe an. " Nur zu."
Die Frau zuckte zusammen. "Die Übergabe war eine Farce", sagte sie. "Es war eine Falle. Mickey wusste, dass Pietro dir nur vertrauen würde, also arrangierte er die ganze Sache, arrangierte sie für die Passagiere und stellte sicher, dass ich die Passage buchen konnte."
Jonah ist zusammengebrochen. "Warum?" sagte Jonah. "Warum das alles?"
Die Frau zuckte mit den Schultern. "Ich tue, wofür ich bezahlt werde. Mickey wird dich umbringen, wenn er erfährt, dass du mit einem Agenten zusammenarbeitest."
"Verlass dich nicht darauf", sagte Char. "Was willst du mit ihr machen?"
"Ich muss sie zurück zur Advocacy bringen", sagte Ardoss.
"Ich will einen Deal", sagte die Frau. "Ich habe dir Informationen gegeben. Du musst mich beschützen."
"Warum?" sagte Ardoss. "Du hast deinen Job gemacht."
"Und wenn Schwarz herausfindet, dass du noch am Leben bist, bin ich tot", sagte die Frau.
"Ich werde darüber nachdenken", sagte Ardoss.
"Dann hast du mich so gut wie getötet", sagte sie.
"Du hättest darüber nachdenken sollen, bevor du bei Mickey Black unterschrieben hast."
Char nickte und trat sie.
Die lokalen Behörden holten den Politiker Thrumm im nächsten Hafen ab. Advocacy Agents nahm Ardoss' Aussage auf. Er riet ihnen, dass der Attentäter ein wichtiger Zeuge sei und beschützt werden müsse. Die Agenten übernahmen auch das Sorgerecht für Pietros Leiche. Ardoss hatte mit der Arbeit an der Bitte begonnen, dass seinem Partner auf dem Rückflug die volle Ehre zuteil wird. Er hatte es gerade abgeschickt, als seine neuen Befehle von Junior Director Vami auf seinem Mobi ankamen.
Zurückkehren. Sofort.
Das ist unwahrscheinlich, dachte er.
Ardoss wollte die Advocacy warnen, dass Schwarz etwas gegen den Senat geplant hatte, aber er hatte keine Beweise. Er konnte Vamis Anweisungen nicht folgen, bis er sie fand.
Die drei saßen im Cockpit und tranken eine Flasche Sky Whiskey von Croshaw.
"Was wirst du jetzt tun?", sagte Jonah.
"Ich soll zurück in mein Büro gehen und mich ruhig zurückziehen", sagte Ardoss, "aber ich glaube nicht, dass ich das kann."
"Du willst Mickey Black jagen", sagte Jonah.
Ardoss nickte. Mickey hatte einen der besten Männer zerstört, die er je gekannt hatte, und er wollte den Bastard nicht davon abhalten.
"Pietro sagte, er hätte Pläne", sagte Ardoss. "Hat etwas mit dem Senat zu tun. Aber ohne Beweise, die die Geschichte untermauern...."
"Du willst diesen Beweis finden", sagte Char.
"Und ihn damit an die Wand nageln", sagte Ardoss. "Ich will sichergehen, dass er nie wieder eine lebende Seele verletzen kann."
Gerade dann begann die Kommunikation des Schiffes zu piepen. Jonas hielt einen Finger hoch und Ardoss trat aus dem Weg des Videos.
Jonah drückte einen Knopf und Mickeys ruiniertes Gesicht füllte den Bildschirm.
"Jonah, mein Junge, ich habe gehört, dass die Mission erledigt ist", sagte Mickey.
Der Pilot presste seinen Kiefer zusammen. "Du hast Pietro getötet."
"Ja, tut mir leid, das musste erledigt werden", sagte Mickey. "Schreckliche Sache, aber ich konnte nicht riskieren, dass er plaudert."
"Ich mag es nicht, wenn man mich benutzt", sagte Jonah.
"Ich werde dich benutzen, wie es mir passt", sagte Mickey. Seine Stimme war gefährlich. "Was hast du mit meinem Attentäter gemacht?"
"Ich musste sie zu den örtlichen Behörden bringen", sagte Jonah. "Pietro ist tot und sein Partner auch. Die Advocacy wollte Antworten."
Mickeys Augen gingen weit auseinander. "Ich hätte nicht wirklich gedacht, dass du es tun würdest."
"Das habe ich nicht", sagte Jonah. "Deine Frau hat das getan."
Char blickte auf Ardoss. Er fühlte sich für einen Toten ziemlich gut, aber er schwieg. Er hoffte, dass die Agenten den Attentäter in Sicherheit bringen würden.
Mickey sah beeindruckt aus. "Ich hatte gehofft, meine Killerin wiederzubekommen. Sie war ziemlich gut, aber ich nehme an, man kann nicht immer gewinnen. Ich muss mich natürlich um sie kümmern, aber das ist mein Problem, nicht deins."
"Ich habe getan, was du wolltest, und bin dabei fast gestorben", sagte Jonah. "Ich will mein Geld."
"Es kommt, Junge", sagte Mickey, "aber sehen Sie, Sie haben nicht genau das getan, was ich Sie gefragt habe. Meine Frau hat den Agenten getötet, nicht dich."
Jona starrte, seine Augen voller Wut.
Mickey zuckte mit den Schultern. "Hey, ein Deal ist ein Deal. Ich habe dich gebeten, etwas zu tun, aber du hast es nicht getan. Du schuldest mir immer noch etwas."
"Du wusstest, dass ich es nicht tun würde", sagte Jonah.
"Jeder Mann muss diese Entscheidung treffen", sagte Mickey. "Du hast deins gemacht."
"Was willst du?" fragte Jonah.
"Geh zu diesen Koordinaten für weitere Anweisungen", sagte Mickey. "Und Jonah, ich erwarte wirklich, dass du es diesmal schaffst. Alles davon. Wenn du es vermasselst, wirst du so tief in meiner Schuld stehen, dass deine Kinder es lange nach deinem Tod auszahlen werden."
Der Bildschirm wurde leer, bevor Jonah die Möglichkeit hatte, zu argumentieren. Er drehte sich um und sah Ardoss an.
"Das ist es, was er wollte", sagte Char, "um etwas über dich zu sagen."
"Nun, Ardoss", sagte Jonah, "sieht so aus, als hättest du deine Chance, dich zu rächen. Ich werde alles tun, was ich kann, um dir zu helfen, diesen Bastard zu beenden."
"Großartig", sagte Ardoss und warf die letzten Tropfen Whiskey in sein Glas zurück. "Wir haben noch eine Menge Arbeit vor uns."
Das Ende
Ardoss' Finger lag auf dem Abzug seiner Waffe. Er wusste immer, dass es so ablaufen würde. Nun, vielleicht nicht ganz so.
Mit Hilfe des Schiffspiloten Jonah Ruskella hatte er schließlich seinen Partner Pietro Marquez aufgespürt. Jonah war ein Lieferjunge für den Piraten Mickey Black, der sich entschied, seinen Arbeitgeber zu verraten.
Aber alles war schief gelaufen. Ardoss' Deckung wurde aufgeflogen, das Schiff war vorübergehend entführt worden, und jetzt, da sie endlich hier waren, stellte sich heraus, dass Mickey Pietro hintergangen hatte und die versprochene Fracht fehlte.
Nun standen sie in einer alten, verlassenen Tankstelle, Waffen aufeinander gerichtet, Jonas steckte dazwischen. Nachdem Ruskella alles für Ardoss riskiert hatte, konnte er sich von Pietro nicht erschießen lassen.
Als Ardoss zusah, wie eine Schweißperle über das Gesicht seines Ex-Partners tropfte, konnte er nicht umhin, daran zu denken, wann die Advocacy ihn zum ersten Mal als seinen Partner eingesetzt hatte. Pietro war ein frischgebackener Anfänger.
Dieser junge Mann war weg. Ardoss hatte es bis zu diesem Zeitpunkt nicht wirklich bemerkt. Sein schwarzes Haar war grau und dünn. Linien umgaben seinen Mund und seine Augen und der jugendliche Überschwang war vorbei. Jetzt war nur noch ein älterer Mann übrig, müde und verängstigt.
"Ich erinnere mich an diesen Ort", sagte Ardoss. "Es wurde von einer Gruppe von Schmugglern gehalten."
"Sklavenhändler", sagte Pietro.
"Schmuggelware ist Schmuggelware", sagte Ardoss.
"Du hast immer alles vereinfacht, Ardoss", sagte Pietro. "Die Dinge fallen nicht in ordentliche kleine Haufen von guten und schlechten Menschen, Schmuggelware und nicht Schmuggelware. Es ist so viel unordentlicher als das."
"Ich fange an, das zu erkennen", sagte Ardoss. Seine Hand begann sich zu verspannen. Sie konnten das nicht ewig machen. Irgendwann würde jemand schießen.
"Ich glaube nicht, dass du das tust", sagte Pietro. "Wenn du nicht siehst, was Mickey Black tut, bist du blind."
Ardoss erkannte, dass der Mann müde war. Er war kein Meisterspion, der seine Prinzipien verraten hatte. Er war gefangen. Ardoss wollte ihn nicht mehr töten, als er Jonas töten wollte. Es war nicht ihre Schuld.
"Ich habe mir die Augen geöffnet", sagte Ardoss. "Mickey Black ist ein Monster. Ich möchte dir helfen, wo immer ich kann. Du musst nicht weglaufen. Wir können ihn erledigen."
Pietro lachte. "Man macht einen Mann wie Mickey Black nicht fertig. Weißt du, wie groß seine Organisation ist? Tausende von Menschen. Alles von Kurieren wie Jonah, über Spione wie mich, bis hin zu Killern, an die man nicht einmal denken will. Er ist ein Albtraum. Ein wandelnder, sprechender, atmender Albtraum. Da kommt etwas. Es ist groß, größer als groß. Es wird alles verändern. Ich bin nur ein kleines Stück davon."
"Du musst nicht in Angst leben", sagte Ardoss. "Rede einfach mit mir. Sag mir, warum."
"Ich erinnere mich nicht einmal mehr daran", sagte Pietro. "Es spielt keine Rolle. Mein Leben ist vorbei. Ich muss hier weg."
"Man musste wissen, dass jemand es herausfinden würde", sagte Ardoss. "Solche Dinge bleiben nicht geheim. Und die Advocacy wird nicht aufhören. Selbst wenn du in das Gebiet von Banu gehst, werden sie weiter suchen."
"Es ist besser, tot zu sein", sagte Pietro.
"Ein Leben in Angst?", sagte Ardoss. "Schlaflose Nächte? Immer in Bewegung? Du schaust dir über die Schulter? Du und ich haben beide diese Typen gesehen. Schließlich nehmen sie sich das Leben oder isolieren sich so weit vom bekannten Universum, dass sie den Verstand verlieren, nicht mehr wissen, was real ist. Das ist kein Leben, Pietro. Das ist sein eigenes Gefängnis. Ich bringe dich rein. Gib der Anwaltschaft alles, was du über Mickey Black hast, und wir können ihn erledigen."
"Es wird immer jemanden geben, der seinen Platz einnimmt", sagte Pietro.
"Sicher wird es das", sagte Ardoss. "Aber er wird einer weniger sein. Wir können es ihnen schwerer machen. Suchen Sie nach Leuten, die sie in ihren Dienst gezwungen haben. Wir können helfen, Pietro. Du weißt, dass wir das können."
"Da ich gerade zwischen ein paar Gewehrläufen festsitze", sagte Jonah, "möchte ich mich einschalten."
Pietro blickte auf Jonas.
"Ich bin am selben Ort wie du", sagte Jonah. "Ständig Angst davor, was Mickey Black mich als nächstes tun lassen könnte. Aus Angst, dass ich verhaftet werde oder meine Familie verletzt wird. Aber ich stehe auf. Ich will nicht mehr in Angst leben. Ich weiß, dass du genauso denkst. Das musst du aber. Das ist kein Leben, kein Leben, das es wert ist, es zu haben. Wir müssen es zumindest versuchen."
"Hör auf ihn, Pietro", sagte Ardoss. "Er hat eine Frau und Kinder zu Hause. Er denkt an sie. Du musst an deine eigene Familie denken. Willst du, dass sie sich um dich sorgen, ohne zu wissen, wo du bist? Oder willst du sie beschützen?"
"Ich möchte, dass sie sicher sind", sagte Pietro.
"Natürlich tust du das", sagte Jonah. "Das ist alles, was du je wolltest. Was jeder von uns will."
"Du wirst sie in Schutzhaft nehmen, nicht wahr?" sagte Pietro und senkte seine Waffe. Jonah nahm die Waffe und steckte sie ein. Ardoss senkte seinen eigenen.
"Ja", sagte Ardoss. "Mickey wird sie nicht finden."
"Ich werde dir alles erzählen", sagte Pietro. "Abholungen, Infoboxen, mit wem ich mich getroffen habe und wo. Du solltest wissen, dass er plant -"
Aber was er vorhatte, würde Ardoss von Pietro nie erfahren. Ein Schuss ertönte über die Andockbucht und Pietro fiel wie eine Marionette mit geschnittenen Schnüren.
Jonah tauchte nach einem Stapel Kisten, als Ardoss auf den Boden fiel.
Ardoss kroch unter Deck und scannte die Gegend und suchte nach einem Schützen. Es gab hier zu viele Aussichtspunkte. Er hätte zuerst die Station überwachen sollen, aber es blieb keine Zeit. Jetzt sah er mehrere Risse. Alte Kanäle, verlassene Kisten, erhöhte Gehwege, Türen zu Nebenräumen. Und noch schlimmer, es hallte. Das machte es schwierig, die Quelle zu finden.
Ein weiterer Schuss ertönte und ricochete. Der Schütze war gut, nachdem er Pietro mit einem Schuss getroffen hatte. Aber wo immer der Schütze sich befand, gab es keine Sichtlinie zu Ardoss. Er traf eine Entscheidung.
Er eilte vorwärts, hockte sich hin und kniete bei seinem alten Partner.
Blut sickerte durch Pietro's Kleidung und seine Haut war blass. Sie waren hier draußen im Freien. Er hob ihn an den Schultern und zog ihn schnell wieder auf seine Deckung zurück.
Pietro sprach kaum über ein Flüstern und Ardoss musste sich tief hinsetzen, um es zu hören.
"Der Senat", sagte Pietro. " Der Senat."
Dann war er weg. Ardoss starrte ihn an, unsicher, was er von dem halten sollte, was sein alter Partner gesagt hatte. Mickey Black plante etwas und es hatte mit dem Senat zu tun.
Sie waren so nah dran gewesen. Pietro hatte zugestimmt, Mickey anzumachen, weil er wusste, dass es schließlich seinen Tod bedeuten würde. Sie haben einfach nicht damit gerechnet, dass es so früh ist.
Ardoss blickte auf Pietro herab. Es war eine Verschwendung. Pietro war ein guter Mann, oder zumindest hat er versucht, es zu sein. Wenn nur Ardoss früher gewusst hätte, was los war, wäre sein Partner vielleicht noch am Leben.
Er blickte aus seiner Deckung und versuchte erneut zu sehen, woher die Schüsse kamen. Wer wusste noch, dass sie hier sind? Es gab keine Möglichkeit, dass jemand das konnte. Pietro hatte gewartet, bis Jona ihn kontaktierte, um ihm die Koordinaten zu geben. Nicht einmal Mickey konnte es wissen.
Das ließ nur eine weitere Möglichkeit offen. Es gab einen Spion an Bord von Jona's Schiff.
Sein Aussichtspunkt war lausig. Er konnte nicht viel von allem sehen, von dort, wo er war. Vorsichtig ließ er seine Deckung, die Waffe gezogen und begann, über den alten Laderaum zu kriechen.
Aber bevor Ardoss weiter ermitteln konnte, ertönte ein weiterer Schuss und er taumelte rückwärts. Es fühlte sich an, als hätte ihm ein doppelt so großer Mann gerade in die Brust geschlagen. Er blickte nach unten, um zu sehen, wie rote Blüten seinen Anzug von der linken Schulter aus nach unten blühten.
Ein weiterer Schuss ertönte, der von einer Schottwand abprallte. Ardoss schüttelte seine momentane Benommenheit ab und schaffte es, sich hinter einigen alten Kisten zu verstecken. Sie stanken nach verrottendem Essen.
"Es ist höher oben", sagte Jonas und kauerte neben ihm.
Ardoss hatte vergessen, dass er da war.
"Woher weißt du das?" sagte Ardoss. Jonas war ein Feigling. Ardoss konnte sich nicht vorstellen, dass er nach dem Schützen suchte.
"Da liegt ein Energiebrand auf dem Boden, genau da", sagte Jonah und zeigte darauf.
Ardoss blinzelte und folgte Jona's Finger. Tatsächlich war da eine Brandspur auf dem Boden. Wäre der Schuss direkt angekommen, wäre die Verbrennung hinter ihnen oder weiter hinten auf dem Boden. Der Schütze war ganz sicher höher.
"Ich verstehe es nicht", sagte Ardoss. "Dieser Scharfschütze hat Pietro mit einem sauberen Schuss erwischt. Dann verfehlt er? Spielt er mit uns?"
"Es ist wahrscheinlicher, dass er unter Beschuss steht", sagte Jonah.
"Char?" sagte Ardoss.
Jonah nickte. "Ich bat sie, Ausschau zu halten, falls Pietro lügt. Sie ist ein guter Schütze. ”
"Warum schießt der Scharfschütze dann noch?" sagte Ardoss, als eine weitere Explosion ertönte.
Jonah zuckte mit den Schultern: "Du nimmst an, es ist der Scharfschütze."
Die Schüsse hörten auf. Jonas schaute vorsichtig mit dem Kopf über die Kiste und Ardoss zog ihn wieder nach unten.
"Char, hast du ihn erwischt?", sagte Ardoss. " Char?"
"Nein", sagte sie. Ihre Stimme war bitter. "Sie ist immer noch hier drin. Bleib auf Zack."
"Warte", sagte Ardoss, "sie?"
"Ja", sagte Char, "jetzt halte deine Augen offen."
Ardoss fühlte, wie das Adrenalin pumpte. Pietro war tot und diese Frau jagte sie immer noch. Wie viele wollte sie töten? Nur Ardoss? Die ganze Crew? Was ist mit den anderen Passagieren?
Da wurde ihm klar, dass es die Geschäftsfrau sein musste. Sie war so still und bescheiden, die perfekte Tarnung für einen Attentäter. Es machte ihn krank, über die Zeit nachzudenken, die er auf engstem Raum mit ihr verbracht hatte. Er schlich sich aus den Kisten, die Waffe noch gezogen, sein linker Arm nutzlos.
Jonah packte seine gute Schulter. "Du wirst erschossen."
"Wurde bereits angeschossen", sagte Ardoss. "Wir müssen sie finden. Sie wird uns nicht einfach in Ruhe lassen. Wir wissen zu viel."
Jonah arbeitete an seinem Kiefer, sagte aber nichts anderes.
Ardoss streckte den Kopf aus. Er musste wissen, wo sie war, welche Möglichkeiten sie hatte.
Dann die Bewegung.
Ardoss richtete seine Waffe aus. Es war nicht so hoch oben, wie er es erwartet hatte, nicht in den Kanälen oder auf einem Steg. Sie war auf einigen Kisten. Vielleicht.
Er dachte nicht, dass eine trainierte Waffe so schlampig sein würde.
Char's Kopf ragte hinter den Kisten hervor. Sie zeigte auf Ardoss und dann hinter ihm. Er drehte sich auf die Fersen, kauerte immer noch. Seine Schulter pocht, aber zum Glück wird der starke Schmerz, von dem er wusste, dass er kommen würde, immer noch in Schach gehalten. Zu viel Adrenalin, dachte er sich.
Er blickte zurück zu Char, aber sie war weg und schlich sich zwischen die verlassene Ladung. Er bewegte sich hinter dem Stapel mit verschimmelten Lebensmitteln, wo Jonah sich noch versteckte. Jonah sah ihn gerade an, als er vorbeikam, mit großen Augen.
Es gab noch einen weiteren Stapel Kisten weiter hinten und ein paar alte Tanks. Ein perfekter Ort für sie, um sich zu verstecken.
Wie viele Schüsse hatte sie abgegeben? Wie viele Runden hatte sie? Genug, um ein oder zwei Menschen zu erledigen? Mehr?
Ardoss wusste, dass er das Hauptziel sein würde, dann Char. Jonah wäre der Letzte, wenn sie nicht einfach den Teenager und Thrumm danach töten würde, um alle Zeugen zu entfernen.
Der Stapel war schattig und stank. Es gab zu viele dunkle Ecken, als dass sich jemand verstecken konnte. Ardoss stürzte am Rand einer Kiste und um einen Kraftstofftank herum.
Dort fand er sich von Angesicht zu Angesicht mit dem Mörder seines Partners wieder.
Ihr Geschäftsanzug war teilweise zerrissen und blutig. Schweiß verfilzte ihr kurzes Haar bis zur Stirn. Ihre Haut wurde errötet und ihre Brust stark gepumpt.
"Lass die Waffe fallen", sagte sie. Sie zielte auf die Pistole, die Jonah zuvor bei ihm benutzt hatte.
"Nicht wahrscheinlich", sagte Ardoss.
"Ich werde schießen", sagte die Frau.
Ardoss lächelte. "Wenn du noch mehr Kugeln hättest, hättest du mich schon getötet."
Die Frau grinste, aber es war im Handumdrehen weg, ersetzt durch ein Knurren. Sie ließ die Waffe fallen und sprang los.
Sie setzte alle ihre Kräfte ein, um seine linke Schulter zu treffen.
Da war der Schmerz.
Er schrie auf und knitterte zum Deck. Sie krabbelte über ihn und griff nach seiner Waffe. Ardoss drehte sich um und packte ihr Bein mit seiner guten Hand und zog hart.
Die Frau fluchte und trat ihn an. Der erste Tritt traf seinen Unterarm, aber er hielt sich fest. Der nächste war mit seinen Knöcheln verbunden und sein Griff löste sich. Sie schüttelte sich los und kroch zur Waffe.
Ardoss begann, auf sie zuzukriechen, aber die Waffe war in ihrer Hand. Sie fiel auf den Rücken und feuerte.
Der Schuss wurde wild und Ardoss nutzte den Moment, um nach Deckung zu rollen. Er blickte hinter sich.
Die Frau war auf den Beinen.
"Ich mache es schnell", sagte sie, "Ich verspreche es."
Er kauerte, um sich auf sie zu stürzen, aber er hatte nie die Chance dazu.
Es gab einen Schrei, urtümlich und verängstigt, als ein dunkler Fleck mit dem Attentäter kollidierte. Zwei Formen fielen auf den Boden und die Waffe huschte über das Deck.
Ardoss verfolgte die Waffe und warf sich fast hinter ihr her. Seine Finger schlossen sich am Griff und er drehte sich um.
Jonas lag auf der Frau, die Knie spreizten ihre Hüften, die Hände auf ihren Schultern.
Jonas schlug sie und packte sofort seine Hand und rieb die Knöchel.
"Geht es dir besser?", sagte Ardoss.
"Nein", sagte Jonah, "meine Hand tut weh."
Ardoss lachte.
Jonas starrte ihn an und dann begann er zu lachen.
"Habe ich etwas Lustiges verpasst?", sagte Char.
Ardoss sah nach. Sie stand hinter Jonas und dem Attentäter, mit einer Schusswaffe in den Händen und mit großen Augen.
"Pietro?" sagte Char.
"Er hat es nicht geschafft", sagte Ardoss, sein Lachen war vorbei. Auch Jonas hielt an.
"Sie hat dich", sagte Char.
Ardoss blickte nach unten. "Wenigstens war es nicht ein paar Zentimeter über dem Ziel."
"Kleiner Trost", sagte sie.
"Also, wie konnten wir einen Attentäter auf dem Schiff übersehen?" sagte Jonah. Er rollte von der Frau ab.
Char überquerte die wenigen Meter zwischen ihnen. Sie richtete ihr Gewehr auf den Kopf der Frau. "Fang an zu reden."
Die Frau leckte ihre Lippen und schmierte Blut über sie.
"Das geht dich nichts an", sagte sie.
Char hat die Waffe gespannt. "Das ist keine gute Antwort."
Die Frau starrte.
"Wenn du sie tötest, bekommen wir unsere Antworten nicht", sagte Ardoss.
"Wer hat etwas davon gesagt, sie zu töten?" sagte Char. Sie schwang den Kolben ihrer Waffe herum und schlug ihn gegen das Knie der Frau.
Der Attentäter schrie und packte ihr Bein.
"Pietro war nie dazu bestimmt, lebendig zu bleiben", sagte sie keuchend.
"Was?" sagte Jonah.
Char stieß das Knie der Frau mit dem Lauf ihrer Waffe an. " Nur zu."
Die Frau zuckte zusammen. "Die Übergabe war eine Farce", sagte sie. "Es war eine Falle. Mickey wusste, dass Pietro dir nur vertrauen würde, also arrangierte er die ganze Sache, arrangierte sie für die Passagiere und stellte sicher, dass ich die Passage buchen konnte."
Jonah ist zusammengebrochen. "Warum?" sagte Jonah. "Warum das alles?"
Die Frau zuckte mit den Schultern. "Ich tue, wofür ich bezahlt werde. Mickey wird dich umbringen, wenn er erfährt, dass du mit einem Agenten zusammenarbeitest."
"Verlass dich nicht darauf", sagte Char. "Was willst du mit ihr machen?"
"Ich muss sie zurück zur Advocacy bringen", sagte Ardoss.
"Ich will einen Deal", sagte die Frau. "Ich habe dir Informationen gegeben. Du musst mich beschützen."
"Warum?" sagte Ardoss. "Du hast deinen Job gemacht."
"Und wenn Schwarz herausfindet, dass du noch am Leben bist, bin ich tot", sagte die Frau.
"Ich werde darüber nachdenken", sagte Ardoss.
"Dann hast du mich so gut wie getötet", sagte sie.
"Du hättest darüber nachdenken sollen, bevor du bei Mickey Black unterschrieben hast."
Char nickte und trat sie.
Die lokalen Behörden holten den Politiker Thrumm im nächsten Hafen ab. Advocacy Agents nahm Ardoss' Aussage auf. Er riet ihnen, dass der Attentäter ein wichtiger Zeuge sei und beschützt werden müsse. Die Agenten übernahmen auch das Sorgerecht für Pietros Leiche. Ardoss hatte mit der Arbeit an der Bitte begonnen, dass seinem Partner auf dem Rückflug die volle Ehre zuteil wird. Er hatte es gerade abgeschickt, als seine neuen Befehle von Junior Director Vami auf seinem Mobi ankamen.
Zurückkehren. Sofort.
Das ist unwahrscheinlich, dachte er.
Ardoss wollte die Advocacy warnen, dass Schwarz etwas gegen den Senat geplant hatte, aber er hatte keine Beweise. Er konnte Vamis Anweisungen nicht folgen, bis er sie fand.
Die drei saßen im Cockpit und tranken eine Flasche Sky Whiskey von Croshaw.
"Was wirst du jetzt tun?", sagte Jonah.
"Ich soll zurück in mein Büro gehen und mich ruhig zurückziehen", sagte Ardoss, "aber ich glaube nicht, dass ich das kann."
"Du willst Mickey Black jagen", sagte Jonah.
Ardoss nickte. Mickey hatte einen der besten Männer zerstört, die er je gekannt hatte, und er wollte den Bastard nicht davon abhalten.
"Pietro sagte, er hätte Pläne", sagte Ardoss. "Hat etwas mit dem Senat zu tun. Aber ohne Beweise, die die Geschichte untermauern...."
"Du willst diesen Beweis finden", sagte Char.
"Und ihn damit an die Wand nageln", sagte Ardoss. "Ich will sichergehen, dass er nie wieder eine lebende Seele verletzen kann."
Gerade dann begann die Kommunikation des Schiffes zu piepen. Jonas hielt einen Finger hoch und Ardoss trat aus dem Weg des Videos.
Jonah drückte einen Knopf und Mickeys ruiniertes Gesicht füllte den Bildschirm.
"Jonah, mein Junge, ich habe gehört, dass die Mission erledigt ist", sagte Mickey.
Der Pilot presste seinen Kiefer zusammen. "Du hast Pietro getötet."
"Ja, tut mir leid, das musste erledigt werden", sagte Mickey. "Schreckliche Sache, aber ich konnte nicht riskieren, dass er plaudert."
"Ich mag es nicht, wenn man mich benutzt", sagte Jonah.
"Ich werde dich benutzen, wie es mir passt", sagte Mickey. Seine Stimme war gefährlich. "Was hast du mit meinem Attentäter gemacht?"
"Ich musste sie zu den örtlichen Behörden bringen", sagte Jonah. "Pietro ist tot und sein Partner auch. Die Advocacy wollte Antworten."
Mickeys Augen gingen weit auseinander. "Ich hätte nicht wirklich gedacht, dass du es tun würdest."
"Das habe ich nicht", sagte Jonah. "Deine Frau hat das getan."
Char blickte auf Ardoss. Er fühlte sich für einen Toten ziemlich gut, aber er schwieg. Er hoffte, dass die Agenten den Attentäter in Sicherheit bringen würden.
Mickey sah beeindruckt aus. "Ich hatte gehofft, meine Killerin wiederzubekommen. Sie war ziemlich gut, aber ich nehme an, man kann nicht immer gewinnen. Ich muss mich natürlich um sie kümmern, aber das ist mein Problem, nicht deins."
"Ich habe getan, was du wolltest, und bin dabei fast gestorben", sagte Jonah. "Ich will mein Geld."
"Es kommt, Junge", sagte Mickey, "aber sehen Sie, Sie haben nicht genau das getan, was ich Sie gefragt habe. Meine Frau hat den Agenten getötet, nicht dich."
Jona starrte, seine Augen voller Wut.
Mickey zuckte mit den Schultern. "Hey, ein Deal ist ein Deal. Ich habe dich gebeten, etwas zu tun, aber du hast es nicht getan. Du schuldest mir immer noch etwas."
"Du wusstest, dass ich es nicht tun würde", sagte Jonah.
"Jeder Mann muss diese Entscheidung treffen", sagte Mickey. "Du hast deins gemacht."
"Was willst du?" fragte Jonah.
"Geh zu diesen Koordinaten für weitere Anweisungen", sagte Mickey. "Und Jonah, ich erwarte wirklich, dass du es diesmal schaffst. Alles davon. Wenn du es vermasselst, wirst du so tief in meiner Schuld stehen, dass deine Kinder es lange nach deinem Tod auszahlen werden."
Der Bildschirm wurde leer, bevor Jonah die Möglichkeit hatte, zu argumentieren. Er drehte sich um und sah Ardoss an.
"Das ist es, was er wollte", sagte Char, "um etwas über dich zu sagen."
"Nun, Ardoss", sagte Jonah, "sieht so aus, als hättest du deine Chance, dich zu rächen. Ich werde alles tun, was ich kann, um dir zu helfen, diesen Bastard zu beenden."
"Großartig", sagte Ardoss und warf die letzten Tropfen Whiskey in sein Glas zurück. "Wir haben noch eine Menge Arbeit vor uns."
Das Ende
Writer’s Note: One Last Job: Part Four was published originally in Jump Point 3.12. Read Part One here, Part Two here, and Part Three here.
Ardoss’ finger rested on the trigger of his gun. He always knew it would go down like this. Well, maybe not exactly like this.
He’d finally tracked down his partner, Pietro Marquez, with the help of ship pilot Jonah Ruskella. Jonah was a delivery boy for the pirate Mickey Black who chose to turn on his employer.
But everything had gone wrong. Ardoss’ cover was blown, the ship had been temporarily hijacked, and now that they were finally here, it turned out that Mickey had double-crossed Pietro and the promised cargo was missing.
Now, they stood in an old, abandoned fueling station, guns drawn on one another, Jonah caught in between. After everything Ruskella had risked for Ardoss, he couldn’t let Pietro shoot him.
As Ardoss watched a bead of sweat trickle down his ex-partner’s face, he couldn’t help but think to when the Advocacy had first assigned him as his partner. Pietro had been a fresh-faced rookie.
That young man was gone. Ardoss hadn’t really noticed until this moment. His black hair was graying and thin. Lines surrounded his mouth and eyes and the youthful exuberance was gone. Now all that was left was an older man, tired and scared.
“I remember this place,” said Ardoss. “It was held by a pack of contraband runners.”
“Slave traders,” said Pietro.
“Contraband’s contraband,” said Ardoss.
“You always did simplify everything, Ardoss,” Pietro said. “Things don’t fall into neat little piles of good guy and bad guy, contraband and not contraband. It’s so much messier than that.”
“I’m beginning to see that,” said Ardoss. His hand began to tense. They couldn’t do this forever. Eventually, someone was going to shoot.
“I don’t think you do,” said Pietro. “If you can’t see what Mickey Black is doing, you’re blind.”
Ardoss realized the man was tired. He wasn’t some master spy who had betrayed his principles. He was trapped. Ardoss didn’t want to kill him any more than he wanted to kill Jonah. It wasn’t their fault.
“I’ve had my eyes opened,” said Ardoss. “Mickey Black is a monster. I want to help you any way I can. You don’t have to run. We can take him down.”
Pietro laughed. “You don’t take down a man like Mickey Black. Do you know how big his organization is? Thousands of people. Everything from couriers like Jonah, to spies like me, to hitmen you don’t even want to think about. He’s a nightmare. A walking, talking, breathing nightmare. There’s something coming. It’s big, bigger than big. It’s going to change everything. I’m just a small piece of it.”
“You don’t have to live in fear,” said Ardoss. “Just talk to me. Tell me why.”
“I don’t even remember anymore,” said Pietro. “It doesn’t matter. My life is over. I have to get away from here.”
“You had to know someone was going to find out,” said Ardoss. “Things like this don’t stay secret. And the Advocacy won’t stop. Even if you go into Banu territory, they’ll keep searching.”
“It beats being dead,” said Pietro.
“A life of fear?” said Ardoss. “Sleepless nights? Always on the move? Looking over your shoulder? You and I have both seen those guys. Eventually, they take their own lives or isolate themselves so far from the known universe they lose their mind, don’t know what’s real anymore. That’s not a life, Pietro. That’s its own prison. Let me take you in. Give the Advocacy everything you have on Mickey Black and we can take him down.”
“There will always be someone to take his place,” said Pietro.
“Sure there will,” said Ardoss. “But he’ll be one less. We can make it harder for them. Look for people they’ve forced into their service. We can help, Pietro. You know we can.”
“Seeing as I’m stuck between a couple of gun barrels right now,” said Jonah, “I’d like to chime in.”
Pietro glanced at Jonah.
“I’m in the same place as you,” Jonah said. “Constantly afraid of what Mickey Black might have me do next. Scared I’ll get arrested or my family will be hurt. But I’m standing up. I want to stop living in fear. I know you feel the same way. You have to. This is not a life, not one worth having anyway. We have to at least try.”
“Listen to him, Pietro,” said Ardoss. “He’s got a wife and kids at home. He’s thinking about them. You need to think about your own family. Do you want them worrying about you, never knowing where you are? Or do you want to protect them?”
“I want to keep them safe,” said Pietro.
“Of course you do,” said Jonah. “That’s all you’ve ever wanted. What any of us want.”
“You’ll put them in protective custody, won’t you?” said Pietro, lowering his gun. Jonah took the gun and pocketed it. Ardoss lowered his own.
“Yes,” said Ardoss. “Mickey won’t find them.”
“I’ll tell you everything,” said Pietro. “Pickups, info drops, who I met with and where. You should know he’s planning —”
But what he was planning, Ardoss would never find out from Pietro. A shot rang out across the docking bay and Pietro dropped like a puppet with its strings cut.
Jonah dove for a stack of crates as Ardoss dropped to the floor.
Ardoss crawled under cover and scanned the area, looking for a shooter. There were too many vantage points here. He should have surveyed the station first, but there wasn’t time. Now he saw several crannies. Old ducts, abandoned crates, elevated crosswalks, doors into adjacent rooms. And worse, it echoed. It made finding the source difficult.
Another shot rang out and ricocheted. The shooter was good, having hit Pietro in one shot. But wherever the shooter was perched, there wasn’t a line of sight to Ardoss. He made a choice.
He rushed forward, crouching, and knelt by his old partner.
Blood soaked through Pietro’s clothes and his skin was pale. They were out in the open here. He lifted him by the shoulders and quickly dragged him back to his cover.
Pietro spoke barely above a whisper and Ardoss had to crouch low to hear it.
“The Senate,” said Pietro. “The Senate.”
Then he was gone. Ardoss stared at him, unsure what to make of what his old partner had said. Mickey Black was planning something and it had to do with the Senate.
They had been so close. Pietro had agreed to turn on Mickey, knowing it would eventually mean his death. They just didn’t count on it being so soon.
Ardoss looked down at Pietro. It was a waste. Pietro was a good man, or at least he tried to be. If only Ardoss had known sooner what was going on, maybe his partner would still be alive.
He peeked out of his cover, trying again to see where the shots had come from. Who else knew they were here? There was no way anyone could. Pietro had waited until Jonah contacted him to give him the coordinates. Not even Mickey could know.
That left only one other possibility. There was a spy on board Jonah’s ship.
His vantage point was lousy. He couldn’t see much of anything from where he was. Cautiously, he left his cover, gun drawn, and began to creep across the old cargo bay.
But before Ardoss could investigate further, another shot rang out and he staggered backwards. It felt as though a man twice his size had just punched him in the chest. He looked down to see red blossom down his suit from his left shoulder.
Another shot rang out, ricocheting off a bulkhead. Shaking off his momentary daze, Ardoss managed to duck behind some old crates. They stank of rotting food.
“It’s higher up,” said Jonah, crouching beside him.
Ardoss had forgotten he was there.
“How can you tell?” said Ardoss. Jonah was a coward. Ardoss couldn’t imagine him looking for the shooter.
“There’s an energy burn on the floor, just there,” said Jonah, pointing.
Ardoss blinked and followed Jonah’s finger. Sure enough, there was a burn mark on the floor. If the shot had come straight across, the burn would be behind them or further back on the floor. The shooter was most certainly up higher.
“I don’t get it,” said Ardoss. “That sniper got Pietro in one clean shot. Then he misses? Is he playing with us?”
“It’s more likely he’s under fire,” said Jonah.
“Char?” said Ardoss.
Jonah nodded. “I asked her to keep lookout in case Pietro lied. She’s a crack shot. ”
“Then why is that sniper still firing?” said Ardoss as another blast rang out.
Jonah shrugged, “You assume it’s the sniper.”
The gunshots stopped. Jonah cautiously peeked his head above the crate and Ardoss pulled him back down.
“Char, did you get him?” said Ardoss. “Char?”
“No,” she said. Her voice bitter. “She’s still in here. Stay on your toes.”
“Wait,” said Ardoss, “she?”
“Yes,” said Char, “now keep your eyes open.”
Ardoss felt the adrenaline pumping. Pietro was dead and this woman was still hunting them. How many did she plan to kill? Just Ardoss? The whole crew? What about the other passengers?
That’s when he realized it had to be the businesswoman. She was so quiet and unassuming, the perfect cover for an assassin. It made him sick to think about the time he had spent in close quarters with her. He crept out from the crates, gun still drawn, his left arm useless.
Jonah grabbed his good shoulder. “You’ll be shot.”
“Already been shot,” said Ardoss. “We have to find her. She’s not going to just leave us be. We know too much.”
Jonah worked his jaw, but didn’t say anything else.
Ardoss stuck his head out. He needed to know where she was, what her options were.
Then, movement.
Ardoss leveled his gun. It was not as high up as he expected, not in the ducts or on a crosswalk. She was on top of some crates. Maybe.
He didn’t think a trained gun would be so sloppy.
Char’s head poked out from behind the crates. She pointed to Ardoss then behind him. He turned on his heels, still crouched. His shoulder throbbed, but thankfully the intense pain he knew was coming was still being kept at bay. Too much adrenaline, he figured.
He glanced back to Char, but she was gone, creeping among the abandoned cargo. He moved behind the stack of moldy food where Jonah still hid. Jonah just looked at him as he passed, eyes wide.
There was another stack of crates further along, and some old tanks. A perfect place for her to hide.
How many shots had she fired? How many rounds did she have? Enough to take down one or two people? More?
Ardoss knew he would be the main target, then Char. Jonah would be last, if she didn’t just go ahead and kill the teen and Thrumm after that, to remove any witnesses.
The stack was shadowy and stank. There were too many dark corners for someone to hide. Ardoss scooted along the edge of one crate and around a fuel tank.
There he found himself face to face with his partner’s killer.
Her business suit was torn and bloody in places. Sweat matted her short hair to her forehead. Her skin was flushed and her chest pumped heavily.
“Drop the gun,” she said. She aimed the pistol Jonah had tried to use on him earlier.
“Not likely,” Ardoss said.
“I’ll shoot,” the woman said.
Ardoss smiled. “If you had any more rounds, you would have killed me already.”
The woman grinned, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by a snarl. She dropped the gun, and lunged.
She put all her effort into impacting his left shoulder.
There was the pain.
He cried out and crumpled to the deck. She scrabbled over him and went for his gun. Ardoss rolled over and grabbed her leg with his good hand, yanking hard.
The woman cursed and kicked at him. The first kick hit his forearm, but he held fast. The next connected with his knuckles and his grip loosened. She shook free and crawled to the gun.
Ardoss started to crawl towards her, but the gun was in her hand. She flopped over on her back and fired.
The shot went wild and Ardoss used the moment to roll for cover. He glanced behind him.
The woman was on her feet.
“I’ll make this quick,” she said, “I promise.”
He crouched to pounce on her, but he never got the chance.
There was a scream, primal and terrified as a dark blur collided with the assassin. Two forms fell to the ground and the gun skittered across the deck.
Ardoss went after the gun, all but throwing himself after it. His fingers closed on the grip and he spun around.
Jonah lay on top of the woman, knees straddling her hips, hands on her shoulders.
Jonah punched her and immediately grabbed his hand, rubbing the knuckles.
“Feel better?” said Ardoss.
“No,” said Jonah, “my hand hurts.”
Ardoss laughed.
Jonah glared at him and then he began to laugh.
“Did I miss something funny?” said Char.
Ardoss looked. She stood behind Jonah and the assassin, gun slack in her hands, eyes wide.
“Pietro?” said Char.
“He didn’t make it,” said Ardoss, his laughter gone. Jonah stopped as well.
“She got you,” said Char.
Ardoss glanced down. “At least it wasn’t a few inches over.”
“Small consolation,” she said.
“So how did we miss an assassin on the ship?” said Jonah. He rolled off the woman.
Char crossed the few feet between them. She pointed her rifle at the woman’s head. “Start talking.”
The woman licked her lips, smearing blood across them.
“None of your business,” she said.
Char cocked the gun. “That’s not a good answer.”
The woman glared.
“If you kill her, we won’t get our answers,” said Ardoss.
“Who said anything about killing her?” said Char. She swung the butt of her gun around and slammed it against the woman’s knee.
The assassin screamed and clutched her leg.
“Pietro was never meant to leave alive,” she said, panting.
“What?” said Jonah.
Char nudged the woman’s knee with the barrel of her gun. “Go on.”
The woman winced. “The drop-off was a farce,” she said. “It was a setup. Mickey knew Pietro would only trust you, so he set the whole thing up, arranged for passengers, made sure I could book passage.”
Jonah slumped. “Why?” said Jonah. “Why all of this?”
The woman shrugged. “I do what I’m paid to do. Mickey’s going to kill you when finds out you’re working with an Agent.”
“Don’t count on it,” said Char. “What do you want to do with her?”
“I’ll need to take her back to the Advocacy,” said Ardoss.
“I want a deal,” the woman said. “I gave you information. You have to protect me.”
“Why?” said Ardoss. “You did your job.”
“And when Black finds out you’re still alive, I’m dead,” the woman said.
“I’ll think about it,” said Ardoss.
“You’ve as good as killed me, then,” she said.
“You should have thought about that before you signed on with Mickey Black.”
Char nodded and kicked her.
Local authorities collected the politician Thrumm at the next port. Advocacy Agents took Ardoss’ statement. He advised them the assassin was a material witness and should be protected. The Agents also took custody of Pietro’s body. Ardoss had started working on the request for his partner to be given full honors on the flight back. He had just sent it off when his new orders from Junior Director Vami arrived on his mobi.
Return. Immediately.
Not likely, he thought.
Ardoss wanted to warn the Advocacy that Black had some-thing planned against the Senate, but he had no evidence. He couldn’t follow Vami’s orders until he found it.
The three of them sat in the cockpit, drinking a bottle of Sky whiskey from Croshaw.
“What will you do now?” said Jonah.
“I’m supposed to go back to my office and quietly retire,” said Ardoss, “but I don’t think I can do that.”
“You want to go after Mickey Black,” said Jonah.
Ardoss nodded. Mickey had destroyed one of the best men he’d ever known, and he wasn’t going to let the bastard walk away from that.
“Pietro said he had plans,” said Ardoss. “Something to do with the Senate. But without evidence to back up the story . . .”
“You want to find that proof,” said Char.
“And nail him to the wall with it,” said Ardoss. “I want to make sure he can never hurt another living soul.”
Just then, the ship’s comm started to beep. Jonah held up a finger and Ardoss stepped out of the way of the vid.
Jonah hit a button and Mickey’s ruined face filled the screen.
“Jonah, my boy, I heard the mission was done,” said Mickey.
The pilot clenched his jaw. “You killed Pietro.”
“Yes, sorry about that, had to be done,” said Mickey. “Terrible business, but I couldn’t risk him blabbing.”
“I don’t like being used,” said Jonah.
“I’ll use you however I see fit,” said Mickey. His voice was dangerous. “What did you do with my assassin?”
“I had to turn her in to local authorities,” said Jonah. “Pietro is dead and so is his partner. The Advocacy wanted answers.”
Mickey’s eyes went wide. “I didn’t actually think you’d do it.”
“I didn’t,” said Jonah. “Your woman did that.”
Char glanced at Ardoss. He felt pretty good for a dead man, but he stayed silent. He hoped the Agents would keep the assassin safe.
Mickey looked impressed. “I had hoped to get my hitwoman back. She was rather good, but I suppose you can’t win all the time. I’ll have to take care of her, of course, but that’s my problem, not yours.”
“I did what you asked and nearly died in the process,” said Jonah. “I want my money.”
“It’s coming lad, it’s coming,” said Mickey, “but see, you didn’t do exactly as I asked. My woman killed the Agent, not you.”
Jonah stared, his eyes full of rage.
Mickey shrugged. “Hey, a deal’s a deal. I asked you to do something and you didn’t. You still owe me.”
“You knew I wouldn’t,” said Jonah.
“Every man has to make that choice,” said Mickey. “You made yours.”
“What do you want?” asked Jonah.
“Go to these coordinates for further instruction,” said Mickey. “And Jonah, I really am expecting you to see it through this time. All of it. Screw it up, and you’ll be so deep in debt with me, your kids will be paying it off long after you die.”
The screen went blank before Jonah had a chance to argue. He turned and looked at Ardoss.
“That’s what he wanted,” said Char, “to hold something over you.”
“Well, Ardoss,” said Jonah, “looks like you’ll get your chance to get even. I’ll do whatever I can to help you end this bastard.”
“Great,” said Ardoss, tossing back the last dregs of whiskey in his glass. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”
The End
Ardoss’ finger rested on the trigger of his gun. He always knew it would go down like this. Well, maybe not exactly like this.
He’d finally tracked down his partner, Pietro Marquez, with the help of ship pilot Jonah Ruskella. Jonah was a delivery boy for the pirate Mickey Black who chose to turn on his employer.
But everything had gone wrong. Ardoss’ cover was blown, the ship had been temporarily hijacked, and now that they were finally here, it turned out that Mickey had double-crossed Pietro and the promised cargo was missing.
Now, they stood in an old, abandoned fueling station, guns drawn on one another, Jonah caught in between. After everything Ruskella had risked for Ardoss, he couldn’t let Pietro shoot him.
As Ardoss watched a bead of sweat trickle down his ex-partner’s face, he couldn’t help but think to when the Advocacy had first assigned him as his partner. Pietro had been a fresh-faced rookie.
That young man was gone. Ardoss hadn’t really noticed until this moment. His black hair was graying and thin. Lines surrounded his mouth and eyes and the youthful exuberance was gone. Now all that was left was an older man, tired and scared.
“I remember this place,” said Ardoss. “It was held by a pack of contraband runners.”
“Slave traders,” said Pietro.
“Contraband’s contraband,” said Ardoss.
“You always did simplify everything, Ardoss,” Pietro said. “Things don’t fall into neat little piles of good guy and bad guy, contraband and not contraband. It’s so much messier than that.”
“I’m beginning to see that,” said Ardoss. His hand began to tense. They couldn’t do this forever. Eventually, someone was going to shoot.
“I don’t think you do,” said Pietro. “If you can’t see what Mickey Black is doing, you’re blind.”
Ardoss realized the man was tired. He wasn’t some master spy who had betrayed his principles. He was trapped. Ardoss didn’t want to kill him any more than he wanted to kill Jonah. It wasn’t their fault.
“I’ve had my eyes opened,” said Ardoss. “Mickey Black is a monster. I want to help you any way I can. You don’t have to run. We can take him down.”
Pietro laughed. “You don’t take down a man like Mickey Black. Do you know how big his organization is? Thousands of people. Everything from couriers like Jonah, to spies like me, to hitmen you don’t even want to think about. He’s a nightmare. A walking, talking, breathing nightmare. There’s something coming. It’s big, bigger than big. It’s going to change everything. I’m just a small piece of it.”
“You don’t have to live in fear,” said Ardoss. “Just talk to me. Tell me why.”
“I don’t even remember anymore,” said Pietro. “It doesn’t matter. My life is over. I have to get away from here.”
“You had to know someone was going to find out,” said Ardoss. “Things like this don’t stay secret. And the Advocacy won’t stop. Even if you go into Banu territory, they’ll keep searching.”
“It beats being dead,” said Pietro.
“A life of fear?” said Ardoss. “Sleepless nights? Always on the move? Looking over your shoulder? You and I have both seen those guys. Eventually, they take their own lives or isolate themselves so far from the known universe they lose their mind, don’t know what’s real anymore. That’s not a life, Pietro. That’s its own prison. Let me take you in. Give the Advocacy everything you have on Mickey Black and we can take him down.”
“There will always be someone to take his place,” said Pietro.
“Sure there will,” said Ardoss. “But he’ll be one less. We can make it harder for them. Look for people they’ve forced into their service. We can help, Pietro. You know we can.”
“Seeing as I’m stuck between a couple of gun barrels right now,” said Jonah, “I’d like to chime in.”
Pietro glanced at Jonah.
“I’m in the same place as you,” Jonah said. “Constantly afraid of what Mickey Black might have me do next. Scared I’ll get arrested or my family will be hurt. But I’m standing up. I want to stop living in fear. I know you feel the same way. You have to. This is not a life, not one worth having anyway. We have to at least try.”
“Listen to him, Pietro,” said Ardoss. “He’s got a wife and kids at home. He’s thinking about them. You need to think about your own family. Do you want them worrying about you, never knowing where you are? Or do you want to protect them?”
“I want to keep them safe,” said Pietro.
“Of course you do,” said Jonah. “That’s all you’ve ever wanted. What any of us want.”
“You’ll put them in protective custody, won’t you?” said Pietro, lowering his gun. Jonah took the gun and pocketed it. Ardoss lowered his own.
“Yes,” said Ardoss. “Mickey won’t find them.”
“I’ll tell you everything,” said Pietro. “Pickups, info drops, who I met with and where. You should know he’s planning —”
But what he was planning, Ardoss would never find out from Pietro. A shot rang out across the docking bay and Pietro dropped like a puppet with its strings cut.
Jonah dove for a stack of crates as Ardoss dropped to the floor.
Ardoss crawled under cover and scanned the area, looking for a shooter. There were too many vantage points here. He should have surveyed the station first, but there wasn’t time. Now he saw several crannies. Old ducts, abandoned crates, elevated crosswalks, doors into adjacent rooms. And worse, it echoed. It made finding the source difficult.
Another shot rang out and ricocheted. The shooter was good, having hit Pietro in one shot. But wherever the shooter was perched, there wasn’t a line of sight to Ardoss. He made a choice.
He rushed forward, crouching, and knelt by his old partner.
Blood soaked through Pietro’s clothes and his skin was pale. They were out in the open here. He lifted him by the shoulders and quickly dragged him back to his cover.
Pietro spoke barely above a whisper and Ardoss had to crouch low to hear it.
“The Senate,” said Pietro. “The Senate.”
Then he was gone. Ardoss stared at him, unsure what to make of what his old partner had said. Mickey Black was planning something and it had to do with the Senate.
They had been so close. Pietro had agreed to turn on Mickey, knowing it would eventually mean his death. They just didn’t count on it being so soon.
Ardoss looked down at Pietro. It was a waste. Pietro was a good man, or at least he tried to be. If only Ardoss had known sooner what was going on, maybe his partner would still be alive.
He peeked out of his cover, trying again to see where the shots had come from. Who else knew they were here? There was no way anyone could. Pietro had waited until Jonah contacted him to give him the coordinates. Not even Mickey could know.
That left only one other possibility. There was a spy on board Jonah’s ship.
His vantage point was lousy. He couldn’t see much of anything from where he was. Cautiously, he left his cover, gun drawn, and began to creep across the old cargo bay.
But before Ardoss could investigate further, another shot rang out and he staggered backwards. It felt as though a man twice his size had just punched him in the chest. He looked down to see red blossom down his suit from his left shoulder.
Another shot rang out, ricocheting off a bulkhead. Shaking off his momentary daze, Ardoss managed to duck behind some old crates. They stank of rotting food.
“It’s higher up,” said Jonah, crouching beside him.
Ardoss had forgotten he was there.
“How can you tell?” said Ardoss. Jonah was a coward. Ardoss couldn’t imagine him looking for the shooter.
“There’s an energy burn on the floor, just there,” said Jonah, pointing.
Ardoss blinked and followed Jonah’s finger. Sure enough, there was a burn mark on the floor. If the shot had come straight across, the burn would be behind them or further back on the floor. The shooter was most certainly up higher.
“I don’t get it,” said Ardoss. “That sniper got Pietro in one clean shot. Then he misses? Is he playing with us?”
“It’s more likely he’s under fire,” said Jonah.
“Char?” said Ardoss.
Jonah nodded. “I asked her to keep lookout in case Pietro lied. She’s a crack shot. ”
“Then why is that sniper still firing?” said Ardoss as another blast rang out.
Jonah shrugged, “You assume it’s the sniper.”
The gunshots stopped. Jonah cautiously peeked his head above the crate and Ardoss pulled him back down.
“Char, did you get him?” said Ardoss. “Char?”
“No,” she said. Her voice bitter. “She’s still in here. Stay on your toes.”
“Wait,” said Ardoss, “she?”
“Yes,” said Char, “now keep your eyes open.”
Ardoss felt the adrenaline pumping. Pietro was dead and this woman was still hunting them. How many did she plan to kill? Just Ardoss? The whole crew? What about the other passengers?
That’s when he realized it had to be the businesswoman. She was so quiet and unassuming, the perfect cover for an assassin. It made him sick to think about the time he had spent in close quarters with her. He crept out from the crates, gun still drawn, his left arm useless.
Jonah grabbed his good shoulder. “You’ll be shot.”
“Already been shot,” said Ardoss. “We have to find her. She’s not going to just leave us be. We know too much.”
Jonah worked his jaw, but didn’t say anything else.
Ardoss stuck his head out. He needed to know where she was, what her options were.
Then, movement.
Ardoss leveled his gun. It was not as high up as he expected, not in the ducts or on a crosswalk. She was on top of some crates. Maybe.
He didn’t think a trained gun would be so sloppy.
Char’s head poked out from behind the crates. She pointed to Ardoss then behind him. He turned on his heels, still crouched. His shoulder throbbed, but thankfully the intense pain he knew was coming was still being kept at bay. Too much adrenaline, he figured.
He glanced back to Char, but she was gone, creeping among the abandoned cargo. He moved behind the stack of moldy food where Jonah still hid. Jonah just looked at him as he passed, eyes wide.
There was another stack of crates further along, and some old tanks. A perfect place for her to hide.
How many shots had she fired? How many rounds did she have? Enough to take down one or two people? More?
Ardoss knew he would be the main target, then Char. Jonah would be last, if she didn’t just go ahead and kill the teen and Thrumm after that, to remove any witnesses.
The stack was shadowy and stank. There were too many dark corners for someone to hide. Ardoss scooted along the edge of one crate and around a fuel tank.
There he found himself face to face with his partner’s killer.
Her business suit was torn and bloody in places. Sweat matted her short hair to her forehead. Her skin was flushed and her chest pumped heavily.
“Drop the gun,” she said. She aimed the pistol Jonah had tried to use on him earlier.
“Not likely,” Ardoss said.
“I’ll shoot,” the woman said.
Ardoss smiled. “If you had any more rounds, you would have killed me already.”
The woman grinned, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by a snarl. She dropped the gun, and lunged.
She put all her effort into impacting his left shoulder.
There was the pain.
He cried out and crumpled to the deck. She scrabbled over him and went for his gun. Ardoss rolled over and grabbed her leg with his good hand, yanking hard.
The woman cursed and kicked at him. The first kick hit his forearm, but he held fast. The next connected with his knuckles and his grip loosened. She shook free and crawled to the gun.
Ardoss started to crawl towards her, but the gun was in her hand. She flopped over on her back and fired.
The shot went wild and Ardoss used the moment to roll for cover. He glanced behind him.
The woman was on her feet.
“I’ll make this quick,” she said, “I promise.”
He crouched to pounce on her, but he never got the chance.
There was a scream, primal and terrified as a dark blur collided with the assassin. Two forms fell to the ground and the gun skittered across the deck.
Ardoss went after the gun, all but throwing himself after it. His fingers closed on the grip and he spun around.
Jonah lay on top of the woman, knees straddling her hips, hands on her shoulders.
Jonah punched her and immediately grabbed his hand, rubbing the knuckles.
“Feel better?” said Ardoss.
“No,” said Jonah, “my hand hurts.”
Ardoss laughed.
Jonah glared at him and then he began to laugh.
“Did I miss something funny?” said Char.
Ardoss looked. She stood behind Jonah and the assassin, gun slack in her hands, eyes wide.
“Pietro?” said Char.
“He didn’t make it,” said Ardoss, his laughter gone. Jonah stopped as well.
“She got you,” said Char.
Ardoss glanced down. “At least it wasn’t a few inches over.”
“Small consolation,” she said.
“So how did we miss an assassin on the ship?” said Jonah. He rolled off the woman.
Char crossed the few feet between them. She pointed her rifle at the woman’s head. “Start talking.”
The woman licked her lips, smearing blood across them.
“None of your business,” she said.
Char cocked the gun. “That’s not a good answer.”
The woman glared.
“If you kill her, we won’t get our answers,” said Ardoss.
“Who said anything about killing her?” said Char. She swung the butt of her gun around and slammed it against the woman’s knee.
The assassin screamed and clutched her leg.
“Pietro was never meant to leave alive,” she said, panting.
“What?” said Jonah.
Char nudged the woman’s knee with the barrel of her gun. “Go on.”
The woman winced. “The drop-off was a farce,” she said. “It was a setup. Mickey knew Pietro would only trust you, so he set the whole thing up, arranged for passengers, made sure I could book passage.”
Jonah slumped. “Why?” said Jonah. “Why all of this?”
The woman shrugged. “I do what I’m paid to do. Mickey’s going to kill you when finds out you’re working with an Agent.”
“Don’t count on it,” said Char. “What do you want to do with her?”
“I’ll need to take her back to the Advocacy,” said Ardoss.
“I want a deal,” the woman said. “I gave you information. You have to protect me.”
“Why?” said Ardoss. “You did your job.”
“And when Black finds out you’re still alive, I’m dead,” the woman said.
“I’ll think about it,” said Ardoss.
“You’ve as good as killed me, then,” she said.
“You should have thought about that before you signed on with Mickey Black.”
Char nodded and kicked her.
Local authorities collected the politician Thrumm at the next port. Advocacy Agents took Ardoss’ statement. He advised them the assassin was a material witness and should be protected. The Agents also took custody of Pietro’s body. Ardoss had started working on the request for his partner to be given full honors on the flight back. He had just sent it off when his new orders from Junior Director Vami arrived on his mobi.
Return. Immediately.
Not likely, he thought.
Ardoss wanted to warn the Advocacy that Black had some-thing planned against the Senate, but he had no evidence. He couldn’t follow Vami’s orders until he found it.
The three of them sat in the cockpit, drinking a bottle of Sky whiskey from Croshaw.
“What will you do now?” said Jonah.
“I’m supposed to go back to my office and quietly retire,” said Ardoss, “but I don’t think I can do that.”
“You want to go after Mickey Black,” said Jonah.
Ardoss nodded. Mickey had destroyed one of the best men he’d ever known, and he wasn’t going to let the bastard walk away from that.
“Pietro said he had plans,” said Ardoss. “Something to do with the Senate. But without evidence to back up the story . . .”
“You want to find that proof,” said Char.
“And nail him to the wall with it,” said Ardoss. “I want to make sure he can never hurt another living soul.”
Just then, the ship’s comm started to beep. Jonah held up a finger and Ardoss stepped out of the way of the vid.
Jonah hit a button and Mickey’s ruined face filled the screen.
“Jonah, my boy, I heard the mission was done,” said Mickey.
The pilot clenched his jaw. “You killed Pietro.”
“Yes, sorry about that, had to be done,” said Mickey. “Terrible business, but I couldn’t risk him blabbing.”
“I don’t like being used,” said Jonah.
“I’ll use you however I see fit,” said Mickey. His voice was dangerous. “What did you do with my assassin?”
“I had to turn her in to local authorities,” said Jonah. “Pietro is dead and so is his partner. The Advocacy wanted answers.”
Mickey’s eyes went wide. “I didn’t actually think you’d do it.”
“I didn’t,” said Jonah. “Your woman did that.”
Char glanced at Ardoss. He felt pretty good for a dead man, but he stayed silent. He hoped the Agents would keep the assassin safe.
Mickey looked impressed. “I had hoped to get my hitwoman back. She was rather good, but I suppose you can’t win all the time. I’ll have to take care of her, of course, but that’s my problem, not yours.”
“I did what you asked and nearly died in the process,” said Jonah. “I want my money.”
“It’s coming lad, it’s coming,” said Mickey, “but see, you didn’t do exactly as I asked. My woman killed the Agent, not you.”
Jonah stared, his eyes full of rage.
Mickey shrugged. “Hey, a deal’s a deal. I asked you to do something and you didn’t. You still owe me.”
“You knew I wouldn’t,” said Jonah.
“Every man has to make that choice,” said Mickey. “You made yours.”
“What do you want?” asked Jonah.
“Go to these coordinates for further instruction,” said Mickey. “And Jonah, I really am expecting you to see it through this time. All of it. Screw it up, and you’ll be so deep in debt with me, your kids will be paying it off long after you die.”
The screen went blank before Jonah had a chance to argue. He turned and looked at Ardoss.
“That’s what he wanted,” said Char, “to hold something over you.”
“Well, Ardoss,” said Jonah, “looks like you’ll get your chance to get even. I’ll do whatever I can to help you end this bastard.”
“Great,” said Ardoss, tossing back the last dregs of whiskey in his glass. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”
The End
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- CIG ID
- 17212
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- Series
- One Last Job
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- 6 years ago (2019-08-28T00:00:00+00:00)