(Callie)
Dustin tapped Callie's shoulder, and with that he switched placed with her. Callie stood behind, her body hardly tensing at all from the touch to her back. She watched him curiously as Dustin spoke.
"Peyton, there is a caveat to this conditional freedom. First one of the two people you will give up is the spy in my organization." Dustin said, his tone low. He spoke Etrian, and she doubted major Farlen guys understood, but she was sure they could find a translator.
Peyton grinned as though he had all the cards and shook his head in bemusement. "A spy in the Devali?" Peyton burst out laughing.
Dustin gritted his teeth, his face a mask of controlled calm. Callie's stomach clenched at those words, of course Dustin knew there was a spy. Especially after senator Sergile was killed, as that had to be information only known by a few select people. On the bright side, she wasn't tied up in a basement somewhere but here, so he must trust her somewhat.
From now on she would need to move extra carefully. What if her partner figured out her secret? It looked so obvious from her perspective, but from his perspective, she was the person who threw her life into danger for him.
"That is the deal, if you want your conditional freedom, then you will reveal the spy and one of the other two who are killing people."Dustin said, his calm voice cracking.
Callie placed her hand on Dustin's back, signaling to trade. Her partner was letting his emotions get the better of him. His shirt was soft and she could feel his hot skin through the thin fabric. The contact was brief, only a few seconds, but that was far more than she would have ever considered a week ago.
From his chair, Peyton caught the brief exchange. To anyone else but Peyton and Warren, it would be nothing more than a pat on the back, but for Callie it mise we'll have been a passionate embrace. Peyton's eyes held question that she knew he couldn't ask, and she didn't even want to ask herself. Peyton's expression changed, and he cracked a cocky smile.
"We had a deal. I will give up two of the secari for my pardon." Peyton said, trying to fold his arms but unable due to the art draining handcuffs on his wrists.
"The deal has changed, all three of the Secari. Not only that, but you will have to allow a tracker on your ankle as well as wear the art draining devices on your wrists at all times."Callie said, trying to make her tone angry and even disgusted.
"What do you mean? There is no third Secari?" Peyton said, firmly glaring at Callie. Dustin slammed his palms on the unstable metal table and glared at Peyton.
"Do you take me for a fool?" Dustin shouted, his face flushing with anger. Peyton shrugged his shoulders and reclined back on his uncomfortable metal seat like it was the softest of couches.
"Well, you must be, because only two of my comrades escaped.Are you sure one of your people isn't taking some crowns on the side?" Peyton said reasonably. Dustin's face flushed at those stinging words.
Looking logically it was very possible that one of his people could be taking bribes on the side to disclose sensitive information. Or something less sinister but equally feasible was the fact that senator sergile might have just been a random target. From the look on her boss's face, she could tell he was uncertain, and merely hoping it wasn't one of his own people.
"I don't like to side with the prisoner, but you probably have a spy hiding in your organization, or maybe the IE do."Callie said, speaking in Zrixian. Dustin let out a frustrated sigh and straightened up, running his hand through his short brown hair.
Callie gestured Dustin to the corner of the room and whisper to him."What about contacts in the city? Do you know of any arms dealers that could have supplied the weapon?" Callie asked, pondering on that.
"We have a few ideas on who it could have been, but we don't have enough evidence to prove that it was any one of them."Dustin replied softly, cocking his head in thought. His eyes glanced from her to Peyton, who was watching them intently.
"Do you think he knows who the arms dealer might be?" Callie asked softly, standing shoulder to shoulder with Dustin. "Extremely unlikely, he has been in our custody ever since Etria rejoined the empire."Dustin said offhandedly.
Anger welled in her chest at that comment. Did he really view the conquering of her home like that? Dustin noticed her sour expression and raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you disagree? I don't see how he could know about an arms dealer here in the city."Dustin said, scratching the stubble on his chin.
"You are probably right. Does that mean you are willing to settle for the two remaining Secari's identities?" Callie asked softy, aware Peyton was in the same room.
"Well, I may not have a choice in the matter."Dustin said, as the door to the interrogation room swung open. Major Farlen, dressed in his dark black uniform, stepped into the room with them, his expression both angry and dejected.
Major Farlens' thinning hair looked disheveled, despite being groomed, and his mustache didn't look any better. Callie could tell the man was on his wit's end and was no doubt hating this just as much as Dustin. His usually immaculate black uniform was rumpled, making him look exhausted. The gold stitching of the IE stood out contrasting with his black uniform.
With a sour expression, the major turned to Peyton and said."If you give us an accurate photo of both of the secari in the city. The Imperial enforcers are willing to give you conditional freedom. On top of that, we are willing to offer you immunity for past crimes and a chance to start over under the supervision of the Imperial enforcers."
Peyton grinned and responded in Zrixian. "Now that is more like it, once you place the proper legal documents in front of me that grant me immunity for my past crimes, i will give you the information you desire."
The major massaged his temples and glared at Peyton sourly. Callie burst out laughing, unable to contain her merth. "You two can leave, it appears my prisoner doesn't need a translator."Major Farlen responded, his glare boring into Peyton.
The man smiled happily at the major."Dont be like that major, a man needs to keep his secrets until they become advantageous. And since I am going to be working with your people, then I think it's good that you know I speak your language."Peyton replied.
Callie couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face. Despite the seriousness of this situation, she found it extremely amusing when the major ass was inconvenienced. Callie headed for the door, keeping her back to Dustin. She was smiling and didn't want Dustin to see her happiness, that wouldn't fit with her cover story.
Why wouldn't she be smiling? Peyton wasn't going to be executed, and he would even be freed from prison. If that wasn't a reason for rejoicing, then she didn't know what was. The concerning bit was the fact that the camera in the corner of the room could see her expression, and Dustin might watch the video later.
Her fake background stated she had every reason to hate the secari, and so a smile right now could come off as odd. She could deflect, of course, as Dustin was aware of how much she disliked the major. She could simply state that she was smiling because major Farlen had to deal with the Secari and not her.
With that in mind, she put on an angry scowl, needing to force the smile off her face. Dustin was close behind her as they exited the room. Callie was tired, but she put on an angry expression for the two interrogators. Her work here was done, and she was going to make everyone believe that she was unhappy with this outcome.
Most of all, she would need to make Dustin believe she disliked this outcome. But first off, she really needed sleep. She checked her comm and winced. It was nearly eight am already? She let out a yawn, no longer able to hold it back. Her eyes water and she stretched her back, not caring about the looks from the two interrogators.
They were watching in on major Farlen, who was having a conversation with Peyton.
"Do we need to stay here and do anything else? Because if not i want to leave, that way that monster in there does't kill me too when you release him." Callie asked, glaring at the older one, Taylor. The woman scowled back at Callie before glancing away dismissively.
"You can find your own way out, and don't linger."Taylor said with a wave of dismissal. "Lets go Dustin, our welcome amidst the enforcers appears to be over."Callie said, with a sour expression.
They opened the outer door, and Dustin led the way, his sour expression matching hers. They walked back the way they had come, only this time something did not frisk them at every checkpoint. It took them about forty-five minutes before they reached the surface and came into the light of the city's green barrier.
Callie took her pistol from a young enforcer in hard shelled armour, slipping the extra mags under her jacket. She pulled on the slide, making sure there was a live round in the chamber before slipping the pistol into her holster. As though they practiced it, Dustin mirrored her actions to a tee.
"Are you staying on the navy base?" Dustin asked. "Not sure, haven't got that far yet, probably going to find a hotel." Callie said with a suppressed yawn. Dustin waved dismissively and gestured her to follow."Dont bother, I have a spare room you can stay in, besides tomorrow night we have a lot of work to do." Dustin said.
Callie followed her boss for several minutes until they arrived at a squat officer's barracks. Dustin unlocked one of the doors. He gestured her inside and then followed her into the cozy apartment. Callie raised an eyebrow at him as she took in the pleasant space.
"Are you going to be sleeping on the couch, or the floor, because i call dibs on the bed?" Callie asked jokingly, as they enter the small living room.. For an officer's barrack, it was actually quite spacious, with a couch in the living room, next to an open kitchen with a small island separating the kitchen from the living room. Dustin snorted and pointed to two separate doors.
"The room on the left is usually empty, but since you need a place to stay, that one is yours. Mine is on the right, but if you prefer, feel free to sleep on the couch." Dustin said, gesturing around the room.
Dustin unlaced his tall black boots, removing them and walked across the room, opening the fridge. After several seconds of uncertainty, Callie decided to just go with it. Her room looked like it had a lock and besides, she could place traps on her door. She removed her boots, sighing in relief and walked across the living room carpet.
Dustin pulled a box from the fridge with a grin, followed by a small jar of jam."Dont you have anything more, filling for dinner?" Callie asked, eying the treat on the counter.
"You don't have to have any biscuits if you don't want any."Dustin said, his tone playful. Callie took the box from him, taking a biscuit from the box. Dustin placed his on a plate and covered it in a thick helping of red jam.
The biscuit was dry, yet crunched as Callie took a tentative bite. It crumbled in her mouth, both soft and sweet. Her eyes widen at the delicious flavor and she took a bigger bite. She ate several, only stopping after she finished two of the hand sized pastries.
Dustin grinned at her, taking small bites of his own. Callie scowled at his expression of innocence, but couldn't help but smile herself. Sure, it wasn't proper food, but it was better than going to sleep on an empty stomach. And she was far to exhausted to spend an hour making something palatable. Callie placed the box of pastry on the counter and headed for the left room.
She was exhausted and wanted to take a shower before sleeping. "I'm gonna crash for the night, talk to you in the morning."Callie said waving behind her. "Dont use all the hot water, I want to take a shower as well and the water heater only has enough for about ten minutes."Dustin called out.
"That is barley enough to clean the sweat from my skin," Callie replied, grinning back at him mischievously. Dustin balked at her look, but she pushed open the door to her room with a hurried walk.
Callie locked her door behind her and turned on her light. The room lit up with a pleasant shine as the light bounced off the green walls. Whoever painted the room must really love seeing green, despite the fact the entire city was covered in green at all times. The room wasn't anything special, comprising a small closet, a bathroom with a shower, no tub and a small bed.
She sat on the bed and stripped off her socks with a genuine sigh of relief. Her feet ached, and she really wished there was someone to massage them. For a moment she thought to ask Dustin' but then quickly decided that was a terrible idea. He might read too far into that simple question and think she was suggesting something more.
Her heart skipped a beat at that thought, and she scowled to herself. Sure the man was hot, but he was a freaking Devali of all things, not to mention her partner and boss. Deciding that topic should be avoided, Callie pulled her jacket over her head and removed her leather shoulder holster.
Callie set up a trap on the only entrance to the room. The trap was simple, yet oddly beautiful. Several invisible lines of the negative art cris crossed over the door like a macob spider web.The lines of white energy wove together, creating small pockets of faint illuminance where they touch each other, and where they touched the walls.
She smiled, if anything disturbed the web of energy, she would be alerted her to the intruder. Normally, she might set a lethal trap, but she didn't want to kill her boss if he checked in on her.
With that in mind, Callie took her pistol into the washroom, placing it on the sink in close reach of the shower. To her surprise, there was a small toothbrush with a tube of toothpaste sealed in a sealed plastic container like one just bought from the store waiting for her. There was even a comb and a small bottle of unopened shampoo.
It was just like staying in a hotel, she thought. Callie brushed her teeth, unsure if she liked the flavour of mint toothpaste. It might sound nice, but the flavour was off, and grated on her tastebuds. She rinsed out her mouth and stripped off each layer of clothing. She tossed her knife next to her gun and removed the sheathes strapped to her torso and the one on her inner thigh.
The ceramic knives lacked any handle, but the bare ceramic tang was perfectly balanced for throwing. Mostly they were there if she was captured or if she lost her combat knife. Callie, now completely naked, took herself in. Tiny, almost imperceptible scars crisscrossed her knees, shoulders, elbows, and upper chest. Thousands of small puncture wounds that hadn't healed despite ten years' passing.
Every time she saw herself in the mirror, it brought back old memories, and they weren't happy memories. The compound didn't just take random kids from their parents to train as assassins and spies; they took children gifted in the art, and turned them into weapons.
Or in Callie's case, they took the victim of a car accident. Her memories he shawdy at best when it came to her dead parents, but she remembered the recovery. Her hands shook as she remembered that table, and the countless needles stabbing her skin, again and again, slowly putting her back together.
It wasn't common knowledge, but severe trauma could make an artist express their gifts early. If not for her show of the art, Callie was certain they would have just let her die instead of putting her back together.
No doubt when the compound heard of an eight-year-old who expressed her power, they sponsored her recovery. She pushed back her long silky black hair and moved away from the mirror, not wanting to see the scars any longer. Those memories were better left in the past, they just brought back feelings of grief.
She shiver as the water started out ice cold, washing over her scarred skin. She glanced down at her chest and toned stomach. The scars started halfway up her ankles and cover her entire body all the way to just above her pale breasts. They were even present on her arms, starting at her forearms and tracing to her shoulders and down her sides.
she shudder to think of the horrible wreck her body must have been in to force them to make so many alterations.
Callie let the cold wash over her, letting it wash away the horrific memories of that operating table. The water slowly changed to warmth, caressing her skin and trickling down the drain with a comforting pitter patter.. She took the soap, cracking the seal and pouring some in her hand.
Callie scrubbed her body slow and methodical, each brush of her hand feeling the slight bumps across her skin. The soap smelled of mint and lilac, that spread through the small shower pleasantly. She took in a deep calming sigh, enjoying the smells and the feel of how water on her skin and forcing the unpleasant thoughts from her mind.
Her eyes began drooping, and she leaned back against the wall, letting the steam and warm water wash over her. She closed her eyes and, for the first time in days, allowed herself to relax. She smiled, peyton was actually free! She was concerned Warren may be in danger because of it but for now she was willing to just enjoy the sensation of victory!
She slowly rotated, allowing the water to caress her back, then her side, then her chest, allowing the warmth to soothe her body and mind. Only once the water was turning cold did she turn off the focit and step from the shower.
She used a fluffy white towel to dry herself off, finishing by wrapping her sopping wet hair into a bun with the towel. Still without clothes, she picked up her gun and knife, placing them right beside the head of the bed. Her feet were cold on the cool tile floor as she turned off the lights and slid under the thin sheets of the bed.
She yawned, her body heaving, as she settled into the covers, wrapping herself like the most deadly of caterpillars, creating a cacoon of blankets. Her eyes closed, and she allowed herself to sleep, trusting that her art would warn her if someone opened the door to her room.