“Adryel, this is Guard Burk. When I was running everyone through the Galactic Alliance's systems, he reached out and wanted to speak to you. It seems he has been looking for you.”
Adryel sighed. “Are you going to arrest me?”
“Do I have a reason to?”
She raised her eyebrow. She didn't recognize him, but that didn't mean anything. It had been over a year since she'd been in the Rhysgarrds business. Lots could happen in a year. Was he an honest guard, or was he on the Rhysgarrds' list of friends?
She glanced at Graecey, and thought about Sret. What would happen to this program if the Rhysgarrds found out she was here? Would they take out this whole group?
It was bad enough that Sret was dead. If the whole program was taken out because of her? Adryel wouldn't be able to live with herself.
“Look, I seriously don't want to be holding up anything,” Adryel said. “If you're going to take me in or something, let's just get it over with. I don't want anyone else being hurt.”
“Fine.” He shifted, and his face remained stoic. “Let's start simple. What happened in your apartment?”
“I have no idea.”
“We found a dead female there. Any idea why?”
Graecey gasped. He evidently didn't tell her everything.
Adryel stared at him. “Couldn't tell you.”
Who was this guy?
He hadn't mentioned the moonstone.
If he was genuinely building a case against the Rhysgarrds, he'd know their signature. Every guard who'd ever worked the Trinity Alpha Prime sector knew it. Which meant either he was incompetent, or he was waiting to see if she'd mention it first.
She wasn't going to mention it first.
“Are you sure?”
“I wasn't there. I don't know what happened.”
“Why would they come to your place, though? Why are you so special?”
"Maybe they were after the citricite? Thieves will do anything to steal citricite. It is universal power, after all." She watched his face as she said it. It was a lie, and she knew it.
The moonstone on Sret's chest had told her everything she needed to know about why they'd come. But she wanted to see if he'd correct her.
“Why would they leave it in the power pod?”
“Humanoids are dumb?”
“A lot of them are, I think.”
Graecey cleared her throat. “You told me you had specific questions about the Rhysgarrds for Adryel. That you believed she was connected to their upcoming trial.”
Adryel raised her eyebrow. “You're actually going to prosecute them?” She’d heard they were. But honestly, they were always potentially being prosecuted.
Words were nothing.
Burk nodded. “We have a long list of charges. Which was why we were trying to find you. Allegedly, you have more information about their activities. Or so the records have said.” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. “When we heard about the anonymous girl who was--”
“Sret.”
“Many thought she was you, at first.”
