On the Run (Verity Chronicles Book 3): A Cadicle Space Opera Adventure

by T. S. Valmond

  However, the Agents weren’t alone. There was also an older couple standing with them, who looked to be Earth civilians. Instant recognition filled their eyes when they saw her.

  “Yes, I’m Iza,” she said holding up a hand in formal greeting to them both.

  “Oh, we know,” the older man said. “My name is Mark, and this is my wife Shirley Ann, Joe’s, aunt and uncle. Please, dear. Come in.”

  The older couple beckoned her into the apartment. They clearly wanted the Agents to leave as they did so, but the two black-clad individuals instead followed the couple into the living room.

  What in the stars is going on? Hesitantly, Iza followed the older couple’s lead while giving the two Agents as wide of a berth as she could in the compact space.

  The small apartment had a table against one wall before opening up into a small seating area. Joe hadn’t bothered to put much decorating into the place; it was as bare as his cabin had been on the ship. He’d chosen black and gray furniture and the varying shades of it echoed her current mood. She’d expected to find something of him in the space, but there was barely any warmth in the small apartment. The uncovered windows throughout the space were the only thing that gave the room any depth.

  Iza looked around the room, scanning for any clues about what Joe’s life had been like over his last three months on Earth. It felt like a violation to be in his private space with so many strangers. Where is he? Why isn’t he here?

  “I always wondered why he’d never been interested in anyone. It all makes sense now,” Mark said with a wink toward Iza.

  “Did he tell you about me?” Iza’s heart leaped at the thought.

  “Not in so many words,” Mark said clearing his throat and casting his eyes in the direction of the living room wall next to the TV. Iza turned then and gazed up at the painting that took up most of the wall space just above a short bookcase with a scattering of books, and knickknacks. An outline painting of herself looking back at her. A hand brushed line of soft curls framing the face and a playful grin lit up the eyes that stared up in a way she wasn’t sure she’d ever done before. It was the most stunning portrait she’d ever seen. The hairs on Iza’s arm stood on end when she saw her name painted in a brushed script black at the corner.

  She couldn’t take her eyes off of the painting and wondered who had created it and how they managed to capture such a realistic expression. Something she’d never seen in the mirror, but that Joe had seen and then brought to life in the painting. Is that how he really sees me? Am I that beautiful in his eyes?

  “Where is Joe now?” Iza asked, ignoring the Agents who stood staring at her.

  “We don’t know,” Shirley said. “He called yesterday after the shooting at work to say he was all right and not to worry—told us he would call again this morning. When he didn’t, we came over to check on him. Instead, we found these two here snooping around.” She glared at the two black-clad men wearing tinted glasses.

  “Ma’am, we understand your concern, but we’re looking into it. Please, return to your home and allow us to complete our investigation.”

  “No, now you hear—” Mark started, but one of the Agents removed his tinted glasses and looked him square in the eyes.

  “Please, sir, return home,” the Agent repeated. The glow in his irises was unmistakable.

  Without another word, the older couple left the apartment. Iza had heard about Agents using mental influence in that way, but she’d never seen it firsthand. Not for the first time, she was grateful to be immune to telepathy.

  Then, the Agent turned his eyes on Iza. She was sure he was expecting something to happen, but she stared unblinking back at him. The two Agents stared at each other in the way that said they were telepathically communicating before they turned back to her.

  “Captain Iza Sundari, you’ll come with us,” the second Agent stated.

  She kept her expression blank as she answered. “I doubt I have a choice.” They might not be able to mentally control her, but they could certainly physically overpower her. If they’d been local Enforcers, she’d have made more of fuss, but she’d seen what Joe could do back on Phiris. His telekinetic abilities alone were more than the average civilian saw up close. She wasn’t willing to test these Agents’ relative abilities by resisting.

  The two Agents led her out of the building and down to the street, where an unmarked black van waited. They opened the rear doors, and Iza saw Karter was already apprehended, the stasis cuffs on his wrists resting in his lap. Once she was seated, they put cuffs on her, as well, and without a verbal word the van was in motion.

  “Is anyone going to tell us where Joe is?” Iza asked.

  The Agents remained quiet. She thought of asking them where they were going but she recognized the protocol of an arrest, and they were no doubt taking her to a holding cell until someone with more authority could question her. Being on a planet that wasn’t recognized as part of the Taran Empire didn’t change procedure much.

  They rode in silence out to the countryside, where the van pulled into what looked like a typical hanger at a civilian airfield. Except, housed in the building was a matte black TSS shuttle that had all the stealth capabilities she’d dreamed of and more. She was strapped into the back passenger area across from Karter, who stared at her as if willing her to read his eyebrow signals and blinks. Iza rolled her head, this wasn’t a movie vid, and she had no plan for out running or escaping the TSS. It would be ridiculous to try, and Karter should have known better.

  “We depart at nightfall,” the first Agent said.

  “And where are we going?” Iza asked, though she already suspected the answer.

  “TSS Headquarters.”

  —

  The ride in the stealth shuttle from Earth was one of the smoothest flights Iza had experienced. She had to admit, she was curious to see the TSS’ base of operations up close, after everything Joe had told her.

  First impressions did not disappoint. The large spaceport tucked on the back side of the moon as a beautiful piece of engineering, with sweeping sculptural lines and fine materials typically not seen outside the wealthiest of the Taran central planets. The small stealth shuttle—breathtaking in its own right—paled in comparison to the fleet of TSS ships.

  The shuttle arced past the spaceport and landed directly at a surface port on the moon, situated at the bottom of a crater in the pitted, gray surface. She and Karter were then ushered into an elevator, which descended deep underground.

  When the doors opened again, Iza was reminded of the stylish interior at Apex Manufacturing—dark tile flooring paired with natural wood accents. Her lip lifted at the sight of the small plants encased in glass along the walls and potted plants in designated places; they must have someone like Cierra in the place making sure they can all breathe clean air.

  Iza was directed out from the elevator, but the escorts held Karter back. Before Iza could look over her shoulder at him, the doors closed between them. She was led to the left down a corridor, and she found herself wondering if these were the same halls Joe had once walked. The thought lifting something inside her a little. What if Joe is already here? Are they be taking me to him?

  However, Iza knew the moment she was brought into a small, white lab and pushed into an exam chair that this was neither a reunion nor questioning. They were about to do something to her, and despite what she already knew of the Agents’ abilities, she fought with all she had. Yet, without even laying a hand on her, she was immobilized, and restraints clicked around her wrists and ankles, with another at her waist.

  “What are you doing to me?” Iza shouted. “No, I’m a Taran citizen! You can’t do this without my consent!”

  The two Agents stepped back, and a older woman of medium height in a white lab coat came up next to Iza. Her light green eyes, complimenting her dark hair and olive skin, peered down at Iza and frowned. The woman’s voice was soft and warm as she spoke like they were old friends. “I’m Sheila Wescot. I’ll be
examining you. This won’t hurt a bit. We’re just taking a blood sample and performing a couple of scans. Please don’t resist; if you do, I’ll have to sedate you. Unless, you would prefer to be asleep.”

  Iza swallowed. Being awake meant she’d know exactly what was going on and be able to see for herself. She didn’t trust them with her eyes open, so she certainly wasn’t going to give them a reason to put her out. Iza forced her breathing to calm.

  Iza kept her eyes on the woman’s movements during the entire process as she collected blood and tissue samples. At one point, she stepped back and a bright red line of light scanned her from head to toe. The whole thing took less than ten minutes to complete before they were unstrapping her and putting her back into the stasis cuffs. Iza didn’t have time to give the woman a proper glare before the Agents led her out of the lab and to another part of the building.

  They brought Iza into a conference room where a female Agent waited at the far end of a large oval table. Her brown hair was swept across her forehead and clipped at the nape.

  “Welcome, Captain. I’ve heard a lot about you and I’m glad we get to be better acquainted.” She gestured to a seat on her right in one of the black fabric-covered chairs nearest her.

  Whatever their intentions, they seemed ready to talk now. Iza raised her cuffed hands in question. The woman nodded to the Agents who stood on either side of her. The one on her right released the cuffs from around her wrists and they both moved to stand at the door as they’d done in the lab.

  Iza rubbed at her wrists absently before she joined the female Agent at the large table. They sat down in unison. There were no decorative pictures or accents in the room, and no clues as to what she might be here to do.

  “I’m sure you have questions, but I’m hoping you’ll hear me out first.”

  “Who are you?” Iza asked. She’d already decided her own questions were more important at the moment.

  “My name is Agent Skyler Anderson.”

  Iza choked and then gathered herself again. That lying, cheating, no-good— A litany of curses were rolling through her mind and she stared at the woman keeping her expression as blank as she could. Married? Joe was married and to this woman. Iza did a mental comparison of their differences that took less than ten seconds. They couldn’t be more opposite. What did Joe see in her?

  “I can see by the way you’re controlling your facial muscles that you’ve never heard of me. I’m Joe’s older sister.”

  Iza then remembered a few months back when Joe had talked about his sister. They struggled to get along, according to him. He hadn’t given her name or said she was also an Agent. Instead of saying so, she waited for Skyler to continue.

  “If you’re worried about your fiancé you needn’t. He’s sitting quietly in a cell. He hasn’t been harmed and he’s cooperating with us for the moment. Can I ask you to do the same?”

  Iza bristled at the mention of Karter as her fiancé. Agent Anderson held Iza’s gaze until Iza sat back and crossed her arms over her chest and nodded.

  “Good, now first things first. I need you to contact your ship and tell them to meet you here.”

  “Why would I do that?”

  “I want to see my brother, Captain, and I don’t really care if you’re hiding him, but—”

  “I’m sorry, what?” Iza’s hands dropped to her sides.

  “Please,” Agent Anderson leaned forward over the table and placed her hands on it palms down, “I need to see him.”

  “I haven’t seen Joe since Enforcers escorted him off my ship.”

  “I don’t believe you.” Anderson’s eyes went from pleading to hard in an instant.

  “Stars! I don’t care what you believe. You can’t blame me for the fact you two haven’t talked.” Iza’s back straightened. She didn’t know much about his sister, but she wasn’t afraid to use what little she had on her.

  “Do you have any siblings?” Iza could see Anderson’s jaw tighten.

  Iza shrugged. “No, I don’t.”

  “Then you don’t understand what it means to be family even when you don’t get along. He’s my little brother, and I’ll do anything to get him back.”

  Iza’s mouth opened to answer, but then the door opened between her two escorts and another Agent entered. He took in the room and frowned before moving to the table. He spoke aloud even though he could have used telepathy.

  “Agent Anderson, I thought I told you, I would send for you when it was time.” His tone was deep but disapproving and Anderson bristled.

  “It’s Joe,” she said as if that explained away her actions.

  Something more passed silently between them before the older Agent turned to Iza.

  “If you’ll excuse me, Captain Sundari, I’m Agent Ian Mandren, Sacon Division leader, and I apologize for my tardiness,” he added the last part with a look at Anderson that read he wasn’t tardy at all.

  Knowing now who she would be meeting with, Iza suddenly had the feeling this was more than an update. Any close friend or colleague of the High Commander of the TSS wouldn’t have come all this way only to question her about being on Earth. It even commanded Iza’s attention, and she held a less than favorable impression of the Taran elite.

  “He reported to you,” Iza said.

  “Yes, I trained him.”

  Iza looked him over, attractive for a man of his age. The sandy blond hair belonged on the beach some where more than in this cold building. No wonder he looked so severe.

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you didn’t do a great job.”

  Agent Anderson choked back her shock before her eyes flew to Mandren’s face, which was passively calm as he spoke.

  “Joe didn’t love the training and struggled in many of his classes. I was one of a few instructors who pushed him to do better. Demanded he improve himself. To be an adequate Agent was all I ever wanted for him. That was my mistake. Now he’s gone.”

  Iza watched the older man’s face twist into something like regret. The way he talked about Joe made her wonder why he’d ship him off to Earth.

  “Well, if you missed him so much, why did send him away in the first place? It’s an easy enough problem to fix. Get a shuttle back there, pick him up and bring him home.”

  His hesitation gave her hope. Perhaps that’s why they’d brought her here; they were planning something exactly like that and needed her cooperation.

  Something in Ian’s eyes warmed, and he smiled down at her before sitting in the seat at the end of the oval table closest to her.

  “Interesting you should say so. In fact, we did send for him. However, we found you instead. Perhaps you can help us with something,” Mandren said without preamble.

  “You can’t find Joe and you think I have him,” Iza answered. “Well, I can save you some time. Like I told Agent Sky here, he’s not with us.”

  Iza could see the hackles rising as Agent Anderson shifted in her seat and glared at her.

  Mandren eyed her for a moment as if making up his mind about something before speaking again. “He’s in love with you, you know.”

  The muscles in her limbs turned to mush at his words. Iza heard his sister’s quick intake of breath. She wasn’t sure what Mandren saw in her own reaction, but he nodded slowly. Anderson relaxed for the first time as she sat back in her seat and watched Mandren. Iza kept her expression as blank as possible but her limbs tingled as they regained feeling. Her thoughts went to the drawing in Joe’s apartment. Had he seen it? She clamped down on her tongue and waited.

  Mandren spoke again in that same calm resonant tone, “You are correct, Joe is missing, but that is not the only reason you’re here. We would like you to bring in your ship, Captain. What we need to discuss will concern them, and I believe you’re the type of person who’s capable of deciding without them, but we would prefer to have your people with you.”

  “This is about the sphere,” Iza breathed.

  “What about my brother?” Anderson said, keeping a thread
bare rein on her temper.

  Mandren didn’t respond to her but kept his eyes on Iza. “Do we have your cooperation?”

  “Yes.”

  He pulled out a handheld and slid it across the table.

  — — —

  Braedon sat on the Verity’s flight deck monitoring the TSS comm traffic. His eyebrows were drawn together in concern as he chewed his bottom lip. It had been almost radio silent when they’d arrived.

  “Any word?” Cierra said from behind him her hand resting lightly on his shoulder as he stared at the readings on the console.

  “No, but they’re due back any minute. We’ll know soon enough.”

  Then the comms chirped, and he answered.

  “Yes, I got you Iz. Hurry, things are getting exciting down there.”

  “Iza and Karter are not with me,” Trix answered. “They did not make the rendezvous and I fear they have been apprehended by the TSS.”

  “Stars! What do we do now?”

  “Prepare for docking. We cannot leave this shuttle behind. It has a value near to priceless according to Karter.”

  “Understood. You’re all set, Trix.”

  The shuttle was a marvel, and Braedon could hardly contain his excitement at the sight of it a second time. Its amazing features were similar to the Arvonen One his father had procured. He’d tried to get his hands on it once, but he paid dearly for his act of rebellion. It had taken him almost two years later before he’d been able to get his hands on another of his father’s ships.

  The Verity hadn’t had a name back then. The H3X-Z500 was a special ship, and he couldn’t let it go to waste sitting in his father’s docks, so he’d nabbed it. Braedon wanted to enter a few more Dark Net virtual game tournaments, and the ship had made excellent collateral; he’d planned to return it after he’d collected his winnings. However, the ship ended up impounded after a significant loss, and someone else had gotten it out and sold it to Karter. Running into Iza and finding the ship again had been a remarkable stroke of luck. Now, he stared at the Q Maximus shuttle with the same longing to run. Then, Cierra stepped forward and took his hand.