From: Jason Self Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2022 19:03:24 +0000 (-0800) Subject: Start Agalder serial X-Git-Url: https://jxself.org/git/?a=commitdiff_plain;h=bcc4e090cf5d269e3576ad917bb7697d85149496;p=universe.git Start Agalder serial --- bcc4e090cf5d269e3576ad917bb7697d85149496 diff --git a/LICENSES/AGPL-3.0-or-later.txt b/LICENSES/AGPL-3.0-or-later.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..be3f7b2 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSES/AGPL-3.0-or-later.txt @@ -0,0 +1,661 @@ + GNU AFFERO GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE + Version 3, 19 November 2007 + + Copyright (C) 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. + Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies + of this license document, but changing it is not allowed. + + Preamble + + The GNU Affero General Public License is a free, copyleft license for +software and other kinds of works, specifically designed to ensure +cooperation with the community in the case of network server software. + + The licenses for most software and other practical works are designed +to take away your freedom to share and change the works. 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If not, see . + +Also add information on how to contact you by electronic and paper mail. + + If your software can interact with users remotely through a computer +network, you should also make sure that it provides a way for users to +get its source. For example, if your program is a web application, its +interface could display a "Source" link that leads users to an archive +of the code. There are many ways you could offer source, and different +solutions will be better for different programs; see section 13 for the +specific requirements. + + You should also get your employer (if you work as a programmer) or school, +if any, to sign a "copyright disclaimer" for the program, if necessary. +For more information on this, and how to apply and follow the GNU AGPL, see +. diff --git a/README.txt b/README.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4026c7f --- /dev/null +++ b/README.txt @@ -0,0 +1,24 @@ +# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022 Jason Self +# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later +# +# You can redistribute and/or modify this file under the terms of +# the GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free +# Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your +# option) any later version. +# +# You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public +# License along with this file. +# If not, see . + +This covers a fictional universe. + +Agalder is humankind's future world. The planet has been civilized for +forty years, and has already had its first major war, the 'Iron Wars', +which left the world scarred with burning deserts from the bombs and +chemical weapons dropped. There is a paramilitary police force, +specialized in armed combat, who are in constant struggle against the +gangs of survivors. + +New stories are published each week. I'm looking to raise $200 per +month to support this serial. If you wish to support it please visit +. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/agalder.txt b/agalder.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ab7bdd1 --- /dev/null +++ b/agalder.txt @@ -0,0 +1,831 @@ +# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022 Jason Self +# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later +# +# You can redistribute and/or modify this story under the terms of the +# GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free Software +# Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any +# later version. +# +# You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public +# License along with this story. If not, see +# . + +==== Harlan: Thief ==== + +Harlan had been sitting on the edge of the roof for the past hour, +waiting for Mellie. She always walked this way after she got off work +and he could keep an eye on her. The streets and especially the alleys +were dangerous away from APD headquarters. This was about as close as +he dared come to the headquarters complex. Too many cameras, too many +infrared imagers seeking live sources. + +Those few blocks to the complex were safe, particularly for +detectives. Mellie was one of the best. She could take down four or +five attackers. But sometimes there were more, hiding in the crevasses +of the alleys, crouching behind trash disposals, hanging from second +floor windows. That's why Harlan waited. He would not allow anyone to +harm her. + +Dark brown eyes thoughtful, he sucked on a dopestick, peppermint +flavored, while he waited. The mild euphoria helped the time pass. His +sneaker clad feet hung over the edge, three stories up. He glanced up +at the sky where a myriad of stars twinkled in the night. There wasn't +much light pollution since electricity was a precious commodity on +this planet. Neither of the two tiny moons were in the sky tonight. + +Rapid footsteps, soft, but firm, came down the alley. Mellie passed +underneath his position as he slid back onto the roof. Her head turned +right to left as her eyes scanned the area on both sides and in front. +She spun suddenly, walking backward, so that she could scrutinize the +section behind her. Harlan hugged the shadows, holding his breath. Her +eyes flicked over him and went on. + +Facing forward again, she continued her walk. An Agalderan rodent, a +puvu, which looked a lot more reptilian than mammalian, scurried +across the alley in front of her. She ignored it. The animal turned to +face the human, its shape a little odd. Harlan moved before he +thought, swinging down from the roof to a balcony and from there to +the ground in front of Mellie. He kicked the puvu up through the air, +pivoted, and threw Mellie to the ground, his body covering hers. The +puvu exploded with a loud bang and a hail of nails and staples. Harlan +grunted. + +Mellie pushed him off and examined his back. There were several holes +in his tunic, all becoming bloodier by the second. He tried to get up +but didn't make it. + +"You complete idiot!" she snapped. "Now what am I going to do with +you?" + +"Marry me?" he asked. + +She got him to his feet and with an arm draped over her shoulder, they +started down the alley again. + +Her condo was on the 36th floor. They could take the elevator to the +35th floor but had to walk up to the 36th. Elevators only stopped +every 5 floors. Harlan was thankful that it was only one floor. + +She had a great view from one of the windows. The other windows looked +out on the walls of the adjacent apartment complexes with their myriad +windows. Sometimes a person would appear in one of the windows, but +most of the time, the windows were closed and shaded. + +She made Harlan lie down on the sofa and got his shirt off. He had six +holes in the skin of his back. She could see the metal shards sticking +out from three of them. Taking out the shrapnel was punctuated by +swearing and groans from Harlan. She cleaned the wounds and wrapped +his chest. Then she made him a drink. + +As she sat beside him, her bright blue eyes evaluated him. She said "I +suppose I should thank you for saving my life. But I'm just so mad at +you for risking your own life and my cover that I can hardly speak." +She took a gulp of her own drink. + +He rolled on his side and looked at her. She was staring out over the +lights of the city, avoiding his gaze. + +"You have risked everything we've worked for. If I had been killed, it +wouldn't have interfered with the plan. But if someone was watching, +if someone saw your incredible theatrics, they will be adding two and +two and getting 144." Her voice was rising in volume. "You're an +idiot!" + +Harlan looked up at her and sighed. "I love you." Gently pushing her +off the sofa, he managed to sit up with a lot of groaning. "There is +no way I could stay on that roof and watch you be blown apart." He +started to pull his bloody shirt back on. "So deal with it." + +She took the shirt from him and opened a closet. Pulling out a bag, +she handed it to him. "I bought this for you a while ago. It should +fit you." + +He put on the shirt. Looking in a mirror, he nodded. "I have to go. +Thanks for patching me up." He walked to the door. "Oh. You never +answered my question. Will you marry me?" + +She threw a pillow at him. + +Heading back to the same alley where the explosion took place, he came +to a stop a block away. There were cops all over the place. He took to +the roofs, approaching silently. Lt. Marks, Mellie's boss was standing +by the burn scars on the building. He was speaking softly, but +Harlan's hearing was excellent. + +"...know she was here." He waved a hand at the alley. "She came down +from there. She must have been no more than twenty feet from the +explosion. We should be looking at her body. But we aren't." He looked +at his sergeant. "I want to know what happened here and I want to know +tonight. Understand?" + +The sergeant nodded with a weary expression on his face and turned +away. "Yessir." + +Harlan moved away, heading back to the streets and Emerald Hall. +Santori, the head of the Resistance, needed to know about this. They +might want to pull Mellie back to the Hall. Her cover might be broken. +Mellie was right. The plans of the Resistance for reunification of the +planet were more important than any one life. Except Mellie's. + +==== Mellie: Detective ==== + +Melandra Kaminsky was the lowest of the low on the totem pole of +detectives. At least in Homicide Division. She probably ranked a +little higher than a few in Robbery or Vice. But she was new and young +and had been naive at times. Harlan had helped her claw her way up the +ladder in the department. He was the best man she had ever known. +That's why she had taken Harlan back to her condo. That's why she was +in love with him. + +She cursed herself frequently. Why had she picked a damn thief to fall +for? Why not one of the detectives? Because the detectives were a +bunch of crooked, arrogant losers and she hated them, one and all. For +crying out loud, Harlan was the most ethical, moral man she had ever +met. Except for the stealing, of course. He was also the bravest, +smartest, and most impossible human being she knew. + +She had run across him when she was part of Robbery Division. He was +supposed to be the best cat burglar in town. He had even robbed the +Mayor! So when she showed up for the weekly, sometimes irregular, +Resistance meeting, she was shocked to see Harlan drinking a mug of +coffee and talking to Santori, the Head of the Resistance, usually +called "Boss". Although she knew there were thieves, even servants and +homeless in the group, she had thought Harlan would think himself +above the petty politics of Agalder. + +She cornered him after the meeting and told him that his position in +the Resistance made no difference. She was going to put him away. He +just grinned at her and told her she was free to try. Boss came up to +them at that point and told her that she was to lay off Harlan. He was +too important to the Resistance. Harlan and Mellie both began +complaining that she had to do her job or raise suspicions. + +Santori raised his eyebrow and asked "You want her to chase you?" + +Harlan grinned "She couldn't catch a hen in a chicken coop." + +Mellie had begun yelling at the thief when the "Boss" silently folded +his tents and slipped away. Harlan seemed to enjoy the tirade. When +she slowed down, he commented "You have a hell of a vocabulary." and +walked away. And all she could do was sputter. + +She continued to try to trap the thief, but every plan she developed +fell through. She'd see him grinning at her from across the air shafts +between tenements or from the other side of the river. + +Then she caught him. Actually he caught her. He was sitting in a +chair, waiting for her when she burst into the apartment. She heard a +click as the door locked behind her. He ignored her gun and poured her +a glass of wine. When she got over being furious, they talked, really +talked, for hours. He let her go after kissing her thoroughly. She +found that she couldn't think of anything else than Harlan, much to +her annoyance. + +She dropped her obsession with the thief and started piling up +arrests. Her case clearance rate climbed until it beat everyone +else's. The Mayor gave her a commendation (and groped a feel at the +same time). She appeared to be the darling of the department. And now +somebody wanted her dead. + +When her partner, John Behan, a fiftyish balding man with a paunchy +stomach, and two other detectives showed up at her apartment, she +admitted to having been at the site of the explosion. She had come up +with a story that fit the facts although it was a bit farfetched. +Noting the raised eyebrows, she simply told them she'd see them at +headquarters and shoved them out of her apartment. They couldn't +exactly arrest her for not being murdered, so they left. + +The next morning, she got to headquarters very early, took the first +case to come in, and got out before day shift showed up. When she +brought in her catch of the day, a wife killer, the other shift had +gone home. She kept this up for several days until her colleagues gave +up trying to pin something on her for not being killed. + +Mellie ignored her partner and his buddies. She wasn't part of the +'old boys' network' and never would be. She did her work and did it +well. The Captain seemed to happy with her. And as she walked the +grimy streets of Crater City, she felt a presence at her back and knew +it was Harlan. She also felt the ghosts of the hundreds of thousands +of people who had died on this planet. It was for those uneasy spirits +that she had joined the Resistance. It was for them that she sought +justice. + +==== Captain Tavis: Chief, Agalder Police Department (APD) ==== + +Sam Tavis was an honest cop and had been amazed when he had progressed +up the ranks so rapidly. He had expected his stubborn ethics would +cause trouble and hold him back at some point. But his immediate +superior had been a brilliant man and recognized the importance of +having a totally trustworthy subordinate who could be duped into +thinking that the Crater City Police Department was free of +corruption. That had worked well until the time came when Tavis was +faced with an untenable situation: support his boss or let a dozen +innocent people die. He had saved the potential victims and his boss +had died. The police force was turned inside out to find corrupt cops. +Now he had a good group. He was pretty sure most of them were honest. + +He was almost totally certain about Mellie Kaminsky. She was as +straight an arrow as he had ever seen. But there was something she +hadn't told him. Now she was dodging any questions about what happened +in the alley three nights ago. It wasn't like her and he was worried. + +He walked the same route she had that night through the safe zone +around the headquarters, then into the dark alleys of Hollowtown, the +area to the west of APD headquarters. He knew he was crazy to wander +these alleys alone, but he had to see for himself. Garbage was piled +high along the sides of the buildings. Some people just threw their +refuse at the disposal openings and walked away, even if the noisome +waste splattered against the side of the building. The openings to the +trash disposals weren't all covered. He shuddered as he thought what +could happen if a child climbed in there. + +Movement to his right caught his attention and he turned, drawing his +laser gun. A shadow appeared farther down the alley. He had started in +that direction, moving slowly and carefully when the knife entered his +back silently and sliced through his spinal cord. He dropped like a +discarded puppet, regretting that he wouldn't have time to finish his +work. He looked at the shoes next to him as a hand reached over him +and twisted the knife. Then his eyes only saw eternity. + +==== Harlan: Thief ==== + +Harlan was the one who found him. He was heading to his rooftop +guarding position the following morning when he saw the body. Thieves +had made off with his gun, identification, badge, and wallet, but +Harlan knew Sam Tavis. He sat on the ground, legs splayed out, back +against the wall and didn't move for a long time. + +Mellie found him in the same position forty minutes later as she +walked to work. At first she thought they both were dead. Then she saw +the tears on Harlan's face. He didn't respond at first when she knelt +beside him. Finally his eyes flicked to hers. He leaned forward and +stood up. + +Looking down at her, he said "Put in the call. Don't mention me. +They'll know I was here, but say I was gone when you got here." He +didn't touch her, just turned and fled into the warren of alleys. She +watched him go with eyes that were also brimming with tears. + +==== Lt. Marks - Chief of Detectives ==== + +Looking down at the body of Sam Tavis, Jason Marks felt a deep sorrow. +His naturally dark eyes were even darker than usual. His thinning hair +was blowing in the cold wind that prowled this place. He'd been +expecting this for years. Tavis had been an honest cop. And a stubborn +one. The man had stood up to mafia bosses and leaders of cartels, to +politicians and other cops. He'd never bent. Marks had known this +would happen eventually. There were too many bad guys in the world. + +He knelt beside his friend and carefully removed the pendant around +Tavis' neck. The chain was gold as was the rim around the stone, a +dark brown, clear quartz from the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland on +Earth. He was surprised the thieves who had taken everything else, +including his shoes and tie, hadn't stolen this. But he was glad to +see it. Tavis and he had talked about death and the talisman that he +now held no more than a couple of months ago. Sam had told him to give +it to Mellie in case of his death and to tell her to pass it on to the +one she loved. It belonged to her lover, the captain had said. Her +lover would be next in line, but he refused to say who the man was or +what he was in line for. He did say to pass it on with his blessing +and his love, which confused Marks even more. + +Mellie was standing by a carryall, a self-operating vehicle that could +carry either people or cargo. It would carry Sam Tavis to the morgue. + +He walked over to her and in a few brief sentences, told her what +Tavis had charged him to do. He gave her the pendant and turned away +to a group of detectives, examining a spot next to the body. The men +were bent over, talking very softly with each other, looking at +recorders that they held in their hands. + +"What have you found?" he asked. They looked up and spread out, making +room for him. He realized that Mellie had followed him and noticed +that they did not make enough room for her. He reached back and drew +her into the circle, the others stepping back grudgingly. + +John Behan glanced at Mellie, then addressed Marks. "Someone was +sitting here for quite a while. Close to an hour. Didn't move. Just +sat there." + +Marks raised an eyebrow. "Do we have an identification?" + +"No, sir." another detective said. "But we should be able to come up +with a name within the next couple of hours." + +Marks looked at Millie. "Was there anyone here when you arrived?" + +She shook her head. "I thought I heard footsteps running off, but by +the time I checked for a pulse, I had no idea which alley to check." + +They all looked at the alleys. Five met in a conjunction, making a +space larger than a couple of condos put together. Each of the alleys +led off into darkness, three curving away, two leading straight out. + +Alex Biggers slammed his fist into a tossed away piece of sheetrock. +"Why in hell was he down here by himself?" + +Marks looked down at his dead friend, then glanced at Mellie. "I want +a name on my desk in the morning." he said as he stomped off down the +alley. + +==== John Behan: Detective ==== + +John Behan used to be the rising star of the Homicide Division. He had +been young, buff, and ambitious. Before Agalder and especially Crater +City had been forcibly returned to the Paleozoic Era, he had been +optimistic about his future. He married a wonderful woman and they had +talked of having children. But then this world, his world, fell apart. +Alys was killed. An accident they said. But she was gone. Nothing left +of her but pictures and memories. + +One of those memories crossed his mind and he smiled for just a +moment. Biggers dropped a file in front of him and Alys disappeared +into the recesses at the back of his mind. + +Biggers was only in his thirties, while Behan was forty-five now. + +"Don't strain yourself with this one, John." he said as he swaggered +off. + +The younger guys considered Behan the 'Old Man'. Cocky bastard. he +thought as he opened the file on his computer. The white screen went +black for at least twenty seconds before it stabilized. He grimaced, +mumbling "Piece of crap." + +A vid appeared on the screen. A young man with dark hair and dark eyes +looked back over his shoulder as he raced up a fire escape that was +missing several rungs. He practically flew up to the roof. Dressed in +black tunic and jeans, he blended well with the dark building. But +Behan knew that face. Harlan. The thief Mellie had been so obsessed +with - until she wasn't. He wondered what had changed her mind. + +On the screen, a drone followed Harlan as he ran across roofs, jumped +between buildings, slid down pipes, and scaled ladders. The drone was +the only cop to keep up with him. Behan wondered why they hadn't +turned loose the robots. Those hounds could have caught him. Of +course, they were likely to tear him apart when they caught him. Maybe +the bosses wanted him alive and undamaged. + +The drone dived and tried to hit Harlan on the back of the head. +Harlan, however, wasn't cooperative. He ducked at the last moment and +swung something black. The drone went offline. + +Behan leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. That man was just +too smart and too fast. He knew the city well and rarely ventured into +the suburbs. Except that time that he had robbed the Mayor. The thief +had stolen a statuette, reported to have been brought from Earth, a +fat little guy with his belly button showing, sitting cross-legged +with a silly smile on his face. The statue was supposed to be made of +gold with jewels in the little guy's clothes and a big, fat diamond in +his hands. Behan's lips curled upwards. The Mayor had been hopping +mad. But the Mayor was an asshole. Most of the force had thought the +episode funny, especially since Harlan had been so careful not to hurt +anyone. + +The Mayor had tripled the security at his mansion. You'd think that +when Harlan returned the statue without tripping any alarms, the Mayor +would be grateful. No. The asshole went berserk. He'd come screaming +into Sam Travis' office and thrown his hat at the Chief. Behan had +been close by and he'd opened the Chief's door, causing the apoplectic +Mayor to turn and stare at him. Behan had ignored the Mayor, asking +the Chief. "Problem, Captain?" + +Tavis had grinned. "No. But thanks, John." + +Even now, with Tavis gone, that memory brought a feeling of pride. + +Biggers came back, a big grin on his face. "I knew it!" he crowed, +waving a fax sheet. "The sitter, the person who spent nearly an hour +sitting next to the Chief's body, was Harlan." He tossed the sheet on +Behan's desk. "I had a feeling that thief was the one. He musta killed +the chief. You think?" + +Behan ignored the question. The vibration report definitely identified +Harlan as the individual who had sat, unmoving, next to Sam Tavis. He +spoke without realizing it. "Like he was keeping vigil." + +"What?" asked Biggers. "What's a vigil?" + +"A time spent in prayer or grief, watching over something or someone." +answered Behan. He stood up. + +Biggers backed off. "But why would that punk Harlan keep this vigil +thing over the Chief?" + +Behan ignored him as he headed for the door. + +He found Melanie at her condo. He could see that she had been crying +when she let him in. + +He took off his coat and put it on the couch, then sat beside it. +"Mellie. We've got to talk. It's this Harlan guy, isn't it? You're in +love with him. Are you helping him?" + +Mellie's head whipped around and she stared at her partner, face pale, +eyes wide. + +Behan watched her. "You know, babe. I've got a lot more experience +catching out liars than you have. You're not particularly good at +this. You lied when you said no one was there when you found Captain +Tavis. Harlan was there." + +He stood up, towering over her. "Wasn't he?!" he yelled in her face. + +Mellie backed up, looking frightened. Her hand came up to her mouth, +and for a horrible moment, Behan thought she had a suicide pill. But +she was just frightened and he took a deep breath. + +His voice dropped to a gentle whisper. "You love him, don't you?" + +Her eyes were full of tears as she nodded. + +"Why did he sit by the Chief's body for nearly an hour this morning? +And where is he now?" Behan asked. + +"I don't know. All I know is that he was sitting by the Chief, holding +his hand, crying. They had some sort of relationship and Harlan +clearly loved him. He saw me and stood up, told me to call for help, +and left. I don't know where he is or where he lives." She walked to +the window, looking out at the city. "I know almost nothing about him +except his beliefs. We've talked about morality and ethics." She +turned back to him. "He's a good man, John. And, yes. I love him." + +Behan nodded. "Give him a message for me. Tell him that we need to +talk. Soon. And set it up." He reached out, patted her on the +shoulder, and left. + +==== Harlan: Thief ==== + +He ran the roofs blindly. The world blurred past as the tears kept +coming. He had never felt pain like this and he couldn't outrun it. +His chest was tight and his breath came in short gasps, intermixed +with sobs. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. They hadn't had enough +time together, not nearly enough, not since they had started playing +their parts in this goddamn drama. His father the Chief of Police, he +a common thief. Well, not common. His lips quirked. + +It had been nearly nine years since they had been father and son, +except for stolen minutes now and again. Harlan sometimes surprised +his father in the middle of the night, waking him from sleep for a ten +minute chat. Usually scared the hell out of his dad, especially since +the Chief lived on the eighteenth floor. But there was a balcony and +that made it easy for Harlan, although his father never understood. + +He reached his home, an abandoned house on the north side of the city. +He had managed to find a bed and a chair and a table. Home was always +a temporary abode. He moved his residence frequently and kept it +simple. Now he sat at the table and stared at a wall, not thinking, +mind totally blank. + +It was hours later when he woke up. He had laid his head on the table +and fallen asleep. The pain came crashing back down and he grunted. +But it was time to find out what happened. In a little while he would +sudz, depilate, and change clothes. There were people to visit. + +==== Alfie Gallagher: Thief and general all around thug ==== + +Alfie Gallagher didn't have a lot of friends. Not necessarily because +of his job, his work for the Syndicate. It was mainly because Alfie +was a miserable excuse for a human being. He was a not too bright +psychopath, a man who would have slit his mother's throat for a ten +spot. In fact, he had done exactly that. In addition, he didn't wash +very often. + +Sitting alone in the Rusty Blade, a rundown bar not very far from +Harlan's temporary lair, Alfie was surprised when Diego Farley sat +down across from him. Diego was a runner for the Syndicate. + +"Cassidy wants to see you." said the slim young man. The violaceous +scar that ruined his right face twitched. "He's got a job for you." + +Farley started to rise from his chair, but Alfie grabbed his arm. +"What kind of job?" + +Farley yanked his arm away, wiping it on his jacket as if something +dirty had gotten on it. "How should I know? The big ones don't exactly +consult me, now do they?" and he turned away. + +Alfie sat for another twenty minutes, then he dropped a coin on the +table and left. + +The job was not to his liking. Cassidy was second-in-command to the +Syndicate's Number One, Chas Hawkins. He had given Alfie his +assignment and started back toward the big house when Alfie sputtered +"But how am I gonna kill this guy if nobody knows where he is, where +he lives. Nobody knows nothin'. I need some help." + +Cassidy looked back at the unshaven man with hair hanging in his eyes +and the same clothes he'd been wearing for four days. "If you want to +obtain information, take a sudz, clean up, shave, cut your disgusting +hair, and then ask. No one wants to talk to a streetie." and he +disappeared into the crowd. + +Alfie cleaned up. He rented a hole at the spaceport where passengers +could sudz and sleep. He had stolen some clothes from the mission +store. When he looked in the mirror after he shaved, he could barely +recognize himself. He even brushed his teeth. + +He returned to the big house that served as Hawkins' headquarters here +in the city. He found Cassidy in a large room overlooking what used to +be a rose garden. The blackened plants were being removed by a couple +of men in dark green one piece uniforms. Cassidy glanced at the two +men sitting with him and they stood and left. Alfie sat down across a +small table from the Second. "Okay. Now I'm clean and pretty. Tell +me." + +Cassidy's lips quirked. "You can find him two houses down from the +Blind Rat Tavern toward the dock. I think he is holed up in the +attic." He waved dismissal at Alfie, who stood and started toward the +door. + +"And, Alfie." Cassidy's voice stopped him. "If you want to be part of +this organization, you will stay clean and pretty." + +==== Harlan: Thief ==== + +The very soft sound of glass breaking far below woke him. He stood up +from the table where he had fallen asleep again. A loose board below +the shuttered window allowed him a small view of the street. His +eyebrows rose. There were at least a dozen black clothed figures +starting to enter the house. They must really want him this time. + +He reached over the table and pulled on a cord. A loud crashing +followed by screams and loud cursing came from the first floor as a +large part of the ceiling collapsed. Harlan smiled. He pushed a button +next to the door. More yelling and cursing. A kitchen timer sat on the +table. Harlan set it for three minutes, replaced it, and slipped out a +trap door that led to the roof. He disappeared into the dusk as the +third trap was sprung. + +==== Lt. Marks: Chief of Detectives ==== + +Exasperated wasn't nearly a strong enough word, Jason Marks thought. +Perhaps infuriated would cover it. He stood looking at the filthy, +dust covered, bruised and scraped squad he had sent to pick up Harlan. +They'd gotten his location and put the op together in a hurry. There +was no way the thief could have known they were coming. Yet he had +thwarted them and was gone. + +No one was seriously hurt. Harlan was like that, careful. He +apparently didn't want to cause harm to anyone. But he was probably +laughing on his way out the window. + +==== Alfie Gallagher: Thief, Apprentice Assassin ==== + +Alfie got to the house in time to see a squad of the APD Elites going +in the door. He watched for a while and heard the ceiling collapse in +the hallway and the stairs crumple as they started to climb. He had to +grin even as he thought that he might have been the one buried under +the dust and dirt and what passed for spiders and bugs on this world. +A cloud of dust spewed forth from the door and Alfie slid into the +darkness. + +==== Mellie: Detective ==== + +When Mellie opened the door and found Harlan leaning against the wall +outside, eyes swollen and red, she said nothing. She simply took his +arm and brought him inside. After steering him to the couch, she +programmed drinks for both of them and then sat beside him. + +"He was your father, wasn't he?" she said softly. + +Harlan turned to her, eyes widening. "How did you find out?" + +Mellie smiled. "Just a good guess. You look alike in some ways. And +you share his world view." + +He looked down into his drink, swirling the liquid around in the +glass. "He was the best man I ever knew. We argued a lot, but he +always kept it friendly, even humorous." His voice broke. "God, I +loved him." + +She put her hand on his arm and leaned into him. "I loved him, too. He +helped me so many times." + +Harlan turned and gathered her into his arms and they sat that way for +a long time, sharing their grief. + +Harlan left early in the morning before dawn. He had to find Santorini +and report. Mellie watched him go, the tears still on her cheeks. + +==== Santorini: "Boss" of the Resistance ==== + +Santorini was still asleep when Harlan bypassed his security detail +and shook him awake. + +"What the fuck?!" yelled the Boss. Three guards exploded through the +door, guns raised. They grabbed Harlan and started to hustle him out +of the room when Santorini stopped them. + +"But, Boss. He's an intruder. We have to..." + +"You have to figure out how he got in here. But leave him alone. He +was just showing off." + +The Boss and Harlan watched the disgruntled guards leave before they +spoke. + +"How the flaming Hell did you get in here?" Santorini hissed. + +Ignoring the question, Harlan continued staring at the door. Silently +he stepped closer and yanked the door open. One of the guards stood, +hunched over, an eavesdropper attached to the wood, extending to his +ears. Harlan tore the device out of the man's ears, eliciting a yell +of pain, ripped it off the wood, and slammed the door in the guard's +face. + +He turned to the Boss. "I would change my guard detail if I were you." +he said. + +But Santorini was already throwing the door open. The guards were +backing off, blood running from the ears of one. + +"Jackson!" he bellowed. In seconds another guard appeared in a +sleepfit, with a dart gun in his hand, two others behind him. + +"Take these three into custody. I will question them later." the Boss +snarled and closed the door. + +"How?" he asked, looking at Harlan. + +"One guard asleep. Another alert but looking in the wrong direction +for a couple seconds too long. And I'm just skinny enough to fit +through the air vents." Harlan shrugged. "It was easy." + +Santorini ran his hand through his thinning hair. "You will drive me +crazy eventually." + +He stood and walked to the window. He stood looking out for a full +minute. When he spoke, his voice was soft. "I'm so sorry about your +father, Harlan. He wasn't just one of the best men I've ever met, he +was my friend." + +He turned and Harlan saw that his eyes were shining with unshed tears. +"Do you have any ideas why he was killed?" + +Harlan shook his head. "He certainly had enemies enough. The Syndicate +is probably celebrating tonight because of his death. The Hideout 12 +group are another possibility. We may have found their lair, but we +still don't know much about them. We need to take members of that +group alive to gather information. I have heard rumors of the thieves +organizing as well." He frowned and rubbed his hands over his face. +"Something big is going on and I haven't heard anything that lets me +get a handle on it." + +He looked at the Boss. "The APD Elites paid me a visit tonight. I got +out only because I had set up the traps." + +Santorini smiled. "I heard about that. Apparently Marks came close to +having a stroke when the squad came stumbling back in, bruised and +covered in dust. The Elites are going to have to work a lot in order +to recover their shining reputation." + +The two men shared an amused grin. + +Harlan sat down on the edge of the bed. There were no chairs in the +room. It was too small. Santorini refused to accept the ostentatious +display of the previous 'Boss'. + +"Tell me about the raid on Hideout 12." said Harlan. "Do we know whose +stronghold it was?" + +Santorini shook his shaggy head. "There are so many of the survivor +gangs out in the wilds, it could be any one of them. We got lucky. +This group was pretty sophisticated. They carved that place out of the +obsidian formed during the Iron Wars. It means the tunnels wander up +and down and the rooms are odd shapes, but the camouflage is great." + +Harlan leaned forward. "Why can't we turn that place into a trap for +the Syndicate? We could drop a few hints about our new fortress where +we keep our arsenal. I bet we could pick up a few Syndicate rats +pretty easily." + +The Boss looked down at his hands. "Maybe. The idea has some merit. +Let me think about it." + +==== Alfie: Thief, Would-be Assassin ==== + +Everyone knew the approximate location of the Emerald Palace, the +headquarters for the Resistance. So Alfie just wandered down the +nearest street and set himself up when he had a good view of the +undulating roof. + +Three hours later a figure appeared on the roof. Using his monoc, +Alfie could see that it was Harlan. He lined up the shot as the best +of the thieves looked around and then pulled his collar up. Gently, +gently Alfie squeezed the trigger. The ancient sharpshooter rifle +bucked into Alfie's shoulder and spat forth a bullet. The sound was +deafening. Harlan dropped like a puppet whose strings have been cut. + +==== Alfie: Thief, Assassin ==== + +Alfie broke down the rifle and packed it in a bag of groceries. He put +the wig and scarf back on and within three minutes, as the Resistance +fighters poured out onto the street, an overweight grandmother passed +by, staring at them with open curiosity. + +When he reached the little trail into the park, he disappeared along a +faint trail that led to a clearing. By the time Alfie reached the +clearing, he had discarded his female disguise, turning the raincoat +inside out and ripping off the lower half to form a leather jacket. +His wig turned inside out to become a leather cap and the scarf went +around his neck. The grocery bag and every other scrap of material +went into sacks on either side of an air runner with lots of chrome. +He looked like every other air rider. Totally forgettable. He walked +the machine out to the street, waited until the road was clear both +ways and slipped out of the woods and down the lane unseen. + +==== Santorini: Boss of the Resistance ==== + +Jackson burst into Santorini's office about fifteen minutes after +Harlan left. "Harlan's been shot!" he yelled. + +Santorini knocked over the lamp as he rushed from the room. "Where is +he?" + +"They're bringing him down from the roof now." was the answer. + +The Boss skidded to a stop and turned around, facing Jackson. "Is he +alive?" he asked in a softer voice. + +Jackson shook his head, his face somber, saying "I don't know." + +Santorini caught up with the medics as they reached the ground floor +and started running down the corridors. The Boss raced alongside. +Harlan had a breathing tube in his pharynx and a machine was assisting +his respirations. His face was almost as pale as the white sheets and +sweat dripped off him. His eyes were closed. + +The Boss called out to the head medic. "Mason. Did he say anything?" + +Mason didn't slow his pace or turn around. He called out over his +shoulder. "He was unconscious when we got there, Boss. He wasn't even +breathing. Sorry." + +Santorini dropped out and watched the group careen around the corner +into the corridor that opened out into the clinic. He stood catching +his breath for a minute and then turned back to his office. Getting +his assistant on his wrist phone, he called for all the surveillance +recordings in the area as well as overhead satellite and traffic cams. +He also ordered teams of investigators, including robot cops, to start +canvassing the neighborhood. + +An hour later they found footage of what happened on the roof. But all +they saw was the muzzle flash. They triangulated it and found the spot +the shooter had chosen for the ambush. Vibration evidence was sketchy +since the spot was in a little garden and the plants interfered with +the detectors. However, a preliminary id was consistent with the +readings from a known thief named Alfie Gallagher. The word went out +that the Boss wanted to 'speak' to this Alfie Gallagher. + +==== Alfie: Thief ==== + +Alfie reported to Cassidy after shooting Harlan, but the man wanted +proof of death. Alfie's description of the exceptional thief's demise +wasn't sufficient. Alfie was seething. He stomped out of the big house +and returned to his condo where he threw the wig/cap across the room. +He was furious but not stupid. He wanted to get drunk but knew it +would be counterproductive. + +The place to start would be the place he used for the shot, but when +he got close, the area was crawling with Resistance techs. He backed +off quietly and hurried down the hill. The fact that the Resistance +had a forensic team scouring the area where he had been was evidence +in itself that Harlan was dead. He was fairly sure that Cassidy +wouldn't accept that conclusion, but he sent a coded message to the +Second-in-Command. + +He worked his way back around the Emerald Palace to a house where he +could watch the activity from a rooftop. Like some other houses still +in use, this one had a makeshift chimney, added when the Iron Wars +destroyed the energy net that had surrounded the planet, Alfie climbed +a lattice slowly and quietly to the roof. He cursed under his breath +as he climbed, muttering. "You'd think they'd make roses thornless +after all these centuries." Then as he pulled up onto the roof, a +slightly louder "Ouch!" + +Settling behind the chimney, he put on his monoc and prepared to wait. +The wait was short. In fifteen minutes, a small woman in a forensics +smock walked up to the house and activated the bell. Alfie could hear +voices from below but couldn't make out the words. But the result was +that a man came out of the house with an expanding ladder and leaned +it against the edge of the roof. The ladder flowed upward, gripping +the roof tightly, Alfie heard the woman thank the householder, who +replied that he would be inside if she needed anything. Then there was +silence as the woman climbed up to the roof. + +She stood up when she reached the top and began scanning the area with +a high tech binoc. The appliance limited her near vision. Alfie +slipped out of hiding and applied a drug spray gun to her exposed +neck, then eased her down as she lost consciousness. + +To Alfie, it seemed that she weighed almost nothing. He threw her over +his shoulder, collected his gear, and carefully walked to the opposite +side of the roof. The roof of the neighboring home was only two meters +away. He threw his gear bag across the gap, then tossed the woman +over. She landed with a heavy 'thunk'. Alarmed, he waited several +minutes before crossing over himself. From that roof, he was able to +drop down three feet to a small garden behind the house. Using alleys +and back gardens, he made his way to the edge of the wilderness. Then, +having sent a second message to Cassidy, he sat and waited. Cassidy +would want to talk to the forensics woman. \ No newline at end of file