Page 35 of Infiltration

Shuttle flying from Earth II to Alpha Space Station

“Did you know Ken Bryant divorced his wife so the Holy Leader could add her to his harem?” Kuran asked.

Stacy started at his abrupt question. She stared at him. “What?”

He nodded. He watched her in his peripheral vision, keeping his forward gaze pointed to the shuttle’s instrumentation as he flew them to the space station where his clan lived. “She was young, too. Damned near a child bride, the daughter of a friend who’d died and left her an orphan. Bryant adopted her, then married her.”

“Holy Leader Browning Copeland was known for his interest in young women. Teenagers.” Kuran heard Stacy swallow.

“Apparently, Ken Bryant shared in his…preferences.”

Stacy’s expression told him she was as revolted as he was by the information. “Where did you hear this?”

“I came across some records in my research.” He hated being evasive. He soothed himself by remembering the more in the dark she remained about his spy activities, the safer she’d be.

She suspected him of hiding something from her, though. He could taste it in her silence and feel it in her continued stare.

“It sounds as if you’ve been diving deep into his past. I’d never heard he’d married.”

“It was kept quiet. Earth had buried files few knew of. Most consisted of sins and criminal acts to blackmail certain people, as well as marriages kept quiet for various reasons. Bryant’s connections to a certain bishop led to the approval of the secret union. It was never made public.”

“Can you prove it?”

“I have copies of the records, which were protected from alteration by intricate coding parameters.”

She continued to gaze at him. “You realize such information will help me in the election if Ken runs against me. I expect him to.”

Kuran smirked. “Go ahead. He’ll use your relationship with my clan to do the same. Anyone who runs against you will.”

“He’ll wonder where I got my information.”

“Where a smart, resourceful person would. You just have to know where to look.”

“Uh huh. You won’t tell me the source?”

He could tell she wouldn’t relent if he didn’t give her something concrete. “The secret archives of Earth’s official Church. You have to use a code to view them, but once you do, there’s a fascinating amount of information about the high-ranking officials of the old regime.”

He didn’t tell her he’d learned a would-be investigator only got one shot at inputting the right code, using a recognized user address. Or that the code would only access a certain number of files before another had to be found. Kuran wondered how the hell Blythe had managed to get her information. Someone had given it to her. Someone who wanted Ken Bryant or other surviving notables discovered for the sins they’d committed when they’d led Earth down its self-destructive path.

Several minutes later, Kuran docked on the station. No sooner had they left the shuttle and entered the bay when alarms went off. A horde of Nobek security raced toward the opposite end of the space, where shuttles dotted the metallic environs.

Kuran was half-tempted to race after them, but his first thought was for Stacy’s safety. Should they join his clan in their quarters or jump back on the shuttle and take off?

A security guard slowed on his way past them. “A mysterious bin was discovered just now, left on the floor. It’s been placed in containment, but you’d better leave the bay. You should be safe in the station. We’re going into lockdown until this is taken care of.”

“Thank you,” Stacy called after him as he hurried on.

She and Kuran trotted out of the bay and slowed to a walk as soon as its reinforced hatch closed behind them. “I wonder what it is,” Kuran said.

“They must suspect explosives to react in such a way. I hope it isn’t traced to Earthers, but that’s where my suspicions immediately turn.” Stacy sighed. “The Earthtiques won’t quit until we’re at each other’s throats again.”

“It won’t happen since so many live together happily in the empire.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Stacy didn’t have long to wait for Etnil to start cracking jokes during dinner about the lockdown over the mysterious package.

“I think it’s you performing these shenanigans.” He wagged his finger at her. “Just so when there’s a loud noise and the station shakes, you can throw yourself in my arms. ‘Save me, Etnil, you big, strong, handsome, well-endowed hunk of a man. You gorgeous, delicious, incredible—’”

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