The Starter (45 page)

“Awesome. Thanks again for flying this for us. You sure you can’t join us at Ma Tweedy’s when we arrive?”

Again Frederico shook his head. “Look, I can fly you there, I can stay on the ship as long as no one knows I’m on board, but I
cannot
show my face on OS1, not now that Anna Villani is in charge of things. She and I don’t get along.”

“You have history with Gredok the Splithead, and history with Anna Villani? You going to share any of this?”

“Don’t hold your breath,” Frederico said. “My business is my business. I’ll keep my focus on finding your family, thanks.”

“Any progress?”

Frederico half-shrugged, leaned his head to the right. “I’ve got a few leads. When we get back from OS1, I’m going to have to follow them up. You probably won’t hear from me until after the season.”

“That’s like two months from now.”

“You’re a regular mathematician.”

“I mean I won’t hear from you for two months? You can’t call?”

Frederico shook his head. “I think that’s best. We don’t want Gredok to know that I work for you, so calling is bad. I’ll just take a guess that your private calls might not be so private.”

Quentin opened his mag-can. Even if Frederico didn’t find anything, the man was
trying
, which was more than Quentin could do. At least until the off-season. “So where are you going?”

“Where else? The Purist nation. At least for starters. These things take time.”

A low beep sounded in the control room.

“Shuttle approaching,” Frederico said. “John’s landing. You should go greet him in the landing bay, Mister Yacht Owner.”

Quentin smiled, set the extra can of Miller on a counter, then walked out.

• • •

QUENTIN STOOD RIGHT WHERE
Manny Sayed had stood a few weeks earlier, waiting for the Krakens shuttle door to lower. Quentin was genuinely excited about a home-cooked meal, spending a day or so away from football. So cool of John to invite him, even if John was doing it mainly so he wouldn’t have to fly public transport.

The door lowered. John walked out. So did Rebecca Montagne.

Quentin’s smile vanished.

“Q!” John said. “We ready to get this bus rolling?”

“Rebecca,” Quentin said. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“Hello,” she said, looking at him for only a second before looking away.

“She’s comin’ home to meet Ma,” John said. “You don’t mind, do you, Q?”

“No,” Quentin said, fighting back his annoyance. A trip with John had turned into a big party, including a person he really didn’t care to associate with. “Of course I don’t mind.”

“Awesome,” John said. “So, where’re the guys?”

“Salon,” Quentin said. He gestured to the door. John and Rebecca walked toward it. Quentin walked after them, unable to miss the fact that John reached out and held Rebecca’s hand.

Transcript from the “Galaxy’s Greatest Sports Show with Dan, Akbar, & Tarat the Smasher”

DAN:
We are back with breaking news. You heard it here first, sentients — Orbital Station One authorities are on the hunt for Orbiting Death running back Ju Tweedy, who is wanted for the murder of Grace McDermot.

TARAT:
Just shocking.

DAN:
That it is, Smasher. According to authorities, witnesses reported sounds of conflict in McDermot’s apartment. Ju was seen leaving the scene. When neighbors went in just a few minutes later to check on McDermot, they found that she had been beaten to death.

AKBAR:
That’s horrible. Was this McDermot chick someone Tweedy knew?

DAN:
Apparently they’d been dating, and the police say she may have been trying to break it off.

AKBAR:
Well, even though Tier Two isn’t in season, Ju is still on the Orbiting Death, which means he’s got diplomatic immunity. I’m sure the investigation will go on, but he can’t be detained, can’t even really be questioned without going through a GFL intermediary.

DAN:
That’s true, Akbar, and we’ll see... wait... the producer is sending me a message. Oh my, what a
stunning
development. The Orbiting Death has
cut
Ju Tweedy.

AKBAR:
What?

TARAT:
Are you joking?

DAN:
No, this looks valid. Orbiting Death owner Anna Villani just released a statement that says, and I quote, “the Death will not be associated with a murderer, nor will we allow criminals to hide behind diplomatic immunity.”

AKBAR:
A
crime boss
said that? Ridiculous.

TARAT:
Then The Mad Ju can be arrested, put in jail.

AKBAR:
They
cut
him? What does that mean?

TARAT:
Cutting someone means he is no longer on the team roster, Akbar.

AKBAR:
Smasher! I know what
cut
means, for crying out loud! What I’m saying is that Ju Tweedy is the best running back in football. Who cuts the number-one running back in football?

DAN:
Apparently, the Orbiting Death. I have to say, if the allegations are true, I commend Villani for cutting him. Most owners would hide their player behind diplomatic immunity. They’d put football and money ahead of justice.

AKBAR:
Oh come on, Dan! Did you forget that Anna Villani is the owner of the Orbiting Death because she just assassinated the previous owner?

TARAT:
That’s a good point.

DAN:
Hey now, Akbar, we talked about this before. We can’t just go throwing around accusations.

AKBAR:
Dan, you can pretend you don’t know what this league is all about, but I call ’em like I see ’em. A gangster like Villani doesn’t cut the best running back in football because she wants
justice
for a nobody named Grace McDermot. There’s something else going on here.

TARAT:
You know, I seem to recall that name, Grace McDermot...

DAN:
Oh, Tarat, I’m sure you’re mistaken. Just the name of some poor girl that chased the wrong footballer, I think.

AKBAR:
No, no, I think Tarat is right. I remember her name from somewhere.

TARAT:
Hey, I remember. Grace McDermot, wasn’t that the actress that dated Villani?

DAN:
Come on, this isn’t some gossip show.

TARAT:
Oh, now I remember. McDermot was Villani’s consort. I do not understand the strange breeding rituals of Humans, but I do remember that.

AKBAR:
Wow, first Villani whacks Sikka the Death, then she—

DAN:
Hey, time for another commercial break!

TARAT:
But we just had a commercial br—

DAN:
This segment brought to you by Ju-Ku-Killok Shipping. Remember, if you’ve got to ship it across the galaxy, don’t you want to ship it with a Ki? We’ll be right back after this.

QUENTIN TURNED OFF
the holotank just as the Galaxy’s Greatest Sports Show faded into commercial. His teammates and Frederico sat in the salon, all frozen, all looking at John Tweedy.

John stared at the now-empty holotank.

“John,” Quentin said. “You okay?”

“No,” John said. He looked up at Quentin, his eyes narrow, intense. “I have to go get him.”

Choto stood up and walked over to John. “There is nothing you can do, John. Anna Villani is in charge of Sikka the Death’s syndicate now. She controls the police, judges, maybe even parts of the military. I am sorry for your pain, but if you go after him, all you can do is get caught in the crossfire.”

“I have diplomatic immunity,” John said. “They can’t touch me.”

“They can if you are providing aid to a murder suspect,” Choto said. “Even if you can get to your brother, you would still have to smuggle him out on a ship. Probably
this
ship. If you do that, you risk not only yourself, but your friends and the future of the Krakens. I am sorry, but I grew up on OS1, and I’m telling you there is no way we could get your brother off-planet. He doesn’t have immunity anymore.”

“Then we give it back to him,” Quentin said. “We sign him to the Krakens.”

John looked at Quentin and nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, that would work.”

Becca stood up. “Are you crazy? John, your brother is a murder suspect.”

“He’s innocent,” John said. “We have to protect him. Tell her, Quentin.”

“Innocent until proven guilty,” Quentin said. “But he won’t have a trial. They’ll just kill him. We have to do the right thing.”

Rebecca shook her head. “The
right thing?
Oh no you don’t. John wants to save his brother, sure, but as for you, Quentin? This isn’t about protecting an innocent man, this is about
football
. He is a
murder
suspect, you idiots! That poor woman is dead because she couldn’t possibly defend herself against someone of Ju’s size.”

“He wouldn’t,” John said. “I’m telling you, my brother is a jerk, but he isn’t like me... he’s not a killer.”

“Has he ever killed anyone on the field?”

“Well, he’s never killed anyone outside of football.”

“He’s taken life,” Rebecca said. “On the field, off the field, on purpose, on accident, it doesn’t matter. He’s a killer, like you, like me.”

John shook his head. “You’re
wrong
, Becca. And even if you’re right, it doesn’t matter. He is my brother. Quentin, have Frederico take us into the Madderch Shaft. I’m going after Ju.”

Becca turned to Quentin. “This is your ship. Don’t take us into Madderch. They’ll be waiting for us.”

“
No
,” John said. “Look, we already had a flight plan filed, before any of this happened. That won’t raise any suspicion. If I try to book commercial travel now, my name will show up somewhere because I’m the brother of a murder suspect. You guys don’t have to go into Madderch with me, but at least get me there.”

Quentin looked at Becca, then at John. John, who had tried to help Quentin find his family. John, who had secretly hired a bodyguard. John, whose brother just so happened to be the best running back in football. Was this about doing the right thing, or was Becca right — was it about the game?

“I’m going with John,” Quentin said.

“But you can’t even sign Ju!” Becca said. “You don’t have that authority.”

Quentin nodded. “Then I guess I’ll have to find someone who does. Frederico?”

The detective stood. “Yes?”

“Get us ready to make the punch to Orbital Station One. We go as soon as I finish my call.”

Quentin walked out of the salon and into his stateroom. He stood in front of the room’s smaller holotank, called up the interface, then punched in a call to the
Touchback
.

• • •

“
BARNES!” HOKOR SAID
, his face slightly larger than life in the holotank. “You will
not
go to OS1! I’m sending the shuttle for you right now, you and your teammates will return to the
Touchback
.”

Quentin crossed his arms and shook his head. “Can’t do that, Coach. I can fix this. Just give me authorization to sign Ju Tweedy.”

“Absolutely not, Barnes. Don’t get involved with him, don’t get involved with Anna Villani. Only Gredok can do something like that.”

“But she’ll kill John’s brother!”

“You do
not
sleep with a gangster’s concubine. John’s brother played with fire. Now, he will pay the price. I will not have his idiocy damaging the players on
my team
.”

“John is going to Madderch with or without your permission, Coach. I can’t let him go alone.”

“
Barnes!
Do not take John Tweedy to Orbital Station One. If you do, Gredok will rip your head right off your narrow, Human neck.”

Quentin closed his eyes, tried to work through the possibilities. If Gredok was in Ionath City, he was a twenty-, maybe thirty-minute trip up to the
Touchback
. Would Gredok come after them? If Quentin were the owner, would he?

Yes. He would. An owner could not let five of his starting players get themselves killed. Quentin wasn’t just a rescuer, he was also bait.

“Coach, we’re going. If Gredok backs our play, we’ll win. If he doesn’t... well, it’s truly been an honor to play football for you.”

“
Barnes!
Don’t you—”

Quentin broke the connection and walked back into the salon.

“Well?” John said. “Is Gredok going to follow us in?”

“Absolutely. He has to. We’re going, right now. Anyone wants out, take the yacht’s shuttle and go to the
Touchback
. Our teammate needs us, so who is in?”

Mum-O-Killowe let out a horrid war cry and waved his upper arms. Sho-Do-Thikit snapped out an arm and flicked Mum-O in the vocal tubes. Mum-O yelped, then fell silent. Sho-Do then banged his upper right hand against his chest. The exchange told Quentin that the two Ki were in, but that Mum-O had spoken out of turn — Sho-Do-Thikit was the alpha, and wasn’t about to let the juvenile defensive tackle forget it.

Quentin looked at Choto. “You’re from OS1, Choto. We need you. Are you in?”

“I am tasked with protecting you,” Choto said. “So if you are going, I have no choice.”

That left only Becca. “Montagne, you want out? Then leave.”

She chewed her lower lip, glaring at him. “You’re a bastard, Barnes. We’re one-and-four, you’re heading into a dangerous situation, and you’re taking our two starting linebackers, our left tackle,
and
our star defensive lineman.”