Chapter 5: Prisoner Exchange Gone Bad

I looked up as Amanda sat at her desk across from mine, “Word is there was a huge mix up with a prisoner.”

She lifted Dragon from the corner of her desk and put her in her lap. I glanced at the commander’s door, he had not even blinked when I returned with Amanda. She had just handed him her transfer chit and he gestured to me, “Partner up with Morpheus.”

So she had her desk across from mine. It was nice to have a partner, even Camdra seemed to like Amanda. The commander stepped out of his office and looked around before crossing the room. Amanda turned as he stopped and he tossed me a chit, “Go to Mirror. Meet with constable Towson and take custody of Ser Jacob Benson. Transport him to Echo and do a prisoner exchange for Denison Tio and return Tio to Mirror.”

I nodded and bent to grab my ready bag. When I stood Amanda was just standing as Dragon swarmed onto her shoulder. I shook my head as I started across the room with her following. She was carrying her own ready bag and we went down to disbursing. She grinned when the only thing going out was a liner with one suite and one bed.

When we were finally relaxing in the lounge after the jump I opened the chip and started reading. She had been right, there had been a big mistake. Ser Jacob Benson and Denison Tio were identical right down to DNA. The only distinguishing mark was on Tio, a small scar beside his left eye. I finished and tossed the chit to Amanda who snatched it out of the air.

The crew and passengers began to come in and as usually one of the crew crossed to say something about Dragon. Amanda smiled politely as she listened to her speech and then ignored her. I shook my head, “Dragon is a registered weapon in the service of the Marshals. She will remain with us at all times unless you or your captain will sign a waiver of liability for any deaths that may occur.”

The woman’s eyes widened, “Of course if she is registered.”

She left quickly and Amanda chuckled, “She would not hurt anyone unless they threatened you.”

I smiled and sat back, “You would be surprised.”

I noticed a quiet woman that began to watch us. She almost seemed to blend into the background. Dragon hissed and Amanda whispered, “I know Dragon but she is only a watcher.”

I stood before crossing to the woman, “May I help you gently lady.”

She acted surprised, “No, why do you ask?”

I shook my head, “Because I always know when someone watches or follows me.”

She smiled, “But I was just sitting here minding my own...”

I held up a hand, “You were in the starport and bought a ticket at the last minute. You have tried to keep a constant eye on us. I do not know who or why yet and do not really care at this point, the watching stops.”

I turned and crossed to leave and Amanda was already up and walking out. The woman disappeared after that but somehow I knew she would be there after we landed. Our time on the liner was nice, we even ate dinner with the captain several times. She was impressed with Dragon after she hissed at a waitress bringing a meal and refused to let her eat it. It turned out something was wrong and the food was bad.

We took the first shuttle down to Mirror and used a marshal vehicle to go to the central detention. Dragon rode my shoulder as we walked through the doors and I touched my badge to the alarm pad. Amanda was following and waiting until we were clear of the door, “We have another watcher.”

I nodded, “It is that woman using a disguise.”

A short wide man met us beside the lifts, “Marshals.”

I nodded, “Constable.”

He frowned at Dragon and then his eyes widened, “You are Morpheus.”

I smiled, “Yes.”

He grinned and held out his hand, “I am really glad it is you then. Ser Benson is small stuff but our man Tio is a different story. He has people that want him free and has money to make it happen.”

Amanda snorted, “Not with us.”

The constable glanced at her and nodded, “I know but they will try force or coercion.”

She smiled, “That will not work either.”

I smiled, “Where is Ser Benson?”

He turned to the lift as he waved to a guard. A moment later a guard and another man in a plain jumpsuit appeared. As they came close Dragon leaped and flew the few feet to drop onto the prisoner’s shoulders. He jerked back and I reached out to grab his jumpsuit, “Dragon is your protector and keeper. She has two bites, she can stun you and put you in stasis or she can kill you. Do what we tell you and you will be safe. Try to escape or fight and you will suffer for it.”

He swallowed and finally looked away from Dragon to me before nodding. I turned him and pushed him towards Amanda. I took the screen from the guard and signed for the prisoner and nodded to constable Towson, “I will see you when we return.”

He nodded and I headed for the door with Amanda pushing Ser Benson in front of her. I stepped out and looked around carefully before nodding and walking towards the vehicle as Amanda pushed Ser Benson out the door. We had a tight schedule since the liner heading to Echo was already loading. We were on the last shuttle up and I knew the watcher was frustrated since there was no other suites available on the liner.

We took turns watching Ser Benson during the trip but he did not give us any problems, he almost seemed relieved. We took the first shuttle down and walked to the marshal vehicle with our prisoner between us. The central prison was at the extreme edge of the huge city. As soon as I stepped out of the vehicle and glanced around I know there would be trouble.

I nodded and Amanda pulled Ser Benson out. I sent Dragon a command and she leaped into the air as I headed towards the main doors, “On your toes Amanda.”

She hissed, “I see them.”

I glanced around, “They might wait for us to leave but I would not count on it.”

When we walked through the front doors I touched the door pad with my badge before pushing Ser Benson towards the armored glass booth with a guard. The lobby guard smiled almost snidely as I slipped the prisoner’s transfer screen through the slot. The guard looked at the information and turned to make a call. The guard that led the prisoner out of the lift looked pissed.

The prisoner almost seemed arrogant. Another suited man stepped out of the lift and started towards us. I spun and shoved Ser Benson to the floor as Amanda tackled the other prisoner. The front windows shattered as projectiles ripped through the lobby. It was only for a second and then I was heading towards the front of the building, “Secure them Amanda.”

I absently shot the guard lifting his weapon towards me in the shoulder and stepped out to see both gunmen stiff. I nodded and looked at several guards spilling out of the building, “Take those two. They are in stasis right now.”

I turned to walk back in, “And do a scan on this guard.”

Amanda had both prisoners down and her weapon out. Dragon flew through the broken window and landed on my shoulder. I nodded to the warden as he stood, “That was round one.”

His prisoner turned his head to smile, “It is not over.”

I knelt and held out a vial, “My name is marshal Morpheus. I am sure your sources have told you who I am. This is a poison, if I do not give you the antidote or a suppressant in three days you will die.”

I touched the injector to his neck as he stiffened. The warden opened his mouth as I stood and winked. He closed his mouth and then smiled, “Well mister Tio it has been a pleasure.”

I signed over Ser Benson and signed for Denison Tio. We had already checked departing ships and pulled our prisoner out and to our vehicle. Dragon took flight as we turned in the vehicle and we started our walk into the starport. I smiled as the seemingly old woman jerked and froze before Dragon dropped off her back and flew to me.

Amanda grinned, “Serves the nosy bitch right.”

I knew whoever these people were they would be scrambling and probably had already booked room on the only ship leaving for Mirror. We were in the large ticketing lobby when the striker team tried to take Tio. Dragon leaped into the air as Amanda shoved Tio down and both my hands came up with weapons. I killed the first two that came from behind a ticket counter and then another rushing us from a doorway.

Amanda took two more down that were dropping through ceiling grates. The crowd of people were running and screaming as we knelt and scanned the area around us. I felt when Dragon struck and took out another man fighting through the crowd. Finally it was clear and Amanda and I both killed the last two men lifting assault rifles.

I stood and looked around before putting one weapon away and nodding to Amanda, “Time to move.”

She snarled and yanked Tio up, “Come on you!”

Dragon did not return to land and kept flying around us as I started for the gates and the two port guards that looked wide eyed. I flashed my badge, “Try to keep everyone away.”

One nodded hastily before we were past them and stepping onto a slide. Dragon dropped to Tio’s shoulder and hissed in his ear. Amanda grinned, “Not yet, wait to kill him when we reach Mirror.”

Tio flinched as I stepped off the slide and he was pulled off after me. I had been thinking ahead so the gate we stopped at was already loading. What Tio and his people did not know was the liner it went to was not going directly to Mirror. The cabin we were put in was small with one bed. Amanda and I dropped our bags before pulling him to the jump room.

During the trip I made arrangements for a ship to ship transfer when we reached the system we were heading for. Every three days I made a point of using a tiny vial I told Tio was a suppressant to keep the poison I had given him inactive. Amanda and I took turns watching and sleeping. When we reached the next system we waited until everyone had left before the captain sent his private cutter across to the cargo ship with us.

This time we had an empty crew cabin and strapped Tio to the bed most of the time. When the large cargo shuttle landed Amanda jerked Tio up as Dragon hissed in his ear. We had not called ahead so no one knew we were coming. I led the way off the shuttle and onto the hot tarmac before starting for a distant gate. When I picked up our vehicle Amanda nodded to Dragon and she turned and bit Tio.

He had a shocked look on his face as he went into stasis. I grinned as I lifted and turned to head toward the center of the city. I was not planning to walk in the front door this time and landed on the marshal’s pad on the roof. I nodded to Amanda and she slipped out and crossed to open the door. I moved around to open Tio’s door before pulling him out and over my shoulder.