Page 62 of Stolen Empire
She plays the role of the desperate runner, and I play the Radich soldier testing her.
She stumbles at first.
Her answers are too polished, too careful.
I correct her each time, pushing her to sound more raw, more needy.
By the end of the hour, she's found the rhythm.
Her voice carries the right amount of fear and defiance.
Her body language is open but guarded.
She's ready.
"Better," I say, standing.
"But you need to remember one thing. They'll push you. They'll test how far you are willing to go. If you flinch, if you hesitate, they'll know you're lying."
She stands as well, meeting my gaze.
"Christ, Dimitri, I won't flinch."
"Good."
I walk to the door, checking my watch.
"We should go. I want to be back at the office before the crew arrives."
But before I even get out the door, my phone chimes with a text message notification.
Gavriil has more bad news for me and I don't even hide my deepening scowl as I read his words.
"What is it?"
Katya asks with tension edging her tone.
"It's the north gate," I tell her.
"The guard schedule was leaked again. Someone knew when the shift change was happening."
I open the file attached to the text, scanning the details.
The gate was left unmanned for fifteen minutes.
Enough time for someone to slip through unnoticed.
Enough time for someone to send another scout or sneak out something important like cash or insider information for betting.
"Rodion is dead," I say absently.
My mind works through every nuance of my work life.
I'm baffled.
"Who else has access to the schedules?"
But I can't think of a single reason anyone else would have access now that I've removed him.
