The Puppetmasters by Star24

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are property and copyright Twentieth Century Fox and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright Star24 2003

Chapter Nine

Fogle Towers

Logan wished that Max had come back with him after the meet, but she had seemed tired and drained so he hadn't pushed it. He figured they had made some kind of progress that afternoon, even though he knew there was something she still wasn't telling him.

He downloaded the video footage into his mainframe and began to put together a preliminary hack. He had his local honcho all right, Max had been right about that. Councilman Raymond Barnes. This video would end his political career, and put a stop to the gang wars, at least for now. But he still needed to figure out what to do about Renfro. 

According to Max, the woman was pure poison, and she'd only come up with something new when the gun running was ended. Not to mention that he had his own personal reasons for wanting to take her down. He had finally made time to read the Manticore files on Max's conditioning, and they had filled him with a black anger. The files made it clear that Renfro had been the one who was ultimately responsible for the things that had been done to Max at Manticore. Logan had made a promise to himself that he was going to make sure she paid.

He was about to call it a night and get some sleep, when he noticed two flashing icons on his screen. One was an email alert and he clicked on it. He had two waiting messages. He smiled when he saw who the first was from. As he began to read, the smile faded.

Logan,

I just got wind of something more than a little disturbing. Seems that dear ole Deck has resurfaced. That isn't surprising, but his location is. From what I hear, and my source is a reliable one, he's back at Manticore. And not in a cell.  Full restoration of rank and privileges. I don't know what his game is or what's going down, but you better watch your back. And Max's as well. I've warned the others already.  Give my sister a hug and tell her that if she doesn't behave and treat you right, I'm coming back to kick her ass.

Luv ya,

Syl

"That puts a different picture on things," he said, thinking out loud.

He clicked on the second email. This one was from The Lieutenant.

I have obtained more information. If Eyes Only can put together hard evidence of where the weapons are going, I have an address it can be sent to. The recipient is in a position to do something about the party responsible for the shipments…

This was followed by an encrypted email address. Logan smiled grimly as the pieces all fell into place.  "I just bet the recipient is chomping at the bit for the evidence. Deck, since your goal happens to mesh with mine, you're going to get your evidence. This time."

He set to work compressing the video file he and Max had obtained that night. Along with it he included the weapons list he had shown Max and additional information he had collected on the weapons deal. When he was satisfied with his work, he punched in a series of commands and watched as the files were sent off to the email address The Lieutenant had supplied. He had made sure his email went through a series of anonymous routers that reached around the globe, since it was possible someone besides Lydecker might see the email as it made its way through the Manticore system. No sense in leaving a trail back to Seattle for someone else there to pick up on.

As soon as he was sure the email was safely away, he clicked on the second icon. It was a new video enhancement program that he was trying out on the San Francisco file. The process was finally complete. He yawned and hesitated, realizing how tired he really was, but then he shrugged and opened up the enhanced file.

The picture was amazingly improved from the version he had viewed with Max. Logan wasn't interested in the shots of the San Francisco Opera House, so he fast forwarded to the video of the building across the street. The program had lightened and enhanced the picture enough so that a figure was clearly visible in the alcove. Logan watched as the camera zoomed in on it. He let out an exclamation as the figure brought the rifle up to its face and fired it. He stopped the video, typed in some commands and went back and watched it again, and then one more time again.

Finally he sat back with a stricken look on his face. Despite the black hood, he would know those eyes and that mouth anywhere, not to mention the way the figure moved. The shooter hadn't been Brin, as he had suspected. It was Max.

A street in Sector 3, the next afternoon

Max stopped her bike across the street from the address she had memorized the night before. The one on Cindy's slip of paper.  She pulled out a package and pretended to be checking the address, all the while scanning the neighborhood. It was a dreary place, run down and decrepit.  Down the block, a bum slept leaning against a lamp post, a sheet of newspaper over his face.  A few grimy urchins played in an empty lot, and on the corners drug deals were going down.  Max waited. Soon enough, a young woman walked up the cracked walkway to the house across the street. She knocked on the door which opened a crack. There was a brief conversation and Max's enhanced vision enabled her to see money and a small vial change hands.  The girl walked away, tucking the vial into her pocket as she did.

Max wheeled her bike across the street and leaned it against the house's sagging porch. She climbed the steps and knocked on the door in the same pattern she had picked up from the previous visitor. The door opened a crack and she found herself staring into the face of a weaselly looking man.

"Whaddya want?" he growled.

"Jam Pony messenger. Delivery for Mr. Smith."

"Ain't no Smith here." He started to close the door but Max was inside the hallway before he could move. He found himself pushed up against the wall, choking from her iron grip on his throat.

"What are you dealing out of here?" Max growled. When he didn't answer, she brought her knee up and delivered a calculated blow to his stomach. He cried out. Once he finished gasping for breath she repeated her question.

"Roofies. X. KoolAid. The usual shit." He choked out.

"What's a tall blonde got to do with the operation?"

"You mean Melina?"

Tall, beautiful, legs up to here, and hair down to there." Max described Lina/Celine.

"Yeah that's her. It's her game. She supplies the goods. We distribute. It's business that's all. What are ya anyway? Some kinda cop?"

Max laughed derisively. "Do I look like a cop? Gimme a break.  I got connections. Good ones. I can get ya even more stuff. Stronger. But I need to talk to the man or in this case, the woman. Give this to your boss. Tell her I'll be there tonight and tonight only. She doesn't show, the deals off and I find another outlet for my shit." Max shoved a slip of paper into his pocket. Then she was gone before he could catch a breath.

End of Chapter Nine