The Sympathizer

Chapter 12

The metal door handle sizzles from behind us and I whip out my gun, ready to shoot down our attackers. Lucian and I don't release a breath, our bodies coiled in tense anticipation. 

The last thing I expected was Commander Alya and Commander Deneb rushing through. My finger is still perched upon the trigger, ever ready to shoot as Lucian calls out from behind the bar. 

"Deneb, why did you shoot down the door?" 

"We didn't," Deneb assures. I watch Lucian's officer scan the room. He marches from one end to the other with his pocket scanner in hand, the tiny thing buzzing mildly. "No traces of radioactivity. No traces of gun powder or laser heat trails." 

"Coast is clear," Alya says loudly and the rest of our squads pour into the suite, making the room feel infinitely smaller. Lucian and I step out from the nook behind the bar island, my gun hanging by my side. 

I notice Lucian has his hand locked around his gun as well.  

"What are you doing here?" Lucian asks incredulously and then he walks up to the room door. The metal portion of the handle has melted off, making it droop to the side lopsidedly. 

"PG Lucian, someone was trying to break in!" Commander Remulus rushes up to us. "I was on stand by but we saw no one. This was done remotely from somewhere else." 

I stare at the molten metal, panic filling my veins. Was this supposed to be the attempted assassination on Lucian? 

Just then a flurry of human soldiers surround the door and the SA prime minister rushes in to meet us. 

"We were alerted of the commotion. Please forgive us for our lack in security. This building has only ever been used for our Great Creator's visits. Perhaps the maintenance has not been up to parr. A million apologies Generals." 

The prime minister bows impossibly lower and I almost reach out to lift him up before he breaks his back. The man must be approaching eighty but with the technology we have provided, he moves like a sixty year old. 

I cast a look at Alya, gesturing for her to act the part and she quickly steps forward. 

"Don't strain yourself." She places a hand gently on his shoulder, gesturing for him to straighten up. "But please do clarify. Are you telling us that the door melting was an accident due to poor maintenance?" 

The minister pales. If this were an interrogation room in the Sympathizer quarters, I would have him bleeding out of his ears for lying. 

"No, not the melting part. I am unsure how that happened." 

Lucian side eyes me and I can already tell what he is thinking. The SA minister might be on Lazarus's side but it only makes me wonder why. 

Why would Earth's ministers side with a single Precursor General over the others? What incentive does Lazarus have that we don't? 

"What I mean is..." The old man stares at Alya apprehensively before speaking. "Is that we haven't updated our security yet. The Plutonians visits have always been safe. There was never any need or worry..." He trails off when he sees the deadly glare on Lucian's face. 

"Shall I escort you to dinner? My soldiers will investigate this matter thoroughly and a report will be done by the end of the evening. You have my word," He gestures to the entrance where his soldiers are standing in a long row, flanking both sides of the corridor. 

"Our commanders will assist as well," Lucian enforces in a tone that leaves no room for argument. 

The minister only shrugs with a helpless smile on his face as Commander Pollux and one of my commanders - Zion - stays back. The rest of us follow him, the sound of his soldiers marching cushioned by the soft carpeted floors.