Empire Reborn (Taran Empire Saga Book 1)

Chapter 1.3

"We have a problem."

The telepathic warning intruded into Jason's mind, snapping him awake. Beyond his father's mental presence, his bedroom was quiet and dark. Jason rolled onto his back and threaded his fingers through his hair, trying to shake off the haze of sleep. He'd only made it into bed an hour prior, after having quite the heated competition with Gil. "Can't it wait until morning?"

"It's about the Rift."

Jason bolted upright, his heart pounding. "Is it related to that attack?"

"Yes, a salvage hauler was destroyed."

"By what?"

"We're not sure," his father replied.

Jason's mind raced. I'd hoped I was just being paranoid.

The sector around the sealed spatial rift had been unoccupied for decades. Salvage ships had been instructed to stay clear of the area, though it wasn't a surprise that at least one had gone in search of valuable scraps left over from the Bakzen War. Perhaps a rival had attacked the ship, but he suspected that his father wouldn't have woken him in the middle of the night if the explanation were that straightforward.

"Meet me in my office," his father instructed. "The threat may have come through the Rift."

Jason threw back the sheets on his bed. "I'm on my way."

He hurriedly dressed and grabbed his handheld from the charging pad on his nightstand. Shit, we don't need another conflict. He slid the device into the inner breast pocket of his black overcoat and jogged to the door.

The hallways in TSS Headquarters were all but abandoned in the wee hours of the morning. Sconces lining the paneled walls were dimmed to half-brightness for the night, giving Jason the opportunity to let his senses adjust to wakefulness. As much as he and the other Agents in the TSS liked to believe that the organization's charter was now driven by academic excellence, alerts like this in the middle of the night were a reminder that their duty was to protect the Taran people, first and foremost. There would always be new threats to vanquish, and they needed to be ready for anything. Their skills were too unique for anyone to take their place.

The familiar comfort of the environment helped settle Jason's nerves as he jogged to the central lift connecting the facility's rings. He took the lift to Level 1—the administrative center for TSS Headquarters—and hurried to the TSS High Commander's office down one of the four primary corridors radiating from the dark-tiled central lobby. For most, getting called to the office would either be a great honor or a sign of impending punishment for a major indiscretion. For Jason, being the son of High Commander Wil Sietinen, a veritable living legend, it was a place for a casual family get-together as much as anything else. Tonight, however, was definitely not a social call.

One half of the wooden double-doors to the office stood open. Jason's father, mother, and three other senior Agents were waiting inside. All were dressed in Agent black, though many weren't in their full uniform. The buzz of energy in the air was palpable, with so many of the most powerful Gifted soldiers gathered in one place. Jason's skin tingled from the thrill of being in their presence—the extraordinary potential waiting to be unleashed. It wasn't like that being around all Agents, but the close bonds between this group elevated them; they were more than the sum of their parts.

After Jason entered, his father telekinetically closed the door with a wave of his hand.

"What do we know?" Jason asked.

"Not enough. I've already been over the situation with everyone here, and we've agreed you're the right person to bring in—especially considering that message you sent me." The cerulean glow from his father's bioluminescent irises stood out across the room in the dim light, the vibrant blue contrasting the shade of chestnut hair he'd passed down to Jason and his twin sister.