Page 22 of Taken

The encrypted comms unit feels impossibly small as I press it into my ear.

“Aurora actual,” I murmur, the subvocal pickup catching my words without actual sound. “Talon checking in. Position secured.”

Static hisses for three seconds, then Zoe’s voice filters through. “Confirmed, Talon. Status?”

“In place. Security clearance established.” I keep my voice low. “I’ve made initial contact with the mark.”

“Assessment?”

I exhale slowly, organizing my thoughts. “Situation is worse than anticipated. They’re conducting regular extractions. Invasive. Dangerous. She’s strong, but…”

The image of Lila straining against the restraints flashes again, her body twisting in pain as they pushed deeper into her mind.

“She won’t last much longer at this rate,” I continue. “Creed is obsessed with some sort of activity near Craven turf. Pushing her beyond safety parameters.”

“Timeline adjustment needed?”

My jaw tightens. “Not yet. Need to assess the situation further, but we should prepare contingencies. I’ll need a clearer picture of security patterns and a better read on her handler.”

“Understood.” A pause. “Is she what Viktor believes? True Rossewyn?”

I think of the power I felt crackling beneath her skin when I adjusted her restraint—that brief moment of contact that sent a strange ripple of sensation through my skin.

“Yes.” No hesitation. “And more. There’s something about her…” I stop, unsure how to articulate the connection I felt. “She’s hiding something from them. I’m certain of it.”

“Can you secure private communication?”

“Working on it. Her handler, Hargen Cole—there’s something there. Protective. Might be leverage.”

“Careful, Talon.” Concern edges into Zoe’s typically detached voice. “If the handler’s loyal to her, he might expose you to protect her.”

“I know. I’ll move carefully.” I straighten, checking my watch again. “Need to go. Next contact in twenty-four hours unless emergency protocols initiated.”

“Confirmed. Aurora actual out.”

The comm goes silent. I pocket the tiny device and smooth my expression back into Allard Reeve’s professional detachment before stepping back into the corridor.

Security rounds take me past Lila’s quarters an hour later. Through the observation panel, I catch sight of Hargen administering something to her IV line. Her eyes are closed, face drawn with exhaustion, but some of the tension has eased from her body.

I tap the access pad, entering the security code I memorized from the briefing materials. The door slides open with a soft hiss.

Hargen looks up, surprise quickly masked by professional deference. “Sir. I wasn’t expecting a security check.” He straightens, pulling himself to his full height, which is perhaps a full inch taller than my own 6’2”. Again, I get that sense of protectiveness around her.

“Random protocol assessment,” I reply, stepping inside and letting the door close behind me. “Standard procedure when assuming command.”

My eyes scan the room, taking in details. Bookcases filled with what appear to be facility-approved texts. A small dining area. Modest bathroom visible through a partially open door. Comfortable furniture. And everywhere, tiny paper dragons. Hundreds of them, arranged on shelves and surfaces.

Not a cell, but not freedom either.

“She’s resting,” Hargen says quietly, adjusting something on the monitor beside her bed, although his bearing stays tense. “The extraction took more than usual.”

I move closer, keeping my posture rigid, hands clasped behind my back. “Recovery protocol?”

“Pain management,” he answers, something indefinable entering his voice. “Approved regimen.”

But the way he avoids my eyes tells me it’s not entirely by the book.

Interesting.

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