Operation Phoenix

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Operation Phoenix Page 15

by Susan Hayes


  “I’d really appreciate it, Sergei. Tempers are a little frayed around here right now, and I’d rather not have to tell my people we are out of fresh fruit and vegetables.”

  “I heard a rumor Nova Force was there to investigate some sort of theft. I take it they’re leaving no stone unturned?”

  “And no feather unruffled.”

  “That should be their vething motto. I’ve crossed paths with them before, well, with Team Two, but I think that crew is all cut from the same cloth.”

  She actually laughed and nodded. “I suspect you’re right. I’m going to pass on your suggestion about the motto to their CO.”

  “Let me know how that goes. If you wind up in prison, I’m going to deny we ever had this conversation.”

  Sergei’s comment hit a little too close to home. If things didn’t go her way, prison might be exactly where she wound up. It wasn’t likely, but it wasn’t impossible either. She hadn’t done anything wrong, but the IAF senior staff were looking for scapegoats, and the clock was ticking.

  She managed to crack a smile despite her worries. “Fair enough. Thanks for helping me out with the food problem. Tell your pilot to put in a request for breakfast tomorrow. I’m sure the kitchen staff will be happy to make them whatever they want as a thank you for helping them out.”

  “I’ll pass that on. Make mine a cheese omelet with real bacon and ham to go. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve eaten protein that wasn’t vat-grown or synthesized?”

  “I’ll make sure your order is at the top of the list. And just for you, we’ll break out the real bacon.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You too.”

  She ended the call and spun around to face her desk again. Finally, something had gone right today. She was about to call Cleo to give her the good news when something occurred to her. In all the interviews going on, the focus had been on eliminating people as suspects. What if she took a different tack? Dax wanted proof Cleo wasn’t involved.

  “Sometimes the best approach is the direct one,” she murmured as she typed out a brief request for Cleo to come by the office.

  While she was waiting for Cleo, Trinity reviewed the files she’d retrieved earlier. The sergeant’s service record was relatively unremarkable. She had spent her entire career in administration roles, and the only awards and citations she had received were for her years of service. No family contacts were listed, her only emergency contact was for a large, well-known law firm with ties to Earth and several of the oldest human colonies. There was nothing in the records that cleared her, but Trinity was still convinced she wasn’t their thief. She just had to get Cleo to talk.

  Cleo was at her door within ten minutes. She looked as fresh as if she’d recently started her day, despite the hours she’d already put in. She entered, then came to attention and gave a crisp salute. “Reporting as requested, ma’am.”

  Trinity rose from her chair and returned the salute. “Come in and have a seat. I have good news.”

  Cleo’s eyes lit up. “You got us our supplies?”

  “I did.”

  Cleo settled into her chair and beamed. “That is the best news I’ve heard all day. How did you manage it? When is it coming?”

  “I contacted Tango Base. It seems they got a double order of perishables and no place to put it. Lieutenant Tarkov is sending one of his pilots over this afternoon. In exchange for a good meal and a few hours of R&R here, we’re getting all the supplies we need. Oh, and I promised Sergei a ham and cheese omelet with real bacon. Think the kitchen staff can make that happen?”

  “I’ll see to it.” She leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful. “You didn’t call me over here just to tell me that, did you, ma’am?”

  “No, I didn’t.” Trinity squared her shoulders and met the other woman’s gaze. “I need to talk to you about the investigation, and what it’s uncovered.”

  “Just us? No one from Nova Force?”

  The question took her by surprise. “Is that what you want? I can bring someone over if you’d rather speak to one of them.”

  “Oh no. I’d rather it was just you.”

  “Well that works out then, because the commander and his team don’t know I planned on talking to you. You understand that if something I think is important comes up, I’ll have to share it with them?”

  “I know. It’s just rather embarrassing. If I’m going to confess to this, I want it to be to a friend.”

  Trinity didn’t know what was coming next, but she braced herself for the worst. Had she been wrong about Cleo?”

  The sergeant sighed. “That trace evidence you found in the vault is a problem, isn’t it?”

  “It’s certainly not helping me to clear your name.” Trinity decided to lay her cards on the table. “I don’t think you’re involved in any of this, but I can’t prove that unless you tell me the truth. All of it. Not only about how your DNA got into the vault, but about the hidden bank accounts.”

  Cleo’s eyes widened. “You found those?”

  “I didn’t, but one of the investigators did. It raises a lot of questions.”

  “I’m sure it does.” She sighed and lowered her head. “I’ve been into the vault a few times, but not to steal anything. It was a—well, a family visitation might be the best way to describe it.”

  “A visitation?” Trinity leaned forward. “Do you have family in the vault?”

  She nodded without raising her head. “I know it’s not their gravesite. Dr. Clarke has made that clear more than once, but it’s more than just a vault full of medical samples, too.”

  “It’s so much more than that.”

  Cleo raised her head. “So you understand?”

  “If my brother’s DNA was down there, I’d want to visit, too. But why didn’t you simply explain your reasons?”

  “Because if I did, they might decide to transfer me. This place is my home. I requested a transfer here to be close to my grandmother. She was the only member of my family that truly cared about me. I joined the IAF because I grew up listening to stories about her years of service. I’m happy here, and I didn’t want to lose that.”

  “I can’t make any promises, but I’ll do what I can to make sure you can stay. You’re going to have to tell Commander Rossi what you’re telling me though. He needs to know.”

  “Do you think he’ll understand?”

  “When we were down there, he talked about how many soldiers were laid to rest in the vault. He’ll understand.” She’d make sure of it.

  “Okay.”

  “What about the bank accounts? Why are you hiding money, and where did it come from?”

  Cleo’s eyes started to twinkle. “My grandmother left me a sizable portion of her estate when she died. My family nearly lost their minds when they found out I had controlling interest in their precious corporation.”

  “You own controlling interest in a corporation?” Trinity had no idea. Hell, she didn’t think anyone did. “Which one?”

  Cleo actually chuckled. “Dazzle Enterprises.”

  Trinity whistled. Dazzle was the largest entertainment business in the galaxy. From holo-films to sim-programs, they created and controlled it all.

  “I don’t have controlling interest anymore, though. I sold some of it back to them, but I still hold enough shares to ensure they behave themselves. The rest of my grandmother’s estate is in those bank accounts, along with any dividends and other profits. When I’m gone, everything goes to charity, mostly IAF veterans and support for the families of the ones who didn’t come home.”

  “I hate to ask, but can you prove that?”

  “Of course. I have a law firm and a host of accountants that run things for me. I have no interest in the money or the family business. I’m happy here.”

  Some of the light came back into Trinity’s heart at that moment. “You have no idea how close you were to being in a great deal of trouble. The kind that winds up with you locked in a cell for the rest of your
life. I wish you’d told me this sooner.”

  “I should have, I know. But it was embarrassing to admit I was hanging around this place over the DNA of a woman who has been dead for more than twenty years.”

  “I only have one more question. How did you get into the vault? I thought your access only let you go as far as the change rooms so that you could restock?”

  “Oh, that.” Her cheeks turned red and her lips quirked into an embarrassed smile. “Jules did that for me.”

  “Jules, as in Dr. Jules Absalom?”

  “Yes. He created V.I.D.A., you know. There was a time…” her blush deepened. “There was a time we meant a great deal to each other. He had V.I.D.A. grant me permanent access to the vault so that I could visit my family. He knew my secret and kept it for me even after what we had fell apart. In the end, there was only room for one love in his life, and that was his work.”

  “Wait. V.I.D.A. gave you access? Your name isn’t on the list.”

  “It wouldn’t be. Jules added it to V.I.D.A.’s programming directly. It’s hardcoded.”

  Well, fraxx. How many other backdoors and overrides had Absalom programmed into V.I.D.A.’s systems? She needed to let Dax know what she’d learned. It wouldn’t help her keep her job, but justice was what mattered here, not her.

  “Do you know if Dr. Absalom programmed V.I.D.A. to allow anyone else that kind of access?”

  “I don’t think so. He was very protective of this place, especially the vault.”

  Trinity offered Cleo her tablet. “I need you to write up a statement attesting to everything you just told me.”

  “All of it?” Cleo’s cheeks went bright red again.

  “All you need to mention is that you had a personal relationship with Jules Absalom. The rest can stay between us.”

  “Alright.”

  She activated a holographic keyboard and had a statement typed up before Trinity could finish her drink. After handing it back, Cleo exhaled slowly and moved to perch at the edge of her chair. “Is that everything?”

  “It is. Thank you for being honest with me.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t fess up sooner. It just didn’t seem that important.”

  “Until we have all the pieces of this puzzle, none of us can be certain what’s important.” She tapped the tablet screen. “I think this might be one of the pieces we’ve been missing.”

  “If it is, then I regret it took me so long to come to you.”

  “I’m sure the investigators are going to have more questions for you, but for now, you’re free to go. I’ll send this to Commander Rossi.”

  “And I’ll let everyone know the supplies are on their way.”

  Once she was alone, Trinity read over the statement Cleo had made, adding a few notes of her own. Then she encrypted it, marked it as urgent, and sent it to Dax, and the rest of his team.

  She rose from her chair and looked out the window to the lake beyond. A feeling of loss hit her like a punch to the gut. She was going to lose everything. Her career, her future, all of it. She’d been thinking that her future would include Dax, but that was a joke. You couldn’t build a future on chemistry. A relationship took love, and work, and trust.

  “Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice…” She thumped her fist against the cool glass.

  Minutes ticked by and she didn’t move. Her thoughts were all over the place and she was too scattered to accomplish anything useful. She didn’t know who to trust anymore. Clarke’s offer was a good one, but he might be the thief they’d been chasing. She’d trusted Dax, and he’d had her investigated. Even Cleo had secrets. There was no one she could turn to right now.

  Finally, she moved. She wasn’t much good to anyone in her current condition. She needed a break.

  A quick glance out her window showed that the early morning sunshine had been replaced by dark clouds that threatened rain. “V.I.D.A., weather report, please. Will the rain hold off long enough for me to go for a quick run?”

  “I am afraid not, Lieutenant West. I estimate that precipitation will begin in the next ten minutes and continue for several hours. However, your bio-signs indicate that you would benefit from some form of exercise in order to return to optimize your focus and productivity. While the gym area is in use, the lap pool is currently vacant. Might I suggest a swim?”

  “I really wish you wouldn’t do that. But I can’t argue with your logic.” She checked the time. The shuttle from Tango Base wouldn’t get here for at least an hour, probably more.

  “V.I.D.A., where is Commander Rossi right now?”

  “Commander Rossi is on board the Malora.”

  Which meant he’d be tied up for a while. She had a short window to get in a quick swim and be back upstairs before the next round of crises arose. And the pool was perfect. It was the only place on the base she could be sure she wouldn’t run into Dax.

  Exercise always helped to clear her mind, and right now, that was exactly what she needed. A storm was coming, she could feel it. When it broke, she’d have to be prepared to deal with whatever damage came with it.

  14

  Trinity made a quick run to her quarters to grab her gym kit and a swimsuit, then headed to the mag-lift at the end of the hall. The fitness levels were several floors below the main floor and were connected to the other buildings by a series of tunnels. The tunnel system allowed personnel to move between buildings without having to worry about the weather.

  When the mag-lift doors opened, she discovered it wasn’t empty. Kurt Meyer was already inside, which meant he had been up in the research labs that took up the top three floors.

  “Lieutenant,” he greeted her with a nod. “Going down?”

  She stepped inside and hefted the bag in her hand. “I need to burn off some of the ja’kreesh I drank today.”

  “You drink that rocket fuel? Dante will be thrilled to hear there’s another lunatic on this planet that shares his passion for the stuff.”

  “Tell him I have three different blends. If there’s time before you all ship out again, I’d be happy to share my stash.” Doubt made her add, “If you think he’d want to.”

  “Why wouldn’t he? You’ve become sort of an unofficial teammate this last while. I think you’d find any of us would be happy to hang out, though I’ll pass on the rocket fuel, thanks. I like my heartbeat to stay below three hundred beats a minute.”

  She smiled at his joke, but her heart wasn’t in it. “Would you really want to spend time hanging out with someone you were ordered to investigate?”

  Kurt looked mildly surprised. “I’m talking to you now, aren’t I? We all know why the commander did that.”

  “So do I. It’s because he doesn’t trust me. I’m the scapegoat if things go sideways.”

  Kurt reached out a long arm and smacked the emergency stop button, bringing the car to a sudden halt. “What the fraxx are you talking about? He trusted you enough to bring you onto the team. The investigation was to protect you, not because he thought you had anything to hide. And there is no way he’d sacrifice you to appease the brass. What gave you that idea?”

  “If he trusted me, then he wouldn’t have tried to lock me out of your work area. I had to use an override code to get access to a room on my base. The last time we spoke, I told him he was wrong about Master Sergeant Gottfried being involved in this mess, and he told me he wouldn’t stop investigating her until I got proof. I sent proof, and I still haven’t heard from him.”

  “He didn’t lock you out.”

  “He had to have. The codes were changed so that only your team could enter.”

  Kurt was frowning now. “He didn’t. I’m his second, and I know he didn’t change the codes. He would have told me. And he would never have locked you out, Trin. You’re too important.”

  “I’m going to lose everything. My post. My career. All of it. He doesn’t trust me, and now, neither does High Command.”

  “Bullshit.” Kurt barked. “You’re not losing anything.”

/>   “But—“

  “But nothing.” He leaned in close and whispered. “Someone’s fraxxing with the AI and playing games with us. I just got an update from Rossi about it. If you were locked out, it wasn’t Dax who did it. You’re getting played, just like the rest of us.”

  He moved back and continued in a normal voice. “Now, what makes you think you’re going to lose your command?”

  “I’ve been dropped out of the loop on orders I should have received. Important orders.” Even as she spoke, it dawned on her that Kurt could be right. His logical insistence cooled some of the hurt and anger that had kept her at the boiling point since she’d discovered the locked door this morning. She exhaled sharply and looked up at the man who had once been one of her brother’s friends. He probably knew Dax better than anyone else. “I think I screwed up.”

  He chuckled.

  “This isn’t funny, Sabre.”

  “No, it’s not. It’s just that you sounded exactly like Travis for a second. I don’t know how many conversations we had that started with that same phrase. Veth, I miss that idiot.”

  “Me, too,” she confessed. “And that’s part of the trouble. I’ve been angry with Dax for so long, it’s hard to stop. The breakup, then not telling me anything about Travis’ death. I’ve been mad at him for years.”

  “And he’s been twisted into knots by guilt and regret for the same length of time. He talked about you all the time, did he tell you that? Even after he broke things off with you, he never stopped thinking about you. He just learned to do it while Trav was out of earshot.”

  “What? Why?” Her stomach lurched as if the mag-lift had suddenly dropped a foot.

  Kurt sighed. “He didn’t tell you, did he?”

  “Tell me what? I am so sick of secrets right now. What else don’t I know?”

  “Travis saw you with Dax back when you were together. According to Dax, he lost his mind over it. He told Dax he wasn’t good enough for you, and to end it before he ruined your shot at a better life.”

 

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