Special Police DekaOps

20

Dan and Rev were in a small room with nothing but a table and a couple of chairs. Dan slowly paced the room looking over a file in his hands occasionally glancing over to the third person in the room. A redish skinned, bald, four armed piece of work they brought in earlier, the perp was caught trying to push a super steroid in various gyms. A real small fish in the scheme of things, but apparently connected enough to get an apprehension order. Rev made some small talk, seeing if he was comfortable. Dan closed the file and slapped it on the table. “So,” he said evenly, “your name is Orion Pax?”

“Yeah,” he grunted.

“An Andorian?”, he nodded. “That’s funny, because I meet a couple of Andorians and they look nothing like you. Have you ever seen an Andorian that looks like him Rev?”

“While it has been awhile since I have visited the planet, nor have I visited…” Dan coughed, the signal to get to the point, “No I haven’t Captain.”

“There’s a lot of different types on my planet,” the prisoner said. “I’m just from the south part of the planet.”

“The southern part of the planet?”, Rev repeated.

“Lots of planets have a south,” he said.

“Why would a planet not have a south?”, Rev asked. He didn’t seem to have an answer for that one. Dan leaned there against the wall staring a hole through him with steely eyes as Rev continued. “It is standard procedure to contact immigration whenever we bring somebody in. And I do apologize for making you wait so long. There was an interesting discrepancy in your file.”

“Then that’s their fault not mine,” he stated.

“A possibility,” Rev agreed.

“But this has to be the biggest discrepancy in the history of discrepancies,” Dan cut in. He activated a small device on the table and an image appeared in the air. Pax shifted in his seat uncomfortably. “This is the Andorian Orion Pax they have on file. This Orion Pax has blue skin, white hair, the antennas and what I find really interesting,” Dan put his hands on the table and leaned in until he was in his face, “two arms!”

“Captain please,” Rev said pulling him back. “This is counter productive.”

“Right after he tells me why the locals found an Andorian body matching this Orion Pax’s description two weeks ago.”

“I don’t know nothing.”

“And I know you’re lying.”

“Captain please,” Rev said a little more forcibly. Dan backed off and leaned against the wall. After a few moments Rev continued, “You can see why we are a little curious about all of this.”

“I don’t know anything about a dead body,” ‘Pax’ told them.

“Sure you don’t,” Dan said sarcastically.

“Captain,” Rev said warningly.

Dan ignored him, “Not only do I think you know something I think you did it.”

“You think you scare me?”, ‘Pax’ challenged.

“You saw Pax, waited until he was alone and shot him in the back. You took his ID, his visa and prayed to whatever God you believe in that humans would be too dumb to notice.”

“You can’t pin this on me.”

“Oh yes I can. I’m a black badge in case you didn’t notice, I can make you disappear and nobody would question it one bit.”

“I have rights” their prisoner told them.

Dan held him down as he tried to get up, “You’re here illegally. Your rights are what I say they are!”

He tried to get up again, “I don’t have to take this.”

“Sit down!”, Dan shoved him down hard he almost toppled over.

“Captain that is enough,” Rev said pulling him back. “I have a lot of respect for you but this has gone on too far. I suggest you leave now.” When Dan wouldn’t budge he added, “I will have you escorted out of here, forcibly if necessary.”

Dan stood there for a few seconds before heading for the door. “Always looking out for each other, it’s sickening.” Slamming the door behind him he stood there for a second. Seeing the Major watching things on a monitor he smiled, “Have I mentioned how much I love the fact you had them put in a door I can slam? Because the other sliding doors we have around here wouldn’t have the same effect.”

The Major sighed, “Have I mentioned you like playing the bad cop a little too much?” Dan joined him at the monitor and watched Rev do his thing with the prisoner. “And you were pushing the envelope a little too much for my taste.”

“I know,” Dan said, “but these guys always stop short when it gets to the Agents. And I’m tired of these guys being more afraid of them than they are of us.”

“I didn’t kill that Andorian,” Pax said.

“I want to believe you,” Rev told him. “Unfortunately the evidence we have paints a different picture. And I’m afraid the Captain is particularly good at painting whatever picture he wants.”

“You guys are corrupting him, you know that right?”, Pierce asked. “He wouldn’t lie like that before.”

“Just teaching to use what he’s seen and heard to his best advantage,” Dan said.

“I bought the ID and Visa,” the prisoner admitted. “He said nobody would notice and to not worry where it came from.”

“Who sold you them?”, Rev asked. He remained silent, Rev urged him on, “The Captain is dying to pin this murder charge on you. I am trying to help you but I need all the information you can provide.”

“You don’t understand, he’ll get me and I’ll never see it coming. He can turn invisible, he can stab me in the back in broad daylight in the middle of the street and nobody would know it was him.”

Dan cocked his head slightly as he heard this person could turn invisible. Commander Mynx words came back to him, “He was able to turn invisible Stevens. That’s not natural, at most he should have changed his skin color to blend in with his surroundings.” No way, it couldn’t be him.

“Listen to me,“ Rev said calmly. ”I need to hear all you know about this individual. I need a name.”

“I don’t know much. Grapevine said he used to work for both sides but I don’t know for sure. I know he was genetically altered. He’s a chameleon-seijin named…”

“Chatrox?”, Dan said in disbelief.

“Chatrox,” their prisoner said at the same time.

“Dan how did you know that?”, Pierce asked but Dan was already running down the hall.

***

Michelle jumped a little when Dan came rushing through the door. There was a slight panicked look on his face that worried her a little. “Dan what is it?”

“I need you to check the database for a chameleon-seijin named Chatrox.”

“Alright,” she said a little confused. “It would help narrow down the search if I knew where to start, arson, robbery, murder, jay walking.”

“Start with the SPD officer database,” Dan told her. Michelle looked at him, “Just do it, please.”

“Dan what’s going on?”, Pierce asked as he finally caught up. “How do you know the name of this Agent?”

“An Agent?”, Michelle was  more than a little surprised. “Why an I looking for an Agent in the officer database?”

“He was on Nagaus 7,” Dan explained, “he was part of the Ops field leader training that I was in. During the final exam he was caught sneaking back into the main compound and trying to access and download the computer database.”

“Found him,” Michelle announced. “Ok, skimming the boring parts… It’s like Dan said. Wait a second,” she trailed off. “This can’t be right.”

“What is it Michelle?”, the Major asked.

She looked up from the readout, “According to this he’s dead.”

“No way,” Dan said. Michelle put the file on the big screen. “That’s him, I know that smug ‘I’m better than you’ look anywhere.”

“Dan according to this when he was being transported back to SPD headquarters for questioning the Alienizers attacked his transport. There were no survivors found when the rescue crafts showed up.”

“No,” Dan said, “it has to be him.”

“Maybe it’s another Chatrox,” the Major offered

“Two chameleon-seijin named Chatrox, both genetically altered to become invisible?”, Dan told him. “That’s stretching things a bit.”

“So is thinking that this is the same guy our guest is talking about,” the Major countered. “It’s possible he’s using his identity to cover his track. He appears to have a track record of doing so.”

“Well, there is one way to find out,” Michelle said. “We have a guy who has seen the agent and we a got an image. To play it safe I’ll pull a few more chameleon-seijin images from the database for a picture line up.”

“And if he picks out this picture then he’s our guy,” Dan said following her line of thought.

“I’ll have Rev do this alone,” The Major told him. “No offence Dan but I don’t want you to intentionally, or unintentionally, leading him to this picture.”

“Fine,” Dan agreed. It took no time for Michelle to make a printed copy of Chatrox image and several others. The Major took the pictures and went back to the interrogation room. While they waited Dan started pacing the Command Room like a caged animal. Michelle watched him knowing exactly what he was thinking. If this was the same Chatrox then he told the Alienizers about Nagaus 7 and what ended up happening to his friend Tony.

After what seemed like forever the Major and Rev finally came back. Rev walked foreword and held out a picture, “He identified this picture as Agent Chatrox.”

Anger flashed through Dan’s eyes at he looked at Chatrox’s image, “I knew it.”

“I’ll inform SPD Command about the situation,” Pierce said taking the picture.

“I’m going in there,” Dan stated, “and pry out where he the last place was he saw him.”

“I already have the location Captain,” Rev informed him.

“How did you get it?”, Dan asked.

“He was keeping quiet about the situation,” Rev started, “then I suggested I might leave the room and let you talk to him alone. After that he was very informative. He also gave me a future meeting time and place, which is in a few hours.”

Dan started smirking as he looked at the Major, “You’re right, we are corrupting him. Good job Rev, we’re launching as soon as we can.”

“Wait a second Dan,” the Major interrupted. “I want to take this guy down too, but Agents are dangerous. I want the full team in on this one. And with Boomer still on his honeymoon we’re one person short.”

“There’s always me,” Michelle offered. “I know I’m not a regular field member but I can fill in.”

“Dan?”, the Major asked.

He nodded, “I’d want her along even if Boomer was here, just for the extra firepower.”

“Alright then,” Pierce said. “Dan you get Ace and D.E. up to speed. Rev you give the location to Michelle so she can work her magic before you leave. This is a big one, so make it count.”

***

Tension aboard the Shepard was high, mainly coming from Dan. He was unusually quiet the entire trip. Michelle kept glancing at him from Boomer station. He sat there barely moving as he looked out the cockpit window. All of them expected him to get up and start boxing his shadow before too long. D.E. finally broke the silence, “Cap?”.

“What?”, Dan snapped.

“I don’t mean to pry or anything, but it seems you have something personal against this guy.”

“Dan thinks this Agent is responsible for the information about Nagaus 7 getting out,” Michelle said.

“I don’t think he did,” Dan corrected her, “I know he did.”

“I just don’t get one thing though,” D.E. said, “if this guy was working for the Alienizers how did SPD not know?”

“It’s a big organization,” Ace said, “They can’t keep track of everybody. And let’s face it the Alienizers probably found his price.”

“Probably all the bugs he can eat,” Dan muttered just low enough to be heard by everybody.

“Cap!”, Ace cried out in shock.

“You’re letting it get personal again,” Michelle told him.

“You’re damn right it personal!”, Dan exploded. “It’s bad enough he was making my life hell during training. Now thanks to him Tony is dead.” He leaned back in his seat as he held his hand, “Damn it, I thought this was over after we got Waven.”

Michelle got out of her chair and went to him, “We’ll get him. But your head needs to be in the game for this to work. I don’t want to lose you to this bastard.”

“None of us want to lose you either Cap,” Ace added. D.E and Rev agreed.

“Tell us about this guy,” Michelle told him. “Why does this guy seem to be under your skin more than usual? You didn’t act like this when you went after Waven and his group.”

He sighed as he looked out the cockpit. “Let’s just say the bad blood grew real quick. When I told you guys I had everything I was thinking before I joined SPD thrown back at me him and his little group was the main source. Even after I got my act straight and started to earn Tony’s and the others respect he was still making the snide little comments. Seemed like every time I turned around I was hearing ‘That was lucky human’ or ‘Why is the lowly human still here?’ or ‘It’s hard to eat this food with the human stench in the air’.”

“And they didn’t say anything?”,Ace asked.

“He was smart enough not to keep it to himself whenever anybody in charge was around. Tony and a few of the other said if I wanted to take a shot they make sure to look the other way.”

“I think I would have taken them upon it,” D.E. commented.

“I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. So I decided to do the next best thing, I tried to one up him at everything. Every test, every exercise I did my damnedest to out do him. And he did the same just so he could put me in my place. Even during the final exam my goal was to outlast him. I didn’t care if I came in sixth and failed, just as long as he was seventh. They should have deleted his sorry ass as soon as they caught him,” he added without thinking.

“Captain,” Rev spoke up, “normally I wouldn’t question your state of mind. But taking into account your behavior and what you just told us I am afraid I must.” Michelle, Ace and D.E. started protesting while Dan remained quiet. “I take no pleasure in this, but as the medical officer I must voice my concerns. There is a potential the Captain may put his personal vendetta over the team well being.”

“That’s the most ridicules thing I ever heard,” Michelle told him.

“I agree with him,” Dan said suddenly. Michelle started to say something but he put up a hand to stop her. “I don’t know what I’m going to do when I see him, I don’t even know what I’m going to think. And the team’s safety has to come first. Ace you have the lead, I’m following you on this one.”

Nobody knew how to respond until Ace said, “Alright, here’s what we’re going to do. The fact you think you can’t be trusted in this situation tells me you’re still thinking straight and as far as I’m concerned can still be trusted. I’m going to follow you since you know this guy better than the rest of us.”

“I gave you command,” Dan stated

“I know, I just gave it back,” she said.

Turning to Michelle he asked, “Is there any way I can turn that into an insubordination charge?”

“What insubordination?”, Ace asked. “You gave me command and I made a decision.”

“Thanks Ace,” he said feeling grateful for the vote of confidence.

“Don’t thank me just yet,” she told him. “The moment I think you’re going off the deep end I’m yanking command back.”

“Fair enough,” he agreed. Rev seemed satisfied by the arrangement and turned back to his instruments. Now all Dan had to do was not majorly screw up their faith in him.

***

“Where is that idiot?”, Chatrox asked as he waited designated meeting place, a warehouse that was closed for the night. He was on time for the previous meeting and if he wanted one of the main ingredients for that stupid super steroid of his he better show up soon. If he had to reschedule the price was going to double, if he was in a generous mood and that was a long shot. A familiar feeling started to crawl down his spine. A feeling he learned to trust, something in the air was off. Perhaps it would be prudent to call it an early night. He turned to head back to his ship when he heard a snap that made him freeze.

“Going somewhere?”, a sickenly familiar voice said from the darkness.

“Stevens,” he growled as his eyes scanned everything around him. “I knew this day would come sooner or later. How did you find out about me? Who was dumb enough to talk? Or did you take some perverse pleasure in beating it out of them?”

“That would imply people where loyal to you to begin with,” he shot back. “Then again the Alienizers never seemed that loyal of a bunch to begin with. You fit right in don’t you?”

“Fitting in, that’s funny coming form you Stevens. How you rushed to fit in on Nagaus 7 with your human ideals and beliefs and all so mighty attitude. I was surprised so many swallowed your act, but I knew better. I knew you still believed you were better than everyone there.”

”No, but I knew I was better than you.” Chatrox turned around and saw him in his black and red Dekasuit and found himself staring down the barrel of the D-Colt. “Any day of the week.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t shot me from behind when you had the chance.”

“That’s your style not mine.”

“Then you should be very thankful for the late Waven,” Chatrox informed him. “Because if it wasn’t for him I would have sliced your throat open while you were hanging there. Without even thinking twice.”

Dan didn’t look moved but he did get in a verbal shot, “You seem to have a problem with finishing the job without getting caught.”

“Is this how you pictured this human? Me helpless and at your mercy with nobody around to witness your personal glory.”

“A, I know you’re not helpless and B, I’m not alone.” The other member of his infernal team came into view. Chatrox raised a scalely eyebrow slightly when he realized the yellow one wasn’t there, and this white one he’d never seen before was. “This ends now Chatrox. Ace, judge him.”

“You are right about one thing,” Chatrox spoke before she could do anything, “I am never helpless.” An Igadroid came out of nowhere and threw several grenades that formed a small battalion of Anaroids and Batsuroids. “We will meet again if you survive this Stevens. And I sincerely wish you don’t because I can not stand your stench for a second longer.”

Dan never took the D-Colt off him, “You’ll be seeing me sooner than you think. Now,” changing his aim he ended up shooting the Igadroid in the shoulder as his team tackled the other bots. Chatrox turned and walked away as Dan went after him. A couple of Ananroids blocked his pursuit, “Should have known.”

Michelle was too busy fighting off the bots to concentrate on hitting keypad on her forearm. When she could she hit in a five digit code and clapped her hands together, “Electro Charge,” and grabbed the heads of the closest Anaroid and Batsuroid. They stood in place shaking as the direct charge fried their processor. That bought her some room to maneuver and time to charge that attack up again. D.E shot at every bot he saw, and there was plenty at the moment. Ace and Rev stood back to back as they unlatched their D-Shots and fired away. At her command they started walking foreword and made a path through the bots. Ace grabbed her D-Shooter and tossed it over the crowd. D.E. jumped up and grabbed it. When he landed he fired in two directions. Dan fought off any of the bots that came at him. Reaching into his pack he spun and jammed his D-Knife into the neck of a Batsuroid. Turning the D-Colt sideways and hitting the switch he moved his arm in a sweeping motion as three shots fired out, each hitting an Anaroid. Rev jumped up and landed on top of a Batsuroid that was coming up behind Dan.

Dan looked over the area when he got a chance and saw Chatrox calmly walking into the warehouse. “Chatrox!”, he shouted as he ran after him.

“Michelle go with him,” Ace said as she saw him leave and saw where everybody else was. Michelle looked at the remaining bots and was unsure. “We got this,” Ace told her. “Go after them and back him up!”

“Right,” Michelle said and gave chase.

***

Dan kicked the door open and raised the D-Colt in front of him. Michelle caught up with him as he cautiously entered. Looking around he pointed to an upper level. “That might be an office. See if there some kind of master control in there. Maybe a security system too.”

“You’re not ditching me that easily,” she informed him.

“You can see everything from up there even without the cameras, now go.” Reluctantly she did so and he went further in, “Where are you?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” he answered but Dan couldn’t see him. But he sounded close.

“Why did you do it Chatrox?”, Dan asked hoping to get him talking again so he could figure out where he was. “Why did you sell out to the Alienizers?”

“Who says I sold out? For all you know I’m on a special assignment for…”, he started laughing. “Even I can’t say that lie with a straight face. But for why, the Alienizers offered me what I wanted, what I really wanted. Control, power and fearful looks from others. I got none of that in SPD.”

“Then why did you join?”

“Because I foolishly thought I would get that with the badge. How wrong I was. But I was willing to give it another chance when I was offered a spot in the Ops program. I figured my enhanced abilities would serve me well in a secret unit. Then I heard the same rhetoric from Mynx that I heard from my previous trainers and commanders and it made me sick. So I got in touch with my old contacts and offered the bases database.”

“Then you did tell them about Nagaus 7.”

“They weren’t interested at first. Why did they care about an infant program they didn’t consider much of a threat… at first. Then the black badges started making a name for themselves despite the fact nobody could locate any of them. Suddenly my information was very valuable. Not valuable enough to get me off this God forsaken backwater planet,” he said a little bitterly. Dan continued to search for the voice. “But it was worth it when I discovered the tiger had been sent out to control the situation. We both know well that turned out don’t we?”

“I already deleted Tony’s killer, do you think the guy who sent him there going to be much of a problem?”

“Over confident as always Stevens. Even if you realize you’re over classed. Or fail to realize you being lead into a trap.” An invisible punch rocked him as he turned around. “You don’t have the others around to protect you Stevens.” Dan thought he got the voice located and swung but got noting but air. He was knocked back with a kick to the chest. “You would not believe how I’ve dreamed of this moment.”

“Oh I can imagine, I wanted to bash your skull in every time you opened your mouth.” Catching a shimmering effect out of the corner of his eye he shot out his foot. He caught something, he could feel it. But it wasn’t flesh, it felt like that cloak he was wearing. Dan pulled out his D-Rod trying to widen his swing range. Then he was attacked from behind. Resisting the urge to strike behind him he waited, trying to cover as wide an area that his eyes could, trying to find even the smallest hint of that shimmering effect. His ears were starting to hurt as he listened for the faintest sound that would give him away. Then another attack came from right in front of him and wouldn’t let up. Dan tried to fight back but the D-Rod was knocked out of his hand. When it stopped he realized he was looking at his D-Colt hanging in the air in front of him.

“You dropped this,” Chatrox taunted and fired. Three shots hit Dan in the chest point blank. Then another three and another, Dan fell to the ground in pain as his Dekasuit flashed away. The D-colt was flung to the side. Dan pulled out his OpsLicense but it was kicked out of his hands, “No back up and no help for you Stevens.” A noise that sounded like a knife being drawn from it’s sheath could be heard and he started to crawl backwards away from it. “You are not so mighty now are you Stevens? Do you want to start begging for your life now or after I start cutting?”

“I studied your file after training,” Dan said suddenly. ”I was curious about how they could let somebody like you into SPD. There was a lot of Interesting information in the file Mynx let me look at. Like how you were part of a unit but always insisted on working alone. Maybe to hide your secondary job, I don’t know and really don’t care. But that bit of information told me one thing about you. You never saw the benefits in working with a team.” Dan tapped the sensor on the back of his right glove twice.

In the office Michelle got the signal and had already hacked into the computer and security systems and convinced it there was a raging fire on the floor below. As one the sprinklers came to life and Chatrox outline could be seen in the downpour. He realized this quickly and ran off. Dan got to his feet as quickly as he could to follow as he drew his SP-Shooter. Chatrox suddenly turned a corner and Dan lost track of him. Ignoring the downpour as best he could he looked for that outline. Even Michelle came out and searched the floor from her vantage point. By the crates, on top of the crates nothing appeared to be blocking the water. The he saw a small plank set across a couple of rows with a bunch of boxes stored on top forming an arch or some sort or a bridge. Looked like a dry spot too. Turning to go in the other direction he spun around and fired several wild shot under that bridge. One shot hit something low. “Ugh,” Chatrox stumbled backwards holding his leg and became visible again.

“Freeze Chatrox,” Dan kept his aim on the Chameleon as Michelle quickly tried to reach their position. Noticing one of his arms was still under the cloak he ordered, “Hands where I can see them.”

“I’ve studied you and your team as well. I’ve learned quite a few things.” With that he tossed something into the air. Before Dan could react it exploded in a blinding flash of light.

“Shit!” Dan cursed as he held his eyes and stepped backwards. He heard two set of footsteps, one coming toward him and one running away. Aiming at the fading set he fired away praying to god he hit the bastard.

Michelle reached him and tried to check his eyes, “How bad is it?”

“Never mind about me, get him.” When she didn’t budge he pushed her in Chatrox last direction, “Go! I’ll be fine.”

She did so and pulled her DataLicense out, “Ace he’s running outside!”

“I see him,” Ace said. “We’re in pursuit.”

“I’ll be joining you shortly.” Michelle risked turning her head back and saw Dan blinking to get his sight back before heading outside.

“Don’t let him get way!” Ace commanded as they chased after the limping Agent. He was able to make it to the tree line before they could get in range. By the time they got close to the trees an engine could be heard. A small craft emerged from the top of the trees and hovered there. “Fire!” she ordered as they took out their D-Shooters. The shots hit the hull with little pings but seemed to do little damage. Then it started to shimmer in an effect all of them knew. “He’s got a cloaking device. D.E. get back to the Shepard and try to pick up an energy reading. That cloak or those engines has to leave a trail we can follow.”

“On it,” D.E. said running. Ace heart dropped when she heard another sound she knew all too well. The sound of an engine leaving and quickly disappearing. He got away.

***

Dan sat there on the ground dripping as Ace continued to give him updates from the Shepard’s sensors. Rev gave him a clean bill of health a few minutes ago but wanted to run a few more test on his eyes when they got back, just as a precaution. Michelle came up and handed him a towel, “I found it in one of the equipment bins.”

“Thanks,” he said quietly and started rubbing it against his hair. After a few quiet moments she sat next to him and he asked, “Are you alright?”

“Why wouldn’t I be alright?”, she asked back. “I was the one in a Dekasuit the entire time.”

“I didn’t mean to be that rough with you in there.”

“That wasn’t rough. You gave an order and I didn’t follow it right away. Granted you try that when we’re not on an assignment and I’ll show you the meaning of rough,” she said smiling a little. He didn’t return it. “We’ll get him.”

“We had him,” he countered bitterly.

“And you didn’t kill him in cold blood when you had the chance,” she said. “It’s a small victory but I’ll take it.”

“You’re going to be the only one. The Major is going to blow his stack when he finds out he got away.”

“They made this guy an Agent. Everybody knows how tricky they are. Even the Major said so before we left.”

“Doesn’t take the taste out of my mouth.” Dan sat there before getting up. “Might as well get back and get this over with. Want to join me for a coffee later?”, he asked while holding out his hand.

“Love too,” she said as she took it. As they headed for the Shepard Dan’s eyes kept scanning the area. Part of him didn’t want to think he actually got away. Another part realized that paranoia could get him and the other killed if he wasn’t careful. And he would be damned before he gave Chatrox that satisfaction.