Part 14 of SCUM by J. A. Johnson

Simikus bolted through the tables, hurrying for the nearest exit. The Connies were on to him—but how? His plan had been perfect. Who were they looking for, Simikus Giff or Ograd Paxa? He needed to know, but he had run too quickly and missed the rest of the newscast.

Should he go back? No. No, he couldn't do that; there were always Connies in the food court. He would be spotted for sure.

He clutched the case to him. "I've got to get to the Starview, to Dyll and Caravello. They'll help me. They can get me a new ID."

Yes. That was it. He giggled as he ran along the avenue. With the mega-credits he was about to be paid, he could buy more than an ID; he could be genetically resequenced. Why, he could be anybody he liked. The Connies would never catch him, not if he could get to the Starview.

***

Simikus ran the rest of the way, and entered the establishment huffing, puffing, and sweating. The place was much busier now, and most of the patrons barely scowled at him as he wove his way though their midst toward the back of the lounge.

As he neared the nondescript door, he noted the huge Modajai standing guard there. The sight of the scaly bouncer caused Simikus to waver involuntarily. He slowed, almost to a stop. The Modajai fixed him with an unreadable stare…before motioning Simikus toward the door.

Looking bolder than he felt, Simikus passed through the door. When the hulking sentry did not accompany him, Simikus regained a great deal of his composure. He was just a few meters from the office, just millimeters from wealth beyond his wildest dreams.

He stopped before the door and let it scan him. There was a pause, then it opened to admit him. Grinning, he stepped inside. His smile of triumph turned witless as he beheld the office's other occupants.

There sat Banastre Caravello behind his desk, flanked on his right by Algensio and on his left by Rudof Dyll.

In a hoverchair on the right side of the desk was Captain Eversyn.

Why would he still be here?

The Connie leveled an inquisitive gaze at Simikus. "Well, well, well; just the Nicovan I've been looking for, or rather one or the other of the two."

Frozen in place, Simikus sent Dyll a pleading look.

"And who might those unfortunates be?" Rudof chuckled to Eversyn.

The head of Omega Station's Consolidated Guard produced his data pad and activated it, relating to Rudof the explosion in the sewage plant and the two missing workers. He read off the names. "Ograd Paxa and Simikus Giff."

"Well," broke in Caravello with a smug grin, "this good fellow is neither one of them. He works for me. His name is Wilfor Kudisi."