Star Law: A Marshal Cole Series

Chapter 24 (c)

"You can't protect me from them," said Orion. "Other people would be in danger as well."

"Who is it that you need protecting from?" asked Cole.

"I know some of them but not all," replied Orion."It is the ones that I don't know of that I worry about. And I don't know if all are aboard the ship."

Cole sensed reluctance on her part in telling him the names. However, pushing her might her shut down. He decided to keep drawing the story out.

"You said you were seeking information. Is that what brought you aboard the ship?"

"Yes, I had to know the answer," said Orion, her shoulders sagging. "What else did my file say about me?"

"It said that you were orphaned and taken into guardianship by Aubrey Chase Chen," said Cole. "Much of the rest appeared contrived to compel us to pursue you."

"What else did they say?" she asked with a hardness in her voice.

"The dossier said you had alien DNA, that you were dangerous and," Cole paused before he went on. "That you may have had something to do with your parent's death."

Orion's mouth fell open. "They said that? I was 5 years old when they died."

"How did they die?" asked Cole."An attack," said Orion quietly. "The Long Monday terrorist attack in London."

"Seems a stretch you're to blame for an attack that killed thousands and that others took credit for," said Cole.

It actually seemed outrageous to suggest a young girl, even with psi powers, could have masterminded an attack by one of the more radical terrorist groups on Earth. The Unnamed was a group that emerged from the anti-globalization movement that felt certain technologies and philosophies hurt humanity. The Long Monday attacks in London had centered on the stock market, genetic labs, robotic manufacturing, the city AI and the nanufacture district. In the end nearly 20,000 had lost their lives to bombs planted throughout the downtown of the great British city.

"They take and take and all they leave is death and destruction," said Orion at barely a whisper.

The marshal decided that he'd been patient enough."If you didn't call me to turn yourself in then what is it that you wanted of me?"

"I need to find out what happened to 12 children that were with me at the Organization," said Orion. "It is why I'm here. They were like me: orphans but much younger and all the same age. They died in a shuttle departing from earth."

Cole blinked in surprise. "I don't understand. How did they die? Was it an accident? Were they killed?"

"I don't know," cried Orion. "I thought perhaps Aubrey Chase Chen knew but she was more intent in trying to kill me. I never found out."

"And Alexander Singh?" asked Cole pointedly. "Was that someone else you tried to get information from? He's dead as well you know."

"I didn't kill him," said Orion. "I assumed your people did. I didn't get anything out of either before he used some form of attack I'd never seen before."

"A lot of people are dead as a result of that attack," said Cole.

"It is why I think it is dangerous if I'm in a security cell," said Orion. "They will come after me and people will die."

"They're dying anyway and I still don't have enough information to stop it," said Cole.

Orion shifted on her chair thinking. "I think I was an experiment. I know it was a government lab and maybe even military although I never saw a uniform. It says Aubrey Chase Chen was my guardian but she was more like my guard. She trained me in psi."

"What kind?"

"All of it," replied Orion. "Apparently I am unique. Most people generally only have one psi talent. They trained me in as many as they could think of."

"Who trained you?"

"Many people, some with psi and some not," said Orion. "Most I never learned their names and sometimes only heard their voices as they were hidden by mirrors. I was monitored all the time, discouraged from asking questions and told all the time that I was in danger if I did. I was obedient."

"What changed that?" asked Cole. He was shocked at what he was hearing.

"It was when the twelve orphaned children who arrived at the campus and began the same training as I did," said Orion defiantly. "I knew how wrong it all was then."

"You called it the Organization," said Cole. "Did it have another name? Where was it?"

"That is the only name I knew it by," Orion said."And when I escaped, the first city I arrived at was Washington D.C."

Cole chewed on that. There were several Commonwealth bases in the Washington area. The military unit that Aubrey Chase Chen belonged might shed some clues on the location. That type of search would have to wait till they emerged from the communications black-out.

"Why did you run?" questioned Cole.

"I tried and failed to take the children with me,"said Orion miserably. "I was caught by Chen and barely escaped. It was soon after they moved the children off planet..."

Her voice trailed away. Tears streamed down her eyes.

"I'm sorry," said Cole, meaning it. "Did they come after you?"

"They did," said Orion. "Hunter-killer teams. Some who I knew and some that I didn't. All with psi powers."

"Are some aboard the ship now?" Cole asked. They were finally getting to the heart of the matter. He could feel it.

"Yes," she replied. "They are..."

Suddenly all hell broke out. Alarms began to ring inside the cargo hold and the crank of a metal door opening far away could be heard. Lights snapped on row upon row illuminating the vast room. Cole looked around and saw Volks leading an armed security detail through the hatch he originally entered. Quickly turning to look for Orion and all that was left was her empty chair. It was slightly wobbling.

"Wait, Orion, who is on the ship?"

A young female voice reached out. "I'll be in touch."

The security team found Cole with his head in his hands in frustration. They were confused by his lack of enthusiasm in regards to his rescue.

"Jeez guys, one more minute. That's all I needed."