Red Angel: Book II: Raiders (Red Angel Series 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

looked doubtful, and then at me.
    MacLin had a valid point. Unless the raiders were completely out of touch with events within the UAS—and they didn't appear to be, based on their raids—they would have read about the NIA team that broke the smuggler's ring. The questions then were 1) How long before they knew we had been assigned to find them, and 2) Would they consider us a threat to their operation.
    "I think we’re safe on board the Vulcan. Planet-side, it will depend on their organization and its information network. If it’s as good as it looks, it’s possible the Vulcan may be as vulnerable as we are." In reality, I felt more concerned about those around me than myself.
    "That's an interesting observation, Paulus. Since you’re chasing raiders, let's take reasonable precautions. You carry your weapons at all times. I'll assign each of you a single guard for now, and I'll instruct the crew to be on the alert for any suspicious activities."
    "Thank you, Captain." Adrian looked relieved. "If not now, I think security will be necessary at some point. Our reputation is likely to make the raiders nervous in which case they might decide to eliminate us rather than chance us discovering them. Based on their previous thefts, they don't mind killing, and their operation has already netted well over a billion credits."
    "Is your first stop still Stone Ring?" MacLin rose. When Adrian nodded, he continued. "Well then, I've a ship to get ready to depart. You're welcome on the Bridge anytime to use the communication station. You can also use my conference room if you want. I estimate the trip will take four days."
    As MacLin departed for the Bridge, Kris and I followed Adrian to the captain's conference room, which could hold ten people easily and was not only spacious when compared to our quarters, but also far more comfortable.
    "For someone who hates space submarines, I seem to be spending a lot of time on them." Kris snorted as she sank into one of the beige padded chairs.
    "Is there anything we should be doing during the trip?" Adrian sat down, stretching out his legs. "Someone has to be communicating with the raiders; otherwise, how do they find out where to go and the details about the place they're going to rob? The past raids have been far too organized to be random targets of opportunity."
    "I agree," Kris said. "Either via the WavCom or in person. And in person would mean by spacecraft."
    "Both." I sat opposite them, curling my legs under me. "You can't send a WavCom message to a foreign ship. So you send it to someone who knows where and when the raider's ship is available and has the ability to go talk to them."
    "What if it isn't a foreign ship but one registered in the UAS?" Kris asked.
    "Then it would have to be only lightly armed to get registered. Probably unlikely for armed raiders, but we can't discount the possibility without some evidence," Adrian said.
    I frowned as I considered the detailed planning which seemed to have gone into each raid. "Maybe a rather simple message asking for a meet at some stated time and location. They couldn't possibly include all the details of the heist in the message. The person who gathered the information would have to go over it with the raiders."

CHAPTER THREE
     

Visit to Stone Ring
    We spent the next four days trying to determine how to search for the elusive messages. It could be as few as four among the tens of thousands that were sent during the weeks or possibly months prior to the actual raids. Red appeared to lose interest after the first day, and by the fourth, we all had cruiser-sized headaches. It was a relief when we boarded a shuttle at the Stone Ring space station with Major Pannell and three marines.
    "Congratulations, Lieutenant Commander Paulus, on your promotion. Are you anticipating trouble on Stone Ring similar to Oasis?" the major asked. He had been responsible for my safety last time on and off the Vulcan and had been with us when I shot the