Captured ( A Short story #1)
08 Aug 2021Isabella Levine
[August 9th, 3307][System: HIP16813]
[Location: Abandoned Tourist Settlement - Haldar Passage]
"Hey! Wake up! You better not have died after all that bullshit you pulled." Slowly, Isabella regained consciousness. Her vision blurred and dark and her ears rang. It didn't take long for the blurriness to fade but the darkness and the slight ringing in her ears? That stayed. She also took quick notice of her arms being restrained to a steel pipe against the wall. Where was she? She tried remembering and once she did, a rush of quick memories filled her mind. The tourist settlement. She was at a tourist settlement and was led here by tracing the death threats from whatever terrorist group that want her father dead or worse. She remembered landing, taking fire immediately upon exiting her ship, finding a building to take cover in, and fighting off a dozen men before running low on ammo. Then there was some physical altercation with one man that flanked her, she recalled. She couldn't get the leverage she needed on the guy in the extremely low gravity and the two tumbled towards a pressured explosive container that went off from her sidearm she tried using to shoot him. That's why her ears still rang. That guy, she thought, took the brunt of the blast. Damn.
"You're awake. I thought my guys had killed you."
She looked up into the dark green eyes of a man with black short side parting hair, a light beard, and a few scars across his face. He didn't look that bad if she was honest but those feelings quickly vanished remembering her arms were restrained. She glanced around once more knowing she was in the public lounge. Easy to tell given the tables, the bar, and benches. To her left, she noticed a large window looking out at the beautiful dark blue Gas Giant hanging halfway on the moon's frozen horizon. Would've been a nice view to take in if she wasn't restrained and surrounded by people with guns she didn't know.
Isabella stood herself up and looked into the eyes of the man before her. "Sorry about dropping so many of your guys. They shot first." She said smugly. Here it comes, she thought, the punch to show he's in control. But all he did was smile. "You're no local law enforcement. The stuff on your ship isn't law enforcement gear. You certainly don't look like one either. Who are you?" Isabella scowled at him. "How'd you get on my ship!? And you better not have touched any of my shit!" She tried her restraints by lashing out but all she did was hurt her shoulders. "Chill the hell out, lady. I want to know why you came two hundred thousand light-seconds to a lonely tourist settlement in a system that no one knows about." She tried the restraints once more before giving in and answering. "I came for the warm food and the hospitality." She smiled and this time a jab to her gut came. She doubled over in pain, her restraints catching her before the ground. That one hurt. She didn't expect it.
"Listen, I don't like hitting women so please. Cooperate with me. How and why did you come to this very specific spot?" Isabella stood back up straight and smile at him. "I heard about the local terrorist group and I really reallywanted to join. You wanna see my resume?" Another jab to the gut. This one knocking the wind completely out of her. "Lady, if your brain was as fast as your mouth, this wouldn't be happening to you. Again, how'd you find this location?" Isabella gasped for air for a moment before catching her breath. "Jeez...you can't take humor well…" She struggled to get her words out but continued. "Really got a stick up your ass." The man wound up for another underhand jab to her gut. "Wait! I'll tell you! Don't...hit me. Please." He lowered his arm. "Talk!"
"I traced the messages you sent. The death threats. The taunts that were directed to my father. You sent them. Jeremie, right? That's your name. I had someone track it back to here." He pointed to a man to his right, her left. "That's Jeremie. Your 'someone' managed to cracked good encryption. Impressive. But what's more impressive is you." Isabella smiled "Awe, well thank you."
"Karl Levine. That's your...father. Didn't know he had a daughter." Isabella raised an eyebrow "Ohh, sounds like you two know each other. I should get popcorn for this one." He grimaced and shook his head. "No. I've never met him in my life. I've only dug up his Imperial citizenship ID and copied it. I know what I know from that." Isabella gasped in exaggerated shock. "You know how illegal that is?" He ignored her and continued. "I've been tracking him because his spouse is the woman I'm after. Through your father, I can find her. I know there was a legal divorce and she virtually disappeared into the black after it. I don't understand where you fit in all this, you're not mentioned." Isabella straightened herself up and looked at the man once he mentioned her father's wife. "His spouse is technically my mother. Why are you even after her? Also, I do exist. I have an Imperial ID to prove I'm me....and I'm also standing right in front of you."
"There's nothing that mentioned the two had a daughter but regardless, your 'technical' mother took something from me a long time ago. Something I can't ever get back. Your father can lead me to her. I've been digging into who she was for a while and found out about her better half. Your father. It's him I need." Isabella looked confused. "You wanted him dead. The death threats?"
"Exaggerated." He quickly replied. "To get his attention and hope he makes a mistake where my team and I grab him. Doesn't matter anymore now that we have his daughter." He smiled, taking a step back.. "What did she take? I don't understand." He looked at her as if she said something offensive. "She took my family. Do you know who or what she is?" Isabella shook her head. She didn't. "I never met her. My father never talked about her whenever I even got to see my father. I have no idea who she is but apparently, some terrorist knows more about my family than I do. So please, inform me." He obliged. "A senator. She was one at least. Gave the order of a botched raid that got more civilians, my family, killed and even more injured. You called me a terrorist but the only one I see is the ones that hold nearly unlimited power and can kill whoever they want if it's deemed necessary. You'd be surprised what a driven individual can do in their adult life. I'm closer than ever to finding her but she's a hard woman to track. That's where your father comes in as I mentioned." Isabella didn't say anything for a moment taking in what was said. Her father, once again, left her in the dark about everything. She never knew who her mother was other than the lady that couldn't bear a child of her own and that led to the death of the marriage they had. That and herself, she remembered. Maybe there was more to what happened between them.
"I have one screwed-up family. Jeez. Look, I don't think my father knows where she is either. I'm also sorry about your family. That's tragic. But snatching an Imperial Naval Officer and interrogating him will get you the death penalty. Plus he's not in the bubble. How about we all just-"
"No! There are very evil people that deserve justice and if the corrupt Imperial government won't do it but instead try to bury it, I'll do it myself. I haven't come this far to give up because some girl said her daddy probably doesn't know or isn't in town. I have one man's greatest weakness at my disposal before me so if he's outta town he better come right quick. In fact, I know he'll come because we're going to ask him." He motioned to one of his men that walked over and handed him a different-looking datapad than what she's used to seeing. The man took the device and prodded at it before looking up at Isabella. He started.
"Karl Levine. This message is for you and for you only. You don't know who I am but you'll know me pretty damn well in the next few days. You have information that I want and that information I want I will damn well have. You might be asking yourself who the hell I am making these demands. You might even consider ignoring what I'm saying at this point. But here's something that'll get your attention." The man gestured for Isabella to speak but she didn't. He chuckled slightly with a smile across his face. "Really? Now you're quiet?" He reeled back and delivered a hard jab into her lower gut. She grunted out in pain and doubled over, again, being caught by her restrained arms. She heaved for a few moments before straightening herself upright again. "I really did feel bad for you but now I think I want to watch you suck frozen vacuum and suffocate." He smiled at that. "There she is! The mouth on your daughter. She's here with me. She actually came to me by tracking me down. Can you believe that?" He chuckled "Attached to this recording I will give you coordinates to this location. It will be you and you only. If you or anyone comes...well the survival of your daughter can't be guaranteed."
He tapped the odd-looking Datapad and handed it away to one of his men before looking at Isabella. "Let's hope he comes quickly for your sake." He turned to one of the females of his team. "Watch her for me. If she needs food or water let me know before doing anything. We do need her alive...for now." He looked back at Isabella. "This here is Luna. My second hand...well woman. She'll look after your needs while we wait. I have something else to attend to. So sit tight, you might be here for a while." He smiled as he turned to leave waving on two of his men to follow. He exited through the pressure doors that lead outside. Once they closed, Isabella looked at the woman and smiled at her. She was going to do her best to get under her skin.. "So...who named you Luna? Because that's a funny name to give a child."
(I did have a log taking place before this but deleted it to make one possibly after. or never. I just want to flesh out this mini-story arc that popped into my head.)