The Secret War - 1st novel in the Shadow Series

Chapter 29 .

Vai

"Before I went to Mazax VIII," Owen said, "she came to me in my room. She told me to look for more ruins with that writing on it, but I didn't see any. I made sure my volo got a good recording though in case I missed anything. I thought she'd come back to my room last night to get the recordings, but she didn't."

"Maybe she'll come back tonight," I said. "Should we report her?"

"No," Owen said.

"Yes," Warpaint said.

"Don't report her," I said to Warpaint. "Don't tell my father. Not until we can figure her out first."

"I need to talk to her," Owen said.

"Yes. We need to know what she knows. Why does she think there are other aliens. Dangerous aliens. Warpaint do you know of any other aliens?"

"No, sir."

"Maybe the dangerous aliens are onboard," Owen said. "Maybe they kidnapped Officer Hansi."

"Maybe," I said. I couldn't help but remember the pink glint I thought I had seen in Officer Hansi's eyes. I thought about mentioning it to Owen and my own painful experience with zek. Instead I said, "How would they evade the surveillance though? How would they have hidden themselves this entire time from the Gathering."

"We need to ask her," Owen said. "Do you want to sleepover at my place in case she shows up tonight?"

"Warpaint and I might scare her off if she sees us. Instead of being there physically, maybe we could just leave a call open between us and you mute me. That way I can hear what's happening on your end, but she won't detect me listening in."

"That could work," Owen said. "Let's try it."

"Shel and Minmin want us to give them an update."

"Okay, you call them first and tell them. Maybe they'll have more insight."

"Okay." I put in a call connecting both Minmin and Shel. Only Shel answered, but Minmin was next to him. They appeared to be in the arboretum on the Armstrong.

"Friends," Owen said beside me, "you're not eating the fish are you? They are there only for aesthetic reasons."

"I'm not eating the fish," Shel said.

"Are you on a date then?" Owen asked.

"We already told you we aren't dating," Minmin said. "Stop trying to make things weird between us."

Owen held up a hand. "Okay, okay. That wasn't my intention."

I relayed to them what Owen remembered and our plans for that night.

"Will that work, though?" Shel asked. "I thought her voice wasn't picked up on your volo recordings or on the surveillance. It probably won't be picked up over the call either."

Owen and I both paused.

"That's true," I finally said.

There was another pause.

"I could repeat everything she says," Owen said.

"That might seem suspicious though," I said.

"He could try," Minmin said. "If it seems weird or like she is becoming suspicious, Owen can stop and then relay to us later what he said."

"I'll try that," Owen said.

"Okay," I said.

"Any more on that missing officer?" Shel asked.