Bashui Lee watched the shuttle roll into the receiving area. A doctor disembarked first. Next, two XLS soldiers struggled to drag the blindfolded prisoner, Hector Salazar, off the transport. An orderly jogged up to the doctor, who took the needle from him and stuck it in Hector’s arm. Hector went limp. The soldiers carted him off.
The doctor approached Lee.
“What’d we get?”
“Not much. His brainwave patterns are all over the place. He’s going through some kind of severe emotional trauma,” said the doctor. “The memory agent won’t work. The data will be compromised.”
Alexandra exited the transport. Lee lowered his voice.
“And her?”
“I sent her test results to your datapad. Her DNA is a match. She is his sister. That could explain his trauma. He’s reliving some past memory.”
“She has no idea?”
“None. Somebody ran an extensive memory swipe on her when she was young. It’s a blank slate until age four or five.”
“Delete everything,” said Lee. “This stays between us.”
“Yes, sir.”
The doctor hurried after the soldiers. Lee approached Alexandra.
“I haven’t received payment.”
Lee nodded. Punched a code into his datapad. “Ever work outside the Guild?”
“No.”
“Now’s your chance. I have another job for you.”
“Go through the Guild.”
“This requires a level of confidentiality that the Guild can’t provide.”
“Then find someone else.”
“Name your price.”
Her datapad chirped. Payment cleared. “Good doing business with you.” She turned to leave.
“Our new prisoner needs an escort back to his headquarters. Needs to look like an escape. He’ll trust you.”
Alexandra kept walking. She reached the transport’s door.
“He’s not your brother.” He lied.
She hesitated.
“We did some research. Dug deep. He’s not related to you, but we know who is. I have your file. Wasn’t easy to get that information.”
“What makes you think I care?”
“I’ll give you your history plus payment for the job.”
“What happens when I get him there?”
Lee folded his arms. “You arm the device that will annihilate Union Subdivision headquarters.”
“If I agree to it, I choose who comes along for the ride.”
