Wings of Steele - Flight of Freedom (Book2) (27 page)

Sitting on the grass, his legs extended, Jack leaned against a tree staring up at the stars shining through the alumiglass dome of the EcoSphere. Birds chirped, flitting through the trees and there was an actual breeze like in a real meadow. The grass, more like a lawn, was trimmed and soft, the sweet smell of it being freshly cut. He inhaled deeply, almost tasting it. The lights were slowly dimming, simulating a day turning to dusk. Fritz dropped his ball in Jack's lap and backed up, his tail swaying ever so slightly. “Throw,” he said slowly, annunciating, his artificial eye whirring quietly as the iris adjusted. “Throw.”

Jack grinned, tossing the ball across the meadow, the Shepherd rocketing off in pursuit, tiny bits of grass flying as he ran. He watched the dog scoop up the ball on a bounce without breaking stride, streaking into a sweeping turn, cutting to the left and heading back, the fading light glinting off his polished metal skull plate and artificial ear. He skidded to a stop and dropped the ball, his tongue hanging to one side, panting. “Throw,” he said once again. Jack threw it again, watching the Shepherd repeat his glorious sprint. He paused at the brook that wound through the meadow and into the trees, for a quick drink before returning. He dropped the ball and lay down next to his friend and rolled on his back, feet in the air, wiggling in the soft turf. Finished, he rolled on his side and looked up a Jack for an approving hand. It wasn't often that he got a chance to run that hard, except on quieter days he could manage a lap or two on the Freedom's flight deck. The Officer's garden wasn't much bigger than an urban front yard and it was nice for a stretch and a roll, but fetch and a run were out of the question. No, nothing beat a good run on soft turf.

Jack looked down at him, “Is your CABL system making you faster, or am I imagining it?”

The dog opened his eyes, “Don't know...” he annunciated slowly. “Maybe.”

“
Because I think mine is...” Steele snatched a flying insect out of flight with his thumb and index finger, wiping it on the grass. Soft footfalls on the grass behind them seemed to have a normal pattern, no urgency, no attempt at stealth, so neither one of the two paid them any heed. Until the footfalls stopped very close to them. Jack turned to see bare feet with painted toenails and a dangling picnic basket. He followed them up to the owner, his beautiful wife Alité, sandals dangling loosely from her other hand, dressed in a clingy, dark red sundress. “Hiya,” he smiled.

“
Hello... you boys look terribly busy,” she teased. “I hope I'm not interrupting anything important...”

Fritz's head lay on Jack's thigh, his tail thumping on the grass. “Food...” His nose had told him everything he wanted to know.

“Yes, you silly eating machine,” she chided, “I have food.” Fritz jumped to his feet and she looked around the meadow, her eyes searching the trees and the brook. “We're the only ones here,” she whispered, “it's sooo quiet...”

“
Then why are you whispering?” Jack whispered, joking. He rose to his feet, taking the basket from her hand, “Pretty isn't it?” She nodded. “The ship I came out on was just like this one, makes me wonder if it was the same cruise company.”

“
I still can't believe it's so quiet.”

“
As soon as there's more people on this station, it'll never be this quiet again.” They looked up as birds flitted among the trees. “Want to see the waterfall?”

Her eyes lit up, “Oooh, there's a waterfall?”

He took her hand and led her across the grass toward a path that passed into the trees and followed along the brook, the Shepherd trotting along. After a few minutes they came upon a rushing waterfall cascading down from above, over thirty feet, splashing down into a small pond and feeding the brook. Alité beamed, her eyes sparkling in the fading light as they spread a little blanket on a broad, flat rock next to the water. Bare feet dangling in the water, they sat side by side, drinking the sweet, fruity wine and noshing on the sandwiches she'd brought. Fritz waded in the brook and entertained them for tidbits, sloshing and fetching his tennis ball.

Her eyes twinkling, she looked at him mischievously,“Want to go in the water?

He smiled wryly, “We don't have any towels, we'll get cold...”

“
Then we'll have to warm each other up,” she replied, standing up. She lifted the hem of her sundress over her head, shedding it easily, unabashedly revealing her nudity underneath.

“
You were going commando,” he noted, “you wicked wench.”

She smiled crookedly as she crossed her arms over her breasts and jumped off the rock, tucking her legs and cannonballing into the pond. Laughing, Jack was busy stripping off his clothes, covering his belt and sidearm with his shirt. Alité surfaced under the splash of the waterfall with a
whoop
.

“
Cold?”

She swam toward him, “Not really, a little brisk,” she grinned.

He jumped over her, dropping into the water and surfacing about the same place she did, the waterfall pounding down on him. “Whooo!” He stretched out, swimming toward the rock where she had climbed out, preparing to jump again. After several jumps apiece, they were ready to quit. Pushing their clothes aside they rolled themselves together in the little blanket, giggling like children in the near darkness. The light in the Ecosphere imitated a full moon, but they were under the canopy of the trees and the shadows were deep. There was a gentle breeze rustling the trees and the constant sound of the waterfall drowned out the rest of the universe. It made drifting off easy but the hard rock wasn't ideal for real sleep.

Jack rubbed his face, yawning. “Do you hear music?”

Alité listened carefully, the distinct sound of a beat like dance music could be heard filtering through the constant of the waterfall. “I think I do. Sounds like club music.”

■ ■ ■

Following the beat of the music to its source, Jack, Alité and Fritz, found themselves outside the doors of the Starlight Lounge, which was supposed to be closed - like almost everything on the Promenade. The restaurants, nightclubs and shops all had what could only be described as a normal entrance, with swinging or rotating doors. There were no self-sealing or bulkhead type doors. Cautious, Jack entered slowly through the heavy hardwood double doors, giving his senses a moment to adjust to the rush of input. The music had a thumping dance beat, the club dark except for the accent lighting and the dance floor light show.

Having been closed and unused for some time, the air was a little stale, a musty smell of cigarettes and cigars circulating through the air system. The club was void of patrons but Jack hadn't expected there to be any. His eyes searched the darkness, feeling the intentional nudge on his left thigh as Fritz brushed past him. He motioned for Alité to wait near the door and followed the Shepherd's lead, winding through the tables and past the booths on the left side of the club, circumventing the center liquor bar, heading for the bar at the back of the club. Jack stopped when Fritz stopped, the Shepherd indicating on the back bar. Side by side they advanced, Jack's hand gently resting on the grip of his sidearm. When the figure behind the bar stood up, the only thing that kept them from reacting was the fact that he had his back to them. Focused on an e-Pad, the bald man with the thin build seemed to be reviewing the bar stock and inventory.

“Excuse me!”
called Jack. Startled, the man whirled around, his eyes wide. “What are you doing in here?” asked Jack, rather loudly. The man's response was unintelligible over the music. “Would you mind turning that down?” Jack motioned to the music.

The man nodded and keyed the mic on his earpiece. “Hughard, turn the music down!” He paused for a moment, listening. “We have someone here I need to talk to,
turn it down!”
With a hand gesture he indicated it would take a moment, returning to his notes on the e-Pad.

Jack was divided between watching the thin man and continuing to scan the darkness around him. The music hadn't changed and he was beginning to lose patience, his little voice warning him of some kind of deception. He watched the man's boney, angular face but saw no expression there as he continued to review the information on his e-Pad.

“Here boss!”
Jack could feel the press of cold steel against the right side of his neck, it felt like the barrel of a firearm. “You just stand real still there, mister,” said the voice in his ear, “don't turn your head or move your hands.”

The thin man cracked a crooked smile, lifted his hand above his head and turned down the music with the small remote control he retrieved from his pocket. “Ahh, that's better.” He tossed the remote on the bar. “Now, suppose you tell me who you are, and why you're bothering me.” He indicated the man at Jack's side, “Before Hughard does something
you might regret...”
The thin man suddenly turned to his right, his head whipping around. The look of fear crossing his face quickly turned to abject horror.

“
I see you have met my companion,” said Jack with an evil grin. The man stared at the shadow that appeared out of the darkness, one eye glowing green in the dark, pearly white fangs bared widely, snarling, a guttural growl that chilled him. “I know what you're thinking,” began Jack, “he can't stop Hughard here from killing me... Let me assure you,
Hughard could not stop him from killing you
. You are only alive because I'm alive.” The thin man backed up slowly, the dog advancing an equal distance of his retreat. “What we have here,” continued Jack, “is a good old fashioned Mexican standoff...”

“
Or not,”
said the distinctly feminine voice. Hughard had no idea she was there until the vicious little karambit blade was pressed into the soft part of his neck near the carotid artery, her arms wrapped around his neck from behind. “The blade is curved like a talon and
razor sharp
,” Alité whispered in his ear. “it cuts real easy. Move, fat boy, and I'll open you up from ear to ear... you'll be dead before you hit the floor.”

“
Yes ma'am,” he croaked nervously.

“
Real nice and easy now, drop the gun,” she urged, pressing the point of the knife against his neck. He dropped his arm slowly, releasing his grip, the firearm clattering on the floor. “Kick it away...
carefully.”
He reached out with the toe of his boot and kicked it away. “Now, I'm going to let go. Do anything stupid and your boss still dies a horrible death.
Understand?”

“
Yes ma'am.”

Alité released him and backed away into the darkness, searching for and finding the discarded pistol. “Got it.”

“Back up.” Steele stiff-armed Hughard back. “Move and I'll let her shoot you in the back.” He turned to the thin man, locking eyes with him. “Fritz, come.” The Shepherd jumped up onto the bar, alighting gently without so much as disturbing a glass or stack of napkins. He walked slowly along the top of bar, past the thin man, staring him in the eyes, baring his teeth, snarling, his tongue lashing in and out, ears pinned back. He turned for a moment, staring at Hughard, offering him the same werewolf grin before jumping to the floor. He shook his coat smooth, snorted and sat calmly next to his partner. “Now,” said Steele, stepping forward. “Who are you, what are you doing here? And why did he,” he waved at Hughard, “have a firearm on this station?” The thin man stared blankly, muttering. “I'm not going to ask twice,” added Steele, “and it better be the truth or I'm going to come
over the bar
and do something
you'll regret.”

Hughard shifted and Alité reminded him she was still there by kicking him in the ass, “Behave yourself, fat boy.”

“Odello...”

“
What?” Jack raised one eyebrow.

“
My name. Odello. I b-b-b-bought the club.” He waved his hand nervously, “Or rather, I've leased it from the station.” He laid the e-Pad on the bar and slid it over toward Jack to show him the digital version of the lease agreement. “We got here a few hours ago and signed the lease. I t-t-t-thought we'd get an early start on inventory.”

“
And his gun?”

“
I had no idea he had one.
I swear.”

Steele was unconvinced. “Uh-huh.”

“Honest,
I swear it.”
He looked at Jack. “Who are you anyway?”

“
Did you see those UFW cruisers out there?”

“
Yes, of course.”

“
One is mine. I'm Captain Steele. And until the Station Administrator arrived, I was running this station.” He stepped back, “I'm wondering if you're a wise choice for this station.”

“
I am
terribly sorry,
Captain. You're uniform, I didn't recognize it... I had no idea who you might be...”

“
Uh, huh. So you're in
entertainment and hospitality
but this is how you greet guests? Nice. Are you sure you're in the right business?” He began backing out, waving Alité and Fritz back. “Expect a visit from the Administrator tomorrow. I'll let him decide whether your lease is still good or not.”

“
Wait,
wait.
Is there anything I can do to change your mind?”