It wasn’t until about 9:30pm local time that they were approached. Jaseera came by their table to refresh their drinks, and slipped a note onto the table for the two men to see, and then left to deal with other customers. Bear looked at the note, and grunted. “We have possible job. Come with me.”
John nodded, and followed Bear who headed towards a back room, behind the main part of the eatery – if a place called ‘Drinks, Food, Cheap’ could be called a real eatery, and not a dive. Inside the room, a single gentleman of middling years awaited them. His skin was light brown, his hair black, and his eyes green. An odd combination, John thought. He looked about 40 years old, and his suit was a bit wrinkled and worn.
“Hello, gentlemen. My name is Civar Wesker.” The man said.
“I am Bear. This is John.” Bear replied. “You have job?”
“Yes. A man – a rival of mine – has stolen a manuscript I’ve spent five years writing, and intends to sell it as his own. I work at the University of Traltha, and he’s an amateur historian, and we’ve been one-upping each other for years. He stole my history of Traltha, and I want it back before he can publish it under his name.”
“Lot of trouble for a book.” Bear replied. “How much?”
“I can offer you 10,000 credits – it’s all I can come up with.” Civar responded.
“We’ll need more details than that.” John replied. “Who’s the target? How secure is he – does he have guards?”
Mr. Wesker nodded in understanding. “Of course you need more information. His name is Lord Daarvin, and he’s fairly well off. He has as I understand two bodyguards that follow him almost everywhere. He’s a spokesman for Ling Standard Products – a megacorporation with branch offices on this world. I suspect my stolen book will be either in his office at Ling Standard Products, or at his home – a fancy villa in the suburbs outside Traltha Starport.”
“This Lord Daarvin, does he have a lot of influence? Is he a political figure?” John asked.
“Not really – his lordship is from actions his father once performed, and his family’s influence has waned over the years. He has far less pull locally than it might otherwise appear, and virtually no pull offworld. I doubt his noble title will be much of a problem, unless your team gets sloppy.”
“If he is fairly well off, why does he need to steal your book?” Bear asked.
“Hah! That’s the kicker. He doesn’t have an original bone in his body! He wouldn’t even know where to start on a project like mine. He stole it because it will earn him prestige and fame – he likely doesn’t care as much about the money it will earn. He wants the respect.”
Bear nodded, understanding. “I think we can do this.”
John wasn’t so sure, but held his peace – he didn’t want to undercut Bear during negotiations.
“Wonderful, Mr. Bear. I really appreciate this.” Civar said, smiling.
“Do not thank me until I have book.” Bear replied. “Give us a number to contact you when we are done.”
Civar wrote down his number on what looked like a common business card.
Bear took the card, and nodded to Civar. “Come on, John. We have planning to do.”
* * *
Back at the Fortune’s Favor, Drago and Hortencia were sitting cuddled in front of the vid screen in the common room, watching a horror film that Hortencia probably thought was romantic. John glanced over and saw a demonic child about to knife someone, and saw Hortencia looking so happy.
“D’aaaw! How quick they grow up!” She said, referring to the movie she and Drago were watching.
Drago didn’ look sure what to say, so he just hugged Hortencia. Sometimes it’s just better to say nothing.
“We got a job.” John said as they came in.
“Honey, I’m going to pause this, okay?” Drago asked.
“Sure thing, hon.” Hortencia replied. “A job?”
“Da. A local historian says his rival stole a book he wrote and intends to publish it himself, gaining respect and fame. He offered us 10,000 credits to get it back. I think we might need Herc for this one, Drago.”
“No worries, Bear. Herc will deliver.”
“Da. He is good boy.” Bear agreed. “I have plan, but it will take a small team. I want John to be part of this, as well – to be one of us.”
“Like a gang initiation?” John asked.
“Da, except I probably won’t ask you to shoot anyone. This job is quick, easy unless something goes wrong.”
John shrugged. I knew they were criminals when I stayed, he thought. Fuck it. “So what do we have to do?”
Bear rolled up his sleeves, and sat down at the dining room table, with some paper and a pen. “This is what we need to do…”
* * *
John sat in the front seat of the aircar – Drago had told him it was actually a grav vehicle but most people called them air cars – and watched the front office of Ling Standard Products. They had been tailing Lord Daarvin for two days, and now they were making their move. His earbud chattered as Bear’s deep voice came through the comm. “Lord Daarvin left his home, with two guards and silver briefcase. Arrival in 12 minutes.”
Here we go, John thought. “Understood. Hortencia?”
“I’m ready, John.” Hortencia whispered.
I guess its Go time. John thought, as he got out of the parked air car. He quickly hurried across the street to the local coffee shop, and headed inside. The line was longer than usual, but John thought he would still have time. He waited impatiently until it was his turn, and ordered four coffees to go. He was a little surprised when they came in a cardboard tray very similar to what they had used on old Terra – but in retrospect, he thought, if a design works, why change it? He paid and left a decent tip for the barista, and headed out.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
With coffee in hand, he looked at the street outside. There was light traffic – and a very cute black haired Hortencia wearing a revealing dress and six inch heels had just left a ladies lingerie shop with three bags of garments. “Looking good, Hortencia.”
Hortencia just looked his way and winked, then checked her watch. “1 minute.” She said.
John checked his watch, and started walking down the street towards Ling Standard Products – and right on time, Lord Daarvin’s car showed up in front of him. He kept his head down, looking at a cell phone, as he strode forwards.
Meanwhile, as Lord Daarvin’s bodyguards helped escort him from his vehicle, Hortencia took a step off the curb in her heels, and fell roughly to the ground, spilling her packages – lace panties and other lingerie onto the road. Her top had fallen open too, and the guards could see she was struggling to not have a wardrobe malfunction with her ample breasts.
While they were so distracted, John walked roughly into Lord Daarvin, spilling hot coffee all over him. “Oh shit! Sorry sir, sorry!” John said, pulling a cloth from his workclothes to try and clean the spilt coffee of the rather annoyed businessman. As he tried to futiley brush the coffee off, he placed the eyebug on Daarvin’s lapel of his jacket.
“That’s enough, you idiot!” Lord Daarvin exclaimed. “Just get out of my way. Do you know who I am?!”
“Sorry sir, so sorry.” John exclaimed, trying to look like a common man realizing he just seriously fucked up.
“You’re damn right you will be.” Lord Daarvin said. “And you two, stop ogling the woman and do your damn jobs.”
The two guards straightened up and got John’s information so that they could bill him for wrecking Lord Daarvin’s shirt. Meanwhile, Lord Daarvin approached the fallen woman, who had managed to fix her garments, and was trying in vain to put her packages back into the bags she had purchased them with. “Are you alright, miss?”
Hortencia, nodded, looking flustered. “I… I am, I guess, but I dropped all my underthings and I nearly embarrassed myself, and I broke a damn heel!” By the end, she was so flustered she looked almost in tears.
Lord Daarvin helped put some of Hortencia’s packages back in the bags, and helped her up. She was quite flushed and breathing hard. “Thank you, sir.” She said.
“It was my pleasure, miss. Do you need a cab?”
“Yes please. I think my phone broke when I tripped.” Hortencia looked almost in tears, stumbling about on one good heel, and one broken one.
Lord Daarvin nodded, and hailed a cab – which drove up and waited. “Take this young lady anywhere she would like to go, and charge the fare to my account, please.”
“Sure thing, sir!” the cabby replied.
Hortencia composed herself, and turned to Lord Daarvin. “Thank you, sir. You are a gentleman, indeed.”
“You’re welcome, ma’am.” He replied, and held the door of the taxi open for her to enter with her packages.
Hortencia smiled up at the kindly lord, and handed him a business card. “Thank you, sir. If you ever need anything, just call.”
Lord Daarvin smiled, and pocketed the card in his blazer. “Of course, ma’am. It was my pleasure.” His eyes found it difficult to travel from Hortencia’s almost revealed bosom to her eyes.
With that, the Taxi drove off, taking the young lady with it. Lord Daarvin headed inside the Ling Standard Products office, with his guards – who had taken the young ruffian’s information and let him go.
John crossed the street, got into the air car, and returned to the ship. The guards had told him he owed Lord Daarvin 50 credits for his dry cleaning. As if, he thought.
* * *
Back at the ship, Bear looked over Drago’s shoulder. “Is the camera working?”
“Yeah – its going fine. John got it just right. He did good.”
“Baba Roga is acting up on this one, Drago.” Bear mentioned.
“Well, no shit.” Drago replied. “She hates acting like that. She’d rather take him and dip him in scorpions.”
Bear nodded. “Probably. She is strange like that.” There was a moment of silence. “Why do you stay with her, Drago? You know how she is… what she probably is. Why?”
“I dunno, Bear. She’s kinda dangerous, and I dig that. She’s quirky and I like that too. She’s not normal. If she’s a little too much for some people to take, I guess that’s their problem, not mine.” He turned to Bear. “That includes you, too, my friend.”
“I do not have problem with Hortencia. She is one of us. You know how I feel about her.”
Drago nodded. “Yeah, sorry Bear. I guess I got my dander up. She is kinky as hell.”
Bear shook his head. “Eyes back on screen, Drago. He is in office now.”
Drago turned back to the monitor and saw Daarvin enter his office, and go to a safe behind a wall hanging. He saw the codes Lord Daarvin pushed to unlock the safe, and saw the interior of the safe as Lord Daarvin placed the attaché case inside, and then closed and locked it. Daarvin had used a thumbprint and a retina scan to open the safe as well.
“We got it.” Drago said gleefully.
“Is it big enough for Herc?” Bear asked. “I don’t want him to get hurt.”
“It’s a tight fit, but I think it’ll work just fine.” Drago replied. He paused. “I know you don’t understand why I like Hortencia, bud. I just do. She’s weird and quirky and I think she loves me.”
“I just want the best for you, Drago.” Bear began.
“Then please, just let it go.” Drago interrupted. “She’s weird. I know. I’m playing with fire. I know. I’m a big boy Bear, and I’ve made my decision.”
“Fine. I will stop pestering you. Just make sure she does not become monster on outside like she is on inside, okay?”
Drago nodded. “Deal. And she’s not a monster – she’s misunderstood.”
Bear shrugged. “If you say so. She is still Baba Roga to me.”
“You know, she loves that nickname you gave her. She thinks its sweet.” Drago laughed.
“She would.” Bear replied. Baba Roga meant ‘little witch’ in his native language, and he meant it literally. “Where is she?”
“Just getting to a local mall, I think. She’ll grab another cab and get back here.”
“And John?” Bear asked.
“Sensors say he just docked the aircar in the ship’s bay.”
“Good, then get Herc ready.”
Drago left the bridge, and went to get Herc. Meanwhile, John entered the ship and came to the bridge. “How’s it going, Bear? Did I get the camera placed right?”
“Da. Now you will see how we get manuscript.” Bear replied.
Drago and Herc returned to the bridge, Herc cooing in anticipation. Drago had a cooler in his left hand, and his right hand was stroking Herc around his neck.
“How are we getting the manuscript?” John asked, wondering what role Herc had to play.
“Well, one of Herc’s talents I learned long ago is that he can teleport to any place he’s seen himself. The camera you placed let me see inside Daarvin’s safe – and Herc is going to teleport inside and take his stuff, and bring it back here. That way we don’t need to sneak into his office at all, or put any of us at risk.”
“Cool!” John replied. “Are we waiting for Hortencia to get back?”
“Nope.” Drago replied. “C’mon Herc, you know what to do… Just like I told you!”
“Cooo!” replied Herc, and disappeared. He returned a few moments later with a pile of loose papers that looked like bank documents.
“That’s not it, Herc! Try again!”
“Cooo!” Herc disappeared, and reappeared with a leather bound book tied with a leather thong, and the silver attaché case.
“Good boy!” Drago said. “Good boy!”
Bear looked at the leather bound book, and nodded. “This is what we are after.”
“Cooo?” Herc asked, looking towards the cooler. “Cooo?”
“Yeah, you’re a good boy Herc.” Drago opened the cooler and handed Herc a sea creature that looked a bit like a large lobster and a bit like a large crab combined together. Herc dived on the creature and bit into it, and poof! Herc vanished.
“I don’t know what the hell those things are, but man does he love them.” Drago said. “I’d better warn Hortencia she’s liable to find shells and carapace all over engineering if he went there to eat it.”
“She will not be too angry. She loves him as much as she loves you.” Bear replied.
“I know, but I should still warn her.”
“What’s this other stuff?” John asked.
“I dunno?” Dragon replied. “Lets take a look.”
The three men looked through the papers and the attaché case, and found some curious documents. The incriminating kind of documents. Apparently Lord Daarvin had been skimming off the top of Ling Standard Products for the past two years and had made off with over two million credits – and since he was in charge of audits, it had gone undetected! The files had account numbers, dates, and amounts… Enough to send Daarvin to prison for life, or get him assassinated.
“That’s a lot of money.” John noted.
“Da.” Bear was stunned.
“What do we do with the papers? They’re worth something?” Drago asked
“I think we need to sit down and figure this out.” Bear said. “Could be a big score – could be more trouble than its worth. Let’s wait for Hortencia to get back. We all need say on this.”
We waited.