Chapter 14: Missing Marshal

I was moving smoothly through my exercises with Amanda mirroring me. Dragon and Cynthia were watching from the side of the gym. Michaels cleared his throat as I slid back and away from Amanda, “We have a marshal missing.”

I continued the martial dance and circled, “Who and where?”

Amanda slid in and I shifted while one hand swept her foot aside and she spun back and away. Michaels moved out of the way, “Palia system and it is Gilroy. He did an escort and turned the prisoner in before he vanished.”

I straightened and Amanda sighed as she copied me, “His vehicle?”

Michaels tossed two towels, “Left by a marketplace. The constables have sealed all the city vids and searched but have not found him.”

I nodded, “Commander Maloy?”

He grinned, “She was just on her way to the yearly constable conference and took Smith since he was the last to annoy her.”

Amanda snorted, “He is a lot better and has learned. The problem is he wants to do everything himself and let the constables clean up the mess.”

Michaels gestured, “Me and Dale are going with you and Maloy wants both of you to go.”

I nodded, “Dale go to dispersing?”

He nodded, “We have a few hours before the first shuttle up.”

After a shower we met Michaels and marshal Dale in the lobby. The public transport was waiting and took us to the port. I paid as the others headed in and followed as Dragon sat up on my shoulder. I caught up before they got on the slid walk that led out to the shuttle gate. Dale kept glancing at Dragon and then Cynthia and then at Georgia.

He was just out of the academy and had only been here a week, “The only way you learn the answers is if you ask the question.”

He reddened as he glanced at me and Michaels looked at him. He looked at Amanda, “I know the emperor has a pet like yours but do you always take them with you?”

I looked at Michaels and he grinned, “Finally. First they are not pets and never underestimate them. They are symbiotic synth organic constructs. The person linked to them can see what they see. They can spit acid and they have two separate glands in their jaws. Think of a poison sack and that would be close. One bite could kill but the other injects a stasis drug and charge.”

Dale grinned, “How do they know which to inject?”

Amanda shifted but let Michaels teach his new partner. He grinned, “They are linked to you and unless you tell them or they feel a direct threat to you they only inject the stasis drug. I have checked and I think my Georgia is the only one to use the poison and kill.”

He looked at me and I shook my head, “Dragon has killed three men.”

Dale looked at me and then at Dragon who looked back calmly. Michaels grinned, “They are very good at sneaking into places and letting us see what we are walking into.”

I nodded and Amanda snickered, “Or just sneaking up to play a prank.”

I grinned, “The dead mouse in my desk was not funny.”

Amanda and Michaels laughed and I shook my head, “I am glad Edwards was reassigned to another sector.”

They laughed again and Michaels bumped his partner as we stepped off the slid, “He was a practical joker who for some odd reason Dragon’s daughter linked with.”

The trip to Palia was calm and Dale actually paid more attention once Dragon hissed in his ear while he and I were playing cards. He jerked and looked at her before looking at me and then grinning, “Seeing through her eyes?”

Amanda chuckled as she read and Michaels looked up from some shopping catalog. I smiled as I tossed the cards on the table, “Consider it a real lesson before someone starts shooting.”

He shifted and scratched under Dragon’s chin, “You are sneaky.”

She purred and climbed over and into his lap. He grinned at me as he kept petting her and sat back. The constable commander for Palia met us when we walked out of the port building. I nodded to him as my eyes scanned around us, “Any word commander?”

He shook his head, “Nothing and we have looked everywhere.”

I gave Amanda a hand gesture as Dragon leaped into the air. She was joined by Cynthia and Georgia as I gestured to the walk, “Know of anyone watching you or doing surveillance?”

He shook his head, “No.”

Michaels spun and began striding towards an old man frozen with Dragon on his shoulder. I glanced at Dale, “You might want to help him with the prisoner.”

He reddened as he went to help Michaels. I looked at the open mouthed commander, “Someone was and is watching commander.”

He nodded as he looked around and I sighed, “After this long with no word our marshal may be dead.”

He sighed and nodded, “We think so too.”

I gestured and began walking toward the slid out to our vehicle, “After we have a talk with the watcher and look at the vids we will know more.”

The commander nodded and glanced back at Michaels carrying the man, “How did you know he was watching?”

I watched Amanda checking one of the vehicles, “I saw the way he was paying attention to you and what you looked at.”

I turned as Michaels and Dale reached us, “Was he carrying anything?”

Dale held up the small vid camera, “I checked the record and he has a few dozen images of people speaking with the commander.”

I nodded, “Check your vehicle before using it and then take him to be truth scanned while you question him.”

Michaels gestured and Dale moved toward the other vehicle. I glanced at the commander, “Your people are out of the search commander. We will find our marshal and what happened.”

He nodded and I moved to set my bag in back of our vehicle with Amanda’s as Dragon and Cynthia flew in. I sat in the front seat as Amanda lifted and turned, “Want to check out the parking area where he was last seen?”

I smiled, “Of course.”

I pulled up the planet constable net and accessed the vid they had stored. I watched as marshal Gilroy left his vehicle and walked past another and looked at it before heading into the market, “Freeze vid.”

I backed it up and zoomed in on the vehicle he had looked at and got the registration. I ran it and frowned, “Verify.”

The comp shifted and then beeped with the answer I expected, “Planet wide registration watch list.”

It searched again before flashing a yellow ring and another vid appeared. I looked at the vehicle sitting outside of a building. I glanced at Amanda, “Change direction.”

I gave her the building address and studied the area around the vehicle, “Whoever owns this vehicle has security and surveillance.”

I hesitated before calling Michaels, “We may have something. Put the watcher in a cell and meet us. I am switching on my tracker.”

He cleared his throat, “Are you sure? We could have a talk with this one first.”

I smiled, “Georgia can frighten him later. If you look at the vid of the parking area Gilroy was in, you see him checking a vehicle. It is unregistered and I have it on another vid now. It is under surveillance and there is discreet security around the building.”

“We will be there as soon as possible ... Wait for us?”