but I have just the thing. We
confiscated three needle ships. I’ll make sure you can steal them. Trap him and steal the holovas. Take out Gage and get me the woman he stole from the Luxor Astra.”
“He kidnapped someone? That’s out of character too. I don’t like this.”
“He kidnapped Tamara Torrence. I believe you knew her as Suzette. I want her
back.”
“Suzette? I’ve a score to settle with her too.”
“I get her first. After I’m done with her, she’s all yours.”
“And if he doesn’t allow us to board?”
“Then shoot him out of space. I want Tamara back but not enough to leave Gage
free. He’s a danger to all of us.”
*
Gage walked into the command briefing room. He stood in front of a viewport that
was an echo of the one in his suite. He didn’t turn his head when the door opened and closed.
“What are you going to do with the lassie?” David asked.
“I don’t know yet,” Gage replied.
“Well you can’t just keep her locked up forever.”
“Why not?”
“Gage, you went crazy last time. I’m not sure any of us can survive if she leaves
again.”
“She’s not going to leave this time. I won’t let her go. I want her surrender. I want her love. I want to keep her with me forever. There. I’ve admitted she’s my weakness.
You always told me no one was without a weakness and she’s mine. Satisfied?”
“Far from it. We only have a little while before we have to rendezvous with
command. She’s a wanted felon. How are you going to explain her presence? Are you
going to turn her over to the authorities?”
“I didn’t the last time.”
“The last time she was part of the sting and she left before you could turn her in.
This time she isn’t.”
“She says she had good reasons for the things she’s done.”
“I believe that and I like the lassie too but that doesn’t mean we can keep her from paying for her crimes. We’re the law out here, Gage. We can’t take it into our own hands to set her free.”
“Oh, I’ve no intention of setting her free.”
“She’s a criminal.”
“She survived the only way she knew how.”
“Command won’t care about that.”
“Command will care about the fact she has knowledge we don’t.” Gage turned to
stare at David.
David sighed. “What knowledge?”
“She told me something interesting. I wasn’t sure whether or not to believe her but I did a quick check and found enough evidence to ask you to dig a little deeper.”
“Dig a little deeper?”
“Randall Fells. What do you know about him?”
“Fells? Isn’t he a midlevel captain at command? Why are you asking?”
“Tamara claims Randall Fells held her captive when she was sixteen,” Gage said.
“And she mentioned a few other things that got me thinking. Her claims might have
merit. I want you to follow up because while he may be a mediocre cop, I’m beginning to think he’s a much better criminal. I think he’s a mole. That explains why we’ve lost some targets in the past two years. I don’t know why we didn’t think of it sooner. A mole at space command explains a lot.”
“You’re joking. He’s a nothing, a pure bureaucrat.”
“What better cover to be dismissed so easily.” Gage picked up a folder from his
desk. “Take a look at the file,” he said handing the folder to David, “and be careful with that printout. Apparently my searching triggered an erase program. That hardcopy is the only evidence left. You won’t find anything in the files now, the data is gone. That’s why I need your skills. Dig deeper.”
“Gage—”
“Tamara claims he was on Sigil and that’s why she left.”
“Do you believe her?”
“I want to believe her.”
“You know how good a con she is,” David said.
“Yes, but I don’t think she’s lying about this. She was too raw. I don’t believe she was faking. She’s terrified of Fells.”
“You still plan on running this sting? If Randall is involved and they
confiscated three needle ships. I’ll make sure you can steal them. Trap him and steal the holovas. Take out Gage and get me the woman he stole from the Luxor Astra.”
“He kidnapped someone? That’s out of character too. I don’t like this.”
“He kidnapped Tamara Torrence. I believe you knew her as Suzette. I want her
back.”
“Suzette? I’ve a score to settle with her too.”
“I get her first. After I’m done with her, she’s all yours.”
“And if he doesn’t allow us to board?”
“Then shoot him out of space. I want Tamara back but not enough to leave Gage
free. He’s a danger to all of us.”
*
Gage walked into the command briefing room. He stood in front of a viewport that
was an echo of the one in his suite. He didn’t turn his head when the door opened and closed.
“What are you going to do with the lassie?” David asked.
“I don’t know yet,” Gage replied.
“Well you can’t just keep her locked up forever.”
“Why not?”
“Gage, you went crazy last time. I’m not sure any of us can survive if she leaves
again.”
“She’s not going to leave this time. I won’t let her go. I want her surrender. I want her love. I want to keep her with me forever. There. I’ve admitted she’s my weakness.
You always told me no one was without a weakness and she’s mine. Satisfied?”
“Far from it. We only have a little while before we have to rendezvous with
command. She’s a wanted felon. How are you going to explain her presence? Are you
going to turn her over to the authorities?”
“I didn’t the last time.”
“The last time she was part of the sting and she left before you could turn her in.
This time she isn’t.”
“She says she had good reasons for the things she’s done.”
“I believe that and I like the lassie too but that doesn’t mean we can keep her from paying for her crimes. We’re the law out here, Gage. We can’t take it into our own hands to set her free.”
“Oh, I’ve no intention of setting her free.”
“She’s a criminal.”
“She survived the only way she knew how.”
“Command won’t care about that.”
“Command will care about the fact she has knowledge we don’t.” Gage turned to
stare at David.
David sighed. “What knowledge?”
“She told me something interesting. I wasn’t sure whether or not to believe her but I did a quick check and found enough evidence to ask you to dig a little deeper.”
“Dig a little deeper?”
“Randall Fells. What do you know about him?”
“Fells? Isn’t he a midlevel captain at command? Why are you asking?”
“Tamara claims Randall Fells held her captive when she was sixteen,” Gage said.
“And she mentioned a few other things that got me thinking. Her claims might have
merit. I want you to follow up because while he may be a mediocre cop, I’m beginning to think he’s a much better criminal. I think he’s a mole. That explains why we’ve lost some targets in the past two years. I don’t know why we didn’t think of it sooner. A mole at space command explains a lot.”
“You’re joking. He’s a nothing, a pure bureaucrat.”
“What better cover to be dismissed so easily.” Gage picked up a folder from his
desk. “Take a look at the file,” he said handing the folder to David, “and be careful with that printout. Apparently my searching triggered an erase program. That hardcopy is the only evidence left. You won’t find anything in the files now, the data is gone. That’s why I need your skills. Dig deeper.”
“Gage—”
“Tamara claims he was on Sigil and that’s why she left.”
“Do you believe her?”
“I want to believe her.”
“You know how good a con she is,” David said.
“Yes, but I don’t think she’s lying about this. She was too raw. I don’t believe she was faking. She’s terrified of Fells.”
“You still plan on running this sting? If Randall is involved and they
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