Athena Lee Chronicles 7: The Martian Inheritance (14 page)

“Many of you have become blind to that which happens around us. Your pursuit of power and prestige has become the only goal. A rot has crept into our society and it could doom us all. A trusted member of our society: the man in charge of those that defend our frontiers has attempted to kill me and all you seem to care about is who gets the power after he succeeds! What has happened to us?”

“Primus… ”

“No! You will listen. I intend to root this rot out at the source. Expect repercussions for the actions of a few. If you are a part of this conspiracy or are harboring the now, rogue Admiral? Run, because we are coming for you.”

She made a throat cutting motion and the screens all went dark.

“Athena, you and your sister are my heirs. You always have been. I have always believed in matriarchal succession. Something those idiot in there forget about. I know that you have your career, but know that Mars is here for you.”

“Grandmother, Wilson found the missing Admiral.”

“He did? Where?”

“That is something that I need to talk to you about. He is in the Mars headquarters of the Cabal.”

“What? That Society is here? On Mars? Where are they?”

“Grandmother, my father sent me here to finalize the treaty with Mars and if possible find and meet you. He sent my girlfriend Dar here for a different reason. The Imperial Commodore that tried to kill my world is here, on Mars. My father and sister, aware of the lack of extradition laws intended to kidnap him and return him for trial. However, he is in hiding. We located the Cabal base here on Mars. Our target is in the attic hiding, yours is in the basement being interrogated.”

Amalie was just staring at me. Then she began to laugh. “Athena don’t worry if you ever have to go into politics because you are a natural at it. Where is this house and how many are on Dar’s team? Don’t worry, I’m not mad. I would have done the same thing. I assume that Wilson is keeping you informed?”

“Yes. They left me out of the loop for opsec purposes. But Wilson, ever the busybody, has been keeping track of things. The embassy recognized the Admiral when he and his aide entered the building. Wilson says they debated telling you and your government of his whereabouts.”

“I can see why if they have their own operation going.” Amalie was typing messages as she talked.

“On his own Wilson infiltrated the house and downloaded their records.”

She looked up. “Did he really? Was there anything interesting in there?”

“They kept detailed records. Every operation, payoff, or blackmailed politician they’re involved with is in there. You were right all along Amalie. They were behind the death of Juno.”

After a moment of shock, tears began streaming down Amalie’s face. She put her hands over her eyes, as if to stop them. I walked over and wrapped my arms around her. “I’m so sorry Grandmother. To find our like this after so many years…”

“No, Athena. Not your fault. It just hardens my resolve.” She pressed a button on her console. “Gaston I need you.”

Gaston came bursting into the room through a hidden door guns at the ready. He resembled an vid from New Texas with guns drawn in both hands. “Primus are you alright?”

“Thank you for coming so quickly! Mobilize the special squads. We have a rat to chase down!”

“Excellent, Ma’am. Give me thirty minutes and then meet us in the house garage.”

“Good. We will be along momentarily. Make sure that there is armor available for my granddaughter. Now, I have a call to make.” She typed a number into her system and stood back from her desk. The face of the Hong Kong ambassador filled the big screen.

“Primus? What can I do for you today?”

“Ambassador I need for us to work together today. I understand that you have a possible operation happening tonight? I need for your people to work with mine on this.”

‘Primus, I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about. What operation would that be?” He paused and turned to his right. Someone out of camera range was talking to the man. He nodded and turned back. “We don’t have anything going on Primus. As you know we do not have permission to operate on Martian soil. You are mistaken.”

Amalie chuckled. “Well then Sir, my troops are assaulting the Cabal’s house in the Mission district later. If we find any foreign troops on our soil we will just consider them hostile and shoot them on sight.”

The ambassador looked alarmed now. Whoever was off screen began talking again. The ambassador threw up his hands and waved that person off. “Primus, we may have a team in that area. I will pull them out and send them back to the ship.”

“Why not have Lieutenant Zakaszewski and her team link up with mine and we will assault them together? I am looking for the rat in the basement. You can have the one in the attic.”

The ambassador had his mouth open. “Never kid a kidder Ambassador. One of the first rules of politics. Never ask a question that you don’t already know the answer to. Have her team stay where they are in the cafe across the street and my agent will meet up with them. Does that work for you?” The ambassador just stared. “I will take your silence as a yes.”

“Tootles!”

Chapter 19

The message said to wait until contacted. Dar looked at her communications expert Sergeant Carter. “What do they mean wait until contacted? Who knows that we are even here?”

“That is what I asked them, Ma’am. It was my understanding that they wanted a hands-off approach. We did not inform them of our location.”

Dar scratched her head at this message. They gone to a lot of trouble getting into position around the Cabal’s house. The sudden appearance of a Martian Navy Admiral and his aide had stalled the attack. Now the embassy and her intelligence contact was telling them to wait? Fine. “Vince, let the boys know that we are on hold. Have them keep their eyes open. Who knows who this contact is going to be.”

Dar was behind the bar making coffee and serving mixed drinks. The cafe, it seems was owned by the intelligence service. It made for a good cover. Her men could come and go as employees and none be the wiser. A vaguely familiar older blond woman with a short prissy man sat down at the bar. The day had been fairly busy so far. Too bad that she was on duty, the tips here were pretty good.

“How can I help you today?” The woman looked very familiar. Something about the eyes and the line of the jaw. It was like looking at an older version of Athena. That thought made her wish she could see Athena today, before the operation kicked off.

“We would like two cafe espresso darks please.” Dar’s eyes narrowed. That drink was only served on Freedom Station. She had never had it anywhere else before.

“Will that be all for you today?” Dar casually wiped the bar with her left hand to cover her movement of drawing her handgun under the counter.

“Yes, we need an iced tea, no lemon. My grand-daughter is joining us.”The older woman smiled.

“Certainly wait just a moment.” Dar put her gun away and made the drinks. Her head was down mixing the coffee when a familiar voice said “thanks grandmother.”

Dar’s head jerked up, almost spilling the coffee. There were now two blonds staring at her from across the bar. With the two side-by-side they almost were identical.

“Hi sweetie. Miss me?” Athena had that cute smile that brought out the dimple on her face that Dar simply loved.

Trying to stay in character Dar replied to her. “Yes ma’am. Something else I can get you?” Dar handed Athena her iced tea.

The older blond began to laugh. Poking Athena in the ribs she said, “I see what you mean about her. Business first always.”

“Yes, my sweetie works too hard sometimes. But I love her anyway. Doesn’t she look cute in her cafe outfit?”

Breaking character Dar finally replied. “I’m standing right here you know? Athena you know I love you, but why are you here?”

“Dar, we are the people that you are waiting for. That house behind us is important to more than just our government. Have you met my great-grandmother Primus Amalie Dorr?”

“Nice to meet you Lieutenant Zakaszewski. May I call you Dar?”

Dar simply nodded. Her briefing on Mars government had mentioned the woman in front of him. It had failed to mention that she was related to Athena Lee.

“Don’t worry too much about your cover identity Dar. My men have been infiltrating the area for the past hour. I’m surprised that you didn’t notice the change.”

Dar looked around the courtyard and noticed now that the people were different. To a skilled operator, like her, they seemed out of place. But they blended very well.

“We want the Admiral and his aide. You may have the crazy Russian. Our intelligence is that your target is upstairs in the attic apartment. The men that we want are actually being tortured for information in the sub levels of the house. Sub levels that are not supposed to exist. I have instructed my security forces to not intervene when you take Vakulinchuk off -world. Does that meet with your approval?”

“One question, how do you know exactly where any of them are?”

“Oh we know more than that. We have floor plans, numbers of hostiles, even the door codes needed to access the lift.”

Dar looked at her smiling girlfriend. “You used Wilson didn’t you? Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Sweetie he did it all on his own. The Admiral tried to kill us in a rocket attack. Wilson set out to track him down and found everything.”

“Rocket attack? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine. I promise.”

One of Dar’s men came out and froze when he saw who was at the bar. “Uh, Ma’am do you need any help?”

“No thanks Corporal Boyle.” Boyle turned suddenly toward his commander. They were not supposed to break cover.”It’s OK. They already know. Take a look at the courtyard and street and tell me what you see.”

“I know that they aren’t ours but they are pretty good.”

Grandmother answered. “Thank you, Corporal.”

“You might mention to the street performer that mimes do not normally wear combat boots, but everything else looks good.” He was studying the people.

“Corporal.” The man continued to study the passers-by. His concentration was totally on them and he did not hear Dar speaking to him. “Chuck!”

“Huh, sorryLieutenant. I was caught up in the moment.”

“Tell our men that we are going in soon. Martian special forces have the lead on this one. They are going after that Admiral. They say that we can have the commodore. He is up on the top floor. The code for the lift is 8539. We will enter after they have secured the lobby.”

After her man left Dar looked back at Grandmother and I. “I have one request. Can you two ladies stay behind the bar when we do this?”

“Honey we will leave the assault for you big strong warrior types. Me and grandma will just hang out here and watch.”

“That sounds like a good plan.” Dar left the bar area and went in the back to get ready.

Commodore Vakulinchuk was the first to notice the change. He had been staring out the window at the small cafe across the street. If he wasn’t stuck in this house, that was where he would be. Sipping coffee and watching the girls go by. Come to think of it, shouldn’t there be girls out there by now. Looking in both directions up and down the street he couldn’t even see the mimes that had been plying their trade. A flash of light caught his eye and he looked down just in time to see several squads of special operations forces assault the building that he was in! He began to panic and call for his protectors. “Major Niers! Major Niers, quickly!”

The major had just gotten to sleep. What did that idiot need now? “Commodore what can I do for you?” The commodore was wide eyed and shaking.

“I just saw troops attacking the house, this house! You need to save me. Get me out of here!”

The major looked out the window. “Troops? I don’t see any…” The shrieking alarm and faint gunshots prevented him from finishing his statement. “Damn it! Commodore get down behind the couch! Pétursson get in here!”

Sergeant Pétursson’s large body filled the doorway. He had a pistol in his ham-like fist and an assault rifle in the other. “I heard Major. What is our plan?”

“We have a few minutes. A special code is needed to access the lift. The only secure way out of here is the lift. There are no stairs we can use. We may be able to jump to the other roof from here. Let me take a look.” The major looked out a side window at the neighboring building and almost had his head blown off. There was a squad of enemy soldiers waiting for such a move.