Chapter 12, the art of diseption.

Callie.

Her chair creaked, and she let out an audible sigh of relief. Callie shook out her aching left hand and dropped her pen to the desktop. She checked her comm, 11:30pm. She stretched her taught back, yawning, before rising to her feet. Hefting the stack of completed reports, Callie saunters down the hall. She paused. Where was Dustin's office? A woman in a tight dress and wearing high heels strode towards Callie. She made walking in the awkward footwear appear graceful, the woman's long smooth legs drawing the eye.

" Excuse me, I seem to have lost my boss. Could you point me to Dustin's office?" Asked Callie . The woman's smile lit up the hallway and her eyes sparkled with amusement. From behind the woman, Dustin opened his door and peered out at Callie waving. Callie pretended like she didn't see him and continued with her conversation.

"You will need to be more specific. What is his rank, and what does he look like?" asked the woman, pausing in front of Callie. With the woman's six-inch heels, she was slightly taller than Callie's formidable six three.

" Well, he is short, dresses like a bum and always looks likes he's swallowed a lemon. I am actually unsure of his rank. He is one of those secRetive people." Said Callie. From behind the woman, Dustin's face scrunched up in a sour expression. Callie held back a grin, getting a better grip on the thick stack of reports.

" A lemon, you say. I think I know the one. That's the dustin' with a poor taste in clothing? I mean seriously, how can a guy be so hot and dress like a vagabond." Said the woman.

" That's definitely the one." Said Callie.

" Callie, are you done you paperwork?" Asked Dustin, stepping out into the hallway.

The woman in front of Callie flushed deeply as she glanced back, spotting Dustin.

" Excuse me, I have work to do." Said the woman, fleeing with all due haste down the hallway.

Callie smiled at Dustin and strode up to him.

" Someone has a secret admirer." Said Callie, following Dustin into his office. She closed the door with a click.

" Do you enjoy poking fun at me? You know I am your boss, right?" Asked Dustin, taking a seat in his chair to stare up at her.

Callie shrugged and placed the pile of reports on his desk. She could swear the desk creaked with the weight of the stack of reports.

" I thought we were partners." Asked Callie, raising an eyebrow and positioning to the side to watch the door and Dustin.

" We are, but I'm still your boss." said Dustin.

Callie leaned back against the wall in a relaxed manner and examined her trimmed nails.

" Do I really have a such a poor sense of taste of clothing?" Asked Dustin, glancing down at his off colour shirt and pants.

" Well, didn't you hear that other woman reply? She knew it was you just by my description of your clothing." said Callie with a cheeky grin.

"These are standard civilian wear." Said Dustin, rising and doing a full turn.

"I don't know, boss. Maybe you should get your new lady friend to take you clothes shopping?" Said Callie.

" Which one you or Samantha?" Asked Dustin. Callie's heart raced. So he knew that woman. Where they a thing? She scowled at her own reaction. What did she care? Dustin was an empire spy.

" That is up to you. Anyway, I have plans with a friend of mine. Soo, if that is all the torture you have in store, I will be on my way." Said Callie, yawning.

" Allright, you can go. I am going to stay up to monitor a few assets. I have people to check in with. I will message you at around eight tomorrow morning." said Dustin.

" Do you need a second pair of eyes?" asked Callie, sure that information could be useful.

" Thats alright, these are still too sensitive to let others know about. But if you would like, I can give you some more paperwork?" asked Dustin.

" No, thank you. I think I strained my back and my wrist." said Callie, shaking out her hand in exaggeration.

" Did a small stack of paperwork cause you so much distress? Maybe I need to increase your training regimen," Said Dustin, a sparkle of mirth in his eyes.

" Sorry can't, tonight. Uh my cat needs to be taken for a walk." Said Callie.

Callie practically fled from the room. Dustin burst out laughing as she made a tactical retreat. He knew she didn't have a pet. That would have been in her file.

As she exited the navy administrative building, Callie couldn't help but smile. She hated how much she enjoyed teasing that man.

She made her way towards the bar several streets down. Looking like a working socialite was important for her cover, and so Callie sent a message to Ferra.

With a sidelong glance behind her, she noticed a man parked past the bar on the corner. He exited his car and strode towards the bar without so much as glancing at her. She wasn't a narcissist but judging by the interest of 90% of the guys she walked passed she definitely wasn't the worst looking woman. And yet that man never once glanced or let his eyes linger when he thought she wasn't looking.

He could be attracted to men? But the way his eyes lingered on the other women of the bar made that unlikely. Callie waited in her corner booth. She suspected the man worked for Dustin, as the man was skilled and, for all looks and purposes, was a normal enough socialite. He seemed at home in the bar, talking to waitresses and the other navy and normal civilians with practiced ease.

The biggest tell, however, was he flirted with women, even got a lot of numbers, but she never noticed him leaving with any. His appearance made him blend in, but his physique and his movements were another matter. It was subtle, but Callie had spent her entire life around people practicing to go unnoticed. Instructor Helen was the best Callie had ever seen, her acting on another level. Anger boiled in Callie's chest at that. Most of them were gone now. And the rest were likely being coerced for what information they had before execution.

Her mood soured as she remembered the trial and execution in three days. That's all she had, three precious days before Peyton would be murdered.

Her comm vibrates against her neck, and Callie brought up a halo graphic display.

Warren," I'm not sure how much longer I can keep from being noticed. There is only so much loitering I can do before they will get suspicious."

Callie," I will make an excuse tomorrow evening at, say, 11pm. Let's meet at 1357 peplum drive, it's got a nice little coffee shop where we can chat."

" Alright, I will try to ditch Villus as well. Ever since you stopped answering his messages he has been cranky." Said Warren.

" There is no point in answering. All he sent was swears." Said Callie.

" Well, that makes sense. He is no doubt pissed you kicked his ass. Do you know he almost bled to death from that wound?" asked Warren.

" It was actually more of a tie. If not for my new partner's skill in healing, I would have ended up in the hospital for a major concussion." Said Callie.

" New partner? You let him touch you after only a few days of knowing him?" Asked Warren, incredulous.

" Don't worry about it, he is just a filthy Devali. Anyway, what does Villus have planned for tomorrow? I know you said he is up to something." Said Callie.

" He hasn't told me much about a mission tomorrow, but I think it has something to do with revenge on the Devali. We are moving early in the morning, but Villus hasn't told me the details yet. This guy is a pain to work with, he doesn't tell me anything." said Warren frustrated.

"Even if he doesn't plan on helping us, we can save Peyton ourselves." said Callie.

"Be careful out there Callie, don't forget to always be on guard." Said Warren. Her comm went dark, and the messages deleted.

She pondered Warren's words. What was Villus planning? And how was he going to get revenge on the Devali?"

The door to the bar entrance swung opened and Ferra strode in. She received several interested looks, but no one's eyes lingered too long. As a lieutenant, Ferra outranked most, if not all, of the men and women in here.

Ferra was dressed in her form fitting navy light suit and had her short cropped hair combed to one side. Like always, civilians mixed in with the crowd of off duty navy soldiers to relax, listen to the music and drink.

" So how was you first mission?" Asked Ferra.

Well, let's just say I got used like a battering ram. I think the structure of that skyscraper will need an engineer to verify its integrity after I used my body to attack the wall." Said Callie, wincing at the memories.

" That bad?" asked Ferra, waving down the short waitress on duty for the night.

"Yeah, and they got away," said Callie, keeping it extremely vague.

" Ouch, that can't be a good look for your first actual mission." Said Ferra wincing.

" Good evening Ferra, what can I get you?" asked the waitress.

" Good evening sandy, can we get two cherry nukes?" Asked Ferra with a wink toward Callie.

"Of course, I will be right back!" said the waitress, smiling kindly, the petite woman striding away with purpose.

" What is with the ridiculous names of these drinks? First the kiss of death and now, a cherry nuke?" Asked Callie.

" Well, it's a bar that caters to marines and navy. Well, and the occasional spook." Said Ferra with a wink.

Callie was glad Ferra knew not to ask the wrong questions. She always seemed happy with vague responses and never pressed, clearly understanding Callie wasn't allowed to share.

"How long until you think you will be back on duty?" Asked Callie. Ferra fidgeted.

" It's still soon, but personnel on leave are being called back to active duty. Did you notice all the people here in uniform tonight? The brass are gearing up for something big. At this rate, it might be as soon as two weeks before something big happens." Said Ferra. From the city, everything felt as normal but the tension was building. Callie had noticed the increased amount of patrons in uniform.

Callie reached across the table and grasped Ferra's hand. She gave her fingers a squeeze. Ferra smiled and squeezed her fingers back. The reassuring gesture felt less forced than she expected. It was hard to think of Ferra as the enemy. Callie pushed down those traitorous thoughts. Zrixians were the enemy. She couldn't let them get away with destroying her home!

Callie gestured to a monitor above the bar. Ferra's face brightened.

On the screen whizzing by in Zrixian subtitles was an announcement.

" People of the Zrixian empire, both I and the emissary of the Slax, have convened for the day. Fear not, we have several more days of discussion ahead of us. The times are tumultuous and I assure you that I your emperor, will do my best to keep you safe. Be assured that this misunderstanding with the Slax will be resolved peacefully. We do not wish for violence." Said the emperor, the man's bearing brooking no argument.

The channel turned to another Chanel with a host with curly blond hair. The woman gestured animatedly, speculating on how the upcoming trial with the three remaining survivors of the Secari might go. There was no explanation as to what happened to the others, but it was clear the woman expected they might receive the death penalty for their crimes.

They plastered three figures on the screen. Maris, Jermy and Peyton followed by scenes of horror, bloodshed and an aerial video of Ascalon burning at night. Then the image of a skyscraper up in flames, which was tinged by the greenish hue of the overhead barrier.

The last was filled with the screams of Zrixians and the underlines terrorist attack.

" After this weekend, we will finally get justice for the atrocities committed nearly a year ago. We will finally have justice for the five thousand lives lost. " Said the woman on the news.

Callie's nails dug into her palm as she schooled her rage. That man had ordered the capture and subjugation of her planet and hat the balls to say it was a misunderstanding? She was so angry that she wanted to go on a one-woman crusade. Callie slid from her seat and strode towards the restroom. That last image couldn't have been the Etrians. They were undercover spy's and assassins, trained to protect Etria. They were not terrorists to attack the Zrixians unprovoked. Callie's thoughts whirled. Had the Secari really don't that over a year ago? In a skyscraper that big thousands would have died from the explosions. Callie shook her head. That was not the Etrians. It was no doubt a horrible accident that the Zrixians used to get support for their conquest.

" I'll be right back." Said Callie, not turning to meet Ferra's eyes. She washed her face with cold, refreshing water. She straightened her pants and shirt, adjusting her leather gun belt and her knife. The news was lying to make the Secari the bad guys. Callie smiled, confident of her purpose once again, as she took in a deep breath. She couldn't let Ferra become an actual friend. Ferra was one of the enemy.

She returned, and it took her four more cherry nukes before she could calm her racing heart. Her tolerance was low, and she stayed until four in the morning. Her buzz was nice, and she was considering taking that handsome waiter home with her. He always shot her smiles that promised a night of fun whenever he refilled her drink.

Her comm buzzed, and an unknown number appeared. She answered.

" Hello." said Callie, doing her best to hide her slur."

"Callie, it's Dustin need help. Where are you? We need to move right now." Said Dustin, his voice panicked.