Chapter 9: Not-so-wanted Information

Phoenix could not stand the uniform in which she was given. Sure she loved cargo pants and boots, and she absolutely loved wearing black tanks. But what made her dislike it was that it was not unique. She looked like every other Commander of GALACTIC, and she could not stand it. So, in order to make herself unique, she wore her own boots-ones with chains dangling. She added her chain belt on her waist and didn’t bother wearing her jacket. She wore her fingerless gloves, which most of the other Commanders didn’t bother doing-but she rather liked them.

Of course the one thing that she had to keep on at all times was the star, in which she attached to the top of her pants.

“Breaking rules already, Nixie?” Phoenix heard.

Phoenix turned around to see Leif standing behind her. She leaned back in the chair at the dinning table and grinned. “I’m not breaking any rules here…” she said. “Just making my mark.”

“Like you did on me?” Leif said, pointing to the ‘X’ on his cheek. It had been three days since the fight and since Phoenix had gained her rank. But the ‘X’ still had not vanished from Leif‘s cheek. In fact it turned into a scar, a scar in which Phoenix was glad he had.

“No quite…” Phoenix said. She turned away from him and continued with the paper work at hand. “Now, if you don’t mind. Leave me alone.”

Leif pouted and ran over to sit in the seat across from Phoenix. “I do mind…” he said, smiling. He leaned against the table and noticed the annoyed look on Phoenix’s face. But he just could not help laughing at it. He found it rather cute.

“What do want…?” Phoenix said, slamming down her pen.

“Just hanging out with the Squad Two Commander…” he said, pouting. “Nothing so wrong about that…”

“It is if she doesn’t want you around.”

“Now, now…” Leif shook his head. “You can’t just be mean to a higher ranking officer. That could get you in big trouble there, Nixie.”

Phoenix clinched her fist. Oh how she hated him. “Will you stop with the ill-advised nickname…?” she said through her teeth.

Leif put his hand to his chin and pondered. “Uh… No.” Leif smiled and chuckled at Phoenix’s angry expression. He really did love teasing her.

Leif reached across the table and pulled it out from under her hands. “What’s this…?” he said, looking at it.

“None of your business…” Phoenix said, snatching it away. But that just made Leif even more curious.

Leif snatched the paper back and looked at it, trying to push Phoenix a good distance away. “No secrets, Nix,” Leif smirked.

Phoenix sat back in her chair, finding it futile to try and gain the paper back.

Leif read over the paper and smirked. “So, you’re putting together your squad?” he said, giving her the paper.

“Yes,” Phoenix said, beginning to write on the paper again. “Not like it’s any of your concern…”

Leif just smirked and played with the saltshaker-finding it rather entertaining then watching Phoenix do paperwork. But soon his smile faded and turned serious. “Did you hear the news?” Leif said, twirling the shaker with his index finger.

“What news…?” Phoenix said.

“It seems,” Leif said, “that Commander Chalet received a new mission…”

“And why would I care?”

“Because…” Leif knocked over the saltshaker and glanced up. “It seems it has to deal with your brother…”

Phoenix froze in the writing and looked up at Leif. He was serious and she’s rarely seen him serious. “How do you know this…?” Phoenix dared asking.

Leif smiled charmingly and laughed. “I get around…”

Phoenix lifted an eyebrow. “In other words you flirted your way through to get the information.”

Leif smiled. “Yep!”

Phoenix set her palms on the table and stood to her feet. “I’ve had enough of your games…” she muttered. She grabbed her things and began walking away.

“It seems that your brother has been sighted in Kemoor City in Doria…” Leif said, making Phoenix halt in her steps.

Phoenix looked over her shoulder and saw Leif smirking.

“Commander Chalet was asked to go see what Kaiden was doing there,” Leif continued. “You know what’s in Kemoor City, don’t you, Phoenix?"

Phoenix sat down in her chair once again and crossed her legs. “Yes…” she muttered. “Lab Twelve is in Kemoor City…”

Leif nodded. Leif leaned forward and sighed in a rare moment of sincerity. “This isn’t looking good for him, Nixie…”

Phoenix did not say anything. Her brother would never do something without a reason, for good or bad. “Do you know what happened…?”

Leif looked at Phoenix, he noticed the look in her eyes. She wanted to know, but he was not sure if he should tell her. It was dangerous, even he was not supposed to know this much.

“Yeah…” he said. “But I can’t say…” Leif grinned. “Although, I’d be willing to share. That is…” Leif tilted his head and his smile grew. “If you’re willing to do something for it…”

Phoenix crossed her arms and kicked Leif under the table. He almost fell out of his chair from the pain, but he held. “Fine!” he groaned.

Phoenix smirked, she knew how to get what she wanted out of him. “Talk…”

Leif and Phoenix leaned forward, in order for no one to over hear them. But it was loud enough that they would not be heard already.

“This is only talk among some of the operatives,” he said, “so I can’t say it’s all true.” Leif crossed his arms and went serious once again. “It’s said that after your brother was spotted in Kemoor City, two members of Lab Twelve went missing and a lot of bad stuff went down there.”

“What happened at Lab Twelve…?” Phoenix dared asking, although her heart told her she was doubting her brother just for asking.

“A hacker by the name of Edra Wyke was reported missing two days after your brother’s appearance in the city. But she wasn’t the only one. A Data Broker by the name of Linwood Kerensky was also reported missing. After that the place exploded, no evidence was left of the place except rubble.” Leif sat back in his chair and sighed. “It’s said that Director Killian sent Commander Chalet to see where your brother has vanished to, and where the other operatives have gone to as well.” Leif looked at Phoenix and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “That’s all I got…”

Phoenix sat back in her chair and pondered through everything that had just been explained. It was hard to believe, but it had to be true. But what would her brother be wanting with Lab Twelve? It was nothing more then a scientific experiment lab for Hackers and Data Brokers, pointless. It had no good information on GENESIS. And why would the best Hacker and the best Data Broker be reported missing? What need would there be for them?

Many questions could be asked, but none of them had answers. The big question was how everything fit together. A Hacker, a Data Broker, and GALACTIC operatives missing, her brother’s reappearance in Kemoor City, and the destruction of Lab Twelve. They all fitted together in some way, but how?

“I forgot to mention…” Leif said, looking at the pondering girl. Phoenix met his eyes, but they were cold, different from the normal Leif she knew. “Director Killian has ordered your brother killed on sight…” Phoenix’s eyes widened. “And, that whoever is withholding information, or knows anything about his whereabouts, will be held for treason and killed on sight as well.” Leif leaned forward and pointed at Phoenix. “And the first person he’s going to suspect is you.”