The Lost Command (Lost Starship Series Book 2) Read online

  The flitter went down and thudded onto the floor. It shook Maddox out of his reverie. It was time to begin the play. With a click, the bubble canopy slid back.

  Maddox didn’t wait for instructions. With his hands on the side, he vaulted over the door, landing before the waiting guards. Five pitted gun barrels came up, training on his chest.

  Riker used the flitter’s door, leaving it ajar as he walked around to join the captain. Two other guards aimed their weapons at him.

  “Search them both.” The words came out of an amplifier perched on the shoulder of the largest bodyguard. The man stood seven feet tall. He was likely a clone specially bred for combat.

  A normal-looking woman separated herself from the black-armored guards. Her hair was in a bun. She wore a suit and held a thin scanner.

  With it beeping as she waved it over the captain’s body, she proceeded to disarm Maddox. He divested himself of a force blade, gun, needler and one-shot nozzle, tossing the items onto a growing pile. After he pitched his ankle-gun onto the pile, she looked up into Maddox’s face, giving him a reproving glance.

  He gave her a cool smile in return. Just don’t let her change the wand’s setting. That’s all he asked. This was the moment his ploy would sink or swim.

  She ran the wand over his body again, without it making a sound. This was it. She brought the scanner to her chest, and it seemed as if she was about to switch settings. Instead, she moved beside Riker and waved it over him.

  The old man wore his sidearm, but that was it. He unbuckled it, taking his time doing so. Trust Riker to play it out, making the others impatient; the curmudgeon did his part perfectly. Maddox could have cheered.

  “Well?” the chief bodyguard asked. “The boss is waiting. Time is money.”

  “They’re clean,” the woman said, holstering the scanner at her side.

  With the tip of his machine gun, the seven-foot bodyguard prodded Maddox in the back. “Let’s get going. It’s time to talk with his Excellency.”

  Maddox and Riker walked in front, followed by the powered-armored guards. Their boots clanked against the floor, proving the body armor had to weigh four to five times as much as a man. The woman with the scanner stayed behind.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Maddox noticed that Riker walked stiffly, with his hands in the air. The captain cleared his throat.

  The sergeant glanced at him. Maddox slapped his hands against his hips. Understanding flooded into Riker’s eyes. He lowered his hands.

  “You must try to relax,” Maddox whispered.

  “I need a Guinness for that, sir. I can almost taste the one I could have had last night.”

  “Quit your yapping,” the giant told them. “And just in case you two don’t know, if either of you attempts anything Signor Nerva dislikes, I’ll put you down hard.”

  Maddox stopped and looked back at the guards. It was time to begin unnerving them. He would react oddly, against expectations. “I’d already assumed that to be the case.”

  Two of the guards traded glances with each other. The chief guard waved his repeater, obviously meaning for Maddox to keep walking.

  “As you wish,” Maddox said, resuming the march.

  After turning a corner, they entered a large lift. It easily accommodated the lot of them. The door slid shut, and the elevator headed up instead of down. Maddox found that interesting. The greater safety lay on or in the earth. Octavian must feel perfectly at ease, an odd emotion for someone shaking his fist at Star Watch Intelligence during a time of martial law.

  Soon, the lift slowed, the door opened and the power-armored guards prodded the pair. Maddox and Riker walked through a spacious chamber displaying several ancient and quite famous statues. Next, they passed old swords, spears and shields, obvious antiques.

  “These are originals?” Maddox asked over his shoulder.

  None of the bodyguards answered. Maybe they didn’t know.

  “If these are real,” Maddox told Riker, “this is a more impressive collection than the items in the Louvre.”

  “Where’s that?” Riker asked.

  “Paris,” Maddox said, as if the sergeant should know.

  The old man shrugged.

  The chamber turned into open space, maybe three floors in height. From the ceiling, a large disc lowered. A soft hum from the underside indicated antigravity generators. In a moment, the disc landed on the floor and the humming stopped. On the disc were several sofas and large chairs. A man in a dark suit sat on one of the chairs facing them.

  The bodyguards came to attention, although they kept their weapons trained on Maddox and Riker.

  The captain recognized the seated man as Octavian Nerva. Maddox had never met the tycoon, but he had seen plenty of pictures.

  Although he was nearly three hundred years old, Octavian looked like a well-kept athlete in his sixties. He was regular-sized, with a full head of dark hair, intense brown eyes and a fierce manner. He stood and walked toward them, moving with greater flexibility than most men a quarter of his age.

  “Sir,” the guard leader said. “May I suggest—?”

  “Benito,” Octavian said, gently shaking his head.

  The bodyguard fell silent.

  Octavian halted several meters from Maddox, studying him. Then, the richest man on Earth glanced at Sergeant Riker.

  “You’re the bastard who shot my son in the chest, isn’t that so?” Octavian asked.

  “Uh, your Excellency,” Riker said in a humble tone. “That was a terrible accident. I never intended your son any harm.”

  “Yet you shot him at full stun,” Octavian said. “I’ve read the report. Clearly, you did intend to hurt him.”

  “Of course he did,” Maddox said, with contempt in his voice. “Your son cheated during a viper stick duel. That’s why he died such a useless death.”

  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. Fina
lly, 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.