Chapter 13
Chapter 13.
+180 days.
Zach took a deep breath to steady himself, and twisted the doorknob to Sinclair's office. No amount of preparation could ready himself for his scent, but he boldly pulled the thick Mahogany toward himself, and stepped into the fire that was Sin's world. He was expected.
The excavation team in the north had unearthed a relic of an alien structure, eleven kilometers below the ice. It was going to take years of analysis to learn how their technology functioned, it was several orders of magnitude above what was current in the collective multi-race society filling the Milky Way. CI did it's best to keep it a closely guarded secret, for now, but eventually the lid would come off, and they would have to run with whatever parts could fit in their jaws to call their own.
Zach padded up to Sin's black anodized desk, a slab of titanium machined from a single billet. Its surface was flawless, all right angles and beveled edges. He bared his throat deeply, Sin returned the gesture, shallowly as usual. He nodded at one of the chairs in front of the desk and Zach took a seat. He sensed the pressure of those yellow eyes staring past his defenses.
"I visited the site yesterday," Sin said. "You can skip the transmission of the latest details." He smelled comfortable and in control, an intoxicating blend to Zach's nose. All the best things happened when that odor was present.
"Oh." Zach said, nodding. "You saw the twelfth alloy, then? The most interesting, I think." His heart rate started to climb. It was the same unrecognizable metal Mark V's had inside them. The parts no one could reverse engineer were of that strange alloy. The collar was a strange combination of current and unknown technology.
"Yes, indeed. Another key to the puzzle, the lock pops open, and now we know for certain. They're still around. Hiding." Sin idly filed a claw on a blade covered in pulverized diamond.
Zach twitched his whiskers, his ears darted around. "Sir, isn't it strange, that our headquarters is on the same planet this find was on?"
Sin flared his nostrils. "No, it isn't strange at all. When you buy something from someone, and torture them to get the answer for where they obtained it... and finally find that person." Sin said, moving on to the next claw. "It goes without saying you've built enough investment that you will stop at nothing to get the answer, so you torture him, too."
Zach swallowed. "What did you find?"
"Death." Sin stared at him, "every time, because who we're looking for is doing the same thing, but in reverse. We're hunting," Sin bared his teeth. "But so is our prey, right now we all attack the tracks left behind. Credits change paws, very discreetly. Covert operations, just to plan more covert operations, layers of separation from CI. I funnel lots of money into a black hole, and get nothing but corpses back." Sin turned his attention back on his claws. "Except once. So here we are, and look at what we've found. Our quarry made a mistake, like they always do," he said, moving on to the next claw. Long strokes with white dust falling away from sharp, black surfaces. "I was ready." Sin changed paws and started filing another claw. "Tell me about Keman. I miss him." He paused and stared.
Zach stole a look at his expression and looked away. He was very happy to hear that last part.
"Er, Keman," he said, changing gears. "Certainly ahead of schedule. His six months up north have greatly improved his stability. They were just what he needed. Some good solid footing, his personalities are meshing, blending, with great synergy."
Sin nodded. "Let's open him up, then, and see what he has to say. Hm?"
Zach shuddered. "Speech. The hardest part. He doesn't seem to mind being quiet, though."
"Zach," Sin glared. "No."
Zach yelped and nodded, his paw pads broke out in sweat. "We'll move forward. I think he'll be fine," he said. "It won't be long before the next phase, if his speech is ok."
Sin set down the file and sighed, he shook his muzzle and smiled, all teeth. His scent softened. "I would be willing to forego that particular phase."
Zach nodded, "I think he would, too, sir."
"That's why it's so important, then. We'll see how things go over the next few months." He sighed again, obviously caught up in emotions. Zach drank in the scent, as something rare and unique. Signs of success.