by TR Cameron
Marshall’s personality was spiky, and that seemed to fit the idea of a traitor pretty well. Jax recognized that particular argument’s speciousness and had dug into him and his company as much as possible. But after all of their efforts, it could still be either of them. Or someone else entirely, that we’re not seeing.
They would strip away whatever privacy remained to the pair by planting bugs in their comms and detailing teams of watchers to keep an eye on them at the party. That would go on for as long as required to discover who had betrayed them. Jax was decidedly not interested in waiting. He was determined to figure out which of them was guilty or clear them both before the end of the night.
The party would be the perfect place for him to chat individually with each of his team members. He hadn’t seen any of them in a while, other than Cia, and looked forward to catching up. His connection to them would make confirming that one of them was a traitor all the more painful.
Strands of hanging lights, tents, buffet tables, and a string quartet playing in one corner decorated the castle’s “backyard,” which played host to the event. He’d opted for the black suit and no tie look again and sauntered over to Juno, who hobnobbed with her people. “Hello, beautiful.”
She grinned at him. “Hello, yourself. It seems like you need to go clothes shopping. I’ve seen that outfit.”
He nodded. “Definitely a good point. Your dress is gorgeous, as always.” She wore a shimmering blue sheath that covered too much of her for Jax’s taste.
She frowned and pulled him aside. “You seem off. What’s up?”
He looked down at the grass, idly wondering how they kept it so lush in the Northern Scotland climate. “Tonight’s a work night for me, unfortunately. And I’m not looking forward to what I have to do.”
Her hand found his and squeezed it. “Maarsen told me. I’ll be nearby whenever I can be if you need an assist.”
He chuckled. “The Professor is pulling all of our strings, isn’t he?”
“He is. But at least he’s doing it in the service of a good cause, right?”
“I certainly hope so. If not, he might become a supervillain. Which would make the castle his lair. And you a flunky.”
She shook her head. “At minimum, I’m a henchwoman.”
Jax shrugged. “I’ll give you minion, tops.” His attention was drawn away by his team’s entrance, all five of whom walked in together. He’d wanted to let Cia in on the plan before tonight, but everyone had argued against it. Jax was sure she’d be able to pretend well enough to fool the rest—he’d seen her in action with her family, after all—but he didn’t feel like fighting about it. If she gets upset, I’ll point her at Maarsen, and he can deal with her.
Athena laughed. “You think that will work, do you?”
Probably not. Are you ready to handle their comms?
“Of course.” The Academy’s programmers had given the AI the codes to the full network, and she would use that access to hack the comms of their suspects. She’d pull whatever data she could during the evening, but needed him to get close enough that she could perform the initial breach using both the wireless network and the comms’ near field communication, which was often much faster. Otherwise, the security features their companies had doubtless loaded onto their devices might prove a problem. And if one of them has an Intelligence Division comm in disguise, it’ll be even more challenging.
Athena scoffed, “Hardly. I could do it over the wireless no matter what, but it’s true that the chance of discovery is slightly smaller this way. You all are astonishingly risk-averse.” He laughed as he thought of how unsafe his everyday life was, then headed for the group. He greeted each of them individually, then pulled Cia away from the bunch. The AI asked, “Are you sure about this? Everyone else disagrees.”
Yes.
“It’s not required.”
It is for me. “Cia, I have something to tell you, and I don’t think you’re going to like it.” Even condensed, their suspicions took several minutes to explain. The tension in her body language increased with each one that passed. When he finished, she shook her head.
“I can’t believe it. That’s crazy. I mean, we’ve trusted them with our lives.”
Jax swept his gaze over the crowd. He had decided at the last minute not to wear the display glasses to avoid spooking his targets, who would doubtless recognize them for what they were. But that meant he had to keep an eye on them normally, and they’d split apart to socialize. “I agree. But how much do we really know about anyone here? Take a slow look around. They’re each talking to someone I can’t name right now. Which suggests a whole web of connections we’re unaware of.” Athena knew as much about their personal networks as anyone at the Academy, thanks to the data that Harrington had provided for her to analyze, but none had offered any additional insight. Whoever the mole was, they were good at it. Which is all the more frustrating.
She did as he asked and put a goofy smile on her face to conceal her feelings. When she completed her scan, she shook her head again. “You’re right. But I still can’t see it.”
“I’ve had some time to get used to the idea. Plus, you know, being the target of a major assault tends to make one less trusting.”
She laughed darkly. “Was my presence at the castle during the attack a point in my favor?”
He shrugged. “I can’t speak for anyone else, but I never included you among the possibilities. If you’re the one, I’ll eat my helmet. If I’m that easy to fool, I don’t deserve to wear it. You’re not exactly subtle, after all.” She laughed, harder than required, and he realized why as Maria Verrand stepped into their circle. Thanks for the warning.
Athena replied, “Cia had you covered. I saw her spot Verrand on an incoming vector when she surveyed the crowd.”
You’re getting overconfident.
“An impossibility.”
Jax allowed the grin to reach his lips, knowing Verrand would probably think it was because of Cia’s laughter, and turned to face the new arrival. “Maria. Good to see you.” They exchanged fist bumps, and the two women did the same. Verrand looked paler than usual like she might be fighting off a cold.
Cia inquired, “What have you been up to?”
Verrand sighed. “The usual. Work and more work, with vacations to do work for the Academy.”
Jax laughed. “You’re aware that being part of Azophi is optional, right?”
She nodded. “Yeah, but leaving now that I know about the place is impossible. A challenge like this? If you don’t beat it, it’ll haunt you.” A hint of pain colored her words. Athena, anything in her background that includes some pivotal failure?
“Negative. By all accounts, she’s overcome every problem she’s faced professionally. Interpersonal relationships are average. Your type of people tends to attract partners easily, but find keeping them difficult. Something to think about, maybe.”
Shut it.
Verrand gave him a small smile. “Talking to your passenger?”
Interesting that she noticed that. “Yes. She’s explaining to me that I should break up with Juno before I infect her with a case of terminal stupidity.”
The women laughed as if they believed him, and Athena replied, “I said no such thing. However, it’s good that you’ve arrived at that truth on your own.”
Yeah, yeah. How’s the breach going?
“Already inside and planting our tracers. Another minute should do it.”
Cia made an excuse and headed off into the crowd, and he asked Verrand, “So, not to be overly inquisitive, but you seem more on edge than usual. Anything I can help you with?” He wouldn’t have seen it if he hadn’t been paying extra attention to nonverbal cues, but the clues to her stress were there in her body language—the slightly too upright stance, the hint of a wince at the corners of her eyes, the way her open hand kept balling into a fist.
She sighed. “It’s nothing. A relationship that’s about to explode, plus a busy time at work with a new cont
ract. You know how it is.”
Athena murmured, “Checking.” They’d already been over everything, so she wasn’t likely to find new information, but it certainly didn’t hurt to look.
“So, nothing I can help with since I’m not smart enough for logistics and have a history of failed relationships that’s doubtless far more impressive than yours.”
She laughed, and it seemed only half-forced. “Oh, I think there might be a competition there.”
He nodded and drew her slightly away from the rest of the crowd. Okay, here we go. “Listen, I’m sure you heard about the attack on the Academy, right?”
“Of course. It’s all anyone who was here for it is talking about. Have they found out who was behind it?”
“Leading candidate is someone named Arlox, from the Intelligence Division.” She looked away before responding. Damn it, Maria. That’s one strike.
Her eyes rose to his again. “Why them?”
He shrugged. “I don’t fully know the reasoning. Stephenson and Maarsen have taken the lead on it, and I’m aware the Professor has a long-standing thing with the head of intelligence.” Which is putting it rather mildly. “What I want to know is what the point of it was. Any ideas?”
She frowned. “They haven’t said? No, I guess they haven’t if you’re wondering. Sorry. I’m a little off because of the stuff at home. I’d hoped that the party here would take my mind off it.” Verrand paused, and he saw the moment that she regained control of her expression, forcing a concerned look onto it to replace the worried one that had been there. The difference was subtle, but he recognized the transition from inward-focus to outward-focus from other interrogations he’d been part of. “I’d guess it’s aimed at the Professor, then. We probably triggered the Intelligence Division when we snatched up the AI. They have to be concerned about that.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I thought about that. Athena accused me of being self-centered.” He forced a laugh appropriate to the statement. “But how would they know it was me? I can’t see the Confederacy or the Alien Coalition calling up Arlox or whoever and saying, ‘Hey, did one of yours steal something from us? Could we have it back, please?’ Doesn’t make sense.”
The ice in the drink she held clinked as a tremor ran through her hand. Hell. Strike two. She replied, “Good point. I don’t know. I hope we’re safe now.” That rang true, although she might have referred to herself and not to the Academy. Her eyes were roving, clearly looking for an escape. “Oh, there’s someone I haven’t seen forever. I’ll talk to you later, Jax.”
He turned to watch her go and kept his face steadily neutral. She’s at the top of the list now. But let’s find Marshall and make certain of it.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jax found Kenton Marshall chatting with Harrington. He stepped forward to join them, and the Academy’s weapons master welcomed him. “Jax, we were reflecting on the battle you two fought on Kenton’s first day.”
Marshall nodded. His physique had a lot in common with Jax’ since they were both ex-military, and his hair was cut only slightly longer than regulation. “We need to have a rematch one of these days. With fewer restrictions.”
Jax grinned. “You’ve been itching for a fight since that day, Kenton. I’m happy to oblige, once we get past the current, uh, unpleasantness.”
Harrington explained, “Jax was right in the thick of things during the assault on the castle. He’s been through a ton of debriefings about what happened after the cameras went down.”
Anger took over Marshall’s face. “I wish I’d been here. Bastards deserved a lot worse than they got. Will we go after whoever was behind it?”
Jax shrugged. “I do what they tell me, although I can say that Maarsen is pretty fired up about it. He thinks it’s an old rival of his.”
“Well, then we should pay that rival a visit and punch him in the face for it.”
What do you think, Athena, too over the top?
“So far it seems consistent with all the recorded behavior I have access to.”
Yeah. He’s a hothead. “I’d like nothing more. Harrington, have you figured out what they were after yet?” Jax had shared his plan with the others, so they knew his strategy’s broad strokes, which included keeping that particular detail secret.
The weapons master shrugged. “Leading theory is that it was a challenge to the Professor, or more likely a warning. We’ve increased our surveillance of Intelligence Division members over the last month or so, and it’s always possible we failed to be completely hidden while we did so.”
Marshall growled, “Well when you know who did it, put me on the team that goes to get payback.” He blew out a frustrated breath and asked in a lower voice, “Jax, how’s the head?”
Annoying as ever. “She’s fine. Still slowly sending threads through my whole body so she can turn me into a slave to her will. I was thinking of asking Dr. Cray to put a failsafe explosive in my neck in case I suddenly go evil.”
The other men laughed, and Athena replied, “I could deactivate an implanted bomb with ease. And besides, I thought you were against that idea.”
Whatever. I’ll surely sleep better knowing that my offhanded comment about becoming a zombie under your control is something you’ve considered. Fantastic. “Seriously, though, it’s fine. We still have some boundary issues here and there, but I think in the end she’ll be a pretty solid asset. Especially given that we’re stuck with one another, regardless.”
Athena added, “Only until you die. Then I can get a better host to control.”
Marshall’s expression seemed sincere. “That’s good to hear. It’s been on my mind since the moment I hit the button to activate the implant sequence. I mean, you have. You both.” He laughed in exasperation. “I don’t know what I mean, apparently. But I am sure that I need another drink. Talk to you later?”
Jax nodded. “Definitely.” The other man left, and Harrington met Jax’s eyes and gave a small head shake. Jax murmured, “Agreed,” then headed over to talk to Coach, who held court with seven or eight laughing students around him. Athena, keep an eye on them both. Let me know if either does anything suspicious. We’ll give them until the end of the night to incriminate themselves and decide what to do after that if they don’t.
“Got it, Jax. Just so you’re aware, I am programmatically incapable of betraying you.”
He chuckled inwardly. That’s good to know, Athena.
The rest of the party offered no additional insight. He’d hoped that Verrand would do something to earn her that third strike so he could be sure she was the one before he took action, but she hadn’t. Of course, if the traitor were smart, they would work very hard at appearing innocent, given the recent activities.
He activated the plan he and Athena had worked up. The AI had recorded Stephenson’s lines earlier since the Major had left before the party began. His team’s comms signaled an alert, followed by Stephenson’s voice, angry and urgent. “Jackson, this message is going to your entire team. We’ve discovered you were the target of the attack and that the Intelligence Division carried it out by working on information supplied from inside the Academy. That means you and your team are in danger. All of you head to your quarters and await further instructions while we nail down who did it.”
Jax snapped across the channel that connected them all, “Acknowledged, Major. Reese out. People, get to your rooms, double time.” He followed his orders, then slipped on his display glasses and laid back on the bed. Small dots on a map of the castle’s floor plan indicated the location of the Academy comms that each of his team members wore, showing them all in their quarters. He muttered, “Now we wait. Athena, wake me if something useful happens.” She had access to the Academy’s entire security system for this operation and would know immediately.
An undetermined amount of time later, she woke him with an alarm that ramped up gently from nothingness. He was alert before it reached half-volume. “What?”
“Motion sensors outside Verrand
’s window have been activated. Also, her personal comm shows her beyond the walls. She appears to be wearing a camouflage suit since neither thermal detection nor cameras have spotted her.”
Jax shot out of his bed, grabbed his stun pistol and medkit, and burst from his room. What direction is she heading?
“The road. Front side exit is your most efficient choice.”
He pounded down the corridor toward the indicated door. Alert the security staff at the road. They’d detailed several staff members to serve as guards around the castle for the evening of the party, and they’d moved to concealed positions to continue their duty into the night. Any action on the drones?
“Normal traffic for this time of night. One motorcycle, three cars, and a cargo truck.”
Damn it. Maarsen needs to get some weaponized versions, whether it makes him feel uncomfortable or not. Did you find anything in Verrand’s background to suggest she’s an agent?
“Nothing. Gifted amateur at best, to use your words.”
He chuckled inwardly at the memory of describing his Academy team that way to her. In truth, they were very gifted, but for combat situations didn’t begin to approach the level of his Special Forces unit. Okay, vector me in behind her. I’m going to guess I can move more quietly than she can. If she seems like she reacts to my presence, do that thing with the comms again if you can.
“That will reveal it was us who did it during the attack.”
Can’t be helped. She’s not getting away. At least we probably don’t have to worry about anything stupid like a suicide pill, since she’s likely not an agent.
Athena gave a small snort. “That’s a lot of ‘probably,’ Jax.”
