Page 95 of Anders
I need to get to the newspaper office,Etta said after a moment.The shipment of specialized equipment is arriving this morning, and I want to set it up before the meeting with Malcolm and Larissa.
Anders nodded, mentally reviewing the security protocols he’d established for the newspaper office.After a lengthy discussion, the council had approved their plan to convert theHeraldinto a central hub for their investigation into Chimera.With its existing infrastructure and public facade, it provided ideal cover for the sensitive work ahead.
I’ll join you there at noon,he said.The Stardust delegation will want a complete briefing when they arrive tomorrow, and we should be prepared.
I’ll have everything ready,she assured him, then hesitated.Do you need help adjusting the southern sensors first?
The offer warmed him—both her willingness to assist with his responsibilities and her understanding of what those responsibilities meant to him.But he shook his head.
Take care of the office.That’s where your expertise is most needed.
She smiled, the bond between them humming.Commander and investigator, working as one.
Precisely,he agreed, allowing himself a rare moment of levity.Though, I believe the proper term is ‘mate.’
Her laugh, still somewhat uncommon but increasingly frequent, lightened something in his chest.I’ll see you at noon, then,mate.
As she turned to leave, Anders found himself watching her go—the confident stride so different from her hesitant movements during those first days of recovery, the straight shoulders that carried burdens no one should have to bear.
His wolf stirred with pride and possessiveness but also something deeper, something that honored her strength rather than seeking to shelter it.
Quinton cleared his throat discreetly, reminding Anders of their audience.With practiced discipline, he refocused on the security schematics, though a small part of his awareness remained attuned to Etta’s presence through their bond, tracking her progress as she left the packhouse grounds.
The bond itself had strengthened considerably since her surgery, the removal of the neural interface eliminating the interference that had distorted their connection.Now it flowed between them like a steady current, allowing for a depth of communication Anders had never experienced before.Sometimes he still marveled at it—at how quickly it had become essential to him, a man who had prided himself on self-sufficiency.
Southern sensor array needs your attention, boss,Quinton reminded him, tactfully not commenting on his momentary distraction.
Anders nodded sharply, gathering his equipment with efficient movements.I’m on it.Have Conall meet me there when he wakes up.
The morning passed in a blur of technical adjustments and security protocols.Anders lost himself in the work, the methodical precision of it steadying his mind as it always had.By the time he finished recalibrating the southern sensors, the sun was high in the sky, indicating he had just enough time to clean up before meeting Etta at the newspaper office.
He arrived precisely at noon, noting with approval the new security measures installed at the entrance—discreet but effective, capable of detecting both conventional threats and the specialized technology Chimera employed.
Inside, theHerald’s main workspace had been transformed, the dusty remnants of its former life replaced by cutting-edge equipment arranged in organized workstations.
Etta stood at the center of it all, directing the final placement of a sophisticated communications array that Anders recognized as military-grade.He didn’t ask where Malcolm had obtained it; some questions were better left unasked, especially when the answers might involve connections from his own past in Special Forces.
She sensed his presence immediately, turning to greet him with a smile that still made his heart rate quicken.Right on time.
Always,he said, scanning the room with habitual thoroughness.Impressive setup.
We’ve repurposed the printing equipment room for secure communications,she said, leading him through the transformed space.The basement has been completely reconfigured for intelligence analysis—all evidence of Chimera’s surveillance equipment removed and replaced with our own systems.
The efficiency of the operation reflected her journalistic organizational skills combined with the tactical training Chimera had unwittingly provided.Anders followed her down to the basement, noting the reinforced door, the advanced lock system, the subtle defensive measures incorporated into what appeared to be ordinary office fixtures.
And this,Etta said with undisguised pride,is our intelligence hub.
The basement bore no resemblance to the cluttered archive room where he’d found her having a seizure all those weeks ago.Instead, it had been transformed into a state-of-the-art command center that rivaled his own setup at the Old Packhouse.
Multiple workstations faced a central display wall, each equipped with specialized analysis software.Maps covered one section, marking known Chimera facilities and suspected operations with color-coded pins and notations.
You’ve been busy,Anders observed, genuinely impressed.
I had help,she said.Sarah’s cousin works in information technology.He set up the secure networks without asking too many questions.
Anders moved to examine the central display, where a complex diagram traced the organizational structure of Chimera as they currently understood it.Names and positions were connected by lines indicating reporting relationships, areas of responsibility, known associates.
This is new,he noted, indicating a section he hadn’t seen before.
