Secrets and Lies Part II
15 May 2017Jellicoe
The transit pod accelerated rapidly along its tube, vertically downwards from the top floor of one of the tallest buildings in Alioth to below ground level at a speed close to a spacecraft launching. The escape route might be secure but it was hardly a pleasant experience. Abruptly the pod levelled off and sped away on the horizontal until it slowed, came to a halt and opened. I groggily got out, my legs very rubbery and looked around. Two white coated men were close by poised to assist while a similarly dressed woman sat at a holo-console in the opposite corner of the room, a long couch like sofa spread around the rest of the wall."Welcome to your exit centre sir, please rest while you recover from the extreme G forces you were subject to during transit. Can we get you anything for your comfort?" The woman at the desk asked.
"It's fine, I'm a pilot I'm used to it, I'll be alright in a minute." I said taking in my surroundings. The room was white, gently lit with the walls adorned by holo-windows presumably showing the world immediately outside the building, from that I reckoned I was about two miles from Kira's place, presumably these people took care of the legally dubious escape service.
"Very good sir. " The woman replied. "As part of your emergency extraction package is there any further assistance I can provide for the next stage of your extraction? Unfortunately we are not able to host you at this facility for longer than two hours however I can provide any of the services listed in your contract, these services are charged at the rates given in your terms and conditions."
I thought for the first time about what to do next, a dash for the spaceport was my first thought but if that was my first thought then it would certainly have occurred to the spooks. I needed somewhere to lie low for a few days and a way to draw the authorities attention somewhere else.
"Can you get me a car? Nothing fancy just run of the mill? and an escort, no extras required just to pose as my partner till I'm clear of the area."
"No problem at all sir, would you prefer the escort to be male or female?"
"Female please." I considered a man for disguise reasons but suspected my body language would give me away. "I also need some changes of clothes, ordinary workers dress and a flight suit, make it old and worn."
"Consider it done sir, will there be anything else?"
I wracked my brain, what else? "Can I change some credit from my account into untraceable chips?"
"Of course sir."
"Good. I want a hundred thousand, and get me a room in Trentham."
"Trentham sir?" The woman queried, mild surprise breaking her smooth professionalism.
"Yes that's correct." I replied, Trentham was the most notorious slum district in the city but its residents would never talk to the police and its camera network was routinely vandalised.. "And can I have a secure link with interstellar coms?"
"Certainly sir." She worked her console and a concealed door opened onto a side room with a coms terminal. "Everything you need is in there sir. Can I get you something to eat or drink?"
I walked towards the room. "Just a pot of tea please, Fujin Longleaf if you have any."
"Coming right up sir."
Once in the room, I put in a priority one call to Serabrov Terminal on the emergency consular channel and within minutes Wilber Bernards hulking virtual figure appeared before me.
"Alright Jell, how's the holiday going?" He asked with a knowing grin.
"Not quite as relaxing as I'd hoped. Listen I don't have long, I need you to put out fake coms to organise an emergency pick up of me from Leesti tomorrow at 18:00 GST and make sure the Alliance intercept them."
"Top banana, you need picking up from anywhere for real?"
"No there's no need to risk anyone else just take the heat off me and I'll sort myself out."
"No drama's, so what've you done to piss the Alliance off?"
"I'll tell you when I see you but let the others know the Alliance are sniffing around the Rift mystery and they don't want it going public either."
"Your car, escort and clothes are ready sir." The woman's voice came through. Wilber raised an eyebrow at the mention of the escort.
"Right got to go, with any luck I'll be back in a few days." I cut the link and went back into the reception room.
"Everything is waiting sir, please go with Isa here who will take you to your car. Your clothes have been loaded and I took the liberty of procuring alternative ID, it's in here along with your credit chips." She passed me a wallet and I checked the Alliance ID card, I was now Zach Wyatt, casual starship crew from Reorte. "And here's an emergency safety kit for your protection. Have a nice day." I opened the small package she had given me while Isa led me down a long corridor and found a plasma pistol with two spare clips, whatever you might think of senior crime bosses they don't lack for precautions I thought with a smile. We had walked for around ten minutes when a muffled explosion followed by the rattle of gunfire sounded from back the way we'd come.
"What was that?" I asked. Isa looked down at his wrist com then back to me, the colour draining from his face.
"We've been compromised. Are you a fucking pig?" I had no time for this, i hit him hard on the head with the butt of my pistol and sprinted off down the corridor. About two minutes later I reached the exit, a modest door leading into a loading yard behind one of the areas plush apartment complexes, a car stood waiting with a petite red haired woman standing next to it, but if the police had taken the office then my escape plan was useless. I fought the rising tide of panic and tried to think, i was wearing evening dress to fit in in the most exclusive part of the city, anywhere else I would stick out like a sore thumb, the police would be looking for me, the car and the woman no doubt expecting me to be trying to get as far away from here as possible. I weighed up my options and came to a decision. I would go to dinner. The woman had her back to me and I quietly left the yard by the other exit, kept to the shadows, entered the first hotel I came to and made my way to the restaurant.
"Could I have a table for two please?" I asked the maitre d'.
"Does sir have a reservation?"
"No I'm trying to make up to an old girlfriend and I was hoping you might have something available?"
He consulted his terminal. "It is not the best table sir but I have something if it will suffice."
"Could you?" I oozed. "I'd be most awfully grateful."
"Follow me sir." He led me to a table towards the rear of the restaurant close to the kitchens and away from the windows, rather poor from a dining point of view but ideal for my needs.
"Thank you so much." I enthused. "Could you bring me a bottle of brandy and as soon as this lady arrives can you show her over?" I showed him a holo-picture of Mira Hyde my fighter pilot and pressed a chip for five hundred credits into his hand.
"Of course sir, and good luck sir."
Mira of course was on the other side of the bubble and so an hour later the Maitre d' returned, his face wearing a practiced expression of sympathetic male solidarity to where I sat alone with my brandy.
"I'm terribly sorry sir but there is no sign of the lady, does sir wish to hold the table or maybe order?"
"Oh well it was a long shot after all this time." I said with a sigh running my hand through my hair. "After a long posting in the California Nebula I was rather hoping for some female company tonight but I fear I must head home alone."
The immaculately uniformed man gave me a conspiratorial smile and leaned close. "If sir will forgive my presumption the lady over there was asking about you earlier, her husband is off world until weekend and she has a certain fondness for younger men." I followed his gaze to where a not unattractive woman around twenty years older than I sat alone eating dessert, as i glanced over she returned my look with a flirtatious smile.
"Is she staying here?" I asked.
"She is booked in until Friday."
Siobhan, as she was called, was energetic, uninhibited and apparently insatiable, finally we collapsed panting in the bed and she ran her finger down my chest and stomach.
"I do hope you're not going anywhere for a few days." She purred contentedly.
"I need to go to my office tomorrow but after that I'm all yours." I replied gently caressing her breast.
"Mmmmmmm don't be too long, I could get used to this sort of attention."
"Then you shall have my complete and undivided attention." I said pulling her into a long lingering kiss.
I waited until she was sound asleep and dialed up room service.
"I'm sorry to trouble you, I wasn't expecting to be staying here tonight and I've no clothes tomorrow, would you be able to get me some if i give you my measurements?"
"Of course sir, what would sir require?"
"Just a business suit please, and could I have some hair dye? Beige brown please grey hairs are beginning to show. Oh and could I book a car for Eight AM?"