The Lost Command (Lost Starship Series Book 2) (10 page)

While switching his focus from Riker to Maddox, a grim smile edged onto Octavian’s face. “Are you attempting nobility, Captain? Are you trying to enrage me in order to distract my attention away from your aide?”

“I should think that obvious,” Maddox said.

“Benito,” Octavian said sharply. “Put up your weapon and hold Captain Maddox’s arms. Lucca. Do the same for Sergeant Riker. We don’t want this to end too soon. I fear these murderers may attempt something foolhardy, forcing you men to shoot them.”

“Not to worry, Sergeant,” Maddox said calmly.

Octavian’s smile became rigid. He watched Maddox as the seven-foot giant stepped close.

The fingers of the exo-powered gauntlets circled Maddox’s upper arms. He knew the guard could pulp the flesh and crush the bones. These were the latest in exo-powered armor, better than the Odin space marines had used against the invading New Men over a year ago.

“Despite the captain’s words,” Octavian told Riker, “you have much to worry about. I am a vengeful man. Or did you believe the stories about me exaggerated?”

“I believe them with all my heart, your Excellency,” Riker said.

“Then why did you willingly come here?” Octavian asked.

“He asked me to,” Riker said, using his head to nod at Maddox.

Octavian frowned. “Am I to understand you’re willing to die because he asked you to?”

Riker glanced at Maddox.

“It’s fine, Sergeant,” Maddox said. “You can tell him the truth. In fact, I prefer it. You belong to the Star Watch after all.”

The sergeant stood a little taller. “Your Excellency, I’m a simple man. I do my job to the best of my ability. But no, I wouldn’t jump to my death because Captain Maddox ordered me to. In the end, I came here because he assured me I would survive the encounter. So far, he’s never been wrong about something like that.”

“Your faith might be touching to someone else,” Octavian said, “but not to me. Worse for you, though, is that your captain is quite wrong.”

“I could argue the point,” Maddox said. “Yet that seems futile. We’ll let events judge the accuracy of my predications.”

Octavian cocked his head as if puzzled. “One word from me, and the two of you will die on the spot.”

“I seriously advise against that,” Maddox said, “as that would seal your own death.”

“Threats, Captain?” Octavian asked. “I had expected something more refined from you.”

“No threats, Signor Nerva. I am simply informing you about the bomb in my stomach. It is quite powerful. If you move, I will ignite it.”

Octavian glanced at Maddox’s gut. The tycoon frowned and looked back up at the captain’s face. “If you do such a thing, you’ll die, too.”

“That is correct,” Maddox said, his eyes shining more brightly than before.

“Your sergeant would also die,” Octavian pointed out.

“He has always expected to die in the line of duty defending his home. He is a soldier.”

Octavian glanced at Riker. The sergeant stared straight ahead with his features fixed.

“No,” Octavian said. “You’re bluffing.”

“If I must die,” Maddox said, “my last act will help humanity in the bitter war against the New Men. I will rid our planet of a foul traitor.”

Octavian’s frown deepened, producing creases in his face. “You’re working under false assumptions, Captain.”

“No,” Maddox said. “Your people kidnapped a former team member of mine named Meta last night in New York City.”

“You’re talking about the woman from the Rouen Colony?” Octavian asked. “Why would I bother with her?”

“Indeed,” Maddox said. “That’s what I’m here to find out.”

Octavian studied the captain. After a time, he said, “I think you really believe what you’re saying.”

Maddox said nothing, although he noticed that Riker had twisted his head around to watch the bodyguards behind him. If one of them should silently raise his gun to shoot him Maddox trusted the sergeant would call out. Good old Riker, the sergeant did the little things that made the difference between winning and losing. Perhaps as important as the sergeant’s diligence was that Octavian noticed it.

“Interesting,” the magnate said, as he attempted to maintain his calm. “Well… Let us begin to brush away these illusions. The first is that you’re able to threaten me. You have no bomb.”

A wolfish grin spread across Maddox’s face. “I will allow one of your bodyguards to get a scanner set for carbon.”

Octavian shifted uncomfortably. His features had become stiff, and he spoke with a noticeable rasp to his voice. “You should first explain why.”

“Because I have a highly charged carbon-based bomb in my stomach,” Maddox said. “That’s why your woman failed to find it.”

Octavian swallowed uneasily.

“Perhaps I should warn you,” Maddox said. “If you attempt to leave, I will detonate the device.”

Octavian’s gaze burned into the captain. The burr in his voice because more noticeable as he said, “I feel I should point out that Benito is pinning your arms.”

“Not to worry,” Maddox said. “I anticipated such an event, as you can well imagine. I can detonate the bomb at any time.”

“How?”

“I merely need to tap my back molars together,” Maddox said.

“Interesting,” Octavian whispered, as a faint sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead. He swayed as if he felt dizzy. “Let us proceed as if what you say is true. I must inform you that it still doesn’t help your situation, although it makes mine precarious.”

Maddox cocked his head. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“Why yes, it does!” a man shouted from a balcony three stories up.

Maddox craned his neck, looking up. A man wearing a dark suit stood on the balcony. He had thick dark hair and intense brown eyes. In fact, he looked exactly like the Octavian Nerva standing before the captain.

Maddox looked at the perspiring man before him and then up at the one on the balcony. A sinking feeling settled in his belly. It appeared he had miscalculated.

“He’s your clone?” the captain shouted up at the man.

“Yes,” the man on the balcony said, using an amplifier.

“You are the real Octavian Nerva?” Maddox asked.

“That is so,” the man on the balcony said. “Now go ahead, Captain Maddox, detonate your belly bomb.”

Maddox thought quickly. None of his options were pleasing. Yet what if he could enlist the help of the bodyguards and clone? Surely, they wanted to live.

Suiting thought to action, Maddox called up, “If I ignite, that will kill Benito, Lucca and your body double.”

“I will miss them,” Octavian said. “But such are the events of life.”

Perfect. The magnate had disowned his people. Maddox concentrated on the clone before him. “Do you want to die?” the captain whispered.

“No,” the sweating man said.

“Then survive by helping me take him down,” Maddox said.

The clone shook his head. “I am, of course, psychologically unable to commit any act that might harm the original Signor Nerva. The bodyguards have been similarly adjusted. We cannot help you.”

“Check and mate,” Octavian called down. “Do you have any last words, Captain Maddox, Sergeant Riker?”

Riker sighed deeply. “I had no idea this was your plan, sir. I admit, it could have worked, but not now. You’d better explode your bomb. I don’t fancy spending my last days screaming in agony for Octavian’s amusement.”

Maddox looked up at the magnate. He had not anticipated body double clones. They were illegal and dangerous to the owner. Even with psychological blocks in place, the temptation for the clone to kill the original and take the man’s place must be overwhelming.

The captain frowned. It appeared he had lost to the three hundred year old Methuselah Man. That bothered him. Could he dredge up a new advantage? He didn’t see how. Still, he might as well play his hand as far as he could take it.

“Good-bye, Octavian Nerva!” Maddox shouted. He steeled himself and—

“Wait!” the man on the balcony shouted.

Around Maddox, the bodyguards stirred uneasily. The clone was pale, looking as if he might collapse. The man sweated copiously, stains appearing under his suit.

Maddox stared up at Octavian. It was hard to tell, but it seemed as if the tycoon appeared strained.

“This is an unusual situation,” Octavian said. “You have intrigued me with your nerve, Captain. I also admit to some hesitation in having you ignite yourself. In truth, Benito’s squad is my favorite. I don’t appreciate losing their services. You are also speaking to my most trusted body double. As I’m sure you’re aware, loyal people are hard to come by these days.”

“Go on,” Maddox said.

“Further, I admit that Caius cheated. My boy was lazy, always wanting to use shortcuts. I’ve begun to believe he would have squandered my fortune.”

“Yet you sent man-hunters after me,” Maddox said.

“No. I did not.”

“Over a year ago,” Maddox said. “In your dotage, can you have forgotten the order?”

The body double sucked in his breath, shaking his head. “Signor Nerva forgets nothing, sir. If he said he doesn’t remember, it’s because he didn’t give such an order.”

“What are you trying to suggest?” Octavian shouted down at Maddox.

“I had an apartment in Geneva,” Maddox said. “Before my escape into the Beyond over a year ago, you sent a trio of hunters to kidnap me.”

“I have told you I did not. Believe me. I would have remembered such a thing.”

“Star Watch Intelligence did autopsies on the dead men,” Maddox said. “The hunters belonged to the Nerva Conglomerate.”

“Give me their names,” Octavian snapped, almost sounding angry.

Maddox did so.

“Please, give me a moment,” Octavian said. The man on the balcony took out a communicator. He spoke for several minutes. Finally, thoughtfully, he put away the unit.

“Why did you come to Monte Carlo?” Octavian asked. “I want the real reason.”

Maddox wondered what the tycoon had found out over the comm-unit.

“Respectfully, sir,” Riker said. “What can it hurt to say?”

Maddox focused on Riker. “You’re doing well, Sergeant. Maintain your vigilance. This is far from over.”

Riker looked into his eyes. After a moment, the sergeant’s lips firmed. “Yes, sir,” the old man said.

Maddox shouted up at Octavian, “I came here because of Beth Paris.”

“The head of security in Dempsey Tower?” Octavian asked over his amplifier.

“The same, signor. Star Watch knows she worked for you.”

“It’s true she did several years ago,” Octavian said. “So what?”

“Then you admit she was your plant?” Maddox asked.

“Of course,” Octavian said. “Who doesn’t have spies in enemy territory? At my level, it is one of the costs of doing business.”

“Last night your plant Paris committed suicide while trying to kill me.”

“How?” Octavian asked, sounding angry.

“She used a hollow tooth, swallowing poison. In fact, her use of the tooth gave me my idea for triggering my bomb.”

“No,” Octavian said. “That makes no sense. I do not rig my employees for suicide. It’s the wrong sort of motivation. I can’t understand why she would do something so foolish.”

Maddox was impressed with Octavian’s ability to lie. The tycoon sounded sincere. Then a worm of doubt filled the captain. Could he have misjudged the situation? Could the magnate be telling the truth? There were certain elements that weren’t adding up. Given that possibly, Maddox told Octavian about Meta’s disappearance and the altered Dempsey security videos.

The magnate cursed explosively in Italian. He took out his communicator. His actions indicated this was a surprise to him. The tycoon spoke longer this time. Afterward, he put away the comm-unit, staring down at Maddox.

“You have a choice, Captain,” Octavian called down. “You can explode your bomb, or you can allow Benito to take you to a holding cell. There, you will speak to my chief of security.”

“Why should I do that?” Maddox asked.

“In the interest of humanity,” Octavian said.

“How have you come to such a conclusion?”

“As I’m sure must be clear to you by now,” Octavian said, “I think the New Men may have infiltrated my security organization. Given little clues here and there, I’ve been wondering about that for some time. If I didn’t order Meta’s kidnapping, who did? Who would have the organization and cleverness to use my people without my knowledge? The only group I can conceive would be the New Men. They are your enemy, Captain. You desire Meta’s freedom, and you want to thwart the terrible menace to Earth. I am giving you that opportunity. By using your perceptions, my security chief may be able to locate the breach and help plug it.”

“This is a trick, sir,” Riker whispered. “Explode the bomb before they disarm you.”

Maddox ignored his sergeant as he concentrated on the possibilities. Could Octavian be telling the truth? If any group should be able to withstand the New Men, it would be the Methuselah People. Age brought wisdom, didn’t it? Unfortunately, there was also a chance Octavian told him all this to try to save his body double and guards.