DJ's Mission by A. E. McCullough Page A

notice.

 
     
    Chapter 5
    When Jennifer and Ryan stepped off the network
transport, they were met by two uniformed members of the Saturn Sheriffs. Though
she’d heard rumors about the callousness of the SS, she had to admit that they
looked rather dashing in their black tailored uniforms with white and red
highlights.
    Ryan actually seemed nervous around the
para-militaristic lawmen but then, he was just a kid. However, Jennifer had
learned to trust his judgment over the last few months. So if he was wary, she
needed to stay on her toes.
    The blonde haired sheriff stepped forward slightly
and snapped to attention with a click of his heels. “Greetings Miss Moody, I’m
Deputy Hagan.” As he held out his right hand in a welcoming gesture, his
partner to his left also snapped to the same rigid attention stance with the
clicking of his heels. “And this is Deputy Bunnell. We are to be your escorts.”
    Jennifer decided that it was best to keep them off
balance a bit, so she turned on her charm. With a flurry of batting eyelashes,
she moved alongside and wrapped one arm around the squad leader’s arm while
placing the other on her chest, which naturally drew his eyes downward as she
leaned forward ever-so-slightly, showing off her wares. “Why Deputy Hagan…you
didn’t have to go through all that trouble for little ol’ me.”
    Deputy Hagan forced his eyes back up to meet hers
as he answered. “Yes ma’am we did. Sheriff Kassinger takes the security of
visiting celebrities very serious.”
    Jennifer stepped forward with an exaggerated sway
of her hips and looped her other arm around Deputy Bunnell’s arm. She noted
that she was several inches taller than him which would allow her to, more or
less wave her hefty chest right under his nose. She knew from past practices
meant that he would be distracted and easy to manipulate. “So, you two handsome
men are to be my escorts? Lucky me!”
    When she said that last part, she shifted her
posture a bit and innocently rubbed her ample breasts prominently displayed in
a low-cut blouse against Bunnell’s arm. From the way he blushed and his eyes
flickered only from where they were walking to and back to her chest, she knew
she had him completely distracted.
    Deputy Hagan cleared his throat. “No ma’am, lucky
us. We were hand-picked by the Sheriff for this detail and are extremely
honored to be here. However, I must stress that your safety can only be
guaranteed while you are in our presence.”
    “Why? Has there been some sort of threats?”
    Deputy Hagan shook his head. “Not to my knowledge.
But then, I only follow orders and those are to escort you from the Starport to
your hotel in Titan City. Transportation has been arranged.”
    Jennifer glanced over her shoulder at Ryan. Having
an armed escort around Saturn and her moons was not something they had counted
on. Nevertheless, it hinted that Titan Avionics had more to hide than they had
guessed. Before she could turn back to Deputy Hagan, Ryan signaled that he was
taping and pointed over her shoulder toward the line of taxis. Following his
gaze, it didn’t take long to spy what had captured his attention.
    “Deputy Hagan, who is that?”
    “Who?”
    “The mountain of a man in the red hawk-looking
armor.”
    “Oh him,” Deputy Hagan scoffed. “That is a
notorious bounty hunter known as the Red Falcon. He’s evidently on the trail of
some thief called El Gato. Galactic regulations force us to allow his kind here
but don’t concern yourself with him. He’s nothing more than a common thug in
some shiny armor.”
    Jennifer felt her heart flutter. Without meaning
to, Deputy Hagan had let slip more than enough information to arouse her
curiosity. Telling her not to investigate would be like telling a mouse to
ignore that block of cheese sitting three feet away. It wasn’t going to happen.
    On the other hand, she was here for a story on
Titan Avionics and judging from the deputy’s dismissive tone, she wouldn’t