Imperium: Volume 2
Chapter 18.

Sarah's P.O.V.

"I've been doing it all wrong! This whole time I was trying to tap into everyone's thoughts. Trying to see, if anyone would spill any information. But Rowen gave me the idea.

Back when we were on recon, I met someone. I couldn't barely get a read on him and for that reason I wasn't sure what his deal was. Turns out he was psychotic. Anyways Rowen was saying that their brains are different. That there brains are hardwired much more different from ours."

I scanned the faces in the room. Jay, Raeve, June, Bogie, Kipsky and Johanssen. They all looked confused.

"Ugh, what I'm saying is I think our leak is psychotic. I mean you would have to be to do what their doing. They are infiltrating the resistance. The enemy, and lacking all empathy in the process. They are here to get a job done. No remorse but everything precisely calculated, in order to get the job done. Essentially they are putting up an act. They are playing a character, one of us."

"I don't know Sarah...Bogie cut in. Wouldn't they just be following orders if they see us as an enemy? Isn't empathy something they would be trained to disregard?"

"Let me ask you this. If you were sent to infiltrate The Dominion, and your orders were to execute a plan which resulted in killing innocent children. Would you do it knowing that it would benefit our cause?"

"Yes." He answered bluntly.

I was stumped. "Ok maybe you were the wrong person to ask."

"So you think we are dealing with a psycho." Said Jay. He had his arms crossed on his chest pondering the idea. He then looked up to me.

"Okay, fuck it, I mean what could happen?" He said.

"Well, she could have it all wrong and we end up closing the date for home base." Said Bogie.

Everyone just looked at him. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ (F)indNƟvᴇl.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Dude." Said Raeve.

"So what's the plan. How do you find them?" Asked Jay.

"I listen in." I told them.

"Isn't that what you have been doing this whole time?" He asked.

"Yes, but I've been listening for all the wrong things. When I'm looking this time, I shouldn't be able to read them. It will sound like an empty room. Complete silence." I informed them.

"Well how do you know it's not one of us?" Asked Bogie.

"I've already read your minds............. and if you need something for the constipation Bogie, I can see if Rowen can help you out with that."

His jaw dropped. "N....no I'm not." He said embarrassed.

"Dude." Said Raeve with a chuckle

"Okay Sarah, what do you need us to do?" Asked June.

..........................

●11●

The next morning our plan was set in motion. We set off during the most busiest time of the day, where we knew a majority of people were out of there rooms and out and about.

We started outside and made our way in. June, Raeve and Bogie kept their distance, but stayed close enough in case I detected anyone. I would relay anyone to them telepathically, and they would escort them to an office where Kipsky, Jay and Johanssen were.

There was a small department in one of the bigger outlets, where all the offices were kept, so we turned that into our interrogation rooms.

We were about an hour in. I had to be specific when listening in. Practically listening in one at a time to void out the innocent. We had circled our way around before I decided to make our way back in.

I looked over the massive amount of people and knew this was going to take a majority of the day.

•~ I hope you guys got a good night's rest, this might take while •~

I looked at each and every one of them and gave them a nod. They went to look normal as usual and played the part. June and Raeve went to grab a bite to eat and Bogie took to working on his gear. I started from the centre, and got to work.

Rowen's P.O.V.

I was busy in the infirmary while the rest of the team were set off in finding our leak. After Sarah had left she came back to my room to fill me I'm on the plan.

Her constant push for finding the truth pushed all of us, and we were all working hard to put this puzzle together. I made my way to the infirmary to start up the day.

I got everything laid out and prepared for the day. All that was left to do was wait. Wait for patients or wait for word from Sarah. Either way I was playing a waiting game.

Some of the assistants started making there way in.

"Morning ladies."

"Morning Rowen." They were an awesome bunch to work with. They were all natural care givers, and all had medical backgrounds which made it so easy to count on them for help.

I was setting up one of the cabinets when all of a sudden the lights in our outlet went out. It startled our old timer to death, but I noticed the switch was turned off near the front of the outlet.

"I got it....I got it." I went ahead and switched it back on. "Alright all fixed."

Pfff today is going to be a long day.

...............

Sarah's P.O.V

•~ How we doing Sarah? •~ Junes voice popped up in my head.

•~ Well a couple close ones, but nothing that I'm looking for. •~

•~ We're going on 10 hours, perhaps you should take a break, maybe go see Rowen and get a pick me up •~

Did She really just say that?

•~ I have no idea what you mean •~ I was oozing with sarcasm.

•~ Mhmm •~ She said.

•~ I could use a bit of a walk, maybe I'll go update Jay and stop by Rowen's. You guys go get some coffee or something, we still have a ways to go.•~

•~ Sounds good•~

I was tired as all hell making my way to the offices. I couldn't stop my self from yawning and took to a stretch while walking towards Jay. In the distance I saw Kipsky kissing his wife, as she dropped him off a tray of food. I gave her a smile as she walked past and she returned the gesture with a little wave.

I was stopped in my tracks. I stood there for a brief moment before quickly turning around and watching her down the walk way. She was talking to people on the way, and even helped and elderly woman make her way onto a seat.

•~ June •~

•~ Ya? •~ She answered.

•~ We have a big fucking problem •~ I told her.

•~ What? Is something wrong? •~

•~ Ya................I think I found our leak •~ I said.

•~ Really!? Who is it? Would we recognise them?•~ She asked.

•~ That's the problem •~

•~ Well who is it!? •~ She asked eagerly

I took a deep breath before telling her.

•~ .......................It's Anja •~

"Are you sure?" June and Raeve walked up behind me.

I kept watching her down the walkway.

"Yes."

.................

"No...........No you got the wrong person." Kipsky was pacing back and forth.

"Kipsky, I'm sorry but she fits the bill." I told him.

"No! Not my Anja. H...How can you say this." He turned to June for support. Juniper. "This is Anja we are talking about."

"I'm sorry Kipsky." June said. "I understand how your feeling right now but we have to think with a level head. She was with them for how long. She was at home base, and she's been here from the very start. You were part of the liberation team. She would have known when and where we were hitting the compounds."

I watched as June tried to talk him down with facts. Tears started streaming down his face, as all the evidence was there. The only remaining piece that was missing was me to fit it all together. When she past me, there was nothing but silence. Just a high pitch sound, that gave off in her mind and when I sensed her it was the same feeling as the middle man.

June was now holding him. We had to be very delicate with this as to not give her warning. We needed the element of surprise and we needed Kipsky to bring her in.

"We just need to question her." June said to him.

"And if she is what you say she is.....what then?" He asked.

I knew what he was thinking. We all did.

"I'll take care of her." Raeve said.

Kipsky took a step towards him before June put out her hands on his chest to stop him from doing anything.

"Easy.....easy." Said Raeve. "What I mean is I'll take her somewhere safe but out of reach and in seclusion."

"Kipsky." I said. He turned to me.

•~ You know what we need to do •~

He stood there but reluctantly nodded. He wiped away the tears and gathered himself.

"Okay, what do you need me to do."

..................

Rowen's P.O.V.

"Ugh.....why do these damn lights keep going out!"

"I got it." Said one of the assistants.

"Thank you. Sorry about that." I said turning back to my patient. "Just one last peice here and you'll be set to go."

I was currently trying to pick shards of glass out of a little girls hand, but the damn lights have been acting up all day making it hard to do anything today. There were still so many people to help and it was nearing 7 pm already.

Sarah and the team have been working diligently for hours and hadn't heard anything from her in while.

I quickly washed out her wound and bandaged it up.

"There you go sweetie. No more playing with lightbulbs ok?" I told her. She was a cute little thing.

She turned away shyly before turning to her father.

"She should be good to go. If it bothers her just bring her back." I told him.

"Thank you Rowen, sounds good." He said before shaking my hand.

I looked out in the waiting area and saw about 10 more people seated. One looked like they would need some stitches, just buy looking at the blood drenched towel held on his arm. Some were kids looking under the weather, and some were coming in for post check ups. As I was scanning the room I saw a familiar face standing on the far side of the isle, giving me the most intense look.

It was Cam. He just stood there glaring, behind those black and blue eyes and swollen nose. I just glared back and made sure to let him know he didn't intimidate me. I didn't eye him to long, I needed to know he didn't bother me.

I called the next person in line, and continued on with my work, ignoring the stupid ape.

............................

Sarah's P.O.V.

We were held up in a security office that was in the back of the depatment. I'm assuming for shoplifters back in the day. It came in very handy as it had a small 2 way mirror which allowed us to view the interrogation.

Kipsky did his part by bringing her in on a false pretense. He was sitting opposite of her and had her bring some food for Jay and Bogie. We watched as she set up the table and was making small talk with him in their native tongue. She gave off a loving and caring wife and even had a smile ear to ear.

Kipsky did his best in keeping up with the conversation but we could all tell how uneasy he was about the whole thing.

She was the love if his life, and he had every right to feel what he was feeling.

•~ Kipsky •~ I said. He looked in the mirror then back to her.

•~ Its time to get started. Did you want one of us to do it? •~ I asked before proceeding.

•~ No.....I need to be the one to do it. •~

•~ Okay, any time you need to tap out, just let me know. Also.........we need you to speak english •~ I advised.

I watched as he had taken a deep long breath, preparing himself.

•~ Ok •~ He said, and we got started.

June and Raeve were in the room with me watching from the other side of the mirror.

"I hope you got this right." June said while watching them.

"Me too." I replied.

"Anja." Kipsky said.

"Here we go." I said while taking in a deep breath aswell.

She responded to him, but couldn't understand her. She was still setting up all the food on the table.

"I need to talk to you." Kipsky said.

She chuckled and said something else before looking at him. She heard the seriousness in his voice and gave him a confused look.

"Anja." He said again. "Can you please sit." He said.

She looked at him but eventually sat down. As if on cue, Jay and Bogie made there way into the room, shutting the door behind them and each taking a side of the room behind Kipsky.

She said something again we couldn't understand.

•~ What did she say •~ I asked.

•~ She asked what's going on •~ He told me.

"English please Anja." Kipsky told her.

He was serious. He was treating this like any interrogation. He was on a mission of his own, and that was to see if she could really have done something like this.

I tried to read her again, but I couldn't.

"Kip, what is going on?" She asked.

"We need to ask you a few questions Anja. I need you to be completley honest with us. No harm will come to you if you just co-operate." He said.

She bursted out laughing. "This a joke yes? Ahahaha ok..ok..you got me, now come sit down and we can all have a bite to eat."

"Anja......this is not a joke. They....he paused...We have been looking for someone the past couple days that could help us find some answers. Answer to questions we've been searching for, for over a month now."

"Okay, like what questions?" She asked.

"Like how the Doms knew we were hitting Delta." He said.

"Didn't you say there was leak.. no?" She asked.

"And how they got the location of home base." He told her.

She looked at the three men in front of her before standing up from her chair. She yelled something in their native tongue again.

"English." Kipsky restated.

"You.....you think I'm the leak? Are you for sure... this is no joke Kip!" She was starting to panic.

"Please sit down." He asked her.

No! She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Why are you doing this? I don't understand."

Kipsky got up and stormed out of the room.

"I'll go check on him." Said Raeve.

Jay took a seat in Kipsky's chair, and started making himself a plate. His demeanor was calm and collected, as if to tell her that he wasn't falling for her facade.

If I was going to be completley honest. I was.

"Sit down Anja." He told her.

She slowly made her way back to her chair, and still had panick written all over her face.

"You can try and play this game all you want, but we know the leak is someone here. Someone that has been to home base. Someone who's been here from the very beginning. Someone's who knew we were hitting Delta and someone who had an in. Someone we wouldn't think twice about."

I listened to Jay lay out the facts to her while helping himself to some more food. She just sat there in dis belief with tears still falling down her cheeks.

The door opened on my side of the wall. Raeve had returned with Kipsky in tow. He looked to have calmed down a bit, but couldn't go back in there. He just took a seat behind me and held his head in his hands.

"I.....I dont understand what you mean." She said through her sobs. "I haven't done anything wrong. I'm a nobody. T...they held me prisoner for years, why would I help them?"

"You tell me." Jay said as he took a bite. "Did they give you a deal? Perhaps they made promises you couldn't turn away. I mean you were in there for years. Starving, tortured, alone with no one to turn too. Perhaps you just wanted it to end. Someone has something on you...He looked at her...any of those sound about right?"

She was still crying. "I don't know what your talking about. I don't know anything."

"Please." Said Kipsky. "She doesn't know anything."

"I'm sorry Kipsky, but we must continue."

He just looked at me with his sad eyes. Everything that made him intimidating had vanished and what I was seeing was now a broken man. He was watching his wife go through the same treatment she would have endured while captured.

He sat back down, and I watched as a tear fell down his cheek.

"Where's Kipsky?" She asked.

"That's not important." Jay said. "What's important is you tell us what we need to know."

"Do you know where General Elias is?"

"No." She answered.

"Who knows the where abouts of second home base?"

"I don't know." Her voice was changing. She was getting frustrated and angry at the fact they kept asking her questions.

"How do you relay your intel?"

"I don't relay anything. I'm not your leak". She yelled.

"Please! where is Kipsky?" She said fuming.

Jay got up from his seat and quickly cleared the table before leaving the room with Bogie. They left her to sit there alone. She threw her arms on the table and started sobbing into them. Then Jay joined us on the other side of the wall.

"Sarah, if your right, this might take awhile. I've sent Bogie to your room Kipsky to look through everything. Anything that might have been used to communicate to the enemy."

Kipsky just sat there silently with his head to the floor. June stood next to him rubbing his back to try and comfort him.

"We will let her sit there for a while to let her think things over. We're going on 9 pm now, so we will resume in a few hours." Said Jay.

With that said, he took his leave. We all just looked at eachother trying to process our next move.

Now what?

........................

Rowens P.O.V

It was going on 10 pm and I just finished up with the last patient. I had the other ladies go, as it was an excruciatingly long day. I got up and started wiping everything down to get ready for tomorrow, when the damn lights went off again.

I made my way over to the light switch nearest to me which was in the back of the outlet. Before I could flick it on I felt a sharp pain in my side.

I quickly turned around and something stuck into my torso. Next thing I knew I was being pushed back against the wall by a dark figure. I tried to reach out and push back, but having the use of only one arm was giving me a disadvantage. I looked down, and saw the knife stuck in my gut. I watched has the hand who put it there pulled back, withdrawing the knife and sticking it back into me.

I felt the life drain out of me as my blood began to pool down my leg. He did it again, and again till I slumped over to the floor. I lay there with my hands to my stomach to try and stop the bleeding, but it was too late. My world was going dark, and was left with a parting message from my murderer.

"She's mine."

............................Cam.

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