Special Police DekaOps -Episode 4, Human Trafficking

Special Police DekaOps

4

The ceiling above them closed as the hanger crew checked over the transport shuttle after it landed. A side door opened and Pierce walked out, returning from one of those monthly meetings the team commanders had to go to. Dan was glad it wasn’t him, he hated those types of meetings. With his briefcase in his hand he returned a salute from a crewman and walked over to him. Dan gave him an army style salute for old time’s sakes, “Welcome back Major.”

“At ease Dan,” Pierce said with a chuckle. “You still have all your hair and nobody looks like they’re in a cast, so I’m assuming you did all right in charge of the place.”

“Things went pretty smooth.” Dan smirked, “Actually everyone seemed relieved to have you off their backs for a few hours. Can’t say I blame them.”

“You’re lucky I like you,” he snorted before laughing with him for a bit.

“So how did the meeting go? Boring a Hell I’d imagine.”

“More or less. The team that was supposed to be based in Texas has been put in hold indefinitely. There was a rumor a couple of the others were going over of one starting up in Australia. Oh, and SPD as a whole avoided a rather large bullet.”

“What do you mean?”

“There was this old woman over in England who came this close,” he held his thumb and index finger on his cane hand about an inch apart, “to getting SPD kicked off the planet completely.”

“Oh that,” Dan shook his head sadly. “Michelle should me a news feed about that yesterday. Personally I’m glad she got shown up for what she was. Would that have affected us? I mean we are covert unit, only a handful of people know we’re here.”

“I’m not sure, thankfully we won’t have to find out.” Dan walked him to his office and chatted for a little bit. Pierce put the briefcase down on his desk. “I might add some of the commanders were surprised to find out who your second in command was.”

Dan didn’t look fazed, “Do you think I care? The team needed a command structure in case I’m taken out for some reason. Besides she was already calling the shots while we’re airborne, so the choice seemed obvious.”

“You don’t have to explain your choice to me, I know how you work remember.” Pierce sat down, glad to be in his own chair. “So how has Ace been handling it?”

“Pretty well,” Dan sat in the chair on the other side of the desk. “She’s been rubbing it in to Boomer every so often though.” Pierce was sure she only doing it because of his reaction to her new status. “It was just some good natured ribbing, but I told her to ease up on it. Anything else I should know about, or not know about?” Dan was still a bit steamed about being kept in the dark about the dangerous side of the rifle, not that Pierce could blame him.

“Well our friends up in the DekaSpacebase might have something for us. They have to double check a couple of things first so nothing official as of yet. But in a few hours SPD Earth command might insert us into an unprotected area.”

Dan rose from his seat, “Right, I’ll put the team on stand by then.” He saluted and left him alone in the room. Pierce cracked his neck and looked over the six messages on his desk, two of them were from his wife Helen. He told her he had some really early meetings and would be gone for most of the day, he just didn’t add where those meetings were being held at. Lord, was he going to have to come up with a good one this time.

***

When he got to the gym he found Ace putting the others through the paces. As he watched them for a bit Dan wasn’t sure if he should be amused or worried that she reminded him of a drill instructor he knew back in basic. “Come on ladies!” she shouted as the others were doing foot drills, “My grandmother can do better than this. D.E. get those knees up like you life depended on it!” Boomer looked like he was going to start a mutiny. Too bad for him she saw it, “You want to try something Boomer?”

“Listen up,” he decided to cut it off there. “The Major says we’re on standby. Shower up and get changed, we might have to leave at a moment notice.” The nodded and started to walk off. “Ace hold up, I got to talk to you.”

“Ooooh,” D.E. said looking at Ace, “you’re in trouble.”

“Get out of here,” she beaned him with her towel.

“About time she started picking on somebody else,” Boomer said.

“She just likes you man,” D.E. pushed his friend’s head to the side lightly. Rev looked confused at the exchanged but followed the others.

“What’s up Cap?”, she asked.

“Interesting motivating skill you have there.” She started to answer but he held up a finger. Then he shouted, catching her off guard, “Boomer, unless you want to run twenty laps around the gym buck naked in front of everybody I suggest you close the door and take that shower!” She looked behind him and saw the door shut quickly. “He’s worse than a four year old I swear. Now where were we? Oh yeah, your motivating skills.”

“I’m just trying to do things like you would,” she told him. “You’ve done the same thing when you’re running the drills.”

“I know, that how I do things,” he empathized the “I’ when he said that. “I didn’t make you my second so you could turn into mini-me.”

“I was wondering, why did you make me second in command any way? Boomer was, and if you repeat this I’ll deny it, right. I was talking to Major Pierce about it and he said that’s the way you think and said nothing else.” Dan sat on the bench behind him, she sat next to him. “If it’s a big secret you don’t have to tell me.”

“No secrets, he’s probably tired of taken the blame for the way I do things. Look, there are two things I’ve picked up from Pierce over the years. One, always have a plan B, no matter how good you think your original plan is. And two, your second should be a little different from you. Because when the commanders have the same opinion in everything the unit is in trouble.”

“Because they’re missing the same blind spots,” he nodded. “So I should find my own command style. I should probably rein it in a little too.”

“Now I didn’t say that. You’re enthusiastic, I like that in my seconds. Trust me I’ve had ones that were duller than dirt.”

She smiled, “I’ll take your word for it. I better take that shower too.” She got up, then she groaned, “Damn it I threw my last clean towel at D.E.” About the Michelle’s voice came over the loud speakers.

“Field team to the hanger bay, repeat field team to the hanger bay. Prepare to launch in twenty minutes.”

“I can air dry,” she said as he ran off.

***

In no time they were aboard the Machine Shepard, headed for the east coast and out to sea. They were told they would be briefed on the mission in flight instead of the Command Room, but so far nothing. All of them were wondering what was so important this time around. Dan was tapping his fingers on top of his leg before Boomer finally spoke up, “Cap, we’re getting a signal from OpsBase.”

“Put it through.” Michelle and Pierce appeared on the screen in a split view. “So what’s the reason for the rush Major?”

“We got a big one this time Cap,” Pierce said before his image was replaced with another one. This one featured a fat person in a white suit and hat. He would have reminded most of them of the stereotypical southern gentleman if it wasn’t for the fact his head looked like a pig. “This is Sanders. According to SPD files he’s one of the biggest slave traders in the known galaxies. According to orbital and ground sensors his ship is currently in Turkey.”

“I’m getting the coordinates now, “Ace said.

“Michelle’s sending us some info on the terrain,” Boomer called out.

“I’ve heard stories of this person on my home planet,” Rev spoke up. “I believe some call him the Colonel.” Boomer snorted as he put the name together. Ace and D.E. started snickering as well. Dan lowered his head to hide the smile he was fighting. “What was humorous about what I said?”

“It might have been a little more obvious if…,” Boomer started before D.E. interrupted him.

“Please don’t finish that thought.”

Dan shot a look back there to quiet them down, “Sorry Major,” he said over the connection.

“Right, as I was going to say it’s doubtful he’s delivering anything out here.”

“I’ve been able to find,” Michelle cut in, “a couple of missing person report for the area he’s in. But the numbers I’ve found doesn’t indicate the number he usually handles. So I’m expanding the search parameters but I doubt I’ll be able to get the info to you before you enter silent operations.”

“Needless to say Earth command wants him stopped before he takes off. Also be on the lookout for this individual.” Sanders image was replaced by a gray rocky type of alien. “This is Sander’s bodyguard Grimm.”

“He suspected to be involved in at least twenty known disappearances,” Michelle told them. “This one is particularly nasty. A couple of the missing bodies that have been found were beaten to a bloody pulp and had their limbs broken.”

“We’re approaching international waters,” Ace called out.

“Remember the Turkish government doesn’t know you’re coming,” Pierce told them. “The government isn’t SPD friendly at the moment, and what happen in England didn’t help matters. If you’re caught by the local authorities I don’t know how much we can help you.”

“Understood sir,” Dan said, “Shepard out. Boomer silent op countdown.”

“Silent operation in,” he watched the controls for a moment, “five… four… three… two… one and we are silent.” he deactivated the comm. panel. “So we’re officially on our own out here?”

“Part of the job Boomer,” D.E. told him, “we don’t contact OpsBase and vice a versa once we hit international waters. We all know that.”

“Listen up guys,” Dan said, “about what the Major said about getting caught. I have never left a team mate behind alive in my life and I don’t plan on starting now. So I’m telling you guys now, we all go home or nobody goes home. No one gets left behind. Is that clear?”

“The Major said,” D.E. told him, “that was your personal motto.”

“No one gets left behind,” Ace repeated looking serious. “Sounds like a plan to me.” Rev nodded while Boomer gave him the heads up. After several quiet moments Ace started running some simulations on her flight computer. After a while she adjusted the Shepard’s heading slightly. Dan tapped her on the shoulder and asked what was that for. “Shaving some time off our arrival time. The faster we get there…”

“The faster we get him,” he finished for her. “And hopefully the faster we get out of there.”

***

They discovered one thing about Sanders when they found him, he apparently thought he was untouchable. He didn’t even try to hide his ship. In fact he and his bodyguard were standing right in the open like they didn’t have a care in the world. Dan was glad he had Ace activate the cloaking system before they hit the mainland. Sanders stood there fanning himself with his hat as Grimm paced the area. “Would you relax,” Sanders barked, “you’re making me sweat. Do you know how much this suit cost me? I can’t afford to sweat in it.”

“I’m telling you I heard a jet,” Grimm rumbled.

Dan and the others took cover behind some boulder and shrubs while he pulled out a listening device, a gun like device with a disk surrounding it, and pointed it at them. “All of our scanner say you’re hearing things. Now would you relax.”

“I’d be able to relax better if you didn’t pick a planet that was swarming with SPD. I’ve never seen a planet with so many.”

Sanders laughed as he took out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead. “The greater the risk the greater the reward, ain’t nobody tell you that? But I’ll admit things were easier back in the day. When I was a young ‘un just starting out in the business all we had to worry about was a single Space Sheriff per sector. Now a days you can’t swing a dead Mynock without hitting an SPD officer. Too bad there’s not a whole lot of us left who remember those days.”

His bodyguard grunted, having heard this one before, “When did they say they were coming?”

“Half hour tops from that so called town in the west. They keep saying human are pretty adaptable. I’ve got plenty of clients willing to pay to find out.”

Dan folded up his listening device and pocketed it. That bit of information gave him some hope, maybe they haven’t gotten anybody yet. “Rev, any life signs on that ship?”,” he asked in a hushed tone.

“None that I can detect Captain.”

“Alright we might have caught a break here, let’s not waste it. Ace, take D.E. and Rev and try to intercept that truck he mentioned. He said thirty minutes but that doesn’t mean it won’t get here sooner. Me and Boomer are going to try to take them.”

“Right,” she acknowledged. “Which direction?”

“He said from the west,” Rev answered. Ace and the other looked at him in surprise.

“He’s got good hearing,” Dan told them. “Now stop wasting time and go.”

“I’ll ask later,” Ace said as she waved D.E. and Rev to follow her.

“So when do we go in and bust them?”, Boomer asked after they were gone.

“We’ll wait five minutes and scope out the situation first. With just the two of us I want to make sure we’re not in it too deep.”

“This might be a stupid question, but why did you split us up then?”

“Because if we can’t take these guys down then there is at least one group of people he won’t get his hands on.”

Boomer acted like he didn’t think of that, “That’s thinking pretty far ahead.”

“That’s why they pay me the leader money.”

“Now I’m glad you made Ace second in command, I’m too pretty to get worry wrinkles thinking about stuff like that,” he said with a grin. Dan still looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Cap I’m joking.”

Sanders put the handkerchief back and caught a look at a small monitor inside his coat that was connected to the ship scanners. The automatic sweep picked up a couple of stray life signs that weren’t there before. “Oh my, we apparently have some unexpected visitors Grimm. Why don’t you give them a warm welcome.”

“Of course,” he walked toward the boulder grabbing a grenade. He threw it to the ground, ten Anaroids formed and came toward them.

“We’ve been made,” Dan cursed as they pulled out their OpsLicnese, “Change standby.”

“Emergency!”, they held their License across their chest then thrust them foreword, “DekaOps!” The Dekametal formed around them in less than a moment and they charged the Anaroids and Grimm.

***

“I’m getting an abnormal reading from that vehicle over there,” Rev pointed to an old truck coming down the road. Ace pulled out her binoculars and checked it out. There were two guys in the cab, the one in the passenger seat looked like he was holding a gun of some sort. D.E. wasn’t sure but he said it looked like an assault rifle from here. Something told her she shouldn’t jump the gun just yet.

“What kind of readings?”

“Human, several of them in the back of the vehicle if these readings are correct.”

“I’m not seeing any other truck in the area,” D.E. said after a quick sweep. “This has to be them.” She thought so too, but this was her first job as the number two person in the unit. Making a huge blunder was not the way to start the job.

“They could be a military operation as well,” Rev said, echoing the part of her thoughts. “And it hasn’t been thirty minutes.”

“They could be early. Well what would Cap do if he was here?”, D.E. asked them.

“Cap isn’t here,” he did say she wasn’t supposed to act like him. “There’s only one way to find out. D.E. get to the other side of the road, Rev you stay on this side. Don’t go in until I give the word.”

“Rodger,” Rev said.

“You got it,” D.E. said before heading across the road.

She stood in the middle of the road. After a few moment the Ace could see the truck coming on the road. “Emergency!” she pulled out her License and thrust it forward, “DekaOps!” and pressed the button on top.

Ace was surrounded by a pink digital field as the Deka metal formed around her body in a flash of white light. It changed into black body suit in a burst. A dark pink stripe went down the middle of her body from her shoulders to the top of her boots, on the left side of her chest the pink and black formed the outline for a number five. A backpack solidified on her back and the D-Shot appeared in a flash. “Face on!”, Deka metal flashed over her head and formed a dark pink helmet.

“What are you doing?!”, D.E cried out as he pulled out his License. She put her hand up for him to stop. Ace took out her D-Shot and waited for it to get a little closer. The truck wasn’t slowing down. “Damn that girl is nuts.” She aimed her D-Shot and fired a round above the cab. The passenger flinched but the driver did nothing. She fired another shot, this time though the windshield between them. Ace changed her aim slightly, now the D-Shot was aimed right at the driver. Ace primed another shot and the driver moved this time as the brakes started squealing. The truck came to a stop a yard in front of her.

Ace let out the breath she was holding, glad the helmet hid how shocked she was that actually worked. “Now!”, D.E. and Rev came out of hiding, their SP-Shooters aimed at the cabs occupants. She kept her aim on the driver, “You two out of the truck now! Out of the truck!” D.E. opened the passenger side door and took the weapon from them as they complied. “Get on the ground! Rev check out the back of the truck.”

“Understood,” he went back there and open the door. “They were transporting people in shackles.” Behind the helmet she relaxed a little bit more. Looks like she didn’t blow it. D.E was putting one in a set D-Whoppers so she took out hers and tossed them to him. “Lock up the driver quickly and help out Rev.”

“Right,” after a moment he went back there and whistled. “It looks like a poor man’s UN back here. They have guys from just about everywhere from the looks of it.”

“You’re rescuing us?”, one of them said, it was man who looked like he was in his fifties.

“You speak English?”

“I was born in Canada,” he said. “I was visiting some family I have out here and then those men kidnapped me.”

“Don’t worry sir,” D.E told him, “we’ll make sure you’ll get back to that family of yours in no time.”

“Thank you,” he said gratefully, “but who are you?”

D.E. and Rev looked at each other, “Ah… we’re the good guys. You’re gonna have to take my word on that one.”

***

The Anaroids weren’t much of a problem for Dan and Boomer. It took them longer than before but they were able to turn the robots into piles of scrap metal. They didn’t get a moment of rest as Grimm ran in to grab Dan by the back of the neck and threw him. “Cap!” Boomer called out. Then he turned to see Grimm right behind him. The rock creature raised his hand and slammed it to the ground. Boomer just rolled out of the way and fired with his D-Shot. Its rocky hide protected it from the shot but it still growled in pain. Dan got to his feet and started firing away with his. Grimm turned around, grabbed an boulder and threw it at him.

“Shit!”, he jumped out of the way.

“That’s why I pay him the big money,” Sanders crowed proudly. He saw a pair of headlight coming in their direction. “Looks like the Calvary has arrived,” he said evilly. Grimm caught Dan in the ribs with a back swing and held Boomer by the throat over his head. Suddenly he was shot in the back several times making him drop the black and yellow clad human. Sanders and Grimm both turned to the truck. D.E. was on top of the cab firing away with his D-Sniper. Ace stopped the truck and she and Rev got out while D.E. jumped off. “What the devil,” Sanders started backing up.

“Cap,” Ace ran up to him, “tag!” She held out her hand and slapped his as she raced by. “Let’s do it guys!”

Dan checked on Boomer, “You alright kid?”

“I’m still moving,” he said while holding his throat.

“Good, cause boss hog is getting away.” He grabbed Boomer by the arm and dragged him to his feet to chase after Sanders.

D.E and Rev both jumped up and kicked Grimm in the chest making him back up. Ace rolled forward between them and came up firing with her D-Shooter. She back flipped out of the way as the rock creature’s hands smashed into the ground where she was. The boys rushed up and started firing at the alien themselves as she pulled out her D-Rod. Ace hit a button with her finger and jumped up. The rod had a pink glow to it as she screamed and slashed it down at Grimm, who was finally knocked off his feet. Ace put the D-Rod back into her pack and pulled out her OpsLicense. D.E. and Rev stood at her side as she switched modes and pressed the button on top of it, “Target order!”

The area went black as a red X and a blue circle flashed in front of Grimm. It took a minute for the device to scan him and the X shined brightly. “Eliminate target,” Ace called out as she closed the License and hooked it into the D-Shot. The other two did the same as they went to a knee. Leveling their weapons at Grimm she said, “Ready.” They pulled back the grip under the D-Shot’s barrel, energy built up and traveled through the weapon and into the barrel. “Strikeout!”, they pulled the triggers and three blue energy beams hit Grimm. He resisted for a moment but he was soon deleted. “Got you.”

“Piggy faster than he looks,” Boomer said as they ran after him.

“Let’s give him a warning then.” Dan and Boomer drew their side arms and both fired a shot over his head. Sanders stopped immediately and put both hands over his head. Dan walked in front of him and held up his License, “Target orders.” The area went dark and after a minute the blue circle shined, “Apprehend target,” and he reached for his belt and pulled out his D-Whopper.

“Looks like this little piggy going wee wee wee all the way to jail,” Boomer said.

Dan groaned and lowered his head, “I should have teamed with D.E.”

***

Ace had the Shepard land next to Sander’s ship and he was now in the on board cell in the cargo hold. Dan was sitting on some crates outside the ship holding his side as she walked up to him, “Rev said you were hurt.”

“Nothing broken, Rev said I’d be fine in a couple of days. Nice timing with the truck by the way.”

“I figured it was my turn to come up with a plan B,” she told him. Dan had to grin. “So what’s going on now?”

“Well D.E. on that hill over there keeping a look out for any other trucks for the moment. And Boomer keeping an ear on the local police radio, to see if anyone is coming this way and we have to jet.”

“I asked Rev to take Boomer and check out the ship,” she informed Dan. “In case there were other already in there we couldn’t detect from out here. Rev also said he was familiar with this design so I told him to help Boomer find the ship’s computer after they were done with the search. Maybe they can get into the system and find out where they were going and where they been.”

Dan nodded with approval, “Good call. I’m sure SPD command would love to get their hands on that info.” Ace started to walk off when he said, “D.E. told me about that little stunt you pulled.” She stopped and faced him, not sure what to expect. “That’s not something I would do.”

“You wouldn’t, but I would,” she told him truthfully. Dan smirked.

“I wish all my second got that through their heads that quick. But don’t get yourself killed in the process all right. Pierce would never let me hear the end of it.”

“Not to mention Boomer would be your only choice for the job, seeing how D.E. and Rev don’t want it.”

“Don’t remind me,” Dan said as he got up. “Come on let’s give Rev and Boomer a hand with that search.”

“Yes sir,” she gave him an army style salute. Dan shook his head as he patted her on the shoulder and entered the ship.