The Empire: The Crime Consortium

Doug heard the vistaview unit buzzing, but could not quite bring himself awake. Then he heard Javelle say, “Hello.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

“Yes, I will tell him. Good bye.”

“Doug. Doug, are you awake?” Javelle said. “Ah, yeah, what is it?” Doug replied. It was going on 0330 when he had gotten to bed, and it felt like he had just gotten to sleep.

“That was Lieutenant Ramsey. He wants us to meet him for breakfast,” Javelle said.

“Okay, when?” Doug asked.

“He wants to meet with us now,” Javelle replied.

“Now? What time is it, Javelle?” Doug said, feeling as if his eyes would not open.

“It is now 0447,” Javelle said. “What? I just got to sleep. Why does he want to meet with us now?” Doug said, finally opening his eyes.

“Lieutenant Ramsey said there was some disturbance last night and they found some women who were abducted,” Javelle replied.

The attacks he and Ryan had carried out the previous night against the gentlemen’s clubs came flooding back into Doug’s mind. He swung his feet out onto the floor and sat up. “Lieutenant Ramsey will just have to wait. I’m going to take a shower and shave first,” Doug said. “By the way, where does he want to meet for breakfast?”

“At the same eatery where we had breakfast yesterday morning,” Javelle said.

Doug slept most of the way, glad that Javelle was driving. “We’re here,” Javelle said. Doug opened his eyes and looked around. The eatery was in front of the ground vehicle.

“There is a ground vehicle in that other parking lot with two occupants in it. It resembles the ground vehicle that followed us yesterday,” Javelle said.

Doug looked in the direction Javelle indicated. It was still too dark to see clearly. But Javelle, being a robot, had no problem seeing at night, so Doug accepted Javelle’s word that there were two people in the ground vehicle.

“My mind is still a little fuzzy this morning. See if you can get a read on the ground vehicle when we get out,” Doug said.

“Shall we activate the audio and video blocking function on our vistaview units?” Javelle wanted to know.

“Probably not necessary, but as a precautionary measure we may as well.”

Doug and Javelle exited the ground vehicle. They met in front and stood there a few moments. “Reading anything, Javelle?” Doug asked.

“No, the ground vehicle is too far away. Plus the two occupants have remained inside,” Javelle replied.

Doug and Javelle entered. The same waitress who had served them the day before saw them, walked forward, displayed a bright smile and said to Doug, “Good morning. You want coffee?” Doug had left a generous tip the morning before. Understandably, she remembered him.

“Yes, and bring me a hungry man’s breakfast with a double order of scrambled fowl eggs. Oh, do you still have any of that ham you had yesterday?” Doug asked.

“Why, yes we do,” the waitress replied, still displaying a bright smile.

Returning the smile, Doug said, “How about a double order of ham, too?”

“Okay, and if you’re joining your friends, they’re over there,” the waitress said, pointing.

“Good morning, Lieutenant, Sergeant, Agent Gants,” Doug said as he slid into the booth beside Sergeant Mulligan. Javelle slid in beside Agent Gants.

“What took so long?” Lieutenant Ramsey said. “You could have walked here in five minutes.” Lieutenant Ramsey obviously still thought they were staying at the transit hotel at the Intergalactic Spaceport. Doug didn’t correct him. “I had to shower and shave first,” Doug replied. “Now what is so important that we had to meet this early, Lieutenant? Or are you getting back at me for calling you so early yesterday?”

“While you were sleeping, although you look as if you were up all night partying, we’ve been busy. Someone hit the ‘Your Heart’s Desire’ and ’Pleasures Delight’ gentlemen’s clubs last night,” Sergeant Mulligan replied.

The waitress came with Doug’s coffee and said, displaying a big smile, “I’ll have your order in a few minutes.” Agent Gants pushed his coffee cup out, indicating he wanted a refill but she ignored him as she turned and left.

“What do you mean someone hit, whatever their names were, whorehouses, I guess?”

Lieutenant Ramsey told Doug how the girls, the two Madams, and other witnesses each told about two black-clad figures entering, shooting the guards, ordering the customers out and then ordering the Madam to call the contact number she had and tell the person, whom she said she did not know, that El Lobo was taking over.

“What about the girls?” Javelle asked. “Had any of them been abducted?”

“Of the twenty-one women there, eighteen were abducted,” Sergeant Mulligan answered. “Strange…we had an undercover operative go there and try to persuade the girls to talk. They would not say a thing. Last night, we couldn’t get them to stop talking. They told us their real names, where they lived, where they were abducted from, everything.”

The waitress brought Doug’s breakfast order and said, “I’ll bring more coffee in a minute,” giving Doug another bright smile. Agent Gants again pushed his coffee cup out, indicating he wanted a refill but she just ignored him and left.

“What’s up with you and that waitress? I can’t even get her to refill my coffee,” Agent Gants said.

“Yeah, and look at that plate, how she heaped it up for him,” Sergeant Mulligan added.

Doug smiled, shrugged his shoulders and asked, “Did you find out how these women were abducted?”

“They claimed they answered an ad wanting extras in a movie, or offering modeling jobs. Instead, they were taken here and forced to work as prostitutes,” Lieutenant Ramsey said.

The waitress brought coffee and filled Doug’s cup and said, smiling, “If you want anything else, let me know.”

Doug returned the smile and said, “Thanks. I believe they want some more coffee.” She refilled Ramsey, Mulligan and Gants coffee, but without the smile.

“What of the people running the places – the Madams, you called them?” Doug inquired.

“On the property records, they are listed as the owner. But they admitted they did not own the place and had no idea who did. One called the man ‘Boss.’ The other Madam referred to him as ‘Freddy,’ but it is unclear if it is the same man. They had different vistaview numbers,” Lieutenant Ramsey explained. “When we tried calling, all we got was a message that the numbers were no longer in service.”

Doug hoped that Issie had had better luck. He had texted the numbers to her before ordering the Madams to call. Hopefully, she would find who the numbers belonged to, or the location where the calls went.

“Were you able to connect those two establishments to this E’step, who you allege runs the crime syndicate here in Lodes?” Javelle asked. “No, no connection,” Lieutenant Ramsey said. “I was surprised that the Madams even admitted they did not actually own the places, considering that their names are on the ownership documents.”

“What about the men the Madams say own these establishments, any idea who they are?”

“We have no idea who, or for that matter, where they are,” Sergeant Mulligan replied.

“What will happen to the Madams?’ Javelle wanted to know.

“Operating a house of prostitution in Lodes is not illegal, but forcing women against their will is. The Madams claim they had no knowledge of the abductions or how the women got here, but they will be charged as accessories to kidnapping and human trafficking,” Lieutenant Ramsey said.

Doug had finished his breakfast while Javelle asked the questions. He pushed his plate back and said, “Well, Lieutenant, Sergeant, you and Lodes Security are to be commended on excellent work. You rescued nearly twenty women who were abducted, and shut down a couple of places that were operating illegally. That’s a good night’s work.”

Lieutenant Ramsey stared at Doug a moment and then asked, “I noticed that you have not asked about the individuals who attacked those two places.”

“Yeah, that’s right, don’t guess I did. Did you catch them?” Doug replied, straight-faced.

“No,” was all Lieutenant Ramsey said.

“Well, Javelle, we may as well go. Lieutenant, thanks for keeping us advised,” Doug said as he got up to leave. Doug paid the bill and gave the waitress another generous tip.

“Thank you,” the waitress said, smiling. “Please don’t hesitate to call, if you want anything else,” and handed Doug a piece of paper with a number scribbled on it.

“Sir, it’s the same two men who met with Ramsey, Mulligan and Gants yesterday,” Link told E’step when he answered.

“Can you hear what they are talking about?” E’step asked.

“No, sir, there’s too much static. It’s like something is blocking transmission,” Link replied. “What do you want me to do?”

“I don’t like having those agents from the Empire snoop around. People are turning up dead, just like I said would happen. I would not be surprised if it was these two who raided the clubs last night. Terminate them,” E’step said.

Doug saw that Lieutenant Ramsey, Sergeant Mulligan and Agent Gants had already exited from the eatery and were standing outside. Doug wondered why Agent Gants even attended the breakfast meeting. Aside from complaining that the waitress had not refilled his coffee, he had said nothing.

Doug and Javelle walked out, and almost immediately Doug detected danger. Thankfully, Javelle detected the threat a fraction of a second sooner and pushed Doug sideways. Doug heard a projectile pass over his head, and it embedded in the wall.

“Down, down,” Doug yelled and saw Lieutenant Ramsey, Sergeant Mulligan and Agent Gants ducking down. When he looked Javelle’s way, he saw him still standing in the open. Javelle gave him a ‘cold-eyed stare’ and nodded.

Doug understood that Javelle had immobilized the shooter. “Everyone, stay down,” Doug said as he got up.

Both Lieutenant Ramsey and Sergeant Mulligan had their vistaview units out. Doug understood they were about to call Lodes Security and said, “Don’t call security. I’ll handle it.” Doug said to Javelle, “Handle that. Don’t permit them to call.”

Javelle nodded and Doug took off running across the eatery’s parking lot. His mental scan told him the shooter was on top of a three-story building across from the eatery. Doug jumped a guardrail barrier separating the eatery parking lot from a parking lot that served some other businesses. I shouldn’t have eaten so much, Doug thought as he ran to the building.

Doug tried the front door and found it locked. He went around the side and found a side door. It, too, was locked. He continued to the back and saw a door had been forced open.

Withdrawing his blaster, Doug entered. A mental scan told him there was no one present. Doug saw the stairs, and with his 9mm hand blaster leading the way, took the steps two at a time. He passed the third floor and saw a door at the top. This has to be the door to the roof area, Doug thought.

At the door, Doug opened it a crack and mentally scanned the area. He detected two brain wave signatures. One was definitely immobilized, but the other one was still free. Doug peeked round the door frame and saw two men. He heard one man say, “Come on, what’s wrong with you? We have to go.”

Doug wished he had thought to tell Javelle to activate his comm link. He withdrew his vistaview unit and sent a text message to Javelle: Release him. I have them. Doug mentally detected when Javelle released his mental hold on the man and the man gasped for breath. Javelle had obviously completely immobilized the man, including his breathing. Doug immediately restrained the two men’s arms and legs. They just stared at him as he walked forward.

Doug took the sniper rifle from the one man and leaned it against what he thought must be some kind of air duct. Then he said, “Okay, what’s your name, and why are trying to kill me?”

The man didn’t answer and Doug said, “Answer my questions,” and added a little mental persuasion. “What’s your name and why did you try to kill me?”

“I’m Link and E’step ordered me to terminate you,” the man said.

“That would be Jackson E’step who owns the Lodes Wholesale Retail Company?” Doug asked for clarification.

“Yes, Jackson E’step; but he does not own the company, he only manages it.” Link replied.

“Tell me why E’step wants me dead.”

“He figured you had something to do with the hits on the gentlemen’s clubs last night,” Link replied.

“So E’step owns those places?” Doug asked.

“No, he oversees then for the Consortium,” Link answered.

“Consortium, what do you mean by Consortium - a crime syndicate?”

“Yes. A crime syndicate,” Link replied.

“What other businesses does E’step manage or oversee for this Consortium?”

Link listed the nightclub, the restaurant, the warehouse, the massage parlor, the Waffle Inn and concluded with the Lodes Executive Office Complex. Along with the aforementioned clubs, this was the same list Issie had found, except for the office complex. Doug made a mental note to ask Issie about it.

“Tell me about the women who worked in the gentlemen’s clubs. They were abducted from all across the continent. How did they get here?” Doug asked.

“One of the crime syndicates owns the Diamond T Trucking Company. It’s a legitimate company. But some of the drivers work directly for the crime syndicate and they are the drivers who transport the women back and forth.” Link explained.

“Explain to me how it works,” Doug ordered Link.

“Well, like a driver is supposed to deliver a load of women to us tomorrow night. We will exchange, or would have exchanged, with the women in those gentlemen’s clubs. Then the driver would have taken them someplace else,” Link explained.

“What will happen now that they have been closed?” Doug asked.

“I don’t know. Nothing like this has ever happened before,” Link said.

“When is this truck with the women due to arrive?” Doug asked.

“Tomorrow night, sometime; it is always scheduled so they arrive at night,” Link said.

“Tell E’step to swap the women out with the women at the massage parlor,” Doug told Link and imprinted the command in his mind. “Now tell me how E’step knew agents from the Empire were here in Lodes,” Doug ordered Link.

“We have an informant in Lodes Security. He told us.” Link said.

“What’s his name?” Doug wanted to know.

“Sergeant Kattle.”

“What were you going to do after terminating me? Were you going to call E’step and tell him I was dead?” Doug inquired.

“Yeah, I would have called him,” Link said.

“Give me your vistaview unit,” Doug ordered Link.

Link gave him his vistaview unit and Doug said, “Which one of these numbers were you going to use?”

“The one for E’step,” Link said.

Doug scrolled down and found E’step and asked, “This one?” showing it to Link.

“Yeah,” Link replied.

Doug retrieved his own vistaview unit and hit the speed dial for Issie. A sleepy voice said, “Hello?”

“Wake up, Issie, work to do,” Doug said.

“Don’t you ever sleep?” Issie said in her sleepy voice.

“Someone just tried to terminate me. I need you to monitor a number for me,” Doug said.

“What? Are you okay?” Issie screamed.

“I’m okay, but I need you to monitor this number,” Doug said and gave Issie the number. “It’s supposed to be E’step’s personal number.”

“Those numbers you gave me last night, they went to E’step’s business,” Issie said.

“Good job, Issie. I had guessed that much. I’m talking to one of his employees now,” Doug said.

“Is he the one who tried to terminate you?” Issie asked.

“Yes, and can you download the information from his vistaview unit?”

“Yes, hold one minute,” Issie said. “Okay, call this number,” and gave Doug a number to call. A couple of minutes later, Issie said, “Okay, information downloaded. Be sure to delete that number.”

“Thanks, Issie. Talk with you later.” Doug said.

Doug pocketed his own vistaview unit and then hit the speed dial button on Link’s vistaview unit to connect with E’step. “Tell E’step that you terminated me.”

A male voice answered, “Yes, Link, is the job finished?”

“Yes sir, the job’s finished. We’re coming back to the office now,” Link said.

Doug disconnected the call, waited a couple of minutes and called E’step back.

“Yes, Link, something else?” E’step said.

In a cold, icy voice Doug said, “I am the ghost of the man Link terminated. I do not appreciate being murdered. I’m coming for you, E’step.”

“Who is this?” E’step wanted to know.

Doug disconnected the call and handed the vistaview unit back to Link and said to both Link and the other man, “You will tell E’step that you terminated me, that you saw me fall and that I was bleeding all over the sidewalk. You will stick to that story, and will forget everything else that transpired here.” He imprinted the instructions in their minds. “Now get out of here.”

The cold, icy voice saying, “I am the ghost of the man who Link terminated. I do not appreciate being murdered. I’m coming for you, E’step,” was still ringing in E’step’s mind and was sending cold chills down his spine. He shook involuntarily.

E’step had his vistaview unit on the speaker and Kyle heard Doug. Kyle saw that E’step was visibly shaken and said, “Sir, are you okay?”

Doug’s call to Issie awakened Ryan. When Issie answered, she had rolled over and was dozing off again when Issie screamed. She sat up in bed and said, “What’s wrong, Issie?”

Issie did not answer immediately and Ryan asked again, “Issie, what’s wrong?”

“Someone just tried to terminate Doug and Javelle,” Issie replied.

“Tried? Are they okay?” Ryan asked, worry and concern in her voice.

“They’re okay,” Issie said. Then she explained that Lieutenant Ramsey had called Doug and Javelle and requested that they join him for breakfast, claiming there had been some disturbance in the city the night before. Ryan had to smile, recalling the attacks on the gentlemen’s clubs the previous night.

Ryan realized that Issie was talking to Doug when she said, “Yes, hold one minute.” She saw Issie’s fingers flying over the keyboard of her computer. Then Issie said. “Okay, call this number,” and read off a number.

A few moments later Ryan heard a male voice say over the speaker on Issie’s computer, “Yes, Link. Is the job finished?”

Another male voice said, “Yes, sir, the job’s finished. We’re coming back to the office now.”

Ryan was tempted to ask Issie who that was, but Issie’s fingers were flying over the keyboard and she did not want to disturb her. A moment later she recognized Doug’s voice when it blared from the computer speaker, “I am the ghost of the man who Link terminated. I do not appreciate being murdered. I’m coming for you, E’step.” Then the voice of the man she had heard only moments earlier said, “Who is this?”

Doug’s cold, icy voice sent a shiver down her back. She guessed the effect it must be having on E’step. It was what Doug called ‘psych warfare.’ If Doug’s voice affected Issie, she couldn’t tell as Issie’s fingers were flying over the keyboard of her computer. Then she heard Issie say, “Ah ha! - got you.”

Ryan was not sure if Issie was talking to her or talking to herself.

Doug had disassembled the sniper rifle and placed it back in the carrying case. He laid the carrying case on top of the ground vehicle as he walked by.

“Did you find him?” Lieutenant Ramsey wanted to know when he reached Ramsey, Mulligan and Gants.

“No, he slipped out the back before I got there,” Doug lied.

“We should have called security and had the place cordoned off,” Sergeant Mulligan said.

“Don’t call security, don’t tell anyone,” Doug said, and imprinted the command in Ramsey, Mulligan and Gants’ minds.

“Drive by that wholesale retail company E’step manages,” Doug told Javelle as he exited the eatery parking lot. Then Doug told Javelle about his conversation with Link.

“What are you going to do about that informant?” Javelle wanted to know.

“We’ll let him stay in place for now. We may want to feed E’step disinformation through him. If not, we’ll inform Ramsey and let him deal with the problem.”

“What about the women who are supposed to be delivered tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, that’s the big question. I imprinted in Link’s mind that they swap out the women at that massage parlor. But they may have some way to notify the driver and get the shipment diverted. I need to call Issie and have her find out all she can about the Diamond T Trucking Company. Maybe she can locate that truck and its time of arrival.”

“Do you think Lieutenant Ramsey will take action to stop that truck, even if Issie finds it?” Javelle asked. “I do not think he is the type of person to act without proof and we cannot tell him how we obtained this information.”

“If Issie can find that truck, we’ll just have to find a way to persuade Lieutenant Ramsey,” Doug replied.

It was after 2000 hours when Doug called Ryan. “Would you like to go out on the town with me again?” Doug asked Ryan when she answered.

“Oh, I’m not sure if I want to go out with you again. You never take me anywhere exciting,” Ryan joked. “And you never take me to dinner.”

“I’ll try to make it more exciting tonight. I’ll take you to the Waffle Inn for dinner,” Doug replied. “And don’t forget your heater.”

“Well, in that case, I would love to go out with you,” Ryan replied.

“Are we going to take down that massage parlor?” Ryan wanted to know.

“No, I embedded the idea in Link’s mind that they are to swap the women at that massage parlor with those who are supposed to arrive tomorrow night. I want to take a look at that warehouse. It may be a legitimate business. But my sixth sense tells me something illegal is going on behind closed walls, perhaps warehousing drugs, or even processing some type of drugs,” Doug explained.

Doug and Ryan were again dressed in black clothing with a ballistic vest underneath and boots with neoprene soles; and their close-fitting knitted balaclava in a pocket of their jackets. Both carried 9mm blasters in shoulder rigs under their left arms.

They watched the warehouse for nearly an hour. All they saw were three trucks leave and two arrive. From their position, Doug and Ryan could not tell if the trucks were being loaded or unloaded. Finally Doug said, “We need to find a way inside. They’re too many workers there on the dock to get inside that way. We need to find a back door.”

“If there is illegal activity, do you think the workers are aware of it?” Ryan asked.

“They may suspect, but I’m guessing they are not involved in anything illegal.”

“How will we get in?” Ryan asked.

“The vehicle should be safe here. We’ll leave it here, go to the end of the block and cut around and see if we can find a back door,” Doug answered.

They left their balaclavas in their jacket pockets. They would look suspicious enough in dark clothing, as this was not an area where people normally walked at night. They encountered no one as they made their way to an alley behind the buildings. As Doug entered the alley, he placed his balaclava on his head, but did not pull it down over his face. He unfastened his jacket for easy access to his blaster. Ryan copied him.

The warehouse was the third building down. Doug and Ryan approached cautiously. Doug was aware there might be some type of surveillance. But the alley was dimly lit and he could not see any type of surveillance equipment. They found a heavy steel security door without a handle. It required a key. “Now what?” Ryan asked.

Doug stepped back and looked up. He counted four windows about three meters off the ground. “There is a window, if we can find some way to get up there.”

“If we can push that trash dumpster up here we can climb up on top,” Ryan said, indicating the dumpster.

Together, they pushed the dumpster against the wall under one of the windows. The inside was dimly lit. They could see stacked crates, but could not see anyone. “That’s what I was afraid of,” Doug said. “It’s latched.” Doug took his M-Bar knife and placed the tip against the window near the latch. Using the heel of his hand, he pounded on the knife. The glass would not give and Doug hit the handle harder. The glass shattered, some of it hitting the floor.

Doug and Ryan waited at least five minutes in case anyone came to investigate. No one did, so Doug unlatched the window and raised it. They entered through the window and dropped to the floor, the neoprene soles of their boots hardly making a sound. Doug pulled the balaclava down, leaving only his eyes exposed.

“What are we looking for?” Ryan asked, “I only see household appliances. There is a stack of boxes labeled hyperwaves.”

“I don’t know. I guess we’ll know when we see it,” Doug replied.

They heard a lift vehicle coming and ducked behind a pallet with refrigerators stacked on it. The lift vehicle stopped down the aisle from them. Doug peeked round a box containing a refrigerator. The driver got off his lift vehicle and looked at a tag on one of the boxes on the pallet. Apparently satisfied, he got back on the lift vehicle, drove forward, picked up the pallet, reversed, and started back to the front of the warehouse.

Continuing forward, they rounded a pallet with boxes labeled sofa chairs, and saw an enclosed room of twelve by twenty meters, with no windows and a door in the middle. The lighting was good, and Doug hoped a lift vehicle did not pick that time to drive by.

Mentally scanning for the presence of anyone nearby, Doug moved cautiously, followed by Ryan. Doug tried to mentally check for the presence of anyone inside the room, but either the walls were too thick, or it was too well insulated and he could not detect anything. He tried the door handle, but it was locked.

Doug started to move on when he heard the telltale sound of the door opening. He pressed his back to the wall and motioned to Ryan to do the same. As the door opened, Doug heard a male voice utter an expletive about the workers hitting the door again and how he was going to terminate them.

A blaster appeared followed by an arm. Doug immediately immobilized the man as he swung round and pushed the man back inside. Two more men at a table were engaged in a card game. Doug saw they also had blasters and immobilized them.

Ryan followed him in and closed the door behind her. Doug relieved the man who had opened the door of his blaster, whereupon the man uttered another expletive wanting to know who they were.

“Shut up,” Doug said in a modulated voice. “I’m sure it does not take three people to guard a warehouse. What are you guarding?” Doug asked.

Uttering another expletive, the man who had opened the door said it was none of their business. Pointing her blaster at the man, Ryan said, in a cold voice, “Maybe I should just kneecap him.”

“Hey, stop that (uttering another expletive) woman!” the man shouted. Doug had heard enough of the man’s expletives and immobilized his vocal system.

Even without a mental scan, Doug could see that one of the other men was visibly shaken from seeing two black-clad individuals with only their eyes showing. “What about you, what are you guarding?”

“Uh, are you the two people who hit the gentlemen’s clubs?” the man replied.

Ryan stepped forward, pointed her blaster at the man’s forehead and said, “If you don’t answer the man, I am going to leave you stretched out there on the floor.”

“The lab,” the man said, raising his hands in defense.

“The lab - you got a drug processing lab here?” Doug asked.

“Yeah,” the man replied, nodding his head toward a door at the end of the room.

Having seen the room from the outside, Doug knew the door could not open into another room big enough for a drug processing lab. Doug walked over and cautiously opened the door. He saw a stairway leading down.

“Watch them while I check it out,” Doug told Ryan. “If they move, shoot them.”

Doug slowly made his way down the steps, thankful it was an enclosed staircase. Near the bottom he could mentally detect the presence of another person. At the bottom, he peeked round the corner and saw a man in a chair, leaning back against the wall beside another door. He appeared to be asleep. Doug immobilized him and walked forward.

Doug could see the man was conscious. His eyes were open. Slowly opening the door, Doug stepped in. Even with the balaclava covering his nose and mouth, the fumes from the drugs and other chemicals still assaulted his nose.

He saw six people, four men and two women, all wearing respirators. One of the women looked up and saw Doug. He knew he did not dare fire his blaster in the lab, as it could set off an explosion. He waved the blaster indicating the people should come outside.

Outside the lab, Doug asked them if they worked for E’step. They gave him a confused look and one of the men said, “We don’t know anyone by that name.” It did not surprise Doug that they did not know E’step. With layers of secrecy throughout the organization, no one knew who they were working for.

“All right, up the stairs slowly. Be advised that my partner is upstairs, so don’t make any sudden moves,” Doug warned them. He relieved the guard of his blaster, then mentally released him, and told him to follow the lab workers upstairs.

“What are we going to do with this place?” Ryan wanted to know after Doug told her about the drug processing lab in the basement.

“I would like to blow the place up, but there are too many innocents in the building. We’ll have to improvise,” Doug told Ryan. He then told the lab workers that when he opened the door, they were to start running toward the front of the warehouse yelling FIRE! FIRE! THE PLACE IS ON FIRE! GET OUT! Once outside, they were to wait for Lodes Security and tell them about the drug lab in the basement. He imprinted the command in their minds.

Turning to the guards, he asked, “Do you have a number to call and report to someone?”

“Yeah,” one of them replied.

Doug figured it would be a waste of time asking them if they knew who they would be talking with. “As soon as we’re out the door, make the call and tell the person that El Lobo is taking over. Then wait here until Lodes Security arrives.” He imprinted the instructions in their minds.

Then he said to Ryan, “If you see any fire alarms, activate them on the way out.” Doug threw the door open and yelled, “GO! GO! GO!”

The lab workers started running toward the front of the warehouse yelling “FIRE! FIRE! THE PLACE IS ON FIRE! GET OUT!”

Doug and Ryan ran behind them. Ryan hit a fire alarm and immediately bells started sounding. Doug saw another fire alarm and hit it. If it added anything to the confusion, he couldn’t tell. Nearing the front, Doug saw the warehouse employees looking at the lab workers running toward them, totally confused as to what was happening.

A burly man stepped out demanding to know what was going on. Doug figured he was the shift supervisor and sidestepped him, saying, “The place is on fire. Get the workers out now.”

Doug and Ryan exited the warehouse, jumped off the dock and ran down the street to their ground vehicle. As Doug pulled onto the street, Ryan wanted to know if she should call Issie. “It’s probably not necessary, but go ahead,” Doug told her.

Two and a half blocks later, Doug saw flashing lights coming his way. It was a two-way street and Doug turned right at the intersection to avoid the oncoming vehicles.

Doug found a place to park behind the Waffle Inn. From all accounts, it was another legitimate business that served as a front for illegal activity. Doug told Ryan, when she asked, he was guessing it was the crime syndicates’ bank.

Lieutenant Ramsey told Doug and Javelle that Lodes Security suspected the nightclub was engaged in illegal gambling, and maybe even loan-sharking, and they would not be surprised to learn that even the restaurant engaged in illegal gambling. Plus, there was the sale of drugs; all the credits had to be funneled somewhere.

When they drove around the back, they saw a steel security door that required a key, or someone inside had to open it. During the hour they saw only two men arrive, carrying bags. It looked as if they had some type of code when they knocked on the door, but Doug could not tell from where they were parked.

“The next person who comes bearing gifts, we’re going to follow them in,” Doug said.

“What about the security camera mounted above the door?” Ryan asked. “Are we going to knock it out?”

“No, better not, that might set off an alarm,” Doug said, explaining that they would place their backs against the wall roughly six meters to each side of the door and hope the camera did not pick them up. When the door opened, they would push the person inside and follow him in.

It was nearly forty-five minutes before another person arrived. Doug had started to wonder if anyone else would show up this night. Doug and Ryan exited their ground vehicle and stalked forward silently. Having exited his ground vehicle, the man turned and came face to face with two black-clad wraiths in the night. He dropped his bag, threw up his hands and said, “Don’t shoot, don’t shoot. Take the credits. I’ll not say anything.”

The man was terrified. Doug figured him to be no more than a courier. “I won’t hurt you. But I want you to go over and get them to open the door,” Doug told the man. “But give them the right knock code or I will terminate you.”

Using his blaster, Doug motioned for him to go to the door. The man trembled with fear and Doug hoped he got the code right. Doug placed himself about a meter to the right of the door, and Ryan did the same on the left.

When Doug heard the door start to open, he rushed forward, shoved the man and door inward, hitting the man opening the door. The man inside staggered backwards, but tried to bring a shotgun blaster up, when Doug delivered a tri-burst that caught the man in the throat and mouth. He dropped the blaster and collapsed to the floor.

“What’s happening out there?” Doug heard a male voice ask, as a man looked out the door from a room to the left. Doug immobilized the man and a quick mental scan told him there were no other people present. Doug looked back and saw Ryan, carrying the bag the courier had dropped, push the door closed. He observed the man he had shoved through the door had a bloody nose, most likely caused by contacting the door.

There was a chair alongside the wall that the guard must have been sitting in. “Sit there and stay put,” Doug ordered.

Entering the room, Doug mentally released the other man and he asked, “What do you want?”

“I have come to make a withdrawal,” Doug replied. He saw stacks of credit notes, separated by denomination, piled on a table, with some bags used to carry the credits. “Get those bags and fill them up with the credit notes on the table.”

“They’ll terminate you,” the man said.

“I’ll take my chances. Now fill them up,” Doug ordered.

As the man filled the bags with the credits notes, Doug called Issie and told her he had a computer he wanted her to download information from. Issie instructed him to connect his vistaview unit to the computer. A few minutes later, Issie said, “All done.”

“There is probably no incriminating evidence on the computer, but see if you can find any credit accounts. If you can, transfer the credits,” Doug told Issie.

The man finished filling the bags with the credit notes and heard what Doug told Issie. “There is no place in this Galaxy you can hide that they won’t find and terminate you,” the man said.

“Yeah, I’ve heard that before. I’m sure you have a number you’re supposed to call. Call the number and tell whoever answers that El Lobo just made a withdrawal. Then sit in that chair and wait. When Lodes Security arrives, tell them about everything you’ve been doing, and answer all their questions.” Doug imprinted the command in the man’s mind.

Outside the room, Doug saw that the man’s nose had stopped bleeding and asked, “What do you do?”

“I just run errands and make deliveries. Please don’t terminate me. I have a family.”

Doug could tell he was terrified. “Who do you run errands and make deliveries for?”

“For the people at the nightclub; please don’t terminate me. That is all I do.”

A mental scan told Doug the man was telling the truth. Besides, he was too terrified to lie. Doug had picked up a banded stack of credit notes off the table. He handed it to the man and said, “Go home to your family. Stop working for the people at the nightclub.”

The man just stared at him, obviously not believing what Doug had just told him.

“Go. Get out of here. Go home to your family,” Doug said, raising his voice. The man got up and almost ran into Ryan as she opened the door for him.

“You’re getting generous in your old age,” Ryan said, grinning, as the man ran out the door.

“Yeah, well, it would not accomplish anything forcing him to remain here so Lodes Security could arrest him,” Doug replied. “Besides, he was telling the truth. He’s just an errand boy.”

Doug handed two of the bags to Ryan and said, “Here, take these.” Then he grabbed the leg of the man he had terminated and dragged him to the door and left him there blocking the door open so it would not close and lock.

“Better call Issie so she can call Lodes Security. Be sure she tells them to check behind the Waffle Inn,” Doug said.

A couple of blocks away, Ryan asked, “What are we going to do with all those credits?”

“Hmm! That’s a good question,” Doug said. “Javelle told me about the Lodes Children’s Hospital having a campaign to raise credits for a new wing at the hospital. Call Javelle and get the address.”

“Javelle may be asleep,” Ryan said. “Oh, how stupid of me, Javelle is a robot. He never sleeps.” Javelle gave Ryan the address. Doug told him what street he was on and asked if he could guide them there.

“Now what?” Ryan asked when they arrived. “Even without our balaclavas, we can’t go marching in there. We’ll still look like a couple of shady characters.”

About fifteen minutes later a woman wearing a white uniform emerged, walked out onto the sidewalk, and lit a cigarette. “I believe that woman works in the hospital. We’ll ask her to deliver the credits to the administrator, or whoever is in charge,” Doug said.

Doug started the ground vehicle and slowly drove up the street where the woman was standing. The woman moved back from the edge of the sidewalk as the ground vehicle approached. She watched the ground vehicle approach with concern on her face.

“Hi,” Doug said, with an ingratiating smile. “Do you work here?”

“Yes, I’m a nurse,” the woman replied.

“We have some packages here for the director or the administrator, or whoever is in charge. Would you be so kind as to see that he gets them?” Doug asked.

“Well, I guess,” the woman said, staying well back from the vehicle. Ryan, reaching into the back, handed Doug the first bag of credits. Doug handed it out the window to the woman. She stepped forward to get the bag and started to step back.

“Wait, there are more,” Doug said. After the third bag, the woman had to stick her cigarette in her mouth so she could take the last two. “What’s in these?” the woman wanted to know, the cigarette dangling from her lips.

“Just some items the administrator needs,” Doug replied. He instructed her to safeguard the bags and not tell anyone she had them. She was to give the bags to the administrator personally, and he imprinted the instructions in her mind.

Doug heard the vistaview unit buzz. Javelle answered, and a moment later said, “No, we cannot meet you for breakfast. We will meet at Lodes Security Headquarters at 0900.”

A moment later, Doug heard Javelle repeat, “No, we will meet you at Lodes Security Headquarters at 0900.” It had been around 0400 when Doug got into bed. He told Javelle that if Lieutenant Ramsey called, to tell him they would meet him at Lodes Security Headquarters at 0900.

“Good morning. This is Amanda Yellen with the Morning News. There has been more trouble in the city of Lodes overnight. The Continental Warehouse on Industrial Boulevard was raided. Lodes Security discovered a drug processing plant in the basement. The Waffle Inn on Clinton Street was robbed. We go first to Robb Tomms who is standing by at the Continental Warehouse. Robb, I understand that Lodes Security raided the warehouse and found a drug processing plant. What else can you tell us?”

“Good morning, Amanda. The facts are a little sketchy, but the Continental Warehouse is owned by Sampsel Mahurin. As you know, Mr. Mahurin is a candidate for the terrestrial legislature. He’s a real estate mogul, and the Continental Warehouse is among his holdings. Yelson Manufacturing leases the warehouse. I spoke with the night supervisor for Yelson. He told me he was unaware of anything going on here until these individuals, as he described them, in hazmat suits, started running out from the back, yelling that the building was on fire. They were followed by two black-clad individuals.”

“Black-clad individuals? Are we talking about the same black-clad individuals who raided the gentlemen’s clubs?” Amanda asked.

“I did say the facts are a little sketchy, didn’t I? Anyway, Lodes Security thinks it’s the same individuals. But they‘re puzzled as to how they knew there was a drug lab here,” Robb replied. “Anyway, the fire alarms were set off and Lodes Fire Department arrived within minutes. I spoke with one of the firemen. He told me when they realized there was a drug lab, they called Lodes Security.”

“Was there a fire in the drug lab?” Amanda asked.

“No fire. The fireman I spoke with told me that someone involved in processing and packaging drugs said the black-clad individuals instructed them to tell the fire department about the drug lab,” Robb explained. “Lodes Security called in a hazardous waste team. They’re here now.”

“Sampsel Mahurin owns the building, and Yelson Manufacturing leases the warehouse: Who’s responsible for the drug lab and the processing of drugs?” Amanda asked.

“I did say the facts are a little sketchy, didn’t I?” Robb replied.

“Yes, I think this is the third time,” Amanda replied.

“Yeah, right,” Robb acknowledged. “The warehouse came with on-site security. The guards have double duty, supposedly to guard the warehouse for Yelsom Manufacturing, but also to guard the lab workers. But the guards have no idea who they work for. They receive an envelope with their pay, and the same with the lab workers. They have no idea who they’re processing the drugs for. But the biggest puzzle Lodes Security is confronted with is how the black-clad individuals knew there was a drug lab in the warehouse.”

“We’ll now go to Alinda Zanns at the Waffle Inn on Clinton Street that was robbed, and if we can believe it, robbed by two black-clad individuals. Good morning, Alinda. I hope your report is not sketchy?” Amanda said.

Alinda laughed and said, “Sketchy may be the appropriate adjective here. The Waffle Inn was not robbed. It was the bank in the back room.”

“The bank?” Amanda questioned.

“As a security officer explained it to me, the Waffle Inn is a legitimate business. But it served as a front for the crime syndicates’ bank. Illegal credits from gambling, loan sharking, numbers and drug sales are brought here. Then the credits, as the security officer called it, are laundered. It’s a metaphor for making money appear legal,” Alinda said.

“So these black-clad individuals robbed the syndicates’ bank?” Amanda said.

“Yes. But as Robb said, the bigger puzzle Lodes Security is confronted with, is why,” Alinda said.

“That was Alinda Zanns reporting at the Waffle Inn on Clinton Street,” Amanda said. “On some good news, Lodes Children’s Hospital is soliciting donations for a new wing on the hospital. An anonymous donor left three million credits with a nurse last night with instructions to give the credits to the hospital director to be used toward building the new wing. Let’s now go to meteorologist, Chris Thomas, for our latest weather update. Chris, what can we expect today?”

“Good morning, Amanda. Good morning, everyone. Wow! That was really generous of that person to donate three million credits to Lodes Children’s Hospital. It is a great hospital,” Chris said. “As for our weather, we’ll have another pleasantly mild day with a high of eighteen Celsius. We have a ten percent chance of rain this afternoon. We have a ten centimeter rain deficit and could really use the rain. I’ll have the full weather report after these words from our sponsors.”

The next thing Doug heard was Javelle say, “Doug, it is 0700.”

“Oh, no, it can’t be 0700 already,” Doug mumbled. Then he asked, “What’s been occurring overnight?”

“Lodes Security is puzzled how two black-clad individuals knew there was a drug lab in the Continental Warehouse on Industrial Boulevard. They are further puzzled as to why they robbed the syndicates’ bank located in the Waffle Inn,” Javelle said.

“The news is always depressing. Someone is always getting robbed,” Doug said.

“There was some good news. An anonymous donor donated three million credits to Lodes Children’s Hospital,” Javelle said.

“That was nice of someone,” Doug replied. Then he got up, showered, shaved and went to the Lodes Intergalactic Hotel restaurant for breakfast. Doug saw Issie and Ryan at another table, but they did not acknowledge knowing each other.

Doug saw a waiter hitting on Issie and Ryan. He finally left and a few moments later his vistaview unit vibrated. He withdrew his unit and saw Javelle withdraw his. Doug read the text message:

Good morning. R & I are going shopping. Found the information on the trucks.

Three arriving tonight. Bye, Sign I (:

Doug still could not remember what the little symbols Issie placed at the end meant. Still, when he texted back, he used the little symbol.

Thanks. Have a nice shopping trip. Tell R to stay out of trouble. Sign K (:

After breakfast, Javelle drove them to Lodes Security Headquarters. Entering, Doug introduced himself and Javelle and told the desk sergeant that they were there to meet with Lieutenant Ramsey.

A few minutes later Lieutenant Ramsey walked out. Rather than a ‘good morning’ or some other pleasantry, Lieutenant Ramsey said, “Took your time getting here.”

Doug raised an eyebrow and said, “Must have been more trouble last night.”

Lieutenant Ramsey told Doug and Javelle that the Continental Warehouse and the Waffle Inn had been hit. “Come back to my office and I’ll tell you all about it.”

As Lieutenant Ramsey turned to go, Doug said, “Excuse me, I would like to meet Major Flemington.” Lieutenant Ramsey gave him a look as if he had just been insulted. “Is there a Sergeant Kattle working here?” Doug added.

Lieutenant Ramsey hesitated before answering. “Yes. Why?”

“Where is he?” Doug asked. A longer hesitation this time as Lieutenant Ramsey stared at Doug. Then, pointing, he said, “Sergeant Kattle is over there.”

Doug had contemplated feeding E’step disinformation through Sergeant Kattle. Doug and Javelle had discussed the matter and had finally concluded they had no disinformation to feed. But they did not want Sergeant Kattle privy to their plans to intercept the Diamond T truck transporting women, so they decided to expose him to Major Flemington and Lieutenant Ramsey.

Doug walked over to where Sergeant Kattle was sitting at a desk, engrossed in paperwork. “Sergeant Kattle?” Doug said.

Sergeant Kattle looked up at Doug, smiled and said, “Yes, may I help you?”

“Get up and follow me,” Doug ordered. Sergeant Kattle stared back, stone-faced.

“Get up and follow me,” Doug ordered again, and imprinted the command in his mind. Doug, followed by Sergeant Kattle, walked to where Lieutenant Ramsey stood with Javelle. He gave Doug a hard stare. Before Lieutenant Ramsey could say anything, Doug said, “I believe you were going to introduce me to Major Flemington.”

Major Flemington was at his desk when they entered his office. Doug saw he had dark hair turning gray around the edges, with age lines suggesting an older man. The thought flashed through Doug’s mind: Why is he only a major and not a higher ranking officer?

“Sir, these are the agents from the GEBI, Investigators Kincaid and Jovok,” Lieutenant Ramsey said as way of introduction.

Major Flemington smiled broadly as he rose and walked around his desk to greet Doug and Javelle. Doug thought: Perhaps the lines on his face are smile lines and not age lines.

Major Flemington glanced at Sergeant Kattle while greeting Doug and Javelle. “Sergeant Kattle has a confession to make, Major,” Doug said. Both Major Flemington and Lieutenant Ramsey looked first at Sergeant Kattle and then at Doug as if to say, “You had better explain yourself.”

“Sergeant, tell the Major how you have been passing information on to E’step,” Doug said, and added a little mental persuasion.

“Is this true, Sergeant?” Major Flemington asked, with obvious shock in his voice.

“Yes, sir,” Sergeant Kattle acknowledged. Then he told how he had gotten into debt gambling, and how he was threatened if he did not supply information. But he claimed he did not know who was receiving the information. He further explained that a man would call requesting information or, in the case of Doug and Javelle, he called the number they gave him to inform them that two agents from the GEBI had arrived. His voice was breaking up when he finished.

“Why didn’t you come and tell me, Sergeant? I could have helped you,” Major Flemington said, with genuine sympathy in his voice.

“Excuse me, Major,” Doug interrupted, “you can deal with Sergeant Kattle later. We have another problem we need to focus on.” Then Doug said, “Sergeant, you will never again call that number or pass on information to anyone,” and imprinted the command in Sergeant Kattle’s mind.

“We can deal with our own internal problems,” Lieutenant Ramsey said, obviously perturbed by Doug’s remarks to Sergeant Kattle, as he escorted Sergeant Kattle out of Major Flemington’s office.

After Lieutenant Ramsey left the office with Sergeant Kattle, Major Flemington wanted to know how Doug and Javelle learned that Sergeant Kattle was an informant. Javelle explained about detecting a ground vehicle following them when they had gone to visit the Director of Anchors Global Bureau of Investigation. “We then deduced that someone within Lodes Security must have informed someone of our arrival.”

“But that does not explain how you knew it was Sergeant Kattle,” Major Flemington said.

“I had a talk with a man called Link who works for E’step,” Doug said. “He told me.”

With a bewildered look, Major Flemington asked, “How did you manage that?

“That doesn’t matter. It’s what else Link told me that matters,” Doug replied. He and Javelle then informed Major Flemington about the women scheduled to be delivered to E’step.

“We’ll need you to close the Autobahn expressway tonight,” Doug concluded.

“What?” Major Flemington exclaimed. “Forgive me, Investigator Kincaid, but your word would not be sufficient to justify closing the Autobahn.”

“Sir, if I may,” Javelle said, “you will not need to completely close the Autobahn. We only need you to funnel traffic into one lane, thereby slowing the flow of traffic.”

“Then what, what good will that do?” Major Flemington wanted to know.

“Sir, slowing the traffic will permit us to locate and hijack the truck,” Javelle replied.

“WHAT?” Major Flemington shouted. “That would be illegal. I can’t permit you to do anything like that.”

“Major, if you want those women rescued, you don’t have a choice.”

“But hijacking a truck! That’s…” Major Flemington started to say, but Doug interrupted him. “Not necessarily illegal when the driver is involved in the commission of a crime, and transporting women who have been abducted is a crime.”

“Okay. Okay, I understand what you are saying,” Major Flemington said. “But how do you know where the truck is?”

“Our computer operator has already located the trucks,” Doug replied.

“Should I ask how?” Major Flemington asked. “Never mind, but you said trucks as in plural.”

“Yes, there are three Diamond T trucks scheduled to arrive in Lodes tonight. What we don’t know is which truck will carry the women,” Doug told Major Flemington.

“Then how do you plan to rescue these women if you don’t know which truck they’re on?” Major Flemington wanted to know.

“Just funnel the traffic down to one lane. Javelle and I will take care of the rest.”

“Okay, but I hope you know what you’re doing,” Major Flemington said. “I could get fired for this.”

Lieutenant Ramsey, along with Sergeant Mulligan, entered Major Flemington’s office and Major Flemington told them what Doug and Javelle were planning to do.

“Sir, that is illegal,” Lieutenant Ramsey proclaimed loudly. “Permitting those two,” he said, looking at Doug and Javelle, “to stop and search trucks is a violation of individual rights.”

“Lieutenant, please do not obfuscate this situation with legal rights,” Javelle said, ever calm.

“He’s right, Lieutenant, we cannot hide behind legal rights when safety and well-being of others is at stake. We’ll follow the plan as outlined and Investigators Kincaid and Jovok will apprehend the truck transporting the women,” Major Flemington said assertively. “You and Sergeant Mulligan are in charge of slowing the traffic. Develop a strategy; a fake accident, roadwork, whatever, on the Autobahn - do whatever will work.”

“Yes, sir,” Lieutenant Ramsey acknowledged, as he and Sergeant Mulligan were leaving Major Flemington office.

“Lieutenant, I would advise against telling anyone except the people you need to carry out the mission,” Javelle said. “Yes, sir,” Lieutenant Ramsey acknowledged.

After Lieutenant Ramsey and Sergeant Mulligan left, Doug shook hands with Major Flemington and said, “Thanks, Major. Except for the traffic slowing down, no one will ever know anything else is occurring.” As Doug started to leave Major Flemington’s office, he stopped, turned back, and asked, “By the way, do you know Sampsel Mahurin?”

“Why yes, he’s a city councilman running for the area’s legislature,” Major Flemington replied. “He has done an outstanding job on city council and is well liked. He should win overwhelmingly. Most people think the area’s legislature will serve as a stepping stone for him to get elected as a Senator to the terrestrial government. Some even speculate he will run for the Secretary-General’s position in a few years. Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” Doug replied. “I saw a campaign sign where he was running for something.”

“That reminds me, too,” Major Flemington said. “Mahurin is scheduled to speak at the Chamber of Business luncheon today, and I am supposed to attend. I do not much care for the Chamber of Business. But in my position, I am supposed to see and to be seen.”

Doug agreed with him about the Chamber of Business. The Chambers of Business Doug was familiar with were nothing but political organizations, and they strongly opposed the rights of working families; instead, backing the rich and powerful investors.

“Mahurin is also scheduled to speak at the Lodes Children’s Hospital at 1500 hours where he has promised to donate a million credits to help fund a new wing,” Major Flemington said. “Did you hear the news this morning? An anonymous donor left more than three million credits last night at the children’s hospital. Gave these bags of credits to a nurse and instructed her to give them to the director.”

“That’s quite generous of someone,” Doug replied. “Well, we have to run. I’ll call you tonight.”

Before Doug and Javelle could leave, Major Flemington said, “You know something else that is interesting?” Doug said nothing, waiting for Major Flemington to continue. “Lieutenant Ramsey told me about the hits last night on the warehouse and the crime syndicates’ bank located at the Waffle Inn; how two black-clad individuals carried the hits out. The banker said the black-clad individuals took over three million credits. The credits were in bags like the ones donated to the hospital. Isn’t that a coincidence?”

“Yeah, that’s quite the coincidence,” Doug said. “I’ll call you tonight.”