Molehunt Read Online Free PDF

sit there like an automaton.
    The colonel would undoubtedly interpret his response as nerves.
    â€˜Cadet Officer Maximus Black. May I call you Maxim? You don’t look like a Max to me.’ Maximus nodded, somewhat disarmed. He hated being called ‘Max’, but didn’t mind ‘Maxim’. Maxim sounded tough, ancient Germanic, like someone in authority. Max was just some candy-arse kid. Viktus continued, ‘I want to commend you on your response to Anneke Longshadow’s priority one message. It was by the book.’
    Viktus casually looked up from the report, as if seeking a reaction to his praise. Or was he looking for something else? Were his words loaded? Maximus could tell the man had uncanny intuition. He had to be on his guard with the commander. Maximus hoped there wasn’t any sweat on his upper lip.
    â€˜Tell me, Maxim, what do you make of it all?’
    â€˜Sir?’
    â€˜The allegation that a mole has penetrated RIM headquarters?’
    Maximus allowed a tiny shrug. The kind of thing a cadet officer might do, forgetting himself for a moment. ‘Sir, I think it highly unlikely, but in the circumstances we should assume it to be fact and proceed accordingly.’
    â€˜Once again, by the book.’
    Was Viktus baiting him? Did he know something?
    Viktus went on. ‘As it happens, I agree. You probably know that Anneke is my adopted daughter and while I hold her in high regard she is, after all, still a youth.’
    â€˜As am I, sir,’ said Maximus.
    As are you,’ agreed Viktus, steepling his fingers and gazing at Maximus over the top of them. Maximus had the uneasy feeling that Viktus could see right through him. He had never had that feeling before and he did not like it. He did not like Viktus either. ‘By the time you return to your quarters this entire agency will have upgraded its security protocol to SecCon Two.’
    Maximus’s eyes widened appropriately. ‘Security Condition Two, sir?’
    â€˜You think that’s overreacting, Cadet?’
    Maximus knew he needed to turn this meeting to his advantage. Maybe that’s what it was about. Viktus was testing him, not because he thought Maximus was the mole, but because he had other plans for him.
    Maximus decided to bite the bullet, whatever that meant.
    â€˜Sir, in my opinion, we should proceed immediately to SecCon One. Sir.’
    It was the last thing he wanted, but it seemed the right response.
    Viktus looked slightly startled. Whatever response he had been expecting, it wasn’t that one.
    â€˜Please explain, Cadet.’
    â€˜Well, sir …’ Black sat forward slightly on his chair, all boyish enthusiasm. ‘As you know, I’ve been standing watch in D-Branch, long range situation modelling. I’ve … taken it upon myself to process other sources of data and Intel –’
    â€˜Other sources?’ Viktus raised one eyebrow, but nodded for Maximus to continue.
    â€˜Yessir. It’s kind of a hobby of mine. It’s just that I think we get too dependent on our normal sources of intelligence and field data. Worse, our enemies know this. One man’s habit is another man’s leverage.’
    â€˜Interesting notion, Cadet. I’ll take it up with Command Staff. Go on.’
    â€˜I’ve been feeding data sets from a range of planetary and sector newszines, political rallies, company gossip, etc, into Oracle and correlating them with the disappearances of military transports, police actions, and the manoeuvrings of the Clans and Companies over the past five decades.’
    â€˜Fifty years? That seems a rather long timeline, even taking account of anti-ageing therapies.’
    â€˜Yessir, but the way I read it, the Clans and Companies, especially the Companies, have a vested interest in taking the long view.’
    â€˜It’s certainly a novel collection of data; I’ll give you that. And what did you