The Empire: Called back to Earth

Sir Grayson Crandall and Alex Semenov arrived at the Marksville Colonial Hotel early and were giving directions to the private dining room. Entering the private dining room, the first person Sir Grayson saw was the man that had confronted him that afternoon. This time the man’s face lit up with a broad smile as he stepped forward with his hand outstretched. Shacking hands, the man said, “Sorry about this past afternoon at the convention center,” Ammon said.

“No apology necessary, ah…” Sir Grayson stuttered having forgotten Ammon’s name.

“Ammon. Corporal Ammon Axelrod,” Ammon said. “And this is Sergeant Keith Davies. Keith is in charge of Raquel’s security team.”

Keith stepped forward, shook hands with Sir Grayson and said, “Raquel has spoken often of you.” Then turned to Alex and said, “Sorry, I forgot your name.”

“Alex Semenov,” Alex said as they shook hands. “I’m glad to see that someone is taking Raquel’s safety serious. And as Sir Grayson said, no apology necessary for confronting us today.”

“You’re with Arcadia Security or Marksville Security?” Sir Grayson asked.

“We’re military. We’re from the world of Trenton. The capitol world of the Galactic Empire. We were assigned as Raquel’s permanent security team. She doesn’t go anyplace without at least two members of the team accompanying her. And when she travels off-world the entire team accompanies her,” Keith explained.

“As Alex said, I’m glad they’re taking her safety serious,” Sir Grayson said.

“And speaking of Raquel, where is she?” Alex asked.

“She’ll be here shortly,” Ammon replied. “We came to check out the room before she arrives.”

“You do this all the time? Check out every room?” Alex asked.

“We do take her safety serious, Alex,” Keith replied.

“I certainly commend you,” Sir Grayson said. Then asked, “By the way, where is Doug? I forgot to ask Raquel earlier today. Have you seen him?”

“I understand some woman summoned him to come back to Earth to assist her with some problem,” Keith replied.

“Some woman?” Sir Grayson said, frowning.

“It had to be Lily, Sir Grayson,” Alex said. “If Lily summoned him no force in the Galaxy would stop him from going to her aid.”

“Yes, Lily. That was the name of the woman,” Keith said.

“She must be quite a lady for Doug to rush back to Earth to assist her,” Ammon remarked.

“Lily was one of the Directors of Earth’s Global Bureau of Investigation. She was born in Shenyang Provenance in a country once known as China on the Asian continent. She’s a small woman. She would weigh no more than 45 kilograms and stands no more than 152 centimeters. No one knows Lily’s age but she is now an elderly woman, nearly in her ninth decade. Are you familiar with Doug’s background,” Sir Grayson said.

“I know he was in the military, special forces,” Keith replied.

“Right. Anyway, Lily recruited him out of the military.”

Interrupting Sir Grayson, Alex said, smiling, “Or to hear Doug tell it, she abducted him.”

Keith and Ammon were smiling hearing Sir Grayson and Alex tell about Doug.

“Right. Anyway, we needed someone that -- shall we say -- ignored the rule book. When other investigators could not handle the problem, Lily would send Doug. Her orders were simply: Terminate with extreme prejudice.” Sir Grayson explained.

“None of us would be here today had it not been for Doug saving our lives,” Alex added.

“Doug was the only person I know that ever got away with calling Lily an ’old woman’ and was able to walk afterwards,” Sir Grayson said grinning. “They became the best of friends. It doesn’t surprise me that if Lily summoned Doug to help her he would drop everything to rush to her aid. And as Alex said, no force in the Galaxy would stop him from going to her aid.”

“And if someone has harmed her, they’re not long to remain among the living,” Alex added.

They heard the door open and someone enter. Sir Grayson turned to see who it was. His face light up with a bright smile seeing Ryan. Likewise, Ryan’s face split with a smile as she walked forward and embraced Sir Grayson. Then Sir Grayson said, “It is nice to see you young lady. I heard through the proverbial vine that you and Doug had quite an adventure on that world you went to. Rescuing some abducted women and children.” Then Sir Grayson turned to Alex and said, “This is the woman I was telling you about. She accompanied Doug when they stopped on the world of Racine and visited with me.

“It’s nice to meet you Ryan. Is it just Ryan?” Alex said.

“Lynda Ryan. But everyone calls me Ryan,” Ryan replied.

“So you accompanied Raquel here?” Sir Grayson said.

“Actually Keith asked me to be part of his security team. They check everything. But it causes quite a stir when they check out the lady’s room. So I get that job,” Ryan replied grinning.

“So you’re part of Raquel’s security team?” Alex said.

“Raquel hired me as one of her investigators. I’m just assisting Keith and his team on this trip,” Ryan replied.

“And speaking of assisting, why did you leave Raquel and Maria?” Keith asked, frowning. “You were supposed to remain with Raquel and Maria.”

“They’re outside the door with the rest of the team. Raquel is talking to some guy,” Ryan replied.

“Some guy?” Ammon said.

“Yeah, some guy named Gilbert I believe was what Raquel called him,” Ryan replied.

“Gilbert was a former investigator with Earth’s Global Bureau of Investigation,” Alex informed them.

The door opened and they were expecting to see Raquel. Instead it was a waiter and waitress. One with pitchers of water; the other with pots of coffee. After placing the water and coffee on the table they exited.

“I’m going to have a cup of coffee,” Alex said as he walked over to the table.

And Sir Grayson asked Ryan, “Was Raquel mad at you for stowing away to go with Doug?”

Ryan laughed and said, “She gave me a talking to. And I had to promise not to do that anymore.”

The door opened and Maria walked in followed by Raquel. Seeing Sir Grayson and Alex, along with Ammon and Keith, Maria said, “Have you gotten acquainted?”

“We have, Maria,” Sir Grayson replied. “And Ammon is a nice fellow when his hand is not on my chest pushing me back and giving me a menacing look.”

“And this is Gilbert Faber,” Raquel said, making the introduction. “Gilbert has accepted my offer to come to the world of Trenton and serve as one of the directors in the Galactic Empire Bureau of Investigation.”

“Good to see you again, Gil,” Alex said. “I think you made a wise decision. With your background in Earth’s Global Bureau of Investigation, I’m sure you’ll be an asset to Raquel.”

The waitress entered and inquired if they were ready to be served. Maria informed her they were.

During dinner they reminisced about the time they had spent together at Earth’s Global Bureau of Investigation.

Raquel raised the issue why they had decided to nominate her to serve as the first director of the Galactic Empire Bureau of Investigation. Sir Grayson explained that they considered her well qualified. Besides, no one else wanted to serve.

“Alex, I would have thought you would have wanted the job. I think you would have been the ideal candidate to become the first Chief Director of the new Galactic Empire Bureau of Investigation,” Raquel remark.

“You trying to give up the job, Raquel,” Alex joked, grinning. “No, my son and daughter had migrated to the world of Karman. I had not seen them in years. And I had never seen my grandchildren. It was time for a change. I agree with Sir Grayson, we made the right decision. You’re well qualified for the position.”

The conversation finally got around to Doug. And Alex asked, “So what is that maverick Doug Kincaid doing now?”

Smiling, hearing Alex call Doug a maverick, Raquel replied, “Still coming to the aid of the innocent and protecting those that cannot protect themselves.” Then told Alex about Doug rescuing the women on the world of Dwyer that had been abducted. And the women and children on the world of Ryye that also had been abducted.

“Why does that not surprise me? He has no reservations about terminating bad guys. But someone needing help and he‘s the first one there to help them,” Alex replied and then continued: “When my brother and his family, that lived in Chelyabinsk, were kidnapped, who was the first person I saw when I disembarked from the airship? Doug.”

“As I recall, that crime boss there wanted your head, Alex,” Gilbert Faber remarked.

“Yeah, said he would let my brother and his family go if I took their place,” Alex replied.

“You never really thought that crime boss -- what was his name? Dmitry Panov, if I recall -- was going to permit your brother and family to live did you? He would have had you, your brother and his family all terminated,” Sir Grayson said.

“It was family and I had to try, Sir Grayson” Alex replied. “Anyway, here stood Doug with a grin on his face and he asked me: What are you doing here? It shocked me for a moment seeing Doug standing there. Then I asked him: Well what are you doing here? I’m just passing through, Doug replies.

“It was probably a good thing that Doug was there. Or you may not be here today,” Gil said.

“Yeah, you’re probably right, Gil,” Alex replied. “Then I explained about my brother and family being held hostage and Doug said, Well, my flight does not leave for a while. I’ll tag along and help you. If I had not been so emotionally distraught, worrying about my brother and his family, I would have realized that Doug was lying about his flight.”

“Like Gil said, you’re lucky Doug was there,” Maria said.

Alex nodded and said, “Told me to rent a vehicle and he would follow me. Again, if I had not been so emotionally distraught, I would have questioned why he was not riding with me. Why he already had vehicle. But we got to my brother’s place and these four goons, blasters pointed at us, confront us. Wanting to know why I had not came by myself as Dmitry had ordered. Doug steps up and tells him: Alex is changing the rules. Now go back to your post and let us know if anyone else shows up. And they just trot off. Not even a retort. They just done as Doug told them.”

“It never ceased to amaze me why people would follow Doug’s orders,” Gil remarked, shaking his head.

Maria laughed and said, “Doug always said it was because he was a charming a fellow.”

“Yeah, right. Charming like a raging bull,” Sir Grayson remarked. “But he’ll not hesitate to help those in need.”

Alex continued: “We walk inside and are confronted by Nikola Pulido, Dmitry’s main enforcer and four more of Dmitry’s goons. Nikola is demanding to know why I brought someone with me. Doug steps up and confronts Nikola. Doug tells Nikola that we’ve not playing by Dmitry’s rules any longer. We’re going to play by mine. Doug then demands to know if my brother and family are okay. Nikola tells him that they have not been harmed. Then Doug tells Nikola that if they have been harmed in any way he was pulling his blaster and putting a projectile in each knee. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Nikola had a blaster pointed at Doug and Doug telling him he would pull his blaster and shoot him in the knees. And Nikola actually looked frightened. I had run-ins with Nikola in the past and never seem him look frightened. If anything, he was always intimidating. Then Doug looks back at me and tells me to check on my brother. I started to walk into the other room and I hear these audio puff, puff, puff sounds and bodies hitting the floor. I look back and see four of the goons leaking blood all over the floor. And Nikola standing there as if he’s in a trance or something.”

“Doug always said that it was a waste of time arresting scum bags like that. Too much paper work,” Gil remarked.

“Yeah, anyway I find my brother, sister-in-law and the two children. Thankfully they’re okay. I usher them outside. Outside, I see the other four goons lying on the ground -- terminated. And Doug standing there with Nikola. I tell my brother to get everyone in the vehicle. I start to say something to Doug but Doug is telling Nikola to call Dmitry and tell him that some mean looking fella just terminated everyone except him and rescued the hostages. Nikola calls Dmitry and explains what has just occurred. The vistaview unit is on the speaker and I hear Dmitry go ballistic. Doug snatches the vistaview unit out of Nikola’s hand and tells Dmitry, in an icy cold voice, you harmed a friend of mind. This is judgment day. I’m coming for you Dmitry. Call in all your goons. I’ll be there soon. He severs the call, hands the vistaview unit back to Nikola and tells him to go tell Dmitry he would be there soon.”

“That ice cold voice Doug uses will make a cold chill go down your spine. I don’t understand how he does it,” Gil remarked.

“Doug calls it psych-warfare. Something he must have learned while serving in the terrestrial arm forces back on Earth,” Sir Grayson offered.

“Yeah, anyway, Nikola is one mean looking person. That one misaligned eye and that scar running down the right side of his face just adds to his menacing look. And when he gives you that lopsided grin, you just know he’s ready to tear you apart. No telling how many people Nikola has terminated for Dmitry. But Nikola appeared to be trembling he was so frightened. And Doug makes a blaster with his hand, and tells Nikola, next time I see you I’m terminating you. No brag; just fact. Then says bang. Nikola could not leave fast enough.”

“As I recall, someone took Dmitry and his criminal empire out,” Gil said.

“I took my brother and his family to our uncle’s place about a hundred kilometers west of Chelyabinsk. He had a place, a little farm, out in the country. Our uncle had an old hyperwave unit that he could receive one channel on. Later that evening, when they reported the news, the top story was how someone had burn down Dmitry’s nightclub and terminated Dmitry and all of his soldiers. I could hardly believe what they were reporting. But I knew it had to be Doug.”

“Around the office, when he was not off someplace for Lily, Doug was always friendly but reserved. One might even say timid,” Gil remarked.

“I know. Always a ’good morning.’ And a friendly smile. But when we arrived at my brother’s place, there was nothing friendly or timid about Doug. He simply took charge. Confronted Nikola as if he was nothing more than an errand boy. Told him to shut up and not to speak without he asked him a question. I was sure Nikola would terminate both of us on the spot. I still can’t believe he just happened to show up there at the air terminal,” Alex said.

“I’m pretty sure he didn’t, Alex. Although you did not confide in us, Lily somehow learned about Dmitry abducting your brother and his family,” Sir Grayson said. “Raquel, you were always assisting Lily. What did Lily do?”

“I don’t know how Lily learned about Alex’s brother and family being abducted. Lily had what she called ’assets’ around the world. I know Lily had been keeping tabs on Dmitry for some time and guess one of her ‘assets,’ as she referred to them, informed her about Alex’s brother and family being abducted. Doug was already on the European continent carrying out some mission for Lily. Lily instructed me to contact Doug and give him the particulars about Alex’s brother and family being abducted. And for him to meet Alex at the air terminal in Chelyabinsk. As for Dmitry Panov, her finally instructions I was to relay to Doug was: Terminate with extreme prejudice,” Raquel told them.

“Terminate with extreme prejudice would be an understatement. Witnesses reporters interviewed there said that a lone individual had attacked Dmitry’s nightclub. Said the individual was dressed all in black; had his face painted multi-colors; a rag or something tied around his head and was loaded down with weapons. One of the eyewitnesses a reporter interviewed said it looked like something that had crawled out of a black hole. Even the reporters and security officers on the scene were shaking their head as if they couldn’t believe what the witnesses were telling them,” Alex added.

“I can attest to what they probably seen,” Ryan spoke up and said. “Doug rescued me and my sisters.”

“You were abducted?” Alex said with a puzzled expression.

“I’m from the world of Beckley,” Ryan said. “I was a security officer there. My two younger sisters were abducted. I learned they had been taken to the world of Dwyer. Beckley Security would not do anything so I went to the world of Dwyer to rescue my sisters and got caught up in the web and forced to work in a strip joint.”

“She went AWOL (absent without leave),” Maria corrected.

Ryan grinned and continued, “As you know, Investigator Gonzales was murdered there. Supposedly he was going to rescue us until he was murdered. Fifteen or twenty days later this pleasant, clean shaver man, sitting off to the side by himself, waves for me to get him a beer. I get the beer and he invited me to sit down. Then tells me he is Investigator Kincaid and he’s going to rescue us. I ask him where his team is at. Oh, they’re around he replies.”

“Doug actually had a team to help him?” Gil wanted to know, displaying a frown.

“No, not really,” Ryan replied, grinning. “He tells me he’ll be back the next night at 0100 hours and to be ready to escort the women out. There will be a vehicle waiting outback. 0100 hours comes and goes. No Doug. 0115 hours come and goes. Still no Doug. 0130 hours arrives and still no Doug. I’m beginning to believe he just gave me a story.”

“One thing I know about Doug: If he makes you a promise, he’ll keep it,” Alex said.

“Yeah, I found that out. Found out he had been busy taking down all of D‘Angelo‘s illegal franchises. D‘Angelo was the crime boss there.” Ryan replied. “Anyway, shortly after 0130 hours the mummer of voices in the club creased. I look around and it’s like a wave parting. Chairs and tables are being upset as people moved out of the way. And this thing; this apparition dressed all in black, his face painted and some rag or something tied around his head and loaded down with weapons comes walking through as if he owns the place. I’m so shock I can’t even move. Next thing I know it boom, boom, and the sound system is gone. Another boom, boom and the kaleidoscope of flashing psychedelic lights blinked out leaving only the exit lighting. It is now total chaos; people running toward the exit. Then it’s more boom, boom, booms as he starts dispensing with the guards. It finally shakes me out of my reverie and I start yelling for all the girls to get out. And that’s when I met Doug’s team. I was expecting to see a Rapid Response team. Instead, I see one man dressed in ordinary cloths and not even carrying a blaster. I later asked Doug where his team was. With an evasive grin, he causally replies: Didn’t you meet him outback? I couldn’t believe it. But I can understand why those witnesses thought they saw something that looked as if had crawled out of a black hole.”

“She’s getting as bad as Doug,” Maria remarked.

Really?” Gil queried, prompting Maria to continue.

But Sir Grayson spoke up and said, “When Doug took that trip to, to wherever it was they went, Doug…”

“It was to the world of Ryye,” Ryan said, interrupting Sir Grayson.

“Anyway, Doug stopped on the world of Racine to visit me. Introduced me to Ryan and told how she had stowed away,” Sir Grayson said, grinning. “And how she had assisted him in taking down that crime syndicate that had abducted her and her sisters.”

“And on the world of Ryye, they learned that the man there that ran the city was buying abducted women and children; Doug, Ryan and Javelle went on a rampage and rescued them,” Maria added.

“Is the abduction of women and children a major problem throughout the Galaxy?” Alex asked.

“We’re receiving numerous reports of women and children being abducted, Alex,” Raquel replied.

“What are you doing to address the situation?” Alex wanted to know.

“We’ve recommended to security forces they monitor places like strip joints and brothels to determine if women working there are working there of their own free will or if they have been abducted and are being forced to work there. We’ve also recommend they keep tabs on independent cargo haulers. It has been the independent cargo haulers that have either abducted the women and children or they have purchased them from someone else that abducted them. In turn, they transport them to another world and sale them,” Maria explained.

“Major was able to track down the independent hauler that transported the women and children to the world of Ryye. He was apprehended on the world of Ford,” Raquel added.

“And Major found the captain of the cargo ship that had transported Ryan’s sisters to the world of Dwyer. He landed at Trenton Intergalactic Spaceport,” Maria said.

“And Ryan accompanied Major and the security team that arrested him,” Raquel added.

“And Ryan saved Major’s life, shoving him out of the way as she terminated two crew members that were about to terminate Major,” Maria said.

“Ryan, it sounds like you have been running around with Doug too long,” Alex said.

Ryan grinned and shrugged she shoulders.

“Raquel, Maria, I don’t envy you your job. With over two thousand settled worlds throughout the Galaxy, it’s literally an impossible job. But I think we made the right decision appointing you the Chief Director, Raquel,” Sir Grayson said. “I’m just glad I decided to retire.”

“I second that,” Alex replied. Then asked Maria,

“Doug assisted you a time or two didn’t he Maria?” Alex asked.

“Yes,” Maria acknowledged. “I recall once when he accompanied me to Marseilles, that port city on the European continent. I think that region was once known as the country of France. There was a smuggling ring operating out of Marseilles. I was to meet up with a security team there in Marseilles. Lily suggested that Doug go with me. More like ordered me to wait until Doug could accompany me.”

“As I recall, that security team was working with that smuggling ring,” Gil said.

“Yes they were. And I would have blundered into their trap had it not been for Doug. We were to take the airship all the way to Marseilles but the airship had a stop-over in that old city of Paris. Doug had slept most of the way. But when we stopped in Paris, Doug woke up and said we’ll disembark here and find a ground vehicle and drive to Marseilles. I had protested telling him that that security team was to meet us in Marseilles. They can wait, Doug responded. And I found myself following Doug out of the air terminal.”

“Was Doug aware that security team was waiting to take you out?” Gil asked.

Raquel spoke up and said, “Lily had received word from one of her assets there that they may be working with those smugglers. Lily had it on her ’to do list,’ more like ’Doug’s to do list,’ to eliminate that smuggling ring.”

“Then Jean-Claude Simon blundered in and got himself terminated,” Sir Grayson said.

“As I recall, Maria was going to make the ’midnight run,’ (’midnight run’ is a metaphor meaning to terminate the individual or individuals that had murdered their fellow agent -- Jean-Claude Simon) Alex said.

“Right. I was to make the ’midnight run.’ I got over zealous I guess,” Maria replied. “I keep contacting that Sergeant -- Sergeant Dominicus Bacha. Sergeant Backa kept telling me they would apprehend the person that had murdered Jean-Claude. But each time I contacted Sergeant Backa, it was the same old story: No we’ve not found the person responsible. Unbeknown at the time, Sergeant Backa was the person that had murdered Jean-Claude. I finally told Sergeant Backa that I was coming and he said he would meet me at the air terminal in Marseilles.”

“Hans Burger was the acting Chief Director at the time and he approved you making the ’midnight run.’ Then Lily stepped in and cancelled your plans,” Sir Grayson said.

“Yes, Lily prohibited me from leaving. That’s the only time I ever really got mad at Lily,” Maria replied. “Come to find out, she was waiting on Doug to return from some clandestine mission she had sent him on to the South American continent.”

“So why did Doug want to disembark in that city and drive to wherever it was you were going?” Ryan asked.

“Doug said it would be best to play is safe. He didn’t tell me at the time that he suspected that security in Marseilles had murdered Jean-Claude,” Maria replied. “But we couldn’t find a vehicle for rent and Doug ended up buying some old clunker that looked as if it had seen it betters days, paying the man twice what it was probably worth. And we no sooner left the air terminal when we were attacked.”

Someone anticipated you may disembark there rather than fly all the way?” Ryan said.

“Yes, and then it became a running battle in the streets of Paris,” Maria replied. “Except they had rifle blasters and all me and Doug had was our hand blasters.”

“You obviously survived,” Ryan remarked.

“We survived but I don‘t know how,” Maria replied. “We were racing down streets; cutting around corners. I thought we would either upset or plow into another vehicle. But Doug managed to keep the vehicle under control. Then he turned down what looked like a back alley. Told me to slid over and take the wheel. At the end of the alley, he tuned left and bailed out of the vehicle. I couldn’t keep the vehicle under control and rammed another vehicle parked alongside the street. I jumped out and about them one of the chase vehicles rear ended the vehicle. I saw the driver slumped over the steering wheel. And three men were exiting from the passenger side. I had my hand blaster out and dispensed those three. A moment later the second vehicle slams into the back of the first vehicle. And Doug is dispensing those men, except one that managed to exit on the passenger side. I terminated him.”

“Wow! I didn’t know you lived such an exciting life, Maria,” Ryan remarked, grinning.

“Yeah, running around with Doug and the excitement never stops,” Maria replied, grinning. “You should realize that by now.”

Ryan grinned and Maria continued. “Anyway, the old clunker that Doug had purchased has steam pouring from the front. Doug tells me to collect all the rifles blasters and extra magazines, plus their vistaview units and anything else I can find. While I’m going through the first vehicle, Doug is dragging the bodies out of the second vehicle. It’s one of those all-purpose range rover vehicles. Doug says we’ll take it. While we’re collecting the blasters and other items, half a dozen spectators appear. Doug gives them the description of some vehicle and tells them when security arrives to give security that vehicle’s description.”

Ryan is grinning. Having learned of Doug’s mental ability, she understands that Doug has mentally implanted the description of the vehicle in their minds to mislead security.

“As we drive away, Doug tells me to watch for some street. Like any male, he’ll not stop and ask for directions. After driving around for an hour, maybe an hour and a half, I finally spot the street. Doug tells me to watch for some junk yard. Why are you going to some junk yard? I ask him. To purchase some more hardware. I know what he means by hardware. It’s more weapons. And I ask him why he needs more weapons. We have all the rifle blasters we confiscated from those men. He turns right and drives to the end where it dead ends. We turn and drive back the other way. Finally I see a junk yard. Doug stops in front of the gate. There is a big sign: Vicious dogs. Doug exits, walks to the gate, opens it and walks in. I remind him of the vicious dogs. Oh, no problem, Doug exclaims. Dogs like me. We did not walk two meters and here came two of the biggest, most ferocious dogs I ever seen. They’re growling and the hair on their backs is bristled. Doug holds his hand out and tells them to stop. They stop and become as friendly as house pets.”

“Doug does have a way with animals, especially with dogs,” Ryan remarks.

“I kept my hand wrapped around my hand blaster in case the dogs attack. Doug… he just nonchalantly walks on as if he is totally unconcern about the dogs. Up ahead, I see this man. He’s wearing some type of overalls. They look as if they have never been washed. He has a shaggy beard that looks as if it is plastered down with grease or something. And two other men standing their pointing their hand blasters at us. Greasy beard demands to know what Doug has done to his dogs. Doug grins and tells him that dogs like him. Then Doug looks at the two men holding blasters and tells them in that icy cold voice: Either point those blasters at the ground or I’ll take them from you and lay you out on the ground. No brag; just fact.”

“No brag; just fact, is one of Doug’s favorite saying,” Alex remarked.

“Right,” Maria acknowledged. “Anyway, there is a flurry of motion. The next instant, the two men are stretched out on the ground and Doug is ejecting the magazines and the projectiles from the chamber of the blasters. When they stand up, Doug tosses the blasters back to them and tells them to holster the blasters or he’ll lay them out on the ground again. Greasy beard stutters wanting to know what Doug wants. Doug tells him he needs some hardware. Greasy beard tries to play dumb. Doug tells him to stop being coy. Anyway, Doug ends up purchasing three dozen grenades. A dozen phosphorus and the rest HE (high explosive). Then ten kilograms of plastic explosive with remote detonators.”

“What does he plan to do with plastic explosive?” Gil asks.

“I asked him the same question,” Maria replies. “Doug just grins and tells me that we may need to blow something up.”

“I overheard Lily telling Doug if he found a ship at that Marseilles port that was being used to transport contraband, to sink it. That it would send a message to the smugglers,” Raquel told them.

“So… Did you blow up a ship?” Ryan asks.

“First, we had to drive to Marseilles,” Maria tells Ryan. And roads were not that well maintained and it’s not safe traveling by vehicle. Thankfully we exchanged that old clunker Doug had purchased for the all-purpose range rover vehicle. Outside of Marseilles, Doug tells me to contact Sergeant Edgard Poissant. Sergeant Poissant sounds skeptical, wanting to know why I had not flown all the way to Marseilles. Sergeant Poissant finally agrees to a clandestine meeting at some old warehouse. Sergeant Poissant wants the meeting as quick as possible. At this point, I am beginning to have reservations. But Doug holds up three fingers indicating three hours. We find the old warehouse. Then Doug circles back five or six blocks, where he can conceal the range rover. Tells me to wait until he calls me. An hour passes and Doug calls and tells me that Sergeant Poissant and two other have arrived early. And for me to call and ask for directions. Then wait another twenty minutes. I call Sergeant Poissant and he gives me directions. When I arrive, everything at first seems to be normal. Then Sergeant Poissant tells me I should have minded my own business because now he’ll have to terminate me.”

“I guessing Doug makes his presence know about then,” Ryan remarks.

“He does,” Maria tells Ryan. “I don’t know where Doug had been hiding. But he just seems to materializes behind them. And tells them, in that icy cold voice, the lady does not want to be terminated today. They whirl around and Doug terminates the two men with Sergeant Poissant. Sergeant Poissant is standing there as if he cannot move. Doug holsters his blaster and walks up to Sergeant Poissant and tells him he looks too dumb to run a smuggling ring. And orders Sergeant Poissant to tell him who is behind the smuggling ring. It turns out to be Captain Basile Donatus, who heads up security there in Marseilles. Then Doug demands to know who terminated Jean-Claude. Sergeant Poissant confesses he murdered Jean-Claude. Then Doug tells Sergeant Poissant its judgment day. And turns to me and says: It’s your mission. You want to do it or do you want me to? I’ll do it, I tell Doug.

“So you terminated Sergeant Poissant?” Ryan remarks.

Maria doesn’t acknowledge Ryan. Instead says, “We find the Marseilles Security office. Doug walks in like he owns the place. Asks a Corporate there if Captain Donatus is in. The Corporal informs Doug he is. Doug tells the Corporal to sit there and to call no one. He walks over to the door. Instead of simply turning the door handle, he raises his right foot and kicks the door open.”

“Like I said, Doug is about as charming as a raging bull,” Sir Grayson remarked.

“Yeah, he might be meek and timid around the office. But when he assisted me in rescuing my brother and his family, there was nothing meek and timid about him,” Alex remark.

“So I found out when he accompanied me to Marseilles,” Maria replied. “Anyway, Captain Donatus is so startled he jumps up upsetting his chair. He stutters: W… who… who are you? And Doug tells him he’s Trouble. Captain Donatus says trouble? And Doug tells him: That’s my name -- Trouble. W… wh… what do you want? Captain Donatus stutters. Doug tells him you had a friend of ours terminated. Now it’s judgment day. Judgment day? Captain Donatus repeats. Right, judgment day. But first, you’re going to tell me if there is a ship in port that carries illegal contraband, Doug tells Captain Donatus. Ah… ah… the Ocean Royal, Captain Donatus finally says. Who owns it? Doug asks Captain Donatus. Captain Donatus tells Doug some man named Edgard Leduc owns the ship. Then tells Doug where he lives. All the time they’re talking, Captain Donatus is eyeing a blaster lying on his desk. Go ahead, go for it, Doug tells Captain Donatus. It was no contest.”

“I don’t know how he does it. One moment his hand is empty. The next moment he’s holding a blaster,” Sir Grayson remarked, shaking his head.

“Yeah. Anyway, he walks out and tells the Corporal that Captain Donatus said for him to escort them to the dock area where the Ocean Royal is docked. At the dock we see the Ocean Royal. Doug tells the Corporal that the Captain said he can take the remainder of the day off,” Maria explains. Then continues, “Before I hardly realize what is happening, Doug is running across the dock and up the gangplank. I’m trying to keep up with him. When I enter the bridge, Doug is telling the Captain to summon all his crew to the bridge. They arrive. I think there were ten or eleven of them. He orders them to stand alongside the wall and tells me to cover them with my blaster. Then tells them if they move I will terminate them. And you had better believe what I’m telling you because she likes to terminate people, laying it on thick.”

“You mean Doug didn’t terminate them?” Alex asked.

“No. And I asked Doug what he was going to do. He said he was going to take care of some men that worked for the ship’s owner and then we would go for a boat ride.”

“What did Doug do? Seize the ship?” Gil asked.

“More or less,” Maria replies. Doug was gone fifteen or twenty minutes. When he returned, he ordered the Captain to make ready to sail out of the harbor. And to order the crew to do whatever they were supposed to do. And as long as they cooperated they would be going home that evening. We sail out a kilometer or more and Doug orders the Captain and crew to line up alongside the rail. And for me to cover them. He disappears down the hole. He’s gone for fifteen or twenty minutes. When he returns I see he’s not carrying the bag he had all the plastic explosive in. Then he orders the Captain to lower two of the lifeboats. A couple hundred meters from the ship and Doug stands up and points his hand toward the ship. A moment later we hear these explosions. The Captain jumps up yelling and pointing at Doug, you blew up my ship; you blew up my ship.”

“The Captain wasn’t too happy having his ship blown up, hum?” Keith spoke up and said.

“No, but as Doug told him it wasn’t his ship. It belonged to Edgard Leduc. And to be thankful. He and his crew would be going home that evening. Then the Captain started complaining how Leduc would terminate him. And Doug told him not to worry. He would have a chat with him,” Maria said

“Knowing Doug, a chat translates into termination,” Ryan spoke up and said, grinning.

“Doug ordered me to remain with the vehicle. I learned later that Leduc had been terminated,” Maria replied.

“Doug backed you up once, didn’t he Gil?” Alex asked.

“He did. Maybe more correctly, I backed him up,” Gil acknowledged, grinning. “Arnold Bateman sent me down to that old Mexico City. Talk about a slum area, that entire city was a slum area. I still cannot believe people actually lived there. I was to eliminate Jose Chavez, known as La Fox and his enforcer, Jorge Hayoz. Chavez, or La Fox, controlled the narco-drug trade.”

“Both were total sadist,” Sir Grayson said. “No one knows how many people they murdered or had murdered. That includes not only men but women and children.”

“I was aware that La Fox and his enforcer were two nasty individuals. I questioned Arnold how one person would be able to take La Fox down. He instructed me to contact the Federales, as the Mexican security were known. As I was preparing to depart, Lily cornered me. She told me not to go near the Federales. That they were probably on La Fox’s payroll. Then told me that Doug would meet me at the airship terminal. And if Doug was not there when I arrived to not even venture outside alone. I was to wait for Doug. She was vehement about that. Wait for Doug.”

“This was one of the few times I ever saw Lily angry. They had discussed eliminating La Fox, as he was known. Arnold wanted to take action immediately. Lily opposed any action until Doug was available to assist. Arnold was adherent that the Federales would assist. Lily argued that the Federales were corrupt and would terminate you. Doug was in Guatemala City. She instructed me to contact Doug and forgo the assignment in Guatemala City and to meet you in Mexico City,” Raquel explained.

“I knew Doug went off on errands for Lily. But I never realized what he done until I joined him in Mexico City,” Gil remarked.

Sir Grayson asked, “Was Doug there when you arrived?”

“Yeah,” Gil Acknowledged. “He was there. I was retrieving my bag and he just seemed to materialize alongside me. I hear someone saying, Hi Gil. How was your flight? I look around and I still didn’t recognized Doug at first. He was wearing this big hat. I think they call them sombreros or something like that. And wearing what looked like a blanket with a hole in the center so he could slip it over his head.”

“Role camouflage, that’s what Doug always called it,” Sir Grayson said. “Dress to fit in.”

“He certainly fit in. I could probably have passed him on the street and never recognized him,” Gil replied. “Anyway, he tells me to make sure everything in my pockets is secure. That it would be best to place everything in my front pants pockets. Outside he introduces me to these two teenaged boys -- Ramón and Miguel. Street urchins, Doug calls them. Ramón and Miguel then hit Doug up for more credits. Something about that they only agreed to guide one person. Doug tells them I’m his mi amigo or something. One of them, Miguel I think it was, remarked that we were cheap dirty gringos. I asked Doug what that meant. And Doug grins and tells me that it is an offensive term for Galactic-Standard speaking foreigners, especially a man. And just to pay them no never mind. Then Doug orders them to take us to their cousin that leased vehicles.”

“I’ve visited that old Mexico City a few times. Those street urchins have a cousin; an uncle, some relative that will supply you with anything you want,” Sir Grayson said.

“Yeah, Doug told me the individual probably wasn’t their cousin,” Gil replied. “Anyway, we had to hike seven or eight blocks. We meet their so-called cousin. And Ramón and Miguel were jabbering away in that local vernacular.”

“Most of the people there still converse in Spanish rather than Galactic Standard,” Sir Grayson remark.

“There so-called cousin is all smiles and takes Doug to a vehicle. It looked like it was ready to fall apart. Doug just ignores the vehicle and tells the man he wants better vehicle. I could not hear what they were saying as they walked away. The man lead Doug back around behind a building. There was another building back there. He opens the door and there sits another vehicle that likes like it would fall apart. Doug raises the hood and I couldn’t believe it. It looked like a brand new engine.” Gil pauses and takes a sip of his coffee.

“Doug haggles with the man. The man wants something like twenty thousand credits for the vehicle. Doug finally gives him twelve thousand credits. After securing the vehicle, Doug tells Ramón and Miguel to direct him to where Chavez, or La Fox, hangs out and not to take the scenic. On the way to La Fox’s handout, I ask Ramón and Miguel if they lived near the airship terminal. They say they do. Doug grins and tells me they’re lying. That they lived across the city. And if they don’t stop lying he’s going to tell their mama. I didn’t know it them but their mama was Lily’s contact. I forgot her name.”

Raquel, before Gil could continue, said, “Her name is Lisa Maria Ramirez. She was one of Lily’s so-called assets.”

“We arrive at this place where La Fox supposedly hung out or resided. It appeared to be an old dilapidated eight story office building. A half dozen or so guards are patrolling the street in front. Doug circles the block and another half dozen are guarding the back. I remark something like this is impossible. We’ll never be able to penetrate the building. Doug causally remarks, no problem. We’ll just have to wait on our friend. I thought he was referring to another person. I later found out he was referring to nightfall or darkness. Like Ryan, I ask him if he has a Rapid Response Team on standby. Nope. Just me and you he calmly replies.”

Gil pauses to take a sip of coffee before continuing. “He tells Ramón and Miguel to direct him to their mama’s house and make it the direct route, not the scenic route. It took us nearly an hour and a half. I was beginning to think Ramón and Miguel were taking us by the scenic route if one could call old dilapidated and crumbling buildings the scenic route. When we arrive, half a dozen teenaged boys are there yelling something at Doug.

“It was probably Señor. That’s the Spanish equivalent of Mister,” Sir Grayson informed them.

“Yeah, Señor, Señor Doug. That’s what it was,” Gil acknowledged. “They start hitting Doug up for credits to guard the vehicle. Doug gives them all some credits and tells them if he sees even one scratch or dent in the vehicle he’ll give them a black eye. Seeing all the dents and scratches on the vehicle, they just roar with laugher. Then Doug rummages through a bag he’s carrying and withdraws two vistaview units and gives them to… I guess he was the leader. Doug called him Juan. And told Juan if anyone came asking questions to call him immediately. And showed Juan which button to press. I look around and Ramón and Miguel are gone. I give Doug a questioning look and he points at what looks like a hole in the wall.”

“Following that aisle way is like navigating a maze, isn’t it?” Sir Grayson said,

Gil gave Sir Grayson a scrutinizing look and asked, “You’ve been there?”

Grinning, Sir Grayson said, “I didn’t spend all my time sitting around the office.”

“Right,” Gil acknowledged as he took a sip of coffee. “We finally arrive at this old building and here sit’s a man with a rifle blaster lying across his legs. Doug greets him like there old friends. I finally realize Doug knows all these people. Inside is like a little restaurant with six or seven tables. They’re a couple of other men sitting at one of the tables drinking coffee. Doug greets them. Then this stunning woman walks out. I forgot her name again.”

“Her name is Lisa Ramirez,” Raquel informed him.

“You’ve been there, too? To Mexico City?” Gil asked, giving Raquel a questionable look.

“No, unlike Sir Grayson, I remained in the office. But I spoke with her a number of times, vie the vistaview unit. I passed on information from Lily or took messages from her for Lily,” Raquel replied. “She now resides on the world of Trenton. Doug assisted her to escape from Earth and relocate on Trenton.”

“She rushes forward and hugs Doug. Then Doug introduces me. She directs us to sit down at one of the tables. A few minutes later she starts bringing out these dishes of food. This place looks like a run-down dump. I’m wondering if the food is safe to eat. But Doug digs in and starts eating and tells me I had better eat. We may not get anything to eat for a while. I’m not sure what we were eating but it was really good.”

“She’s a really good cook,” Sir Grayson said, interrupting Gil.

“Doug said she’s opening a fancy Mexican restaurant in that town she located in,” Raquel added.

“While we’ve eating, that woman -- Lisa -- tells Doug some man wants to help. That La Fox murdered or had his family murdered. I can tell Doug is not happy and he tells Lisa that someone seeking revenge doesn’t make a good solider. He could get them all terminated. But Lisa insist and Doug finally tells her he needs to speak with the man first. That if she felt it safe to do so to call the man to her house, or place, whatever she called the place. She calls the man over. Doug steps outside and talks with him twenty, thirty minutes. Comes back in and tells us the man -- I think his name was Jesus, Lieutenant Jesus Donaire. Then Doug writes out a list and gives it to Ramón and Miguel, along with a wad of credits. Ramón and Miguel claim it’s not enough. Doug tells them they will have to haggle and they can keep whatever is left over.”

Gil takes another sip of coffee and then continues, “He then gives me the key to the vehicle and tells me to go with Jesus. And to drop Ramón and Miguel off at their uncle’s and pick them up on the way back. And gives me more credits to pay the boys guarding the vehicle when I return. I remind Doug that he already paid the boys. But Doug says I have to pay them again when I return or they will not guard the vehicle. We’ve gone a couple of hours. When we return Lisa tells me Doug said to get some sleep. The place to sleep is little more than a closet with a blanket on the floor. And Doug is already there asleep.”

“Doug can sleep anyplace. One thing out of place and he’s awake. Maybe more correctly, totally alert to his surroundings,” Sir Grayson remarks.

“I didn’t think I could even sleep. Next thing I know Doug is shacking my shoulder telling me it was time to go. Lisa has food ready. We arrive at this old dilapidated office building where La Fox supposedly resides around 0300 hours. A half dozen guards are still patrolling the street in front. I remark that we will never be able to penetrate the building. Doug had stopped back half a block and he sits there studying the building. He finally tells us to wait here until he takes care of the guards. And for Ramón and Miguel, who had come along, to wait with the vehicle. Next thing I see is Doug staggering down the street, waving a bottle. The guards see him, point and start laughing. I guess they think they will have some fun with a drunk. I was expecting see them terminate him any moment. Then the scene becomes almost surreal. One moment they’re pointing and laughing and the next moment it like… like they are totally subdued.”

Shaking his head, Alex says, “I don’t know how Doug does. We enter my brother’s house and here stands Nikola Pulalo, Dmitry’s main enforcer, with an evil grin on his face, pointing a blaster at us. Doug steps up and confronts Nikola. Like you said, Gil, the scene is almost surreal. One moment Nilola is total confident he’s in charge. The next moment he’s subordinate doing whatever Doug tells him.”

Smiling, Ryan -- who is aware of Doug’s mental ability -- is thinking to herself: If only you knew.

“I know, Alex. Its total unreal,” Gil replied. Then continues, “Next thing, the guards are laying their rifle blasters on the sidewalk. Then all but one of them turn and start running down the street as if some monster is after. Doug is waving for us to join him. Doug tells us to unload the rifle blasters and collect the magazines. Doug instructs us to use our silent hand blasters as long as possible. He instructs the guard to open the door for us. Inside there were seven or eight men playing cards or drinking. We terminate them. The building has two lifts. Doug opens one of the lifts and then opens this bag that Ramón and Miguel had gotten. I had never asked him what was in it. But it is full of grenades. He takes out two and a big roll of tape. Tapes two grenades to the wall. Ties a string in the pin and shuts the door. Then tapes the string on the outside. He does the same to the second lift.”

“What does he plan to do? Blow the building up?” Ryan asked.

“I thought the building was going to collapse when they exploded,” Gil told Ryan. Then continued. “Anyway, it’s up the stairs and a floor to floor search. Nothing on the second, third or fourth floor. On the fifth floor we find some of La Fox’s soldiers. We’ve successful terminating them. On the sixth floor it hit’s the fan. Doug terminates a guard in the hallway. But his finger is on the trigger and he sprays the ceiling with projectiles. Then it turns in to a battle as more solders start exiting from the rooms. Doug tells us to use the grenades. The shooting finally dies down. The place smells of cobalt, that coppery smell of blood and filled with smoke. Sometimes during the melee I get hit a couple of times. Thankfully my ballistic jacket stopped the projectiles but I am finding it hard to breath. I’m pretty sure Doug was hit.”

Ryan flashbacked to the night they had stopped at the rest area so Doug could attend her wound. After attending to her wounds, he had taken his shirt off and there were half a dozen welts where he had been hit. Plus other scars from previous battles. And she now wondered if any of the scars were from this battle.

Gil is telling: “But he’s yelling go; go; go. To the seventh floor. Someone activated the lift. We just make it to the landing when there is this tremendous boom. I thought the building was coming down. The entire building was shacking. Doug yells use grenades. What the initial blast didn’t eliminate the grenade barrage finished. Then it’s up the stairs to the eighth floor. That’s almost a repeat of the seventh floor. Another tremendous boom. I just knew the building was going to collapse this time. But the blast didn’t eliminate all of La Fox’s shooters this time as they exited from different rooms. I get hit again and almost go down. Then I hear Jesus scream. I look around and he’s lying on the floor. Doug yells at me to help Jesus. That he’ll finish it. I hear another boom as Doug throws another grenade. I must have been in shock or something just staring at Jesus. Then Jesus yells: Help me; help me. I’m not sure what to do. Jesus hands me his knife and tells me to slit his pants leg. I do that. Then I remember that Doug had given me a field med kit. I finally find some pressure bandages and put them on the projectile wounds. While I’m doing that I head another loud boom and them more blaster fire. The next instant Doug is standing by my side asking Jesus if he can walk. Jesus can’t even stand. Doug assists him up and tells me assist him out but to watch for more shooters.”

“Doug told me he is still having problems with his leg,” Raquel adds. “He also came to the world of Trenton with Lisa.”

“I’m surprised we even got out of that building alive,” Gil told Raquel. Then continued, “Doug tells me to go first with Jesus and he’ll cover our backside. Partway down, shooters start firing up the stairway. Doug tosses a grenade down and eliminated them. We‘ve almost out and I hear Doug shooting and yelling at me to get out. Out on the sidewalk and moment later I see Ramón and Miguel driving the vehicle to meet us. We finally make it back to Lisa‘s place. They can’t take Jesus to a hospital so Doug and Lisa remove the projectile from Jesus’ leg. I was trained as a security officer. I never expected to be in a battle like that. That‘s not what security officers do.”

Ryan stood up and remarked, “I can’t believe you people. I go and help Doug and you want to ground me. But you people have been doing the same thing.”

“But we didn’t stow away on a spaceship,” Maria replied.

Ryan, grinning, pointed at Keith and said, “Keith showed me how to do it in case we ever had to take down a spaceship that had been hijacked.”

“Leave me out of this,” Keith replied as Ryan walked away.

After Ryan departed, Sir Grayson asked, “Is she that good?”

“She’s good,” Keith replied.

“She’s the best. She’s strike force,” Corporal Satyam Singh added.

“And what is strike force?” Alex asked.

“It’s the equivalent of special forces on Earth,” Keith replied.

“She trains with us all the time. I would trust her to cover my back anything,” Corporal 1st Class Rocco Jacopo said.

Sir Grayson stood up and said, “Well I think I will call it an evening. It has been nice sharing a meal with old friends.”

As everyone was leaving, Sir Grayson asked Raquel, “Have you spoken with Doug?”

“Yes, I called him before coming here. He’s on the world of Jenolan. He couldn’t get a commercial spaceflight to Earth. So he’s traveling by cargo ships. He said they would have a day or more layover. Those cargo spaceships stop on every world cam come near,” Raquel replied.

“Why did Lily summon him back to Earth?” Sir Grayson asked.

“He doesn’t know. She didn’t say in the message she sent him. And he’s been unable to make contact with her,” Raquel replied.

“I hope nothing has happened to Lily,” Sir Grayson said.

“I hope not either,” Raquel replied.

“Well, I will bid you a pleasant evening. I will see you tomorrow at the convention center,” Sir Grayson said.