Chapter 4 #2
This had to be about her roommate and the apartment and the stolen citricite.
And who knew what kind of angle they would be coming at her about this.
Especially since she didn’t have any proof to back up her version of events.
She didn’t exactly have any witnesses that she wasn’t at home when whatever happened there happened.
Nor did she have any proof she didn’t do any of it, either.
Her hands started to shake, and she forced them into her pockets.
“Adryel, this is Guard Burk. When I was running everyone through the Galactic Alliance's systems, he reached out and wanted to speak to you. It seems he has been looking for you.”
Adryel sighed. “Are you going to arrest me?”
“Do I have a reason to?”
She raised her eyebrow. She didn't recognize him, but that didn't mean anything. It had been over a year since she'd been in the Rhysgarrds business. Lots could happen in a year. Was he an honest guard, or was he on the Rhysgarrds' list of friends?
She glanced at Graecey, and thought about Sret. What would happen to this program if the Rhysgarrds found out she was here? Would they take out this whole group?
It was bad enough that Sret was dead. If the whole program was taken out because of her? Adryel wouldn't be able to live with herself.
“Look, I seriously don't want to be holding up anything,” Adryel said. “If you're going to take me in or something, let's just get it over with. I don't want anyone else being hurt.”
“Fine.” He shifted, and his face remained stoic. “Let's start simple. What happened in your apartment?”
“I have no idea.”
“We found a dead female there. Any idea why?”
Graecey gasped. He evidently didn't tell her everything.
Adryel stared at him. “Couldn't tell you.”
Who was this guy?
He hadn't mentioned the moonstone.
If he was genuinely building a case against the Rhysgarrds, he'd know their signature. Every guard who'd ever worked the Trinity Alpha Prime sector knew it. Which meant either he was incompetent, or he was waiting to see if she'd mention it first.
She wasn't going to mention it first.
“Are you sure?”
“I wasn't there. I don't know what happened.”
“Why would they come to your place, though? Why are you so special?”
"Maybe they were after the citricite? Thieves will do anything to steal citricite. It is universal power, after all." She watched his face as she said it. It was a lie, and she knew it.
The moonstone on Sret's chest had told her everything she needed to know about why they'd come. But she wanted to see if he'd correct her.
“Why would they leave it in the power pod?”
“Humanoids are dumb?”
“A lot of them are, I think.”
Graecey cleared her throat. “You told me you had specific questions about the Rhysgarrds for Adryel. That you believed she was connected to their upcoming trial.”
Adryel raised her eyebrow. “You're actually going to prosecute them?” She’d heard they were. But honestly, they were always potentially being prosecuted.
Words were nothing.
Burk nodded. “We have a long list of charges. Which was why we were trying to find you. Allegedly, you have more information about their activities. Or so the records have said.” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. “When we heard about the anonymous girl who was--”
“Sret.”
“Many thought she was you, at first.”
She chuckled, her anxiety strumming beneath her skin. “Not quite.” Maintaining a calm demeanor got harder by the moment.
He shook his head. “I should correct myself. My fellow guards did. I knew it wasn't you.”
“What makes you so smart?”
“The hair,” he said, gesturing toward her face. “You have very distinct hair.”
She nodded. Maybe she needed to get rid of it. Cut it all off. Shave it. Something. A man who knew her face and hadn't mentioned the moonstone was not a man she wanted knowing where she was going.
“I'm sorry your roommate was pulled into this.”
“You're not the only one. She didn't deserve that.”
“No, she didn't.”
He stared at her for a minute, and it made her heart hammer even more in her chest.
“I don't deserve that, either.”
“Some think you do,” Burk said.
She filed that away. An honest guard building a prosecution wouldn't phrase it like that. He'd say the Rhysgarrds think you do. Not some.
She shifted in her chair. “I don't know why. I can't help you. So let's be done with this.”
Burk raised his eyebrow. “You don't have anything?”
He was not going to let this go.
Adryel didn't trust him. She had no reason to. Far too many policing guards were backed by the Rhysgarrds, and the ones who weren't were usually too afraid of what would happen to them if they don't get with the program.
She kept staring back at him, her expression as neutral as possible to hide her nerves.
The small bag she had clipped on her belt held her world.
Everything she had — her files with every record she'd quietly kept over the years — was in there.
He was asking her if she had anything, and she was sitting on all of it.
Damn. She needed to do something with it.
And soon. Because carrying it around clipped to her belt was not as secure as it could be.
She was just a street kid. Coming from a crazy family that kicked her out when she was still a kid, she was on her own far too long, and she'd already done the incarceration thing. Not interested in doing it again.
Surprisingly, Graecey interrupted their stare down.
She cleared her throat before speaking. “I will attest to that. She truly had nothing. When she joined our program a week ago, we provided everything, including the clothing she wears now, because she literally had nothing on her.” Graecey glanced at her, her eyes warm and comforting.
Unexpected, but Adryel knew it was sincere. At least it felt sincere. She was going to take it. Not many humanoids cared about her these days. She figured that Graecey would turn her over and kick her out of the program right away.
“Most kind,” Burk said.
“Many people deserve a second chance at being better beings,” Graecey said.
“Some do,” he said. His gaze ran over Adryel, like he was trying to assess her again. “You have any memories?”
Adryel shook her head. “I don't remember anything.”
Burk nodded and stood up.
“If you do regain your memories, reach out. We could use some good memories.” He glanced at Graecey. “It will likely be a while before we can begin the prosecution. Her staying in this program may be the safest place for her for a while.”
“We keep all of our participants protected.”
“At least I know where she is. If anything changes, let me know.”
“Of course,” Graecey said.
“And let me know if you remember anything of interest.”
Adryel blinked. “Sure, whatever.”
Adryel sat very still after the door closed. At least I know where she is. Not we. Not the department. Him, personally.
The sooner they got off this planet, the better.
She glanced at Graecey.
“I meant what I said,” Graecey said, narrowing her gaze on Adryel. “Everyone deserves a second chance. But you bring danger down on this program, I will hand you over to the Rhysgarrds myself.”
Adryel blinked. “You're serious.”
“Yes, I am.”
Adryel believed her. She tipped her head to the side. “Graecey, one question.”
“What?”
“Do you have a needle and thread?”