

# Pray for Rain

### Part 3

## Know Your Enemy

'Dangerous' Walker

Copyright Grahame Walker 2016

Published at Smashwords
WHERE WERE WE?

Ben Grant and his cadre had rescued the people from Gothra's casino and then had gone to Earth, Bangkok to be exact, to stop a defection from Gothra to the Shen Mi. Turns out it was a trap, but Grant got Koleermeer out and extracted the information they needed. Not only that, but they had come across Koey V who was able to give them even more information. Armed with all this info they infiltrated and attacked Gothra's building, taking her out and gaining valuable information at the same time. Perhaps most importantly, they had gained information from Koey V about four locations of Desard criminal enterprise and that is where we pick up the story...
CHAPTER 45

Kaskey had considered that between jobs (as he thought of Haffir, Bangkok and Pelluu) Regrette and Tsyrker disappeared to follow their own jobs, only coming back when Grant needed help. Now he understood that they were going off to gather their own intel on the situation. He wondered, not for the first time, why they were helping Grant and, if they had their own agendas, would they put those first? Whatever the truth, neither had gone anywhere after leaving The Dead Planet of Callevetto. They all sat aboard the Albatross going through the information that Gulch had liberated from Gothra's computer. Thinking about it, perhaps they had stayed _because_ of that information. He guessed it was an insight into the Underworld that, Tsyrker particularly, would want to read.

Well, it wasn't his issue; he wasn't the plan maker. He just found things. He smiled to himself from the cockpit of the Lark as he brought it into atmosphere. While the others discussed the best way to proceed, he had been charged with collecting their friends from Vexupulla as they needed a bigger crew for the ideas that were coming out.

He wasn't landing in Vexupulla though; he'd made his own detour.

"Any problems?" Rorckshift asked as he exited the ship.

"Nope."

"You were faster than I would have thought."

"The opportunity came up; supposed to be picking up some friends."

Rorckshift merely nodded.

"Well, good. Let's get it moved off and into safety."

Once all was done they sat with a drink that Rorckshift had brought.

"Thank you for this," Rorckshift said.

"You helped us in return, remember?"

"Still..."

"Still what, man?"

Rorckshift broke into a rare smile.

"I was going to say this is somewhat more important than what you are doing, but that is only my opinion," he thought about what he had said. "I've been too long with Hendricks and learnt some tact."

Kaskey smiled at that.

"You're probably right though. We're gunning for some criminals. Others will take their place if we're successful. This though? This is bigger than the Universe."

"It is, it is. Hardly believable is it?"

"You've checked?"

"Yes. Seems real enough, but I'll have better equipment here."

"Then you best get on with it, man; I gotta keep going."

"Yes. Yes. I must get back to Callevetto. There must be more to find than this."

"Well, good luck, man," Kaskey held out a hand and Rorckshift shook it.

"And to you. I hope we shall meet again."

"Real shabbus. I want to know what you've discovered."

"Real shabbus?"

"It means 'definitely'."

"Ahh, street talk," he nodded to himself.

"Perhaps you need to get out more, man. Just a little."

"Very well. Until next time."

***

"Hey, hey, hey! Looking forward to your holiday?" Kaskey called out.

"Oh yes. Our, er, holiday," Tandish said.

"That's right, just one big holiday," Kaskey grinned. "How're you doing, big man?"

"Good, Kas. You?" Loveritto replied shaking his hand.

"All clear in the big blue, my man."

"Hey, Kas."

"Hey, Kov. You got bags?"

"Over there. I'd help, but," Kov waved his little robotic arms around.

"Not to worry, just go up into the Lark."

"What's a Lark?" Tandish asked as they took seats in the cockpit.

"A what?" Kaskey asked as he took off.

"A Lark? Your ship."

"Oh right. No, it stands for Landing and Reconnaissance Craft."

"It's also an Earthen bird," Kov said.

"Yeah?" Kaskey asked. "That makes sense with Grant. The ship we're going to is the Albatross."

"Another Earthen bird," Kov told Tandish.

"Never been. Would love to," Loveritto commented.

"Yeah, it's pretty wild," Kaskey grinned to himself.

"You've been?" Tandish asked.

"For the first time recently."

"With Grant," she said.

"I'll fill you in."

***

They caught up with The Albatross in the Evuloxian Galaxy and met the others in the meeting room.

"We always gonna be waiting on you, boy?" Regrette asked.

"Only when I'm late," Kaskey smiled back.

"I can make you 'late', boy," with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah? You gonna mess with my alarm clock?"

"Yeah, wipe your dial."

"Can we start?" Grant asked and they kept quiet. "Good."

Once again Tandish didn't know if they were joking or not, but then Kaskey went and sat down next to Regrette so she assumed everything was OK. She didn't like this Regrette, he just seemed, what? Wrong. Just, well, she was a little scared of him, if she was honest.

"Come and sit down," Grant said with a smile. "Thanks for coming."

"It's a pleasure to work with you, Grant," Loveritto said.

"Shabbus, but everyone's flirting," Tsyrker said.

"Enough, Rain," Grant said sternly, but she was already distracted.

Gulch had raised an eyebrow at Kaskey and he'd given a slight nod back. Serious faces. Now what was that all about? She remembered they both seemed pretty pleased with themselves when they'd all got back to the Dead Planet from Earth. And of course Rorckshift and Hendricks had agreed to join them. Interesting.

"First up, you don't have to stay, you don't have to get involved," Grant said. "We'll run through everything and if anyone wants to back out, that's fine. We're straying into dangerous territory here."

"Straying?" Regrette asked.

"Marching," Kaskey said.

"Drunkenly shambling."

"Regrette," Grant rebuked and Regrette went quiet.

Tsyrker grinned at Regrette and Kaskey until Grant gave her the eye and she looked at the table. Shabbus, but it was like teaching at primary school. At least from what he'd heard; he'd rather go after the Desards than be a teacher. Far less stressful being shot at.

"Let's go through the basics," Gulch told the table. "We've got two branches here. We've been told that a ganger named Cobroy can lead us to Maggie Desard and also that if we hit four targets it will bring her out."

"Namely?" Kov asked.

"Kagar, Polince, Randaritchia and Wiloth."

They all looked at him blankly.

"And?" Tandish asked.

"And we're not getting to that yet," Grant said.

"You were all brilliant at the casino," Tsyrker said, "but this is something else. This Cobroy is on a different level to Gothra."

"Right," Grant said. "We're getting into shoot-first-don't-bother-with-questions-later territory. They think something is going to mess with their operation, then they'll shut it down."

"Fast and," Regrette clapped his hands together, "hard."

Tandish jumped a little. She really didn't like this man.

"We're not scared," she still managed to say.

"Really?" Regrette peered at her. It felt like he was examining her soul.

"Really," Loveritto said. He pulled a bag off of the floor and opened it on the table, its contents spilling out.

"Ooh," Regrette clapped his hands together. "Guns."

"We've been practising," Tandish told Grant. "Well, not Kov, but me and Loveritto."

"I like you, I do," Regrette told Loveritto gleefully.

"They're just a tool," Loveritto told Regrette.

"People say that as if tools aren't important; tools built this Universe," Regrette said.

"Is that a Yernolt Pulse?" Tsyrker asked reaching out to it.

"Yeah, er, I got that..." he trailed off.

"Worry not, my friend, see this?" Regrette pulled out a pistol. "Stole it from an orphaned widow; or was it a widowed orphan? Point is, you put it to good use then it doesn't matter where you got it from."

"Ignore his shabbus, but he's right," Tsyrker said. "May I?"

"Of course," Loveritto pushed it over to her.

She picked it up and she looked way too content holding it in her hands; like holding a baby, Tandish thought.

"What is it?" Kaskey asked and Tandish was glad that someone else was as lost as she.

"It's just a gun," Gulch said dismissively.

"Just a gun?" Regrette shrilled and Gulch glared at him.

"Yernolt found a way to store, briefly, the laser blast so that it built up into a stronger blast," Tsyrker explained. "Due to the charge time they never found a good use for it during the war and after no more were made."

"Quite the collector's item," Grant chipped in.

"Well yes," Loveritto said a little sheepishly. "I quite like guns."

"Finally a man after my own heart. Boy? You're fired, Loveritto here's taking your place."

"Can we get back to the matter in hand?" Gulch asked crossly.

"Yes, you're very right," Grant conceded.

"Regrette?" Gulch asked.

"Alright, alright, but," he looked at Loveritto, "when this is done, you, me and some Pargkats."

Loveritto merely nodded, he was a little embarrassed that they'd been told off by Gulch.

"Now where were we?" Gulch asked.

"We're not scared," Kov said.

"Right," Tandish agreed. "You called and we came."

"But this isn't casino security, this is a gang. This is the gang that kidnapped those girls in the first place," Grant said.

"Then I'm in all the more," Tandish said firmly.

"We've been asked to listen first," Kov said calmly.

"Right, OK, sorry."

"It's cool," Kaskey smiled at her.

"If you agree to join us, then we'll split into teams, that's why we called you in on this," Grant explained. "We have two hits on getting to Maggie Desard and we want to go for both. Our information tells us that this Cobroy might know Maggie better than we might have thought. Gulch?"

"Right. So we need to do a stake out on him and we also need to go and get eyes on the four targets. This information is great, but it doesn't replace our own intel."

"So what are these four places?" Kov asked.

"Good question," Gulch smiled at him. Nice to have another level head in the room.

"Wiloth is a port; Randaritchia is a hotel; Kagar is an area of bars, restaurants and the like; Polince is a, well, what we're interested in is a bank," Grant said.

"We're hitting their money," Loveritto said.

"He's quick," Regrette said. "Should've hired him instead of the boy."

"Right," Grant said ignoring Regrette. "That's how it'll bring the Desards out."

"But we can't bring them out without knowing what we're getting into, that's why we're still hitting Cobroy," Tsyrker said.

"What do we know of him?" Kov asked.

"I've created information packs for you all. I've tried to tailor them as best as I could to you, but please tell me how to do better," Gulch told the three new arrivals.

"As an overview though," Grant said, "he's a Fixer, not just a gang leader as we thought. He fills holes; makes deals to cover ones that fall through; takes out trouble."

"It would have been him that would have secured new slaves for the Loggajello after our sudden emancipation of them," Gulch continued. "It would be him that would hunt us down for causing so much trouble."

"Swift and brutal," Regrette nodded.

"And is he?" Tandish asked a little worried. "Hunting us?"

"No," Grant shook his head. "The casino was Gothra's and we suspect her bead on us in Bangkok was hers alone."

"That being said," Rainsford said, "we're there if they look hard enough. Any future actions might lead to our past involvements."

"You warned us about joining you; does he worry you?" Tandish asked.

"Nope," Regrette said.

"No," Tsyrker said at the same time.

"Shabbus, yeah," Kaskey said.

Loveritto, Kov and Tandish looked at Grant.

"Yes," he said finally. "We can't treat him lightly..."

"Mssh."

"...but we can take him. We're a strong team. We work as one and, yes, we can do this."

Tandish, Loveritto and Kov looked at each other.

"Then we're in," Kov said. "What do you want us to do?"

***

"Entering a man's world," Rainsford sat down.

"Sorry?" Tandish looked up from her dossier.

"Entering a man's world."

"Is that how you see it?"

"It's how it's seen. It's how we're seen. We're the weak ones, the ones with the innate desire to nurture, not destroy."

"But you're not weak," Tandish argued and Rainsford smiled.

"And neither are you. I want you to remember that. Men think strength comes from muscle and size, but it doesn't. It comes from the heart and mind. It's harder to build than destroy."

Tandish nodded, though she still didn't feel that strong.

"Grant knows this, that's why we work for him; it's why even you guys naturally deferred to him. Most of the bad people in the Universe, most of the criminals, are bad because it was the easier choice."

"What about Regrette?"

Tsyrker smiled.

"He scare you?"

She started to shake her head, then: "Yes."

"He should, he's a dangerous man."

"He loves guns."

Tsyrker gave a short laugh.

"He does. He does because he doesn't have to," Tandish gave her a confused look. "Guns are a tool that take over the job of the hands. To Regrette they are an interesting toy."

Tandish's face went from confused to disgust.

"That's not right; they're a weapon to kill people."

"As am I. As we sit right now I have ten unique ways I could kill you."

From disgust to fear, but Tsyrker smiled kindly.

"But I'm not am I? Martial arts are used for defence and they take patience and training. Guns only destroy, Tandish, what does that mean?"

"That they're weak...?"

"Very good. You are here because you wish to do good, that makes you stronger than anyone you will come up against."

Tandish looked at her. She was a killing machine, but she was strong. From what she had said she was strong not because of that, but despite it. And she, as a woman, could bring life into the world; raise and protect a child and that was a greater strength than any gun, any weapon. She nodded slowly to herself. She was strong because she was a woman. Tsyrker smiled at her as if she could read the understanding on her face. Which she absolutely could.

"OK. Yes. Still, a few of those ten ways couldn't hurt. For self-defence..."

Rainsford laughed.

"Stand up and I'll show you some basic moves."
CHAPTER 46

"That was some pretty impressive shooting," Regrette said.

"Well, it was nothing compared to you," Loveritto replied.

"Mssh, it's my job, I have to."

"Hey, where you been?" Kaskey asked.

"All over, boy, shooting range, workshop, hanger."

"Well, we're just about ready to go. Grant's looking for you."

"Well, why didn't you say?"

"I just did."

"Come then, fellow minions, let's see what the master orders."

Regrette strode off and Kaskey gave Loveritto a look, who just shrugged in reply. Kaskey nodded and they caught up with Regrette.

"Look at this," Regrette said to Kaskey.

"It's a gun."

"Mssh. No. Loveritto here has tweaked it. Did you know you could get twenty-five percent more power out of the clip? 'Cause I didn't."

"No. No, I didn't know that," Kaskey admitted.

"He knows his guns, he does. Got my Krieger reloading smoother and faster too. Plus he poo-pooed my Branting, reckons the Wijk II is better. I might just agree with him there, you know?"

"You don't seriously think I care, right?"

"Nope, just magnanimously keeping you in the conversation, boy. That's me, Magnanimous Steve."

"You don't strike me as a gun nut, Loveritto."

"Well, it's more the mechanics of them, but they do possess some beauty."

"Right. I also let him take a look at The Wraith. Took him five minutes to give it better fuel consumption and longer range on the guns," Regrette enthused.

"He let you on his ship?"

"Yeah..."

"Wow."

"He doesn't take much care of it," Loveritto said. "That's why I could..."

"Don't put yourself down," Regrette butted in. "You're a genius. And I'll take better care of it now, I promise."

"Here we are," Kaskey said unnecessarily.

"Don't be down, boy, I'm sure we'll find something you're good at. Eventually."

"I'm sure there's a lot of people out there who'd be interested in your exact whereabouts," Kaskey said as Regrette walked into the room.

"Ooh, fighting talk. I like fighting talk," Regrette said without turning.

***

"Rhytoid's was a good choice," Gulch said as they headed down the corridor.

"And I would never have thought to use the Saldatt Injunction in the root files," Kov replied.

"You have to watch the timing though, especially with alarms," Gulch warned.

"Heeded. And I missed that other trip."

"There's a lot to think about. As I said, I list. Between that and logical thinking most bases are covered."

"Right and it is that kind of clear head that gives the speed."

"Yes," Gulch nodded. "Speed not haste," they said in unison.

"Good," Gulch smiled. "You'll be fine. You have a keen mind and a sharp intellect. I can't see how you ended up on security."

"I would say it's a long story, but aren't they all?"

Gulch laughed. "Mostly."

"Nothing dramatic though, office politics. I taught at Dosilumea University; engineering mainly, but also electronics, IT and some Design and Tech."

"I'm impressed," Gulch said.

Dosilumea was the best Carute University and one of the best in the whole Universe. To lecture there was a great achievement, especially for one so young.

"Yes, well, my key research was on travelling between galaxies since the star-gate technology is lost to us. At the time there was a lot of money going into trying to recreate the so-called Lost Technology or something new that would do the same thing. I am not ruthless, I shall just say that."

"And others were. They discredited you?"

"Stole research, destroyed some to set us back."

"And they won the contract."

"I was pushed out, along with most of the team I was working with. The idiots..." Kov sighed.

"What?"

"They didn't really know what we had; they destroyed the more important stuff. What they stole didn't get them much farther. All they did was set the research back a couple of decades."

"I'm sorry," Gulch frowned.

"It was a long time ago now. I am happy where I am, Gulch."

Gulch nodded, but he didn't believe it.

***

"You good?" Kaskey had asked.

"Huh?" Grant looked up.

"You good? For this?"

"Yeah."

"You don't seem so sure," Kaskey sat down.

Grant had been thinking it over. What Rain had said about Cobroy being on a different level to Gothra. Well, yeah, and then Maggie was on another level still. He was, once again, questioning whether he should be doing it, whether he was the person for it, whether he had left the InterG to make a difference or to stop making a difference. He liked finding stuff; he hadn't liked being an InterG.

He'd left the InterG because they didn't do enough, there was too much bureaucracy; they were watched and audited while the criminals had free reign. But was he really any more useful now? Even if they could stop the Desards, would it make any difference? Crime wouldn't suddenly cease in the Universe. What, if anything, they would buy is time. It would take a little longer for people to get screwed over by crims. Even now someone would have taken over Hounsards' business and someone would have been elected to fill Gothra's space in the organisation.

Was it worth the risk?

"I'm not sure I've been so fair on the InterG," Grant said finally.

"Yeah?" Kaskey raised his eyebrows in surprise and interest.

"Perhaps we never made a difference because we couldn't. Perhaps we made a difference where we were. Perhaps it was me that was at fault."

"That's a lot of perhapsing."

Grant managed a tight smile.

"I've tried not to think about it."

"So why start now? I thought you looked forward, man."

"Yeah, I have been and it's not pretty."

"So what is it? About the 'G?"

"I wasn't happy. With the way things were done, but maybe I was looking at it wrong. Maybe I was always looking too big, instead of just trying to make a difference where I was."

"Well we're going big now."

"Yeah, maybe too big. Maybe big doesn't make the difference, maybe small does."

"In this Universe, man, you make your actions make a difference. You do something that accidentally screws someone over; you do something else to fix it, right?"

"Yeah."

"So it's the same here. You do what you need to do to make sure this helps people."

Grant just nodded.

"I don't want to do this, Grant. Seriously. I don't know how any of you do. I want to go back to pretending none of this happens, or at least isn't my problem. We keep talking about going higher up in the Underworld, but we're not going higher, we're going lower. Into the mud, into the filth and I'm scared it'll never wash off."

"Then why?"

"Because you're right. Because it's there and because it's wrong and because if I don't do something about it, then who will? Plus, you're getting pretty old for this kind of thing," he grinned.

Grant couldn't stop a smile spreading on his own face.

"Look around you, man, you inspire people to fight injustice. To be better than they are. You're doing the right thing, Grant, you are.

"Alright. Go and find the others. I'm not sure where Steve and Loveritto have got to."

"Cool," Kaskey got up and walked to the door.

"And, Kas?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"No worries, man."

"I knew there was a reason I hired you."

"Yup, bring down the average age of the group," Kaskey said as he headed out the door.

***

So now they were all gathered again.

"Questions," Grant said.

They all shook their heads. Gulch's briefings had been very thorough.

"Don't engage in any way if you don't have to, but at the same time, don't try not to. As soon as you act strangely you'll be remembered."

"First rule in something like this is be creative," Tsyrker said. "Look for ways in, anything that could be a go. Even if it seems stupid, we can nix them later."

"Me and Loveritto at the bars; Tsyrker and Tandish at the port, what're you two doing?" Kaskey asked.

"Regrette's going to check on Cobroy, I'm going to return the mining deeds to Camilleron and then I thought a nice holiday," he smiled at them.

"That's what it's like at the top, people," Kaskey said sadly.

"Right?" Regrette chimed in. "Get their name on the door, but don't do the work."

"Lost touch with the common man," Gulch added solemnly.

"I'm not sure any of you guys count as common," Grant said.

"What about our three, humble security guards?" Regrette asked with high-pitched indignation. "Just normal, good, hard working folk."

"Who are uncommon enough to still be here with you guys," Kov said with a smile.

"Could we?" Tsyrker asked calmly.

"Right," Grant pointed at her. "Most likely I'll join up with Steve; unless something of interest comes up elsewhere."

"I have a question," Loveritto raised his hand and Regrette deftly lowered it.

"Go for it," Grant said.

"We're doing this to get the attention of the Desards, but how're they going to know it's us?"

"Well, number one, it's not us. They're not going to know of your involvement."

"That's unfair," Tandish burst out.

"Think about what you're saying," Tsyrker admonished. "You want a dangerous crime family to know your face?"

"If I'm in, then yes. I want them to know I did it."

"Is she brave or stupid?" Regrette asked the table. "I'm going for the latter."

"I'm going for the former," Loveritto said seriously.

"Ahhh, and there you go disappointing me. That's the one good thing about the boy, he started off disappointing."

"Nowhere to go but up," Kaskey said.

"If only, if only," Regrette said wearily. "Now back to stupid, and you are stupid. I don't want the Desards knowing my face unless I know it's the last thing they'll ever see. Neither does Rain, nor Grant. So answer me this, are you going to be brave or stupid?"

Tandish was incredibly hurt, but it was more from embarrassment and foolishness. She looked at Tsyrker, her friend and ally, but she was just looking at her, waiting for an answer.

"Alright. Lesson learnt. Is that what you want?"

"It is," Rainsford spoke a lot more tenderly than Regrette had. "We appreciate your zeal, but one slip up here will get you dead."

"Goes for you too," Regrette pointed a finger gun at Loveritto.

"I don't plan on disappointing," he replied.

"I don't think he likes me," Regrette commented to Kaskey.

"I can't imagine why not," Kaskey said to the ceiling.

"I know, right?"

"You did well in the Casino, all three of you," Grant said. "I'm not worried that you'll do anything but the right thing here. It came naturally to you then and it will now. I choose my team very carefully."

"Except for Regrette," Kaskey told them, "he just keeps turning up."

"Nowhere else to go," Regrette shrugged.

"I can think of a place," Tandish said before she thought about it.

Oh, shabbus, she thought as he turned his eyes upon her. They narrowed and his face drew serious.

"Such as?"

She thought she was going to pee her pants, she was so scared, but then she realised something. He wasn't mocking her, he was taking her seriously and she knew that if she didn't follow through then this was the end for her.

"Better than page fifteen," she said.

His face dropped and then he burst out laughing.

"Valkswagon, but you're right. I like you," he turned to Grant, "I like her."

"Page fifteen?" Grant asked.

"Coblidge," Kaskey said.

"You're a dark horse, boy," Regrette turned back to Tandish. "As are you, but you know why I'm back there? Because I keep myself and what I do hidden. You do the same."

She tried to look him in the eye, but failed and just nodded.

"As she said, lesson learnt, for all of us," Kov said.

"Good," Grant said with finality. "To finish answering your question, we'll feed any information we want known through Cobroy. We don't want to be known, but we want to be known enough to ultimately draw out Pa."

"We need to hit four places without anyone catching wind of us while advertising ourselves at the same time," Tsyrker said.

"Then let's stop all this yabbering and get on out there," Regrette said.
CHAPTER 47

Steven Regrette sat in a bar on Zalinff's Gate, a moon of Kargus I.

"There you are, where've you been?" a Jobru said climbing onto the bar stool next to him.

"Here and there," Regrette shrugged.

"I've been trying to reach you."

"Well here I am," Regrette replied matter-of-factly.

"So you've come about Cobroy."

"I have, Heiteu, I'm getting closer to Hewy. Wait. How'd you know?"

"What? Well, you got my messages, didn't you?"

"No..."

"Then...?"

"Just tell me," Regrette said.

"Cobroy's not an easy get, even for you. Keeps to the shadows, doesn't stick his neck out. He knows the Underworld and he plays it."

Regrette twirled his finger in the Universal signal of 'get on with it'.

"He hired some kids a while back. Smart kids, rich; you know the type, got everything so want more."

"Oh, I know," Regrette grinned. "Only too well."

"Right, well. One of 'em got involved in some cult or something. Nasty business, real violent. Took out the other three lads from what I hear."

"I'm looking forward to the day this story ends."

"He knows. A lot. Enough to bring Cobroy out. He's off with this cult and anything he shares could put the Desards in danger, which is a death sentence for Cobroy."

Regrette smiled.

"Don't listen to what the others say, Heiteu, you're worth the money."

"What? What do people..."

"So why hasn't he found him? This boy?"

"Threefold. One, lot of people happy to see Cobroy crash and burn; two, he can't ask around too much anyway, can't let the Desards get wind of it; and three, it's a nasty cult, Regrette, people are scared to talk."

"But I'm assuming I'm here buying you drinks because you do know something."

"You haven't bought me a drink."

"I'll fund the rest of your evening if you've got something good."

"I know where the kid is," Heiteu smiled.

"So tell."

Heiteu's face darkened.

"It's dangerous, Steve."

"Mssh."

"Seriously. I've looked into this cult, there ain't a lot out there on them, and what there is ain't pretty."

Regrette looked Heiteu in the eyes. He'd known him for a long time and he'd rarely, if ever, seen him like this.

"Alright. What? I'll be careful. I'll take extra guns. That OK?"

"Take Grant."

***

"You think Gothra set this up?" Grant asked.

"Didn't you say she suggested the boys to Cobroy?" Regrette asked back.

"Right."

Regrette looked out of the car window into the rain.

"If she was trying to tear down the Desards, what was she getting out of it?" he asked

"There's someone else involved in all of this. Whoever supplied her with the troops to protect her building."

"So they'd set her up in the Desard's place?"

"That's what we told Koleermeer. Promote a lesser person into the number one position," Grant said.

"Have we, by getting involved, stopped the thing we're trying to do?"

It was Grant's turn to look out of the window.

"Yes, no, maybe. It's starting to look like someone was trying to take out both the Desards and the Shen Mi and we've stopped that happening. However, do you want whoever that is running the joint?"

Regrette smiled to himself.

"No. Nor do I believe they exist."

"The Shadow Archetype," Grant said darkly.

"That's what Koleermeer knew that made him such a catch to the Shen Mi."

"He talked about it," Grant said. "With a little help."

"She did torture him," Regrette beamed. "I thought she seemed spry."

"He was willing to talk. Seems it weighed heavily on him."

"It's shabbus, Grant. There's no secret organisation running the Universe."

"You're right. They're not. They're just a collection of very powerful people with a particular goal."

"Which is?"

"Here we go," Grant said straightening.

They were in the city of Ictopia, not too far from Grant's own city of Karllt. Their intel was that this kid was trying to attract people to his cause. It had been as Regrette had said, hard to find information, but not as hard as for Cobroy. He was being stonewalled, and once again it seemed to Grant that maybe there was some engineering in the situation.

Now they were watching the kid walk into a bar and not the type of bar that he would have survived in when Cobroy had hired him.

"Let's go then," Regrette said.

"Yeah..."

"What?"

"I'm not sure me walking into that bar is going to help matters."

"I thought you just found stuff?" Regrette smiled slyly.

"Tell that to them."

"Well I'll go and have a look, shall I? He's going to be a lot harder to get to with a crew."

"Doesn't look like that's gonna be an issue, look."

They both watched as the kid was manhandled out of the bar and chucked onto the street. They couldn't hear the words exchanged, but they could both guess they weren't pleasant.

"Well, valkswagon, what do you have to do to get kicked out of a bar in Ictopia?" Regrette wondered.

The kid got up, dusted himself off and then opened the door and threw something in before walking off. The 'something' exploded, blowing the door off and the windows out. The whole bar was on fire before Regrette or Grant could react and there would be no survivors.

"What the shabbus?" Grant asked.

"Don't lose him," Regrette warned.

Grant started the car and pulled away.

"What are doing when we catch up to him?" he asked

"See if he wants a lift?" Regrette suggested.

"I remember why I don't let you make the plans."

"Just don't lose him and don't get seen."

"You know I did this for a job, right?" Grant asked.

"It doesn't show."

Grant pulled to the kerb as the kid disappeared into another bar.

"We really need a photo of him," he said.

"You want to get incinerated?" Regrette asked with raised eyebrows.

"Nope. I'm sending you in."

"Also why you make the plans,' Regrette frowned.

"It has its advantages."

"Mssh," Regrette said as he opened the door.

Grant was actually kind of worried. According to what Gulch had managed to find out, this cult was bad. Real bad. Though it was not well known, and not even believed to exist by many, the deeds attributed to it caused even his hardened stomach to turn in disgust.

He was thankful to see Regrette walk out not long after entering. He didn't come to the car though; just flicked his chin slightly in a motion that Grant knew was telling him to go. He started the car and pulled away just before Regrette passed him. Considering they hadn't designated a meeting place, Grant had to assume they would meet back at the ship and headed towards the port.

This was an interesting turn up, but what did it mean? Obviously he didn't want to be seen getting into the car with someone else and that suggested the kid was watching him. Was the kid suspicious of him? It strained the imagination to think some kid had clocked Regrette, so what else? Had he made contact? The bar hadn't gone up in flames by the time he lost it from view, so that was a plus. Or a minus? These kinds of bars were filled with criminals; the whole city was; he couldn't mourn a few going up in smoke, though that wasn't the way to do it.

Again he had to worry about his thoughts. Taking lives, even criminal's, in cold blood was not OK, but wasn't that what he had done to Gothra? He had decided to be hard and cold as it was the only way to get the Desards and it was too late to stop now, but after? After he would have to take a long hard look at himself and his life. This was not him; he just found stuff.

***

"So?" Grant asked on board the Wraith.

"So what?"

"Don't be difficult."

"Force of habit."

"So?" Grant pushed.

"So I got hired."

"You what?"

Regrette shrugged.

"Kid's got an eye for talent."

"Tell me."

Regrette directed him to fly to Karllt as he retold what had happened.

"Gimme a pack of Faro's and a shot of Paut while I'm waiting," I demand angrily.

"There's no wait, sir, I got the pack here," the young bartender tells me.

"Well then take long enough for me to drink my Paut, boy, I'm not in the mood."

"Yes, sir."

So I get my shot and the poor boy is just slowly lifting the pack, keeping an eye on me to finish, when the kid comes and sits next to me at the bar.

"Carute and Cob," he orders. "And one for the gentleman here."

"What am I? A girl? Needing to water down a fine drink?" I ask.

"Well, make it two straight Carutes."

The poor bartender looks at me and I nod in confirmation. He puts the pack down with relief.

"Now tell me why you're buying me a drink?" I ask the kid all gruff-like.

"I've been looking for a man like you," he says and I give him a look. He flusters. "I mean someone dangerous like you."

"What makes you think I'm dangerous?"

"I can feel it. We're kindred spirits, you and I."

"You sure you're not coming on to me?"

"Don't be crass. I have something more important; a higher calling."

"Good for you," I say and turn back to the bar to drink my Carute. "Just leave it on the bar and get lost," I growl at the poor bartender and he puts my pack down and walks to the other end of the bar.

"You're not part of this Universe, not the UTN and all it's lies. Not even a part of this filth infested city. You're more than that and I can give you a place where you belong."

I give him a good long look then.

"Alright, I'm listening."

"Come with me to Karllt, I have more people waiting there. People like us. We have an empire to build and we'll need resources."

"In Karllt?" I incredulise.

"No," that annoyed him. "The Twin Cities. We'll get all the money we need from those fat, lazy Chillderggers."

Well blah, blah, blah, he gives me info and then says:

"There's one more thing. I want you to prove you are in, I want you to kill someone, anyone, in this bar."

I look around it. There's only maybe ten people in there including us and the barman.

"No."

He looks at me with a mixture of sadness and anger.

"You must prove..."

"And then what? Get my face known? I'll never get through the port."

"Then kill them all," he smiles an evil smile.

"No, and I'll tell you why. I've got no problem killing people and of all places you can bet the people in this city deserve it, but I'm not going to kill just because some kid tells me to."

"I can't tell you more until you prove..."

"So be it," I say, stand and grab my beers.

"OK, wait," says he, I think he really could sense that I was dangerous, someone he desperately needed for his little gang.

I sit and he tells me the when and where and I nod and leave.

"And now I'm here with you," Regrette finished.

"You get pictures?"

"Already sent them to Gulch, plus his tattoo. Gave me a good look at it as he sat down. I think he was hoping I'd recognise it.

"Did you?"

"Nope. Here, have a look."

"Means nothing to me. Gulch?"

" _Here, Grant."_

"That's one of the tattoos you found, right?"

" _Right, the one with nothing on it. Some kind of cult, I think it said. Guessing it's one and the same."_

"Send it to Rain, I want to know if she recognises it."

" _Wilco."_

They were just arriving at Karllt's space port when Tsyrker got in touch.

" _What's this about?"_ she asked _._

"Hello to you too," Regrette replied.

"It's a Cobroy lead. You recognise it?"

" _Yeah. Dangerous, Grant, really dangerous. I don't know a lot, but it's a cult. They prove themselves through depravity. Rape, torture and murder, sometimes as part of ritual, sometimes just because."_

"Great."

" _Listen Grant, and you Regrette, a lot of this is theory. You need to get as much information on this as you can without giving up Cobroy."_

"That's not the plan," Grant argued.

" _This is serious, Ben. Any information you get could be used to save lives."_

"We working for you now?" Regrette asked with a sneer.

" _You'll get paid handsomely for it,"_ she assured.

"Why didn't you say?" Regrette chirped. "I'm all in."

" _This could be more important than the Desards, Grant. Find out what you can, something about a king that they worship."_

"Alright, alright, but I won't lose my chance at Cobroy for this."

" _Understood."_
CHAPTER 48

"So what's your read?" Grant asked from the cockpit of the Wraith.

"I don't like walking in without knowing who these others are or how many, but the kid? He's dangerous because he's evil, but he's not, you know, me dangerous."

"You think he's evil?"

"Yeah. Brainwashed, maybe, but got no empathy, no goodness. You saw what he did to that bar."

"Kinda reckless," Grant said.

"Right? That's where he's dangerous. He's got the urge to be bad, to hurt others."

"But still reckless. I mean, he could have been identified or caught."

"Not sure he'd care. Maybe it's one of those rewards-if-you-die programmes," Regrette raised a shoulder in a half-arsed shrug.

"Alright, well it's time to move. I'll be close."

"It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside to know," Regrette waved his hands in excitement.

"It'll be a shame if you don't make it back."

Regrette left the ship and walked out of the port. He didn't see or feel anyone watching him and that was good, you could never be quite certain that no one knew his ship. He walked to a bar near the port, the designated meeting place with the kid who, as yet, had not introduced himself. He was playing it cagey, a wise move. Just enough info to get Regrette to come, not enough to worry if he didn't show.

The kid had been serious about killing someone though, and Regrette wondered if he would have to, or something similar, in order to get into the gang. Tsyrker would want him to do whatever to get the information; Grant would not. Well, sorry, Rain, but he was with Grant on this one. This cult stuff didn't interest him, getting to Hewy did and Grant was his ticket to that.

He walked into the bar and clocked the kid. He also clocked four others around the place that looked like they were waiting for someone or something. There was always that moment when Regrette tensed inside, ready for him to be the target. Did this kid know something and had lured him here? He didn't see how he could.

"I'm glad you came," the kid said, meeting him. "Come and sit, have a drink."

Regrette followed him to a table and the kid really did seem relieved that he had shown up. That made Regrette happy, it suggested that he was the most professional, most experienced person here. And indeed it seemed to be the case when the other four joined them. All men and all had that same look, one of being beaten down. People who had nothing and were willing to do anything to get something back; or maybe just take some revenge on the Universe that gave them so little, treated them so badly. These men could just as easily be trying to find that at the bottom of a bottle of Carute Whiskey as be here. That was where the kid was different, coming from a rich, comfortable life; this was just the next step in getting everything and anything he wanted. This cult hadn't stolen his empathy from him, he'd probably never really had it. It was something that seemed to get lost once the bank account reached a certain number.

"So, how's it going?" Regrette asked with a friendly smile.

"Who's this?" one of the men, another Human, asked.

He had a shaved head on a stocky body and sported scars and tattoos in equal abundance.

"We don't have names," the kid said, "he is merely Four."

"But there are five of us," Regrette pointed out.

"You'll refer to me as Leader."

Regrette smiled internally, the kid had all the pomp and bluster, but you could hear it falter when trying to be the big man in front of Regrette. Though he wouldn't say it, he knew that Regrette was the alpha male in this situation. That's why he had wanted him, someone who knew what they were doing.

"So who got to be One?"

"I did," a Tarancort said. He didn't seem like a bruiser, more like an office worker. Perhaps an accountant; even evil cults needed accountants.

"Good for you, nice to be Number One sometimes, am I right?"

"Well, yes, I suppose it is," the accountant smiled feebly.

"We're not here to be pleasant," Leader said crossly. "Each one of these men has proven himself. Except you."

"Mssh."

"What?" the Tarancort asked. "Why not? I had to."

It seems it wasn't a pleasant experience for the accountant.

"We all did," said the last man, an Oncolutian. He also had 'hard life' painted all over him, but with a pain of sadness, of loss perhaps, in his eyes.

"And so will he," Leader assured them.

"Mssh," Regrette said again. "We getting drinks or you got someplace around here to go?"

"We cannot go there; we cannot reveal the truth until you have proven that you are in."

"But I don't know what I'm getting into, do I?"

"I told you," Leader said shortly. "Power. A freedom from this crass way of life. True knowledge; more than even the Shores of Dawn can offer."

"So you want me to kill someone, is that it?"

"It is the ultimate power. One can only gain true life by taking it."

"Well let's go then. We don't want to be sitting here when the blood and screaming starts."

"Who?" Leader asked keenly with a shine to his eyes.

"That guy at the bar, just walked in. I'll do it as we pass."

They all got up and walked through the bar to the door. As they passed a man sitting on a bar stool, Regrette stabbed him. As they reached the door, Leader looked back to see the man stand up, blood pouring from a wound, and then fall to the floor. He ushered his little group out as someone screamed.

***

Well.

Leader was over the moon that Regrette had proven himself and in the short drive he gushed about the things they would do. Regrette tuned most of it out, though the others lapped it up. Something about a king, talk about how 'they' would notice them, not just in this Universe, but in others. In the space between. Regrette listened to that for a while, something about the Outerfield. It all sounded loony to Regrette, but it did remind him of something he'd heard in connection with the Shadow Archetype (though he couldn't remember exactly what) and then he tuned out again as the Leader talked about future glories. He was getting bored and would have shot them all then and there if it wasn't for Tsyrker. He'd get to their base and then he'd pop them, she could have whatever was there.

Which wasn't a lot. There were maps and pictures up on the wall and Regrette recognised them as from the Twin Cities. There were also a few maps of Karllt.

"We need to do a ritual here first," Leader said. "We must keep it low key considering we will be returning here. I have all the details of what we will need."

On saying this he pulled out a computer and switched it on. Regrette waited until it had booted up and Leader had found what he needed.

"I have a copy of the Oxine Ritual here, from 'The Galwaith Fantasies', I actually saw it," he enthused, "held it in my hands, read from it. Such dark secrets."

"That's it, I'm now officially bored," Regrette said and stood up.

He pulled his gun and shot each man, one by one.

"Alright, Grant, they're asleep."

***

"Well this is all very interesting, Edward," Grant said.

"That's not my name," Leader snarled.

"Yeah, yeah it is. We found the bodies of your parents, by the way."

"Hmm, dig deeper, kid," Regrette mused.

"I have no parents; I am born again from the roots of the Forest of Gu."

"No, not yet. At least according to your notes," Grant tapped the computer.

"You've got a nice writing style, but your topics are somewhat... niche," Regrette commented.

"You," Leader seethed.

"Me," Regrette grinned. "That's been your problem all along, Eddie, you've been blinded by power and you were blinded by mine."

"Still, back to the matters in hand," Grant said.

"I know you," Leader said.

"No you don't."

"I do," he thought about it and his face dropped. "You're the guy he killed in the bar."

"Oh, right, yeah. About that..."

Both Grant and Regrette watched his face compose and could see the thinking in his eyes. This was planned, it was a sting to capture him, but they weren't InterG, Cobroy had given them harsh lessons on how to deal with InterG if caught. This wasn't how it went. Well, one of them might be, but Four? No, he was something else, that's why he'd recruited him.

Tried to recruit him.

"What do you want?" Leader asked.

"There's a good boy," Regrette smiled.

"I'll tell you this now," Grant said. "I couldn't give a shabbus about all of this," he gestured to the computer. "I want Cobroy."

Leader laughed.

"Have him."

"See?" Grant asked Regrette. "I said he could be accommodating."

"But what do I get out of this?"

"Well I'd say your life, but I think you'd happily lay it down for your cause."

"Then I would be noticed," Leader said triumphantly.

"So I'll just let you go. Oh, you won't be able to complete your mission in the Twin Cities, but you'll be free."

"I don't believe you."

"Listen here, kid, I hate to break it to you, but there isn't a place between the Universes, there isn't even other Universes. You've been duped, but hey, if that's your thing, that's cool," Regrette explained.

"You let me go and I'll kill again," he said.

"And that's not our watch," Grant replied.

"You're cold," Leader smiled. "I like that."

"I want Cobroy," Grant said forcefully.

"More than happy," Leader smiled.

"Because you were a plant all along," Regrette said.

"You're hunting the Desards, that I am happy to help you with."

"That was your thing, wasn't it?" Regrette asked. "All of this was for you, but your mission..."

Leader nodded.

"Honestly, you try to take down a crime family and it turns out everyone else and their dog is trying it too," Regrette lamented.

"You were always supposed to get caught," Grant said. "Just not by us."

"I wanted to prove myself first," Leader frowned.

"Everyone wants a piece of the pie," Regrette said.

"But no one tastes it first," Grant finished. "What was it that you were to share?"

"Cobroy, he trusted us. We were smart and he needed brains in his operation. Some of his higher-ups had just been caught or killed and he needed to fill those slots. He told us a lot, groomed us to take those positions. It would have been Davy..." Leader's face fell and he was Edward for a brief moment. "A Fixer is like a shark, strong and fearsome in its natural habitat, but bring it out of the shadows and it is weak. Knows too much. It has to, doesn't it? To do its job."

"Talk," Grant commanded.

And so he talked.

And when he'd finished a Typan walked in.

"You know what this is?" Regrette asked with a devilish smile.

Leader looked it up and down.

"No idea. Some UTN slave," Leader replied and did an awfully good job at keeping the fear out of his voice.

Both of the men rightly believed the only reason he could was that he didn't know what a Typan was.

"My bonds bring freedom to others," the Typan said in a harsh, metallic voice designed to scare the listener further.

"Well that I can agree with."

"You're coming with me," the Typan said and lifted Leader into the air by his arm.

"You shabwozers, you promised me freedom," he whined and struggled.

"And maybe you'll still get it, Edward, but to catch a shark we need some bait," Grant smiled.

The Typan walked out, Edward Sutton now limp in it's grip.

"What do you think will happen to him?" Regrette asked.

"They'll try and reverse engineer whatever they did to his head, try and turn him back to the kid he once was," Grant frowned sadly.

In the end he was just another victim in a game of dark shadows.

"While pumping him for information."

"Of course, it's oxygen to them, isn't it?"

"Sometimes I think you hate her work more than mine," Regrette played.

"There's a line between the UTN and the Underworld and you choose to skip back and forth over it, but you admit it's there. Tsyrker and her lot just move the line as they see fit," Grant said with a touch of disgust.

"Oh yeah? And where're you standing right now?" Regrette pushed.

Grant sighed. He had him there.

"I'm not sure, Steve, I'm not sure."

"Ha! Don't mope, it's a brave new world out there, full of adventures," he put an arm around Grant's shoulders "Adventures in space."
CHAPTER 49

Rainsford Tsyrker and Tandish were at the Port of Wiloth, currently standing on the roof of one of the tallest buildings in the area.

"It's incredible," Tandish said.

She was quite right too. The Port of Wiloth sat on the Taloth Ocean, at the mouth of the great Fidilzai River. On the other side of the river was a huge space port. The whole complex, including warehouses, storage yards and offices was the size of a small city.

"It's one of the largest Hubs in the Universe."

The wonder of the star-gates was that they used the same amount of fuel (basically none) to get from the next galaxy as to the other side of the Universe. This meant that there were no worries about fuel costs other than how far away a planet was from the nearest star-gate. That being said, it was still easier and cheaper to move cargo to one area and have people come and pick it up as and when they needed it than freighting a bit here and a bit there. And that was where the Freight Hubs came in.

Wiloth was one of the first Hubs and grew out of an existing port that had been built to deal with the shipment of Vodol, a mineral used in the generation of electricity. Wiloth's planet of Harbonher was blessed with what was known as the Garbinier Fall, a yearly rain of Vodol coming from the asteroid belt that circled in and out of the solar system. The whole galaxy in fact; entering and leaving again into deep, deep space. Outside of the known Universe kind of deep space.

So the port had been built to ship the Vodol out and that had brought in other companies that specialised in shipping things out to the mines and, well, it had just kept growing until it officially became a Hub for pretty much everything and anything in the Universe. And as such it was a very good place for smuggling and all kinds of laundering. Except for clothes. Though there was 'Gert's', an actual laundry service for the miners and others that needed to be rid of tough stains. In fact, the only thing tougher than the stains was Gert herself. Rumour was that she didn't wash the clothes, just scowled at them until the stains got nervous and left

"So what are we looking for?" Tandish asked.

Tsyrker snorted a laugh.

"A needle."

Tandish shook her head.

"I don't believe that. You have an idea."

Tsyrker looked at her, a smile playing on her lips.

"I do. Officially they're called Freight Hubs, but they're also known as Power Hubs. You control the flows through places like this, you control a lot."

"So it's run by criminals," Tandish frowned. She was starting to think the whole Universe was run by criminals.

"Actually there's not a lot of crime in the Hubs, in terms of the running of them. Everyone needs power and fuel, no one wants to jeopardise that, but they do want an eye on it. Maybe a hand in it."

"You said 'in terms of running it'. So there is crime here."

"Very good," Tsyrker smiled. "Yes. Many illegal things are moved through the Hubs. It's a perfect place to do so, look at how busy it is. Hard to track everything."

"But if criminals have an eye on it, then you must too," Tandish said.

Tsyrker shot her with a finger pistol.

"Exactly. And that's our best bet on finding how the Desards are using the port."

Tandish felt her cheeks flush with pride. Ever since meeting Grant she had wanted to please him. Him and Rainsford (not Regrette) and she wanted this, she wanted to do something more. It made her feel happy, nay giddy, inside to know that there were people out there righting wrongs, taking on those that would sully the Universe and hurt innocents. She wanted to be a part of it; she wanted Grant to hire her like he had Kaskey. She wanted to show them that she could do this and now this woman, this mysterious woman, was teaching her and she wanted to prove herself a good student.

"You know what Grant and Regrette have in common?" Tsyrker asked.

"I can't see anything," Tandish pouted (the best you can with no lips).

"When they think they're right, they just go straight for it. You haven't seen Grant's Righteous Anger yet, but it's a sight to behold. Nothing stands between him and his goal.

"OK," Tandish said unsuredly.

"It works for him because he's usually right, well, that and he has Gulch there to back him up. It doesn't work for you," she finished sternly.

Tandish blushed again, but this time because she felt she was being chastised.

"We work in the shadows. I know you're keen, but my Grandmother taught me temperance before she taught me anything else. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," she answered meekly.

"Then tell me."

"I shouldn't let my eagerness get us in trouble, I should think first and then act."

Tsyrker smiled and Tandish felt relief for it.

"Grant only hires the best," Tsyrker said. "Let's go and meet my contact."

***

"Well, well, Rainsford Tsyrker, thought you flew too high these days to come see the likes of me."

"That's not true," she frowned.

"Oh, don't," he smiled. "Always knew infamy wouldn't sit well on your shoulders."

"I just want to make a difference."

"Always so serious, she was," the man smiled at Tandish.

He was an Oncolutian, old enough to be their Father, and was wearing a suit and tie despite being set up in a small windowless office surrounded by computer screens. Tandish could see that he had everything set up so that his long arms could reach without him having to move his chair.

"You caused me a lot of work, you know?"

"Wotham," Tsyrker surmised.

"Right. He had a lot of traffic through here and no one was expecting his demise. We had to move fast to mop it up before someone else took it over."

"It came out of nowhere," Tsyrker apologised.

"Your Mr. Grant, no doubt," the man smiled knowingly. "Now, I'd love to think you're here for a catch up, but..."

"Dennick, this is Tandish, Tandish, Dennick. He was a mentor to me."

Dennick laughed.

"There wasn't much I could teach her she didn't already know. Nice to meet you."

"And you," Tandish replied.

"So?"

"The Desards," Tsyrker said.

"You're going to have to learn to live with infamy if you take them down."

"We have a rare opening."

He turned in his chair and started tapping at a computer.

"What are you looking for?"

"Anything. We know they're using the port, but we don't know how."

Dennick stopped tapping and thought.

"OK. It'll take some time, but I'm pretty sure you're right."

"I'm sorry, I'm a little confused. You know of criminal activity in the port, but you, what? Just watch? Why don't you try and stop it?"

Dennick turned in his chair to look at her, a smile still on his lips.

"There are a number of reasons, dear, but let me flag up just one. Stopping activity here wouldn't shut down a criminal enterprise. Tracking this stuff, finding out where it's going and for whom, that leads to actual people, or intel that will lead us to actual people."

"It's not our job to put out spot fires, but to tackle the heart of the blaze," Tsyrker explained.

"Every day people's lives are being ruined by crime and you just look at it and say 'it's not important enough for us'?"

Dennick shone his ever-present smile at her.

"She has to, dear, but don't think she likes it. The InterG and police are out there working hard to keep people safe, but it will never end unless someone looks bigger. You can't, now remember this, you can't fight every battle, you'll drop from exhaustion and then who will help the people?"

Tandish looked at him and then at Tsyrker. She could feel little tears well up and brushed them away angrily.

"Alright. OK. I'm just learning. It's just..." she trailed off.

"You're doing fine," Tsyrker said, laying a hand on her shoulder. "The Universe is a tough place."

Tandish nodded, more to herself than the others.

"Then let's get on with this."

"Righteo," Dennick said and turned back to his computers. "Come back in an hour."

***

"Now what?" Tandish asked.

"Now we familiarise ourselves with the place and see how close we can get to the control room."

A massive bridge spanned the river and above it, as part of the superstructure, was a huge control room with a smaller room on a strut above that. The higher room was all glass and acted as a secondary look out for the control room. However much technology they had, it was still better to have a pair of eyes to back things up.

"Looks like a sitting target," Tandish said.

"Which should tell you how reinforced it is. It would take a huge amount of firepower to take it out and even then there are smaller control rooms in the different sectors."

The port was crisscrossed with small buses that you could hop on and off of to get around and Tsyrker and Tandish jumped on one that was headed towards the bridge and jumped off close by.

"What can you do for us, Kov?" Tsyrker asked.

" _Still getting to grips with this kit, it's amazing, never seen anything like it."_

"Just tell us what you can do."

" _Right, yes. Well, the control room is part of the bridge structure, yes? The structure meets the floor at each corner of the bridge, yes?"_

"That's right," Tandish said.

" _I would think they hold the cables; power, comms and the like. A connection there should help me hijack the system. If I understand this tech correctly."_

"OK, we'll go and have a look," Tsyrker said.

***

"I see you're in the system. I could have done that for you," Dennick said.

"If this goes south I don't want your operation compromised," Tsyrker said.

"Did you find something?" Tandish asked. After an hour of sneaking around to find the cables and attach a little device Tsyrker had, she was eager to do something.

"I did, I did. It was buried, as you'd expect from the Desards and it doesn't make a lot of sense."

"Why not?"

"It's not a complete picture, but it looks like laundering."

"What?" Tsyrker asked.

"Anything," Dennick shrugged. "Have a look here."

"How do you know it's the Desards?"

"This one here," he tapped the screen.

"A shipment of ice?" Tandish surprised.

"Yup. Had to store it here. Walters, a fellow agent, got into a party hosted by Hewy, big break that still went nowhere. Anyway, they had these massive ice sculptures there. They also had people, both sexes, all late teens; and of course, a literal tonne of booze."

"And it all came through here," Tsyrker said.

"You can see them here, here and here," he pointed to the screen.

"So you could link the legitimate ice order to the illegal laundering," Tandish nodded in understanding.

"Exactly. Most likely Hewy's fault, he didn't cover his tracks that well and with one piece of the puzzle many others fell into place. See here?"

A month later a Rontin tiger, no doubt bound for the illegal fighting rings, had been shipped through using the same contact as the ice and a week after that a shipment of Zanxite had been stored there with the same name as on the alcohol order. The documents had been doctored and the shipment split. No one knew where half of it went.

"Why didn't you look into this before? For Walters?" Tsyrker asked.

"He never asked me too. Jumped up little chlock, dunno how he ever got drafted. Useless," Dennick shook his head.

"Lereld is his uncle."

"Ahh, makes sense. Embarrassing for Lereld."

"I wouldn't know," Tsyrker frowned slightly.

"Best not to. Stick to Operations 'less you enjoy politics."

"How do we hit them?" Tandish asked.

"Here," Dennick pointed to another screen. "Eventually everything falls into a pattern. Makes life easier. This warehouse is the one they mainly use to house goods, but you want to really let them know you're gunning for them?"

"We do."

"Down the river. That's where the really illegal goods go, things you can't be seen storing."

Tsyrker looked at the map on the screen and just nodded to herself, lost in thought.
CHAPTER 50

"I can't remember the last time I went out for a nice meal," Loveritto said.

"Can't remember the last time I could afford one," Kaskey agreed.

"I'm not sure we can afford this one."

"We can't, Grant can," Kaskey grinned.

"I don't like it," Loveritto frowned.

"Didn't stop you eating."

"No," his frown deepened.

"Don't worry, man, I'm not taking Grant for a ride, he Okayed it. He wanted the ritziest places scoped out."

They were certainly sitting in a ritzy restaurant and had enjoyed probably the best meal either of them had ever eaten. Though, as with all fancy dinners, it was incredibly small.

"So what are we looking for?" Loveritto asked.

"No idea," Kaskey shrugged.

"Lots of bars, lots of cash going in and out."

"Right, man. That would make the most sense."

"Gulch?"

" _It was the assumption. That's why Grant wanted you to spend; your space pounds are marked for tracking."_

"You knew?" Kaskey asked with surprise.

" _Grant wanted you to work it out yourself."_

"Always the teacher," Kaskey shook his head.

"I think it's good," Loveritto said. "I wish I'd had someone like him when I was in the police."

" _Don't be annoyed. Consider the fact that he's footing the bill for you to have a night out. Spread that cash around so I can track it."_

"And he wanted us to earn that," Kaskey said.

"Nothing's free," Loveritto said.

Kaskey laughed.

"Tonight is, my man. Tonight is."

***

"How did we do?" Kaskey asked.

They were in a small café with Ventrwistian coffees, plus a Vant's soda each for Loveritto and Kaskey.

"You did well," Gulch said.

"Good," Loveritto nodded and then stopped moving his head.

"Obviously it's harder to track electronic payments, but I have an end point for the currency."

"Why don't they just use electronic currency? If it's harder to track," Kaskey asked.

"No," Gulch shook his head. "Harder for us to track without more setup, but easier to track generally."

"Because it stays in the system," Loveritto said. "Casinos did it a lot."

"Right. Once the money leaves the system it's harder to track without going after actual physical space pounds and that means leg work."

"Consider me schooled," Kaskey said. "At my level we're strictly cash only."

"So now we've got to work out the best way to hit this," Gulch said. "How do we shut down, or at least disrupt, their operation here?"

"Can't we just hit the pick up?" Kaskey asked.

"We don't know how often it comes," Loveritto said. "We investigated something similar on Haffir once. Using bars and restaurants, it takes time as money flows both ways."

"Seems risky if someone's on to you."

"But it disseminates the money a lot more widely," Gulch said.

"So back to business," Loveritto said.

"Yes," Gulch nodded. "This needs to be underhand, this whole street is full of innocent people."

"Counterfeits," Kaskey said and Gulch _beeped_.

"Sorry," he said as he pulled out a palm-held computer. "Ahh, I've got a final resting place for the cash. And guess what?"

"What?" they both asked.

"It's the Randaritchia."

"Right. This Koey V told Regrette to hit these four places because they're linked," Kaskey realised.

"Yes. This could change things when we all meet."

"What were you saying, Kas?"

"Can we get counterfeit money? We could go on another spending spree and sort of pollute their money line."

Gulch thought about it.

"Perhaps. Not really causing a blow to operations though, is it?"

"No," Kaskey frowned.

"But it would be if everything is linked. If the money is being cleaned here to go into use, then this would pollute their whole system."

"OK, we need to talk to the others," Gulch looked down at his computer. " _You_ need to talk to the others. I need the morning to complete the track on the electronic transfers."

***

" _It's certainly interesting and I like your idea,"_ Tsyrker told them. _"Leave it for now, go and check on the hotel. Find out why money would be going there."_

"Wilco. What about the bank?" Kaskey asked.

" _Grant and Regrette are checking it out."_

"I didn't know they were back in the mix," Kaskey said a little hurt he was out of the loop.

" _Just focus on the task at hand. If you're right, we need to adjust our plans. Good work, guys."_

"Well, you heard the lady, looks like we're moving on."

"I don't think I've ever travelled so much," Loveritto commented.

"Perk of the job, man, perk of the job. I'll go get Gulch."

Loveritto smiled to himself and looked out of the hotel window; there wasn't much to see at this price, but it was enough. It was different and that was good. He was wasting away in that security office and he knew Tandish felt the same, though he realised now that he didn't know why someone so young had got stuck there. He knew about Kov, they'd had a night out drinking once and Kov had told him all about it, though he didn't know if Kov remembered. They never spoke of it. He would have to talk to Tandish about it, find out her story. He frowned at the idea that he never had. It wasn't life; what they had. The security office was nothing more than a coffin.

Could they do this? The three of them? Not this, but what Grant said he did. Just find stuff. Maybe carve out a little niche (if Grant didn't mind).

Grant.

The Universe was a big place, but what a difference a person can still make in it. Could he be that person?

"You ready?" Kaskey asked.

"Huh?" Loveritto turned. He hadn't heard them come in.

Gulch gave him a funny look.

"You're thinking about Grant," he said.

"How'd you know?"

"I've given the same look to my reflection. I've seen it on Kaskey's face."

"Is it the stop-reading-my-expressions face?" Kaskey asked.

"It's the, my-whole-life-changed-the-moment-I-met-him face," Gulch said and Loveritto nodded.

"He's a good man, I didn't think it was still possible for a good man to make a difference," he admitted.

"I thought the same. Cynicism is a weak excuse for wisdom," Gulch said.

"Is that why Tsyrker and Regrette follow him?" Kaskey asked.

"I think he reminds them of what they were; or what they could be if they could wash away the dirt and the blood."

***

The Randaritchia was impressively well hidden for a business that survived on people finding it. It was, in fact, built on an asteroid floating in deep space. Not too far from the Sparnmet star-gate, just around the back, if you will.

"Well, here we are," Kaskey said with relief.

The receptionist didn't seem all that pleased to see them.

"Help you?" she asked.

"Well I would think so, you being the receptionist of a hotel," Kaskey said brazenly.

"Why don't you find a seat? Or a bar to prop up," Gulch said soothingly, "let me handle all this."

"Well, I am parched. You and Lo'Rit will sort the luggage?"

"Of course."

"Knew you would. That's why I pay 'em," he grinned with a wink at the receptionist.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?"

"No, I'm sorry. We haven't booked in advance, but we need a suite," Gulch explained.

Kaskey wandered off to find a bar and Loveritto followed.

"Whatya doing, man? Go sort the luggage," Kaskey told him.

"I've got it, you only packed one suitcase."

"I did?"

"Yes."

"Hmm, well you can't bring it into the bar, man. No place for luggage."

Loveritto dropped the bag on the floor.

"Well you can't just leave it there, can you?"

"I don't like leaving you."

"It's cool, man, that's why we're here. Out of the public eye. No fans here. Go help, Gij."

With that he turned and wandered off.

"Again, who are you?" the receptionist asked with disdain.

"We want to book a suite plus another smaller room for us."

"We don't have any."

"You don't have any suites? Well what do you have?"

"We have suites, fine suites, but none are available."

"Well what do you have then?"

"You still haven't answered my question," she said.

"And you haven't answered mine. What's the best you can offer us?"

"You would have to book online."

"Tried that. Couldn't find a way to. I'm telling you, it's like you guys don't want guests," Gulch shook his head.

"This really a hotel?" Loveritto asked gloomily, looking from the receptionist to where Kaskey had disappeared and back to the receptionist.

"Of course," she snapped at him.

"No one's asking you nothing, Lo'Rit, alright?" Gulch said testily. "So tell me, this being a hotel, what rooms have you got for me?"

She looked Gulch in the eye and he could feel her annoyance, her anger even, but the latter wasn't directed at him. It was interesting, but she really didn't seem to want to give them a room, perhaps because she wasn't meant to.

"OK, I was wrong," she flashed a very forced smile. "There is a suite available, someone has pulled out of a booking."

"Well, lucky for us."

"Oh yes," she ironicalised.

"Finally," Loveritto bemoaned.

"Can it," Gulch snapped at him. "Everyone's got an opinion these days, am I right?"

"I'm sure I wouldn't know," she offered him a tight smile.

"Go find Kazo and tell him we've got a room."

"Alright," Loveritto moped and wandered off.

***

"I don't like this," Gulch said looking around the room.

Kaskey had never seen him look tense before.

"She didn't seem happy to see us," Loveritto agreed.

"No, and we're isolated here."

"What're they gonna do, man? They've got no reason to suspect us."

"But they're already suspicious and we haven't done anything yet. They'll be watching us," Gulch said.

"We can just leave," Kaskey said seriously.

"We can do this," Loveritto firmly.

Gulch and Kaskey looked at him and then at each other.

"Yeah, man, he's right. We got this."

"Yes, sorry," Gulch relaxed a little. "I'm used to having Grant around to call the shots."

"You'll be fine," Kaskey soothed.

"What? Me? Oh, no. I'll tell you what needs to be done, but someone actually on the ground needs to be making the decisions."

Kaskey looked at Loveritto.

"Don't look at me, I'm just the hired help."

Kaskey let out a big breath as he looked at the floor.

"Alright, OK, but I don't think I'm the man for this."

"You're be fine," Gulch soothed with a glint in his eye.

Kaskey just gave him a friendly glare.

"OK, so what are we doing?"

"We need to find out what the link is with the Desards; we know they're funnelling money through the Kagar district to here."

"So the question," Loveritto took up, "is why they need clean money here."

"Right."

"Can they...?" Kaskey cupped an ear. His thankfully.

"No, I'm blocking it."

"OK, well why do you clean money?"

"Because you got it illegally," Loveritto said.

"Right, right, but you clean it if you're putting it back out into the Universe. If it's going somewhere then it's going there to be spent."

"So what would a hotel be spending money on?" Gulch asked.

"Exactly. Unless they're not. What if they're cleaning the money for themselves?"

"Underworld guests," Loveritto clocked on.

"Right," Kaskey said. "What if the money's getting sent from here in case it's dirty?"

"OK, good. It's a path to follow," Gulch said. "I need to get connected into the system."

***

As soon as he was back out in the corridor Kaskey felt the uneasiness that Gulch had spoken of. He wondered if Loveritto felt it and assumed he would being an ex-cop. Were they just playing off of Gulch's fears or had they just not taken the situation seriously enough before? Was he getting too cavalier about all of this? Should he have been noting more, weighing it up instead of getting lost in the action?

Well, OK, maybe so, but the point now was simple. What was the cause of their anxiety? The corridor was empty, but that wasn't entirely unusual in hotels. But it felt empty; there was no buzz of life, no sounds coming faintly through the doors they passed. That feeling that told you you were alone in the house without checking each room.

Kaskey had the urge to try one of the doors that they passed, with a certainty that it would swing open to an empty room. But that would be seen on camera. Oh, yes, because though he felt far from another person (other than Loveritto) he also felt watched. The cameras were obvious, a deterrent, but he had another certainty that they were being manned. That even now someone was watching their progress along the corridor and arriving at the lifts.

"Hey, look, man, you need to get out of my personal space," Kaskey complained as they walked through reception.

"I'm just walking next to you," Loveritto said.

"Well don't then."

"I'm your bodyguard," Loveritto exasperated.

"Well can't you do it somewhere else?"

"What? No, of course not."

"My last bodyguard did," Kaskey frowned.

"Yes and you sacked him after that woman punched you in the face."

"Oh," Kaskey's face drooped in thought. "Right. Well let's have a drink then."

They walked into the bar, ignoring the receptionist's disapproving look, but noting that there was a Byfrok man standing at the desk. He took a quick look over his shoulder at them as they went entered the bar.

Which was empty other than a table in the far corner that contained a Reutorgian, a Jobru and a Laikan, all talking quietly, heads together. Kaskey and Loveritto sat at the bar on stools.

"I'm not comfortable," Loveritto said after shifting around.

"You could stand," Kaskey suggested, but he knew Loveritto wasn't talking about the stool.
CHAPTER 51

It had gone down pretty quickly from that moment, faster than any of them could have foreseen.

The register in the bar was linked up to the rooms so that a tab could be run and paid at the end of the stay. This meant that it was also linked into the booking system.

"Did you do the second pour?" Kaskey asked.

"Of course I did, Sir," the barman said irritably as he poured the Handok into a new glass.

"And that was thirty seconds, was it?"

"Precisely," the barman replied irritably.

"Good, because even a second off..."

"I know how to make a Handok Frosty Cocktail," the barman snapped. "Sir."

"Well, get on and freeze it then. Mssh," Kaskey shook his head. For this brash persona he was simply channelling Regrette.

While the barman was distracted by Kaskey, Loveritto had slipped a small bug from his pocket and into his trunk-like nose. As he turned around to the freezer, Loveritto leant forward slightly and placed the bug on the back of the till.

Having chilled the cocktail the barman turned back around and placed the drink in front of Kaskey, holding a hand to the stem of the glass as he watched the timer.

"There. One Handok Frosty Cocktail, made _precisely_ as it should be," he said with a glare.

"Well, we'll see about that, won't we?" Kaskey said and took a sip. "Ha! Perfect. I never doubted you," he grinned.

"What about you?" the barman asked.

"Well, that does look good," Loveritto started, but got a glare, "but I'll just have a Faro's Gold."

"Good choice," the barman said tightly.

"Seems awful quiet, what is it, off peak?" Kaskey asked after a quick look around.

"We have a small, but exclusive clientele. Those who wish peace and class rather than the bombast of the tourist resorts."

"A little bombast now and then is good for the soul, am I right, Lo'Rit?"

"I wouldn't know; I don't get holidays."

"Well, you won't with that kind of attitude," Kaskey scorned.

Someone else entered the bar and the barman wandered off to serve them. Kaskey and Loveritto went to a table and sat.

"So?" Kaskey asked.

" _OK, I'm in. It's interesting. According to the guest list, this place should be heaving."_

"They all in their rooms?"

"Not on the corridor we walked down," Loveritto said.

"Yeah, man, felt dead."

" _Right, but we need to check on that. There should be a large group arriving about now actually. That will be worth noting,"_ Gulch told them.

"Then I think we better get out of here," Kaskey said.

" _Agreed,"_ Gulch said and Loveritto nodded.

"Let's go and see if we can see anyone arriving and then get back to the room."

"OK," Loveritto finished his beer.

They got up and were walking towards the door when the barman accosted them.

"Gentlemen."

They stopped and looked at him.

"My apologies, but I did not offer you your complimentary drink."

"Maybe later," Kaskey shrugged.

"I'm supposed to give it to you on your first entry into the bar," the barman frowned.

"You messed that up, not us," Loveritto said.

"Well just come and have it now."

"We've got things to do. I'm important, y'know?"

Everyone seemed real antsy all of a sudden. Loveritto flicked his eyes to the other three men in the bar and they were openly watching what was happening. Without knowing why the sudden anxiety it was a tough call whether to stay or go. Did they want to keep them to hurt them or keep them away from something else? One of the three stood up and the man at the bar pushed himself upright.

"We should go," Kaskey said.

"We could stay," Loveritto said in unison.

They both looked at each other. Loveritto could see in Kaskey's eyes that he had messed up, that he wanted to follow Loveritto's lead, but it was too late now.

"I just follow you," Loveritto said and tried to use his eyes to say 'it's cool'.

"Right then, yeah," Kaskey said with renewed brashness he didn't feel. "Let's get back to the room and thrash out a plan."

"Sir, such things are more comfortably done here with a drink," the barman tried again.

"Mssh," Kaskey said and started again to the door.

Everyone tensed and it was then that Loveritto knew fro sure that they had been trying to keep them away from something.

They walked out into reception and straight into that something.

There was a group of six burly men of various races loosely surrounding a well-dressed Cantorvial man in a business suit with a Carute hovering just behind him. Kaskey noted that the receptionist looked aghast at their appearance while Loveritto noted the bulge of concealed weapons and then looked at the man in the centre.

"Shabbus," he whispered.

The man stared at them. Everyone seemed surprised at their appearance.

"Didn't think you had any other guests," the man mused. "Are you getting a good look?"

"A good look? My sight is set firmly on my next space pound, which I've got to go and earn." Kaskey said.

They started to turn to the lifts.

"I'm not the type of man you turn your back on," the man said calmly, but dripping in menace.

They both stopped and Loveritto realised he was holding his breath. If he was right, then this was Mornavv Junior, one of the most dangerous criminals in the Underworld.

Kaskey slowly turned around. He had no idea who this man was, but Cantorvials scared him, even the nice ones he had met. Which, honestly, were few and far between. One wrong move, one wrong word and they'd be done for. This man oozed danger in the same way Regrette did. Well, how would Regrette handle it? He'd be strong in the face of strength.

"Look, man, I don't know you and I don't care what type of man you are. OK? I've already got a nagging wife, a greedy mistress, a useless business partner and this here bodyguard. That's enough for me. All I want to do is go make some money. You know?"

The Cantorvial smiled.

"Not your frivolities, but certainly your monetary interests. However, I suggest you take them elsewhere."

Kaskey looked at him and then nodded.

"I'll go up, pack and get my assistant."

Kaskey turned back to the lift and Loveritto hit the button. Both desperately hoping that it would come before anyone said anything else. They might just get out of this.

"On second thought," Mornavv said and they both tensed. "Stay and have a drink, send your man here up."

The lift pinged open.

"Mssh, whatever, man."

And it was at that point that Kaskey knew he'd made a mistake. A strange look came over the Cantorvial's face before his eyes hardened into slits and his body tensed under his expensive suit.

"What did you say?" Mornavv breathed venomously.

"Valkswagon."

"Get them."

The nearest bodyguard came at them, but Loveritto grabbed him, slapped him across the face with his trunk and threw him at Mornavv.

"In, in," he shouted.

The lift doors closed and started up as the first laser blasts hit it.

"Gulch? Gulch? We've got a problem, man."

***

"Now what?" Kaskey asked.

"Just let me look," Gulch snapped.

"OK, OK."

"I'm sorry," Gulch frowned.

"Just work your magic," Loveritto said.

They had gotten to Gulch who had just finished dumping all of his data off of the computer. Normally he would smash it too, but he'd have to mess with the cameras if they were to escape. Ideally he'd shut them all down, but that would leave them blind too.

Loveritto had to carry him so that he could work the computer, masking the cameras in the corridor and then, when they'd left the corridor, mess with the cameras that could see them and other cameras as a bluff. It was tense work, especially as Kaskey and Loveritto filled him in with what had happened.

"Mornavv Junior? Are you sure?" Gulch had asked still fiddling with the computer.

"Mornavv Senior used to come to the Casinos in Haffir; brought him along sometimes. Good family resemblance."

"He a bad dude?" Kaskey had asked.

"Incredibly."

"Valkswagon."

"Precisely," Gulch had agreed.

Now they were in a suite three floors up so that Gulch could get a chance to assess their situation. Despite the danger they were in they had taken the time to check some of the rooms they passed. All were empty.

"OK, so they've got the hanger covered."

"Obvious first move," Loveritto said to himself.

"There another way in?"

"I'm looking. Perhaps ducting or maintenance shafts.

"Maintenance shafts?" Kaskey asked.

"Hmm," Gulch replied. "We're on an asteroid, they should have engines implanted to stop the hotel drifting too far from the star-gate."

"You want us to go through an engine in an asteroid?" Kaskey asked. "You're nuttier than Regrette."

"We're in a bad situation," Loveritto said.

"But why? What the hell have we done?" Kaskey decried.

"We can consider that when we escape," Gulch chided.

"If," Loveritto said.

"OK, well, we're not escaping in here are we? How do we get to these shafts?"

Gulch looked at his computer, using a tentacle to trace the screen.

"OK, I think we can get down through here, make a break across this corridor... Valkswagon!"

"What is it?" Kaskey jumped.

"They've shut down the cameras; we're going blind out there."

"Maybe we shouldn't run," Loveritto said.

Kaskey looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"You're right, we haven't done anything wrong. Running makes us look guilty."

"It's a massive unknown," Gulch said. "They might shoot us on sight."

"They might shoot us in the back as we run," Loveritto replied.

"We'll talk if we get caught," Kaskey said. "We've got to try and get away clean, man."

"OK," Loveritto started, but was cut off by a knock on the window.

Very unusual in deep space.

Outside was a man in a spacesuit, he was grinning at them, and then the door was kicked in.

***

"Mssh," Mornavv said.

"Seriously?" Kaskey asked.

"Now tell me what I want to know."

"We can't tell you what we don't know," Kaskey said.

"You ran, and this?" he held up the remains of Gulch's computer. He'd gotten Loveritto to stamp on it as the door was kicked in.

"I have private data," Gulch said.

"About Regrette," Mornavv finished.

"No."

"You cannot deny to me that you know him."

"We're not denying that," Kaskey said. "We just don't know the information you want."

"No," Mornavv shouted. "No," calmly. "One doesn't know Regrette on, what? A social basis."

Mornavv walked to a window and looked out into the inky blackness. He sighed.

"This is going to have to get painful."

They were sitting in the suite next to the one they had been captured in. Mornavv hadn't liked the broken door. They were tied to three chairs in the centre of the room and surrounding them were five henchmen and henchwomen. Not the same one's as in the reception, seems Mornavv travelled with a small army.

Paranoid, Loveritto thought.

"We didn't even know you were coming," he said.

Mornavv responded by throwing the computer at him. It hurt, but he didn't let it show.

"You're right, we are looking into something here, but it isn't you."

Mornavv walked up to Loveritto and poked him in the forehead with a finger.

"You expect me to believe that?" his eyes suddenly widened. "You're stalling. He's already here, isn't he?"

"No, whoa, no, man, he's not," Kaskey said. "Lo'Rit is right, we're here to find out about the hotel. There's money coming in and out, we were going to lift it."

Mornavv smiled at him.

"You were going to rob this hotel? Do you think I'm an idiot? I'd think you were idiots, but Regrette doesn't hire idiots, does he?"

"He hasn't hired us," Kaskey exasperated.

"Do you know who owns this place?" Mornavv screamed. "No one would rob this place."

Gulch watched a Human sitting at a small table with a computer. He watched as his face drained of colour and he started hitting buttons.

"You're right," Gulch said. "No one in their right minds would rob the Desards. It's been years, hasn't it? That you've had the bounty."

Mornavv stared at him.

"But Regrette's not doing it for the bounty," he said quietly.

"Uhh, Sir?" the Human at the computer said.

"Tell me how to get to him," Mornavv shouted and suddenly he had Gulch, chair and all, up in the air.

"It's too late," Gulch smiled at him.

"Sir?"

"What?" he screamed.

"The cameras are out."

"I know."

"Not by us this time, sir."

"What?"

"And I'm getting no response on the radio," the Human apologised.

Mornavv shot him and dropped Gulch at the same time.

"No."
CHAPTER 52

"It's time to leave," Mornavv said. "It's a big hotel and we outnumber him significantly, this is alright. It's alright."

He stared at the door for a half a minute and then spun round, pointing a gun at Kaskey's head.

"Is he alone?"

"He always works alone."

"No, no. He's working with you, isn't he?"

"No, man, we keep telling it, but you won't listen. This ain't about you."

"He'll be alone now," Gulch said from the floor. "For this type of work."

"Sir?" one of the henchmen said nervously.

"Right. Lifts or stairs?"

"Never use lifts in an emergency," Kaskey said, thinking of Regrette.

"He doesn't know where we are," someone said.

"Yes," Mornavv thought, "so he'd have to take the stairs."

"He has access to the cameras," the new computer guy said. "If we use the lift he might know."

"Good," Mornavv pointed at him. "Very good."

Gulch could see that he was on the verge of a decision and knew that they wouldn't factor into it. He wouldn't believe Regrette would care about people he hired.

"This could work for you. You're right, we work for Regrette and he will still want our information."

"Right," Kaskey said. "I hate to break it to you, but you're not that high up on his to-do list."

"He'll come for us before he comes for you, we could be your diversion," Gulch finished.

Mornavv looked at him in thought.

"No. It's a trap, why would you help me escape, huh?"

"Because," Loveritto paused to sigh, "no one's interested in you. This way we all get to escape with our lives. Once Regrette's got us, you'll be long gone through the star-gate."

"How do I know this isn't a trap?" Mornavv sneered.

"How could it be a trap?" Kaskey exasperated. "We didn't know you'd be here."

"And yet Regrette's on his way."

"Because I dumped the data. He'd be alerted to that and know we're in trouble," Gulch explained.

"Look, while you're thinking about it he's probably getting closer," Loveritto urged.

"He's right," the guy at the computer said. "I can't raise anyone on the ground floor. Or the first floor."

"Alright, alright. You five take them down the main staircase. You three will come with me. We'll sneak down the servant's stairwell. If he's as good as they say he'll pick up on you."

You could see the five henchmen/women were none too thrilled about the idea. There was a good chance they'd be dead before they got to reception and their shoulder muscles twitched ready to throw their hands in the air.

***

The henchmen had to give Mornavv some time to escape and certainly didn't want to take the stairs down anyway. They were on their radios and there were a lot of people not answering, especially on the lower floors. So now they were making their way slowly along a corridor, unnerved to find that all of the doors were open. They had made it down two floors and not bumped into anyone. The last they had heard was from Jeepnap who had headed down to reception and found it empty. No replies on radio, but no bodies either. They'd considered then just taking the lift down and running for the hanger, but Jeepnap had failed to respond to their next communication.

"You get paid enough for this?" Kaskey asked conversationally.

"Shut up," a Human snapped.

"How do you become a henchman anyway?" Loveritto asked.

"I would think 'why' would be the pertinent question," Gulch commented.

"Good job security," a Reutorgian said.

"Shut up," a Laikan growled.

"Not so secure now, is it?" Kaskey mused. "He's selling you out; you could always sell him out first."

"I said 'shut up'," the Human said again.

"Yes, if Regrette knows we're safe, he'll go after Mornavv," Gulch agreed.

"Giving you guy's time to escape," Loveritto finished.

"I said..." the Human turned around and then stopped. "Where are Flibbert and Dave?"

The other two stopped and turned around.

"Dave?" the Laikan called.

"He's taking the staff stairwell," the Reutorgian shouted.

"Come on let's... the Laikan said turning and stopped. The Human was missing.

"Kado?" he squeaked.

"What? Oh," the Reutorgian said. "Let's get out of here."

The Laikan looked at him and then they both took off at a run.

Kaskey, Loveritto and Gulch watched them go.

"Well, that was easy," Grant said and they all turned.

"Regrette need back up these days?" Kaskey asked.

"No, he's my ride."

"Where is he?" Loveritto asked.

"Sorting out Mornavv. Seems to be a serendipitous meeting."

"The hotel's empty," Gulch said as Grant untied them.

"Seemed that way," Grant agreed.

"But it's fully booked out. Looks to be the way money is coming in."

"We think the four places are linked, a system," Loveritto said and Gulch explained as they went to the hanger.

***

Stephen Regrette could watch Mornavv on his handheld computer as it was linked into the system through the bug Loveritto had planted. It would be easy to go straight for him, but there was the issue of his henchmen spread out through the lower floors of the hotel and his ability to slip away if he was too close to the hanger.

So Regrette and Grant took out as many henchmen as they came across and then Regrette set about railroading Mornavv to a suitable spot. This consisted on using the system to lock doors as well as leaving bodies strategically placed to make Mornavv think he was close.

Mornavv was one of those 'unlucky' criminals who found that the Universe had turned against him. The zeitgeist, the culture, the technology; just the way of doing things had changed and he had not kept up. Once you got so far it was difficult to change and so you had to keep plugging away and that just infuriated others. He became a thorn in the side, someone whose operations were getting in the way or holding back other's. As with anything, a new generation came in that wanted to sweep way the old.

Mornavv obviously didn't want to lose his power or money and that had brought the odd contract on his head. So far he had dealt with any and all that came for him, but it had left him paranoid and hard to get to. Hence all the henchmen at the hotel, in fact, hence coming to the remote hotel to start with. He'd come to hide and had accidentally bumped into the one person he didn't want to.

His lead henchman walked around a corner in the corridor and promptly fell down dead due to a laser bolt to the head.

"Back, back," Mornavv ordered and they all hurried in the other direction.

Regrette ran two floors down the staff stairwell and watched Mornavv and his two remaining henchmen head towards the lift.

He ran to the lift and forced the doors open before chocking them. He checked his computer; Mornavv was desperate and going for the lift, no doubt straight down to the hanger. Regrette shook his head; never use a lift in an emergency.

"Come on, come on," Mornavv shouted impatiently at the doors.

They slid closed obediently and the lift whirred to life.

"Can't this thing go any faster?" he asked.

"No, boss," was the last thing the henchman said before laser blasts cut up through the floor and killed all but Mornavv.

He stood there in shock as the smoke cleared and the lift hummed. His brain couldn't decide what to do, get off at the next floor or just keep going and try for the ship. As he was already going his brain let him, despite part of it strenuously disagreeing.

The lift shuddered to a halt and he tensed as the doors slid open, but nothing happened. It was only then that his brain decided he should pull his gun and instructed his hand to do so. He was not really functioning consciously anymore. Once again two parts of his brain argued about whether to run for the ship or try and sneak up, but the fight or flight response was too big and his legs ignored his brain and took off.

And he made it.

He couldn't believe it. He got into the cockpit and looked at the instruments. Instruments of freedom. He might actually escape.

"Well that was fun," Regrette said from behind him.

Or maybe not.

"I've been trying to reach you, but you never return my calls."

"I'm sure we can work something out," Mornavv said turning in his chair.

"Did you give them that option?"

"Shabbus, Regrette, it was business," Mornavv angered.

"Then you're in the wrong business."

"Me? Ha. What about you? Spending your time on revenge."

"It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside."

"My time has come, I've known that, but what was I supposed to do? Retire? Well, what about you, huh? Your time is coming, you just don't know it yet."

Regrette shot him in the forehead.

"Your time is over."

***

"What do you see?" Gulch asked down the trapdoor.

"Why isn't Kaskey doing this?" Grant called back up.

"Grease and hair don't mix," Kaskey said.

"Interesting hole?" Regrette commented peering down.

"There you are," Gulch said.

"Here I am."

"Is that Regrette?" Grant called up.

"Yup," Kaskey called back.

"He could do this."

"His clothes look awfully nice," Kaskey replied.

"And why is Grant down a hole?"

"We're going to untether the hotel," Loveritto said.

"What fun. Why?"

"Criminals are renting rooms here, well they're paying for them. That money is going to Kagar to be laundered before getting sent to the bank in Polince," Loveritto explained. "The places this guy gave us are all linked, one system."

"It's a bit dramatic, isn't it? I mean, why not just cut the servers, stop people booking?"

"This gets rid of it for good. Sends a better message," Kaskey repeated Grant's reasoning.

"I said that," Grant called up.

"I wasn't trying to claim it," Kaskey argued.

"Weren't you?" Regrette asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"No," Kaskey moped.

"Alright, how's that?" Grant called.

"Yes, good," Gulch said. "Now you just need to break the tether."

"What's that?"

"It will be a computer of some kind, probably with a screen for adjustments or maintenance."

"Can't see anything like that," Grant called back.

"It will be further in," Gulch called back.

"Further in? I think there are animals down here."

"Don't be silly, no animals could survive down there," Gulch chided.

"What!? Why not?"

"Er, what? I think you misheard me."

"You know," Regrette called out, "Gulch is smaller and knows what he's looking for."

Gulch stared daggers at him and Regrette giggled and wandered off to the Wraith.

"What did he say?" Grant called.

"Just find the tether," Gulch snapped.

"I think something ran over my foot..."

***

They took off in the two ships and watched as Gulch set the boosters. They ignited on the nearest side and the asteroid and the nefarious hotel built upon it began to drift further into deep space.
CHAPTER 53

While all these shenanigans were going down, Tsyrker and Tandish were in Polince standing across the road from the Universal Free Bank.

It was an impressively ornate, three-storey building with stained glass windows showing people working. That was what the bank had started as, an alternative to the UTN Bank for people who didn't want their money in the hands of the Councils. Of course, a lot of that had gone by the wayside now, it was a bank and eventually it was run by someone who wanted to make money more than help others (though they kept up the pretence – see the aforementioned stained glass windows).

"Do you bank with them?" Tandish asked.

"No."

"I suppose you bank with the UTN."

"I suppose."

"I do."

"You do what?" Tsyrker asked.

"Bank with them. The Free Bank, I mean."

"You do?"

"Yes. They still do good deals for workers."

"Good, that's good. Let's go in and discuss your finances."

***

"Well, yes, I have your finances here, you have a nice little nest egg," the banker said from behind his desk.

"I'm saving for a plot of land outside of the city," Tandish smiled a little embarrassed.

"Not here though," he read.

"No, Vexupulla."

"Yes, I see. I have a cousin who lives there."

"I'd love to get a little farm, I know someone who could help. I make clothing too," she said shyly.

"Lovely. So what brings you to this branch?"

"I'm here visiting my friend and we were talking finances. She said I could get a better deal."

"Really?" he raised his eyebrows at Tsyrker.

"Investment," she told him and he smiled.

"Well, yes, of course. That could yield higher earnings. Are you thinking of anything in particular?"

"Gonniskirk," Tsyrker said.

"Er, yes. Of course, Gonniskirk."

Tsyrker hadn't mentioned any of this and Tandish had no idea what Gonniskirk was, but she trusted her.

"Let me have a look at that," the banker said.

Tsyrker tuned out of their conversation and thought on what Tandish had said about buying a little farm. It was, to her, a weird dream to have, to actively seek a mundane life. Though it had not always been the case.

She'd met a boy in her early twenties and they had begun making plans. Much to her Grandmother's disapproval. She had always told Rainsford that she needed to travel the Universe in her youth, know what it was really like, know how others lived. And then? If she wanted to settle down, she should. There were as many joys in marriage and family as there were in adventuring. Rainsford had not listened though, she was in love and enjoyed the job that she had. She talked about training to become a manager.

And then they went on holiday.

Not far, just to the next planet. They both wanted to go off-world at least once and they couldn't be sure they'd have the time, money or freedom in the future. It had been amazing and while it had sated her beau's wanderlust it had left a little niggle in her heart. She had spent too many years with Grandmother and the adventurer spirit had been instilled in her without her knowing. If that was what was on just the next planet, what was in the next solar system? Next galaxy?

And then Grandmother had died and had left her a sizable chunk of money and a note. It said that she had been saving this to fund Rainsford's travels, and she still wished that she would use it for that, but if she didn't want to. Well, it would buy a nice little house.

She never told her boyfriend of the money, but a week later she had to break it off and two days after that she was at the spaceport.

"May I ask why?" the banker asked again.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Why? Why are you telling your friend to invest in Gonniskirk?"

"Up and coming," Tsyrker replied. "If you look at the current trends."

"Which current trends?"

"The Universe is moving in new directions and the UTN with it. This is a long term, safe investment."

He eyed her.

"This is not insider..."

"No," she shook her head. "Though my job means I am aware of the patterns."

"Very well. Perhaps I should invest too," he smiled at her.

"I would. I really would," she nodded.

"Well, OK then. Let's just set this up then," he smiled at Tandish.

Her Grandmother had been right and she spent a night crying about it. Grieving that towards the end she had not given her enough respect, not showed her enough love. She had taken her instruction and training, but she had also taken it for granted. She had been right about travelling and after only a few weeks she could not imagine how she could have settled down, how she could have wanted to live such a small life. Not that she was averse to settling down, maybe raising a family, but not before she had travelled far and wide, drunk the whole Universe in.

She thought of her ex-boyfriend and Father through the first month; all the things she had left behind, but those thoughts grew less and less and after the first month did not travel with her. She often grieved that she had cut ties with her Father like that, had been selfish. She had tried to make it up in later years, but by then his time was short. She held dear their last meeting though. When he told her that he had missed her all those years, but that she had done the right thing. He was proud of her and what she did and that she was just like her Mother. Her Mother would have been proud and that was worth letting her go.

"There we are, all done," the banker smiled.

"Don't forget to do yours," Tsyrker said and stood.

***

"So what did we get?" Tandish asked from a small bar down the street.

"Well you've just got enough money to buy a farm."

"Really?"

"Not yet though. Be patient."

"OK, but how could you..." she looked at her drink and then back up. "So what about the mission?"

"It's well protected, but doesn't seem to be a criminal holding; that said we're..."

"I'm sorry, criminal holding?"

"A business that works almost exclusively with criminals. There seemed to be a lot of people like you in there," Tsyrker explained.

"And what does that mean?"

"It means that we can't do anything that risks hurting innocent people's banking."

"Like blow it up," Tandish said with a smile.

"Exactly," Tsyrker said seriously.

"So what?" she dropped her smile.

"Kov?"

" _Your bug has done the trick, but it's going to take a little while. I think I might need to link up with Gulch too."_

"Distance?"

" _I'd have to be in the city, at least."_

"Alright, I think it's time we all got together."

***

"This is a nice city," Kaskey smiled.

And it was, still is, with wide tree-lined roads, ornate architecture and beautiful weather practically year round. It had a happy, relaxed vibe to it, in the way that places with a lot of sun and warmth do.

"Hot with a cool breeze," Loveritto agreed.

They sat outside a bar/restaurant at an umbrella'd table on a quiet street lined with similar establishments.

"Let's start with the hotel," Grant said. "Kaskey?"

Kaskey explained what had happened and at the end Tsyrker just raised an eyebrow at Regrette.

"Coincidence," he shrugged. "Honest."

"It shouldn't affect our mission," Gulch said. "They won't lose contact with it for a while and then they'll try to investigate."

"They won't connect it to us until we hit the other places," Grant said.

"OK, well let's focus on this bank," Tsyrker said. "It's going to be the hardest to get to, but once we're in the system we can remotely wipe their account whenever we're ready. I assume that's what we'll do."

Grant nodded.

"And how're we doing with that?"

"We're into the outer system so we can look, but can't touch," Kov said.

"Just getting to that point was harder than most places," Gulch added. "It would take a long time to hack and with equipment we don't have here."

"I'm sure Rain's got some," Regrette interrupted.

"I'm sure I have. But not here."

"What we're going to need to do is physically bypass," Gulch finished.

"Alright, but before that, let's talk about the bigger plan," Grant said.

"Indeed," Regrette replied. "It seems our Koey V gave up one entire system. Money is paid into the hotel and goes to Kagar for cleaning before going back to the hotel and to the bank. That money then, we assume, goes to the port."

"Yes," Tandish said and looked at Tsyrker who nodded for her to continue. "They're buying and selling wholesale. Splitting consignments and doctoring the paper work. Basically getting materials for free."

"Not all the money can be coming from the bank though, some of it's used illegally. They wouldn't link the bank to that," Tsyrker added.

"No," Gulch said. "My electronic trace came back and shows money going from Kagar to the port. Not only that, but some comes back. I think they're then charging people to have the dirty money cleaned."

"Cheeky," Regrette said.

"The port is going to be the big one," Tsyrker continued. "Not only do they have warehouses they use, they have another up river where they store more of the illicit goods. Getting in and hitting them is going to involve all of us."

"And what about Kagar?" Grant asked.

"In a way we don't need to hit it," Gulch said. "If we're taking the other three out, what's to launder?"

"I'd prefer to not leave any of the operation standing," Grant said.

"It'll take surveillance to know when the money is being dropped off or picked up," Kaskey added.

"OK, we focus on the bank for now and see if we have the time," Grant looked at them. "So, Gulch and Kov, put your heads together, work out what we need and how. Rain, we need plans for the building. What else?"

"Codes, I'd think," Gulch said. We could hack them, but it would be far easier to get them from in the system. A banker's terminal, the higher up the better."

"OK, we can do that," Grant said.

"Most likely a two or three access job," Gulch warned. "At least one through security."

"No problem," Regrette assured.

"Good," Grant nodded his head. "Kas, Loveritto and I will go and have a look for ourselves. Designed by Wioquin by the look of it."

"Yes," Regrette agreed. "A good example of his middle period, at the height of his fame."

"Then let's go appreciate it."
CHAPTER 54

"Ok, I'm in position," Grant said.

" _Give me a sec,_ " Kaskey replied.

" _Mssh."_

" _Can it, Regrette."_

"Save it, both of you."

Grant was in a, thankfully empty, toilet where he had gotten changed into a maintenance uniform that Regrette had somehow snagged.

From the bug that Tsyrker had planted, Gulch was able to get into enough of the system to work out what they needed to do. It was an intricate system, as you'd hope from a bank and Gulch would need two separate access points to get into it. Not only that, but there were daily codes that he would need, or entry into the system after the codes had been inputted.

***

It was for that reason Tsyrker was meeting with a manager.

"So, I'm sorry, say again," the Tarancort banker said as they walked across the floor, "why did you think of us."

"I came in earlier with a friend. I noticed that you had very good rates for someone like me."

"Well, yes, we certainly like to think that we're the place to come for small businesses."

"It's a nice spiel, but I've already made clear, I hope, that I'm in no way small. Nor a business."

"No, no, of course," he smiled subserviently with a touch of greed. It's a smile only bankers have. "Here we are."

He opened a door for her and she walked through into a corridor.

"Second on the left, let me get the door," he bustled past her with an apology.

"After you," she said graciously.

"Yes, yes, of course, do come and sit down," he spread a hand to the chair as he slid behind the desk. "So..."

She slid a piece of paper across the desk to him. He picked it up and looked at it. And then looked at her. And then back at the paper and she could see his face muscles trying not to spread into a smile.

"Good, very good."

"And I know this branch to be discrete."

"Oh yes," his face turned serious.

"And secure."

"Indeed. Let me talk you through our measures."

She let the information flow through her rather than actively listening. She knew that Gulch was picking it all up and it was he more than her that would use it.

Instead she found her thoughts once again caught up in the past. Why was this? Perhaps she saw a little of herself in Tandish; perhaps she was worried that she was leading Tandish down a similar path to the one she was led. Tandish had dreams of a quiet life in the countryside; she didn't want her to give all that up to keep working for Grant. So far things had been exciting and successful and she could understand the lure of such a life, she lived it after all. But it wasn't always like this and, for her at least, there were more losses than wins.

"Excellent," she said when he finished talking. "Exactly as I expected."

"Right, well, let's get it all set up," he said and started typing on his computer.

" _Ok, I'm in position."_

" _Give me a sec."_

" _Mssh."_

" _Can it, Regrette."_

" _Save it, both of you."_

"Hold tight."

"Excuse me?" the banker smiled.

"Sorry?" she asked back.

"I thought... well, never mind, I'm just going to enter your details in then I'll need to ask a few questions, look at a few options."

The banker entered the system and typed in the daily codes.

"OK, go," she smiled.

***

Grant began his walk across the large atrium that held many desks where people sat and discussed their finances, as Tandish had done not that long ago. To his right were the front doors and to his left, at the back of the atrium, were the cashiers behind a glassed in desk that stretched across the whole width with a heavy door at one end. Next to the front doors, in one corner, was a small café, because it really was a nice building. High ceilinged with large (aforementioned stained glass) windows, very airy and bright; architecturally beautiful and acoustically pleasing. And none of that could stop the idea of a café in a bank from being weird.

He saw Kaskey next to a door that would lead into the restricted areas of the bank. Kaskey had a device that should unlock the door as it was running all the possible electronic permutations through Gulch's computer. It needed time, hence Kaskey having to just hang there and Grant could only hope that it would be done by the time he reached the door.

Which he did and as he reached for the handle he heard a just-audible click and the door handle turned in his hand. Kaskey let him get through the door before wandering off.

***

" _I'm in."_

Tsyrker causally reached over the desk with a little handheld device that she put to the banker's neck and knocked him out cold before he realised what was happening.

"As am I," she said once she was behind his computer.

" _Link me up,"_ Kov said with an urgency you wouldn't get with Gulch.

He was under a time limit with a lot to do and was stressed that he wouldn't get his job complete, messing up the mission in the process.

"Be calm, here we are," she said soothingly.

" _OK, I've got it."_

***

Gulch and Kov sat in a hotel room with as much computing power as they could get from the Albatross and fit into suitcases. They had a desktop screen and mobile computer each and now most of that computing power was going to cracking the codes for the bank. Without them they wouldn't get far without alerting bank security and the police. Probably any nearby InterG too. Thankfully, already being in the system was a lot easier than trying to hack it.

"Dead end," Gulch said.

"I think I've got... No, dead end," Kov said.

"Keep at it, we've got this," Gulch reassured.

***

"Took your time," Regrette said, dressed in a security uniform.

"What's the point of going through all of this if you could just break us in?" Grant asked.

"I can't break us all in, can I? Anyway, trade secret," he pouted.

Grant shook his head.

"Let's just get on with it."

They walked along a corridor that had employees walking back and forth carrying documents. Ahead of them was access to the vaults that lay beyond the cashier's desk. Before they reached there they took a flight of stairs up and Regrette led them through another corridor. Lined with offices that had people walking in and out and the background hum of people on phones making deals.

"You catch the cricket?" Grant asked.

"Just the last wickets. Working."

"You can't get them on radio here?"

Regrette chuckled.

"No way."

"Suppose not," Grant frowned. "Still you saw the best, I'd say."

"It was dramatic."

"It was that, yup."

"OK, OK, here we are," Regrette said and led Grant into a room. "Hey. Hey."

"What?" a man behind a desk asked irritably.

"He's here to update the system, alright?"

"What?" still irritated.

"Update to the system," Grant said pleasantly.

"Whatever," the man shook his head at them and picked up a phone.

"Just do your thing, man, ignore these shabwozers."

"I'll be as quick as I can," Grant told the room, but no one paid him any heed.

Regrette left him to it and he went over to a control box in the wall. Opening it up he found a number of switches, wires and an interface.

"You better be ready," he whispered.

***

If Kov wasn't in a bowl of water then he would have been covered in sweat. They'd secured two of the code words and then Gulch had had to leave him to focus on hacking the system once they were in. He'd hit three dead ends, the last one being costly in time, and was now trying a different permutation. He was using two tentacles to work the waterproof computer terminal inside his HoverSphere and now used two to operate the mechanical arms. With these he picked up the portable computer and began to run a second programme that would back up the first.

Nothing happened so he changed a parameter and got a hit. He followed it through and nearly broke the computer when the third code word locked in.

"I'm in with Grant, you getting there?" Gulch asked tensely.

"Nearly there, nearly."

***

Regrette wandered up to the next floor and into the security office.

"Hey, Jeff," a Byfrok said using both sets of arms to control joysticks that moved cameras around. "Finding your way around?"

"Seems simple enough," Regrette shrugged with a smile.

"As I said to you, no one's got the kit to bother trying to rob the place and if they do? Well, you just step aside for that kind of muscle. Right, Hoiz?"

"That's right, that is right," a Grey said from behind another computer.

"Well I've got to familiarise myself with the computer system. Am I supposed to have a login or something? No one's given me nothing."

"Sounds about right, doesn't it, Hoiz?"

"About right, about right," Hoiz agreed.

Falf, the Byfrok, scooted over on his chair and logged onto a computer.

"You need me to show you around?"

"Nah, prefer to find my own way, but I'll give you a shout if I get stuck," Regrette smiled at him.

"Initiative, I like that. Not enough around these days. Hoiz?"

"Not enough. Not these days," Hoiz nodded.

Regrette nodded, but didn't answer; he just sat down and started tapping away. He could see straight away the type of security that Gulch and Kov were trying to get through, but couldn't see anyway to help them beyond what he was already going to do.

***

"Countdown has begun," Gulch said.

"Shabbus," Kov swore as he realised he'd taken another wrong turn.

"I have to begin," Gulch said with a note of urgency.

Kov didn't reply, but changed two parameters on the portable computer and one on the other. He had to be right about this, he couldn't afford another long trek for nothing. Or more accurately those inside the bank could not. Without those codes Gulch couldn't go far without alerting security and none of them could stay in the bank too long before they were outed.

Ahh, here was something, yes, this could be... no. No, no, no. This was similar to the trap he had taken on the third code. He was sure of it. He changed a parameter and then paused.

Or was it?

Was he reading too much into it? It was similar, yes, but not the same. Would they fall into a pattern? So much did over time, it was nearly impossible not to, but with a high tech system like this...?

Wait.

What about Sollette's algorithm? It should work with these variables.

He tapped on his computer.

" _Nearly finished,"_ Grant said chirpily followed by a grunt from someone in the background.

"I need those codes," Gulch pushed.

Kov desperately typed in the algorithm from memory and synced it.

"We've got suspicions," Gulch said. "Do we pull?"

"No," Kov said desperately. "Not yet."

He ran the programme.

"There. There. Codes are through."

"Got it," Gulch said jubilantly.

" _Time to go,"_ Regrette said.

***

"What?" Flaf asked.

"Time to go. I've got to go on my rounds."

"Just wait a minute, OK? Did you get that, Hoiz?"

"Hmm, not sure. A blip."

"Right. A blip. I don't like blips," Falf said and his jovial expression had turned dark as he looked at Regrette.

"Did I do something wrong?" Regrette asked innocently.

"I don't know, did you?" Falf asked with a hint of accusation.

"Did you?" Hoiz parroted.

"Not me."

He really didn't want to do anything bad to these guys, he'd really enjoyed his short time working with them, but he knew that if he was too eager to leave they'd smell a rat. If, however, he stayed they might be onto him and that would mean doing something bad to them.

"Check the record," Falf said. "Do a scan."

"Scan it is," Hoiz said.

"Could we...? I just don't want to get in trouble," Regrette apologised.

"I'll let the floor manager know, don't worry," Falf said and then his face softened. "It's procedure."

"There's a blip, definitely a blip," Hoiz said.

"Expand and track," Falf commanded.

"OK, don't," Regrette said, all pretence falling away.

They both just looked at him. Something in his voice made them.

Regrette sighed.

"I don't want to do anything bad here, guys, I've really enjoyed working with you," he whipped his pistol out. "Don't touch that alarm, Hoiz."

"How did you get a gun in here?" Falf incredulised.

"You know what you said about 'that kind of muscle'?"

They both nodded.

"I'm that kind of muscle. But don't worry; I'm only messing with the account of a very nasty criminal. No innocents will suffer."

"What about us? We're innocent," Falf pointed out.

"Innocent," Hoiz agreed.

"Look again, is there still a blip?"

Falf slowly took his eyes away from Regrette's gun and looked.

"No. It's gone."

Regrette smiled.

"Now look at you two. If you hadn't been so good at your jobs this wouldn't have happened."

Falf frowned.

"They'll know it came through us."

"They'll know," Hoiz agreed.

"No, if they can find anything it will be that it came from outside. Don't worry, we're really good at covering our tracks. Now, I really must be off."

He walked to the door and put his gun away.

"And I mean it; it really has been a pleasure working with you guys."

They just stared dumbfounded at the empty doorway.
CHAPTER 55

The nice thing about the device Tsyrker had used was that it injected a serum that wiped the short-term memory as well as knocking you out. This meant that the banker awoke feeling like he had fallen asleep and without a real idea as to what he had been doing before. Tsyrker couldn't know what he would do, would he suspect foul play or would he fail to say anything due to the embarrassment? It wouldn't matter anyway, but the longer it took for anyone to catch on the better.

They had all left the bank as quickly and calmly as possible and headed to the space port where they once again split up.

While they had been doing this, Loveritto and Tandish had gone back to Kagar to see if they could find a lead on where and when the money got dropped off and picked up.

"Are we being sidelined?" she asked sitting at a bar.

"Don't be foolish."

"They said they needed everyone for the bank."

"And then they worked out they didn't and they couldn't risk you getting recognised."

"Rainsford..."

"Stop. OK? You're misunderstanding this whole situation. You think it's easy because you're working with professionals. Banks like that have huge safety measures and just one slip up could see them all in prison."

Tandish frowned into her drink.

"This is not a world you want to get into, Tandish. Not that long ago you were telling me Rainsford has helped you to buy the farm you've always talked about."

"I can't have both?" she indignanted (new word!).

"No. No you can't. These people don't go home and live normal lives in between jobs, Tandish, this is their life."

"And what about you?"

He looked out around the bar.

"I'm not sure."

"Have they said anything?" she asked and he shook his head. "You think they will?"

"I think this is my world."

"But not mine," she moped.

"It is for now, come on let's take a look around."

***

"Dangerous," Regrette mused.

"Yeah," Grant agreed staring out into space.

"Probably the most dangerous person you've faced since leaving the 'G."

Grant looked at him in thought.

"Yeah, maybe," he went back to looking out of the window.

"What ails you, my friend?"

"I've got a bad feeling about this."

"He's not _that_ dangerous."

"No, not Cobroy. This whole thing. I mean, we're doing it because it's a rare opportunity, right?"

"Right."

"A major criminal force out of the shadows."

"Right," Regrette agreed again.

"But behind it all there's this talk of it happening anyway."

"And you don't like coincidences, do you?"

"I don't," Grant agreed.

"Could be though."

Grant gave him a look.

"Happenstance?" Regrette tried.

"At every turn we've been told we could have been given the Desards."

"No. No one can give you the Desards," Regrette thought about it. "No one could have known you'd take the job."

"How did the Durden's know where to find us?"

"What?" Regrette asked with surprise.

"Robbing the train."

"Seriously? You think it was what? Kill your friends so you'd follow the trail back to the Desards? It's a stretch."

"As much of a stretch as the Shadow Archetype?"

"That really is a stretch," Regrette agreed.

"And yet they keep coming up."

"Mssh," Regrette said as he wasn't sure what to say.

"Loveritto?" Grant asked.

" _Here."_

"What's your status?"

" _Not found much of anything yet."_

"Forget it. I want you to go to Canberi'do City on Mo'Tau. In the..."

" _Lampeer Galaxy, yeah, I know it. What do you need?"_

Grant explained to him as Regrette smirked.

"You're getting paranoid in your old age."

"I don't like loose ends and I don't like coincidences. Not when we're playing at this level."

"Serendipity?" Regrette asked.

Grant ignored him.

"Fortuity?" no response. "Providence."

Grant gave him a raised eyebrow.

"Ooh, destiny," Grant punched him in the arm and he cackled.

***

"Wow," Tandish said.

"How the other half live," Loveritto agreed, driving the hire car.

"Behind walls," she said and he laughed.

"Yeah, that's what wealth does. Builds walls."

"Why are people so desperate for it then?"

"We're lied to about how good it is; we're shown all the fancy things we can buy. And remember, those in power, those already rich want us to keep working hard so they can keep earning from us."

"So it's just an incentive."

"Right. But they won't let us ever attain it."

"I thought the UTN was founded on the idea of everyone sharing."

"It was, still is mostly. But there will always be people who want more and that's why there are people like the Shen Mi and the Desards. They don't like the way the UTN works, they don't want to share, so they turn to crime."

"I don't know how I can just walk away from all this," she shook her head.

"We'll see," was all he replied.

***

"But you knew we were coming," Loveritto said.

"Well, yes," Mrs Miles said. "Mr Grant called, but it was short notice, I have to say."

"But it was in the contract, you read that right?" Grant had told him to bring it up.

Grant had mentioned the same thing to her and knew it she hadn't read it. Mostly because it wasn't in the contract.

"Yes, yes, of course I did," she said in that angry way people did when they didn't want to admit fault.

"OK then."

"Look," Tandish said softly. "We wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't follow up.

"And we appreciate that," Mr Miles said soothingly. "We might have preferred that Mr Grant had come himself though."

"Because his name is on the door?" Loveritto asked. "You think we could do our job if we all had our names up there?"

Mr Miles, to his credit, considered this.

"I suppose not."

"She's doing well?" Tandish asked.

"As well as can be expected," Mrs Miles said brusquely.

"OK, well, we have a concern," Loveritto said.

"About Veronica," Mrs Miles asked with surprise and fear.

"Oh, no, no," Tandish soothed. "Other than that she is getting over her horrible ordeal."

"How did you hear about us, Mr Miles?" Loveritto asked.

"What?"

"Why us?" Tandish repeated. "Plenty of other people you could have hired for this."

"Well, uh, I don't know. I guess it was Grant's background," Mr Miles said.

"Which is not advertised," Loveritto said.

"Excuse me?" Mrs Miles said with indignation. "What are you trying to say?"

"There's no need to get angry here," Loveritto placated.

"Well, I..." Mrs Miles started.

"He said, 'can it'," Tandish snapped and they were all taken aback. "Your anger makes me think you're guilty."

"Oh, no, hang on there," it was Mr Miles' turn to placate.

"You hang on there," she jabbed an accusing finger at him. "We asked a simple question and we're being met with resistance. Why is that?"

"I see why you send Grant out," Mr Miles said and Loveritto laughed.

Though his composure was calm, he felt anything but inside. If there was something going on here, it was possible that it was the Miles' that were behind it. To give too much away to them would be to secure their secret, but he wasn't reading them that way. They didn't seem in on it, but maybe that was because he couldn't imagine anyone using their own daughter in that way.

"He's a people person," Loveritto smiled and then his face grew serious. "Look, Mr Miles, Mrs Miles, we got your daughter back because we followed every avenue. Now we're following a new one..."

"One that could save other lives," Tandish interrupted sternly.

"...and so we just need to follow this lead. Who told you about us?"

"Well it would have been Holson, our butler. I mean, I wasn't in any frame of mind to think, but he normally takes care of things," Mr Miles said.

"Alright, we need to see him then."

"I'll go and call him," Mrs Miles said and left the room.

"She could have done that in here," Loveritto nodded to an intercom.

"Yes, well, she, er..." his face took on a pained, uncomfortable expression.

"She's racist," Tandish said.

"No. Not really. Just uncomfortable. Her family used other races in their mines; she grew up being taught that Humans were superior. Hard to shake," he shook his own head, "but I think it's also guilt. She looks at you and feels guilty."

"Ahh, boo," Tandish ironicalised.

"I'm sorry the Universe isn't black and white enough for you," Miles angered.

"OK, OK," Loveritto raised his hands. "We're not here to solve all the Universe's problems."

"Where's that butler?" Mr Miles walked over to the intercom and pressed it. "Holson?"

Nothing came back and Miles turned to look at them.

"Stay here," Loveritto said and pulled a gun.

Tandish began to walk with him to the door.

"No. Watch Miles."

She gave him a pained face, but did as she was told.

Loveritto walked out into the large hallway and looked at his choice of doors. The house was huge, where would he be if anywhere? He tried one door and walked through a formal dining room with a table that could sit twelve. Through the door at the other end was the kitchen, but it was empty. He moved his way back and as he came back into the hall he thought he heard something upstairs. Veronica, the daughter, was up there; he should go and check on her.

He eased up the staircase, sticking to the curve of the wall, but it was nigh on impossible for a Merrick to walk stealthily anywhere. Upstairs was a better deal than downstairs in terms of the number of rooms and there were frantic noises coming from down the hall.

Loveritto moved that way and entered a room gun first to find Mrs Miles lying on the floor as a man, the Butler he assumed, was packing a suitcase. He was talking to himself through his sobs and tears flicked from his face as he moved.

"Stop right there."

Holson looked up at him and then down at Mrs Miles.

"She's not dead. Just unconscious."

"And that's OK, is it?"

"Better than the alternative," he turned back to packing. "You must go, you really must."

"That's not going to happen, Holson. You need to tell me what's going on."

"Not what you think. I have to leave. To protect them."

"We can protect you."

Holson laughed and sprayed spittle and tears over the clothes he had packed.

"Who told you to hire Grant?"

"I don't know."

"But you were told."

Holson stopped mid-fold, but didn't look up.

"It was a set up. I met an old Navy buddy and it all just spiralled from there. She was too wild, he said they could scare her straight."

"You just had to hire Grant," Loveritto said and Holson nodded before continuing to pack.

"They lied to me, obviously. And now you coming here has put us all in danger."

"Seriously? Our actions have put you in danger?" Loveritto asked.

There was a muffled _whoomph_ from outside and they both looked at the window.

"I just tried to help," Holson sobbed.

"Who contacted you?" Loveritto pressed, but Holson never answered.

The laser bolt came through the window and took him in the head. He fell into his suitcase of clothes covering them in his blood. Loveritto ducked and aimed at the window before crouch-walking to the door. He wasn't sure what to do with Mrs. Miles, she was safe where she was for now, but if she awoke? There was the sound of shattering glass throughout the house and Loveritto ducked into the room, grabbed the duvet and pulled it over Mrs Miles' body as more laser bolts erupted into the room. He then headed out of the door to find Veronica in the hallway with an ashen face. She was so scared she couldn't even scream.

"Get back in your room," Loveritto commanded. "Under the bed."

"They're here to take me back," she suddenly wailed.

"No. Get under the bed."

She looked at him as he came upon her and then darted into her room and slammed the door just as he passed. The hall had no windows so he could run, but as he got to the stairs he could see the front doors were close to tatters. He stopped and took aim before firing on them. He heard someone scream and fall to the floor.

He hurried down the stairs and then left into the room where they had met the Miles'. Mr Miles and Tandish were both lying prone on the floor. The room was destroyed by laser fire.

"Tandish?" Loveritto shouted and she raised her head a little.

"What's...?" she started and then the room was again filled with laser fire.

Loveritto took aim out of the window and fired, though he couldn't hope to hit anyone at that angle. He turned back and fired again at the front doors, which gave up the ghost and disintegrated. The firing stopped.

"Get up," he commanded. "Upstairs. Now!"

She scrambled up and helped Mr Miles up before staggering to the door as Loveritto covered them.

"Up, up," he urged.

"What's happening?" Tandish asked as she pushed Mr Miles up the stairs.

"Someone messed up and didn't notice our arrival."

He pushed them up the stairs and they rounded the corner just in time. They could hear people pushing through the remains of the front doors as they headed down the corridor.

"Where's my wife?" Mr Miles asked groggily.

"The butler's room, though I should warn..."

Miles stumble-ran ahead and let out a shriek.

That brought Veronica out as Loveritto thumped down the corridor.

"She's not dead," he said from the door. Considering he was now cradling her, Mr Miles should have noticed that.

"No?" Miles looked up at him.

"You can feel her breathing."

"I can? Yes. Yes, I can," he sobbed into her neck.

"Mum? Dad?" Veronica whined from the door.

"Get in here," Loveritto pulled her in and Tandish followed. "Now this isn't great," he frowned.

"What do we do?" Tandish asked.

Instead of answering, Loveritto crouched over to the window and took a look outside. There was a building surrounded by a hedge with smoke billowing out of it. A bomb or grenade Loveritto thought as he looked down at the house. He couldn't see anyone outside which meant they were, probably, all inside. Heading towards them.

Mrs Miles was conscious and was being tended to by her husband and daughter.

"Loveritto?" Tandish asked.

"They're on their way up to us."

"Over there, another door," Mr Miles said.

"Where?" Loveritto asked.

"There," he pointed. "Leads downstairs, can't have the staff walking the hallway."

And there was another door; Loveritto hadn't noticed it because he wasn't expecting it.

"Well what's that door for?" Tandish asked.

"If we need him at night. Is this the time?" Mr Miles snapped.

"Come on. Tandish you go first, I'll fend them off for as long as possible."

With that Tandish urged the Miles' to the door as Loveritto went to the hallway door and peaked out. He nearly lost his nose. He ducked back in and fired blind knowing that there was nowhere to hide in the hallway. The laser blasts got the others moving and Tandish led them down a staircase that bent at the end. She used her gun to slowly push the door open, but found the room, a break room for the staff, to be empty. She could, however, hear shouts from somewhere in the house. The ground floor, she thought.

She hustled them out as quickly and quietly as possible and Loveritto pushed passed them as soon as he could.

"They know we've come down, they'll be coming. Way out?" he demanded.

"From here?" Mrs Miles asked in a daze.

"Of course."

"Kitchen, I would think," Mr Miles said.

"Which way?"

"Er... Not entirely sure, don't come in here much."

Tandish rolled her eyes.

"It must be this door," she said and cracked it open. "OK, clear."

They moved slowly through the rooms, only coming across one man, who Loveritto shot, before they reached the kitchen. It was there they found the kitchen staff in much the same state as the butler. The Miles' gave out a selection of sobs and cries at the sight, though Tandish thought it was more at the horror than mourning their deaths.

Loveritto moved across the kitchen, past the large central counter and to the door. He cracked it open and ducked back in as laser fire erupted. He fired back and Tandish scuttled over to help.

"Get them out," he told her.

"Right," she ran back to another door and opened it. It led outside. "Come on."

"We can't leave, this is our home," Mrs Miles wailed.

"You're welcome to stay," Tandish gestured to Loveritto firing through the door.

"Come on," Mr Miles commanded.

They came out on a gravelled area around the side of the house where the bins were kept. They could see the smoke billowing out of the security building and when the wind picked up it enveloped them. There was a faint smell of cooked meat to it.

"Now where?" Mr Miles asked as his wife and daughter hugged.

"It's your house," Tandish pointed out.

"They could be anywhere."

"Let's move towards the fire, let the smoke hide us and then move to the tree line."

"OK," Miles nodded.

Tandish was glad he agreed because she had no idea if it was the right thing to do. He was right they could be anywhere. They started to move and as they did two men ran around the side of the house, Tandish shot them without thinking about it.

"Good shot," Mr Miles grinned, but Tandish felt a little sick.

Not only had she killed two people, but she'd done so without thinking about it. Like it was normal. Natural.

As they got further from the house they could see around the corner to the front and could see the flashes of laser bolts though the windows. There were three more people coming out of the front door as they reached the hedge and could feel the heat of the fire on the other side.

"Move along, get around it," Tandish whispered to Miles even though they were too far away for anyone to hear.

The people at the door were firing back in, but it was obvious that they were unsure what to do, considering running around the side. Tandish took a deep breath; it was beginning to play on her mind, this choice of death. She'd thought she could do it, thought it was OK, was right. Now she wasn't sure, even in this situation where it was us or them. More lasers flashed in the windows and she thought of Loveritto in there alone while she was having a moral crisis. She snorted a breath and raised her gun. You don't like it? Tough luck, you chose to be a part of this and now you see it through.

She shot each one methodically.

The Miles' watched from the corner of the bush that was now starting to smoulder. There were no more flashes of laser and no more people coming out. Eventually there was one more flash and then, a little later, Loveritto emerged from the front door.

"Are we safe," Mr Miles asked once they were all standing together and the fire brigade had been rung.

"I should think so. They wanted to stop your butler talking and that's happened. Coming back solves nothing for anyone."

"But you can't be sure," Mrs Miles wailed.

"Thank you," Tandish said angrily.

"For what?" she cried.

"No, Mum," Veronica said quietly.

"Oh, right, yes," Mr Miles said. "Thank you. Both of you."

"This wouldn't have happened if you'd stayed away," Mrs Miles accused.

"You hired us," Loveritto shrugged. "Come on, let's go."

"Why?" Tandish asked as they walked to the car.

"Don't know. The butler? He was told to hire Grant, but why? Doubt we'll ever know."

She shook her head.

"All of that and nobody won. No one achieved anything, but death and destruction."
CHAPTER 56

"Well it's taken us long enough," Regrette said.

"Things have spiralled," Grant admitted.

"Don't they always?"

They were lying on a roof in the early morning light looking over a large park with numerous trees and a lake big enough to boat upon.

"I dated a girl here once," Grant said.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, on leave. Maybe date is the wrong word, but we used to meet in this park and go for walks."

"What happened?"

"My leave ended."

"That's a shame."

"Yeah."

"Was she hot?"

"You're crass, you know that?" Grant looked over at him.

Regrette waggled his eyebrows.

"She was very pretty."

"And I'm guessing you didn't keep in touch."

"I found her once I was in the InterG, married with kids by then."

"Does it make you wistful?"

"It makes me wonder sometimes."

They both looked down over the park, lost in their own thoughts for a minute or two.

"I best be off," Grant said. "You ready?"

"I've got my bestest girl right here," he smiled pulling his sniper case closer.

Grant got up.

"You ever get tired of being alone?" he asked.

Regrette looked up at him seriously.

"I'm not alone, I've got you guys."

Grant just nodded.

"Keep me safe."

"Wilco," Regrette beamed at him.

***

Grant walked through the park and, well, yeah, he did feel a little wistful. It had been a very long time ago now, but walking along the path it felt like yesterday. He tried not to let himself wonder about what could have been because the Universe didn't work like that. You had one shot at it and that was how it played out.

Still.

Sometimes he wondered what it would have been like if he had taken another route. Perhaps stayed with Lindy, left the Navy and taken up a regular job. But it was stupid. Then he would never have travelled the Universe like he had; never seen all those things; never had the experiences he had and never met his friends. Family, really. Gulch, Tsyrker, Regrette and now Kaskey. Not to forget all those he had met along the way such as Loveritto, Tandish and Kov. He smiled to himself and thought of Regrette now watching over him.

And that snapped him back. Regrette was tracking him with a sniper rifle because he was here to meet Cobroy and neither of them thought he would. Cobroy would want the meet on his own terms and that meant kidnapping Grant.

Of course, that wasn't going to happen. As with everything they seemed to do, it was all a show of strength and Cobroy was going to learn who was in charge.

As he walked to the agreed meeting point a Byfrok, dressed like a local gang member, charged him and fell dead to Regrette's shot. Grant didn't miss a step. The next one was less subtle, but more wary; a Cantorvial that stayed in the shadows of the trees that lined the path.

"Come with me," he rasped.

Grant stopped. "I'll wait for your boss."

"You don't have the choice," he showed him his gun.

"Oh, I think I do," Grant said and the Cantorvial's face disappeared in a laser blast and he fell back into the shadows.

Grant kept walking.

Now he had to go off of the main path and through an area of rocks that stood, at their highest, at four and a half metres (or fifteen feet – you're welcome). The path here was pebbly and wound around the grey rocks while Dowder vines and Kexiat trees grew up around and between them.

A Human fell out dead from between two rocks as a Byfrok emerged only to be cut down. Now a Tarancort leapt at Grant but was shot down in mid-air (Grant did a little one-two side step and he fell just behind him). The path rose and then fell into a meadow with a small lake at its centre. This was definitely not a family friendly area of the park and Grant could see numerous bottles of Faro's Gold in the long grass around the rocks along with a single bottle of Ryffinger's. Some people were all class.

"Now just wait right there," a voice called out.

"I'm pleased you haven't underestimated me," Grant called back cheerily.

"There's only one way this is going to go."

"I see that now."

"Good," the voice said calmly. The owner started to move out of the trees, his face just visible. "It's good to see..."

Regrette shot him.

"That's the way it's going to go," Grant said with a frown and kept walking to the rendezvous.

An Albertine and a Tarancort sprang up from a bench and Grant didn't need Regrette for this one, he turned, ducked and delivered a blow to the Albertine's stomach before continuing to turn and planting a foot into the Tarancort's knee. He then delivered two swift knock out blows, much to the shock of the three people in the vicinity.

"Muggers," was all Grant said before moving on.

He finally got to the meeting point, a small glade near the lake.

"You're not Cobroy," he told the mean looking, scarred Jobru that met him there.

"And you don't have the boy," the Jobru sneered.

"What are you stupid? You think I'd bring him to such an easily escapable place as this?"

"Watch your mouth," the Jobru warned.

"Enough already," Grant said and the Jobru fell to a laser bolt to the head.

Grant turned in a circle with his arms out in invitation.

A Grey walked out of a clump of trees with his hands in the air.

"I assume there are more of you dotted around in case I took a different route. I'm going to leave now, they attack me and they're dead."

The Grey shook his head.

"I'm sure they've realised that by now, but some will fear recriminations from their boss."

"Talking of which, tell him to contact me when he's done playing games."

***

"Well that went well," Grant said.

"Walk in the park," Regrette grinned.

Grant just raised an eyebrow and took a sip of his Vant's soda.

"Bring back memories?" Regrette asked.

"Yes. She and I used to walk the park holding hands while an assassin shot gang members all around us."

"No wonder she left you," Regrette joked, but then felt bad when he saw a flash of hurt cross Grant's face. "So what now?" he asked to change the subject.

"Now we wait."

"You think he'll play nice this time?"

"No," Grant shook his head. "I'll think he'll play smart. He'll have a bead on me by now."

"His head's on the block, even more so now."

"But he's got to be asking himself why I've got the boy and what I want in return."

"He doesn't have the time," Regrette said looking off. "He's crossed you and that risks you giving the boy up."

"Maybe, but what would that benefit me?"

Regrette sighed.

"This is why I leave all this stuff to Rain."

"Same," Grant said as his phone rang. "Cobroy."

" _Grant."_

"You did your homework, how nice."

" _What do you want?"_

"I wanted to meet, but you didn't show."

Cobroy snorted a laugh.

" _A foolish move on my part. If I'd known who you were then..."_

"You'd have done the same thing with more men."

" _Perhaps. So now what?"_

"Now we try again."

" _I don't trust you, Grant."_

"I don't trust you, Cobroy."

" _What do you want?"_ he asked again.

"The kind of thing I might be able to get from others. Others who would love to hold you hostage."

" _Alright. Alright,"_ Cobroy yielded.

***

"What do you think he'll try this time?" Regrette asked.

They were on the planet of Vestul in the Chinap Galaxy, the Bowx solar system to be more precise. The planet was known for the 'Vartengrat'd' or 'Bad Lands' in English. A continent of not a lot of anything. Though that was hard to know as there was something in it's nature that scrambled radio and other technology, making flying over it dangerous. It was also covered in a low grey cloud a lot of the time, but didn't seem to rain. People went into the Bad Lands to escape, not just from the Police, but from life. Vilmat had allegedly gone into the Vartengrat'd to consider his Shrinking Universe theory and he had done so because the great philosopher Gwarzityne had (also allegedly) spent time there formulating his philosophies. Though the farthest anyone had ever gotten was still plains of hard soil, rock outcrops and desert, it was said that there were oases in there and high mountains. Of course there was treasure alleged to be had there, from mountains made out of precious stones to caves full of Cropid.

They were at an outside bar on the island of GhuyLort (World's End) the closest island to the Bad Lands in a chain of them that nearly stretched back to the continent of GhuyWildle (or World's Beginning). The island was a hotbed for wannabe philosophers who still preferred hotels and bars to the harshness of the Bad Lands. Nice beaches too.

"It's a good choice of location," Grant replied.

"Not all it seems," Regrette said with his usual theatrics.

The island was quite big and though a tourist destination it was also a centre of criminal activity. There were plenty of people who needed to hide out in the Bad Lands, but also needed to trade and deal and so GhuyLort was the place to do it. It was not a good place for someone like Grant.

"I chased Tommy Fates into the slums here."

"The Eastside?" Regrette asked with surprise.

"Yeah."

"Dangerous."

"Very," Grant agreed.

"You get him?"

"You kidding? I barely got out alive. A local family rescued and hid me. Smuggled me back out."

They both sat in silence and drank their Frosty Cocktails, the wind was warm coming off of the Bad Lands and mingled with the salt from the ocean that was a stone's throw away from where they sat.

"Shores of Dawn," Regrette said.

"What?" Grant asked sharply.

"GhuyWildle. It means 'world's beginning'; some thought that was where the myth came from."

"Oh."

Regrette checked the time and Grant nodded.

"Time to move. Good luck."

"Mssh," Regrette replied and got up. "Let's try and stay on the island, huh?"

He walked away and Grant finished his drink before doing the same.

***

"How's he doing?" Grant asked.

"Who knows?" Kaskey shrugged. "Hasn't said a word, just stares out the window.

Grant looked out the hotel window.

"Nice view," he said and it was. "Come on, Edward."

Edward, the kid once known as Leader, mechanically turned his head to look up at Grant from his seat.

"You said I'd be free," he said in a monotone.

"And you will be. After this."

Edward turned back to look out the window. His face and voice, his movements were all devoid of emotion, devoid of much, like a man in shock. Grant had to wonder what they'd done to him to extract the information they wanted. What they had done to free his mind from the grip of the Cult. Well, it had worked, but it had left him a shell.

"Come on then, freedom awaits."

Edward smiled a mechanical smile and got up as if his joints were rusty.

"You good?" Grant asked Kaskey and he nodded in reply.

***

Grant walked to an outside table belonging to a brightly coloured bar. He sat down.

"So here we are," Cobroy stated.

He was a burly Human with a shaven head. He had a scar along his right cheek and one that began at his left eyebrow and continued over the bridge of his nose. They could all be part of one scar, Grant thought.

"It certainly appears so."

"Where is he?"

"Close. Don't worry, Cobroy, I'm not here to mess you around. It's a straight deal."

"Though you still haven't told me what you want."

"Your employer."

So far everyone had laughed at that point, but Cobroy narrowed his eyes and just stared.

"What do you know?"

"Well that's a new reaction."

"I've looked you up, Grant, no way that you're involved."

"I'm here, aren't I?"

Cobroy shook his head.

"You won't leave this island alive 'less you start squawking."

"You tried to mess with me before, remember how that turned out?"

Cobroy sat back in his chair, but continued to stare at Grant. It was interesting; Cobroy knew someone, someone other than him, was gunning for the Desards. He didn't seem to know who though and Grant wondered if he should tell him. It could work in their favour, could be a better deal than Edward, but it could also be worse. Could drive the Desards underground for good.

Once again he wondered why he was doing this, he had no stake in it and if someone else had the Desards in their sights, why not leave them to it?

"I hear the Bad Lands are nice this time of year."

"You wouldn't know," Cobroy returned.

"No, that's why I said I'd heard."

"Where's the boy?"

"Close. But you must know this was a set up. Not by us, we saved your bacon by getting to the boy first."

"What choice did I have?"

Grant saw thoughts flash across his eyes and then Cobroy seemed to relax. Only seemed to, it was a very slight change in his posture. He sat forward again.

"Let us have a drink," he said and raised a hand to a passing waiter.

They sat in silence until their drinks arrived.

"Universe is changing," Cobroy said. "Got to change to survive, but who knows which one is the winning team?"

"Who's on the pitch?"

Cobroy shook his head.

"I don't even know. I know that powerful crime gangs are jostling for power, but I don't know why, or who they're up against."

"So you sit on a precarious balance, hence you're desperation for the boy."

"I cannot afford to fall out of favour with them at this time," he took a sip of his drink, his eyes never leaving Grant's. "Which is why I'll tell you nothing."

"Hmm, rock and a hard place, aren't you?"

"I don't understand."

"Earthen saying. Think of it this way, you tell me what I want to know and your choice has been made for you. Simplifies things."

Cobroy smiled.

"You've already simplified things for me. You see, I'm assuming you know what the boy knows and I also assume you've taken him out of action. So really I only need to get rid of you."

"Yeah," Grant thought about it and frowned. "I hadn't thought of that."

Cobroy smiled as a van sped to a halt at the kerb and a number of men bundled out.

"You'll come with me now," Cobroy said and poked Grant's knee with the pistol he held under the table.

Someone came up behind him and took his weapon before tugging him to his feet.

"No one around here to help an ex-cop," Cobroy sneered. "Get in the van."
CHAPTER 57

It was a short ride to the ocean where they transferred to a boat, at no time giving Regrette a shot. Grant was kept off of the deck until they were safely out to sea.

A rough Albertine with matted, dirty hair and broken knuckles pulled Grant out of the hold and pushed him onto the bench seat that ran along the edge of the deck. The water sprayed up around him and soaked his back.

"Thought you were killing me."

"In time," Cobroy smiled. "First I want information."

"Never been tortured before," Grant said and looked over his shoulder at the water.

"It doesn't have to come to that."

Grant looked back at him.

"But then I still won't have been tortured. All my friends have," Grant smiled, "and I'm all about new experiences."

Grant could see from Cobroy's eyes that he was considering punching him so he turned and looked out over the water again. He watched a school of Grastiax fish swimming close to the surface; very dangerous, big mouths with pointy teeth. It is noted in the annals of the UTN that Sir Bertrand was inspired by them when he wrote his treatise on the, then foundling, Universal Trading Network.

He thought again about what Edward had said about Cobroy, about him being a shark. Ferocious in its waters, but much less so when taken out of them. Could it be the same for the Desards? With what they were doing they were luring Maggie out, but could they bring her far enough out of her waters before they struck?

And did he still want to? He kept asking himself this and had yet to answer it properly. He kept ploughing forward anyway and that should tell him something. He knew that taking down the Desards would still save a lot of people like those they had rescued from Gothra's casino and he knew that many others would be saved from the effects of the Desard's criminal activities. At the same time, if someone was trying to muscle in, by helping they might be ushering in something worse.

But he couldn't let it go. From what they had seen, whoever it was, whether the Shadow Archetype or someone else, they would succeed eventually without anyone knowing, or being there to control it. Stop it even. For that was it, if the Universe was changing like Cobroy had said, then Grant wanted to know how and why, and if by chasing the Desards he could find out, then he was in. He couldn't, he knew, sit back with the knowledge he had. Egotistical perhaps, but he wanted a hand in it, wanted to know he was there to stop whatever nefarious plans were already in motion.

They pulled up onto the dark tan mudflats that the Bad Lands called a shore and Grant was manhandled out of the boat.

"Like I told you," he grinned, "nice this time of year."

"Just bring him," Cobroy grunted and they set off on foot.

The mudflats were not wide and they quickly entered a forest of gnarled, woody trees. They had foliage, but not a lot and what there was was right at the top creating a thick canopy. On ground level there was a surprising amount of undergrowth for the lack of direct sunlight, mainly small, straggly bushes with maroon leaves that clumped together to form outcrops of thick vegetation. Grant had always thought of the Bad Lands as empty wasteland, but was now discovering that a lot of it was forested just like the one they were walking through. There was wasteland, a lot of it, particularly further from the coast, but it was not as barren a continent as people thought.

He looked around the gloom and though the trees were widely spaced, twisted trunks at this level, it was still hard to see through them. Something about their spacing or the way they grew that made them seem as dense as a jungle. He wondered if anything lived in here; he guessed so as life always found a way. He also guessed it by the nerves of the men; they had obviously done this trek a lot, but they were still wary, hands still hung close to guns, and that meant bad things lived in the trees.

Suddenly, as if to prove Grant right, Cobroy stopped and held out a hand for the others to do so.

"Quebbli," he whispered and a number of the men groaned.

Grant shifted slightly to see what the fuss was about and a hand grabbed his arm tightly.

"Don't move," someone hissed at him.

He could now see an animal about the size of a badger though the back legs resembled that of a rabbit or kangaroo. It had short, shiny fur that blended in with its surroundings and had a short snout and a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth.

"That's going to take us on?" Grant asked.

"You better bloody believe it."

"Shut up," Cobroy hissed.

The Quebbli moved sideways, sizing them up and Grant could now see it had long digging claws on its front paws.

"Rano, you got this," Cobroy said and Grant heard the man give a disappointed grunt.

Cobroy moved to his left just enough for the animal to look at him and at the same time Rano quick-drew his gun. He wasn't quick enough. Grant had never seen an animal move so fast, it bounded left and then right in a blur and there was a scream and a thud. Grant turned around to find Rano lying on the floor, he'd been disembowelled and most of his face was missing. The Quebbli was nowhere to be seen.

"Valkswagon," Cobroy cursed as he stood over Rano's writhing body. He pulled his pistol and put him out of his misery.

"Still think it's nice this time of year?" he asked Grant as he passed. "Come on, let's get out of the trees."

Cobroy began to walk again, but was stopped by one of his boys.

"Er, boss? Where's Thatch?"

Cobroy looked around, counted each man and then turned and glared at Grant.

"Come on," he commanded and they moved on again, more wary than ever.

They walked on and soon came to a clearing that held a large yellow lake.

"I don't need to tell you not to go near the water," Cobroy told Grant who just looked at the brackish water. "Good."

They started walking around the lake and after a minute or so there was a loud splash.

"Shabbus," Cobroy shouted as they all turned.

There was nothing to see except bubbling water close to the shore. Grant thought he saw a couple of small fins splashing around in the maelstrom.

"Viker fish," someone said.

"Who was it?" Cobroy demanded.

They all looked around.

"Huj."

Once again Cobroy looked at Grant who gave a small shrug.

"Rogue philosopher?"

"Move."

They walked on until they got to a path through the trees and continued in. Though they didn't see any more fauna they heard it moving through the trees and at one point heard a snarl like that of a big cat. A little later they passed a high fence made out of the wood from the trees. An enclosed village for some of those that hid out here, but they did not stop nor acknowledge it. They exited the trees to the kind of vista you'd expect from a place called the Bad Lands. Barren, sandy yellow plain with rocky outcrops dotted about, some of them impressively tall, and in the near distance a mountain range. Above them was a solid bank of cloud that held a sickly yellow hue.

Cobroy looked back at them, his eyes flicking left and right.

"Carno and Tomy?"

"I dunno, boss," a Jobru said. "They was here a minute ago, I swear."

"You swear?"

"Well, er, I think so. Tomy definitely was."

Cobroy looked at Grant who smiled.

"What were you saying about no one being around to help an ex-cop?"

"Come on, move. Everyone, move."

They moved across the plain, keeping as much distance from the outcrops as possible. There were now only four of them left not including Grant and Cobroy and they marched quickly across the flats to one of the larger outcrops a short distance away. As they neared, it became obvious that there was at least one building built into the cracks and gaps between the large, dark brown rocks.

There were two pops of superheated air and two of the men fell down dead from a laser shot. The corpses were quickly dragged into the sandy soil by something unknown. Cobroy pulled his pistol and grabbed Grant, pulling him close and putting the gun to his head.

"Come on," he pushed Grant forward.

They arrived at the outcrop that had a gap between two massive rocks, maybe twenty feet high, and in that gap was a wooden building.

"In," Cobroy commanded and pushed Grant through the door. "Stay on guard," he told a Grey who didn't look too pleased about the idea.

Cobroy, Grant and the last man, a Reutorgian, went into the main room of the building.

"Cosy," Grant commented.

"I've had enough of your mouth," Cobroy angered. "But you'll use it now to tell me what you know."

There was the familiar pop and the noise of something, or, let's face it someone, thudding against the door.

"Valkswagon,' Cobroy shouted and waved his gun at Grant. "I'll kill him," he shouted, but got no response.

"You know, Cobroy, I couldn't give two shabbuses about you. All I wanted was to trade the boy for information. You criminals, just because you double-cross everyone you think everyone's at it."

"And I told you that I could let neither go. Now tell me what the boy knew; who hired him and why?"

"That's not how it works, Cobroy."

Another pop and the Reutorgian fell down dead as Regrette emerged from the shadows.

"Drop the gun, Cobroy," he advised.

"I used to be in the Navy," Grant said with Cobroy's gun to his head, "spent some time with the SGF too, after all that I was in the InterG for a long time. What I learnt was to pick my battles. Fight the ones that would lead to the biggest and best outcome. You're not a battle I've picked to fight, Cobroy."

Cobroy slowly lowered his arm and then let the gun drop to the floor.

"And I took you to a nice quiet place where you could have me alone," he smiled bitterly to himself.

"You're very helpful," Regrette smiled back.

"And how did you get in? Hell, how'd you survive the forest?"

"Mssh, you know why this place is always empty?"

"Scvar was assassinated here."

"Right and I used the same secret entrance then as I did now."

"You've been to the Bad Lands before?" Grant asked him. "No, of course you have."

"Ever been over the mountains?" Regrette asked Cobroy who shook his head.

"You should, there's a crater there full of lush jungle."

"You part of the tourist board?" Cobroy sneered.

"Quite," Grant agreed. "On with business. The Randaritchia Hotel is currently floating off into deep space; the Desard's account at the Polince Universal Free Bank is about to be donated to charity and their operations at Wiloth will very soon be put on ice. Maggie Desard will come out of the shadows to find us and I want to know how to get her when she does."

Cobroy smiled.

"Well she'll come to me first."

"And that's great, you can just tell her it's us and we can on get on with our lives," Regrette said.

"You want Maggie? You better take this more seriously," Cobroy warned him.

"Mssh," he replied.

"She'll direct operations, how? How will she touch base with people?" Grant asked, but Cobroy shook his head.

"It's not going to happen, I'm not going to sell them out."

"Then we'll hang you out to dry," Regrette said.

"Do it. I'll be bait for whoever is trying to take them down. They'll protect me."

"But you're forgetting we could just kill you now," Grant said.

"No. I told you I've looked up on you, you won't."

"Well that's a maybe, but he might," Grant nodded to Regrette. "The legendary Wraith."

A touch of fear passed over Cobroy's face, but he did well to hide it.

"Though you should know that I didn't shoot Gothra in the face," Regrette said. "That was all him."

Grant could see him thinking about it; considering how much he could give just to escape; play both sides and come out even.

"We just need an in."

"Gastazias on the planet Pharout, you know it?"

Regrette nodded.

"She'll switch between there and the city of Ralli on Ursia."

"In Zieglland," Grant said and Cobroy nodded.

"Specifics," Regrette said.

"It's an in," Cobroy said to him. "What you wanted."

"Alright. Fair's fair," Grant said. "Why couldn't we have done this in the first place, huh?"

Cobroy just stared at him with hard, angry eyes.

Suddenly the door burst open and someone came screaming in. There was the flash of metal and Grant was shoved back against a wall. He slid down it feeling his stomach becoming wet and warm. He heard cries of pain and the sickening tears of flesh and then as suddenly as it began it was over. His eyes clouded over a little, but he could make out someone go to the door and then come over to him. Regrette.

"You OK? Let me look."

Grant took his hands away and sucked in a yelp as Regrette moved his clothing.

"It's not bad. I've known children to survive worse."

Grant tried a smile a shook his head. His eyes cleared; the adrenaline and shock were wearing off.

" _Grant? Grant? We got a problem, man,"_ Kaskey said over the radio.

"Let me guess, our friend escaped your clutches," Regrette replied.

" _Yeah. I dunno how..."_

"Save it for later, we've just bumped into him."

" _You alright? Where's Grant?"_

"He's here, but we're going to need some first aid."

" _Shabbus..."_

"Just listen to me," Regrette said and told him what he needed to bring and to where.

"Cobroy?" Grant asked. He could see him slumped on the floor.

Regrette went over to him and rolled him over. He was cut up real bad, wouldn't make it, but was still alive.

He smiled a bloody smile at Regrette.

"Lephat's Hall and the Yulnat Club. Valkswagon, let 'em all burn," he said and closed his eyes. "Find Drezznin at Grayly's."

He coughed up blood and wheezed before his chest stopped rising and falling.

"Come on," Regrette said helping Grant up. "Let's get out of here."
CHAPTER 58

"I'm sorry," Kaskey frowned.

"So you've said," Regrette noted.

"It's fine, I'm fine," Grant reassured.

He was reclining on a sofa in a hotel room in the small city of Jampadek. It was the closest city to the Port of Wiloth and mainly housed those that worked at the port or those who had business there.

"How's your head?" Grant asked.

"Fine, just a bit of a headache," Kaskey said.

Regrette flicked his head with his finger.

"Hey," Kaskey shouted. "What's your problem, man?" he raised his fists.

"Enough," Tsyrker shouted.

"How nice of you to join us," Regrette smiled.

"What happened here?" she asked surveying the scene.

"I was escorting the kid," Kaskey said. "Ready to hand him over to Cobroy. He was like a zombie, just shuffling along; didn't speak, didn't react. I dunno what happened next, suddenly he was alive and he knocked me out. Woke up a lot later on a sofa in the back room of a bar."

"Somehow," Regrette continued, "he managed to get to the Bad Lands and follow us. He attacked Grant and killed Cobroy. Seems whatever you did didn't work."

He smirked at her.

"Worked for us," she replied.

"Oh, I bet. Got what you needed," his smirk turned to a sneer.

"We did and I'm being urged to drop this for a reassignment."

"Oh, good, we might actually get something done," Regrette sarcasticised.

"Enough, Steve," Grant commanded. "Go walk it off."

Regrette started to argue, but Grant cut him off.

"Go. Now."

"Alright. Whatever," he strode out of the room.

"What is wrong with him?" Kaskey asked.

"He's worried," Tsyrker said. "Worried for Grant. He hates not being in control of a situation and worse, he couldn't do anything to stop Grant getting hurt."

Kaskey looked at her as he thought about it. It gelled with what he knew about Regrette. He also thought about what Gulch had said. About them being in love. She certainly knew him inside and out.

" _Are_ you OK?" she asked Grant.

"I am," he slowly sat up. "Not deep enough for permanent damage."

"Good. Was it worth it?"

"It was."

"Good. I'll go and find Regrette," she walked out of the room.

"Efficient, isn't she?" Grant smiled at Kaskey.

"You're a strange bunch."

"We, Kas. We're a strange bunch. Here, help me up."

***

Later they all sat in the bar having eaten. They were quiet and contemplative having been debriefed by Grant and Loveritto. What the latter said gave them all pause for thought. Kaskey, Kov and Tandish were shocked at how easily all their good work in Haffir could have been undone. Shocked at how far these people would go. The others knew that there were rarely happy endings and were more interested in their antagonist's reach and power. And more so the idea that it had been a set up. Tsyrker eyed Grant as she thought about it. Was it Grant or did they know who he rolled with? Was Grant chosen because of his connections with her? She wouldn't, couldn't, be used; to use her was to use her organisation. That would bring disrepute and anyone who knew it would see weakness.

"I think I understand now," Kaskey said slowly. "Why we're doing this, I mean. It doesn't end, does it? Not less you strike at the top."

"It's like digging a hole on the ocean floor," Kov said. "As fast as you can dig, the sand just fills it up again."

"We, Grant and I, were just street sweepers. We cleared up the detritus, but we never stopped the litterers," Loveritto agreed.

"But why?" Tandish almost sobbed. "Why do such a thing to those people?"

Grant sighed.

"I think we're playing in a much larger game here. The Desards have joined up with others, but I think those others are seeking to destroy the Desards as we are. It could be that we were brought into this for that very reason."

"What?" Tandish asked in shock. "Are you saying we could be doing what the bad guys want? Working for them?"

"No," Tsyrker said. "What we do often helps another criminal. They are childish and have feuds; they are greedy and want to move up. It's not a reason to stop doing good."

"We take the Desards down and thousands of people will be free from their tainted touch. Now and in the future. Lives that would have been ruined by them will now be free," Grant said tenderly.

"Plus by doing this we might get a look as these 'others'," Regrette dropped Tsyrker a wink and it took considerable willpower for her not to hit him.

"We can clean up the streets, Tandish," she said instead.

Tandish looked at them all.

"Until the next one comes along. I'm sorry, but I can't do this. I will; I'll help you at the port, but after that..."

"It's OK," Grant assured her.

"It's not though is it?" tears sprang into her eyes. "How can you live here? I feel so dirty, I feel like it's all over me, in me. I'll never be able to wash it off."

She looked at each of them to see if they understood. Her eyes settled on Kaskey.

"Sometimes," he said, looking at the table. "I feel like my fur is all matted up and I run my fingers through it, but it's not. It's clean. She's right, man, it gets on you; it gets in you."

"Then you walk away," Gulch said. "Enjoy the good things in life and in time this will wash away."

"I understand Tandish here, but that's not an option for me," Kaskey told him.

"Tears won't wash away the stains, that's what someone told me," Regrette said. "You keep going. You have to keep scrubbing, keep cleaning those streets and hope one day it's enough."

Kaskey looked at him. They all did. It was pretty much the most honest thing Regrette had ever said.

"What?" he asked them.

"None of us have to be here. We can pull the plug right now. I could use your help at the port, but after that you can go your own way. I won't call on you again if you don't want me to."

"I'll be there," Loveritto said.

"I'm afraid that's a decision I'll have to make at the time," Kov admitted.

"And that's fine, Kov," Grant assured him. "It goes for the rest of you too. None of you needs follow me after the Desards; you're only going to get dirtier before you get clean."

"Mssh."

"Regrette speaks for me too," Gulch said.

Grant looked at Tsyrker.

"I won't dignify that with an answer."

"Kas?"

"I told you I'm in, man. Where else am I gonna go?"

"OK."

"Me too," Loveritto said suddenly. "If you want me. I can't go back to hiding in that little office. I'm like you, Grant; I left the force because I wasn't making a difference and by running away, well, I only made sure I couldn't."

Grant nodded to himself.

"We'll talk later, OK?"

"OK," Loveritto replied quietly.

"What've we got?" Gulch asked Tsyrker.

"Warehouse Z11. From what I hear it's full. The Desards froze shipments out due to the gang war with the Shen Mi; at least I'm surmising that's the reason. We hit that and it messes a lot of people up. The bank's ready to go and the two-in-one will put the Desards in dangerous debt."

"The port's heavily armed, more so than others due to the Vodol," Gulch said.

"I can get you in the system," Tsyrker told him. "Get us an official landing pass."

"OK, good," he smiled. "That makes things a lot easier."

"There's more," Tandish said.

"Hidden area down the river; place to keep illegal goods they move in and out. Hard to tell how well guarded it was from what we saw. They might bank on its hidden location rather than heavy defence," Tsyrker said.

"But what we saw were well armed," Tandish added and Tsyrker nodded.

"Hard to get weapons into the Port and this hidden port is well placed. No roads in or out. River access only," Gulch said.

"Let me see that," Regrette got up and looked at the map on Gulch's screen. "There'll be road access; you never leave yourself with only one escape."

"We don't have time to find it," Tsyrker said.

"Mssh. Come in by the river, I'll see you in there," he said and got up.

"We need you in the Port," Tsyrker said firmly.

Regrette looked around the table.

"No. No you don't," he said and walked away.

"Was that a compliment?" Kaskey asked.

Grant just raised his eyebrows.

"I think it was," Kaskey smiled.

"Wonders never cease," Tsyrker shook her head.

"OK, well, let's do this then," Loveritto said.

"I call pilot," Grant said.

"What?" Kaskey asked.

"You're thinking Halom's Cove and I'm the pilot," Grant said to Tsyrker.

"My inside man, I'm the pilot," she replied.

"Valkswagon."

"What is it?" Kov asked.

"You don't want to know," Grant frowned and then his face brightened. "You won't have to, will you?"

"Won't I?" Kov asked.

"Gulch," I need to know the underwater alarm systems, if any."

Gulch looked from Grant to Kov and then nodded.

"On it."

"And find me the nearest dark zone," Tsyrker said.

"I can do that," Kov offered.

"Good. Let 'Ritto and Kas know, I've got people to talk to," she walked out of the bar.

"Ritto and Kas?" Kaskey asked with a bemused smile.

"Sounds like a comedy duo," Gulch said.

"Hit TV show, man," Kaskey said proudly.

"In Farlane maybe," Kov said and they all looked at him.

"What?" he asked a little hurt. "Oh. Right. Carute joke. The people of Farlane... Well, it doesn't matter."

"You're... You're not from Farlane, right?" Kaskey asked and Kov threw a coaster at him. Loveritto laughed.

"Alright, alright. You two comedians go get the van and be ready to move."

They got up and left.

"And me?" Tandish asked.

She'd said she was leaving them after this and she knew she wanted to. Knew she didn't want to get deeper into this life, but she was a little jealous of the others. She felt she was sidelined now that she hadn't pledged her loyalty and she wanted to be part of the gang. No, not this gang. Did she?

"You're with me," Grant said. "You're going to show me the Port.

***

"Come on, don't be so down," Grant said.

"I'm sorry. I really like working with you all and I think what you are doing is good..."

"Stop there, Tandish. You don't have to apologise."

"I just feel like I'm letting you down. Or running away. Or both."

"You're not letting us down and who wouldn't want to run away from this? It's not nice. We're playing the hands we've been dealt, but we'd all change them if we could. No one blames you for getting out if you can."

"Even Rainsford?"

Grant laughed.

"Because she seems to enjoy it."

"Well, yes."

"She's happy that what she does makes things better. I won't share anything if she hasn't, but I'll tell you I know she has other dreams. There are plenty of other ways to make the Universe a better place, Tandish, remember that."

"What about you? What would you do?"

"I'm doing what I wanted to do. Well, not at the moment. I just wanted to find stuff for people, even just going and getting things they'd left at a hotel. It's a nice way to see the Universe."

"Then why are you doing this?"

Grant gave another laugh.

"That's the million space pound question, isn't it? I guess it's just what I said. This is the hand I've been dealt. I joined the Navy when I was young because of the things around me growing up. I wanted to escape, but I also wanted to make a difference. I took that through to the InterG and, well, you can't just reprogram yourself, can you? It's who I am."

"And Kaskey?"

Grant smiled, she was sharp.

"Kas is passing through. When I picked him up I didn't know things would work out this way. If I'd known, I might have left him in that bar."

"Passing through?"

"He was in a rut, all criminals are, really. If we can get through this then he can do a bit of work for me and move on with his life."

***

"You seriously want to be a part of this?" Kaskey asked Loveritto.

"You don't?"

"I wanna get past this. These guys really do seem to have fun, but this ain't the norm, y'know?"

Loveritto nodded.

"It's a way out. A bridge."

"Yeah, agreed. I work for Grant for a bit and then maybe, finally, I'm in a place to do something new. Something I want to do."

"This is something I want to do, Kas. It's what I wanted to do and didn't get to with the police."

"Ahh, man, I think you're kidding yourself. You think this is gonna change anything?"

"Of course. Cause and effect."

Kaskey barked a laugh.

"I don't think that filters down to the little people. The boss of the space port changes, does it affect you in your tiny office?"

"Well," Loveritto frowned, "no. But then why are you doing this? Why not sit it out until Grant has a finding job for you?"

"You know why, man."

"Because you've got to try."

"Right," Kaskey said and then sighed. "You can't pretend it's not there..."

"Look, this must be us," Loveritto interrupted.

It looked like the type of ship you'd find smuggling in and out of a dark zone, but to Kaskey's eyes it looked too much like one. Like it was trying a little too hard to look like it belonged.

"I think you're right, let's go."

They walked over to the ship and a man in a visored helmet pushed a hovercrate out of the back. He stopped in front of them and looked each one up and down, as if scanning them, then nodded and pushed the crate towards them. He walked back into the ship without a word and took off.

"We're a strange bunch," Kaskey said to himself.
CHAPTER 59

The Port didn't close, but it slowed down a lot at night. Vodol was a stable material and shipped easily. The ocean was not so stable during the day, but at night it was as flat as a really flat ocean. This was guaranteed to about ninety-eight percent as the winds were somehow connected to the warmth of the sun and the peculiarities of the asteroids that flew in and out of the system. What this meant was that ships carrying Vodol travelled overnight, arrived in the morning and then returned empty over the day. The only ships that arrived at night were ones that had to travel a long distance through space and couldn't help what time they arrived.

One of those, according to the official records (that Gulch had hacked), was the Lark. It landed at the edge of the landing zone where smaller craft could unload and wait. Tsyrker got out and stretched before wandering to the back and watching the Port staff as they unloaded the four large crates marked 'fragile'. They were moved to a small holding warehouse and Tsyrker brought in the smaller crate before making a show of checking them all over. As soon as the staff had wandered off she had she pressed buttons to open them and Tandish, Grant, Loveritto and Kaskey tumbled out.

"See why you wanted to be the pilot," Kaskey told Grant.

"Here," Tsyrker said as she opened the smaller crate and pulled out machineguns.

"Wow," Loveritto breathed in appreciation.

"ISW15," Tsyrker told him. "Bet you don't have one of these in your collection."

"No, ma'am," he replied in awe.

"Let's try not to use them, hey?" Grant said stretching out the kinks in his body.

"Happily," Tandish replied.

"You know what you're doing; we're on a time limit so let's move. I'll see you at the rendezvous," Grant told them and they all nodded.

***

Breaking up the darkness was a large container ship just hovering ready to land. Its outline lights lit up the immediate area throwing everything else into comparative darkness.

Inside a patch of that darkness between two stacks of containers were Kaskey and Loveritto.

"Hell of a ship," Kaskey commented.

"Yeah. The new Thropa class. Top of the line."

"Well we can't move while it's got its lights on."

"No," Loveritto agreed and moved back into the shadows to wait. "What were you saying back at the dark zone?"

"I dunno, man."

"I interrupted you when the ship arrived. You were saying, what? That you can't pretend it's not there."

"Er, yeah. Just all this, right? I mean look at this. Most of the port is legit, right?"

"But we're hunting down criminal activity here."

"Right. It's everywhere; I can't just bury my head in the ground and pretend it's not."

Loveritto smiled.

"Can't even go to a bar without wondering if it's laundering money."

"Or get your car fixed," Kaskey smiled back.

The ship had finally landed and its outline lights dimmed so that the porters could get in and start unloading it.

"Come on, let's go," Loveritto began to move, but Kaskey put an arm up to stop him.

A group of security went past towards the ship.

"Precious cargo."

"You've got to wonder; a port this big, at night; how many other gangs are hiding in the shadows?" Loveritto mused.

"Well let's hope we don't bump into any. Come on, let's go."

They slid out and kept to the darkness as much as they could. Always keeping an eye on the security team, though they were focussed on the cargo being unloaded.

They were making their way away from the coast, away from the spread out warehouses used for short time storage and towards the city of warehouses used for long-term storage. Around them was the plain of landing pads, dark until a ship came into land.

"The size is staggering," Loveritto commented as they ran through the dark.

He was right, the darkness of the landing zone seemed to stretch on for miles (it did) and beyond it were the lights of the port. To their left, beyond the containers was the dark river and beyond that the lights of the shipping port. Spanning the river was the control room, a light up in the darkness. The control room had muted lights as the shipping port was closed; in fact the shipping port only had security lights on. It would be easier to move through the darkness there, but Tsyrker had warned them not to cross the river if they didn't have too. The Vodol was guarded a lot more closely than the private storage of the space port.

"Heads up, move," Loveritto urged.

Kaskey looked up to see the lights of a ship. It wouldn't take long for the outline lights to begin lighting up the landing zone and then the ground lights would come on. They'd be caught in those lights so they gripped their machine guns tighter and moved up to a sprint.

They reached a garage that held two transport trucks and had to hope they weren't about to drive out to meet the incoming ship. They slipped inside and moved to the back, thankfully encountering no one, to find a door in the back right corner. Through this and they were at the edge of the warehouses. They were of various sizes and laid out with wide roads between them. They ran to the corner of one and looked down the lit road. They could see a security team ahead of them, just turning a corner. They followed the wall to the other side of the warehouse and slipped down that wall, sprinting through the security light.

***

Tsyrker and Tandish were on the other side of the warehouse complex waiting for a security team to pass. The Port's security presence was at a minimum as it was almost impossible to police such a large area. Add to this that, to use as little space as possible, there were often only thin alleyways between the backs of warehouses. This meant that warehouses relied more on locks and alarms for protection and some of those that owned the warehouses hired their own security.

"And no cameras?" Tandish said.

"No. As I said, who'd be watching them?"

"They don't hire people?"

Tsyrker smiled in the dark.

"Not exactly the most interesting job in the Universe."

Tandish gave her a look and then smiled when she saw she was joking.

"Anyway, if you want extra protection then someone to actually stop a break-in is better than a camera that merely watches it."

"Standing around all night doesn't sound too thrilling either."

"No. Come on, we're clear."

They crossed the street and found an alleyway that led them in the right direction. They stopped at the other end and Tsyrker peered along the street.

"See there?"

Tandish peaked out.

"Security," she said.

"Right. Private. All young. Kids who join a gang."

"Like a first step on the ladder," Tandish said.

"Exactly. Shouldn't be an issue if we're not going near their warehouse, but better not to be seen," Tsyrker waggled her machinegun.

They caught a break as half of them went for a wander around the warehouse and the other half were caught up in some game on a makeshift table. They moved as far away from the light as possible before sprinting across the road and hiding, once again, in the shadows.

"Do you enjoy this?" Tandish asked as they waited in the shadows.

Two Port patrols had met and decided to have a little break together before moving on and so they were stuck in the shadows of an alleyway between two warehouses.

"Yes. It's who I am."

"But if you could do something different?"

Tsyrker looked at her.

"This is what I can do."

"No," Tandish shook her head in frustration. "If you could choose what you did."

Rainsford looked at her so intently Tandish had to look away.

"You don't have to justify yourself."

"I'm not," Tandish spat angrily.

"OK, OK," Tsyrker checked the patrols, but they hadn't heard.

"Sorry," Tandish whispered.

"What we could be isn't important, but who we are," Tsyrker said.

"Then we shouldn't try?"

Rainsford sighed into a smile.

"No. You've been talking to Ben."

"I have. So?"

"We have very different philosophies. I don't work in maybes and could-have-beens. I won't squander what I have on what I could have had."

"But what you could have had isn't necessarily in the past. Not gone forever."

"Tandish," Tsyrker snapped. "You know why you're going to your farm? Because that's you. You've tried this and it's not you. It's why Loveritto wants to get on board. Because this is him, not that little office. OK? You want to talk about chasing happy endings, talk to Grant."

Tandish just stared at her in shock. She'd just been trying to get to know her better, trying to connect, one woman to another. Suddenly Tsyrker grabbed her arm and her first thought was to resist, that she was attacking her, but she dragged her further into the shadows as the security team walked past.

Tandish made a move back to the corner, but Tsyrker grabbed her once again. She turned her so they faced, a hand on each shoulder.

"One day, maybe, I'll own a farm too. But today, this is me and that is you. Enjoy that with no regrets. OK?"

Tandish nodded.

"Good. Come on, let's go."

***

"Well it's definitely heavily guarded," Loveritto said.

"You think?" Kaskey asked.

They were between two warehouses, not far down the road from their target. They could see ten armed guards, but had seen more wandering around.

"Yeah," Loveritto said, missing Kaskey's irony. "Tsyrker said it was full, must have added more guards."

Kaskey looked at him for a second.

"Yeah, I'd say so," he said and hoped he didn't sound sarcastic.

"I think there might be some on the roof. At least one."

"We'll never get them without everyone seeing our laser bolts," Kaskey said and it was Loveritto's turn to look at him. "What?"

"See that?" he pointed to his gun.

"It's your gun."

"No that," Loveritto seemed to be pointing to a specific part, but Kaskey had no idea.

"Oh that. Er, no. Sorry."

"It's darklight tech," Loveritto said as if that explained it.

"Ohh. Nope."

"Used on sniper rifles. Well, top of the line Naval sniper rifles."

Kaskey looked at him blankly.

"The laser bolts are nearly invisible."

"Ohh. Why didn't you just say that?"

"I thought you'd understand."

"OK. Well, I didn't."

"I see that. Now."

" _Are you in position?"_ Tsyrker asked.

"Just waiting on you guys," Kaskey replied.

" _What are you seeing?"_

Kaskey looked at Loveritto who looked back at him.

"Oh no, man, this is your thing."

"Oh. OK," Loveritto was surprised at being put in charge; he still felt very much like hired help. "Well, we've got ten, ten?"

"Yeah," Kaskey agreed.

"Ten in our vision, but we've seen at least another four and there might be someone on the roof."

" _Two on the roof,"_ Tsyrker confirmed. _"We've got six this side plus another four patrolling the road."_

"We've not seen a patrol on this side," Loveritto said. The warehouses here were larger and had a road on either side making it a lot harder to approach unseen.

" _You've got ten. That's six guards and four in a patrol. Shows they are lax. That's good."_

"We can't just shoot them," Kaskey said.

" _We can. They're criminals, they make people's lives a misery."_

There was silence on the line and Kaskey and Loveritto looked at each other, neither happy at the prospect. If they'd been shooting at them, then perhaps, but to just pick them off?

" _Those snipers will pick us off before we can do anything. Come on, we're losing time, in or out?"_

"Alright," Kaskey said. "Alright. You're dealing with the snipers?"

" _Affirmative. On my go storm in, get those doors open and plant the bombs. We'll cover from here."_

"Wilco," Kaskey replied then looked from his gun to Loveritto. "Still want to be a part of this?"

Loveritto let out a long breath through his trunk.

"'In knowing my enemy I become like him'," he quoted.

"The Ballad of Actaeon? You're full of surprises, aren't you?"

"As are you. Let us get this over and done with."

"Right."

***

"We can. They're criminals, they make people's lives a misery," Tsyrker said into the radio.

"But you said they were just starting out. Bottom of the ladder," Tandish said.

"And they'll climb that ladder; they'll kill us both to do so."

"There must be another way. We can change their path."

"What? Through locking them up? Where they can meet other criminals? Learn more? Come out stronger?"

"But..."

Tsyrker clicked on the radio.

"Those snipers will pick us off before we can do anything. Come on, we're losing time, in or out?"

" _Alright. Alright, you're dealing with the snipers?"_

"Affirmative. On my go storm in, get those doors open and plant the bombs. We'll cover from here."

She looked at Tandish.

"I don't care, but I need to know if you've got my back or not."

Tandish pulled a pained face, but hefted her machinegun and nodded.

"You let me down and you'll be burying me, you understand that?"

Tandish nodded.

"Say it."

"I understand," she said with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Tsyrker moved forward and brought her gun up to her eye; even while she'd been talking she had been watching the roof and knew that in their little patrol, the two snipers were both visible at one point. She waited on it and then fired; the two men dropped and her eyes flicked down to those on the ground. No one seemed to have heard the thud.

"Snipers are down," she said.

***

Loveritto and Kaskey wouldn't have seen Tsyrker's laser bolts if they hadn't been looking for them, such was the darklight technology, but when they did they hefted their guns and tensed ready.

" _Snipers are down."_

Kaskey raised his gun, but Loveritto put a hand out and pushed it back down.

"You don't want to be the one to use that. I'll cover you; get over there and use that tongue of yours to get them to surrender."

Kaskey looked at him and then nodded.

"Go."

Kaskey ran out of the shadows towards the guards and got nearly halfway before they noticed him. They began pulling pistols or picking up machineguns that were leaning against the warehouse, but as soon as one touched a gun he fell to Loveritto's laser fire.

***

The darklight technology was enough that those on this side of the warehouse shouldn't hear what was happening on the other. Unfortunately the four man patrol had decided that now was the time to take a walk around the warehouse. Tsyrker took aim on them and was forced to take down the first one first as he was too near the corner. Even with the darklight tech there was no way that the others wouldn't know where they were, but she had to trust in Tandish. The guard fell and the guy next to him jumped back and looked around as the others realised what had happened. Tsyrker shot him, but the other two saw where it came from and aimed. They shouted as they did so and the guards at the warehouse began scrambling and firing indiscriminately and an indiscriminate laser bolt can kill you as much as a discriminate one. Now two remaining patrol were heading back to the corner to warn the others and Tsyrker took aim on them trusting Tandish to take down the others. She was clean and efficient and turned to find only three guards remained and they despatched them together.

Tsyrker sprinted out of the darkness and around the warehouse with Tandish in tow. As they rounded the corner they found ten dead bodies with Loveritto standing over them as Kaskey stood at the warehouse door with 'the pulse' listening to Gulch. The lock made an audible click and opened slightly. Kaskey pulled it open further and looked at the rest of them.

"Alright," Tsyrker said. "Tandish, stand guard; you two drag these bodies inside while I set the explosives."

Tandish was conflicted. From one side, she was appalled at what was happening. Killing these people and then moving their bodies to be incinerated, but from the other side she was upset that she had been put on guard duty. She knew it was because Tsyrker thought her weak, not able to go through with the task in hand and she didn't want her, any of them, to think of her like that. She wanted to be part of the group, wanted to belong. Just not in this.

She was no longer sure about Loveritto, but she thought Kaskey felt the same and she felt worse that he was still doing what she could not. And she also felt sorry for them, especially Tsyrker. Someone who could do this job only because she had become so hard inside; that was not something she wished for. It would be better to get this finished and away from it all.

"Let's go, we're running out of time," Tsyrker commanded as Kaskey shut the warehouse back up.
CHAPTER 60

They had a long, but uneventful trek to the river and then moved along it, away from the ocean, until they nearly reached the edge of the Port. There they found a small boat with Grant relaxing in it.

"Took your time," he smiled up at them.

From the Lark, Grant had headed straight to the river with a hovercrate. He had met Kov far enough up river to not be noticed from the control tower. He was without his HoverSphere as he had swam in from the ocean and he had towed in a package.

"All good?" Grant had asked.

"A few hairy moments with the local marine life," Kov said floating so that his mouth was out of the water, but his gills stayed submerged.

"What do the defences look like?"

"Nothing too dramatic. Made simple and sturdy to last without much maintenance. Made to stop larger ships or submersibles from getting up the river."

"Sensors?"

"As Gulch said, but the gizmo he gave me worked. As long as I was slow."

"Good. Should we inflate here?" Grant had asked.

The river was dark, relying on the defences and the sensors to switch on floodlights if needed. Kov had brought the boat in as it would need to be big enough to accommodate their combined weight and still keep a shallow berth.

"I can take it further if you're happy to walk," Kov had said.

Grant had touched the cold water.

"Better than swimming."

"Nothing is better than swimming," Kov had smiled and disappeared under the water.

When they had reached the bank where Grant could no longer walk they inflated the boat. Ahead of them the banks steepened into cliffs before becoming steep wooded banks further up the river.

"Issues?" Tsyrker asked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

"All good," Kaskey replied.

Grant could see that their faces, particularly Tandish's, told a different story.

"Heavily guarded?" he asked.

"Nothing we couldn't handle," Tsyrker shrugged slightly. She could not see, or was ignoring, the other's discomfort.

They'd shot the guards and they weren't happy about it. He couldn't blame them, they were just hired help. Probably just kids. But they were still armed kids and they would still have killed them all without blinking. He sighed mentally. Other than their motives, it was hard to see how they were different from those they were trying to stop. He knew what Tsyrker would say, that they had chosen their life of crime. Had known that this could happen, but the thing was, they'd chosen this too. They weren't InterG, weren't hired. They were choosing to go after the Desards and that put all of this on their heads. No. His head.

"Up river will be more heavily guarded," he warned and was surprised that it was Tandish who answered.

"If we don't see this through, then all the death will be for nothing."

"Then let's go," Tsyrker said and stepped into the boat. "Don't want to leave Regrette out there alone."

"Worried?" Grant asked with a smile.

"Yeah, that'll he'll mess it all up."

Grant made a face at Kaskey who made a heart with his fingers as he got into the boat. Grant coughed a laugh.

"Come on," Tsyrker snapped having not seen the exchange.

Kov pulled them out into the middle of the river and guided them through the Port's underwater defences as Grant and Kaskey used oars to take some of the strain from towing. The cliffs quickly engulfed them and the river was only dimly lit by the moon. They sat in silence as they moved up river. A motor would have been good, Grant felt sorry for Kov though he had assured them that his strength was greatly increased once in water.

The only dangerous moment of this first leg was coming past a break in the cliffs that held the dock for the barges that took goods up river. It was dark and they saw no activity. After that the underwater defences were much less, just enough to stop submersibles and very large ships. The cliffs gradually faded into the steep wooded banks and in the dark they could catch glimpses of lights from the warehouses hidden out here.

Kov pulled the boat over to that side and they slowed to a stop. He bobbed in the water next to the boat.

"Steep banks are going to be hard to get up, but not impossible," Tsyrker said.

"Speak for yourself," Loveritto replied.

"I assume you're happy to storm rather than sneak," she said to him and he nodded.

"They've got a cargo lift to take the gear to and from the boats," Grant said.

"Would've been easier to build on flat land," Kaskey noted.

"But so much easier for us to attack," Tsyrker knocked back.

"But we're storming it anyway."

"No. Two of us will take the lift; the rest will go up the bank."

"Almost certain death or a steep climb?" Kaskey asked. "I'll go with 'Ritto."

"Funny," Grant ironicalised. "I'll go in the lift."

"No, man, I was serious. I swagger, I don't sneak."

"You sure?"

"By the time you enter the lift we'll have taken down the majority anyway," Tsyrker told them.

"Any word from Regrette?" Loveritto asked.

"Not yet," Grant shook his head.

"So we don't know what we're dealing with," Kaskey stated.

"Kov will go as high as he can to scout shots for us, but we have to proceed as if there are innocents being held there," Tsyrker said.

"I'm sure Regrette will contact us when we get there," Grant added.

"You cool for this?" Kaskey asked Loveritto.

"Sure. As you say, beats climbing."

"Man after my own heart," Kaskey told Grant.

"Well then, we'll let the dynamic duo row us in."

They pulled to a stop up against the bank. Ahead of them was a cave with a small dock stretching out from it. From the dock there were steps built into the bank. The pilots of the barges that went past might think it a little fishing dock that led up to a road.

Now, at night, there were two guards standing out on the dock each with a fishing rod held in a stand. One of the lines began to pull and the two men ran over to it, one of them, a Human, grabbing the rod up and trying to reel it in. He gave it a good yank and Kov came flying out of the water. He grabbed both men in his tentacles and pulled them back down into the water with him. Kaskey and Loveritto rowed them in. They jumped out of the boat and Grant leant back to the water and handed Kov his HoverSphere.

"Go," Tsyrker whispered, "and wait for our signal."

Kaskey nodded and he and Loveritto disappeared into the cave.

"Alright, Kov you know what to do. Stay amongst the branches for cover," Grant said. "Tandish, you keep a little back and watch for anyone we miss; once our eyes are in our gun sights we'll be vulnerable."

She nodded.

"Good, let's move."

They scrambled up the incline. It was tough going (except for Kov who just floated up), but there was plenty of scrub to grab onto and trees to rest upon. There were no guards due to the terrain and they kept away from the steps, though Tandish began to ache for them (and Grant was pretty tempted, if we're being honest here). At the top they flattened to the ground just below the lip and Kov was now already in the treetops.

" _OK, what are you seeing?"_ Grant asked.

Kov looked around. The ground was fairly flat here though still covered in scrub and trees. The warehouse wasn't as big as those in the Port and he couldn't' see where the lift might emerge. It wasn't well lit and Kov surmised this was to keep it hidden if there wasn't a shipment arriving. Still, there were enough lights to spot fifteen guards around the building and in the trees, though he didn't think that was everyone. He began relaying their positions back and Grant, Tsyrker and Tandish fanned out.

"OK, you have a roof sentry coming into view, but another looking. Wait for it... OK, now."

An almost invisible laser bolt flew and dropped the sentry.

"The other one has heard and is running over."

As soon as he reached the body he too was dropped by a laser bolt. Down below Grant was taking care of the guards that patrolled nearest the trees, pulling them in as they passed and dispatching of them. At the same time Tsyrker was taking down those nearer the warehouse.

"Tandish, we've got two guards on the tree line to your right," Kov said.

" _Yes, right. OK,"_ she replied.

Kov could see the guards moving to the corner where they would see what was happening, but both Grant and Tsyrker had their eyes to the gun sights.

"Tandish," Kov warned, but there was no reply.

They reached the corner just as Grant dropped a guard and one of them saw it. He was about to raise the alarm and Kov was a split second from racing down there when both of the guards fell to laser bolts.

"They... They're down," Tandish said and Kov let out a breath of relief.

"OK, we're clear to move forward," Kov said and began to move through the trees to the corner of the warehouse.

And then the alarm went off.

***

Kaskey and Loveritto moved through the cave, the former in front, with their guns forward. Half the cave was taken up by the dock that continued inside, with the water to their left. The cave wasn't very deep and they could see the glow of lights around a corner.

They approached and Kaskey took a look around it. There was no water here, the area looked like it had been dug into the earth; perhaps the whole cave was manmade. At the end was the lift with a table and four men. All were relaxing, playing a game on the table and that made Kaskey think there was a code for the lift, or maybe it couldn't be called from this side anyway. There was no way Loveritto was sneaking a shot at them, it was going to have to be him. He considered shouting out to them, try to get them to shoot at him first, but that was stupid. They were the same now as they would be if they were shooting at him. They were crooks and they were killers. He took aim through the scope and then the lift pinged and there was chaos. He had to take his eye away to make sense of it.

"Going up?" Regrette asked as the laser smoke cleared.

They ran to the lift.

"Can't be called from the dock?" Kaskey asked as he entered.

"Nope. How's the ISW15?" he asked Loveritto.

"So smooth, almost no recoil," Loveritto said.

"I know, right? And lightweight."

"We going up?" Kaskey asked.

Regrette shrugged.

"Get out low and to the left. The warehouse is crawling with guards. Packed with crates, haven't had a chance to scope it out yet though."

They went up, got out and crouch ran to the left where they took sanctuary behind a stack of crates.

"We give them time outside and then we spread out and do this as quietly as possible," Regrette told them.

They waited and Regrette was just making the signal for them to move when the alarm went off.

***

"Gulch?" Grant asked.

" _I don't know. Looks like someone's found the bodies."_

" _Who?"_ Tsyrker asked.

" _I don't know. No shipments have come in."_

"Doesn't matter," Grant said. "What's coming our way?"

" _I'll have to get in the air, but you can assume they'll send back up your way as standard procedure."_

"OK. Blow the warehouse and get in the air."

" _That could..."_

"Blow it. Be ready for evac," Grant told him. "Everyone get that? Let's hurry this up."

They ran out from the tree line, guns first, as guards came running around to check the perimeter. Grant and Tsyrker took them down as they proceeded around the warehouse.

" _There's a boat coming in,"_ Tandish told them.

"Shabbus," Grant swore.

The warehouse would need twenty-four hour protection so he knew there would be other guards; he'd just hoped they'd be further away.

" _Fire on it,"_ Tsyrker ordered. _"Or near it. Around it, whatever, just try and keep it from landing."_

***

"Ritto, You and me clear, Boy, you plant the charges," Regrette commanded.

Regrette sprang out of cover and shot two guards off of the bat before moving left towards the doors. Loveritto went right and surprised a guard around a stack of crates.

The alarm had caught them all by surprise, no one had ever been stupid enough to try and rob the warehouse, any of the warehouses here. Regrette shot another one of these surprised guards before ducking behind a crate as someone finally returned fire. It was then he heard the screams.

"Shabbus, we got people here."

" _I'm on it,"_ Loveritto said.

Regrette bobbed up and shot the guard before running over open ground and diving behind another wall of crates. He sidled along them towards the doors.

Loveritto ran between the wall and a wall of crates. Every now and then there was a break and he shot three guards on his way. He could here screams and shouts and headed towards them.

Kaskey was lagging behind as he set charges onto crates, but he was also taking the middle road and shooting anyone he saw. He was being held down by laser fire until Loveritto took the guard down. He moved forward and then right to plant another explosive. Through gaps in the stacks of crates he saw Regrette and then saw a guard creeping up on him. He aimed and fired and the guard dropped to the floor. Regrette turned and looked at the guard and then Kaskey. He stuck his bottom lip out slightly and raised his eyebrows before moving out of sight. Kaskey took it as thanks.

Now Regrette was at the doors and there was a group of guards hiding behind crates around it. They'd obviously been trained to guard the door from intruders while being terrified that they would be shot from those inside. He took aim on the furthest guard.

Loveritto meanwhile had found the cage that held a variety of people, the only thing in common being their young age, late teens mostly, a few older ones.

"Stand back," he shouted.

"Behind you," someone shouted and he spun and shot a Cantorvial.

"Stand back," he reordered and they moved back the best they could in such a tight space.

He shot the lock from an angle and managed not to kill anyone.

"Slowly," he shouted as they pushed for the door. "Slowly."
CHAPTER 61

"There's too many," Tandish wailed. "Another boat; they're going to get into the cave."

She'd tried to shoot at the people in the boat, but now she'd doubted; questioned the ethics of shooting people who weren't shooting her. So her laser bolts had missed and then there were people shooting back at her. Thankfully due to the trees and the darklight tech they couldn't pinpoint her position. From then she was willing to shoot them to save her own life, but she found it hard to aim with all the bolts whizzing around her. Then another boat had arrived and she could only hide from the laser fire as the two boats headed toward land.

" _Valkswagon, OK, hold on, I'm coming back,"_ Grant said.

She couldn't let them get into the cave; that could mean death for Loveritto and Kaskey, so she took aim and shot at the boat as it closed in. She managed to hit two people before laser fire was returned, much more accurately this time. She peeked out from where it came, the other boat, to find that it had nearly docked.

And then Grant was there, but it was too late.

"Shabbus," he cursed.

"I'm sorry," she blurted, tears in her eyes.

"Dry that up," he ordered. "It's OK, Tandish, we dragged you into this; it isn't your fault."

She sucked in a huge breath and shook the tears from her eyes.

"I chose this."

"Come on," he said and took her arm.

***

Regrette and Loveritto were at the warehouse doors firing out upon two jeep loads of henchmen who had come up the secret road that Regrette had (rightly) sworn to exist. It wasn't really built for traffic and the two jeeps had been bottle-necked before reaching the open ground around the warehouse. Regrette had put his sharpshooting to good use and taken out four men before they even stopped. That still left eight men in the trees firing at them. Kaskey meanwhile had the ten people they had freed crouched down inside scanning his gun back into the warehouse. It wouldn't be long before the lift pinged and they were in deep shabbus.

"Ooh, nice shot," Regrette congratulated.

"You shouldn't be enjoying this," Loveritto chastised back.

"And yet I am. Strange Universe, isn't it?" Regrette said as he popped another.

"Less chatty chatty, more shooty shooty," Kaskey called.

Two more men fell, but these were to Tsyker's gun.

"Welcome to the party," Regrette shouted as the lift pinged.

"Run," Grant shouted as he rounded the corner with Tandish in tow, laser bolts chasing them.

He shot one of the men in the trees before turning and firing from whence he had come.

"That's a plan," Kaskey shouted as he opened fire into the warehouse.

Henchmen were appearing from around the crates on all sides and Kaskey blasted them before blasting generally to keep them at bay.

"Get out, get out," he commanded to the quivering group.

"Come on, it's clear," Loveritto urged, but they didn't move until a laser bolt blew out part of the wall above them.

Kaskey shot the henchman and the group of captives ran out the door.

No one had to be told, they all ran for the jeeps. Unfortunately there wasn't enough room for them and the people they had rescued.

Tsyrker and Regrette were firing backwards at the incoming henchmen and Grant knew the jeeps were their only guaranteed way out alive.

"Valkswagon," he cursed to himself. "Alright, everyone on, go, go."

The people didn't need to be told twice and the others stared at their disappearing escape route before turning to fire.

"Move, move, follow the road out," Grant shouted and they ran for the trees before turning to cover Tsyrker and Regrette who joined them.

"Run and when I say, just blow it," Grant told Kaskey.

They ran into the trees, taking turns to fire backwards as laser bolts poured around them. A bolt hit a tree next to Kaskey, sending him flying, but Regrette pulled him up as he ran past.

"Even," is all he said as he ran on.

Tandish was the next to go down in a tangle of exposed roots and it was Loveritto who scooped her up. Kaskey turned and shot back into the trees to cover them.

Grant was forced to duck and cover his face as a tree next to him exploded and showered him in pointy bits of bark. In doing so he fell down a steep slope.

"Grant," Kaskey shouted pulling up short.

"Shabbus," Grant swore.

"A gully," Regrette mused.

It was fifteen feet down to the bottom and about the same across the top.

"With wire," Grant called back.

"I can cut it," Tsyrker called while facing the other way, on one knee, shooting through the trees.

"Well get going then," Regrette said.

She shot him a look instead of a laser bolt and he took up the firing position as she slid down the bank.

"Come on, come on," Grant urged.

"What about the road?" Kaskey called. "Must be a bridge."

"Certain death, boy," Regrette replied keeping his eye to his gunsight.

"And this isn't?"

"Well. Not certain."

"Probable," Loveritto said.

"Still better than certain," Regrette helpfully pointed out.

"Tandish, come and give a hand," Tsyrker called and Tandish slid down the steep bank.

Regrette and Kaskey were firing back through the trees while Loveritto took a quick look ahead of them.

"More coming," he warned and dropped to one knee.

He could see them on the other side of the gully, stalking through the trees. They'd easily be able to fire down into the gully without being seen from the bottom. He took aim and began to fire.

Regrette turned and joined him in firing before flicking back around and helping Kaskey out.

"Alright, we're through," Grant called.

"Then get climbing," Regrette called back.

"Kas? Blow the warehouse."

"We far enough?" he shouted still firing.

"Screw it, just do it," Regrette said.

A laser bolt whizzed past Kaskey's ear.

"Blowing it," he shouted and hit the button.

It was an impressive explosion and the flames reached the tree line with the shockwave pushing them off their feet. They scrambled up and kept firing. Kaskey scoured the trees, but no one seemed to be coming so he turned and fired over the gully.

Tandish, Grant and Tsyrker made it to the top and began firing over the lip as the rest slip-slided down to the bottom, picked their way through the wire and then began the hard ascent. Once up they took to firing as the first three made a run for cover.

It was not long before there were no returning laser bolts and they moved cautiously forward until they came to a road.

"Smoke," Tsyrker said.

It was to their left.

"Come get us, Gulch," Grant said.

" _ETA five minutes."_

They walked towards the smoke and found the smouldering remains of the two jeep and the charred remains of those they had tried to save.

They were too stunned to speak. Grant closed his eyes and tried not to think, tried to keep his anger and frustration from overpowering him. But it wasn't their fault; these people would have met their demise sooner rather than later, and after a period of slavery and abuse. No, it wasn't their fault, it was the fault of those that wanted them, those that kidnapped them. The Desards of the Universe.

"Oh, no," Tandish cried.

"We tried," Tsyrker started.

"No. No. Where's Kov?"

They all looked around and then slowly looked back into the trees. They could see the fire from the warehouse; it had spread into the trees. The Lark hovered overhead.

***

Kaskey, Loveritto and Tandish sat at a table in the Albatross's bar. They each had a bottle of Pargkat beer and a shot of Carute whiskey.

"I can't believe he's gone," Tandish said.

"It has not sunk in," Loveritto agreed.

They had been picked up in the Lark and done an immediate sweep of the area, but had picked up no life signs that belonged to a Carute. There were multiple boats and vehicles incoming and Loveritto had to restrain Tandish when Grant gave the order to leave.

"There's always a chance..." Kaskey started, but Tandish's look cut him off.

She was right, it was unlikely he'd escaped; he didn't seem the type to have abandoned them to save his own skin. Still, if he'd had no other choice he might have headed for the water.

"I don't want hope," she said.

"We left him," Loveritto said. "It weighs heavily on my heart."

"Yes," Tandish agreed. "How could we?"

Fresh tears sprang up in her eyes.

"It was chaos," Kaskey reminded.

"And that's an excuse?" she shot back.

"Of course not, but it's the reality," he banged back at her angrily. "Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry, I just... I just don't know where to go."

"Regrette talked about keeping going, scrubbing at the stains. He's right, we have to move forward," Loveritto said.

"How? How do you scrub this away? We left him to die," Tandish accused.

Loveritto banged the table hard enough to make the drinks rattle. Tandish and Kaskey jumped in surprise.

"I know, Tandish, but we chose this, all three of us. We shot some guns and we said we were ready."

She took hold of her glass of whiskey and looked at it for a while before looking at Kaskey. "And you? Were you ready?"

It was Kaskey's turn to look into his whiskey.

"I don't know," he looked at them. "But I said yes; I joined knowing what we were doing and what we're doing is good. Grant's spent his whole life trying to make the Universe a better place; I wonder how many times he's been through this?"

"Only evil comes for free

Righteousness requires a fee.

But rest is brought by sacrifice

As the wicked pay the price," Loveritto quoted.

Kaskey looked at him.

"What was the verse you quoted before?" Kaskey asked.

"My soul is stained, my mind is grim

In knowing my enemy I become like him.

Not for him a day, yet unseen,

Where once again I will be clean."

"What is that?" Tandish asked.

"The Ballad of Actaeon," Kaskey said.

"I don't know if that day will come," she said. "I don't know it can come."

"No," Kaskey agreed quietly.

Their reverie was broken by the clink of glass as Grant picked up the bottle and poured a shot before sitting down next to Kaskey. He looked at each of them, his face a calm grimness.

"So," he said and Loveritto nodded.

"I, I can't..." Tandish started but his presence made her weep again. "We left him," she sobbed.

"We did," Grant agreed.

"Is that all you can say?" she accused.

"There aren't words that can make this better, Tandish."

"Well there should be," she shouted at him and then broke down in tears. "I, I couldn't... I didn't shoot them, those boats, I did this," she sobbed.

"No, Tandish," Loveritto said and put a hand to her shoulder.

"If there is blame to be laid, then it's on me, Tandish. I was leading out there," Grant said.

"It isn't anyone's fault," Loveritto said. "It was what it was and it is what it is."

" _Coming up on_ Cravalor," Gulch said over the intercom.

"To Kov then," Kaskey said and raised his glass of whiskey.

Grant picked up his glass, Loveritto was slow to follow and Tandish looked at each of them sadly before picking up her glass.

"To our fallen friend," Loveritto said and choked on a tear.

They drank.
CHAPTER 62

Later Grant was back in the bar, sitting at a table next to the large window that, currently, looked out into the depths of space. He took a sip of Carute whiskey and reflected on what had happened and where they were headed.

Kaskey had taken Loveritto and Tandish down to Vexupulla in the Lark. Before they had left, Loveritto had repeated his desire to join them. Grant had nodded.

"Get some rest," he'd said.

"I don't want his death to mean nothing."

"This is not about revenge."

"That's not what I meant," Loveritto had said.

"Get some rest. We'll be in touch," Loveritto nodded. "This isn't me hiring you."

"I can't go back to the space port, but I understand."

"Regrette might though," and Grant had smiled at the face Loveritto made.

"Weapon smithing."

"Oh. OK, yes," he'd managed a little smile.

"We won't leave you to rot, Loveritto. Now go, we'll come get you."

"Thank you, Grant," Loveritto had said earnestly.

Before that he had sat in a room with Tsyrker and Regrette.

"That went badly," he'd said.

"When did they make you a captain, Mr. Obvious?" Regrette asked.

"It couldn't be foreseen," Tsyrker had said. "We had a clear window on the warehouse."

"We left him behind," Grant had frowned deeply.

"No," Regrette had replied. "He was taken down. In one of those flying bowls? He could have kept up with us."

"I still don't like it."

"And you don't have to, but it's a reality of what we do," Tsyrker had said.

"What you do," he'd snapped back.

"Oh, stow it, Ben," she'd shot back angrily. "You're not just finding stuff here. You talk about retrieving forgotten things for holidaymakers, but I've never known you to do it."

"She has a point," Regrette had smiled at him. He was obviously happy not to be the target of Tsyrker's ire for once.

"You can't leave it behind, can you?" he'd deflated back into his chair.

"You can't stop being who you are, no matter how much you want to be," she'd said gently.

He'd let out a sigh.

"So what next?"

"Find this Drezznin," Regrette had said.

"I assume you're both going to go on your merry ways."

"I want to talk to my people, dig up any information on him."

"Yeah, I'll do some snooping."

"Alright, go and talk to Gulch first, send everything back to him.

So they had headed to their ships and Grant had headed to the bar to meet the others.

"It's better with a bottle of Ryffinger's," Kaskey commented.

"Huh?" Grant focussed from his reverie.

"Staring into space. Better with a bottle of Ryffinger's."

"Should be one behind the bar."

Kaskey fetched it and two glasses before sitting down and pouring them both a glass.

"They get back alright?" Grant asked.

"Yeah. It's, well, it's hard."

Grant nodded and took a drink while turning back to the window. Kaskey did the same.

"What about Regrette and Rain?"

"They've gone to research."

"And Gulch? I looked for him."

Grant looked over at him.

"Give him a little time alone. He found a kindred spirit in Kov."

"And you?"

"What about you?" Grant threw it back.

Kaskey took a long swallow of his drink and then sighed.

"I dunno, man. I don't know."

"That's about right."

"Is it?" he looked at him.

"Yeah. How can you know? How can it be normal?"

"We left him there."

"Yeah. Didn't notice, got swept up, but what could we have done? We had them pushing from all sides."

Kaskey let out a frustrated breath.

"I don't know. I just feel we should have done something."

"Yeah. That's about right too."

"That how you feel, man?"

"Of course," Grant said with more anger than he meant and less than he felt. "Situations like that, it's always how you feel."

"It weighs on you."

"Listen, Kas, they chose to be here. As did you. As we all did. They came in and they said they were ready and they weren't. Tandish wasn't ready, couldn't do it, she didn't have her head in. You think that's harsh?"

Grant stared a hard stare at him and Kaskey looked away.

"I want to say yeah..."

"But you won't because you know it's true. You don't get to half-arse stuff like this. You think I'm going to tell her that?"

"No," he still didn't look at him.

"No. Because it doesn't matter, does it? It wouldn't have helped. What happened happened. And it wouldn't have happened if he wasn't there, but he chose to be. He wanted to do something good."

Finally he looked back up at Grant.

"You said it was fun."

"It is, Kas. But you got to know what it is. And you do, don't give me any shabbus. You enjoy the chase, the hustle, and you know that the greater the challenge, the greater the danger. But the greater the thrill."

Kaskey just looked at him, unwilling to affirm the truth of his words. Grant stood up.

"You want to go, I won't hold it against you and I'll still have work for you," he walked to the door and then turned. "My shoulders weren't strong enough to carry them all; now the only ones that weigh me down are the ones who never saw justice."

He walked out.

Kaskey watched the door for a while and then turned to the window and downed his glass before pouring more. He reached out and touched the window before bringing his hand back to his glass. Grant was right; it had been as thrilling to do what they had done as it had been to pull off a big hustle. Valkswagon, just a _good_ hustle, where everything went smooth, went right.

But it hadn't gone smooth, it hadn't gone right and Kov had lost his life. He took a long swig. And Grant was right again about that. Kov had chosen to be there. They'd all known the dangers and he knew that they all felt the weight of his death on their shoulders. Even Regrette and Tsyrker. He smiled out into space; Tsyrker would be angry that the mission hadn't gone off without a hitch. That someone had been lost on her watch. Not that he thought she was that callous, but it would be her way of expressing it. And Regrette? Well, who knows, but he shouldn't be thinking of them, but himself.

He knew what Grant meant when he left. That he wouldn't let Kov's death go for nothing. He had fought to take down the Desards and he had given his life doing it. To walk away meant that there was no justice for his death. He threw back the rest of his drink. He needed to get off of the Albatross for a while.

***

It had been two days since Kaskey had left and Grant was in the bridge of the Albatross when Gulch joined him.

"How's it going?" Grant asked as he took a seat.

"I think we have enough to get going."

"What about Maggie Desard?"

"She's not yet out in the open, no doubt looking into things before she moves, but there are whispers of her. More than usual, Ben," he looked over at him. "She's coming out of the woodwork."

"Good," Grant nodded. "And look, we haven't..."

"No, we haven't. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"No. Neither do I," he looked at some instruments and then back at Grant. "It's not just Kov. It's Tandish as well. Maybe even Kas; maybe even me. You think she's just going to go home and shake this off?"

"Time will heal."

"No. Because this isn't normal for her. They chose to do something different and it's changed them. Changes us all."

"So what are you saying?"

"There has to be closure, it has to have meant something. It can't end here, like this. The end has to be worth more than the cost."

There was a _sniff_ from behind them.

"Oh, that was beautiful. You're a poet, Gulch, a poet," Regrette said.

"And how long have you been on the ship," Grant asked.

"Who knows, all the days blend into one in the belly of this beast."

"And do you have anything helpful to add?" Gulch asked crossly.

"Come now, wipe angry face away, I agree with you. It's not our fault any of this happened, is it? It's the Desards that brought us to this point. 'Can good be good without a purpose and can good have purpose without it's nemesis, evil?'" Regrette quoted.

"Harverdine," Gulch said.

"Who?" Grant asked.

"A Grey philosopher. Long before the UTN," Gulch explained.

"And how does he know such things?"

"Sometimes I think he might be smarter than he looks," Gulch shrugged.

"That wouldn't be hard though," Grant added.

"Ahh, such sparkling wit," Regrette mused. "But enough. I feel it is time to move to Grash and the delights of Welpine City."

"Alright, contact Kas and get him to meet us there," Grant said.

"Drinks at the Carkatin Pub," Regrette rubbed his hands and wandered off.

***

Kaskey had gone back to his little flat and sat amongst his meagre belongings. Or at least tried to. He'd sat down and then got up and walked around; tried to sit down again, but couldn't. He was antsy, uncomfortable, like he didn't belong. He tried to look at some of his things, but nothing held his interest and so he went to the little bar he had taken Grant and Gulch to.

The streets were the same, crowded with people scurrying to and fro; buying and selling and trying to make ends meet. The air was dank and gloomy under the skyway and children were playing games in an area of gravel between the skyway supports and in a rubble-strewn vacant lot. Not in school and with no hope of breaking out of their poverty while those more fortunate travelled above them in an unending drone.

The next day he'd gone out in his hire car and out into the city. Away from the slums, into the city centre and spent some time just watching the crowds; taking in the contrast. This was what he thought of as normal life, working the days before going home to a nice house and relaxing with family. Enough money to afford what you needed as well as, at least some of, what you wanted.

Comfort.

So why couldn't everyone have this? Because everything in the Universe was finite and some people wanted more. That meant there had to be some people with less. It was people like Gothra and the Desards, but it was too easy just to blame criminals. There were plenty of legit businessmen and women who were storing up treasures just for the sake of saying 'I'm rich'. Well, when you started talking that sort of money, was anyone legit? He didn't think it was possible to make, or hold on to, that sort of money without turning to some sort of crime. It didn't matter either way and that was his issue.

What they were doing, going after the Desards, would it make a difference? If they succeeded would he return to his flat in the slum to find it like this? All middle class and well to do? No. Maybe it would trickle down, but you made a difference on the streets by being on the streets.

Huh, so already he'd changed; no longer wanting to live on the streets to turn a hustle, but to make a difference. Make a change. So should he do that? Call Grant and tell him he wasn't coming back? Regrette had talked about keeping going, doing good to wash away the stains. If he kept going, the Desards and their like would stain him further, but if he stayed here, did good, then maybe he could wash those stains away.

He'd let the rest of the day slip away from him in a bar back under the skyway and gone home to a fitful night sleep. The next day he packed up all his belongings and then went back to the bar. It was here that he got the call from Gulch. Of course he was going back. Yes he could do good here and maybe he would, but first he was going to see this through. He'd come up with a lot of reasons, but ultimately there was only one, probably the same one Regrette and Tsyrker had; Grant thought it was important.

Plus he had to return the Lark.
CHAPTER 63

The Carkatin Pub was as busy and as rowdy as it always was and Kaskey walked with his back straight and his chest pushed out; trying to look as big and scary as he could while pushing through groups of Durden Raiders and other assorted nefarious types.

The Durden uniform, if you could call it that (which you can, if you want) was an assortment of leathers and rough weaves held together by patches of other materials. They looked unwashed and scruffy, like interstellar vagabonds, though Kaskey knew they were actually quite regimented. They lived on an assortment of vessels, but had a number of large Motherships which they called home. It was to the Raiders you went when you had nowhere else to go. Either because you were wanted by the InterG or just had no hope of a law-abiding life. Kaskey hated them for the number of slum kids that joined them. Taking good kids and turning them into killers and thieves.

He was, therefore, surprised to see Gulch sitting on a bar stool chatting away with one of them. He didn't look too long as this wasn't the place for lingering eyes and pushed his way through to a table about halfway down.

"Kas," Grant smiled, "glad you made it."

"It's been touch and go since entering."

"No one's going to bother you if you don't bother them," Grant assured him.

"Take a seat, boy, no one's going to bother with you full stop."

"Always with the kind words," Kaskey said as he sat.

"I bought you a beer," he said sliding it over. "What more do you want?"

Kaskey smiled.

"Nothing more."

"Nope," Regrette agreed. "Nothing more refreshing after a long space flight than a nice cold beer."

"What's the plan?"

"This Drezznin's an interesting chap. Supposedly dead," Grant said quietly. "Used to work for the Desards."

"Looking for revenge. Biding his time," Regrette added.

"But you managed to find him?" Kaskey asked with a touch of irony.

"Don't underestimate Rain's resources, boy."

"Plus we knew to look for him. Cobroy knew all along," Grant explained. "Must have been keeping the knowledge quiet in case things went sour."

"Things seem to be going sour for everyone."

"Not at all, boy. We're moving forward with every step, close to reaching the unreachable. The only people it's all going sour for are the criminals."

"You're right. I'm sorry; I'm not trying to be such a downer. I want to do this, I want to make things right. I've lived surrounded with poverty and always ignored it. Now my eyes are open and I want to make a difference," Kaskey said.

"Well you've come to the right place," Regrette held up his beer. "Things always go sour for the criminals when Benjamin Grant is on the case."

"Just stop," Grant said a little embarrassed, but Kaskey looked at him.

"He's right though, isn't he? That's what everyone has said. Turnod called you Supercop."

"You got a point?" Grant asked.

"No, guess not. Just... I suppose I've been underestimating you."

"Which will also be the Desards' downfall," Regrette said.

Gulch came back to the table as they drank.

"What have we got?" Grant asked.

"Bones will get us on the entry list for tonight," Gulch said. "But the debt is paid, don't expect any more favours."

"And you trust him to do it?" Regrette asked.

"As I said, he owed me one. You, Regrette, know that Raiders pay their debts."

"Never heard Durdens to be so honourable," Kaskey snided.

"Well, I wouldn't say that too loud in here," Gulch replied and Kaskey took a sharp look around.

"Alright, Gulch," Grant chided.

"Heh, he's just feeling like the big man, dealing with Raiders," Regrette smiled wryly.

"Shut up, Regrette," Gulch scolded.

"Ahh, you know it's true."

Gulch burned with embarrassment.

"I am impressed," Kaskey said to smooth things over. "How'd you end up getting a Durden in your debt?"

"For another time," Grant said sternly. "We need to know what we're doing when we get in."

"What is it? Grayly's, I mean," Kaskey asked.

"You ever been here before?" Grant asked.

"No," Kaskey replied. "Not a good place for my enterprises. Least I had heard."

"Yes and no," Grant said.

"Depends who you're willing to hustle," Regrette chuckled.

"No one in here."

"No, and that's what Welpine is. It's one big market filled with criminals of all shapes and sizes."

"So Grayly's is some kind of criminal hideout," Kaskey said.

"It's not just what you see around you," Gulch said. "There are many rich neighbourhoods, many mansions. Grayly's is an exclusive club."

"That Durden Raiders get to go in," Kaskey said with raised eyebrows.

"Ha, boy. The Durdens are their own exclusive club. A club everyone wants access to."

"You alright with them?" Grant asked.

"Are you?" Kaskey fired back.

"No, but I'm used to using who I can to get information. In the criminal world that's criminals."

"I seen a lot of good kids become Raiders as a way out," Kaskey looked at them sadly. "Good kids turned bad to get out of poverty."

"That's hardly the fault of the Raiders, is it?" Gulch asked.

"What the shabbus, man?" Kaskey asked crossly. "You wanna justify them or something?"

"Once a Raider, always a Raider," Regrette chuckled to himself.

"What?" Kaskey asked with surprise.

"I wasn't a Raider," Gulch hissed at Regrette before taking a quick look around.

"What?" Kaskey asked again.

"Can we focus here?" Grant interjected.

"Mssh."

"I'm sorry, Ben," Gulch apologised.

Kaskey was too stunned to answer.

"We need to know this club; can we get anything on it?" Grant asked.

"Me and the boy will take a wander and see what we can see," Regrette said.

"I'll get online," Gulch agreed.

"Good. I'll get in touch with Rain."

"There's one more thing," Gulch said. "Bones said he's heard Ferocs is on the prowl. Looking into our little escapades."

"Hm," Regrette snorted.

"Not 'mssh'?" Kaskey asked.

"No," he replied thoughtfully. "Not this one."

"Oh great."

"This Bones, he say if he had anything?" Grant asked.

"No, he didn't know, but he's obviously kicked enough dirt for it to pass around the Raiders."

"Another thing to keep a watch on. Keep things on the low and slow, OK?"

"I'm not worried, I have the boy with me," Regrette said.

"To use me as a shield?"

"Someone's got to find a use for you," Regrette grinned. "Come on, let's get out there."

They all got up and pushed through the crowd. Kaskey got close to Gulch and stooped as he walked.

"You...?"

"No."

"But..."

"I wasn't. Just worked with them," Gulch said sharply.

Kaskey laughed as he straightened.

"You're just full of surprises, man."

***

"So where're we going?" Kaskey asked.

"Just wandering."

"Shabbus. You got purpose, you always do."

Regrette looked over at him as they walked, a little smile playing on his lips.

"I know someone who might be able to help us."

"I've got a bad feeling you brought me along for a reason."

Regrette's smile widened.

"As I said, got to find a use for you."

The area they walked through was very familiar to Kaskey. Full of rundown buildings and the hustle and bustle of people trying to turn a space pound. Here though were myriad market stalls covering the road so that there could only be foot traffic. On the stalls they passed he could see something of everything and everything was for sale. He reckoned that Grant, if hired to find stolen goods, probably just started here. It was like the Port of Wiloth, but for bric-a-brac.

Suddenly they came out of the throngs and onto an area bare of anything but grass. They crossed this onto another street and as they moved along it Kaskey could feel the difference. This was a much more affluent area of the city. A feeling quickly proven by the large, often walled, houses. From here they made their way to the Welpine Intergalactical Hotel.

Unlike most of its counterparts, the Welpine Intergalactical consisted of chalets and villas spread out through manicured grounds. In the centre was a hub containing the usual facilities such as a gym no one used and a couple of restaurants.

"Not what I was expecting," Kaskey noted.

"And probably the most well protected place we've come so far," Regrette informed him. "It's used by criminals coming to trade or visit the criminals living in the mansions we passed."

"Right."

"So, you know, no small talk this time, huh?"

"Duly noted, man, duly noted."

"Good. This way."

They followed a path bordered by grass banks and flowerbeds and passed a lot of happy people who didn't seem like criminals. They seemed like holidaymakers the universe over and Kaskey guessed that even criminals did the same things on holiday as everyone else. They turned left at the tennis courts and made their way to the central hub. On the way Regrette laid out his plan.

"That's it?"

"Should be all we need, boy."

"I just can't believe they'll buy it."

"And I thought you were a hustler."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You think anyone here is any different from your marks?"

"Er, well, yeah."

"Mssh."

"Come on, these people are expecting it," Kaskey argued.

"They are, so they put protection in place and then assume that will keep them safe. You know the best way to assassinate a hard target?"

"Thankfully no."

"Do a miss hit, put them on their guard. Then as the days go by and nothing happens they just begin to relax and then boom," Regrette slapped the back of his right hand into the palm of his left. "No one can think of protection forever, everyone falls into routine."

"I'll take your word for it."

"You should, boy, I'm a fount of wisdom," Regrette said and Kaskey wasn't sure if he was joking or not. "Here we are. You can do this?"

"Yes. Alright. Just another hustle."

"Such is life, boy, such is life."

They walked into the hub and up to the large reception desk.

"Help you?" a friendly Tarancort woman asked.

"Iserkat. Got a villa booked here. Couple of days," Regrette said briskly. "Got a meeting in an hour we need to hurry this along."

"Of course, of course," the receptionist breezed as Kaskey did his best to hulk in the background. "Let me just see."

She tapped on her computer.

"Today, today," Regrette said.

"Here we are," she said ignoring him. "That can't be right, hold on," she tapped away again.

"Today," Regrette reminded rudely.

"Well, OK, seems to be right. Just three days, is it?"

"Is that what your computer tells you?"

"It is," she replied.

"Then it would be then, wouldn't it?"

"And you are?" she asked.

"Trying to move this along," Regrette said before looking back at Kaskey. He leant forward. "He must meet his deadline," he said with an expression that said it could be curtains for Regrette if he didn't.

"I understand," she smiled back. "I'll get someone to show you the way."

She pressed a button and then just smiled at them until a Grey came to the desk and was told the villa number.

"Oh," she said.

"Really?" Regrette asked with a hint of pleading.

"A key card is missing."

"Is this going to be a problem?"

"Oh no. Our regular guest must still have it. We have a spare right here," she handed it to the Grey.

He nodded to Regrette and then walked to the door. Regrette and Kaskey followed. On the way the grey gave them the normal spiel, but Kaskey wasn't listening as they weren't actually staying. Gulch had hacked the computer to book him into a villa that was already occupied by someone called Phraktone. He was there almost all the time (hence the receptionist's confusion) as it was where he did business from. This, of course, meant that he was easily findable to those who might wish him ill, but he, as Regrette had said, relied on the security.

They walked up to the door of the villa and Regrette subtly pushed Kaskey back and to the side while also positioning himself. Cameras, Kaskey assumed. The Grey used the key card to unlock the door and pushed the door wide. Kaskey barged past the Grey and into a large open plan living room where an Oncolutian was jumping up from a sofa and turning to the door.

Kaskey ran forward, ducked under one long arm and punched Phraktone hard in the side. He cried out in pain and grabbed his side as Regrette deftly knocked the Grey unconscious, pulled his body inside and shut the door.

"Regrette. What the shabbus?" Phraktone gasped.

"I'm not holding a gun," Regrette pointed out.

"What's going on?"

"We just need a little talk," Regrette smiled.

"You couldn't have made an appointment?"

"I couldn't be sure you'd see me and I wouldn't want you telling anyone else where I'd be."

"What _is_ going on," Phraktone's eyes narrowed.

"I'm sure you have some idea, but I just want to talk about Grayly's."

"The club? You're doing all this for entry into a bar?"

Regrette laughed.

"Of course not. We've already got entry."

"What then?"

"Who runs the show?"

"Volo Turver. That's common knowledge," Phraktone said and Regrette pulled a face.

"Who _really_ runs the show?"

"I..." he started and sighed. "Maithrone."

"Maithrone?" Regrette sounded impressed. "Good for her. Now who can we expect to be there?"

Phraktone ran off names that meant nothing to Kaskey and didn't seem to overly interest Regrette.

"Now. What about Drezznin?"

"Drezznin?"

"Yes."

"He's dead."

"So I hear," Regrette pondered.

Phraktone's eyes narrowed.

"What exactly am I getting from all this?" he asked.

"I don't have a gun in my hand."

Phraktone barked a laugh.

"There's no bounty on my head, Assassin; kill me and you'd have to deal with all my business associates."

"You think you're the only one who could run this racket?"

"The only one with my knowledge and contacts."

"Which is what I'm trying to tap into. Still, I'd think your business associates would be less upset if they knew about the Wulnner job."

"I had nothing to do with that," Phraktone said, but Kaskey saw his body tense.

"In that case you won't mind me telling Holbu what I heard."

There was silence and then Kaskey watched Phraktone's body relax.

"Drezznin worked for the Desards. I hear Ferocs is looking for people involved in destroying a lucrative Desard business and now here you are asking questions."

"Well," Regrette took a second to think about it, "not really my line of business, but if I _was_ someone to talk to, then he'll find me sooner or later. You know me, Phrak, I get bored easily, I'd rather it was sooner. So, you know, tell him all you want."

Phraktone turned his head to look at Kaskey for the first time and Kaskey shrugged at him. It was obvious that Phraktone had played his one card and it had failed.

"Talk to Yanithanni," he told Regrette.

"But?" Regrette asked.

"But it won't be that easy. If what you are supposing is true..."

"And you won't confirm that."

"...then he's kept himself hidden from the Desards a long time. He won't be found by the likes of you."

"The likes of me?" Regrette asked with a frown. "I'll take that as a compliment," he grinned again.
CHAPTER 64

Rainsford Tsyrker had used her contacts to find out everything she could about Drezznin and his work for the Desard Family. When she had done that she had informed her superior about everything she had learned about the Shadow Archetype from Gothra and Koleermeer.

Koleermeer hadn't known much, only that they (he didn't know who 'they' were, though he suspected) had struck a deal with Gothra to back her and he knew that she had also struck a deal with the Desards and that it was all connected. It wasn't much, but it was enough for the Shen Mi to want him and that told her that they knew there was another power at play and they wanted to know who. This also told her that there was more going on than she knew.

"If you want more, you have to give me more," she said.

"I don't want you to get bogged down."

"I need focus, I need to see some of the bigger picture, Sir," she insisted.

Her superior smiled.

"No one said there was a bigger picture."

"Something's happening on Earth."

"We're still putting a picture together, it's a long haul job, but this is what we know:

"Yes, something is happening, something to do with Earth and we assume it is being orchestrated by the Archetype. Now, we don't know what's happened, either there's been a leak; something's gone wrong or it's simply too big to be kept under wraps. Whatever, others know and have begun operations on Earth and now the Archetype seem to be trying to shut them down."

"OK," Tsyrker nodded to herself. "That's all I need."

"It's all we've got," her superior smiled.

"I don't believe that for a second."

"We're behind on this; the Archetype is big, spread out, and designed to hide from people like us," he shook his head slightly.

A small gesture, but more emotion than he had probably shown in years.

"How is this linked to the Desards?" she asked.

"Definitely? We don't know. Our thinking? Pa Desard's got a history with the Archetype, but if they were trying to wipe the Desards out too? I think everyone's trying to make a play."

"Which suggests it's not engineered by the Archetype."

"No, but that's getting too far away from your focus. There are links here and any information, any link we can get brings us closer to exposing them."

"Very well."

***

Now she was in Gerniskard, a combined city and Freight Hub that catered to the rich farming land all across the planet of Sazboli. Something had happened here and soon after Drezznin had disappeared; her sources weren't sure what it was, but knew there had been Desard influence here and that it had stopped soon after Drezznin had disappeared. It had then slowly been reinstated once Drezznin hadn't resurfaced and was believed dead. What she wanted to discover was what Drezznin had known and what had happened to make him flee; it was a chink in the Desard's armour and a way into Drezznin.

She didn't have the time she would normally give to something like this and perhaps it would not matter. She was sure that between them they could get to Drezznin and then he could tell them all about it, but she wanted to see what she could dig out. That being the case she spent the late afternoon and early evening barhopping through the city. It was a lot more diverse than she had thought; yes there were a lot of farmers and the assorted people who worked for them, but also those that supported the industry through retail and banks and the like. Then there were the truckers and those that worked at the Hub and then there were the office workers, making sure all the numbers added up and the right things went to the right places. And then there were the criminals. Small pockets of them in different bars, but she could practically smell them. They had a business here, but theirs was to profit as much as possible from other's hard work. It'd be extortion mainly, but also kickbacks for splitting shipments or 'losing' parts of them.

She stumbled over what she was looking for as the sun began to sink behind the buildings. A small pub filled with farmers and no criminals that she could see. At the bar was a grizzled old man complaining to the equally old and grizzled bartender.

"I still don't like 'em. The way they wear those hoods so you can't see them faces. Not that I'd want to."

"They can't help how they look."

"Oh, yeah, but it's how they act, ain't it? Nasty through and through."

"You can't judge a whole race like that, Frank."

"Huh, there's enough evidence for it, ain't there? Worse than those Laikans I say."

"Here, have a drink and calm down."

"I am calm, Swav, I just don't like them coming here and poking old wounds. It's all change, but we still remember."

"We do, Frank, but we've got to move on."

"How can we with the likes of them coming and poking around?" Frank asked angrily.

"Alright, Frank," the bartender soothed.

"You're talking about Drezznin," Tsyrker said from the barstool next to Frank.

"You want a poke too," he asked accusingly.

"Yes, actually."

"Look, lady," the barman started, but she held up a hand to silence him.

"Well ain't you the forward one?" Frank mused with a smile.

"I've come in at the end of this story and I need to know it's beginning. But first, when was this Cantorvial here?"

"Yesterday. Nasty piece of work."

"More than you know. What did he want?"

"Wanted to know if Drezznin was here," Frank laughed. "Drezznin's dead, lady, but this guy seemed to think he had something to do with something recent. Some kind of attack or something; thought it was planned here."

"OK, yes. Makes sense," Tsyrker said.

In investigating the attacks on the port, bank and warehouse, Ferocs had led with the Drezznin angle. That meant two things; they weren't entirely convinced he had died and that she needed to be careful. She didn't need Ferocs linking her to all this.

"How does it?" the bartender asked.

"He's not dead."

"Excuse me?"

"You need to tell me what happened here to make Drezznin leave," she urged.

"Well thankfully I've got other customers to serve," the bartender said and wandered down the bar.

"Alive, huh? Wouldn't put it past him," Frank mused. "You gonna stop that Cantorvial?"

"Yes."

Frank nodded to himself.

"There's organised crime here, by the look of you you already know that; always has been. More money to be made in food than fuel. Well, Drezz, he came here with some organisation and I won't give you his life story, but he wasn't a bad guy. Got into crime out of necessity. Sure you know the type. Made his way up the ranks and ended up in Mylanvth, small farming community. Dunno why, nothing there that needs sending such a big shot. Anyway he fell in love, both with the place and a girl. Changed him, it did; turns out that kind of life was what he had been searching for all along. Just didn't know it.

"Lots of criminals came to sort him out and the community fought them, it's only just returned to what it was back then; we've all helped, of course. Anyway," Frank sighed, "no more Drezznin after that. The organisation pulled itself out, but someone who understands such things better than I told me it was to hide it's importance from others. They've since come back, smaller scale, but back in the area."

He took a long drink and looked at Tsyrker.

"You know more?" she asked.

"That was the short version, you don't seem the type to sit and listen to an epic, but as for real information? Yeah, that's it. You'd have to go to Mylanvth to find the truth, but I wouldn't bet on people talking."

"Thank you," she got up and laid money on the bar. "That should see you through the evening."

He looked at the money.

"Much kindly of you. One thing?"

"Yes?"

"Is he really?"

"I hope so."

The man thought about it.

"I don't know about that. We truly find ourselves in others, when we invest in them; that's what I was taught. To do that and have it taken away? It's a hard thing to live with. Whoever did this to him, they took his soul, I would bet on that."

Tsyrker looked at him for a moment and then turned and left.

***

Mylanvth was a good distance out of the city and most of what she drove through was farmland. She couldn't see what was being grown in the dark, but crops of various sizes and shapes swayed in the night's wind.

She parked at a large pub that advertised beds as the moon reached its zenith. The pub was dark, though a dim light shone weakly from somewhere deep inside. The building had the feeling of only recently closing. She took a quick walk to check her assumption. Not the type of hotel to stay open for midnight walk-ins; that was OK, it wasn't the first time she had slept in a car.

"Get back in your car and go back to where you came from," a man's voice commanded.

She turned around to find a Human pointing a shotgun at her.

"It's a long drive and I'm tired."

"I don't care."

"The rental company will."

"We told you everything. We don't want trouble."

"Ferocs has been here. When did he leave?"

"You're not..."

"Just stop," she commanded. "I'm not with them. They're digging into old wounds; I'm here to help heal them."

"What do you know of it?"

"I know Drezznin's alive."

The man's aim faltered.

"True?"

"Yes. But to get to him I need to know what happened here. I need him to know he can trust me."

"You don't have a trustworthy look about you," the man said raising the gun again.

"Comes with my job, as does the fact that I have a pistol at my hip and I can pull it and shoot you dead before you can pull that trigger. So put it down and help me. Or just sod off. Either way..."

The man looked at her, dropped his eyes to the gun at her hip and then lowered the gun.

"Alright. Alright. I'm just a farmer. We all are here."

"I understand that. Drezznin wasn't though, was he?"

The man sighed deeply.

"The hotel's closed, where were you going to sleep?"

"My car," she nodded to it and he shook his head.

"We have a spare bed. This is not the time and place for such a story. You've had a long drive, as you said."

"OK."

***

She could, she thought in the bright morning sunshine, live in a place like this. She'd helped Tandish with her dream of owning a farm and perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea after all. Somewhere tranquil and remote to come back to in-between missions. The air was so clean, so pure, and it was shot through with a hundred different smells. From the trees and the flowers to the animals and the smell of cooking food. She walked away from the window of the small, Spartan room she had slept in and went down the stairs to find her host, Lortjer, in the kitchen cooking food.

"There's coffee in the pot or tea if you'd prefer," he said looking around.

She took a seat at the table that filled the middle of the kitchen and poured herself some coffee.

"You live here alone?" she asked, though knew he didn't. He had a wife and two kids.

"No, the wife and kids are out doing the chores," he walked over and put a plate of freshly cooked meat and eggs in front of her. "Here."

"Thank you," she smiled.

"Give you energy for your drive," he replied and she nodded.

"Very well. Then tell me what I need to know."

He sighed and sat down.

"We're pretty insular here, as you can imagine. Drezznin came and, I don't know, he just fit. He started helping, making suggestions. Oh, we all fought it at first, but we came to see that his ways were better, easier. He just wanted to help. Don't get me wrong, we knew who he was, what his job was. He was a criminal. I don't know if you can understand this, but we began to trust in the Universe, in the Trading Network; we began to look further than our own community. And then..." he trailed off and poured a coffee, more as something to do than for thirst.

"He didn't betray you," Tsyrker said.

"No," he shook his head adamantly. "He was supposed to, but in the end he tried to fight for us."

"Why? What's here?"

"Fuel. They would mine the entire area, but something else. Something called Cropid."

Grant and Regrette would have registered the surprise on her face, but Lortjer couldn't.

"No, we'd never heard of it either. I mean we knew of it, call it Frangistaanian. We use small amounts of it to make firecrackers on Wolmin's day. Well, not anymore."

"No?"

"No. He told us to stop. To not let anyone know of it."

"And yet you're telling me."

"I was wrong. When I said you had an untrustworthy look about you. It's just a dew, I see that now."

"You are more perceptive than many in the Universe," she said with a hint of a smile.

"Most in the Universe have foregone nature."

"That's not true."

"It is in the greater part."

"Continue your story."

"He wasn't giving them what they wanted, the land. They thought he was trying to keep the Cropid for himself, but he was actually protecting us, both legally and teaching us physically. He thought that by leaving they would follow, but they didn't. Somehow they found out and they destroyed everything he loved trying to find out what he knew, but he wouldn't return, wouldn't give it to them."

"But you could have."

"He told us not to. Pretend we didn't know. He told us it would be worse and so we stayed silent," his face dropped in sorrow.

Tsyrker could imagine what they had endured; the torture to get them to speak and yet they had held firm. Believed in Drezznin. She was impressed by their courage.

"It broke us," Lortjer began to weep. "We had begun to believe in the Universe, in something more than our own community and it had been shown to be a sham. Those naysayers were proven right, but..." he trailed off in tears.

"But you don't believe them," she finished.

"He was my friend," Lortjer wept.

"They never came back?"

"No. He bargained with them, told them he'd tell everyone if they hurt us. He was supposed to meet with them, but he disappeared instead. They didn't want others to notice, they kept it small. When it didn't work they pulled away."

"He was in love," she said.

"Yes, but not just with her, with all of it. Us, this place, this way of life. He didn't want to see it ruined."

"He's been waiting," Tsyrker said. "These people, they are hard to get to, he's been waiting for a chance to take revenge for what they did. We are in a position to give him that chance."

"Revenge will not undo what has been done, nor bring back those that were lost."

"You said they were out there now, looking for the Cropid. They will not search in vain forever. If Drezznin has his way it will protect you forever."

Lortjer smiled a wry smile.

"Or until the next ones hear of it."

"The Universe is a big place. A lot of bad out there, but trust me, it's big enough for a lot of good too."
CHAPTER 65

There's crime and then there's _crime_. That was what they were taught on their first day in the InterG, that they had taken a step up; they were fighting criminals that had reach; that affected the Universe. He had quickly realised two things about this, firstly that the criminal ladder extended way beyond even their reach and secondly that the Underworld was a mangrove swamp that one could get lost in. It wasn't black and white, but a multitude of hues. The InterG couldn't deal with that; it had to be the white to the Underworld's black and that stopped it from being effective. It wasn't a bad way to be, you couldn't uphold the law unless you took the opposite stance to the criminals. The problem was that they saw it as good and bad instead of just and unjust. They buried their officers under paperwork to make sure they were on the right side of the rules and regulations and failed to deliver justice. If a man steals because he is starving to death, to prosecute and punish was the law, but it wasn't justice. Justice would be to solve the reasons behind his starvation.

If you were going to work successfully then it had to be within the system; not the artificial one the UTN and InterG wanted, but the real one that the Underworld worked in. There were kingdoms and fiefdoms and it paid to know whose you were working within. You didn't bust a pimp or a pusher without messing up someone else's cash flow. That was supposed to be the difference between the locals and the InterG, the former stopped crimes the latter was supposed to stop crime.

He'd been joyous when he'd brought her back, returned her to her family. He'd gone against the system, but had proved that they could clear cases despite the political influence that demanded the bean counting and paper pushing. Of course, by then politics had entered the upper echelons of the InterG and his superiors were not happy with what he had done; and then it didn't matter as she left to return into that swamp.

He couldn't understand it, but it served to pull him back within the confines that his superiors wanted while he tried to rethink it all. Why? Why would she go back into the (Under)world that she had been dragged into involuntarily? To understand this, he knew, he had to understand the Underworld better, explore it and those that lived within it. He had been a soldier where everything _was_ black and white, where you followed your orders to fight the enemy. This was different, this wasn't two sides facing off against each other, society and crime; a lot of crime existed because of the deficits of society, they went hand in hand, were enmeshed. And so he had taken himself back out there, looked with new eyes, questioned rather than interrogated. And while he saw the true face of crime, those that used the chinks in society to abuse others for power (and grew to hate them) he also saw the other side, those that had no other option. And he met those that knew, that had connections, understanding of the truth of the Underworld, and thusly the truth of the Universe. And it was that that had brought Grant here.

To a block of flats just like all the others in the area. Run down, but clean, poor but with a healthy community that spent most of its time together in the street. What the poor lacked in money they made up in community and it seemed to Grant to be the opposite for the rich. Not that everyone here was poor, certainly not the man he had come to see. He just preferred that people thought it of him. Drezznin was not the only one who wished to be hidden away.

"You," the man said from the crack of the door.

"Let me in."

"Fine," he opened the door of the top floor apartment. "But only because I have no choice."

"Fine by me," Grant said and stepped inside.

"You could get me killed coming here," the man complained as he shut the door.

"Boo hoo."

"I haven't committed a crime in years, isn't there a time after which a man is deemed reformed?"

"You haven't committed a crime because you can't, not because you won't."

"Oh, very well. You've got me there. Now, how can I get rid of you as quickly as possible?"

"The Shadow Archetype."

The man laughed.

"Come now, Grant..."

"Cut the shabbus."

"Right, right," the man sighed and took a seat. "Why don't you sit, huh?"

Grant didn't want to, but did. He needed information and that meant keeping Rolfly at ease.

"Do you realise what you are asking? Let's get our expectations within a fair margin."

"If anyone knows, it's you. Tell me what you have and I'll be satisfied."

"It's not, as everyone thinks, some secret organisation that wants to or does control the Universe."

"No?"

"No," Rolfly looked around the room as if someone might be listening. "It's a secret organisation that is looking to expand the Universe."

"Expand the Universe?"

"Yes, look," he let out a long breath, "we both know you're not here for a history lesson, but about your little crusade against the Desards."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Grant said, though he had assumed Rolfly would know. He knew pretty much everything that was happening in the Underworld.

"Right," Rolfly gave a wry smile. "Maybe you do want the history lesson then."

"Just give."

"Ha. There have been recent advances, this is outside of my remit, you understand? Advances in the attempts to travel beyond the known Universe, most notably beyond Earth. Now, I don't know the details of it, but it's not information that you need to be me to know. It is however, information that the Archetype did not want to be out there. As I said they have worked long and hard to spearhead this for themselves.

"Earth would become an important hub," Grant said.

"Yes. Something the Archetype have wanted to keep for themselves."

"So the news has leaked and they're trying to take out the competition."

Rolfly nodded.

"Including your Desards. Even though they seem friendly now, I'm sure you realise that they are not," he said. "The Archetype are what they say, a shadow. They need form if they are to control trade through Earth."

"And they get that from the Desards?"

"Don't underestimate the Desard's power nor reach. There is a reason the business was given into the hands of Maggie and it's not because Ma or Pa could not."

"I'd heard Ma was dead," Grant said.

"Yes, I'd _heard_ that too."

Grant got up.

"Have you heard of the Theotarkin?" Rolfly asked not standing.

"I don't have the time, Rolfly."

"I think you should though," and there was something in his tone that made Grant sit back down.

"It was a ship, supposedly from somewhere called the Ten Kingdoms trying to find another made up place."

"Yes, the Shores of Dawn," Rolfly said. "The Theotarkin is well accepted to have crashed somewhere in the Universe and so that means the Ten Kingdoms must be reachable by ship."

"Somewhere beyond Earth," Grant said.

"That's the general thinking. There's something more you should know, Grant; they say that the Ten Kingdoms had links to, well, some say other Universes, but it's generally accepted that they were connected to a wider Universe."

"And that's what the Archetype want to find," Grant stated. "I told you I didn't have time and I still don't."

"But this is why I share so much. There are those in the Archetype that want the money and the power, but there are others, part of a cult that look for other Universes for a far darker reason. One I will not speak on even in this darkened room."

Grant thought about Leader and his cult, one that he was introduced into by the Archetype.

"The former, a monopoly is bad for business; the latter is bad for everyone," Rolfly warned

Grant stood still thinking about it.

"I know what you're thinking. By continuing your crusade are you helping something worse?" Rolfly smiled.

"Perhaps."

"As we speak the Archetype are helping the Desards take over Gothra's operation, expanding out. There are rumours that they will strike the Shen Mi again soon. I told you they need a form, Grant, destroy the Desard Family business and they have no body to inhabit."

Grant nodded and walked to the door.

"I'll be seeing you."

"I certainly hope not," Rolfly smiled and Grant exited.

His phone rang, it was Tsyrker.

" _Better speed things up. Don't wait for me."_

***

While Grant was talking to Rolfly, Tsyrker was returning to the city of Gerniskard and the space port. It took her just two blocks to realise something was wrong.

She'd been expecting it, though hoping against it. It had been risky coming here, but time was of the essence; it made sense that if there was a strike against the Desards then someone would come and check on the Drezznin angle. She'd been unlucky that she was so close behind them and now it looked like they might not have left the city. Not only that, but that they were aware of, and were waiting for, her.

Ferocs was a fearsome enemy; he had made a name for himself during the Laikan War; not as a general, but as the leader of a Cantorvial guerrilla unit. It was Tsyrker's own organisation (though Tsyrker was only a young girl at that time) that fought against them and others like them and the Typan's were formed in direct response to Ferocs' unit.

He was a master hunter and tactician and was known to be both cold-blooded and bloodthirsty, enjoying inflicting as much damage and pain on the UTN soldiers as he could. After the war he had managed to escape retribution and had resurfaced as a gun for hire in the Underworld. He was a, sort of, evil version of Grant. Hired to find things or people and bring an end to them. And he was the kind of person, with the kind of contacts, that would know exactly who Tsyrker was.

She had to wonder how they knew; she'd arrived at night and hadn't spoken to anyone but Lortjer. She didn't think it would be him as he had shared a lot of information; no, they must have been watching the road, just a contingent to keep an eye. Ferocs would also be the type of person to have heard rumours of Drezznin's status as 'still breathing' and wouldn't rule him out after one check. That gave her a little hope, that Ferocs had moved on and that she was only of interest due to her recent visit to the village. That being said, she couldn't risk being questioned by someone and have her description passed along.

There was a car following her now and she made a sudden left followed by a right two blocks along, but the car kept up with her. She slowed at the next intersection, trying to look like someone looking for something. She rolled through it, but slowed twice along the street before turning right again. It was no use, the people she had spotted along the road in, the car following her, they would have made contact and there would be people waiting for her at the space port.

She rang Grant.

"Better speed things up. Don't wait for me."

" _What's happening?"_

"Ferocs. Or at least his men were watching the road to Mylanvth."

" _Mylanvth?"_

She explained everything she had learned that could help them reach out to Drezznin.

" _OK, good. This is going to help no end, Rain."_

"Well go and use it then, when this goes south Ferocs will step up a gear."

" _Alright, take care,"_ he said and hung up.

"Don't I always?"

She pulled into the parking area designated for returning hire cars and the car pulled up close by. Two Cantorvials, a Merrick and a Laikan got out and walked towards her. She ignored them and walked away, but she had them on her radar. They'd picked up their pace a little and were closing as she tried to keep a casual pace. Here there was an enclosure, just three low walls around two large bins. She stopped and searched her pocket for something.

"Come with us," one of the Cantorvials said grabbing her arm.

It was his last mistake. She twisted around, grabbing the wrist and breaking it. He stepped back in pain and surprise as she lashed a foot out at the other Cantorvial. That foot took out his knee and then she used the forward momentum to crash her elbow into the Laikan's sensitive nose. Three down and just the big guy to go.

He grabbed her by the waist with both hands and lifted her off her feet. She felt him tense to throw her, locked her fingers straight and jabbed at the bridge of his nose. The Merrick grunted in stinging pain, but still managed to throw her, though not with any real gusto.

She landed on her feet as the Merrick wiped the tears out of his eyes and the Laikan came at her. She dodged his swiping claws and tried another jab at his nose. He bobbed backwards and came at her with a low slash that caught her across the stomach before she could hop back. Now she twisted and uppercutted him just before the Merrick was grabbing her from behind. She ducked and twisted before he could get a hold of her and slammed a foot into his knee, but then the Cantorvial with the broken wrist was back. She took a blow to the side before finding the wrist with her elbow. The Cantorvial blacked out in pain.

Now the Laikan and the Merrick were back at her, but now she had the time and space and pulled her pistols. They looked from her face to the guns and then back up. She fired and they crumpled to the ground. The Cantorvial with the busted knee was trying to drag himself away, but she pulled him back by his bad leg as he hissed in agony. She could leave anyone to radio those inside, or worse, Ferocs. She didn't like killing people she had already incapacitated; didn't like killing those that couldn't fight back, but she couldn't always have what she wanted in this job.

She hid the bodies behind the bins and broke into the main building via a 'staff only' door.
CHAPTER 66

Gulch sat alone in a dark corner of Grayly's. He could have sat in the van like he usually did, but Grayly's was a very nice bar and it wasn't often that he got to visit. Hadn't been there in years now, not since he had ended his dealings with the Raiders. It hadn't changed, it was still classy, but with a worn-in feel to it. Cosy almost. The décor was red and dark wood with comfortable booths around the walls and tables and chairs scattered through the rest of the bar. Above where he sat was a large balcony that left this area in secluded darkness and was usually closed to private functions. At the other end was a stage with a band playing just loud enough and the tables in between him and there were all full with people moving between them to chat. Finally along the wall to his left ran the long bar with four bartenders serving drinks along with a wait staff.

His last time here had been a celebration. He and a group of Raiders had come to celebrate a victory over a crooked development company. The company had been trying to buy up and develop land that was annoyingly lived on by poor people. They were using illegal methods to force the people out of the high-rise blocks including violence and blackmail, in order to build a new shopping mall. The Raiders had decided that they should stand up for these people who were outcasts and downtrodden just like them. It wasn't all selfless, part of the plan included emptying the company's bank accounts, but it was an odd mission for Durden Raiders.

That was the thing about them, they were all lumped together as being bad, and many were. Indeed, all of them did bad things, but there were those that were Raiders because they had no other choice. Society had failed them; the UTN had failed them. Then there were the children who were born into it and never knew anything else. Some Raider families actually sent their kids away so that they could experience another way of life before deciding if they wished to become Raiders.

That night had also been Gulch's last with them and they had celebrated him and his time with them, helping them. It had been a good night, one he remembered fondly, but he couldn't stay with the Raiders, couldn't keep doing the things they did. It wasn't him, however much he pretended it could be.

Now he was back, a changed man, sitting in the dark with his computer and a Chokdee cocktail. He scanned the room and picked out Grant, Kaskey and Regrette, all sitting separately. It was strange to be here; their last hurdle before finally getting to a Desard. He was glad and would be glad when it was all over. This had been their longest and most in depth mission in a long time, if not ever, and Gulch was looking forward to getting back to the, comparatively, easy and relaxed job of finding things.

And now here came their man, Yanithanni.

***

Yanithanni walked to the bar, nodding to people, speaking to a few, as he went. Once there he ordered a drink and exchanged a few words to the man standing next to him. It was there that another Durden Raider slid up next to him.

"Hey, heads up. Don't look round, but we've got an assassin in our midst."

"Who?" Yanithanni asked, accepting his drink.

"Dunno. At least one guy reckons it's the Wraith. Sitting two tables from the door. On the left."

"And?"

"And if he's here for one of ours then he's an idiot. Thought the most likely next target would be our mutual friend."

Yanithanni nodded and took a sip of his beer.

"Thanks."

"Whatever," the Durden said and walked away.

Yanithanni turned with his drink and surveyed the room, taking in the table that Regrette sat at. The Wraith? He'd heard of him. Well, he'd heard the legend, there was a reason he was known as the Wraith. Could that really be him? If anyone would know, it would be the Raiders, they held a place outside of both the UTN and the Underworld and only shared what was good for them. If they knew the Wraith's identity they wouldn't give it away, no matter what he did in the Underworld; not unless it profited them. And that didn't mean monetarily. They could get enough of that and they didn't like to get involved with what they thought of as games.

So say it was him and say he wasn't scoping out a Raider to hit, then that left only a few options in the bar tonight. Voltay's right-hand man was in tonight, as was Ghilly the Quick and a table of Enforcers. All could be targets, but Drezznin was just as likely. Could he be? Could someone have found out and hired an assassin? If the Desards knew Drezznin was alive they would want what he knew, not assassinate him.

This last thought made him relax slightly. He watched a Human get up from a table and leave the bar and began to tense again as the Raider he was talking to made a line for him. The Raider stood at the bar next to him and ordered a drink.

"That guy, you saw him leave? Asking about your friend. Seemed to know. I'd tell him not to come tonight," the Raider said and then stood in silence until his drink arrived and then walked off.

Yanithanni pulled out his phone as he casually turned back to the bar.

"A pint of Samuel Smiths, please," Kaskey ordered. "Hey how's it going?"

Yanithanni slipped the phone back in his pocket having made his call.

"It's a good night for a good beer," Yanithanni said nodding the pint laid before him.

He wasn't wrong; Samuel Smiths Bitter was so good it was the one drink, other than tea, that the Victorians had taken into space (along with someone who knew how to brew it).

Kaskey took a long, appreciative swallow.

"You're not wrong there. It's a good night to get out."

"Yes."

"Not one to stay at home."

Yanithanni's eyes narrowed and his muscles tensed.

"Relax. I'm here to offer long awaited revenge."

"I don't want revenge on anyone," Yanithanni said.

"Nope."

"So?"

"So we both know someone who does."

"I'm sure anyone who has travelled knows someone who dreams of revenge," Yanithanni said.

"That's a very negative view of the Universe," Kaskey shook his head. "But sometimes someone might have very good reason for wanting it. Spent a long time waiting for an opportunity. I'm telling you that opportunity has arrived."

"And I'm telling you, you've got the wrong man."

Kaskey sighed.

"I'm not surprised at your caginess, I'm really not, but how is he ever going to get it if he never tries?"

"Wrong. Guy."

"Alright, alright," Kaskey stood up. "Mylanvth won't last forever. Soon they'll be Maggie's farm unless we have our way, make our move. Just thought he'd like to be there when she went down."

Yanithanni just stared at him through slits.

"Enjoy the beer, might see you in here tomorrow night," Kaskey said and walked away.

***

The next night Gulch was sitting in the same spot, though this time surrounded by more people as the bar was crowded by the time the first of his team began to filter in. That first person was Regrette, who took a seat near the door. A man and a woman took seats at the table and struck up a conversation.

The next was Grant and he moved further into the room after ordering a drink at the bar (Regrette had of course ordered from the wait staff). No one sat with him; in fact a Tarancort got up and moved tables. The bar was full of Durden Raiders and many knew who Grant was and did not much like him.

Between Grant entering and Kaskey, Yanithanni entered and took a place at the bar. He chatted with those around him, but was obviously preoccupied, on edge. Gulch couldn't blame him, he knew exactly what was going on thanks to the technology he had (thanks to Tsyrker). It was the kind of tech that most would have to bring in once they realised that they needed it, but that Gulch had on him all the time. It meant that he was able to trace Drezznin from Yanithanni's calls, even through the complex system they had in place. Which meant they knew where Drezznin was and could have gone to him, but also knew that he had decided to come and meet with Kaskey despite the risks. In fact, Gulch had an eye on him, only three tables away from where he sat in the shadow of the balcony.

Finally Kaskey entered and elbowed in a space at the bar where he ordered a drink. He didn't look around, didn't make the slightest hint that he was looking for, hoping for or waiting for Yanithanni. He simply leant against the bar and supped at his beverage. By the time Kaskey had entered, Yanithanni had taken a seat at a table and played a hand of Walf, but now he was eyeing Kaskey less and less surreptitiously. Finally he got up.

"Why don't you come and take a seat?"

"Yeah?" Kaskey looked over his shoulder.

"You going to make this difficult?"

"You've taken your sweet time coming over, man."

"You're obviously more trusting than I am," Yanithanni tried a smile, but it didn't feel good on his lips so he wiped it.

"I try to be, but it's getting harder," Kaskey pushed himself off of the bar and followed Yanithanni.

He stopped at the table where Yanithanni had been, but he gestured him further into the back.

"There is at least one assassin in the bar tonight," Yanithanni said once they were in the gloom of the balcony.

"Anyone who plans a hit in a room full of Raiders is an idiot," Kaskey shrugged.

"So be it. Sit."

Yanithanni held out a hand to a chair. At the table sat another man.

"OK, alright," Kaskey nodded and then smiled. "I'm glad you came."

"Sit down," the man commanded with a hiss.

Kaskey shrugged again and sat down. Yanithanni took the other seat.

"As you said, I cannot let an opportunity pass me by," Drezznin said. "Even if there is danger."

He wasn't old, maybe Grant's age, but he looked old. Looked tired. As if the weight of hiding from the assassin's gun had aged him.

"Your man here tells me there's an assassin in the room," Kaskey said.

"And if he was here for me then my greatest protection is already lost. For him to show his face in such a place as this, a place he might be known," Drezznin shook his head. "Well, not someone to worry about."

"And you're not worried about me," Kaskey stated.

"Again, the belief that I am dead is my greatest protection; you know that not to be true, you're good enough to know Yani is my contact," he looked around. "A wave of my hand and the whole bar will come to my aid. Tear you limb from limb and go back to their pints."

Kaskey smiled at that.

"The assassin wouldn't be too happy about that, he's taken quite a shine to me," he frowned. "At least I think he has. Hard to tell with the Wraith."

Drezznin scoffed.

"Those Raiders he's sitting with will deal with him if he makes the slightest of moves."

"Oh yeah?" Kaskey turned in his seat. "Looks like they're friends. Riley and Godo, I think he said. Old buddies."

Drezznin's face darkened.

"The Raiders won't be slow to forget everything I've done for them if I want to leave."

"Maggie is meeting on Ursia and Pharout. I'm guessing you know what that means."

"Perhaps. You told Yani here that you had a shot at her, I'm sorry," he looked Kaskey up and down, "but you don't seem the type."

"Yeah, alright. I'll take that. Maybe you should talk to my boss."

Grant appeared and sat down.

"How about me?"
CHAPTER 67

"Spider's webs," Drezznin said.

They stood around a table in a secret basement under his house. He had been super disappointed to lead them there and find Tsyrker already waiting.

"Safety is an illusion," he had commented.

He had known who Grant was and had linked him, them, to the bank and the warehouse. Grant had admitted it, had told him he knew about Mylanvth.

"From what I always heard, you hated criminals and we were lucky you never went higher than the 'G," Drezznin had said.

"So you're wondering why I would help you," Grant had replied.

"I'm assuming you think we can help each other."

"No," Grant shook his head. "We can do this without you."

"But not as easily," Drezznin had smiled.

"So why don't you show us and book a front row seat for the big event?

Drezznin had spread all his work out on a large table and there was one wall covered in pictures of people and places. Everywhere string linked this to that and that to this.

"It's bigger than we thought," Gulch said.

"Oh, yes," Drezznin said. "One of their strengths is seeming small; running other gangs. That's who will be at your meetings; they're going to be vexed as to who hit them."

"They'll suspect the Shen Mi after their little altercation," Tsyrker said.

"Perhaps. From what you've told me that was through Gothra."

"It's still the most obvious choice," she continued. "And from what I'm hearing, they're gearing up for another go."

"Yes," Drezznin sorted through some papers. "Here. It makes more sense now."

"You know who'll be at those meetings?" Grant asked.

"Pharout? Yes," he gestured to the wall of faces and places. Ursia? That's the big guns."

"Two bombs," Regrette said.

"No," Drezznin said. "Not if you want to take them out completely. I mean," he thought about it, "it would bring Pa out I would think, but there will be people to step into the breach."

"Then what?" Kaskey asked.

"You ever hear of the Klovak Spider-Eating Fly?" Drezznin looked from face to face with a dark smile.

TO BE CONTINUED...
