Ride The Rising Tide (The Maxwell Saga) (32 page)

Steve blinked. For a moment he couldn’t believe what he’d heard. “A
contract?
You mean, someone wants me killed?”

“
Yes. The word on the street is that it’s because you led the Marines and Spacers that stopped those smugglers, and killed those two men. Someone wants revenge. There may be more to it than that, of course, but that’s what we’ve heard so far.”

A wave of anger washed over him. “Who’s behind it?”

“We don’t know yet. We’re trying to learn more, but we thought it best to notify BuIntel at once.”

“
That’s where I came in,” Commander Wu added. He was a short, stocky man with bright, intelligent eyes behind old–fashioned eyeglasses. Steve couldn’t help wondering why he didn’t use contact lenses, or hadn’t undergone nanosurgery to correct his vision problems. Very few people wore eyeglasses these days, except for cosmetic reasons.

“
Inspector Gilon contacted me this morning,” he continued. “I passed on the news to your Commanding Officer, and asked her whether we could make use of you for a couple of days during your convalescence to nail down this thing. She agreed, and sent Lieutenant–Commander Kilian down to represent her during this discussion.”

“
I don’t understand, Sir.”

“
We’d like to use you as bait, Lieutenant. We can’t have criminals going around issuing contracts on the lives of Fleet officers, so BuIntel would like to nip this in the bud as quickly as possible. Our idea is to let it slip out that you’ll be at a well–known restaurant two evenings from now, so would–be assassins will know when and where they can find you. Of course, we’ll blanket the area with security to detain any would–be assassins before they can try to kill you. We want to question them — or, rather, have Ashkelon PD question them — in order to identify the person or persons behind the contract.”

“
I get it, Sir. I hope you don’t mind my saying that, as the person who’ll be in the line of fire, I hope your security will be on top form!”

Commander Wu grinned. “Perhaps Inspector Gilon can reassure you about that.”

Gilon nodded. “We’ll have BuIntel and BuSec operatives working with us. We’ll put agents in the restaurant kitchen, to make sure no one poisons your food; we’ll have them in the restaurant itself, to cover you from all sides; and we’ll have external security over the parking lot and surrounding roads. We value Midrash’s position as a Fleet Sector Base, so we’ll put our best people on this case. I think we’ll be able to identify and neutralize any threat entering the zone.”

“
I see. And how will you publicize my presence at the restaurant?”

“
After the
Vargash
incident the media are clamoring for interviews with you,” Wu informed him. “We’ll hold a news conference tomorrow morning, during which we’ll arrange for a question to be asked that’ll allow us to mention your restaurant booking in response. A tailor will be here in about half an hour to take your measurements. He’s promised to work through the night to produce a new Number Two uniform that will fit over that cast and sling, a civilian suit for your dinner engagement, and a selection of other clothing. BuIntel will cover the costs, of course.”

“
Thank you, Sir.” Steve hesitated. “There’s one thing, Sir. You and Inspector Gilon have promised that security will be tight, but I’ve learned the hard way that the tightest security can still develop leaks. With your permission, Sir, I’d like to carry a pistol until this matter is sorted out. I think I’ve demonstrated that I can use one effectively. I have my private pistol secured in
Achilles’
armory, if Lieutenant–Commander Kilian will arrange to have it sent down to the planet for me. Inspector, how do I go about getting a Midrash carry permit?”

“
I’ll have one issued to you,” Gilon replied. “As a Commonwealth citizen you have the right to keep and bear arms, of course, and we accept the Fleet’s handgun training as the equivalent of our carry qualification requirements. I’ll record your picture and details before we leave, and have our Licensing Branch hand–deliver the permit to you this evening. As for a pistol, don’t worry about bringing yours down — you’re a Fleet officer, acting in the course of your official duties, so APD will loan you a weapon. What model is yours?”

“
It’s a Chronos 89C, the compact version of their full–size pistol.” Steve forbore to mention that it had been confiscated from a team of thugs that had tried to kidnap him several years before, along with a second pistol of the same type, plus two full–size versions. The four had been the beginning of his small, but growing collection of weapons.

The Inspector’s eyebrows rose appreciatively. “You have good taste in pistols — expensive, too! A local version is made under license from Chronos. We have some in our armory. I’ll get you a laser–sighted model, since you’ll have to use it one–handed. What sort of holster will you need?”

“Well, Sir, I’m wearing this sling. Is there a holster that can fit inside it, out of sight?”

“
Good idea. I’m sure our Armorer can find something suitable. I’ll ask him.”

“
Thank you, Sir.”

“
If you’re giving him a laser–sighted pistol, Inspector, please make it an infra–red laser that’s invisible to the naked eye,” Wu added. “Lieutenant, I’ll issue you a pair of these eyeglasses. They’re not for optical correction — they provide night vision, magnification and a few other very useful tools, including an infra–red filter that reveals weapon sighting beams in that spectrum. I’ll have one of my staff teach you how to use them. There’s no sense in using a visible–spectrum laser beam if an assassin might take advantage of it to pinpoint your position.”

“
Thank you, Sir. I appreciate that,” Steve replied as Gilon nodded his agreement. “I’m supposed to be discharged from hospital this afternoon. If I’m to help you planetside, where will I be staying, please, Sir?”

“
I thought of reserving a room for you in the transient officers’ quarters at the Sector Base, but that would make it more difficult to use you as bait. With Inspector Gilon’s assistance, we’ve booked a room for you at a very nice hotel in central Ashkelon. Your travel kit is already on the way down from the System Patrol Service base, and BuIntel will give you a spending allowance to cover meals and other expenses. Full security will be provided.”

Steve grinned. “If I’m going to be treated like this whenever I get shot, Sir, I’ll have to follow Lieutenant–Commander Kilian’s advice and arrange it more often.”

“Despite my earlier comment, I’d really prefer you didn’t do that, Lieutenant,” Kilian responded dryly. “The Fleet will start to ask awkward questions if too many of our watch–keeping officers get shot too many times. Besides, BuIntel’s budget will only stretch so far!”

~ ~ ~

Miriam came down from orbit next morning to attend the news conference. Steve spent an hour with her fielding questions about the fight aboard
Vargash
, the discovery of the smuggled rhodium, and his injury and recovery.

Finally, one of the journalists asked, “Lieutenant Sabran, since Lieutenant Maxwell will be spending a few days planetside to recover from his injury, do you plan on spending more time with him socially rather than professionally?”

She smiled. “Yes, I’m taking him to supper tomorrow at Mordechai’s. I think, after all he’s done for us, it’s only fair to spoil him at one of the top restaurants in Ashkelon before he goes back to Fleet rations.”

After the news conference, Steve grinned at her as he asked, “I hope BuIntel’s expense account is paying for our meal?”

“It’d better be! Mordechai’s is far too expensive for a junior lieutenant’s salary!”

Wu smiled. “Since you’re helping us, you can both enjoy yourselves at our expense for the next day and a half. A security team will be available to escort you, but if you don’t advertise your movements, you should be OK. I expect those we’re after will have watched this morning’s news conference. In their shoes, I’d plan to take advantage of your known movements tomorrow night.”

As Wu spoke, Steve stiffened at a sudden inspiration.
This may be the perfect time to use my relationship with the Dragon Tong! They may be able to provide information about who’s behind this. I can offer them information about the jade knife as an incentive
—
and I can begin to set up an eventual handover of the knife, too. Enough time’s passed that I can claim my search has borne fruit. Good thing I saved copies of those pictures I took of it for Vince, years ago on Vesta. Better not mention it aloud, though. I bet Commander Wu and APD wouldn’t be happy to know one of the Fleet’s officers was involved, even at arms’ length, with the settled galaxy’s most dangerous criminal organization!

He asked casually, “Inspector, back when we were shipmates aboard
Sebastian Cabot
, Albert Murrin mentioned a restaurant in Ashkelon called the ‘Royal Golden Dragon’. He said it was the best of its kind he’d ever come across. Is it still operating?”

“
Yes, it’s still going strong. I’ve eaten there myself once or twice. It’s very good.”

“
Thanks. I’ll have to try it for myself.”

Steve thought to himself with satisfaction,
Good! That’s the Tong’s usual name for their restaurant ‘front organization’ on the major planets where they operate. I’ll try to shake off Miriam and everyone else, and have lunch there today.

~ ~ ~

Steve pulled his rented runabout into one of the few vacant spaces in the Royal Golden Dragon’s parking lot. He got out of his car, adjusted the loose jacket covering his sling to make sure he could get at the pistol inside it if necessary, and walked towards the restaurant’s double doors, fingering the white jade disk in his pocket. He’d retrieved it from the Fleet Depository after graduating from OCS, on the strength of an inchoate, nagging presentiment that it might possibly come in useful one day, and carried it since then in his personal gear. Now he was grateful for his prescience.

The
maître d’hôtel
greeted him smoothly. “You have no reservation, Sir? Then there will be at least a thirty–minute wait for a table, I’m afraid. We’re very busy during lunchtime, as you can see.” He motioned to the crowded dining area behind him.

“
I understand,” Steve assured him. “I’d like to speak to the manager, please.”

The man’s eyebrows lifted. “Is there a problem, Sir?”

“No, not at all. Would you please give him this?”

He took the jade disk from his pocket and handed it to the headwaiter, who accepted it in his white–gloved hand and glanced at it. His expression froze into immobility. He turned the disk over in his fingers, inspecting the characters incised into both sides, then looked up.

“Sir, we appear to have a table available after all. If you’ll please follow me, I’ll seat you, then take this to our manager.”

“
Thank you very much.”

The headwaiter escorted him personally to a table in a private alcove on a second–floor balcony, running around and overlooking the main dining area. It was a very similar layout to the one Steve remembered at the Tong’s restaurant on Vesta. The headwaiter seated him, murmured instructions to a black–uniformed waiter hovering nearby, then excused himself.

The waiter bowed to Steve. “I’ll bring you the chef’s selected appetizer of the day, Sir, and a bottle of wine recommended by our
sommelier
as a fitting accompaniment for it. Meanwhile, please look through our menu and wine list. There is no charge for an honored guest such as yourself.”

The appetizer proved to be delicious, as did the white wine accompanying it. However, Steve had time for only a couple of mouthfuls before the manager arrived. He looked to be in his mid–thirties, a short, stocky man with movements that hinted at muscle rather than fat beneath his formal suit. “I understand you wish to see me, Sir? I am Xin Mu, the manager on duty this afternoon.”

“Yes, thank you.” Steve rose and shook his hand. “I’m — “

“
You are Junior Lieutenant Maxwell of the Lancastrian Commonwealth Fleet,” he completed the sentence for him. “I saw vid of you at a press conference this morning. Congratulations on your success earlier this week.” He laid Steve’s jade disk on the table.

“
Thank you, Mr. Xin. That’s what brings me here. Please sit down for a moment while I explain.”

“
Thank you, Lieutenant.”

The waiter pulled out a chair for the manager as Steve resumed his seat. When they were settled, he continued, “That disk was given to me by the Red Pole of the Dragon Tong on Vesta several years ago, in return for assistance I’d been able to render to the Tong in… a certain matter. He advised that if I ever needed help, I should show that disk to the Tong.”

Xin held up his hand. “It would not be appropriate for me to hear more, Lieutenant. I shall inform our own Red Pole of your need, and bring him or his representative to your table within an hour. Meanwhile, please relax and enjoy your meal.” He rose to his feet. “I shall return as soon as possible.”

“
Thank you, Mr. Xin. Please ask him to check your records about an investigation I’m conducting on behalf of the Tong. This visit partly concerns that matter.”