A Justice Provider's Tale 03

Chapter 3

Room service had brought me breakfast. Local planet time was maybe somewhere around late afternoon. Thick fog rolled over the lake surface and didn’t allow for much visual distraction. While holding a strip of bacon in one hand I had the GalNet terminal open and checked the Union-wide Runner list, published by the Justice providers association, mine and perhaps your future professional organization. You can do this independent. Any citizen can arrest or detain a Runner and thus earn the bounty, if the warrant says dead or alive, you can terminate a runner. Or you go for the Walking Dead. The ones sentenced to death by the Union court and wanted dead only. After a while, you will find that there are quite a few benefits from belonging to an association. There are a few and I am a member of the biggest two. The just mentioned Justice Providers Association and the Head Hunters League. There are a few others as well.

The biggest benefit is getting jobs. No needless browsing through many sites or going to the huge list of the Justice Department. The JPA not only lists government bounties but also corporate jobs. I always looked for jobs that were listed in the region I happened to be in first.

There were always jobs, small ones mostly of course.

Someone once asked me if there would even be enough work for me. The Union is a very lawful society with good working police and court system.

Yeah, the Union was lawful, alright, but it was also very big and spread out over a vast region of space and had considerable footholds in two other galaxies. While some conditions for crime had been eliminated, there still was envy, greed, passion, love, and hate. As long as there were these basic, yet very strong motivations crime would remain with society for a long time to come. Motivations that seemed universally present in almost all living, thinking beings. True a Pelongi would never steal or do anything to enrich himself beyond what was freely given but had no problem to kill someone who used the wrong words of respect addressing his mate. A Vantax would not kill another being if his life depended on it, but had no qualms stealing the last credit from his dying father.

Union laws kept everything in check most of the time, Union police was very effective and good, but there was always plenty of work of the likes of me.

However, checking the lists of both associations there wasn’t anything really big within five hundred light-years, lots of small bounties as always.

Well, let’s see what Blisterbahl Green had to offer in terms of carnal entertainment. I never claimed to be a saint, right? And Angels came in the bad variety too.

This time the taxi ride was provided by a robotic flyer. The vista while I flew back to the city was, due to a wall of solid fog, quite unspectacular. A message from Yellow Ribbon told me that I was now the owner of an SII-ACUR-45 and that it had been installed.

Another job or two and I would get rid of the Auto Chef as well.

There wasn’t any fog inside the cities dome and of course, there wasn’t any underground in the Glitter and Glamour district.

I gambled a little, surprisingly won seven hundred credits betting on a professional Tabil Tosser match, watched a game of Vacu-Ball with other fans at a sports bar and then spend a large portion of the seven hundred on a very nice looking Chuckian with a heart-shaped face painting that showed me that there still was a difference between Robo sex and the real kind.

Completely content, all human needs taken care of, I was about to go back to the hotel and most likely getting ready to leave Blisterbahl II behind after another nights rest.

I almost heard it too late, and I only was able to react because my field of vision was twenty percent wider than that of a standard human. Told you, I did have a few cyber enhancements. Someone approached me fast holding something ready to strike.

More out of reflex than conscious thought I stepped to the right and something very painful smashed onto my left shoulder. The sudden wave of blinding pain drove me to my knees. Even though this attack came out of the blue and my shoulder feeling like it had been shattered to a thousand pieces and I went down to my knees, I should have not been as careless as I was.

Before I could reach for my gun, a second blow hit me. I heard an angry voice through the fireworks of stars. “Go down already, you piece of shit!”

My cranium was protected by a skull-shaped thin plate of ultronit underneath a subdermal layer wafer siliconite and this was the only reason I was still alive and conscious. The blow to my head was still painful as hell, I rolled forward over my uninjured shoulder drew my weapon the old fashioned way, as I didn’t wear the gloves necessary to make the auto draw function and received a blow against my wrist, making me drop the TKU. Those weren’t simple street thugs, they had training.

But I got a good look at my attacker, or actually two of them. Both of them appeared human and both were armed with clubs.

I was not out on a hunt and did not have all my weapons on me, my TKU was somewhere near and out of reach, but I was not out of options and this wasn’t my first mugging. The razor-sharp ultronit steel combat knife in my left boot was the fastest option and I slashed it across the wrist of the left man, as he swung again, while I tried to kick the shinbone of the other. The kick went nowhere, the guy was fast, and the knife did not reach the wrist, but sliced across the club wielders fingers. He screamed while I heard the loud barked shouts of someone further distant.”That man is getting mugged, Police! Help!”

Both attackers wore bio seal suits with rain hoods drawn around their heads. Their faces concealed behind flesh colored masks.

The uninjured one grabbed the still howling man by the shoulder and dragged him away. Everything had happened very fast.

Still somewhat stunned by the blow against my head, I saw them disappear into the entrance of a bar.

My wrist felt as if it was broken, my right hand did not want to move and if I tried fiery pain shot up my arm. I saw my TKU and fished it with the left from the curbside as beings came running. A Klack bent into my field of view.”Police and first responders are on their way, Citizen. Are you hurt?”

“I believe I am.”

A Steel and Flesh team arrived just then. The Attikan police officer climbed off the back of his robot. The Attikan that somewhat resembled a Terran Hyena listened to the Klack. “This citizen was attacked by two masked men, just moments ago. They fled into the Golden Raindrop over there.”

The robot had scanned my CITI and attached an AutoDoc to my chest. This little marvel of Union engineering made a faint humming sound and I was almost instantly pain-free.

I swung my legs off the treatment table and thanked the attending med-tech, yet another Chuckian. She wore the eight-pointed blue medical services logo painted on her face and had her hair dyed in the same blue shade. “Thanks, doc. I feel as good as new.”

“Your shoulder was shattered, I had to replace it as well as the bones in your wrist and printed you new ones. That cranium implant saved your life no doubt, you still had an open wound and a concussion. You also had the onset of Tilian’s disease. Very, very uncommon with standard humans, you haven’t been to an Andorian world lately or had intimate contact with one?”

“Well, I wouldn’t call it intimate. What is Tilian’s disease?”

“A blood infection transmitted by the Andorian Skin Diggers. You had several of them.”

I shuddered. “Dead man’s revenge. Teaches me, handling the body without any protection.”

She blinked. “You contracted those from a dead Andorian with questionable hygienic habits?”

“Never mind that. Say, there must be a Chuckian convention somewhere.”

“Naturally there are many Chuckians here, our holy planet is only sixty light-years from here. We have one of our largest temples right here on Blisterbahl II.”

“You are the prettiest of them all. Ever considered showing me what you got under that face paint or maybe under that tight white dress?”

“Mr. Marifou, considering the company you keep. Dead Andorians and Andorian Skin Diggers I see no chances of that happening.”

“That hurts. That really hurts, and there you are withholding the treatment that would soothe the pain.”

“Speaking of pain, you are not completely healed yet. I recommend you stay at least three more days and take it very easy. The wound I had to make to pull out that bone puzzle from your wrist, was very big and the tissue is still regenerating and the nanites aren’t done yet. So come back in two days, let me check my work and evacuate the tissue weavers. Maybe by then, I could be coaxed to have lunch with you and tell you more about the Chuckian culture and why we paint our bodies.”

I closed my shirt.”I wanted to leave this place tomorrow, but now I will take your advice and be back the day after tomorrow.”

Outside the med clinic, I almost ran into a Pertharian. These brutes, native to the Andromeda galaxy were among the strongest and most powerful beings. Rumors that they were the base organism the Y’All were built after, never really died. Even though they were most likely the most loyal and dedicated Union species of them. This four-armed eight feet tall giant with eight yellow glowing eyes, a maw full of cone-shaped needle-sharp teeth wore a dark blue Union police uniform. The uniform covered most of his crystalline armored gray and red body. Very few species could match the raw power, their fighting skills, and their almost impenetrable armor skin. This one had the rank of a captain and he addressed me with his Pertharian gravel chewing voice.” Mr. Marifou, I am Captain Pulzier of the 988th precinct. I would like to ask you more questions regarding the attack.”

“I already gave a statement to the Flesh and Steel team. It was Poly analyzed if I recall correctly. It was just a mugging attempt or something like that. I did flash a BICS around which was a stupid thing to do.

“Indeed, using a Bank independent credit strip in a Glamour and Glitter district is not the smartest thing to do, but this is Blisterbahl -Green and I want anyone to be able to use a million credit BICS, show it to everyone and not be mugged or in your case jumped with the attempt to kill.”

“I am working hard on the ‘do-not-make-mistakes’ problem I have, with little success so it appears, but why the investigation by a police captain no less, don’t you guys have a few detectives that can do that sort of thing?”

“We do, but the case is important. Your attack made the local news you see. The Klack calling the authorities is Y’Thjkit, the president of our Chamber of Commerce. He was just showing a group of investors and reporters around the Glitter and Glamour district when they saw you being clubbed.

Lordstar Accommodations Corporations has just invested one billion credits in the Super Tree Hotel and resort. Construction of a second Spaceport has begun a month ago and we believe the ‘Shaill Trail Park’ will open on schedule in two weeks. Planet management has asked me to make sure no stone is unturned in investigating that crime.”

I sighed. “I get the picture and I will do my best to help you out here. I wouldn’t mind seeing those Club swinging bastards before a Union judge or even better on the wanted list of fugitives.”

I picked up my weapon from the receptionist and asked.”Out of mild curiosity but who in the world wants to spend their vacation on Blisterbahl II?

While I could not read Pertharian emotions, I was certain he was scolding me right now. “Do you know how many Shaill and Shail there are? The Shaill Trail amusement park is almost exclusively tailored to their needs. With olfactory attractions, Shaill style mold restaurants and so forth. We already have almost two million Shaill visiting every year and we hope to increase that number considerably. Besides the Shaill there are the Chuckians. It’s a relatively small religious-based human society, but there are about three Billion Chuckians in the M-0 galaxy and they just dedicated their second most important temple right here and that means millions of pilgrims. That we have about half a million non-business visitors of other species might surprise you.”

“It does, but it explains the investments and the planet manager breathing down your non-existing neck. So ask your questions then. I intend to recuperate over a nice dinner and a few cold beers as soon as you’re done.”

“I get right to it then. The weapons used in the attack were Morgan-Slayer gravo-assist clubs. These things are expensive and while they are not illegal, they are not sold on Blisterbahl II.”

“Then someone bought them on GalNet and had them shipped.” I wrinkled my forehead, but you are right. Morgan slayers aren’t cheap. Some local law enforcement agencies and security companies equip their guys with those.”

“Indeed and no mugging or crime has been committed on this planet using these ever before. Mr. Marifou have you ever been on Blisterbahl II before?”

“Yeah I have been here before, twice I think the first time in ‘22, then in ‘25 on or about. I get around and don’t always keep exact dates. This is the first time I am ending a hunt here though.”

“That seems too long for anyone waiting for your return, but your business will make you enemies, I am certain. You would not think it possible that someone followed you and tried to get even for something?”

“That possibility has crossed my mind the second the club hit me, Captain. You’re right I am certain I have my share of enemies, but unless they are clairvoyant they would not have known that I went to Gullster’s Paradise or decided to come here. I have no associates or maintain an office that informs someone about my whereabouts. My home is parked underneath your spaceport. I haven’t been to my home port of Gore II and place of registry in eighteen years.” But I had to admit the police captain’s questions started to make me think.”Say, the severed fingers. I hurt one of the guys real good, any visits to the clinic?”

“We put out a report request to all clinics and doctors of the planet and the system, right away but so far no one reported anyone with two missing fingers.”

“And the fingers?”

“Sorry, Mr. Marifou. It is me who needs to ask the questions and I can’t share any lab results with you.”

“Why not? I am the victim here and I cut them off. I like to know who they belong to. I am sure a virtual DNA model will give the world of origin and there might be clues on the fingers or in the blood where the fellow has been recent.”

“This is an ongoing and active police investigation and for precisely the reason you are the victim, we can not share our investigation results with you. But for the time being, I hope you recuperate well and please don’t leave the planet just yet. Mr. Y’Thjkit insists you being a guest of the Chamber in the meantime.”

My tone became hostile.”You have no right to hold me here, I am a free citizen and have not committed any crimes.”

“Under the Crime investigation Assistance act of 4553, I can ask you to keep yourself available to further assist us with answering any questions we may have, for up to five days.”

“Just great! This is just great. I am the victim here. You do not share the results of your investigation with me but you treat me like the perpetrator!”

“No Sir, but you are a citizen and as you know with citizenship comes not only a great number of privileges but a few responsibilities. Assisting police in investigating and solving crime is one such responsibility, as recognized in the CIAA. Five days aren’t too much of an inconvenience, especially since you are a guest of the Chamber of Commerce during that time.”

He shifted his massive bulk and was about to leave.”Don’t get the wrong impression, Mr. Marifou I am on your side as long as I feel you are straight with me. And I will be the first asking the judge for an off-planet arrest warrant if the perpetrators have fled this world.”

He used both his right arms to give me some sort of salute and left the clinic lobby.

The Chuckian med tech said.”Seems you aren’t very happy about staying here.”

“I don’t like to be forced to stay, that’s the big one, but the big bruiser from the Andromeda galaxy has me thinking. Maybe there is more to that attack than a mugging.”

“Well, maybe I can change your disappointment by staying here longer than you planned to. I am done in two hours.”

“I am much less disappointed already.”

--””--

“This is nice!” She said watching one of these frog-like creatures climb out of the water and stick to the slight curved transparent wall. “This is a Warkh. They come in all sizes and many colors.” She had nestled her face against my chest while I played with a strand of blue hair. Looking up she slid a hand under the thin cover and touched me.”This is nice too. You’re not so bad at all.”

“So why are you guys painting your faces and all that. you look and feel quite human to me.”

“Chuckian is a sect, a religion, silly and not a race or species. Even though I think most Chuckians are of human origin. Our founder Lucy Moore, a human Terran was originally a Disnian but had a fundamental disagreement. It is our core belief that one has to find his or her soul essential and then express it in external body art. I am a healer and I really love being a Med Tech. What would you express as a fundamental core expression?”

I was admiring her nice chest while she increased her manual stimulation efforts.”I never thought of it. I’d look silly with girls painted all over me. Ohhh...”

--””--

Her name was Moona and she was just as talented as the other Chuckian girl, I spend almost seven hundred credits on, or maybe even a little more. It was late as we sat on the small table of my hotel room and enjoyed an opulent room service breakfast. She wore her tight white and blue medic uniform and had her hair and face paint done. I was still wearing nothing but a pair of boxers.

“I love real chicken eggs.” She proclaimed as she mopped up some egg yolk with a piece of buttered toast. “Earth chicken don’t do well on Blisterbahl II I was told, and that’s why they sell eggs, a credit each.”

I had already finished my steak and egg breakfast and raised my mug of coffee.”Well, who knows from what planet they have to be shipped then. Considering that, a single credit isn’t all that expensive. I bet that naturally sourced steak I just ate, traveled some distance too.”

“Yeah, I bet it did. I need to go now. I am pulling a night shift, but since you stuck here, you could pick me up after I am done tomorrow at Three Hour. We have breakfast at Gildo’s and I show you the temple and afterward, we go to my place and I make us a Chuckian dinner. I think you might also be interested in talking to my flatmate.”

Reminded that I was stuck on this steamy, wet world clouded my face, even though the prospect of another night or two with Moona would most likely entice me to extend my little vacation voluntarily.”Your friend?” My tone of voice sank.”So you are in a partnership of sorts?”

She smiled as she got up.”Would it matter? You are gone as soon as you can anyway. But no, Leeza is just a good friend and we share an apartment, Downtown, up dome.”

My spirits were instantly lifted, the prospects of a very interesting evening had just been increased significantly. “Who knows I might even become a Chuckian and stay on Blisterbahl. What kind of inner self has she painted on herself?”

“Fat chance. You are a vagabond, I can taste the roaming spirit that drives you, but you’re a nice diversion for a few days. She isn’t Chuckian, but an Ebony Elfin. She might be interesting to you because she is the head crime scene investigator of the Union police precinct.”

“You are very good in bed, Moona and it turns out you are an intuitive and smart girl too.”

“I know.” She laughed and left.

--””--

Since I was stuck on Blisterbahl II for longer than I intended. I checked out Angel’s Wings and the new AutoNav. The Plato did a good job, I could tell right away. Because the new Auto Nav was a tad bigger than the old one, he had to adjust the console housing. He didn’t just cut and drop it in but machined and reworked the console surface. The Auto-Nav looked as if it had been there by design.

I called Yellow Ribbon and asked for Lun. “Hey Lun, “I greeted him.”You did a first-rate job with the installation, thank you. You wouldn’t be able to service the Serv-Matic? I can’t really afford a new one. I am stuck here for a few days.”

“I am glad you are happy with my work. As requested I serviced your Pods too. The left one was fine and needed only a little TLC. The right one, however, would need a new lattice assembly soon. Nothing serious yet, but I recommend you have it replaced soon. We have a Serv-Matic specialist and we can take a look no problem.”

“What’s my bill so far?”

“The fuel ran you 5025, the ACUR 16,000. The old Enroe paid for the install and the service on both pods. Bill comes to 21,025.”

“How much for a new lattice?”

“An even thou, but I tell you what. I do it for 975 credits and we service your auto chef for another 500.”

I thanked him and transferred 22,500 credits and added a nice tip.

He also thanked me and said.”The Chamber of Commerce is picking up your parking bill, for as long as you want to stay and they threw in a detailing. We gonna scrub and clean your bird if you like.”

“That would be very much appreciated.”

After I had dealt with that. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do until Moona would be off.

Leaving the spacecraft parking and service level, I found myself back in the spaceport concourse. A lit sign ′Genuine Miller beer’ caught my eye, there wasn’t much I preferred more than this old real Terran beer. I wasn’t on the hunt, so tox was fine. I would soon find out if it was indeed genuine.

The sign belonged to an open-sided spaceport bar, with bar stools and variform chairs around a small number of tables on the gleaming pour-a-stone floor of the spaceport concourse.

A space bus or passenger ship must have just left. The port concourse and thus the bar wasn’t too busy. There were two Shaill at a table, the stairs pushed aside as they used their hover-sleds. They both had opted for something green on disc-like plates. There was a Klack and a Saran on another table. One of the seven barstools was occupied by a bald Blue and the barkeep was a pelted blue being, I recognized to be a Thalian Ice Cat.

I learned a little over the bar and asked.”The Miller sign, is it just decoration?”

“Oh no, citizen. I am selling seventeen genuine Terran and Terran Colony beers: Miller, Budweiser, Spaten, Paulaner, Red Stripe, Corona, Holsteiner, Coors, Samuel Ad...”

I stopped him.”A cold Miller then!”

The Thalian did serve me a genuine glass bottle, with the familiar label. Everything was spelled as it should be.

He also placed a frosted glass next to the bottle, but I didn’t bother with the glass.

I took a sip ... it was indeed the real stuff. I’ve been to bars all over the galaxy and once even at Terra’s moon itself. What was praised as genuine wasn’t always genuine? While it was against the law to do so, it was still a common practice and more likely the further out you went.

But this was the genuine stuff. I always liked beer, especially Terran style beers and of all the ones I tried, this was my favorite.

I had emptied the bottle and asked the Ice cat.”What’s the damage?”

“Five credits, Sir.”

That surprised me, even in a bar on Luna, I paid about the same. “Alright then, more of the same.”

The Blue had some sort of cocktail before him, and he pointed at the big visualizer while addressing the bartender.”Aren’t you going to show the Deathmatch? It’s about that time!”

The barkeeper shook his head. “Sorry, Citizen. The Deathmatch show is officially canceled. Duke Donheer was killed, by a pirate. Didn’t you see the show last week?”

The Blue cursed.”Alak No Tamen! Kulk be Kuluk! There goes one of my favorite programs. No, I didn’t see the last show. I was on a Space train trip from Andromeda, as you know. Trains don’t get GalNet while they are in the Anti-Light tunnel.”

I snickered.”And there I thought, the Blue were so sophisticated, cursing in Freezone squack like a Jooltar.”

The Blue turned.”This Blue happens to be on his way back to N’Ger planet. There isn’t much in terms of Union sophistication, but lots of Jooltar.”

“Holy Mickey. That’s still a far way to travel and Blisterbahl II seems a tad out of the way. Isn’t N’Ger about as far as you can be in Freespace? I mean no Union traffic or service and lots of pirates.”

He sighed. “Yes it is, but many Union companies still trade with Freespace societies. My company maintains a presence in the Union enclave on N’Ger. DeNoir, Solio, Barstow, Enroe, Nagel and us of course, SIIIM-EX to name a few. We all trade with the Karthanians first and foremost, several Oghr species of the Shattered Kingdom, the aforementioned Jooltar and a hundred others you probably never even heard off.” He took a sip of his drink and motioned the barkeep to get a refill. “You do know that we Blue are from the Andromeda galaxy, right?” He asked me.

I nodded.”Yes, I think you guys were among the first Andromeda Union members, right?”

“The very first and thanks to the ingenious Space train one can make the trip across the Bridge in only four days, or from our core world New Koken to Pluribus in just under six days. That’s a trip of almost three million light-years, making the trip from Linda’s Harbor to N’Ger 12,500 light-years takes over a month because it isn’t Union space anymore. No space trains, no fast clippers. Just large corporate heavy-armed corporation convoys, that lumber slowly along. So I am making this trip only once in a while, my brother and his family decided to be colonists and live on U-56730-III, a fringe colony just a space bus trip from here.” He received his drink. “Now I wait for the next connection that takes me to Three-Point’s system and Linda’s Harbor a corporate world so I can board the next convoy that leaves for N’Ger.”

“Well I am a traveling man myself, but I haven’t traveled much beyond Union space. Been to Sangris, that’s a non-Union system in the Coreward sector and moved across the bridge to Midway, never went all the way though.”

The barkeep had waited on customers he had at his tables and came back. “Donheer’s Deathfight is gone, but they repeat the big event from earlier last week. The return of the Terror Hammer, that infamous pirate Black Velvet captured and fighting a real-life Stomper from Green Hell. If you love Death Fight, you got to watch the last one.”

Both the Blue and I almost simultaneous said.” We going to, when does it start?”

The Barkeep checked his PDD. “Six Hour-Standard Union, GalNet 667 or in about 120 minutes. I am not streaming it here, fellows. That show is for adults only, it is controversial and offends as many Union citizens as it has fans. Not good for business.”

The Blue said.”Well, I am on my way to Three-Point by then.”

The Ice cat said.”The space-bus to Three-Point has GalNet service, just activate your privacy bubble, otherwise, the viewer will not accept the 667 selection.”

The Blue thanked the Ice Cat.

I purchased ten bottles of Miller, a big bag of salted Shakara nuts, a bag of pretzels and hoped the hotel room service delivered chicken wings. I didn’t have a nice relaxing evening, with GalNet in spectator mode watching something I liked for a long time.

Loaded with two big carry bags, I arrived at the SuperTree Hotel, didn’t pay attention much to anything and used the next available descender, selecting water level room eight.

As I reached the spherical room a moment later. And exited the elevator into the already extended connection corridor. I was stopped by the big Pertharian Captain Pulzier. “Damned. Isn’t it enough you keep me here, now you come to interrogate me again? I have a good mind talking to OOCA about that!”

“Mr. Marifou, I am glad to see you and yes I will have a few questions. But I came here because Hotel management reported a break-in and a vandalized room sphere, and since it was the sphere you are occupying, I feel there is more to this than just a case of random crime. Not that we have many hotel room burglaries, this being the first one as a matter of fact.”

That did give me pause and I put the bags down on the floor. “Burglarized? I didn’t travel with luggage, but left some of my usual hardware behind.”

The telescopic corridor made it difficult but he motioned me to squeeze by and I went to the open room door.

The transparent wall featured several big holes and the place was flooded, with the same dark water that filled the lake outside. Pillows floated above the submerged bed. A Warkh, perhaps even the same Moona had pointed out to me sat on the headboard.

“That is some serious damage. The new Auto Dresser alone was over a hundred thousand, the Captain said standing right behind me.”Whoever broke in were no amateurs either. They disabled the safety sensors that would register flooding. We also think they flooded the room after they went through it, to obliterate any possible evidence. Since no other room was burglarized even a dense Pertharian like me begins to see a pattern here.”

“Whoever it is, is after me. I can see that too. But I can not think of anyone who would have the resources to know where I am. Unless I have been followed for a while. The further out the easier it is to find someone, after all.”

“Uh?”

“I hunt runners, Captain. The smart ones hide at the big places. Frank’s Planet, Pluribus Petra and so forth. The amateurs and the not so smart ones think they can hide out here in the fringes, not realizing how easy it is to pick up their trail. I think someone is on my trail and I was blind to it because I didn’t expect it.” I turned.”And I usually know when I am followed. You guys need a lot of practice, the Saran in the hotel lobby. The Klack with the same Saran at the bar.”

“I let them know you spotted them, but they were there just to keep an eye on you and make sure you are safe.”

“And check if I was engaging in any sort of activity that would allow you to take me in some sort of custody, right?”

He gestured over the flooded room before us.”Do you blame me? It might be a good idea you volunteer for protective custody until we figured out who’s after you.”

“Nope, Captain. I am staying as long as that CIAA has me stay to do my Citizen duty, then I am out of here. If someone is on my heels, I have a better chance to see who it is out there and take matters in my own hands.”

“I can’t hold you and you haven’t broken any laws, but whoever is after you aren’t playing games. As a police officer, it is my sworn duty to protect you, Sir. As the Captain of this precinct and responsible for this place, I want you gone the sooner the better. I have a feeling whatever trouble there is will follow you.”

The elevator had descended and a small thin-framed human in an immaculate business suit stepped out. “Mr. Marifou, I hope the police has explained to you that this has never happened before and we, of course, have a new room for you. Our adjustment manager will contact you in the morning to discuss reimbursement for any missing property.”

“Yes, the Captain explained it well.”