Free Torn Sky (Rebel Wing Trilogy, Book 3) (Rebel Wing Series) by Tracy Banghart Page A

some food and some sleep. See you tonight.”
    Dismissed, Lieutenant Raven nodded at the women and slipped out of the room, yawning.
    When they were alone, Dianthe tapped the screen, switching the sound from the earbuds to external speakers. The thud of footsteps and swish of traffic underscored a jumble of city noise.
    She glanced back at Dysis. “This feed is coming directly from the voice modulator of a veiled Atalantan agent within Safara. It’ll pick up his own voice, as well as ambient sound. He’s putting himself at great personal risk to provide us with essential intel. As soon as you hear anything of importance, particularly regarding a new weapon, or the words ‘flaming scorpion,’ you are to contact me or Commander Nyx at once, using this.” She showed Dysis the separate tech to send out a building-wide message. “If we don’t reply, send a similar message to Lieutenant Raven. Do
not
leave the room. This feed
must
be monitored at all times.”
    The obvious questions rose to Dysis’s lips. “But what about food? And, you know . . .”
    Dianthe pointed to a small door in the back corner. “Washroom.” And then to a small foodsaver built into the other wall. “That’s restocked every two days by me or Lieutenant Raven. No one else is authorized access to this room. I don’t care if you know them, or if they say they’re here for an important purpose.
No one
is allowed access.”
    Dysis nodded. “It’s a secret. Protect it with my life. Got it,” she said, as she eased into the chair. Sound waves scrolled across the monitor in a dizzying, hypnotic line. The tinkle of a bell sent up spikes, and then the city noise faded and the line calmed. She thought maybe the man had walked inside a building.
    “I have two minutes,” a deep voice whispered.
    “Any sign of the weapon?”
    Dysis choked on a gasp. Her eyes flew to Dianthe’s face. “That second voice—that’s my
brother’s
. Is he your operative in Safara?”
    Dianthe shot her a glare. “Shh.”
    The first voice rumbled, “I’ve been traveling to the different locations of the Balias doubles, as Elom had done before his capture. So far I haven’t run into the true Balias, as far as I can tell, and no one has spoken about the flaming scorpion.”
    Elom
? What was going on?
    “Anyone seem suspicious or ask too many questions?” Jax asked.
    Dysis sucked in a slow, steadying breath. If Jax was asking the questions, he was probably the asset’s handler, not the asset himself.
    “There appears to be ill will toward Elom, but no one has dared doubt me. His reputation is firmly entrenched.” A louder sound echoed through the room, as if the man had swallowed. “I was asked to exact punishment on a man accused of treason. It was . . . unpleasant. I need to find the real Balias and get this done with. Before, well, before more evil is asked of us all.”
    In the short pause that followed, Dysis turned to Dianthe. “Tell me what the hell is going on.”
    Dianthe allowed a small smile. “Your brother noticed Lieutenant Haan’s Safaran friend, Alistar, looked quite similar to Elom. Ward Nekos used Ward Balias’s rumored desire to liberate Elom as an opportunity.”
    “So the real Elom didn’t
actually
escape?” Dysis asked, her jaw slack.
Voice modulator.
Dianthe had said the feed was coming from a voice modulator. Part of a diatous veil. Alistar was impersonating Elom, and it had been her brother’s idea.
    Dianthe headed for the door. “Aris can explain the finer points of the plan. She and Major Vadim are aware of the deception. But don’t speak to them about this in anyone else’s presence. And do
not
report what you hear to them. It must go through me or Nyx first.”
    “Was Aris the one who got me the job? Did she tell you to keep me busy?” Even without looking up, Dysis could
feel
Dianthe’s scowl.
    “Raven and I were taking twelve-hour shifts when we began monitoring because there was no one else I could trust with this