Mesmerized Read Online Free PDF

shivered, uncomfortable with the rising tide of distrust spreading through their world.
    “Andrei, I received your data about the munitions issue. Lyons agrees this is a priority. Julian, you’re the liaison between us and the special teams. Ash Walker will be contacting you soon about their plans.”
    Julian nodded, and Andrei noted the brief flare in his eyes. It was the most interested he’d looked in a week. He knew Daniel would have noted that as well.
    Daniel spoke again. “We know this is all about Parron, Mirage and Asphodel. So let’s find out what we don’t know, like what exactly it is each ’Verse holds for the Imperium. We can’t stop it if we’re going in blind. Vincenz, keep on the data and your analysis. Julian, I want you on the issue of just what it is we’re looking for.”
    “Yes, sir.” Julian nodded his head toward Daniel’s image on the screen.
    “Andrei, I need to speak with you privately. Julian, Vincenz, contact me with any problems or questions.”
    Andrei had realized where this was going, had for some time as each clue kept pointing to the Edge. Anger flashed through his senses, a small flick of the rage he had learned to channel. The slice of it was sweet after so long. Even so, by the time the others had left the room, he’d put it away, focused on what he knew needed to happen.
    Daniel hesitated, looking him over carefully. “Maybe I should send Vincenz.”
    “This is my job, Daniel.” Andrei knew Daniel meant to send him to Asphodel. Though it had been some time, Andrei’s contacts on Asphodel were substantial. He was the best candidate for the job.
    He sipped the mug of kava Vincenz had left near his right hand. Despite that momentary flash of rage earlier, his control had slid back into place. Easily enough that Andrei knew the time when it had been a struggle to exert control was long past. There was no small amount of peace in that feeling.
    Daniel exhaled hard and nodded once. “You’re to go on to Asphodel and make contact with the mercs there. If anyone is going to get us solid intel on the Imperialists operating on the Edge, it’ll be them.”
    Andrei nodded.
    “Keep me updated as necessary. You’re my second-in-command, Andrei. Do what you need to, to get this situation dealt with.”
    Andrei allowed himself a small smile. “Is that a battlefield commission of sorts?”
    “I put in for it when we got back from Caelinus with Carina. I managed to push to process it, hoping it would be before you left again, but you know how it goes.”
    “I’m honored. Thank you, sir.” Warmth suffused him. Not the burst of heat from anger, but pride.
    “The pay raise is modest at best. The hours are even longer. I’m not doing you much of a favor. But there’s no one I trust more.” Daniel turned his head a moment, speaking to someone out of screen range. “Get me that intel, Andrei.”
     
     
    P iper eased the zipper up, banking right to avoid an outcropping of deadly, jagged rock in the narrow canyon. Asphodel rarely felt as good as it did the first minutes she returned after making a merchandise run.
    This one had brought with it a very healthy pile of credits and no small amount of work to evade the increased Federation military presence at all portal cities. The rogue portals the mercs favored would only remain secret a while longer.
    And then prices would go even higher as the job got far more difficult.
    But for the time being, the sun was going down, the horizon looked calm and they’d be home shortly.
    It wasn’t until she’d come around the final edge of Bristina Canyon’s west edge that she took in the sight of a trail of vehicles approaching the compound. Her radar wasn’t tracking them at all, so she uttered a curse and commed in to her command center at the compound. The Imperialists were using radar dampeners, not a sign of people out for a friendly visit. If she hadn’t been flying over right then, they would have gotten closer to the compound