Red Angel: Book II: Raiders (Red Angel Series 2) (17 page)

"That's great, Rich. Saves hours of doing manual searches, and I think the reduced windows are reasonable assumptions," I said.

"Yes, but what do we want to do with the results? The courier doesn't know the contents of the message, and we don't know if he's delivering it to another merchant or a cruiser." Adrian looked to each of us.

"If our assumptions are correct, we could shut down their operation, but for how long? And it wouldn't help catch the raiders." Kris shrugged in frustration.

"And when they started back up again, they would have a new system, and we would be back at ground zero." I hesitated. "A lot depends on whether the merchant is meeting another merchant or a cruiser ... I think my second assumption is wrong."

"Why?" Adrian asked, looking back at the monitor.

"We're assuming that the merchant delivering the message to the raiders is also the one delivering the date of the raid. If that’s correct, I doubt that information is available when he delivers the message. They have to decide which cruiser is available, who is going, how long to get there, etc. Therefore, someone has to contact the merchant at a later date." I felt certain ... well almost … that the contact had to be a foreign merchant. "Rich, we need another variable. One that looks for foreign merchants who are in the same system as our collaborating UAS merchants within the subsequent five to ten days."

"You're thinking the UAS merchant meets with a foreign merchant on the given coordinates. The foreign merchant then goes to the current location of one or more of the raider cruisers. They decide which cruiser or cruisers are going and which date. The foreign merchant takes this information to a predetermined system, where the UAS merchant is waiting. The merchant then takes the date, which is probably in coded form, to the appropriate system and posts it to the URL he's given."

"We need to wait for the raiders’ next target. That message should enable us to confirm the UAS merchant working with the raiders and give us their intended target and the approximate location we can expect the raider's cruiser," Kris said. "Of course, that will only get us one of the raider cruisers and alert them that we know their system."

"Unless … we can convince them we stumbled on their cruiser by accident." I knew that wasn't a total solution, as it would only work once.

"How do you suggest we do that?" Adrian asked.

"What if the navy advertises they’re setting up a permanent patrol around New Zheng and several other systems with high-value targets?" I said.

"You think they’ll actually try something on New Zhang?" Adrian asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Yes, as a test if nothing else. They aren't going home, because we're chasing them. They'll probe and adapt. Their targets are too lucrative to abandon."

"That's our recommendation then—set up patrols and wait for the next puzzle message with information for the next raid?" Adrian asked and looked to each of us.

"Thank you," said Rawls, "that was interesting. After hearing your logic, I agree and will brief Admirals Lultrel and Webb and let you know their decision."

At our next weekly meeting, Stauffer notified Adrian that Webb had approved the patrols in eight of the UAS systems. At our suggestion, they would be somewhat random—no more than three or four times a week—and yet somewhat predictable.

While we waited, we worked on identifying the foreign merchants. With help from Rich's program, we identified three foreign merchants who met our search criteria: showed up in a system with the UAS merchant we believed had carried the original message and subsequently delivered the date to the system initiating the message. They were the Lost Trader, Free Traveler, and the Hobo. Now we waited for the next ad winner, who would generate the puzzle message that should enable us to confirm our suspicions and give us a chance to destroy one of the raider cruisers.

"Well, let's see if you were right about the raiders. I've the latest puzzle from New Zheng. They just pulled it off the WavCom," Stauffer said as he entered our conference room, smiling.

"Forward it to Rich, Commodore," Adrian said. Stauffer typed on his tablet, then looked up and nodded. "Rich, run the X25 software against it."

Rich typed on his tablet and several minutes later smiled. "It's real."

"That's ... clever," said Stauffer. "I see you take your '
One for all, and all for one
' very seriously. I too thought sending Anna for a medical evaluation wasn't right, but then I've known her for many years. Admiral Rawls truly thought it would be in Anna’s best interest. After talking with Doctor Renata, she realizes how dangerous that would have been. I'm pleased—not only that it was resolved, but also that all parties did the right thing: Anna resigned, and Admiral Rawls took the time to understand why, which is rare for a person of her rank. She's a top notch officer. So let's get to work and make her look as good as she is." He fetched a cup of coffee and sat.

When I looked at my tablet, the new puzzle message was in my inbox.

Rich gave me a
thumbs up
and a grin.

I spent the next fifteen minutes working on discarding the non-meaningful characters and separating out the old-Latin words and then performing a translation. When I finished, I sent it to everyone and put it on the room monitor:

Have new winner. Found cheap drugs and five regulars. Large shipment of four hundred. New courier three posts for one hundred on 65.023.35.11 at 40.6212 -84.0224. Ho will know right post.

"That looks like the Zuno Pharmaceutical Company," Adrian said after several minutes of silently searching the NIA database.

"Found a client who works at Zuno Pharmaceutical who can help us steal drugs ready for shipment worth four hundred million credits," Kris translated. "There are five security guards. Post three dates on the New Zheng Internet at URL
65.023.35.11
and we'll select one and give it to the Hobo. That will avoid the UAS patrols. Meet at one hundred hours at GPS:
40.6212 -84.0224
." Kris forwarded her translation to everyone's tablet and the room's monitors.

"Clever." Stauffer nodded. "Arrogant. As you predicted, they aren't giving up just because we're chasing them."

"There is a potential problem." I realized as I thought about the message. "They could change the GPS location."

"But they ... Yes," said Kris. "The Controller can change the GPS location when he gives the Hobo the date."

"You need to discuss your part in this next phase," said Stauffer. "Rawls will want to know your recommendation. You could wait to hear what happens or you could go along. If the latter who, why, and with whom." Stauffer rose to leave. "I'll leave you to think about it."

"He's twice right," Adrian said as Stauffer left the area. "First, can we add value if we go along, or conversely is there anything the captain can't handle? And secondly, is it worth the risk? I don't think anyone would blame us—particularly Anna or you, Kris—for never wanting to leave Oxax ever again."

The room became so quiet I thought I could hear my heart beating. Ironically, all I was concerned about was leaving Alexa again and the stress I caused her. The thought brought tears to my eyes. As I sat there in my misery, Red exited my blouse and wrapped himself around my neck with his head lying on my shoulder. I didn't know why, but I had the feeling he was reminding me of my duty—something Alexa would understand and approve of.

"I'll go."

"Why, Anna?" Adrian said.

"Because I'm the only one who understands old-Latin, which could prove helpful interpreting the post for the date and a possible change in coordinates." I scanned each face. Adrian looked like he wanted to say
no
but knew I was right. Rich sat thinking. He wanted to go but didn't have a reason why he should.

Kris's mouth hung open, wanting to scream as her opposing emotions cosmically collided. They were dominated by fear so strong I could feel it, but her fear of going warred with fear of letting me go alone. Before I could say anything, she spoke.

"Anna's right, and I'll go with her." Her voice was just about a whisper.

"Why, Kris? I understand Anna, but why you?" Concern was obvious in Adrian's voice. "Rich or I could go."

"Anna and I are a team." Her voice was louder this time. "And which of you could protect Red when Anna acts wild?"

That caused Adrian and Rich's mouths to drop open as they thought about our story of the conference room and how I slid Red to Kris before I rolled out to expose myself.

I got up and motioned for Kris to follow me to the other end of the room, where we could whisper without being heard. "Kris, I appreciate what you’re doing and love you for volunteering to go, but why—"

"Why risk two of us?" Kris said. "Because I remember lying under the conference room table whining,
aren't we safe anywhere,
and you saying
yes, with each other
. So, if you go, I go."

"Thank you, Kris." I gave her a tight hug with tears in my eyes and felt Red brush her neck. Apparently, we were talking loud enough that Adrian heard after all.

"Kris, when Admiral Rawls sends you along with Anna for a psychological evaluation, I had request Doctor Renata. She's the only one who might understand." He shook his head. "You're right, and quite frankly, Rich and I would like to go with you two certifiable nutcases, but it would be irresponsible to risk the entire team without an overwhelming reason, which we don't have. Anna may be of help with the post ... and the two of you do make a good team." Adrian stood. "I'll let Stauffer know our recommendation.

For the next several days we monitored the traffic in Master Puzzle's Suton distribution area, with special attention to the Merchant ship Good Deal, which Rich's program had isolated as the most logical carrier to the Suton distribution area, and the Hobo, which we had identified as the FPU merchant's ship that would deliver the dates.

Three days later, the Good Deal left Zespa. A day and a half after that, it entered Amend, the system the message coordinates specified. We immediately notified Stauffer, thinking whoever was going should be leaving within three to five days, because it was a two-day trip to New Zheng.

We had decided a seven-day window would be safe: the Hobo had to rendezvous with the raider, determine three dates, and return to meet the Good Deal—which had to return to New Zheng and post the date. Then the Controller had to pick a date and give it to the Good Deal to take back to the Hobo, which would notify the raiders ...

We were told that Rawls would coordinate with Lultrel and maybe Bell and would notify us when and where to report.

Alexa took off the next several days and we did some shopping, ate out twice, and spent the evenings talking and listening to music. We were cherishing the time together, not knowing how long I would be gone.

On the afternoon of the fourth day, my tablet buzzed with an urgent message:

To: Lieutenant Commander Sinclair, Lieutenant Commander Paulus

Report to the UAS Cruiser Janus tomorrow by fifteen hundred hours. Captain Dixon is your transportation to New Zheng and then wherever you need to go next.

From: Commodore Stauffer

The next day I picked Kris up at her condo and we arrived at the spaceport's shuttle just before noon and were delivered to the station at two fifteen in the afternoon. There was no line when we reached where the Janus was docked. A lieutenant commander stood waiting. Kris handed him her ID, which he checked, and then held out his hand for mine.

"The captain said he wanted to speak with both of you immediately upon your arrival. He didn't sound in a good mood, so I would be careful." He waved us into the bay, where a petty officer waited. He gave us a quick salute.

"Commanders, if you'll follow me, I'll take you to the captain's office." He then turned and began a double time walk.

"Petty Officer, stop," Kris shouted. "Slow down. We've luggage, and we can't leave until our security team has been checked in. An extra couple of minutes isn't going to matter."

"Ma'am, something has upset Captain Dixon and he's ... not in a good mood, and he said he wanted to see you immediately upon your arrival." His voice just above a whisper.

"Petty officer, you can run if you want and let him know we’re on the way, but we're going to walk. Unfortunately, we know the way." Kris looked to me and shrugged in puzzlement at the petty officer's nervousness.

"Yes, ma'am," he responded and slowed but kept checking over his shoulder to make sure we were still behind him.

When we arrived at the captain's office, Major Pannell was there waiting. The guard knocked, peeked in, and then opened the door for us. Kris and I stepped in, braced to attention, and saluted. I noticed Pannell had also entered.

The captain frowned at him but turned his gaze back to us.

"About damn time you arrived. I've been ordered to transport you to New Zheng. I don't like it. Especially Paulus. You ruined a good officer's career and should have been court martialed. Instead, you only received a slap on the hand. Well, on this ship you've no access to the Bridge ..." His eyes flew open as Red decided to make a entrance, sliding out of my sleeve and working his way to my neck, where he laid his head on my shoulder facing the captain. "And that foul pet of yours will remain in a cage—"

"Kris, I'm leaving," I said. "He's hurt Red's feelings." I didn’t care if it constituted behavior unbecoming an officer or was insubordination.

Kris nodded. "I agree."

Dixon's face was red with rage. "Get back here or I'll see you court martialed!" he shouted, and when we didn't stop, he said, "Corporal, arrest those two."

As the corporal began to raise his weapon in our direction, two of our security guards—slammed him against the bulkhead and removed his weapon.

When I looked back, Pannell had his gun pointing at the captain.

"Captain, if you draw that gun out of that draw your hand is in, I'll shoot to kill. You're about to step over the line into a prison sentence for interfering with NIA officers in the performance of their duties."

"Major, I'll see you court martialed along with them. I command the Janus. Here, my authority is absolute."

"Sergeant," said Pannell, "I've called the team here. You're to see the commanders safely off the Janus and to wherever they wish to go. I'll remain here with Corporals Dobbs and Lowe to make sure the captain doesn't interfere. Inform me when you're off the Janus. You're authorized to use deadly force if necessary."

"Yes, sir," said the sergeant as the drumming of footsteps could be heard approaching from down the hallway.

Kris and I followed the group of marines through the ship and out into the space station. Using our P1A authorization, we were put on the next shuttle to the planet, and from there we were escorted back to the NIA office.

"What happened?" Adrian asked as we entered the room, but before I could answer Stauffer entered.

"Rawls has been getting calls from the Janus, the space station, and Major Pannell. You appear to have upset a few people." Stauffer looked concerned.

Since I caused the problem, I spoke before Kris could. "I felt threatened by Captain Dixon, so I left. Kris had no choice but to follow," I said, not wanting Kris involved. Red lay on my shoulder watching Stauffer. I idly wondered if Red appeared and lay there because he wanted fresh air and liked my shoulder or whether he was interested and wanted to see the person or to be in a position to protect me. I smiled to myself—maybe all three.

"I left with Anna because Captain Dixon's behavior was out of control and he was issuing unlawful orders," Kris said, moving closer to me." She went on to give a concise recap of our encounter from the moment we arrived on the Janus.

Stauffer just shook his head, and I could feel his overwhelming worry. I felt sorry for him. He had the team, the project, and Rawls to contend with—all with conflicting interests.

"Stay close," he said. "I don't imagine this is going to take long to resolve, since the raiders aren't going to wait while we settle the issue." He left the office, probably to await word from Rawls.

"You did the right thing," Adrian said after Stauffer had left.