Chapter One #2
Aunt Dixie nodded. “Worth a try in my books. You’d at least be able to get into his office without him hiding from you.”
Beryl stifled a grin at the notion of her large and in-charge cousin hiding from tiny Aunt Dixie. She pretended to ponder for a couple of seconds before she leaned in close and said, “Maybe this time, but we might be burning a bridge needed for future endeavors.”
Aunt Dixie considered that. To Beryl’s surprise, she nodded. “You’re right. I might not want to blow this opportunity on an ordinary idea. Good thinking, Beryl. I’ll give it some thought and get back to you.”
With that, she waved her fingers like a beauty queen in a parade and guided her cart down the aisle toward the checkouts. Beryl couldn’t help but think she’d just dodged a bullet or at least postponed it for a later date.
Her relief came too soon.
Before she could take a step in any direction, a new problem planted itself in front of her: Sam Brody, newly installed deputy in Old Coot, Arkansas, and a recent transfer from Alpha-Prime.
Space potatoes! I am not in the mood for this, either!
Riker Phoenix, known on Alpha-Prime and other planets far and wide as The Calderian, the top lawman on the planet, sat in his executive chair behind his massive desk, wishing his day hadn’t gone the way of a space potato storm so early in his morning. But it had.
One catastrophe after another had plagued his usually manageable schedule, and he was becoming increasingly irate as each new and seemingly unsurmountable problem landed on his desk.
His beautiful wife, Elise, had been trying to get hold of him all morning but he’d been unable to find a minute to return her calls. That made him even grumpier.
His desktop communication device buzzed, a signal from his assistant letting him know his second-in-command had arrived and was waiting outside. Riker hit the button that would send Cmdr. Conrad Goddard into his office.
“Bad news,” Goddard said the instant the door closed behind him.
“Is there any other kind?” Riker asked.
“Sir?”
“Is bad news the only news I’m going to get today?” he explained.
Goddard, usually unflappable, seemed stymied.
Riker ducked his head once and said, “Sorry. It’s been a day. What’s wrong?”
His second-in-command cleared his throat. Inwardly, Riker grimaced. It was the man’s tell that he was about to deliver very bad news. “The agent we sent on that irregular need-to-know covert mission hasn’t reported in. We fear he may be MIA.”
Riker straightened in his chair. “What do you mean he’s missing in action?”
Goddard cleared his throat. “I don’t believe I can be any clearer, sir. The agent has been undercover for more than six months. He sent an initial report and a follow-up, including next steps for completion of the mission, then went silent. He’s missed his last three check-ins.”
A sudden pain above Riker’s left eye throbbed to attention.
“He was nearing the end of his mission the last time he reported in?”
“Yes, sir. My understanding was the agent was about to make the final determination on the issue he was sent there to…manage before handing in his final report. He proposed collecting the target and bringing him back to face justice on Alpha-Prime. There were no red flags or issues noted in his last communication.”
“Do you think the target became aware of our agent and did something to him?”
Goddard cleared his throat again. “That is unclear. The agent is one of our best. He’s never failed to check in before.
As you know, it’s just a communication blip sequence on a monitored wavelength to confirm he’s still operating five-by-five.
We won’t know the nitty-gritty details of the mission until he returns with his final report, since he must remain incognito, given his location.
Since we didn’t inform the local Alpha leadership that he’s there under an alias, we can’t tap them for assistance. ”
“Right.” Riker suddenly remembered where the mission was taking place. Earth. The planet he’d once visited by accident what seemed like a lifetime ago. “How long since we heard from him?”
“Almost a month.”
“That’s too long. What is your recommendation, Goddard?”
“I’d like to send someone to check on him and assess the situation. I know it spreads us thin—”
“Who?”
There was a pause. Almost apologetically, Goddard said, “We are limited in our choices—”
“Who?” Riker demanded.
“Darkfall. I know it’s risky, but—”
“Do it.” The Calderian hated to send Darkfall to a planet he’d never visited, but the missing agent was a key operative.
Goddard looked relieved. “Thank you, sir.” It occurred to Riker that Goddard was related to the missing agent. A cousin or something?
“Darkfall will find our missing agent,” Riker said with finality.
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. I’ll bring Darkfall up to speed on our agent’s mission parameters and insert him quietly, without notification of the on-planet leadership.”
“Good.” Riker paused then said, “They know each other, don’t they? Darkfall and Ironveil?”
“Yes, sir. They attended the Royal Magistrate Guard Academy at the same time and went through clandestine security command training together.”
“Right. Good. I have no doubt Ironveil…Radbourne will be back home soon with a good story to tell us.”
At least Riker hoped so.