Operation Artemis (The Drift Nova Force #4) - Susan Hayes Page 0,4

to look your best. See you tomorrow.”

Cris left, which meant Kurt had the gym to himself. Perfect.

He pulled on a pair of training gloves, holding his hands out until the nanotech-infused fabric adjusted to the correct fit as he walked over to the heavy bag and started throwing punches. He didn’t plan on stopping until he was too tired to think, but no matter how hard he pushed himself, one thought kept buzzing around his brain. Bobbi Castille. Whose side was she on? What was she doing here? And why couldn’t he get her out of his head?

2

Bobbi barely made it through her door before her comm unit beeped at her.

“If that’s you telling me I have another client to see, I’m throwing you in the recycler,” she grumbled and dropped into the nearest chair with a weary sigh.

The message was from Scott Archer. “Prepare for secure briefing.”

She looked up at the ceiling and frowned. “How the hell did he know I was back in my rooms? He better not be tracking me. That would be ten kinds of creepy and inappropriate.”

Still muttering, she got to her feet again and stalked over to her desk. First, she did a quick scan to ensure no listening devices were present, and then she dug out the privacy field generator the colonel had given her. She activated it, and air around her shimmered as the device came online. She enlarged the radius of the field to accommodate the colonel’s presence and then placed the generator on her desk and sat down.

The paranoia and precautions all felt ridiculous to Bobbi, but Scott had insisted. She didn’t like subterfuge or secrets, and lately she’d been up to her eyeballs in both.

She took a quick moment to straighten her uniform and compose herself and then sent a one-word reply. “Go.”

A holographic projection of the colonel appeared across from her. He was dressed in a dark blue sweater she noted with amusement was almost the same exact shade as the IAF uniform they both wore. In fact, she’d never seen him in any other color. The man was a walking stereotype for all things career military.

He was seated in a richly upholstered chair, his blue eyes meeting hers with an intensity that made it hard to remember he wasn’t actually in the room. His hair was more salt than pepper these days, and he didn’t try to hide his weariness behind its usual mask of implacable authority.

“Hello, Bobbi. You were late getting in tonight.”

She sat back in her chair and relaxed. If he was using her first name, this wasn’t an official call.

“Hi. I was working. And you should not be tracking me. That’s…” She sighed. “I don’t like it.”

“I know, but it’s for your own safety.”

She arched a brow. “And not at all related to your need to be in control at all times?”

He snorted and raised a hand in acknowledgment. “Alright. It’s mostly about your safety. What kept you?”

“Things are worsening around the station. The pressure is building, and something is going to give soon.” Veth. If Private Reddy hadn’t stepped in, it might have blown up today, in fact.

He nodded. “I’m aware. But for now, I need every soldier stationed here. Once the gala is over, we’ll make some changes.”

“I’ll send you over a report in the morning. You might need every warm body, but I can give you the names of at least three who need to be reassigned somewhere away from the civilian population of Astek station.”

His blue eyes narrowed. “What happened?”

“The same thing that keeps happening. Our side. Their side. Innocents caught in the middle. This time, it was a couple of ours and a young female Torski resident. My latest client is currently up on charges for protecting her. The MP didn’t even include the names of the other soldiers involved in the report I was given. I need to interview the real victim and then I’ll forward the information on to you.”

He nodded, but his brow was creased into a scowl. “Do you think they’re part of a deeper problem?”

She’d asked herself that question more and more often these days. “I think some of our personnel are being influenced in ways that benefit the Gray Men’s agenda, whatever the fraxx it is. Are they personally involved? I doubt it, but someone’s putting ideas in their heads.”

He grunted in agreement and reached for something, his hand vanishing as he moved past the range of the scanner. When his hand reappeared,