“Is that original to the enclave or a surprise the pirates left behind?”Kira asked, feeling her oshota’s stare burning into the side of her face.
“Either.Both.”Jin shook his head.“Until I figure out how they’re doing it, it’s impossible to say.”
Finally, unable to avoid him any longer, Kira met Finn’s gaze with a steady one of her own.“You know what I’m about to say.”
“I would really rather you didn’t.”
“Jin has to stay here and work on the logs.”If he could also figure out what was causing the comms blackout, that would be a plus.“Dylan has to remain with him.”
“Come with me then.”
Kira shook her head.“I need to rejoin Bez and the rest.”
She didn’t like them being out of sight, doing who knew what.The attack on the enclave was awfully convenient.Of all times to strike, the pirates chose the exact moment that Caius was here.That couldn’t be a coincidence.They had to have inside information.Whether that leak was on the enclave’s side or within Caius’s own circle was a question Harlow trusted Kira to find the answer to.
She wouldn’t disappoint him.
“Your argument would carry more weight if I didn’t know you suspect them of treason,” Finn told her.
“We could trade,” Kira offered.“You take Bez and the rest and I go warn Raider.”
The sour expression on his face showed that he was even less a fan of that option than the other.
“That’s what I thought,” Kira said.
She’d known he wasn’t going to let her run through a forest possibly teeming with pirates.For all their suspicions, Bez and the other Tuann were still the safer bet.
“You’ll report straight to them?”Finn asked.
“As soon as I leave here.”
Her assurance seemed to pacify Finn.
“I’ll report back as soon as I’ve made contact,” Finn threatened.
Kira nodded.“You do that.Stay safe.”
Then Finn was gone, disappearing into the gloom of the complex at a quick clip.
“You give us some space too,” Jin ordered Dylan.When the oshota didn’t move, Jin shoved him in the side.“Go!”
“It’s my job—”
Jin cut him off with an impatient sound.“There’s no one else here and she would never hurt me.”
Dylan must have realized the truth of that statement because he relented.“Very well, but I’m not going far.”
Jin waved a goodbye.“Fine.”
True to his word, Dylan really didn’t go far, just to the opposite end of the hallway, well within shouting range.
As soon as he was gone, Jin looked at Kira.“These missing children have to be your priority.”
There was a trace of amusement on Kira’s face as she noted the way he had puffed up in preparation for an argument.“Did you think I’d consider otherwise?”
Children came first.Always.
Jin deflated.“Not really, but sometimes it’s hard to think clearly in this body.In my head, I know what your priorities are, but my stomach sometimes says otherwise.”
