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“That part is corrupted. There’s nothing of her leaving the building and if not for the blast impact we wouldn’t have found the charred bracelet. We do know how she got off of Enotia however,” Kyele said.
The dark look on his face implied heads would roll. Rook curled his fingers into fists. What had Tempest done to warrant such a reaction? “How?”
Kyele manipulated the holo, swiping his hands in the air from left to right and pulled up footage from the transport station. It took a moment for the answer to hit them.
Gasps went up around the room. Stunned, Rook rocked back in his seat. Shock gave way to denial. He looked at the others and they turned in unison toward him.
The protest rose automatically. “I...I didn’t go to the transport station and help her.”
Kyele shook his head. “I know you didn’t. But watch.”
Rook looked back at the image frozen on the holo. The tall man strode confidently inside. Dark hair, brown eyes and a familiar face. His own. Dressed in the training pants from the cleansing room, scuffed shoes and an ill fitting shirt, Rook watched as a person who looked exactly like him entered the transport station and greeted the attendants.
Smiles and nods were exchanged as they recognized him as a resident on Enotia though not as a member of Ghost Unit. No ID requested or presented. No wonder Kyele’s gaze burned a hole in the footage as he watched. Based on issues in the past, all authorized personnel leaving or landing on Enotia had to show proof of identity.
Violating protocol, the station employees accepted Rook’s appearance at face value. There would be reprimands flying fast and free after this debacle.
The imposter asked a question and a station worker directed him toward a shuttle. Another hand shake and the doppelganger jogged up the ramp and disappeared from view.
Kyele waved his hand and the holo faded. He gripped the back of his neck with both hands, strain on his features and stared at them. “Since we know that wasn’t our Rook, what the fuck?”
Silence filled the room. Rook shifted about in discomfort. His brain couldn’t wrap around what they’d just witnessed. Dorian cleared his throat and sat up. “This may be a reach but could Tempest be Allagi?”
“What makes you think that?” Kyele asked.
Hahn filled in. “She mentioned a fire and a storm tonight with Rook. An Allagi colony living peacefully on Adinara was wiped out some years ago. She could have been a surviving child or adult at the time.”
Allagi. It fit. Rook hadn’t considered Tempest could be one of them. “You think she’s one of the morphing race? There aren’t many of them left, are there?”
Kyele reached for his data pad and began tapping. He spoke while he worked. “It’s true the only known Allagi colony was decimated in a disaster thirteen years ago. Few survived. Tracking them is damn near impossible because they can assume any physical form and are vigilant about keeping their true appearance a secret.”
Which meant the curvy, blue-eyed, blonde he’d spent the night with hadn’t been real. Anger began a slow and steady rise. How much of the night was a lie? Had her story of wanting to be loved been the truth?
Everything about that night now felt twisted, destroyed. It didn’t matter that he’d met her under the same false pretense. It stung that he, a trained soldier with a highly specialized unit, had been tricked by an amateur assassin.
She’d killed Daliss without their knowledge, escaped their facility and walked right out bold as you please while wearinghisface. Rook clenched his hand and banged it on the table.
“Calm yourself. We’ll figure this out,” Dorian said.
“How?” Rook snapped. “She could be anyone.”
“Jarad,” Hahn said.
Rook turned toward him. “What?”
“Jarad. This all started because she’s after him. Killing Daliss means she hasn’t deviated from her plan. If we use him as bait, she’ll come. For whatever reason, getting to him was worth the risks she took.”
“Good catch, Hahn. I’ll reach out to the Alliance. See if we can coordinate a mission,” Kyele said. “Get rest. Tomorrow will be a busy day.”
Rook stood with the others to leave until Kyele called his name. “Rook, a moment please.”
Standing by the table, he waited. The others filed out. Kyele closed the door and faced him. “Tell me where you are with this.”
Confused, Rook asked, “With what?”
“This. Tempest. All of it, Rook.”
He blew out a frustrated breath. “I don’t know what you want me to say. This is a mission. I’ll do what needs to be done to catch Tempest and stop her.”
