BC5

Chapter 5

Circling the block several times, Mercedes finally found a parking stall between two expensive luxury vehicles, not more than two blocks from ‘GLOW’ headquarters. Turning the wheel slightly to the right, she slid the car into the spot and removed the card key, automatically setting the security alarms. Mercedes could have used the automatic pilot to park, but she preferred the feel of operating the car on her own.
“The activist business must be paying very well these days for them to afford a building in this upscale district.” Mercedes remarked while she looked at the tall buildings of plasteel glinting in the filtered light of the sun while she walked down the pristine sidewalk.
Perhaps Mom had a point. It seemed the credits the organization earned could be put to better use.
“Then again, who am I to judge?” Mercedes shrugged.
She began to ascend the steps that were overlaid with large slabs of marble leading to the huge green domed building with the gold initials ‘GLOW’ emblazoned on the roof.
“Just remember to be discrete,” Morgan said.
“I thought you were gone,” Merc retorted while the door in front of her slid open, revealing a massive circular room with a dark green tile floor and alabaster walls. Several decorative pillars were strategically placed in the lobby. It reminded her more a royal palace, than the headquarters for an activist’s organization.
“I wanted to be online when you talk to this woman. Right now, she is our primary suspect.”
“Fine. Just keep quiet. I don’t need you babbling in my ear distracting me.”
“Whatever you say.”
Mercedes approached the oval reception desk situated in the center of the main lobby. A prim looking brunette with a pinched face looked up from the screen embedded in the white counter. She shifted slightly in her seat while she eyed Mercedes, her nose lifted slightly in the air.
“May I assist you?” She asked in a pleasant professional tone.
“The name is Mercedes Deville, I am here to see your president.”
“Oh yes, you are the private investigator hired by the ITC,” the receptionist stated while she looked over at another vis-screen. “We received a message you may be coming.”
“I took the liberty of sending a note from the branch informing them you wanted to see Domni on a matter of corporate security. Also, they
should extend all professional courtesies to you just like they were dealing with an actual member of the ITC.”
“Clever girl,” Mercedes snickered.
“Pardon?” The woman inquired, noticing Mercedes response.
“Nothing,” she replied hurriedly. “So, can I see your president or not? I have a busy schedule.” Mercedes glared down at he woman, who seemed to be unaffected by her attempt to intimidate her.
“Of course,” the receptionist assured her. “We wish to cooperate fully with the ITC whenever possible. Take the lift to the sixteenth floor. I’ll com ahead for the president’s secretary to expect you.”
Mercedes thanked her and headed for the indicated lift while the woman returned to her duties. The mechanical female voice asked for her destination when she stepped into the elevator.
When the doors opened Mercedes saw a desk was directly in front of her. Behind it sat a leggy blonde with a comlink attached to her head. There was only one office on this floor, it seemed. Like any nobility, the president liked her privacy.
“The president is in a meeting but requested you wait in her office.” She informed Merc without looking up. “She told me to assure you that she will be with you as quickly as possible though.”
“Thank you.” Mercedes nodded.
“Is there anything you would like while you are waiting?
“A scotch, neat.”
“A scotch?” Morgan repeated in a scolding manner.
“Its almost noon,” Merc replied defensively.
“I am not one to judge,” the secretary answered while she handed her a glass of amber liquid and directed her to a set of huge black double doors to the left.
Mercedes cheeks reddened. This com-link was going to take some getting used to. Mercedes entered the room and walked about the room, occasionally sipping from her drink. It was the good stuff, but then what else would one expect? Nothing seemed to good for Madame President.
The office itself, was spacious and well furnished with a large comforma couch placed against the left wall. There was the obligatory wet bar along the right wall. Two overstuffed chairs faced the president’s desk constructed of real wood. The activist business paid very well indeed. She knew there were several corporate execs that would kill to have a status symbol like that. She studied the walls of marble that had several expensive looking paintings hanging on them. Mercedes imagined they were most likely worth a small fortune themselves.
Mercedes took a sip of her drink while she examined the desk. She noticed it was bare of papers and any screens were concealed away. Apparently, the woman liked her privacy. She wondered if she might have time to open a few locks and see what Madame president might be hiding.
“Same old hard drinking, hard nosed Mercedes,” she heard an all too familiar voice comment from behind. Surely, her luck couldn’t be that bad.
Merc gulped down her drink and turned around. It was.
Behind her stood the woman she had known as Domni. She looked just as fine as the day they met, even though she had been several years her senior at the time. Obviously, the woman must have had some work done to keep up her appearance. Then, Domni was always vain about her looks.
“Ms. Fortuna,” Merc addressed her.
“Ms. Fortuna,” Domni laughed. She strolled across the room. “My we are being formal.” She touched Mercedes cheek when she walked by. Mercedes flinched at the touch, pulling her head away.
“Don’t tell me you are still upset about our little falling out?” She said, taking a seat.

“You dumped me,” Mercedes snapped, placing her glass on the teakwood desk. She hoped it would leave a nice ring. “Tossed me out on the streets.”
“All things must come to an end,” Domni sighed. “I assure you it was nothing personal.”
Mercedes opened and closed her fists. Even after all these years, it still hurt. ”With you it never is.”
“Besides, you landed on your feet. I even heard you were on your way to being promoted to commander in the Enforcers before your little incident.” She pulled out a cigarette and offered one to Merc.
“No thanks,” Mercedes snapped. ”Yes that’s right. Your current partner can’t deal with smoke too well these days I hear. How is the beauty queen doing?”
“She deals with it fine.” Morgan pulled a cigarette from her own pack. “Or as well as can be expected.” She wondered if the bitch had always been this arrogant. “She would have been better if “GLOW” would have interceded on her behalf.”

“We would have if there had been evidence she was discriminated against for being a woman,” Domni countered. “But she was treated no differently than any Enforcer who took an unnecessary risk.”
“It might have seemed that way to the bean counters, but I think the people at the port would see it differently.”
“Perhaps,” Domni admitted. “But the review board’s assessment was the final word. And I must agree. I thought it was a rash act.”
“You would,” Mercedes mumbled.
“Careful,” Morgan warned. “She is trying get you angry and do something stupid.”
Mercedes took a deep breath. “I did not come here to catch up on old times.” Mercedes said in a cold measured tone. Morgan was correct. Domni was playing with her. The way she always had.
“So why are you here?” Domni said with a pleasant smile. “Doing an errand for the ITC to earn some rent creds?”
“I am here concerning Bishop Rimes.”
“What about him?”
“Seems someone snatched him and is holding him for ransom.”
“So you suspect me? I assure you, neither the organization nor myself would have anything to do with something of that nature in an official capacity. However, several of our sisters might have felt compelled to take the matter into their own hands.”
“Cut the crap!” Mercedes slammed her fist on the desk. “We both know nothing happens here without you knowing about it. You are way too much of a control freak for that.”
“So much for being discreet,” Morgan sighed.
“Answer the question!” Mercedes demanded.
“”I answered it.” Domni retorted. “I must say old acquaintance or not, I’m deeply offended by your accusations.”
“So what do you know about the kidnapping? When I mentioned it you didn’t seem surprised.”
“Why should I be? If anything I am surprised someone didn’t put a bullet in his head.”
“No profit in that,” Mercedes growled.
“We are an activist group.”
“Uhuh.” Mercedes ran a finger along the well-crafted desk.”
“Are you accusing me of something? If so you best have some evidence. I wont tolerate these insults to my character and that of GLOW. ”
“You never did anything that you didn’t get something out of it.”
“You never used to think that way.”
“I’ve gotten older and wiser,”
“People change.”
“Perhaps, but I doubt it in your case.”
“I don’t have to listen to this.” Domni stood up from her desk. “If you don’t have any evidence, I suggest you best leave.”
“I don’t have any…. yet,” Mercedes leaned over the desk and looked deeply into her dark brown eyes “But understand this. If you are involved, I ‘will’ find out and I will take you down.”
Mercedes smiled. “Nothing personal.” She turned to leave. “I’ll show myself out.”
“Still trying to be a hero.” Domni shook her head. “This world has no room for heroes Mercedes. That concept died long ago.”
Mercedes turned around and stared at her former lover standing behind the desk. “Never said I was. Though there are women throughout the galaxy who think you are.”
Throwing open the doors, Mercedes proceeded to march out of the office into the fresh air, She paused for just a second looking back over her shoulder. “Too bad.”
“You didn’t tell me you and Madame president had a history,” Morgan said while Mercedes stepped into the lift.
“I wasn’t sure it was the same person.”
“Mercedes Deville, you expect me to believe that?”
“Well, I suspected it might be,” Mercedes admitted. “I just hoped my luck wouldn’t be that bad. Besides, it was a long a time ago.”
“Either way,” Morgan sighed, “that went badly.”
“It wasn’t a total waste. She is hiding something.”
“How do you know that?”
“Instinct,” Mercedes replied. “And I know that woman.”
“Don’t let your past involvement cloud your judgement partner,” Morgan cautioned.
“It’s not. She either knows something or is involved somehow. I would wager a hundred creds on it.”
“Okay I’ll put a tap on their communications and see what happens. In the meantime, I still think you should visit the Deacon till we have something more substantial than your hunch that GLOW is involved.”
“Agreed.” Mercedes stepped out of the elevator back into the large lobby.
“Mercedes… Mercedes Deville is that you?” She heard someone shout off to here left when she walked out into the lobby.
Mercedes spun about. A woman with short cropped, sandy brown hair, garbed in a blue jumpsuit was running towards her, waving her hands in the air.
“Rigena Wilson…. Rigger,” Mercedes uttered searching her memory to place a name with the face. “What is this, old home week?” Mercedes muttered to herself.
“My god, how long as it been?” Rigger exclaimed giving her a big hug. Rigger had always been an affectionate one. “What are you doing here?”
“Just popping in on Domni. I heard she has been doing very well for herself of late.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” Rigger laughed. “But you know her. She could land in a pile of manure and come up smelling like roses.”
“Yeah I know.” The thoughts of the woman’s lies and callous treatment came flooding back, threatening to wash her away in a tidal wave of emotions. She shook her head. Morgan was right, this was business and she had to keep a clear head.
“So what are you doing here?” Mercedes asked. “Don’t tell me you joined GLOW now.”
“You know me better than that,” she chuckled. “I’m still a wildcatting techie. Just did a little job for them on the Arius asteroid belt.”
“Doing what?”
“If I told you I would have to kill you,” Rigger grinned impishly.
“You mean you would have to try.”
“Same old Merc. You ever get tired carrying that chip on your shoulder?”
“Nope, I’ve gotten quite used to it by now.”
“So, I heard you were no longer with the ITC and running a small investigation service with that gal Morgan Starr.”
“Well, we were both booted out. Morgan for her injuries and supposed negligence.”
“And you for losing your cool.” Rigger added. I heard about that too.”
“Well, the little number cruncher pissed me off.” Mercedes shrugged.
“Always knew that temper of yours would get you into trouble someday.” Rigger shook her head. “Sorry to hear about Morgan though, she was really hot. I think she should have beaten out that green gal.”
“I like this girl.” Morgan laughed.
“You would,” Mercedes muttered.
“Well she was prettier, and seemed much smarter,” Rigger explained. “Then again, I’ve never been too fond of green skinned women. Kind of creepy to me.”
“Didn’t know you were so picky,” Mercedes chuckled.
“Hate to break up this little reunion but we still have a mystery to solve,” Morgan interjected.
“I know, I know,” Mercedes sighed. Before Rigger could utter another word, Mercedes turned to her. “Speaking of the beauty queen, her majesty
wants me to do some shopping. She can throw a mean tantrum if she doesn’t get her way.”
“That was uncalled for,” Morgan retorted.
“I understand,” Rigger said, giving her friend a farewell hug. “Don’t be a stranger, though.”
“You either,” Mercedes said while she walked away. “Stop by Mother Shome’s sometime and we’ll split a bottle of scotch.”
“It’s a date,” Rigger called after her.
“Another old girlfriend? How many do you have?”
“She is just a good friend. We used to run together before I joined the ITC.” Mercedes smiled. “What’s the problem? Jealous?”
“Please. If I did like girls you would be “so” not my type.”
“Excuse me?” Mercedes asked as she exited the building.
“I like my romantic partners to be more emotionally mature.”
“You are lucky you aren’t here right now or I’d dot your eye for that remark.”
“Now that is a mature response,” Morgan giggled. “I take it all back you would be my ideal partner.”
“You can be a real pain sometimes.”
“I will tell you, if you insist on talking to me like this, that they might just pull you off the street for a psycho dive though.”
Mercedes opened the car door and sat down. “You mean you can say whatever you like and I can’t talk back?”
“Yep, I would say that about covers it,” Morgan snickered.
“Well that stinks,” Mercedes grumbled while she sped off down the road. “I knew I wasn’t going to like this setup.”
“We all have our little crosses to bear friend,” Morgan answered. “Speaking of that, I wonder what the good Deacon will have to say about a few tidbits I found about him.”
“Something good?”
“Perhaps. Seems he and the Bishop have been at odds with each other concerning the direction the church should take. He was off planet when the abduction occurred, but that doesn’t mean…”
“That he couldn’t have hired someone to do it.” Mercedes turned left down the street.
“Well lets see if the Deacon has anything he might have to confess,” Morgan said.
“Lets.” Mercedes stepped on the electro accelerator sending a surge of ions into the engine.