Kallister isn’t deterred. “Yes. That tends to happen in this world. What else?”
“She was working under Travis before I fled the city. I think she mentioned her father worked in Command Intelligence, too?”
“Alexander De Velde. He’s a colonel. And her mother is Catherine De Velde, head of Biotech. Did Lyddie speak about her?”
“Not really, and I never met either of Lyddie’s parents. I was supposed to the night of the Jubilee. They were both there. But I was busy setting charges for Adrienne and then helping her escape after she corrupted the General’s mind…”
I trail off, remembering Cross’s allegations that Adrienne is corrupting people in the wards. I haven’t told anyone but Xavier, but the disturbing notion has been weighing on me.
“Is she doing it on a wide scale?” I find myself asking.
A groove appears in his forehead. “Adrienne?”
“Yeah. I was thinking about it the other day,” I lie. “The hospital ward I mentioned when I first got here. I got the feeling it wasn’t just fragmented Mods. Some of them might have been corrupted.”
His expression sharpens.
“I asked Adrienne about it. She said she’s only used corruption when it’s absolutely necessary, like with the General. She insisted it’ll never be done on a mass scale. Is that true?”
“The Authority voted on the General’s corruption. Unanimously, by the way. And I can assure you, if mass corruption of innocents was ever brought to a vote, it wouldnotbe a unanimous decision, not by a long shot. I’d never allow it, and I’m confident the others wouldn’t, either.”
A wave of relief sweeps through me. “So you’re not doing it.”
“The Authority has never approved a mission like that, no.” He pauses for a beat, looking troubled. “I don’t want to think that Adrienne would do anything without our consent, but…” He stops again, then gives a firm shake of the head. “No, she wouldn’t.”
I tend to agree with him. I don’t believe Adrienne is capable of it. And yet…the doubts linger.
“Anyway, sorry, I sidetracked us. Why are you asking about the DeVeldes?”
Kallister shrugs. “Not sure yet. Could be nothing, but we’ve been hearing some murmurings.”
Murmurings. The Authority is always hearingmurmurings,and they’re never inclined to share them. In fact, as much as they claim to freely share information around here, it seems like they like to keep most things close to the vest.
I’m about to push him when an unfamiliar voice slices into my mind.
“They are not innocent, brother.”
I jerk in surprise.
That was…Travis Redden?
“Everything all right?”
I blink. “Sorry. I keep spacing out. I must be tired.”
“Would you like another coffee?” Kallister offers.
“Sure. Thanks.”
He’s barely out of the room before I hear it again.
This time, I know it’s not a hallucination.
“Even our father knew that they could be useful.”
It’s Cross.
My heart jumps into my throat. He’s safe.
