The Dark Edge Chronicles - Clan War

Plugging Rabbit Holes

Lash could only shrug. Even when the Qos Viran were using the VCG on a regular basis, communication was always through the automated streaming service they had used to track down the VOC database. There was little, if any direct contact with their agents.

That is, until Tanis contacted him before the strike on the Van Tallert compound.

"I am receiving a coded transmission, Lord Commander," Hunter indicated not two minutes after the original message was sent.

"Apparently not long at all!" Naryan commented, looking over at Narcist. Both Lash and Narcist nodded in agreement before Lash looked upward.

"Pass it through, Hunter," he directed.

"Code in: Omega Delta four," a familiar voice said without its usual digital distortion. "Is this line secure?"

"Affirmative," Lash said. "Where are you, Tanis?"

It was a point blank question, one that stood a very real chance of not being answered if the remaining VCG senior operative felt threatened. Which made it a test to see just how involved the VCG was going to be, after all of their assurances that they were on the same side.

"Just north of Budapest with a team," the VCG operative indicated with no hesitation. "Considering that question was fairly risky, you must be probing to see how we still stand after Brussels," the spy carefully said.

"And you would be correct," Lash said. "Time is of the essence, Tanis. I've little to waste on spy talk and misdirection. So I will speak plainly and would like you to do the same. If you are truly invested in bringing down the traitor, that is."

"Our level of commitment to this operation hasn't changed, Lord Commander," Tanis tautly replied, obviously stung by Lash's questioning of his resolve. "I thought my lack of a distorted voice would've at least communicated that!"

"Our world continues to rip itself apart, spy," Lash retorted. "Friends have become enemies, masters have turned into slaves, and honor and integrity are in short supply." He hesitated. "But, that being said, your anger tells me more than a book full of slippery words could!"

Again he hesitated before:

"We will strike Varos Ejzhaka in twelve hours or less," Lash said, deciding to put it all out on the table at the very last moment. If they couldn't have trust now, then he might as well hunt the spy down and end him then and there.

"In preparation for that strike, we've made a number of strategic moves in the last few days. I will list them in order so you can jump in with anything additional you've discovered to add to the situation."

"Copy that," Tanis said, his tone once again professional with Lash's significant revelation making an obvious play to be trustworthy. "Standing by."

"I have brought House Lash's Lord of Shadows Vulcrum to my location. With his skill, we were able to unmask Anna van Tallert's handler, a former Qos Viran operator by the name of Makarov."

"The world eater? I thought he was KIA!" Tanis exclaimed.

"So did we, much to my chagrin. A number of mysterious deaths or disappearances by former Qos Viran have facilitated the growth of Romanescu's slaver network. Regardless, we captured him and, under questioning, he gave us the names of two High Lords involved in the conspiracy to destroy the Queens' Conclave: High Lords Giovanni and Narvaez."

"Both Toreador," Tanis said, his tone thoughtful. "I wonder if it's a play to regain their seat after losing it to Vorinov?"

"We're entertaining that theory as well. We've captured Giovanni and Narvaez in two separate operations and Giovanni gave us the name of the traitor on the council. A vampire that goes by the name Demaskieros."