6

As the crew gathered to meet in the lounge, Finn checked the messages. There was no response from Gus.

Blackjack addressed the group, “I want to set this up as an incursion into hostile territory. We’ll go in as mercenary bodyguards so we can be armed. Campo will handle the clearances. I need six to guard Gnuto. Once we land, we’ll go to the rendezvous point and do a sweep. The General authorized an extraction and gave me the papers to clear Gus if we find him. We’ll drop in an hour.”

Each member of the landing party was dressed in body armor and equipped with hand weapons. Dori and Angelo were left in the shuttle to keep the escape open.

“Spread out and sweep the area for Gus. You should be able to call out softly for him. Head out in pairs and keep a sharp eye. Be back in an hour,” Campo directed.

Blackjack, Campo, and Gnuto checked the area for any signs that Gus may have left. There was a special symbol that was used by the Marines to allow others to know they were in distress nearby.

After searching in an increasing circle for fifteen minutes, the pair decided that Gus never made it to the extraction point. Blackjack asked Gnuto to guide them to the place he hid out before entering the container. They searched around without finding any clues then returned to the rendezvous point.

“Would you help me adjust this chest armor, Blackjack? It’s a bit uncomfortable,” asked Gnuto.

“Sure thing buddy. We don’t carry a big range of sizes since we haven’t added anyone in years. I know it’s uncomfortable, but a bullet would be worse.

“Are we going to find him?”

“We’ll try back at your place, maybe he didn’t get to far away or went back there,” answered Blackjack.

Once the crew gathered back, Campo told them, “We’ll move out to Gnuto and Gus’ place and search around there. Barry, do you have your ID with you?”

“Yes, Blackjack, I have my Bureau ID so we should be able to get in there even if it is occupied,” answered Barry.

Blackjack called up an autocab to take them near the area. They got out a few blocks away to be able to sweep the area for any watchers before entering the building.

“Is there a back way in, Gnuto?” asked Blackjack.

“Yes. The manager’s place is right near the back door if my card doesn’t work. Our room was up on the top floor in the rear. There is a lift halfway down the hall as you walk in the back door. ,” he told them.

“If your card doesn’t work, Finn may be able to bypass it,” responded Blackjack.

Gnuto tried the card and it let them in. The team entered the door and spread out. Just as Barry and Gnuto entered, the manager opened the door.

“What’s going on here? Not another raid! Your guys were already here!” he exclaimed.

“We’re looking for this boy’s guardian. Put your thumb there on my ID,” Barry told him as he flashed his ID.

The ID projected Barry’s picture and the Imperial Seal. “That’s what an official Bureau ID looks like. Who else was here?”

The manager was cowed at seeing the ID, “They said they were from the IBI but didn’t have that. I went with them to open the door. The kid there nor the old guy wasn’t in the place. They did search around and then left,” he stammered.

Blackjack joined them, “Did his guardian ever come back?”

“No,” the manager answered.

“We’re going up and have a look. We’ll pick up Gnuto’s possessions. Neither of them will be coming back,” Blackjack informed him, giving the manager a stern look.

They moved to the lifts, entered, and rode up to the top floor. Finn had found a camera watching the door and deactivated it. Donni and Josef stood guard in the hallway and at the door to the fire stairs, alert for any trouble.

Gnuto unlocked the door and Blackjack guided him away. They all tensed up as Campo used a collapsing baton to open the door from the side. A blast followed.

“Damn! That was close!” exclaimed Gnuto.

“ I figured they would have left something for Gus. A simple trap like that is the best way to catch an intruder,” Campo told him.

Finn used a camera on a flexible shaft to check for any other traps. Finding none, he deactivated the shotgun trap. Campo scanned the door frame for any tripwires. The group moved into the unit with Gnuto staying outside until the place was swept for any other traps.

Blackjack, Campo, and Finn were tense as they carefully looked around first using their Mark One eyeballs. Finn was using the scanner to check if there was any electrical activity in the room. Campo bent down and looked under the table in the main room.

“There’s a booby trap under here!” he exclaimed.

Finn bent down and spotted a wire going underneath the throw rug.

“Don’t step on the rug. I’ll remove the primer from the charge and deactivate the battery.”

The group stood aside while Finn completed his bomb disposal, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and continued their examination of the apartment.

“OK Gnuto, come in. It’s clear,” intoned Blackjack after some more tense minutes. “Be careful looking around and tell us if you see anything missing.”

Gnuto walked around looking at the few possessions and some old books on the shelves. “Nothing is missing that I can see.”

“Did Gus have any pictures displayed or put away?” asked Campo.

“Just the display here,” Gnuto answered.

“All right buddy, let’s gather up anything that you want to keep and we’ll bring it back with us.”

The manager had finally worked up enough courage to come up to the apartment. Finn went out to meet him.

“We found some booby traps and have deactivated them. We’re packing up what the boy wants to keep and will be out of here in a bit,” he was told by Barry.

“Booby traps! You mean those other guys were going to kill anyone that went in?”

“You would have been dead when you entered the door,” Finn told him.

The manager blanched and turned away to return to his apartment.

Meanwhile, Gnuto had gathered up his few better clothes, the viewer, and the books. As he was putting the books away, a paper fell out of one.

Blackjack picked it up. “George Jankins, Block 7, Port Campalis” he read out loud. “This a friend of Gus, Gnuto?”

“I don’t know. It could be. That’s on the way back to the spaceport,” he shrugged.

“OK folks, let’s get out of here and check out this Jankins guy,” Blackjack told them.

Blackjack sent everyone downstairs to check the exits. They left the security card with the manager and exited the building.

###

They got a cab and drove over to Port Campalis to talk with this Jankins guy. Blackjack with Gnuto knocked on his door.

“Whadda want?” was the terse reply.

“This is Charlie MacDougal and I have Gnuto with me. We believe that you may know my Uncle Gus.”

The door rattled open and a hand waved them in. It was shut as quickly as it was opened.

“Mac told me there may be someone named Charlie coming for him. He did see the message posted but couldn’t get there. He’s in bad shape, just hanging on. He’s at the hospice down the street. The doc couldn’t patch him up. It’s not a pretty sight for the boy. I’ll take you there,” Jankins rapid fired.

They exited out of the apartment and went down a few blocks. Blackjack, Campo, Gnuto, and George entered while the rest followed on and guarded the entrances. They arrived at Gus’ bedside.

They all were shocked at Gus’ state. He had lost his arms and legs. Blackjack approached the emancipated body.

“Gus, it’s Charlie, Campo, and Gnuto.”

Gus stirred, “Boy, I’m sorry I failed you,” he croaked. Gnuto rushed over to hug the man. He was crying as Campo and Blackjack touched Gnuto’s back.

“Gus, we’ll take care of Gnuto. The General didn’t know you were out here or he would have helped out.”

“Charlie, guard the boy! He’s in danger.”

“We will sir. We’ve grown quite attached to him. Our old unit is together. The General knows where we are at.”

“I couldn’t let him know. I was ordered. Go to the Imperial Bank. Box 2210. It’s keyed to Gnuto.”

Gus started coughing. Blood started pouring out his nose and mouth. A nurse rushed in as he coughed his last.

Blackjack and Campo hugged Gnuto, who was crying so hard he was shaking. They exited the room and were directed to a sitting area. A woman came by after about fifteen minutes.

“I’m so sorry for your loss. Mac really had no instructions for his passing. Are you his family?” she asked.

“I am Charlie MacDougal. I’m Mac’s nephew. This is Gnuto, his ward, and Campo Tupua, a friend of Mac’s.”

“We can have the body prepared. How would you like to proceed?”

“He was a highly decorated Imperial Marine, ma’am. We would like him cremated so he may be interred in the Imperial Memorial,” directed Blackjack.

“I’ll take care of that. If you could return in the morning, he will be ready for you.”

They nodded their thanks and headed out to collect the others. Gnuto thanked George as they went back to the spaceport hotel.