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

get
much more about the bounty hunter from him. So, she turned on her charm and
talked about nothing in particular but all the while drawing the two lawmen out
of their shells. It wasn’t long until they were the ones talking, telling her
all about their lives as sheriffs and serving Titan Avionics.
    Jennifer nodded and listened. She would ask a
probing question here and respond with a flirty gesture there. She had learned
long ago that men were always a fool around a beautiful woman. Now she used
that knowledge to her advantage. All the while, Ryan sat back and quietly
recorded everything.
    *   *   *   *   *
    As he glanced at the waiting crowds, DJ weighed his
options. He needed to get more information concerning the comings and goings of
Retired Admiral Thomas. UR-L8 had given him detailed schematics of the mansion
but knew nothing pertaining to the security systems. Then there was the
transportation problem. He hated the thought of hiring a ride to take him
around the moons but there weren’t too many choices available. Titan Avionics
had intentionally set up the Saturn infrastructure where ninety-nine percent of
the population would be dependent on mass transportation. This allowed them an
inordinate amount of control over the masses. For those with the funds, this
meant skimmers or shuttles. The major difference between the two was the range
at which they could travel. Skimmers were limited in travel to one planet or
moon while the shuttles could move about the Saturnian system with ease. Of
course he knew from his research that neither flight paths were as strictly
controlled or regulated like those back on Earth.
    Directly ahead were the ferries. Big, cheap
transport shuttles designed for the masses to carry them from the starport to
any of the moons or the many domed cities of Titan.
    He dismissed this option as quickly as he
considered it. If he drew too much attention he might get challenged by some
young upstart trying to make a name for himself. DJ had seen Iaido challenged a
number of times over the last several months. It was often known as the
‘gunfighter’ effect. When you’re at the top of the ladder, someone below will
always try to bump you off and take your place. Therefore, DJ didn’t want to be
stuck on a ferry full of civilians. He might inadvertently endanger them during
his passage.
    To his far left were the limousines style
skimmers. He had enough credits to hire one and it would certainly have the
advantage of privacy but then, he wouldn’t be able to blend in...at least not
in the places he might have to travel to pull off this rescue.
    Upstairs, he could see the rental counter for Saturn
Shuttles where he could rent his own skimmer or shuttle. But since he didn’t
just need transportation from point A to point B, nor did he know where he was
going exactly, so he had to dismiss that option even though it offered the most
flexibility.
    He needed someone who knew the back alley ways of
Titan and her sister moons which meant the hiring of a cabbie and his taxi.
There were about a dozen of them parked off to his right in a nice neat row. As
one would get filled up by arriving passengers, it would depart and another
would take its place. It was extremely efficient and commonplace. Whether they
were designed for travel around town or between moons, every taxi looked the
same, from Titan to New Atlanta. Built with easy access in mind with roomy
interiors and plenty of storage for luggage, they all bore dented exteriors, a
testament to the rough treatment their drivers put them through. All except
one.
    DJ paused to study the exception.
    This taxi was completely different from the rest.
Sleek of design, it gleamed with fresh polish. Although the red paint was
faded, it was obvious that its driver took pride in his ride. DJ could also
tell that the driver liked to ‘buck the system’ since every other taxi was
parked neatly in a row waiting on fares. Not this one. He had backed his cab