HAWK

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: IRIS (5/5)

The room was no bigger than the Calista's cargo hold, though it felt much larger thanks to a huge oval window in the back wall that offered a glorious view of the IRIS.

'What are we doing here?' Swanne asked.

'That's exactly what I wanted to ask you,' Mantana replied as the door closed behind him. 'How did you four arrive at this location?'

'Ask them.' Swanne nodded to her three travelling companions. 'They're the ones who forced me to come here.'

'That's a lie,' Kas spat. 'She's the one who took us captive mid-transit and brought us here!'

'I took you captive because you stole highly sensitive property from a top-secret federal facility.'

'You tortured me and attempted to wipe my mind in an MI console!'

'Liar!'

President Mantana blinked and shook his head, unsure what had just transpired. 'Alright, let's slow this down a second. There's clearly a lot going on here, but what I need to understand right now is how you four came to be at the IRIS at all. Our location has not been shared with anyone. Only the Federation and the few of us still on board even know that it's being moved. So how did you lot find it?'

'Them,' Swanne replied. 'They had your coordinates.'

Mantana turned back to Kas. 'Is that true?'

'Yeah,' Kas said. 'That much is true.'

'And where did you get these coordinates, exactly?'

'I'm not answering any more questions.'

'Where did you get them?' Mantana tried again. A curl of black hair broke from its ranks and dangled above his right eye, though he didn't seem to notice. 'Please. You need to tell me.'

Kas shook her head and looked away.

'TELL ME!' Kas jolted and turned back to him, surprised to see venom in the president's eyes. His teeth were bared in a snarl. 'Tell me the truth!'

To Kas's credit, she didn't look away. She held Mantana's stare and reflected it back at him.

'I'm not saying anything else without legal counsel,' she replied.

'That's not an option,' the president breathed.

'As a federal representative - the president, no less - you are required to provide us with a legal advocate. We don't have to say another word without one.'

Mantana looked so angry that for a moment, Kas thought he was going to attack her. Instead, he dropped to his knees. His anger evaporated in an instant and left tears forming in his eyes.

'Please,' he said as one rolled down his left cheek. 'You have to tell me. You don't understand what will--'

The sound of the door opening cut him off. He closed his eyes as his shoulders sagged instantly with defeat.

The golden alien walked calmly into the room and came to a stop as the door closed behind it. Mantana raised his head at it like a dog looking up at its master.

'You didn't give me enough time,' he tried.

'You were given what was agreed,' the alien replied in a calm voice. 'You failed.'

'Please, just give me some more ti--'

The alien grabbed Mantana by the neck and threw him across the room. He slammed into the wall like he was a toy and fell winded to the floor. The alien looked at Swanne.

'Why did you come here with a fleet of armed ships?' it asked her.

'I-I didn't...' Swanne stuttered. The alien started walking towards her.

'Who else knows about the IRIS?'

Swanne took a faltering step backwards. 'Ask them! I was only following their coordinates!'

The alien paused and turned to Captain Mack.

'Who else knows about the IRIS?' it asked him. Mack showed a little more strength than Swanne and at least stood his ground.

'You gonna kill us?' he replied.

'Killing you would be counterproductive, but I am willing to extract the truth from you by any means necessary.'

'I guess that means no lawyer.'

The alien suddenly grabbed Mack by his neck and lifted him off the ground with terrifying ease. Mack's eyes bulged as his face turned red.

'Tell me what you know,' the alien repeated.

Mack tried to speak but the alien was holding him too tight. It realised and loosened its grip a little.

'My name is Carle J. Mack,' he exhaled. 'Captain of the four-oh-six special troops, serial number--'

The alien threw him across the room like it had Mantana. He hit the wall even harder than the president and was already unconscious when he struck the floor.

Kas felt a hand grip her own and turned to see Worm beside her. Her cheeks were damp with tears, her young eyes wide with horror.

'It's alright,' Kas lied, summoning a smile. 'Everything will be alright.'

Swanne, meanwhile, had chosen to avoid the scene by staring out of the window, pretending like nothing was happening.

Kas looked at Mack and hoped he'd only passed out. She sensed the alien pivot and turn towards her.

'What do you know?' it asked.

'I'm not saying anything,' Kas replied without looking at it.

'I was not talking to you.'

Kas looked up and was horrified to realise the alien was addressing Worm. She pushed the girl behind her, putting herself between Worm and the alien.

'Don't you dare harm her!' she growled. 'She's mute, anyway, she can't talk!'

The alien looked calmly at Kas.

'Tell me what you know or I will kill the child.'

Kas's heart was thumping hard to fuel her fury. 'If you really want me to talk, I will, but let the girl and the captain go. Do that, and I'll tell you everything. Hurt them, and I won't say another word.'

'If you are found to be lying, I will torture them and kill them in front of you.'

'I'm not lying. Just let them go and I'll give you what you want.'

The alien studied her face for a long time. Kas thought it was about to grab her by her neck when the door opened and two X1's entered. One of them approached Captain Mack and picked him up off the floor like he was a sleeping child. While it carried him out of the exit, the other X1 approached Kas.

'Give me the child,' it said. Kas turned around and looked at Worm behind her.

'Everything's gonna be fine,' she said. 'Trust me. Go.'

Worm wiped away a tear and walked out from behind Kas.

'Follow me,' the X1 said before leading Worm to the exit.

The door closed behind them like a guillotine.