And so, the hunt begins…

Stage 3

And so, the hunt begins…

Miranda's official disappearance had been flagged several days after her last check out.

Standard operating protocol had been violated when she failed to submit the location of her holiday destination and after she could not be reached by any known channels, the military received formal notification thereof.

During that lawful time frame of trying to establish her whereabouts, her apartment had been the victim of a thorough, and illegal search. There had been a few brochures for remote vacation destinations, most of which where the rugged outdoorsy type. This accounted for the lack of clothing missing from her home.

The department of the covert and security apparatus responsible, had found few clues, and noted them all on the appropriate forms. In that classified documentation there was mention of a floor safe, opened and empty.

CTC Carmen had been assigned the important task of tailing Miranda. This was the first time her team had failed a mission. She wasn't completely taken by surprise when her team reported the situation to her. Even though her all-female team ranked in the upper one percent on the success rate charts, she had to grudgingly admit that she had vastly underestimated the cleverness of Miranda Grey.

How exactly does a shadow follow another shadow?

That was the question she should have asked herself before she ordered her team into the field. They also found the tracking pin in Miranda's mailbox. Paranoia has always been considered a less than desirable trait, but it had served Miranda all too well.

A curious paradox, without its own measure of irony.

Carmen leaned back in her large, plush office chair. Her team had their orders. They would deploy into the nearby solar system of Passers Cove. She had split them into three groups. The first would actively search for ships that were inbound to Passers Cove. The second and third groups were sent planet side; one to Dylars' Ditch (which held the planetary capital city of Pertinacity), the other to Gilrich Gulch (with its planetary capital city of Tenacity). Both cities had Branch Cell offices. The third planet, Sanctuary, with its vast forests, jungles, crystal clear oceans and rivers, was a conservationist's paradise and devoid of any substantial infrastructure. There was no reason to send anyone to Sanctuary.

If her suspicions where correct, Richard had somehow managed to activate Miranda. This meant she had a mission to fulfill and the next logical step would be to make contact with Branch Cell.

CTC Carmen turned in her chair and leaned forward as she looked out the window for a moment. She had a feeling that Richard's communication would have been light on details, which made this mission personal.

Miranda had left most of the vestiges of Richard behind in her apartment, not to mention most of her personal belongs. Everything could be accounted for except for two chess pieces.

Carmen could easily put herself in Miranda's shoes. There was little in her life that she was attached to now. Her superiors had all read Miranda's military profile and seen her in action. To them, this gave credence to the theory that Miranda's activation was delayed for strategic reasons. Nothing more than one final power play from a dead handler, in an attempt to help Miranda regain her former status.

But Carmen knew better.

Though her superiors were outraged that Miranda had given them the slip, Carmen looked at it from a more pragmatic point of view. Yes, she had sternly rebuked her team for their failure, but she had also been able to find a discrete and singular lie. Miranda had, in fact, passed the Final Milestone. What troubled her was Richard's rationale to ensure its secrecy.

Using her connections, she had unearthed an expunged and heavily redacted document. Detailing an unknown event that lead to the deaths of those on 59th Orbital Defense station. And the titanic effort to keep that event hidden.

Carmen stood up and walked over to the window, putting her hands behind her back as she focused her stare on the horizon.

Though troubled by this unknown quality, Carmen was at ease despite it all. For she had never had any of her visions fail her. Her first vision had hinted that Miranda might escape, but in letting her slip away Carmen would be vindicated in the end.

Her countenance darkened as she broke into a smile, even as her eyes swept the vastness of her domain.

She loved breaking those of a tenacious spirit.