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“So will you be giving me the address? “ as Jade turned to him with a quizzing look, Marvel finished. “Because if you intend tagging along, my vehicle only have room for two people, and there’s no way in this universe I’m ditching the Mole. “
“Fret none, honey boy, I have my own transportation. “ As they got out of the restaurant, Jade lagged a bit and whispered to Marvel. “What hold do you have on the Mole? “
“Why ask that? “
“He seems to be loyal to you. Because I have read his files. “ Jade peeked around at the Mole as he was busy watching everywhere for a possible stalker. “He is a very dangerous person. He doesn’t have any moral code nor show any sense of loyalty to anyone. He is selfish and self-contained. “
Marvel pretended to take a deep thought before replying. “Well he is my friend. In this age of greed and self centeredness, that word still mean something to some people. “
The Mole and Marvel stood by the Nexon 3 air car waiting for Jade who had gone to seek her transport. A low whine drew their attention to a landing slick silver colored hover bike. On the control sat Jade gently bringing the bike closer.
“Ok boys let’s move. “ With a twist of the handle and a higher pitched whine, the hover car lifted up into the air. “Hope you can catch up? “

“What’s the view like out there? “ asked his friend.
“Clear from what I can see, “ the Mole replied but with an unhappy and sad undertone. “That’s not saying much. This ain’t my turf, so I can’t really tell. Most of the innocuous looking people here could be spies. The place is just too crowded for a stalker to hide in successfully. “
Jade squeezed here nose distastefully at the Mole’s slurred use of the word spies. “Well we don’t have to stay here any longer than necessary, we can leave now if you want. “
“You already got the location? “
“Yes Marvel, else I wouldn’t have been waiting here for you, will I? “ faking an annoying irritation which she immediately regretted when she saw the Mole turned to her.
“Watch what you say to Marvel when I’m around. “ The red glow of the electronic eyes made the Earthwatch agent tense. “You may not live enough to finish the statement. “
“Chill Mole, “ Marvel placed a calming hand on his friend’s shoulder with the hand that have already pulled out a vibro blade under the table he was ready to use. “So what is keeping us? “
“Nothing. My colleague is on site now scouting the place. “ Jade stood up and headed for the door out of the restaurant with the other two following behind.

“I guess they don’t get to have regular bounty hunters visit. “ After taking some seconds to go through what she just said, “Ten bounty hunters? That in itself is unusual in the customary way bounty hunters work. We prefer to work alone, in pairs maybe if it is a tough job and the bounty is high enough. But that is it. party bounty hunters working together are almost never heard of, but ten hitting the same planet at the same time is weird. Still doesn’t mean it has anything to do with what I came here for. “
“I tried reaching a different conclusion from yours but still decided keeping an open mind. “ Jade then reached her two hands across the table and took hold of Marvel’s hands. “It’s really nice getting to work with you again. “
Pulling back his hands from her, he said. “It’s against things like this I brought an insurance cover. “
“What’s that supposed to mean? “ Jade all glowing happy face was replaced by one of consternation .
“That, “ Marvel nudged his head to a direction behind the chair she was sitting on.
Startled, Jade turned only to see a short statuted black man, with one natural eye and the other electronic, starring stoically at her. It was a familiar but scary image. “Oh, “ was all she could say .
Without saying anything to her, the Mole took the chair by Jade’s side and sat down causing her to squirm uncomfortably on her seat.

“Not directly though but I kind of hinted on it.” Jade got her elbows on the table then crossed her hands under her chin. “Marvel what else could I have suggested when it was obvious the leak we have in the security is way up the hierarchy, any sanctioned move will be compromised, whether covert or overt. “
“Well considering what I just experienced, this mission might already be compromised. “
“What happened? “
Marvel told her about the attack on him as he came in planet side.
“Actually curious, which might tie in to something I just picked up from an informant while wainting for you.” Jade clicked on her specialized wrist comm that displayed a 2D flat holo image before her with writings on it that only her can see legibly. Any other person that try taking a peak will just see undecipherable figures. “No wonder the port security got concerned when you came into the planet as a bounty hunter, there have already been ten bounty hunters passed through customs before you came. Puerta del Cielo never really liked the idea of a bounty hunter coming here. The fact that more than ten bounty hunter entering the planet in a day should definitely get them concerned. Not to talk of the whole fiasco with the senator’s kidnapping that they tried so much to contain and it blew up on their faces. “

The ground level of the restaurant was brightly lit, with a careful and skillful blending of different colored lights to give the impression of being under the sun on a warm summer evening. The place was filled with tables and chairs, almost all occupied with people, conversing and eating. Smartly dressed waiters on white tuxedoes and black pants moved around with trays filled with requested orders. Apart from the low din of subdued conversations and the low humming of the different music played on each table by the request of those occupying it, the place would have been quiet .
He saw her, the contact, sitting in the same sit where he had observed her from outside. She was putting on a tight fitting sleeveless gown of cream color with a V shape white cut-in from the shoulders to the stomach area. The material for the dress appears to be from something that looks silky bright. Marvel stood for a minute watching her and contemplating how to approach this, Jade has always made him uncomfortable. Jade lifted her head then, saw him and waved enthusiastically as if at a long missed boyfriend. Marvel sighed and walked briskly to her table .
“Hi Marvel nice to see you. “ she waved him to an empty chair beside her but Marvel took the one opposite her across the round plaswood table. “I was really hoping general Leyland really understood the seriousness and urgency of the last Intel I sent to him so he can ask you for help. “
“So you recommend he employ me for this?”

“So they finally agreed and it seem to work. “ the Mole echoed Marvel thoughts after the broadcast station was turned off.
“Evidently I just bought myself some precious time. “ Taking a look around the surrounding again, and not seeing any odd movement, he turned to his friend. “You think it’s safe now to meet the contact? “
“Seems clear so far. “ The Mole mimicked his move, then turned back to him. “You go ahead and meet her, I will scout around back on foot and meet you in there when I’m sure it’s all clear. “
Marvel got off the car, locked it, headed for the entrance of the restaurant while the Mole took the opposite , going round the other side. The Jardín de crístal has several beautiful trees planted within its compound creating an avenue for the road leading to it, and several cool areas where long benches with back rest are kept for people to sit on, creating a kind of park scenery, but also making Marvel’s reconnaissance of the place a living hell, as it gives multiple rooms for a stalker to hide. Though night had fallen, the areas around the tree were brightly illuminated with floating energy light bulbs adding to the beauty and serenity of the place, a multicolored rainbow hue displaying beneath the branches of the trees .
At the entrance of the hotel, Marvel was frisked politely, but his bounty hunter badge and a high security clearance when the security men tried to confirm his authorization from an external source allowed him to enter the place with his hand guns.

“… heard that the earth Global senate has convened an emergency meeting to reconsider their vote on the total colonial autonomy bill. “ the giant was saying, lifting up the gun in one hand and touching his chest with the other. “So as a sign of good faith, though the time given for the execution of the senator is over, we the Colonies Liberation Front have decided a stay of the senator’s execution awaiting the outcome of the emergency meeting. If the earth government decides to let the colonies be free, the senator and his family will be released without further harm. But if they maintained their initial stand, we will go ahead with the public execution of not just the senator alone but his along with his family at the same time. We will continue with our campaign until all of earth government officials are captured and publicly executed. We will not relent, we will not stop, we will not back down until the colonies are free. Freedom to the colonies. “
Marvel switched off the holo vid broadcast as he has heard everything he needed to hear. It had taken him a long time and several arguments to convince general Leyland to get to the president and persuade him to get the senate agree to act as if they want to deliberate on a change of policy. He said if the kidnappers noticed that there is an emergency senate session going on to deliberate on a possible policy change, it may make the kidnappers hold on executing the senator for the moment as that is the only leverage they have over the earth government. This will give Marvel enough time to attempt a rescue. The initial five hours can’t work. The general have refused initially, though he said he understood what Marvel was proposing, based on the fact that, his proposed move will appear to the public as if the government is succumbing to terrorists threats. The government policies for centuries has been no negotiations with terrorist. But with what he just saw from the holo vid, seems the power that be bought into his idea.

✳ ✳ ✳ ✳ ✳
Marvel had gotten to the meeting place with the contact some minutes earlier, he had parked his air car at a point he can watch all entrances to the place and get a glimpse of the contact as she gets in there. Lago derranado was one of the major bustling city in the planet with lots of highbrow hotels and expensive restaurants. The restaurant the contact had chosen for the meeting is Jardín de crístal restaurant built in a wide cylindrical form with glasses, iron pillars and duracrete floors of fifty-two stories. The ground floor was a full restaurant with glass all around through which Marvel has an unobstructed view of the contact when she came in.
He was still in his air car watching and taking note of possible stalkers or watchers when he got a flash message on his wrist comm to view a local planetary holo vid station. He turned away the readings from the tac screen and pulled up a broad cast from a local station. The image that appeared was a familiar one. Same as that when the holo vid showed that the senator and his family had been kidnapped and a demand has been made. The giant masked man was standing over the battered kneeling and bound image of the senator, speaking and gesturing with his gun. Just like the other holo vid, other armed and masked men were behind him pointing guns at the cowed woman and her twin teenage daughters. Marvel increased the volume to hear what the kidnapper will be saying.

“Like I said, you will make a good fighter pilot. “ the Mole said impassively as he surveyed the carnage .
The gray air car turned swiftly as it saw the manner in which the van was dispatched, with its fusion cell powered car driving at max speed it headed out of the lake for escape .
“Mole will you do the honors? “ Marvel asked as he moved his air car in pursuit .
The Mole brought the plasma rifle out, pushing the muzzle beyond the opened side window and aimed for the exhaust of the fusion cell thrusters of the gray car, as it flew at speed in excess of 600km/hr. When the Nexon 3 got in range, he selected the third setting of the plasma gun after the single shot, automatic and the sustained beam. The plasma bolt hit the gray car’s back at the fusion thrusters but with a sustained beam hit. The metal of the car turned bright red from heat and the heat ignited the fusion cell. The cell caused the car to explode in an impressive pyrotechnic display of electric fire. The burning car with its roasting passengers plummet into the cold lake .
“I love this bitch .” The Mole said as he kissed the plasma rifle again.

The heat seeking sensors of the rockets warheads, sensing no other higher temperature than the flares followed them to the surface of the lake and exploded on contact. The sudden explosion was big enough to hide the escape of the Nexon 3 from the pursuers because the speed of the maneuvers left them far behind .
“Now I think it’s time we show these kids how the big boys play. “ Marvel said to the Mole who was calmly quiet while the bounty hunter performed his evasive maneuvers. The car was hovering several hundred of feet above the lake that was now burning furiously from the aftermath of the rockets explosions. Marvel brought back the fusion drive to life and headed for the red van and the gray air car that were already over the lake to be sure if their target was hit. Marvel activated the mini guns under the doors of the air car, as it moved at blurring speed towards the red van. The covers over the mini chain guns opened and the long tri-barrel muzzles of the guns poked out. He located the firing control of the guns and pressed down the trigger. With rapid sounds like when a chain saw is at work, the mini guns spew out armor piecing uranium core bullets, at a rate of thousands of rounds per minutes. These are bullets that are made to cut through a six inch armored titanium steel. The van was at one second slowly moving over the lake and the next second it simply disintegrated as the bullets perforated all its body. The bullets chewed through the thin steel surfaces like they weren’t there. Metal, flesh and blood were scattered in equal sizes and all fell down the lake causing the surface to churn.

He drove the car downward towards the lake, at a speed that will make the car come in contact with the water surface in about 2.2seconds. At that speed, his air car will scatter, no matter how armored it is once it hits the lake due to the weight of the impact. Immediately he pulled on the reverse and directed the car upwards. Gravity already holds the car so the sudden change won’t take effect immediately, Marvel already anticipated this. At the same time, he spilled the flares hidden in the chute behind his car. The flares flashed white hot as they generated heat because of the strontium nitrate in them. They appeared as huge fire flies following the flight trail of the car towards the lake. As the gravity hold on the car got defeated by the reverse control Marvel had activated earlier, the car turned upward before hitting the surface of the lake. As that happened, Marvel put off the fusion engine and activated the antigravity rings beneath the car. The force of inertia and propulsion pushed the car upwards but it wouldn’t turn erratically because the antigravity rings held it steadily. Just then Marvel punched in a special button that released anti fire thermal suppression foam, which immediately cooled down the exhaust area of the fusion drive, giving the surface a lesser temperature than the blazing flares heading for the surface of the lake.

The Nexon 3 car blurred as it sped through the air approaching Mach speed. The rockets from the RPGs have been specially designed to target armed flyers and hover guncrafts with hypersonic abilities, so Marvel’s car moving at near sonic speed won’t escape it. At least for a limited range, those rockets are capable of hypersonic speed. One weakness of these rockets are that they are heat sensitive. This fact was shown to Marvel on the tac screen, so his increase of speed is not to escape but to give him space to maneuver. The sudden burst of speed has already taken him well over the lake at Burbio. There is a compartment behind his car with a chute to shoot flars that comes up with sudden heat that may be strong enough to fool the heat seeking sensors of the rockets warheads. But he have to be very careful with this because those rockets are semi smart and won’t easily be fooled .
Marvel’s car flies with the use of fusion propulsion, which makes the back of his air car where the engine is very hot and that is the area where the rockets sensors are locked on. He will have to look for a way to convince the rockets to lock on a different heat source or confuse their targeting abilities completely. The fortune thing about it is his car can also use anti gravity rings underneath it to hover. If he put off his fusion engine in other to take out the heat source the rockets are locked on, he won’t be able to move fast enough to get out of the rockets way, beside his car may not get cold quick enough to fool the rockets.

“Don’t get too Cocky Mole, look at what they have decided to throw at us next. “ Marvel told his partner as he continued to focus on the readouts scrolling through the tac screen.
“Oh these guys just got really serious. “ the dark skinned Mole said as he observed that the red van’s side slide backwards on both sides, and two men leaned out pointing two stubby cylinders at Marvel’s air car. “Those are RPGs, from what I can see on the tactical readouts, the rockets on them are armed with multi explosive warheads with semi-smart auto targeting sensors. “
“Yea, “ Marvel agreed as red dots on the tac screen began to blink creating a low shrill alarm sound in the cockpit of the air car.
“Do we have any defense against that? “
“ I can’t say. “ Marvel said as he continued to move the car at the steady speed he was on most of the chase. “It depends on what the explosive materials the warheads are carrying it. “ Just then the sound of the low shrill increased to a fevered pitch. “They are locked on. “
From the sides of the red van, the RPGs on the shoulders of those holding them jerked gently as the rockets on them spew out from the tubes and with instant burst of speed headed for their target.

“Ok, single shot is out, I’m going full auto. “ the Mole poked only the muzzle of the gun out this time because his shot had made their pursuers realize that they are armed and has been sending bolts after bolts of lazer fire the car’s way, so it is a bit hazardous for the Mole to expose himself. “Move a bit to your port side till I indicate otherwise. “
Marvel complied as the Nexon 3 swayed and the Mole got his target aligned with his electronic eye and the muzzle of his plasma riffle. When he pulled the trigger, this time it wasn't just a single orange colored bolt that flew from it, but multiple bolts, that despite the late evening sunlight, has enough brightness to be visible. The Mole’s target was the black air car by the right side of the red van. The plasma bolts hit the windscreen of the black air car and it imploded with the flight canopy shattering into a thousand pieces of plastiglass. As the bolts continued to rain on the car, it sliced through the bodies of the four men inside it. The plasma bolt generated intense heat within the car, that the interior glowed red then exploded, with the fusion cell of the air car blowing up due to the intense heat creating secondary explosions which turned the car to a burning wreckage as it fell to the ground. It blossomed into a fireball upon making contact.
“That must have felt like the inside of a microwave for those poor souls that don’t know better not to mess with the Mole. “

The air car wind shield slide down on the passenger’s side, and the heavy breeze resulting from the speed of the car’s flight smacked the Mole on the face. His single eye closed tight as it was buffeted but the electronic/mechanical eye stayed on. With it, he locked on the shooter at the shotgun side of the red van. He pulled the trigger on the plasma rifle and an orange color bolt shot from the muzzle and hit him on the face. The head of the shooter glowed red then blew apart in burnt flesh and pieces of charred bone pieces . The dead body slide back into the car as the lazer rifle fell off nerveless fingers dropping to the ground some hundreds of feet below. The sudden attack made the driver of the van jump suddenly on his flight seat, which lead him to yank the steering control of the van sharply to the right and narrowly missed colliding with the other gray air car by his side. It was a dexterous quick reflex on the part of the driver of that car that prevented the impending accident .
“I love plasma rifle, accurate, clean kill with no mess and zero recoil. “ The Mole said as he kissed the gun.
“We are over the suburb, below are empty areas all straight to the lake. “ Marvel told his friend as he checked the tactical readouts from the tac screen.

The pursing vehicles noticed the change and immediately initiated their own to catch up and this time all the vehicles pulled down the wind glasses by the sides, hands with lazer hand guns and rifles poked out. Soon long thin lines of crimson lazer bolts shot out of the three vehicles headed at Marvel’s air car. Marvel piloted the car on a swift evasive dive taking advantage of the internal gyro and stabilizer, maintaining internal stability despite the multiple rolls. Several of the lazer bolts missed their targets but some hit the car frame with ping sounds that ended in hiss as the heat sink tech of the black color coating of the car dissipate the concentrated heat at the core of each bolts, while the armored covering dealt with the kinetic force.
“Fancy driving, “ the Mole grained. “Bet you are one hell of a pilot. “
“On a fair fight with equal footing, we would have been blasted to smithereens. “
“And who the hell said that every fight has to be fair. “ The Mole grained with his metallic replaced teeth glinting in the poor hued light of the air car dashboard. “So can we hit em back with something unfair? “
“Soon, we are almost at the suburb town. “
“Ok, still that won't stop me from taking a pea shot at them. “
“Be my guest. “ Marvel said, with one hand on the air car steering and the other hand raised with a shrug and palm opened .

Marvel’s air car slowed down and shot back up to the air level he was on before the pursuers spotted him. The red van and the two air cars that have been milling among the few vehicles flying around took sharp turns with burst of speed and headed for the black Nexon 3. Marvel saw them and did a quick maneuver as if he was startled at discovering them, then increased the speed a bit, not too much so they don’t loose him again. With a burst of super sonic speed, Marvel could have left them far behind without them catching up with him but he doesn’t want to have unknown quantity of enemies behind him as he goes for the senator’s captors.
The black air car turned away from the air traffic route leading to the city of Lago derranado, moved quickly to cover the intervening distance to the air route of Burbio. This was a less busy air traffic lane, with just about an old air trailer carrying four carriages train moving at slow snail pace speed, which Marvel passed with a blind blur and another vehicle, a small air scooter with just an elderly woman and a kid in it, flying at opposite lane.

Marvel took a sharp dangerous turn, too fast for the anti-Collison program to compensate for. His air car moved too close to an on coming hover truck then dove down at the last minute before the iron fender of the truck, then moved under it and blasted with a sudden speed that made his pursuers loose him. He could see the sudden shock expression on the face of the truck pilot and the disbelief written on his bearded face. Marvel chuckled shortly imagining the heavy curses that must have been thrown his way.
“I wouldn’t want to confront them here, Mole. Too many civilian and innocent vehicles passing might get caught on the crossfire. “ Marvel continued indicating with a slight shift of his head outside his car canopy. “When we hit any of the cars here, falling debris might hit someone down below us. “
“So what do you have in mind? “ asked the Mole as he stroke the slick body of his plasma rifle.
“Slow down a bit, let them catch up with us, then turn away from the city we are headed. “ Marvel punched some keys on the dashboard, the tac display was replaced by a satellite map. “There’s a Suburban settlement two clicks from here, with lots of open and abandoned places. Burbio, it has a very big lake, we can head there and bury their carcasses and debris in the water there with no witnesses, I have very little time for interrogation right now. “
“OK let’s do it. “

The Mole took a quick peek behind instinctively but it was difficult to see beyond the armored plastiglass canopy of the air car at the vehicles outside as the speed makes them pass in a haze. Marvel was doing his best to avoid oncoming vehicles and still keep a watch on the screen for his pursuers. Though all air vehicles have proximity defense and collision prevention programs imbedded in their flight system, Marvel still paid attention to up coming vehicles.
“I just saw the two others, they are average air cars, black and metallic gray, both appeared old and beaten. “ The Mole said after taking his eyes away from the back. “Like you said it’s pretty obvious we have been compromised. Do you think the leak came from earth side? “
“Not necessarily, this mission was just only between general Leyland, the earth president and me, I was guaranteed that. I trust Leyland completely, the president, that I can’t say but I don’t see any obvious reason the president will want me to fail. He will want the senator returned back because that will put him in better light with the senate and secure his tentative hold on the Global Assembly. “ After a few seconds of introspection he added. “They may have posted look out to watch out for me or someone odd coming on this planet at this time. “

“What do you think Marvel? Are they made to stop us or just spot us when we came in? “ The Mole asked as he finished with the plasma rifle he was cleaning, putting the bulky rifle on his laps.
“Hard to tell. “ Marvel said as he tried to study both the monitor and the nav com display at the same time. “If they are spotters, they wouldn’t have exposed themselves this way, besides they are armed and getting ready to fire. I think what hasn’t made them to attack yet is their struggling to catch up with our speed. “
“Well let’s not disappoint them. “ Mole lifted up the rifle on his laps, checked the targeting sights then grunted with satisfaction. “This car is armored enough to contain what ever they can throw at us. “
“Yes… hold on a bit, I’m getting something else. “ Marvel concentrated on the readings from the tac screen, shifting through the multiple data rolling on the face. The air between the space port and the city of Lago derranado, his intended destination, are light on traffic of various types of air vehicles that are picked up on the screen and he needs to shift through to concentrate on his target. “ We have two other targets being tagged by the tac screen.”

Due to the urgency of Marvel’s mission there was no time for him to have made a reservation for a place to stay, he is just to come, get the job done and go out. The rented flyer was left at the space port hanger, Marvel drove his ever trusty Nexon 3 out of the space port, lifted into the air blasting out of the area at a subsonic speed of 800km/h just to avoid a sonic boom sound. The Mole was sitting by his side pulling out his guns cleaning them and reassembling the parts.
“I’m supposed to meet the contact at a restaurant somewhere in the city, the coordinates was just sent to me now. “ Marvel said to the Mole as he punched figures into the nav com of the car.
The Mole looked up suddenly, took a quick glance at one of the screen at the dashboard which shows the images from behind the car from the micro cam there.
“We have picked up a tail. “ the Mole said simply.
“I was afraid of this, that means the mission was already compromised before it even started. “ Taking a look at the monitor, he noticed the car was a red colored hover van that was doing its best to catch up with them at the fast speed they were going. He activated the HD extra magnification on the monitor, he saw through the wind shield of the van, two men. One was the driver, the other was riding shotgun, both were armed with lazer rifle. Since it’s a van, there might be others within it he may not be able to see through the windshield.

CHAPTER EIGHT


It has taken Marvel a while to get through the heavy space traffic surrounding planet Puerta del Cielo’s ever crowded orbit, find a place to land around the major space port and get himself, the Mole and his private car cleared through the planetary custom and port security. He had to rent a private space flyer, capable of transporting him and his equipment to his destination. The flyer was an old model Hercules HC 02 space craft, an old ugly looking vehicle with ungainly looking protrusions on its long cylindrical hull with four stubby wings at the aft where the twin fusion engines are located. A small space cargo freight belonging to the Conspace Services. The HC 02 may not score any mark for looks and aerodynamics, it’s the best Marvel can come up with within the short time he have for speedy transport of himself and equipment.
The delay at the customs to clear him and his equipment was beginning to irk Marvel. Normally Marvel’s bounty hunter license was supposed to get him and his equipment through the security without much huddle. But it seems this holidays and resorts planet don’t like to know that a bounty hunter has a job on their planet. It is something they definitely don’t want to be a public knowledge because it may affect the numbers of patronage from clients. Realizing how limited his time is, he put a direct call to general Leyland which passed them through the check ups almost immediately.

tunjilomo:

What's funny?

“Alright boss, I will be on my way. “ He said, still thinking of the time he intend to spend with the twin beauties that just left. “But you know it will take me a while to arrange for a transport, prepare my traveling documents before I can leave earth. Won’t be possible for at least another two days. “
“Strike that. Transport arrangements have already been made by general Leyland, you are leaving immediately from that spot. “
Oh shit, Hardwire thought with dread.
“Look up, those gentlemen coming are your special escorts to the space port. Make sure you don’t give them any grief because they have been ordered to use any means possible to get you to the next available space ship leaving earth for Nuterra. It includes stunning your ass if you struggle with them. “ Marvel said finally as be cut the connection.
Looking up, Hardwire saw three men moving slowly to his direction, all on black suits with white shirts. With the look of government agents written all over them.
“You should be Hardwire. “ One of them said, as they got to him. “We have been asked to escort you to the nearest space port. Please come, an air car is waiting. “
What a way to end a blissful episode of his life, he groaned helplessly as he went with them.

Oh sh.it, he groaned inwardly as he saw the frozen face of Marvel on the comm’s holo vid. This is the worst time for this.
“I’m sorry babes but I really have to take this. It’s my boss, he gets real cranky if I don’t responds to him on time. “ Hardwire said awkwardly, embarrassed at the odd timing.
“Don’t worry handsome, you can catch up with us at our private suite when you are through. “ The golden haired one said and gave him the address, as they turned, waved and moved away from him.
“Hardwire what are you still doing on earth?” Marvel’s voice screamed at him through the wrist comm tiny speakers.
“Uh hi boss. “ Hardwire said with an odd twist of his lips. “After the whole fracas, I just decided to stay back a while, you know and get to enjoy the sights. “
“Well vacation is over kid, your ass is needed asap at Nuterra. “ Marvel said his eyes firmly fixed on Hardwire’s. “There’s a job for you already which you should have done yesterday. “

“Hi handsome, “ The one with the gold colored hair replied him.
“Pretty ladies like you shouldn’t be walking alone on such a beautiful day like this unaccompanied. “ He sat allowing his smile to widen. “That’s a big lose to dudes like me in need of excellent companies like yours. “
The shy giggling of both girls stirred up Hardwire’s heart. “Well as we can see you all alone on a beautiful day as this, we wouldn’t mind getting you to tag along with us. “ The golden haired one said again.
“Hey you are that guy from the holo vid right, a hero or something? “ The platinum haired one asked.
“Yes, call me Hardwire. “ he took her hand and kissed the back lightly on his lips. Who said chivalry is dead, he thought happily as his action seem to excite her totally. Well seems I won’t be spending my night alone today.
While his mind was lost in fantasy on what he was going to accomplish with these two beauties alone in his private lounge at his exquisite hotel, his hand comm unit buzzed, vibrating and drawing his attention to a call coming in.

Still looking around at the beach and those flocking round the place, though lots of people are around, the beach didn’t still feel crowded. He had always thought earth to be an overcrowded planet spilling with excess homo sapiens . Though earth has its share of population, the most populated planet any where in the known cosmos, still it doesn’t feel that way. A discovery vastly different from what he had been led to believe before coming here. At least at the rate new planets are being discovered and new colonies set up, over population will never be a serious challenge to earth in a very long time.
Hardwire’s eyes caught two figures stepping daintily on the sands of the beach. As they got closer their features became readily distinguishing, they are both females, around twenty earth years, both with well formed body of a height that Hardwire seem to like. Both of them were dressed in delicate bikinis with multi colors changing with each steps they take. One of them has a long flowing platinum colored hair and the other gold colored, falling down to their shoulders in long lustrous flow.
“Hi pretty ladies. “ Hardwire called out to them as they got close to where he was. Both turned, took a look at him and smiled.

As the nations of the earth struggled against over population, hunger, wars and the threat of a world war nuclear war, pollution was an added issue to contend with. Until at the beginning of the twenty second century when the first of the FTL engine was invented, man for the first time saw the hope of spreading to the stars and conquering yonder planets and worlds, light years away. With this came the nations of the world agreeing to surrender their individual national sovereignty in favor of a one earth government. Within short years the planets around the solar system were being colonized, much structures built in them and the earth experiencing massive exodus of its citizens to these newly formed colonies. Half a century later, the first Exoplanetry colony was formed.
With these events, the major things that threatened the earth, overpopulation, hunger and international wars, ceased. The pollution level reduced considerably but was still a problem until the use of bio fuel for fusion was discovered. Slowly earthly waste became the source of fusion fuel for vehicles and domestic power consumption. Within a decade, pollution was no longer a threat to planet earth. Well the polluted Beach of Miami became a college project which students took the time to clean through the discovery of enzyme breaking nanobots. With that Miami was restored to a state much better than it ever was. An added new feature of the beach is the planting of coconut trees, giving the place a certain mystical aura.

The cool breeze blew over his exposed body causing tingling sensations on his skin along with the smooth coldness of the wet sand on his toes which he wiggled deliciously. He turned his head around enjoying the view his eyes are taking in. The numerous people like him, lying prone on the sandy beach enjoying a little sun bathing. Girls in several colorful skimpy bikinis strolling on the wet sands where the sea water laps at the sands. Some of the girls that walked close to him always stopped to say something nice to him.
Looking to the sea, he saw the waves crashing multiple times, some people surfing on hover boards on the sea ridges, the ocean water swelling and collapsing on itself with foamy sparks. Beyond the waves, the sea face looks placid with an azure blue color reminiscent of the parts of the sky not covered by white clouds. Small single man sails floating on its surface. The whole of Miami Beach looking fresh and clean. However it hasn’t always been this way.
By the late twenty first century, pollution has become a major source of constant frustration among the then nation states on earth, without any hope of it ever being solve. Miami was not left out, the beach became so polluted, that its toxicity level was so high that it became cordoned off from the public use.

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Bright blue clear sky, clean salty breeze and warm sunlight on the face, damn this is the life. I can spend a century just lying down here without getting bored, Hardwire thought. At the moment he was lying spread eagle on the sands of the Miami Beach in a place called Florida on earth. This is his first time on the mother planet and it beats everything he had thought or heard about it.
After his heroic escapade in preventing a dangerous bio weapon being used on earth, he was arrested but general Leyland had appeared and cleared up the misunderstanding. From then on he has been regarded as a hero. Given the best reception ever, treated to the best places on the planet, given a high celebrity welcome every where he had visited. He has been conducted to meet highly placed politicians and practically worshiped. It was all like one long vacation of the best locations, hotels, food, drinks and the girls. Yea especially the girls.
One good thing about earth is it have numerous numbers of beautiful girls, singles and up for grasp. All his time in Nuterra, it had been scarce he ever got in a date, even then it has been with females that looks quite pitiful and none of the dates has ended well. But here on earth, girls have been flocking around him. They seems to admire and like him, an endless queue of them waiting to hang out with him. They have been so many he couldn’t remember the name of any of them.

“Yeah and I will fill you in about it all on the way out. This mission has a time limit which is running real low. “
“Marvel you know I’m not a bounty hunter, stuff like these aren’t my style. I’m an info merchant. “
“I know that, but you have been down this hole for too long, you've missed the sun. “ Marvel stood from the chair, grabbing the Mole’s hand to go with him. “Come along, it will be fun. There’s someone who might turn out to be a pain in the ass I want you to help me with. Besides you will get paid… double. “
Mole took a look at Marvel’s smiling face. “Alright you are convincing. But why do I get this feeling the person you want me to help you with is a female. I may have met her? You girlfriend perhaps? “
Marvel’s face flushed red at the Mole’s biting joke. “She was hardly a romantic material, rude, stubborn, careless and incorrigible. “
“You are right, this is going to be fun and I’d like to watch. “ The Mole walked down to the wash room laughing as he intend to change his oil stained work fatigues pants.
“Hey Mole, is your comm system up yet, I need to make a long distance call. “ Marvel asked the receding form.
The Mole nods and points to a portable vid phone connected to a comsat/webnet modulator.