Crossing Rubicon Page 6

  “So what do you suppose he meant by that last line, ‘the sun making its zenith…’ something or other?” Will asked in a profound tone to a much quieter establishment.

  “I don’t know,” Milo breathed as he stood up, after settling the bill. “Maybe Watson can tell us, once we find him. What do you say we refocus on that, eh?”

  “Ok, sounds good. Any idea where to start? Our teams at the airport didn’t come up with anything. We are officially out of leads.”

  “Really? There’s nothing in that magical tablet of yours?” Milo rejoined with a smirk as they both got in the car. “Well, there’s obviously an interest in Rosen’s connection with our fugitives, particularly by Watson. Not to mention Hyde’s suspicious appearance on their show so quickly after the escape and capture, by us,” he added with disappointed emphasis. “How about we knock on their door? For all we know, Watson could’ve been on that same train as well, and it probably passed through Reno not too long ago… Then again, maybe it has been a while; I already forgot how fast that train moves. Not sure how something like that could slip my mind so soon. What?”

  He looked over to see Will staring at him agape; a first by Milo’s reckoning. “By jove, I think you may be onto something! What better way to make us think that they had split up than to merely separate temporarily? Parker was no slouch, that’s for sure, but Watson has considerably more training and experience at making himself invisible. We could’ve easily walked right past him in pursuit of Parker and not even known it. Ok, I’m sold. Let’s head over to the ‘Biggest Little City in America.’ I bet that it’s twenty percent bigger since the last time I’ve used that phrase,” he concluded, laughing at his own joke.

  Chapter Nine: Life Lessons

  Footage of Prisoner 74205’s inspired performance played for the third time on Sonya’s home entertainment system. She’d never been the type to have the best home system money could buy. Her training and production manager from the company had talked her into going big, in case she wanted to impress guests or host events at her house. Over six years and counting, she still had yet to have any guests; ones who weren’t work-related anyway.

  When the company put her up in a cabin at Lake Tahoe, quickly approaching a decade ago, she didn’t recall reading in her contract that her social life, what little there was to begin with, had come to an end. Sure, she’d had people over on occasion for one-night stands and the like, but she still considered that work-related as they had always been with colleagues. It was difficult to make new friends in her line of work. People either annoyingly fawned over her celebrity status, or were repelled by it.

  If she’d known signing with Rosen would’ve effectively made her a hermit, she would’ve listened to her former company commander and applied to Officer Candidate School. Sonya didn’t feel she was ready, or qualified, to get a commission in the Marines, but Captain Bates insisted she was. Uncertainty unfortunately won that stalemate.

  Sonya was about to turn off the replay of the match when she paused the image. Right after the bomb exploded, although he had picked up his pace and was already a few hundred meters away, 74205 lowered his head in a seemingly respectful bow. Not only that, the regret that poured from his face and body language was palpable. For the first time in longer than she could remember, Sonya found herself in tears.

  The loss of yet another colleague was only part of the catalyst for her extraordinary emotional response. She hadn’t been close to Elad. Their meetings were seldom more than the occasional bump into at the training room over the years, outside of the fan-favorite hunter team-ups however. She had a professional respect for the man, but felt he was one of the only people who actually belonged in that line of work.

  She was surprised to admit that the bulk of her grief was toward the young man who completely outsmarted an experienced hunter. Someone whose background and crimes she was entirely oblivious to. An honorable man she didn’t know, who she will likely be tasked to ‘instill justice upon,’ as the Network liked to put it. That’s who was at the forefront of her lapse in carefully conditioned mood levels, through the help of years of trauma therapy and psychotropic medication.

  Sonya had inquired about the background and charges of contestants twice in the past. Both times her manager discouraged her from seeking such information as it could “affect your resolve in carrying out your duties.” At the time she understood a certain level of moral buffering between her and her targets, but her recent victories made her rethink where her comfort zone actually stood.

  She ordered her phone to call her manager, but before she realized what she wanted to say, Suresh had picked up the line and was beaming at her with that blindingly white, toothy smile of his.

  “Sonya!” He energetically greeted her. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected call?”

  Timir Suresh was a tall, thin, and impeccably groomed Indian man from South Africa. Sonya thought he would make an excellent politician, if he wasn’t so in love with being in, or right next to, the spotlight so much. She had never seen him romantically involved with anyone; man or woman. Throughout all the time they spent together, Suresh had neither made a pass at her, nor given off any hints or vibes that he was gay. Eventually, Sonya assumed that he simply fancied himself, and that was enough for the both of them to understand each other it seemed.

  “I know what you’re going to say Timmy,” a name he allowed only a select few people to use, “but I want to know what our current contestant is charged with. It’s also apparent he’s had some military or police training. I’d like info on that as well.”

  Timir sighed, his smile dimming some. “You’re right Sonya. We’ve been over this before. It’s not your job to get to know these people. In fact, I’d argue that it would be counter-productive for you to do so.”

  Sonya knew he was right, but she did her best not to show it. “Yes we have Timmy, but this time is different. He seems awfully young, with a sense of fair play, to be some master criminal. Secondly, if I’m being asked to put down another veteran I’d like to at least know a little about his training to better grasp his motivations.”

  Suresh’s smile faded completely, and he took on a scolding look. “You aren’t asked to put down anyone, Sonya. It’s your job to retire criminals efficiently and without prejudice. While I doubt much could affect your efficiency, I have concerns that giving you this information will affect your performance, in one way or another.”

  She attempted to mimic his condescending look. “I’m a big girl Timmy. And I’ve been doing this almost as long as you. All I’m asking for are his charges and where he received his specialized training, assuming he’s not just magically gifted that is.”

  A minute-long, intense stare-down followed. Eventually, Timir sat back in his seat and looked away to his left. “I’ll see what I can find and get back to you.”

  “We both know you can look up that info in a second, if you haven’t committed it to memory already,” she countered, not backing down.

  Another pause. “Fine,” he submitted. “He’s been accused of rape, and he’s spent some time with the Colonial Cavalry,” he finished sheepishly.

  She stared at Suresh openmouthed. “Accused! You mean he hasn’t been convicted or sentenced yet?”

  “This is exactly what I’ve been trying to avoid all these years. It’s already clear to me that your tenacity has been compromised. Perhaps I’m misremembering the verbiage, or that’s simply the way it was detailed in the report. I don’t work for the Justice Department, and neither do you. But I think we both understand how the particulars in terminology can be taken out of context unintentionally. I didn’t give it a second thought, and I don’t think anyone else should either.”

  “Nothing on my end has been compromised, Timmy. I’m not so sure about you though. Your point is well taken about legal lingo, but that doesn’t sound like a mistake someone who writes arrest and prosecution reports would make. How did he even get on our radar in the first place if
he hasn’t been through the system yet?”

  “If you must know,” Timir answered in a pompous tone, “he escaped from custody before he could answer for his crime. Apparently, when he was caught, somebody above both of our paygrades thought sending him to us was both legal and justified. That’s good enough for me, and therefore should be for you.”

  That revelation changed things somewhat in Sonya’s mind, but she didn’t like the shift in Suresh’s demeanor. He had always been protective of her, in a smarmy way, but he had never talked down to her the way he was presently doing, and she wasn’t about to let him off easy.

  “Okay,” she annunciated slowly. “Good to know. You said he spent time with the Colonial Cavalry. What does that mean? Was he part of the Lunar or Martian conflicts? And this time, try to tell me without the attitude if you please.”

  Timir was looking downright annoyed at that point, but after a moment of contemplation he seemed to lighten up some. “Actually, which participating conflicts, if any, were not revealed to the Network. If memory serves, that type of information is withheld until after a subject is retired. Having said that,” he continued abashedly once more, “I do recall reading that he had earned a bronze star.”

  Great, Sonya thought. Not only was he a kid, who may or may not be guilty of a serious crime, and forced into a literal game of life or death, but he’s also a war hero. Though she wasn’t sure, she had strong suspicions that her previous target of the day before had combat experience as well.

  “Thank you very much Timmy, you’ve been most helpful. I’m sure that intel will be useful in the inevitable likelihood I’ll be tasked to hunt this young man.”

  Suresh composed himself back to his normal façade. “There’s no guarantee that you will land this case Sonya. He has to survive the second round before the final challenger, and that isn’t always the chief hunter. It’ll be whomever the Network deems most expected to entice the largest audience and sponsorship. Another part of your contract you should be well aware of.”

  It was Sonya’s turn to be patronizing. “Trust me Timmy. By the way he handled McCone, and the scraps of data you just provided me, both the viewers and producers alike will be clamoring for me.”

  With that last bout of self-confidence, she ended the call as he prepared a rebuttal. She was confused and frustrated by the whole situation; feelings she wasn’t used to having. For the first time since the war, she found herself genuinely afraid. The confusing part was not knowing if that fear was due to her facing off with an equally shrewd opponent, or not knowing if doing so was even justified. That rare insecurity was quite perplexing to her.

  Sonya allowed those thoughts and feelings to consume her, culminating with the realization that she had no one to turn to for help. She had cut herself off from her friends and family years ago, due either to fame or disapproval of her career choice; probably an equal combination of both. She also couldn’t trust anyone at the Network, since they’d likely have the same reaction as Timir’s miniature meltdown.

  After long moments of deliberation, and increasing feelings of seclusion, Sonya landed on the one person she knew she could still count on to be straightforward with her without judgement. Although she may have to endure a few barbs about not signing on with OCS, Sonya was confident her former company commander would know what she should do, or at least point her in the right direction.

  She did a double take when her computer informed her that Captain Bates was not only still in the Marines, but had evidently gotten married and also been promoted to lieutenant colonel. The all too familiar video ComNet banner of the Defense Department appeared around a smiling woman by the name of Lindsey Dune. To Sonya, it seemed she hadn’t aged a day.

  “Good morning Colonel,” Sonya said, dropping the lieutenant in acceptable fashion. “Do you have a minute for an ‘I told you so?’”

  Chapter Ten: Alias

  Milo and Will were back in the Sky Hawk and on their way to Reno. Milo was checking in with his supervisor, while Will was fighting, and failing, to stay awake. The one thing keeping him from falling completely asleep was the relentless chirping of his flex tablet. Milo weighed his options in trying to help, knowing it probably wouldn’t lead anywhere; but he felt he should try nonetheless.

  “Despite popular belief, tablets, or any computer really, can be turned off. I don’t even need all these dash displays on, now that I think about it. They’re supposed to be aides, not something to be dependent on for every little thing.” Monitors and applications on the heads-up display, or HUD, began winking off one by one, making the space as dark as the twilight outside. Will opened his mouth in protest, but his clear fatigue made him rethink the gesture. Besides, Will seemed less bothered by the device.

  Milo was sure his passenger was out when one of Will’s other devices started making a different noise. Milo caught a glimpse of Will’s watch, and it appeared he was getting a call. Will groggily turned his wrist to read the display and sat bolt upright.

  “Uh oh,” Milo chided, “this one must be important.”

  “It’s my wife,” Will said as he mussed his hair and rubbed his eyes, making them more red than they were before.

  “That’d be a big yes.”

  Will unrolled his tablet across his lap and transferred the call to it. “Hey Lin. What did I forget?”

  Milo looked over briefly at the screen and saw a strikingly lovely woman, with dark hair wrapped tightly in a bun. He snuck another look out of shock after noticing she was a lieutenant colonel in the Marines.

  “Nothing, as far as I know. But I’ll keep looking,” Lindsey Dune answered with a wry grin, barely braking her playful, yet steel visage. “You’ll never guess who I just talked to.”

  Will gave her a knowing smile. He was very good at this game. He had been right far more often than not when she asked this question. Right now however, between being roused from much-needed sleep, and getting assigned a very absorbing case at the last minute, he didn’t have the energy to commit to a sincere level.

  “Uh… hm. You caught me off guard Lin. Um, General Regulus? He’s ready to give you another promotion, because you like birds better than oak leaves? Or better yet, wondering when you’re going to retire, so you stop making everyone else look bad,” he responded expectantly.

  “I can see that you’re exhausted, so I’ll let this one slide,” she said still smiling. “Believe it or not, Sonya Kane just contacted me out of the blue, after seven years.”

  Upon hearing that name, Milo couldn’t help taking a longer look at the woman on the glowing display on Will’s lap. When he returned to the piloting controls he noticed their speed and trajectory needed to be readjusted. Not that he was enamored with the woman, but he couldn’t believe the coincidence of Sonya’s name coming up when she may be culpable in the dozen crimes her employers are accused of.

  “Oh? How does she know you?”

  “I’m sure I told you this before, but I was her lieutenant at one point; on some of our more interesting missions… Or was I a captain by then?” She paused a moment, deep in thought. “Eh, doesn’t matter. Anyway, she wanted some of my sage advice… she always was such a smart girl to ask,” she said as her grin grew.

  “After a short bit of reminiscing, she wondered if I could get her any data on the current Game contestant; the one who apparently won in ingenious fashion…”

  “Why would she ask you for that?” Will interjected. “She probably has an army of people at her beck and call.”

  She gave him a scolding look. “I’m getting to that, dear. Apparently, they keep her on such a tight leash that she doesn’t trust a lot of the people she works with. So, she reached out to the one person she knew she could trust,” Lindsey concluded with a prideful grin. Will couldn’t resist the urge of rolling his eyes, and made sure Lindsey saw.

  He gave her a moment before continuing. He knew one of her regrets was that she didn’t have many female friends; working in very much still a predominantly male prof
ession. “Ok. That’s nice. But it doesn’t really answer why she would think you would have access to that information.”

  “Honestly, I don’t think she actually did. She was simply looking for someone to reach out to,” Lindsey answered morosely. “But as it happens, I was certain this was something that falls into your area of expertise. Without giving her any specifics, or making any promises, I told her I’d inquire on her behalf. I know that you’re working on a case right now, but if you can help her with this dilemma just say the word. Otherwise, you can disavow any knowledge of this conversation.”

  Will stared at her in utter shock. He couldn’t believe the incredible opportunity this presented. He looked over at Milo in disbelief, and the man gave him an impatient nod with tented eye brows. They were on their way to persuade someone with Rosen to let them poke around, a tactic that was sure to fail. A chance meeting like the one that had just fallen into his lap may have salvaged the entire trip.

  “As crazy as this sounds Lin, the case I’m working is directly related to Sonya’s employers. We’re headed to their headquarters in Reno now in a futile bid to squeeze answers out of them, but we’d much rather talk with her first… For purely professional reasons of course,” he conceded wryly.

  “We?” She probed succinctly.

  “Ah, yes, my current partner in crime; Deputy US Marshal Milo Durron. He was kind enough to do the driving, in his snazzy new Studebaker.”

  “So that’s why you’re not cranky! You convinced him to drive?” she chided, the smile returning in full force. “Well, if that wasn’t serendipitous enough for you, she lives in the Tahoe area. I’ll connect back with her and message you where she wants to meet.”

  “Thanks Lin. We couldn’t have done it without you, and likely wouldn’t have either. How’s Sean?”