13 Degrees of Separation (78 page)

“No, not when something like this is at stake.”

“I think the lad is right Rick, they are off,” Penny
interjected, shaking her head. “And off as in not in a good way either,” she
said, giving him a long look.

The barkeep rubbed his jaw, looking from one to the other.
Eventually he shrugged and then called in a friend. “Monty? Yeah, it's me. I
need a favor. I need you to come by for a bit. Something hinky is going on.”

“Oh?”

“Let's just say, right up your alley old friend, or at
least your new alley if you catch my drift.”

“Oh?” Monty's voice changed a bit.

“Yeah. If you could arrange to oh, come by say, in ten or
twenty minutes with some eyes and ears, it might be enlightening. If you could
find Sekim around, tell him the first round is on me.”

Monty paused for a long moment. The barkeep never rarely
ever gave free drinks, they were so expensive. Something was up if he was
willing to grease the wheels and make it worth the trip. He cleared his throat.
“Well, as it happens, I'm on station and I'm thirsty so I'll see what I can
do.”

“Thanks Monty. Be seeing ya,” The barkeep said and then
hung up. He was completely casual about the whole thing.

“That's it? What about security?” the lad demanded in a
whisper.

The barkeep eyed the lad. “Patience kid. Let's see what ole
Monty finds,” he told him in a low voice.

“Who is he?”

“You'll see,” the barkeep said then nodded to the bar. “Get
with it lad, the bar doesn't take care of itself. Stop acting so suspicious.
Make sure you relax and don't scare em off,” he said.

The lad nodded and got to work. A short time later the
barkeep nudged him. “He's here,” was all he said.

The friend was a Navy intel officer, First Lieutenant John
Montgomery. He came in off duty and out of uniform with a pair of friends, NCIS
agent Franks Sekim and Lieutenant Junior Grade Irene Teague. Teague looked
distinctively out of place since she looked so uncomfortable. She didn't like
going in without any knowledge. Sekim bellied up to the bar without a quibble,
he'd been in worse dives.

'Monty' and Sekim heard their quiet story then Monty had
his people drop some listening devices and then use their implants to listen to
some of the chatter. Sekim and Monty kept casual, forearms on the bar, sipping
beer like a pair of normal patrons, chatting small talk, but Teague couldn't
help looking around.

“This is a wild goose chase. We've got more important
things to be doing sir,” Teague complained.

“Let's just give it a while. You can't rush trade craft
Irene,” Monty replied. “Besides, this will give you some time to polish your
casual act.”

“She needs it badly. She's sticking out like a sore thumb,”
Frank said over their channel. Irene grunted in irritation. All three had
implants so they picked up the spies talk after filtering out the excess.

“So, when are we going to do it? You think we can flip Yardley
and get the bomb in?”

“I think so. Or we'll have to smuggle it in one piece at a
time. I'm not sure. We need a better look at the security systems. Anything on
that front?” the leader asked, turning his attention to the third man.

The third frowned, pecking at his meal. “No,” he said. The
leader grunted softly. “And we're not going to get much. There isn't anything
on the net about the systems. I checked.”

“Did you check the maintenance sections?” the weasel faced
man asked. “Turing, I told you...”

“I don't... look, I didn't look. Okay I forgot. I'm also
nervous about this damn AI. If it sees us poking around where we shouldn't
it'll throw a fit,” the other man said.

“Pipe down both of you,” the leader grunted. He waited
until the patron passing him on the way to the bathroom had gotten out of
earshot.

“What is the plan after we do this? You know they'll lock
the station down once it goes off,” the weasel one said.

“Well, the plan had been to go North to Agnosta, but that's
out. The Navy is headed there with their fleet.”

“Shit.”

“So now what?”

“We could wait until the fleet comes in and takes the
system.”

“That's at the end of the year. Too long. We don't have the
funds for that. We've got enough for a week or so more and then enough for
passage off.”

“Frack.”

“Yeah. And there is only one ship in, it's heading west to
Gaston.”

“Frack. Weren't we supposed to meet up with the Prinz in
Triang though?”

“Or take shelter in Briev and wait for our next mission
orders to catch up with us. Yes. But things change Lieutenant, you have to
adapt.”

“Yes sir.”

“Knock that shit off,” the leader sighed.

“It's... different. Before we were in and out. This is...
harder.”

“Well, you better get better at it or we're screwed,” the
leader growled. He carefully looked around. He didn't like the look of the new
meat at the bar. They had their backs to them but one had a haircut that
screamed military or security. That put him on edge.

“Come on. Finish up. I think we're done coming here for a
while. I should never have fallen into a habit of coming here so often.”

“Yeah boss, but the food is good. And cheap. Besides, it's
one of the places where the engineers hang out,” Turing said.

“Yeah well, we're not getting much here. Yardley's avoiding
us now. We stand out too much. We'll find another watering hole.”

That was enough for Teague. She sent a signal through her
implants.

“Lieutenant," Monty sighed, picking up the response
from security. He shook his head. “Way to go Lieutenant, jumping the gun,” he
said.

“Sir...”

“Did you ever think of what they will do cornered here?
With a dozen or so potential hostages?” Frank asked casually, sitting back and
stretching his arms over his head and to the sides. He rolled his shoulders and
then when Rick looked his way raised a finger then pointed to each of them.
Rick nodded as Frank pushed the empty cups forward. “Make mine a long neck. I
haven't had one in a while,” Frank said. He ran a hand through his short hair,
finger combing it and then swore softly. He could see the leader of the spies
watching him through his implants. The hair on the back of his neck stood up.

“Something wrong?” Monty asked.

“Wrong? No, I just forgot my damn haircut,” Frank replied,
making a face as the drinks arrived. He took a swig of the beer, then swirled
the bottle for a moment.

Teague had disappointed Monty by immediately putting a call
in for security. She was too busy kicking herself for not keeping a closer eye
on the group when they had come in on the Old Nelly. They hadn't raised any
flags when they had come in, but she should have filtered for humans.

“I should have kept more of an eye on them. They stand out
now,” She sighed over the channel, setting her glass down. The water made her
cough, she had drank too fast.

“Girl can't handle her liquor,” Frank teased with a smile.

“Ah shove it,” Teague replied, pushing him a bit. Frank
approved, she was finally loosening up and getting into her cover. Hopefully
the trio would drop their guard.

Monty however was thinking about the trio. He pulled up
Teague's interviews and then quickly scanned her notes. Nothing stood out.

Monty agreed with herself flagellation in theory, but the
Chimerian clan had drawn everyone's eye like iron filings in a magnet. They'd
just stood out so much. That might have been what the spies had expected and
had counted on.

But he also realized, what's done was done. As was her call
for security. But he could change that. Monty sent out a signal and modified
the order, he made certain the trio of spies and saboteurs would be grabbed
away from the bar to keep potential civilians out of harm's way. Smithy could
lock them into a corridor and then gas them if need be. There was no need to go
in guns blazing.

He watched through his implants as the trio tossed a pair
of coins on the table and got up to leave. One went to the bathroom, the others
waited by the door until he exited, zipping his fly. He frowned as they left.

...*...*...*...*...

Thinking the Navy investigators had blown them off and were
just letting them walk, Jerald tore his apron off and ducked out the back. He
followed the spies at a distance. They immediately noticed the amateur tail, he
wasn't hard to spot and his sudden turn and act of nonchalance didn't fool
them. They bolted.

Instinctively Jerald gave chase. Mary saw him running and
followed. He rounded a corner and stopped, it was a dead end with the hatches
shut. Two of the men were there, standing there with knives out. He turned at a
sound and saw the weasel man there behind him, cutting off retreat.

“Going somewhere kid?”

“Nosy. I bet he heard something.”

“Make it quick. Mugging gone bad,” the leader said, moving
in.

Mary saw the glitter of the knife in the weasel's hands
just as he moved around the corner. She heard some voices but knew her
boyfriend was in trouble. There was no time to call security so she acted.

 Mary came up behind the weasel and hit him with a blow to
the back of his calf, knocking him back and down. His hands came up to ward her
off but she slipped to his off side, grabbing his free arm and pulling it over
his head forcing him further off balance. The man snarled in surprise as she
twisted his wrist. She used the flat of her right hand to parry his left wrist,
knocking the blade from his hands.

The other three men were momentarily startled by Mary's
sudden attack. Jerald recovered first, dropping to the ground and then kicking
up into the left knee of Turing. The man's knee crunched and he howled, going
down clutching at the intense pain in his now shattered kneecap.

The leader snarled, backing for a moment then charging
forward. Now he wanted to flee, but his feet tangled with Jerald's and he went
down in a heap. He tried to roll and stab at the kid but Jerald shimmied away.

“What the... ah hell,” Irene Teague said rounding the
corner with a security bot bobbing behind her. She kicked the blade away from
the weasel faced man then punched him in the solar plexus. He doubled over his
aching abdomen, gasping for air.

Teague intervened with a security robot, using the robot to
stun the spies to prevent them from suiciding. That also had the fortunate
coincidence of ending the fight before someone was killed.

Monty showed up, interrupting her haranguing the civilians.
“You weren't much better Irene so can it,” Monty said mildly. Sekim snorted,
pulling the men to their feet. “You okay kid?” Monty asked, looking at the lad.
The young man nodded, rubbing his chest. “Next time leave the spies to the
authorities. Don't be a hero.”

“Yes sir,” the boy said but his eyes were on the girl. He
realized suddenly he could of gotten her killed. Worse, he could have gotten
her
killed. That bothered him more than his own mortality. She however didn't look
as much frightened as surprised by the sudden turn of events.

Monty studied him for a long moment. Finally the intel guy
nodded. “Though you do deserve something for your troubles.” He eyed the girl,
who was wide eyed behind Teague. “But first, why don't you show the lady home,”
he said, indicating the girl with a nod.

The lad guiltily looked at the girl and then nodded. He
hustled her off gently, taking her elbow and guiding her to her flat. “You
dummy! You could have been killed!”

“Me?!” he asked as she pummeled his shoulder, tearing up.
“What about you! You're my whole world!” he said, shaken. “I don't know what
I'd do without you!” he said.

She kissed him, holding his face with those gentle fingers.
They held each other, trembling for a long moment, head to head, just drinking
in each other's presence and the fact that they were safe. She dragged him
inside with an imperious hand. He made a brief call to Rick to let him and
Penny know he was okay before her hands took the phone away and her lips
devoured his. There was a frantic brief burst of removing clothes and
passionate kisses and then coherent thought was but a memory.

...*...*...*...*...

 The next day the lad checked his bank balance. He was
shocked when he discovered more credits in his account. He went to the girl who
also had credits. Monty had given them both of them a hefty reward for the
find.

The Intel officer also asked both of them to keep their
eyes and ears open and pass on anything they hear. “That's a given,” the
barkeep said with a nod and hand clasp. Intel officer nodded and then as their
grasp ended he turned with an enigmatic smile and left.

The barkeep was amused by the whole affair and the reward.
He offered the kid half the money, then frowned and took it back. Jerald looked
hurt. “You know what kid, here's what I'm going to do, instead of giving this
to you to blow on something young and stupid, how about we send you to that
barkeep college?” he asked. “I'm tired of working sixteen hour shifts, I'm
getting old. I could use someone to cover a shift, maybe even buy me out down
the road. Penny's been on my ass about having a long delayed vacation
honeymoon. What do you say? You interested?”