The Missing Runner

By Kim Ravensmith

Bruce McDill made the transition from scanner tech for the RAM Magna system to an officer in the RAM Magna Police force after taking part in the investigation of the death of his old friend,Davey Ferrazo. Now he is called upon to find out what happened to a runner who has disappeared from the North Platte Yard. All signs indicate that the runner was snatched and taken aboard the Ali Khal animal train, which criss-crosses the world providing animals to zoos throughout the world. Ali assists him and his fellow investigators and the kidnapper is tracked to China, where he is captured and the runner is freed.
The kidnapper turns out to be a former runner who used his knowledge of the railyards to facilitate his crime. He reveals that he intended to sell his victim to a criminal cabal to be used for labor in the mines of Midori in Kenya. The mines were believed abandonded, but have been re-opened at the behest of an outlaw known as 'The Duke' who has been running a bandit army for 40 years, since the end of the Third War.
Bruce and his partner Igor are called to Kenya to meet with Kenyan officials and officers of the British Army, who have pledged to maintain a presence in Kenya until The Duke is captured and brought to justice. They are recruited to go undercover in the Dukes mining operation, and after travelling to Germany to investigate similar kidnappings they are sold to one of the Duke's agents and taken to the mines, where they wait for the Duke to show himself. When the Duke finally arrives, they are able to notify the British and Kenyan forces, and the last battle with the Duke's army takes place in the jungle north of Midori. With the 15th Kenyan Army and the British approaching from the south and Chinese forces from the north, The Duke realizes he has come to an end and throws himself into the fray.
Once the Duke is eliminated, Bruce and his partner are taken to a Kenyan hospital to recover from wounds they've incurred and then travel to Poland for a ceremony commemorating the life of a prisoner from the mine who helped them escape to sound the alarm and did not survive. They later return to Kenya to receive medals from the British for their bravery, returning to their home base in Nebraska just in time for Christmas.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kim Ravensmith
• Release date: May 30, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476422879

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The Missing Runner

A Magnetic Railway Book

By Kim Ravensmith

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2012 by Raven Smith

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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Chapter 1

Captain Bruce McDill, Investigator for the RAM Magna Police force was sitting at his desk in his office in the North Platte, Nebraska magna yard on a balmy summer day. Next to him on the floor a wolf-dog named Fritz was laying quietly, sniffing at the warm breeze coming through the open windows. Across from them, seated on the couch, was Captain Egor Zagon, Head of Investigations for the Elliptical Security Service, a branch of the Ram Magna Police force.

The two officers were carefully examining a document that had been produced by a message receiver located on a small table in a corner of the room. The message receiver printed out a hard copy of any message sent to Captain McDill. At the same time, the message would be displayed on a screen mounted on one side of the Captain’s desk. As he examined the document he was holding, Captain McDill occasionally glanced over to the message board to see if anything marked urgent was being received. Then he returned to scanning the item he was holding.

Captain McDill was wearing the standard dark blue uniform of the Magna Police, with a badge on his breast, unadorned epaulets, and the number 23 on the forearm of his blouse denoting the unit he was associated with, the unit assigned to the North Platte yard. Captain Zagon was wearing a nearly identical uniform, except for a large E on the shoulder, indicating that he was a member of the Magna Police assigned to the Elliptical Security Service, and he was also wearing a patrolman’s hat, the standard kepi now issued to all Magna Policemen. Gone were the days when the Elliptical Guard would be seen wearing ornate, gilded uniform suits and conical hats.

After a few moments of reviewing the document, Captain McDill raised his head and spoke to Captain Zagon.

Are you ready? he said.

Yes. Egor replied. I’m going with the chicken salad.

And I am going with the tuna salad. Bruce said. I’ll send it., and he typed a few words onto the screen on his desk and hit send.

Having successfully sent their lunch orders in, the two of them continued to review crime reports from the Mid-Central, North West Central and North West divisions of the RAM Magna Magnetic Railway system.

The two Captains were not directly involved in initial crime investigations for the Magna Police, though they did receive all reports of crime associated with the Magna system as well as updates from the local and state police forces, and bulletins from the Federal Investigative Bureau. Their job was to analyze data, looking for patterns that might assist the regular forces that they were attached too. Two investigative positions were required because the Elliptical System was a separate railroad, one that ran on a different rail system, often to locations that the Magna system did not serve.

Captain McDill did not report to the local commander of the Magna force, instead reporting directly to Chief Leslie Faust, overall commander of the RAM Magna police force. Captain Zagon was under the direct command of Alexander Voda, head of the Elliptical Security Service, formerly known as the Elliptical Guard. The two investigators would often meet for lunch in Bruce’s office and compare reports from both systems.

On this day they were reviewing the apprehension of the suitcase thief, a clever and inventive criminal who would distract riders of the passenger trains just prior to arrival at a station, so that he could walk off with their carry-on bags. One method he particularly liked was to secrete animals in his own bag and release them into the car. His favorite animals were gophers which tended to smell and to mess themselves when afraid. He had finally been captured at an Elliptical station after releasing two hedgehogs, a rather unfortunate choice of creature, as they simply rolled up into tiny balls, failing to provide the level of distraction required and resulting in the capture of the perpetrator.

Where did you catch this guy? Bruce asked as he thumbed through the report.

At the Spokane station. Egor replied. The train had just made the Bering Crossing. Spokane was the first stop in North America.

What kind of hedgehogs? Bruce asked.

Four-toed hedgehogs from Senegal Egor said, He bought them from a street vendor in Cairo.

I guess it seemed like the right idea at the time. Bruce commented.

Mmmm… said Egor who had closed his eyes and was beginning to succumb to the warmth of the afternoon and the softness of the couch.

You don’t want to fall asleep with your hat on Bruce said You’ll crumple it up and everyone will look at you.

They look at me anyway. Egor said, without opening his eyes. They all wonder who the heck I am, even the patrolmen. I am the only one with a silver badge they’ve ever seen. Their badges are all copper.

Just then there was a knock at the door.

Come in. Bruce called out, and the door opened.

A yard runner named Ving Sutton entered carrying the lunches that Bruce and Egor had ordered.

Good afternoon sirs. I have your lunch. Ving said, addressing them both.

Well thank you, Ving Bruce said, standing up and walking over to meet him and accept the packages. Egor, suddenly revitalized, also stood up and came over to greet the runner.

Handing over the lunches, Ving said I don’t have one for Miss Britta. At the same time he was eyeing Fritz very warily.

Britta is in Germany. Bruce said. Her grandmother has been ill. Let me see your recorder.

Ving held out the electronic recorder so that Bruce could enter his code, paying for the lunches and adding a little extra as a tip for Ving.

Is anything happening out there? Bruce asked him. Bruce always talked to the runners to see if they had observed anything notable in their frequent trips throughout the yard.

Nothing much. Ving replied, stashing his recorder back in his pocket. Some camels had to be unloaded at the West Rodeo barn. I’m going down to see them with Ripley after lunch.

Well, Bruce replied. Enjoy yourself.

Thank you, sir Ving said, leaving the room by the same door.

Bruce and Egor went over to a table on the other side of the room, where they had a good view of the yard through the open window. Setting the lunch packages down, they divided up the contents and began to eat. Outside, the activity in the yard was normal for the summer months, which was hectic. Since the Magna building was on a sort of promontory in the yard they could see for quite a distance. Numerous freight trains were passing through, slowed down to yard speed, and the usual din of voices and clanging metal and the swishing of the trains came rising up to the Magna building.

It’s a nice day. Bruce said, just before biting into his tuna salad.

Too warm. Egor replied. I’m looking forward to going up to Hanford where it’s cooler.

Egor was due at the Hanford Complex at 3:00 pm. The former nuclear facility at Hanford, Washington was the sight of the ESS Headquarters, and Egor often traveled there, though his office was located in the Elliptical yard at North Platte. It was a convenient place to catch an E-train to a number of different destinations and he was responsible for investigations throughout the Elliptical system. He also spent time in South America where an extension of the Elliptical system was under construction.

Bruce, on the other hand, was only responsible for the Northwest Quadrant of the United States, which included the areas of North West Central, North West and Mid-Central.

As they were finishing lunch, the screen on the wall lit up above their heads, and a message directing them to prepare for incoming video was broadcast over the Magna symbol. Suddenly Britta’s face appeared.

The Bruce and the Egor together. Two for the price of one. she said.

How’s your grandmother? Bruce asked.

She is feeling better, but she is still in the hospital. They are making tests. She replied.

Hearing his mistress’s voice, Fritz jumped up and ran over to the table, gazing up at the screen.

Oh Fritz. Britta said. Have you been a good boy? Mommy will be home soon.

Fritz made a slight whining noise, not quite understanding where Britta was, but figuring that she was somewhere in the area.

He’s been very good, but he scares Ving. Bruce said. Ving came in here to deliver lunch and he looked a bit nervous when he saw Fritz.

Ving used to be chased by dogs sometimes when he was running. They still make him a little shaky but he’s been helping Angel at the kennel. I think he’s getting use to them. Britta said.

Sounds like an excuse to be around Angel. Bruce noted. So when are you coming back?

I will be back next week. Britta said. Pass that on to Angel will you, my Bruce?

Yes. I’ll tell her. Take care. Bruce replied, and the screen went blank.

After the call, Bruce and Egor cleaned up after themselves and went downstairs and out into the yard.

We should go see the camels. Bruce said, as they walked down toward the Elliptical platform.

I don’t have time. Egor said. I have to be in Hanford for the new Vibe-Com training. But I plan to come back tonight.

Maybe tomorrow. Bruce said.

They soon arrived at Egor’s office in the ESS building and Egor gathered up the few items he was to take with him and checked the schedule. On Rail 5 a freight bound for Hanford had been delayed to pick him up, and the two Captains hurried over to the platform. There Egor boarded and Bruce waved goodbye as the train silently moved away.

Returning to his office, Bruce checked the reports he had missed on his walk with Egor, and then turned on the Yard Tracker. The tracker showed a grid, representing the yard, and on it the location of every person assigned to the yard was displayed. It was a busy, constantly changing display that none of the overseers had much use for. The dedicated work force did not need to be tracked to determine if they were performing their functions, because it was always glaringly obvious when a job had not been done, and the work ethic of the Magna Force was such that everyone was committed to keeping the system running at peak performance.

Bruce watched the display for a while, then turned it off and returned to reviewing the reports that came in over the message receiver. These were not only reports from the Magna system, but reports as well from police districts all over the Northwest, and they were always interesting to Bruce, who in reading them was able to develop a mental picture of unlawful activity across that section of the country. That was his job, after all, to know what was going on and to use that knowledge to help the local forces, be they the Magna Police Force or the District forces.

After a few undisturbed hours of reviewing messages, Bruce heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs outside of Britta’s office. Britta had a corner office, with an outside stairway leading down to the yard, which made it convenient for her to bring the dogs with her when she checked back in. Bruce turned around in his chair and greeted Angel as she came into the room.

Hello Angel. He said.

Hello Captain Bruce. Angel replied. I’m going to take Fritz back to the kennel. He needs to be fed.

Angel was an American Latina who had been hired by Britta as an assistant. She had served in the army for two years as a dog-handler and was well qualified. She was also admired throughout the yard for her beauty, which was stunning.

He’s not going to like that. Bruce said, leaning over and looking at Fritz, who was looking up at him, and starting to whine and slap his tail on the floor. Fritz hated to leave the Magna building, which was his favorite spot in the world, a place where he could look out the window at the entire yard and literally catch the scent of everything going on.

Oh, he’s a good boy. Angel said, coming over to the dog and leaning down to hook a leash up to his collar. He’ll be ok once he gets a sniff of that dinner plate. Won’t you Fritzee?

Fritz was still whining and wagging his tail, but he knew what was going on and got up from the floor. He walked over to Bruce and licked the hand that Bruce offered and then headed for the door, pulling Angel along with him.

I guess he does want to eat. Angel said. Goodbye Captain Bruce.

Goodbye, Angel. Bruce replied. By the way, Britta will be back next week.

OK. Angel said as she was pulled out the door. Thank you.

After the interruption, Bruce put the reports away and went over to wall, where his hat was hanging on a peg. It was the same kind of hat that Egor had worn, an eight-point standard police cap in gray, with a blue brim. He always wore a hat when he toured the yard, not only because it emphasized his authority, but because it protected the scars on his face from being burned by sunlight.

Every afternoon, sometimes out of boredom and often out of necessity, he would tour part of the vast North Platte yard, often on his hydro-cycle which unlike the ones available through the motor pool was assigned to him and kept in the equipment shed across from the Magna building. With his blue uniform and eight-point cap, when riding his cycle through the yard he looked like an early twentieth century highway patrolman looking for speeders on the old auto routes.

On this warm afternoon, he headed east on the maintenance road that paralleled the old Auto Rte 30 to Maxwell and then north, up into the hilly area where the spanner crews were still working on replacing the knuckle nuts that he had spent ten years of his life tightening. Occasionally when he came up this way he would run into his old friend Henry, who directed the knuckle replacement project from his office in Denver, but would often find reason to visit the field operations. Sometimes he would call Bruce to tell him he was coming, but more than once Bruce had simply bumped into him while touring the line or when Henry was on his way to the Magna building to visit his old friend.

On this particular day, Henry was not around, so Bruce just stopped off the side of the maintenance road and watched the spanner crews as they went about their business. He was always filled with a sense of melancholy when he watched the spanner crews at work, because his time in the spanner service had been an easy, predictable time of his life and he missed it often. If he were still physically able he might have considered returning to the Magna Spanner Service, but he knew he could no longer keep up the pace, and that he was better off where he was….especially since Britta was nearby.

After a while he hopped back on the hydro-cycle and made his way through the hills over to old Auto Rte 70 and back down to the magna yard. When Britta was out of town he didn’t have a lot to do, so he spent his time riding the yard and the old auto routes to familiarize himself with the area.

He and Britta had a condo in the city, but they also had accommodations available on the third floor of the Magna building and that was where Bruce returned to in the late evening. He checked his messages and retired to his room after eating dinner in the central mess, and spent his evening reading a textbook on police procedures. He did this not because he was particularly interested but because it was part of his job and he did not want to look foolish to the district police chiefs he had to interface with. Finally, he felt sleepy, removed his uniform and went to bed.

Just before dawn, the beeping of the video terminal woke him up and he reached over to the remote control and switched it on. The face of Lincoln Proctor, the Inspector of Magna Police in the North Platte Yard appeared on the screen. In the background, Bruce could see Angel sitting in a chair sobbing, her face in her hands.

Captain McDill, Inspector Proctor, said. We need to consult with you concerning an event that has taken place in the yard. A runner is missing.

Which runner? Bruce asked.

Ving Sutton. the Inspector replied.

Chapter 2

Bruce climbed out of bed, took a quick shower and donned his uniform. He was still buttoning up his cuffs as he walked out of his room and down the stairs to his office. From there he passed through to Britta’s office and then out and down the stairs to the yard. This was the fastest route to the Magna Police Headquarters which was a few hundred yards away, in a row with some maintenance sheds.

The runners worked throughout the Magna system. As an entry level position it attracted young people ages 15 through 17 from all over the world who wanted to get their foot in the door of RAM Magna. With experience in the yard they would be more likely to secure a job with better pay and more responsibility when they turned 18. Most of them did end up in another position in the system, and those who didn’t left to find jobs in other industries where their experience helped them to succeed. For most it was a rewarding and enjoyable three year span, and they took away with them friendships and memories that would last a lifetime.

When they were not in school, the runners ran the Bit trains delivering food and equipment to spanner crews and