Chapter 4

The meeting with the security chief went quite well. Anatol Delenko did not seem so determined to probe her with every action and word towards her. He was built quite solid with broad shoulders and heavy muscles that were unusual for a Psy. He radiated a chill calm of Psy practicality. Something she was used to deal with. Most of the meeting consisted in an explanation of the security system, which involved of course mostly the gold standard in tech and procedure. If she was part of the security she had to know these things by heart as well as the blueprint of the main building and a few other business premises that belonged to the Councilor. All in all the system included nothing she didn't know from her training and had even one or two tiny gaps a well-trained Arrow like her could slip through. She contemplated keeping that knowledge to herself for a moment. Then she decided that showing some skill and reliability was more likely to be expected if this was another test and pointed out the gaps, when Delenko was through with the introduction.

"That would require excessive training, but yes, it could be done. I will discuss this with Mr. Krychek as soon as possible. Thank you for the hint." No surprise in his voice. But that didn't mean he'd known the security gaps before. However, he changed the subject a little too hastily to appear completely confident about what she had just told him.

"Now, to your responsibilities. Apart from your personal involvement in Mr. Krychek's private security you are also admonished to check the personal shields of the higher ranking, permanent staff members and counsel them if necessary."

That came as a surprise. She wouldn't have expected that kind of involvement, at least not so soon. But that also meant she neither would have to spend her entire time too close to this irritating man nor would she sit around with nothing to do, when the Councilor had no need of her.

"I have permission to check the shielding of the higher staff? That's a lot of trust. Is there no probation time before I am trusted with such a task?"

"No. You can start tomorrow, right after you meet the rest of the team. It was a direct order from Mr. Krychek."

Another test then she was sure. No one in his right mind would let a new employee this far inside their security matters. She had no problem with that. To manage her own natural talents she had in fact become a specialist on all sorts of shielding. She'd take this as another chance to show how she could be of use to Krychek, conveniently without killing people.

"Alright. Will I have regular working times then?" It hadn't seemed like it on her schedule so far.

"Usually the members of the security division are ready on call. You'll get your schedule once a week, but as the political situation is destabilizing that may change on a daily basis. I was given to understand there would be no problem with that since you're used to it from your former job."

The man obviously didn't know she was an Arrow. And he had no concept of how she'd worked so far. Since she had started active service in the Squad, she had been relatively free. She had her regular medical check-ups with Aden who knew about her unusual condition and abilities. So she didn't have to hide there. Apart from that she got her missions and was authorized to plan them on her own terms as long as the outcome was what was expected. She could go where and do whatever she considered necessary for her assignment or the preservation of her functionality as they called her exceptional, emotional needs. The contact with the world of the feeling races was even desired in her case, because she was the only one in the Squad being able to deal so well with them. She understood them and could therefore deliver qualified information that the most Silent of the Psy had no other ways of obtaining.

"No it's not a problem. I just wanted to know. I'll meet you tomorrow then."

Leaving for her quarters again she thought this could become really hard. Now that she was to be integrated so thoroughly in a Psy designed working environment, it would be much harder to indulge in all those forbidden pleasures, she had worked in her schedule, when she was on her own. Especially lately she had gone further than necessary in her contact with the feeling races. She had often had assignments to spy on humans and their ease with emotion had just been too tempting. Now she'd pay the price for that indulgence: She'd miss the acquaintances she had made all over the world to ensure occasional emotional exchange and support. She would miss all the small pieces of beauty she had hidden in her safe places over time. And most of all she would miss nature, the one place where no one judged her, where she could be herself. Maybe she could request some time in the open for occasional survival training. But the thought did nothing against the feeling that she was caged again, like she had been in training. It was exactly what she had feared, when Aden had first proposed the position, but she had run out of options and there was one man she never wanted at her back again. A fear that was so old and deep she still hadn't gotten rid of it.

They had discussed if she couldn't just go dark but she had learned that she hadn't been as free as she thought. Most of her whereabouts and activities over the years had been monitored and documented in the Squad files, meaning that her worst enemy had had access to them and would probably find her before she got away. So it had been decided that she needed another protector outside the Squad. She didn't like the idea of being dependent again. But it was still better than defecting. Now that some powerful Psy were known to have successfully escaped the Net there was hope for her to succeed in it too, but that was something she couldn't do. The Net needed her and she owed to make up for the terrible things she'd done. She wouldn't run.

So she had agreed to her current placement, but now she found it hard to accept another cage. She had at least expected she would live somewhere more secluded. A futile hope. Of course a man like Kaleb Krychek would want full control of everyone in his service.

She'd get used to it. She always did. She just needed to pull her behavioral controls tighter and meditate longer to clear her mind.

Secret personal files of the Arrow Squad

Eva Milhaud:

27.11.2054:

Elimination of Eva Milhaud and Daniel Calve (target in Mission FF-7346) in a hospital in Cologne, Germany – illegitimate, biological child of Milhaud and Calve secured: a girl with cardinal potential, designation yet unknown, transferred to center for infants with Arrow potential – file closed