BattleTech: Shrapnel, Issue #8 (The Official BattleTech Magazine) by Philip A. Lee

Author:Philip A. Lee
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
Published: 2022-03-14T05:00:00+00:00

XIX

CATHAY

SOLARIS CITY, SOLARIS VII

BOLAN PROVINCE

LYRAN COMMONWEALTH

6 DECEMBER 3084

The phone call Xiang was expecting happened thirty minutes after seeing reports that a dead triad member was found near the FSB building in the Black Hills. The news of a damaged laser rifle near the body inflamed speculation, and the Federated Suns Police Department was under pressure to find out what happened.

He sat in his office, teacup in hand. He was taking a sip when the phone rang. “Yes?”

“The delivery went wrong,” Lee Yen Wa said. He sounded angry. With all the intelligence activity on Solaris, there was a good possibility the phone conversation was being recorded.

“I know. Any details?”

“It appears a rival company made their delivery first.”

Xiang thought for a few seconds. “How are you going to handle the next delivery?”

“We’re putting extra people on it and moving operations closer to the customer. I think we’ll see better results next time.”

“We’ll see. The sooner it’s done, the better.”

“We’re working on it.”

“See that you do. Goodbye.”

There was a knock at the door. Xiang looked up to see Somes standing in the doorway, a folder in hand. “Autopsy on Harrison Fong.”

“Give me the highlights,” Xiang said.

Somes closed the door behind him. He placed the folder on Xiang’s desk and sat. “Single round in the back of the head. From the angle, the shooter was off the ground, probably on a roof. Clean and quick.”

“Weapon?”

“Can’t tell. The bullet’s too badly deformed. It’s a heavy slug, somewhere between ten and twelve millimeters.”

“Any evidence on the shooter?”

“No. The police think the sniper shot from a roof about two hundred meters away. Has to be a pro—they left nothing behind. One of the neighbors thought she saw a man she didn’t know put something into a car trunk and drive off, but couldn’t give any more detail than that.”

Xiang put his teacup down and leaned back in his chair. “How are the others taking it?”

“Tan’s angry, no change there. But Kolarova? Fong was like an uncle to her, took her under his wing where she was first assigned here. She’s making a show, but she’s hurting.”

Xiang sighed. “We should send a representative to the funeral. She can go, but in disguise and with security. The sniper might stake out the ceremony, so she needs to be careful.”

“You know Tan’s going to complain that we should all attend, to pay our respects.”

“If Tan’s bluster matched his ability, he would be in charge.”

Somes nodded. “What’s the latest on the triads’ efforts to kill Wozniak?”

“They failed last night.”

“What happened?”

“Someone killed the triad shooter while he was waiting to kill Wozniak.”

“You think the shootings of Fong and the triad sniper are connected?”

“I’d be surprised if they weren’t. Work our contacts in the police and see if they can give us anything they’re not releasing. Do we have anyone over in Kobe?”

“A couple of part-timers. No one of influence.”

“See if you can get the autopsy report on that tea house owner killed last week, along with anything you can dig up on the dead man.

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