The Eyes of the Wolf

November 17 - Hale's Moon

It was a good sized establishment. A large dance floor in the center. A small stage in the back with a vast array of sound equipment. Two raised areas on either side for patrons. The bar to one side. A few tables.

A scattering of wanted posters adorned the walls, like the photographs of celebrities that decorate the diners in the entertainment district of some Core world.

The Doctor had reported that the bottle of Replicant Elixir had come from here, from Firefly's. I wanted to obtain a second sample for our researcher. A baseline, as it were, to see if Mercedes had tampered with or altered in anyway the elixir she had given me.

I arrived long past closing time and the place was, for the most part, deserted. There were a couple of patrons at the bar sleeping off the effects of alcohol. I did not feel inclined to wake either of them nor wait for the bar staff to arrive.

-----

A short walk across the landing field I found a row of corporate offices and businesses. Even though it was after hours, the local office of Blue Sun was ablaze with lights.

Next to Blue Sun was the local office of Applecado, Brooke's transportation company. I thought I would just pop in and leave her a message that I had been in town.

I passed through the door and came to a sudden stop.

Behind the counter was a man tapping numbers on his datapad. He dutifully checked the numbers on the containers, then tapped in the numbers again to verify the shipment.

It was Cody Winterwolf.

He looked up when he heard me. There was a pause. "Somethin' you need?" he asked.

"Well," I admitted, "I didn't expect to find you here Mr. Winterwolf."

"Oh?" he answered with a frown.

"I knew you did some work for Brooke..." I began. I always thought Winterwolf was a hired gun. He had quite the list of charges against him. I did not think I would find him working behind a counter.

"I work here, yeah," he confirmed.

An idea began to form. Here was a career criminal with ties to a number of shady characters. Some one behind enemy lines so to speak. And, more importantly, his record indicated a protectiveness towards children.

"Well then," I said, "perhaps you can help me."

He carefully kept his hands on the counter where I could see them. "Okay," he replied cocking his head to the side but watching me closely. I kept my movements relaxed, natural.

"I was hoping to talk to someone about ....shall we say, transporting items from Paquin ...."

"What kinda stuff?" he interrupted.

"...without going through normal channels."

Winterwolf narrowed his eyes. "That ain't like 'liance to 'not' go through channels."

"Well," I answered, "I'm not interested in having any items moved or impeding trade in anyway."

"Ok... Now you got me a mite confused."

I sighed and frowned. It was a justifiable statement. I didn't exactly trust him and so was being too vague.

"Look," he said, "I transport stuff or do salvage for AT&S..."

Before he could continue, I took a leap of faith, "There have been two children abducted. I need help finding them, finding out how they got off Paquin."

It was an honest description of the situation.

He responded in kind. "There's a lot of ways to do it.... Cargo. Big stuff can hide a lot of boxes. Some of these can do it," he indicated the containers in the room. "They can be hid in plain sight too," he added.

"Oh?" I stopped him, "What do you mean?"

"Change hair color and clothes," he explained, "Knock 'em out and you can say anythin' 'bout em."

I nodded in response.

"But I ain't no kidnapper if that's what all your gettin' at," he added.

"No," I assured him, "I realize that. I am aware that despite your record you have a soft spot for children."

It was his turn to nod.

"Oddly enough," I continued, "with what I do know about you, you might be the perfect person to help with this."

"Shiny", he replied sarcastically.

"Anything you hear," I said, "well, it might just save some lives..."

"Okay," he replied, "If I help you with this, then you keep your boys off me."

"It will go a long way with the judge," I elaborated, "if you help in this matter."

"Whoa, whoa.." he exclaimed, "Judge?"

"For whenever you have to answer for shooting Reginald Brigston and Marshal Ishtari," I explained.

Winterwolf growled, his fingers clenching into fists.

"I'm not here to bring you in Cody. I just want to save the missing girls," I raised an eyebrow. "And what do you want Cody?"

He fumed, "That officer.. was an accident."

I nodded, "I've read the file. You have a good argument for self defense... or like you said an accident."

He glared. "That was an accident," he repeated.

"You may have thrown that away though when you took a shot at the Marshal."

"The marshal got his shots in. I got a vest to prove it."

"Yes." I agreed. The vest was already in an evidence locker. Gage and I had seized it when we searched Cody's ship.

"I wasn't shootin' to kill him," he continued, "I was helpin' a friend."

"That vest can work both ways," I said.

"Oh? Only took a pot shot at him and his pal."

I explained my remark, "It certainly places you in a gun fight with an UAP Marshal."

"Fine," he admitted, "I was in a gunfight. I been in plenty."

We were getting off track.

"I'm not here to argue the finer points of your case," I said, "I'd recommend a good lawyer regardless..."

He gritted his teeth.

"...but like I said," I added, "anything you can do to help with the missing children that will help you too."

"How?" he replied, "I don't see it doin' me any good."

"It shows that you care enough about the vulnerable to merit remaining a part of society. You don't want to be on the run all your life, do you?"

"Seems you folks got me tagged for that a while ago," he countered.

I continued, "...or spend your life behind bars ... or digging out some miserable asteroid?"

"What other options do I got?" he challenged, "Bein' a lab rat?"

I did not reply. He had scored a point. I had to give him that. He had been the unwilling recipient of a pair of experimental ocular implants by some government scientist whose enthusiasm for the work got the better of his or her ethical sense.

"Figures..." he muttered when I did not answer.

"How are your eyes?" I asked.

He frowned.

"...Still getting headaches?"

"Why you wanta know...?" he fired back. But he pulled his sunglasses off just the same, and set them carefully on the counter.

I leaned closer and looked directly into his eyes, narrowing my own.

His eyes were ... beautiful. They were the colour of liquid gold.

"Can you really see in the dark now?" I asked.

"Yeah," he replied, "Near dark don't bother me."

He shut off the light. The light from the neon signs outside coloured the room.

I shook my head fascinated at the modification, "Remarkable...." I said quietly, "You would make a good hunter."

"Already am," he said and leaned forward himself.

"Then help me find these children, Cody," I answered flatly.

He spelled out his limits. "One thin' I ain't doin' for you or anyone... I ain't goin' back to no facility. You hear me?"

"Okay," I agreed. We can work with that. I was suddenly struck with the absurd image of Cody Winterwolf receiving an eye examination in an open field somewhere. Scientists in lab coats. Birds chirping.

"I look for these kids... You find out where my sister is."

And that was his price.

I nodded gravely. "Deal."

Cody nodded slowly. "I make no promises I'll find those kids."

"Of course," I replied. There are no guarantees in life.

"I ain't helpin' for the 'liance," he narrowed his eyes, "And I don't want someone tailin' me."

"I don't care how you process it," I replied finally, "you help me and I will do what I can to find Kitten."

"Okay," he said.

"Okay," I said in return.

There was another pause. We now had an agreement. There was nothing further to say.

"Keep in touch Cody," I added, and with that I turned and walked out into the night.