Page 106 of CHOICE Lover
She’s right to question his motivations. After all, his intent is to bolster his favor with NHOS should Electra’s nature ever come tolight. But technically that isn’t a diversion. “Of course. That’s why I wanted to bring you this information. Believe me,” he says, running a hand through his hair. Zorg, could he be more suspicious? He leans back in his chair, trying to assume a relaxed position. “The last thing I want is for NHOS to have a problem with my creation. That’s why I’ve made sure our product safety measures are unmatched across the industry. I thought my aid and transparency would have reinforced my commitment to shutting down the reincarnate problem.”
“Hmm . . . I suppose I’ll accept that. You’re so sure it’s limited to GROW. Why not ManuMATE or CheapDate? she asks, chewing the tip of her stylus.
His gaze attaches to the movement. Inspector Wanda is a beautiful woman, but his mind is full of Electra’s glossy lips. He shoves the image out of his mind. “I almost have the full report of the scans ready to send. The reincarnates came from the GROW DNA catalogue you provided us, confirming what they told us in their interviews. Considering none of them are from one of my other competitors, the evidence points to them.”
He certainly isn’t going to tell her that the additional dozen reincarnates Tommy found on BLACKOUT are also from GROW, plus this IdenTECH company Electra found is solely using GROW’s logo in their marketing. Better to minimize the problem for now until he can convince her that manupartners are not a threat.
“Or someone working for them,” the inspector agrees. “Unfortunately, the evidence so far is circumstantial. I’m not convinced this woman, Sable, is behind the reincarnates. You say she moonlights as a healer at the boxing ring.”
“That’s right.”
She sits there for a long moment, mulling it over. “While what they’re doing is illegal, my gut tells me she’s in it for the unicoin.”
He doesn’t want to contradict her and get scolded again. He clears his throat, gingerly offering, “Wouldn’t it be just as plausible that she’s making reincarnates for the unicoin too?”
“I suppose it’s possible. I could bring the people you’ve identified in for questioning, but I have a better idea. We need to act fast.”
An hour later, Res6, Viper, and Inspector Wanda, along with ten inspectors from her team, are standing in the lobby at GROW. She holds up her device, showing a digital badge. From the corner of his eye, Res6 sees her screen flash between documents.
“As you can see, I have an official mandatory injunction stating that you are to open your facilities to my people for inspection. I expect GROW is prepared for our visit.”
The panicky woman behind the counter keeps glancing between Wanda and Viper. “I’ll let my supervisor know you’re here.”
They’re led into a lobby in the employees-only section next to a bank of elevators. Wanda confers with a man who seems to be her team lead, and the inspectors disperse.
Once they’re alone, she turns to Res6. “We have an inspection scheduled this morning, along with a recall. It seemed like a way to round up reincarnates and put a stop to more being made. At least make the point to GROW that we’re serious about them isolating and solving their problem. I’ve been operating under the assumption that the reincarnates are a mishap, but based on what you showed me, my doubts are growing. I want to get a read on this Sable woman without having to bring her in. We’ll wait here until they’ve gathered their staff. Meanwhile, we can go over the plan.”
Fifteen minutes later, they’re being led into a large room packed full of GROW employees in orderly lines.
“Quiet!” Inspector Wanda’s team lead barks. The murmuring in the room grinds to a halt. “It is each citizen’s duty to come forward if they become aware of NHOS violations. As most of you are aware, GROW is being investigated for . . .” He continues speaking for several minutes, but Res6 tunes him out, scanning the rows of employees. His gaze snags on James—specifically on his broken nose that wasn’t obvious in the surveillance video Viper provided. His eyes narrow as recognition passes between them. An image of him sitting in a dingy bar in Z Quadrant with the other taller unidentified man from the video flashes through his mind. Shit. He’s not a manupartner at all. The more likely explanation is he’s a reincarnate . . . but if that’s true, why is he here posing as a GROW employee?
Oh shit.
Shit.James saw him with Electra, and now he’s eyeing him knowingly. He must realize Res6 is harboring a reincarnate too. Her column increases the likelihood of her getting caught, but the threat feels more abstract. The hair on the back of his neck stands on end.
He and Sable obviously have a connection and, logically, now he has information about Res6 to keep them out of trouble. He can just picture Wanda stepping up and asking James to identify himself as planned and James jumping in front of the physician defensively, pointing an accusatory finger at him. Then NHOS inspectors will show up to his unit and take Electra before he can get there to tell her he didn’t turn her in. After their fight, that’s what she’ll assume. That he thought she was too much trouble and wanted to get rid of her. He shouldn’t have been so callous toward her. Should have knocked on her door last night until she opened it, then knelt at her feet to apologize. His knees are wobbly.
Get it together, Res6. You have a role to play.You have to protect her no matter the cost. The corner of his mouth twitches as he fights a frown. Would James really turn Electra in, though, and jeopardize his identity company? Assuming he’s not a plant, it would implicate him even further. He’ll get through this, then contact the reincarnate James after. He has no idea what he’ll say—and they’ll most likely be surveilling them.Shit. Shit. Shit. This is bad.
Beside him, Viper shifts, and he can practically feel the excitement radiating off him. “That’s the manupartner, isn’t it?” He nods toward James.
Res6 leans over. “Stick with the plan. Trust that Wanda knows how best to work her case.”
He wouldn’t put it past the impulsive man, who clearly is on a revenge plot, to veer off the script. His belligerent insistence that Wanda arrest them immediately did not please her. She threatened to remove him from the mission, which effectively shut him up.
Viper nods vigorously.
When he glances back at James, he’s scowling.
He tunes back into the inspector, who is finishing his monologue. “. . . going down the rows of employees to identify the perpetrator, who may or may not be in this very room.” More murmurs break out, but louder, and the inspector shouts, “Quiet, please! Both identifying the guilty and clearing the innocent from suspicion hold equal importance. Once you’ve been cleared, we ask you to exit the room and not speak of today’s proceedings, as this is an ongoing investigation. A notice from GROW detailing the status of your employment benefits during our investigation will follow.”
Wanda steps up to his side. “Let’s begin with the first row.”
Viper follows as they make their way down the row, clearing GROW employees who file out of the room. Every few minutes he noticesWanda’s gaze subtly flick to the row further back in the room where James and Sable stand, shifting nervously.
They make it through the second row and are moving onto the third when shouting sounds from outside the door. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but this area is restricted to employees only.”
They keep moving down the rows, but the chaos outside the door is distracting him. The woman’s words sail through the door. “But I still own him. I can pay—I have the funds!” The agony in her voice makes his stomach clench.
