Zenik
His mate was right. It was simple surveillance. That didn’t mean he had to like it. Uprorion City was a rough and tumble trade spot with few rules and fewer law enforcement officers. That was just the way the local population liked it. Most of the police there were owned by the richest citizens, and basically were no better than armed thugs that kept an eye on the business interests of their patrons.
He knew Jane could take care of herself, for the most part, but that didn’t make him feel any easier. He didn’t like being left sitting in the cockpit just watching . They had placed four cameras on Jane, disguised in a gem coated scarf that she wore nearly covering her face. It would serve to hide most of her physical features as well in case her questions brought any undue attention her way.
Jane could not just go through the market randomly and ask for The Wine Merchant, though. There were a series of code words and phrases that might seem innocuous to anyone who might be listening in but would alert him that someone wanted to meet. Zenik sat waiting to fill Jane’s ear with the correct responses, even though it was possible that none of his codes were good anymore. The Wine Merchant had a bad habit of wiping out any long term cells that he became suspicious of and Zenik was a very suspicious character.
“Do you have any Minuscas melons this season?” Jane asked a fruit vendor as Zenik had instructed.
“I am sorry but they are all gone,” the vendor replied, eyeing her up and down with a certain caution.
“Oh, that is terribly disappointing. I promised my grandmother I would make her a pie.” Again, it was a phrase that was used to ward off any actual buyers of Minuscas melons.
“I should not want to upset your grandmother. Perhaps if you wait here, I can contact my supplier and see where you can get some.”
“Thank you so much.” Jane continued to browse the fruit while the vendor disappeared behind a curtain.
“If he is gone too long, walk away,” Zenik directed through the com.
Jane hummed a short tune. It was a prearranged symbol of affirmation. Jane could not be seen talking to herself. It would be a giveaway that she had someone whispering in her ear.
When the vendor reappeared, he was carrying a small piece of folded paper. Jane took it, but didn’t open it.
“Thank you, ever so much. You have made my grandmother very happy,” she said and walked away.
After a few turns and a bit of distance from the stand, Jane pulled up against a wall and looked at the paper.
“It’s a number,” she said through the com, “but that’s about all I can get from it.”
Zenik was impressed that she even recognized it as that. The translator under her skin didn’t translate handwritten text, which is why it was much more secure to write on a piece of actual paper than a tablet. The tablets automatically translated everything for the reader according to their DNA tags.
“It’s a code,” he told her.
Zenik transposed the code and then looked at the message it revealed. It sent a shot straight to his stomach.
“Jane, get back here.”
“Why? What does it say.”
“Jane, no arguing. Come back now.”
“I’m on my way, but what did it say, damn it?”
“Run.”
“I’m coming. Keep your britches on.”
“That’s what it said. That’s all it said. It said run.”
“Gotcha,” Jane said as she smoothly walked toward the shipyard. She didn’t actually run, which was good, because a running female was bound to attract attention in other ways, but her gait was determined and quick.
Zenik recognized the path she was taking out of the market and through the upper town. It was the cheapest place to live, because it was near the spaceport with its engines and pollution and dirty business. There was a dive bar on the corner that Zenik had spent a number of hours in, trying to make connections or waiting on ones to show. She was about five minutes from the spaceport. That is when three large hulking forms appeared in front of Jane. It was also when the links fizzed out and there was nothing in his ear but static.
Their cover had been blown in a major way and all the Terran technology in the world hadn’t stopped The Wine Merchant from getting to Jane.
Zenik sprinted out of the ship, not even bothering to cover himself. He had, fortunately, changed out of his Mahdfel uniform into something a little more planetary, just in case he’d have to make a quick run like this. The Mahdfel weren’t exactly welcome in Uprorian City. They always followed the rules and the rule of law and expected them to be upheld. The people here were fond of bending them if not out and out breaking them.
He made the five minute journey in three minutes flat, not caring how much attention he drew. He reached the outside of the bar. There he found nothing. No Jane, no thugs, no Wine Merchant, and no sign of a struggle. It was if they had just vanished.
“Jane,” he pleaded into the com. Still nothing but static.