“Is this the mountain Tommy and the little’s keep going on about?”the woman asked, shooting Kira a mischievous glance.
“One and the same.”Kira sighed, ignoring Graydon’s arched eyebrow.
A smile bloomed on the other woman’s face right before she threw herself into Kira’s arms.“I wanted to do this last time but felt it was inappropriate given the role I was playing.”
Given their identities—or rather the lack of them—that was probably the right choice.
“Jace would have had questions.”Kira set her cheek on the top of the woman’s head and gave her one last squeeze before straightening.“It’s good to see you, Harper.”She glanced at the man.“You too, Chance.”
Chance tipped his head at her.The tiny hint of warmth in his features a sign of the affection he reserved for a very privileged few.
“Now that we’ve got our hellos out of the way, why don’t you two tell me what you’re doing on Titan?”Kira said with a no nonsense expression.
As happy as she always was to see these two, it worried her to find them here.
Chance and Harper shared a look, an entire conversation taking place in the span of a few seconds.The two were part of that first group of children Kira had liberated from a camp horrifyingly similar to the one she’d grown up in.
Back then, she hadn’t known the true scope of what the Tsavitee were doing.How insidious their influence was or how prevalent.All she could think about was getting the children away from the ones who were hurting them.She hadn’t spared a thought for what would come after.
She’d still been in the military back then.Without the time or resources to give them the care and love they required.
Selene had come later.A means of last resort.Her sister as lost and in need of affection as the children Kira had rescued.
It turned out to be the best choice Kira could have made.
Selene found purpose in caring for the children and they found a protector who would shield them from harm until her very last breath.
Kira had checked in with them now and then through the years.Spent time in Selene’s home whenever she thought it was safe.
Eventually, the children she rescued grew into teens and then young adults.And as most adults did, they left home, heading out into the wider universe and what awaited them there.
Some of them found jobs in influential industries.Others infiltrated the government and military.Selene and Kira never cared what they did as long as they were happy.Their lives were their own.To shape and mold as they wished.
As far as Kira knew, Chance and Harper were roamers, flitting here and there.Always up to something.Sometimes crossing Kira’s path.Most times not.
Chance focused light hazel eyes on Kira.“We’re investigating something.”
“A child abduction ring,” Harper volunteered.
“We’ve been tracking them for months,” Chance added.“So far nothing to indicate Tsavitee influence or we would have brought you in.”
“Just regular old fashioned human greed,” Harper agreed.
Their reasons for pursuing this were understandable.A human trafficking ring was likely responsible for how she and Chance wound up in Tsavitee care.
The war had left a lot of orphans.Both during and after.The powers-that-be were already swamped with reconstruction efforts and their other responsibilities.The smallest and most vulnerable were the first to slip through the cracks.Since there was no one to miss them or advocate on their behalf, it was easy for the Consortium to look the other way, making it the perfect situation for the Tsavitee to insert themselves into.
“Why are you here?”Chance asked.
“Tuann children have been taken.I suspect they were brought here,” Kira said.
Chance cocked his head, looking contemplative.“You suspect Tsavitee influence?”
“It had crossed my mind, yes.The situation bears a resemblance to the circumstances that put me and Selene in the camp.”
Kira prayed that she was wrong.
“We’ll send you what we have,” Chance promised.
