Every available surface area in the medical bay was full. Ian had been moving between several of the Spiders since their return to the Bifrost.
Hargrave and Katan were on the only two on cots. Hargrave’s head wound was pretty severe. From what Ian could tell the skull had been fractured, but there was no way to tell if there was any more damage internally, and he was not about to dig around and find out. Not in these conditions.
Katan’s condition was much improved. Once they got back Ian was able to get the rest of the shrapnel removed from his arm. That and the fact that the arterial bleeding was just that, there was enough of the blood veins that all Ian had to do was bandage up the area and clean the wounds out. Within a day Katan’s color had returned and he was responding to questions.
The rest just needed to have their bandages replaced. Of course Dyrke had neglected to come back to have his wounds cleaned up. Ian couldn’t even remember seeing him wearing the bandages the last meal break. “Speak of the devil,” Ian thought to himself as Dyrke walked in.
“Ian, I need to speak to you… in private.”
The two men stepped out into the hall and shut the door.
“I need your help on a sticky situation. The House is telling me that we need to pull in a field operative. An agent that penetrated another house needs to come in, but he is apparently insisting that he come in through us.”
“I don’t get it. Why us? Why are you telling me this?”
“You’re going to be my point man on this Ian. The boys are healing up nicely because of you so I don’t need you to baby sit them. Besides, Chigger seems to have taken a liking to you.”
Ian just nodded. Thinking back he remembered some of the people his father had dealings with. Always in whispers and away from prying eyes. Somehow it always made his skin crawl.
“Do you have a name, or a picture?” Ian asked.
“No, just his codename, ‘Panthera’.”
“When?”
“Well, that is another sticky part. I don’t know exactly. But the good news is that you get to just hang around the Bifrost until he shows up. Apparently this guys knows about the ‘Spiders’ and our base of operations around the Bifrost. He will make contact with us, through you, there.”
Hargrave and Katan were on the only two on cots. Hargrave’s head wound was pretty severe. From what Ian could tell the skull had been fractured, but there was no way to tell if there was any more damage internally, and he was not about to dig around and find out. Not in these conditions.
Katan’s condition was much improved. Once they got back Ian was able to get the rest of the shrapnel removed from his arm. That and the fact that the arterial bleeding was just that, there was enough of the blood veins that all Ian had to do was bandage up the area and clean the wounds out. Within a day Katan’s color had returned and he was responding to questions.
The rest just needed to have their bandages replaced. Of course Dyrke had neglected to come back to have his wounds cleaned up. Ian couldn’t even remember seeing him wearing the bandages the last meal break. “Speak of the devil,” Ian thought to himself as Dyrke walked in.
“Ian, I need to speak to you… in private.”
The two men stepped out into the hall and shut the door.
“I need your help on a sticky situation. The House is telling me that we need to pull in a field operative. An agent that penetrated another house needs to come in, but he is apparently insisting that he come in through us.”
“I don’t get it. Why us? Why are you telling me this?”
“You’re going to be my point man on this Ian. The boys are healing up nicely because of you so I don’t need you to baby sit them. Besides, Chigger seems to have taken a liking to you.”
Ian just nodded. Thinking back he remembered some of the people his father had dealings with. Always in whispers and away from prying eyes. Somehow it always made his skin crawl.
“Do you have a name, or a picture?” Ian asked.
“No, just his codename, ‘Panthera’.”
“When?”
“Well, that is another sticky part. I don’t know exactly. But the good news is that you get to just hang around the Bifrost until he shows up. Apparently this guys knows about the ‘Spiders’ and our base of operations around the Bifrost. He will make contact with us, through you, there.”
-=-=-=O=-=-=-
The Bifrost was quiet. Although a good crowd filled the main hall the mood was subdued. Ian couldn’t figure it out. That was until he caught Chigger’s attention. All it took was a nod from the bartender toward a table along the back wall. Two enforcers and a man in ornate clothing sat sipping from their drinks and whispering amongst themselves. At the feet of one of Lord Helmawr’s policemen was a cyber-mastiff. Clearly no one wanted to draw attention to themselves so long as those four were present.
Not wanting attention himself Ian just propped himself up at the bar and ordered a glass of water. Chigger just shook his head. Such extravagances were extremely rare below “the wall”.
“Chigger… has anyone been looking for the ‘Spiders’ lately?”
“Not lately kid. Even the ‘Black Cats’ have been laying low. I’d be careful though. They don’t take to licking their wounds for long.”
Ian snorted to himself and just sat there enjoying his drink, even ordering a plate of mushrooms. As the night wore on Ian’s patience began to wane. Just as he was about to head back to his nice warm bunk for the evening Amber walked up and sat next to him at the bar without waiting for an invitation.
“Hello Ian.”
Ian began to wonder if he was about to be the center of yet more unwanted attention.
“Hello Amber. You… look good.”
And she did, despite weariness being obvious behind her eyes. She also looked like she was on edge. Her right hand never left her thigh, the one adjacent to her auto pistol.
“Can we go somewhere to talk?”
“I don’t think so. You pretty much said all you needed to the last time.”
An awkward silence fell over the two.
“Well, can we at least move down to the end of the bar?”
Ian nodded and the two shifted down.
“I know the ‘Spiders’ didn’t attack the ‘Cats’ last week. I jumped to a wrong conclusion. Sorry about that.”
Ian just nodded.
“Is that all you’re going to say?”
“What do you want me to say? You told me to steer clear, I’m steering clear. Look Dyrke sent me to meet somebody and I doubt that he is going to show up with you sitting right next to me. I appreciate your willingness to come and set the record straight but I’m in the middle of something right now. Maybe we will see each around here sometime.”
“Right, I guess I should have expected such a chauvinistic response. See you around Ian.”
Ian felt a lump settle into his stomach and he watched her walk away. She stopped in front of Chigger, laid several guilders on the bar, said something, and then walked up stairs to the Bifrost’s rooms. Ian dropped his eyes back to his plate. All of a sudden the urge to jump up and follow her welled up inside, only the discipline to complete the task Dyrke had given him kept him in his seat.
“Bartender! Bartender!”
Ian looked up as one of the Enforcers walked up next to him. The man made eye contact with Ian, but that was all.
Chigger walked over, “what can I do for you constable?”
“That’s Enforcer to you citizen. Look, this fellow,” thumbing over his shoulder back towards his table, “is looking for some fellow named ‘Vant’. Ever hear of him?”
“No sir. Not a hint. What does he look like?”
The enforcer handed over a pictograph, “look familiar?”
“Nope, I’ve never seen him either Enforcer.”
Ian smiled as he took a drink from his glass. The Enforcer snorted and turned away. “And bring another round of drinks to our table!”
“Stinkin’ Hive City dwellers. Think they can come out here and just boss their way around… I wonder why they think they can find this guy out here?” Chigger let his eyes lock on to Ian’s for several seconds. Although he did not fully understand what Chigger was looking for, he also did not dare break eye contact with the man.
“A man could get lost down here.”
Ian wasn’t sure if the last comment was a statement, or a question. “I can’t imagine it being all that hard,” Ian finally replied, still not breaking eye contact with the bartender.
As the tension began to relax Chigger slipped a folded piece of parchment across the counter, “It seems like them Enforcers are not the only ones lookin’ for someone.”
Looking down at the piece of paper it simply read ‘Panthera’. “Thanks Chigger. Where did he go?”
“Top of the stairs, end of the hall. You can’t miss it.”
While heading out the main hall Ian unfolded the note. “We have things to discuss,” was all it read. This confused Ian. He had thought his sole mission was to bring this person in, not meet in seclusion to talk.
As he walked down the hall it was obvious that Chigger’s rooms were full. As Ian approached the end of the hall flashes of memory came to mind. Found memories of the night he and Amber spent together brought a quick smile to his face.
The door was slightly ajar with the room beyond dark. Ian drew his pistol and stepped to the side of the door. A quick check showed the power cell to be fully charged. Looking back down the hallway he listened for any sounds coming from the room. It, of course, was silent.
“You can come in,” came a soft voice from inside. “Just keep your hands up and to the side where I can see them.”
Ian’s head dropped for a moment. He really needed to work on his stealth techniques. “How do I know you are who I think you are?”
“Panthera,” was the only reply.
Ian thought hard about his next move. His mind was screaming for him to just walk away. But there was something just under the surface. His instincts maybe… keeping his las pistol in his right hand he eased the door open with his left. When no gun fire erupted from the room he stepped into the doorway. His entire profile would now be visible to anyone inside. Still nothing so he stepped inside.
“Close the door.”
As the latch on the door clicked several things happened simultaneously. Lights came on temporarily blinding Ian, a pair of hands grabbed him and threw him down on the bed further in the room, and then an audible click of the deadbolt being secured. But before Ian’s eyes could adjust his assailant landed on top of him, straddling across his chest and effectively pinning his arms down.
“Maybe now you will have more to say.”
Ian’s eyes adjusted to the new light level. As he looked up he found Amber’s green eyes looking back down into his.
“You are Panthera?”
“I am Panthera.”
Not wanting attention himself Ian just propped himself up at the bar and ordered a glass of water. Chigger just shook his head. Such extravagances were extremely rare below “the wall”.
“Chigger… has anyone been looking for the ‘Spiders’ lately?”
“Not lately kid. Even the ‘Black Cats’ have been laying low. I’d be careful though. They don’t take to licking their wounds for long.”
Ian snorted to himself and just sat there enjoying his drink, even ordering a plate of mushrooms. As the night wore on Ian’s patience began to wane. Just as he was about to head back to his nice warm bunk for the evening Amber walked up and sat next to him at the bar without waiting for an invitation.
“Hello Ian.”
Ian began to wonder if he was about to be the center of yet more unwanted attention.
“Hello Amber. You… look good.”
And she did, despite weariness being obvious behind her eyes. She also looked like she was on edge. Her right hand never left her thigh, the one adjacent to her auto pistol.
“Can we go somewhere to talk?”
“I don’t think so. You pretty much said all you needed to the last time.”
An awkward silence fell over the two.
“Well, can we at least move down to the end of the bar?”
Ian nodded and the two shifted down.
“I know the ‘Spiders’ didn’t attack the ‘Cats’ last week. I jumped to a wrong conclusion. Sorry about that.”
Ian just nodded.
“Is that all you’re going to say?”
“What do you want me to say? You told me to steer clear, I’m steering clear. Look Dyrke sent me to meet somebody and I doubt that he is going to show up with you sitting right next to me. I appreciate your willingness to come and set the record straight but I’m in the middle of something right now. Maybe we will see each around here sometime.”
“Right, I guess I should have expected such a chauvinistic response. See you around Ian.”
Ian felt a lump settle into his stomach and he watched her walk away. She stopped in front of Chigger, laid several guilders on the bar, said something, and then walked up stairs to the Bifrost’s rooms. Ian dropped his eyes back to his plate. All of a sudden the urge to jump up and follow her welled up inside, only the discipline to complete the task Dyrke had given him kept him in his seat.
“Bartender! Bartender!”
Ian looked up as one of the Enforcers walked up next to him. The man made eye contact with Ian, but that was all.
Chigger walked over, “what can I do for you constable?”
“That’s Enforcer to you citizen. Look, this fellow,” thumbing over his shoulder back towards his table, “is looking for some fellow named ‘Vant’. Ever hear of him?”
“No sir. Not a hint. What does he look like?”
The enforcer handed over a pictograph, “look familiar?”
“Nope, I’ve never seen him either Enforcer.”
Ian smiled as he took a drink from his glass. The Enforcer snorted and turned away. “And bring another round of drinks to our table!”
“Stinkin’ Hive City dwellers. Think they can come out here and just boss their way around… I wonder why they think they can find this guy out here?” Chigger let his eyes lock on to Ian’s for several seconds. Although he did not fully understand what Chigger was looking for, he also did not dare break eye contact with the man.
“A man could get lost down here.”
Ian wasn’t sure if the last comment was a statement, or a question. “I can’t imagine it being all that hard,” Ian finally replied, still not breaking eye contact with the bartender.
As the tension began to relax Chigger slipped a folded piece of parchment across the counter, “It seems like them Enforcers are not the only ones lookin’ for someone.”
Looking down at the piece of paper it simply read ‘Panthera’. “Thanks Chigger. Where did he go?”
“Top of the stairs, end of the hall. You can’t miss it.”
While heading out the main hall Ian unfolded the note. “We have things to discuss,” was all it read. This confused Ian. He had thought his sole mission was to bring this person in, not meet in seclusion to talk.
As he walked down the hall it was obvious that Chigger’s rooms were full. As Ian approached the end of the hall flashes of memory came to mind. Found memories of the night he and Amber spent together brought a quick smile to his face.
The door was slightly ajar with the room beyond dark. Ian drew his pistol and stepped to the side of the door. A quick check showed the power cell to be fully charged. Looking back down the hallway he listened for any sounds coming from the room. It, of course, was silent.
“You can come in,” came a soft voice from inside. “Just keep your hands up and to the side where I can see them.”
Ian’s head dropped for a moment. He really needed to work on his stealth techniques. “How do I know you are who I think you are?”
“Panthera,” was the only reply.
Ian thought hard about his next move. His mind was screaming for him to just walk away. But there was something just under the surface. His instincts maybe… keeping his las pistol in his right hand he eased the door open with his left. When no gun fire erupted from the room he stepped into the doorway. His entire profile would now be visible to anyone inside. Still nothing so he stepped inside.
“Close the door.”
As the latch on the door clicked several things happened simultaneously. Lights came on temporarily blinding Ian, a pair of hands grabbed him and threw him down on the bed further in the room, and then an audible click of the deadbolt being secured. But before Ian’s eyes could adjust his assailant landed on top of him, straddling across his chest and effectively pinning his arms down.
“Maybe now you will have more to say.”
Ian’s eyes adjusted to the new light level. As he looked up he found Amber’s green eyes looking back down into his.
“You are Panthera?”
“I am Panthera.”
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