Page 46 of Spark Transform

Ambitious Davidro had once taken his circus to Con Prime. Against the strong advice of his pet forecaster, he’d gone to peddle a secret special project he’d dreamed up. Instead of a promotion, he’d gotten his shielder and one other contractor killed, and nearly gotten caught by the CPS Office of Internal Inquiry. Davidro had never gone within a parsec of the planet again.

Renner took several long, centering breaths to help clear his mind. In the morning, he could pull up holomaps of the High Court complex where Charrascos and Tapio were headed to. For now, he was tired enough that even the worst of his nightmares wouldn’t bother him.

He woke to darkness and a weird, repetitive whooshing sound. The sleep sack tangled with his legs as he rolled off the bed to crouch on the floor.

The noise turned out to be his percomp, which had also fallen on the floor. The quiet whooshing alert signaled an incoming ping. He’d forgotten to disconnect it from the net.

Zero-five-hundred in the fucking morning. Too early for Charrascos to rise, too late for him to go back to sleep. He sat on the floor and read the multiple pings from Haseem.

The first was from two hours ago, from the joyhouse’s secure net address. “I don’t know who else to ask. I’m on night shift. One of our former friends came to my office, wanting help with their upcoming event. I said no. They left, but now external security cams show three of them watching the exits. Could you come walk me to the metro around six hundred?”

The second ping asked if he’d gotten the first ping. The third ping, from twenty minutes ago, galvanized Renner into scrambling action.

“I’m scared. Now there’s six of them. They’ve got a ground hauler big enough to smash the gate. Office security can’t handle an attack like this, and people will get hurt. Please ping me if you get this.”

He used the fresher, dressed, and grabbed his coat, cloak, and bag. He’d sort the clothes and weapons in it later.

Charrascos needed her flitter, so he ordered a premium priority autocab pickup at the community airpad, a half-hex block from the townhouse.

The rain had turned to sleet and ice while he slept, making streets and walkways treacherous, despite his adaptive boots. At least the predawn hour meant the autocab came quickly.

He entered the coordinates, then sent a message to Haseem to stay inside until he arrived. Sleet hit the autocab’s windows as he settled back to think.

A second later, he bolted upright and hurriedly pinged messages to Charrascos and the security team that he had personal business to take care of, and he’d meet them at the spaceport. They’d get her to the rendezvous with Tapio’s entourage on time.

A few minutes more of thinking brought the realization that Renner, master of mayhem and universal electrical force, could easily handle six amateur conspirators and a ground hauler. However, Faraday Brenner, master of nothing, needed help.

He pinged Soleil’s studio, expecting to leave a message, and instead got the woman herself.

“Heyo, Brenner. Mornings aren’t your ace. You and Charrascos coming to class?” Her voice sounded relaxed and cheerful.

“Haseem’s in trouble. A crew wants to recruit him. He doesn’t want to join.” Fanatical, potentially violent wannabe terrorists were just another type of criminal crew in his book. “He’s holed up at the joyhouse where he works. The crew might slice the gate and haul his ass. I’m in an autocab, twenty minutes from the public airpad that’s next door to the joyhouse.”

“What’s the objective?” Much more Jumper in her tone this time.

Grateful for her no-questions-asked trust, he answered with the best alternative he’d come up with. “Take Haseem off the grid. He’s not a fighter. He’s scared.”

Renner blew out a measured breath. The rage monster that lurked in his heart urged him to fry the assholes and dance on their ashes. Satisfying, but not smart. “Ideally, no crew casualties, or they’ll want retribution. Definitely no police or headlines.”

“Copy. I’ll ping you in ten.” She disconnected.

He barely had time to take a breath before Haseem pinged again.

“Thank you for coming.” The relief in his high voice mixed with tension. “The guard on call says they’re all still out there, watching the street exits.”

Renner wished he knew why they’d brought six people. Maybe they wanted Haseem’s medical supplies and chems as much as they wanted him. Maybe they were all gliding high on pinzai delusions.

“Send me holomaps, security feeds, whatever you can. They’re probably waiting for shift change or daylight.” He tried to project a calm confidence he didn’t feel. “Stay alert and stay safe. I’ve got help on the way. I’ll ping you when we’re there.”

Haseem’s data came fast. The joyhouse occupied all three levels of a wide V-shaped building. The buildings surrounding it were of similar heights and occupied by mixed-use small businesses. The roadways between them formed a hex pattern that had been an architectural fad a century ago.

Renner forwarded copies to Soleil, then considered his options.

Jumpers were all warped times infinity, but Renner couldn’t complain.

He’d hoped Soleil would bring a friend with a shockstick or two. Instead, eight ex-Jumpers and three kids from class showed up with multiple weapons and military tech toys.

Soleil had handed him a secure earwire for private communications, then surprised him by asking to take command, rather than just assuming it.