Gold Rush Read online

  He approached the vehicle. As he did the doors opened up. Brian tossed his briefcase onto the passenger side. Once he had belted himself into the car, the two doors lowered sealing him in. The twin Radamite jets fired off.

  Brian backed out on the spot. Then he went forward. Aponte was known for its superior terrain following software. It was excellent. It made him feel like he was driving a contact vehicle. He got home. He took his briefcase and walked to his apartment. He opened the Apartment door to see Felicity’s Auburn hair radiant in his lighting. He also saw that she had on a white knit shirt and a white skort. Her well-used clubs standing in her bag next to her.

  “Let’s play golf.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  A Joint Mission

  FEKICITY, GOLF PRO

  Brian stepped into his apartment chuckling. He gave her a kiss.

  “Let me change into my Golf clothing.”

  “Can I watch?”

  “Sure. I will be completly naked at some point”

  She followed him into his bedroom. She noticed that the bed was made with military precision “Most men don’t like to take their clothes off. Not you. You take some delight in taking off your clothes ”

  “I was a Marine. We are trained from the start to get rid of our body consciousness. I may be in a Squad with three women. The Undersuit does not leave any doubt as to your sex. Then there was the first Sergeant. She was one of the first women who thought I was sexy.”

  “Are you proud of your body?”

  “Somewhat.”

  “Well, there you are.”

  Brian smiled. He walked passed her in case she wanted to touch.

  “Can you dance?” She grabbed Brian’s tool.

  “I do that quite well.”

  “Do you dance exotically like the men on Dribble street.”

  “Give me a minute to see it done. I’ve never seen it done for women. I’ll save that for later”

  Brian put on his golf clothing. He shouldered his clubs. Then they walked down to the car.

  When she saw that the car was an Aponte, she ran to the car. She ran her hands over the absolutely glowing red color. She slid on the car with the fin of the car rubbing between her legs Where she touched, she left no prints.

  “Would you like for me to leave you alone with my Grav-car?”

  “Huh?” She realized that she was rubbing on his car. “Sorry,” she said giving the car some distance.

  “My car gets more action than I do.”

  Felicity came up to Brian. She gave him a deep kiss that included tongue. “Are we taking the Aponte?”

  “We are as soon as I can sit down again.”

  Felicity giggled. It felt great to have a boyfriend again. The fact that it was someone in government service was a wonderful benefit.

  The car lifted its door as if they were metal wings. Felicity put her clubs in the trunk with Brian’s clubs. Then got in the passenger side. All grav-cars with flight capability had five-point restraints at all passenger position. She strapped herself in. Brian also strapped in. He drove out of the parking garage. He reached down the left side of his seat for the collective. This was the control for the height using the Null-grav generator. As he kept pulling the bar up, he was gaining altitude. He bumped the thrust on the radamite jet. After a moment the Aponte deployed the flight surfaces. Brian turned off the null-grav. He was now flying.

  “There’s a reason I wanted to come along.”

  “The car was swept this morning.”

  She nodded in thanks for that information “My team is working on some illegal mining.”

  “You got a handle on it?”

  “I’m waiting for probable cause and all that. Could you come along and show that badge to any tight assed lawyers.”

  “Any gold involved.”

  “Don’t know.”

  “I can only take jurisdiction if gold is involved. Once I see Gold, then all the rights of the criminals go away. If the lawyers get obstructive, they will enjoy their prison sentences on the Asteroid prison.”

  “Would you come when we do the bust?”

  “I’ll have to run this by the deputy director. Will your police take orders from me if I take jurisdiction.”

  “Yes, especially if you bring friends. “

  “There will be at least one action squad. I may be able to finagle a second squad. Make sure you brief them on the change of rules.”

  “That’s a yes.”

  “Ok, time to land this grav-car.”

  Brian activated the null-grav. He made sure that the collective was all the way down. Brian Butler brought the car down on a strip of plasphalt That Black Sands provided for its flying customers. He rolled out using the flight surfaces to slow the car down. He found a parking spot and parked there. They switched their shoes. Then they walked to the starters hut. The man had just started the group ahead.

  “Look Mister Butler you have only two. Will you take a third?”

  “Sure. Felicity?”

  “Actually the more, the merrier.”

  Brian agreed to Harry's proposal with a nod. .Harry yelled, “Kandace! I’ve made a threesome for you!.

  In a bright yellow shirt and skort, bubbled out Kandi Kane, She looked too youthful to have been a Two time Men’s tour champion.

  “I’m ever so thankful I got to make so many holes per day. Got a tournament in Alphacent in a few weeks.”

  “I’m Brian Butler, and this is Felicity Danforth.”

  “She’s a police officer,”said Kandace. “And you carry yourself like a Giant. Daddy said something about new agents in the Secret Service. Are you one.”

  “How does she know these things?” asked Felicity.

  “Black Sands Country Club is owned by the Eridani Secret Service. There’s bound to be Idle chit chat. And you have a police badge pendant.”

  “If it were a suspect I would have figured it out.”

  The game went on pleasantly. Kandi of course won, but Brian was hot on her heels. Felicity just liked playing with them.

  That night was a night of gentle play between Brian and Felicity. They both fell asleep in each other’s arms.

  A JOINT MISSION.

  In the morning Brian went to his office. He held a datastick with Felicity’s information. She pointed to him the part that gave her probable cause to raid the site. He picked up his personal communicator. He called Carla.

  “Deputy Director.”

  “Hey Carla, this is Brian.”

  “What can I do for you?”

  “I might have some action brewing. The police found an illegal mining operation.”

  “Let me talk with the old man. Wait for one,”

  Two minutes later: “How fast can you get here?”

  “I’m in the building.”

  “Get your ass up here. Just walk in.”

  Brian never walked so fast in his life. He took the elevator up to the 23rd floor

  He walked into the office of the director. Brian handed the datastick to the director. He looked through the data. The director rested his lips on his right index finger.

  “I see her probable cause. Where is yours?”

  My probable cause is that I am watching a police operation when I find gold.”

  “And that gives you jurisdiction,” said Carla.

  “We have been playing too fast and loose with the law. The Emir is starting to grumble about our operations.”

  “I’m not saying give me a bit of gold to plant. I hope that the Miners are mining gold. If the miners are, I will find it.”

  “Those are police officers. How well do you think they would fare with a mercenary guard?”

  “They are cops, not a squad of Marines in Battlesuits.”

  “You thinking of reinforcements?”

  “If I could have one, or better yet, two Action Squads.

  “We only formed the six squads. Four are outward bound to help a station chief.”

  “What about the two remaining Squads?�
��

  “One is on reserve, and the other is on earned downtime.”

  “Crap.”

  “Now you know my predicament. I had to tell the Emir “no” on sending you out on a mission. He wanted you to sweet talk Faraway. That is a diplomat’s work. When she calls to go with her. Pray you to find gold quickly. What is the code name for this operation?”

  “Central codes suggests Gold Rush.”

  “Then that will be it. Once you are finished with the police, the mission will not be over. Return. You might be able to handle something for the Emir and further our gold investigation.”

  “I’m going to stop by Quartermaster for combat armor and a tactical helmet.”

  “Yes, that would be prudent,” said the Director.

  He picked up several of the undersuits for the combat armor. He also picked up the ultra-small Athro sub-assault gun in forty caliber. It had a magazine that extended from the grip. He also grabbed five filled magazines. He threw everything into a satchel. Then he zipped up the bag. He left the building and drove back home. He got to his apartment at the same time as Felicity.

  Felicity opened the door with a smile. He dropped the gear behind the couch. Then he opened up his briefcase. He took out his Slate. He turned his slate around She read the document.

  “I went into the office this morning. I received that formal analysis of the documents.”

  “This is no longer probable cause. This is an arrest. Let me whiz this on to my Boss.”

  “Felicity, you might be to do that from your Slate. I sent you a copy. Should be there.”

  She gave Brian’s slate back to him. She unzipped a compartment in her golf bag. She brought out her Slate. On the top of her document queue, she saw the document.”

  “You have permission to do this?”

  “I also have permission to accompany you.”

  She sent the file on to her boss. It would take him a few to get all the requisite permissions. Golf was out, but something else was possible.

  “I brought my gear. You have a landing pad on the roof?”

  “Yep. I’ll be right back. Don’t take anything off until I get back.”

  Brian knew that she would indeed be right back. He was astonished by the solid muscle on her legs, and buttocks. She was a runner, but Brian thought that she took up golf to hobnob with police brass and for the excellent exercise.

  She came running back carrying a duffel of police blue. She set hers next to Brian’s. Then she jumped on him.

  In the reverie that occurs after sex Brian and Felicity just enjoyed the feeling of the other’s skin. Felicity did express concern.

  “I don’t want to get pregnant,” she said.

  “You won’t.”

  “I haven’t been keeping track, so—”

  Brian put his right hand on her mouth. He showed her the fleshy under part on his left forearm. It took her a few moments to realize what the red dot meant. She was about to start all over again when her Personal Communicator went off.

  Brian rolled out of bed. He had a good idea what it was. Brian put on the whole combat armor. Then he slapped the Magazines in the places reserved for them. Brian Butler slung the submachine gun on his shoulder. He put the Tactical Helmet on. Brian powered it up. Then he went over to his Briefcase. He put his pistol, Slate, and datasleaze datasticks. He turned off the locks on the briefcase.

  Felicity was well on her way to getting her armor on. It did not help that Brian played a little slap and tickle while she was arming. He relented Then she reminded him there was a time limit. They Both were on, and so Brian lead her to the roof.

  Brian could see the approaching vehicle. He brought his visor down and increased the magnification.

  “That’s a null-grav school bus, painted police blue,” said Brian

  “The people are all afraid that we will be a military police force. No assault shuttles. Just a converted school bus.”

  “Do you have training in those school buses?”

  “I asked for a month and got a week.”

  “Police Leaders or political leaders?”

  “Police Leaders.”

  “I’ll see what I can do. Special Investigations means not the ordinary criminal. You might need more military oriented gear and the training to use them.”

  “Yes. That would be nice.

  Brian watched their flight on the map system of his tactical helmet. When they were ten out, he called the Police to attend. At five he ordered standby door. Felicity edged passed him giving Brian a stare that could freeze fire. The School bus made a precipitous drop until it grounded in the parking lot. The Police exited in good order. They had a plan and were working it. Brian put his briefcase in the Y of a tree. He killed one of the miners who had a weapon. Brian went through the Parking lot destroying the radamite jets of each vehicle.

  One of the Police officers found him and almost got a tummy full of darts. She saw the moment of her death and then saw recognition come over Brian.

  “What do you need an officer?”

  “Lieutenant Danforth wants a determination from you.”

  Brian nodded. He moved at a trot to where Felicity was kneeling. She was pointing to a splatter of gold on the ground.

  “That is gold based on the spectrum from my helmet. Illegal gold mine. You all are now working for the Secret Service until done.”

  “I’ll pass the word.”

  Brian put his comms on the Secret Service channels. “Scataway. Yellow was found this location. Operations are ours. We have reinforcement?”

  “Negative, Penda.”

  “Half on Penda, this is Hornbeast. Marines are dropping now. One squad is in reserve for your orders. Out.”

  Well, Carla had talked the commandant into letting us “borrow” a squad. Now he had to call them down. He changed the channel to the Marines. And broke in like a streak of Lightning.

  “This is Penda, request detachment of Marines to land my coordinates.”

  “You are identified. Marines are detaching.”

  “Have they Ammo?”

  “Affirm. You want them to land in Assault shuttle, or drop.”

  “Drop is faster. The point is the point of transmission.”

  “I got you, and they are dropping now.”

  Brian dropped a red smoke grenade. He then walked 20 feet away way. He switched to the police band.

  “This is SA2. You are all about to receive some powerful reinforcements. They are dropping behind you.”

  Brian had been in the middle of a practice drop. He never wanted to be the mission of the fall. A squad was seven marines. A corporal or sergeant and 2 three man fire teams. The armor had a small radamite jet for some lifting, but mainly juice for the computers and other parts of the suit. These were highly professional Marines. They did not need to do a practice.

  For some of the police officers, they blinked, and the Battlesuited Marines were standing in a circle. It took them a few seconds to grasp the situation. The criminals were starting to surrender.

  Brian retrieved his briefcase. He started walking to the main building which protected the equipment. Felicity followed him. Before he entered he checked the door for booby traps. Brian opened the door when Brian saw that it was clear. He walked in sweeping the space with his gun. Then Brian stepped up to the only computer terminal. He opened his briefcase. Brian read the Operating Nameplate. He got the appropriate datasleaze datastick. Brian inserted the Datastick.

  “Man,” said Felicity, “you don’t stint when you support an operation.”

  “Make sure that you keep a close eye on the prisoners. They all are to be transported to an asteroid penitentiary, except for the cooperative ones. Make sure they know this. Record their statements.”

  “I thought you might like that, so I have them doing it. Those Battlesuits are interesting.”

  “They are fun to be in as well. Okay, I am in. I am going to scrape the computer and send it to both our headquarters.”

  “As I
said you don’t stint.”

  “You have a job to do as do I. Why make it difficult on you. What was that?”

  Brian looked outside.

  From the mine entrance, he saw a cloud of dust. When it partially cleared He could see that the mine entrance partially collapsed. Both sides counted off. The police were missing 3 officers.

  Brian ran out of the building after securing his equipment in the briefcase. He ran to the site of the cave in. Brian got down on the ground. Brian saw one of the Police officers. He saw the Sergeant Stripes. Then he noticed her breasts. That made it Sergeant Jenkins, the police officer that was a little sweet on him. Brian tried advancing to where she was. His way was blocked by a Battlesuit.”

  “Sorry, sir. This is our duty,” said the Sergeant.

  She turned around and pointed at two of her men. They proved just how dextrous a person was in the battlesuit. They crawled on their hands and feet. They went into the interior of the mine and found the other two. The other two were wounded, but alive. The sergeant went into the collapsed area. The other two men returned to the collapsed area. Together they used their back and the pseudo-musculature of the suit. They raised the collapsed lip of the Mine entrance. The Sergeant had to move the Police Sergeant quickly. The police Sergeant cried out in pain. The feet of the Marine Sergeant came out first. Then she worked out on her hips. Two Police officers tried to pull her out, but they had forgotten the weight of the suit. Then the Marine Sergeant moved again with her hips and legs. The two Police officers were helped up by the Marines who recounted their own introduction to the power of the battlesuit.

  Finally, the Sergeant pulled out the limp body of Jenkins. Brian could see her breathe. The pain had been too much, and the mind gave her surcease from the pain. The Sergeant stood up. Brian could hear a hip actuator wheezing as it moved.

  “Did you take weight on the armor alone?” Brian asked the Sergeant.