"Is that so? Well, I guess it would be to you. But to me it fits. From what I understand, there's a whole year of surprises you can't remember. How strange is that?"
Nina sensed something in his tone akin to a cat playing with a mouse.
"W-what do you mean? What do you know?"
He shrugged. "No more than you, not really. I wasn't by Trevor's side in those days and no one kept really detailed records back then. It was all too small, I suppose. Still, I've got to give you credit. You all toughed it out when you could've just packed it in and played it safe. Guess that's what I always liked about Trevor."
Nina gazed down, her eyes looking not at her hands but at the dark spots in her mind where memories should have been.
He said, "I guess I don't know any more than you do. I know you had some sort of implant from The Order. The story goes that there were two implants and that they had to spirit you away from one of Voggoth's bases in order to save you."
She nodded absently. "Trevor led the rescue mission. At least that's what Shep told me."
Gordon pushed on, "Interesting, I've heard a couple of variations of that story, including Trevor being one of The Order's prisoners at the same facility, near Allentown. I wonder how he ended up there. And then I think of you, and how they had you under their control for a spell. Sometimes I wonder if, well, if they didn't use you to get to him."
Her eyes widened and she spat, "Are you suggesting I betrayed him? Is that it? That's not possible. I'm just saying, I could never have done that."
"Really?" He stroked his mustache again with the air of a scientist observing an experiment. "Now wouldn't that be something, if they got to you and made you give Stone up."
Nina wondered. She felt Shepherd kept information from her. Maybe to protect her. Maybe so she would never know that she once betrayed Trevor.
Her mind could not accept that. She refused to accept that.
"Look, I'm not here to play games. His wife said you would help."
"Help with what? What is there to do, Captain Forest?"
"Don't give me that," she scolded. "I know about you, Knox. I know you had your fingers in everything. If Trevor's assassination was more than it's been made out to be, then you'd have some place to start."
He answered, "I've been making a few phone calls, visiting with some old friends, and reading the newspapers. I particularly like this morning's edition. The front page story is about our President's peace deal. Isn't that wonderful? Nothing like blaming the victim. A great way to dampen the anti-alien feelings and an even better way to turn a nice chunk of the population into gutless sheep. Our new President's big revelation is that mankind brought this upon ourselves. The only way we can have peace, of course, is if we show how non-violent we are."
Nina broke in, "Seems to me like being violent was winning this war."
Gordon smiled; it seemed he absolutely loved her response. "So the politicians get everything they wanted and can make at least some of the people distrustful of the only group that might replace all these new-age sleaze-balls, the military."
"So you think he's lying? You think there's another reason for this whole invasion."
Gordon nodded and said, "Only people who want to believe that it's our fault are going to believe that. I doubt Godfrey even believes it himself, but it gives him what he always wanted, a chance to turn back the clock and make America what it used to be."
She narrowed her eyes and said, "Tell me something, Mr. Director of Intelligence. If this was a conspiracy within our own government, how come you didn't see it coming?"
Something flashed over Gordon's face, some mix of sadness and regret; her question had stung. He took a moment to compose himself and then spoke slowly, measuring each word.
"That's a good question, one that has kept me up at nights. The truth is, Imperial Intelligence isn't as big as people think and those assets are deployed behind enemy lines, or scouring the planet looking for other survivors. I can tell you about the resistance in Europe or the southern hemisphere, but not much about what was going on in our territories. We were more like the C.I.A., not the F.B.I."
He paused for a moment. Just when Nina started to speak, Gordon turned to her and his demeanor changed from something sad to something mad.
"But let me tell you this. Even with those excuses, there should have been hints coming through, reports that never made it to my desk. Of all the people who might have been involved in this, at least a couple had to have top clearance and access to the flow of information to Trevor, to me. I have my suspicions."
She felt his eyes nearly burn through her. Gordon made his point; he had a score to settle.
A series of whistles from the practice field signaled the end of the work out. The players hustled toward water coolers, pulling off their helmets along the way. Nina wondered how they kept from passing out in this heat. "So what about it? Are you going to help me?" "Help you with what?" She grunted, "To do what Ashley Stone asked me to do. To find out the truth about the assassination."
"But here's the thing, Captain. I'm quite happy watching football, lying on the beach, and sipping cold drinks. I'm thinking that if I'm lucky, the bad guys or old age will put me out of my misery before all the mistakes our President is making causes everything to collapse."
"I don't believe you. Besides, Ashley thinks that you'll help, even if just for her sake."
He turned to her as if ready to speak, but held his tongue. His eyes studied her for a moment then he asked, "You are a very interesting person, Captain Forest."
"Stop wasting time."
"Take your hair, for instance. You have very nice blond hair, with some soft natural curls in it. From what I can see, it easily lays on your shoulders, yet for almost all your life you've taken that hair and bundled it up into a ponytail. The question is, why bother? Why not just cut your hair short? Have you ever let it fall loose to your shoulders? If not, why do you hide it? I'm thinking there's more than just your hair hidden. I'm thinking there's a lot more to you that maybe you don’t even understand."
"Look, I'm not in the mood for games. I'll ask again. Are you going to help me?"
Gordon paused and watched the players file toward the locker room. After several seconds of consideration, he warned, "There's nothing half way about me. If I'm going to help, I'm going to bring it full bore. All out, do you understand?" "I understand. I think." "But it's not me I'm worried about," he cautioned. "It's you." "Me?" "Yes. Tell me, Nina, are you willing to do whatever it takes to find out the truth of Trevor's assassination?" She answered, "Yes." His words grew rougher, "Will you keep pushing, even when people start pushing back?" To ask a second time annoyed her. She snipped, "Yes."
Gordon's voice growled and grew to shout, "I'm talking about kicking over every rock to see what slithers out. I'm talking about biting into this thing with your teeth and not letting go until we know what really happened. Are you willing to do that? Will you? Even if it tears The Empire apart?" Nina answered so loud and forceful her voice echoed across the stadium. "Yes, damn it! Yes!" Gordon's eyes widened, his head tilted, and his voice softened. "Why?" Nina felt her breath heave in and out. But as for her motivation, she did not really know. — Director of Internal Security Ray Roos glided down the stairs and onto the tarmac of Miami International Airport. Behind him the whine of a Learjet's engines slowed from a roar to a hum.
The I.S. jet parked away from the public terminals but a reception committee waited, led by a portly mustached-man dressed in a short-sleeved police uniform with a shiny gold star. Sweat stains radiated from the man’s armpits and along his back.
Two associates stood on either side of the policeman. The silver of their armor reflected the setting sun in sharp glints. Despite their heavy gear, the two Witiko Skytroops did not appear uncomfortable in the humidity.