Did he kill the others?
“The bag has killed many of his kind.”
Trevor surrendered.
He grabbed the drink set down earlier and tossed it back.
“How did you know what he was planning?”
Connor groaned.
“Aren’t you going to thank me?”
“You murdered a man on my station. He could’ve been arrested and charged.”
“It’s better this way. It’s quiet. For the record, others dealt with Acasta and the Black Star agent in Harmony. I didn’t have enough CNZ-4 for all five, and the cleanup would’ve taken too long.”
Before Trevor could ask what in hell CNZ-4 was, Connor reached into a pocket and retrieved a node the size of a belly button. He held it up then pressed the bottom. A needle shot forward.
“The poison acts fast. Twenty seconds, give or take. Needle retracts clean. Hard to find the puncture wound.”
So clinical. He sounds like a professional. This is not my brother.
“Connor, I don’t ... what in ten hells have you done?”
“My job.”
“Your job?”
Connor tapped the bar on his chest.
“My superiors trusted me to get it done. I coordinated with allies already here, and we cleaned up the problem.”
“I don’t believe it. The UNF sent you here as an assassin?”
Connor waved off the notion.
“No. My unit cleaned up a mess before it got out of hand. Four of the five filth we killed are enemies. A Black Star cell. It’s not like the one Hoshi oversaw. These people were actively planning an attack from within. They were weeks away at most. As for Thomas? He was hell-bent on bringing you down, and I couldn’t let that happen. Not me, not my commanding officer, and not ...”
Connor chuckled after cutting himself off.
“Yeah,” he continued. “You and I stand on the front row to history, bruv. It’s all in place. We’re exactly where we were meant to be. Stallion brothers riding high.”
Connor leaped from the couch, rubbing hands together as if trying to contain his excitement.
“You got no idea how many people sacrificed for this day. The last move had to be polished off here. Now you can run Amity without fear. We made sure of it. We need you in this office.”
Trevor cut through shock and asked the most pressing question.
“We who?”
Connor patted his brother on the shoulder.
“You already know.”
“Say it.”
Connor answered with a finger wag and a pivot toward the humidor.
“First thing you’ll need to do is stop the investigations. I’ll be every Sec Admin’s prime suspect in a few hours. It’s an easy coverup. You’ll blame Black Star. Plus, nobody will give a shit. Bigger issues at hand.”
The Lieutenant opened the humidor and selected a long, fat cigar.
“What issues, Connor? Who do you work for? Talk to me.”
Connor grabbed a fire flick and poised it against the cigar’s end.
“It should be done by now. No going back. This is the proudest day of my life.”
“What’s done?”
Connor ignited the cigar and gave it a few healthy puffs. He blew on the end.
“We call it Code Exodus. History, bruv.”
It happened in a flash, like so many of Trevor’s revelations born out of paranoia. The puzzle pieces which had dangled around him coalesced much like the floaters at the center of his vision.
Devonshire. Requiem. Nexus. Nagano. Haas. The vacated leases. The port bookings. The Guardian fleet. The defense web. Lt. Stallion.
