Truth Stealers (Thief's Signal: Book 1)

32

"Do you know where he is headed?"

"Yes, sir. We believe he is heading to the docking station. At this rate, he will arrive in approximately five minutes, give or take ten seconds."

"And you how far behind?"

Oderm paused for a second to check his position and speed. "Fourty seconds after, sir."

Gregariza ran a hand over his head. "Pilkers, contact the docking station now. Tell them to stop any more vehicles entering, at any cost."

"Right away," a stout advisor got up from his chair at the board and clicked the small device clipped to his ear.

"Sir, Mrs. Blakeman would like to deluver an urgent message." An officer walked in with Lucy.

"What is it?" Gregariza asked impatiently, for there was no time for social niceties.

"Jag has died," she said evenly. The chat in the room paused.

"Damn it," Gregariza eventually said, after some thought. Conversation resumed.

"Is that it? Did he tell you anything else?"

Lucy's face did not move when she spoke. "He told me that his parents used to work for the Regime, before he was born. They were in Regime controlled space, but then when his mother found out she was pregnant-"

"I'm sorry, but I don't have time for his life story. Tell me only what I need."

Lucy was silent for a second, and then carried on speaking more sternly, "after they moved over into Caste controlled space, they realised Jag wanted to work as a Preacher. So he became an engineer, and eventually wound up exactly where he wanted. Then Drigs turned up. He was sent by the Regime to give closure to the investigation of Jag's parents. When he heard Jag worked for us, he kidnapped them, and then allowed Jag to find them again. But then he captured Jag too. Drigs tortured him to the point that his identity was broken, disassociated from himself. And then Drigs brainwashed him into working for the Regime under the guise of Jag. He fabricated Jag's backstory as his real life. And Jag never realised it until the meta-type procedure enhanced his memory cells. It allowed him to discern Drigs' lies from the truth, and that is why Jag turned on the mission."

It was a lengthy explanation, but Gregariza was so captivated he forgot about his own mission.

"Bloody hell," he said after while, "and you believe this?"

"With my heart and soul. What reason did he have to lie if he was dying anyway?"

Gregariza contemplated the possibilities. To protect the Regime? He couldn't see how it did that. No, it didn't feel like he was lying. It made sense to him now. How Jag had been almost subdued during a period, and then how he had acted so different lately...

"He did the right thing in the end," Lucy said sullenly.

"Sorry? Oh, yes. That he did. If what you say is the truth, none of the wrongdoings can be blamed on him. In fact, we ought to commemorate his memory."

"Sir." An advisor cut in urgently. "Drigs has broken into the docking station."

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