Mission to Sector ZZ1219 Page 11

  “How? What? What did you say? What did she say? And do?” Willi tried to look out the back of the transport. “What about Telstar and Isis? Will they be okay?”

  “They’re fine for the moment,” Johnny said. “But that won’t last long, despite the fact that they were right there at the Ball when everything I set in motion began.”

  Willi would have stomped her foot, if she had been able. “Will you please stop answering me with those cryptic statements? What did you do?”

  Johnny leaned back against the comfortable seat. “You deserve to know. You were handed a death sentence tonight, several times over.”

  With a wave of her hand, Willi dismissed Johnny’s comment. “I know she did not like me having this.” Willi touched the necklace. But she realized, as he continued, that Johnny Oneshot did not make those types of statements lightly.

  “True, but that was only the first straw. The last one was your singing.”

  Again, Willi started to protest that while she was not that good, of course, she was not bad enough for someone to want to kill her. She stayed silent at the look on his face.

  “She had given orders that the Anthem not be played at the Ball. The orchestra had not been told that specifically, of course. But the music selections had all been approved by her aide. The Anthem was not on it. Naturally, all the musicians knew it.

  “She wants the sector to be her independent domain. Totally apart from the Confederation. You singing the Anthem… the way the crowd reacted… I honestly thought that she might keel over with a stroke or heart attack when she saw and heard you.

  “She had already warned Smokey to get rid of you, as his entertainer, with the implication that Smokey took to mean exactly what it did, that you did not have much longer to live.”

  At that, Willi paled. She believed Johnny completely. Governor Myers intended to have her killed. She said as much.

  Johnny looked over at her then. “No. You, she intends to do herself. She was making the arrangements to have you taken to her estate on Monday, after the meeting, so she could take her own sweet time doing it.”

  The paleness was gone. Willi turned red with anger. “If she thinks she…”

  “You are good. Very good. But not even you could take on her goons. Not alone. But try not to worry. She isn’t going to find you.”

  “Yeah. Well, I might just try to find her.” Willi glared at Johnny. “I will not be threatened by anyone and not respond.”

  “You’ll have your chance,” Johnny said, the sardonic smile once again on his face. “And chances are, that before this is over, she will know and understand the quite active part you have played in her demise. Not just being some beautiful woman with the bad luck to be in the wrong place at the wrong time doing the wrong thing.”

  It was only upon reflection later of the conversation that Willi realized how easily Johnny had used the term beautiful about her, and how sincere he had been, whether he realized it or not.

  For the moment, however, she keyed on the fact that he had used the term her demise in a manner that made it seem a foregone conclusion. “Are you going to tell me what actually happened now, or do I have to find some means to extract it from you?”

  The smile was still sardonic, but Willi saw the flash in his eyes, immediately suppressed. She knew she colored slightly, realizing what she had said could be construed a couple of different ways. She also knew that Johnny knew it was not what she meant, but that the thought had crossed his mind.

  “You wish,” she said quietly, and then added, “Ask Sydney and Clyde just how intensely persuasive I can be.”

  “No need,” Johnny replied, his eyes going forward and down, to the device he still held in his hand. “I told the Governor,” he continued, continuing to watch the display on the device, “that her plan was doomed. That I knew all about it. If she simply turned herself over to General Wainshaw, with a full confession, no harm would come to her.”

  “I bet she took that graciously,” Willi murmured.

  “Actually,” Johnny said, “No. She shot me. Good aim, too, I might add. If I did not have on body armor, I’d be dead.”

  “What!?!” Willi exclaimed, shifting forward to look at him more closely.

  Johnny tapped the center of his chest with a finger, his eyes still on the device in his hand. He actually did not notice, for once, Willi’s reaction. The shock, and then concern, and then the wonder as she decided that the rumors, possibly all of them, were true about him.

  “The seed I planted with them as Sir Guy, about Johnny Oneshot, just before I confronted her as Johnny Oneshot, is growing. By the time I meet with her Monday, the fruits of my labors will be ripe for the picking.”

  Willi punched him slightly on the arm. “You wax poetic one more time instead of getting to the point and I’m going to shoot you!”

  Johnny actually chuckled. “Sorry. I’m so used to couching things… never mind. Anyway, I told her a couple of her key accomplices had turned on her and that I, Johnny Oneshot, intended to destroy her and her plot completely.

  “That already two of her pirate mother ships had been destroyed and two more would be tonight. I sort of implied that some of those working with her had given me some information that made it possible.”

  “But… Bond and Smokey… and the others, assuming there are others, did not, did they?”

  “No. Just… luck… mostly,” Johnny replied. He cut a glance over at her, then looked back down at the device he held on one thigh.

  Willi realized that insisting that luck had little to do with anything he did would be fruitless. “What about the two ships tonight? What do you mean?”

  “I managed to get some items aboard two more of the primary ships that have been the bases for the pirate activity in this sector. They’ll cause the destruction of the ships any time now.”

  “How did you…” When Johnny turned to look at her then, and she saw the emptiness in his eyes for a moment her words faded. “Never mind,” she said softly.

  “They’re gone,” he said, putting the device away, though Willi still did not see where he put it. Nor did she question his statement.

  “When will she know?” she did ask.

  “Sometime in the morning. She likes to keep a very tight hand on matters. I haven’t found the link, but I know it exists. She knew about the one that based the attack on your shuttle less than a day later and the one we took out that evening.

  “It’s partly a matter of them just not reporting in on schedule, but she must have people watching the traffic lanes, too. I think it’s the network Telstar put together clandestinely. Someone is feeding the information to her as well as him.”

  “So, he does have a watcher network?”

  “Yes. It’s been only marginally effective; but has helped him in his efforts. But somebody close to the Captain is a turncoat.”

  “Oh, no!” Willi sounded concerned. “Is he safe? And Janet?”

  “Again, for the moment,” replied Johnny. “As long as they don’t find out who it is. If they realize what is happening, and they make any inquiry, then they will become immediate targets.”

  Willi nodded. “What else?” she asked.

  Johnny turned to look at her again. “Reconsider leaving now. If I take you to the port now you can catch a fast freighter with just a couple of passenger cabins that I happen to know are vacant on this trip. You’ll be out of range in a matter of hours.”

  “No,” Willi said immediately. “And you did not say her range. What is it?”

  Turning back to face the front of the transport, Johnny answered her, but it was several moments before he did. “The last information I received from my sources inside the Ecronian group that is involved with this indicated that the Ecronian government has decided to take action. Official action. They have an armada less than a week away.

  “Even if we stop Myers and her group, that might not stop the Ecronians. This had looked like a very sure thing. Some of the most militant of th
e Ecronians have apparently convinced the rest that it is the ideal opportunity to regain a foothold in the area for… what they want and need.”

  “So… it will be war… again…” Willi said. She sank back against the soft padding of the seat. Before, what she was doing had been almost an adventure. Dangerous, yes. But a plot and counterplot. Johnny was talking about a real war with a deadly, heartless enemy.

  “What do we do?” she asked, after a long silence.

  “We make sure the Governor’s plot is exposed and ended. Then I go make the Ecronians think twice about encroaching on this sector.”

  She could not help it. Willi shivered. The first part of what he had said had been the Johnny Oneshot she had met and dealt with up until now. His last words were what caused the shiver. They were cold, hard, and deadly.

  He was opening the limousine door before she could react, other than the shiver. “I’ll continue until Confederation forces arrive in strength. If the report I send tonight is believed, it should be less than a month before a sizable force arrives.

  Johnny handed her out of the limousine. “Be ready by six in the morning. The Governor is too busy at the moment, but it will not be long before Myers will think to start tying up the loose end you have now become.”

  Willi nodded. Then he was gone. She was not even sure if he had re-entered the limousine or gone past it. When she reached her room, Willi began to pack. She decided to just leave the things she had acquired since she had been there. “Except for this,” she said, looking at herself in the large reflector panel.

  A frown crossed her face when she ran across the wallet with the credit chips Johnny had given her. The look changed slightly as the original reason, the fact that he had given her so much, shifted to the fact of how much she might just need them. Willi stashed the chips in several places, just in case she lost, or had to abandon, some of her belongings.

  Un-used to the jumpy feeling she was experiencing the next morning after she woke, Willi decided to go down and wait in the lobby of the rooming house, leaving her few pieces of luggage stacked inside the room right by the door.

  She jumped back in surprise when she opened the room door. A man was standing there, hand raised to knock, rather than use the annunciator. It was a moment before Willi realized it was Johnny Oneshot.

  He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. “Good. You’re already ready. This all?”

  Willi nodded and watched as he took off the jacket he wore, reversed it, and put it back on. No longer looking like the rooming house employee he had moments before, after he also removed something from his mouth and ran his fingers through his hair, Johnny picked up three of the cases and looked over at Willi.

  “It was still clear when I came in, but just in case, be ready to run. Drop the case if you have to. You don’t have much, of course, and you may need some of it, so I don’t want to abandon anything that isn’t totally necessary.”

  Johnny gave her a long look. “I am wearing body armor and have some for you where we’re going. I did not have a chance to bring it in so you could put it on now. So, if anything happens, do not hesitate to take cover behind me. Do you understand?”

  “Of course, I understand, but…”

  Johnny cut her off quickly. “No buts. Anything starts, you will use me for protection.” He just looked at her.

  Willi finally nodded.

  “Make a point to complain about having to leave because… some reason. You’ll think of something on the way down.” Johnny activated the door.

  By the time they reached the lobby Willi’s mind was still blank. When they saw the first couple of people, she suddenly found herself saying, “Are you sure Mother said I should come? You know how she feels about what I’m doing. She must be awfully ill… can’t the doctors do anything else? I thought everything was okay or I would never… oh, my… I…”

  When her words faded and her gazed dropped as they exited the building doors, people were looking on sympathetically. Johnny hid his smile at her performance, lifted a hand and signaled a passing taxi.

  Head still down, shoulders shaking as if she were sobbing uncontrollably, Willi handed him the one bag she carried, and then ducked into the taxi as Johnny stowed the luggage. The automated vehicle started up as soon as Johnny entered, gave the destination, and slipped a credit chip into the slot.

  Watching her, as Willi lifted her head, no sign of tears, Johnny said, “Well, that lets out trying to head out through the transport port. They’ll be looking for you there for sure, knowing you’re heading out to go to your ailing mother.”

  “Oh, no!” Willi said, eyes widening. “I never thought about…”

  Johnny was grinning. “It’ll work like a charm,” he said. “They’ll be looking there and we’ll be somewhere else entirely.”

  “You did that intentionally!” she accused him.

  Johnny shrugged nonchalantly. “A couple of things we need to cover. I have a couple of things to do after I get you settled where you’ll be staying for a while. You already know how to get to the Dominators.” He handed her one of the comm devices.

  “If something were to happen…” Johnny looked away for a moment, but then back to her. “Press this, and then this, and finally this.” Johnny made sure Willi understood.

  “It will self-destruct. This cannot fall into anyone else’s hands but mine and yours. It is very important, even at additional risk to you.” His eyes met hers. “I’m sorry.”

  Willi nodded. The way he had tried to protect her, she knew it cost him something to tell her the device was more important than her safety. But that was the way it was.

  “The comm device is primarily so you can access the Dominators to get away, if need be. When you get a moment, though,” he continued, handing her a standard miniature reader, “review what is on this.

  “It will erase itself after one play, so make sure you are paying attention. It is the instructions on how to use the other features of the comm device. The only way to start that information is to enter a piece of information only you would know when it asks you. Everything else on it is just pop culture programs.

  “If you need to get away, and get to the Dominators, or need any other help, when I’m not handy, go back to Smokey’s, make sure no one is looking, and beeline to Cherokee and tell him you need his help. He’ll understand and do it.”

  “He’s part of this?”

  “Will be if needed,” Johnny said, handing her a small case. “Just in case,” he said. “I know you can use it.”

  When she opened the case, Willi whistled. It contained a state-of-the-art personal defense weapon. The PDW was small, deadly, easy to use, and highly illegal for anyone not part of the Confederation Security Forces to have in their possession. In the case with the device were plenty of the power packs that operated it and the ammunition that it used.

  Seeing the concealment device that was also in the case, Willi colored slightly and then looked at Johnny as she said, “Turn around for a moment.”

  Johnny did so, then turned around again when she said, “Okay.”

  His glance at the case showed him that it was empty. Johnny made sure he did not think about where the device was now, or the spare power packs and ammunition.

  “I should be back sometime this afternoon. Then, since you have insisted on being part of this, we are going hunting.”

  “Hunting?” Willi asked.

  “Pirates,” Johnny said. “Things are in a turmoil after the attempted assassination last night. Martial law will be declared shortly. We’re going to take extreme advantage of the situation.”

  “What? What assassination? The only person that almost got killed was you!”

  “There’s a vid unit where you’ll be. Watch and you’ll understand,” Johnny said with that sardonic smile of his. “She already had it planned… she just did not count on a myth being there.”

  “What do you mean…” Johnny put his fingers to his lips, cutting her question off a
s the taxi stopped.

  “Quickly now,” he whispered, leaving the vehicle.

  When she saw him transferring her things from the taxi to another vehicle, this one a very old fashioned wheeled vehicle, Willi helped him. “After it makes the second turn, drop down out of sight and stay there until it stops. You’ll be safe then. Get out and familiarize yourself with the place. If something… if I’m not there by eighteen hundred, I won’t be at all. Get away. Go home.”

  Johnny was guiding her inside the old vehicle. “Just hold the wheel. It has some modern improvements.” He flipped a physical toggle switch and closed the door.

  Willi had not had time to react. The vehicle was moving away, guided by some mechanism, leaving Johnny standing beside the taxi. Willi saw him in the mirror get back into the taxi and the taxi pull away.

  Quickly she turned her attention to the vehicle. Willi wondered about it; but decided to just follow Johnny’s instructions. Though she fully intended to make sure he filled her in much, much, more thoroughly in the future than what he had just done. “Much more!” she said half aloud.

  When she had looked over the austere accommodations to which the vehicle had eventually taken her, Willi took out the comm device and the reader. She would watch the news vids later. First the important things.

  “I am going to maim him!” she muttered when the reader popped up the security question for her to open the file on the comm device. There was only one way he could have programmed in the question and proper response.

  He had somehow managed to see her responses to that stupid survey in that stupid magazine cartridge she had picked up for her cousin. She had been bored and started looking at it not long after they had left the planet where they had picked up Johnny.

  It had been a sex survey and her curiosity got the best of her and she started filling it out. “I should maim Cousin Jenny, too,” she muttered. “If she had not asked me to get the newest issue he would never know…”

  Willi entered the same answer she had used in the survey. Up popped the instruction for the comm device. All other thoughts left her mind as she studied. When she was finished, she looked at the device in her hand with awe. It was on a par, if not well above it, with the defense device she still carried in a very private place.